Disclaimer: Hey everybody its Phoenix! Hope you're looking forward to more Sanctuaire. As promised, this one starts where the last chapter left off. Happy reading!

SANCTUAIRE

Chapter XXXV: Adfectus

Curiosity.

Desire.

Passion.

Want.

Need.

Heat.

Warmth.

Those were all the emotions he was feeling at the moment. Lightning Farron laid underneath his body, her eyes connecting with his. Neither of them moved but their bodies radiated with a certain heat that consumed but still could not filly go through. Not yet. But it was something he desired now.
As Noctis stroked Lightning's face, taking in every single detail, he could swear his heart had stopped for a few moments only to pick up speed again just at the mere sight of her. He moved his head down to her chest, resting himself on her bosom.
"Don't do that," Lightning said with a light sigh irritation. Noctis chuckled, "You are not exactly protesting…" "I am protesting now." The young queen retorted, but her tone betrayed her words. Noctis lifted his head slightly to look at her.

Lightning leaned her head back, looking at anything but Noctis. He did not allow her to shy away and gently made her look at him again.

"Why are you so opposed to…feeling?" Noctis asked, only wishing to gaze into the queen's eyes. She exhaled, as if tired. "It is not that I am opposed to it; I just cannot find any reason for me to allow this. Someday soon I will no longer be in this world…" Lightning answered.
The prince sighed and buried his hand in his hair. The young queen was still dying he knew, but did she have to deprive herself that much? Why would anyone do that?

She sensed his question but did not feeling like answering him yet. She knew he probably would not understand but Lightning made sure to prepare the words she found was best to say if Noctis asked out loud. The prince busied himself with curling strands of Lightning's hair around his finger. She found it rather irritating at first but the strange foreign feeling inside of her chest that made her heart ache in a surprisingly good way convinced her to leave him be, for now.

Noctis felt himself purr as he soaked in her warmth.

Oddly enough she did not seem as annoyed as he thought she would be. He risked touching her hair, caressing the soft lovely strands. He stared into the queen's eyes, trying to find a sign of resentment or perhaps the urge to attack again.
When she still did not move, Noctis felt a blush cover his face for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. "I still wish to know why you are so opposed to experiencing something new such as this…" He whispered in her ear, letting his lips touch her there.
As usual Lightning tried not to react to his actions but with the way his lips explored her face, lips, down to her neck and shoulders made her shudder from the pleasant feelings that went down her back to all of her. Why did he bother asking her that question again? The answer should have been obvious even if she did not speak.

"Must I answer that again?"

"I sense there is more to it than that, my queen."

"There is no other reason I have, Prince."

Lightning felt her heart jump again but not in a good way. The sting on inside of her chest cut off her breathing for a brief second before she was able to inhale and exhale properly again; it was becoming worrisome how more frequent these attacks were happening.
Usually they only acted up within a year or a few months, but to have it act up within the same month or even the week, it was almost terrifying. Of course it was not to her, but to her comrades it would be. Lightning was already resigned to her fate and this was coming from a woman known to defy many things.

It was almost sad and to Lightning, pathetic. But what else could she do? If there had been something else she could do she would have taken the chance, but she was not so low to stoop down to a pitiful level. And an honorable warrior must know when they are defeated, even by something within them.

If she allowed herself to be more honest she would have revealed that perhaps she did not want to get close to Noctis on the account that even if something did come from this, she would die anyway and thus leaving Noctis alone again. And though he did act immature many times and mourned over nothing, Lightning did not want to be the reason that he would suddenly fall into loneliness and sorrow again.
At first Lightning wondered why this would even matter to her, but the more she looked into Noctis' eyes and the more he tried to accost her—for whatever reason he had—the answer was becoming clearer to Lightning herself. It scared her. A lot. This was not something she expected to happen in her lifetime, especially with Noctis Lucis Caelum of all people.

Still it felt oddly pleasant but as always the young queen knew this could never last. Even if she did feel this way, she would risk hurting the one she cherishes most. And she hated doing that even if she never says so out loud.

Noctis continued to stroke her arms, sensing her tensing a bit and her eyes told him she was deep in thought. He sighed a bit and laid his chin on her shoulder, wishing to know what was running through her mind. He was curious about her in so many ways already.
He knew this was not his intentions; he never planned to feel such…passion for the young queen. The same queen who had always been known for her heart of ice—the words of her dejected suitors.

He had wanted to stay clear of her, keep her at a distance where he could never have connections to other people. But circumstances forced him to remain by Lightning Farron's side and eventually her sister and other companions as well.
Reuniting with his father had not been as Noctis expected. In fact he had expected to never see him again. And the look in Regis' eyes when he had scolded Noctis had been something the prince had not realized his father had in him. Usually Regis had been…passive. But when Noctis felt the cold strike of his father's eyes made Noctis feel like a young boy who had been caught doing terrible deeds and being scolded for it.

It felt odd to feel that after all these years. But it was also…nostalgic, in a strange way.

Lightning felt the prince's arms tighten around her waist and she tried not to shiver. She knew she had to move away from him but something kept stopping her, something she knew she should not be feeling at all. But she was feeling it, nonetheless.
She tried her best to banish these emotions but her heart, as ill as it was, was persistent and it continued pestering her until she had no other way to go but to accept it. She still tried to fight it but the more she did, the stronger her emotions grew. Now there was only option for her; to keep her distance. It was a simple solution really, but she had been doing it for so long anyway that it was nothing new to her.

Noctis was making it too difficult for her as always but she could not bear to have him grow any closer than he already was despite himself.
She felt him massage her shoulders; an obvious attempt to seduce her into a calm mood. She glared at him over her shoulder and shrugged him away but the prince ignored the cold response and ran his lips down her arm. "Stop that," Lightning said with a frustrated sigh.

"I cannot help it." He purred against her smooth skin. Her scent was an intoxication to him and the way her skin against the skin of his hands was enough to send him into a euphoric state.

Lightning sighed and got up from the bed, leaving him to stare at her as she went to the window and pressed her forehead against the cold glass.
Noctis' heart began to jump inside of his chest as his eyes gazed upon her moon-soaked form. Again there was that feeling. It was haunting him again and though he was unsure of what exactly he was feeling he knew that it involved the stubborn young queen. For some reason he could not bring himself to stay away from her now.

All this time he wanted to keep away from her but not he found her presence addicting. Was it something to dismay over or was it something good for him?

With almost no hesitation, he got up from the bed and slowly made his way to her. Lightning could feel his breathing down her neck and his hands went to her hips.
The prince pressed closer and buried his nose in her hair. His eyes closed as her scent entered his senses and his hands tightened their grip on her sides before he slowly slid them upwards then back down. "You are not making it easy for me, my queen."

"It is your own fault, having weakness for the female species." Lightning retorted and the prince chuckled, "That is an old friend of mine you are describing. I am merely a man; what about you? Are you not a woman, but a goddess in disguise?"
His words made Lightning roll her eyes. Calling her a goddess of all things… But then again, she had heard worse; such as a man saying her eyes were like two moons on a moonlit night. Two moons? How odd, she had said to her suitor. Of course the man thought nothing of that remark. But every compliment she heard was either all far-fetched or silly and nonsensical.

Noctis' comment may not be as terrible but preposterous all the same. She was no goddess, and it was easy not to mistaken her for one.

The prince glanced at her expression, eyebrow raised. "I see you don't take kindly to compliments. Or could it be that no man had complimented you before? If so then they are either foolish or insane."
Lightning glared at him. "Are you willing to let go of me now?" She sighed, not intending on staying in this current position for the rest of the night. Noctis was not about to let her have the satisfaction. "I am afraid I will not be doing that for some time. You see, I am rather enjoying myself."
"Then I suggest you take your self-indulgence elsewhere," The young queen ordered, shrugging him off. Noctis refused to move at all.
"Unfortunately, common whores never satisfy. I am afraid I can only be sated if it were you." He purred in her ear. Again, the young queen found herself stunned at his words. Why was he doing this? Why does he torture her so? Did it satisfy him to see her suffer under such…advances?

Lightning shoved him off roughly.

"Stop it. I have no intention of having an affair with you or anyone. Try to make me, and I will not hesitate to throw another thundaga at you." She growled warningly.
Despite how he would usually feel angered at such a rejection due to his situation, Noctis could not help but feel rather…saddened. Perhaps it was because he merely wanted to try and know Lightning all the more. But she held her walls up fast and strong, never allowing anyone in to see the true her. She is a queen of great caliber but behind it all he knew she hid what she feared most; her dying heart.

He had never thought the day would come when he would wish she had not had such a condition within her. Perhaps then she would have no qualms of getting into his bed.

Noctis shook his head; if that was all—to have her as a woman for his desires—then why did he feel as if it were not enough? Why did he feel that merely having Lightning to bed her would not complete a gap in his heart? Had he fallen too far? No, he fell but not far.
Lightning could feel her heart sink; why, after all these years, did she still feel weakness? With all she did to try and shove away the pain and weaknesses she felt, she still had a heart that was capable of breaking and falling.

Why had she fallen so deep even though she knew it was not her that was desired but something she had never given up for anyone or anything?

Why did she still feel such emotions even with the knowledge that they would only lead to her downfall? A sweet downfall but a downfall nonetheless?
It was either that weakness or her ailment that would be the death of her, she was certain of that much. But why did her heart and mind persist? What did she end up seeing that gave her heart such a jump? That she would rush into the eve of battle despite the odds that would probably be against her? She could never understand, and she could never know if such a thing was worth it. Even if it was, she could not remain and it would only cause more pain and distress. Though she did not know why she fell, she knew she could not possibly allow for life to turn her into the cause of another's suffering. She was cold in the eyes of many, but she was not heartless.

Noctis wanted to reach out. He felt the urge, the desire to hold her, not just to purr seductions, but to also perhaps comfort. The young queen had not realized that as she had gotten lost in her thoughts, the hardness of her eyes had softened and her walls were down if only a bit.
Even with only a glimpse he could see something he had never seen on any woman he met or in the eyes of anyone he had ever encountered. The look in her eyes was blank and yet they held an emotion that the prince could only describe as lonely.

Lightning Farron was lonely? Surely it was impossible for the powerful young monarch to be so. She was known to prefer her solitude with the exception of close comrades. She wanted to be alone and she chose that path in life, so why would she show signs of loneliness now?

Though Noctis had to admit that sometimes he did catch her with tears in her eyes or a tiny glimpse of sadness. He usually thought nothing of it and dismissed them as him seeing things. But as he stood still here and now while gazing upon Lightning's majestic form, he wondered if he had been seeing or imaging things at all.

He was careful when approaching Lightning this time. He lifted a hand to touch her shoulder and immediately her defenses were up again.
Noctis hoped she would see he was not going to fool about this time. But she still stared at him cautiously like a beast ready to retreat should any unwanted intruder wander too close. "Why aren't you off wandering the wilds, Prince?" Lightning said after a moment of silence. Noctis admitted that he usually would rather run outside, but he felt more comfortable here with her for some reason…

A light growl caught the prince's attention and he had to ask, "Did you not eat well?"

"I am not hungry," Lightning said with a sigh. "Please, just…leave me alone." She needed space, especially from him. She needed a clear head and being so close to Noctis was not helping matters. She needed to find an escape, somehow. She needed release from the pain; even the tiniest ones that were bearable still caused much irritation to her.
She felt another stab of pain in her chest and she gripped at it carefully, not wanting the prince to see her in this little moment of weakness.

Noctis was not sure why he was insisting the young queen should eat or rest; he disliked her for the most part but his sudden urge to keep seeing her was driving him to some sort of level of insanity.

What drove him to even be courteous to this cold statue of a woman? Noctis had no idea what was going through his own mind but more than anything he knew he wanted to bed the queen. After all, it did not have to mean anything.
Lightning groaned a bit as her chest throbbed again; it was an irritating sensation that could easily develop into a dangerously unstoppable pain if she were not careful.

Why had she not tried to shoo him away then?

He was still clinging to her and she knew she was strong enough to shove off more than one man off her being, but why did she not do anything?
Again only more questions entered her mind rather than answers. "Let go, Prince." She finally shrugged him off roughly. This time he tried not to touch her again. He dared not when he saw the lost look in her eyes.

Could there ever such a person exist with no will to go on but at the same time, continue to live on anyway?

Lightning felt cold for some reason; it was strange how a while ago she felt perfectly normal under Noctis' touch but the moment he decided to let her be this time, it was as if the chill had suddenly invaded and was now blowing around her.
It was a ridiculous notion but… Lightning sighed and rubbed her temples. Noctis stepped a bit closer to her, making sure to keep at least some distance. "What are you afraid of?" His question came out in a whisper. The young queen felt her heart race and she forgot the pain for a few moments. She sighed heavily. "… I fear nothing."

"I think there is something you fear. What is it?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

Despite her apparent denial, Noctis wondered why he even wanted to know. When did he wish to know her plight and comfort her? How many times had he asked himself that?
Noctis groaned and held her to his chest again. "… I don't feel like moving about tonight." He breathed in her ear. Lightning easily suppressed a shiver even as he ran his hands up and down her arms.

Her skin was soft under his hands. Noctis felt his chest tighten before his heart jumped several times. What kind of spell did this queen of ice put on him?

Regis paced his throne room, his heart feeling heavy.

Already he worries for his son and for the others. He feared that boy—no matter how old Noctis was, to Regis he would always be a boy he had helped give life to—may have done something irrational, but at the same time he knew deep inside that he could never truly doubt his son. Noctis was stricken for years but now was the time his son learned to mature and act like the man he was supposed to be; a man worthy to wear the crown of future king and a man who would always make his mother and father proud.

"Majesty, please calm your heart. It would do you no good to simple pace this room." The man who spoke stood by the door of the throne room, watching the king fret.
Regis sighed and cast a glance at the man with him. He knew he meant well but sometimes the man was as dull as they could get. Still, he was a good soldier. Regis could not really fault him.

The king sighed and sat behind the desk. "Cor…how long have we known each other?"

Unsure where this was going, Cor Leonis answered, "A long time, my king. I knew your son just as long as well." Regis nodded and put his hands together, deep in thought.
"I worry about that son of mine, Cor. I am certain you already knew that ever since that…incident. But I also worry for the ones who he travels with…" Cor had heard about this recently. Ever since King Regis returned, there had been rumors of the death of the queen of Bodhum. However, based on what Lord Regis had said, it seems the queen was alive and well, unknown to the enemy.

"I assume you are speaking Queen Farron…?"

"Indeed."

"You are certain she is truly alive?"

"You doubt my eye sight already, Cor?"

The soldier cleared his throat, "My apologies my king. I meant no offense. But with how much more bold and rash the enemy has become it seems that the queen truly is dead. Yet you say you met her once again after she had clearly lost the battle against both Nifleheim and Midgar's kings—that she was alive and well."
Regis chuckled. "Well that is the intention my boy… The less the enemy knows, the more chance we have of catching them by surprise. They believe they had killed Bodhum's queen and therefore had destroyed someone of the Alliance. But Queen Farron is alive and they don't know this." Cor began to understand and he nodded. "Understood, my king. But…you mentioned something concerning your son as well?"

"Apparently Noctis struck up some sort of animosity between him and Queen Farron…" Regis said with a sigh. Cor raised an eyebrow at this. "All these years and he still acts this way? Such a child…" Cor, while a good friend of the prince, had his fair share of Noctis' unreasonable finger-pointing but all in all he had hoped somewhere down the road his young friend would recover from his phase.

Regis sat at his desk once again. "Indeed. But something has changed in him; he seems to deny but I can sense it's there."

Cor seemed surprised again. "Are you insinuating that Prince Noctis may be pursuing Queen Farron?" "You make it sound like a terrible thing, Cor…" Regis said as he studied the parchments on his desk. The soldier huffed, "It just makes it seem like Prince Noctis prefers to punish himself by pursing a woman who is living ice."
Regis looked up at Cor with a disapproving expression. "And you are one of those who believe that idle gossip?" "I have once seen her with my own eyes; cold as ice, hard as stone… And her tone whenever she spoke…" Cor remembered that day he stood by his king's side a few years ago and the encounter with Queen Farron. Truly she was like ice that never melts.

The king of Lucis sighed loudly. "My boy you are only looking at the surface. There is a reason I rather enjoy conversing with the queen. In fact she is quite charming."
Charming? That was the last thing Cor would expect the king to say about the young queen. In all his years as a soldier who had rose in rank quickly, he had seen all kinds of monarchs and those of high status. They walked with their noses in the air but the queen of Bodhum was like the blizzard itself.

She rushed into battles without so much as blinking; it was said she had been merely sixteen when she had gone into her first war and emerged the victor.
The queen had rejected many potential suitors, not at all caring for their feelings; whether they are saddened, angered… It did not matter to the queen. While she ruled well, she was frozen like an ice spell.

Regis shook his head. "Ah Cor…you are a brilliant soldier, but you do tend to be…biased and perhaps a little short-sighted." The aging king stared at the ceiling, contemplating. Cor was taken aback. "I apologize; though I fail to understand any admiration towards the queen. For one, she was young and inexperienced when she had been first placed on the throne. A mere child who was forced into the role she was not yet ready for."

"And yet you admit she rules her kingdom justly?"

"With all due respect, Highness; I find Queen…rather boorish."

"Ah, is it because you are still rather upset she had defeated you at a sparring match?"

"Sire—"

"Come now Cor… I am sure you know better than to hold a grudge because the queen has proven herself dominant."
Cor frowned; he merely disliked the way the queen of Bodhum showed off such pride and arrogance. The way her eyes stared down upon everyone as if she were mightier than even the gods themselves. He disliked these kinds; they believed themselves to be above all else and despite Lightning's great achievements as queen, he felt that it was not enough to excuse her from the way she seem to place herself upon a high pedestal.

Regis watched his best soldier for a long moment before coming to a decision. "Do you swear undying allegiance to the kingdom of Lucis, Cor Leonis?"
Surprised at the odd question, Cor nodded. "Of course Sire, just I always have from the beginning." He bowed before his king. The aging king smiled gently. "Then…I have a task for you. Consider it a request from this old king."

Noctis stumbled back slightly as Lightning's blade clashed with his. Sweat poured down his face and neck from the exertion and effort he put into his movements against Lightning.
She was faster than him and her magic and physical strength were at equal standing. Noctis knew he had more strength compared to her, but the young queen knew how to use her balanced battle style to her advantage.

She moved away whenever she sensed an attack, and moved in whenever he tried to avoid her. She unleashed magic when he readied himself to block a physical attack, and she struck him with her sword when he was ready to counter a magical strike. It was as if she could read into his every move and he was merely a step behind. Noctis fought well but Lightning was ahead of him.
In the past he would have despised how well she fought against him, but now he could not help but admire her battle prowess; it was unlike anything he had ever seen before. He had seen his father's skills when he had been young and until now. But seeing this woman known as Lightning dominate even a sparring session with him, Prince Caelum, was ever so surprising and impressive.

It seems that the rumors of her abilities were not at all exaggerated.

Lightning grunted when Noctis managed to land a hard blow against her blade. She was sent sliding back, however Noctis knew that sort of force she have sent her flying instead. Again she impressed him with how well she resisted the sheer force that would have sent anyone flying back into the nearest wall. But she only skidded back on her feet.

Lightning was panting and sweating just as much as he was. Their eyes connected through a light glare. The sparring session allowed them to let out some stress, especially since Lightning had been growing restless and Noctis did not seem like he would leave her alone anytime soon so she had suggested proving their skills to one another.
Noctis had not been in the mood to spar but when he watched as the young queen swung her sword at an invincible foe on the training grounds, he felt the urge to join her and clash swords.

It had been a long while since he had put his powers to the test and to his relief he still had full control. However he did not count on Queen Farron being able to counter and avoid if she needed too. Of course while all monarchs had the gift of crystals, each one had a different ability and some stronger than others.

It almost came as a shock when Lightning predicted where he would summon his next weapon. Nothing seemed to touch her aside from his strikes whenever she managed a well-timed block.

"I am surprised you know my next move. No one can ever predict such movements." He admitted. Lightning wiped the sweat from her brow. "I have trained with your father before… But yes, it was rather difficult; and it's good to see you are improving as well."
He felt face his face flush from the unexpected compliment before he shook it off and cleared his throat. "Thank you… You…were impressive as always." He tried looking the other way but his eyes kept glancing back to the queen as she moved off some distance to rest herself for a moment.

Why could he never look away when before he would wish she were out of his sight?

The heat of lust hit him once again despite his best efforts to quell that desire to just take her and show her how wonderful lovemaking could be.
Noctis found himself following her every movement with his eyes, feeling all the more drawn to her with every simple movement she made. What was it about her? What made him desire her? What made his heart fly at the sight of her?

Such thoughts both frightened and excited him at the same time. But if he did act on it, would she accept? Would she be willing to…experiment with him?

"Noctis." She called to him, noticing his distant expression. "I hope such daydreaming won't come so frequently. A prince who is to be king needs to be focused at all times." "… Apologies." He sighed and moved closer to her. She did not seem to mind the lack of distance this time. She looked at him, and he stared back.
Carefully, he lifted a hand and stroked her cheek. Lightning sighed, "You certainly have no sense of boundaries, do you Prince?" Noctis moved his hand up to her hair and stroked the silky strands. "You are a walking temptation, Queen Farron," He retorted gently, twirling a lock of hair between his fingers. Lightning had a faint blush on her cheeks that was almost hardly noticeable.

Their eyes met again and the sparks seemed to fly, mostly from Noctis' sudden lustful urges, which he held back. For now.

The young monarch stared at the prince, unsure what to do. Noctis noticed and took her hand in his, placing it on his cheek. His heart nearly stopped at the softness of this battle-hardened queen. He leaned his cheek in more, much to Lightning's embarrassment.
"What are you doing?" She asked, surprised t his actions. "I don't know…" He admitted, still taking in the feeling of her skin on his. "How do you do this to me?" He whispered as he leaned closer to her. Lightning did not move, already aware of what he was intending.

Lips touched and soon the prince had his arms around the queen's waist. Lightning tensed at first but soon she merely let him be.

His taste was unique to her; it was something she never experienced before in her life. Yes, he had kissed her before but those times had been brief and he had been angry or simply depressed and confused. Now as she stood there with him having his lips on hers with a clear head, she wondered what this could mean.

Noctis pulled away to look at the queen. His eyes shone with an emotion she did not know he could have. He too had no idea that his heart could race like this.

He kissed her again and this time she responded. She seemed a little timid with her responses and Noctis knew she had never kissed a man before, let alone responded to a kiss. The prince held her closer, wanting to feel more of her, and perhaps he wanted to test how well she could learn to respond to such intimacy.
Lightning tensed several times but seemed to respond slowly. Though reluctant, it was a start. She gasped slightly when Noctis finally ended the kiss. He watched her and stroked her face, brushing her bangs aside only for it to fall back in place.

"How was it?" He murmured. Lightning looked away. "It was…odd." It was not really the response he was hoping for but it was a better response than what he expected out of her.

"I am sure you will learn…" He almost purred out the words and Lightning grew warmer. The strange sensation engulfed her as it did him.
Noctis knew he wished to bed her but he held back. Something was holding him back, but what? What kept him from pouncing? And why did he want to pounce? He knew he would only be met with more questions no matter how many times he thought of it.

The feeling was there but what were they trying to tell him? Did she feel the same odd sensations of lust? Perhaps she did and did not realize or perhaps she knew what the sensation was but refused to act on it. It would not be surprising since she was the noble queen who seemed to dislike vices. Then again, nobody was perfect despite how much they try to seem so.

He kissed her again and this time she responded without hesitating, but she still tensed at times. He did not mind. Her taste, her warmth… It was all intoxicating like the finest wine. It was like he needed a sip of that wine every so often or he may just lose his sanity; this was not something he experienced in his life before.
What made the queen so different that it brought out the best reactions from him? What made her so unique that he felt warmer than before? What made her taste as sweet as the freshest strawberries in the world? What made her smell like a rose that was bathed in the morning dew?

Noctis moved his lips to her temple while his hand stroked her neck.

Lightning remained in place, feeling rather curious. This was the first time she even allowed male company to touch her this way or to even stand too close. So why did she allow the prince such the pleasure of doing so? She suspected he wanted something from her, but why would he? The man clearly still needed to let go of his past traumas yet here he was, invading her personal space with intimacy, and for some reason she was allowing him to do so.
It confused her more; why did she allow this? Why was he doing this? Why did she feel drawn in, compelled to accept his gestures? To her it made no sense.

The prince sighed as he pressed his forehead to the queen's. Why now? Why her? He held her shoulders and they just stood there, pondering over the same question in different ways, neither finding an answer.

Once more, he leaned forward and captured her lips, hoping to find the answer. Instead he was met with more questions and just the taste of her lips. It warmed him to the core. Perhaps…for now he did not mind, or care, that he had no answer to his questions. The queen's company had become enough for him to remain satisfied for now.
He stroked her face, her hair, and her neck and shoulders. She shivered under his touch. Before she noticed, she raised a hand and placed it on his as he caressed her cheek. He could help it; he had to ask her even if she may not have an answer.

"What is happening to me?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Prince."

"Will you allow me to kiss you again?"

"You already did so without my consent. I don't think…I can ever stop you from being so bull-headed."

A small smile crept onto his lips as he kissed her again. His hands moved to her waist and pulled her closer until their bodies touched. Lightning carefully moved her hand to his chest but did not push him away from her and merely clutched at his tunic.
Though they still could not understand what brought on these strange urges, they felt no need to find the answer right away; just being here at this very moment felt enough, it felt right. And for once in their lives it was like this moment was for them alone.

No worries, no regrets, no sorrow or pain. For once it felt like life had allowed them peace. And for now they would take this time just to feel whole, free of despair; because for once, they felt safe in this strange sanctuary.

Done! So, Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

I am sorry that this chapter is not as long as everyone wanted but I wanted to give you guys a treat for this year and for Valentine's. So I hope you all like it. And finally we have the introduction of a new character! Cor Leonis! Wonder what Regis needs him for…

Sorry for the long delay since I am back at college and the midterms are next week. Hopefully I can at least get some more writing done because I miss it and I always feel terrible when I don't write for a while.
So enjoy this chapter and the seemingly good improvements between Lightning and Noctis. Hopefully they can remain civilized with each other for a while longer, but don't forget there is still the issue of the dark kingdoms.

Also, Cor doesn't exactly have something against Lightning. He is just slightly bitter than someone who he believes is snobbish and cold-hearted beat him at something. Because like some of the people, Cor mistaken Lightning's standoffish demeanor as being uncaring and arrogant and he thought that beating her at a sparring match would teach her a lesson, but as you read, he had been the one who was beaten. Of course Regis knows how Lightning really is but he also understands why Cor thinks the way he does; Lightning's persona is rather convincing after all and no one can see through her except for Regis and Lightning's companions and perhaps Noctis as well.

Oh and let us give a big welcome to LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII! I know the Europe release is on February 14, Valentine's Day. For those of you who got the game for Valentine's enjoy it and I hope you all love it! I may be getting my own copy of the game soon so let's hope for the best.

Also I want to remind everyone that the names I gave to the kingdoms and characters changed to their canon names. So please take note.

One, Caius is king of NIFLEHEIM, Valhalla is the land of the dead like in XIII-2 instead of a kingdom, Giovanni is now named Regis and Noctis' kingdom is now called by its official name; Lucis.

I WILL be making these changes in the previous chapters as well. Though it will take time, but be assured they will be changed to their canon names.

Thank you everyone for still reading and supporting my stories. I could not have done it without you all! Stay awesome! Stay Lightis!

Until then…