A/N: Just wanted to say thanks to anyone who's read so far. Things are a bit more active over on AO3, but I hope that maybe there's some people enjoying the story here as well. Updates will probably take longer, since I keep getting stuck in editing loops that seem to get worse with each chapter. But I hope that you continue to enjoy.

Valyria hummed to herself as she walked into her apartment. Although she had lived there for about a month, it still felt strange being in her new home. Maybe it was because she spent most of her days out in the city. Or maybe it was because the apartment, while sleek and stylish, was vastly different than her place in Altissia had been. She was used to being surrounded by lighter, vibrant colors. In comparison, everything in the Citadel was dark. It seemed that the Lucian royalty had a strong fondness for making everything black, or if not that, some shade right above it.

Overall, that wasn't what was bothering her though. There was something else. A feeling prickling in the back of her mind. She couldn't pinpoint the exact reason why, but her home here felt…temporary. Like she was on some extended vacation in a very fancy hotel.

The realization had Valyria frowning to herself. She shouldn't think like that. Not until it actually became an issue. The hope was that everything would go well with the signing tomorrow, and then she would start her life here, figuring out how to establish Accordo as not only a political ally to the Lucians but as an economic partner as well. Trade already occurred between the two nations, but interactions with Insomnia itself were dampened by the Wall and the empire looming over both countries. With those obstacles out of the way, Valyria could see the potential for both Lucis and Accordo to flourish even more than they did now, especially after seeing what the Crown City had to offer.

The research she'd done would only get her so far though. She needed to talk to Ignis and get his insights into potential opportunities and the willingness of the king to accept new ideas, before she could propose anything. That would, of course, be easier if she ever saw him, but she had hopes that after the signing, he'd be more available to discuss things. She would find a way somehow. For now, she didn't want to add one more concern on top of everything else he was dealing with.

Well, what they were all dealing with.

It was why she was currently alone. While she usually spent more of the day with Anya and the others, the arrival of the empire several days ago meant that her companions needed to be particularly focused on their mission. Especially for tonight's affair: the welcoming reception before tomorrow's historical event. Ignis had also sent her a message saying that he was going to be helping Prince Noctis get ready before the dinner, so she was expecting to have the apartment all to herself.

Which is why she was startled when, right as she walked into the bedroom, the door to the bathroom opened, and Ignis walked out.

Valyria stopped in her tracks when she realized that he was only wearing a towel wrapped around his waist. Before she could stop herself, her eyes flicked over his defined abdomen and the toned muscles of his arms and chest. She'd barely gotten a peek of his body the night of their wedding, which had only been a short glance before things could proceed very far. Apparently, the clothes he wore did a surprisingly excellent job at hiding just how well-conditioned his form was.

Ignoring the strong desire to stare, Valyria forced herself to bring her eyes to his face. He looked different than usual. He wasn't wearing his glasses, and his ash brown hair was wet and uncharacteristically tousled looking. It was certainly a more casual look than the composed appearance he usually presented himself with. Either way, Valyria had to admit that Anya was right.

He was definitely not terrible to look at.

Ignis also stopped when he saw her. He looked taken aback at her presence. "I didn't realize you would be home," he said.

Valyria made sure to keep eye contact, focusing on the vibrant green eyes that looked back at her. "My people needed time to prepare for tonight," she explained. "I didn't want to be in their way." Valyria tilted her head. "I'm also surprised to see you here. I thought you would be with Prince Noctis."

"I forgot my suit," Ignis said. "I thought I'd go ahead and grab a shower since I had to come back anyway."

Valyria nodded and then looked away when she found it harder and harder to keep her eyes on his face. Attempting to find something to do so she wasn't just standing there trying to not stare at him, she walked over to her closet and pulled out the garment bag containing the dress she was going to wear for the evening. "I was just about to start getting ready myself," she said. "I presume that I'll see you over there?"

She heard Ignis hesitate.

"Actually," he said, after a moment, "I'm no longer needed to help Noct before the reception. We could walk over together?"

Surprised, Valyria turned back to him. Then she smiled. "That sounds wonderful."

When Valyria had finished getting ready, she walked out into the living room area where Ignis was waiting. He was typing out a message on his phone. When he glanced up at her, he did a double take.

"You look stunning," he said, as he took in her long, shimmering blue dress. Anya had convinced her to buy it last week because it matched her eyes and apparently made her look "ridiculously hot". While Valyria didn't necessarily care about the last part, she did have to admit that she enjoyed seeing the certain glow in Ignis's eyes as his gaze lingered on her a little longer than usual.

Valyria smiled as she walked up to him. "Thank you. You're quite handsome looking yourself."

His tailored suit was made from some dark material that had a subtle shine to it. Knowing how the Lucian royalty were about appearances, it was probably designed specifically for this night. The polished fabric combined with the way it cut in perfectly around his frame gave him a very refined and dignified look.

"Well, at the very least we'll impress the empire with our fashion sense," Ignis said, with a sly smile.

Valyria's lips quirked. "I'm sure," she said. Then, noticing a piece of lint on his shoulder, she reached out to dust it off. It was reflex that had her moving to do the same to the other shoulder for good measure. Before she fully realized what she was doing, she ran her hands down the lapels of his suit jacket to smooth them down, and then she reached up to pull on the knot at the top of his tie to make sure it was secure. It wasn't until she noticed Ignis staring down at her fingers did Valyria suddenly remember the last time she'd had her hands on his tie like this.

Immediately, her mind flashed back to earlier that evening when she'd seen exactly what his suit was currently hiding underneath it, less than an inch away from where her fingers were.

Valyria stepped back, quickly shoving the mental image away as she felt warmth, that she hoped wasn't visible, start to creep up her neck.

"Sorry," she apologized, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Her touch, which had implied more familiarity than she had meant to convey, had been completely unintentional. "Old habit from helping my father get ready for work."

"No, that's…quite alright," Ignis said, his eyes briefly meeting hers before they flicked away. "I, uh, appreciate the assistance."

Valyria looked away too, the warmth still lingering around her face. "Right. Of course." She lightly cleared her throat. "I'm ready to go if you are."

"Yes," Ignis agreed. "We should head over."

They walked out of the apartment together. Valyria was grateful that the air felt cooler out in the hallway and took a deep breath to help compose herself. As Ignis locked the door, Valyria saw movement at the end of the hallway. She subtly shook her head. At her gesture, Anya quickly disappeared.

"They certainly keep a close watch on you," Ignis said, having noticed the exchange.

"Don't worry, they're keeping a closer watch on your prince," she said, her voice lowered. While there wasn't anyone else in the hallway with them, she didn't want to risk someone overhearing.

"A fact we appreciate," Ignis said, his tone also quiet as they began walking together to the elevator. "With the empire around, we're all on edge. It doesn't look like anyone will truly believe this peace treaty until it's actually signed."

"Understandable," Valyria said. And even then, she'd be skeptical. But, trying to be optimistic she said, "Hopefully everything goes well tonight and tomorrow."

"I certainly hope so. I'll be glad when this is all over. Noct will too. He's sick of being watched all the time."

"So, why aren't you with Prince Noctis now?" she asked, entering the elevator as Ignis motioned for her to go in first.

"He's with King Regis, the king's Shield, and the marshal," Ignis said, pushing the button for the lobby as the doors closed. "Security-wise, there's nowhere safer for him to be. I'll be staying close during the reception, along with two additional Crownsguard members."

"Among others," Valyria said, lightly.

The corner of Ignis's lip twitched. "Yes."

When they finally reached the bottom and they stepped out into the lobby of the Citadel, Valyria said, "I've been meaning to ask, where do you get those pastries that you set out? They're very delicious. Anya is prepared to shell out a lot of money to bring some back to Altissia."

"Oh, those? I bake them myself."

"You—" Valyria stopped walking. "You make them?"

Ignis seemed amused at the look on her face. "Is it that shocking?"

Valyria actually was somewhat bewildered at the idea. "But...surely you have more important things to do?"

"You're not wrong," Ignis admitted, as she resumed walking, and he fell into step beside her. "But it's something I actually do regularly. I've been trying to make a baked good for Noctis that he tried when he was in Tenebrae and really liked. So far, I haven't been able to recreate it though."

She lifted her eyebrows at him. "Well, even if you had, he may not tell you just so you keep trying."

Ignis inclined his head toward her. "I did consider that, but I suppose I shall never know unless he tells me one day. Perhaps I'll see if Lady Lunafreya will be able to shed some light on the matter. Anyway, it was easier to make a larger batch with the way the ingredients come, so I figured you and your companions might enjoy some."

"We did, thank you," she said, beaming up at him. The gesture had been even more thoughtful than she had originally known. It just reminded her that there was so much about Ignis that she hadn't learned yet.

"Anya will be terribly disappointed though," she said to him as he held the door open for her. "Unless you're willing to quit your job and open up a bakery in Altissia? You'd become a rich man very fast."

Ignis gave a light chuckle as they exited the Citadel. "After everything I've had to deal with in preparation for tonight and tomorrow," he said. "Don't give me any ideas."

It was a nice, clear evening. The music was light-hearted. The appetizers were delicious. And the alcohol was flowing.

But even with the pleasant ambiance and the cheerful chatter all around him, Gladio was not able to relax.

He kept having to make himself not stare down every imperial that passed by. None of them were doing anything suspicious in particular, but that didn't keep Gladio from being anxious as he stood with his back to a wall, trying to keep his eyes and ears open. His anxiety wasn't being helped by Prompto, who was fidgeting nervously beside him.

While Prompto was probably jittery due to the presence of the empire, some of it was also probably because this was the first event he'd attended where the majority of the guests were royalty or born of nobility. Being of neither, the gunman was likely feeling extremely out of place, especially since Noctis wasn't around to make him forget about status like that. Gladio might have attempted to try and ease Prompto's apprehension if he wasn't feeling so uneasy himself.

"Stop squirming."

It wasn't until the words were out of his mouth that Gladio also realized how irritated he was. While he knew Noctis was safe with both their fathers and Cor, it was Gladio's duty to be by Noctis's side if something went down. Mingling on top of the Caelum Via might make him more of a target than traveling with King Regis and his two most-trusted individuals, but at least once Noctis was up here, Gladio could keep an eye on him.

And throw himself in front of him, if need be.

"...please," he added, a little less gruffly, knowing that him snapping at Prompto wasn't going to help the situation.

Thankfully, the blonde-haired man stopped vibrating next to him. "Sorry," Prompto said, looking down at the ground. "Just nervous, I guess."

The expression on his face making Gladio feel bad, the Shield nudged the man beside him with his elbow. "You and me both."

Prompto looked at him, surprised. "You? But you look so calm. How do you do that?"

"Practice. It doesn't look good if the prince's Shield seems a nervous wreck."

"Right." Prompto nodded with determination and let out a deep breath. "Okay...I can do this."

Gladio returned to scanning the people on the rooftop. "You wouldn't be here if you couldn't."

He felt Prompto's wide blue eyes latch onto him. "That is the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Really?" Gladio asked, glancing back at his friend. "I thought it was when I said your hair looks like a chocobo butt." He reached out to ruffle said hair, but Prompto twisted away, managing to evade his hand.

"Hey! First off, it does not," Prompto asserted, glaring at him. "And second, it took me forever to make it look like this. So no touchy."

"Well, glad to see that you two are enjoying yourselves," a voice said.

They both turned toward it. It was Ignis. The advisor was supposed to meet up with them earlier but had messaged them both saying he would join them here instead. His absence was probably part of the reason both Gladio and Prompto were even more apprehensive than they normally would have been. Even if he was worried himself, Ignis was usually always able to provide some logic that helped ease their fears. Or gave them something else to focus on so they could keep moving. At the very least, Ignis's ability to keep a cool head in any situation was sometimes grounding enough.

"Hey Iggy," Prompto said, as Ignis walked up wearing a suit that was similar to both of theirs. "And, uh, yeah...not really."

"Hard to enjoy yourself when you're surrounded by Niffs," Gladio said, under his breath.

Ignis's face darkened slightly. "True. But after the signing tomorrow, they're technically no longer our enemies."

"It's not signed yet."

The look on both Ignis and Prompto's faces confirmed that they felt the same way.

Right then, a woman walked up beside Ignis. Her raven-black hair was pinned up into an elegant up-do and she wore a long, flowing blue dress which highlighted the vivid eyes that peered out of her face. Gladio had never seen her before, but based on the way she held herself, he didn't think she was an imperial. She was definitely of noble birth though. You didn't come off as that poised or distinguished without training from a young age. Based on his quick assessment and the way she gently reached out to touch Ignis on the arm, he had an idea who she might be.

"Ignis," she said, in a soft, serene voice. "Your uncle says it's almost time."

Ignis nodded at her. "Right, thank you." Then he gave his friends a brief look. Gladio noticed that Prompto was completely still beside him, having frozen as soon as the woman walked up.

"While you're here," Ignis said to her, "I'd like to introduce you to some people. This is Gladiolus Amicitia, Prince Noctis's Shield, and Prompto Argentum, a good friend of Prince Noctis and a recent addition to our Crownsguard." He glanced at the woman before he continued. "Gladio, Prompto, this is Valyria Vilem, daughter of Accordo's Councilman Vilem and…"

He paused for a hesitant beat.

"…my wife."

At those words, Prompto's jaw dropped open.

"Hello," she said, greeting them warmly. "A pleasure to meet such close acquaintances of Prince Noctis…and Ignis."

"Pleasure is ours," Gladio said, bowing his head to her. He glanced at Prompto who just stood staring at the woman, his mouth still ajar. "You'll have to excuse him, he's still getting used to this royal stuff."

"Uh…" Prompto's cheeks turned a shade of red as Valyria turned her eyes on him. "Sorry!" he squeaked. "I-it's nice to meet you." He bowed his head too, but Gladio had a feeling that it was more so to cover up the embarrassment on his face than out of a social gesture.

Valyria looked amused. "That's quite all right. I'll optimistically take your speechlessness as a compliment."

"Um, yeah! It-it is—" Prompto stammered.

Suddenly, a man with dark brown hair wearing a tux appeared next to Valyria, saving Prompto from having to say anything else. Clarus had introduced Gladio to the man as Kestrel, the head of the Leviathan task force in charge of bringing Valyria over from Accordo. Gladio's interactions with the Leviathans had been limited, King Regis apparently okay with them operating somewhat independently from the Crownsguard and the Glaive. Gladio supposed that was the point though. Not many people knew the real reason they were there. Even when the Leviathan leader showed up to their meetings to go over their emergency plan, he tended to be on the quieter side, only offering words when directly spoken to. Even now, Kestrel just gave them all a nod before he leaned down and whispered something in Valyria's ear.

"If you'll excuse me," she said, giving them all an apologetic look. "I have to see to something."

They all nodded to her as the Leviathan leader led her away.

"That's who you married?" Prompto asked, incredulously, as soon as she was out of earshot. "You wouldn't have to force me into a marriage with her. She's. A. Goddess."

"You say that about every woman," Gladio said, rolling his eyes. But then he nodded to Ignis. "Not bad, Iggy."

"You forget that she was also forced to marry me," the advisor said, obviously irritated at their statements. "And that I've been so busy with the wedding, the poor woman has essentially been taken from her home, married to a man she's never met before, and then promptly ignored."

Gladio shrugged. "Maybe she's okay with that. She seems to be doing fine so far."

Ignis scowled.

"Come on, Iggy. All I'm saying is that all things considered, she could have ended up with way worse than you."

"And you definitely could have ended up with way worse than her," Prompto added, emphatically.

Ignis let out a deep breath, clearly still frustrated but also, resigned. "I suppose you're both right. She hasn't complained about our situation, and I can hardly gripe about anything she's done."

"You just put too much pressure on yourself," Prompto said, which, Gladio thought, was hitting the nail on the head. "You've gotta lighten up, Igster."

Ignis's eyes shifted. "Yes, well, that will be much easier once all of this is over with." He gestured with his head. "Come on, we need to go meet Noct."

"What is it?" Valyria asked.

Kestrel had brought her to Dina, who had been given a position as a server for the reception. To make sure nobody could identify her, she had completely changed her appearance, wearing blue colored contacts and a blonde wig that was currently pulled into a tight bun. A pair of thick-rimmed glasses had been thrown on for good measure. From a distance, even Valyria would have had trouble recognizing her.

"Do you know that man standing behind me?" she asked, her voice lowered as she took one of the champagne glasses off her serving tray and handed it to her. "The one wearing the long coat."

Valyria lifted the champagne glass she'd been handed to her lips and subtly looked in the direction Dina was talking about. She spotted him. A man with short, dark hair wearing a long dark coat over his formal clothes. He was waving a champagne flute in the air and talking boisterously with the people around him.

"No, I don't," Valyria said, turning her eyes back to Dina's face. "Why?"

"There's something...off about him," she said, her forehead slightly wrinkled. "I can't put my finger on it. Anya says she overheard that he's here as the Chancellor's representative."

Valyria frowned. Now that she thought about it, she found it strange that the imperial chancellor wasn't here. Not that she was eager to see him. She'd had a couple of interactions with him when he came to visit Altissia. The Chancellor was eccentric to say the least, and she always had some underlying feeling of distrust toward him. Then again, that sentiment extended to many individuals associated with the empire.

Valyria didn't believe she'd ever met the man Dina had pointed out before. But the more she watched him out of the corner of her eye, she did think that there was something familiar about him. Although she couldn't pinpoint what.

"I'll go talk to him," she decided, taking another glass from Dina's tray.

Dina's eyes nervously flicked over to the man. She seemed uncertain. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No. Keep your eye on the Oracle. I'll be fine."

Dina frowned, but she nodded. "Just...be careful," she said.

Valyria gave a subtle nod back before she walked over to the man.

"Refill?"

The man turned and then smiled when he saw her. "Why, it's as if you read my mind," he said, accepting the glass from her. He gave her a once over. "You're a little overdressed to be a server though."

"I'm not one," Valyria said, returning his smile. "I'm just a curious individual interested in meeting the man who's here as the Chancellor's representative. Although I'm surprised to see that Chancellor Izunia isn't here himself."

"Maybe not in the flesh, but I assure you, I'm just as good," he said with a wink.

Valyria gave a slight smirk. "I'm sure." She extended her hand to him. "Valyria Vilem. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The man's steel blue eyes lit up with sudden recognition. "Ah, of course," he said, with a grin. While her hand was held out for a handshake, he instead grasped her fingers and then brought them to his lips, his eyes not leaving hers as he did.

As soon as he touched her, a vaguely uncomfortable feeling came over Valyria. It was sudden and surprising, considering how polite the man was being. But as he looked at her, Valyria thought she saw a predatory glint flash briefly in his eyes. It was so quick that Valyria wasn't sure she hadn't imagined it. Either way, she was unable to stave off that unsettling feeling as he held onto her hand for what felt like a bit longer than necessary. She tried not to change her facial expression as she realized why Dina hadn't wanted her to come over here by herself.

There was something dangerous about this man.

When he finally let go of her fingers, she tried not to pull her hand away too quickly. Although she really wanted to.

"I heard about you," the man said, his eyes gleaming as he leaned toward her. "Accordo's own peace offering to the Lucian kingdom. And, from what I hear, a truly magnificent gift to the Lucis royal family."

Valyria's polite smile tightened at his choice of words. "Well, I wouldn't say that," she said.

"No need to get offended, I meant it as a compliment," he said, picking up on the terseness in her tone. "After all, your father is highly renowned as the First Secretary's right-hand man. And I'm sure that he's taught you well. The Lucians will surely benefit from your counsel. They'll need all the help they can get."

Valyria blinked at this, unsure what he meant by his statement. It held the hint of a warning, but the statement was delivered so off-handedly, she couldn't determine if there was actually any malintent behind it. She was further thrown off by the fact that the man seemed to know about her when she didn't know anything about him.

"Hopefully the prince's advisor is treating you well. Although, considering that you're alone, talking to me, I'm inclined to say that he's not."

Valyria's eyes hardened slightly. She fought to keep her face held into an otherwise neutral expression. "I'm being treated quite well, actually," she said, her voice cool. "He's just a busy man. And I hardly need to be at his side at all times."

The man gave her a smirk. "Maybe you ought to be." Suddenly, his face lit up with delight. "Now that would be fun, wouldn't it?"

Valyria's brow furrowed. What an odd thing to say. His last words didn't even seem like they were directed at her but to himself. Before she could even try to determine what he meant, the man's eyes focused on something behind her.

"Well, unfortunately, duty calls," he said. He downed his champagne glass and then handed the empty flute to her. With a flourish of his hand, he gave her a deep bow. "Perhaps we shall meet again." His voice was hopeful, as if he truly wished they would. "Farewell, for now."

And then he walked away.

It wasn't until he was gone, his back already disappearing among the crowd, that Valyria realized that the man hadn't given her his name. In that moment, she found herself not caring that much. It was rare that someone could take her off guard like that. Even if they did, she tended to do a better job at hiding her discomfort. But even now, just thinking about her conversation with the man had a chill going down her spine. Remembering her limited interactions with Chancellor Izunia, she began to wonder if being unusual and creepy was a requirement for those in or close to their positions.

Valyria frowned to herself as she made her way back to Dina. She hadn't been able to get the information she wanted, unfortunately. All she knew is that she was glad that the mysterious man was no longer near her.

And unlike him, she very much hoped they never ran into each other again.

Prompto couldn't believe that he was here. On a rooftop, where the most important people on Eos were all gathered together. If it wasn't for the fact that he was supposed to be watching Noctis, Prompto would be sitting there pinching himself just to make sure it was real.

Of course, that would probably just call a lot of unwanted attention to himself. And he'd already gotten enough of that tonight.

When Noctis was being introduced to the emperor, Prompto had been standing slightly behind him. He'd had his head lowered, glancing at Noctis and hoping that he wasn't going to choose this particular moment to make a snarky comment to, arguably, one of the most dangerous people on their star. Thankfully, Noctis had behaved, to everyone's relief. Although Prompto had an inkling that some of that was just because Luna had been standing on his other side.

Introductions over, Prompto had breathed a sigh of relief when, suddenly, he unintentionally made eye contact with Emperor Aldercapt. Prompto had tried not to fidget when the emperor's eyes seemed to linger on him for a moment. He had no idea why the ruler of the empire somehow had singled him out, almost as if he could sniff out the only plebian in their entire group. But there'd been no disdain in the emperor's eyes. Instead, his face had shifted slightly into something that resembled…recognition?

Prompto had quickly looked away before their gazes stayed interlocked for too long. Fortunately, the next time he glanced in that direction, the emperor was turned away, engaged in conversation with someone else. Prompto had glanced at the others, but none of them had seemed to notice the exchange. He had probably just misread the reaction anyway. How in the world could the emperor know him?

"I think he's just bored with all this royal stuff. Apparently we're not exciting enough for him."

Noctis's comment snapped Prompto back to the present. "What?" he asked.

Both Noctis and Luna were looking at him with amused looks on their faces.

"Luna asked if you didn't like the dessert," Noctis said.

"Oh." Prompto looked down at the serving of some fancy cake filled with cream he was holding. It actually looked very delicious, but thinking back to the emperor's fierce gaze on him, his stomach felt like it was in knots. "I'm just not hungry," he said, moving to set it down somewhere. Before he could, Noctis snatched it from his hands.

Luna gave a light giggle as Noctis dug into his fourth dessert of the night. "Is he always like this?" she asked Prompto.

He grinned. "Yeah, pretty much."

Prompto had been so nervous the day before when Noctis had introduced him to Luna. After all these years, he finally got to meet the girl who had motivated him to change his entire life. If not for Luna, he'd probably still be that awkward, overweight kid who didn't talk to anybody. Now that she was here, he got to show her who he'd become to be worthy of Noctis's friendship. And now, it seemed, hers.

Despite how eager he was to meet Luna, Prompto had frozen when her eyes had landed on him. Thankfully, before he could even attempt to get out a greeting, she had smiled warmly at him and, grasping one of his hands in hers, had addressed him like an old friend. He wasn't sure she'd even remember writing to him all those years ago, but she almost immediately thanked him again for taking care of her dog when he had found her injured one day.

With how nervous he had been, it was surprising how quickly Prompto had gotten over it. Maybe Luna just had a lot of experience talking with strangers and comforting them as the Oracle, but it wouldn't be too far-fetched to imagine her naturally being able to befriend anyone. She just had that personality. And a way of making someone feel whole-heartedly and completely accepted.

Unsurprisingly, she was also getting along very well with Ignis and Gladio, seeming to remember every little detail Noctis had told her about them. Which apparently, had been a lot. While they were all still on edge, with imperials walking past them at every moment, Prompto just felt more at ease with Luna around, and he could tell that the others felt the same way.

"The reception is almost over," Ignis said, as Noctis finished the cake. "I should find Valyria. She's had to fend for herself the entire evening. The least I can do is walk her back home."

Gladio nodded. "Go ahead. We've got Noct for the night."

Luna leaned toward them as Ignis walked away. "Who is Valyria?" she asked, in a hushed tone.

"Iggy's wife," Prompto whispered back.

Luna's face lit up with delighted surprise. "You didn't tell me Ignis is married," she said to Noctis.

"Uh..." Noctis glanced at Prompto. "It was...sudden."

"Very," Prompto added.

Luna's eyebrows lifted. "Oh."

Realizing what Luna had concluded, Prompto quickly said, "Not like that! No, it's just—" He cut off, realizing that he couldn't talk about it here.

"Complicated," Noctis finished. "I'll explain it later."

"You guys ready to go?" Gladio asked, coming closer to them, apparently not having heard their conversation.

"If Luna is," Noctis said.

Prompto hid his smirk. Noctis had been referring to her all night whenever it came to deciding what they should do. Ever since Luna had joined their group, he hadn't left her side once. It was funny seeing how much Noctis changed when he was around her. But it was also nice. He just seemed…happier.

"Yes, I believe it might be a good time to retire," Luna said. She walked over to one of the Glaives that was standing several feet away.

"Sir Ulric," she said, addressing him.

The Glaive looked slightly annoyed as he turned to her.

"It's just Nyx," he said. His tone was exasperated, like he'd already told Luna this before. From the exchange, Prompto got the feeling that they were familiar with each other.

"Your Highness," the Glaive added hastily, when he realized Noctis was there. And eyeing him.

"Nyx," she said pointedly, with a soft smile. "I believe we are ready to depart."

"I won't be the one guarding you tonight," Nyx replied. "I'll let your two assigned Glaives know. They'll meet you at the elevator."

"Thank you." Luna bowed her head to him. "Have a good evening."

The corner of Nyx's mouth lifted slightly as he looked away, returning to survey the rooftop. "You too, Princess."

As they walked away, heading to the elevators, Noctis looked irritated. "Does he always talk to you like that?" he asked.

"No, only when I formally address him," Luna said, gently. "Which he has asked me not to do. It was my fault for forgetting."

"I don't think so," Noctis said with a scowl.

Luna gave him a soft look. "I can hardly expect him to respect me if I don't return the courtesy, can I?"

"She's got you there," Gladio agreed.

Luna smiled. "Thank you, Gladio. See? No matter. I simply just won't forget next time."

"Yeah," Noctis said, reluctantly giving in. "Okay."

The two Glaives who were watching Luna for the rest of the night were already waiting for them. As they bowed, Luna greeted them both, apparently familiar with them also. When the guards stood to the side to let their group onto the elevator, Gladio smiled at the female Glaive as he walked past.

"Hi," he said.

At first, the dark-haired woman just stared at him. But then her lips turned slightly upward into a small smile. After they were all on the elevator, Prompto noticed her and Gladio stealing glances at each other the whole ride down.

Prompto rolled his eyes at how easily Gladio had gotten her attention. How did he do that? Luckily, Prompto ended up walking in front with Noctis and Luna on the way back to the Citadel so that he didn't have to continue watching Gladio and the Glaive make eyes at each other. Finally, they reached the lobby where their group had to part ways.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Noctis asked Luna, his voice having a hopeful lilt to it, as if he still didn't believe it would be true.

Luna smiled at him. "Yes, I'll see you tomorrow." She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek, making Noctis's neck flush.

"Goodnight," she bid to all of them in farewell, which they all returned as she walked away to join the two Glaives waiting for her.

"Aww, you guys are so cute together," Prompto sighed, as they watched Luna depart.

"Yeah." Gladio had a teasing grin on his face. "Adorable."

Noctis scowled at them. "Can't you guys go on somewhere?"

"It's literally our job not to," Gladio pointed out.

Noctis rolled his eyes and then stuffed his hands in his pockets as he started walking. "Whatever. Let's go play some video games."

"Hell yeah, that sounds fun!" Prompto said, scampering after him. It was way better than standing around having to watch their backs all night.

"The night before your wedding and you want to play video games?" Gladio asked, shaking his head.

Noctis scoffed, not stopping as he headed to the elevator. "Are you going to let me do anything else?"

Gladio paused, then nodded in agreement. "Okay, fair. I call dibs on the bean bag chair."

The night was almost over. After having carefully kept surveillance on the prince from a safe distance while also scanning the imperial guests for potential threats, Kestrel was glad to be off the rooftop and away from so many people. He'd also been glad to change out of his tux and into normal clothes where it was much easier to conceal his gun and the knives he had strapped to him.

Things seemed to be fine. The reception had gone smoothly, and it was confirmed that both Prince Noctis and Lady Lunafreya had made it safely back to their places. But as Kestrel and Anya walked down the hall to the empty apartment from where they'd be watching over the prince's place for the night, he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had settled over him.

Anya picked up on his wariness. "What is it?" she asked.

"I don't know," Kestrel said, his eyes scanning each door they passed. "Something doesn't feel right."

As if on cue, Kit's voice came over their comms. It was restrained, like he was trying to be quiet.

"Kestrel. We've got a problem."

They both stopped. Kestrel put a hand to his earpiece. "What is it?"

"Lady Lunafreya has been taken from her apartment by two Glaives. They just killed the two of their own who were guarding her."

Kestrel and Anya's eyes met. He could tell that she felt the same sinking feeling that he did.

"Dina and I are tracking her from a distance," Kit continued, "but they're moving fast. Permission to engage?"

"Well, what do we have here?"

Kestrel and Anya both looked up to see that two Kingsglaive members had turned the corner at the end of the hall and were coming toward them.

"Yes," Kestrel quickly answered Kit before turning to face the two men.

"We heard that we had some guards from Altissia in town," one of the Glaives said, as they approached. Unlike his comrade, his hood was down, revealing slicked back brown hair. Neither of the men were wearing their masks, so Kestrel could clearly see the smile on his face that had a slightly sinister tilt to it.

Kestrel felt Anya tense beside him. They hadn't worn their uniforms while in Insomnia. While it boded well that the Glaives seemed to think they were just part of the normal Altissian guard, the statement just confirmed that someone had been watching them during their time here.

"I'm surprised you guys are still around though," the Glaive continued, coming to a stop several feet away. His partner, a man with light brown skin, stood silently next to him, fixing them with a penetrating stare. "Didn't the councilman's daughter get married like a month ago?"

"The First Secretary wanted us to stay until the peace treaty was signed," Kestrel said, trying to keep his voice casual. "Just to make sure things went smoothly."

"Sure," the Glaive said, giving a slight shrug. "I mean, why else would you guys still be here?"

The man's gaze had a slight glint in it. Kestrel did not like the way he or the hooded Glaive were eyeing them.

"We're just here for Councilman Vilem's daughter," he said, carefully, keeping eye contact with the Glaive who addressed them. From the dynamic between the two men, he seemed to out-rank the other.

There was a moment's pause when they just stared at each other, the man's narrow blue eyes scrutinizing him. He seemed to be considering something. Probably trying to determine if he should consider them allies or not since they were from Accordo and, technically, citizens of the empire. The other Glaive seemed to be waiting for his decision.

Suddenly, the man smiled again. "Good." His posture relaxed just a bit. "In that case, between us, you might want to grab your girl and get out of here. Fast."

Kestrel tried not to let any emotion show on his face. He just nodded. "Understood. Thanks." He jerked his head at Anya, who was also keeping her expression carefully blank, and they started to walk away.

"Hold on."

They stopped and turned back around. The Glaive had his eyes narrowed and was now eyeing them warily, apparently coming to some realization. "If you're here for the girl, why are you outside of Prince Noctis's apartment?"

They weren't given a chance to answer before the other Glaive shifted.

Kestrel drew his gun and fired at the same time Anya threw herself to the side, narrowly dodging the dagger that had been thrown at her. The hooded Glaive suddenly appeared where she had been standing, in a spark of blue light with tendrils of smoke coming off of his uniform.

Seeing the man warp so fast, Kestrel clenched his jaw. The situation was not ideal. None of the Leviathans had anticipated having to fight the Glaive. While the king's Shield had let them watch one of the Glaives' training sessions one day, hidden and at a distance, Kestrel had only asked out of curiosity, to see how their abilities worked, not with the intent that they would actually need to use the knowledge.

Apparently, they were about to get some firsthand learning experience.

The sound of clashing metal rang out as Anya quickly engaged the hooded Glaive. Kestrel focused on the Glaive in front of him instead, who had put up a shield to block any further gunfire. While at least one of the bullets had hit its mark, landing in the man's chest, the Glaive only gritted his teeth as he threw his sword. Kestrel barely evaded it as the man reappeared right in front of him, swiftly moving to bring the weapon down on his arm. While Kestrel was able to pull away before the blade could slice through him, the Glaive knocked his gun from his grasp and then landed a kick on his stomach. The force of it sent Kestrel stumbling back.

Right then, the door to the prince's apartment opened, and Gladio stuck his head out. As soon as he saw what was happening, he stepped out and, suddenly, a large sword appeared in his hand. The Glaive's eyes, gleaming with maliciousness, fixated on Gladio. Before he could throw his weapon at the prince's Shield, Kestrel grabbed the Glaive by the arm and threw his whole body against him, slamming him against the wall. The impact caused the Glaive to let out a grunt and the sword that was in his hand clattered to the floor.

"No!" Kestrel yelled to Gladio, as he wrestled with his opponent. "Go, now!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Kestrel saw Gladio hesitate for a second. But then he moved, disappearing back into the apartment briefly before he re-emerged with Prince Noctis and the skinny, blonde Crownsguard member who was often with them.

"Luche!"

The name had been called out by the hooded Glaive who currently had weapons locked with Anya. Suddenly, in a quick series of actions, he shoved Anya back, making her hit the wall behind her, and then immediately threw a small knife at Kestrel, who barely managed to dodge it by jumping back. It flew past him and would have hit the blonde Crownsguard member if Gladio hadn't blocked it with his sword.

Now free, Luche quickly reached his hand up toward Prince Noctis. Kestrel felt a pull of energy in the air around them. Reacting instinctively, he lunged forward and grabbed Luche's wrist, forcing his hand upward, right as bolts of lightning shot from his fingers. The lightning attack hit the ceiling, and the lights above them burst, showering everyone with glass and throwing a layer of darkness on their immediate surroundings. Kestrel gritted his teeth as he tried to keep his grip on the Glaive, even though a bolt of energy had shot through his arm, causing a tingling sensation all the way up to his shoulder.

"Go!" Gladio yelled to both of the men beside him who seemed stunned by everything that was happening all at once. Thankfully, Gladio gave them a shove and they all finally took off quickly down the hall. They had just disappeared around the corner of the hallway when a loud explosion sounded from somewhere above them. It was distant, but it was followed by a low rumble and the ground trembling underneath them.

Kestrel struggled to keep his footing. Taking advantage of the fact that he was distracted, Luche wrenched himself from Kestrel's grasp. Then, he grabbed him by the shoulders and slammed his forehead against Kestrel's face. The Glaive's skull connected with his mouth, and Kestrel tasted blood as he staggered backward.

When the floor finally steadied under their feet, Luche picked his sword up from the ground. "You two are faster than you look," he said with a smirk. He moved to join his partner who was talking into his earpiece, notifying their comrades of the prince's escape. "Not bad for some guards from Altissia."

Kestrel wiped the blood from his mouth as Anya, who had been knocked to the ground, quickly made it to her feet and then appeared at his side. She had a thin cut running along her jawline, but other than that, she looked uninjured.

"We'd be flattered," Kestrel said, a bit smugly, as the hooded Glaive turned his attention back to them and the two pairs of soldiers fully faced each other, "if that's what we were."

Luche's eyes narrowed as he seemed to put it together. "You should have stayed in Altissia," he sneered, regarding the Leviathans with disdain. "Now you'll die with the rest of King Regis's scum."

Kestrel pulled out both of his knives. Anya raised both of hers too before she threw him a glance. Despite their situation, there was a slight smile on her face and a spirited gleam in her eyes as she gave him a casual half shrug. The corners of Kestrel's lips lifted slightly at her look. It turned into a full smirk as he faced the Glaives, his own weapons held at the ready.

"We'll just see about that."

"Are you sure there isn't anything I do to help you prepare for tomorrow?" Valyria asked as they walked into their apartment together.

Ignis shook his head, glad that, for once, his to-do list was empty for the night. "It's all taken care of. I wanted everything ready before this evening, so I could focus on keeping an eye on Noct."

Valyria turned to him. "You don't need to be with him now?"

Ignis frowned slightly but then pushed away the thought. Noctis was fine. Gladio and Prompto were with him. And Cor had specifically asked Ignis to take a break tonight since things were going to be hectic tomorrow, especially for him. Ignis didn't really know how he was expected to relax at a time like this, but it's not like he could really argue with the marshal about it.

"Between my people and your people, I think he's well covered for the night." At least, Ignis hoped so. "Besides, I think the reception went well. Hopefully things go just as smoothly tomorrow."

"I agree," she said, brightly. "It was a lovely evening. I enjoyed talking with the other guests, and, of course, viewing the grandeur of the Caelum Via's rooftop again. It was almost more spectacular tonight than when you showed it to me previously. Although, it would be difficult to upstage having a private tour. I wouldn't have minded another one."

Guilt immediately gripped him. Ignis had hardly seen Valyria at the reception. When he did catch glimpses of her, she seemed to be engaged in lively conversation with various people. Clearly, she was able to find ways to entertain herself. But still…

"I'm sorry I had to leave you alone for most of the night," he said, regret in his voice.

Valyria looked surprised. She blinked at him. "You don't need to apologize," she said. "I knew what I was signing up for when I came here. The last thing I want is for you to worry about me."

Ignis sighed inwardly. While he knew that Valyria meant what she said, it somehow made him feel worse. Gladio and Prompto may be right. He was putting a lot of pressure on himself. But his uncle's words on the day of their wedding weighed heavily on him. He'd made a promise that day. A promise that he felt he was failing to uphold.

"Unfortunately, it's not in my nature to not worry about things."

"I may have noticed that." She had a slight smile on her lips when she said it. However, the expression suddenly disappeared, and it was replaced by a slightly more sobered look. "But I'm not here to make things more difficult for you, Ignis," she said. "Quite the opposite actually. I know it's a bit awkward, with us getting married so fast, but I believe we can get past that and, at the very least, become friends. It'll make it that much easier to help each other, in whatever way is needed." Valyria's expression became hesitant. "Maybe after Prince Noctis's wedding we might even get to spend some time together?"

Ignis was surprised at the almost shy way she had delivered her request. Valyria always seemed so confident and sure of herself, something he wished he felt when he was around her. But now, she seemed somewhat…anxious.

Suddenly, Ignis understood. While Valyria was sympathetic to his need to be absent so far, it stood to reason that she'd be worried about how things would be after the treaty signing when her people returned to Altissia without her. The realization only strengthened his resolve. Ignis couldn't be there for her before, but he was determined for things to be different after tomorrow. He'd find a way to make sure they were.

"Of course," he said, with positive assurance. "It should certainly be more feasible after all of this is done. And…I would really like that. For us to be friends."

The smile that appeared lit up her entire face. And Ignis couldn't help but enjoy the warmth of it.

But both that warmth and her smile abruptly disappeared as the sound of a large explosion echoed around them.

Ignis barely had time to register the deep rumbling before the room started violently shaking. Everything in their apartment vibrated loudly, and Ignis cringed as the noise reverberated painfully though his skull. Instinctively, he reached out and grabbed Valyria's elbow to help steady her as the floor shook beneath them. In turn, she reached out and grabbed onto his other arm. They held onto each other, using one another for support.

When the tremors finally stopped, Ignis quickly scanned the ceiling and the walls, but there didn't seem to be any significant structural damage to their immediate vicinity. He deduced that the explosion must have happened somewhere else in the Citadel but had been large enough to shake the entire building. Which would have required a tremendous amount of firepower.

Concern immediately flooded him. "What could that have—?"

"Ignis."

The sharpness in Valyria's voice had him turning back to her. She let go of him and then walked over to the window. Ignis followed.

And then his heart dropped.

The sky was filled with what looked like broken glass. The shards were falling in a ripple effect, cascading down in a dome-like shape around the city. Sections of the curved arch lit up as energy pulsed through the invisible shield. The luminosity reflected through the fragments of glass, causing them to light up the night sky.

They both stared silently in horror for a moment.

"The Wall," Valyria eventually said, her voice heavy with disbelief. "It's gone."

Ignis snapped out of his initial shock and grimaced as the full realization hit him.

"It is," he said, his voice flat.

He clenched his fists.

"We're under attack."