If not for the tension and lingering threat of ill deeds to come, Ignis would have been honored to have dinner with the royal family atop Caelum Via. As it was, however, he had more pressing concerns at hand.
The imperials, for one. The fact that they were walking into the adder's nest armed only with formal attire. Usually he preferred to have some sort of strategy before entering into this sort of situation. As it was, he could only trust that Reina had a plan even if he was privy to none of it. All he knew was that he was meant to attend as a part of Noctis' retinue and that their dinner guests almost certainly wanted both Noct and Reina dead.
And there was also that last bit. Only a minor problem, really. Nothing to get bent out of shape over.
Just Reina, dancing with the imperial chancellor.
No. Not just dancing.
She was smiling. She was laughing. She was engaged in conversation. She was coquetting.
And he had never wanted so much to step out of his place and do something incredibly foolish.
Even in the face of all those—arguably more important—issues, he would have been lying if he said he hadn't noticed how lovely she looked tonight. Her dress—the same midnight black as her hair—was simultaneously elegant and alluring. From the front it might have been a sheath gown with a straight neckline and a mermaid skirt. Except the arm holes were cut too long, exposing her sides all the way down to her hips and the back was all but missing.
And the imperial chancellor's hand rested between her shoulder blades, against her bare skin.
Ignis must have taken a step forward when Reina had taken the chancellor's hand, because he had run into Gladio's arm.
Just as well. He would have done something stupid, otherwise.
Instead he watched, though he would have preferred to do most anything else. He should have been paying attention to the other imperials, but all eyes were on the dance floor. As the song dragged on he counted the seconds, the rounds they made on the dance floor, and the times she laughed. For every inch the chancellor pulled her closer, every centimeter his handed drifted down her bare back, Ignis' hands tightened on the railing.
The song ended.
The dance didn't.
Before Ignis could even breathe a sigh of relief, the chancellor pulled her back to the middle of the floor and close enough that her chest touched him.
Did no one else want this to end?
King Regis, Noctis, and Cor were all against the railing looking over. Cor stood at parade rest; it was almost possible to believe he wasn't paying attention, but Ignis caught the flick of his eyes as he watched them. King Regis wasn't even pretending not to watch; his hands clenched so hard—one on the rail, one on his cane—that his knuckles turned white. And Noctis had walked away from Lunafreya in spite of every protest he had given when they were separated earlier that afternoon.
No. Ignis wasn't the only one wishing it would end.
Gladio and Prompto had remained beside Ignis. Gladio was watching him instead of the floor, and with good reason. Prompto was uncomfortable and uncertain of where to look or what to do.
Farther down, closer to where the emperor stood—also watching the dance floor—were Lady Lunafreya and her brother Ravus. Lunafreya held her hands clasped in front of her, her face a mask of perfect calm, but Ravus' expression was of poorly veiled fury. It was what Ignis expected his own face looked like. If Ignis hadn't been so preoccupied, he might have found that fact interesting.
The second song ended; this time Reina and the chancellor took their bows before he led her back up the stairs with her hand tucked around his arm.
"Ah, King Regis!" The chancellor said, as if he hadn't known the king was watching every move he made. "Most gracious of you to allow me a sliver of your daughter's time. I return her to you, quite unharmed."
His Majesty's lips tightened in response.
"Thank you for the dance, Chancellor." Reina granted him another smile that made Ignis' heart ache.
The chancellor took her hand with the pretense of releasing her, but instead he bowed and lifted her fingers to his lips. "It was my pleasure."
And he walked away. And Ignis could breathe again for three consecutive seconds.
"Well." Her eyes skipped over the assembled guests, imperial and Lucian alike. "I would so hate to waste an empty dance floor."
Ignis stopped breathing again. Surely—they both had more important concerns; she couldn't possibly—
"Commander." She extended her hand to Ravus. "Would you dance with me?"
Ravus!?
For a moment, Ravus' face showed the same shock that Ignis felt. Then it shifted to cool neutrality. He took her hand without a word.
Gladio's grasped Ignis' shoulder. "Keep it together, Iggy."
Ignis jerked away from him. "I know my place, Gladio."
He just wished it was somewhere else.