"It's really pretty here at night," Noctis comments as we head up the boardwalk.
"And yet, by all accounts, it pales in comparison to Altissia," Ignis says, straightening his jacket.
"Seriously?"
"And there's Iggy, who will forever be the Debbie Downer of this group," I tease. He arches one slim eyebrow.
"I am simply being realistic. You, Rayne, are the pessimist of the group."
"Guess so," I shrug, smiling. "I'll own it."
"Ready to set sail?" Ignis asks as Noctis buys some items from a local shop.
"Just gotta find my sea legs first," Gladio mutters.
"Better hurry!" Prompto laughs.
"I stole 'em," I yawn. "They're mine now."
"Oh yeeeaaah," Prompto grimaces, rubbing the back of his neck. "How are you gonna do at sea?"
"Not good," I cringe. "Probably just… really not good."
"I'll say," Gladio chuckles. "If Noct's driving made you that sick?" He gives a low whistle. "We're in for a treat."
"Oh boy," I breathe, watching Noct come back toward us. "Ready?" He nods.
"Let's go catch us a ferry."
"It may be too late, actually," Ignis speaks up, checking the time. "I read that the ferries only run until five."
"When shoot." I tug on the end of my hair, looking toward the main part of Galdin. "And I imagine that rooms are incredibly expensive?"
"Oh yeah," Gladio grins. "Guess it's another night in the tent, huh guys?" I groan, throwing my head back. "C'mon, I saw signs on our way over here."
He leads the way back across the parking lot, jogging easily over the sand. My legs burn from this new resistance. I can tell Noctis is feeling a bit sore. Ignis stopped at the car with Prompto to get our gear. Gladio climbs up onto a wide, flat rock that borders the shore. "This looks good to me."
"Me too," Noct nods, running toward the elemental rocks that surround the campsite. I grin, watching him absorb the magic from the spikes that jut from the sandy ground.
"Is that why you chose this particular spot?" I ask, eyebrow raised. I take a couple chairs away from Prompto, setting them up around the fire Gladio's already starting.
"Yeah," he admits, smiling back at the prince. "Thought you two could use a refill after that dualhorn." He rocks back onto his heels, opening his arms. "Besides, this is a great rock."
"Sure is," Prompto laughs, putting his hands on his hips and looking out into the distance. "Man, sure is pretty here."
"Yeah, Cindy would enjoy it," I tease, ruffling his styled hair gently. He blushes, hitting my hands away.
"Hey! I spent all morning doing that!"
"You're just gonna mess it up in bed," I huff, glaring at Ignis's raised eyebrow. "And, you need to get your head out of the gutter."
"I don't know your preferences," the sandy haired man shrugs, getting back to setting up his cooking station. Rolling my eyes, I lean an elbow on Prompto's shoulder, motioning to the younger man.
"Not this."
"That's not nice," Noct teases, hopping onto the rock. "Rayne, I left some ice behind for you."
"Thanks," I give him a lopsided smile, patting Prompto on the back before turning and running toward the glowing rocks below the campsite. I extend my left hand toward the white curls of cold steam, taking a deep breath and feeling the cool energy pull into my body through my arm. The energy fades slowly, the rock having lost all of its current powers. I hurry back up to see Noct and Gladio gone. "Where'd the two dorks go?" I ask, thumping down into a foldable chair.
"Fishing," Prompto replies, sitting beside me and staring into the fire. "I'm gonna go get some photos later."
"Might wanna get that before it's too dark," I point out, watching the sun sink beneath the waves of the ocean. The blonde sighs, standing.
"I guess. I'll be back!" he calls cheerfully, running toward the dock. But I didn't miss that moment of disappointment. I press my lips together, looking toward the fire. I forget sometimes; the kid feels like he doesn't really belong. And I basically just told him to scram. Ignis sighs from where he stands.
"You're overthinking again," he reminds me, rolling up his sleeves and turning to face me. "Is it Prompto?"
"Not his fault," I shake my head, sinking lower in my chair. "I just… feel bad for sending him away like that. Sometimes I forget how he feels about all this."
"He should be honored that the king trusted him to go on this journey," Ignis says, pulling his gloves off and pulling my ripped pants from his bag. "So should you." He removes a needle and a spool of black thread before taking Prompto's seat beside me. "He did not even trust Arma."
"He's the only friend Noctis has that wasn't exactly forced through the Crown City," I sigh, poking at the fire and ignoring his comment about my brother. "I can appreciate the fact that he wants to be Noct's friend for Noct, not for the sake of knowing the prince." I shake my head again. "He doesn't have to be raised in a castle to fit in."
"He keeps our spirits high," Ignis agrees. "He's a good man."
"If he could even be called one," I laugh lightly. "To me he's just a kid."
"He's hardly any younger than you."
"That doesn't mean anything," I smile. "You know that."
"Indeed."
I watch in the distance as Noct pulls a big on from the water, all three men on the dock cheering. Smiling, I watch the young blonde snap photo after photo, grinning widely. I wonder if it's all a façade. They start heading back, eager to show off the prince's catch. "Looks like Noct caught dinner."
"Good," Ignis nods, tying off the end of the thread he was using and folding my pants, handing them to me. "Here. I'll go prepare then."
"Thanks Iggy," I smile at his back as he walks back toward his station. "Where would we be without you?"
"Probably in a ditch somewhere," Gladio grins, answering for Ignis.
"That about sums it up," the advisor agrees, looking at the large fish Noctis lifts up. "That's it! I've come up with a new recipe!"
"Wow, that was hard," I scoff, crossing my legs and arms and raising an eyebrow. "You're gonna cook the fish, huh?"
"Just you wait," Noctis chuckles as Ignis takes the fish from his hands. "Prompto, let's look at those photos."
"I wanna see," I nod, watching him crouch between me and Noctis. Gladio hovers behind us. Sometimes, I wonder if it's these photos that pulled us even closer.
Prompto scrolls through yesterday's saves to show today's photos. His ears go red when the first photo is one of Cindy. He moves on before anyone can tease, showing the photo we posed for on the Regalia. I smile. "Hey, that's pretty good."
"I dig it too," he nods, saving it to his SD card immediately. The next is a photo of me hunched over the bushes. Gladio and Noctis laugh as I scowl, rolling my eyes. "It's for the sake of memories," Prompto grins, going to the next. A photo of me sleeping against Gladio's arm while he reads and Noct lays his boots on my lap comes next. My hair somehow hasn't caught in the wind and blown all over the place, but that's fine by me. Noctis smiles.
"Cute," is all he says before Prompto moves on to the next one. A photo of the sea from the road, lined with palm trees and rocks. A picture of Gladio grinning by the Galdin Quay sign. The last is a selfie with Prompto grinning in the corner Noctis holding up his fish proudly.
"So today was a good picture day?" I tease, squeezing the younger blonde's shoulder gently. He looks up at me, smiling.
"You bet!"
" $^# Iggy," Gladio breathes. "That smells good." I clear my throat, lowering my voice and pretending to push my imaginary glasses up.
"Language," I say in a light accent that matches Ignis's. Dropping the act, I take a deep breath. "You're right, though."
"I thought he was just gonna cook the fish?" Noct raises an eyebrow. I kick at his side.
"Cocky prick."
"Who's washing the dishes tonight?" Ignis asks from where he's frying the fish.
"I'm putting up the tent," I say instantly, shooting to my feet and heading toward our stuff. Gladio follows closely behind.
"I'm gonna get more firewood," Prompto rushes, hurrying across the beach. Ignis raises an eyebrow. The prince curses under his breath, meeting Ignis's expectant gaze.
"Fine, I'll do them. It's someone else's problem tomorrow."
"Fair enough," Ignis nods, resuming his cooking.
I unload all the stakes and such for our tent, helping Glado set it up despite the fact that I doubt he needs help. ColemanTM should get a new slogan. "Better than dish duty" or something. I hold the long iron stakes as he drives them into the rock, narrowly missing my fingers every time. I flinch each time he strikes, wincing when my finger gets pinched. "You're jumpy," he comments, standing back to look at the fruits of our labor.
"I had Gladiolus Amicitia punching nails into the ground by my face," I scoff, watching a thin line of blood trickle down the side of my head. He rolls his eyes.
"I wasn't punching." Leaning over, he peers down at my fingers. "How bad did I getcha?"
"Could be worse," I shrug. "Barely broke the skin."
"Good. Means I won't have Iggy at my throat tonight."
"Only if it was Noct," I shake my head with a small smile. He's definitely changed over the years.
Merely hours later, we're huddled up together in the tent, having rearranged so that my bag is in between Ignis and Prompto with hopes that the side of the tent will give Gladio more room to be a giant. I wake up in the middle of the night to a small popping noise, blinking into the darkness in confusion. I look down to see Prompto curled up against my side. I can feel Ignis's elbow on the top my head, his slow breath blowing against my hair softly. Noctis is sprawled across the entrance, and I can hear Gladio's snores. So what is that?
I hear Gladio stir to my left, and the noise easing into the cool night air once more. Huffing, I close my eyes. Suddenly, there's a loud snap. I instinctually shield my face, a metal rod crashing down into my wrists. The entire tent collapses, falling to pieces on top of my sleeping comrades. Well, they were sleeping.
"Gladio stays where he was," I hear Ignis command Noctis later that night.
We get an early move on, packing all our things and putting them back in the Regalia before heading toward the boardwalk once more. People hang onto the sides, taking photographs and having bright conversations. It's like they don't know what's happening. I shake my head. No, the people find this to be exciting. They don't know what's happening on the inside. I crinkle my nose in disgust, glaring at out the waters. A week from now, I could be serving the Imperials.
"You okay, Rayne?" Prompto asks, carefully weaving through the crowds. "You can't be getting sick already."
"No, I'm just thinking," I shake my head, resisting the sudden urge to call Arma and check up on he and Signum. I can always call later, once we're safe in Altissa. Yeah. Safe.
"Okay," he nods, running ahead. "Noct, look at this!"
"My tummy's rumbling," a kid whines beside us. I hide a sneer. Kid sounds like two idiots I know.
"So, uh," Prompto starts after taking a photo with Noct. "You thinking to fairy-tale Lunafreya back to the Crown City?"
"I…"
Noctis never gets to answer. A tall man steps toward us, his wild hair sticking in every direction and his body adorned with heavily ornate clothing. His black cape swishes with every step his takes. I frown as he walks toward us, subconsciously stepping the slightest bit ahead of Noct. "I'm afraid you're out of luck," the man says calmly in a light accent.
"Are we?" Noctis asks dryly. Gladio steps up behind me, but I use my elbow to hold him back. He's the shield; I'm just the outer shell. My duty is to protect them all. It's a heavy burden to bear, but it's one I was born prepared for. The man motions behind him.
"The boats bring you here."
"What about 'em?" Prompto pipes up carefully from behind Gladio. The suspicious man turns back toward the interior of the quay.
"Well, they'll not take you forth," he answers smoothly.
"And what's your story?" Gladio demands, though he's not too defensive yet. Every nerve in my body is spiked, telling me something about this man is very wrong.
"I'm an impatient traveler, ready to turn ship," the stranger says simply, turning around a brushing past me. I contain a shudder. The man looks down at his gloved hand. "The ceasefire's getting us nowhere." He turns suddenly, flicking something toward Noct's face. Gladio snatches it midair; the prince flinches. The shield opens his hand to reveal a small silver coin. He scoffs.
"What's this? Some sort of souvenir?"
"They make those?" Prompto gasps. Noctis shakes his head.
"What? No."
"Consider it your allowance," the stranger says smugly. Gladio steps ahead of me, and this time, I make no protest. Something about this guy has me way off.
"Yeah, and who's allowing us?" he growls. The stranger opens his arms widely.
"A man of no consequence," he replies smoothly before turning and walking away.
"Yeah, right," Noct scoffs. Prompto swallows hard, looking up at me.
"You okay, Rayne?"
"F-fine," I stutter, shaking my head. "Yeah, I'm good." Ignis raises an eyebrow at me.
"It seems he had you completely unnerved."
"I don't know why," I laugh uneasily at Gladio's scowl.
"You should be taking your job seriously, or else you need to go back get some better training. This isn't a joke, Rayne."
"I know," I huff, frowning at him. "There's just something…"
"I don't care," he snaps gruffly, towering over me. "You're here for a reason."
"I know," I repeat, glowering up at him.
"Lay off her, Gladio," Noctis sighs, crossing his arms. "Let's go."
"So do you believe what that guy said about the port being closed?" Prompto asks as we start off, looking around us carefully.
"I'm skeptical, though I won't discount the possibility," Ignis admits, eyeing the restaurant's menu. He takes out a small notepad, scribbling down a few notes in his all too neat handwriting before following once more.
"I say we go check it out for ourselves," Gladio suggests.
"What do you think we're doing," I grumble, following Noct down the stairs to the boarding docks. Prompto groans.
"Aw, man. Not a ship in sight. What gives?" he whines.
"According to my sources, the empire, givin' strict orders not to let any vessels leave the docks of Altissia." A man sitting nearby tilts his head, smiling and adjusting his loose tie. "Real shame if you were late to your own wedding- right, Prince Noctis?" I scowl, Noctis frowning. "Name's Dino, by the way. Pleasure." He raises a narrow eyebrow smugly. I feel my fingers twitch. His nasally voice is really starting to get on my nerves.
"The crown prince of Lucis, bounty-hunting in his fancy car… Surely you didn't think it'd go unnoticed, at least not by this reporter." So he's a news reporter? Fantastic. Dino straightens. "Lucky for you, this reporter has integrity. If you wanna remain incognito, I'll respect your wish… In exchange for a favor."
"What do you want?" Noctis asks irritably. I can tell today's going to be a bad day already.
"Hey, I knew you'd come around! Lemme see your map." Noctis hands the folded paper over, eyes narrowed on the reporter. "Marked where you needed to go. All you gotta do is find me some rough gemstones… Like this one." He holds up his wrist, showing off a glittering scarlet bracelet. "Do this, and your ship'll come in. Don't, and the papers'll run you outta town. Capisce?"
With a deep, irate rumble growling from Noct's chest, he turns on his heel and heads back up the wooden stairs.
~Four months before~
"She's what?!" Arma demands, tugging at his long, curly hair as he paces back and forth across our family's broad living r00m. My father stands still and tall, burly arms crossed tightly and a deep frown carved into his face. I can feel my heart sinking lower with every word he forces out of his scarred throat.
"Getting married. An arrangement of sorts to attempt to gain some of our land back," Magnus repeats, turning his hard green eyes on me. "And you're to in no way object, Rayne."
"But Dad…" I start, springing to my feet.
"Why're we just pawns to him!" Arma shouts, throwing his balled fists down at his sides. "Set up to play in his stupid games! We serve him, protect him, put up with the Amicitias for Shiva's sake!" He points one shaking finger back toward me. "She's not some trading piece; she's your daughter!"
"I'm well aware," my father replies, lifting his broad chin. Arma's shoulders rise and fall rapidly with each sharp breath before he grits out another guttural yell and stomps out of the small house. He makes a point to slam the front door, the sound thundering through the house and vibrating through the floors, making me flinch. The glasses in the kitchen rattle. Magnus sighs, reaching up to run a hand through his graying hair.
"I hate this," Signum finally spits out bitterly. "Arma's right, ya know."
"What do you want me to do about it?" My father snaps. He shakes his head. "Our duty is to defend and obey the king. Whether or not it seems fair has no effect on our actions. Am I clear?" Signum slumps lower beside me on the worn leather couch. Green eyes flare with an irritation I've only seen a few times before. "Signum, Rayne, I need you to listen. Now. No matter what King Regis says, no matter how ridiculous or selfish it may seem to be, you're obligated to obey. The lives in the Crown City and of the royal family depend on your obedience. Promise me you won't object any further." Not to your face.
"Promise," I mutter, crossing my arms and sinking lower into the old leather. The old couch protests, groaning which every inch I slide.
"Whatever," Signum huffs, getting to his feet and trying to walk past. Magnus catches his arm, glaring into his son's, my brother's, eyes.
"You need an attitude change immediately. The king finds out you're making trouble and you're done for. You hear me?"
"I hear you," the teenager scoffs, jerking away and leaving the house irritably. There's a little less rattling when he slams the door. My father sighs, unclasping his sword's sheath from his waist and examining the words "Magnus Callen III" in the material of the cover. I force a glower off my face when he sets his weapon down, turning his eyes to mine.
"You at least understand, don't you?" he asks, his face clearly showing his exhaustion when his anger falls. I nod, though it's a lie. I don't get it at all. But it's just as he said: you follow without question. It's a "the king is always right" sort of thing. "That's my Rayne," he replies affectionately, settling on the couch beside me. "There's a large section of land that was cut off from us during our last skirmish with the Imperials." I scoff.
"I'd hardly call it a 'skirmish.'"
"I suppose." He smiles; it doesn't reach his eyes. "The officials located in Tenebrae have decided to give that land back- for a small fee, of course." He leans his elbows onto his knees, resting his scruffy chin in his hands. "Some of the best of our guard. You should feel honored."
"Except I'm the deal sealer," I mumble. He nods solemnly.
"Yes. You're the deal sealer. Unfortunately, Iris is a bit too young to take on such a role, so…" his voice trails off and he scowls at the floor. "Lucky for Clarus, though. I'd be overjoyed if I was him." He looks back at me. "It's rather unfortunate that there are few women in the castle guard. It's a rarity to find some as driven as others."
"He wouldn't have chosen them," I shake my head. "I'm the only one with a surname that means anything around here. And besides," I point out, leaning forward. "Clarus got lucky twice. If Gladiolus wasn't Noct's shield…"
"I know," he sighs. "Arma is unwanted because he is impaired, though I'd have to say he's better than most others in this place."
"And I'd have to say that's a bit biased," I tease, bumping my shoulder against his. He lets out a soft laugh.
"I suppose. It's too bad Signum's good for nothing on the battlefield, otherwise you might have a friend."
"Word spreads quick, huh," I muse. He shakes his head.
"It's been sixteen years, Rayne."
"Yeah? You think that matters?"
"Just a bit."
I force a smile onto my face, standing carefully and backing up toward the door. "I've gotta go. I have training with Noctis today so, uh, see you later, I guess." Before he can reply, I turn on my heels and hurry out the front door, running away from the tall building and into the overpopulated streets of Insomnia. I bump my way past people, my arms crossed tightly over my black and silver uniform. I love Insomnia; I grew up here. The crowded streets, the giant signs, the tall buildings. Gorgeous. But right now, it's too overwhelming for my vulnerable senses.
I come to a stop by a small coffee shop, looking around quickly before stepping back against its smooth, dark wall and digging my phone out of my pocket. With shaking fingers, I unlock the device and open a group chat that might as well be sacred. For our sanities' sake, we only use it in emergencies. Like now.
M: Meet me at the coffee shop STATUATORY.
P: Somethin' up?
M: What do you think?
N: Specs and I'll be there in a bit.
P: I'm walking over now.
Really, I'm honored that they feel the need to narrate their lives for me, but I shut the screen off and shove it away into my jacket's pocket. Prompto is the first to arrive, as he lives only a few blocks away. He greets me with a wide grin, though I can sense the nerves buried inside that smile. Instead of pestering, he waits with me in silence until Ignis and Noctis arrive.
"You okay?" Noct asks after stepping out of the passenger side of the car. Ignis steps out of the driver's side, raising his glasses. I shake my head.
"Inside." He nods, following me into the almost-empty coffee shop. "You guys want something, you should probably get it now."
"I'm good," Prompto shrugs, tugging on the end of his shirt and twisting his bracelets. "You've got me all wound up now."
"Relax," I force a laugh, motioning toward a wooden table away from customers. "It's nothing that bad."
"It was bad enough to interrupt training with Gladio," Ignis points out sitting beside Prompto. I take my seat between Noctis and the wall covered in cracked orange paint. Sighing, I slouch in my seat, staring at the table for a few long moments.
"So…" Prompto says awkwardly, breaking the silence. I huff, sitting up and resting my chin on my right palm. My other hand plays with the loose splinters on the edge of the table.
"I'm getting married," I mumble. Ignis arches an eyebrow, taken off guard. Prompto stares at me with wide, surprised eyes. Noctis just frowns.
"Whoa, uh, congratulations!" Prompto offers. I shake my head with a sigh, closing my eyes.
"You don't seem too happy about it," Noctis points out. I shrug, making Prompto sit straighter.
"Who's the lucky fella?" he asks, trying to lighten the suddenly heavy mood.
"Dunno," I mutter, sitting straighter and crossing my arms. My voice sounds too bitter, too cold to be mine. "Guess we'll figure that out once I've been used as a trading card."
"Trading card?" The blonde frowns, confused.
"Some sort of deal," Ignis says, studying me sharply. "The empire?"
"Tenebrae," I nod. Noctis's eyes shoot back to me, the mention of Luna's home catching his immediate attention. "In exchange for the land the Imperials took from us, they want some of Regis's best soldiers. I guess I'll be their wax seal on the whole thing."
"So you're leaving?!" Prompto blurts. "When?!"
"I don't know," I shrug. I look over at Ignis, who's looking straight back. "Why's castle life gotta suck so bad?"
"I suppose it is your duty," Ignis admits, frowning. "In a roundabout sort of way. It is strange though. You're not exactly royalty."
"I guess Noct's too big of a bargaining chip," I sigh. "And they can't have Iris Amicitia because she's young, inexperienced. So they want me."
"Sucks," Noctis huffs, running a hand through his messy black hair. "Let me guess; neither of your brothers are going."
"Nope. Arma's basically deaf, and blind without those eye drops, and Signum's just…"
"Signum," Ignis finishes with a sigh. "I suppose we're stuck then."
"It's not like I want you guys to go file a complaint," I mutter. "Just thought I'd let you know."
"Gladio's gonna kill me," Noct says suddenly, staring at his phone. "And he's not too happy with Rayne either."
"He can deal with it," I huff, watching Prompto fiddle with a few packets of sugar. "This isn't normal, is it Iggy?"
"Not exactly," he sighs. "Though, neither is the Crown City's situation."
"Great," I grumble, burying my head in my arms.
"Hey, maybe it won't be so bad," Prompto offers, patting my head gently.
"I suppose we'll have to wait and see," Ignis nods.
SORRY TO HAVE FALLEN OFF THE FACE OF THE PLANET FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS. SCHOOL'S REALLY PICKING UP NOW, BUT I HAVE SPRING BREAK STARTING FRIDAY, SO HOPEFULLY I'LL BE ABLE TO UPDATE MORE THEN :) SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN REQUESTING TO GET MORE OF A DESCRIPTION OF RAYNE. SORRY, I'LL ADMIT I SUCK AT FIRST PERSON DESCRIPTION. HERE'S A LINK TO A QUICK DRAWING I DID OF SHE AND HER BROTHERS ON MY DEVIANT ART : art/Arma-Rayne-Signum-671466120