Chapter 4: Hidden

{Insomnia: March 6th 2002, 3:05pm}

"I have to do what now?"

A nine year old Noctis stared onward at the boy standing before him with a wooden sword while Marshal Leonis stood at the sidelines. Noctis had been called into a training hall of sorts after school that day for his first training lesson when it came to combat. Naturally, the black-haired, now midnight-blue eyed boy seemed a tad uncomfortable about the prospect; however, if he considered it, his father had informed him of this back in December. With a deep breath, Noctis looked to Marshal Leonis as his student Gladiolus was handed a wooden sword and then, he was as well. The two of them looked to one another and the young Prince merely took in a deep breath.

"It won't be too hard. You'll have to learn how to use a sword Prince Noctis," Marshal Leonis stated as he looked to the boy.

"I know that….but…." Gladiolus turned his gaze to him.

"Quit being a wuss and use the damn sword kid," he said.

Noctis scowled at him as Marshal Leonis bashed the mouthy teenager on the head before he pushed Gladiolus to the ground and onto his knees with his forehead nearly touching the floor as Noctis watched the scene in faint surprise. During his life, he had never witnessed someone being forced into subjugation and quite honestly – even though he knew that the loud-mouth teenager probably deserved it – he wasn't overly fond of it.

"That boy is your next King! I suggest you show some respect before he has you sentenced to whichever punishment he sees fit for that slander you just spat out!" Marshal Leonis snapped.

"Marshal….please….you don't have to do that." The Marshal looked at the boy standing before him.

"I apologize, but I must. He spoke out of term," he stated.

"He did but….you don't have to treat him like that. It's not the right thing to do…besides, he's your student; surely you can think of another form of punishment that will put him through the ringer a few times…right?" the Marshal looked to Gladiolus who frowned as he kept his gaze down.

"Very well, Gladiolus, you need to apologize and thank him: he just spared you the wrath of the King for speaking to him in such a way," he stated. The fourteen year old narrowed his eyes and Noctis kept himself calm.

"I am sorry for my tone and I appreciate your consideration….your Highness…"

"Very well, now. Prince Noctis, today we will be teaching you the basics of sword skill and will go from there. The sword I have given you is merely wood so while it may cause a bit of pain and or bruising, the chances of it being fatal are quite slim," the Marshal explained.

"Alright, please teach me Marshal Leonis…"

Gladiolus watched the child as his teacher informed him of proper stances and holds with the weapon and as he did so, the fourteen-year-old couldn't quite find himself appeased with the boy. He was far to kind hearted and willing to let people slide by with too much. At current, he knew that the child before him had many years to go before he would become the next King of Lucis; however, he also found himself disgruntled with the prospect having to be a member of the Crownsguard to such a weak, and ill-suited person. The child before him was certainly not leadership material, and most definitely lacked the backbone it took to rule a Kingdom.

All of the things he watched as the child began his first lesson showed him that while the boy was focusing, while he was following the instructions well: there was no heart in it. The future King of Lucis had no will to harm others or kill if needs be. If anything, Gladiolus would assume that the boy had the personality of a pacifist that would do nothing but cause ruin on not only Insomnia, but the entirety of Lucis itself. The fourteen-year-old huffed as his teacher continued going through the paces with the boy until it was time for him to leave and the young Prince thanked him for the lesson, told him he would see him tomorrow, and left.

As they began packing up the sparring dummies, and the wooden swords; Gladiolus looked between the door and his teacher as if something had rubbed him the wrong way. For quite some time Marshal Leonis let the surly behavior bypass with no statement until at long last the silence grew to be too great and the man looked to his student with a bitter scowl upon his features. Instantly, Gladiolus knew he was in trouble; however, if his assumption was correct on why he was in trouble he couldn't quite find himself in the need to care.

"The next time you speak out of terms with the Prince you will be in severe trouble; am I clear? Gladiolus?" Marshal Leonis inquired.

"I don't see the point in you babying him. He's too weak…." The Marshal narrowed his gaze.

"He's nearly four years younger than you. Gladiolus, I am going to assign you to train the boy for when the time comes that you'll be heading out into the field with him," he explained.

"What?! I don't want to teach that little brat! And I definitely don't want to be on a team with him!" Gladiolus looked to his teacher in absolute outrage as he considered the situation that he was about to be placed in.

"You aren't going to get a choice; besides, I think spending time with him will teach you some lessons….and that you can learn from him just as he can learn from you. Also, I think that his snarky side might prove as a good challenge for your ego," Marshal Leonis said with a smile.

"Great, instead of getting proper training for the Crownguard units on the wall….I get stuck babysitting." The Marshal smacked the young man atop the head.

"Prince Noctis is going to need someone to watch his back and train him further than I may be able to do. You, Ignis, and any other apprentice I take on must be prepared to be not only the Prince's guards, and his teammates; but his comrades," Marshal Leonis stated as he looked at Gladiolus who looked down.

"Why is he so stand-offish around people?" Gladiolus continued to put up the practice weapons.

"Since the death of the Queen, the Prince hasn't been quite well. I have known him since his birth and he has always been a jovial child; however, when his mother passed away….he changed into someone else. A part of him is still the same, but the cheerful child that I knew is no longer there….even his eyes have grown darker," the Marshal explained as Gladiolus sighed.

"I suppose I'll give it a try." The man smiled.

"That will be enough…."

{March 20th 2002, 4:15pm}

Noctis felt the sharp wood of the practice sword hit him across the back as he hit the ground and tumbled a bit. The boy had been working under both Marshal Leonis and his student Gladiolus since the first week of the month; however, he felt as if he was still unable to grasp the situation at hand when it came to his training. Naturally, as a nine year old, he wasn't exactly certain as to why he had to do such a thing, but seeing as it had come from his father he supposed that it was within reason. Noctis sighed in defeat as he looked towards Marshal Leonis who looked at the child as if he was rather curious about the inner workings of his mind. The boy promptly stood and took in a deep breath as he clutched the guard of the wooden sword and looked to Gladiolus.

"Try again," stated Marshal Leonis.

"Okay…."

Gladiolus jumped into the swing of his attack and the smaller boy parried it to the best of his abilities as he felt the notion of what he was facing overtake him quicker that the older boy was. Noctis gritted his teeth and looked into his opponent's eyes before he positioned his legs and pushed back, swinging broadly to knock Gladiolus back until he was able to get his bearings and then, he swiped him quickly, catching his opponent's sword before knocking it out of his hand. Gladiolus stared in shock as the boy took in a deep breath, keeping his gaze upon him as the wooden sword clattered to the floor and the Marshal smirked.

"He's a bit rough around the edges….but he has good instincts. Not to mention his power and energy levels are proving to be remarkably strong…he'll make a fine weapons Master at some point in his life….."

"Job well done Prince Noctis," stated Marshal Leonis as he looked to the boy and then to his student who seemed moderately shocked.

"O-Oh….thank you Marshal Leonis!" the boy gave him sincere gratitude and he nodded.

"You still have a long way to go when it comes to proper combat and survival skills; however, I see some natural talent in you. Must come from your father," he said as the boy nodded his head.

"I understand…." Gladiolus stared onward in moderate shock.

"How in the hell did you do that? And where did that power come from?" the boy looked to his hands and then to the other standing before him.

"I'm not sure to be honest. I guess the training has started to pay off…." Marshal Leonis nodded once more.

"That is possible. Now, Prince Noctis….I need you and Gladiolus to go through a few more rounds today. Tomorrow, you will have a few lessons with Ignis and then myself the day after. Two more rounds and then you are free to go," he said calmly as the boy nodded.

"Yes sir."

As the lesson continued, Marshal Leonis kept a close eye upon Noctis's movements. The boy was a bit clumsy when it came to dodging at times; however, he also had a bit of a natural grace to him when he calmed himself to the point that he had a clear mind and could focus his movements became fluid and swift: like a genuinely skilled warrior. Noctis ducked and swung his leg out, knocking into Gladiolus's legs and stunning him just enough for him to jump up and kick the older boy's weapon from his grasp before turning to roll across the floor as he grabbed it and pointed both the swords at the boy who felt his eyes grow wide as he stared at the nine-year-old.

Marshal Leonis felt a chuckle leave him as he looked between the stunned boy and the young Prince crouched upon the floor with a decent striking pose from his current position as he stared onward at Gladiolus who currently was doing a fine imitation of a fish out of water. The Marshal walked towards his student who looked to him in shock as the boy relaxed and the other kept trying to get a means of what had just happened. Noctis stood up and slowly held out the other sword to the Marshal who took it as he stared at the child before him and then smiled in a sincere manner as he considered what he had just witnessed before another laugh left him.

Noctis took in a steady breath as he considered what he had just done. The movements felt trained: almost as if his body had always known how to do such tactics. The Marshal seemed impressed; however, Noctis wasn't certain as to why he had done such movements or why he was so focused and calm at that point. The boy took in a slightly shaky breath as he considered how he could have possibly known the way to use such methods in combat when he was still being taught basic strategies. The sound of the Marshal's laughter rang in his ears as he looked to the man who smiled.

"Where did you learn that maneuver?" he questioned.

"I um…." The man shook his head.

"You're just full of surprises aren't you? Prince Noctis?" the boy nodded almost numbly as the Marshal tossed Gladiolus's practice weapon towards him. He caught it and sent the boy near his teacher a scowl before Noctis turned his attention towards the two.

"I-I guess so?" the man smirked.

"Show me what else you can do….disarm Gladiolus once more," he said.

"R-Right…"

Gladiolus narrowed his gaze towards the child before him with discontent. Prince or not, the boy was beginning to unnerve him. there was a way that people could have a natural skill – it wasn't to terribly uncommon – but, being able to disarm someone twice and to use such a strange yet remarkably advanced maneuver to do so the second time, had done nothing but spook Gladiolus to no end. Noctis's sharp midnight-blue eyes looked into his own dark amber-brown ones and he took in a deep breath. Without any hesitation, Gladiolus jumped directly towards the boy who ducked, crouching as he did so before he leaped away and rolled as he turned to look back at him while the older teenager swung at him and he once more dodged him.

Gladiolus watched the boy's small form bend whichever way was required in order to evade him as he swept towards the boy's legs and he jumped up and nearly completed a hand-stand in the process. Noctis stared at the sight as Gladiolus swiped at him in broad strokes until he had begun to notice a few open areas in the other's attack. Noctis took in a sharp breath and jumped the weapon before bashing the other across the chest as he got into his center and pointed the tip of the sword at his chest. Gladiolus stared in utter disbelief as the boy looked upon into his eyes before he backed away and swung out, knocking the sword partially away as the Marshal shook his head and laughed.

"Well, I think you have been bested by someone younger than you," stated the Marshal as he looked between the two of them.

"I believe that the young Prince has bested you today. Gladiolus, you are dismissed. Prince Noctis?" the boy looked to him.

"Sir….can you please just call me Noctis?" he asked. The Marshal smiled.

"Very well….Noctis, you did very well today. I hope that you continue to improve…." The boy nodded to the Marshal.

"Thank you, and I will do my best," he said.

"Good, now, I will see you tomorrow."

{King's Audience Chamber: March 20th 2002, 9:02pm}

King Regis looked onward from the window of his audience chamber as he thought of the time that had passed. Noctis was growing into a remarkably strong and talented youth, his time entrapped in the changes of his daily routine seemed to have begun to work on his detachment from others since the death of his mother. At current, he was waiting to hear from Marshal Cor Leonis who was supposed to inform him on how his son was doing with training. King Regis took in a deep breath as he looked towards the door as the Marshal entered the room and bowed before his King while the man turned his gaze to him.

"What of the situation?" the Marshal nodded.

"He's doing remarkably well. It would seem that the training has been in his close consideration for quite some time. Noctis disarmed Gladiolus three times using quite strong, and fast-paced methods. He's turning out to be quite the powerful fighter." The King took in a steady breath.

"Noctis has far more ahead of him than just a singular destiny. His goals and accomplishments will decide a great many things in the near future. I am putting his training in your control Marshal Leonis; please do not fail me. He must survive the battles that will come so that he may bring hope to those lost in the darkness," King Regis explained.

"I understand sir. Have you heard from Tenebrae?" the King nodded.

"They wish for me to bring Noctis this summer to spend time with their daughter, Lunafreya," he stated as the Marshal took in a slightly shaky breath.

"What are their intentions?" the King took a moment to turn his gaze to the window that overlooked Insomnia.

"Companionship, and a potential marriage so to unite the Kingdoms. The houses of Flueret and Caelum could be potentially powerful: so much so that it could crush the Nifilheim Empire," he said calmly.

"That would be good, I can only hope that they take to each other well." the King nodded.

"I believe that the Princess of Tenebrae will be pleased to have a companion. Now, let us hope that their companionship can grow into more and that the two of them can lead our two Kingdoms into a new era of peace," he stated.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The King took in another breath.

"Thank you, Leonis. You are dismissed," he said.

"Yes, Your Majesty, have a good night." With that the door closed and the King felt a tear slide down his face.

"I must truly be a horrid creature. Willing to put such weight upon the shoulders of an innocent child…."

{…..}

You've got a big heart, the way you see the world has got you this far…

{….}

Author's Note: In the Kingsglaive movie Ardyn is the one who proposes the wedding between Noctis and Lunafreya; however, it appeared to me that King Regis seemed worried not for having to do this but because he had been intending on having them marry a long time ago but they were caught in the midst of it. Noctis's skills are also a bit inherited but also has a lot more to it so, we'll go from there. Hope you guys are enjoying the story.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.