Y/N sat on her bed picking at the lace that was sewn in patterns on her long skirt. She hadn't done much this morning. She hadn't even eaten breakfast. After everything that went on yesterday, she still didn't have much of an appetite. Plus, she was supposed to go out with Ignis for lunch today. She wasn't quite sure why she agreed to that. Maybe it was her way of thanking him for the small favor he did her yesterday. She was still upset he didn't let her leave. It was basically a tease to take her just to the border and then bring her back. As if to show her the literal walls keeping her in. She wanted to deck him right in the jaw. Seeing his face stopped her, though. He was looking at her as if she would crumble in his hands if he dared to touch her. He looked so lost at how to help her but wanting to so bad. She hated him for that. For wanting to make things better. For wanting to save her. For trying so hard and being so nice. There was nothing he could do. He would never be able to help her. And looking at his torn face made her so angry. Just bugger off already. Quit trying so damn hard. It was pointless.
She was starting to regret skipping breakfast. She hadn't eaten all day yesterday and was feeling the painful pangs in her empty stomach. As starved as she was, she still feared food not staying down. Ignis had text her last night telling her he should be done in his office around noon and would pick her up from her room shortly after. She still had about an hour until he would be here. She was debating calling LeAnn. She didn't talk to her all day yesterday and her friend would be wondering why. She wasn't sure if she was ready to relive everything over again as she explained what happened. It was still too raw. Honestly, it probably always would be. Everyone acted like she needed to just forget her old life and move on. Like it was so easy to just completely change her entire life. She expected a call from her mother, but never got one. She had to have known yesterday was the contract signing. Wouldn't she want to talk to her about it? She also had to have known it would be upsetting. She signed her portion of it, so she knew what was written in there. Didn't she care how her own daughter took it? Maybe she could call LeAnn and just not bring up the contract. She probably knew nothing about it or if she did, she didn't know when Y/N was to sign it. It would be a great distraction to get her mind off things and make the time go faster while she waited on Ignis to arrive. Deciding that was probably the only thing that was going to make her feel better, she grabbed her cell phone off the bed beside her and called her best friend. Before it could even connect and ring, a series of tones was heard before an automated message played.
"The phone you are dialing from is not authorized in this territory. Please hang up and complete your call from another device. If you believe this error to be a mistake, please contact the Insomnia Communications Department at 3-47-9874-020. If you have found this device, acquired it from someone else, or are acquiring citizenship in Insomnia and in need of a new device, please turn this phone in to the Crownsguard. Thank you."
The line cut dead and Y/N pulled her phone away from her ear, staring at it.
"What?" She asked out loud, before dialing her friend's number again. When she got the same automated message, she found herself trying over and over again, hoping one of her calls would go through. After about five more attempts, her phone vibrated in her hand. She looked down at the screen and noticed a text box that read "LOCATION LOCKED". She heard a voice playing through the speaker and put it back to her ear. A new automated message was playing.
"Too many international call attempts have been made from this illegal device. The location of this phone has been tracked. Please turn this device into the Crownsguard, immediately."
"You have got to be kidding me!" Y/N shrieked. They seriously locked her phone? She vaguely remembered King Regis saying something about monitored phone calls yesterday, but did they honestly plan to cut her cell phone off and force her to make phone calls from the front desk or something? Or in a room with a Kingsglaive member on another line watching her? What was this?
She tried sending a text to her friend to see if that would work, but it only showed up as a red box, meaning it failed to send. She also noticed the service bar at the top was just a red X as well. She couldn't even access the internet on her phone. How were they even able to do this? How did they know her phone was foreign? They had no problem with it the first week she was here.
A knock on her door startled her. Did they track her phone down that quick and really come for her? She slowly made her way to the door and opened it to see Cor standing in front of her.
"You ran off yesterday and forgot your new phone," he held up a black phone a little bigger than the one she had and of a different brand she didn't recognize. "Contract states you need an Insomnian issued phone. Let me remind you that international calls and texts will always be monitored-"
"So someone is gonna listen in to my every conversation?" She interrupted. She didn't care who he was or what he was in charge of. She was pissed.
"No. Only international calls and texts made outside of Insomnia. And they are only monitored. This means they are recorded and fed through a computer and flagged if certain words or phrases are used. Our technology is also able to easily pick up on code phrases, so don't think you can get around it easily. But no human is listening live to your call. All recordings are archived for a classified amount of time. You are still able to call your relatives and friends across the borders. We just have to be cautious when moving new citizens in, especially around the royal family." Cor watched as Y/N slowly took the phone from his hand and continued to look down at the floor. He signed before continuing. "Look, I know this shit sounds like it sucks, but if it makes you feel better, I've only ever had to listen to maybe ten phone calls over the years. And half of those were people joking around not realizing how serious shit can be taken. So, word to the wise, don't even joke about shit you think can get you into trouble. You're free to add your contacts and whatever to the phone. It's yours to keep and customize as you wish. Your number can be found in the phone. Have a great day." With that, Cor nodded his head and left down the hallway.
Y/N turned the phone over in her hands a few times. Well, it was better than she was thinking but still sucked. Why couldn't they just do all that fancy stuff to her phone? If they were able to lock and shut it off and even track it, why not just add monitoring to her device? She decided she might as well get to adding her contacts. And get rid of the stupid wallpaper of the Citadel. Fuck this damn building. As she started going through her contacts, she caught herself pausing a lot. She wondered if she wanted to add them all to her new phone. Her brother. Some of her friends who had yet to check in on her or answer her calls even though they swore they would be so sad when she moved and made her promise to keep in touch. She even contemplated adding her mother. She started making a list of people she wanted to think about adding. She was being forced to let new people into her life. She wasn't about to force herself into anyone's.
She was still going through her contacts when a few knocks rapped on her door.
Ignis was sitting at his desk trying to finish his work at the time he told Y/N he would be done. A few unexpected items got added to his list and he was doing his best to rush through them without making mistakes. Noct also didn't finish the report he was supposed to make up last night and dumped it on him at breakfast this morning. Normally adding a few things to his agenda didn't bother him so much, but he didn't want the first time he got to spend the day with Y/N to be him showing up late.
It also didn't help that Gladio had been in his office for most of the morning wanting a full run down of everything that had happened yesterday. It was a bit hard to write and type something while having a different conversation.
"So let me get this straight…" Gladio started. "You rescue the princess from the burning tower with the big bad dragon, drive her far away, and she wished you would have just let her burn to ash inside?"
"I suppose if you wish to turn the whole thing into a metaphor, that sounds slightly accurate. However I would like to add that I don't think she actually wanted to burn inside. She seemed relieved when I told her I would take her out of there."
"Yeah, only to scream in your face about wanting to die and to leave her alone!"
"I never said she screamed in my face-"
"No, but I can picture it. She screamed in your face."
Ignis just sighed and pinched the bridge of is nose before continuing his work.
"Why do you seem so rushed today? Just work through your lunch like you often do."
"I can't. I am taking Y/N out for lunch in the city today."
"Shut up!" Gladio exclaimed. "So all that bullshit you went through yesterday paid off, eh? She agreed to go on a date with you?"
"Don't call it a date, Gladio. It's me getting to know her better and finally being able to have a conversation one on one with her."
"Ignis, what exactly do you think a date is?" Gladio asked, amused. "It's exactly that! Getting to know someone one on one. Having a conversation."
"I hardly remember many of your dating stories revolving around deep conversations and getting to know the girl you were with. Maybe getting to know her anatomy, but hardly her mind and personality."
"Those weren't exactly dates, those were hook-ups. There's a difference. A date is going the extra mile to make them think you're interested. Granted, you don't have to prove you're interested to her. She's marrying you regardless."
"I really hate every time people point out that we are to be wed without liking each other. I wish to make this as normal as possible. I also like her very much and want that to mean something!" Ignis stated looking up from his computer to make his point.
"Okay okay! Sorry! I know you like the girl. It's written all over your smitten face," Gladio chuckled as Ignis glared at him. "Although I have a hard time seeing what you see in her. She doesn't seem your type at all and quite honestly a bit bitchy even for my taste."
"I have asked all of you to refrain from calling her that! I'm not going to tolerate the lot of you calling her names!" Ignis snapped.
"Okay. Again, my bad. Guess I'll get to know her soon enough though. Cor informed me I'll be teaching her self-defense starting next week. Gotta get her in something other than a ball gown though."
"I happen to love the way she dresses."
"Yeah you would. So, where you guys plan to go today?"
"Not sure, really. I figured I would point out some of the Altissian restaurants we have and let her choose which she thinks is best. Or if she would rather eat something else, I'm willing to go wherever she chooses."
"Did you confirm with her the plans for today yet?"
"What do you mean?" Ignis asked, confused.
"She was upset and a bit out of her mind yesterday. She may feel very differently about going out today. Girls pull that shit all the time. Always gotta confirm your plans the day of. Don't know how many times I got ready to either last minute get a text or show up to their door and hear 'oh, I don't feel like it today, maybe some other day'", Gladio said, using a high pitched whiny voice to imitate the girl.
Ignis sat there a moment contemplating texting her. Surely she wouldn't just change her mind, right? He decided to maybe play it safe and just send her a text confirming the time they were going to meet. Maybe let her know a more exact time he planned to be there so she wasn't sitting around waiting. Gladio chuckled as Ignis got out his phone.
Ignis: Hello Princess. Just wanting to confirm our lunch together today. I should be wrapped up and done with my day in about forty-five minutes. Does that still work for you?
Send.
Message Failed to send. Retry?
Ignis furrowed his brows a bit and checked the top corner of his phone. He had full service. That was odd. He tapped the retry button only to get a new message.
The phone number you are trying to reach is not attached to a valid device .Messages to this phone are blocked. You are advised to no longer contact this number.
That really gave Ignis pause and caused his head to tilt. Gladio noticed the odd reaction and couldn't help but be curious.
"What did she say?" he asked his friend. "You look perturbed. She cancel on you?"
"No…I'm not sure what is happening actually," Ignis stated, still wondering what the messages even meant.
"I swear that girl is an entire head trip," Gladio rolled his eyes assuming she was giving him some run around story. "Come on, what did she say?"
"She didn't say anything. My messages aren't even going through."
"You're kidding!" Gladio stated, starting to get a bit mad at this chick. "She fucking blocked you? That's even harsher!"
"What does this mean?" Ignis asked, turning his phone to face his friend sitting in front of him. Gladio leaned in to read the red bold messages and raised an eyebrow.
"I have never seen that shit in my life. The first one, yeah. That means they blocked you. Or changed their number. The second one is weird. Maybe it's an Altissia thing? When you're blocked it warns you to stay away?"
Ignis pulled back his phone and looked at the messages some more.
"Not attached to a valid device?" he mumbled out loud.
"Yeah, that part is odd. I say she changed her number. She gave it to you last night, regretted it this morning, and changed it."
"Could she do that from all the way over here, though? Wouldn't she need to contact her carrier in her own country?"
"Honestly I don't know. I can't change my number cause it's Insomnia Crown issued. Same with yours. You know how hard it is to even replace the damn thing when it cracks or breaks. It's a hell of a fucking ordeal."
"No, actually. I have never broken my phone. And I don't know how many times I need to stress to you to get a case for yours." Gladio just smirked at him. "Maybe I should call? It only mentioned messages…"
"I have no fucking clue what to do. See what happens when you call, though. I'm curious."
Ignis pressed the little phone icon next to her contact name. Instead of ringing, a serious of tones beeped before a recorded voice spoke.
"The number you have dialed is not attached to a valid device. Continuous attempts to contact this device will result in your device being locked and your location tracked. If you feel this is a mistake or would like to report any information on the owner of this number, please contact the Insomnia Communications Department at 3-47-9874-020."
As the same message started to replay over again, Ignis switched to speakerphone so Gladio could hear as well. His friend arched an eyebrow and stared at him with his mouth slightly open.
"That's the Crown's doing!" he told Ignis. "I bet they locked her phone!"
"But why? Last night, Cor seemed to make it sound like everything was fine. I specifically asked him not to punish her for all that."
"Maybe the King felt differently," Gladio shrugged.
Ignis didn't think that was the case. At breakfast, the King seemed very sympathetic to the situation and gentle about it. Surely, he would have told him if he was no longer able to contact her. Right? If he wasn't able to call her from his phone, were they pulling other privileges from him? Could he even see her today? Would they pull the whole wedding all together, assuming she wasn't fit for the part? Or that he wasn't? His stomach suddenly felt very sick. He saved the files he was working on and shut down his computer.
"I think maybe I should go see her. See if she knows anything about this. If I'm not allowed to see her, surely someone would have told me or there will a guard outside her room or something…right?"
"Sure? Like I said Iggy, I've never seen those messages. But one way or another it means you've been blocked from contacting her. Whether by her or the Crown. I told you not to be stupid!"
"Well, I'm going to go find out and see what needs done to rectify this." Ignis got up from his chair and started to walk to the door.
"Let me know how it goes, okay?" Gladio called after him.
Y/N opened her door to see Ignis standing there looking anxious. That hour went by faster than she expected. Or maybe he was early.
"Hello Princess! I'm terribly sorry to just drop in unannounced. I couldn't seem to get any texts or calls to go through to your phone..." The poor thing sounded so unsure.
"Oh, apparently I got a new one and no one told me!" she snipped a bit sarcastically. "Cor just dropped it off."
"A new phone?" he asked.
"Yeah. I kept getting these weird messages when I tried to text and call my friend and then it said something about locking my location and next thing I know Cor is knocking on my door. I guess I was supposed to get a new phone yesterday when I signed the contract but…well…" she trailed off, not wanting to bring everything up.
"Oh! That certainly explains things. I worried you…well, never mind. Are you ready, or did you need more time? I understand if you do. I just sort of dropped in on you."
"No, I'm ready."
"Okay then. You look very lovely, by the way!" Ignis took a moment to really take in her beauty. Her hair was pulled half up, with the rest down. Her curls weren't as tight as usual, like she brushed them a bit and made them look more relaxed. She had on a long deep purple dress. The lace trim and designs across the skirt were black with small bits of white. She truly owned some of the most gorgeous dresses he's ever seen. Girls in Insomnia didn't wear gowns to much of anything. If they did wear long dresses, they were typically tight fitting and left little to the imagination. They also weren't as colorful.
"Thank you," Y/N replied, looking down a bit shyly. She wasn't used to people complimenting her. She was never really around many people. She also felt so out of place here. She looked so vastly different from the people she saw around. To hear that someone liked and appreciated it instead of gaping at it was…nice.
"I thought maybe we could walk the streets. It's a very lovely day out. Um, I'm not sure how comfortable your feet would be though…" Ignis glanced down at the floor where her feet were hidden by her large skirt. He couldn't see but he imagined beautiful heels under the lace skirt.
Y/N wasn't sure how to react. They were…"walking the streets"? This city was huge, how far were they going? Also, clearly this man didn't realize she was raised in heels. She got her first small pair when she was only two. She didn't even bring any other types of shoes with her. The one pair of shoes she did own that vaguely resembled tennis shoes she left back home. Home…not so much anymore, eh? Snapping herself out of her dark thoughts, she looked back at his face.
"Will we be going far?" she asked.
"Well, I thought you might want some Altissian food. Maybe something from back home would be nice for you. There are a few different places to choose from. Most all of them are in the foreign district. You'll find a lot of food and stores catering to those not native to Insomnia. Or Lucis, really. It's just a few short blocks over. The nice walk would also allow you to better take in the city, I do believe."
"Fine. We'll walk. I've been walking in heels my whole life. I think I'll be fine." She walked out into the hallway and pulled the door shut behind her. She didn't bring much with her. A small white clutch hung from her elbow. She put the phone in her hands in the small bag that also contained her ID and a compact. She figured she would be getting a new ID as well soon enough.
As the two of them made their way down the hall, Ignis wiped his hands together a few times. He was getting a bit nervous again and his palms were starting to sweat. She hadn't said anything their whole way to the front steps. Ignis figured if they were to have any sort of conversation, he would probably need to be the one to initiate it. As the two walked out the pedestrian gate on the sidewalk, he motioned the way for them to walk.
"This way," he motioned to his left.
Y/N had been walking with her head held high the whole way down from her room. However, once they reached the streets, her demeanor started to change slightly. Her steps slowed a bit, although it wasn't noticeable at first. She started messing with her fingers a bit as well. And her eyes seemed to be darting around, almost as if she were scared. She didn't seem to be looking around and taking in the sights. Her eyes stayed level instead of looking up at the tall buildings and signs. And she was looking at the people more than anything. At one point, someone passed by them on the sidewalk a bit closer than usual and she jumped back, grabbing her chest and almost tripping as her foot left the sidewalk and landed on the soft grass instead.
"Is everything alright, Princess?" Ignis asked her, concerned.
"Don't call me that!" she snapped. "Why would you say such a thing in public?" she scolded in a hushed voice.
"I don't understand, Y/N," Ignis furrowed his brows in confusion. "Is something wrong? Something I should know about?" He looked around a bit trying to spot any potential threats. He hadn't seen anything on their walk thus far, but maybe he missed something.
"Should these people know who I am? Won't they…try something?" she frantically asked.
"Try what exactly?"
"I don't know, use your imagination Ignis! Kidnap me, harm me, ra…" she trailed off as her breathing started speeding up. "I didn't even bring Bernard! What was I thinking just leaving like that?"
It suddenly dawned on Ignis what the problem was. With Noct, he never put his face out there so no one knew who he was. He frequently left the Citadel and was all the time out in public while no one had any idea he was the Prince. Y/N didn't have her picture put out there very often, but people in Altissia knew who she was. And she rarely, if ever, left the palace. When she did, she had guards and friends with her. And the city was small enough with low crime rates, not many people feared walking the streets. Insomnia wasn't some crime ridden city, but it was much larger, not to mention foreign. Her fear was totally warranted.
"It's okay, Y/N. Your picture hasn't been printed in any papers yet. The news hasn't even mentioned your coming. It's all pretty much Luna and Noct focused right now. I doubt anyone knows who you are, or that a princess is in the city. If anyone were to overhear me, I'm sure they would simply think it a term of endearment."
"We need to call Bernard. I should always have him with me."
"I can assure your safety is one of my top priorities! I would never let anyone harm you-"
"What the hell could you do if someone attacked me?" she yelled back at him.
"More than your Bernard, I'm sure," Ignis replied, not meaning to sound as sour as he was certain he did. "I have been trained since a young boy to protect the Prince at all costs. I'm a trained member of the Royal Crownsguard and quite proficient in being aware of my surroundings. I would never let someone harm you, Y/N. You are one of my top priorities and I wouldn't intentionally put you in any danger."
"People keep staring! They know! I know they know!" she replied, still panicking.
"Look around a bit, Y/N," Ignis instructed her. He was trying to find ways to calm her ever growing anxiety. "You are vastly different from all of them. People don't normally walk around here looking as immaculate yourself. I, myself, get funny looks from time to time."
Y/N took a moment to really look at more than just the people's eyes and faces. They were all in jeans and t-shirts and sneakers. Some girls whore crop tops and leggings, others had shorts and flowy tops. Some barely had anything on at all. The men weren't much to talk about. Cargo pants and jeans and t-shirts. Not a single button up or even a polo in sight. The two of them stuck out like sore thumbs. No wonder people were staring. They looked like they were from a different planet entirely. The more she stood there watching everyone, the more she realized the people were staring at her, but then going on about their day. No one was taking pictures or whispering or stopping to point. They simply gave her an odd look and kept walking. Her breathing slowly started calming down and she finally looked back at Ignis.
"If...if someone were to…do something…" she indirectly asked.
"I wouldn't hesitate to rectify the situation," Ignis replied solidly.
Y/N rubbed her hands down her dress a few times and started walking back down the street with Ignis at her side. She still kept her eye on everyone, but slowly became less and less jumpy and hyper aware. She finally let her eyes wander a bit to the buildings around and above her.
She had never seen buildings so tall. She remembered being intimidated by them in the car ride to the Citadel, but actually walking under them was a new experience entirely. Some of the glass windows on them was so reflective, it was almost blinding. She also couldn't help but notice a glimmering of hexagonal looking shapes in the sky.
"What's that?" she asked out loud.
"What exactly are you referring to?" Ignis responded, looking up to try and see what she was talking about.
"Those glittering shapes in the sky…"
"Ah, that would be the Wall."
"The Wall? Like, an actual wall?..."
"Yes. It was erected a hundred and fifty years ago to protect Insomnia and the Crystal within from Niflheim. Every so often you may notice Nif ships firing in the sky, but do not be alarmed. The Wall keeps everything out."
"Oh, I…I thought it was an actual wall. Like made of brick around the city. I wondered why I didn't see any such thing."
"No," Ignis chuckled lightly. "It is a magic barrier. The King keeps it up using magic from the Crystal."
"But, why only Insomnia?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why is it only over Insomnia? Why is this the only city worthy of protection? Are there not numerous other towns in Lucis being attacked by Niflheim?" Y/N asked. She may not know a lot about the other cities of the world, but she did know that Niflheim seemed to have its claws in every place on the map…except Insomnia. This would explain why. There wasn't a simple stone wall for them to scale, there was a damn magical bubble keeping the place impenetrable.
"Well, I suppose it would be too hard on the King to keep such a large barrier in place. King Mors scaled the Wall down as means to protect the Crystal."
"So it's not protecting the people…just the Crytal?" Y/N asked.
"I would say if it were only protecting the Crystal, the barrier would only be over the Citadel. However, it covers the whole city."
"No wonder so many people hate you guys," she mumbled.
"I beg your pardon?" Ignis asked, surprised at her words.
"I always wondered why so many people in Lucis were upset when all the stories and pictures I had seen looked so great. Turns out it's only Insomnia that is great. The rest of your country is suffering and you just keep yourselves locked up in a damn literal bubble."
"Are the other parts of Accordo not being invaded and suffering while everyone is Altissia locks their gates and lives lives of luxury-"
"How dare you!" Y/N spun to face him angrily. "I'm sorry we don't have magical barriers and rings and the ability to cast magical spells against our enemies thanks to a giant glowing rock in our castle! The weight of our people being harmed weighs heavily on our shoulders! And our gates are only locked to outsiders, not our own people! Not that it's hard to get in! You just have to not sound or look suspicious and you walk right in! There aren't armed guards shining flashlights in your eyes and circling your vehicle and questioning you for minutes on end. We aren't scardy cats hiding in the corner of the globe under a damn dome! And then you make peace with other countries by taking their daughters and marrying them to your sons and locking them up in your precious bubble. How fucking noble!" Y/N turned and continued to stomp down the sidewalk. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she wasn't going to stand around and continue to listen to Ignis' ignorance.
"I didn't mean to upset you so!" Ignis' voice sounded beside her. He caught up to her quickly, not wanting her to walk away on her own. He was actually afraid he crossed a line by biting back at her the way he did. He hadn't meant to start an argument. "Please just hear me out a moment," he said, grabbing her elbow to try and slow her down.
"Let go of me!" Y/N ripped her arm back towards herself and stopped walking, staring at him angrily.
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have grabbed you like that. Please forgive me. And please forgive my harsh words a moment ago. Just as you get defensive about your country, I get defensive about mine that I have been raised to protect. I will watch my tongue from now on."
Y/N just looked down and crossed her arms over her chest. Did people honestly think her and her family were holding up in Altissia ignoring the cries of their people across Accordo? Just sipping their tea and walking the streets without a care? Her parents were greatest conflicted by what was happening on their soil.
"Would you still like to carry on with lunch?" Ignis asked her quietly.
"Of course," she answered glancing up at him before turning to continue her walk. "I'm starving."
As the duo made their way to the street of foreign restaurants, Ignis began pointing out the Altissian ones to her.
"So, we have a few different choices. Please feel free to take your time deciding. We can always double back to one you seen previously. This first one here is quite popular amongst teens and young adults," Ignis stated, pointing to the first restaurant on the corner.
Y/N glanced at the bright posters in the large windows advertising the various dishes they had to offer. It looked a lot like food cart food. Nothing that took much time to cook and there were very few tables and seats inside. But she was more upset that this food was being advertised as Altissian at all.
"This isn't Altissian food," she said, scrunching her nose a bit. "I mean, nice attempt but a very poor one. No one where I come from would eat this. Is it meant to be a joke?"
"Uh, no. I don't believe so. It's a fast food place so there's not a lot of time going into the preparation. I think it's more meant to resemble Altissian food rather than exactly be it."
"Fast food? It looks like cart food. However, I dare say even our cart food has more heart and soul in it than this."
"I was rather hoping you didn't want to eat here. It's a bit bland and sloppy for my tastes. It's meant to be a quick bite on the go when you don't have much time. And it's cheap."
The next place they came to looked a bit better. A large stone angel looking statue was out front by the door. However, Y/N wasn't recognizing a lot of the food dishes. She had seen them before and heard of them, but not in Altissia.
"This isn't Altissian food either," she commented.
"Really? It seems almost the most authentic. People rave about this place often."
"I mean, it's Accordo food, definitely. But not Altissia specifically. People on the far outskirts on the other side of the country eat this. It's a very specific acquired taste. I've never much liked it."
"I see. That is very interesting. I'll make a note of that."
The next few buildings also had white stone and marble storefronts and counters and large statues. It seemed every place they looked at regarding Altissian food was made to look exactly the same.
"Is this what you guys think of when you think of us? Just white stone and marble and winged statues?"
"It is what your city looks like, is it not?"
"Well, yes, but at least change it up a bit. Where's the water? The canals are a huge part of our city. And we often dine outside on patios, not in cramped little buildings."
"I believe I have a place you might enjoy. It's one of my favorites. My parents used to take me there often when I was a child. In fact, we still go there for my birthday usually."
Ignis led her down a few side streets before coming to a large outdoor restaurant. A large red canopy covered all the tables, protecting everyone from the harsh sun rays. Nicely dressed waiters bustled around bringing people's food orders to their black iron tables. The detail carved and welded in each chair was immaculate. A gentle hint of music could be heard from speakers placed throughout the dining area.
"Well, I can't speak for the food, but the place looks…very close to home." Y/N commented, almost feeling for a moment like she was back in Altissia.
"I'm very glad to hear that. Would you like me to get us a table? Or should we look some more?"
"No, this will be fine. I'm too hungry to go looking much longer anyways."
"Very well, please come with me," Ignis smiled as he led them over to a hostess to seat them.
After being given a seat on the outer edge, per Y/N's request, she opened her menu to see if the food would be any good. There weren't many pictures, but what she did see surprised her. Even the names of some dishes were authentically correct.
"Good evening! May I please take your drink orders?" a handsome man in a button down red shirt and black slacks asked the couple.
"I'll have a sweet tea please, peach flavor if you have it," Y/N spoke first.
"Of course! And for you sir?"
"Water will be fine, thank you."
"I will be back shortly for your food orders. Our specials are on the back of the menu."
"I can't believe they have peach tea. I only hope it tastes like back home."
"Is that something you enjoy often?" Ignis asked, curious about the particular flavor.
"We use peaches in a lot of things. Drinks, desserts, even slow cooked peach pork. Peaches are primarily grown just outside of Altissia."
"I am ashamed to say I did not know that! Fascinating!"
Ignis looked across the small round table at Y/N. If he looked hard enough, he swore he saw a hint of a smile on her lips. She seemed so much more relaxed than she had all the other times he was with her. He could even swear he heard a very light humming along with the music coming from her mouth.
"Do you know this song?" he asked.
"What?" she startled, looking up at him.
"I asked if you knew this song. It sounds very lovely and relaxing. I don't believe I'm familiar with it." He didn't want to bring up that he heard her singing along. It was a gorgeous melody being played by a violin. Such a vast difference from the music he was usually subjected to when around Noctis.
"Oh, yeah. It's by a famous violinist who often plays by the large fountain in Altissia. I haven't had the luxury of going to see him play much but he's played at some of the castle's galas. My grandma was always fond of this particular song and played it for me at night before bed."
"What a lovely story! I'll have to look the violinist up some time!"
Ignis was glad he was able to get her to speak to him a bit. She was usually so shut off. So far his plan was working. He was hoping that getting her in a slightly familiar place surrounded by smells and sounds from home would help relax her a little. After the waiter brought their drinks and took their orders, Ignis attempted to speak with her a bit more.
"Have you received any sort of schedule yet from the court?" Ignis asked.
"Schedule?" Y/N asked confused.
"Yes. There are some classes you are too take if you remember." Ignis really didn't want to bring up the contract, but to an extent it couldn't be helped.
"Classes on what?"
"Well, a few basic etiquette classes. Not that you are in need of them. Your manners are almost unmatched around here. However, certain protocol in Insomnia may be different than you are used to. It should only be a class or two, I'm sure. There's also your self-defense classes. We believe everyone regardless of security duty should be able to defend themselves if ever separated from their shields. And with you not technically being of high royal court anymore, your security detail is…well, slim to none."
"I have Bernard," she argued.
"Who will be going home after we are wed. I would hate to have to worry about you every time I am not around. You aren't required to know how to take down an army, but basic self-defense so you can escape is crucial. And then there is basic Lucian law and history. But I have been charged with instructing you on that. So, that is something we can casually discuss from time to time. No need for a formal setting if you don't wish."
"When do I start these classes?" she asked.
"I am not certain. Very soon, I know that. Gladio mentioned that you would be joining him soon. He usually follows a pretty strict schedule so you will be given certain times and days to work with him."
Y/N seemed to fall quiet after that. Not exactly the most exciting subject of conversation, he supposed. But still something that needed discussing. Maybe he should move on to things that may better interest her. He wished to simply talk and get to know her, but he also knew there were pressing matters that needed addressing. Before he could speak, however, their food arrived.
"Thank you," Y/N addressed the waiter as he set her plate down. Ignis had to admit, it looked delectable.
"What was that you ordered again?" he asked her, taking out a small notebook from his jacket pocket.
"Eggplant pasta de la vino bianca. It's a white wine sauce with fettechini noodles and…sorry you probably don't care what all is in it," she trailed off, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"Oh, on the contrary! I very much desire to know. It's something I would love to try and recreate one day in the kitchen."
"Well, I don't know the exact spices used in the sauce other than parsley and oregano. It commonly has carrots and asparagus added to it as well, like this does, but you can add any vegetables I suppose. I think if you did it wouldn't be the same. Some people prefer it with chicken but I always preferred eggplant. That's how it was originally made, but veggie haters claim it needs more protein and always want to add chicken to everything," she rolled her eyes.
"Are you not a chicken fan?"
"Oh, I'll eat it sometimes. I just hate when it gets added to every dish. Not everything needs a big hunk of meat in it to be enjoyed."
"I see. I shall keep that in mind as well!" Ignis smiled.
Ignis dug into his own plate of traditional Altissian risotto and let Y/N eat a few bites of her own plate before moving on to talking about the wedding.
"I have been meaning to ask you a few other things if you don't mind," Ignis started.
Y/N just glanced up at him as she chewed the bite she had just taken. Ignis took a quick breath not sure if the topic would anger her or not. He knew how she currently felt about the situation.
"Have you made any sort of decisions or plans regarding the wedding?" he carefully asked.
Y/N glanced down at her plate at the mention of their union.
"Like what? Am I even able to make any decisions?" she asked.
"Of course! This is your wedding."
"No, it is Lucis' wedding," she retorted. "I am just a pawn in it. I'm sure our wedding colors are black and…black. My dress is no doubt some royal garb covered in skulls or something. And the flowers are whatever is in bloom that day. It's not supposed to be anything special, remember? I'm not even a princess anymore."
"Of course you are. Royalty is bound to blood. You were born a princess and will remain one. The title just doesn't hold as much weight anymore as a citizen of Insomnia," Ignis stated matter of factly. "And while the wedding may be arranged and set forth by the kingdom, it is still yours. All decisions on colors, flowers, and even your dress are entirely yours to control."
Y/N glanced up at him. Was he serious? She was truly able to decide all those things? She assumed they would all be made for her after coming here and seeing how controlled her life was to become. She gave up the idea that she would be able to customize her own wedding. Granted, it was a bit hard picking out love songs about a man you didn't actually love or even know.
"Do you have any ideas?" Ignis asked her.
"Of course. Every girl dreams of her wedding since she is a little kid. I just don't know if I'll be able to have everything I wanted."
"Well, I shall help you get as much of your list as I can," Ignis smiled gently at her.
"I don't know if I want some of it anymore…" she trailed off, looking back down at her plate as she moved some noodles around with her fork.
"Well, we can start with a small list and work our way up. Did you pick out a dress before coming here?" Ignis asked.
"No. Altissian princesses and queens adorn a specific gown when marrying. All the women in my family have worn it. You must be royal blood to wear it. So, my brother's wife won't be able to."
"That sounds historically beautiful. Will they be sending the dress here for you to wear?"
"No…I can't wear it. I'm no longer allowed. I redacted my citizenship, remember? And I'm not marrying an Altissian citizen in the royal palace. The dress never leaves the Great Hall, even when in storage. I'll never be able to wear it…" Y/N could feel tears begin to prick at her eyes. Ignis almost regretted even bringing it up.
"Well, we have some beautiful dresses made here. There's a large bridal shop in the eastern part of the city. Or we have royal tailors who could maybe make you something, although it's getting a bit down to the wire. They could surely customize something you find that you like. Would you wish to go out a day shopping?"
"Alone? A bit depressing don't you think? You're not supposed to see it."
"No, I'm not. I would go with you if you wished, but I understand wanting other women's opinions and company. Are you friendly with Luna? She already has a dress but I'm sure she might be willing to accompany you. Maybe Monica? She's the Crownsguard woman who often accompanies you around the Citadel. Gladio has a sister who loves shopping…she's a bit young though. I'm sorry there doesn't seem to be many females I keep in my company to help you out."
"I wish LeAnn could be here…" Y/N quietly whispered.
"Who is that, if I may ask?"
"Oh…my best friend." Y/N didn't expect Ignis to hear her.
"Will she be coming to the wedding?" Ignis asked.
"Is anyone from home coming?"
Ignis looked a bit taken aback.
"Surely your family and friends would come…would they not?"
"I don't know!" Y/N shrugged a bit exasperated. "None of them seem much interested in me anymore. I haven't even talked to my mother since coming!"
Ignis frowned at her. Her parents haven't spoken to her? Asked her how she has been? No wonder she was so isolated and depressed.
"I will inquire with the King about protocol and invitations. I highly doubt they wouldn't be invited or wouldn't want to come. This is mean to be a joining of countries not a separating."
"Coulda fooled me…" she mumbled under her breath.
"Have you thought about anything else? Colors, flowers, cake flavors?"
"I love purple and white but I'm not allowed to wear my country's home colors or dresses to large events, remember?"
"I don't think that means your own wedding. I believe that was referring to specific Lucis events honoring Lucis and not to be worn as a direct snub. Again though, I will clarify with the King. I think those two colors fit you beautifully and would look lovely. I happen to fancy a shade of purple myself from time to time."
"I don't know if I want to talk about all this right now…" Y/N said, halting the conversation.
Ignis looked down at the plate she was staring at in front of her and noticed she hadn't taken any more bites. He didn't wish to upset her. Now that he at least had an idea of how much she had planned and hadn't planned, he at least had a platform to jump from in getting everything started.
"Of course. I will make up a list of things that needs done and send it to you. If you need any assistance with any of the items on it don't hesitate to let me know. I will gladly assist you as needed."
"It's your wedding too," Y/N shrugged.
"And my only wish for it is that you are pleased and get everything you wish for."
Y/N didn't know how to respond so she just went back to eating. They ate in carful silence for a while. Ignis knew he had to stop all talk of the wedding or risk further angering her. He wished to talk more to her about her likes and dislikes. Her passions. Her dreams. But wasn't sure how much she was willing to tell. She seemed to be closing back up again.
"So, other than Dandelion, have you had any other pets?" Ignis wasn't sure what topic to choose so he went with something he knew. The look on her face made he regret bringing it up.
"How did you even know about him?" she asked, certainly surprised he knew her pet cat's name from when she was a child.
"Oh, it was in an article I read about you when I was looking you up. I now realize in saying that out loud how stalkerish and creepy that sounds. I apologize."
"What article?"
"I don't remember the exact website, but I'm sure I can find it again if you wish to see it."
Y/N sat there a moment. She wasn't going to lie, it sounded odd hearing someone looked up information on you and was now using it for conversation. Part of her was flattered he looked anything up on her at all. She remembered him mentioning it yesterday when he brought up the picture of her he had found. But she also wanted to know how anyone got the name of her cat. She thought only her family knew its name. It never left her room, half the palace staff didn't even know she had a pet.
"No I didn't have any other pets. I always wanted others, but mother never allowed it. She detested them. Dandelion was never even allowed to leave my room. He was a great companion, though. I love animals. I wished to have a thousand more when I was growing up."
"I never had any, myself. Never had the time. Noct had this little creature of some sort that would follow him around from time to time he called Carbuncle. And Luna's dogs would visit once in a blue moon. But I never had the extra time to care for animal."
"Do you like pets?" Y/N asked him.
"They always sort of seemed like an eternal infant to me," Ignis shrugged. "Always needing fed and watered and pet and bagging up their feces isn't entirely appealing to me."
Y/N's face fell a bit at his mention of not being fond of pets. He didn't want her thinking he didn't like animals though or wouldn't allow them.
"I'm not against the idea of pets. They just never fit my personal schedule is all."
"I see…" Y/N responded.
Before Ignis could pick a new subject to discuss, Y/N set down her fork and napkin and announced she was finished eating.
"Did you want dessert?" Ignis asked, deciding he was finished as well. He could have sat and spoken with her longer and eaten more, but he didn't want to make her stay when she didn't want to. And she seemed to really want to leave.
"No, I'm fine thank you."
"As you wish. I will ask for our bill then and we can be on our way."
As Ignis finished paying for their meal and they made their way back out onto the sidewalk, Y/N turned to him instead of walking ahead.
"Can we please get a ride back to the Citadel somehow? It's really hot and I'm not fond of walking on a full stomach."
"Of course! We can hail a cab if you wish." The look Y/N gave him was one of utter disgust.
"A…taxi cab? Aren't those filthy?"
Ignis couldn't lie, he wasn't quite fond of them himself. And he had been in the back of some very questionable cabs before. Not wanting to upset her or get her dress dirty he agreed a cab wouldn't be the best idea.
"I can call and get us a ride. Just give me one moment…" Ignis rang in to the office at the Citadel and asked if a car could be sent to retrieve him and the Princess. He was assured a glaive would be sent to pick them up momentarily while on his way back from rounds.
The ride back to the Citadel was in silence. Neither felt very comfortable speaking in front of someone they didn't know. When they were dropped off at the front steps, Ignis told Y/N he would escort her to her room. She didn't seem to mind much either way. When they reached her door, she decided she should at least thank him for lunch.
"Thank you for the lovely meal, Ignis. I appreciated it. It was…nice to be out of here. And around something familiar."
"You are most welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I would love to do it again at your earliest convenience. Just let me know when you would like to go out again. Oh! Speaking of, if you wouldn't mind texting me again with your new number."
"Oh, yeah. I'll do that."
"Okay well, have a wonderful evening. Maybe I will see you at dinner." Ignis bowed. He contemplated grabbing her hand and placing a gentle kiss on the top of it before walking back down the hall, but didn't want to be too forward after their first time out together.
As he made his way back into his office, he noticed Gladio sitting there waiting for him with a Cheshire cat grin on his face. .
"Soooooo…how did it gooooo?" his friend cooed, wanting all the details.
Ignis just rolled his eyes as he took his seat. Before he could answer, he felt his phone vibrate and took it out to see an unfamiliar number had messaged him.
98-5687-113: Thanks again for lunch. I needed that.
Ignis smiled and responded before saving the number to his contacts.
"Quite lovely actually…" Ignis informed his friend.
A/N:
First and foremost, I am SOOO sorry for the late posting. I ended up going away last weekend to a place with zero reception for miles. The house I was at was on a mountainside with no internet at all. I also didn't have my laptop with me to post, but my mental health really needed the getaway. Then my kid started school this week and we are schooling at home so things have been nuts and THEN I was so insanely sick this weekend, I could barely sit in my computer chair to even proofread and get this chapter out. So I sincerely apologize for bumming anyone out.
Second, I reeled in some of the angst for this chapter. Our princess was originally WAY more of a brat but I gave our sweet boy a bit of a break before she acts up again. I figure the last couple chapters were so heavy we needed a bit of a break. Not a big one, but a little one lol Also think of that first "restaurant" as an American taking someone who is Mexican or Spanish to a Taco Bell. Lol
So many people hated the contract signing and even REALLY hate King Regis. That was meant to be a really jarring chapter, however, I don't mean for people to hate Regis. If anything, hate the royal court who more so wrote the thing. You will see more on them later when our princess sits in as her new place on the court and you will learn Regis isn't the bad one here lol