Prelude to the Fall

Lady Lunafreya was sitting at her dressing table when the sounds of two people just outside of her room caught her attention. Footsteps and familiar voices, both muffled by the distance and the door between them. She rose from her chair and walked over to the entrance to listen in.

One of the voices belonged to her brother Ravus, who had informed her only minutes earlier that she was not to leave the manor without the Empire's explicit permission. He had even stationed a squad of magitek soldiers nearby to enforce the order. Apparently, Ravus himself had not yet left Fenestala Manor.

"Not you again." Ravus' voice seethed with resentment. "Hasn't the Emperor anything better for you to do than to pester me and my sister?"

"My dear Ravus, you seem to forget that I, unlike some, am no lap dog of the Emperor. At least, no ordinary one." Luna could all but hear the smirk on the Chancellor's face in the way he spoke. She had sensed Ardyn's dark and ominous presence earlier, but ever since he had first revealed himself to her as the Accursed, she had learned to separate the darkness from the man who wielded it. His visits no longer heralded imminent disaster, but insightful conversations.

Unlike her, however, Ravus did not know of the Chancellor's role in the prophecy, nor did he see any value in the man's knowledge and influence, and Luna doubted she could make him see even if she tried. It was something of an open secret that the Chancellor found particular joy in vexing Ravus, and that Ravus hated him for it all the more.
"What business do you have with Lunafreya?" Ravus demanded to know.

"Only the same as you, Commander. I have come to discuss the Oracle's trip to Insomnia on behalf of the Emperor himself."

"But that is not all, is it?"

"Your lack of confidence truly disappoints me. One would think that after all these years the two of us have faithfully served the Empire, you would know better than to accuse me of dishonest schemes." The Chancellor sighed dramatically. "Perhaps I will have to talk to his Excellency about that terrible attitude of yours; What do you say?"

"I'm leaving." Judging by the sounds of his steps, Ravus walked away at a brisk pace, clearly done with humouring him.

"I'm looking forward to meeting you in the capital!" Ardyn called after him before approaching Luna's room. As usual, he gave the door a decent push before strolling in. "My good Oracle!" Ardyn greeted her with his arms raised and a wide grin on his face. He was always in a good mood – or pretended to be – but to see him this enthusiastic was new. "I have joyous news to share!"

"I take it King Regis is willing to accept the treaty and its conditions, then?" Luna asked. No more than a couple of days could have passed since he had presented the armistice to Regis and she could think of nothing else that would make him seem so cheerful.

"Oh yes, most assuredly so!" Ardyn spun around with a sweeping gesture as though he was still standing in front of the Lucian throne. "Ah, you should've been there! The look on King Regis' face was beyond compare. Who would've thought that such a high and mighty man could be vexed so easily?"

So that was the reason for his good mood. Luna scowled at him.

Upon receiving no response, Ardyn turned back to her and some of the enthusiasm faded from his expression. "I see, you don't share the sentiment. You're still holding the King in good memory, do you? I'm afraid I have to tell you that his reputation, just like his health, has deteriorated much over the past decade."

She shook her head at the blatant slander, not wanting to talk about Regis' health or his reputation, but the Chancellor's lack of respect for a great and noble man. "It must have been horrible for him," Luna said, trying to convey the sympathy she felt towards the old King. "To realise that his entire kingdom will be lost, and that he will be powerless to prevent it. I wish it wouldn't have to come to this."

"The wheels of fate have been put into motion a long time ago and they are spinning now more rapidly than ever," Ardyn explained, shrugging. "Try to throw a wrench in it, and it'll be crushed, my dear. Best to let them spin while they spin in our favour."

"Is it really so that you can't do anything about it, or is it that you don't want to do anything about it?" Luna locked eyes with Ardyn in an attempt to pry an honest reply from him.

The smile disappeared entirely from his face. Finally, he adopted a more serious tone. "Lucis' firm grasp on the Stone and the Ring must be broken if the Chosen King is to take the fight to the Draconian. As things stand right now, the Bladekeeper has the Lucian Kings to protect him, from King Regis all the way back to the Founder King, and they possess the magic of the Ring and the Sacred Stone. Not to mention that his Highness also has the Glaive and Crownsguard at his disposal." He gestured towards her. "It is a daunting task to overcome even one of those defences. You know that as well as I. It'll be a shame to see the Crown City fall, of course, but we'd be foolish to stop what is an assured victory."

Luna lowered her gaze. There had to be another way. If only King Regis would see the truth to the prophecy, like Ardyn had shown her some years ago. She could not imagine that Regis wanted his son to sacrifice himself if there was an alternative. Despite of his eloquence, Ardyn saw no possibility to convince the King of his scheme. Even if Regis was willing to listen to the blasphemy coming from an Imperial envoy and the embodiment of darkness, Ardyn would be under the scrutinising eye of the Bladekeeper as soon as he entered Insomnia. From what he had told Luna, the god had locked him out of the Crown City whenever he had attempted to act against the prophecy.

However, in contrast to him, she had no such backstory with the Draconian. "Please, let me go to Insomnia," she said. "Let me talk to King Regis, just once. If I can convince him to surrender the Stone, we can avoid this senseless bloodshed."

For a moment or two, the Chancellor remained quiet. "The father had mourned the fate of his chosen son." he mumbled eventually. Gentiana had used the very same words during one of their earlier meetings. "Do not fool yourself, Oracle. His Highness has long since accepted the Crystal's choice. He has made peace with his and his son's fate."

"But can the Bladekeeper's influence really be so great that he will not change his mind?"

"Please, do not fret. In the end, a single city is still a much smaller sacrifice compared to what the prophecy demands. Perhaps it will console you to know that Regis thought of you as well. You see, he has sent someone to secretly escort you out of Tenebrae, so that you may meet the Prince at Altissia for your arranged wedding. A fine move, I must say, and well within our plans."

Luna sighed quietly. It would not give her a chance to speak to Regis directly, and so it did nothing to console her.

"However," Ardyn continued, smiling ",General Glauca caught wind of the mission and by the Emperor's decree, you are supposed to accompany him to Insomnia in my place." He chuckled to himself. "Ah, isn't it delightful how they're all trying to outwit each other? I fear the General is plotting something nasty, but you needn't worry. Yours truly will be able to convince the Emperor of the foolishness of his plan. It hinges on a number of very unreliable factors. Honestly, I'm surprised he even found the courage to present it to his Excellency."

"What kind of plan could this be?"

"You are to be used as a decoy, my dear" the Chancellor revealed with surprising ease. "I'd tell you more, but it would put my position at risk, I'm afraid."

"But if the General's plan is executed, then I will travel to Insomnia and I will meet King Regis, isn't that right?" Luna asked, but did not give him a moment to respond, knowing that he would deny her train of thought. "Please, don't talk the Emperor out of it. I don't want to beg, but just this once … Let me go. Give me this one chance to see Regis and speak to him. Even if the Crystal is beyond my reach, I shall try to claim the Ring."

His brows creased in mild confusion. "Oh, but once they get to the actual signing, things will get very unsightly, and as you already know, I will be elsewhere, entertaining the Prince and his friends. No one can guarantee that you will live to forge those precious covenants."

"Except …" she argued, and he caught on quickly.

"The King? My, your faith truly knows no bounds."

"If he seeks to protect me by sending me to Altissia, then he will try to protect me in his own city as well. And I trust that the Empire knows better than to see me dead. I am confident that I will find a way to escape the turmoil."

Considering her arguments, the Chancellor ran his fingers over the stubble on his chin. "Very well," he said eventually. "Let us hope that Bahamut still deems you worthy enough to offer you his protection if it comes to the worst. I suppose I can make it to Insomnia in time for the grand finale. If you are still alive by then, I will extend a helping hand."

"Thank you." Luna bowed politely, and Ardyn turned to leave.

"You may return the favour by staying away from danger. Remember that your aid is integral to the Chosen King's success."

"I know," Luna said to herself as she watched him walk out of the door. "I know."

Whenever Ardyn left after a visit, Luna felt grateful. Grateful that he was a man willing to talk and listen, and grateful that, through him, there were choices she could make. The gods had chosen him to play the part of the darkness, but he seemed to be by no means inclined to bring death and ruin to the world. It had led to this unlikely alliance between the two of them and opened up a world of new possibilities – or uncertainties, as Gentiana called them. Ardyn was going to escort Prince Noctis and his friends out of Insomnia very soon, and given what she knew about the Chancellor, Luna was not worried at the thought of them travelling together.