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...

A few months passed and before anyone knew it, the Winter Solstice was upon them once more. The Crown Prince was growing, looking to be a very lively boy. Gladiolus responded to him in a positive light which was good since they would be growing up together. Ignis was still gifted as ever, about ready to surpass Athenacia it seemed in his young age. As for the orphan girl herself, she was getting herself ready to turn six. After Kelly's wedding, the woman was scarcely seen which meant that Athenacia was spending more time alone than before. While the newer kids seemed to accept her, they were still getting adopted all around her so she steeled herself in order to make sure she wasn't getting hurt. Cor wasn't exactly happy about it but there wasn't much he could do to stop her. Actually, he found that without Kelly to make sure Athenacia's record was kept up to date, it was harder to learn about what the girl was going through.

On one particularly cold winter night, the Marshal made some free time in order to have her spend the night and get away from her home for a little bit. As time went on he found that she looked forward to these overnight visits more often and it got him starting to think about a more permanent arrangement. He himself only lived in a one bedroom apartment so there was no room for her here. There was never any time anyway, he would have to hire someone to take care of her until she was old enough to start staying home by herself. Fleeting dreams he supposed. For now, the two of them had these moments few and far between in order for him to really gauge where she was on all levels of her life. Athenacia still hated the cold and she sat at his table telling him all about how if she were in charge she would banish winter away for good. Cor couldn't help but give her an amused smile, handing her a cup of hot chocolate. As soon as she tasted it, her face brightened.

"This is good!" she exclaimed excitedly.

The Marshal raised a brow, certainly not expecting that sort of reaction. There was nothing special about it, a recipe he learned as a young child, whipped topping and cinnamon as well as fudge on top of it. Cor had bought her countless hot chocolates at different places that easily made it so much better than someone who only used simple, ordinary ingredients. In truth, he was about to give up on it but decided he would test this out anyway and apparently it worked. The bliss on her face as she drank made him feel something he couldn't exactly identify. Pride maybe?

"Where did you get this?" she asked, wiping the foam from her lips.

"I made it," he replied.

"You did?"

"Sure."

"Huh," she wore a thoughtful frown, "I didn't know you could make anything."

Cor laughed, "Look kid, just because I don't do something doesn't mean I don't know how."

"But if you're always busy how did you learn?"

She never missed a beat this one, always quick to question things that didn't make sense instead of accepting answers for what they were. Even in the books he was reading to her about the origins of Tenebrae, she constantly stopped him in order to ask why no one ever thought to do something in a solution she thought of right there on the spot. The way her mind worked and processed everything never ceased to amaze him and he was happy he had the privilege to not only witness it, but help her develop further as she got older.

"My mom taught me when I was a little older than you," replied Cor.

"Oh," Athenacia seemed satisfied with that answer, "I didn't know you had a mom."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Well I mean, I know everyone has one but... you never talk about her. Did something happen?"

Cor sighed, "No. I still see her once in a while."

"You don't want to see her all the time?" she frowned.

"I'm busy kid. When you get older you don't have as much free time as you used to."

"Well... If you spent less time with me couldn't you see her more often?"

The man blinked, not expecting that to come out of her. Taking a critical look at her, it was hard to tear himself away from that earnest gaze. Athenacia was completely serious about her question, fully willing to sacrifice the time they spent together in order for him to see his own mother. Why did it matter so much to her? She never asked about her parents, about where she came from. Only once when she was little and Cor didn't exactly lie to her. The Marshal told her that her mother had died to get her here after escaping the Empire. It was enough for now, she didn't need to know everything else, still far too young. How could a bloodthirsty God possibly live inside of her? He couldn't believe it, not after getting to know her these last few years.

"Listen kid, my mom knows that she's always my mom and I know that she's always there. Just because I don't see her a lot doesn't mean we don't talk. You don't have to worry about it," said Cor a little uncomfortable with the emotional trend she was following. That was usually more of a Kelly thing.

Athenacia made the face she usually did when she was processing something. Desperately he hoped that she would drop the subject, not really interested in continuing but with how rarely he even saw her, he wasn't about to dismiss her either. Without Kelly to diffuse these sorts of feelings, the Marshal knew that someone had to deal with it and a lot of the other staff at the orphanage didn't take much of an interest in the young girl. The fact that she was now starting to talk to Cor about it meant that Kelly really was prepping to leave her place of work for good. While he wondered what it was all about, he knew that there was no way he could question her about it after everything that happened between them.

"Will I ever meet her?" asked Athenacia.

"Do you want to?"

The thought of having the two of them together never really occurred to him. Generally, Cor kept Athenacia separate from most aspects of his life, devoted to just her since he wasn't exactly sure how else to do things. The reality of the situation was, technically she was his child since he signed the adoption papers and only a handful of people even knew about that. If he were to bring her around his mother then there would be questions and he wasn't entirely sure how to answer them. Cor was only a guardian to the girl, guiding her as she grew up, not her father. It was the biggest reason there was such a distance between her and the rest of his life.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully, "I was just wondering."

Cor nodded at her, "Bedtime soon," he warned gently.

Athenacia smiled at him, finishing up her drink quickly before rushing down the hall to get ready. He looked after her, baffled by this encounter though not really surprised either.

...

The months drew by and with it, the promise of summer in the air. Athenacia turned six, Ignis three and Gladiolus four. The girl had progressed to a point that Cor was informed she would be jumping ahead of her peers in the coming year. It was no surprise really, and he was asked if he maybe wanted her to meet the other children, Ignis in particular who would be attending the finest school in the city in the fall. Again, the Marshal refused to expose her to any more of the Citadel than absolutely necessary. The burns on his left arm was a constant reminder of the strange magic she seemed to possess and the potential dangers of putting her near anyone that made her initially form that blast in the first place. His wound was still looking fresh despite that it had been nearly a year since he received it, causing him pain once in a while however not inhibiting his ability to do his duty. Often he kept it covered but once in a while, it would flare up to the point that he had to bite his own tongue in order to stop himself from crying out. No one knew about it aside from Dr. Puinon, the King, Clarus and Weskham, the Marshal keeping it covered no matter how warm it was outside. It seemed that no matter how many remedies were applied, it would still not heal at all and there was no way to cut off the skin. That didn't stop anyone from continuing to look into a solution, however Cor wasn't holding his breath, accepting things for what they were.

The current buzz of the Crown City was the upcoming first birthday of the Crown Prince who was very seriously trying to walk. Aulea was enjoying every second planning her son's birthday that would become a public event, not unlike the Solstice. Cor was sure it was going to be a trend and with the ongoing war it was probably best to keep people happy and focused on something other than the turmoil that surrounded them. For him it was a welcome distraction anyway. Lately Niflheim was slowly making a lot of noise and it was a definite cause for concern. Tenebrae was annexed a few hundred years ago but not largely Imperial controlled. Fenestala Palace was still able to function fairly normal, and the last big skirmish was the defeat at the Accordo lines. Cor remembered it well and ever since the wall was reduced to Insomnia thanks to the MagiTek Infantry movement, most had been quiet on the side of their enemies. Accordo was much like Tenebrae, where no one disputed Imperial presence and was able to operate as mostly a free country.

However the momentary lapse in peace was starting to waver. Small cities all along the way to Lucis were slowly being raided by the forces of Niflheim, a way to not only show their might but also test out the units in the developments they had made over the years. In the last couple years, troopers were being manufactured at an alarming rate. Niflheim was trying desperately to rectify old Solheim technology in order to restore themselves to the days of glory when they fought the Gods. In the last colonization of the Lucian frontier, Galahd was almost wiped off the map. Cor listened to the devastating tale of one of the many refugees pouring into the city gates, a man known as Titus Drautos. The influx of foreigners coming into the city was concerning and the Marshal wanted to make sure that there were no extra threats to the Crown coming with them. The man before him was barely even aware of his surroundings, the horrors he witnessed plain reflected in his eyes. When Cor heard enough, he went back to the Citadel to report to the King.

"Galahd wasn't just a test," mused Regis, sitting in his study.

This was a place they frequently gathered to talk about things the rest of the council didn't need to hear, like updates on Athenacia - the last of which was her ability to see another magical malady in a baby that came to the orphanage quite a few months ago. Cor, Clarus, Regis and Weskham all met there at least once a week if they could manage it and the Marshal felt that this was something that couldn't be avoided. The Empire generally levelled anything it set its sights on but it wasn't often that anyone heard much about what exactly happened.

"You think?" scoffed Cor, remembering the tale of Drautos.

"According to the legends, Galahdans are initially what remained of Illume after it was devastated," said Weskham.

"Would they even remember that?" asked Clarus.

"Galahd no. I wouldn't put it passed the Empire to know that, however," replied Regis.

"How could they even know so much anyway?"

"They can't," said Cor darkly.

"What they know about Illume and Solheim is hard to say for sure. Athenacia is proof that they did indeed capture the old ones and kept the line from dying. The beast blood is further proof that Niflheim is behind the extinction of moogles as well," said Weskham.

There was that terminology that made Cor want to cringe every time he heard it, defences rising. The girl was barely even moogle, no traces of it externally whatsoever, there was really no need to refer to her like that.

"What do you make of Drautos anyway?" grunted Clarus.

The Marshal shrugged, "Seems a decent man. No one in Galahd knew any sort of luxury and I bet they'd be willing to fight for their home."

"It would take a while to train so many recruits."

"No one would be forcing them. They can make the choice when asked," said Regis gently, "For now give them a chance to catch their breath. How's your arm?"

Cor frowned, pulling away the sleeve of his shirt absently. The charred and blistered skin greeted him as always, occupying most of his forearm and reaching just above his elbow. Today in particular it was acting up and he desperately tried to ignore it, particularly while he was listening to the destruction of Galahd. The King studied it while Cor ran his fingers over it gently, a frown on his face. There was no pain when he touched it and yet he also wanted to double over in agony while the damaged skin rubbed against his fingertips. Never in his life had he ever encountered such a strange wound before and he knew that he would live with this for the rest of his life. Athenacia had no idea that she could produce that sort of magic let alone that it managed to hurt him. Maybe she never would.

"No change," he replied.

"That's powerful magic for such a young child," mused Clarus.

"Just have to hope she never gets sick again," the Marshal shrugged, pulling his sleeve back to cover it up.

"Are you ever going to tell her the purpose she was born for?" asked Regis.

The man deepened his frown. Plenty of times the thought had crossed his mind about what to do about her origins. Athenacia hadn't asked where she came from, raised in the orphanage so far and knew that she didn't have parents. She was so focused on her studies and still maintained her obsession with medicine (reinforced after her encounter with that baby), it seemed she never had time to wonder about it. Eventually there would be a time that she would ask about her past and where she came from, and Cor had no idea how he would even approach the subject with her. For now though, it was best to just keep her on the track she was on. There were enough problems she had to deal with on her own it seemed and the Marshal wasn't there as much as he probably should have been.

"Maybe when she's older," said Cor, "She's too young right now."

The conversation didn't go much farther after that. The men discussed what to do about the refugees coming in and the best course to retaliate against the Empire. Everyone was safe behind the magical barrier so it wasn't an instantaneous plan. All the while, Cor tried to ignore the pain in his arm.

...

A year ago, Insomnia was happy to celebrate the birth of the Heir to the throne. It was no different now that Noctis had finally reached his first birthday. The young Prince had taken confident steps a few weeks before his birthday and was happy to demonstrate them in front of everyone who gathered for the public event. Insomnians and outsiders alike were all happy to celebrate the first birthday of the Prince and overall, the event went as good as it possibly could. Cor wasn't overworked but there was something nagging at him. During the festivities, Queen Aulea looked a little haggard compared to normal. It was common knowledge she spent a lot of time planning for her son's birthday and often did so in pure bliss, but as of late she seemed to be getting thinner, pale and almost sickly. The Marshal was sure that he would have never noticed if it wasn't for the massive amount of medical documentaries he had watched with Athenacia, a lot of it getting into his head more than he would have liked. While he wanted to speak to the King about it, there didn't seem to be the time before the actual day of the party.

Actually, a few days later King Regis sent for his friend almost urgently. Cor was up in the royal apartments as soon as he could be, wasting no time in heeding his own summons. As soon as he walked in the room he noted the change in the atmosphere. Something wasn't right and the look on his Majesty's face only confirmed that. Aulea was asleep in their room and Cor stayed with Regis out of earshot, not wanting to wake her. The Marshal could see the woman was looking a lot worse than the last time he saw her. It was taking a toll on her husband as well, evident in his face. Cor just assumed the two of them were taking the time they needed to spend with their son, it never occurred to him that there was something more to it.

"How bad is she?" asked Cor instantly.

Regis looked over at his wife, shaking his head, "Every day is a struggle for her."

"How long?"

"About a month. She's been holding it together for Noctis but I'm afraid there isn't much left in her."

"Is she dying?"

"The doctors say they can't find anything wrong with her."

It wasn't a direct answer to the question but told him everything he needed to know. Aulea was dying and there seemed to be no explanation as to why that was happening. Insomnia had some of the best medical technology in the world and even they were stumped sometimes. It was just unfortunate that this time it had to be her.

"I was hoping there was something you could do for me," said Regis.

"Anything," replied Cor instantly.

"Could you bring Athenacia here?"

The Marshal frowned, "You want Cia?"

Regis nodded, "I have a theory and I was hoping that the young lady could help me test it."

"If you think it'll help..."

The look in the King's eyes told Cor that the man was desperate. In truth, the Marshal was a little reluctant to have Athenacia anywhere near this place, especially in such an emotional time, however, he couldn't deny a direct request and nodded at the man.

A few hours later, Cor returned with the young girl in question. As soon as she saw him, she seemed to know that something was up despite that Cor didn't show on his face there was anything wrong. That calm hazel stare pierced through him as it always did and he was a fool to think that she wouldn't see the truth of the matter right in front of her. Once they got into the Citadel, the Marshal noted her face took that processing sort of look to it, knowing that she definitely had confirmation something was up. Cor took her up to the royal apartments, careful about being seen with anyone since he wasn't exactly interested in explaining what he was doing with a child. Athenacia was old enough to remember her time here in the last two years, which wasn't much, and Cor was so well known now that people he had never seen before greeted him as an old friend.

Once the two of them walked in, Athenacia's frown deepened. Her hazel eyes wandered curiously, studying her environment and taking in everything with that calculating mind which never seemed to stop. Regis was waiting for them, nodding at Cor before turning his gaze to the girl at his side. She had grown much since the last time he saw her, still fairly small for her age but very human looking. Luckily it seemed that she was taking on more of her mother's traits since Regis didn't see any trace of her father in her whatsoever. That was probably a good thing for her while having to grow up here in the Crown City. Making the connection to her heritage would cause quite a ruckus and only ensure hardship trying to live a decent, normal life.

"Athenacia," Regis got her attention.

"Hi," she nodded her head politely.

"Do you remember me, child?"

Cor watched her face again try to think, remember any sort of encounter the two of them might have had. It was four years ago that they had last interacted and the Marshal was curious as to whether or not she could remember being in the presence of almost all the Six after touching the Crystal.

"I'm sorry," she bit her lip nervously, "I know you're the King though."

"That's okay. It was very long time ago that we first met," Regis smiled at her in an assuring way.

Athenacia tried to smile back at him, however, it was obvious she nervous about being here in the first place. Cor hovered near her protectively, not entirely sure why she was brought up here in the first place but had to trust his Majesty knew what he was doing.

"I hear you've begun studying medicine," Regis spoke again in his gentle tone.

"Not really," she replied, "I just think it's interesting."

He nodded, "Could you maybe help me with something?"

The girl looked up at Cor questioningly, as if she wasn't sure what to do. The Marshal just nodded once at her, walking with her since she seemed to be reluctant to go in the first place. Regis led them into the bedroom where Aulea was sleeping soundly, Cor feeling a tightness build up in his chest at the sight of the Queen hooked up to all kinds of machines and bags of liquid steadily trickling into her veins in what looked like a poor attempt to keep her alive. How could it have gotten this bad? And without anyone noticing until now? The look on Regis's face was almost heartbreaking. His wife was usually so full of life, really bringing out the best in everyone around her in all the years that she was around. To see her like this now... it tore at him in such a heavy way.

Athenacia kept her eyes fixated on the Queen, walking up there cautiously and stopping once she was at the bedside. No one stopped her, Regis standing beside her as both men studied her. The young girl reached out a hand tentatively, moving a piece of hair out of Aulea's face and frowning deeply. Cor knew the look, wondering what could possibly be going through that head right now.

"She's sick," said Athenacia.

"Yes," Regis spoke, "No one knows why."

"They can't see it?"

"I'm afraid not, child."

The girl began to sputter, "But it's right there!" she cried.

She was pointing to Aulea's chest as if it were obvious to anyone that there was something wrong. Cor raised a brow and Regis narrowed his eyes curiously.

"What's right there?" he asked carefully.

"The reason she's sick," replied Athenacia, "It's the same as the baby I saw."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded, "You can't see it?"

Regis opened his mouth but sighed, shaking his head no. Athenacia then looked at Cor with desperation in her hazel eyes and he could only turn his gaze away, crossing his arms. The sound of her choked sob made his body tense, this wasn't a good idea.

"I'm sorry little one," Regis began, bending down so that he was eye level with her and putting a hand on her shoulder, "You have helped me just by knowing it's there."

"I remember her," said Athenacia suddenly, "And I remember the baby died."

"It was a tragic day for you."

"She's going to die too," the girl shook, "And I don't want anyone else to die. Why can't it be cured?"

"No one has found one yet, Athenacia."

"But it's not fair!"

She stamped her foot in order to make her point, shoulders shaking as she began to sob. Cor had vivid images of how upset she was to learn that the baby had died, how she nearly closed herself off to him but he managed to reach her just in time. Now the same thing was happening again before her eyes and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

"You're right, it's not," he sighed, wiping one of her tears, "Maybe one day you can help make Eos a fair place though."

"Do you really think so?"

Regis nodded, "Of course. For now, I think it's best you headed home. Thank you for coming."

The King moved so that she could see the man behind him. Cor kept his gaze on her, the broken face she had and the tears that left her hazel eyes. It tore at him to see her this way and a small part of him hated that his Majesty had made her witness this. Then there was another side of him, the rational one that knew this was necessary. Athenacia was the only one who could see a magical malady, having done so before in the past. Heaving a heavy sigh, Cor jerked his head and the two of them left without another word or look back at the scene.

...

thanks guys! I'll go back and edit shortly!