Veni Vidi Vici

by saber007

Imperatrix Tellus Aldercapt. Destiny did not have a plan for her, but the people of Eos would remember the empress that led them through the darkness. (Written before the DLC releases and therefore Semi-AU)

29. Chapter 29

Persian

Jananam, qalbam, ruham, zindagham, zibayam, kahmay khuanam- My Janan, my dearest, my heart, my soul, my life, my beautiful for whom I sing

Ahmagh! Shookhi mikoni- Idiot! Are you kidding me?!

Latin

Novendialis- Funerary practices

Igne natura renovator integra- Through fire, nature is reborn whole

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XV

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"I'm taking ice-skating classes now. I fall down a lot but papa told me not to quit, that I'll get better with practice. Mama likes hearing about it, too. She misses playing in the snow." Venus managed to speak more of her pastimes without a single stutter.

Imperatrix smiled, proud of the new development.

"A native of Kazimir would take to winter sports. Do you have a recital coming up?"The princess reclined on the sofa, switching her phone onto speaker mode so she could rest her numb arm.

Soon she would be in Gralea with her family, living a relatively peaceful life.

"I do. Will you be there for it, big sister?"

"Yes. In fact, I shall have far more time to spend with you."

"Why is that?"

The emperor had lifted her banishment. Imperatrix was free to return to the capital. And now, as per her father's orders, she would be returning solely as the crown princess. No longer would she be more of a guest in the palace due to her duties as a commander. No longer would she have to hide behind a title to enforce her status.

She could embrace her birth name.

"I shall be living in the palace full-time from now on. I will get to see you every day and read a story to you at night. Would you like that, my darling Venus?" The happy exclamations of her sister made Imperatrix all the happier about her change in circumstances.

"You can finish reading the Shah-shahmah…sha…" Venus trailed off into groans of embarrassment from her inability to pronounce the book title.

"Shahnameh, The Book of Kings, my brilliant, little sister." Imperatrix provided kindly. "That book will take many nights to get through."

"It's okay. I want to hear stories from your homeland, too."

The elder princess had to muffle a cry. The last people she shared these forms of literature with were her mother and father. Imperatrix's father tried to include her Persian heritage within her upbringing by hiring tutors and sharing stories told to him by Valeria but her joining the military made those commitments difficult to continue. As the years went by and he became hungrier and hungrier for power, Iedolas stopped reading Persian literature with her altogether. That connection between father and daughter then perished.

Imperatrix was so happy and thankful to have a sibling reciprocate her love of cultures. Furia and Euphemia didn't care much for things that weren't Gralean.

"And then we can read the Gralean ones. Papa told me I have to know The 'Iliad' and 'The Odyssey' by the time I'm an adult."

"You want to read all the epic poems of the world, I see. I approve of this."

"I like to read - ah! Euphie! It's still my turn to talk!" Venus began whining and crying over the phone.

"You've talked for two hours!"

"Venus, Euphie, please stop fighting."

The girls completely ignored their eldest sister, bickering over who hogged Imperatrix's time the most. They went on and on until a yell silenced them. Imperatrix then heard her father ordering Venus to bed and telling Euphemia to make her conversation short so he could finally have his phone back.

"Sis. Sissy. Elder sister, stop laughing!" Euphemia demanded in her airy monotone. "You're taking up time with this."

"I laugh because you complain of Furia bullying you but then you do the same to Venus. How is that fair, Euphie?" Imperatrix quieted her chuckling, checking the time on her phone.

An early morning for Lucis and a late night for the empire. Her guests should be up already. As should her crew but it appeared that she was the only one with an appreciation for morning activity.

"But I don't say mean things to Venus like Furia does. I don't hit her or break her stuff either. So how am I bullying Venus?" Euphemia hummed. "People do some of those things to me and I don't care."

Outraged, Imperatrix flew up, accidentally knocking over the phone and she scrambled to retrieved it. "Who? Who dares to bother you so?! Why have you not said anything before?!"

"Because I don't care." Those words were accompanied by no trace of emotion and if they were in the same room, the third princess would probably have a blank face to match.

Imperatrix sighed.

Euphemia didn't care about a lot of things. Whether that was from depression or just general apathy, it was difficult to tell since she wasn't one to expound on her feelings.

"Ughhh, Papa's back to shoo me off to bed."

"Okay, goodnight my darling Euphie."

"You'll come to my performance, too, right?"

"Oh, of course. A figure skater and a ballerina. I will so enjoy watching my two sisters grow beautifully into their professions."

"And you'll bring me flowers?"

"I can but between father, uncle and Siegfried, you will drown in them."

"No, the other girls want them. They're still convinced I have a brother and it's funny to watch them go crazy over you."

Imperatrix clenched her jaw, withholding an instinctual rebuttal that could turn ugly. When would the attacks on her femininity wane?!

"Okay, okay, papa." Euphemia whined, glumly uttering her next words to Imperatrix. "Goodnight big sister."

The phone was filled with noise as it passed from one person to another.

"You devilsome girls." Greeted her father.

"Why am I included in that?" Imperatrix somewhat whined. "What have I done?"

"You continue to lollygag in Lucis, you infernal child! Did I not bid you return home more than a month ago?! And that useless Ardyn. I told him to bring you home ages ago!" Iedolas ended his rant with a huff. "I ought to punish you both."

"Father, I will be returning with the fleet. I want to do my last duty as a commander."

"Your sound reasoning is not improving my mood."

"Have I upset you that greatly?" Imperatrix played with her hair.

She had spent a lot time in Lucis, engaging in more trifles than dilemmas. Supply runs could be handled by others and she didn't need to help the hunter's association with their missions.

And…Imperatrix had gone on dates with Ardyn. Not to mention the night at the club…and visiting Nyx's home…

But, but! She did fix the problem in Saxham and straightened out the other senators. Which…ultimately didn't matter since Noctis destroyed the bases protecting those cities, forcing the citizens on an unexpected exodus. Her usefulness on these matters could be up for debate.

Well, Imperatrix could claim competence in assisting the oracle on her pilgrimage. That furthered the emperor's plan of riding the land of the Astral's presence. Prince Noctis was also getting a benefit out of this, one which the princess was unsure he should be receiving. The boy was using his powers to demolish the empire rather than save the world like Lunafreya swore he would.

Imperatrix shouldn't be helping either the oracle or the prince. They were both enemies of Niflheim.

"No, my child. While your continued absence does bother me, it is not the cause of my ire. Our council of senators are."

"Oh, what are those men plotting now? I figured the Saxham incident is connected to our favorite naysayer?"Imperatrix got off the couch to prepare herself a cup of tea.

It had been a long time since political drama had been a problem of hers. She would be trading duels and battle tactics for debates and schemes now. Oh, joy.

The emperor complimented her for foiling the scheme in Saxham that was meant to discredit him. However, it did little to soothe the failure of losing their bases in Lucis. Now, he had the problem of relocating thousands of people in a country of snow. The empire could definitely use the increase in population but there wasn't anywhere to immediately place them.

If only it weren't for the snow that destroyed so many of their cities.

"Is it possible for us to…" Imperatrix struggled to find a correct way to address a sensitive matter. "Refurbish the old sectors of the city?"

"No." Iedolas said with such a weight of sadness. "The people will not stand for any disturbances to there."

The princess breathed out her lament.

Great Gralea was surrounded by a cemetery that the people couldn't bear to be rid of. All those that fell under Shiva's curse would remain frozen for eternity. Imperatrix couldn't decide if this reluctance of her people was the greatest form of love or the greatest form of cruelty.

"I will find a way to resolve the situation." Imperatrix heard the emperor inhale loudly and exhale even louder. He must have been smoking.

"There is another matter…one, I hesitated to tell you before."

"Graver than my retirement from the military?" She poured herself a cup of tea from the pot.

That order had saddened her so much but it was the price for a greater calling.

"I sent Rusyia to ferry you home but also…" Iedolas took a deeper drag and exhaled longer before speaking. "The Crown Prince of Nanjing was onboard."

"Prince Chenmu is here?"

She hadn't spoken to him in a while. Her fellow commander wasn't a fan of phone calls. He did suffer through one for the princess's benefit after receiving news of her survival and had continued to periodically check on her. Considering how aloof his temperament was towards people, his effort had been appreciated by Imperatrix.

"The huangdi visited me some time ago to discuss your betrothal to the prince."

Imperatrix tapped her nail on the teacup. "Has the prince come here to retrieve me as my betrothed or as my husband?"

The marriage alliance of Gralea and Guangguo had been a certainty until Ravus became of age and everyone wanted him married into the Aldercapts to prevent rebellion. Then her father and Chenmu's father went back and forth over whether to continue the marriage since Tenebrae held a stance of monogamy. Now that Imperatrix would be entering the palace on a permanent basis, it wasn't surprising that the huangdi would capitalize on the opportunity to insert his son as an imperial consort.

"The second." Iedolas grunted out. "I approved the marriage alongside the huangdi. The prince has the edict and Rusyia will act as my proxy for the ceremony."

"We are to marry in Galdin Quay?! And so abruptly?!"

Now Imperatrix was panicking. These monumental things needed to be handled with care! Imperatrix wanted better than a shotgun wedding in a foreign country that held no love for her!

"Calm down, darling. It may not be the grandness of either of your homes but it is on a beach. And before our people. Something hopeful like this will ease their journey." Iedolas's voice offered some sympathy in its soft tone.

"But father, this is…this is not conventional." Imperatrix really didn't want to complain because he made a good argument in favor of their subjects but her romanticism was being damaged. "Royal weddings are supposed to take place in the homelands. It is an insult to do otherwise!"

"I know but Shanglun insisted it be done promptly and I do agree with that. You need strong alliances cemented before you step foot in Gralea." At her continued groaning, Iedolas added. "A wedding on the beach meets a romantic's criteria, yes? Or you can have the ceremony on the Eidolon. If I were a regular man, I would have done exactly that with Valeria."

"Father." Imperatrix wasn't moved out of her despair. "Why have you blindsided me?"

Ardyn was to be her first consort! Then, after ample amounts of persuasion to her father, Nyx was to be her second consort. Her third could be Chenmu or any other arranged suitor. Why must her plans be thwarted?!

"I blindsided you? Oho, Janan, you devilsome, infernal child." Iedolas chuckled maliciously. "If you were in front of me, I would make you kneel and beg for forgiveness."

"Wha-what other wrong have I committed?"

Did he somehow know she was harboring the Prince of Lucis on her airship? The chancellor wouldn't expose her like that. Would he? Betrayals could be his evening meals. Additionally, he would find amusement in her misfortune if he was feeling petty.

Or someone in Aranea's unit let slip the secret. How could they have passed on the news so quickly?! Oh, gods. Imperatrix might get banished again…or worse, executed. Was that why her father was so anxious for her to return?!

"Who do you think you are? Seducing my chancellor as you have."

What?

"It is already difficult to get that man to work. If he has you as a wife, he will work even less, using you as excuse for it. And I, as your father would applaud that devotion but as the emperor, I cannot afford such negligence."

Imperatrix's mouth moved but she couldn't form words.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself, Janan Tellus Adlercapt? Prince Chenmu seeking your hand is acceptable due to his royal standing but Ardyn is a commoner. High as he is politically, he has no right to seek my blessings. And yet he has."

She was glad to be leagues away from her father. The dopey smile on her face would enrage him.

"Is Ardyn not in your favor, Father?"

"That does not matter. This marriage will not be accepted by the senate."

"Why not?! In Persia, princesses often marry the grand vizier or other men of office."

"Despite our ancestral roots to the country through Great Tellus, Graleans do not look fondly on Persia. The senators will oppose you marrying the chancellor and they will use this against you."

"But you do not oppose it."

Iedolas stayed quiet for some time.

"I only require the emperor's permission to marry."

Still, he didn't speak.

"Father… Father please do not deny me. I have to accept certain suitors into my harem. But can I not also have suitors I have chosen?" Imperatrix pulled out her next best persuasion. "Can I not have a union like yours and Mother's?"

Iedolas sighed deeply, all authority left his voice. "By Jupiter's bolt. My darling Valeria, what a child you left me." He gathered some spirit again in his voice. "I give you…my blessing for your marriage to Ardyn."

Imperatrix's squealing was exuberant enough that the emperor barked at the princess to control herself. The arrow of Eros was deeply embedded in her chest at the moment. She was deaf to his admonishments for a good minute. The princess danced around the dining room.

"I suppose this is one way to keep him tied to us." Iedolas murmured but his subtly was not needed since Imperatrix was hardly paying attention to her phone.

"Will I also perform his ceremony in Galdin Quay?" She finally returned to the table, much more eager to discuss marriage details.

"Have you lost your wits, girl?! A double ceremony?!"

"Why not? It has the same benefits and we could hold the official event upon our return to Gralea."

"Hold on, Janan! It's going to appear like you're upstaging Prince Chenmu!" Iedolas shouted to get a handle on his daughter. "Upsetting the senate is a bad decision you could weather. But you cannot, absolutely cannot upset relations with Guangguo! They have the strongest navy after us and the prince has control of one of our largest legions!"

Sobered out of her silliness, Imperatrix replied to her father with gravity. "I know this. I know the danger of isolating them. But I also know what Chenmu wants and it is not Gralea's throne. He prefers the throne of his homeland."

"That may be true but you, my daughter, are underestimating how prideful men can be. Even if Chenmu held no love for you, he would still take offense to you elevating a commoner to his level." Iedolas's voice geared up for more of an argument but then petered out as he sighed. "Do as you desire, Janan. You are an adult and the future imperatrix of this land. From this point on, your decisions are your own. As your father, I can only pray for your eternal success."

"Thank you, Father. Thank you!" Imperatrix so wanted to hug him.

"Yes, yes, darling. Now, I am exhausted and wish to retire."

"Goodnight, Father. I love you."

Iedolas chuckled more warmly than she had heard in a long time. "I love you as well, my child."

The phone call finally ended and Imperatrix realized there was still no sign of Nebula appearing for coffee. His prolonged absence had to be a result of his annoyance at her for bringing the Lucian prince with them.

Oh, well. She would share her news with him later. Buoyed again with happiness, the princess decided to visit the chancellor. Arriving at his room, she found him splayed out on his stomach, sleeping deep enough that he was drooling. After taking a moment to admire the adorable scene, Imperatrix jumped onto his back, shaking the man until he awoke.

"Gahhh, Musa, nooo! I'm tired, go torment your brother." Ardyn slurred out, burrowing further into his pillow.

Suddenly incensed, the princess pounded on his back.

"Who're you talking about?! My brothers are dead!"

He just confirmed a suspicion of hers!

"Ack! Musa, that hurts!" The chancellor rolled over, catching Imperatrix's fist before she could continue agitating his tender, scourge-ridden flesh. "What's the matter?!"

He was still half-asleep and seeing the blonde iteration of his wife and not the current white-haired version.

"Who is Musa, Ardyn Izunia? And why do you confuse me for her?"

At the harsh and teary accusation, the chancellor blinked and startled upon realizing where he was. His dreams had gone to Persia again.

"Answer me!"

He couldn't. There was too much packed into the answer, too much for his muddled brain to currently handle.

"Musa is you."

"Liar." Imperatrix refuted, snatching her hands out of his. "It is another woman's name and you have been confusing me for her from the beginning. And I was stupid enough to fall for the deception!"

Ardyn rubbed his eyes and then his chin, fingers catching on the stubble growing out again. As distressed as she was, the chancellor wasn't in the mood for this. His curse was torturing him in response to prince's light magic. The wounds of his past were surging with pain and the daemons were screeching for retribution.

When would this agony end?!

"Have you figured out my father's identity?" Ardyn flashed such a cross look at the princess that she paused in her outburst. "And I'm not changing the subject. This pertains to your current confusion. And I advise you to stop this current of yours before it drowns you."

Chastened she may be, Imperatrix was still experiencing a heightened sense of betrayal and wasn't doing anything to hide that devastation from her face. She gazed away from him and refused to look back even when his hand came upon her cheek.

"Don't you trust me? I did promise to give you the keys to all your questions."

The princess answered through a clenched jaw. "The Caelums worship Bahamut. On top of that, he has a light attribute and is always depicted in artwork with swords floating around him. Based on these facts, I would guess him to be your sire."

"Yes." The power of his sad admission and the slight pull on her cheek caused Imperatrix to face Ardyn.

The truth of his birth brought no pride, no joy to his soul. Being related to the Draconian brought him no end of trouble. All his father's blood debts became his. From the moment of his birth, Ardyn had the ire of three powerful gods.

"You are truly a demi-god? I thought them legends and nothing more."

Ardyn appeared to be a regular human, albeit one with impossible eyes of gold. It could be argued that his hair was an odd shade of pure crimson that could look violet at times. Were those hallmarks of his divinity?

"I assure you, two-thousand years ago, demi-gods and magical creatures were very common in the world. Back then, mortals were the minority."

T-Two-thousand years ago?!" Imperatrix's eyes bulged and she fell from Ardyn's lap onto the bed. "How can you possibly be that old?! I saw you age from an adolescent to an adult."

The chancellor flopped backwards, lazily keeping his eyes open as he tried to stay awake. "What you and everyone else saw was a minor illusion spell. I'm not good at that art but I can at least glamour myself."

"Glamour? Like how in the stories the gods would take human forms?" Imperatrix gasped, patting his legs in excitement. "Do you have another form?!"

Ardyn wanted to groan. Sometimes his wife was too smart. At this rate, she'd have everything figure out in no time. He wasn't ready for the darker tidbits to come to light.

"You do! I want to see!"

"M-Musa! Usually, I enjoy you tearing off my clothes but this isn't one of those times." The chancellor tried to hold her in place but ultimately let her run wild. "I'm starting to think this is why you barged in here. Such a needy and aggressive wife I have."

She stopped disrobing him once Ardyn was down to his chocobo boxers. There was nothing out of the ordinary for her to see. Except, her precious consort was going through another sick phase.

What kind of illness could cause him to flare up with injuries and bruises? Ahh, why did she have to see her consorts suffer like this?

"You have to explain the connection to that name." As worried as Imperatrix was, she couldn't get distracted.

Ardyn huffed playfully.

"Well, since I'm quite literally barring myself to you." He waved his hand to offer up another question. "What do you think of reincarnation?"

She threw up her hands in exasperation, staring incredulously at the red head.

"I'm getting there, my dear."

"The Goddess Etro takes our souls after death and rebirths us in a new form. The cycle continues until we reach some form of enlightenment or the Goddess tires of the soul." Imperatrix clasped her hands together, resting them on her lips. "Ardyn Izunia, I swear, if you try to deter me again, I will dump your car out of this airship."

He gasped, covering his heart. "You villain!"

The princess moved towards the edge of the bed.

"No, no, no! There's no need to be dramatic." He grabbed her, pinning Imperatrix to his chest.

"Says the curator of dramatics." She hissed, struggling against the man.

Ardyn didn't rise to the taunt, nuzzling his nose into Imperatrix's hair and holding her until she ceased squirming. Once she had calmed, he spoke.

"Two-thousand years ago, I had a wife, who traveled the world with me." He trembled and it was only the feel of the woman in his arms that made it possible for him to go on. "She had two names, one for each part of her heritage."

The princess tensed, feeling a great weight build in her chest. Just as his arms tightened around her, her hands clenched harder on them. She could barely breathe, could barely function and could barely exist in this moment.

"Both names were precious to me. Both were the essence of love and life to me. My wife's Gralean name was Musa…" Ardyn neared Imperatrix's ear, tenderly whispering. "And her Persian name…was Janan."

How could that be? That was too perfect of a coincidence.

"She looked just like you."

As absurd as this truth sounded, in her heart, Imperatrix felt the certainty of it.

"Are you suggesting that…in another life, I married you?" Even as doubt escaped her lips, the princess was already swayed.

How could she not be? Facts of the past pointed to this truth. Ardyn had always behaved with duality towards her. Imperatrix had also been drawn to him from the beginning.

"You were the sultan of my heart. Jananam, qalbam, ruham, zindagham, zibayam, kahmay khuanam."

The poetry of his words, the softness of his cadence and the strong thrumming of his heart enticed Imperatrix to melt in Ardyn's arms. His embrace was as cold as ever from his frigid skin but even without flames, it was no less of a lover's embrace.

"You are saying…I am a reincarnation?"

"Yes. Though there are differences, such as your coloring and parentage. But for the most part, your intricacies line up." Ardyn's chest rocked from laughter. "Etro has a sense humor because you aren't the only ghost I've encountered. I sometimes wonder if this was also planned."

From the visions sent to him by his Astral relations, he knew what the game was but not the players. When the Chosen King had finally been revealed to him, Ardyn became possessed by madness, laughing until his vocal cords were raw and his abdomen ached. As if the first fratricide wasn't enough.

His brother, Somnus would be the death of him a second time.

"What is different about me?"

Ardyn looked down at his now curious princess.

"Your lovely desert complexion has stayed true. Your hair texture is the same but before it was a miraculous shade of honey. And your eyes were less blue and more of a violet." He hesitated to share the more wild details for fear that it would re-engage inquiries about himself but Imperatrix was such a vixen with her pleading eyes. "These were very different."

She squealed slightly from the chancellor tugging on her ear.

"You were also very short and defensive about it. You wore heeled shoes all the time so it wouldn't be as noticeable."

The princess whined, trying to stop him pulling on her ear.

"Tellus and I always had to help you onto your horse since you couldn't reach the stirrups. And you were always jumping on my back to see what was happening in a crowd. You were so adorable."

Ardyn could've gone on and on. His treasured memories of those days could be woven into an epic. Alas, Imperatrix was asking him questions and the chancellor had to feed her never-ending curiosity.

"How would my ears be different?" She pushed her hair behind her ears to trace them, mindful of her earrings. "Unless… Was I…like you?"

"A demi-god?" He supplied. "Not exactly. You were the granddaughter of a god. A first-time occurrence for that particular one."

"Who? Who?!"

"Oh, I don't know. What god has the Aldercapt family revered since its creation?" Ardyn popped Imperatrix on the nose since she was out of his arms and sitting in front of him like an enchanted child.

"Mighty Jupiter? The Roman god of Sky and Thunder?!" She didn't give him a chance to respond, pulling at the ends of the kaftan gifted to her by Ardyn. The embellishments of golden oaks and thunderbolts made sense now! "Unbelievable! How can I be a reincarnation then? Being a descendant makes more sense."

The chancellor jerked at the implication. He escaped to the bathroom, dry heaving over the sink. The daemons mocked him endlessly for being so pathetic. In his disturbed state, the curse came to life. He saw the horror that was his Starscourge face in the mirror.

The thought of his Musa desecrated with the same affliction caused his stomach to be unbearably nauseated. Black acid came out of his mouth.

No, no, no! He didn't want to think about her in that horrendous state. He certainly didn't want to think about a poor child borne from them cursed with the ugliness of Starscourge.

"Ardyn? Ardyn, are you alright now?" Imperatrix knocked on the door. "I have your clothes."

A shower later and he still felt queasy. The red head opened the door, accepting his things and began to change.

"I am sorry for my words, Ardyn." The princess hovered by the door; half hidden by it.

"I just about died from them." He shook his head. "You're of Tellus's line, that's irrefutable with how you look."

"So, we…did not have children?"

"No. And you've exceeded my limit for pillow talk this morning." Ardyn warped past her, grabbing his fedora on the way out. "Bye, bye, my dear."

Imperatrix was disappointed by his departure, most notably because she had forgotten her original purpose for visiting him. She still needed to share her marital news with him.

In another room nearby, Nebula blew on his coffee, staring straight ahead with the most venomous expression to date.

"Could you be anymore murderous looking?" Aranea mocked the blonde, shuffling into a more comfortable position on the bunkbed.

Why had he chosen a common cadet's room? Imperatrix certainly would have let him have one of the better rooms. This cramped space felt even smaller from Nebula's chaotic array of dismantled guns, junk food and dirty clothes. The scene would look twice as horrible if Tempesta's messy habits were present.

"Could you be anymore depressed looking?" The gunman snapped back.

Aranea's fingers dragged harshly on her guitar's strings, letting out an ugly sound. She scowled at her boyfriend.

He ducked his head, face bereft of its previous malice. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for."

"I've got a reason to be moody. You don't, asshole."

A day ago, she cremated soldiers, detained her third officer, checked on the injured and finally got out of that godforsaken swamp with their prized inventory. The commodore had a day and she'd earned a rest onboard the princess's airship. Biggs could handle the Highwind and the soldiers. For the duration of the trip to Galdin Quay, Aranea didn't want to be a commodore.

She was tired.

"You know none of that was your fault, right? Put it out of mind."

"Logically, yes. Doesn't help me sleep though." Aranea returned to strumming her guitar. "I'm responsible for these tarts. Sue me for caring, Nebula."

"That's the admiral's job. And I don't think you can take him demoting you again, so stop caring so much."

For a second time the commodore injured her poor guitar with a misplaced motion. "What's your problem?! Are you that mad about the prince being here?"

Nebula slowly craned his head in her direction, face emptied of expression but still coming off deadly. "Yes, and you agreed with Impera. Why are we still sharing the same air as them?!"

He was talking at a normal level with hardly any inflection in his voice but this man could scare the shit out of someone. If she wasn't so used to him, Aranea would be intimidated.

"That kid could've gone there on his own and wreaked havoc on our fleet. Imperatrix's offer was sensible."

The gunman scoffed.

As a gesture of goodwill, the princess had offered the greatest token to the prince. In exchange for a pact of nonaggression, Imperatrix would bring Noctis to Lunafreya. Seeing as that boy did what he wanted without fear of repercussions, it was very likely he'd run off with oracle and still kill them all. The princess had to know that.

So why was she intentionally paving the way for their slaughter?

"It wasn't sensible. She's just taking pity on that boy for Insomnia. But why should she? He's the loser of this war." Done with his coffee, Nebula stuck a sucker in his mouth. "We ought to kill him and be done with the last of Lucis."

Gods, he wanted to smoke.

"I know I usually laugh when you say dark stuff." Aranea made sure he was looking her in the eye before she continued. "But you're toeing the line right now. Do I need to be worried about you harming any of these kids?"

She often let her mind slip into oblivion over her boyfriend's upbringing. It was moments like these that clearly reminded her that Nebula was once a hitman and interrogator. He was created for violence.

Maybe…Aranea had been wrong to laugh off his dark stages for so long.

"As long as they don't cross the line, I won't either. But if my princess so much as flinches in their presence, I won't restrain myself." The gunman crunched a pack of smokes in his hand.

Imperatrix pulled him out of darkness and gave him a chance. A chance he didn't deserve because he replaced the one that had earned her favor. In honor of his predecessor, he had to keep Imperatrix safe.

Pack.

Nebula grabbed his head from a jolt of pain. He became woozy from the intensity of the daemon's howl. It was on edge.

"Anybody ever tell you, you're overprotective?"

"I have to be."

"Well, try to tone it down for the next couple of days, will you?"

He grunted, grasping for a new topic. "You quitting the military?"

"I…" Aranea struggled to finish her sentence.

When talking to the prince, she'd carelessly admitted wanting to quit her job. Talking to her partner of so many years though, filled her with doubt. Nebula knew her background, aspirations and fears. She couldn't give him as flippant of an answer.

"I don't agree with what the empire has become. What I've almost become because of it." She pushed aside her guitar. The sounds of a dying city were stronger than any note Aranea could play. "I can't stay, Neb."

The gunman maneuvered through his minefield of stuff to sit next to his girlfriend on the bed. "I'm not gonna give you a speech. All I've got is a question."

"What is it?"

"Are you willing to give up fourteen years of work?"

The weight of those years crashed down on Aranea's body and she slumped forward onto her knees. When he put it like that, the whole matter took on a new perspective.

She'd been a military brat longer than she was a mercenary with her parents. What had been the point of slugging through four years of academics and then ten years of harassment and fights to reach the steps right before the top? How could she waste all that work?

All she wanted was to fly on an amazing airship. The maiden voyage of the Eidolon had captivated a silver-haired little girl. Aranea loved ships and loved flying. But…she also had a conscience.

"You're thinking pretty hard." Nebula rubbed the top of his girlfriend's head. "Whatever you decide, I'll support you."

"Even if I defect?"

"Even then." He flinched as his daemon restarted its howling. "I'd just ask the chancellor to forge you papers."

"Like he did for that glaive?"

"I thought those documents were for him to hide in Daneinar not Gralea. Otherwise, I wouldn't have helped the chancellor."

Now the nuisance was glued to Imperatrix and likely to worm his way into her harem.

"I swear, you're a bigot." She stood up. "Let's go watch a movie or something."

Nebula grabbed his helmet.

"I get why you're doing it but it's still weird for you to wear that all day." The commodore knocked her knuckles on the helmet once it was on his head. "Any chance of you talking to him?"

"No. He's better off unaware."

"Fine."

The pair left the room, avoiding the section where the guests of honor were staying. One mischief-bringer and one wildcard had no trouble doing the opposite.

Nyx had managed to convince a half-awake prince into the gym. He did so by agreeing to let Noctis examine first-hand his now absolute lack of magical ability. Of course, Ignis came as well and Prompto too but he whined about wanting to edit his photos.

The two retainers were sitting on the sidelines, trying to ignore the chancellor but that required a certain level of skill.

"Woah…you really can't warp or do anything with magic." Noctis yawned after Nyx finished his demonstration.

The famous kukri of The Hero was just a normal dagger in its owner's hands. To the prince, the glaive that once glimmered with magic now appeared as muted as a regular person.

Nyx was the one to teach him warping. This was wrong.

"I haven't gone back to my roots for nothing, prince." Nyx flipped his kukri in the air, wondering how Libertus was doing as he admired the blade. "I've been a regular joe since I left Insomnia."

"What if…it's because Dad is gone?" Noctis said with forced casualness.

"We did lose our magic when he died but I think it's deeper than that. I had to pay something for using the ring." He walked close to the boy, gently taking him by the shoulder. "You can ask about the king, you know?"

The prince looked away. If Ignis was the confronter, then Noctis was the avoider. Nyx shook him a little and seeing as he got no response, took upon himself to keep talking.

"I won't lie, kid. King Regis lost some of my respect because of his actions with the treaty." At the sign of blunette's lips curling, the glaive blurted out. "Lemme finish, first!"

Noctis crossed his arms, still looking as petulant as he did in his teens. Nyx felt acutely more old dealing with this one than he did with Lunafreya.

"I didn't agree with his method but I do believe in the king's dream. He died for peace and I plan to honor that till my last breath."

"Dad died for nothing. Killed by a traitor." Noctis spat, wrenching away from Nyx. "He could've said something and none of this would have happened!"

The prince had buried these feelings after Cor berated him. Everybody kept feeding him the falsehoods of King Regis's great reign. No one wanted to hear a bad word about him. Well, Noctis had nothing but curses for the man. His dad had neglected him for most his life and all for the sake of Insomnia.

Guess what, old man? Insomnia was destroyed.

Noctis would never get the chance to ask his dad if being king was worth sacrificing being a parent. Although, the man's closest friends all liked pointing to the idea that Regis held his role as parent more important. He couldn't see it from their viewpoints. Noctis had years of distance to disprove their words.

But then Cor told him his dad sacrificed the city for him. Why would he do that?! Why did he pick now to be a father?!

His dad should've been a king and escaped!

"The past is the past, Noctis. We can only move forward." Nyx said to the hyperventilating kid.

It was a wonder that Ignis hadn't intervened yet.

A glance in that direction revealed the chancellor hovering over Prompto as he showcased pictures on his camera. The advisor was already busy mother-henning one chick.

"You're only so carefree now because Glauca didn't kill anybody important to you."

The glaive had a jerk-instinct to hoist the kid up by his jacket but common sense prevailed. Nyx glared right back at the brat and it only took a second for Noctis break eye contact.

"King Regis and the others were important to me. I feel their loss like anybody else in service to the crown." Nyx touched the pink scarring on his face. "And Glauca…no, Captain Drautos, he's a tragedy."

The battle flashed in his mind.

"Don't end up like him, Noctis."

"Excuse me?! How could I possibly end up like that bastard?!" Noctis scowled so reproachfully that it might make someone feel stupid.

"If you keep looking to the past for revenge, you'll be like him in no time. You're already halfway there with this..." Nyx raised his hands to quote Prompto's goofy slogan, stripping all the childishness out with his frown. "Bust a base nonsense."

Noctis's throat swelled up.

"You've got so much blood on your hands already."

He was going to throw up.

"Don't keep walking that path of destruction, Noctis. You're better than that."

The prince walked away, covering his mouth. Ardyn popped in his way, smiling far too happily.

"What's this? I thought we were going to see those warping skills you are so fond of, Prince Noctis?"

The blunnette stared at the red head; the sickness in his stomach grew. This guy always made things worse.

"What's it to you?"

Ardyn hummed as if thinking. "You could benefit from more training. You're still so unrefined."

"Nyx is understandable but what would you know of our magic?" Ignis appeared by his liege's side. "How can you critique His Highness?"

Rather than reply, the chancellor strode around, waving his hand as he spun a tale. "Once, there was a king so proficient at warping that he required no anchor and he warped so often that it became as natural as walking."

There could be no comparison between Somnus and Noctis. The gap in abilities was just too wide. Ardyn's brother had already toppled many gods and beasts and ruled a kingdom by the time he was Noctis's age. This boy was on the same path but barely keeping pace with his predecessor.

He had to get the prince in shape. In addition to that, he had to rear the oracle. Siblings were exhausting for the soul.

"This king also possessed a mastery of blades." Ardyn stopped his pacing before Noctis. "Forgive an old man for wanting to see the next generation flourish."

"Ohhh, so you're helping me?" He rolled his eyes.

"Don't I always?" The chancellor fluttered his hand. "Now go and practice."

His feet didn't move to follow Ardyn's command but to prove that his magic was nothing to scoff at. Noctis stomped back towards Nyx. Even without magic, the glaive could still catch problems and offer advice.

Ignis was pleased that his lord was receiving aid but he was also disappointed that it wasn't himself providing the assistance. To his bitter shame, no one in the prince's retinue could warp and it wasn't the magic at fault. Even when temporarily tethered to King Regis, Ignis hadn't been able to warp.

He was useless…

"Hey, Iggy, is your arm hurting? Want some ice?" Prompto put down his camera at the sight of his friend's discomfort.

"I am fine. Do not trouble yourself over me." The advisor rotated his arm that was now in a brace. "See? Nothing to worry about."

"And your glasses?"

This time Ignis sighed, all too aware of the crack in his lens. "I will get it replaced in Cape Caem."

"You go through glasses like you do Ebony."

"I vehemently wish I did not."

Frequently replacing his prescription wasn't cheap. Somehow his glasses would always go missing or end up broken. The world was currently scheming against him once more.

Prompto's stomach rumbled and Ignis lifted himself from misery's hold. This was his chance to re-assert his place as a worthwhile advisor.

"Time for me to get started on brunch."

"Oh, I'll help! And I get the first servings!" Prompto followed his friend, leaving the prince and the glaive to their magical training. He turned his camera on, capturing himself first to start the video. "And we're back with another episode of Chef Iggy. I'm your host, Prompto."

The gunner then shrieked as he turned to capture the master chef and instead found the chancellor.

"When did you get here?!"

"I've been here all along." Ardyn sauntered beside the blonde with feigned innocence.

"Well, why're you following us?"

"Hmm, not following…more like accompanying." The red head typed into his phone. "I just can't resist sweets."

Prompto turned the camera on himself again. "I'm steadily learning that the chancellor is even better at photo-bombing, or video-bombing in this case, then Gentiana."

Ardyn was too busy with his phone to pay attention to the boy's rambling. He ended up walking to past him and Ignis to take the lead. Lucky for the pair that he did because the advisor would have gone the wrong way.

Within the dinning room was the princess, her retainer and the commodore. The women were at the table eating while the lone, masked male was in the kitchen preparing more dishes. At the chancellor's eager approach, Imperatrix lolled her head to the side, declaring her annoyance with him at the slant of her eyes.

"I tell you I made crepes and you appear post-haste? I see where your priorities lay."

"Oh, if it isn't my weakness." Ardyn slid into the seat next to the princess, inhaling the soothing smell of desserts as his favorite person served him a plate.

"Would you two like some?" Imperatrix motioned the Lucian boys closer, pointing to the plates of food she had made. "There is the option of sweet or fruity. Take your pick."

Prompto sat near Aranea and to the princess's surprise, he didn't go for any of the chocolate crepes. She noticed him eye them before chose a fruit-filled crepe and continue to sneak glances at the chocolate option while eating.

Why did Prompto hesitate? He could've chosen both.

Ignis sampled from both plates, writing notes in his book as he ate. After he finished, the advisor joined Nebula in the kitchen.

The gunman relinquished his job with pleasure, under the proviso that Ignis make something for the vegetarian princess. The request led to Nebula having to explain the food preferences of all the imperials. He even had to go into detail for Nyx. Sadly, the retainer valued his princess's esteem too much and didn't take the chance to poison his hated enemy by lying to Ignis.

Eventually, Nyx and Noctis wondered into the room, appetites peaked from their training. The sweets combined with tea and coffee had loosened the atmosphere to one of a cozy café. Talk flowed more naturally between the two groups once lunch hit the table.

Small steps for small moments. Hope stirred in Imperatrix's chest. She fervently wanted to have a meaningful conversation with Noctis but perhaps it was best if she used the first day to soften him to her presence. Then he might be less hostile towards her overtures.

This was her best opportunity to reach for a peaceful future. She wouldn't fail her country as a diplomat. Niflheim and Lucis could move forward as allies.

"You guys have video games?!" Prompto was practically bouncing in his seat.

"What kind?" Noctis added, pretending to be slightly uninterested when he was actually very interested. He was bored but not so bored that he wanted to spend his time constantly training with Nyx.

Nebula's posture screamed dismay but he kept his mouth shut. Why did Aranea have to tell them? He only played with her and his siblings.

"Shooting, fighting, puzzles, dancing, karaoke. He's got all kinds of games." Aranea continued talking, showing no mercy for her boyfriend.

She was making him interact with vermin. Not Prompto though. He wasn't vermin but Nebula still didn't want to be too involved with the boy. What had the gunman done to deserve this hellish adventure in Lucis? Nebula came to retrieve his princess and leave, not get chummy with the enemy.

"The last three are for the girls." Nyx clarified for the confused pair of boys. "If Nebula is up to four in the morning playing shooting games, then the girls are dancing and singing in the rec room till two."

"No way." Prompto grinned with an expression of disbelief at the princess.

She smiled in return.

Noctis scoffed. Imperatrix was a Niff. Lunafreya wouldn't play anything with her. Did she even know how to play video games? She never mentioned these late-night parties to him in their letters.

"It's even worse when they hijack the intercom to play music." Nyx shook his head.

"It is." Nebula agreed and upon realizing he had, stiffened up, which caused the glaive to playfully nudge him in the arm.

Prompto popped his hands to mime an explosion. "I'm mindblown."

"You'll be even more mindblown by how awful Neb is at his favorite game. Wanna see?" Aranea offered, standing up with her hand on her boyfriend's collar to get him up and out the door.

"Yeah, I do! And how is that possible?" The gunner was quickly on the couple's heel, his arm slung around his blue haired buddy. "Guess Noct and I will have to go easy on you."

After cleaning the last dish, Ignis excused himself and left the kitchen to follow the group. Three were then left at the table.

"I don't remember Ignis being this stalkerish." Nyx muttered to himself after finally being released from the advisor's watchful gaze.

Those green orbs saw too much. Either he was being too subconscious or Ignis had been eyeing Ardyn, Imperatrix and himself periodically. There was no way the kid figured out the messy relationship Nyx had landed himself in. Naw, those glasses were just glinting at everyone with suspicion.

"We must speak, Ardyn." Imperatrix's upbeat voice drew the glaive back to the present.

While the princess seemed happy, the chancellor seemed guarded. Trouble in paradise so soon?

"I would love to but I have missives to read."

The princess's lips curled mischievously. "I have one from Father to share with you. It is most pressing."

Intrigued, Ardyn put down his phone. "Oh?"

Pressing enough that she ambushed him in the morning but not pressing enough for Iedolas to call him it appeared. Based on Imperatrix's coy behavior, it was a missive that greatly pleased her.

Could it be…

"Let us adjourn then." Ardyn stood up, offering his hand to her.

Imperatrix took it but then another hand pulled at her. In good spirits, she smiled at the glaive, twisting her hand to squeeze his back.

"Later, I will speak with you as well, Nyx."

He wasn't prepared for the instant compromise and soft attitude. His thunder was stolen. Nyx wanted the last word but they had been arguing for days.

"Don't take all day." The glaive conceded.

They were heading towards the three-month mark now. He would have to stop exciting the princess. From what he remembered her telling him, Imperatrix's mother had a bad history of miscarriages. His kid was more important than winning an argument or one-upping his adversary for Imperatrix.

"Good, very good. Later then." Imperatrix laughed and kissed Nyx farewell.

The action stunned the glaive into letting go of her hand. She kissed him right in front of the chancellor! And Ardyn did nothing! Nyx would have blown his top if Imperatrix had done the reverse and kissed the bastard in front of him.

He barely noticed the pair leave.

"Are you-" Ardyn couldn't finish his sentence as his feet moved automatically while he was led by the princess.

The humming Imperatrix started flew into a song. "If my heart was captivated by you, it would wander with you at the bosom of the country."

He had to take a deep breath to lessen the sting of his eyes swelling with tears. She was singing one of their songs!

"I walk along the lines of your palm and set out on a journey."

His heart was expanding again and filling with warmth. Ardyn matched his pace to hers and swung their hands, taking his cue for the next portion.

"If loneliness is hanging on your forehead. Just touch it gently, melt your iceberg into a lake."

Imperatrix was back to skipping in the hallway again and she had a partner this time. They were two lovesick fools.

"I'm with you, insane from stubbornness and confusion. Laughs full of tears, making my eyes fuzzy." Ardyn continued, wiping at his eyes.

At the corner to the next hall, the princess spun around to walk backwards with the chancellor as the apple of her eye. "In one glance, love has become a heavenly gift. My heart beats in front of you, getting warmer."

He tried to pull her closer but Imperatrix pulled back, keeping them on course to her room.

"Because of you, I've started to understand. Forget about tomorrow and what ifs. Happiness is satisfaction."

Not willing to be outdone in this theatrical play, Ardyn swept the princess into his arms, serenading her as was proper.

"With one glance, love has become a heavenly gift. Unaware of it, I can hold you while laughing and crying." He nuzzled his forehead into hers. "Because of you, I have a journey. No matter how many steps I have to take to reach you, I wouldn't care."

Imperatrix wrapped her arms around his shoulders, eyes closing to bask in the immense happiness she felt. If just being held like this felt so warm and bubbly, would she explode once he hugged her from the news?

Right now, they were uncertain lovers. After a few words, they would be entwined soulmates.

"Ardyn, take me to my room."

"Yes, yes, anything for you." He breathed out desperately.

Unable to bear the wait of the walk, the chancellor griped his princess closer and warped. She coughed and gasped from the sudden nausea once they appeared at their destination. Ardyn whispered his apologies to her in between kissing spots on Imperatrix's head and setting her on the bed. Once she was settled, he rubbed at her knees, waiting for her settle.

"Forgive me, my dearest? This is the cost of my foolish impatience."

She nodded after a bit. On his knees, he cradled her smaller hands and kissed them, reverent as a servant to their princess.

"Did you come to me earlier to share this news?"

"Yes, and you ruined it. But I suppose my curiosity also played a part in that."

Ardyn shaking his head against her knuckles caused Imperatrix to giggle from the tickle of his hair. She felt his smile.

"Stop that!"

"As my wife commands." He lifted his head, completely unrepentant.

'Yes, your wife." She beamed. "Father was irate with me for seducing you."

The chancellor snickered. "You most certainly did. I never stood a chance against you."

"You should have already known that from the first life." Imperatrix ducked her head closer to his. "You better prove Father wrong and work hard, Ardyn Izunia."

"Or I'll be punished?" Ardyn's voice became husky as he pressed their noses together, his amber eyes becoming hypnotic. "I'll bear anything from you. Love or hate, pleasure or pain, acceptance or rejection, attraction or disgust. Any one of them."

The force his grip and the force of his eyes became slightly painful for Imperatrix.

"But not your silence, not your indifference. I cannot bear your absence."

"I promise to never ignore you again or abandon you, Ardyn." After he let go of her hands, the princess combed her fingers through his brilliant hair. "You have a clingy wife after all."

Ardyn laid his head on her lap, laughing and sniffing back tears.

"You have become such a crybaby. Or were you one all along and hid it from me?" Imperatrix was one to talk. Just seeing him so emotional was making her react the same. "Good grief. We cannot both be criers."

He was always a major crier but Ardyn had buried the tears down deep in his soul after centuries of painfully numb loneliness. Nothing but daemons kept him company. Looking back, it amazed Ardyn that he kept any semblance humanity. He should have lost it a long time ago.

Every piece of himself, the chancellor had picked up and rearranged to suit his bid for revenge. Then this woman broke it all again. This loss should have angered him but instead…

This warmth, this quiet, this weightlessness was worth more than revenge.

"I love you, Mu-" Ardyn paused, recalling their earlier fight. His lips moved to reform a new name but a finger on his lips stopped him.

"I believe your words, my darling. Just as those two names are precious to you, they are precious to me. Musa or Janan, whichever comes from you is an utterance of love."

"Then…I want you to know my other name." He hadn't spoken, heard, or even thought of the name since the day his father also betrayed him. It hurt to say but this was yet another piece of himself that Ardyn would eventually give to her. "My mother named me Ardyn and my father…named me Ahmed."

"Ahmed al-Bahamut?" Imperatrix repeated, her accent singing the name in a way the chancellor hadn't heard in a millennium.

"Say it again for me?"

She did so and did so numerous times, smiling at the nostalgia her soul instinctively felt. So many things clicked into place the more honest Ardyn was.

"I want to hold you, dearest."

Her arms opened within an instance and the red head came forward to hug Imperatrix. He pushed and they ended up on the bed with her on laying on his chest.

"Just hold me?" She teased. The pounding of his heart, heavy breathing and wandering hands spoke of a deeper desire.

"I only have so much control over my body's reaction to you." Ardyn caressed her back slowly and with measured motions. "I do want to want to make love to you but I'm content to do so like this."

The answer disappointed her only a little. She propped her chin up on his chest, fluttering her eyes in a plea.

"Will you do one more thing for me?"

"Name it, my Musa, my Janan, my sultana of sultanas."

She squeezed on his vest, aware of her uncomfortable her request would make him. "I want to see your natural form."

Fear flooded his face. The urge to refuse was so strong. His real face was his worst secret.

Ardyn didn't know where the strength came from but words came out of his mouth. "You always ask the world of me and I'm helpless."

"I know I am asking much of you but I want you to love yourself as much I do." Imperatrix removed the glove from his hand, pecking the scar encompassing his palm. "I love you my darling Ardyn, my darling Ahmed, my darling schezade. And I will prove that to you because you deserve nothing less."

"I can't win. I just can't win with you."

"I do not think it a shame to lose to love."

"It isn't."

If only more people thought the same. Why couldn't his family do that for him? Why couldn't they have loved him a fraction of the way Imperatrix did?

Nox, Somnus and Bahamut. Why did they remove him from their hearts?

"How long can we stay like this?" Ardyn repelled his thoughts of family, squeezing the woman in his arms as close as possible.

"Forever." Imperatrix quipped.

"You have another engagement though."

She hummed in agreement but made no movements. The chancellor breathed a laugh into her hair.

Long or short, fast or slow, eternal or ephemeral, he couldn't discern the time of their embrace. So quiet and lovely.

Ardyn didn't even notice himself falling asleep. Once he was off in another world, the princess reluctantly detangled herself from his embrace. She kissed him softly and then left her room, off to settle accounts with suitor number three.

Wow. Her slots filled up so quickly. Three, the magic number she decided upon for consorts. Only to three would Imperatrix give her devotion and affection.

She peeked into the rec room, pleased to see the two groups still mingling over video games. The princess stared too long and a certain advisor noticed her. A wink and Ignis broke their contest.

Admittedly, Imperatrix felt a loss towards Ignis. There would be no stealing that one.

Imperatrix walked away, missing the man turn his head back to the door. She found her next objective holed up in his room, tinkering with something at his desk.

Nyx was so focused on his work, he didn't detect the princess's approach. At the last second, he caught wind of her perfume but the glaive was too late to react. Draped over the glaive's shoulders, Imperatrix whispered into his ear.

"Hello, my darling hero."

He shivered, tilting his head to get lost in eyes he'd tried to capture with his latest craft.

"What is this?" She leaned forward to inspect the incomplete jewelry. "A necklace?"

"No touching until it's finished." Nyx covered his project with a cloth.

"Ah, well. I know it shall be beautiful in the end. The tiara you gifted me was exquisite."

"Finally acknowledging my skills?"

"Yes, yes, you have lived up to your boasts." Imperatrix laughed. "I would indeed hire you as jeweler."

"Just a jeweler? What about my other skills?"

Imperatrix let go of the glaive, arms going up exasperation. "So vain!"

As she sat on his bed, Nyx deadpanned. "And you aren't?"

Her face scrunched up but the princess didn't refute the accusation. The lack of a rebuttal made Nyx turn the chair to face her.

"The stuck-up princess is admitting it? Am I dreaming?"

"I am and I will admit to more if it brings us closer to a less volatile relationship."

His easy grin faded. She was doing her thing again. Those eyes, that intense vulnerability. This crafty woman had mastered the ability to make someone feel the nexus of all things.

"I want to have a real conversation with you. One where your gallantry might take respite. One where…" Imperatrix looked down, tracing circles on the floor with her foot. "You might speak to me with love and not lust?"

Her request hit too close. It was fine when he teased Imperatrix about her feelings but having his in the spotlight was uncomfortable.

"I can be more than a f-fu…" The princess couldn't bring herself to use the terminology better suited to the glaive's vocabulary. "A fling!"

Nyx snorted. "You can't say fuc-"

"I want to be more than that to you!" She announced over him.

"And what is that exactly?"

"I want to be your wife and mother of your children." Imperatrix claimed with all the boldness of her heart.

Nyx grabbed onto the desk, feeling a sharp twinge in his chest. He needed to breathe and get some oxygen to his brain again. He definitely didn't hear a woman straight-up propose to him.

"You did not mishear me."

He gaped at her, forgetting how to speak.

"All your wild fantasies have gotten to me, Nyx Ulric. I want to make them real." Imperatrix leaned forward, smiling sweetly. "Do you wish the same?"

The glaive got up, clenching at his scarred side. His thoughts were going all over the place. He joked about marriage in bed with her but as an actual event? Did he want that? Did he want to have a kid with her? No, no, that already happened.

Nyx knew the princess was pregnant. It was that night after the club that led to this insanity. Did Imperatrix finally come to terms with this, too? Was that why she suddenly wanted him in a more permanent fashion?

"Why are you upset? My words should bring joy not misery."

"Why do you keep stringing me along? One second you want me and the next you don't." Nyx threw back. "Are you settling for me because Ardyn dumped you? Is that what this was?!"

Imperatrix stood up, blocking him further pacing. She put her hands on his chest but that didn't stop him from ranting.

"Is that why you slept with me in the first place?! To get back at him? Then you ditched me the minute Ardyn came back!"

For the duration of his grievances, the princess gently guided him backwards.

"Am I nothing to you?!"

The back of Nyx's leg bumped into the bed and with a final push from Imperatrix, he landed on it.

"Falling for me?" Imperatrix teased, straddling the glaive.

"You think this is funny?!"

"I think the same things as you." She hovered over him, face as serious as his. "Did you sleep with me because I am the imperial princess? Was it a form of revenge? Will you abandon me the minute Noctis appears? Am I nothing to you?!"

Both were breathing heavily. Both clenched at the sheets. Before the last shred of reason could leave for lust, Imperatrix rolled off Nyx.

She waited for him to say something, feeling that he needed to open up without her prompting. The glaive couldn't be reaction all the time. Sometimes he needed to be the action of the conversation.

Nyx looked back and forth between the princess and the door. Very pointedly, she stared at him.

"You know…" He began, crossing his arms and pinching his eyes closed. "I'm known for making impulsive, stupid decisions. And they usually end with me in a hospital bed."

With age, those decisions got worse and worse, digging him deeper and deeper into a hole. Nyx sabotaged himself as often as he could. As if that could somehow compensate Selena, his family, his village and all those he failed. Saving the citizens of Insomnia from total destruction finally felt like a good deed. He was content to end it there. Then two princesses saved him.

But what for?

His redemption suddenly turned into a condemnation. Cancer? How could a warrior like him die an ignoble death of sickness?

"Being here with you might be stupid and wrong. But its my choice and I stick by my choices." Nyx looked at Imperatrix. "You're the one that gave me a new life. I'm not gonna ditch you for Noctis. I swear by the moon I won't."

Like he told Titus, the past had to be let go. Short and uncertain as it may be, the glaive had to snatch his chances at joy. And actually snatch them, and not give them up right as they were in reach.

"You are sure?"

"Yeah."

"Absolutely, positively sure?"

"Are you trying to make me change my mind?"

Imperatrix shook her head rapidly, moving closer to the glaive. "Then, if we could resolve one more issue?"

"I'm not okay with you and Ardyn." Nyx blurted out, already knowing that was coming next. "I'm not okay with you being anybody else's girl. Why do you even need anybody else when you've got me?!"

"Nyx, this is not a matter of you being inadequate or serving as replacement." The princess pulled on his arm, convincing him to release his guarded stance. "Polygamy is part of the empire's culture. It is not something I can change for you. I cannot change for you."

To hear that stung so bad. He wanted to scream at her.

"I would lay down my life for your joy, Nyx Ulric." His pain called to her but she chose not to do more grip his arm. "But if my ways will cause you agony, then we must conclude our story."

Since this woman walked through the door, her goal had been to murder him, it seemed. Her words alone were killing him faster than anything else had before. His chest was hurting like crazy and the shoots of pain to his head kept coming.

Just his luck. The notorious playboy fell for a polygamous-practicing princess. Everything pointed to disaster but…

"No. I'm not giving up." Nyx sucked in a breath. "I'll try this out."

He had two damn good reasons why.

"I am not someone to experiment with. You must know."

"Stop trying to talk me out of things! Didn't you just say you wanted me?!"

"Yes, but-"

"Well then!" Nyx threw open his arms in invitation.

Imperatrix's face bloomed red and she squeezed her lips to stall her laughter.

"You have the Hero's permission to jump him."

She couldn't hold it in anymore.

"The hell are you laughing at me for?"

"I-I, wow." The princess struggled to talk. "S-So i-imperious! That is one thing I do not have to teach you." She calmed down, rubbing at her temple. "Ahh, so much to teach you."

"Like what?"

"Latin for one. How can you thrive at my side without speaking my homeland's language?"

Nyx groaned. "The one time I offer to let you be on top and you kill the mood. Can you not read the air?"

To prove him wrong, the princess placed a hand on his neck, using the other to turn his eyes on her. Slowly, she moved closer, keeping lapis and topaz connected even as their lips melded. Her eyes fluttered closed and her lips fluttered even more amorously.

Nyx squeezed her waist, dying now of an accelerated heartbeat. She was gone to soon from his lips and he surged forward for another searing kiss, far hungrier and wilder with his. He continued claiming her lips, holding her to him so Imperatrix couldn't escape. Not she wanted to with how her arms wrapped around him and how she ended up beneath him.

"Impera." Nyx kissed down her neck, fingers popping open the buttons of her tunic. No, kaftan, that's what she called it.

"Nooo, Nyx." The princess had to stop him but he made her feel so good.

"Shh, baby. I won't leave a mark."

"That's not it." Her chest was barred to him and the shocking kisses trailed the new open area. She had to…Imperatrix had to stop him. "Don't call me Imperatrix anymore."

Just a little more kissing was alright. Just letting him touch her a little was fine. The princess could reward him. The princess could reward herself.

"U-Use my name now." Imperatrix was becoming clumsy in thought and action now from a hot hand rubbing her breasts and a hot mouth kissing them.

Abruptly, the pressure lifted as Nyx loomed over her. "What? Imperatrix isn't your name?"

"It's my future title." She breathed out raggedly, utterly arousing the glaive to the point that his anger at the deception took dead last on his mind. "You will call me Janan from now on."

Janan. Janan. Janan. The princess was moving forward with her name, her gender, her abilities and her love. The empire would acknowledge her as is.

She was the imperatrix of Niflheim.

---

XV

---

"Ugh, why do we gotta do this?! It's not cool!" Makoto complained, unenthusiastically trudging along the coastline with his party.

The requests for monster exterminations just kept coming in. The resort was basically using the imperial army as makeshift-hunters. Somehow, they had become responsible for solving the sea creature influx, routing the natural predators of the harbor city and hunting the rogue daemons.

The refugees were the army's responsibility, not all this.

"Stop complaining, Makoto. I took care of the mission yesterday. It's only fair that you complete todays." Mehmet pushed the baby-faced captain forward. "And I'm even helping you on my day off."

"Yeah, yeah. You're a saint, Mehmet." He droned out in response. "Besides, it's not like there's much else to do here. No brothels or clubs, just a bunch of spoiled tourists."

For all his bellyaching, the cadets were the ones running around killing the monsters. Makoto was just directing them and making sure nobody died. Not that there was any danger of that possibility with how weak the present crustaceans were.

"Go, go, go! Take'm out faster! Don't lose to a shitty cadet!"

At least some folks were getting enjoyment out of this busywork. The two captains moved forward to see Tempesta cheering on the oracle and berating Makoto's subordinate. The violet was chilled-out on the back of a dead crab, gleeful as she allowed the greenhorns to gain vital battle experience.

"Who're you calling shitty?!" Alwin yelled, cleaving through an enemy with his zweihander.

"Pay attention!" In a flash, Makoto killed a jellyfish before it could harm his most proficient cadet.

The corpse spilled out acid that made both males jump back.

"What's that thing doing here?! Last I checked, we're not in Accordo territory!" Alwin panted, palming his chest that felt like bursting open to accommodate his frantic heart.

"No idea. But what did I say, Ziegler?"

He saluted his captain. "To pay attention, sir."

"Then do that. Both your parents would have heart attacks if something happened to you."

Alwin imagined his aging parents and was weighed down by guilt. Neither of them wanted him to join the military. Markus and Ilse were too entrenched in military life, enlisting was his only way of getting to know them better.

He wouldn't disappoint them.

"I understand, Captain Murakami. I'll do better in the field." Alwin bowed and then rejoined his comrades in clearing out the monsters.

Mehmet came forward to inspect the dead jellyfish, comparing it to the other fallen creatures. They matched the profiles Markus had showed him. For some reason marine dwellers of Accordo had migrated to Lucis.

Why though? What drew them to Galdin Quay and how did they get here so fast? Could the fleet have lured them? But…their fleets had never been a beacon for monsters like this before.

It had to be something else…

"Tempesta, are monsters normally this aggressive towards the oracle?" Mehmet found it odd that the intruding sea creatures were more likely to swarm Lunafreya than anybody else.

"No, this is a first. Usually, they avoid her. Especially the daemons." The fist fighter slid off her perch, holding a hand over her eyes to focus on Lunafreya. "And she did get nibbled a lot whenever we went swimming."

"So, they don't like the oracle? Or, is it the Fleurets in general?" Mehmet nodded, muttering to his thoughts out loud. "I wonder if that's why the high commander is delegating these tasks?"

"You're thinking too much. It's just a bunch of monster crowding. We see it all the time in Niflheim."

The first captain sighed, walking alongside Tempesta to follow the flow of battle. "That's the point though. This isn't the empire."

Monster and daemon swarms were a normality in their homeland. The general went to great lengths to prepare the soldiers for that reason. But here, no one had expected that kind of danger.

Mehmet sincerely hoped they hadn't made a mistake by coming to Lucis. Losing even a single legion on this expedition would be a major hit for the empire.

"Yeah, Temple! How's it feel to really fight?" Tempesta slapped the woman's back.

"Wh-What're you t-talking about?" Lunafreya leaned heavily on her staff, gasping for breath. "I-I've fought before."

"Pft, me and Impera did all the work. You got the weaklings." She delivered a final slap that almost knocked the oracle over. "Now there's no one to baby you. You gotta do all the work, toots."

Lunafreya glared at her dropped weapon, frustrated to hear such crass truth. She could hold her own alongside her friends. Yet, she couldn't stand on her own. Evident by how these monsters were proving to be a challenge.

There were no opportunities for her to use song magic, so Lunafreya's eyes were truly opened towards her inadequacies with the staff. Like this, she would never be able to claim the Royal arm within Tenebrae. Without it, the oracle couldn't face Leviathan, the most powerful of the goddesses and the most critical of humans.

Lunafreya was so weak.

"If you're gonna be pathetic then go back to your brother." Tempesta jabbed her finger at the weapon on the ground. "Or, you can grow a spine and pick it up."

The oracle opened her palm, noticing how rough and red they had become. What was once soft and pale was no more. She wasn't that girl trapped in her room, hoping for the door to open. Now, she would be the one to open it.

Resolved, Lunafreya re-claimed her weapon. No more whining or wishing. She would get stronger with her own two hands.

"That's the spirit, Lunar Temple!" Tempesta snapped fingers. "I'm starting to see a less shitty oracle."

Lunafreya smiled. "Thank you for helping me, my friend."

"I-I'm not helping you! This is payback for what you did inside me!" She snarled, fist primed to hit. "I don't care about you. Not one bit!"

"I know you mean the opposite." Before, the blonde would have flinched at the sign of harm but instead Lunafreya was all composure at the moment. "You cannot hide from me."

The fist fighter blushed in anger and embarrassment.

"You evil nun! I'm not lifting a finger to help you!"

"I understand. I'll defeat the monsters on my own."

"You better because even if you're dying, I ain't helping!"

The path of monster hunting took the party along the coastline and by afternoon, they had made it to mountainous side of the port. Waves crashed against the rocks and enveloped most of the sand. The tides were coming in strong and everyone paused to watch the sunset.

"I can't believe this took half the day. And knowing my luck, we'll have to face daemons on the way back." Makoto uncapped his flask, chugging the liquid down.

"Are you drinking on the job?" Mehmet sat next to his fellow captain.

He wordlessly passed the contraband over.

"Hey, you two better share with me!" Tempesta barreled her way between the males, motioning for the flask.

"Aren't you on a ban? I distinctly remember seeing the alert sent to our datapads." The sandy-blonde kept the bottle out of her reach. "I'm not risking a fine for you."

"Izzy, you shithead." She grumbled, pounding her fists together. "I'm gonna get you."

"Tempy, here." Makoto whispered, nudging a second, larger bottle into her arm.

"Huh? Oh, yeah! That's sake, right?"

The bottle was swiftly taken.

"Ahh! You're not supposed to chug it!" He was silenced by a hand in his face as Tempesta continued guzzling his treasure. "Well, jokes on you. You're gonna be wasted as hell."

"Makoto this is why you're never going to be promoted. You've got a terrible sense of risk and reward." Mehmet still had to fend off a greedy kitten from stealing the flask in his hand. "You're not even done with that one yet, woman!"

"Lay off, it's gonna happen. And why should I listen to someone younger than me?" Makoto grumbled.

"Because I've got two wives to your zero and you're always moping about being single."

"One of those don't count because it was arranged. And Tesni is…" The second captain trailed off, realizing he was about to shoot his mouth off about an old comrade.

"What was that? What were you going to say about my wife?" Mehmet egged him on with a smirk. "I'll be sure to let her know in my next phone call."

Subdued, Makoto scratched at the scar across his nose. "Nothing. How're the kids?"

Before he could answer, the oracle joined their little huddle. She had finished washing the sweat off her body as best she could.

"Are you alright, Lady Lunafreya? Don't let Tempesta bully you." To reinforce that statement, Mehemet finally wrestled her off, enjoying the flask to his content. "These monsters are fairly tough."

Tempesta snickered at Lunafreya fidgeting under his assessing brown eyes. It was hard to ignore the oracle's newfound shyness around males. When prodded about it, she confessed that the graphic nature of a certain Besithia's memories had unsettled her.

Hah! The great and pure oracle had become a pervert thanks to Tempesta.

"How much further are we going? We've gone far outside the encampment." Lunafreya could see lamplights in the distance.

"Just up that cliff. There's a haven where some soldiers are posted." Mehmet pointed to the spot. "We'll make the report for this mission and head back."

"You got your breather. Now its time to grind again, Temple." The fight fighter jumped to her feet with no signs of intoxication.

"How are you not drunk?" Makoto stood up much slower, lest he get woozy from the alcohol circulating in his system. "I wish my rookie days were this easy. Strolling on the beach with cute girls. What a great way to spend my twenties."

Lunafreya looked back from her position as the vanguard. "You don't look like you're out of them."

His face contorted. Take it as a compliment or an insult?

The oracle was very pretty…she could be let off the hook.

"He does look like a kid with that face and he's short. But Makoto is the oldest out of our group." Mehmet took the jab to his side in good spirit.

"Respect your sempai!" Declared the proud Yasugi warrior.

"But I do." The first captain palmed his jaw in thought. "You've got good skin and it's not like you have to worry about shaving every morning."

"True, true." Makoto nodded, stroking his bare chin. "Just gotta comb through my hair in the morning."

Mehmet gave an incredulous look at the messy mangle of midnight-blue hair held up in a ponytail. Makoto was just as bad as Tempesta at managing hair. The two even used a similar hairstyle.

They should never become a couple.

"I've seen most everyone else with short hair. Why do you two have long hair?" Lunafreya asked, pausing in their walk.

Tempesta cocked her head. "I wanna know that, too. It's too much for a soldier to bother with."

"Janan's fault." They bother answered with the token of friendship: exasperation and fondness.

"Ja…nan?" Lunafreya's head throbbed with pain for a second.

"The shitty princess." The fist fighter elaborated. "Figures. She obsessed with long hair. Even asked me and Neb not to cut ours."

A mirage of a figure looking out towards Angelgard appeared before the oracle. She froze in place, stricken with feelings too overwhelming to process. The figure began to turn and the world darkened to a void of black.

Lunafreya wanted to run.

This wasn't a vision sent by the gods. There was nothing divine or warm about this.

She couldn't tell who the person was. Their image was distorted by flecks of violet. Was this a dream? Had she ended up in Tempesta's subconscious again?

A sound broke through the cage, interrupting the meeting. Lunafreya heard music unlike anything she had heard before. Slowly, the space of darkness began to dissolve along with the shrouded figure.

"Snap out of it, Luna!"

A solid smack whisked the oracle back to reality. She covered the inflamed area of her arm.

"Oww."

"Oww, my ass! I said I wasn't saving you and look what you made me do." Tempesta gestured furiously between Lunafreya and the current battle, where the two captains were fighting off a colorful variety of shear-class crabs and seadevils.

To the oracle's amazement, the song in her vision was still playing out loud, reinforcing her previous thought. What she saw was a bizarre occurrence.

"I should've let you get eaten."

Lunafreya twirled her staff to release the spear. "Thank you, Tempesta. I can hold my own from here."

From out of the sea, sprung forth a giant squid.

"Temple, watch out for the tentacles." The fist fighter ushered out her immediate thought and then re-considered. "Or don't. I might like to see you get desecrated."

"What're you talking about?" She didn't understand why Tempesta was suddenly leering at her.

"Uhh, nevermind." Adopting a nonchalant pose, the high-key deviant announced. "I guess, I can play retainer for you this once. That's some big prey afterall."

Lunafreya beamed, confidence bloomed around her like a halo. "Let's go then."

Ties bond, the females ran in tandem towards the enemy.

Sand flew and water crashed against the rocks. The men fought the seadevils and left the squid for the women. Tempesta and Lunafreya weaved through the tentacles that tried to grab them and the ones hurling rocks at them. They couldn't get close enough to the enemy. Nor could the captains close the distance once they finished their targets.

Everyone present was a close-combat specialist. Except one.

"Temple, use your spell-songs to kill this thing!" Tempesta demanded, smashing through a bolder and shaking off the leftover pebbles.

"But you said I had to fight." Lunafreya objected even though she was panting and faint with exhaustion.

She lost count of how many times she cut a tentacle only for another to replace it. This was like the tale of the monster regenerating parts of itself. But this shouldn't be happening! Normal monsters didn't have these kinds of abilities.

"I know what I said! But it ain't working." Tempesta slammed her fist to the ground, gauntlets ejecting her upward with a gust of gale. "Do it, Lunar Temple!"

The fist fighter propelled herself forward, hitting the squid square in the face. She let out a triumphant laugh as it compressed from the blow but the victory was cut short.

The creature grabbed her by the leg and tossed the violet into the sea where other beasts were waiting to attack.

"Tempesta!" Lunafreya stopped at the edge of where water and sand met.

Ever since her first dive, the oracle avoided the sea. Those blue waves were unwelcoming to her. She could feel the currents of malice underneath its blue beauty.

"She'll be fine! We gotta take this thing out." Makoto reassured her despite hovering worriedly by the sea as well.

Mehmet, alone with his scimitar, faced off against the giant sea creature. All the while, music still filled the air.

"And this guy. I swear I'm gonna punch his princely face." Makoto hefted his otsuchi up, burning with reckless annoyance that could get a person killed. "Instead of playing the zither, you could help us, Bai!"

Lunafreya looked for the source of the song but she could only narrow it down to coming from the peak of the cliff. The music was so different that she wanted to study the composition and instrument.

"Um, excuse me." The oracle demurred while fighting alongside the two unfamiliar males.

They both grunted out acknowledgements, covering her with ease despite not knowing Lunafreya's battle habits.

"Tempesta wanted me to use a spell."

"Will it kill this thing?" Mehmet rolled to avoid an acidic bubble. "Because it's not dying, no matter how much we hack at it."

The squid definitely had regenerative abilities and fast ones. It could replace its limbs exceedingly fast. On top of that, its main body was prone to releasing toxic gas, making it dangerous to approach.

"Where's Olivia when you need her?" Makoto flew back after being clubbed and gasped out. "I wanna snipe this sucker."

"I know but we'll have to rely on the oracle." Mehmet addressed Lunafreya. "If we cover you, can you defeat it?"

"I can." She said with the upmost confidence. Her magic never failed her in battle.

"Then that's the plan. You onboard, Makoto?"

The second captain yelled. "You got it partner!"

With the mysterious music player strumming their tune in the background, the oracle began to sing. This was the song that prevailed over a Red Iron Giant. This was the sword of light that first saved her friend.

The beast jumped away from the land battle, slamming into the water and causing a tidal wave. Lunafreya cut her song short, rapidly chanting a verse of protection. A golden barrier formed around her and the captains. As the wave hit them, the golden ball crashed into the rocks.

Tempesta rammed into the sphere, splayed out like a starfish as more and more water barraged them.

At the end of the assault, the ball of protection rolled onto the sand, finally popping out of existence. Three bodies dropped on top of the fist fighter.

Groans filled the air.

"Is it just me, or is this harder than it should be?" Makoto felt sluggish, like his body was shutting down. "I'm so tired."

"This is enjoyable but get off me!" Tempesta shouted at the men on top of her with the oracle as the cherry of the peak. "I'm gonna skewer that blob of garbage for throwing me into the sea!"

"I think the creature has a paralysis attribute that we were unaware of." Mehmet turned his face away from the hissing kitten, wiping spit off his cheek. "That must be why we're slowing down."

"We gotta get it together. We've faced worse than this." Makoto moved to re-claim his hammer, wobbling around as the previously consumed alcohol combined with the paralysis effect to make life difficult. "I can only lose to General Glauca."

"True. He'd kill us for this performance." The first captain fared better at moving around but wasn't stellar at it. "We'd best rectify this."

"Don't forget about me." Tempesta pounded her gauntlets together.

"Then let's do our jobs as the distraction for Lady Lunafreya." Mehmet gave the signal and they were off.

The oracle was determined to get it right this time and strangely, the musician seemed to agree. The tune in the air became livelier and invigorating. She sang with force, unafraid of attacks because she knew Tempesta would guard her.

How times had changed. The oracle was sure of an imperial protecting her.

A rise of her hand and Lumino Helix formed, pointed directly at the squid. A lower of her hand and the blade soared, slicing through the monster.

"Get it before it regenerates!" Mehmet dashed off the cliff to cut apart half of the monster's carcass, incinerating it upon finish.

"On it!" Makoto smashed the other half, his otsuchi's powerful winds scattered the remains.

Tempesta smacked a stray tentacle away from Lunafreya's position. "Gross."

The males belted out a victory cry and then sank to their bottoms.

"You did alright today, Luna." The fist fighter acknowledged grudgingly.

The oracle smiled. The brilliant imagery of an imperial princess standing at the top of a mountain didn't seem so impossible to reach. She could traverse that distance in the future.

"Finally, that dreadful noise has stopped."

The four party members searched for the new speaker.

"You all made it impossible to practice."

Up above on the top of the cliff stood a man in fluttering robes. He pointed a folded fan at the two captains.

"Shame on you, brothers. That display was indeed pitiful."

"Bai, you jerk! Playing the zither is more important than helping us?! What kind of commander are you?!"

He didn't reply, instead turning on his heel to beckon them all to follow with a motion of his hand.

The second captain wasted no time, rock-hopping to the peak to give the other man a piece of his mind. Mehmet guided the women up the slope, surprised to see that their normally strait-laced prince was having an informal banquet.

"Who is that?" Lunafreya observed the little tables of refreshments and the one playing a long, stringed instrument with interest. "Is this a party?"

There were a few people seated at the tables and a few more people hovering behind them. They were all dressed differently than the oracle was familiar with. Both the men and women wore beautifully decorated robes that made her feel impertinently underdressed.

"The man Makoto is arguing with is one of our commanders. Prince Bai Chenmu from Guangguo. That's family name first and then personal name. Don't get them confused." Mehmet explained breezily. "Another piece of advice, Lady Lunafreya."

She paid more attention to the captain.

"Either address him formally as crown prince or as Commander Bai. He will find insult with anything less. Though he'll probably let you off if you make any mistakes since you're royalty but try not to, alright?"

"I see." Lunafreya spoke to Tempesta after digesting all that. "Do you know him as well?"

"Sort of. Impera was always on my ass about being extra respectful in his presence, so I avoided him."

"Where's Guangguo?"

"Uhh…Niflheim?"

"You don't know?"

"Shut up. You don't either." Tempesta shoved the blonde. "I'm not Neb. I don't pay attention to that stuff."

"It's east of Persia, which is very east of Gralea." Mehmet informed the two. "Brains and brawn are separately personified in Janan's retainers."

"Hey, I'll knock a hot guy out." The fist fighter threatened.

Mehmet chuckled, stopping before the pair of men he spent his academy days with. Chenmu pushed Makoto back from his space by nudging him in the forehead with his fan. The prince gave Mehmet his attention next.

"Bai, let me introduce you to the high commander's sister."

Lunafreya hadn't seen such a pretty man before. Long brown hair and matching eyes on a soft face. His features were similar to Makoto's but much softer. Strange…

The commander bowed with his hands outstretched and facing down. "Bai Chenmu pays respect to the holy oracle."

She returned the greeting with a curtsy, following up with a question that had nagged her mind. "Were you the one playing, Your Highness?"

"Yes. In consideration of my new status, this unlearned one has taken up lessons again." Chenmu motioned toward his banquet. "Please join me."

They all settled around the low tables with Tempesta and Lunafreya sitting together across from a man and woman chatting.

The pair looked similar to Chenmu with their brown hair and eyes but Lunafreya didn't want to make an assumption. To her embarrassment, her facial recognition skills were being put to test in regard to these new range of people.

Her world had been so small. They were so many different kinds of people in the world, so many different languages and sounds, so many different clothes and foods.

"Oh, I know her. That's Tinghua." Tempesta discreetly pointed to the older woman across from them, whose gaze moved from her companion to them. "She's Euphie's retainer."

"Why do you sound unsure?"

"I told you, I don't deal with all this court stuff." She grumbled out of clenched teeth, having enough sense to not lose her temper in front of the prince.

From his place at the head of the arrangement, Chenmu began the introductions. "Holy Oracle, this is my esteemed uncle, Bai Hongli. A general of great renown in our homeland."

The elder man laughed, waving a hand for his nephew to stop. Lunafreya couldn't understand what he was saying since it wasn't in Latin.

"This is my virtuous aunt, Bai Tinghua. A retainer to the third Imperial Princess Euphemia."

Tempesta mumbled to herself about getting it right, almost making Lunafreya miss the head bow Tinghua offered her and which she hastened to return.

"And this lowly one is Crown Prince Sun Chenmu of Nanjing but in the army, I am known as Bai Chenmu, Commander of the Legio Fulminata." He paused, allowing the oracle to take in all he said.

"I'm sorry, which one is your name? I don't understand the need for multiple." Lunafreya struggled to understand everything she heard.

With his Lower face hidden by the fan, she could only see the slight crinkling of his eyes.

"Jan'er is not the only one to use an alternate name for protection." Chenmu closed his fan to set it on the table. "Bai is my family name through my mother. It is more common than the dynasty family name of Sun. Therefore, it is safer to use outside the palace."

His slow way of talking was marginally helpful for the oracle to understand his archaic way of speaking. She hadn't needed to pay this much attention to listening since first meeting Imperatrix.

Thankfully, the princess had toned down her speech pattern and accent while in the company of Nyx and herself, making it easier to understand her. Now however, Lunafreya was discovering that those elaborate qualities of speech were more of a norm than she thought.

She and Ravus must sound like cravens then.

"What does Imperatrix go by then?"

Chenmu glanced at Mehmet. "Brother Fahri, may you say it? Her family name does not come easily to me."

"When the princess enrolled in the academy, she went by her name instead of her title, imperatrix." The captain took a sip of the wine provided by a servant. "From her father's side, she's Janan Tellus Aldercapt. From her mother's side, she's Janan Al Safavid." He snorted. "There's no safety net for her. Both family names are dynastic."

"Not to mention the Kazimiran royal bloodline she inherits from the late dowager empress." Chenmu added.

"A triple threat."

The commander hummed in agreement.

Lunafreya's head spun from all the names and concepts she didn't know. The pluck of a music note stopped the revolution of her thoughts. She admired the long and flat shape of the instrument.

"It is a zither." After a moment of consideration, Chenmu asked. "Would you like to try it, Holy Oracle?"

"I would."

The servant behind him carefully transferred the instrument from prince to oracle. The exhaustion and soreness in her body meant nothing once Lunafreya was playing a Tenebraen lullaby on the zither.

"It's like a lute." She continued to play, drawing the eyes of everyone present.

"The grace of the Fleurets is true." Chenmu drank his wine, relieved to be free of practice but also irked at his own deficiency.

Years of effort and he could barely play the zither with accuracy. Yet, this woman with no prior experience, could play it as beautifully as the chancellor. How insulting for a prince. No matter, his natural affinity was for the military world anyway.

The Bai family wasn't known for its music.

"Can we talk about real stuff now? Like how you disappeared for the past year and finally decided to grace us with your presence?" Makoto interrupted before any duller conversations could be started. "You and Janan were together before the Insomnia talks and all kinds of rumors popped up."

Any sense of calmness left Chenmu and his face emptied of emotion. Mehmet could tell they shouldn't press but he was equally curious. Tempesta apparently was as well and supported Makoto's inquiry with her own information.

"She sent us away, too. They were unchaperoned in the palace."

Boy did the fist fighter remember that dreaded year. Imperatrix was so destroyed after being banished and compounding that wound was her collapsed relationship with Ardyn. It was at points like that a person sought out a "rebound".

The princess's retinue and legion stuck to two places during that year, Persia and Guangguo. Between the two countries only one had a qualifying person for the role of rebound. The Guang prince wasn't Tempesta's type. She preferred buff, rugged guys that could take her in a fight. Chenmu was up Imperatrix's alley though; pretty, cultured and…slightly strong.

"I just want one thing confirmed." Makoto thumped his hand on the table, eyes aggressively accusing the commander. "Did you and Janan have a kid? Is she a royal concubine now?"

Tempesta's jaw dropped. Lunafreya struck a bad note and gaped at the accused.

Chenmu said nothing and gave no reaction beyond a slow blink. His aunt and uncle's tense countenance were more telling.

"We're brothers in arms. You have to fess up, Bai." Mehmet urged with a grin, raising his cup to the man. "Gotta say, it's about time. You two are hitting spinster age for royals."

"It's not time! You'll are younger than me! Therefore, none of you should have kids before me." The second captain ranted, almost brought to tears by his bachelor misfortune. "Traitors, the lot of you!"

"You, you, you. Brother Murakami is being so rude." Chenmu chided with the smallest amount of bite. "Is that the way to address a prince?"

"I'm rude? You're rude! Stop dodging my question, kohai."

"I think the wine is affecting the second captain."

At once, a servant took the wine from Makoto's side and replaced it with a cup of tea. The second captain sputtered, unable to deny the buzz circulating in his body. He had pretty much been drunk for most the day.

"Who are you to pry into a prince's affairs?" Chenmu spat out. "Wopēi."

"Bai, there's no need for that." Mehmet conceded once that habitual exclamation came out. "We'll stop teasing you."

The servants were already glaring at them. Plus, Chenmu's lieutenant and retainer had his hand poised to draw a blade. Another rude word from them and Weilu would jump.

"Enough." The prince commanded with a backward glance to Weilu. The man obeyed, resuming a stance of non-aggression. "My mood is soured now."

Chenmu stood, causing everyone else to do the same. Lunafreya had to be yanked up by Tempesta because she forgot her etiquette for a moment. The prince spoke to his relatives first and then addressed his comrades in Latin.

"This one is retreating."

Robes fluttering with his exit, a train formed behind Chenmu, consisting of his family and a few servants. Those that didn't follow began cleaning up the area. Lunafreya mourned the loss of the zither.

"You really pissed him off Makoto. Don't you ever consider how your actions might affect your family?" Mehmet wrapped an arm around his fellow captain, whispering to him. "Bai might not take action but those servants around him could report you."

"That ship sailed long before I was born. I'm a nobody to them." Makoto shrugged. "Tormenting an exile like me isn't going to do much for the huangdi."

"Bai would say otherwise." The sandy-blonde shook his head. "I'm the commoner out of the group and I'm smarter than you."

"No, you're not."

"Am so."

"No, you're an idiot."

They went on bickering.

Lunafreya looked out to the sea filled with ships. "I'm entering a whole new world now."

"Only if you go with the princess." Tempesta replied and then helped instigate a brawl between the men.

Right. Ravus wanted her in Tenebrae with his wife. A quiet, controlled life awaited the oracle. Unless…she went to the capital with Imperatrix. But how could she face Iedolas after what he did to Insomnia? After what he did to Regis? After what he did to her mother and country?

Her choices were both mad.

Yet, tackling the heart of the corruption in the empire would be a way to peace. If that nation could be fixed, then that would be one less obstacle for Noctis. One less obstruction for his destiny as the Chosen King.

"Tempesta, would you tell me what things are like in Gralea?"

Lunafreya would do her duty. She would bring back the light in Niflheim. Not just for Noctis but also for the people, for her new friends, and for herself.

---

XV

---

"Announcing the thirty-third Hunger Games!" Ardyn broadcasted with a mic from the stage in the recreation room.

"He can make pop culture references at his age? How does he even know what that is?" Prompto's eyes were wide, jumping everywhere to take in what he was seeing.

The room where they had played video games was turned into a casino. Game stations were setup, the lights were dimmed and music was playing over the ship's speaker. There was even an assortment of drinks and snacks at the table.

"All thanks given to a certain princess and her sisters." The chancellor responded to the question, throwing out his arm to glorify the woman sneaking closer to him. "I have watched, read and listened to more YA nonsense than I care for."

In the spotlight generated by Nebula with a flashlight, Imperatrix…no, Janan smiled while quietly taunting Ardyn. "You love it, do not deny it."

It was him that kept her appraised of all the latest shows airing in the empire. Then he would watch them with the princess. Additionally, if Ardyn truly hated the music collection the princesses had cultivated for him, the chancellor could have hidden the CDs instead of having them in his car.

Hand over the mic, Ardyn ushered affection to Janan in Arabic before returning to English for the commencement of the games. "May the odds be ever in your favor."

"He sorta matches the style of the announcer, right? She was flamboyant and dramatic, too." Prompto nudged Noctis, snapping photos to have proof of this odd reality.

"He's got a weird sense of fashion, too." The prince agreed, cackling before he knew it. "His hair's not that far from pink."

The two boys got their giggles in.

Nyx sauntered up to the other imperial couple that were casually nursing drinks. He tossed his arms over their shoulders. Nebula sighed while Aranea laughed.

"I see you two and still can't believe it." The glaive turned his head toward the commodore. "Is he good looking under that mask?"

Aranea's eyes unintentionally strayed to Prompto. "Sure is. He's a real ray of sunshine."

Once upon a time, she didn't care at all for Nebula. He was too sappy, too lovestruck and too innocent. That boy was a diehard fanboy for the princess. Then suddenly, he wasn't.

What Aranea assumed was a drastic personality change ended up being an actual body swap situation. One life was exchanged for another with none the wiser.

"I need to verify this because you're an extreme catch."

Nebula maneuvered out of the hold and away from Nyx's grabby hands. "I swear, I've never wanted to murder anyone this bad and been denied the chance to do so."

"I'm glad you like me so much, Neb. Now be a pal and show me your face."

The gunman's plastic cup became malformed and juice stained his gloves.

"Is this even normal?" Nyx asked the girlfriend, gesturing to the fully covered man showing no signs of a human underneath so many barriers. "For six months this guy and his sister have had those helmets on nonstop. I'm starting to think it's their actual heads."

"I get why he's wearing it but damn. Six months, Neb? That's dedication." Aranea saluted the gunman with her cup. "When you're not being lazy, you're kind of amazing."

"Well, why's he wearing it?"

"The company."

Nyx turned to see Impera…nope, she told him her actual name.

Nyx saw Janan encouraging Ignis to drink from the bowl of juice. Evidently, he refused her by the pout her mouth formed. It was that look morphing into a challenging look that Nyx got concerned.

In the middle of Aranea talking, the glaive said. "Hold on, I'll be back."

Right before the princess could drink the alcoholic beverage, Nyx knocked it out of her hand.

"Ahmagh! Shookhi mikoni?!" Janan raged at him, hands vibrating in the air from her indecision on the next course of action.

Gods, she wanted to hurt this man!

"I'm guessing you're cursing me out?"

She spoke way too fast for Nyx to distinguish if it was Latin or Persian. Since Ignis looked lost, the glaive guessed it was the latter.

"Why the hell did you do that?! Do you know how goddam dishonorable it is to waste wine at a Novendialis?!" She wasn't calming down so everyone paused to watch the scene. "Its use is for the libation! Not dirtying the floor!"

While Nyx had no idea what any of those things meant, guilt and shame did register in him. Janan was genuinely upset.

"You're not supposed to be drinking." He argued in spite of his contrition.

"Gods above! This brew is weak and sweet. I am in no danger of intoxication and I was trying to prove that to the prince's advisor." Janan waved her hands in defeat, quickly becoming tired from her onset of fury. "Oh and that I was not trying to poison the boy. Because given my history, I am the first person that would commit foul-play."

With a contained shriek, the princess stormed off to sit by the chancellor. Ignis and Nyx stood awkwardly by the refreshments.

"Would you like me to shoot you in the foot, Nyx?" Nebula mocked, gun twirling around his finger. "That's what a pal would do, right?"

"I don't get why she blew up about the wine. I made plenty." The glaive glared at the gunman as he sunk into a seat by the couple. "And if you shoot me, we're fighting."

"You remember the funeral we had?" He placed his weapon on the table.

"Yeah."

The imperials gathered their dead, placed them on logs, put coins on their eyes and then set the group aflame. A cremation, the complete opposite of funeral rites in Lucis. It was a sight that unnerved Noctis's group but for Nyx it was somewhat familiar.

Three times Nyx and his mom crafted boats, filled them valuables surrounding their dead family members and set them adrift in the vast sea of Galahd. He was the one to shoot the flaming arrows into the boats to send them off into the afterlife.

His father, sister and grandfather were all feasting in a grand hall.

"This is the second portion of the funeral rites, the Novendialis. Except we aren't waiting nine days."

Intrigued, the Lucians listened to Nebula's explanation.

"A sacrifice is given for the fallen. We used to use animals but wine has become the substitute."

With food shortages frequently occurring due to the snowy lands, the empire couldn't afford to butcher an animal for every funeral.

"At some point, you might see us take a cup of wine and pour it out to honor the dead. That's the libation. Those are also used when making offerings or prayers to gods."

The Lucians absorbed this new information. Nyx hung his head back, sighing for how his stupidity so often got in the way with the princess.

He was already frustrated from Janan putting a cold stop on their earlier intimacy. The tease always had to leave him hanging. Worse, she did it this time under the pretense that they were too physically connected and needed to be more intellectually connected.

Nyx wouldn't admit it to her face but maybe her complaint was on the mark. He didn't know enough about Janan and she had the same problem with him. Geez, the "getting to know each other" part of dating was a kick in the teeth.

"So you guys party when someone dies?" Noctis's tone wasn't hostile yet but it was nearing that level.

"Yeah and I bet my crew's doing way worse than this without me present." Aranea chugged her cup, knowing she needed to be drunk to deal with all these varying levels of aggression packed into a single room. "Why did I let the chancellor swindle me into this job?"

That huge paycheck wasn't worth the drama.

"Noct, they have their way of doing things and we have ours. Remember your station." Ignis softly advised his blue-haired liege. "You are a prince. Even if it's towards a Niff, you must be respectful."

"Yeah, yeah." He answered moodily, actively not thinking about his dad and how he didn't get a proper funeral and probably never would.

Noctis drifted away from his friends to be alone. The advisor stopped Prompto from following him and encouraged the blonde to do what he did best, mingle. He would make a fine ambassador one day and Ignis wouldn't mind working with him.

"S-So um, what should we play?" Prompto laughed awkwardly at the end, eager to get the mood back up. "What's with that look?"

Actually, not really a look. Nebula's helmet left his mood a secret but the gunner assumed he was being studied by him since Nyx was doing the same.

"We usually gamble and drink. Grown-up stuff." The glaive looked to the gunman for assistance. "Is this a good idea? I didn't make that punch strong but they're still underage."

And Ignis already got on him about previously serving beer to minors.

"I'm surprised you're voicing a concern. You and Tempesta always insist on adding an edge to game night."

"I don't want Ignis breathing down my neck again."

Prompto chewed his lip before he could vex the advisor with his laughter. "He knows you pretty well, Iggy."

He huffed. "I'm not that much of a nag."

A prudent "ha" from Noctis further displeased Ignis. The man crossed his arms, turning his nose up to the mockery.

"I will not be held responsible for any of you losing your money. And I will not be loaning any out. And if I find even a penny missing from the Armiger, I will deal with the one responsible."

With those rules laid out by Ignis, Prompto joined the first poker game of the night. A few minutes into the round, it became obvious that the kid didn't know how to play. Shockingly, while Ignis hovered nearby, he offered no advise to his failing companion. Nyx figured he was either trying to prove a point or didn't know how to play.

Taking pity on his juniors was a crippling weakness of the glaive. He moved his chair near Prompto's to teach the kid the ins and outs of poker.

Nebula made no protests and even slowed down his playing. Slightly tipsy, Aranea hung off her boyfriend while playing, flustering him enough that the gunman made frequent mistakes. While pushing Prompto to take advantage of the most recent mistake, the glaive voiced a thought that had nagged him since meeting the prince's new addition to his retinue.

"Do you know a guy named Cloud, kid?"

"Never heard of him. Why?" The gunner lowered his cards from his face. A necessary security measure since everyone told him he lacked a poker face.

"You look just like him."

Aranea hiccupped loudly. Through his mask, Nebula saw Ignis look at him, no doubt translating his name but then his analyzation fizzled out.

"Really?!" Prompto dropped his cards, shrinking after realizing his outburst caused the second scene of the night. He nervously confessed. "I-I'm adopted. No one's ever said I look like someone before."

Being blonde was more of a rarity in Insomnia. Most the citizens were dark-haired and only foreigners were fair-haired. School life had been a nightmare for years on account of his large body, strange coloration and adopted status.

His foster parents never talked about his biological parents. Not that they talked much to him about anything. The only information he managed to find out was that a hunter brought him to the city but it lacked any descriptions or names. It took Ignis digging through millions of citadel files for that tiny nibble. His origins for the most part were blank and he had resigned himself to that.

Until now!

"I don't have his number but Imp… Janan probably does. Cloud's her friend. He also had a sister." Nyx whistled fondly. "Storm…she was a babe and a total flirt. How did I not get her number?"

Nebula gagged, tossing his cards down after losing another round. "You dodged a bullet. Don't get mixed up with her."

The glaive had a cocky comeback ready but his thoughts betrayed him. He had a princess, what was the point of pursuing this line of topic?

"Storm and Cloud? Do you think they're related to me?"

The game at this point became forgotten. To Nebula's relief, it meant he wasn't losing more gil but to his dismay, it meant they were discussing sensitive topics instead.

"Don't get your hopes up. It may be something and it may not be anything." Nyx warned, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder.

Prompto chose not to be swayed, springing more questions on the glaive. Nebula wanted to leave but that would be too suspicious. He couldn't let anyone notice his discomfort.

Indifference. The plan had been to ignore the boy if their paths crossed. There would be no attachments for either side and therefore no negative emotions to address. But something about this…bothered Nebula. On a deeply personal level, he was being affected by Prompto's pure need to know his origins. Why?

Why was his stance being shifted? He was immovable to persuasion from people outside of his pack.

Pack.

Could it be his daemon influencing him?

"Would you like to play something simpler?" Janan held out a deck of cards for the prince to see.

She smiled as hesitantly with him as she once did when first dealing with Lunafreya.

"You play Uno?"

"All the time. It is the one game that universally gets chosen on game nights."

The two royals of opposing nations settled at another table. The cards were shuffled and passed out with the color of yellow setting the limitation of their game.

Things were quiet between them, or as quiet as it could be with the music and the other noisy players in the background. One royal didn't know how to start a conversation and the other royal was dismissing any attempts to start one. Seeing as Noctis wasn't going to say anything, which Janan found strange since he previously had no problem speaking his angry thoughts to her, she took the opportunity to study his face.

At twenty, the boy's face was still shaping towards adulthood. She could see his chin might match Ardyn's in a few years. Noctis also had a perpetually tired countenance to his face, same as the red-head.

Their personalities had similarities as well. Laziness, passive-aggressive behavior, a love of sweets and a reluctant sense of responsibility. Hmm…did they fight the same, too? As a Caelum, Ardyn had access to their weapons, though his were red instead of blue. She needed to witness his technique in battle.

"Why are you staring at me so much? It's weird." Noctis dragged his eyes from the princess to the chancellor, who sneakily joined them at some point to swivel around on his chair. "I get enough of that from him."

"Forgive me, Highness. Your face is just so like a thorn I used to know." Ardyn said in his overly sardonic lilt, chuckling at a private thought. "Yours and Lady Lunafreya's."

Oh, the scandalous irony. Nox and Somnus reincarnated as lovers. He wondered how Bahamut was taking this development.

"Don't talk about my father." Noctis's eyes flashed scarlet.

"Who says I was?"

The response confused him but the chancellor chose not to give the boy a further chance to talk.

"Now, last I checked; you have forged two Covenants. The Goddess of the Sea is your next objective but you're wholly unprepared for that challenge."

"And how would you know that? You've been stalking me that much?" Noctis abandoned his hand of cards, about to jump out of his chair. "And what do you mean wholly unprepared?!"

"You've barely collected any of the Royal Arms. I suggest you focus on that and on honing your abilities instead of engaging in disputes with lowly base officers." Ardyn sighed, rolling his hand to display his exasperation. "You're so weak, hardly on par with one of the empire's commanders. I fear that facing the Tidemother now would result in your death, dear prince."

The expression of shock and befuddlement on someone else's face after a verbal lashing from the chancellor was refreshing for the princess. She found it comforting to not be the only person made to feel foolish by Ardyn.

"There is-" Janan almost flinched from being subjected to Noctis's magical eyes of garnet. "A chance, a possibility…" Those eyes were the warning before terrible magic and her body was unconsciously reacting to that but she pushed passed her instinctual fear. "Of us coordinating together for the Sea Goddess's Covenant."

"Really?" The prince oozed skepticism but he did calm down.

Giving the comfort of his touch by holding Janan's hand under the table, Ardyn added to the proposal. "Was the air support at the Disc not helpful? I recall saving you all from death by fire."

Noctis crossed his arms, looking elsewhere.

"It is something to consider, Your Highness." Janan flipped her hand to entwine her fingers with Ardyn's.

"Why would you help me?"

"Because Lunafreya and your father asked it of me." He looked at her then. "Because if we can work together once, we can do so again. And again and again until we reach a point where it is common."

Seeing as Noctis wasn't immediately refusing her, Janan felt hopeful. Finally, she could make efforts towards the late king's request.

"If I may, why is the empire interested in the Covenants?" Ignis inserted himself into the group, standing behind his prince. "I have an idea but I would like to hear the answer from the princess."

They couldn't possibly know that those bonds empowered Noctis. Otherwise, the imperials would do everything in their power to stop them. Though, they might have an idea and be looking for proof before taking action. The prince suddenly being able to summon gods was an obvious giveaway.

"I am sure you know what transpired in the empire eleven years ago, Lord Scientia." Janan began solemnly.

Noctis didn't and looked up at his advisor, who mouthed "later" to him.

"That alone has caused massive enmity towards the Astrals. Which is why the military is seizing the chance to cleave them from this world."

"I did not consider that angle. But that makes sense." Ignis was satisfied to know they still had the upper hand on the empire. "Still, what is stop you from turning that force on us? Already, we deal with constant attacks from patrol units."

And what would stop them from turning on Altissia as they did Insomnia? Janan could see this question, nay accusation on the advisor's face just as glaringly as the other accusations.

"I will." She wasn't expecting to broach this topic on the first day but one must follow the wind.

"How can you assure us of that? You are not the admiral."

"No but I am the crown princess, which gives me full authority over the military. Over the years I have refrained from utilizing that right."

One, to not instill resentment within their military leaders and two, to not overreach and anger her father.

"So, I suppose this becomes a matter of trust then." Ignis conceded.

"Right off the bat, I don't trust you. Or anybody from the empire." Noctis blurted out to his advisor's dismay.

Even though Ignis felt the same, he would have given an ambiguous answer to pacify the situation.

"Understandable. I have similar sentiments." Janan used her finger to twirl a wildcard onto the table. "But I hope that will change for both of us." She perked up, glancing between the advisor and chancellor. "Would you two like to join our game?"

The two groups played their rounds, chatting with more ease as the night went on. The games and players shifted periodically, wine flowed and moods lifted with the exception of the princess. A certain glaive hounded her any time she went for a glass and it wasn't for ceremonial purposes. His scrutiny became so suffocating that Janan gave up on the alcohol and accepted the non-alcoholic mixture Nyx made especially for her appeasement.

The man was lucky to be such an experienced mixologist. Or else, Janan would have snapped more viciously at him.

"How bout we ante up, Neb?" Nyx was all arrogance from his slouched position, cards loosely griped in his hand and from his girl standing behind him. "But not with gil since you're running low."

Nebula's neck cracked as he focused. "Go on."

"If I win…" He paused for dramatic effect. "You gotta show me your face."

The cards became a little bent in the gunman's hands.

"You game?"

After a while, Nebula answered slowly, the menace in his voice lost to the mechanics of the helmet regulating everything in a monotone.

"Fine. But If I win…" He leaned forward, copying the glaive's earlier dramatics. "You have to leave our group. Permanently."

Janan released a scandalized huff, about to reprimand her retainer in their language but then Nyx agreed.

"Chill, I got this." He pacified the princess and added for the prince's benefit. "I'm not gonna leave Luna alone with you guys. She'll turn out as eccentric as this one."

Janan flicked him on the head for motioning to her.

"What do you mean by that?" Noctis asked, eyeing the weird bunch of imperials he had been forced to spend days with.

"Later, kid. That's a conversation that'll take hours. But I'm sure you've noticed some of what I'm talking about."

Under the haze of alcohol, the prince's mind worked a little slower, so he wasn't fast enough to comment before the bet commenced. Instead, his mind fluttered towards something completely unrelated.

Imperatrix. Janan. The princess kept correcting everyone when they used the former to address her. He didn't understand the reason for the switch even when she explained it. Comprehension still didn't hit him when Ignis made a second attempt to clarify things. If her name was Janan then she should have introduced herself that way in the beginning.

How was Noctis supposed to trust her if she was lying about something as simple as a name? But Ignis did say she wasn't lying. Something about imperials going by titles or courtesy names.

Yeah, no. It was common to be a two-faced liar in the empire. How long did Noctis have to wait for the princess to stab him in the back? He had to get Lunafreya out and then cut ties with them quick.

"You never specified when, so you'll be in the dark a while longer." Nebula was an adult, he wouldn't shoot bullets into the cards, table and the shit-smiling bastard that thwarted him.

But he so wanted to!

"C'mon you sore loser!" Nyx argued, securing the gunman in a chokehold to forcibly remove the helmet. "I wanna know what you look like!"

"Wow, I think Sunshine finally made a guy friend." Aranea was entirely unconcerned with the wrestling match happening a foot away.

"Compared to before, this behavior is friendly." Janan didn't even bother to stop them. "Would you like to go make the toast now?"

"Toast number two, yeah." The commodore sullenly snatched up a jug and walked out the recreation room with the princess.

They made it to the roof and stood on the balcony in silence. Aranea could see her ship trailing behind them. She should be with them but…

It was all becoming too much for her to deal with.

With their goblets full of wine, the two commanding officers outstretched their arms over the railing to pour out the contents in honor of the fallen.

"Igne natura renovator integra." Both women recited as the liquid left a trail of sparkling red in the moon's light.

Done with the ceremonial bit, Janan asked. "Did you want to say anything?"

Aranea shook her head. "Already did with my crew. No reason to repeat myself."

"Oh." The princess found her tongue heavy with regrets.

She hadn't been able to perform a libation ceremony at Aracheole Stronghold for the dead soldiers. Ravus was more focused on re-assembling his living subordinates and securing supplies to care about those incinerated from the attack.

The killer of that massacre was onboard her ship. Noctis and his retinue had caused so much death and destruction to her people and here she was…befriending them like a traitor.

Was she spitting on those severed from this life with her actions? Was she spitting on those that had been fighting against Lucians the entirety of their lives? Was she spitting on her father and emperor by doing the opposite of his will? To all these, the princess knew the answer was yes.

"What's up with the tears, Janan?"

Her fingers touched beneath her eyes and there were indeed droplets amassing at a fast rate.

"I was just thinking how difficult all this is." The princess admitted.

Aranea looked up from her cup, doubt radiating off her face.

"The empire…you have lost faith in it, have you not?"

The commodore scowled. "Nebula told you?"

Usually, his immensely skewed loyalties didn't bother her but at this moment, she wanted to bash his face in. Once punch for making her feel jealous like a child and two punches for spilling secrets.

"Ah, no!" Janan rushed out due to the woman's surge of wrath. "He's upset with me, or rather, his discontent has been building up and it has caused us to speak less."

Aranea diffused. "True, he was just bitching about your habit of collecting men."

The princess's mouth veered into a pout and her cheeks burned. Would he complain more once she informed him of Chenmu? Probably not, considering he was a prince and an imperial.

"Then how do you know?"

"It is a combination of things." Janan leaned on the railing. "Your actions at Insomnia and its consequences, your resulting behavior and the many times Godfather has called me to discuss you. I can understand why you no longer take pride in your job."

"You've got to be kidding me." Aranea slumped onto the railing beside the princess. "The admiral whined about me to you?!"

Ruslan Sergei Fedorov, the admiral of the imperial navy. Ruslan, the douchey Kazimiran that smoked too much, had the most ridiculous bushy moustache and beard combo ever and an annoying bastard that constantly belittled her in his thick accent.

That fucker!

"There's no need to be angry, Aranea! Godfather talks about you because he cares."

"Bullshit! That bastard is harder on me than anyone else." Aranea scoffed, tossing her cup to the wind. "It's borderline harassment!"

Ruslan demoted her in all but name. Her ship was downgraded, her equipment was taken, her staff had been reduced and her salary had been cut! Aranea had to sell her combat services like a common mercenary to the chancellor to pay bills.

Screw the admiral! And screw the military for bringing her so low!

"While he can be overbearing, it is a form of his affection." Janan kept the jug of alcohol close to her chest and out of Aranea's reach for fear of her throwing it instead of consuming it. "When Godfather cannot be bothered with someone, he puts in no effort with them. And those he dislikes; he is horribly rude to."

Aranea twitched, thinking back to her interactions with the admiral, versus how he acted with the other commodores.

"Has he ever gotten your name wrong?"

"No..." She stared at the princess, face becoming more and more pinched as realizations were coming to mind.

"Godfather intentionally calls people by the wrong name when he is displeased with them." Janan hummed. "I remember when I joined the academy, he called me Janet instead of Janka."

"Wait, isn't Janka wrong?"

"No, it is a pet name. In Kazimir they commonly add suffixes onto names." She elaborated, happy to show off her hard-learned cultural studies in effort to be a better princess.

"Wait a second." Aranea grabbed hold of her head from the incoming headache. "I think…he's called me Natsya on occasion."

From the jubilant smile that popped onto the princess's face, it must not have been an insult. The commodore sighed.

"I don't wanna talk about this anymore." She pushed off the rail to walk back inside.

"I meant it, Aranea."

She stopped.

"You and many people have lost faith in us. I understand why." The aching sadness Jana felt for that and all the other truths she accepted had motivated her towards something new. "From now on, I will work tirelessly to change that."

Aranea's mouth curved into a half-grin. "You trying to bribe me?"

Janan's mouth moved but she closed it, guilty expression betraying her as she indicated "a little" with her fingers pinched near each other.

"Ah, man. You're something else." The commodore laughed.

"It would be remiss of me to lose a talent such as you." The princess smiled again, looking into the distance. "But my words were serious."

Imperatrix Mundi, the empress of the world. Her world was Niflheim. Janan wanted it to be glorious and loved; better even than Solheim.

To reach that goal, both the princess and the people needed to change. They all needed to heal from the past and move forward.

---

XV

---

"You're starting to hold your liquor better, Lunar Temple." Tempesta teased, smacking the woman on the back as they walked.

Dinner with the boys of Imperatrix's legion had been a blast. She got to flirt and drool over two hotties. Well, flirt with one actually.

Mehmet was always sporting about that stuff despite being married with two wives. Chenmu's "princely principles" made him a stick in the mud and he took offense to the first innuendo Tempesta hinted at towards him. Then Lunafreya had to get all scandalized that she was playing around with them and the fun got shut down. Gosh, breaking this nun was harder than the fist fighter thought.

"You weren't supposed to drink at all." Lunafreya chastised, removing her heels to walk barefoot on the sand.

"Izzy can suck it. Alcohol ain't gonna do shit to my body."

Their footsteps and the ambiance of the night were the only sounds heard for a while.

Below their trail there were so many people gathered for the voyage across the sea. From what Lunafreya heard from many of the refugees, Gralea couldn't sustain this large of a group. Many of them had nowhere to go and many would be moving to new cities.

The oracle was shocked to discover these kinds of issues happening in the empire and even more shocked that no one considered Tenebrae an option. Not a single governor she spoke to showed any inclination towards her home. When Lunafreya asked why, they looked at her with contempt. A few brushed off further prying and some others gave her negative responses that horrified the blonde.

How could she have known that Ravus and the cardinals didn't allow outsiders into the holy city? The only exceptions were for people inflicted with Starscourge and even those cases were carefully selected. Lunafreya always found it strange how few people came to her. In her ignorance, she believed it meant the great plague had lessened.

How wrong she had been. Ravus sheltered her both at home and at church. What a subpar oracle Lunafreya had been.

"Hey, watch it!" Tempesta yelled at a soldier for knocking into her, clicking her tongue when they muttered out a monotone apology. "Why do I even bother with these rejects?"

The laboratory Genius had holed himself in was even busier than last time. It was nighttime and these workaholics were still crafting equipment.

"Tempesta, am I seeing things or…" Lunafreya tensed next to her friend, eyes travelling over all the fully covered soldiers. "Why do they feel like you?"

After bonding with the fist fighter, it was impossible to ignore the depth of dark magic around her, to the point that the oracle couldn't fathom how she missed it before. Now, Lunafreya was hyperaware of humans that felt like daemons.

"Because they are like me."

The next soldier to come within reach of Tempesta was grabbed and she yanked their helmet off. Another foundation of reality was shaken for Lunafreya with the reveal of spiked golden hair, sky-blue eyes, freckles on sun-kissed skin and a blank expression.

"N-Neb…Nebula?"

The look-alike stared through the oracle. "N-IP00042 is not present."

"E-Excuse me?" Lunafreya felt so incredibly sick.

"That's Neb's barcode number." Tempesta slipped off her coat to show off the one on her arm. "N-IP00078 is me." She slipped the coat back on and tossed the helmet on top of the crate being carried by her fellow clone. "If I unmask everyone here, you'll see dozens of Nebulas."

Seeing as his services weren't required, the Besithia solider returned to his task, leaving the females to stand among the hangar surrounded by activity.

"A-Are there ones like you?" The oracle had to cover her mouth and swallow to fight down her nausea.

"Probably. Most the clones tend to be males though."

"This is…I don't understand." The blonde wanted to run from this, wanted to run from the memories that were resurfacing to the front of her mind.

Further into the lab, the personnel didn't have on headgear. Lunafreya saw clear as day clones with the same face as Nebula. The room closed in on her and breathing became harder. Tempesta was too deep in her own hollowed out feelings to notice her companion's predicament.

The two neared the section acting as both a medical and testing center. Three males were having a heated discussion around a table.

"I'm telling you, I'm working as fast as I can! The liquid metal series requires precision. The slightest mistake could cause death for the hosts!" Genius ranted to the high commander, pointing to the armor set he had stopped working on to deal with this man's absurd paranoia. "It'll be a miracle if I finish the Aurora set within the deadline you've given me!"

"I do not see why it has taken you months to complete this when you have his data to go off!" Ravus hissed back, lifting the boy by his shirt. "If you would stop wasting time on childish games, we could have multiple commanders outfitted already! Or are you not up to the task like Verstael?!"

Genius clawed at the mechanical arm choking him. He helped make that arm, how dare it be used against him like this!

"Get your hands off him!" Tempesta tackled the brute instead of decking him like she wanted, on account of his rank.

Genius hit the ground, coughing and gaping at the fist fighter with wide red eyes, as if he couldn't believe she came to his defense. That shitty thought process stopped right now. She might talk ample shit and beat the crap out of them but they were her brothers. Only she was allowed to wail on them!

"Hold on, people! There's no need to fight." Dino, the previously quiet spectator, moved in between the man and woman about to go at it. "We're all adults, let's use our words."

"Screw that! This dick thinks he can shake down my little brother because he's a wimp? I don't think so!" Tempesta glared at the secretary standing in her way. "Move or you'll get beat, too."

Dino gave her a last glance over. Ultimately, he deemed it smarter to step off to the side.

"Chancellor Izunia doesn't pay me enough for this." He muttered.

The fist fighter smirked, prowling towards Ravus now. He sneered at her, displaying no inclination to fight.

"I do not have time for you. A monster is coming to these shores and we must be prepared." The high commander shoved the hothead out of his way, striding towards the table for them to reconvene.

From his place on the ground, Genius grabbed onto his sister's pants, preventing her from further attacking someone that could file a complaint to the princess, which would result in Tempesta being punished. Ravus had a temper and petty streak on par with his wife, Furia and would use that temper to devise something horrible to torment them.

"Asshole." Tempesta spat, fighting every instinct that roared for her to maul him.

Ravus then noticed his sister had witnessed this all and he paled. "Luna…what are you doing here?"

She was still out of it from the previous discovery of clones.

"Luna, I asked why you are here?" He shook her gently at first and then more frantically, turning on the wretched Besithias. "Why did you bring her here?!"

Tempesta knew her ilk worked here at night to replace the regular engineers. Why would she expose his sister to this filth?!

"She already knows about us, curtesy of her invading my mind."

Ravus's mouth went slack and he held Lunafreya at arms length. "You healed her?" He looked from the oracle to the fist fighter. "How are you still alive?"

The oracle's powers cleansed Starscourge by imbuing part of her soul into the victim. The transfer sometimes caused his sister to view memories of the person. How much had she seen?!

Tempesta had witnessed him do unsavory things. She had to know about his arm as well now.

"I didn't…I couldn't. I stopped." Lunafreya studied Ravus's arm with a sad mist to her eyes. "I'm not exactly sure how it worked with Tempesta but healing the Starscourge revealed something more inside her."

The fist fighter and her brother moved closer to listen in.

"A daemon but one very different from those that stalk the night. I was stopped before my magic could touch it but we did make a connection."

Genius wrote these statements down, mumbling how fascinating it was.

"And how long is this connection gonna last?" Tempesta chewed her lip, freckled cheeks pinkening. "I don't need you acting all weird and asking questions for the rest of my life."

"That's hard to say. I've never held onto someone's memories for more than few hours and they were hazy." Lunafreya also blushed, greatly uncomfortable with the reminder of all the obscene imagery she was now privy to.

She had words with Tempesta regarding the girl's promiscuous lifestyle. Imperatrix was next.

"So, did you form a covenant with my sister?" Genius's question made both the Fleurets blanch. "That's what it sounds like to me."

No, no, no, no! She absolutely didn't forge a sacred bond with a daemon!

"Can you commune with the daemon like you do with the Astrals? Had any visions? Displayed any powers?"

Lunafreya continued hyperventilating from her unintentional sacrilegious actions. She heard none of the boy's inquires.

Blasphemy! This was utter blasphemy! Covenants were for the Six alone! The oracle served the light, not the darkness. What if this displeased them?!

"Yeah, she's not hearing anything." Tempesta rolled her eyes at the blonde's meltdown.

Ravus was having no success at snapping her out of it either.

"What was this guy hounding you about, Izzy?"

"The new liquid metal series that we plan on streamlining for the whole land force." Genius brought his sister to the workstation for the armor. "I did Impera's first but I'm nowhere close to finishing her weapons."

As per the chancellor's orders, the princess's armor was to follow his designs, stepping away from their industrialized style and more towards an elegant one. Since the metal could become one with the wearer, Ardyn believed it should suit the person. Imperatrix was obsessed with beauty, so his remark wasn't off; it was just making everything take longer.

"She's been dying for this upgrade since Glauca debuted in his." Tempesta flicked her finger against the shiny metal.

"Everyone has. Father's work on the Kratos armor was revolutionary! And Glauca's sword, Nike, is on par with those Lucian weapons!" Genius was vibrating with excitement, attracting his mechanical birds to rest on his head. "If only we weren't lacking in materials, we could have done more. But now, that's not an issue. We've gotten so much from Lucis!"

Tempesta nodded, smile slightly mocking but mostly amused from the kid's rush of enthusiasm. "You're such a nerd. How bout you use that brain of yours to make me something fun? You owe me for my lab time."

The scientist deflated. "I would but the high commander's paranoia won't let me."

"I don't think it's paranoia, short stuff." Dino mentioned, causing the two Besithias to jump. "Why do people keep forgetting I'm here?"

"Because you're a sneaky assassin!" Tempesta rounded on the strange man that served the chancellor. "How do you do that?!"

"By hiding in plain in sight." He shrugged, holding his camera out. "You might wanna start taking Ravus seriously."

Genius took the object, flipping through the pictures with disinterest until he realized what he was looking at.

Knowing what the scientist would ask, Dino said. "I got those this afternoon. Ravus's premonition is lookin to become a reality. That thing's gonna be on us in days."

"Is it Leviathan?"

That got Tempesta to spy over her brother's shoulder. He explained that the photos were documentation of a large entity on route to Galdin Quay.

"Hard to say. No one's been able to get close. But it reads like the sea goddess's signature."

"Why is it coming here?"

"Million gil question. We're disturbing the sea with the ships?" Dino threw his hand up in defeat. "I don't gotta clue how these godly things work."

Genius glanced at the two magical siblings. Could they be acting as beacons? They were the ones connected to the Astrals.

"Great, Leviathan's going to flood us like she does Altissia on occassion." Genius handed the camera back to its owner, scratching at his head, which disturbed his birds. "First Shiva, now this. It's like they have it out for us." He scratched at his scalp, causing the birds to fly off. "Ugh, I don't understand! And I'm never going to finish in time!"

How was he supposed to equip six legion commanders under this tight deadline?! It was impossible! Not to mention recovery time needed after undergoing the surgery for the armor implants.

"I truly don't know why this is happening." Lunafreya sighed. "I don't understand why they are taking such overt actions against the empire."

She still didn't know the reasoning behind Shiva's attack and likely would never know. That climatic response from the god had set off an aggressive expansion of military power in the empire. Ignorance caused the oracle to believe greed dictated the emperor's actions. To a degree, Lunafreya still believed that but she now had to consider that he sought power for protection.

If they were repeatedly under attack like this, then it wasn't right for her to completely vilify Niflheim. But they were still at fault for attacking other nations. Ugh, why couldn't things be a simple case of right and wrong?

"Who cares about the why. We just gotta beat this thing." Tempesta slung her arm around Genius's shoulder. "Besithia merchandise can take down even gods, right short-stack?"

"That it can. We've had good results in Lucis." He started muttering things about the armor and then dived back to work at his station.

Ravus's abrupt emergence behind Lunafreya made her jump and bump into Tempesta. He twitched at the reaction.

"Luna, you will stay away from this place and remain on the Nautilus. I cannot have you in the midst of the chaos that is about to surface."

"But I can help." She regained her composure, refusing to be frightened into submission.

His eyebrow lifted in challenge. "Oh? You would side with Niffs over the Astrals?"

Cold dread inched up her back.

"You, the oracle and holy link to the six, would stand in the way of their judgement?"

"That's…not what this is." Lunafreya's chest hurt at the thought of being disloyal. "I'm protecting people innocent of any crime from Leviathan. I'm not…" She mumbled out the last bit. "Betraying my gods."

The pain of loss and loneliness had blackened her heart before, preventing her from viewing the Nephilim as she should, as people under the oracle's guidance. They deserved her protection and grace just as much as the Lucians. Surely the Astrals could understand that?

Lunafreya was an oracle to all. It was time to begin acting as such.

---

XV

---

"The answer is no and my dear, no amount of begging, or doe eyes, or affection, or any other highly persuasive manner of yours is going to change my stance on the matter." Ardyn's arms remained crossed and his stance remained resolute even as the love of his life clung to his side, doing everything she could to achieve success.

"But Ardyn, you promised yourself to me. I would see it realized now."

"Yes, I did, dearest. But as your chancellor and a fellow man, I'm telling you this isn't a wise choice."

They had been arguing for over two hours on a subject that shouldn't even be up for debate. Janan had to know that if she married him on the same day as she did Chenmu, it would be seen as the chancellor competing against a royal prince. The boy and his father would be outraged that a mere civil servant tried to upstage royalty.

Love was making Janan foolish and the situation with Nyx was pushing that foolishness even further into dangerous territory. Impatience like this could start a civil war.

"Father sprung this on me, thwarting my own plans." The princess huffed and dropped to the floor, limbs askew like a sulking child. "And of course, you choose to be a devoted chancellor when it conflicts with what I want."

Ardyn lowered himself to be beside her, stretching out his legs and relaxing. He got out of bed early to help Janan work on her routine for the upcoming festival in Gralea. Instead of using that time wisely, she was whining and being demanding.

How insufferable of her. How lovable of her.

"Am I always to agree with you? Would the future empress like a chancellor that caters to their every whim?"

"Nooo." She drawled out slowly, glaring at everything in the training room. "Before, you disagreed with most my plans for the empire. I watched you and Father lead the country down this warpath. Why should I be surprised with you countermining me now?"

Well, it seemed he wasn't the only one cranky this morning.

"Janan…" Ardyn felt shame and guilt scratch ferociously at his walls.

"At least your decision is motivated by keeping my homeland out of a war." She sighed, now melancholic. "The people do not need another one so soon. I will heed your warning. Chenmu will be the only husband I take on the beach."

The princess didn't feel like broaching her insecurity at the moment. The fear that Ardyn was again stringing her along, only to push her away later, leaving her broken. Janan didn't know why her mood tumbled down so fast from the high she felt yesterday. Today felt like one of those days where unease and misery lorded over everything. Or was the grief of all these battles finally assaulting her in their interlude of respite?

"I remember how you screamed at me a year ago." At the time, Ardyn didn't care how his decisions as the chancellor affected the empire. All that mattered was his revenge. "You weren't wrong but I want you to know that now, moving forward, I won't needlessly endanger the country you love."

Which meant he had to end a few catastrophes previously setup. What a waste of his genius and careful planning.

"You should love Niflheim, too. It has been your home for over thirty years." Janan became impassioned, blazing him with her eyes. "Have I—have we all not done everything in our power to make it so for you? My family has been your family, my home has been your home, my people have been your people. What other proof do you require to know that you have a place in Gralea?" She closed her eyes in frustration. "I could never understand why after being gifted all this, you still held yourself as an outsider. How could you be so mercurial, so uncaring of the empire?"

Ardyn was quiet while the princess seethed, speaking once he had the courage to confess a sin. "All I cared for was the downfall of Lucis to complete my destiny. The empire was a means to an end for that."

Immortality had caused an emergence of depravity in Ardyn. His younger self, the sage, would be horrified to see him wasting lives so carelessly and even more destroyed to see him using Lucis and Niflheim like this. Both were his homes and he desecrated them.

Only now that the chancellor had turned from his original plan could he see the depths he had sunk to. So many people would be disappointed to see this visage of Ardyn Izunia.

"I cannot believe you." Janan stared and stared with her face shifting through emotion after emotion. "Are you telling me that for thirty years both Niflheim and I have been nothing more than an arrow to sling at Lucis for you?"

"Yes." Ardyn offered no flowery words or deceptions, just bare truth alongside his pained expression.

The princess stood to pace, yanking at her clothes and hair. Occasionally, she paused to let loose a muffled shriek and would round on Ardyn as if to scream at him but would then hesitate upon seeing his humbled posture of defeat. She would then go back to pacing, repeating this cycle for some time.

He was fully prepared for her to strike him, practically expecting her to. In her anger, she would do it, too. He deserved it for lying to her, for betraying her, for using her. But then the heinous scar around his neck reminded the princess that this man had experienced unimaginable pain. From the greatest bounty of love could also come the greatest levy of hatred.

"Why, Ardyn?"

"That's a convoluted and tragic tale that could color your interactions with Noctis. I would prefer to tell you when he's far out of reach."

Janan hissed, drawing a hand through her bangs. "It is that bad? Bad enough that you fear me coming to blows with him?"

"Indeed." He returned to his natural state of playfulness. "And as much as his existence antagonizes me, I need him alive."

The Astrals wouldn't be happy if their sacrificial lamb died before the slaughter.

"Then tell me what changed your mind." She sat before the chancellor, still enraged but not to the level of tackling him with a knife.

"About?"

"About me. About Niflheim. About life." She leaned on her knuckle, examining the eternal paradox which was this man. "Clearly, your beliefs have changed. Otherwise, why the contrition? Why the vow of change? And why the emergence your marriage proposal?"

"Because I stand to lose more than gain if I continue the path of revenge. And…" Ardyn wanted to admit selfishness of wanting a second chance with her but deferred to another truth. "I'm tired of playing their games."

"Well, those are not the best reasons but at least you were honest." Janan allowed a small smile to show. "I shall make a worthy consort out of you yet."

He chuckled. "And a consort can dance. Shall we?"

The chancellor warped to the center of the mat, eager to put this heavy topic behind them. He laughed at the princess's clear envy for having to walk to his position. Together they went over the new routine that would endear a nation.

Now that Janan would be retiring from the military, she would need to re-invent her image. Most of the empire knew her as the Unbreakable One or the Blooming Red Lotus or any of the other epithets she had earned over the course of a fourteen-year military service. To take on the mantle of crown princess, a softer light needed to be cast on her.

Marriage was a key method to improve her image but Janan didn't want a large harem populated by princes and nobles from every territory under imperial control. Luckily, she wasn't like her late brother, Tellus. Ardyn could handle three to five consorts but certainly not hundreds.

"Did you know about this impromptu wedding and that is why our performance is a dance from Guangguo?" Janan asked in the middle of her twirl, nearly tripping over from a burst of nausea but Ardyn caught her.

"Not at all. It was entirely a coincidence." Ardyn frowned mightily, cutting off the music from his phone.

The silence and his displeased gaze made the princess bow her head. Now she was the repentant one.

"Why are you making so many mistakes? You're slow and off beat. And I feel ambivalent while watching you. What is going on?"

"I do not know! I cannot seem to move or work efficiently anymore!" Janan teared up out of frustration with herself and Ardyn's disappointment. "I thought doing this as my morning training would bear better results but it hasn't!"

What was wrong with her body?!

Before either of them could converse further, the intercom buzzed on and Nebula's voice called for her to come to the bridge. The unease which had gone forgotten returned to Janan.

Unsurprisingly, Nyx was lurking by the door to the bridge to weasel out the big news from Nebula but it wasn't happening with the door locked from the inside. Surprisingly, Noctis's group was also present. When she approached the door, it opened but closed right after Ardyn entered.

"Markus is on video call for you." Nebula informed the princess when she began to advocate for the outsiders to join them.

By Aranea's grim attitude, the matter must be alarming.

"Good morning Commander Aldercapt." Markus greeted her with a stitch in his usual easy grin.

"To you as well. What has happened? I read your report about increased monster activity but it should be nothing for our legion." Janan pulled up the information on the adjoining computer.

"I'm afraid the situation was a prelude for a bigger predator." Markus went into detail about the high commander's pre-emptive measures for his vision, which was becoming reality as they spoke. "We may be facing Leviathan within days."

The princess faced the chancellor. "Is she coming for Luna?"

He always appeared to be on top of the mystical events surrounding them. Often being the orchestrator of things and leaving Janan as the unwilling participant of those ploys.

How did Ardyn just promise to stop endangering her people and then turn around and do the opposite?!

"It's possible but I doubt it." Ardyn saw the distrust and it prickled him terribly. "I assure you, princess, I hadn't planned for this. The Sea Goddess's stage of defeat is meant to be in Altissia."

Aranea stepped closer to the computer to review the new data sent by Markus. "What does this mean for the military? What're we doing to stop it?"

"High Commander Fleuret and Admiral Fedorov are collaborating on a battle plan as we speak." Markus replied, becoming more reticent as he directed his next words to his superior. "The high commander did give me orders to relay to you."

"What are they?"

His reluctance to speak perturbed both Ardyn and Nebula.

"Markus, come now. Speak."

He pulled at his goatee nervously. "He gave orders for you to undergo the armor implant upon landing and then be prepped for battle afterwards."

Janan was shocked to hear this. She thought the Aurora set wasn't ready.

"And is he aware that General Glauca required three months of rehabilitation after his implant before he could enter the field?" Ardyn's question was spoken so lightly that one might be fooled into thinking he was joking but those in the room could feel the suffocating air of anger wafting off him.

"Genius Besithia has informed us that they've vastly improved the procedure so that it's less taxing on the user but…Fleuret is aware of the risks."

"Why would he care about risks?" Nebula snorted, fisting a pack of cigarettes and crushing them. "He probably wants the princess to die and for the entire military to be wiped out."

"Oh, everyone knows that." Ardyn waved a hand.

"Then why is he in control of half of it? He could easily start a rebellion."

"That was the thought."

Janan squeezed Ardyn by the arm, restraining herself from punching him.

"Why go to that trouble? Just execute him." Nebula rolled his neck around, growling at all the opportunities he had to carry out that action. "I could've killed him and solved the problem."

"We're getting off topic." Aranea reminded them. "Is the princess the only one getting an implant?"

"Only hers is ready at the moment but if they manage to finish more sets, I'm sure Fleuret will issue orders to other commanders." Markus turned to answer someone and got barreled over by Makoto.

"Yo, Commander!" He was then replaced by Mehmet.

"How's it going, Commander?"

Janan happily greeted the two but Markus pushed them out of the camera's view and resumed speaking.

"What should I tell the high commander?"

"Tell Ravus I will undergo the surgery." Janan answered, ignoring her protesting chancellor and retainer.

First a wedding and now a surgery. Lucis was making sure she would have plenty of life-altering experiences before returning home.