Disclaimer: not mine
Chapter 15
Prompto ran a towel through his hair, drying it, before running a brush through it. He then went to work putting his braids back in. First were his two clan braids, one for the Peverell and the other for Ulric, each braid subtly different and ended in the clan bead, smaller beads threaded through the braid to list accomplishments to honour the clan. Then there was the braid for clan heir to the Ulric which had been a shock, but they were one of the few strictly Patriarchal clans which meant it couldn't be Crowe, not that she wanted the spot. The final braid made him smile, the Peverell courting braid that Harry had placed in his hair for the first time six months ago.
He hadn't seen his 'parents' since before he was clan adopted and he sometimes wondered what they'd think if they saw him now. Hair braided and now with the small, subtle tattoos of the Galahd. He had a line and a dot under his right eye and a line down the forefinger of his right hand to signify he had passed his manhood hunt. That had been…interesting and the first time he'd left the city since Cor had brought him as a child. The one under his eye indicated he had incredibly keen eyesight, even better than Nyx who wore his under his left eye. More could come in time as he earned them.
He grabbed his boots and sat to put them on, settled his kukris into place at the small of his back, and grabbed his vest before leaving his apartment, waving as Libertus walked down the hall. He loved living in Little Galahd! He felt accepted in a way he hadn't anywhere else, no matter where he'd been 'born' he was now accepted as one of them. It had taken him a while to get used to the blades but they were the traditions weapon of the Ulric clan so he carried one in a holster at his back, hidden by his uniform vest, and its partner was kept in the Armiger, ready to be called in a second.
"Hey kid," Libertus greeted.
"Hi Libertus, I heard you're heading out soon?"
"Yeah, we're being deployed now that the Mages are back to full strength."
"You'll be careful," Prompto told him, and he chuckled, slapping him on the shoulder.
"Always am, I'm not Nyx," they both laughed at that and then parted, Prompto heading for the Citadel.
Ignis was the only one of Noct's Retainers who actually lived at the Citadel with him, Gladio lived at the Amicitia home while Prompto had his apartment. He was two floors up from Harry which was nice. He had refused Noctis' offer of staying at his old apartment, it felt too much like charity, and it had been Nyx who had pointed out that he could live in Little Galahd and then Harry had mentioned the empty apartment in his building and the rest was history. It was tiny yeah, but he didn't need more. Technically speaking, the Argentum's hadn't kicked him out, but the house going up for sale had made it pretty clear that they were done with him. It didn't matter, they'd barely been in his life for years before he'd ever turned eighteen. He had a better, bigger, family now.
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Noctis collapsed on the bench, breathing hard, glaring at his cousin who was barely breathing faster. Harry caught the look and laughed, tossing him a water bottle.
"Show off," he grumbled, but drank the water. He knew he had come a long way over the last three years since Harry had arrived but he still wasn't up to Harry or his Dad's level and he probably never would be.
"Hey, you're doing great," Harry sat beside him, and Noctis leant against him, ignoring how sweaty they were.
"Thanks," he murmured, worn out.
"Come on, shower time," Harry nudged him, and he groaned, but got up and headed for the shower room attached to the private training room rather than walk through the Citadel covered in sweat.
They were soon clean and dressed in fresh clothing, heading back to Noctis' suite. "So, how goes the courting?" he asked, as they collapsed on the couches. "Don't think I haven't noticed Prom sporting a new braid the last few months, any special meaning?" he teased.
Harry rolled his eyes. "It's a courting braid, as if you hadn't guessed."
Noctis smiled. "Good, I'm happy for you both."
"What about you? Lady Meren's daughter?"
Noctis groaned. "Elisa and no, we are not courting! There is no one in Court that I want to…well, court, let alone end up tied to for life."
"Poor Noct," Harry commiserated cheekily.
Noctis took the mature route and stuck his tongue out at his cousin before smirking. "So…when's the wedding?"
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Harry sat beside Cor, reading the various reports and feeling horrible.
"Forget it kid, Regis would never sanction it," Cor said, and Harry looked up at him in confusion. "We are not sending you to the front, even if you did agree to admit to exactly who you are related to."
"The war's never going to end the way it's going, we just can't get the numbers unless conscription is brought in and that would cause rioting. Insomnian's don't want to see what's happening beyond the Wall, to them everything is just fine," he pointed out what they both knew. Recruitment numbers for both the Glaive and Guard had been steadily dropping since the last influx of refugees when Harry had arrived, and it had been nearly non-existent before that wave.
"And…I think it's more than that," Harry admitted.
"What do you mean?" Cor asked.
"Some of the reports…I think we might have a spy or two."
"What makes you say that?" he asked, so Harry began pointing out the evidence.
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Prompto grinned and kissed Harry, hands on his waist, Harry's hands on his own waist as Prompto straddled him on the bed, Harry sitting up against the wall. Time alone together had become scarce once Prompto had joined the Guard, he was expected to be at Noct's side most of the time, or on duty elsewhere to continue learning since he hadn't grown up as part of the Citadel like Gladio and Ignis.
They parted and Harry pushed Prompto's braids back behind his ear, stroking his cheek. Prompto blushed slightly at the look in his eyes, he still struggled with anyone finding him attractive or caring about him. Harry tugged him into another, gentler, kiss. "I love you Prom," Harry whispered, and Prompto pressed closer, resting his head on his shoulder.
"Love you Harry." They'd been dating for two years, officially 'courting' by Galahd standards for almost eight months now, and he knew that Harry was it for him. Harry had to be the least 'Royal' Royal ever, but Prompto had still had to 'meet' the King as more than Noct's best friend or new Crownsguard, he'd had to meet him as his cousins boyfriend…and that had been the scariest meeting of them all.
Still, he knew one day it could all come out and while it terrified him, he couldn't leave Harry. They'd talked about what it would mean to date known Royalty, and Prompto had talked to Cor about it, the Marshal had cleared it with the King so Prompto could tell Harry the truth about his own past….but he still hadn't been able to do it. He had to, before things could go any further between them, physically or legally. It'd break his heart if Harry couldn't accept what he was, even more than if Noct turned his back on him. Noctis was his best friend and he loved him, but Harry was different.
"Hey, you okay," Harry asked softly, a hand running up and down his t-shirt clad back.
"I…I'm sorry," he forced out, and Harry's grip on him tightened.
"For what?" he asked gently.
"I should have told you, Cor said I could but…I…I'm scared," he admitted shakily, unable to lift his head and look at him.
"Shhh, it's okay Prom, you can tell me anything," Harry answered, and then Prompto felt his fingers rub over the black leather band he wore around his wrist, stiffening. He couldn't know…could he. "Is this it?" Harry asked.
Prompto was trembling, face pressed hard into Harry's shoulder. How could he know?
"I saw your wrist ages ago Prom, remember when you got caught on that open door and it snapped the band off. I saw your tattoo."
"It's…it's not a tattoo," he choked.
"I've seen code marks like it before, in intelligence reports," Harry admitted, and Prompto stiffened, unable to breath. Harry shifted and Prompto found him gently urging his head up, their eyes meeting. "It's okay Prom, I love you."
"I'm…I'm an MT," he gasped out, waiting for him to retract his love declaration, to summon a weapon, call the Guard…something.
"You're not," Harry denied, and Prompto shook his head, he didn't believe him? "Prompto I've seen you bleed, your blood is as red and human as mine.
Prompto grabbed Harry's hand and pressed it to where the port in his arm was, he'd spent his whole life in Insomnia making sure no one found it and now he was making Harry find it. "I was made in a lab," he whispered. "I…I should have told you before…"
Harry gently pressed on the skin, Prompto fighting to not pull back as he felt Harry find the metal beneath his skin. "Oh Prom," and then lips were pressing to his, soft and gentle. "I've always known you were from Niflheim, you look way too much like a certain member of government there for it to be a coincidence. Honestly I'm shocked no one's ever commented on it, just given the more standard slurs. It doesn't change anything, you're still Prompto."
"But…"
"Are you planning on betraying us and helping the Empire? Killing the King or Noct?"
"What? NO!" he denied, eyes wide, did Harry really think…
Harry smiled at him. "Then what does it change?"
"But I'm…I'm just a science experiment."
"You are Prompto Ulric-Peverell, member of the Crownsguard and Retainer to Prince Noctis. The person I am very much in love with," Harry smiled again. "That is what matters, who you chose to be, not what the Empire wanted."
"Really?" he asked, and Harry nodded.
"Really," Harry promised. "Now come here," Harry shifted to lie on the bed, and Prompto followed, curling into his side. They lay together all night, Harry gently rubbing his back until Prompto fell asleep.
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Harry held Prom as he slept, happy that Prompto had told him, and feeling even worse over the secrets he was still keeping. He had to tell him and something told him that he was running out of time. Something was coming…
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"All units, move to secure the wall. If they break through, we're done."
"What's the hold-up, Crowe? Crowe! Status?" Libertus yelled into his comm, ducking behind some cover.
"Almost there," she answered, voice strained.
"I need help."
"East wall's going down."
"Pelna, can you get to me?" that was Nyx, and Libertus risked lifting his head to search for his best friend in the mess the battle field had become.
Lucis isn't paying us refugees enough for this," he muttered before taking off, throwing himself into a group of MT's, blades dancing.
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"We need support on the east flank."
"Nyx, where are you?"
"I'm on my way," he promised, patting Pelna's shoulder. "Pelna, fall back and regroup with the others."
"Go easy on the magic, hero. You got people waiting for you back home," Pelna warned, and he nodded.
"I'm worth the wait," he promised, besides Harry would find a way to bring him back and kill him again for giving Prom the extra stress of ending up Clan Head so young. He threw his blade, warping after it, just hearing Pelna's mutter as he vanished.
"Show-off."
"Watch your back, Libertus."
"We got more incoming."
We ain't gonna last much longer."
Nyx mostly ignored the voices on the comm as he worked to push back the daemons, glancing up at where the magic was building. "Crowe!" he called.
"Yes!" she yelled, and he grinned as the magic hit critical, a burning tornado touching down to consume the daemons and MT's.
"All glaives, fall back. Repeat, all glaives fall back!" Luche's voice called over the comm and Nyx took off running. The magic would suck up anything and everything in its way, Imperial or Lucian.
He slid behind a broken pillar, out of range of the sucking winds, panting, only to hear screams and swearing. He glanced back and his eyes widened as he saw the massive thing being delivered onto the battlefield. Was that really a daemon?
"We can't take down that daemon. I'm ordering a full retreat. Get back here alive. That's an order. For hearth and home," Drautos' stern voice came over the line.
"All units, fall back to the extraction point. Support is inbound," Luche added a minute later.
"Nyx!" he heard a yell and glanced over at his fellow Glaive who had just warped in, not sure who it was with the hood and mask in place, the wind robbing the voice of distinguishing tones. "We have to get out of here."
"Nyx!" Crowe yelled over the comm, as if knowing he wasn't retreating yet.
"We have orders!"
"Yeah," he agreed, getting ready to move.
"Help! Nyx!"
He looked out and grimaced as he saw Libertus, pinned down with a Cerberus of all things headed right for him. "Oh, that idiot," he growled, grabbing one of his kukris.
"Nyx!"
He ignored the call and warped.
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"Luche, report," Titus ordered as he left the vehicle, glancing around at the ragged group, the wounded already being seen too.
"The imperial forces look to be withdrawing, sir." Luche answered, appearing totally puzzled by the move when in fact it had all been planned.
"Guess I owe you another one," the familiar voice of Ostium reached them, and Titus looked to see him on a stretcher, Ulric keeping pace beside it.
"I'll put it on your tab. You just try and get some rest, all right?"
Titus walked towards him as Ostium was carried away, seeing Ulric stiffen as soon as he spotted him. "You disobeyed a direct order to retreat," he growled. The younger man had his uses but oh he was frustrating. He would be good on their side, but for some reason he was just too loyal to the King.
"For hearth and home, right, sir?" he shrugged, leaning tiredly against a truck. "As long as I got strength in my body, I obey that order."
"Don't fool yourself, Nyx Ulric," he snapped. "Whatever strength you have is on loan from the king. You are nothing without him. Await details of your reassignment." He walked away before he could say more. Sometimes he was tempted to send him on a suicide mission just so he could get some peace, but his skill with the King's magic had its own uses.
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Nyx watched as Libertus was unloaded from the van, and then looked up as someone approached, mustering a grin for the younger man,
"You look a mess," Harry told him, looking Libertus over before breaking a hi-potion over him.
"Harry…"
"Don't argue Libertus, I'm not on the front lines so I can spare them. The sooner you're back on your feet the better," Harry scolded, and Nyx smothered a grin.
Harry was always slipping them curatives, enough that someone in power had to know since Harry wasn't in a combat position where he'd need to be replacing them often. That meant whoever it was had no issue with them being slipped to the Glaive and even civilians in the neighbourhood who were in need. Maybe he didn't even get them officially but from the Prince since he could make them too. It was well known that Prince Noctis supported the Glaive and Galahd especially, had even before meeting Harry and Prompto's adoption.
They watched as Libertus was carried away just to be safe.
"So, did they really retreat?" Harry asked quietly.
"Yeah…they had us and they left."
"A test?" Harry offered, and Nyx shrugged. 'Let me know if you need anything." He then left and Nyx went to clean up before heading home to get some sleep.
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Harry stood off to the side of the throne in uniform, technically on guard duty, but unofficially there in his role as Royal something of an apprentice to Cor.
"Yes, your Majesty. Despite their victory all but assured," Titus reported.
"A sudden and inexplicable retreat?" one of the council called in disbelief.
Harry wanted to glance at Regis to see his reaction but remained unmoving, just listening. Why would they simply pull back when they were winning? It didn't make any sense.
"We are at risk nonetheless, your Majesty. We cannot know when they will strike again," Clarus spoke up before anyone could get too excited over the first 'victory' in far too long.
One of Harry's fellow Guard approached and bowed. "Your Majesty, word from the west gate. A man claiming to be an envoy of the empire requests an audience."
And chaos reigned.
TBC…
