He sat at his desk, his finger tapping on the wood as he thought about the last 6 years.

After the attack of Tenebrae, he'd brought Noctis back in a rush, the boy had been reluctant to leave Luna, but he had to keep him save. It shamed him now, he had been so preoccupied with the young princess and with his own kingdom that he had forgotten about the little girl… when he noticed she was already gone…

In fact, the only thing she had left behind was a letter to himself and his son, saying she had to leave.

'Did she really go to the Guardians?' He thought as another sigh escaped his lips.

As he was in deep thought he failed to notice, the door opening, and he failed to realize he was no longer alone…

When a soft breeze grazed his hair, the king frowned and stared at it, there stood a hooded person. It took him no time to summon his weapons and point them toward the other person in the room, however, as the breeze blew the hood away his eyes widened.

"It's been a while, your majesty."

Regis blinked, stunned by the smile on her lips and the two familiar golden orbs.

"Selene?"

The girl's smile widened. "Yes."

The swords disintegrated around her and before she could complete her greetings, the King had warped and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Your majesty?" She was taken aback as the older man held her, almost suffocating her.

"Silly child… where have you been, for the last 6 years?" she could hear the choke in his voice and suddenly, for the first time in 6 years she regretted her decision to leave… She held onto his suit, crumpling the tissue with her fingers as she returned the hug.

"You worried us to death!" Regis reprimanded as he pulled away to give her a harsh look. "The entire palace was a mess when you disappeared, we sent several search parties to look for you!"

She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, the gaze not of a king but of a father. "I did leave a letter…"

"Selene!" She flinched. "One letter is not enough to fill YEARS of no information! I didn't know where you were, what you were doing, I didn't even know if you were ALIVE! How would I face your father? You worried everyone that took care of you!"

She didn't remember the last time she had been reprimanded, not by her parents, nor by her masters… she vaguely remembered being hit in the head by Sirius when she did something stupid, but he never reprimanded her... It made her feel awkward, her heart grew in her chest, and her stomach twisted, it was strange, it felt uncomfortable and embarrassing… She smiled, for some reason it made her happy.

"What are you smiling at young lady?"

"I missed you as well."

The king blinked, taken back by her honest reply, he sighed and returned the smile.

"I missed you too, Selene. Now, will you tell me WHY you left like that and WHERE have you been."

She didn't move for a moment, then she knelled to the ground and bowed her head. "May the gods be a guidance, to the Chosen King."

His eyes widened at her words, and he got his answer. 'A Guardian…' He thought, his gaze on her. How many scars were hidden beneath those clothes? How many remained unseen to the naked eye? '14, she's only 14 years old.'

"King Regis?"

His eyes shifted to the girl, the same child whose father had died to save his live, the child he'd taken in and raised as his own, for two years… a child who had suffered so much, but still strive to do more, to get stronger and protect his family…

He walked towards her and patted her head gently. "I don't know what to say, Selene… are you certain about this?"

"I don't understand the question, I'm sure I'll be capable of-"

"No Selene, I do not doubt your capabilities, just the fact that you are here, before me, reciting the words of a Guardian at the age of 14 is enough for me to know, you are most likely stronger than my own Crownsguard… what I asked, is… are you sure this is the path you want to follow? You're so young Selene… you threw away your childhood to become a warrior, and now you propose that I use you as a tool." He frowned. "Selene, you owe nothing to me or my kingdom, your father saved my life… you don't need to repay me, in any way! You can live here with me and Noctis. You don't have to fight."

She stared at the king before her, watched how his face contorted into one of sadness. Everything he had said, every word, she thought them herself. On the nights the fever from the wounds assailed her, on the days that she was thrown into a sea of monsters and had to fight her way out, with nothing but a dagger. On the days the mud entered her eyes, and she had to fight the other students and her teachers, half blind. Even Sirius had asked the same of her.

Selene reached for his face, and she caressed it gently, like she did as a child.

"It's alright," She whispered, as she removed her hand she stared at the King with a serious gaze.

For a long time, Regis hadn't seen that gaze in her, her golden eyes shined, and he felt a pressure from those eyes. The words that left her mouth after that shocked the king, but made him remember a certain dream he had, a long time ago, and he understood…

Selene left the room, leaving the king alone. He leaned his head against the couch and sighed, with his eyes closed he remembered that stormy night.

"There are a few things I must tell you. First, in two years' time you will have a son. Second, your son will be the King of Light. Third," Regis opened his eyes and spoke the words the god had told him long ago… "The Ariadust family still lives."

He remembered the veiled person that appeared before him, the hand that reached for his cheek and gently held it, filing him with a calm and warmth he hadn't felt in a long time…

He knew now that dream had been about the future and that hand, was the same small hand that he'd taken in…

The king rose from his seat and walked towards the painting that dictated the Six, protecting the world and he repeated the words Odin had spoken to him in the end. "Not all that the gods say is the truth…" He was starting to understand those words.

He walked into the escort car and sighed boringly, once again nothing special happened at school. Next to him Ignis, raised his head from the documents he had at hand.

"How was school?"

"Boring…" He answered, not wanting to develop on the subject.

Ignis pushed his glasses upwards and reached for a small bag, from which he removed a box. As he opened it, the sweet smell of pastry goods filled the car, calling the young Prince's attention. His adviser handed him one.

"I tried again."

Noctis took the pastry in his hand and looked at it from all angles before he took a bite, it was good, but… "Hm… it's not the same, it was flakier?"

The older boy nodded and sighed as he stared at the pastries, in deep thought. "I'll try and change the dough, then."

As he finished eating the pastry on his hands, Noctis licked his fingers and reached for another one. "It's still good though."

The glassed man smiled and took a bite of one of the pastries himself, as the prince reached to take another, he stopped him.

"No, you're having dinner with his Majesty today."

"Eh? Isn't he too busy lately?" Noct complained as he turned to see the view, he covered his mouth to hide the small smile that lurked in his lips, at the news.

"He finished earlier… he also said you'd have a guest dining with you."

"Can't wait…" He grunted as a frown appeared in his face, the small delight quickly disappeared from his eyes, as he realized the dinner was more political than a casual family dinner. As they passed the check point and entered the citadel, Noctis turned to Ignis. "Who is it, anyway?" To his surprise his friend merely shrugged.

"I don't know, I wasn't informed…"

That was odd, Ignis always knew everything that happened in the citadel, if not from himself he would find out by his uncle… The fact that he didn't know meant the person was someone his father wished to keep in the dark… The question remained. 'Who?'

The aides prepared him for dinner, he wore a suit as it was mandatory for formal gatherings.

He shifted uncomfortably before the mirror as he looked at his figure, he wore the usual black suit, with a darkened blue necktie, his hair was pulled back and styled to remain away from his eyes. He watched as the retainers fixed the cuffs and placed the chest pin, with the royal seal in it. Noctis frowned, he never really liked the fancy clothes… especially when he still looked like a brat.

He had grown up, he was 14 after all, and he would soon be going to high school, but he still looked like a brat. His father had assured him many times he would grow, and yes, he'd grown taller and the constant training with Gladio was giving him some muscle, but he was still short… He sighed and left the room, as he walked the guards who had been positioned in certain spots bowed respectfully before the prince, he gave them a soft nod as he passed them.

As he reached the dining hall, the prince was confused to see the usual table he and his father used for their meals… another place was placed at the table, next to his seat.

He tilted his head to the side confused but entered either way. His father hadn't arrived yet, and neither, it seemed, had their guest. Noctis sighed and crossed his arms over his chest as he waited. His gaze shifted to the seat next to his.

There was a time, when someone sat there… he frowned and closed his eyes. There had been a time, yes, but now that person was gone.

The sound of the doors to the room open reached his ears, as he turned his head to see who it was, the young prince was shocked.

She stared uncomfortably at the figure in the mirror, behind her the maids squealed in the delight.

"So cute! So pretty! It looks perfect!" They jumped as they held hands, proud of the masterpiece they had created.

She had agreed to dinner with Regis and Noctis. Considering the job, she had to fulfill, she needed to be with the prince for the next year which meant she had to meet the boy and explain to him why she had left…

Selene played with the ribbon around her wrists. She could already see his angry expression; she could already hear the words of anger the moment he would see her. She expected it, after all even Regis had reprimanded her, she could only imagine what would Noctis say…

But THIS! This wasn't part of the plan! She sighed and pressed her hand against her head as she peaked back at the mirror. The girl stared back, with a troubled expression and embarrassed expression.

Her dark hair was held in a high ponytail, with a blue bow holding it together, the same ribbon was tied around her neck, wrists. Her shoes, of a deep blue, had a low heel and strapped, securely, to her feet with the same ribbon.

The dress was a strapped dress. It fell a little bellow her knees, roses were embroidered into the white fabric with blue satin lines, and her inner skirt, was of the same deep blue color that gave a hue of color to the top white layer of tissue. The ensemble was completed with a small ribbon on the left side of her chest, a golden jewel on top of it, that complemented, as the maids said her eyes…

No matter how she saw it… she looked like one of those dolls in Luna's room…

She turned slowly to the still delusional maids and in a small voice she asked… "Hum… do I have to go dressed like this?"

"YES!" Their answer was immediate, that it caught her off guard.

"B-but, isn't this too… much?" She asked as she pulled the skirt to see the frills.

"NO!"

Selene flinched and blinked, once again taken aback by the sudden answer, she looked back to her figure in the mirror and sighed. 'Oh well… as long as no one tells Luna or Sirius about this, I guess I'm saved…'

She walked out of the dressing room to see the king waiting for her. He was talking with his adviser when the man stopped talking as he saw her. Confused the king turned as well and much like the man behind him his eyes shot open.

Selene blushed timidly and shifted uncomfortably before their gaze. She was regretting this SO MUCH!

Suddenly the Kings lips curled into a soft smile and he approached her, extending his hand in a gallantly way. "You look lovely, shall we, my lady?"

She was certain that vapor was leaving from her head as she took the kings hand and walked out of the room, the more the eyes of people stared the more she wanted to hide away. This wasn't what she was trained for! She specialized in stealth! To be unseen! Not wander around for all to see! She missed her mask.

As they reached the dining hall the butler smiled kindly at her and bowed to the king.

"Prince Noctis is already inside, your majesty."

The king nodded and stared at the young girl next to him, who was still fuming. He chuckled and gently placed a hand over hers. When her golden eyes stopped on him, he smiled.

"Shall we?"

"If I have to…"

His smile widened as he took a step forward, the servants opening the door. The first thing he saw was his son's bored expression, the second was his widening eyes and gaping mouth. Regis smiled, Noctis shocked expression wasn't something he could see that often.

The King said nothing as he guided Selene to his son, all the while noticing the boy staring at the girl with apprehension, he could see in his son's eyes that there was a recognition in them, but he still hadn't quite placed it where he had seen the girl next to him. Regis didn't blame him, her eyes were covered by her bangs, enabling him to see them, not to mention that Selene had changed she was no longer a little girl of eight, she was maturing into a lovely woman, and the king was certain, that with a few more years, Selene would turn out to be quite beautiful and elegant woman.

They stopped before his son. "Noctis."

The prince blinked slightly stunned and quickly resumed to his etiquette, presenting himself.

"Good evening, I'm Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum. Who do I owe the honor, my lady?"

The girl flinched slightly at his formal tone, the king released her hand and placed it on her shoulder, encouraging her. Sighing she bowed in respect and lifted her gaze to meet the prince's and instantly she saw recognition flashing in his eyes. "Good evening, Prince Noctis."

"Selene?"

Dinner didn't go badly but it didn't go great either. While the King had greeted Selene with worry and sternness the prince had given her coldness and anger.

He gave her contempt and ignored her. IF and WHEN it was necessary for him to speak to her, he did so in a formal matter, not once looking towards her.

The king sighed at his son's behavior, but he didn't condemn it. Out of everyone in the palace, Noctis had been the most shocked to learn Selene had left. Her departure had hurt him deeply, and caused a further closure in his son's personality…

His gaze shifted slightly towards Selene, she seemed unaffected by his son's cold behavior, however, he was certain that deep down it hurt her…

When they finished dinning the King raised from his seat, as the two pre-teens prepared to rise, he stopped them.

"Please, stay where you are." He made it seem like a request, but his voice demanded an order. "Noctis, I believe you have no intention, at the moment, of speaking to one another… however, Selene is here to be your bodyguard for the time being, as such I believe the two of you should work this out as quickly as possible, take your time." He began walking to the exit when he stopped and turned to the two. "If necessary, I'll have you locked in a room until you resolve this matter. Now, if you'll excuse me."

And with those words the King left the two alone, in the dinning room. As he stepped outside, he turned to his butler. "Keep an eye on them."

The man bowed politely and wished the king a good night.

Inside the dining room the two teens remained silent. The only sound was the ticking of the clock that stood in the small table bellowed the painting that showed the illustration of the founder king.

As the clock sang with the telling of the hours, Selene shifted towards the Prince. "Prince Noc-"

"I don't want to hear it." He said coldly, arms crossed and body away from her.

She looked at him for a moment, she had expected this, so it was fine, she tried again. "Pri-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses, I don't even want to see you! So why don't you go back to being missing?"

Stab, that was what it felt like, that she had just been stabbed. Selene clenched her hands into fists, her mind fighting with herself. 'It was to be expected,' she thought. 'Yeah, but he doesn't need to be like that!' another part of her retorted. 'He's hurt, I didn't contact him for 6 years.' She breathed in, reeling her anger and irritation, she would try again. "N-"

"Didn't you HEAR ME! Go back to being dead and leave me alone."

Something snapped in her. She didn't have time to deal with a child who refused to listen to her! She reached for the notebook Luna gave her and threw it at him.

Something hit his head, he saw a familiar notebook falling next to his feet and when he looked back to complain she kicked the floor from beneath him. Before he knew it, he was looking at the ceiling and Selene was staring at him with an annoyed expression.

"Listen BRAT! I'm NOT going to apologize! I'm NOT going to EXCUSE myself! And I won't go back to being DEAD! I have a job to do, and that is being your bodyguard for the time being! As well as giving you, THAT!" She pointed to Luna's notebook before glaring at him again.

Noctis blinked and as he reached for the book he recognized the cover. It was Luna's notebook, the one that Umbra or Pryna always brought for him. He glared at the girl. "Where did you get this!?"

She raised an eyebrow and smirked, placing her hand on her waist. "Oh? What is this? The great Prince has graced me with a question? Now, he wishes to know? After telling me to go back to being dead!"

He clenched his jaw and hands. What was with her attitude!? Did she think she had done nothing wrong? Did she think he would forgive her, just like that? "Fine! I'm out of here!" But as he reached for the door he remembered his father's words. Noctis grunted in frustration as he hit the door and glared back at Selene.

She returned the glare and sat back on the table, reaching for the tea. 'Tea, tea always helps Luna relax! I should drink tea!' She thought as she poured a cup. She wanted to hit him. She knew he wouldn't be forgiving, but she'd expected him to at least hear her out. She had read the reports the Guardian's had given her. She knew he was different, that he had closed himself more than before, they didn't mention the attitude problem. Selene glanced towards the prince, seeing him standing next to the door arms crossed and a sulking expression. She glanced at the book beneath his arm and sighed.

"Luna is doing well." She said out loud as she siped her tea. "She's worried about your studies, and she wonders if you've made friends."

His eyes widened as he looked at her and reached for the book. He read the same words Selene said written in it, he clenched the book, his hands trembled with anger, he dashed towards her slamming the book on the table, as he snapped back at her. "You opened it!"

She sent him a glance. "No, I saw Luna writing it. I've been with Luna for the past year and a half." She placed the cup down and looked at him waiting for the words to sink in.

Noctis blinked confused. "What are you talking about?"

Selene looked at the book. "Luna added a photo of the two of us, its on the next page."

Noctis stared at her, he didn't understand what she was saying but Selene's eyes... they remained the same tone of gold as he remembered, and he could tell, she wasn't lying to him... he grabbed the book and turned to the next page and indeed there was a photo of Selene sitting next to Luna.

The princess was smiling while Selene smirked with a can of juice in her hand. Bellow the photo another message read. "Dear Noctis, I heard from Selene she used to play with you as a child, I am happy that we share a good friend in common."

He stared at the two persons in the photo. They looked to be having fun… he never saw Luna smiling like that, so freely and happy... his gaze stopped on Selene who had the teasing smirk he recalled from their childhood... somehow he felt something similar to bitterness in his mouth as he looked at the picture. 'She's been with Luna all this time, and she didn't even try to send a letter?' Noctis clenched his jaw and swallowed before he spoke. "Why were you with her?" That wasn't what he wanted to know, it wasn't what he wanted to ask, neither what was plaguing his mind, what had plagued his mind from the day he found out she left...

"I am protecting her."

"You?" He scoffed.

Selene rolled her eyes and rose from her seat, she stood before the young prince and bowed, a bit mockingly, towards the young prince and she spoke the same words she'd spoken to his father. "May the gods be a guidance, to the Chosen King."

His eyes widened, he had listened from his teachers and his father had filled in on the lacking details. The code words any Guardian should say to a royal of the house of Caelum, so that they knew who they were.

"You're a Guardian?" She was the same age as he, and he had heard that those who tried to be Guardians had to go through hell to become one. 'Why? Is that where you were?' He said nothing else, and Selene also remained quiet.

She didn't answer him, not because she wanted but because she couldn't admit out loud that she was one.

"Noctis, I apologize for causing you pain, however, I had my reasons for leaving. And my reasons for remaining quiet all these years." She walked towards door and gently knocked on it. "Mr Evandrus, please open, I'm tired."

The lock on the door clicked and it opened quietly, as she prepared to walk out she looked back. "I have a mission to complete, your highness. Whether you like it or not." Selene paused for a moment as she eyed the boy, the memories of the past, of that day... flashing in the background. "Do you remember that night, your highness?"

"What?"

"The night the Daemon attacked us?"

Why was she talking about that? "I do."

Selene smiled, of course he remembered, that wasn't something someone could easily forget… "That was one of the reasons. Goodnight, Prince Noctis."

He walked along the corridor directly to his fathers office, he was certain he was still awake. As he reached for the door nob he heard someone clearing his throat, the young prince stared at his father's loyal attendant and sighed. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Come in." His father voice projected from the inside. He entered the room, the fireplace was lit and it sent a warming sensation to the kings office. Most of the lights were off, except for the one above the his father's desk, where he still worked on the final documents of the day.

"How could you not tell me?"

Regis raised and eyebrow and lifted his gaze from the documents he was working on to look at his son. Slowly he reached for the glasses, he used when he had too much work to read, and gave his full attention to the Prince. "What do you mean?"

"Selene! She being with Luna! And being a G-"

"Noctis." His father interrupted him as he looked at his son. "You can't say those things lightly. They are a secretive organization for a reason, to reveal who is a member could be the death of that person." He warned his son, who quickly tensed as those words sunk in. As he leaned on the desk the King rose from his seat and walked towards his son, the two sat on the couch as they watched the fire. "I didn't know Selene was with Lunafreya. Nor did I know she entered the organization."

"But! How couldn't you know!?"

"I'm not a God, my son." He said with a smile as he looked at his child. "I cannot know what a person's thinking, nor what their actions will be. I can presume. And as a King, you must always calculate your actions and the actions of those around you carefully, before making decisions. But we can't know for sure that's how they will act." 'Especially the Ariadust clan...' He kept that small information to himself, fearing that his son wasn't ready to hear about it just yet.

"Then... why did she leave!? Did she tell you!?" Noctis asked in an irritated tone, he had a strange sense of Deja-vu.

Regis sighed. "I feel we've had this conversation before... and my answer is the same as back then. I don't know son."

Noctis clenched his fists and bit his lower lip. His father was right, they had had this conversation before, right after knowing that Selene was gone... and even now with her back, he still didn't have answers and it annoyed him! It made him angry! She could have explained! She could have told him! 'You didn't let her.' One voice said in his head, it only made him angrier.

"Noctis... Selene is back, and she has a job to do."

"I don't need a bodyguard! I don't need to be protected!" He looked his father in the eyes. "I don't need her! I've been fine without her until now!"

Regis didn't know what to say... even if Noctis didn't accept Selene's protection, he knew the girl would still continue with her mission, even if it was from afar. But that broke his heart... he could still remember the days they two would run through the corridors laughing, the hide and seek contests, the fort they made with all the pillows they could find in the citadel... he knew they couldn't return to those days but he hoped that his son could forgive her, at least enough for them to become friends again. Because, even though Noctis said he didn't need Selene, he missed her.

The king sighed and looked at the fire, what could he say to make things better? "... about that day..." He heard his son mumble.

"What?"

"She asked if I remember about that day, the day we were attacked."

"What about it?"

"She said it was one of the reasons."

Suddenly a memory from long ago came to him. A memory of a child trembling in the corner... it had happened not long after he brought Selene to the citadel, she had a dream, a nightmare and she'd hidden in a corner of her room, a blanket over her as she tried to stop the sobbing. He remembered asking her what was wrong and hearing her story. 'Ah... so, that's why you left...' He thought to himself and looked at his son.

"I never told you, did I Noctis..." His son looked at him. "How Selene lost her parents?"

Noctis blinked, confused. "Her dad saved your life, right?"

"Yes, but do you know about her mother?"

The prince searched his young memories, to see if there was any conversation he had with Selene about her mother, but he came with nothing. He shook his head.

"From what I gathered... Selene was 3 years old when she lost her mother... She told me that her mother protected her, when a Daemon attacked." Noctis eyes widened as he heard those words, his father looked at him and gently patted his head. "Maybe Selene feared you would end up like her mother... I know I felt very hopeless when I heard you'd been attacked." His hand shifted to his shoulders. "I felt powerless and all I wanted was to get to you as quickly as possible. Maybe that's why Selene left. To get stronger, so that she could protect what was precious to her..."

He didn't know what to say. The hatred he felt until then seemed to dissipate at his father's words.

Regis pulled his son into a short hug before moving away. "It's late, you should go to bed."

The young prince walked towards the door as he did he stopped to look back at his father, who'd walked towards the desk. "Dad?"

"Hm?"

"If... I ask Selene about it... you think she'll tell me?" His father looked at him for a moment and smiled.

"I'm sure she will."

"Night, Dad..."

"Goodnight, Noctis."

AN: Tutu~ru! Okay! Part numero tres! It's the longest I made!? Wow... Well honestly, the third hour is also the longest, until now xD Honestly, I had something else prepared, but I thought it would be nice for Noctis and Regis to talk, you know, father son moment!

Now, about the answer to the previous chapter, Selene likes Fudgy! While Sirius prefers Cakey! In all honesty, I think Sirius is the heretic, fudgy is better! I'm guessing Luna would like either, the poor girl doesn't look like the type to eat that many sweets! I need to give her MOORE!

Anyway, I'll see you all onto part fouuuur! Ciao, ciao!

Special thanks to Ari Kuma! You are our first review! Gracias! Merci! Danken! Obrigado! Arigato! Thanks! And I don't recall anymore languages so... yah! Thank you! Hope you enjoy the rest of the story!