Hello! Welcome to Frozen Heart, Chapter 5. As you may expect, given my last couple posts, this is about to be more of an Ignis-centric chapter. I'd say I had the most fun with this chapter of the ones I've written so far, and it's even longer than I anticipated it would be. Partly because I love the character Ignis, and partly because we go into some more emotional territory!

Lydia is an interesting character to write. I don't know whether readers will like her as much as I do... but even though we're still so early in the story, I've tried to strike a delicate balance between making her a strong, worldly character and giving her some more human traits as well. I don't want her to be completely devoid of emotion or the ability to be surprised, but at the same time - she's been through a lot, too. Stuff that we'll get into more as we go.

I'm also expecting to have a little fun with Noctis along the way. Noct does a lot of growing over the course of FFXV, and I want to represent that in my own way here. Certain parts of his story will change, but... anyway, you'll see eventually, I suppose.

Thanks, and hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own FFXV.

Chapter 5: Pure Devotion

The night that followed their attack on the Norduscaean blockade was spectacularly uneventful. Lydia couldn't speak for anyone else, but she slept quite soundly—even camped out under the stars with nothing more than the group's spare sleeping bag to keep her warm.

When morning came, Lydia had the chance to try Specs's often-talked-about cooking for the first time. They had something that he liked to call his "creamy crustacean omelet." And she had to admit, it was pretty delicious. Far more palatable than anything she could order at one of those roadside diners where the cooks soaked everything in oil and grease before serving it.

Everyone ate quietly, with Gladio and Prompto scarfing down their meals while Royal Pain slowly picked peas out of his omelet. Specs made some comment about Noctis needing to eat his vegetables, but the latter just brushed him off.

Lydia wondered why Specs seemed so happy to cater to the needs of someone so thoughtless and undignified. The more time she spent with the Prince, the more she realized he wanted to be here less than anyone else in the group—even her.

Not that she particularly blamed him, of course. But she had to imagine a retainer like Specs here holding his King to higher standards. How the hell was Royal Pain supposed to "save the world" with that kind of attitude?

Nevertheless, she didn't let herself be bothered by it for long. After everyone finished eating, Prompto and Gladio started packed up camp while Ignis, Noctis, and Lydia scoured the nearby area for some extrea supplies and ingredients. The Duscae region was much more lucrative for plants they could use than Leide—and seeing as they were only another day away from Costemark, it was a good idea to stock up.

As Lydia lightly searched through brush, she gave a side glance when she heard the Prince speak up. "Hey, check this out."

"What is it?" Specs asked.

"This is turmeric, right? You could use this."

"I'm sure I could concoct something. Let's take it along."

Meanwhile, Lydia strayed a bit from their bonding moment and found some herbs hidden on the ground that she thought would be useful for her pain relief salves. She never knew when she might have the need to soothe a sprain or bruise—especially when there was a very real possibility they would come up against some formidable creatures within Costlemark Tower.

If the ancient Solheim-built ruins didn't receive much traffic, that was invitation for all types of nasties to move in. She hated the thought. She hated fighting, and she hated killing things. But such was the reality of the world she lived in right now.

Speaking of which...

"Noct!" the sound of Ignis's distressed voice made Lydia drop her berries and run back to her companions. A few seconds later, she came across them both sprawled on the ground, the Prince crawling over to grab his advisor. "You okay, Specs?"

Before Lydia had the chance to grasp the situation and determine what the fuss was about, she felt something whiz past her at incredible speed. She whipped around, eyes scanning the area for the threat, until she saw the little vermin stop from about half a second at her 10 o'clock.

Cactuars...

It was after that that she realized there were two of them, and only by sheer dumb luck did she manage to erect a thin wall of ice at her side before one of the critters came barreling into her. The cactuar zipped past her again in a blur, and she knew she didn't have much room for error. Nonetheless, she threw her hand out and let out a barrage of ice attacks, hoping one of them would land. The bastard dodged every single one.

She kept going at it again and again, but the cactuar was too damn fast. Just as Lydia was starting to officially get pissed off, she heard Noctis call out to her. In another instant, the Prince disappeared and then reappeared at her side, using his blade to tackle one of the cactuars that had been about to strike. He brought it down and sliced the little thing in half without mercy.

Finally, Lydia let out a huff of frustration and smacked her palm to the ground, hoping for a good result. The second cactuar stopped in its tracks, trapped by a small prison of ice she erected around it. In turn, the Prince took his opportunity and warped right into the path of the creature, shattering Lydia's prison and impaling the little devil instantly.

She raised an eyebrow as the Prince dematerialized his weapon and turned to her. "Well, that was an exciting morning exercise," she said, likely not sounding nearly as amused as her words might suggest.

Royal Pain let out a small laugh. "Nothing like a little surprise attack to get the blood pumping."

A heavy voice quickly diverted their attention. "Noct..."

It was Specs, who had been absent from the fight, but was now trying to pull himself to his feet. And he looked up unusually pale and wobbly.

The Prince sprinted over, grabbing his friend's arm to steady him. "Ignis, what's wrong?"

"I—I just feel a bit light-headed," he said softly, pulling the Prince to the side so he could rest his other hand against a tree.

The Prince looked Ignis over with confusion and concern. "Did it hurt you?"

It was then that Lydia approached the two boys and stood in front of the one who looked like he might double over any minute. Ignis gritted his teeth and murmured, "I think I've been—poisoned."

She looked into his eyes, noting the lack of color in his face and the way his eyes struggled to focus. "I think you're right."

The Prince's face contorted into one of fear and—something else. "When the cactuar struck you—when you jumped in front of me."

Ah, guilt. Yeah, that's the one.

Specs, however, who clearly wasn't keen on showing weakness in front of his leige, simply sighed and said, "Not to worry—I'll be fine."

"Let's not make any promises until we get you back to the campsite, shall we?" Lydia said, grabbing his other arm to help him along. They had to hurry, as they would be slower with a compromised Ignis in tow and cactuar poison was incredibly fast-moving.

Everyone was still in one piece when they made their way back. Gladio and Prompto were already almost finished packing up camp, but they dropped everything as soon as they saw Ignis's deteriorating condition.

"What the hell happened?" Gladio growled as Lydia and the Prince gently set Ignis down. Immediately, she ran over to grab one of the rolled up sleeping bags and made Ignis lie down with his head slightly elevated on it.

"He's been poisoned," the Prince replied, voice sounding as if he was on the verge of panicking.

"Well, what do we do?" Gladio demanded.

Prompto, who'd been rummaging through all their belongings, pulled out a bag and handed it to Lydia. "I've got all our potions and antidotes here."

"Let's see what we've got," Lydia murmured, dropping to the ground so she could look through the bag. She didn't bother paying attention as Noctis briefly filled in the other two about what happened, only stopping and pushing the bag away when she realized they didn't have what they needed. "You don't have anything in that bag that's going to help Ignis," she said quietly.

"What?!" Prompto exclaimed. "But we have plenty of antidotes."

"I know that," Lydia said. "But cactuar poison is very unique, and it's hard to make, so a lot of vendors don't have it."

"Well, can you make it?" Gladio asked.

She nodded. "Sure—if I have the right ingredients."

"What do you need?" Noctis asked, fire burning in his eyes. It caught her a little by surprise, as it was the first time she'd seen him look so passionate and determined. Perhaps this newly lit flame would work to their advantage.

"All right, let me think," she murmured, standing up to look out at the land ahead of them. Green and green, as far as the eye could see—save for a lake down the hill that looked like it was about half a mile off. She pointed toward it. "Gladio and Prompto—I want you to head down to that lake and find me a red frog. They're incredibly common in the watery areas of the region, so you shouldn't have a problem."

"A—frog?" Prompto asked, looking confused.

But before Lydia had a chance to answer, Gladio clapped him on the back and said, "This is no time to be asking questions. Let's just go!"

As they ran off down the hill, Lydia glanced over at Noctis and then away again, considering her options. A few seconds passed before the Prince looked at her anxiously and asked, "Well?"

"I'm thinking," she said.

"Well, hurry up, then!" he snapped. "Ignis is-"

"Just calm down!" she hissed back, speaking over him with such force and authority that he shut up immediately. "If he dies, it's not going to be on me. I need you to focus and not lose your head. Can you handle that or not?"

There was a long pause as Noctis folded his arms across his chest and released a shaky breath. "Yes—I can handle it."

She smiled. "Good. So—I believe there's a convenience store some 20 to 30 miles from here. I'd like you to see if they have any beetroot. That's the only other ingredient I don't have. While you're gone, I'll do what I can for Ignis here and get everything ready for when you and the others return. Okay?"

"Are you sure you'll be safe here?"

"As safe as we can be," she said, gesturing to the campsite around them. "Just hurry back. Cactuar poison is usually impossible to reverse after 4 to 5 hours, so there isn't much time."

The Prince stole a glance at Ignis, and then looked back at Lydia again. Lydia, hoping to inspire him to stop stalling and get moving already, added, "I will keep him safe, Your Highness. I promise."

He nodded, at last seeming satisfied with her answer. Then, walking over to Ignis, he said, "Hang in there. I won't be long."

Ignis, who Lydia suspected had fallen unconscious, proved her wrong by opening his eyes into narrow slits and murmuring, "I eagerly await your return. But make sure to—buckle up and drive safely."

"I'll do my best," the Prince said, casting one last glance at Lydia before grabbing the car keys and running back out to the road. She watched him until he disappeared down the hill, confident that his determination to keep Ignis alive would light a fire under his feet.

Thus, Lydia and Specs were alone. She looked at his limp, pale figure critically and asked, "Are you dizzy? I have something that might help."

"Everything is spinning," he muttered, slowly closing his eyes, although she could guess that probably didn't help.

After reaching into her own personal bag of curatives, she pulled out a small potion. Then she poured some out onto a spoon and lifted his head to help him take it. "This should at least take the edge off," she said. "Wouldn't want you throwing up everywhere."

"I appreciate—your tender concern," he said in a dull, dry tone that sounded very much like sarcasm.

"Hey, no smack talk," she replied. "I'm only doing this so your Prince doesn't have a full-blown meltdown. Plus, I get the feeling this group wouldn't amount to much if you weren't in it."

"Is that a compliment?" he asked. "I think you're giving me far too much credit."

She smiled. "Well, I've only been here a few days, so what do I know?" She felt pretty certain she was right, though. Ignis was the main force holding Noctis, Prompto, and Gladio together right now. She dreaded to think of how insufferable they would be if he died today.

Over the next few minutes, Lydia got another fire going and started heating up a pot so she could make the proper antidote when the rest of the party arrived. It was quiet, with only the occasional sounds of birds and breeze arousing her senses. When the wind blew past, Ignis shivered. He was probably running a fever already based on the sweat forming on his face, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she simply grabbed the nearest piece of cloth she could find, dipped it in some water and used it to cover the young advisor's forehead.

She didn't even notice how closely she was studying his face until Ignis asked, "You're starting to make me rather uncomfortable."

His statement caught her off-guard and she pulled back, a little bit sheepish. "Sorry. I was just thinking."

"About what?" he asked, adjusting his position with a tired groan.

Lydia sat back and then reached out to stoke the fire. "Just about what the Prince said. How you jumped in front of him. I was thinking this could be him right now, but... you did the hero thing and took the fall."

"It's my responsibility to protect Noct from any danger," Ignis said without a shred of doubt or regret in his voice.

"So I've heard," she responded. "Anyone can say that, though. It's always interesting for me to see who can—you know—walk the walk, as they say. Every once in a while, you humans surprise me."

He cast her an odd glance. "'You humans?' You speak as if you weren't one."

There Lydia went, opening a whole can of worms she didn't want to deal with today. If she shared her entire life story with every curious person, she wouldn't get a moment's peace.

Instead, she shrugged and said, "It's complicated."

The corner of Ignis's mouth turned up slightly, despite his obvious weakness and throbbing headache. "You seem like a very private person," he whispered. "I respect that. But I do have one question for you."

Lydia pulled her legs up to her so she could rest her arms on them. "And what's that?"

He cleared his throat, signalling that his mouth was dry. So before he continued, she grabbed his a drink of water. He thanked her and murmured, "You said—you said that you joined us on behalf of the King—as per his final request. Why do I get the feeling that there's more to it than that?"

Her eyebrows knitted together and she looked down at the ground. After a moment of deliberation, she said, "Well... I hate to disappoint, but there isn't, really. King Regis—he knew things about me that most people don't know. And he chose to help me anyway. I didn't want to admit it, but our relationship was pretty give and take. He kept my secrets, allowed me to stay in Insomnia, helped me get what I needed." Then, with a deep breath, she added, "And the last time we talked—he said something that really spoke to me. I guess when all is said and done—he was a good man. Simple as that."

After she finished, it occurred to her that she had no clue why she was telling Ignis any of this. Her feelings about Regis were no one else's business. While her history with the Lucis bloodline was a complicated one, it had been a long time since she felt any level of attachment or sentiment in her occasional dealings with them. Maybe that's precisely why she was talking about it to Ignis—maybe she didn't even realize why she was here until just now.

She glanced back toward Ignis, who was starting to look a little like death. She didn't say as much, but instead endeavored to distract him with some continued conversation. "You asked your question—now I think it's only fair that I ask mine."

"Ask away," he whispered, despite that he was hardly able to keep his eyes open.

"You were appointed by the King when you were a kid, right?" she asked. "To be Noctis's advisor."

"Mm."

"Was there—ever any point during your adolescence or young adulthood where you questioned it? Wondered if maybe there was something else you wanted to do with your life?"

It took him so long to respond that she wondered if he had fallen unconscious. But instead, it seemed like he was simply taking the time to consider his answer. After a moment that felt like an eternity, Ignis mumbled, "No—I suppose not."

She looked away and smiled, prompting him to ask, "Something amusing about that?"

Her smile disappeared and she shook her head lightly. "No—it's just... this pure devotion you have to him. It seems really intense for a guy like you."

She waited for a response, but all she received was silence. When she glanced back at him, she realized he really had fallen unconscious.

"Damn," she murmured, crawling over him and pulling his eyelids back. "Come on, Ignis, hang in there." Then, with another quick curse under her breath, she reached into her pocket for her phone and shot a text to the Prince. Any luck? The last thing she wanted right now was to scare him, but she at least needed to know if he was able to find what she asked for.

Now that she was simply alone with her thoughts, Lydia hated the waiting game.

Noctis entirely ignored Ignis's instructions to drive safely on his way back to the campsite. He was thankful there wasn't any heavy traffic in the area, which allowed him to go at least 10-15 miles over the speed limit without anyone noticing.

To be fair, his Dad probably would have murdered him for speeding—not to mention for putting his beloved car at risk. But Noctis didn't care. He wasn't about to lose anyone else today just because he couldn't bring himself to break a few rules.

As soon as he pulled over, Noctis barely took the time to shut his car door before running back up the hill to the campsite. When he arrived, he found Prompto and Gladio already back from their own mission, both looking solemn as they sat on the sidelines waiting for Lydia to finish her antidote. Meanwhile, she stood over the fire and stirred whatever was in the pot she had simmering over it.

"Oh, good, you're back," Lydia said, sounding relieved when she saw him. "Do you have it?"

Without hesitation, Noctis handed her the beetroot and let her get to work. While she sat down to crush up the beetroot in a tiny bowl, he took the opportunity to go over and see Ignis. He looked worse than he did when Noctis left—and although his eyes were closed, he seemed to be mumbling something.

"What's all that about?" Noctis asked, sitting down next to his friend.

"He was unconscious for a little while," Prompto said. "Then he woke up mumbling nonsense. Lydia said it's probably the fever making him delirious."

Noctis clenched his jaw, looking helplessly at Ignis's vulnerable form. He couldn't stand the idea of being this useless—of being unable to protect his friends when they needed him. As he was now, Noctis couldn't do much of anything. He was essentially the King now that his father was gone, and such a title meant nothing to him. Would going to Costlemark and accepting the power of his ancestors change that? Would it make him strong enough to prevent this type of suffering from befalling his loved ones?

Luna... what would you say if you were here now?

While Noctis remained lost in thought, Lydia added the beetroot to her antidote brew and let it cook for another few minutes. As she took the hot pot away from the flame, she said, "Ideally, this would sit over the heat for a bit longer—but I think, given the circumstances of his condition, we can afford to cut a few corners."

"As long as it works," Noctis said softly, glancing over at her while she sifted the brew with a spoon.

Then she turned her head a few times, as if she was looking for something important. "Does anyone have a—hmm... Prompto, could you go in my bag and see if I have an empty bottle or flask? Something thin and easy to use is best."

"You got it," Prompto said, hopping to his feet and grabbing her bag so he could look through it. "Damn, you have everything in here!" he commented.

With a sigh, Lydia repeated, "The flask, Prompto."

"I'm getting it, I'm getting it! Here we go—this should be good." After putting her bag to the side, he rushed over and handed her a small flask, which she used to store a small amount of the antidote.

"Now, let's hope this works," she said softly, standing up and heading over to Ignis. Noctis couldn't help holding his breath as Lydia knelt down and lifted Ignis's head slightly.

"Will you be able to give it to him like that?" Gladio asked.

"Well, I don't have much choice, here," Lydia replied. "Unless one of you happens to have a syringe on you." Everyone was silent. "Didn't think so. All right, Ignis, come on. I've got the antidote, but you have to help me out and swallow."

He mumbled something else unintelligible, but seemed to recognize Lydia when he opened his eyes. Then he parted his lips slightly, which gave Lydia the opportunity she needed to pour the antidote into his mouth. Luckily, he swallowed willingly and she put his head back down.

"The antidote should go into his bloodstream and kill the poison," she said. "But I'm not sure how long it will be before we see results. To my understanding, it varies."

"You—you've never done this before?" Noctis asked.

With a shrug, she said, "Not personally, no. Like I said, it's a pretty specific brew. But I've watched other people do it, and I picked up a recipe for it some years back. I feel pretty confident, so wipe that worried look off your face."

Noctis let out a shaky breath and shook his head. "You can't expect me not to worry at this point."

"Well, it's not my fault if you want to make your suffering double," she mumbled, going back to her pot so she could start filling up a couple extra flasks with the antidote she made out of—beetroot, frog mucus, and a few other weird things, he assumed.

Although from Noctis's perspective, hours must have passed, it was only moments later when his head shot up at the sound of his name. When he glanced over at Ignis, he saw a pair of tired but fully alert spectacled eyes looking at him.