11 Years Later

Rosalie has grown into a beautiful young woman. People continued to comment on how she was the perfect combination of her mother and father. Rosalie's hair had grown a lot but continued to keep it around shoulder length. Having figured out a couple of years prior that she has a cowlick that sticks up every so often where her hair parts on the right side of her head. Her hair would become messier if it got wet before drying. She didn't grow very tall in eleven years. A trait which she had gotten from her mother. She proudly stood "tall" at barely even five foot.

She was currently sitting in her room looking through a photo album. Starting from the beginning of the album began with when she was eleven and had returned to Insomnia with her father, where she reunited with her friends. Her father had taken the first couple of pictures. The very first was of her knocking Noctis off his feet when he came to greet her in front of the Citadel. The next photo was of her attacking Gladio in a hug from behind. And another picture was of her accidentally knocking Ignis' glasses off as she hugged him. Then the next was of her bashfully handing them back to a slightly angered Ignis.

A smile graced her features as she looked through some of the great times she had with the boys when they were younger. She let out a small laugh as she turned the page to find a large photo that someone had taken of all four of them falling asleep in Noctis' room. None of them were on the bed. Gladio was passed out on his back like a starfish. His right arm was laying on Ignis' head. Ignis' glasses were an unknown location. Herself was using both Gladio and Ignis as her mattress and Noctis' stomach as her pillow. Noctis was in the most unusual position, one leg was underneath the bed, and other was propped up by the bed, his left arm was underneath his head. They had to be no older than thirteen.

Rosalie pulled out her phone she decided to message Noctis to tell him what she found knowing it would embarrass him. While waiting for a reply from him, she continued to look through the album finding a picture of her and Gladio's little sister Iris. Gladio introduced them there was no stopping the two from hanging out with them. Rosalie had shortly figured out in the short time she knew Iris that she had a small crush on the crowned prince.

Her phone let out a ding signifying that Noct had replied to her. The simplicity of the message made her throw her head back and let out a laugh. Rosalie was done laughing she typed a response.

Noct: Burn it.

Rosie: Ha. Never. We all look too cute to burn it.

Noct: I hate you.

Rosie: Love you too!

Before she locked her phone, she noticed that she should plug it in because it was almost dead. Before she had a chance to there was a knock on her door.

"Yes?" She called out from her desk that she was sitting at.

"Rosalie it's me." A rather deep voice called out from the other side of the door.

"Come on in Rex." She said to her guard.

"It's time for you to get ready," Rex said as he chuckled at her shocked expression.

"You're kidding! It's that late already!"

Quickly she tossed her phone on her bed and ran to her closet to grab the dress bag then ran into the bathroom to change. While she was changing Rex, let the smile that was on his face drop. He had a feeling that something bad was going to happen tonight. He had checked everything, guards that would be present at the event and outside of the capital building, even to the guest list but found nothing that would raise suspicion.

Tonight was the night where the King was to announce his daughter's engagement to some noble he had business dealings with. 'Xander was his name,' Rex thought to himself. In all honesty, he didn't trust Xander or his grease ball of a father. Granted Rex didn't trust anyone but the royal family. But he knew that Xander's dad might be planning something, he couldn't be for sure. There were a lot of growing tensions from this continuing war with the Niflheim Empire. 'How far is Niflheim willing to go to get what they want.' Before he could continue his thoughts, Rosalie walked out of the bathroom.

"Could you help zip this up?" She asked him as she turned around to reveal a halfway zipped dress. Rex chuckled silently as he walked over to her and quickly zipped it up. She thanked him with a smile as she walked over to her door to put on her shoes that go with the dress. With a heavy sigh, she looked at herself in the mirror.

"I don't want to be engaged to Xander. I barely know him, and what little I do know of him, I don't like." She said to Rex in honesty.

She knew that this was only for the well being of the kingdom. She always hoped she would get to know the man she was to marry and hopefully love him. But this was rushed like her father wanted her to be married before something happened. What? She could only assume that Niflheim was closing in on their borders. Rosalie didn't know any information concerning the war, her father nor Rex would tell her anything. Snapping out of her daze when she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"We should get going, my lady," Rex said softly to Rosalie as he opened the door for her.

"Rex, what did I tell you about calling me 'my lady'?" She asked with a small smile.

"If I remember correctly you threatened to cut all my hair off in my sleep." He said as he sent her a sly smirk.

"I will still hold faithful to that threat." She said with a laugh. Rosalie knew he was only trying to ease her nerves about tonight.

Smiling she walked out of her room towards the main entrance where she was to meet her father and to greet guests as they walked in. Rex stayed behind to look around to see if Rosalie left anything important in her room. He saw the phone on her bed and quickly grabbed before putting it in the inside pocket of his jacket. Before Rex left, he looked over at her desk and saw her photo album. It wasn't huge, picking it up he easily slid this into his jacket. With one last look around the room, he let out a sigh as he closed the door. Making his way to the main room where the guests were gathering around chattering about random nonsense while drinking wine and eating some of the food that was set out.

Rosalie gave her father a bright smile as she hugged him.

"You look beautiful my dear," Matthias said gently as he gazed at his daughter his eyes full of happiness, but held an underlying emotion.

"Thank you, Papa." She said as she blushed softly at her father's words.

Her smile soon dropped as she noticed Xander and his father made their way over to them. Quickly she put on a fake smile as she bowed her head towards the two nobles. But she didn't speak one word in greeting to them. Her father sent her a look of understanding as he greeted them.

"Xander, Rufus. How good to see the both of you again." Matthias said with a strained smile.

"Of course King Matthias, tonight will be a lovely night to announce your daughter's engagement to my son," Rufus said with a hearty laugh as he looked over at Rosalie, his eyes looking her figure up and down causing her to shift uncomfortably. Rex who was standing nearby noticed her discomfort and decided to come to her aid.

"My Lady they are about to start the music. Would you care to dance?" He asked her politely as he bowed to her.

"Yes, that would be delightful." She said softly as she took his arm and walked with him to the dance floor. Rosalie let out a sigh of relief she looked up at Rex.

"Thank you so much for saving me. Sir Rufus' gaze was disturbing." She shuddered at the mere thought of it.

"Of course," Rex replied with a soft smile.

The music was starting up as the two of them took their spots on the ballroom floor and began to dance once the music started. It was a traditional waltz, so Rosalie didn't have to worry about tripping over her own feet as she danced and since she with Rex she could step on his feet as much as she liked. Much to his displeasure. By the middle of the dance Rex's feet were killing him as Rosalie dug her feet into them. Rex felt a tap on his shoulder, stopping he looked and saw that it was the King.

"May I cut in?" Matthias asked with a small smile.

"Gladly," Rex said with a chuckle as he handed her over to her father. Before Rex could walk away, King Matthias whispered something into Rex's ear. Rex nodded before walking away and out of the room altogether.

"What was that about?" Rosalie questioned as her, and her father started dancing.

"Oh, I asked Rex to go and do a simple task for me. It's nothing for you to worry about." He softly said as he held his daughter close.

Rosalie was surprised that her father was holding firmly, but she didn't question it. She smiled with content as she enjoyed the warmth in her father's embrace. Her head was buried in his chest, and his head was on top of hers. Soon she pulled away when she felt something wet on top of her head. Looking up at her father she saw that he was crying. Unbeknownst to her, some of the guards stationed around the room were moving. Closer to the center of the floor where the royals were dancing.

"Papa? What's wrong?" She asked worriedly.

"It's nothing; I just wish that this moment would never end. You look so much like your mother, much more than you realize." By now they weren't dancing anymore, they were stopped in the middle of the room while others danced around them. Matthias took a deep breath before continuing.

"My dearest Rosalie. I am sorry for the events that are about to happen. You mean everything to me and I regret the fact that I won't be able to see you grow up and marry the man that you will love. Take this, always keep it with you. Never forget who you truly are." He said as he put an object in her hand and kissed her forehead.

"Papa...I don't understand." She asked while seeing that the object her father put in her hand was the ring that he wore. The Ring of Kings. It was passed down from king to king in their family. Before she could question him; he pushed her away into someone's arms.

"Go. Now." King Matthias ordered.

"Right away," Rex responded as he gripped Rosalie's arm and pulled her behind him as he made his sword appear and took a stance as a guard rushed them with his sword.

The clash of metal against each other was enough for Rosalie to realize what was going on. Quickly, turning to her father, she saw that he had his sword out and had summoned his most powerful creature, His Guardian. Rosalie tried to make her sword appear to help, but Rex quickly pulled her along as the other guards pulled out guns and were pointing them at everyone who on the royal court. Rosalie realized they weren't Lemurian Guards they were The Empire's Magitek troops, disguised to be their guards. Once she came to this realization, she let out a scream as helpless people were slaughtered right before her eyes. Rex picked her up and started running, dodging everyone who was trying to run away themselves.

Tears were streaming down her face as she reached out towards her father who was in the midst of battling. Things weren't looking good. His Guardian was close to being defeated by the inhuman troops. Before she could no longer see him, she saw that he sent her a pained smile. Time seemed to slow down as Rosalie saw a blade ran through his body from behind. She screamed once more before she couldn't see him anymore.

Rex was saying curses as he ran towards the doors leading to outside. He confronted troops swearing he had to set Rosalie down to fight them. Shaking her a bit, he growled in frustration.
"I know a lot has happened, but you need to fight! Fight so that you can live to see another day as your father wanted!"

Rosalie didn't say anything as she made her sword appear before taking a stance. Rex knew he would have to keep an eye on her as he fought because she wasn't entirely focused. A couple of magitek troops ran towards them; two had guns the other was much larger and had a giant axe. Rex was quick to confront the biggest of the three, so Rosalie didn't have to. She was ready to find cover as they shot at her. If there was one thing Rosalie knew, it was that magitek troops were slow to reload. Once there was a break in the firing she ran forwards and ran her blade through the weak spot in the armor of one. Before quickly taking out the other one with a few strokes of her blade. Seeing that Rex was having slight trouble with the bigger trooper, she decided to use her magic. Concentrating she yelled at Rex to stand back, once he was far enough away she cast a fire spell making the trooper going up in flames before exploding.

Grabbing her hand, Rex pulled her out the doors down to the car he had waiting. Pushing her in as he heard shots being fired at them. "Shit!" He yelled loudly before climbing into the driver's seat, turning the key that was in the ignition. The car wouldn't turn over. "Stupid piece of shit!" Right as he yelled this, the car roared to life, and he quickly drove away from the battle that was continuing between the magitek troops the Lemurian guards.

Rosalie was staring in horror out the window at everything that was happening. Tears continued to stream down her face. She let out a sob as she witnessed as part of her home was blown up. She could hear the screams of people dying. Her people. She couldn't handle it. She curled up into a ball in the back seat and covered her ears and shut her eyes. The way she used to when it stormed badly when she was little. It wasn't long before she passed out.

Rex couldn't hear her and got concerned, glancing in the rearview mirror he saw that she was passed out in a ball. He let out a heavy sigh, Rex knew he should be more distraught over everything that was happening right now, but he had to be strong for her sake. Besides he didn't have many ties to this country. His home was Insomnia. He did, however, feel sorrow in his heart for the King's murder. Looking again back at the now only living member of the royal house of Chronis. She was going to have a long road ahead of her.