Author's Notes: Happy Belated New Year! Please have "Cashmere"- by BADBADNOTGOOD, Valse di Fantastica (Piano Collection) and Somnus playing for full effect of the chapter. Enjoy!
Untold Omens
Chapter Eleven: The Ball
Late Autumn M.E. 749
Caelum Via Hotel & Resorts
Black marble, golden trims and crystal chandeliers, Prompto found himself snapping photos at everything that caught his eye as he went about the open rooftop venue. Shortly after King Regis' address to the Tenebraen guests, the blond had broken away from Ignis to seek Noctis.
In his search for the wayward prince, Prompto carefully weaved through the mingling party-goers, ascending the glass stairs spiraling around an extravagant crystal blue aquarium. He paused in wonder, marveling at the serpent-like marine life enveloped in silver-quality scales, before discerning his own reflection staring back at him.
Though he's been told the Argentums partake in black-tie charity events, Prompto personally has never attended such affairs. Donned in a borrowed three-piece suit, the blond was elated in having lost enough weight that he could attractively fit into one of the prince's spares. Otherwise, his entire wardrobe was woefully unprepared. Rejoicing in his good fortune, nothing could deter his mood tonight.
Once on the upper terrace he expected to continue his search with a better vantage point. He didn't anticipate actually finding Prince Noctis, gazing up into the starry night sky with the moon high above.
"Hey Noct—" Prompto began, but found his breath caught in surprise when he noticed a young woman adorned in an elegant silver-white dress, slowly approaching his friend.
Back straight and hands clasped modestly together, a gentle smile graced the young woman's lips as she stopped before him. With poise befitting her title, Princess Lunafreya greeted Prince Noctis. Previously, the prince stood relaxed, back slouched and arms crossed. Abruptly, he straightened his posture and dropped his arms to his sides at her stately presence. His face flushed red as he awkwardly returned her greeting. In turn, the princess curled a hand against her lips, hiding a giggle.
Prompto has spent enough time with Noctis to know that the Tenebraen princess had just caught him daydreaming. His friend had a habit of staring off into space, completely oblivious to his surroundings. Fortunately, Noctis' embarrassment alleviated quickly as Lunafreya moved on to engaging him in conversation. From where he stood, Prompto couldn't hear the words shared between the two.
Between Lunafreya's luminescent beauty and Noctis' quiet enigmatic charm, the pair made quite a sight against the backdrop of the moonlit night. Not wanting to become a third-wheel, Prompto snuck a snapshot before retreating. In glee, he wondered what shade of red Noctis' face will surely turn when he teases him with this photo later on. An impish smile crossed his face as Prompto descended the steps with the intention of exploring.
"Oh, Sir Cor!" A playful sing-song call rang through the air, disturbing everyone in attendance.
Prompto nearly tripped down the stairs at the sound of the familiar voice. "What is she doing here?"
He never would have guessed that the girl responsible for his near death experience was also someone of nobility. His eyes darted over the crowd in search of the dark-haired girl.
True enough he spotted her, shrouded in an asymmetrical black-feathered dress. With an eerie wraithlike visage, she chased after the disgruntled Marshal, a single black wing from her dress trailing behind her. His face paled and hands went clammy at the sight of her. Quickly, he hurried down the steps, terrified of being drawn in by the older girl. He couldn't afford getting into any trouble tonight. Prompto swerved around the bystanders, keeping an eye on her whereabouts while attempting to make his way back to Ignis.
In his hurry to get away, the freckled-faced boy crashed into one of the many distinguished guests in attendance. At the unexpected jostling, the older gentleman stumbled forward spilling champagne from his glass. His mid aged companion swiftly reached out to steady him, preventing the gentleman from completely toppling over. Prompto, mortified at his own clumsiness, hastily took a step back only to bump into the chatty red-headed teen keeping both men company.
"—And then that's wh—Whoa!" The rambling young man steadied Prompto by the shoulders before they could both fall over. "Easy there!"
"I am… so sorry!" Prompto apologized profusely to the trio of gentlemen. "I… I should have watched where I was going! I'm—"
"—Please, think nothing of it." dismissed the chagrined older man with smooth courtesy. "After all, accidents happen." The noble righted his fine clothes and raised the empty glass to a passing waiter for a refill, turning a cold shoulder to the boy's presence entirely.
With all his might, Prompto fought back a pained expression. Though the gentleman was outwardly civil, the blond detected the hidden disdain in his words. Despite himself, regret crept its way into his previous impenetrable excitement. Maybe… he really shouldn't have come tonight.
"Are you alright?" A cavalier snicker snapped Prompto from the threat of a dwarfing bout of self-consciousness. "What? Were you running away from a daemon or something?" The other teen asked him teasingly. Leaving no room for answers, he unfurled a hand in an ostensibly friendly gesture before introducing himself. "The name's Marcus Flavius! And the man you so clumsily bumped into just so happens to be my father, Lord Enite Flavius. I can't say that I've seen you at Valetis Academy, or at any of these events before. So, who are you?"
"Oh…uh…" Prompto sheepishly took the older teen's offered hand. "I'm Prompto Argentum… I… came with Ignis." He answered, entirely unsure of himself.
"Ignis?" Marcus cocked his head in surprise. He drew his hand back and glanced in question at the third gentleman standing silently in their presence. "As in— Scientia?"
"Yeah." Prompto followed his line of sight to the standoffish bespectacled man before giving a timid confession. "…He invited me."
"Now that's interesting! Count Scientia, were you aware that your nephew brought a friend?" The red-headed boy deviously inquired.
"I wasn't aware that Ignis had… a friend." The Count answered flatly, before dismissing it altogether with a shrug.
Prompto paled at Count Scientia's words. Ignis assured him that his non-nobility wouldn't be an issue, but what if he only said that in a simple act of kindness? Could this mishap reflect poorly on Ignis' personal life?
"I see. Prompto Argentum, was it?" The Flavius patriarch readdressed him offhandedly. A waiter silently replaced his empty glass for a new one as he continued to address the commoner. "You do seem rather flustered. Why is that?" He asked, regarding the blond's prolonged presence with scrutiny. "Perhaps you ran into young Lady Auburn? For a girl of noble upbringing, she really can make quite a nuisance of herself," he remarked with a languid sigh, protectively tracing the brim of his replaced expensive hat.
"Lady Auburn?" Prompto wondered. Was the man referring to his assailant?
"Wouldn't you agree, Pyralis?" drawled the man before sipping his drink.
"Half the ballroom must've heard her chasing after the Marshal just a moment ago." Pyralis Scientia answered with a roll of recognizable sage green eyes.
Eyes a shade of green so strikingly similar to his nephew Ignis, Prompto had to fight off the compulsion to stare. Belatedly, the blond wondered if Ignis' parents were also in attendance. Not that the older teen was one to speak much about himself, but he's never once mentioned his family.
If Ignis is here accompanied only by his uncle, then maybe…
"Wait, Claire's here?" Marcus realized gleefully, a smile glowing on his face. "I didn't know she was allowed to attend this year." His eyes widened, completely blinded by the wild potential. "Not after what happened last time."
"…Last…time?" repeated Prompto, confused and alarmed.
"Best not to associate with the likes of her." Pyralis avowed in stark contrast, abruptly ending the possibility of the conversation.
The Count gave the red-haired teen a pointed look, but Marcus appeared undeterred by the stern man. Lord Flavius remained a quiet spectator, making no move to stop his son from aggravating the Count as he lazily sipped from his glass.
"Right… I uh…" Prompto began, ducking his head down shyly. "…I should probably get back to Ignis. P-Please excuse me." He murmured, escaping the intensity of their undivided attention.
Safely away from them, Prompto let out a sigh of relief. He can't begin to imagine what this must be like for Noctis on a regular basis. The blond proceeded to carefully weave through the mingling attendees in search for Ignis, this time more cautious of his surroundings. To his good fortune, the older teen was not hard to find. He stood at the edge of the dance floor with Iris by his side.
"Hey Prompto!" Iris waved excitedly at him when she spotted him approaching. The girl was dressed up in an adorable black gown accented by layers of translucent rose red lace.
"Mind your manners Iris," chided Ignis gently. "A lady of your stature does not shout their greetings across the room."
Prompto blinked as he glanced at the older teen. On the surface, the cut and rule-abiding teen shared many similarities with his uncle in demeanor and appearance. Both Scientia men shared the same sandy blond hair and more strikingly, a captivating shade of green eyes hidden behind half-framed glasses. The younger Scientia stood to be rather fetching in his finely made suit, tailored and fitted perfectly to his handsome measurements.
"Do try to behave yourself until Aracelis returns from the powder room," sighed Ignis. He began absently adjusting the silver cuffs of his sleeves as he anxiously looked about for the aforementioned girl.
Iris giggled sheepishly in response, not at all apologetic for her impolite behavior.
Prompto smiled at them, stifling a giggle of his own. Despite the superficial similarities between them, unlike his stone cold uncle, Ignis expressed a gentle sort of patience towards those with inexperience and lack of propriety.
"…Enjoying the party, Prompto?" Ignis remarked quizzically, an eyebrow cocked and his tone impassive.
"Uh—Yeah!" The blond blinked at the older teen's sudden inquiry, snapping out of his train of thought. "Everything's great. I actually ran into your uncle earlier." Prompto began, watching the teen carefully. "…He seems like a swell guy." Prompto smiled and chuckled nervously.
Ignis stared at him silently, then half smiled in response.
"Yes, that's a word for him." He noted flatly.
"I was introduced to him as Count Scientia. Does that mean…" Prompto sheepishly scratched at his cheek. "…Is your father the Count as well?"
With a deep breath, Ignis answered his suspicions. "No, there is only one Count Scientia."
Prompto fell silent, digesting the older teen's words. As lonely as it was for his parents to constantly disappear, he can scarcely imagine what it would feel like to lose them. Raising his gaze to meet Ignis, he noted the other observing him with silent curiosity. His hands fidgeted at the attention, but a shy smile eventually stretched across Prompto's face. The blond clapped a reassuring hand on the other teen's shoulder. Ignis simply stared, surprised by the contact at first, but returned the gesture with a soft smile.
"Prompto!" Iris interrupted in her usual childish glee. She hastily dropped a small tart-like pastry sprinkled with a generous amount of powdered sugar into his hand. "You gotta try this, it's really good!"
Surprised by the sudden offer of food and not wanting to dirty the borrowed suit, Prompto carefully popped the whole thing into his mouth to avoid making a mess.
"Prompto, don't—" Ignis started to chastise him for scarfing the pastry in a single bite. However, before he could even finish speaking, the smaller girl swiftly ingested two of the very same pastries, outdoing Prompto. "Iris…"
The bespectacled teen sighed as he shook his head. The girl could barely chew around her sizable mouthful.
"Wha?" The girl held her hands over her mouth in an attempt to keep the crumbs from spilling out. "Awie's doin' it!" She pointed a finger across the dance floor.
True to her words, Aracelis had plucked one of the pastries from the waiter's offered tray and popped the entire edible into her mouth. She was mindful of the powdered sugar as she tapped her fingers clean. The sight alone was almost enough to force Prompto to snort in laughter. Then he took notice of the rest of the older girl.
The blond clumsily swallowed his pastry and his eyes widened in surprise. Long sheer sleeves with an embroidered modest front, the silky sage green evening dress hugged tastefully to the older girl's lithe waist, only to reveal a scandalous dip to the backdrop of her dress. To his greater surprise, Aracelis was gently smiling… in a way he's never seen before. Not wanting to lose such a rare instance, Prompto hastily pulled up his camera, capturing the brief moment.
"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen Arie smile like that. She must really like it," Iris commented on his photo. She clung to his arm to peek in on his camera. "I wonder if Auntie Selene can make this. Then maybe we can ask her to whenever Arie gets angry at us and then she'll forget that we made her angry!"
"She would need to know the recipe or actually try the dessert before she could recreate it," noted Ignis.
"Aw…" sulked Iris, dejectedly.
Prompto patted her shoulder in comfort. Her idea was a bit self-serving, but it wasn't a bad one, he noted in amusement. Seeing how the younger Amicitia so frequently oversteps herself in excitement, he could see why it would be a good idea to use this as a means to pacify Aracelis.
"…It's not completely impossible," murmured Ignis after a moment. "I dare say, I could probably recreate this with some work."
"Really?" Iris perked up, her dark eyes shined with delight before she bounced for joy. "Woohoo!"
"Iris… volume." Ignis chided quietly, a soft fondness crept across his face as the younger girl did her best to contain her excitement.
Any tension Prompto carried from earlier melted away, comforted by the sight of the two. Ignis really was too kind.
"Who's that talking to Arie?" asked Iris with a gasp, her attention suddenly drawn away from Ignis and back to Aracelis, who has yet to return to their group.
When Aracelis first spotted the Memory Lane Pastry, a sense of uncanniness washed over her. For the longest time, the elusive pastry seemed improbable to come by. After all, she thought it unlikely for her to ever visit Tenebrae, much less be able to try what was an impossibility from her last life. The dessert required a fictional fruit, ulwaat berries, but here… it was a tangible thing. A sudden giddiness filled her at the strange opportunity to try something fans could only dream of in her previous existence.
Childish fanaticism aside, she happily plucked one off the offered tray and plopped the whole treat into her mouth. Immediately, the powdered sugar on the surface melted on her tongue. As she chewed, a cakiness complemented by the mild sweetness of berries wrapped around a flaky crust filled her mouth. There was something strikingly unique about the dessert that could never be compared to anything in her last life.
Tapping her fingers clean of the residue powdered sugar, she found her gaze drawn to the upper floor where Noctis and Lunafreya conversed, exchanging shy smiles and private words.
This first encounter between the star-crossed lovers bore an eerie resemblance to the one conceptualized by the game trailers. The infamous meeting that never was between Noctis and the retconned heroine, Stella. Aracelis could only hope that their conversation was of a lighter nature, rather than the original ominous discussion pertaining to mentions of death…
Speaking of death, Aracelis tilted her chin up and focused her attention on the unsettling portrait residing inside the giant aquarium centerpiece to the venue. Immersed and surrounded by exotic marine-life hosted the image of a woman in white. Pale face and eyes closed, the painting embraced a haunting somberness. Though it was difficult for Aracelis to make out the finer details of the artwork, the woman in the painting encased in what resembled fossilized webbing over the entirety of her body.
With her hands over her chest, the dark divot in her stomach stood out all the more as though someone had purposely carved out a hole. This… was the painting of the Goddess Etros.
In her world, Aracelis recalled the purpose of this piece was to connect Noctis to the existing world of Final Fantasy XIII. The painting had no reason to exist here in Eos beyond an easter egg for the fans following the game's production from the start. There were far more important things vying for her attention, yet unexpected moments like this left her shaken and temporarily unbalanced.
Still, Aracelis was quite relieved that Prince Noctis and Princess Lunafreya had finally met. Much like a game of chess, one cannot start without first acquiring all the pieces. With the king and queen on the board at long last, she could finally breathe easy. All that remained was to maneuver the pieces into their rightful places. Of course, her job was far from done, but for the first time in months, Aracelis felt her mind at rest.
"Good evening," greeted a Tenebraen-accented voice.
Aracelis drew her attention away from the painting and glanced at the platinum blond man suddenly in her presence. For a moment the brunette was at a loss to who this stranger was as his face was not immediately familiar to her. The distinctive white coat he wore on the other hand was notably easier to recognize.
"Good evening Prince Ravus." Aracelis returned the greeting with a polite dip of her head.
Like everything else in this world, the circumstance of his upbringing must have differed greatly from her expectations. The man who was standing before her was not a tragic prince, driven by grief at the loss of his mother. Still, the Tenebraen royal never gave off indication as the sort to casually attend events such as this one.
Aracelis met his piercing gaze evenly before she continued speaking, "I hope you're enjoying the party."
"Quite, the city of Insomnia is a lovely sight to behold," noted the man before curtly directing the conversation. "And in reference to this venue, I must note that the views tonight are stunning. Evidently, you are well aware of my name and title. Yet I'm afraid that I'm unfamiliar with yours. May I have your name?"
"Aracelis of the Hester family," replied the brunette in a courtly manner. "I humbly serve the House Amicitia."
"You must be a highly regarded vassal of the King's Shield then," stated Ravus coolly, keeping his eyes on her.
"Surely not," she replied. "In truth, I'm simply an over-glorified escort for the evening."
Part of Aracelis' training in preparation to take over as the Amicitia's chamberlain was learning the subtle nuances of court dialogue. As a prince, she had no doubt Ravus received such lessons as well. Despite this fact, she must find out what he was doing here.
"Of course, you are in attendance to celebrate your illustrious sister Princess Lunafreya, correct?"
"You are correct," confirmed Ravus. "Lunafreya has done well to lead Tenebrae in our absence, whereas I chose to serve at my mother's side as her guard. It is in part on my sister's eager insistence, and the convenience that our duties brought us to Lucis that affords me my presence."
His revelation brought Aracelis' mind to a staggering halt. While she was aware that the queen of Tenebrae still lives, she hadn't realized the full extent of what her survival entailed. Ravus was not part of Niflheim's military ranks. Instead of serving as their commander, he guarded the Oracle acting almost as his mother's personal shield. This meant it was unlikely for Ravus to partake in the events of Insomnia's fall during the Kingsglaive betrayal.
"Speaking of my sister, I couldn't help but notice your rather apprehensive gaze upon her…" Ravus continued smoothly. "Perhaps you are harboring an intention for her?"
Aracelis stilled, her eyes drifted to his piercing steel-blue ones. Of the people who could have taken notice of her machinations, Ravus was likely one of the more dangerous individuals to do so. For events to unfold correctly, Lunafreya must die in accordance to her role. Her brother does not take kindly to the tragedy…
"I'm merely a concerned subject of Prince Noctis," replied Aracelis succinctly, careful to remain factual under his gaze. "The prince is really not one for company. It's of great comfort for me to see him converse so easily with Princess Lunafreya."
"For a subject, you speak as though you're close to the prince," commented Ravus, narrowing his eyes at her. "I'm afraid I haven't had a chance to catch your title."
"My apologies, your highness," Aracelis dipped her head, disguising her growing tension. "It must have slipped my mind. I am to be the next chamberlain for the Amicitias and I'm serving as Lady Amicitia's chaperone for the evening."
"Chaperone?" repeated the prince. "And where is—"
"Arie!" Iris interrupted the two in excitement.
At the sight of her charge's bright smile, Aracelis' stiff posture relaxed. The exuberant girl marched towards them as Ignis did his best to keep them walking at an even pace. With energetic steps, her powerful stride merely dragged him along.
"Prince Ravus this is—" Aracelis began, but was promptly interrupted by the younger girl.
"You're a prince?" asked the Amicitia girl in awe. She pulled her hand away from Ignis to cling to the alarmed prince's arm. "Wow! You're nothing like Noct! You're so much cooler, just like Arie!"
Ravus stilled at the unexpected compliment. His gaze drifted from Aracelis to the younger girl's grip on his arm. It didn't take long for him to discern Iris' identity shortly after. "A pleasure to meet you, Lady Amicitia."
"Eugh, Lady Amicitia sounds so weird." The little girl scrunched up her face in distaste before perking up once more. "Just call me Iris!"
Aracelis fought back a smile at the Tenebraen prince's obvious loss as to how to deal with Iris. The energetic girl could be a bit much for those unused to her charms.
"Are you good at dancing? You must be good at dancing right? Let's go dancing!" Iris fired away, not giving Ravus a chance to even refute her. The prince seemed utterly confounded as she dragged him off towards the formal dancehall.
"Seems like Iris has absconded with your prince," noted Ignis in good humor as they watched Ravus getting helplessly pulled away by the little girl.
"She may do as she wishes. Prince Ravus is hardly our prince." Aracelis scoffs lightly as Iris steps on the foreign prince's foot at the start of their dance. "You and I both know his highness would rather spend time at the arcades with Prompto. He's not one for court life."
"Indeed." The quiet teen agreed in amusement before giving her a conspiratorial glance. "Since no prince interests you, might I, a lowly title-less classmate, request a dance?"
"Lowly?" Aracelis repeated, a slight chuckle escaped her lips by his unexpected modesty. "You're next in line for a countship."
"Next in line, not yet a count," corrected Ignis before offering his hand in a playful yet stiff manner. "Shall we?"
A wry grin tugged at Aracelis' lips as she curtsied and accepted his invitation. Having danced with Ignis once before, she needn't worry about being unexpectedly thrown into the air. Her hand in his, Ignis led her weaving about the other dancers in long sweeping steps, Aracelis recognized the familiar melody of the somber song playing, "Somnus".
While this was hardly the first time she's heard it in this life, Aracelis found herself drawing comparisons between now and the events in her memories. Between the venue, the guests and the choice in music, the ball bore chilling parallel to the one meant to take place the night before Insomnia's fall. Though many things differed from what she remembered, there were plenty more that reassured her of an eventuality rather than a possibility.
A crack snapped through the air followed by a series of sharp whistles. Many of the other attendees turned their gaze high above. Iris was among those that pointed excitedly to the sky, as she tugged at Prince Ravus's arm insisting he follow her gaze. Prompto, who had begun snapping pictures, pulled his gaze away from his viewfinder in anticipation. Count Scientia and Lord Flavius stared up at the sky expectantly, both ignoring the relentless chatter of the oblivious redhead in their company.
Elsewhere on the upper balcony overlooking the dance floor, Prince Noctis leaned against the railing, enjoying the view in the peaceful company of Princess Lunafreya. Below them stood countless members of Kingsglaive. Their ranks remained still and stoic amongst all the spectacle, standing guard as they kept their gaze steadily focused on the various attendees.
The only one that seemed to disregard everything and everyone was Lady Claire. She long gave up on her hunt for the evening and appeared mildly despondent at having lost sight of her quarry, Cor. As she floated about aimlessly, she paused at the sight of Ignis dancing with Aracelis. Fixing a pensive gaze on the pair, an odd smirk graced her lips.
Perfectly unaware of being under her surveillance, Aracelis and Ignis smiled freely as they danced together. In similar fashion to their first dance, Ignis held out his arm for Aracelis to twirl underneath. Just as she did so, for a fleeting moment, the dark of the night sky was decorated with a luminous display of bright and changing colors.
~End of Arc One~