Title: Engagement
Genre: Angst, hurt/comfort, romance
Summary: Lunafreya finally returns to Tenebrae and she remembers a certain raven haired woman.
Chapter 12, part 1: Engagement
Lunafreya wiped sweat from her forehead. She had just climbed a tall cliff, eager to see the wilderness within Tenebrae's borders. It was just as she remembered; tall ancient trees surrounded by tropical vegetation and untamed grass. The air was heavy from the heat, but it had a hint of freshness from a recent downpour.
"Looks just as grand as you described when we were kids", Noctis caught up with her. His shirt had visible sweat patches. "You failed to mention the heat, though."
"Thought you had learnt at least that much about climates from your tutors."
It felt good to be home again after many months of being on the run – or on political visits gone wrong. To think merely two years had passed since she had been confined in her own home as Niflheim's soldiers patrolled the streets under the proud red, white and gold imperial standard. Her eyes hardened as she relived her suffering and solitude in her mind's eye.
There had been a change, however. Something, or rather, someone unexpected.
It was only a year ago when she received a sympathetic ear for the first time since her parents died; a Niflheimian woman who had taken interest in her and her abilities concerning Etro's Gate. At first Luna mistook her for an Insomnian noblewoman as the woman wore the traditional Lucian colours. The black haired woman introduced herself as Gentiana and attempted to extend her hand in friendship. Luna saw no reason to trust her and politely asked to be left alone.
But Gentiana knew even back then how to get what she wanted. She offered Luna a deal she couldn't turn down; Gentiana would take the role of her personal guard – clearly to keep a close eye on her for Niflheimian authorities – in exchange she would use her influence and request the streets to be emptied from imperial soldiers and give Tenebraean citizens a false sense of autonomy. Luna considered the offer carefully, but came to the conclusion false hope was better than none, especially to her suffering people. As long as Tenebrae was under martial law the country would not prosper. She was given the part of a figurehead associated with the imperial province, but she had no real power over the affairs of her country. That privilege belonged to Chancellor Ardyn Izunia.
Once the last soldier and magitek troop wearing Niflheim's colours was transported away from Tenebraean soil, Gentiana became Lunafreya's permanent shadow. The new self-appointed bodyguard rarely left her side and even if she wasn't visible, Luna knew that she was still being watched. Most of her remaining staff was forced to leave, but at Luna's plea Gentiana offered the servants a new place to work within a nearby Niflheimian base which was located just beyond the border.
Luna tried to patch the void left by her servants by filling the empty house with as much colour and life as she could with flower arrangements and paintings. Sometimes Gentiana would find her alone in the living room playing a somber tune with a violin.
"What song is that?" she asked after hearing the same tune for the third time play in the middle of the night.
"A song from Lucis", the blonde admitted. "It tells the story of Etro and how her children yearn to wake her."
What she didn't tell her jailer was the reason why she played the song when the night was at its darkest. It reminded her of her time in the famed sleepless city of Insomnia and of her time with Noctis when he had shown the royal palace to her. She had stayed awake past midnight for the first time in her life during her stay there. She had followed Noctis to the roof of the palace and they had watched together as a middle-aged woman in heavy black robes had climbed to the top of the cathedral and sang in a low powerful voice. Noctis had explained that it was an age old tradition for the high priest of Etro's Children to perform Somnus during the winter solstice.
"And where have you learnt such a song?"
"I heard it when I was visiting Insomnia with my parents", and that was all she would reveal on the subject.
When it became clear that Luna was unwilling to talk about the mysterious light, Gentiana changed her approach to a friendlier one. She would fulfill Luna's every request to her best ability, but Luna saw through it and remained unmoved by the small acts of kindness. She believed herself impenetrable and ready for any scheme the Niflheimians would throw at her. She was wrong.
One night Luna woke from a night terror and alerted her supposed attendant with a loud gasp. She trembled like a leaf and hugged herself as she fought back the tears and the memory of filthy hands trailing up her uncovered adolescent legs. She felt ill and rushed to the bathroom. Gentiana found her sitting in her nightgown under a cold shower, the near freezing water hiding her fresh tears. It took Gentiana a good while to return the dazed noblewoman back to the present.
Luna barely registered as Gentiana carefully undressed her from her soaked nightgown and underwear and changed the water's temperature to suitably warm. She helped her scrub the imaginary filth from her chilled skin, not minding that she was ruining her own clothes in the process. After the sweet scented soap – leftovers from before Niflheim had occupied Tenebrae and halted the more luxurious industries – was washed off, Gentiana gently encased Luna with a soft towel and held her as a lover would embrace her sweetheart.
They stayed like that for a few minutes, both knowing the moment would be lost if either would step away. Luna hadn't realized how badly she had yearned for something as simple as a hug all these years. The only touch she had felt for the past thirteen years was the groping hands of lust filled soldiers. Hesitantly she turned in Gentiana's arms and allowed her heavy head to rest on the older woman's elegant shoulder as she willed the visions of being violently pushed against a wall to fade away.
Things were never quite the same after that night. Luna would often catch Gentiana looking at her with an unreadable expression. At first it unnerved her, but as time passed and nothing happened, she allowed herself to relax and lower her guard enough to not constantly worry about who was arguably her only friend in this invisible prison. As much as an enemy can be a friend, that is.
Weeks later Gentiana approached her with a rolled parchment in her hand. The imperial sigil was impossible to miss with its pompous behemoth design. The dark clad woman cleared her throat and rolled the parchment open.
"His Imperial Majesty Emperor Iedolas Aldercapt salutes the Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret of Tenebrae and bids her to fulfill her sworn duty as a conquered vassal. She is to marry the heir to the Lucian throne, Crown Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum and strengthen the goodwill between Niflheim and Lucis."
Luna clenched her jaw and balled her hands into fists as Gentiana continued to read aloud. "Should she refuse she will be denounced from her position and Tenebrae's autonomy shall be withdrawn", Luna scoffed. What she wouldn't do to escape and leave this political battlefield. Gentiana ignored her.
"Taxes will be doubled and the people will be made to suffer in the name of Fleuret." The parchment was rolled and handed to Luna. Furious, she grabbed it and tossed it into the hearth. The dance of flames reflected in her hard eyes as she watched the insolence of the damned Emperor burn.
"How dare that man– that monster–"
"I would consider the next words carefully if I were you, my Lady", Gentiana interrupted Luna's rant in a calm authoritative voice. "As much as you hate playing the part of an unwilling puppet, you must do as you're told for the sake of your people." Luna turned away from the older woman and crossed her arms as she stared at a painting of Tenebraean scenery above the fireplace. In her rage filled haze she could have sworn the flames were reaching out for the painted landscape. If she did not do this her land would burn once more.
"Fine. I will do it."
Gentiana's lips curved ever so slightly as Luna had turned back to face her.
"This will be your only chance to escape and take the reins of your own life back. Do not waste it."
Luna's eyes widened in awe as Gentiana's meaning dawned to her.
Freedom. Away from the eyes of the Empire.
The dark haired woman left Luna to ponder over her words and to write an official response to the Emperor in her stead.
Luna never bothered to read the parchment which was undoubtedly full of honey worded fawning. She only added her signature and left the rest in Gentiana's hands.
"Eos to Luna."
She snapped from her memories and faced her royal companion.
"Not like you to zone out like that."
"My apologies. It has been awhile since I gazed upon home soil."
"Brings back a lot of memories, huh."
Luna hm'ed in response and walked to a nearby tree. She bounced to reach the lowest branch and hoisted herself up.
"What are you doing?"
"What does it look like? I'm climbing. And you, Your Highness, will not reach very High if you do not step to it!"
Noctis groaned, but took off his sweaty shirt and wrapped it around his waist.
"I'm coming!"
Moments later the pair were sitting on a sturdy branch and gazing over the thick rainforest. Luna reached for a melon sized yellow fruit that hung from a nearby branch. She peeled and split it in two and offered the other half to Noctis.
"Kukuru orange, local delicacy used in many baked goods, but I personally prefer them raw and ripe." Noctis took a tentative bite of his fruit. It tasted different from anything he had ever had back at home, but boy, eating that thing was a mess. Luna fared a little better, probably result from years of practice, but even she didn't survive without a juice stain or two.
"Think Ignis could fix us something with these fruits?" Noctis pondered and wiped his sticky hands on his trousers.
"Knowing him he's probably already using Prompto as a taste tester."
They chuckled. Unhindered by the tall trees at this height the two could enjoy a light breeze as it ruffled their damp locks.
"Luna?" she tilted her head in question. "I never had the chance to give this to you", he took a plain silver ring from his pocket. "I want you to wear it."
She studied the ring in his hand. On closer inspection it had a single skull engraved on its smooth surface. It was a traditional Lucian engagement ring by the look of it. She offered her left hand and allowed him to place the ring on her ring finger. She held up her hand and looked at the ring in wonder.
He couldn't have chosen a less romantic moment. They were both covered in fruit juice and their clothes clung to them like a second skin in the tropical heat. But maybe that was the beauty of it. Luna was hardly a romantic and she was positive Noctis was not the flower giving type. His spontaneous proposal, no matter how roundabout it appeared, was genuine. Like Gentiana's embrace.
They had officially been engaged for almost a year, but they hadn't had the chance to meet face to face prior to the wedding that never took place. She hadn't even thought about taking the traditional Tenebraean white gold engagement ring she had commissioned for her betrothed along with her as she set out with the four men from Accordo. The actual wedding rings they were to exchange at the ceremony were held by Altissia's clergy.
"I don't have your ring with me", she admitted.
"That's okay. I'll just let the ladies know I'm already spoken for." Luna rolled her eyes.
"I think you're confusing yourself with Prompto. You're not exactly a ladies' man."
"Neither is he."
"More than you'll ever be."
"Well, I'm a one woman type of guy, anyway."
There were no heartfelt confessions of love or kissing under the moonlight, and she preferred it that way. If she was to really marry this complex man she was slowly beginning to have romantic feelings for, she would firstly do so as his partner, companion and friend and secondly as his lover.
"Now put your shirt back on, it's distracting."
"You never complained about Gladio's open jacket", he muttered as he pulled his damp shirt on.
"Only because I don't believe he's capable of being decent."
The two exchanged silly smiles, both silently thrilled by the engagement they had just agreed to in private. No formal parchments with royal seals or political battlefields requiring a union in the name of peace. Just Luna and Noct, two young adults who wished to share a future together.
"Uh, how do you plan on getting down?"
"Climbing." She could see he was already preparing to warp strike back down. "You're going to cheat, aren't you?"
"Nah. I got here with you, might as well get down the same way", she suspected he was lying, but let it slide. "But if you offer to wash my clothes I promise I won't prattle to Gladio your views on his attractiveness."
Two could play that game. "Very well", she crossed her fingers behind her back. She would toss both him and his clothes into a river.
A/N: Did you guys get the pun of the chapter title? :'D (Engagement between Noctis&Luna, but at the same time hostile engagement between Luna&Gentiana! Okay, okay, I suck at puns, I'll stop!)
This chapter will be split into multiple parts as it follows a certain timeline, unlike the other chapters that can be seen more or less as independent stories.
Hope you liked my version of Gentiana. :) You'll see more of her in the next chapter!
(Ps. Writing that formal letter from the Emperor was a pain in the ass. It still sounds weird, but I'm afraid my formal English doesn't extend that far. XD)
Pps. Thank you for your kind reviews, Yuto&Lady Mizukage! They help me motivate myself to write!
