Ignis thought he was prepared to meet her. He had rehearsed what he would say during their first encounter, just to make sure he didn't embarrass himself from the start. But as he followed Jelric down the hall to the room where his betrothed was waiting, he felt a bout of nervousness hit him. By the time they reached the door, a coil of anxiety had formed in his gut, making it slightly harder to draw in a full breath. Wishing he had more time to calm his nerves, he steeled himself before he followed his uncle into the room.

She was looking out the window, so that all he could see of her at first was her sleek, raven-black hair, half of which was gathered up with an elaborate pin, the rest flowing down past her shoulders. The navy-blue dress she wore was flattering and fitted her body in a clean, polished look. Even from the side, everything about her appearance, from the expensive-looking earrings hanging from her ears to the beige heels on her feet, presented her as someone of high esteem.

When sensing their entrance, she turned her head. Two orbs of liquid blue met Ignis's gaze. The color was similar to Noctis's, but while the prince's gaze tended to be sharper and more cutting, her eyes were soft and held a tranquil glow in them.

After their eyes met, she smiled.

In that moment, Ignis realized that the picture he'd been given hadn't been too perfect to be real. In fact, as the light from the window hit her, illuminating her olive-toned skin, he came to think that the photo had inadequately conveyed just how beautiful she was.

"Ignis," Jelric said, gesturing to her. "Meet Valyria Vilem. Miss Valyria, this is my nephew, Ignis Scientia, Prince Noctis's advisor."

She turned fully toward him now. "Hello, Ignis," she said. Her voice was bright and gentle. Almost soothing. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"A pleasure, Miss Vilem," he said, stepping forward and bowing his head to her. "Your arrival has been highly anticipated."

Her smile widened a bit. "I'm sure." She also took a step closer. "I trust that King Regis has informed you of the terms of our arrangement?"

Ignis nodded. "Yes, he has."

"Wonderful." She tipped her head in acknowledgement, her gaze steady on his. "Well, I certainly look forward to getting to know you and your magnificent city."

Ignis stiffened as he realized that while most everything was prepared for her arrival, he hadn't thought about that logistical aspect of her getting around. He frowned slightly. "I must apologize," he said, regretfully. "I won't be able to provide a tour of the city myself, as I've been busy helping with preparations for the prince's wedding and the treaty signing. I can arrange for someone to show you around."

But Valyria shook her head. "That's quite alright. I think my protection detail and I should be able to navigate ourselves throughout the city."

Ignis suddenly realized that in addition to his uncle, there were others in the room. A dark-haired man and a blonde woman dressed in casual street clothes were standing at the back, presumably two of the Leviathans that were sent to help. Ignis had been so preoccupied with meeting Valyria, he hadn't noticed them when he came in.

Silently, he scolded himself. He'd need to be more observant when the empire was here.

Valyria continued talking. "I'm sure that they have some sights they would like to see while they are here, including more of your impressive Citadel."

Ignis nodded, catching the hidden meaning behind her words. It seems that her companions were eager to get started on their work. "Of course. My uncle can assist you with getting around the Citadel. In the meantime, I'll have a car made available for you and your people."

"That would be excellent. Thank you, Ignis."

Suddenly, a thought came to him, and he was surprised that he had missed it until now.

"I'm sorry, it may have slipped my mind," he said, "but I don't believe my uncle and I were told the details around...our marriage."

Valyria tilted her head slightly, her forehead wrinkling a bit. "What do you mean?"

"The, uh...wedding," Ignis said, with a little difficulty. "We were not told about your preference for what you might want to do for the ceremony. If you'd like to have a reception while your people were here or—"

"That's…not necessary," she said, candidly. "A simple, private ceremony is fine, if that's alright with you. You can, of course, invite your family and close friends if you wish to."

"Of course, no, it's whatever you wish to do," he said, nodding. "You can let me or my uncle know when, and we will see it done."

Valyria nodded in return as she smiled again. "Perfect."

"Wow. Romantic."

Gladio leaned against his practice sword, wiping sweat from his brow. Ignis was sitting on the floor, his back against the wall as he took a drink from the water bottle in his hand.

"It was her idea," Ignis said, somewhat defensively as he screwed the lid back on the bottle. "I was willing to go through all the pomp and fuss if she wanted, but neither of us are under the illusion that this marriage is anything except political. Besides, I already have Noct's wedding to worry about."

"Well, at least she seems to be on the same page as you," Gladio offered. Better than someone who would have expected Ignis to do even more than he did now. Although he knew it was unlikely King Regis or First Secretary Claustra would choose someone like that for this role.

"That is fortunate," Ignis agreed. "Although I feel rude leaving her to fend for herself when she just got here."

"I'm sure she's capable enough to explore the city on her own," Gladio said. "Plus, she has her people with her for now. You can be all welcoming and polite after the treaty signing, when things calm down."

"You're right." Ignis sighed. "It's just stressful. And one more thing I have to worry about."

Gladio frowned at him, noticing that the advisor had been more tightly wound than usual since news of his marriage. He seemed particularly distracted today during their training session. While Gladio was glad that he wasn't the one who had been asked to get married, he did wish there had been someone else to take the strain off of Ignis.

"You want me to take Noct off your hands for a while?" he asked.

Ignis hesitated. Gladio knew that it wasn't because he didn't trust Gladio to take care of Noctis, more so that he was reluctant to pass on his responsibilities to someone else.

"I promise I'll keep him alive."

Ignis smirked at this, knowing the statement could go without saying, considering that doing so was what Gladio had trained and prepared to do for his entire life. But his words seemed to work.

"Maybe one day this week," Ignis said, getting to his feet. "If you could take him and Prompto back to his apartment after your training session with them, I can take Prompto back home when I'm finished with all my meetings."

"Sure, Iggy," Gladio said, lifting his training sword. "Maybe I'll even take them to see Iris."

Ignis raised an eyebrow at him. "Using your little sister as a babysitter? I thought you were better than that."

Gladio chuckled. "Come on, you know that she loves hanging out with them. And she's been wanting to see Noct. Before the wedding."

Ignis nodded with understanding. He was as aware of Iris's crush on Noctis as everybody else was...except for Noctis himself. "Well far be it for me to deny a lady her wish. Just let me know when you would like me to pick them up." He gave Gladio a grateful look. "And...thank you."

Gladio clapped him on the back as they made their way back to the middle of the training area to resume their session. "Anytime, Iggy."

Valyria studied the garment hanging up in her closet. The staff at the Caelum Via had graciously steamed it for her, ensuring that it was pristine and wrinkle-free.

It was simple. A white, sheath dress that had been tailored to fit comfortably to her body. Flattering, but not too tight or too revealing. It would be considered plain next to any other wedding dress, but as far as Valyria was concerned, it was perfect.

She'd decided to get married a week after her arrival, to give her time to settle in. Not like it entirely mattered. They'd already taken a thorough tour of the Citadel and started investigating the layout of the city. Kit and Dina were currently pouring over maps in the adjacent room, planning what they wanted to look at next. Their true purpose for being here was well on its way, and they still had several weeks to explore at their leisure.

But, she supposed, she still needed to get her true purpose for being here out of the way. And she might as well do it sooner than later.

"Do you want me to attend?"

Valyria almost chuckled at the offer. She kept her eyes on the dress. "I think just Anya is fine. It's not like I need more than one witness."

"Maybe. But it is your wedding."

She turned to Kestrel. He was standing by the window, his arms crossed in front of him. It was strange seeing him in a T-shirt and jeans, his dark brown hair covered with a baseball cap. Things he didn't usually wear back home. But they didn't want to call unnecessary attention to themselves, so all her travel companions were wearing similar clothing. Perhaps Valyria stuck out, wearing dresses everywhere they went, but that was kind of the point. She was the noblewoman from Accordo, just looking around her new city with her bodyguards.

Nothing else to see here.

"You know that I've never been one to care about stuff like that," she said, as she looked at him. "A political marriage was always a high possibility. I never expected a large celebration to go with it."

Kestrel shrugged. "He did offer."

"True," Valyria acknowledged. "But it hardly seems worth the headache when both parties are being forced into it."

He frowned slightly, his green eyes darkening, but he didn't say anything. Valyria knew that he was upset at the decision to marry her off. But Dominus had agreed with the First Secretary. She was the best choice.

"So..." She threw a probing glance at Kestrel. "What do you think of him?" she asked.

"Your betrothed?"

Valyria nodded, her face expectant.

"He's busy."

"Really?" Valyria asked, laughter lining her tone at his succinct reply. "That's all you're giving me?"

Kestrel gave a slight smirk, the first semblance of a smile she'd seen him crack since they got to Insomnia. "He's educated. And polite. A little too serious, but that seems to stem from his dedication to his role and all the duties that come with it. He's certainly accomplished much for someone at his age but could probably accomplish much more if those said duties didn't hold him back." He eyed her deliberately. "Essentially, he reminds me a lot of you."

Valyria had come to the same conclusions herself after meeting Ignis. Outside of the accent he had spoken with, the austere man had pretty much met her expectations from what she'd read about him. Although she hadn't quite drawn the correlation to herself as Kestrel had, she had to admit there were similar qualities there.

"Hmm." She grinned at him. "I'll take that as an admission that you like him then."

"I'd like him more if he actually paid you any attention."

Valyria rolled her eyes. "I'm hardly worth distracting him from his job at a time like this. Plus, he's not completely ignoring me," Valyria said, pointedly. "He made us that list."

The day after they arrived, a piece of paper had been delivered to her. Ignis had put together a list of sites to see and restaurants to try around Insomnia. The best of the Crown City as he'd put in his note. She was touched by how thoughtful it was, although surprised he had taken the time to put it together. She knew that he had a lot on his plate as the prince's advisor. Hence why she hadn't even seen him since their initial meeting.

But she wasn't going to complain about it. They had visited one of the restaurants shortly after the list arrived. The food was delicious. Even Kestrel was impressed.

"Fine," he conceded, no doubt thinking about all the other appetizing food they'd had in their short time here. "He gets a pass for now."

Valyria grinned. "Besides," she said, "it just means we get to spend more time together before you leave."

A frown formed on Kestrel's face again, deeper than the last one. He looked out the window, at Insomnia's towering skyscrapers, including the massive Citadel that was situated beside the hotel they were currently being housed in. His voice was quiet when he said, "I wish you didn't have to stay."

Valyria's grin faded, and she sighed. "I know. But I'll come visit. And you can visit too, you know. It'll be easier to travel here once the peace treaty is signed. Maybe they'll even take down the Wall."

"If it gets signed." Kestrel turned back to her, fixing her with a serious look. "Do you really believe in this Chosen King stuff?"

Valyria's mouth twisted slightly. She shrugged. "I'm not sure, honestly. I'm not even sure Camelia completely believes it. But Weskham does. And we can't ignore that the daemons are appearing more every night. Or that people are starting to randomly disappear, just like in Niflheim. If there's a chance that Prince Noctis can stop it from happening to Accordo—to everywhere, then I'm willing to take it. Even if it means that I have to stay here and make sure that we maintain good relations with the Lucians."

Kestrel gave a renounced sigh. "I know. I wouldn't expect anything less from you." He looked down at his watch. "You better start getting ready. I'll send Anya and Dina over. Don't forget to give Anya the key to your new apartment so she can drop off your stuff for the night."

"Thanks," Valyria said, turning to admire her dress again. "I will."

"And Val?"

"Yes?" she asked.

"Congratulations."

Ignis had never been more appreciative of his uncle. With how busy Ignis was, Jelric had taken it upon himself to hire movers for him, since King Regis was relocating Ignis to a bigger apartment in the Citadel. It was only fitting, since Noctis would also be moving to a bigger one once he was married, and this would make sure Ignis was still close by.

Not that Ignis needed the space. He didn't have a lot of possessions, simply for the fact that he was rarely ever at home to enjoy them. Still, he was extremely grateful that Jelric had the foresight to hire a moving service, since Ignis wasn't able to take care of it himself. The movers had even unpacked and organized everything in a relatively logical sense so that it wasn't that hard for Ignis to find what he needed. Which was good, because he was currently running late. After everything going on around him, it was a relief to have one less thing to worry about.

But as he walked into his new bedroom to get his suit, his relief faded into uneasiness when he saw the large king-sized bed in the middle of the room. It suddenly occurred to Ignis that he would be sharing this new bed with Valyria.

And that tonight was their wedding night.

Feeling uncomfortable, Ignis turned away from the bed and walked into the bathroom to start getting ready.

He hardly knew how he was expected to consummate with a woman who was being forced to marry him and whom he'd only met seven days prior. It was only slightly better that she seemed as accepting of her duty as he was. Perhaps, being the daughter of a council member, she had prepared for a political marriage her whole life. Ignis supposed that maybe he should have been too, but he didn't think it would happen when he was this young and in such a rush, for that matter.

It made him wonder how Noctis felt. He and Lady Lunafreya were childhood friends and had communicated over the years through writing. But the last time he saw her, she was twelve and he was eight. And now she was being brought here so that he could marry her at a younger age than Ignis was now. Noctis may have been given more warning, but it didn't make the whole arranged marriage thing any less awkward. And yet, it was something that had been done by multiple countries for years.

Ignis shook himself mentally. He couldn't change his situation. He could only try to make the best of it. He'd figure out the wedding night situation later. First, he actually had to get married.

Showered up and with his best suit on, he headed down to the court room. Outside, Jelric was waiting for him. He'd only invited his uncle. While he had considered inviting Noctis, Gladio, or Prompto, he simply felt too embarrassed to ask them to attend his marriage ceremony. And, he had to admit, part of him just wanted to keep it as quiet as possible. He hadn't even told Gladio why he needed him to take care of Noctis tonight and, thankfully, Gladio hadn't asked, probably assuming it had something to do with Noctis's wedding instead.

He was grateful that Valyria had opted for a small, private ceremony. Then again, it's not like she had anyone with her outside of the operatives she had come with. Her father hadn't even come, which might be strange except for the fact that if the empire did betray them, Accordo wouldn't want to risk losing him. Only his daughter. But Ignis assumed that in addition to Noctis and Lunafreya, the Leviathans were tasked with keeping her safe as well.

With the uncertain situation they were in, no wonder she didn't want to plan an elaborate wedding.

"Are you ready?" Jelric asked when he walked up.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Ignis said, only a hint of apprehension in his voice.

Jelric put a hand on Ignis's shoulder, a light smile on his face. "She's inside."

Ignis blew out a breath. It was time.

When he walked into the room, his eyes were automatically drawn to her. The white dress that she wore was simple, but something about Valyria emanated elegance even with its simplicity. Her hair was pinned up halfway with the rest cascading around her shoulders, similar to the way she'd worn it the first time they'd met. When she turned and saw him, she smiled brightly, which for some reason, made his breath hitch a little bit.

"Hello, Ignis," she greeted, as he approached.

"Hello," Ignis said to both her and the female Leviathan who stood beside her. He recognized her as the blonde-haired woman who had been in the room during their first meeting, except this time she was also wearing a dress instead of her street clothes. The woman smiled and gave him a polite nod back.

"Apologies for being late," he continued. "One of the council meetings ran over."

Valyria shook her head. "No need to apologize. Your uncle was such wonderful company I hardly noticed the wait."

"Oh," Jelric said, rubbing the back of his neck. He seemed taken off guard by the compliment. "I-I was just telling them stories about my younger days as an attendant. They were nothing special."

Ignis had never seen his uncle look so bashful. It was a bit amusing to see.

"Well, I thought they were very insightful," Valyria said, her voice genuine. "It'll certainly be helpful to know while I'm learning more about navigating your political system. It's quite different than Accordo's."

"Yes, well, I'm glad I could I be of service," Jelric said. Ignis thought he saw his cheeks had redden slightly.

Ignis's lips twitched up into a small smile. "Well, Uncle, it seems you have a pension for imparting your wisdom to others unknowingly. After all, you still deny that you taught me everything I know."

"Now, now, enough of that," Jelric huffed, apparently uncomfortable at the unexpected praise from both Ignis and Valyria. "We're not here to talk about me." He glanced around. "Let's not keep the judge waiting any longer. I'm sure she has other places to be." He stalked off before they could say anything else.

Laughter lit up Valyria's eyes as she watched Jelric walk away. Ignis also wore a slight smile as he offered her his arm. "Shall we?" he asked.

"Of course," she said, sliding her arm through his.

His nervousness had waned a bit after that. The sparkle that had appeared in Valyria's eyes didn't leave as the officiant recited the marriage rites to them or as they signed the official forms. Not even when they slid the rings on each other's fingers, solidifying the reality of their situation. That slight twinkle caught Ignis's gaze multiple times as they stood facing each other, and he found it hard to look away from. Now that they were standing closer together, he was able to notice that while at first her eyes had looked entirely blue, there was actually a ring of green around her pupils, giving them a serene color, reminiscent of the sea.

"I now pronounce you man and wife."

Ignis blinked, not realizing that the officiant had already gotten to that part. For a moment, he paused, unsure of what to do. Valyria must have noticed that he was somewhat caught off guard. She smiled slightly and then, lightly placing her hands on his shoulders, she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

"Congratulations," the officiant said, smiling at them.

"Thank you," Ignis said, trying to pull himself together. He must need sleep. He was getting so absent-minded these days with everything he was trying to keep up with.

He was slightly surprised when Valyria took one of his hands in hers, squeezing it gently. "I need to speak with Anya for a moment," she said.

Ignis nodded, hyperaware of her hand on his. "Of course."

When she moved away, Ignis turned to his uncle. Jelric gave him a pat on the back.

"I'm proud of you, Ignis," Jelric said.

"Thank you, Uncle," Ignis replied, although he didn't feel like he had accomplished anything in particular.

"I know it's sudden and not something you had planned for this soon," Jelric continued, "but you're doing the kingdom a great service, forming this alliance. And you should give yourself more credit for what you've done."

It was almost as if his uncle had read his mind. Ignis couldn't help but give a sly smile. "You mean like you give yourself?"

Jelric narrowed his eyes at him but then returned Ignis's smile with his own smirk. "Alright. I'll keep that in mind. As long as you also take those words to heart." He glanced at Valyria who was still talking with Anya across the room. "She seems like a good woman, Ignis. She's more than I could have hoped that you would end up with. Just remember, you have a duty to her now in addition to your duty to Prince Noctis. While I don't anticipate her needing as much care as our young prince, she's still entitled to some of your attention."

"Of course, Uncle," Ignis said. "I'll try."

Jelric gave his shoulder a squeeze as Valyria walked up. "I'm ready when you are," she said. "Your uncle tells me we have dinner reservations?"

"Yes," Jelric said. "Everything should be ready for you."

"Is it one of the restaurants on your list?" she asked Ignis, her eyes lighting up. "I'm eager to try another one of Insomnia's fine dining establishments."

Jelric and Ignis exchanged a knowing look before Ignis replied.

"Not quite."

"Wow."

Valyria's breath was taken away as she stepped out of the elevator and onto the roof of the Caelum Via. None of the buildings in Altissia were quite this tall, so she'd never been this high up before. She stared in awe at the marble flooring, the magnificent detailing of the walls, and the intricate lighted pillars that towered over them. She was so distracted by the grandeur of it all, it took her a moment to realize how quiet it was.

"There's no one else up here?" she asked Ignis, confused.

"It's closed to the general public for now," Ignis explained. "The reception the night before the wedding and treaty signing is to be held here, so it's shut down for renovation."

"Renovation?" Valyria asked incredulously, looking around. "It's beautiful up here. I don't think it could get any better."

"Well, we Lucians do everything we can to impress our guests."

She shot him a look. "I'd say it's working."

A slight smile tugged at his lips. "Good."

Right then, a second elevator opened, and a waiter came out holding a tray with two glasses of champagne on it.

"Per your request, Mr. Scientia," the waiter said. "Would you like me to place the bottle at your table?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful, thank you," Ignis said, taking the two glasses from the tray. He walked over to Valyria and handed one to her.

"Thank you," she said, accepting the glass from him. She took a sip before she said, "Of course, now that we're officially married, I'm not sure I could still be considered a guest."

"Hmm, perhaps not," Ignis agreed, lightly. "Well universally, I think it's safe to say that men do what they can to impress their spouses as well."

Valyria laughed. "That's a fair statement. I will say, a private dinner on a rooftop like this is certainly most impressive." She took several steps away, turning around to try and see everything at once. And then her eyes landed on something. "Oh my..."

She started walking up the stairs that led up to the landing above them. She'd made it up four steps before Ignis made it to her side, offering his hand to help her up. Valyria smiled as she took it and then let him lead her to the large cylindrical tank of water situated on the top floor.

"I thought this might be of particular interest to you," Ignis said, perceptively, as they made it to the top and she was able to get a closer look.

The tank was supported by red columns, highly decorated with gold embellishments. A large painting of a pale woman in blue-gray garments was situated in the middle of the vessel, framed with the same gold material and held up by a large, abstract sculpture. But it wasn't the elaborate statue or beautiful painting that had caught her eye.

Floating around the aquarium were two creatures modeled after Leviathan. Their wings flapped delicately as they swam among the other various, colorful fish. The bodies of the creatures were a silky, silver color that reflected the light, giving them an almost ethereal glow as they glided through the water, their tendrils trailing behind them.

"This…this is beautiful," Valyria said, softly, her eyes following the winged serpents as they drifted gracefully around the tank. Beautiful and peaceful. Valyria felt mesmerized by the display. She didn't know how long she stared at it, trying to figure out how she might get something similar erected in Altissia, but when she finally looked away, she saw that Ignis was watching her. "Sorry," she said, somewhat sheepishly, cradling her champagne glass. "I'm not being particularly interesting company, am I?"

"On the contrary," Ignis said, his tone sincere. "You're far more interesting than most company I keep these days. I could go years without hearing talk of flowers, decorations, and seating charts ever again."

"That does seem rather dull," Valyria agreed, glad that neither of them had opted to bother with any of those details for their own wedding. "Why do they need the prince's advisor for all of that?" she asked, curiously.

"Because Lady Lunafreya, unfortunately, won't be here in enough time to provide any input and Noctis doesn't care, so somehow the decisions have been left to me." Ignis shrugged. "I wish I could say I'm not used to it, but taking care of things like this has always been what I've done for Noct."

"Well, he's very lucky to have someone like you to take care of him," Valyria said, earnestly. "I'm no stranger to duty. It's clear to me that your devotion to Prince Noctis goes beyond that. It's heartening to see that your monarchs inspire that type of commitment."

"As the First Secretary must inspire you, considering that you've come all the way here for your people," Ignis asserted.

Valyria looked away thoughtfully, swirling the champagne in her glass. "True. But it is a bit different. Camelia doesn't hold all the power in Accordo. And she doesn't want to. She relies on the Legislative Council and the citizen representatives to ensure Accordo flourishes." She tipped her glass toward him. "You're not wrong though. Her dedication to the people founded my father's commitment to her, which in turn has led me to devote my life to doing the same as she does."

"It's no wonder the both of us were chosen for this arrangement then," Ignis observed, with a slight smile. "Considering how dedicated we both are to keeping the ones we care about safe."

Valyria gave a small smile back. Kestrel had been right. They certainly did seem to have some commonalities. Which was a relief. Hopefully this meant they would get along fairly well. While at times, Ignis seemed uncertain how to act toward her, overall, their interactions with each other had been far less painful than Valyria had worried they'd be. And up here, on the quiet rooftop under the night sky, he seemed less rigid than he'd been the first time they had met. Maybe even a little relaxed.

"Well, that's enough talk about work," he said, as if reading her mind. "It may be my only night off for a while, so we might as well make the most of it." He gestured with his glass. "Would you like to take a walk around while the food is being prepared?"

Valyria's face lit up with excitement. "That sounds lovely."

Dinner went better than expected. Ignis thought that Valyria might have been used to a more elaborate lifestyle considering her upbringing, but a pleasant look of delight had remained on her face throughout the evening. She'd been fascinated by the architecture around the Caelum Via, even sticking her hand in one of the water fountains built into the concrete borders around the roof. And when she had looked out over the city, taking in the sight of Insomnia from above, her eyes had held a far-off look of wonder.

It was all things that Ignis had taken advantage of growing up in the Crown City. Seeing the place through her eyes had been enlightening as she walked around asking him about the things that she saw there or had seen while exploring the city. Having spent most of his life with Noctis, who had long lost interest in most things like that, it was stimulating to spend time with someone who was genuinely fascinated by it all. Valyria's curiosity had lasted them all through the exquisite dinner that had been prepared for them, giving them plenty to talk about.

The evening being not so terrible, Ignis wished it could last a bit longer, mostly because tonight he had an excuse for ignoring all the work that he knew waited for him. But, knowing that it couldn't be avoided, he decided that he might as well catch up on the sleep he apparently needed. And so, after dinner he brought Valyria back to their new apartment.

"Do you have items for the night?" Ignis asked, as he unlocked the door and let her walk in ahead of him.

"Anya brought a bag over for me. We'll move the rest of my items tomorrow." Valyria scanned the apartment as Ignis closed the door behind them. "Nice place," she said, sounding impressed.

As part of the move, King Regis had provided them with newer and more expensive furniture than what usually furnished the apartments in the Citadel. Ignis didn't know if it was simply because he was trying to impress their guests from Accordo or if it was some type of compensation for Ignis's act of service. He hoped it was the former, as the latter option only made him feel uncomfortable. Then again, Valyria would be the one using it since he spent most of his time with Noctis or somewhere else in the Citadel. If it made her more content, then he would get over his reservations about it.

"Wow." She moved to the large window in the living room that spanned across the wall. They were on a higher level of the Citadel, which provided a better view overlooking Insomnia. It wasn't as good a view as the one from the top of Caelum Via, but Valyria still seemed to like it.

"It really is a beautiful city," she said, her eyes filled with admiration, as she took in the tall buildings that were lit up against the night sky.

Ignis came to stand beside her. "Yes, it is. Although I've heard that it pales in comparison to Altissia."

She shook her head slightly, still looking out at the view. "I would argue that they're both just as beautiful, but in their own way."

"You're probably right." He glanced at her. "Maybe one day you can show me around your city."

She turned to him, a pleased smile lighting up her face. "I would like that."

Ignis found himself smiling back. He felt a strange sense of satisfaction from being able to make her smile as genuinely as she did just then. He didn't know why it affected him so much at that moment. Maybe because he'd had just one drink too many with dinner, which he was sure he was going to regret in the morning. But also, he presumed that if Valyria was going to be tied to him for the rest of her life, he would do what he could to at least make her not miserable.

Suddenly his phone vibrated in his pocket. His face quickly fell into a grimace. Out of respect, he had been ignoring his phone for the past several hours, but he supposed now he would need to check the number of messages he had felt come in throughout the evening. He pulled out his phone and did a quick scan. Nothing incredibly urgent at the moment but plenty of things that he needed to add to his already long list of items to get done tomorrow. He rubbed his temple with one hand, the thought already giving him a headache.

Valyria was studying him. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes," Ignis said, putting his phone away. "Just a multitude of reminders that my job is never done."

She tilted her head slightly. "Anything I can do to help?"

Ignis shed his suit jacket. "Oh no, please don't trouble yourself," he said, laying his jacket on a chair beside him. Then, thinking better of it, he grabbed it again. The last thing he wanted was for Valyria to think that he was a slob. Or worse, that she needed to pick up after him. "Worrying about Noct is my job, not yours. And you should be able to enjoy your time in the city with your people while they're here. I hope the list I put together for you has been helpful."

Valyria nodded, her smile returning to her face. "It has. Thank you for taking your time. You didn't have to. I know that you're very busy."

"It was my pleasure," he said, as he unbuttoned the cuffs of his sleeves. "Besides, it's the least I could do since I haven't been able to escort you around the city myself." He let out another quiet but frustrated sound as his phone went off again. Noctis was asking if they could pick up Prompto tomorrow morning before his fitting appointment.

If you wake up early enough, then yes he typed out.

He sent the message and then walked into the bedroom. He was several steps in when he halted, seeing the king-sized bed that he now was to share.

Right. He'd forgotten about that.

He sucked in a breath and then walked past it, decidedly ignoring the prominent piece of furniture while he opened his closet door. Maybe he'd feign having work that needed to be done urgently and shut himself in the office for the night, at least until she had fallen asleep. It was, undoubtedly, a bit cowardly, but it was also better than the awkward shuffle that was sure to ensue if they went to bed together. As he hung up his suit jacket, he contemplated how best to approach bringing it up without being too transparent about why he was leaving her alone the rest of the night. He was loosening his tie when he thought he felt movement at his back.

"Ignis..."

He turned around and was surprised to see Valyria standing very close behind him. He hadn't even heard her come into the room. With her proximity, he was engulfed by the smell of her expensive perfume, a light, floral scent he'd caught whiffs of throughout the evening that was very pleasing to the senses. He found it a bit…intoxicating. The scent, mixed with the alcohol still running through him, made it a bit hard to think as she peered up at him through her lashes, her ocean blue eyes capturing his. Then, she reached up, and her hands were on his tie.

Ignis froze. His breathing became shallow as he watched her carefully undo the knot around his neck, her slender fingers gentle and methodical as she slid the fabric free from itself. When she was done, she slipped the tie off his body, the sensation sending a tingling feeling up his spine. He became acutely aware of how close together they were standing, and something started to flicker inside of him. Something he was not prepared to act on.

"Valyria..." he began, struggling to get his words out. "I don't expect you to—"

"Ignis," she said, softly cutting him off, her alluring gaze meeting his. "It's okay."

He blinked, uncertain as her fingers moved to the front of his shirt. Slowly and delicately, she started to unbutton it. Ignis had difficulty breathing, the scent of her perfume filling his lungs and clouding his mind as he felt her brief touches through the material, her hands moving down his chest and then his torso. When his shirt was completely undone, her eyes lifted to meet his again.

Whatever breath remained in his body instantly left him as she reached up and slid the straps of her dress down, leaving the delicate skin of her shoulders bare. Ignis swallowed as he failed to look away from the area where fabric had previously covered her. His eyes flicked over the spot where her collar bone made shallow indents in her skin and then moved to the soft curve that formed where her shoulder met the base of her neck.

He vaguely registered that she was watching him as his eyes wandered over her flesh. Some part of him told himself that he should look away, that this wasn't what he wanted. But something about the way she held herself, not shying away from his gaze and seeming to purposefully display that part of her for him, kept his eyes adhered to her body.

Then, her hands came up. And he realized that she was reaching for the top of her dress, about to tug the cloth down so that it would slide off of her and expose the rest of herself to him.

Ignis's hands shot out, grabbing her wrists.

"Wait," he said.

Valyria froze at his sudden touch.

"I-I can't," he stammered out. He let go of her and took a step back. "Not...right now. It's not you, it's—" He stopped, unsure of what to say.

Valyria dropped her hands. Her expression was neutral, betraying nothing of what she was thinking.

"Please," he said, his voice regretful. "I don't mean to offend you."

She blinked at him and then shook her head. "I'm not offended."

"I'm sorry," he apologized. He reached up to rub the back of his neck, mortified at himself. He couldn't sleep with her. Not when he knew she was only doing it because she felt she had to. But now he was afraid that he had let it go too far and had hurt her in some way, even if it was just her pride.

Ignis's eyes flicked to the bed only a few feet away from them. Then he looked at the door to the living room, where there was a couch that suddenly seemed extremely inviting. "Perhaps I should just—"

"Don't be ridiculous."

When he turned to her again, he was surprised to see that Valyria's eyes looked amused. "Sleep in your own bed, Ignis." Her lips twitched into a small smirk. "I promise I won't invade your side. Unless you ask me to."

He felt himself flush at those words.

Casually, she slipped the straps of her dress back onto her shoulders as she walked away from him. "Do you have an early morning?" she asked, taking off her earrings and putting them on one of the dressers in the room. Then she picked up the bag sitting on the dresser that Ignis assumed Anya had dropped off for her first night in the new apartment.

Thrown off by the sudden change in mood and conversation, Ignis could only say, "Yes."

"You better get some sleep then," she said, nonchalantly. "I'll try not to disturb you." She walked back over to him and then, putting a hand on his chest she gave him a kiss on the cheek, her lips soft and delicate against his skin.

"Goodnight, Ignis," she said, softly.

"Goodnight," he replied, his breath caught in his chest.

Then she walked into the bathroom and shut the door.