Hello, all! Welcome to Chapter 17 of Frozen Heart. Sorry for the wait - it's been a crazy few weeks and I've been distracted with other things. But occasionally I had some time to write, and I've finally finished up with the chapter! Hope you enjoy, and thanks for all your support.

Disclaimer: I don't own FFXV.

Chapter 17: I Won't Abandon You

Lunafreya had never known a sense of relief quite so sharp as the moment she saw Ravus. Yet it conflicted with her underlying feelings of wariness. The fact that her brother loved her was never in doubt—but she feared his capacity for hate. She feared his ego and the extreme measures he would take get what he wanted. And the instant she left her secure hiding place next to Lydia, a small part of her wondered if she would come to regret it.

But she she put those thoughts aside for now and smiled at her brother when she found him. "You have no idea how wonderful it is to see your face. I've been worried about you."

"I would have come sooner, but you've been difficult to track down," Ravus said. Then, glancing back at Lydia, he added, "I see you're keeping new company."

"How exactly did you find us?" Lydia asked, jumping right to the point and not sounding particularly friendly as she regarded Ravus. Not that Lunafreya blamed her for not trusting him—but she couldn't deny that there was a certain chill in the air when her brother and the half-goddess looked at one another.

"It's hardly a secret at this point that Lunafreya has been traveling across Lucis to awaken the Gods," Ravus said. "Simple process of elimination."

"Mm," Lydia said with a nod. "You must be pretty brave then—most people wouldn't dare approach this island, even on a good day."

"Difficult times call for extreme measures," Ravus replied, and then studied her up and down with clear disdain. "But I have no interest in defending my motives to you, whoever you are. You're clearly in no position to make demands or accusations."

"Oh, I imagine we could test that claim," Lydia murmured, taking one confrontational step forward. So much for positive first impressions. Lunafreya immediately put herself between them, placing her hands on Lydia's shoulders gently.

"Lydia, I realize this trial has tested us both emotionally and physically," Lunafreya whispered, willing the woman in front of her to see reason and stay calm, "And your concerns about Ravus are valid. But he can help us. He's a good person—I promise."

Lydia, however, didn't appear convinced. While she didn't make any more moves against Ravus, she was quick to brush Lunafreya's hands away. "Yeah, I'm sure," she said coldly. "And the Empire's bloodhound, too."

Lunafreya sighed and lowered her hands. She didn't know Lydia that well—but she knew enough to realize that she wasn't talking to the same Lydia she'd met yesterday. Something wasn't right about her since speaking to Ramuh—or perhaps the island itself was affecting her. Perhaps it was a combination of things, but she did know it wasn't the time to argue.

For now, she had to keep her wits about her. So after taking a second to straighten her posture, she took a deep breath. "Would you mind giving me a moment to speak with my brother?" Lunafreya asked, not wanting to be rude but thinking Ravus might be more open if Lydia wasn't within earshot.

This turned out to be easier than expected. Lydia didn't protest, instead raising her hands as if to say, "Suit yourself," and walking off. Lunafreya watched her go with sadness weighing on her heart, wondering what she could possibly do to help the poor woman. Somehow, she got the feeling Lydia wouldn't take kindly to compassion or sympathy.

But for the moment, Lunafreya let the issue go and turned toward Ravus, who was also watching Lydia walk away.

"Brother, you don't need to worry," Lunafreya said, causing his eyes to flicker back toward hers. "Lydia is a friend. She helped me."

"And I see she doesn't trust easily," Ravus observed. "Perhaps that's for the best."

During the time it took for Lunafreya to mentally form a reply, Ravus took his opportunity to change the subject. "I'm sorry," Ravus said, the sound of sincerity in his voice surprising her. "My actions in Insomnia were reckless. I put us both in terrible danger."

Her eyes drifted to his arm, which appeared to have been replaced with a well-designed prosthetic since she last saw him. He certainly had paid the price for his arrogance that day.

"It's behind us now," she said. "I'm just glad to see you're alive."

Ravus stepped forward and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Save your relief for later," he told her. "You're in grave danger, sister. The Empire has ordered me to capture you and the ring. They think you may be an asset now, but I have no doubt they would dispose of you if it suited them. We must leave Lucis as soon as possible."

Lunafreya suspected the Empire knew she had the ring, but it didn't occur to her that they would order her own brother to take her into custody. She didn't believe he would really do such a thing—but she already had a feeling she knew where this conversation was going.

"And where would we go?" she asked softly.

"Back to Tenebrae," he responded. "You'll be safer there—at least for a while. I could arrange for the ring to be delivered to the boy, and then—"

She was already shaking her head before he finished. "No. Unacceptable. I must be the one to deliver the ring. I would entrust it to no one else."

"You're in danger as long as it's in your possession," he protested.

"I'm in danger because I'm the Oracle and an ally to the King," Lunafreya said. "It makes no difference."

Ravus's jaw tightened, and she could see he was quickly losing his patience. "We don't have time for this nonsense, sister. I know how dedicated you are to this cause—but have you ever stopped to consider that it might be all for nothing?"

She looked at him incredulously, and briefly, she wondered how a person could live with so little faith. With sad eyes, she glanced down at Pryna, who was sitting and panting at her feet. "No, not for an instant."

In response, Ravus shook his head hopelessly and looked away. "Lunafreya, you are an honorable person—more than I could ever hope to be. And yet I fear you're sacrificing too much. You've grown so pale. How long can your body withstand this abuse as you commune with the Gods?"

"I'm not afraid to face whatever price must be paid," Lunafreya insisted.

"You shouldn't have to pay that price."

"And that's not for you to decide!"

Ravus then fell into silence, his eyes boring into hers as she held her ground. "I am not a child anymore, Ravus," she said in a quieter tone. "I know you only want to protect me. But this is greater than the both of us. I believe in Noctis. I don't ask you to do the same, but I do ask you to believe in me. I know this is right—so if you refuse to support what I'm doing, then I'm sorry... I refuse to go with you."

Several seconds passed before Ravus spoke again. She could feel that her words cut deep, and she hated to hurt him. But she needed him to understand that she wasn't giving up, and that her fate was not his to control. All the years he'd spent hovering over her since their parents died, treating her as though she was made of glass—it had to end. She couldn't let anyone come between her and her calling. Not even if she knew how brutally it would destroy him to lose her. After preparing herself for this her entire life, she had no choice but to see it through.

And finally, after facing a long, cold stare from her brother, she finally heard him ask, "What would you have me do?"

There was another moment of silence as Lunafreya reached out to take one of Ravus's hands in both of hers. "Brother, I won't ask you to do anything for me. I know how difficult this is for you. I only ask that you accept my duty and let me fulfill it."

His eyes softened just a bit before he said, "Just as you won't abandon your calling, I won't abandon you. If this is truly the path you're prepared to take, I will walk it by your side. However—begrudgingly."

Lunafreya released a small chuckle, shaking her head helplessly. She knew she couldn't change Ravus. But similarly, she knew he couldn't change her either. This meant that despite their differences, they would need to learn to live with them if they were to be allies. She didn't think she would be able to bear it if they were enemies.

After a moment of deliberation, Lunafreya finally nodded. "All right," she said. "I would love to have your help, Ravus. I will return with you to Tenebrae—on one condition."

"And what's that?"

She hesitated, and then lifted her index and middle finger. "Well, two conditions, actually. First, that you agree to accompany me to Altissia so I may awaken Leviathan. Second, I would like you to provide Lydia with safe passage wherever she wishes to go."

Ravus glanced away, letting his eyes settle on the half-goddess who was standing in the distance, likely pretending not to pay attention to them. "Are you sure you can trust her?" he asked.

"She's a friend," Lunafreya asserted, thinking that Lydia might not take kindly to someone gossiping about her identity. "I made it this far with her help, and she deserves our kindness."

Despite Lunafreya's assurances, she could see that Ravus looked wary—unusually so—about Lydia. And she couldn't fathom why. Although Lydia and Ravus had not gotten off to the most pleasant start, he had no reason to distrust her. Perhaps it was simply a part of his over-protective nature.

Nevertheless, Ravus ultimately nodded and said, "I'll gladly give her a lift. Provided she's willing to accept it."

Satisfied with her brother's answer, Lunafreya turned around toward Lydia and waved her back over. The dark-haired woman didn't seem any happier than she did when she left, but at least she appeared more composed.

As she approached, Lunafreya smiled and said, "Good news! Ravus has agreed to help us."

In return, Lydia gave a tight closed-lipped smile. Despite her earlier hostility, she maintained a relatively cordial attitude as she regarded Ravus this time. "Kind of you," she acknowledged in a quiet voice. "I suppose at least this beats having to make another path across the ocean."

Lunafreya nodded. "Ravus and I plan to return to Tenebrae for now, but he said he's happy to take you wherever you'd like to go. Isn't that right, Brother?"

Of course, Ravus could never be caught showing weakness or tenderness to anyone but her. And with an irritated grunt, he replied, "Seeing as you did offer my sister a hand when she needed it most, I am willing to extend my services to you temporarily."

Lydia, in turn, seemed mildly annoyed by the reply, but didn't let it upset her. Instead, she took a few seconds to think. After some consideration, she said, "Well—from her, my next destination is Altissia, but..." Her eyes drifted toward Ravus's airship.

"Magitek engines are not permitted to move freely in Altissia," Ravus said. "It would draw too much suspicion and put Lunafreya at risk."

Lunafreya, on the other hand, who had no qualms with putting herself at risk, glared at her brother. "If you don't want to take your airship to Altissia, then say so. But please don't use me as an excuse."

"No, he's right," Lydia admitted. "It's too risky—not just for you, but for all of us. Especially with the Empire on such high alert. If you're caught under the wrong circumstances, you may not have a chance to meet with Leviathan. It's—it's probably best if you just drop me off in Lucis. I can figure things out from there."

But Lunafreya refused to accept that. She couldn't believe there wasn't more they could do for her. Whether for selfish reasons or not, Lydia had made it possible for Lunafreya to awaken Ramuh. She saved both her and Pryna, and she'd offered much-needed companionship on this lonely journey. If Lydia was truly on the run from darkness itself, them Lunafreya felt she simply had to do more.

To her surprise, Ravus was already one step ahead on that front. After motioning for them both to follow him back to the airship, he said, "I find it difficult to believe you'll be able to find a way to Altissia on your own. I'll escort you discretely back to Lucis and help you secure a vessel as quickly as possible—then Lunafreya and I will be on our way."

For the first time today, Lydia's eyes lit up as if there was a genuine glimmer of hope in them. But that look was quickly replaced with her usual skepticism. "Really?" she asked. "Are you sure?"

"I promised Lunafreya I would give you whatever you needed, and I intend to keep my word," Ravus said.

Lunafreya smiled as she fell into step with her elder brother. "What in the world would we do without you, Brother?"

"Oh please," he quipped. "Don't try to flatter me."

Lydia scoffed. "Is that supposed to be modesty?"

The airship opened for them as they approached, and Ravus stepped aside to let Lunafreya pass him. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Not a very pleasant person, is she?" he asked, making quite sure he was loud enough for Lydia to hear.

Meanwhile, Lydia's response was so quiet that Lunafreya almost didn't hear it at all: "As if you're a cuddly teddy bear."

Lydia didn't care for Imperial airships. They were cold and mechanical, and she felt so restricted inside them. The insides reminded her of what she imagined MTs were like inside—dark, empty, and lonely. But she did her best not to think about this when she boarded the ship, and simply took a seat on a stool in the corner. While she still wasn't fully trusting of Ravus, some of the tension left her as they moved away from the island. And it occurred to her that she had been meaner than she normally would be—even to someone she felt wary of. As far as she could tell, Ravus was trying to help her out. She supposed he at least deserved some common courtesy.

Yet the air felt unnaturally chilly as Lydia sat in the corner. Pryna was the only one who seemed completely unconcerned as she lay at her feet.

After several long minutes of uncomfortable silence, Lunafreya turned to Lydia and asked, "Are you feeling all right?"

Lydia reached down to scratch the dog behind her ears. With a quick shrug, she said, "Yeah. Quite a bit, actually." A frown on her face deepened. "I'm sorry if I seemed hostile. I'm not—really sure what came over me."

"It's all right," Lunafreya said softly. "With any luck, you'll feel more like yourself when we return to Lucis."

Lydia nodded slowly and then looked away, already trying to push away the emotions she'd experienced on Angelgard. There was still a heaviness in her, but it was nothing like the oppressive feeling of hopelessness she felt just moments ago. It made her uncomfortable that Lunafreya seemed aware of the pain she was feeling, and actually cared enough to be concerned. Why would anyone waste their time caring about me, anyway?

Finally, Lydia just let out a small huff and shrugged. "Right. Probably."

Lunafreya then looked like she was preparing to say something else, but Ravus interjected first. "I'd prefer to avoid wasting time," he said, causing both women to look up. "So I'd like to make it clear that once we land in Lucis, you're on your own. I won't risk mine or Lunafreya's safety for you. Understood?"

"Ravus!" Lunafreya said with the fierce look on her face. She looked like she was about to chew him out for being so abrupt, but Lydia just nodded. She wasn't keen to argue—and to be honest, she agreed with him.

"I get it," she told him, meeting his eyes earnestly. "I'll be out of your hair right away."

Lunafreya turned back to her, shaking her head. "You don't need to humor him, Lydia. He's just being difficult."

Ravus paused and then looked Lunafreya square in the face. Despite his serious expression, the look of disbelief was almost comical. "Are you truly that ignorant or are you just willfully reckless?" he asked his sister.

"I am well aware of the dangers, Ravus," Lunafreya said calmly. "But so is Lydia. Is it really necessary to put on this tough act now?"

Lydia raised an eyebrow, a little surprised by this sterner side of the Princess. Clearly, she and her brother were very different people and clashed on several fronts. But they seemed to care about each other, at least. Siblings would be siblings, she supposed.

Ravus appeared absolutely livid for about half a second, but then he just glared at her and said, "For the sake of saving time and energy, I'll pretend you didn't just say that. As I was saying, Lydia—you'll be on your own. But you are more than welcome to use the vessel I have stationed on the River Wennath. There's an Imperial Base in Southern Lucis, and it's not far from there. Once you're secure in the vessel, you can easily let the river take you out to sea and make your way to Altissia from there." Pause. "It may require you to bypass a bit of security, though."

Lydia gave him a humorless smile. "I've been around the block. I can handle base security forces."

Like most people, he looked her up and down as if he didn't believe her. But then he added, "Fair enough. At this rate, I'm sure the people of Lucis would thank you for your services. I know I would."

Lydia's eyebrows furrowed and she looked at him with curious eyes. "I must say," she murmured, leaning back in the stool and clasping her hands behind her head. "For a guy who pledged his loyalty to Nilfheim, you sure don't seem very patriotic."

"I do what it takes to survive," he said simply.

A chuckle then escaped Lydia's lips, and she nodded in understanding. "Amen to that."

The silence that came after seemed uncharacteristically loud to Lydia, and she watched as a strange expression came over the High Commander's face. It seemed for a moment that a shadow passed over his eyes—like he was coming to a critical decision internally. Lydia and Lunafreya both seemed to notice this change in him, but neither of them dared to ask about it.

A few seconds later, Ravus seemed to make up his mind. To Lydia's surprise, he stepped forward and held out a small key to her. "I want to give you this before we arrive," he said. "It's the key to my vessel. Don't lose it. The boat—frankly, isn't even mine. It's a loan."

"Perhaps you can give it back to me if we meet again in Altissia," Lunafreya suggested. Truthfully, the very thought made Lydia feel ill. She wondered if she would even survive this life long enough to get there. While she had seen no sign of Ardyn since leaving Taelpar, she had the feeling that it was only a matter of time. And when she saw him, she didn't even know what she would say.

"Here's to hoping we all make it there in one piece," Lydia said softly, reaching out to take the key before stashing it in the same place she kept the Astral Coin.

Some time later, Ravus finally announced that they would be landing. Lydia thought to herself that the distance they traveled seemed incredibly short, considering that they were going all the way to the River Wennath—but she also considered that it was entirely possible she dozed off during the trip. She was so exhausted that she didn't even remember half of it, in hindsight.

As she headed to the edge of the ship and waited for it to open, she heard Ravus tell Lunafreya stay on board—but the Princess insisted she wanted to walk Lydia out and say goodbye properly. That seemed all well and good, until Lydia walked out with Lunafreya and Ravus behind her and realized she didn't recognize where she was. They were next to a road—but she couldn't see the anywhere. And the trees off to her right looked more consistent with what she might expect to see in the Fallgrove, not the forests of Old Lestallum. Had Ravus decided to drop her off early? Or...

"Oh my, I really do amaze myself sometimes."

Lydia froze in her tracks and made multiple profane remarks under her breath when she heard a familiar voice from behind. There was another Magitek Engine parked in the distance, and it only took a few seconds for a whole swarm of troopers to surround them. Then Ardyn, with fedora, trenchcoat and all, walked past her at an incredibly close distance—nearly brushing her shoulder with his arm as he emerged from behind them.

About eight to ten feet away from Lydia and her companions, Ardyn stopped and turned on his heel so he was facing them directly. Then, he held his hands out like an actor or comedian performing on stage and said, "When in doubt, always trust one's intuition. Somehow, I just knew you two would be drawn to one another." A shiver ran down her spine as he glanced back and forth between Lydia and Lunafreya. Then, with a small tsk sound, he added, "First rule of going on the run, Lydia. Companionship kills the cat."

"Oh, goody for you," Lydia clapped back sarcastically. "Should I give you a gold star for luck?"

His eyes narrowed, and he gave a small nod toward Ravus. "Well, I admit this would have been much more difficult without help from our High Commander. My deepest appreciation, good man."

There was a pause, and Lydia saw Lunafreya turn to her brother out of the corner of her eye. "Ravus, what is he talking about?" she asked in little more than a whisper.

It means the bastard sold me out.

"I had no choice," Ravus said, a hint of sadness lacing his tone. Then, more loudly so Ardyn could hear, he said, "You wanted her, didn't you? I did as you asked—so let Lunafreya and me go free."

Lunafreya gaped. "What? No! Ravus, how could you do this?"

Meanwhile, Ardyn just laughed. "My, my. Not the hero today, are we? Well—I have no quarrel with either you or the young Oracle now, so by all means. Take your leave."

"We're not going anywhere," Lunafreya said, her voice dropping half an octave as she stepped forward. She reacted in an almost violent effort to pull away when Ravus grabbed her arm. "Let me go, Ravus! We're not leaving her."

"Yes, we are," Ravus hissed. "We must."

Ravus was more than strong enough to overpower the frail Lunafreya, but at the last second she grabbed onto Lydia's arm in desperation. "I'm so sorry—I didn't know, Lydia."

Lydia knew that already to begin with, but seeing the kindness and earnest fear in Lunafreya's eyes reassured her. A part of her didn't want to see the Princess leave—but she also knew that Ravus was right, even if she was pissed at the guy for stabbing her in the back.

Then again, she'd let him.

With a solemn expression, Lydia removed Lunafreya's hand from her arm and held onto her hand briefly. "Just go. I'll be okay."

Lunafreya shook her head. "I won't abandon you." Stubborn woman.

Lydia glanced up at Ravus, and then back at Lunafreya before dropping her hand. "You have a duty to fulfill, remember?" she said. "I'll see you in Altissia."

She didn't hold the Princess's gaze long enough to see the expression that came over her face as Ravus started dragging her away. She didn't want to. Lunafreya's fear in that moment felt very much like her own, and she couldn't bear it. Not on top of her own swirling array of emotions.

A few seconds later, Lydia saw Ravus's Magitek Engine flying overhead as he, Lunafreya, and Pryna made their escape. And as it disappeared into the distance, Lydia returned her full attention to the man in front of her—the man she now fully recognized not only as her former best friend and lover, but as the Starscourge itself—Ardyn Izunia.

So yeah, Ravus... I love the guy, and I believe he's a good person at heart. But I also think of him as someone who would do ANYTHING to protect his sister, even if he had to lie and cheat a bit to do it. I don't anticipate him having a huge role in the story, but he will be back. In the next chapter, we'll be seeing what happens between Lydia and Ardyn... and that should be fun :)