Noctis takes a breath. After a long journey with his father, his father's shield, his shield, and his advisor they finally make it to Tenebrae.
It's after New Years, and his father and the queen of Tenebrae thought it would be good to get the Astrals blessing early. It would be after he turns sixteen but their parents thought it would be best to get it over with. As they walk into the manor, Noctis stays silent, nodding his head as greeting but he feels hollow. He wasn't excited, happy, or even nervous, he didn't feel much. But he knew that many people are expecting this to happen. His father is rather excited. Ignis stands to the side proud of him, the look in his eyes shining with pride. Gladio gives him pats on the back with a grin on his face. Clarus looked at him like he's done it. He's made it.
Noctis just stands there. Tuning out everything. It wasn't that he didn't want this, but he didn't. He honestly doesn't know what he wants. His father has been telling him that he will marry her since he was young, but before then Luna told him they would get married in the future. He just accepted it. He wasn't against it cause he didn't have an alternative to this.
Ever since he was little he's been told he is the chosen one. He's not really sure what that meant, all he knows is that it made his father proud, it made the council happy, it made the people of Lucis excited for him to take over the throne, proud that he is their prince. He doesn't feel special. He feels like a prince who just for one day would like to feel normal.
Just once he wants to have a normal day. A day where he can sleep in, walk outside without guards, not having to wear a disguise to go anywhere. He wants to not have to worry about getting his picture taken while doing something, not to worry about making a face and the media taking it out of context. Talk to someone without pictures being taken. Help someone without it being thought of as a publicity stunt. Freedom. That's what he wants and he knows he'll never get it so he's resigned to accept his fate.
And now he feels empty. Like a shell.
After getting settled in he and Luna's family (which is just her mother and brother) sit at the dining table. Noct push all the vegetables to the side as Ignis frown at him from his seat but Noct doesn't care. He takes a peek at Luna happily eating all her food, then look over to his father talking to the queen very animatedly. They are close friends. The war ended during their time. They are comrades in arms.
Noctis couldn't help but think, is this going to be my life? He wish it's not going to be.
After dinner, they all go to their rooms to sleep their travel off and get ready for the next day. Noct doesn't sleep. He couldn't. The prince is more than sure he's suppose to feel something, but he doesn't know what. Should he be... happy? Sad? Nervous? Those seem like something he should be feeling. He's about to get the Astrals blessing. It's an honor to be able to.
In the morning he gets dressed. They eat breakfast like always, but after that it gets more hectic. He has to change into his extremely formal outfit. Ignis even dress in his crownsguard outfit, along with Gladio. Ignis does his hair. After getting a glimpse of himself in the mirror he knows this isn't him. Sometimes he felt like being a prince isn't for him, he may have been born royal but he didn't think being royal is for him. But that doesn't keep him from trying to a be a good prince. But right now he doesm't even look like himself.
He meets with his father in the church, in the side hallway, in front of the door that lead to the side door to the main hall. When he walks in he'll be on the altar. His father looks him over, smiling, then nods when he's satisfied. He comments on Ignis doing his hair. Like usual he stands there, complacent. They are given the okay. Noct stand by his dad but a step back. They walk in, face forward, head held high looking right at Luna and her family as they too walk in. Both parents stop by the ledge of the top most step that leads to the altar. Noctis and Luna continue to walk until they meet each other in the middle. Then they turn, standing side by side, stepping in sync towards the middle of the large rectangular table that sat against the wall. Draped with white veils. Stopping when they stand in front of the table. Noct sees the objects set out to represent each Astral.
For Shiva it's a glass snowflake. Set on a white cloth.
Next to the snowflake is a candle, representing Ifrit. The candlestick is gold, set on a red cloth.
For Bahamut is a dagger, the edge sharpened while the handle is decorated with jewels. The dagger is set on a black cloth.
For Leviathan, a glass pitcher of water is set on a blue cloth. The glass pitcher is decorated and made to look like a serpent, or leviathan.
Titan is a jar of dirt. An open glass jar of dirt set on a green cloth.
Rumah is, ironically a small bonsai tree in a glass pot. The pot is set on a grey cloth with the edges purple.
Both Noctis and Luna kneel in front of the table, head looking down. They are asking the Astrals for their blessing.
Normal people don't do this. They get to ask who they want and when they want. Getting married without asking the Astrals for blessing. But because they are both royal they need to ask for the Astrals blessings. Luna's parents did it. Noctis parents did it. So did their ancestors. So now they have to too.
"May the Astrals bless these two." Sylva says, voice booming in the marble hall. Everyone turns to the couple, holding their hands together, praying to the Astrals for their blessing.
But nothing. The candle doesn't light itself. The snowflake doesn't lift itself up. The dirt in the jar doesn't shape itself. The bonsai tree doesn't bloom. The dagger doesn't move and hover. And the pitcher of water doesn't foam or bubble.
No instead the candle lit then goes out immediately, melting fast without a fire to melt it. Frost appears across the table. A wind blows the cloth to move, covering the dagger. All the jars break, so the dirt and water mix, getting on the floor, Lunafreya and Noctis stepping back away from the table. The snowflake crack, while the tree withers, the small leaves falling and a crack of lightning snap the tree in half adding to the pitiful sight.
Everyone stands shocked.
The Astrals don't approve of them.
"They are not a match?" They could hear someone whisper.
"Was it too early?" Someone asks.
"Will they try again in a year?" Another asks in a whisper. The chapel gets a small buzz as people whisper to each other. Noctis looks at his father who looks surprised. Then he turn to look at Sylva who stands stoic. Then Noctis looks at Lunafreya. She also seem surprised by the turn of events.
Noctis look down. It's his fault isn't it?
The blonde walks forward looking down at her phone. Going out for a walk on a good sunny weekend. With nothing to do she decides to take a walk. But because she isn't paying attention she bumps into someone. She looks up very sorry, she see it's a woman in a black and white kimono? She has long hair, straight bangs, and the clearest eyes. The blonde couldn't help but stare at them. She shakes her head when she sees the woman has been speaking. She looks at her lips, reading them.
"I'm sorry." The woman says. The blonde shakes her head, then pointing at herself. It was her fault, she wasn't paying attention even though she should be. The woman smiles. "Are you still there? I'm blind so I can't see." The blonde blinks. Did she read that correctly? If so... the blonde looks down at her phone. She pulls up an app. Typing in it, then sending, her phone reading it it a female voice.
"I should be sorry, I wasn't paying attention, I'm deaf so I didn't hear you." The voice says for the blonde, who smiles then realizes the other woman can't see her. The blonde lets out a giggle. What are the chances that she, a deaf person, would run into a blind person? The black haired woman tilts her head. Saying nothing but the blonde can feel her eyes baring into her.