Chapter 30: One Soul's Cry
{Citadel: May 10th 2007, 5:40pm}
Noctis kicked a trash can aside in his room, his face flushed, eyes burning, and heart throbbing uncontrollably as he felt the ring upon his hand nearly bite with how cold it was. A scream was caught in his throat, and he wanted to let it out, he wanted to break everything around him until nothing was left, he wanted to shut everything inside him down, he wanted to cry, to beg and plead to whoever would listen for help and for something to stop this unseemly nightmare from continuing onward.
But he knew nothing would as he found himself punching the wall beside the window in anger, the books stacked against the table there trembling ever so slightly from the shock-wave before he took in a deep breath. It was in that moment that he looked out at the city before him that he saw his reflection and the pain upon his features, the anger that swam within his normally deep-blue eyes that were now glowing a sharp azure blue, and in that instant he snapped, tossing the books aside into the floor as he felt the scream he'd kept in claw its way from his throat.
"AAAAAAAHAHHHHHHHHH!" hot tears slipped down his face as he slid to the ground by the window, pulling his legs to his chest, and resting his head upon his knees as his entire form shook with unrelenting sobs.
"Noctis….I'm….sorry….I…"he shook his head, hoping for Cari not talk right then as he kept his head down.
"Please….just leave me alone…." Cari pinned her ears back and went up to the chair near the window and propped herself there, remaining silent as she watched her Master.
She knew why Noctis was so sorrowful, and it had little to do with being forced to marry Luna – that may have been the only thing that allowed him to feel a fraction of peace at this point – but what had caused this much pain had been his fear of what this supposed treaty would induce into the place he called home, what the Nifilheim Empire could do to the people of Lucis, what this would cost all those beyond Insomnia's walls, and what it would do to his father's already deteriorating health. But above all of this was his concern for Luna's well-being, and how being forced to do anything for the Empire that killed her parents and forced her to be a prisoner for the last seven years could have changed her.
He had watched her endure it with a calm disposition, prepared to engage into a less than pleasant situation once more all because the Empire had their schemes, and his father had grown too feeble to do what he had always been taught a King must do: what is right, even if it cost a great deal. Noctis knew deep down that the ceasefire wasn't right, that it wasn't in the best interest of the Lucian people, that it was nothing but an artifice created for the purpose of cloaking their true intentions, and when it came to him and Luna? It was only meant to act as a means to possibly destroy them both. The supposed Chosen King and the Oracle of Eos in one place at the same time would be an easy task to dispose of them both, no matter what the cost.
"Noct?" called a familiar voice as the door to his room opened and hollow midnight-blue eyes looked to the three figures that resided there.
"What do you want?" he asked as he buried his face back into his knees.
"We were just checking up on you….we heard you scream somethin' fierce just a minute ago…" Gladio, Prompto, and Ignis entered the room, shutting the door behind them.
"Whoa, this room is a mess….what happened in here?" asked Prompto.
"Nothing…." Ignis looked around.
"I would say you had a bit of a disagreement with your books and the trashcan near the desk; however, I feel this has something to do with the ceasefire," he stated as they drew closer and Noctis curled in upon himself tighter.
"They want our homeland…they want to take everything from all of us…." The three looked to one another.
"That really pissed you off, huh?" asked Prompto.
"They're stealing all of Lucis from its people! In exchange for something they know we wanted: a damn ceasefire! It's stupid! Trying to do that bullshit when all it'll do is make things worse…" Gladio looked at the boy.
"Watch your language. It's your father's choice to make, not yours," he said.
"My father decided to hand over our territories and the people's freedom for a ceasefire that'll do nothing but put us under the Empire's thumb! That's not the power of a King! It's the choice of a coward who doesn't want to fight!" Ignis crouched down next to Noctis, looking at the boy.
"Listen, you need to calm down. It may be true that the ceasefire puts most of Lucis under the Empire's control, but they have elected for total peace. No more wars or battles…everyone beyond the walls of Insomnia can rest assured that they won't have to be fearful of an attack any longer," he stated. Noctis glanced towards the window.
"I hope your right…" Gladio eyed the ring upon the sixteen-year-old's hand in slight confusion.
"What's with that ring?" he asked. Noctis looked up to him, showing him the exhaustion that was plaguing him.
"That was the final agreement of the treaty….I have to marry Luna…" Prompto smiled.
"Dude! That's awesome! You and Lady Lunafreya will finally get to be together again," Prompto stated.
"We're being ordered by the Empire and my father to marry for contract terms…" Ignis frowned.
"You're not okay with this, are you?" he inquired.
"I want to….be with Luna….I want to see her again…I would like to marry her, but…she…and I….we should be married on our own terms. Not when someone else chooses for us to be so…" Noctis glanced down at that and the other three nodded.
"I agree, believe me, but there's nothing we can do about it right now. Noctis, please just try to have a good disposition about this. If you don't hold out some hope for at least being with her again then neither of you will be happy," Prompto stated.
"I guess….that's the only good thing about this whole mess…I'll get to see her again…after all this time….I'll get to be with Luna…" Gladio nodded.
"That's the spirit. Now, get some sleep, tomorrow we have a farewell and congratulations party to go too," he said as Noctis looked to him.
"And what would that be?" Prompto looked to Noctis.
"Well, Crowe, Libertus, Nyx, Pelna, and Luche heard about the wedding and kinda wanted to make you feel a bit better: they don't exactly agree with you being forced to marry someone just because of the ceasefire," stated Prompto as Noctis looked around the room, slightly shaking as he wrapped his arms around his small frame while they watched him.
"Can we go somewhere else? I don't want to be here…." Ignis nodded.
"I have an apartment, we can stay there for tonight. Prompto packed a few clothes already, Gladio? Will you be coming with us?" he inquired.
"Yea, I'll stick with you guys tonight. Prompto? Can you give Noctis a hand? We'll wait for you two outside." The blonde nodded as Noctis started towards the closet.
Outside of the room, Ignis took in a deep breath while Gladio considered what he had witnessed inside of the room. Noctis had never appeared weak to him except for when he was very young; however, after the accident, the boy had always seemed stronger and more resilient. Now, he was a mess, completely torn apart by the events that had transpired earlier his entire being seeming fractured and cold to the point that he almost seemed dead. The events of the day had frayed the sixteen-year-old's nerves to the point that Gladio was certain the boy couldn't handle any more stress until he'd gotten a good night's rest, which he was positive the boy wouldn't be getting in his home. As they waited, Ignis pulled out a cloth and cleaned his glasses while Gladio stood by him, sending glares to anyone who seemed keen on going towards the Prince's room and silence continued until Gladio could take no more.
"He looked terrible…." Gladio mentioned.
"Indeed he did….I've never seen him so broken up over such things before. It would seem the part of him that is destined to be the King of Lucis knows this is not what the ancient Kings would have wanted." Ignis finished with his glasses, seeing the discomfort upon the seventeen-year-old's face.
"Something the matter?" the blonde formed a frown upon his face.
"I detest politics. They never truly do anything for the betterment of the populace, and they use others in their ranks as sacrificial lambs for their own personal gains…" Gladio looked to him.
"Aren't you the attendant to the future King of Lucis?" he asked.
"I am, and therefore I am able to voice my opinion on such garish matters. The fact that the Empire and King Regis would force two people of our ages to marry just for the union in the interest of peace for our Kingdoms is the greatest cock-and-bull story I have ever possibly heard someone concoct." Gladio rose an eyebrow.
"Can't say I'd argue with you there Iggy…" he stated.
"I've never seen Noctis fall to pieces like that before. He never behaves violently…especially when he's upset…I wonder why this was different…" Gladio shrugged.
"He's just been told that he and his childhood friend are going to be moved around like pawns in a chess game for the benefit of whomever the Empire and Lucis so well chooses and that they can control their lives and do whatever they damn well please too. I would be pretty pissed off too if I were him," Gladio stated.
"Noctis knows that they're going to be used, but…I get the distinct feeling that our young liege is well aware that he's going to be used if he complies…" Gladio looked to the blonde.
"Then why do that? Why would he give up his freedom willingly?" Ignis smiled.
"Because, he truly loves her…"
{Former Territory of Tenebrae: May 11th 2007, 8:00am}
Sitting by the window of the northern tower of the Fenestala Manor, was a young woman in a loose, white dress that hit at her knees, her hair done up in a fine pony-tail with a braid that went along the top of her head and was held in place by two golden clasps. Her skin was fair, upon her delicate throat was a silver mythril chain with two stars on either sides of the chain and a crescent moon pendant with moonstone embedded into it. A gentle smile came to her soft features as lavender-blue eyes watched their work as delicate hands worked upon setting up a series of flowers into a black vase. The flowers were silver roses, deep midnight-blue-purple blooms, and blue, lavender, and gold lilies that brought back memories of easier and brighter times as the girl hummed a gentle tune while she thought about recent events.
"Lady Lunafreya?" lavender-blue eyes looked to the dark-haired woman in black standing nearby her.
"Gentiana, is something the matter?" asked Lunafreya as she turned to the messenger of the Gods.
"I am concerned about the agreement between the Empire and the Kingdom of Lucis." The blonde-haired Princess of Tenebrae looked to her.
"My fear does not lay with their choices….however I do understand your concerns," she stated.
"I am certain you do…" Lunafreya placed her hand, now bearing a gold ring with an oval diamond settled into it with smaller red jewels along the sides of the band, upon her necklace, feeling her heart beating as she did so.
"The things that I wish could come to pass may still come….but this is how fate chooses for me to be placed, then I have no choice but to abide by it," Lunafreya said as she stood, looking out her window momentarily before turning her gaze upon the wedding gown standing upon a mannequin on the upper tier of her room. It was a beautiful dress and she looked forward to wearing it, but wondered at some point, if she ever would be able too.
"Do you not desire something else?" the flaxen-haired maiden shook her head.
"No matter how greatly I desire it to be so…it may never be. However, there is hope within this matter at hand, and that is for me to return to someone I hold dear…" Gentiana nodded slowly.
"You desire to return to the Chosen King's side," she answered.
"I do, but I choose to be with Noctis not because of my duties as an Oracle, but because I love him…and I wish to be by his side when he accepts this role he has been granted…" as she said this Gentiana smiled.
"Well, I shall leave you for now my Lady….but, there is someone here to see you," the woman stated.
Lunafreya looked to the black-haired messenger only to no longer see her there, but a woman standing by her door. Lunafreya as the Oracle had become used to seeing spirits; however, she could tell that this woman was no spirit, but something much more. Surprised as she was, her gaze remained upon her as the woman turned to her direction and she stood there, uncertain of whether or not she was welcomed until Lunafreya smiled to her and started towards her. She was quite the sight, dressed in white so bright it appeared to glow, her hair a fair silver, skin paled to a point that it reminded her of someone as the woman looked to her with azure eyes.
"Who are you? If I may ask?" Lunafreya inquired.
"You may call me Lillian…I am here to request something from the Oracle of Eos, and the future wife of the Chosen King…" the flaxen-haired Princess looked to her.
"I'm listening, Lillian," she assured her.
"When the time comes for events to unfold, you must promise me not to break that which seals the remainder of his power…" Lunafreya looked onward at him and felt her eyes widen.
"You speak of Noctis, and his fate yet….desire for me not to grant him the power he will need?" she questioned.
"No, please, Lunafreya…be careful of what you choose to do when it pertains to Noctis…anything to soon, could be disastrous. If you must do such things, you will know when, but please…remember that the choices you make will define a great deal of his life from that moment onward…" Lillian started towards the Oracle, reaching out to grasp her hands as she did so.
"Why do you feel so concerned?" Lunafreya asked her.
"I need you to ground him, if his darkness threatens him….you must show him that he belongs unto the light, allow him to find hope within your bond with one another. Noctis will need to be reminded of this, that his heart is not bleak or blackened by his toils or fears, remind him that his heart is true and his reasons are right. Please, if you do not the chances of Eos being lost to the shadows grows greater…." Lunafreya caught the sight within her mind of fire and a familiar face with firelight eyes as if possessed while blood covered their form.
A hand came to the Princess's mouth, tears welling within her eyes as she realized what the woman before her meant as her own voice echoed within her mind, calling for a name she knew to well as if pleading for them to stop. Tears slipped down her cheeks as the woman smiled, clasping her hands gently in her own as if to comfort her before looking into her gaze.
"Do me this honor, Lady Lunafreya…..please….if you don't….he too will be lost, please…" in that moment, Lunafreya nodded, finally understanding what the woman spoke of.
"I will, I promise, I will choose carefully. But you don't have to worry, Lillian…" the woman smiled.
"I know I do not, that is why I asked for your help…that is why I leave Noctis in your hands, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret." Lunafreya looked to the woman once more and took in a steady breath.
"Thank you, I swear upon my place as Oracle and as the person who loves him, that I will not fail your request, and I will protect him…" Lillian smiled as she released the Princess's hands.
"No, dearest girl….you'll save him," she stated as Lunafreya watched the woman vanish. She felt tears fall once again, her heart feeling warm after the strange encounter before she took in a deep breath and nodded, prepared to do what must be done, and her first order of business was to get to Lucis, and to Insomnia where she could be safe behind the wall in order to help Noctis and King Regis.
{Downtown Slums: 6:20pm}
"What they're making him do is utter bullshit," muttered Crowe as she sat in a pub that she and the other members of her team frequented when meeting up with Prince Noctis and his teammates. It had an upper tier that overlooked a great deal of the streets and had a clear view of the stars which she figured the Prince could use as a change of scenery right about then. Nyx sat down a few bottles of beer and looked at the table, them having ordered randomized foods for their groups tastes while enjoying the quiet jazz music floating through the air.
"You said it Crowe, I don't agree with it either…" Pelna wasn't a fan of the idea either, Nyx had noticed, but then again: neither was he nor anyone else present right then.
"We can't interfere with the doings of the Royals. We're beneath them as it is," stated Luche as he watched the scene of Libertus watching the preparations for the treaty signing on the TV.
"I wonder how the Prince feels about this mess?"
"You could just ask him yourself," stated a voice as everyone turned to see Noctis standing behind them.
"Are you okay? You look like crap…" Noctis rolled his eyes.
"Thanks for that lovely reminder Pelna, "he said as he took a seat, slipping down in the booth just a fraction as he looked to the others present.
"Hey, Prince Noctis...your taking this as well as we are huh?" midnight-blue looked bluish-hazel eyes that belonged to Nyx as he took a seat while Prompto, Gladio, and Ignis took their seats as well around the table with the others.
"Probably worse than we are, considering what got dropped on you," stated Libertus as he looked at the sixteen-year-old.
"Guess so…" Crowe socked Libertus in the arm at that point, reading the tone in the Prince's voice.
"Jackass….don't bring up that kind of bullshit," she said.
"No, Crowe…it's fine. Really, I have to accept it…" Luche sighed as he looked at the boy.
"Because the King said so? You're his son! Can't you tell him your opinions on this?" he inquired as Noctis rubbed his hands over his face.
"I have! The moment I was informed I protested, but he shut me down…told me that he wouldn't hear any more of it…like my opinion didn't matter in this situation." Pelna shook his head.
"This is ridiciulous, if his son can't even manage to convince him about how bad this is then we don't stand a chance…" Libertus sighed.
"On a different subject: you're getting' married to Lady Lunafreya, that can't be so bad, girl as pretty as her," he stated as he elbowed the teenager slightly, causing him to glance to the side, feeling warmth spread to his face.
"That's really the only bright side to this entire mess…." Gladio nodded.
"I can't see the ceasefire really being that big of a help to the Lucian people, but it was the choice of our King. We have to accept that fact," he said as Ignis looked to those around them.
"Seems to me that joy is a rare emotion as of recent with a select number of the masses…" Prompto took a bite of the nachos on the table and winced.
"Hot! Hot! Hot!" he said as he grabbed a drink and Noctis looked to it.
"That's fire whisky…" Prompto shot to his feet as soon as the alcoholic drink touched his tongue.
"HOT! HOT! SON OF A WYVERN THAT'S HOOOOOT!" Prompto yelped as he was handed a small shot of cream by Crowe.
"Cool your heels kid," she said as he knocked back the cream and took in a deep breath while the others laughed at the scene that Prompto had just created, Noctis laughing a bit while shaking his head as he grabbed one of the chips off the plate Prompto had just had before settling back in his seat to take a bite.
"Still not hot Prompto…." The blonde, who currently had his hands folded over his mouth glowered at his friend.
"Well excuse me! Not all of us have that wonderful immunity to spices like you do!" Prompto stated.
"You really do seem to not have any problems with spicy foods, I've noticed that when we've been around you…" Noctis slowly nodded, finishing the chip he just had before Prompto pushed the plate of nachos towards him.
"Yea, it doesn't really bother me that much. Most of the time I barely feel the heat," he mentioned as Luche shook his head while Pelna grinned.
"Well, this oughtta be interesting, that sauce that old Joe puts on the nachos he makes is practically nuclear…." Noctis shrugged.
"It's barely got any spice to it too me," he said off-handedly while Crowe laughed.
"So, we know you're not fond of the ceasefire or the peace treaty, but…are you really okay with being married to Princess Lunafreya?" she asked.
Noctis glanced down at that, thinking of the last time he'd ever seen Luna in person. The day that Tenebrae fell into the grasp of the Nifilheim Empire, the day that her parents were murdered before her eyes, and the day that Luna had told him farewell. It scared him, thinking about these last seven years and what the Empire could have done to her and her brother, or what Luna thought of the Lucian Kingdom. She was the Oracle now, prepared to stand as the bringer of peace for their world; however, right at this moment, she was a Princess, being used as a bargaining chip in a plot to gain control of the last remaining Kingdom that could withstand the Nifilheim Empire's power. Both she and himself were being used as tools, they were being made to be whatever those around them dictated for them to become, and something about that fact rubbed Noctis the wrong way: it set a fire in his veins that he'd never felt before. Taking in a deep breath, Noctis looked to Crowe and tried to surmise an answer to her question.
"I don't have a problem marrying Luna, I just don't want it to be on the terms of the Nifs," he stated.
"You call her Luna….do you know her personally?" he nodded.
"I went to Tenebrae when I was nine to recover from an injury, but one day when all of us were supposed to go to Acrylia…the Nifs came and killed her parents, taking her and her brother hostage…they've treated her as if she was just a pawn, a toy for them to mess around with….even though she's the Oracle," he said calmly.
"So you love her?" midnight-blue eyes looked to Crowe.
"Yea, I've probably always loved her, but I've never had the chance to tell her," Noctis told her.
"That's a reason then…" the boy gave her a strange look.
"Whatta ya mean by that Crowe?" asked Libertus as she sighed.
"It means that you should use the fact that you haven't got to tell her that you love her as a reason to see her again. If you love someone, you protect them." Noctis sighed as he smiled a bit before looking to Crowe.
"Thanks, that makes me feel a bit better," he said.
"Good, we can't have you getting all melancholy before you go to see your bride. I'll bet that Princess Lunafreya would love to see you smiling for her when you come and get her." Noctis nodded.
"Yea, your right….Luna never did like it when I wouldn't smile…guess that's reason enough to try and remain in control of my emotions…" Nyx smiled.
"For hearth and home, right Prince Noctis?" he asked as he raised his glass a bit and the boy sighed, a small smile upon his features.
"Right…"
It was as the evening wore on and conversation went to stories of the Kingsglaive's battles outside of the wall and the insanities of everyday life for the Prince of Lucis and his three close friends, that Noctis slipped away from the group and walked out to the balcony, looking up at the brilliant stars above him as they stretched out across a deep blue night sky. Unlike in most areas, the sky above Insomnia was never black, but the similar to his own eye-color in comparison to other skies throughout their Kingdom. A part of him considered what was ahead of himself and those around him in the coming days while the rest of him wanted to protest this ceasefire – what sort of thing did a Lucian warrior know of ceasing to fight for their freedom and their home? – yet, knew he couldn't.
Noctis wasn't strong enough to combat the entirety of the Nifilheim Empire's army of Magitech soldiers, he didn't have the skills necessary to lead an army, the experience required of him to rally the forces of the Kingsglaive nor the Crownsguard, and he didn't have the power nor the placement as King to command the walls to defend Lucis's borders. Folding his arms across the railing and hanging his head, Noctis felt the weight of a crown not yet his while the faint sounds of people and music floated through the area around him. His father was still King, and he had elected to settle for a path that tossed aside the notion of hearth and home, he had chosen to bring down an iron curtain around Insomnia and defend it instead of their entire Kingdom, and he had laid down his arms instead of fighting for the right to rule as it had always been in their world.
Deep inside him, the bloodlines of his ancestors seemed to boil, making him grit his teeth as he tried to pinpoint why his father, one of the Great Lucian Kings with all their stubbornness and pride would have decided upon a surrender instead of telling those who opposed them that they would not go quietly into the night nor surrender their rights, their lands, or their people to such monsters. Noctis wondered if it was even worth questioning all of these things when he knew that the Lucian Royal family would be maintained to one city, becoming the meager remains of a once thriving culture and Kingdom that would now be cast into the shadows of history as nothing more than a remnant of what once was theirs.
"Dammit all…this is so fucked up," Noctis muttered.
"Mighty strong words for a Prince to use." Midnight-blue eyes looked to the source of the voice and found Nyx walking up to him.
"Well, sorry I don't fit the profile for the stereotype," Noctis stated as he went back to leaning over the banister.
"You seemed like you were in pretty deep thought, you still lingering on the ceasefire and all that?" the boy sighed.
"Wouldn't you? We're a society known for many things: magic, music, weaponry, and our indomitable wills. Lucis has always been strong…but now look at us...we're just…" Noctis tisked, looking down once more.
"What?" Nyx came to stand beside him, leaning against the railing a bit.
"Remnants of what once was," he finished while Nyx sighed.
"Seems like too much for someone your age to be thinking about if you ask me," Nyx stated.
"It's never enough though….not to convince my father to change his mind, not to stop the Nifs….not to protect Luna…I'm just weak and useless to be honest….there's nothing I can do to stop what's already begun…" the Glaive next to him nudged him with something cold against his arm, causing him to look at him.
"Here," Nyx said as he held out a bottle of what seemed to be a type of beer. Noctis rose an eyebrow.
"You know I'm still under aged…." Nyx shrugged.
"I figured if you're old enough to be forced into marriage and have to sell your soul to the Nifs on another person's orders: then you're old enough to drink," he stated as Noctis sighed and took the bottle from him. Nyx leaned against the balcony, taking a sip of his drink while Noctis did so slowly, not sure if he was keen on the taste.
"I'm not really a suitable person to lead anyone…" Noctis looked out at the city ahead of him while Nyx shook his head.
"You're more down-to-earth than the King is. No offence," Nyx mentioned.
"None taken. My father probably thinks I'm still to childish…" Nyx laughed at that.
"Well, you're technically still a child. I mean you're only sixteen," he stated.
"I know….but I'm not a normal child: I'm special, chosen even by something to do some kind of great wonder for this world. To hell if I know what any of it means though…." Nyx shrugged, taking another sip of his beer.
"Listen, Prince Noctis….I'm not really one to talk about how to choose your own path in life, but…in my opinion, someone whose willing to see both sides of a confrontation is as good of a leader as there can be," he told him as Noctis took another sip, crinkling his nose a bit at the sharp taste.
"What are you talking about? You're a hero….I've heard the story about how you joined the Kingsglaive and lead the battalion into battle….how you saved almost all of your team and defeated one of General Glauca's insurgents when they tried to attack Insomnia…you've lead the path you wanted in life…I guess you have at least…" Nyx shook his head.
"No, see….before Lucis started to withdraw from the war…I had a home in Galahd, I had a mother, and a sister…both of them were killed when Galahd was overran by the Nifs and the Daemons…I joined the Kingsglaive hoping that I could keep that from ever happening to someone again…and then I met someone who kind of stumped me, after I had been in service to a Kingdom I felt had only been interested in using me and those like me…" Noctis looked to him.
"What did that person do?" he asked.
"They showed me consideration, and treated me like a genuine friend. They didn't look down on me because of being an immigrant from Galahd, an exterior place far from Insomnia…they stood up for me, treated me as if I deserved to be where I was after the work and suffering I had endured, and they showed me that I had allies in place I never knew I did…they taught me to be stronger for those around me and to trust in myself even when things looked bleak…" Nyx smiled, taking another sip from his bottle as the young Prince beside him did the same, once more crinkling his nose in the manner that Luna had always found cute when they were children.
"Who was that?" Noctis inquired, taking one more sip as Nyx eyed him.
"It was you, Prince Noctis," Nyx told him, causing the boy to cough a bit on the bit of alcohol he still had in his mouth before looking to him.
"M-Me?" the Glaive next to him nodded.
"Yep, you…so, just remember even if you wanna retreat into covers and close the curtains around you…don't because even though you don't know it yet: people do need you," Nyx stated as Noctis looked forward, seemingly thinking over the words he said before drinking down a gulp of the beer Nyx had handed him.
"I'll keep that in mind…thanks, Nyx." The Glaive shrugged.
"Anytime, but….you sure do have quite the tolerance for alcohol for someone whose never drank it before," he said. Noctis glanced his way and sighed looking at the bottle, crinkling his nose once more before looking to the stars.
"Guess so…." Nyx smiled.
"Hey, when you and your teammates get out on the road I'm sure a chance will pop up where you'll get to be around alcohol…here's an idea: show 'em how good your tolerance is, I bet if you do that it'll run them over with shock," he stated as Noctis looked to him, a mischievous glint appearing in his gaze while a cheeky smirk appeared upon his face.
"Ignis will bust a gasket if I did that." Nyx laughed.
"All the more reason to do it then," he said.
"Yea, guess so…but…I gotta go. We should be heading back, see ya, Nyx." The Glaive nodded.
"See ya, Prince Noctis…" the boy paused.
"Oh, and one more thing?" he asked.
"What?" Nyx looked to him.
"Drop the title, you, Crowe, Libertus, Pelna, and Luche are my friends," he stated as Nyx rose an eyebrow.
"So, then what do we do?" Noctis smirked.
"Just call me Noctis….or Noct, whichever you want. Okay?" he asked as Nyx smiled and nodded.
"Yea, gotcha Noct."
Nyx turned back around as he looked up at the stars, thinking about the behavior of the boy as he took in a deep breath and considered all that was coming in the Prince's direction. A smile came to Nyx's features as he thought about the facts that the boy seemed to have quite the odd way of recovering from things that did their best to knock him down. With a sigh, the Glaive took a sip of his drink, thinking about the events that were unfolding and wondering if Noctis would truly be okay despite all the pressure being laid upon him.
"Noctis? Why does your breath smell like alcohol?" asked Ignis.
"I kinda decided to try it….not sure if it's something I like." Nyx smirked a bit, trying not to laugh.
"Your father is going to have a stroke! What were you thinking? You're still under age! Consider the future you have as the ruler of our people Noctis!" scolded Ignis in shock of the statement.
"Don't pop a vein Specks, it was just a bottle. It's fine…one isn't going to do me any harm, promise…" Ignis sighed and Gladio clapped the blonde on the back.
"He's a teenager too Ignis, let him be," he stated.
"Very well, but don't do that again Noctis!" the boy laughed a bit, rolling his eyes.
"Whatever you say Specks…" Nyx took in a deep breath, smiling, laughter clear within his eyes as he looked outwards at the downtown slums while considering everything and quickly discarding his worries over the Prince of Lucis.
"He's gonna be just fine. He'll handle whatever comes his way, especially with those three around him…."
"Noct?" asked Ignis.
"Yea?" a rattle was heard and Noctis made an annoyed sound.
"Breath mint?"
{…..}
That's when something wild calls you home, home…..
{…..}
Author's Note: So Noctis pretty much broke down in this chapter, but because of those who had befriended him, he seems to be doing better. In addition to all this, Nyx and him seemed to have formed a sort of brotherly bond as well and Crowe had some good words of wisdom for our hero. The whole thing with Nyx giving Noctis that bottle of alcohol is the kind of thing I could view Nyx doing when trying to cheer up someone who's gone through a bit of a tumble and I think it was also to get a jab at Ignis's mother hen behavior, and some added humor, but just to clarify: I do not support underage drinking. I just found the situation plausible and thought it would be fairly funny for Ignis to go on his tirade about Noctis's age. Well, tell me what you thought of the chapter, and I look forward to reading your reviews as always.
Have a wonderful day or night, wherever you may be.
Sincerely,
ShadowDragon94.