Chapter 11: Hard Choices
Secretary Cornella had commanded Amy to stay by Luna's side in case things did not go the way the story was supposed to and ordered not to interfere. She was happy to be in her company but the nerves and the growing child inside of her made her very nauseous. She held Kyoko very close and had her guard up at all times. She was thankful Joel was nowhere to be found when the soldiers led Luna to the podium and kept a safe distance while she made her speech to the crowd. It was a powerful one in the game but hearing it in person gave her so many chills. Especially when she knew she would have to fake her death for the plot's sake.
When the speech was done, Noctis nodded to her as well which she returned with a small apologetic bow. She felt horrible that he knew nothing of what was to come. She walked silently with Luna as she went towards the altar. She knew she could not go up with her but she would keep a safe distance just in case.
"Are you alright?" Luna asked before walking up with the trident.
"Yes." She nodded. "I just hope… that Ardyn keeps to his word and only makes your death an illusion."
"So do I." She nodded sadly.
"Good luck Luna." Amy smiled. "I'll make sure Joel doesn't interfere."
"You too." She added turning gracefully to walk up the steps.
Amy shivered as the Hydrian awoke from her slumber. She never imagined she would be this close to the goddess. Everything was going smoothly until her phone rang.
"There you are, my love," Joel's slimy voice rang. "You really think you can betray me by leaving so soon?"
"What are you calling me for? Don't you have better things to do like work for the Imperials?" she hissed angrily clutching her katana. She had planned to confront the bastard later on her own after Noctis had begun his battle. She didn't expect a call from him. What was he planning?
"I am, but your boyfriend decided that I was better off away from the scene. Fortunately, I have acquired my own ship under his nose. He's glaring at me right now in fact with my soldiers holding him down and all."
"What the Hell are you doing to Ardyn?" She yelled angrily.
"Better question should be what am I doing with the advisor. See, I foresaw that your lover is supposed to be the one to blind him. I'm curious to see what happens if he dies rather than go blind. That, or maybe I should find a way to kill Chancellor Izunia. He's growing very wary right now as it is with the holy sword that is pierced through his stomach and all."
"Touch either of them and I will kill you. There will be no kingdom for you to control."
She heard his snicker over the phone. "Amy my queen, you do realize if they were to die everything would be destroyed as is."
"Where are you?" she growled.
"I sent my location to your GPS. If you leave the Oracle and find me in five minutes, maybe I will be willing to negotiate." He seethed as he hung up the phone. She looked at her cell immediately and began to run as fast as she could to the location. She didn't know what he was up to. Did he mean to end this world during this battle? It wasn't as if he knew how she was to save Luna or Ravus. He had no idea of the deals she made with Ardyn. She finally arrived at the location to find Ardyn kneeling at the ground with a blade through his gut and MTs holding him down. She tried to run to him but was grabbed from behind instead by more soldiers.
"You really are a filthy whore, aren't you? You care more about him than the advisor that you seem to be so fond of?" he said coming into eyeshot and holding Ignis from behind with a knife to his throat. "Who do you care about more? The villain? Or him?"
"You're insane." Amy glared. "You know there's a prophecy. Do you really intend on ending this world before it can be fulfilled?"
"To control everything the way I wish? Sure. I'd sacrifice one of my favorites in order for that to happen."
"Joel…" She sighed trying to calm down. She had to think on her feet. If she had to… She had to lie. Lie just as good as Ardyn. "Please… just let the story play through. Do you really think I can control what Ardyn does? Do the math. You know who will die soon. There is no possible way of saving them is there? Besides, do you really think there would be a future with Ardyn and myself? As you said… he is a selfish manipulative daemon right? If you let them both go and allow things to go the way you wish… I…I will become the queen you want me to be. I'm already with child after all." She added now calm and collected. She glanced slightly to Ardyn who seemed to stare in disbelief. "My feelings for the Chancellor is simply a crush nothing else. Let them go and let the plot go the way it is supposed to go. I will go with you and no longer interfere."
Joel looked at her curiously. "How do I know this isn't a trick?" He looked down at Ignis's pained expression. If she wanted things to go as planned… maybe she should do the act… "Fine. But you must prove it to me."
"Prove it? How?" She asked relieved that the Niffs were letting her go.
"Simple." He said throwing down a dagger. "That dagger is infused with fire. It seemed as if the wounds that Ignis received were from a flame on one side of his face yet both eyes were affected. If you are so adamant on my letting the plot go on… you blind him. I'm pretty sure Ardyn was planning to do it so maybe you should do it in his stead. If you do, I will gladly take that blade out of him and allow him to do what he came here to do."
Amy was now free of the hold, but staring at the small blade in front of her. She felt tears welling up and she stared at Ignis with an intense apologetic frown.
"I… I'm sorry…" she whispered. She knelt only to find the dagger was one of Ignis'. One that he used in battle many times. The irony that that bastard wanted to give… If she wanted her plan to work she had to gain his trust… She picked it up and approached Ignis. "I…I wish I could have warned you…"
"D…do what…you must…" Ignis said between pained breaths.
A tear streamed down Amy's cheek as she activated the fire and slashed cleanly across his eyes causing his blindness. Joel threw him down to the ground and motioned to release Ardyn who lunged at him angrily. Amy wanted to comfort her friend but she had to stop him first. If he killed Joel now her plan would be ruined. She was hoping she would not have to act like that in front of Ardyn making him think she only saw him as a plaything…
"Ardyn stop…" Amy ordered the daemon through tears. "Remember… he made it so that if he dies so does Luna and Ravus immediately. Luna is no longer needed but Ravus can be used. Think of how much you can use him for whatever you want." She added with a small smirk. "Just leave and do what you need to."
She threw the dagger to the ground and went over to Joel who was looking extremely smug. He knew he had won and wrapped an arm around her.
"See, now if you had come to me in the beginning instead of sleeping with that daemon, you would not have had to deal with blinding Ignis yourself rather than the Accursed Fallen King."
Her eyes widened. How dare he say that so casually in front of Ignis? She could see the rage in those golden eyes that held back the black liquid that threatened to pour out of his eyes and mouth. It was not yet night so he was unable to do so anyway.
"Fallen… King?" Ignis whispered in shock.
She quickly broke the device that she had seen him use to control the Magitek and with another swift movement stabbed Joel right in the gut. She had held onto Kyoko at a small distance in case she needed it. Her original plan was to manipulate the bastard until he was vulnerable. She had studied that device and found that if she simply destroyed it the after effects of his threat on Luna and Ravus would not come to pass. "You are a complete idiot." She glared as she twisted the dagger. "You think that I would truly join you? I was going to let this farce go a little longer until you revealed that important detail that Ignis was not supposed to know of. You think I would use Ardyn like that? No. I may be a fangirl but I am not an idiot. I did not sleep with him because I am some annoying fan. I did not sleep with him because I wanted to use him to do what I needed him to do. I believe he still has a good heart. Unlike you. You say you are so much better than him but you are much worse. At least when he was human he was a savior. Hn, I guess I finally learned how to lie and manipulate… from him. How does that hurt your pride? You will never be king. And I will never be you queen. As I said before. I'd rather be the Fallen's queen than yours. That was never a lie." She glared at him as she took the katana out of him and sliced his throat with one quick movement which caused the thick, crimson liquid to decorate the ground, her clothing, and her sword.
She stared down shaking with a small chuckle at what she had done. She didn't know if it was the after effects of the trauma that he gave to her or the crazy hormones that she had from this pregnancy. The scene was silent. Ignis was grasping on a railing trying to steady himself while Ardyn stared at her with curiosity and slight horror. She flicked Kyoko so the blood flew off before she put her back in her sheath. She knelt to Ignis.
"Hey, I am so sorry you got dragged into this…" She said softly as she carefully placed bandage that she had in her pocket. "I was hoping to stay out of it. I really became attached to you. You have not only advised Noctis but me too. But… I hope you know that you need to keep what he said about Ardyn a secret. It's not exactly something that needs to be told."
He frowned but nodded. "I understand. I will not say a word despite how frustrated they will become."
"Thanks specs." She said hugging him tight. "Do you want me to call Gladio for you?"
"Yes, please." He nodded. She took his phone and dialed Gladio's number giving it back to Ignis.
"Good luck Ignis. I don't know when we'll meet again…" She said as she went over to Ardyn taking him by the hand. "Come on, we need to get to Luna so you can give the illusion."
"What was that?" he demanded. He was obviously calm now and back to his old self, but he was both curious and angry at her display. Especially at the things she said about him.
"He ruined my original plan. I was going to find him in private and pretend to join him until I was able to disable his device and kill him. There's no point in keeping him around anymore. His loathing existence can be replaced… by my child."
"You are with child?" he asked slowing the pace to enter his airship. "Yet you risked your life along with your child's? The soldiers could have killed you. I could have killed you with the things you have said."
"Why?" She sighed trying to come down from her high. She had never properly killed a human before. Magitek soldiers were different. Killing a human was beyond her. She leaned against the wall of the airship while Ardyn instructed them to fly near to where they had to go. "It's not like that night was anything but lust. I doubt a man like you would love a young woman like me. Even if you are a daemon now you are still a royal. Royalty usually have standards for who they wish to love."
Ardyn did something that she did not expect of him. He thrust her to the wall she was leaning with a strong hand but not in a harsh way. It was gentle. A firm but gentle pinning to the wall.
"Do not pretend to know how I would feel. If you were just a normal woman to me I would not have made love to you. I would have cast you aside like the other women who flaunt over me. You peak my curiosity to the point where I cannot fathom my own feelings so much that I must argue with the daemon that has taken over my body so many years ago. He feels as though you will cast me away like my own son did. Am I wrong to feel as though that is not the case?"
Amy's heart was racing as she stared at the piercing eyes staring right into her own. She was too insecure for her own good. She was terrified of him, yet he… cared for her? This was all too surreal. Why would Ardyn… feel so strongly about her? Was it because she defended him? Because… she didn't want to abandon him? That… she wanted him despite how 'evil' he was.
"I…I didn't think that you would want me in that way… I will never abandon you if… you actually have some kind of feelings towards me…" She said trying to calm her own breathing. She knew all this stress was bad for the child.
His tenseness lessened as he let go of his grip on her and instead pulled a strand of hair out of her face gently causing a tear to escape from her eyes. He smiled genuinely before kissing her hand. "I will do as you asked of me and take Lunafreya and Ravus onto this vessel and take you to a safe house that I have hidden away from the empire. I have guarded the area with a wall to prevent daemons from coming in to bother the three of you. I will have Ravus deliver the ring to Noctis after this battle is over along with the Sword of the Father."
He left her clinging to the wall flushing as he warped away to the altar below. He activated an illusion to allow Noctis to think that he was killing Lunafreya. Amy watched from the ship as she saw what truly went on. She went to the edge of the altar and sent the powers the Noctis needed to him. Ardyn sat silently next to Amy while Luna watched the battle and helped a fallen Noctis gain the rest of the power he needed to obtain the covenant. She placed the ring in his unconscious hand before walking back to the ship.
"Climb aboard my lady." Ardyn said holding his hand out to allow her to board the ship. She said nothing but frowned as she climbed and sat next to Amy silently.
The ride was silent as they flew to the location that Ardyn's car was parked. "I will procure Ravus after the two of you are safe and secure in your new home. There is a small garden where you can harvest some fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. I will be sure to deliver some meat once a week either in person or through Ravus." He explained as he began driving to the location.
"So, you will keep my brother safe as well?" Luna frowned.
"Of course, my lady, I shall keep my word. I even plan to give him a holy sword to aid him in protecting himself and the two of you from daemons if the need arrives. Once we get to the safe haven, I will have Ravus deliver the Sword of the Father to Noctis before joining us at our destination."
Luna frowned. "Very well. You promise you will not kill myself or my brother?"
"A promise is a promise. I will not interfere with what needs to be done." He nodded while driving.
"Thank you Ardyn." Amy said quietly. It was the first time she has spoken since he had kissed her hand.
Ardyn smiled softly and nodded. The rest of the car ride was silent until they came up at a beautiful house that was surrounded by trees and plants. Ardyn did not have that long to come up with a place like this… How?
"This place was once the home that I spent much of my youth in. The home of my wife who died giving birth to my son."
"Your…wife?" Amy asked surprised.
"Yes. She was a common girl who was raised on a farm. I have kept this place up to ensure that it does not go into ruin. This is where I stay while visiting this land. It's my home away from Nifleheim. I come here on holiday."
"Will you be living with us then?" Luna asked sweetly. Amy felt like she was too sweet for her own good sometimes.
"Sometimes. I will be spending most of my time away. Sitting on the throne in Insomnia." He smirked.
Luna frowned but Amy smiled. She liked the idea where he was finally able to sit in the position that he was born to have. Ardyn led the girls inside and it was a very quaint, simple home. Amy didn't mind the idea of raising her child there. Even if it was in a world where darkness was all around them and daemons roam beyond the barrier. She looked around and saw some portraits of Ardyn as a young man with his wife and big belly that held Izunia inside. She smiled at how happy he looked at the prospect of being a father. She saw more pictures of Ardyn holding his baby boy but no wife of his to be found. There were no portraits that were out that resembled Izunia after the age of what looked like three. That must have been when Ardyn was given the near impossible task of being the savior.
"Well, I will retrieve Ravus tomorrow. I'm sure he is purely panicked by your disappearance." He told Luna. "We should get some rest." He led them upstairs where there were four bedrooms. One looked to be an old study, another the master bedroom, a guest bedroom… and finally a nursery. Amy stopped and stared sadly at Izunia's room. Ardyn must have wanted to be a good father so much but his own son is the one who betrayed him.
She heard Luna close the door after bidding good night but her gaze never left the colorful room. It wasn't until strong arms wrapped around her that she broke away from the room.
"This…was Izunia's bedroom…wasn't it?" She asked softly holding the strong arms that were wrapped around her waist with warm hands clutching either side of her womb.
"So you know Izunia was my son?" he whispered softly laying a small kiss on her neck.
She shivered as he did so. She had read a few books about pregnancy before the rite of the covenant was to take place. She saw that women who were with child tended to be a lot more sensitive to becoming aroused because of the overwhelming hormones. She watched a movie before that showed this but she never really understood it until now. She tried to stifle a moan as Ardyn pulled her gently towards his body. Did he know of this strange phenomenon with pregnant women?
Before she could ask, he took her hand and pulled her to the bedroom that must have been his own. He closed the door before pinning her to the wall and kissing her with passion that reminded her of their first night together.
She moaned as she wrapped one of her legs around his waist while he pressed his body against hers enough to know just how much he wanted her right now. Her arms pulled him closer as her voice grew louder until she had her first orgasm of the night.
"I have not even undressed you yet." He teased in her ear as he lifted her legs off of the ground so that he could carry her to the bed effortlessly.
Damn him with that sexy voice. Damn him for knowing just how hot I am right now… If only nights like this could last beyond the pregnancy but I doubt that he would risk my bringing another Lucis prince into the world… at least until after the prophecy is fulfilled…
He wasted no time in undressing Amy this time around. He knew just how much she wanted him tonight and this time there would be no games. No torture. Just pure passionate love making. Once she was undressed it was her turn. She pulled him down so that he sat with his back to the bedpost as she undressed him layer by layer. She wasted no time in releasing his throbbing length from its confines. She grasped it gently and licked the tip causing shivers to be overwhelm the daemon's body. She pumped the shaft while plunging her thirsty mouth onto the head while sucking gently causing the fallen king to moan and clutch the bedsheets. His strong hands grasped her messy bun forcing her raven hair to fall on either side of her face.
He clutched her hair so that she could leave his length and pulled her up gently to his mouth to kiss him once more. She wrapped her legs around him again feeling the extreme heat below ache in want of his touch. She rubbed her drenched folds against his throbbing member causing her to scream out yet another orgasm. He smiled and pushed her gently to the bed to face her.
"You remind me of when my wife was with child. So, it is true. When a woman is expecting they are more aroused than normal." He whispered softly before licking her ear and giving her passionate kisses along her body until his tongue met with her abdomen. He kissed the unborn babe as if it were his and not that bastard Joel's before finally giving attention to her extremely swollen bud.
She trembled with a scream as she grasped the pillow behind her head as she felt pure bliss. She must have orgasmed at least three times before her king even entered her with his fingers to cause the experience causing her to become full of pure ecstasy.
Amy was sure that poor Luna was hearing all of this but at this moment she did not care. All she wanted right now was to make passionate love with Ardyn Lucis Caelum. She screamed his first name over and over until he finally had enough. He took his fingers out and replaced them with his solid shaft and thrust his entire length inside of her. He pulled her close to him and kissed her lustfully as he thrust over and over hard and quick. It was nothing like the last time he was with her. This time there was no game. No lust. Only love. A love that neither partner thought could happen.
Ardyn had never imagined he would be able to love someone after the betrayal. Even if he had to keep his feelings to himself to protect her he must do what he must. Despite his feelings he knew that he would still have to go on with this prophecy because there was no turning back. There was nothing he could do to undo the wrongs of his past. Even if his love was temporary and that he would have to leave her in the end at least he would be happy for this short amount of time.
Amy had never imagined a man like Ardyn could return the love she had tried to resist. She felt like this was some stupid fairy tale like beauty and the beast but this was reality. She had read him so well and understood him thanks to her own research and various backstory she had figured out. She knew that since he was once a righteous and humble man that he could be capable to love another person like he was feeling towards her now. She just never thought that her standing up for him would be what sparks it.
The couple changed positions various times before finally coming back to the original missionary towards the end of Ardyn's limit. He knew he could no longer wait. He did not use his powers this time while he plunged into her over and over. Fast then slow then fast again. Every time as hard as he could without hurting her with his daemon strength. Amy climaxed so many times that she had lost count. This next one seemed to be the one that would top them all. It was as if Ardyn had sensed it because his thrusts became more and more passionate as he felt his own coming to the surface. He pulled her close to him as he bit down on her neck as he finally letting go.
The lovers screamed as they peaked at the same time with Ardyn pumping slowly until everything was out of his system. Their breaths were heavy as their tongues danced with their bodies entwined. After their hearts stopped pounding, Ardyn slowly pulled out of Amy and laid next to her holding her close to him as if he didn't want to let her go. He pulled the comforter that was cast aside to cover both of them as she lay her head on his strong chest.
"I… love you… Ardyn Lucis Caelum." She whispered softly. "If there was a way for me to become your queen I would be more than willing to. I know that you would not risk a child before the prophecy is complete, but… do you think that… maybe… you could act as a father to my child? Even if it were to be temporary and only when you came to visit. I feel as if… They would need someone. I don't see Ravus to be the type." She added with a small chuckle.
"Neither do I," he smiled kissing her forehead after wiping sweat off of her brow. "If you wish me to act as that figure I will to the best of my ability. I promise you that. You've taught this old daemon that there is hope for me to still be loved. I owe you that much."
"Thank you, my king." She whispered as she kissed his bare chest and slowly fell to sleep clinging to her love. Her love that she thought she would never be able to have.
