Lucida couldn't sleep that night. Restlessly she sat in the dark tent, wrapping her arms around her legs, leaning her head on her knees. Next to her Noctis slept like a rock, beside him were Prompto and Gladiolus. God Gladiolus was snoring like an untamed behemoth. Gazing to the left she could see Ignis laying without his glasses on.
After sitting there for a few minutes, she decided to go outside and get some fresh air, thus she crawled out of the tent, trying not to wake the others up. Returning to her upright position , she rubbed her eyes, yawned and then stretched herself. Looking around, surrounded by pure darkness, she suddenly heard someone coming out of the tent, but she couldn't recognize who it was.
„Where are you going, Your Highness?" She knew whose voice it was – it was Ignis's. He looked demanding at her, taking a few steps forward so that he stood right next to her.
Lucida raised an eyebrow, "Highness?"
"Of course! Being the daughter of King Regis makes you a Crown Princess", he said with amusement.
She sighed, "Never thought about that." Then after a brief pause she added, "I don't like being called like that." Ignis gazed confused at her, then she proceeded, "I'm a normal human being like everybody else, I don't want any special treatment." Avoiding being too sentimental, she said jokingly with a smirk, "I rather be called Lucy instead." Then she mentally punched herself in the face five times for talking too much nonsense. Talking really wasn't one of her strengths.
Ignis nodded as response showing sympathy, but then said, "If King Regis would have heard those words, he would be very upset. He would probably say that you shall be proud and keep your head high, as long as you carry his name and his royal blood."
Lucida gazed at him with a slight surprised face. She hadn't expect him to be this serious about it."Maybe" she shrugged, "I don't know." In the end she was being sentimental anyway, just like always.
"You don't know yet, but you will. Trust me", Ignis said with certainty. "You will see your father, if you stick to us."
She responded with determination, "I will. I promise."
Both of them remained silent for a while, enjoying the fresh air. The trees nearby were rustling because of the wind that arose.
"Noctis mentioned you ran away from home", Ignis started asking. "Actually it's none of my business, but may I ask what the reason for running away was?
Lucidas heart stood still for a second. She didn't expect him to ask her now in this direct way. "Uh..", she stottered, "I-It's complicated."
Ignis shook his head, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you."
"No, it's fine, Ignis. Really", she said with a slight fake smile. Then she proceeded, "My mother and I had several arguments. She never really cared about me and never told me about my father, she was always avoiding it. I couldn't take her egoistic behaviour any longer." Her voice began being shaky, "I just want to know who I am. That's why I'm here."
She let out a heavy breath. She tried so hard not to cry that in the end she cried even harder. Why the hell was she crying? When she told Noctis about her past she was able to check herself. But for now she has to cry without making any sound. She must hide it.
Ignis eyes grew huge behind his glasses. Lucida tried in vain to hide her tears. But he noticed it anyway. More or less she felt like Ignis noticed everything she does and everything she thinks.
He turned around facing her and patted his hand on her shoulder. Then he wiped off the tear from her cheek with his thumb and lifted her chin with his fingertips, which made Lucida feel nervous.
She was looking him deep in the eyes. Damn, those eyes were glorious. It was a pity, that those clear green eyes are hidden behind those glasses. Aside from his pretty face, she just realized how tall he actually was. There were 6 feet of gorgeousness standing right in front of her.
After having eye contact for a few seconds, Ignis stepped back averting his eyes, and adjusted his glasses. "I'm going to sleep. You should catch up some sleep, too", he murmured in a rather cold way and then went into the tent. Lucida nodded and headed for the tent as well after a while.
As she lay down, she was thinking about what just happened. Ignis was acting quite weird. In one moment he was comforting her in a gently way, but in the next he was turning his back on her. She doesn't know where she stands with him, and that's causing her concern. She was lying on her back for more than half an hour, broad awake, not sleeping a wink. She heard Ignis breathing slowlier and lower. He was already asleep.
After ages she was finally able to close her eyes and fall asleep. At least she could sleep for approximately 3 more hours.
Dawn was breaking and the sun rose up slowly. Ignis was standing outside with a cup of Ebony Coffee, chatting with gladiolus about today's plans, when Prompto came out of the tent, yawning and stretching himself. "Mornin', buddies", he said with an half smile. "Good Morning", they responded. Then Ignis asked, "Is the princess awake already?"
"You mean Noctis? Nah, he's still asleep", Prompto answered.
"You do know, that we're talking about Lucida, right?", Gladiolus said with a smile, raising an eyebrow.
Prompto stood still for a second, realizing that she really is a princess – the crown princess of Lucis to be exact. There goes the fun with teasing Noctis by calling him a princess. Too bad. Calling him a princess now, would only cause confusion and wouldn't be as funny as it used to be.
"She's sleeping like a log", he said.
Suddenly they heard the alarm of the smartphone. The three looked at each other, counting how long it'll take Noctis to get himself out of bed. All of them were wating outside. 20 seconds... 25 seconds... 30 seconds. Then the smartphone stopped ringing.
Gladiolus headed for tent to check on Noctis. He saw him sitting with the smartphone in his hands. "Finally up, sunshine?", he said with amusement. "But not fully awake", Noctis muttered. "Get up and wake up your sister. We've got to make up for lost time, Your Highness.", Gladiolus said and turned around, going back to the others.
Noctis yawned and rubbed his eyes, then shook Lucida out of her sleep. "Hey, Luce. Wake up."
She made a noise of negation, turned around and showed Noctis her back.
Then after a few seconds he said, trying to sound dutiful as a big brother, "We've got to go to Niflheim and save father."
Lucidas eyes suddenly opended wide, "Yes, I'm awake." She sat up, rubbed her eyes and said, "Let's go, Noctis." Then she left the tent, followed by Noctis. "Mornin' there", Prompto said with a wide grin on his face.
"I never thought you are such late riser too, Lucy", Gladiolus added.
She responded jokingly, "I'm full of surprises, as you can see"
Then Noctis said, "Are we leaving?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Everything is packed. We only need to take down the tent. Then we are ready to leave.", Ignis answered.
They quickly took down the tent, put it in the trunk and drove off. It was still a long way to Niflheim. Sure it will take them a few more days to get there.
Ignis was driving the car, next to him was Gladiolus. From the back you could hear Prompto complaining, "Hey, why do I have to sit in the back?"
"Like I already said, it's simply too tight for me to squash into the car", Gladiolus responded.
Noctis, who sat between Prompto and Lucida, said, "I don't mind sitting next to you, Prompto. Gladio would definitely be too massive and there'd be lack of space."
"Yeah, otherwise Noctis and I would suffer from claustrophia", Lucida added teasingly.
Gladiolus turned around, "Are you done with complaining?"
"Yup", Prompto answered with an innocent smile on his freckled face.
Then after a while Noctis said, "Sis, I've got something for you." He put a silver ring with a silver skull on it out of his jacket pocket. "We all wear something with a skull on it except you , I thought I'll give this to you, since you are one of us, right?"
Then Lucida said with excitement, "It looks so cool! Thank you!"
"Wasn't that King Regis's ring?", Ignis interrupted gazing at Noctis through the driving mirror.
"Yes, it was father's once. Then he gave it to me." He put the ring in her hand. "I want you to have it, Luce."
"I'm truly thankful, Noctis, but I cannot accept this" She said. Now that she knows that it was from her father, she couldn't take it. "It belongs to you", she added.
"Not anymore. Now it's yours.", he grabbed her hand and put the ring on her forefinger.
Getting the ring, that once was her father's, meant much to her.
"It's far too big. You sure this isn't a bracelet?", she said with the aim to kid around.
"Oh, we're getting cheeky again, huh." He said, finger flicking her forehead with a smirk on his face.
She responded with a smile, then put the ring on the thumb of her right hand. It fits – at least somewhat. After that she gazed at her brother. "Thank you, Noctis", she said sentimentally. He nodded to her and looked as if he wanted to say something, but got interrupted by Prompto, who stood up and shouted "Do you guys see what I see?"
"The Imperial Army!", Gladiolus yelled. There was a military airship with the emblem of the Empire of Niflheim flying overhead.
Prompto asked, "How do they know we're here?" Then after a second looked daggers at Lucida. That was the moment he realized she could be some sort of spy. She could be betraying them, telling the Imperial Army their location and set them a trap.
Lucidas eyes grew huge, because she knew what Prompto was thinking. She shook her head slowly, because she knew the truth. She would never betray them – never in a million years!
Suddenly a bullet hit one of the back tires and they lost control of the car, thus they stopped off the road in tall grass. The military forces already stormed towards their car.
"I guess they are looking for a fight", Gladiolus said.
"They'll get one", Noctis muttered with a deep voice.
Lucida stood up. "Yeah", she murmured, then stepped on the headrest of Gladiolus seat, jumped over to the windshield and rushed down the engine bonnet running towards the military forces.
"Your Highness!", Ignis shouted.
Then Gladiolus yelled, "Hold up!"
But she wasn't listening. Her only concern was proving that she wasn't a traitor, and she could do so by fighting the army.
The four men jumped out of the car and ran after her, but right before they reached her they came to a full stop again. Ignis, Gladiolus and Promptos mouth fell wide open.
Lucida literally had a warrior gene.
She summoned a sword - a high tech katana, which was purely made of steel. On the blade was an engraving: per aspera ad astra. It's Latin and means through difficulties to the stars.
As one of the imperial soldiers was about to attack her, she dodged, leaving some kind of silvery bluish gleam. After that she retaliated and defeated him with her sword.
She turned around gazing at the others, looking like a cold-blooded beast with blazing red eyes.
"What are you standing there?" she asked.
The three of them were completely astonished. The powers ,Lucida just performed, can only be used by members of the royal family and the Royal Council. There is the proof on a silver platter. Lucida is part of the royal circle. That's for sure.
Gladiolus mentioned, "Indeed, full of surprises."
"Noctis", Ignis said. "You knew about it."
"Yes", he responded.
Then Prompto complained, "Why didn't you tell us?"
"I simply didn't consider it necessary", Noctis explained with modesty.
"You didn't consider it necessary?", Prompto mimicked.
"Yeah, that's right. I didn't consider it necessary." Then Noctis asked, "It wouldn't have made any difference if I told you about it."
"Hey!", Lucida yelled. "Do I have to fight 'em alone?
While the high-toned men are discussing about things that can't be helped anyway she was struggling with an entire military troop.
"Sorry, Luce", Prompto said as they joined her defeating the Imperial Army.
As one of the other soldiers tried to attack Noctis from an ambush, he turned around and blocked with his sword, muttering,"This is your funeral" Then stabbed him.
It didn't take them long to clear the way. The battle was not a problem. The only problem was the flat tire.