Two chapters in one day! Ain't you guys lucky!
Before she opened her eyes, she could feel that she was being held and that the person was walking, humming as they walked. Problem was, she didn't remember going to sleep. Also, where was she? If only she could get her eyelids to respond but it's like they were of lead. She could tell that her head was leaning against the person's chest. Groaning slightly as she tried to reposition herself and her eyes finally half-way opened, she heard the humming stop and a voice sweetly speak in her left ear as it was right there for them. "Sshh. Everything's alright, my dear. Go back to sleep." The voice was husky. She couldn't place who it was body her mind screamed to escape, unconsciously breathing faster. Her body, though, wouldn't listened as her breathing slowed back down as soon as it started as the voice continue to shush quietly in her ear.
"Everything is fine. Go back to sleep. I won't let anyone hurt you. Everything is fine."
Her mind knew that something was wrong but she couldn't place what. Wasn't she with others? Blurs of three figures flashed through her head, but was unable to do anything as her eyes forced themselves closed and she was forced back into the grip of sleep; unaware at the lips that were on her forehead.
'Noct!'
She shot up in fright, breathing erratically. 'Just a dream.' She thought to herself, as she glanced around the round. Her senses went on alert at the unfamiliar and large room. It was then that she noticed that she was in a large queen bed with crimson covers as the walls were a creamy color and TV placed on the wall in front of the bed. The furniture that was in the room – two dressers, a table with four chair around it and two bed stands, one on each side – look like older time period's in the design of the wood. She was looking at the small window that was on the right side of her room, which confused her as it was covered in curtains that matched the blankets on the bed, as she heard a door open on the left side of her room.
She whipped her head around, instantly regretting it from the dizzy spell, and tried to jump out of the bed to protect herself if needed. She placed down her right foot and screamed as she fell to the floor. She felt arms grip her quickly, and hoist her back up into their arms. She looked up to see the face of Ardyn.
"Careful, my dear." He stated, looking her in her eyes. "Your foot is still healing." He finished as he placed her back in the bed.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why?"
"Why what? That I am helping you?" he asked her, the latter unable to figure out what his plan was.
"I saw you. I saw you stab Luna." She growled and the other visibly frowned and his face saddened.
"I didn't want too. Believe me, but the Emperor was watching so I had to keep up appearances of my loyalty." He looked her in the eyes. "I'm sorry. I truly am."
Still on guard, she asked. "Where am I?"
"Safe."
"That's not what I meant."
"But that is what you asked." He stated a quirky smile appearing on his face. "I have no intent to harm you. Merely wanting to help you to recover."
Eyes not leaving him, she asked as she repositioned herself in the bed. "And my friends?"
"They're fine. Sadly, I could not get them out of there with the Empire noticing. I am keeping a watch on them though and they are quite resourceful."
That made her smile slightly that her friends were okay, but she had to get an answer to the question swirling in her head. "Why are you doing this? Why is the Empire still trying to get me to marry you?"
A sigh. "The answer is the same as before, but I don't want this to be a forced marriage." He stated, sitting down on the edge of the bed and grabbed her right hand. "I want you to marry be because you love me for me; not some treaty." He leaned to her forehead and kissed it softly, stomach clenching at the action, then leaned back to sit up straight.
He chuckled lightly. "As much as I would like to continue to talk, I can see that the sedative has quite worn off." He watched as her eyes closed sleepily and she leaned back into the soft bed and pillows. He picked her hand back up and kissed it again before putting it back down and walking to the door muttering. "We'll talk again soon, my dear."
"What do you mean she's gone?!" Gladio growled at the blond, who he was holding by the scruff of his shirt. The three were standing at the train station in Tenebrae as the train was having train cars replaced as they had an attack from the Empire in their journey.
"Exactly what I just said! I went to the room and she was gone! P-Please let me go." He exclaimed before saying the last question nervously.
"Gladio." Ignis' stern voice came and Gladio growled as he let the blonde gunner go.
He sighed. "Thanks, Ignis." He muttered to the advisor, who nodded back. Then looked to where he had assumed where Gladio was. "She was still under the effects of the sedative before the Empire started bombing the train." He started, his voice turning grave. "Which means she disappeared while we were protecting the train."
"Think it was Ardyn?" Prompto questioned,
"It could very well be possible, or it could've be anyone in the Empire." Ignis replied thoughtfully.
Gladio scoffed. "Either way she'll land in Ardyn's hands either way."
"So, now we have more than one reason to get to Graela." Prompto stated sadly as a new feminine voice spoke up.
"Then it seems like you boys could use all the help you can get."
The three turned to the voice and Prompto exclaimed smiling slightly. "Aranea!"
Said female smiled as she stood in front of the three boys. "You boys have definitely been busy since I last saw you two in retrieving that mythril."
"All thanks to the Empire. The Army that you fight for." Gladio practically growled,
She turned to face him sharply, tone just the same. "Fought for. My men are in the search and rescue business now."
She turned back to face the three of them. "And from what I just heard, it sounds like the princess is in trouble. You guys got room for one more? 'Cause I want in." her voice was filled with determination, clearly not taking 'no' for an answer.
"I don't see a problem with it." Ignis stated,
"Me neither." Prompto chirped in agreement,
Gladio sighed in defeat. "Fine."
The used-to-be mercenary smirked. "Now, if the Chancellor is involved, she is definitely in Gralea so I'm going to instruct my men to take care of the passengers while we continue on the train."
As soon as she finished the statement, two men approached her and spoke. "Switched out the cars like you wanted, miss!" the first one stated while the other replied,
"We're ready when you are."
"You already planned this." Ignis stated, surprise filled in his voice. She smirked.
"When I saw only the three of you get off, I knew something was wrong; oh and sorry 'bout your eyes Specs." She looked at Ignis sadly, but she didn't push it. "Well, I'm ready if you boys are." The three nodded in response.
"Biggs, Wedge." She stated, each man reacting at their names. "Let's go. Next stop: Gralea."
Noct sighed as she stared at the ceiling. While she had access to everything in the room thanks to a wheelchair and had an amazing bathroom connected to the room, she just laid there concerned for her friends and upset that she's confined to her room. She tried once to take the two MTs that were watching her at the time, but she couldn't get a hit on them because of her foot and then they put her sleep once more before carrying her back to the bed.
'Well, at least they can't hurt me.' She thought as she figured that was from Ardyn. She wished she had her hone to at least play King's Knight but she knows that he has it.
She was brought out of her thoughts when the door opened. "Now why did my guards tell me that you tried to escape?"
"Why are you keeping me in here like a prisoner?" she retorted back at him.
"If I was really treating you like a prisoner, my dear, you would be in a nasty dirty cell. But here you are, in one of the nicest rooms here and you're complaining." He said disappointment in his voice.
"I hate being locked up." She stated to him, which was the truth.
"And you won't be much longer. I promise you. I just need you to trust me first. Here," he said as he placed a tray in her lap, one that she hadn't noticed was in his hands. "Thought you might be hungry."
"Thank you." She said stunned, and began eating when she didn't realize how hungry she was. "It's really good." She said, earning a smile in return. "Good."
"You are being really nice to me." She said, eyes half closed.
"That's because whether you may or may not," he paused as she yawned and brought her fork to her mouth. "I do love you." He caught the fork as her body went limp with her steady breathing. He kissed her on the cheek before grabbing the tray and leaving the room, muttering to himself. "And I'm not letting you go."
