I blame life and overtime ( - _ - )
I own nothing but crazy imagination.
Notes at end.
I can't believe it, she's actually here!
Highness?
She was in front of me, and I - said that!
Highness?
Oh gods I must have sounded so lame!
Highness!
Huh, what?
"I see, that your reunion with Lady Lunafreya only adds to your mind being off in the clouds." Ignis couldn't help but grin at seeing her mistress so flustered and smiling a smile she hasn't seen in many years.
"Shut up."
Noctis said under her breath as she quickly turned her head away so Ignis wouldn't see her burning red face. But she was just glad it was Ignis and not Gladio to bear witness. She would never hear the end of it if it were him.
Ignis doesn't push the matter further. She rather just basks that Noct has finally reunited with lady Lunafreya after so many years apart with only a notebook connecting them. But their small moment of joy ends when they reach the end of the hall.
Coming down the other hall is Ravus with an entourage of imperial envoys. Both groups stop a few feet from each, the envoys and Ignis bowing their heads to the opposing royal of each party. But the very royals themselves don't, they remain reactionless and only eyeing the other.
"Ravus." Noctis voice is back to its indifferent tone, and not wanting to formally address the former prince, she just glares at him.
"Hmm if it isn't her royal highness. Have you had the pleasure of reuniting with my sister?"
Noctis doesn't answer, but her silence is answer enough for Ravus. "I'm sure you two have plenty to talk about after so long." Ravus lips only lift slightly, as if trying to smile. But his eyes stay cold as if disgusted by Noctis very presence. Noctis can only glare back, a part of her wished to be happy to see him again. Even thou they weren't close she got along well with him back then. They didn't talk much since she was so hidden in her shell and Luna was the only one she truly open up to. She was just a small child to him after all and just left her and Luna to their "childish" devices since he thought of himself so grown up compared to the two young girls. And now here they were as grown adults, engaged but the only word that came to mind in regard to each other was spite.
To Noctis, Ravus was the man who hated her father the most and she was the daughter of the man he blamed for all his misery.
One of the envoys whispers to Ravus, gaining his attention. Ravus gives a small nod and walks pass Noctis. Not even looking her in the eye. He stops a few feet behind her and slightly turns his head towards her. "I'll leave my sister in your care with no imperial interruption, in order for you two to reacquaint yourselves…"
Noctis' eyes widen and turns around to face him.
"Since you are now sisters-in-law." Ravus doesn't smile or show any sign of bluffing.
Why would he do that if he hated me so much?
"I'll still keep an eye on you two so don't use your free time together on meaningless plans."
And with that warning, Ravus leaves without her answer or looking back.
"Noct?" Ignis asks in a calm voice, once Ravus was out of ear shot.
Noctis continues to stare at the spot Ravus stood even after he was long gone. Ravus' words had left her perplexed, he has done her a kindness and thrown salt at her wound at the same time. What even was his motive in all this?
…
Thinking she would spend the rest of the day, locked away in one of the airships, Luna is surprised to learn she would be allowed to stay in the citadel if she stays put and only goes where she is told. She couldn't think of an advantage for the empire in letting her stay there. They would still keep an eye on her so did it really matter where they locked her up?
She's taken to a room where she would be spending most of her time when she is not in public. The room appears to be a large guest room since there are no personal belongings to indicate an owners. One of the walls is made up of high windows with heavy light gray drapes. The floors are marveled with luxuries rugs at the foot of the bed and under a wooden coffee table.
A few minutes later a maid of the citadel and an imperial guard behind her enter with a few suitcases.
"Your things my lady." The maid bows as the guard leaves them at the foot of the bed.
"Thank you."
Luna smiles and gives her a nod. The maid and guard then exit the room leaving her to her own devices. She signs but welcomes the silence. She makes her way across the room, undoing the lace train hooked to her dress. She drops it on top of the bed, looking at it, it reminds her of a veil. Tisk, why would they have me wear this, I'm not even the bride. I'm practically just a glorified bridesmaid.
She turns her attention to the crème color suitcases that she did not pack herself. They are actually quite small and light that she has no trouble lifting them up on to the bed. She opens them to find only a few essentials, a night gown, a coat for cold weather and her favorite white Tenebraen dress.
It seems this visit is shorter than I thought.
If this marriage clause is true then that means that as soon as the treaty is signed, she would be shipped back to Tenebrae and won't see Noctis until the wedding in Altissia. She still had doubts on this supposing symbol of the peace but when it's all over the news and have already seen the very real almost completed wedding dress and her own dress for the occasion. It's starting to feel too real.
She looks out of the windows, having a wonderful view of the sun setting over the wall.
I wonder if Noctis has seen sunsets like these all the time growing up here at the citadel. She's probably back at her apartment somewhere in the city with the same sunset over her window right now.
The thought gives her comfort.
I hope she's okay. I probably won't be able to see her until the eve of the signing celebration. So I'll just make do with the free time I have.
At the moment, she's not sure what to do. Umbra and Pryha haven't showed up and Gentiana hasn't appeared to her either. Making her feel more alone. But before she starts to feel lonely, a soft knock at her door interrupts her blue thoughts.
"Luna?" a soft voice calls her through the door. Luna jumps at the recognizable voice and hurries to the door. On the other side was Noctis.
"Noctis?"
"Hey…I ah—woh"
Noct is surprised when Luna quickly grabs her arm and drags her inside the room. She looks out the door for any guards then closes the door as quietly as she can.
"Ah Luna?"
"How did you find me?"
"This is the floor where guest stay plus the Nif guards at the end of the hall, really gave it away."
Both girls laugh under their breath at the dry humor. She's really here. Both of them thought, still finding it surreal that their deepest wish has come true.
"I-I wanted to see you."
"I wanted to see you too. But I'm under servillence, if you get caught here—
"Hey, don't worry. I know my way around. After all I did live here." Noctis couldn't help but recall all those night she explored and snuck out of the citidal as a young teen. Caused Ignis so many headaches.
"As I'm sure you do, but if they hear us?"
"Then I guess we can't stay, I know a place. Come on!"
Without giving her a chance to protest, Noctis makes her way to the door, looks out for any guards in the hall. The hallway clear, Noctis carefully steps out, watching her every step. She turns around, offering an extended hand to Luna.
She stood at the door, weighting the risks of this outing. But seeing Noctis at her door, ready to sneak off somewhere again, made her not want to listen and just go. She took her hand, mouthing "okay," ready to go. Noctis smiles and jogs down the opposite end of the hall with Luna in hand. Reaching the end, there's only doors and a dead end. Noctis opens a door on the right, leading into an office. Still holding on to Luna, she leads her to another door on the left that leads into a similar looking office. This office had three doors and she leads them through the one on the right leading into a small hall. They run down the hall, feeling a sense of joy and wonder that remained them of their childhood adventures in Tenebrae. Luna thought it funny how it was she leading Noctis down the halls of her home and now their roles reversed. Distracted from warm memories, she hardly notices the maze of halls they took to avoid guards. They finally came to a stop in front of an elevator.
Luna looks over to Noctis with an eyebrow raised. Noctis only raises her finger to her lips, expressing that all will be explained soon. The elevator doors open, both women entering inside.
"Where are we go?"
"You'll see."
Luna averted her eyes as she felt a light blush hit her cheeks as she saw Noctis' mischievous smile. She felt like a teenager sneaking out after curfew. She wondered if this was the feeling the young maids at the manor were gossiping about after sneaking off with a boy.
The elevator came to a stop, slowly opening its doors. Noctis and Luna step out, entering another hallway. They only walk a few steps before reaching a set of double doors. Noctis pulls one of the doors open, letting Luna walk in first. Luna smiles at her not even worried about the dark beyond the double doors since she completely trusts Noctis.
She slowly walks inside, careful not to walk into anything. Lucky, she doesn't since there was nothing is in her way. It takes a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the dark, she then notices a shape of white in the corner of her eye. She concentrates on it and can make out what appeared to be a soccer goal. She looks to her left and see a goal at the other end.
"A soccer field?"
"Yeah, this is the gymnasium in the west tower. No one comes up here at night, so as long we keep the lights off, no one will know we're here." Noctis explains as she walks on to the field. The gym was almost the size of her high schools' basketball gym minus the school bleachers.
"And it had a nice view." Noctis looks up, making Luna walk on to the field to notice a skylight that was almost as big as the field.
"I don't know how but you can still see the stars from here. Even with all the light of the city and the wall covering over it." Noctis explained as she as walks over to a ball left on the field and kicks it around.
"I use to come up here when I felt like hiding from Iggy or just needed a private place to think."
"But what about soccer, didn't you use to play?"
"Not really, I only took interest because my dad and I watched a match once together when I was little. I thought maybe if I asked for a soccer ball. He would drop everything and play a match with me…. But you know."
Noctis kicked the ball as hard as she could, sending it flying into the net. After so many tries as a child, she got use to kicking the ball around on her own.
"You never told me that." Luna could see the hurt, she too understood the loneliness of a busy parent, but she had her brother in those early years while Noctis was still alone.
Noctis shrugged, "Never came up."
Plus that was the least of my worries the following summer. Noctis remembered that was the night that changed everything.
"Right… your injury.."
The girls grow silent remembering that summer of pain and unbelievable joy. Noctis mentally kicked herself for making it awkward all of sudden.
"But hey remember how I told you how I got recruited by the girls' soccer team my sophomore year?"
Luna laughed at that memory, reading Noctis letter in their shared notebook of that event.
"Yes, I remember. You were so overwhelmed by the teams' persistence, that you had to hide from them every lunch and run to the car after school for a few weeks."
"Yeah, I guess kicking a ball around for a decade made me star kicker material." Noctis laugh at the memories as she kicked the ball again.
"So why didn't you join? Sure, you had your royal duties but you could have made the time?"
"Oh, you know why."
"Oh of course wouldn't want to get up before dawn for practice. That would be out of the question." Noctis couldn't help but love the way Luna laugh and joked. It seems so foreign to her elegant tone on the radio of public appearances. It was nice to think this was how she sound while writing in their notebook and only to her.
"oh hahaha. Very funny but aside from that I never played on a team before plus it would have cut into my time with hanging out with Prompto."
Luna smiled at the name, she was so happy that Noctis and Prompto became friends. She was glad he was there for her where she could not but she still couldn't help the small prickle of jealousy. But no matter what she will always be grateful to him.
Noctis had just gotten the ball back and placed it on the ground in front of her.
"May I?" Luna asked before Noctis could send the ball flying again.
"Sure."
Noctis took a few steps back. Surprised at Luna's sudden interested.
"Have you played?"
"No but I would like a try at it."
"Alright, try kicking it with the inside of your foot and not the toes."
Luna walked up to the ball and gave it a light kick, sending it rolling for a few feet; not even reaching the goal.
"Okay good start."
"I was only warming up" Luna gave a small pout at Noctis' lighthearted sarcasm.
This time she ran up to the ball. Kicking it into the goal.
"Nice but your first kick saved you the distance." Noctis teased, enjoying Luna's enthusiasm.
"Alright fine."
Luna walked up to the ball and back with attitude. Noctis couldn't help but stare, the whole thing made her blush and she was glad it was too dark for Luna to see that. Luna sat the ball down and walked a few feet away. She turned and started running up to the ball. She kicked as hard as she could however she ended up kicking to quickly that she missed the ball and the momentum send her falling back. Luna lands on her back on to the fake grass. Noctis rushes over and kneels beside her.
"Are you alright?!"
Luna makes a small noise that Noct is afraid she hurt herself to the point of tears. But instead Luna bursts into a fit of laughter. Noctis is confused at first but Luna's laugh is so contagious that she starts laughing as well. Noctis lets herself topple over beside her. Both girls lay on the field laughing watching the stars.
Once their laughter dies down they stare up at the stars in silent with the comfort of each other's company.
"Noctis?"
"Hmm?" Noctis looks over to her.
"Thank you…for this." Luna continues to look up at the sky feeling a sense of joy she hasn't felt in a long time.
Even thou Noctis can't see her that clearly, she still couldn't help but stare at her. Her hair and dress highlighted her figure in the moonlight. And she could see the shine in her eyes.
"For you, anytime."
Luna turns towards Noctis, seeing she was facing her too. Thou her hair hides within the shadows Luna could still see Noctis' eye shine in the light. That little girl from so long ago was gone. Even if she could still see hints of her, she was replaced with a grown woman. Same goes for those feeling for that girl. Yes, this feeling wasn't the sisterly love she felt 12 years ago. The feeling of longing was the same but also different. Both pain her heart in the same way but this was a different kind of longing, one she has never felt for anyone before. Unknown to her, Noctis was feeling the same thing and possibly for a lot longer time. Noctis wanted nothing more but to reach out to her. To be able to have her by her side and let her know she would be okay. However, Noctis was so lost in Lunas' presence she didn't realize she extended a hand to Luna's face, brushing hairs away in the process. Luna felt breathless, the light touch of her fingers on her skin set her heart aflame. She reached up her hand as well, creasing Noctis' cheek. In that moment she felt something she has forbid herself for many years, want. She wanted something, she felt it, but wasn't sure what exactly. And as it was starting to take over her, the image of Ravus flashed in her mind. Breaking her out of the spell.
"Its getting late. We should head back before they start looking for us."
…
Elsewhere in the city, after staring at the box for almost an hour; Nyx finally decides to look inside. Of course, there wasn't much, a few pointless papers, her phone with her favorite charm. I guess the mascot remained her of home. He found a watch and a small box, inside was a sliver hair pin.
A hair pin? I didn't think you were into that kind thing.
It's not for me. It's a gift for the princess.
To think that was their last conversation. He almost laughed at that, but he mostly felt sick to his stomach at the cruel humor. What happened to you Crowe? He thought he was used to losing comrades by now but this. No this one was different. This one hurt beyond words.
Yeah took me a while to get back. I got stunk half way but it made out. So fun fact the soccer field is real, its in game. there's a god mode glitch during chapter 14 that when you explore the citadel you find a soccer field in one of the towers. you can look it up on YouTube. No idea way its there but thought I could use it since I thought it was funny and I needed fluff.