2nd of October, M.E. 754
Gladio says Noct is training very nicely and making amazing progress. That said, Noct passed on an inclination to practice and train together, he and I. I find it an excellent idea. He and Gladio have become quite coordinated when practicing. They've worked out a few special attacks. However, as Noct and I were raised together and are so close, I am sure we can work out our paces without incident. We may even be able to surpass a few of the Masters, if we put our minds to it.
Prompto's also agreed to take lessons with a few of the Crownsguard, per his Majesty's request. I'm uncertain of his long-term plans in that regard. Perhaps as they are already so close, he views Prompto as a potential ally for his son in the future. In any case, the young lad seems nervous. Can't say I blame him. For a person of his station to receive a royal summons—and an order to train with the Royal Militia—must indeed seem rather daunting, despite his impressive accuracy with a firearm.
My assistant comes in daily with new scrapes and bruises. She grows more quiet and withdrawn by the hour, it seems. I wish I knew what was bothering her. I'd ask her outright, if I had the courage.
7th of October, M.E. 754
The battle just north of Keycatrich has turned afoul. I've heard we did manage to escape with minimal casualties.
Noct is becoming ever more stubborn. Still, avoiding his health check goes beyond belligerence. I'm the one holding the bag for not getting an official report to his Majesty.
I'm sure he's been avoiding me personally, as well. He's trying to postpone scrutiny or a lecture. Indeed, his days of relative freedom are becoming short. I can understand his desperation to hang on to his independence.
Still, between he and Aleya, this massive city is beginning to feel a bit cold and barren.
9th of October, M.E. 754
I believe I've worked out exactly what has been troubling my assistant. I went to the pantry today to claim a few ingredients—my newest attempt at a vegetable dish Noct will actually stomach—and I could overhear some of the Crownskeep in the kitchens. I must admit the rumors they are spreading had me entirely taken aback. It was beyond scandalous, and utterly absurd. But perhaps the most disturbing were not the rumors in and of themselves (which were bad enough) but the horribly prejudicial statements that accompanied them.
Not only have they labeled my assistant as an immoral, power-hungry manipulator, but the real reason they find such supposed behavior unacceptable is because she is a foreigner. Indeed, if the same rumors were spread about a native-born Lucian, perhaps they would have congratulated her.
I felt the need to halt the conversation at once, and so I intentionally rounded the corner. They no doubt caught the look in my eye, for they stumbled through a hasty but non-specific apology, curtsied, and left with extraordinary expedience.
My assistant is nothing like they would describe her. No, she is not power-mad. She will not attend even one official event with me, for fear of embarrassing me, or some such. She keeps her head lowered in official presences, and doesn't even like to be seen with me, if she can help it. She is not immoral. Rather, she is annoyingly conscious of her appearance and actions, and how they might be perceived by others. And as an assistant, no one could ask for better. She is dependable, punctual, well-organized, polite, and quite willing to reside in my shadow. It is on her merits that she won the position at my side; Not by means of manipulation, blackmail, or sensual persuasion. Aleya is, without doubt, a lady.
It's disturbing that such rumors are floating about. I certainly hope she has not gotten wind of their foul whisperings. Though, by her demeanor as of late, I'm almost certain she has.
11th of October, M.E. 754
Noctis has his heart set upon yet another camping trip. I've informed him Aleya and I are quite busy. It was as if he had gone deaf. I suppose in all fairness, he is the future ruler of our Kingdom. I know that one way or the other he will get what he wants. I may as well stop resisting and go along with it.
Every good tactician knows even when to surrender.
18th of October, M.E. 754
Camping it is. After a week's worth of bribery, apathy, negotiation, appeal, and chagrin, Noctis has indeed won this battle. Apparently, he wishes to kick off his best friend's birthday week with a few days in a tent, smelling of fish and sweat. We leave in the morning.
I'm afraid the news gets worse from here. As the largest excuse I've been clinging to is the sum of my duties, Noct believes he has solved that dilemma by inviting Aleya along to assist me in whatever needs doing while we're away. When I protested that she'd be the only woman and acutely uncomfortable, he invited along Iris. I'm sure Aleya will be thrilled with the task of babysitting. Maybe she's always wanted a younger sister. Here's hoping.
I'm not sure what I dread most—bringing Aleya, or bringing Iris. I'm sure it will make for an awkward weekend all the way around.
Gladio, I'm sure, will be thrilled. I'll have to insist we buy an extra tent along the way. For her comfort, of course.
Next time His Highness desires something, I'll bear this in mind: Best to compromise early, before the deal grows more sour.
Lucian Legacy Catfish dish:
Lucian Catfish Sea Salt Saxhom Rice Alstroom Lucian Tomato Wild Onion
20th of October, M.E. 754
Camping was not the complete shipwreck I had somehow imagined it to be. The girls put up their own tent. I found it interesting that Aleya brought along a fire bow for protection. She never needed it, but I would have loved to see her use it, arcing that arrow to space. The way she handled it, and the way it was cared for, made it obvious that she probably knew how to manage it very well. I'm not certain how many monsters she thought we were going to meet—the lights from Insomnia extend over our campsite—but it was quite adorable for her to carry it along like a seasoned warrior.
Beyond her bow, she had packed a bag about the size of Prompto's satchel. However, it was full of books, her laptop, and various office supplies. When I questioned, she said she had managed to squeeze a set of sleepwear in the corner. She obviously viewed the whole experience as a work trip, and she wasn't going to settle for any less. It might have had something to do with my excuse that I had an enormously full task list.
So once I unpacked my portion of the trunk—cooking equipment and ingredients, mostly—she and I set to work. Gladio, Noct, Prompto, and Iris had decided to climb the metal gate that expanded the borders of Insomnia to go fishing. She helped me cook, but otherwise, she was perfectly fine with tapping in data. She barely looked up.
She cleaned up after the meal, even though I told her she didn't have to. Only when we gathered around to play a round of poker did she settle down to relax a bit. She didn't feel the need to be dealt in herself, but she wanted to hang over my shoulder—quite literally. Any brief surprise and embarrassment at having her arm draped over my shoulder quickly faded, though. After all, Iris was leaning heavily upon Gladio as well. (Actually, upon retrospect, I'm surprised Aleya didn't occupy that position. She's fond of Gladio.) No, I'm convinced that Aleya meant nothing by it. She was simply enjoying herself, and she is comfortable with me. I am her employer, and her friend. Absolutely, positively nothing more.
When the game wore on and the chatter began to slow, I realized she had retreated her tent to sleep. Prompto did not linger much more, either. He simply tilted his head back and dozed, mouth falling open occasionally.
I'm not sure how long Gladio and Noctis stayed awake. I, of course, did the practical thing and went to sleep myself.
As per the usual, when I woke first this morning, I exited to make coffee—and found Aleya already over the stove. She had a fist in her lower back. I'm sure the rock-hard surface we slept on was not the most pleasant experience for her.
It's the most casual I've ever seen her groomed. She was, in fact, still in her pajamas, with her jacket flung over her shoulders. Her hair was down. Honestly, I'm beyond embarrassed to admit it, but I found myself staring. There's no shame in it, I suppose. My assistant is pleasing to look at; It's part of why I feel I must keep an eye on her whereabouts and goings-on. However, it's quite an unnerving experience to feel I've lost all common sense. This is especially true due to the fact that I've spent my whole life ensuring a robust patten of thought, decision, and action.
In theory, I could have simply been surprised to find her there, I suppose. I'm ashamed to admit however, my stare was attributed to a bit more of a reflection on how she looked in the wee hours of the morning—lovely, even before being polished and groomed. And I realized all at once the dangers of keeping a female assistant.
I barely managed to regain my composure before she turned to me—equally startled to find me awake and standing there—and offered me coffee. Then, I had to set to the task of normalcy, talking to her for well over an hour before anyone else woke. We talked about work—of course, the safest subject. However, I am somewhat surprised myself at how intrigued I seemed to be regarding her.
Yes, it is a dangerous thing indeed to have an attractive and rather charming female for an assistant.
I mustn't lose sight of my aspirations. Alas, I fear my life now—as well as my future—bodes ill for any diversion, especially of the opposite gender.
On reflection, I suppose the camping expedition was awkward, after all.
Look at this. I've managed to fill three pages worth, every page regarding her. This simply cannot be tolerated. I must focus my thoughts and move forward, placing all these tumultuous experiences behind me. I've no aspirations for a relationship with my assistant. Of that, I am most certain!
25th of October, M.E. 754
It was Prompto's birthday today. One solid day of my life I won't be able to recover.
I supposed I was obliged to go, as Noct was going. Wherever he goes, I follow, after all. It's not that I dislike Prompto. I think for his age and upbringing he is a perfectly likable young man. It's just that he and I are so….different. I'm revel in peace and quiet, whereas he is flamboyant and boisterous. I prefer music, art, and literature, and he prefers pop culture and comic books. I dress stylishly and…well, I suppose that's enough comparisons. Despite us being on the opposite end of every imaginable spectrum, however, Noct seems to be able to keep us on civil terms. He balances our synergy a bit. Therefore, large parts of the day were decidedly enjoyable.
We all took Noct's car—he's eager to drive; The new of the experience hasn't worn off yet, unfortunately. We arrived home without incident, so I suppose that's a success.
First, we went to the shooting range. The only one that couldn't hit an accurate target was Gladio. It must have been difficult for his bravado to endure, especially as he brought two women with him. Neither were Aleya. I know for a fact he's attracted to my assistant, and it seems she's attracted to him. In fact, I'm fairly positive they're dating. Why would he choose to spend his time with two other women? That thought troubled me deeply.
Far be it for me to lecture.
Next on the list was the movies. It was something particularly mind-numbingly ridiculous, but Noct and Prompto enjoyed it thoroughly. A speaking, fully-dressed feline that could single-handedly save the world….Odin save me.
Gladio sat on another aisle above us, girls flanking each side. They giggled witlessly during the entire movie. I was raging inwardly regarding his infidelity nearly all day, thanking the astrals Aleya didn't witness any of this nonsense. And then, the unthinkable occurred—after our dinner, she walked right in to the Karaoke bar.
She looked to be breathless, and wore something I'd never seen her in before—casual attire. Her hair was bound in two tight braids. Not just that, she wore a shirt that hovered right at her waist line. If she raised her arms, the shirt would come up too, to reveal a bit of bare midriff. I was horrified. I wanted to hand her my jacket and button it up myself. Didn't she know to better than to be dressed in such a way, especially so late in the evening?
Prompto was over the moon she had arrived. She apologized to us all for being late—she said she had practice late into the evening and hadn't time to change. (Strange, though, that she had Crownguard militia training at such a late hour.) I hadn't even realized she had been invited to come along. Though I could certainly see why—Prompto looked her over as if she were some sort of street food he hadn't tried, yet.
I suppose late-night training explains her attire. Barely.
Noct high-fived her, Gladio threw his arm around her to guide her to our rented space, and the two women he came with scowled at her. They did not appear very happy. That made three of us. How could he spend all day with those two and then suddenly welcome Aleya as if nothing had happened? And surely Aleya wasn't blind—she saw those two women. Either she's the most forgiving female in the world or she truly has lost her mind. Even stranger, she and Gladio simply parted once we were settled into the room, and the two girls took their stations by his side. Aleya seemed completely unbothered. This opens all kinds of possibilities as to the nature of their relationship that I don't even dare ponder.
Prompto spent most of the time on the microphone, of course. Noctis, Aleya, and myself abstained. Gladio cheered on his two guests. Once settled in, Aleya's cheerful façade faded away and she melted into an appearance of total fatigue. As I was sitting next to her, and everyone else was fully invested in the entertainment, I suppose I was the only one to notice. She kept sinking further and further into her chair until I realized she was asleep. That's when I noticed there was a scar on the lower part of her throat, recently seared with elixir to mend the wound.
That was unsettling. For a blade to strike her in the throat, the injury would have been worrisome. Training was becoming intense, no doubt. No wonder she was exhausted. Immediately her anemia popped into my mind. I began to grow concerned she had lost too much blood, that she wasn't eating properly, and she had pushed herself too hard.
I can't worry about those things, though. If anyone should worry about it, it should be Gladio.
Once it was all over, everyone chuckled about how Aleya couldn't handle her liquor, but she hadn't a single sip. Noct woke her up. She was embarrassed, as I figured she would be. Gladio drove her home.
All in all, a diverting day. I'm sure Prompto found it delightful. However, I see I've written far more detail than I should, and another half a page about my assistant.
It's not that I think about her overly much. It's just that she literally is by my side for the majority of my waking hours. I see her more than Noctis. What else would I write about?