Riiight. So. Missing another update next week. :( Very sorry, guys, but we've got some really key arcs upcoming and work has just noooot given me the time I need to properly plan out some of the STUFF. The last thing I want is to get this far in the story and mess something up because I try to rush. lol I shall see you all soon! :)

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Ravus couldn't believe he was thinking this, but this was the happiest he'd ever been in his life.

Everything was going extremely well for him. His duties were light enough that he could now move more freely, one of his dearest friends had returned to the city and relieved him of a great burden by doing so, and now the woman he loved had accepted his marriage proposal. If that could be called a proposal. Highwind was fortunate he was in a good mood, or he'd be hunting her down.

…Although perhaps not, as he was currently being held captive anyway.

"My goodness, this is so exciting!"

Ravus may have said something in agreement to his sister but she was currently suffocating him and breaking his ribs with the tightness of the hug she was giving him.

"I never thought this would happen!" she gushed with a huge smile.

Ravus scowled. Never? All her faith and hope in people, and she never thought this would happen? He was making a considerable effort not to be offended at that. That sloth of a Chosen King could win his own sister's heart, but she thought Ravus would never find someone?

…Or had Lunafreya meant that more in the sense of her past self not believing that she would live long enough to see Ravus find happiness?

Well. Were that the case she'd still been mistaken. This was very much happening.

…Assuming Ardyn didn't decide to crash the wedding and kill him. What a delightful thought.

Here was to hoping Ravus' unwanted familial connection to Ardyn would actually be good for something. Ardyn had been entirely more focused on Lunafreya before, but since their falling out Ravus wasn't certain what to expect.

Ardyn hadn't been seen since Ignis' return.

Ravus wished he could enjoy that absence, but it honestly just made him even more wary. He constantly felt like he was in the calm before the storm.

"What's wrong?" Lunafreya pulled back to inspect Ravus, apparently noting his change in enthusiasm.

Ravus hated to ruin the moment, but he knew his sister well enough to know she wouldn't let it go if he tried to bluff his way out.

"Considering the last high profile wedding in Lestallum, I'm rather concerned." He took Lunafreya's hand and moved to sit with her on a bench that wasn't far away.

Here was to hoping there was no one around willing to give the press information. He hadn't planned on any type of serious meeting, or he would have told Lunafreya to meet him somewhere else rather than tracking her down and talking in the middle of the street on which she happened to be walking.

Lunafreya nodded, clearly understanding exactly what he meant. "I see."

Ravus sighed. "I know it would benefit the city's moral to have a celebration, but perhaps we shouldn't risk it. We are in a good position at the moment, and that is the perfect opportunity for Ardyn to remind us of his existence after being quiet for so long."

Lunafreya looked far away and deep in thought. "…There's a chance, I suppose."

Well, that was not as certain as he was expecting her to be, no matter which side she took on the matter.

"Sister, do you believe there's a chance he'd attempt something?" Ravus pressed. He knew Ardyn was terribly unpredictable, but if anyone had a chance of guessing…

Lunafreya sighed, shaking her head. "I honestly do not know. I'd like to believe that he won't, but I cannot say anything for certain. I've not seen him. I do not know his current frame of mind."

Unhinged. Insane. He was always insane. His level of insanity merely varied from moment to moment.

"His care for your opinion of him saved Scientia," Ravus pointed out. "Here's to hoping that will keep him at bay. Or maybe we'll be very fortunate and he won't return at all."

Lunafreya smiled softly, but there was a sadness behind it.

"Sister." Ravus gave her hands a squeeze. "You cannot save everyone. Ardyn was lost long before either of us were even born. You needn't bare the guilt of not being able to rehabilitate a… a sack of daemons."

Luafreya barked out a sudden short burst of laughter. "That is… one description of him, I suppose."

"I thought it apt," Ravus said proudly.

"…Do I still get to help Sikozu plan even if it's smaller and more private?" Lunafreya asked meekly.

Ravus chuckled. "I'm certain she'd be thankful for the assistance." His smile faded at his sudden, terrible thought. "You don't miss Ardyn, do you?"

The confusion that spread across his sister's face told him she wasn't entirely certain herself.

"I… I miss his understanding."

Ravus couldn't help his incredulous look. Was there a less understanding person on Eos than Ardyn?

Lunafreya closed here eyes for a moment with another sigh. "I know how that sounds. But the Oracle duty… Pulling such darkness into one's self for the sake of others. It is a feeling that cannot truly be explained. Only experienced. And the expectations of the Astrals…"

Ravus supposed he did understand her point there. He may have been the less important child, but not even once did he wish for his sister's job.

And then Ravus' blood went cold.

He'd just realized something terrible.

He hadn't thought about it before, but now it was so obvious. How had he not thought about it until now? It had been weeks.

"…He's not going to heal you anymore."

Lunafreya startled. "No… I suppose not. Although there's so few people to heal now I do wonder if that is something I even need be concerned with."

Ravus winced. She had a point there. She'd once tried to fight against the Scrouge taking those all over the world. Now she had only two cities and some stragglers in the wild to worry about.

…Ravus had never thought he'd consider a lack of total people in the human race a good thing.

He was an incredibly selfish asshole when it came to the safety of his sister, he realized.

Whatever. The world would be doomed without his sister. He could live with being an asshole. He been deemed that by others most of his life anyway, if he was honest.

"I will never not be concerned for your health," Ravus said dryly. "It's been ingrained into me for far too long."

Even with his worries, the day had been overall all very pleasant, Ravus thought as he returned to his room.

He still had a few last things to attend to before his trip to Crestholm, and he wanted to bid Sikozu a proper farewell. Proper being a talk with a little less Highwind prodding involved.

Asinine woman. Ravus scowled to himself, pushing the door to his room open.

Successful proposal or not, he was going to be irritated at her for a good while–

…Dear Astrals, he'd jinxed himself. He'd jinxed them all.

Ravus sighed, giving the figure that was lounging on his bed a withering glare. "What do you want?"

Ardyn didn't bother unfolding the hands he had folded across his chest, or even moving the fedora he had resting on top of his face. "I heard congratulations were in order."

That had been fast. Exceptionally fast. Well, they had their answer – Ardyn was still very much skulking around the city, he just hadn't been showing himself to Lunafreya.

"…And?" Ravus prompted. Despite his attempts to stay calm, he could feel his heart rapidly slamming away against rib cage.

Ardyn tilted his head down just enough that one eye peaked out from under his hat. "So hostile."

"Do you fault me, considering the circumstances?" Ravus groused.

An eyebrow that Ravus could barely see crept upward. "Even if I didn't want to – and I very much do – I am going to kill your sister's beloved. I have no desire to kill yours as well or you personally and end my own line. In fact, please do have many children. And grandchildren. I'll die quite happily knowing that my line outlasted Somnus'."

Ravus chortled. Well, that was certainly a relief, as twisted as it was. "Terrific. Then why are you here?"

Ardyn was silent.

Ravus waited.

"…No reason, I suppose." And with that, he lethargically threw his hand into the air and disappeared.

Ravus stood in silent confusion for a moment.

What the hell? Had there been a point to that conversation? A point to Ardyn waiting for him in his room?

Despite the assurance that Ardyn wasn't after any potential future family Ravus might want, he hardly felt more at ease.

Random Ardyn was beginning to trouble him more than vengeful Ardyn. At least then he'd known what to expect.

…Well. Ardyn still wasn't invited to the wedding, that was for damned certain. Not that that would stop him if he wanted to be there. Hopefully if he did decide to be there he'd keep himself busy.

Ravus shook his head. He had other matters to worry about. Ardyn may have just all but ensured his and Sikozu's safety, but that didn't help Crestholm and the rest of the population.

…His safety. How ironic.

And to think it had only been a few years since Ardyn had turned him into a decaying zombie daemon and forced him to try and kill Lunafreya. If any factors had been different in that fight, Ravus could have died back then.

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