"…by diverting the glaives through Leide, we can possibly…"

"…but we can't do that! More refugees mean more…"

Only by years of practice did Regis manage to keep sheer boredom at bay. Nowadays it seemed that the meetings solely revolved around the same issues without striking the main cause. The Empire was definitely at fault, slowly but surely tightening its chokehold on Lucis, but part of the problem was the local, unending affairs of his people. His council, bless them, has good intentions, but elegantly veiled barbs would always start flying around the table whenever mentions of people outside of Insomnia cropped up.

"Lucis is not just Insomnia!" a council member glared at another council member. "You'd remember that if you just…"

Regis side-eyed Clarus, who seemed to be the only one who was watching him. The returning half-lid stare was the only sign of exasperation between them.

Honestly, if he didn't have a kingly image to uphold — particularly in regards to a perpetually sleepy son who looks up to him — Regis would have openly rolled his eyes.

In his chest pocket, his phone vibrated.

For a moment, Regis debated; should he risk improper propriety in this 'important' meeting or continue his duty of managing the squabble to a semblance of dignity? His phone vibrated again in intervals, indicating a series of texts. If it was important, the sender would've called. Cor was away on a mission and reported to Clarus first unless truly urgent. Clarus and his secretary was in the same room as Regis, so that left… his son.

When three council members stood up and started moving from subtle barbs to outright hostility, Regis resisted the urge to warpstrike and instead laid down the law.

Chastising and smoothing tensions took a few minutes. With a wave of his hand, Regis called for a recess and impatiently waited for everyone except Clarus to get out. His secretary smiled her commiseration as she bowed and closed the door behind her.

"They're old but their minds are still toddlers," Clarus finally aired the unspoken truth.

Regis sighed and finally took out his phone. Against the drudge of politics, his teenage son's antics was decidedly more interesting, the perfect revitaliser that can rival a good cup of Ebony.

Noctis: hey dad
Noctis: when is your free time
Noctis: urgent matter
Noctis: nothing life threatening
Noctis: for now
Noctis: i think
Noctis: just info sensitive
Noctis: maybe time sensitive too?

Regis raised a brow. To Ignis' exasperation, his son often disregarded proper punctuation in personal messages, which Regis didn't really mind since it was private. The casualness was a breath of fresh air after hours of formality to him. Still, Ignis had made sure to cement the lesson of proper spelling in his son's texting by serving carrot-based dishes during one of Noctis' visits to the Citadel.

For Noctis to disregard the lesson, it meant a sudden love for vegetables… or desperation.

Selecting the call option, Regis placed his phone against his ear and waited.

The phone picked up at the third ring. "Dad," Noctis breathed.

"Son," Regis said, an involuntary smile clearing the weariness away. "What's with this urgent matter?"

Noctis exhaled. "Dad…y-you… you're alive."

The sheer relief in those few words made Regis straighten in his chair. "Noctis? Are you safe? Did someone—"

"N-no! Prom and I are safe! I just… we need to show you something. You, Cor, Clarus, Drautus—"

A high-pitched squeak from his son's end.

"What, no Drautus? What do you mean — fine, don't spoil if you don't want to!" Calmer, Noctis quietly said, "Sorry Dad, Prompto is very against Drautus learning about, uh, this."

"What is this, Noctis?"

Growling frustration, Noctis said, "Look, it's difficult to explain, and I'd rather you see it for yourself to really understand it but you're busy with meetings and I don't want to distract you."

"Actually, I only have an hour of meeting left, so if it's not time-sensitive as you said…"

"Okay, cool," Noctis audible sighed in relief. "I'll call Specs and Gladio. I swear it's for the benefit of the kingdom of Lucis, so please get Cor too?"

"He's on a mission, but I'll tell him to come right away."

"Thanks." There was a pause. "...I love you, Dad."

Regis closed his eyes. It had been too long since Noctis initiated words of affection between them.

"I love you too, son. See you soon."

"Yeah."

Regis was the one to shut the call down. He stared at the phone.

"Regis?" Clarus softly said. His own phone was out, ready for anything.

"He's fine, Clarus," Regis waved him off, weariness creeping back into his muscles. "Physically, that is. Mentally… I'm not sure. He promised to show us something urgent, but not particularly time-sensitive, and seems unaware of the dichotomy. You and Gladiolus will be joining us for dinner, I suppose."

Clarus nodded. "Alright. The hidden glaives in the area said that nothing of note happened except when Argentum pulled him into the house. Aside from the prince, no one's been in and out of the place."

A polite knock stopped Regis from answering. His secretary poked her head in and bowed, "I apologise Your Majesty, but the council are eager to resume…"

On a normal day Regis would be suspicious of their quick amiability, but now he was eager. With the spectacular squabble earlier, he would have no trouble decreeing that the returning meeting would take only an hour.

~ I'm pretty open in changing the fic title, to something more fitting I suppose. The title was supposed to be A Royal Pain (in the Ass) lmao, but without (in the Ass) it seems more dignified, eh?