Suffice it to say, Ardyn had been quite busy. He couldn't always keep his eyes on Nyxia, no matter how entertaining it was. When she first left Curia for Gralea, he had been ready for her. After all, he was the one who had set all that in motion.

Sure, Aranea Highwind had been a small obstacle, but he was able to keep her separated from the sorceress long enough for him to do what needed to be accomplished.

Plant the seed, so to speak.

He let the ex-commodore return the queen safely to Curia, but by then, it was too late. All he had to do was bide his time. Patience was a gift of his - something he had learned to master for over two thousand years.

He had anticipated a lot of mixed emotions to come from the girl. She was torn between many things:

Her love for him, which, after all this time, still lingered like a poisonous bite.

Her infatuation with Gladiolus, regrettably.

Her want to do the right thing for the world around her and those within it.

And, most importantly, the fact that she had no one left to turn to. Ardyn had made sure of that all this time. He would be behind her to the very end, no matter how much she stumbled.

Yet, he was taken a bit off guard when he discovered she had left her palace with Gladiolus.

As it turned out, at first, things were not going according to plan. It seemed the trio was onto his rouse, and when they fled from Curia with Nyxia in company, Ardyn found himself beyond frustrated. All that hard work to get her where he wanted her, just for those Queensguards to take it all away. He had even lost Rubia to the Queen's Shield's sword, and he had nothing to show for it. She was useful, yes, but she was equally as much of a nuisance.

Basically, never send a woman to do a man's work.

On the flight from Curia, Ardyn thought very little about his encounter with Ignis. He already felt confident that this little ritual of his would fall through. After all, Ardyn's influence on her was exceptionally strong. It would take a lot more than some mashed ingredients to exercise her.

By the time that Ardyn returned to his Insomnia, he had made preparations. Last time he was here, he had spent years waiting for Noctis to attempt his claim to the throne, ready to bring ruin to the once helpless and hapless prince.

Ultimately, he failed, leaving Nyxia behind. She had been his best-kept secret - the one thing he aimed to protect, even if ultimately from himself.

Yet, when it all came to an end, he just couldn't stay dead.

He had come across the street before the Citadel, where he met his end at the thirteen, royal arms that Noctis Lucis Caelum possessed. It was comforting to know that he no longer had the pest to threaten him. The others were nothing but roaches to him, though there was only one in his way of fully having Nyxia to himself.

His preparations consisted of well-tamed daemons and MTs that would rebuild several bases. There had been five once before. The Glaives had taken them down with help, and he vividly recalled Nyxia being a part of that effort. That was a bothersome recollection. Nevermind it. It was a shadow of the past now. The darkness would swallow her, and he would finally take back what was rightfully his - both her and the Kingdom of Lucis.

Even before he arrived at the doorway of the bedroom, he could hear the maleficent tones of the instrument from the long, dim hallway. He felt as if he had walked into a concert hall, but he knew the sound too well and who it came from. The sweet sounds of the cello sang of the same dysphoria that was within him. Perhaps that was why he enjoyed hearing it, especially considering the sentimental value of its player.

As he appeared at the doorway, he remained silent, simply watching her from behind. He could recall the night when he first heard her play. She lost her old cello to the havoc of attacking daemons within the palace, and so, for her birthday, he had chosen to get her a replacement - one he was surprised to see she still kept after all of this time. When he first witnessed what she could do with the instrument, he had fallen for her, and he fell harder than he could have ever anticipated. He wanted her then - needed her like a human needed to breathe. He tried to resist her infinite charm, knowing the pain and destruction he would ultimately bring to her. Yet, it didn't help to know that she possessed the same desires.

"I forgive you for all the terrible things you have done. For all the lives you took along the way. Why? Because you saved mine. Isn't that enough?"

Once he finally made his presence known, Ardyn almost wished he hadn't. That tune was perfect. She was as beautiful as always, adorned in a black dress and a film of moonlight on her skin. Yet, as he approached her from behind, his hands itched just to touch her - not even in a way that would lead to anything scandalous. He was gentle, up until he heard her confession of killing the hunters.

He couldn't explain the feral lust that filled him when he heard her voice darken. Years ago, he might have felt wrong about it, but he instantly felt the need to replace the cello between her legs with his own self. Casting a firm glance at the horned feline on the bed, it had been enough to silently command him to leave the room. Once he had, as if under an influence, Ardyn noticed only then he was gripping at Nyxia's neck - not necessarily to the point of hurting her, but even if he had, she could handle it.

Impressed with how well she was progressing, he slid his hand over her chest and lower. By now, she had stopped playing completely, but her grip tightened on the neck of the instrument as he ushered up her skirt. He could feel the heat of her before he even touched her, and he paid little mind to the bow that fell at her feet.

Just like old times. He breathed against her neck, feeling her center through what felt like lace, though in the shadow of the instrument, he couldn't see what color the material was. He only knew it was hot and wet, and it would only get more so as he would demonstrate what his fingers could do.

The only sweeter sound than the notes she played on the cello were those that were relinquished from her lips. He wanted to watch her face as he gave her pleasure, but at the same time, he received an odd thrill in this position. He could still see her body twist and lock in its rapture, every ripple in her body a sensuous display. He briefly entertained how frequently he had to wash his gloves, though without fingers, just from how often he had played with her like this. It was all her fault; if she wasn't so damned irresistible...

"Come for me..." he purred against her neck. He felt her muscles flinch just in response to his words, enticed by that alone. She seemed to take immense pleasure when he gave her such commands, and he equally enjoyed demonstrating that sort of power over her. Nyxia always had been a bit of a submissive individual in some circumstances.

He rubbed faster, smooth circles transposing into rapid, back-and-forth motions like a machine. He could always tell when she was finished; once her cries seemed to reach a pinnacle, they would fade into heavy breaths, and his fingers would be a sticky mess. Yet, he enjoyed this too much to complain. After she took a few seconds to recover, she finally spoke.

"You'll let me return the favor?"

The idea was tempting - more than he could describe. He had much to do, especially since he had discovered that hunters were starting to patrol Curia now. They were a menace that needed to be stopped sooner than later, no matter how much his testosterone raged for his future queen. "Soon," he said with a grin, taking the cello from her grip and setting it down before he would pull her up. He kissed her lips, less with hunger and more with just pure adoration for her - though he would never say it out loud. How selfless she was, showing concern for his needs, as well.

Once he released her, he would step back towards the door, offering her a bow that was almost playful.

"For now, I must take my leave."