Day 44:
No discussion passed about not leaving Reina alone with Ardyn. It was understood. And yet, somewhere between putting the boat back together and preparing for departure, that was precisely what happened.
For a brief, terrifying moment, Ignis thought Reina had vanished altogether. The marshal's instructions that someone keep an eye on her at all times had not been a suggestion—nor a baseless concern. If she had already slipped away on her own twice, she would likely try again. Indeed, she had little reason not to.
But Ignis caught sight of her atop the lighthouse before he chased Cor down in a panic. He stopped at the base staring up as he willed his heartbeat to slow down to a more reasonable pace once more. As he watched, another person appeared at the top.
Ardyn.
So much for catching his breath.
Ignis pushed the lighthouse doors open and sprinted up the curling spiral staircase inside. Three quarters of the way there his senses caught up with him. Neither of them were likely to look kindly on him if he barged into what was undoubtedly a private conversation. They were also unlikely to look kindly on him eavesdropping. For the latter consideration, it was too late.
Through the open door at the top he could hear their voices drifting down. The inside of the tower carried the sound well, if with something of an echo. He ought have turned around then. It was unseemly of him to listen in on the princess' conversations. Her words caught his ears, however, and his attention.
"If they knew, they would do the same thing they did in my Dream."
Ignis stopped sideways on the stairs, frozen. Of whom did she speak? Presumably of himself, Cor, and Iris. And what, precisely, had they done in her Dream? What had they known?
Whatever it was, she thought herself a monster. That much was made clear in those few moments. It was all he could do to stop himself walking the rest of the way up and stopping those thoughts in their tracks. Protecting the princess meant fighting away devils who whispered terrible ideas in her ear. Doubtless Ardyn had—
"What you did? Little Dreamer, what you did was protect Lucis and everyone in it from the darkness, awaiting the Chosen King's return."
—had told her she was wrong, that she had done nothing to think ill of.
Ignis looked up at the open door, nonplussed. That was Ardyn up there, surely. It was his voice, and yet he spoke words Ignis had never imagined from him. He was actually… encouraging her?
He told them day and night they couldn't trust him, implied the same with his crooked smiles and evil stares. Ignis had taken that to believe they could trust him to behave in a way contrary to their best interests. Perhaps they couldn't even trust that.
He had some ulterior motive. There was no other explanation.
Ignis waited, hardly breathing, and listened for it.
It never came.
But listening to Reina speak with one who evidently knew what had occurred in her Dream gave insights he never would have found anywhere else:
"They called me the Daemon Queen."
"People used to flinch when I looked at them."
"Cor said himself he was glad Father was dead so he never saw what I became."
It was difficult to imagine a world in which Cor would have uttered those words. What would he have said, if Ignis passed this information on to him?
That it hadn't been him. Only the person that he had never become.
Ignis stood, frozen, catching a glimpse into Reina's nightmare of an existence and a side of Ardyn he had never even begun to imagine existed. More understanding, more empathy—if that was the word—than a man branded Adagium had any right bearing.
He told her she was a fool for refusing to listen. It may have been what she needed to hear, but Ignis never could have said anything close. Whatever else she may have been, she was still his princess.
Footsteps sounded on the metal platform above. His time was up. He should have left much sooner, but there was nothing to do now save turn and proceed down as quietly as he could. By some miracle he reached the bottom and was outside looking up before Ardyn caught sight of him.
Reina remained at the top of the lighthouse. Even as Ignis watched, she hardly moved. But a moment later the door opened and Ardyn walked out.
"And what do I find but the princess' faithful retainer, keeping keen eyes on his prize," Ardyn said.
"And if I were?"
"Then I would advise you to keep a closer watch," he said. "Oh, but whyever would you listen to me? I am evil incarnate, after all. Carry on from afar. It will, doubtless, turn out just fine."