Cor tightened lightly his hands around the steering wheel. Traffic wasn't heavy at this time of day to exit the city but he still felt impatient. It was strange but at the same time usual for him to rush to Aelia's side, and he could admit now that for the last year, he had done so with more than just duty-bound zeal. Cor huffed mentally, Aelia seemed to like to get into trouble and become a damsel in distress then claim she wasn't looking for trouble- she's really a wretched princess. But she was his wretched, loose cannonball princess.
Finally, some peace had settled into his drifting heart now that he let himself accept that what he felt for Aelia was love; pure, simple, long-lasting love. Cor wondered when it had started to change from fondness to the deeper realm of conscious and unconscious commitment. Perhaps it was just as Regis had said; he had no chance against her once her own heart locked onto him and it had started to pull his heartstrings to her. And no, he didn't just love her because she had decided to devote herself to him; that wouldn't be love, but Cor had to admit that he would have never seen a possibility of something if she hadn't shown it to him. Showed him he could love just as she loved. To want to give someone as good a life as they could get, expecting nothing in return but to know them to be safe and happy. And she had been trying so hard to make him laugh and smile, to enjoy little things he had long ago forfeited, and seen how she succeeded at it. So, of course, she wanted him to share his life with her because she had already realized it fulfilled him to do so. Cor knew now why she persisted in her pursuit of his closed heart, it wasn't out of a selfish desire to possess him as one does a collectible item, but out of the desire to give, not take.
And damn his stubbornness, because he had wanted to do the same for some time now, and he had just been torturing himself and her by thinking to give her the best was for her to give up on him instead of making sure he would give her the best. Why trust someone else to do tomorrow what you can today? To kiss her and see her smile, to indulge her silly little joys that she didn't have the luxury to remember to do. It wouldn't be perfect, maybe she would even back down after some time with him, realizing that it wasn't what she had been expecting… but he doubted it. Aelia was a fast learner and stubborn, she knew where she was going before she jumped and she usually jumped towards him, so it was his job to catch her when she stumbled. And Astrals, she had stumbled a lot of times.
"If I manage to achieve this cooperation, there might be some hope to find a way to extend their life span or save some of them—or I hope so," Aelia said while they were making their way on the highway to Lestallum.
"I wouldn't put much hope on it, Princess. These people are hard to deal with in the best of days. And expect them to help when there will be no profit from it…" Cor commented.
"Yeah," Aelia laughed dryly "I don't like this very much, but I have to try. We should look after every source we might have to help the kids survive."
"You seem much invested in this, not that you shouldn't, but it isn't your responsibility either."
"Then whose responsibility is it? Verstael's?" She huffed in annoyance "Aranea's? She has already done all in her power to help them, she can't do much more. And besides-" She paused and looked outside the window "they are just children, their lives deserve to be fought for at the best of mine's or anyone else's abilities."
Cor didn't say anything else, she was set in her way already and he knew better than to try to convince her otherwise, so he just came along for when things turned for the worst. He didn't think this because he thought it was bad for the Princess to try and help the kids, but because when she failed –and she would because some things couldn't be helped-, it would break her heart just as it always did when she could do nothing to help, if not even more than usual. Cor had seen how she had cared for the clone children –and even the adult ones- when Aranea had taken her to visit the facilities where they were looked after. There had been around a thousand of them who had managed to take out the tanks without them being brain dead, and only forty percent had the chance to survive beyond infanthood. Even those who were little boys already… most of them wouldn't be alive long enough to pass the ten-year mark.
Rufus Highwind would be coming in two weeks as the official envoy to help with the last details of how many children would Lucis be taking in and giving them homes as they were able to. But that would be hard as well, how many families would be willing to take in a child that has such a scarce possibility of survival or a healthy life? Cor knew that so far this was one of the hardest tasks the Princess had taken on, Regis knew it too so he had asked him to keep an eye on her throughout all this.
So here they were, on their way to Lestallum to talk to the head of the biggest and most advanced pharmaceutical of Lucis. If there was something Cor liked less than politicians were these kinds of people, the ones that made their money from people's sickness. One would hope that the work they did was to help people get better and healthy as quickly as possible, but of course, that wasn't the way of things. Aelia knew that as well, but she was still hoping for something- Cor didn't know at all what she was hoping for, but he was sure she wouldn't get it.
They arrived at Lestallum late at night, but as the appointed meeting would be at noon the Princess would have plenty of time to rest. Dinner was taken up to her suite and it was one of the unusual times when Cor was the one to have to coax her to eat, instead of the other way around after Crow had come knocking on his door and told him the Princess wasn't listening. Lysa wasn't around either, so it fell into his shoulders to make her behave.
Cor entered her room without knocking, the Princess didn't even turn to look at him; Aelia was seated with several papers and her laptop on the table, to the side, there were the covered plates of food, hopefully, they haven't gone cold yet. Cor sighed and walked over, just closing the computer over her hands.
She yelped in surprise and then glared at him, "What are you doing?"
"You have to eat."
Aelia's frown relaxed and she slouched back into the chair. "Right. Eat. I'll do that now."
"Then you'll go to sleep." Cor continued and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Yes." She answered blankly.
They stared at each other for some time, until she finally glanced to the side.
"Aren't you supposed to be good at lying?" Cor asked.
Aelia pursed her lips. Right, she didn't like being called a liar. Cor sighed and took the chair beside her, pulling the dish over and moving away her work.
"Eat." He said pulling away the lead of the food.
"I said I'll eat. You don't need to act like my nanny." Aelia sniffed and tried to open her computer again, but he flattened his hand over it.
"Then stop pouting and take care of yourself." Cor wouldn't budge, she wasn't made of strong stuff and needed her rest.
"I won't die if I don't eat for one night or sleep late. Besides, you're one to tell me to take care of myself." The Princess shot back at him.
Cor did give her that point, "Yes, I would know. I have enough experience."
Aelia couldn't help it and she cracked a smile, then huffed exasperated. "I still think you're a hypocrite."
"The Princess might think as she pleases as long as she does as she is told." He said pushing her food in front of her.
Aelia shot him a look stuck between annoyance and amusement. "Did you eat already?" She asked before taking a bite from her food.
"I don't eat at night when outside Insomnia," Cor answered.
"But you have. When we were in Altissia or Gralea—" She stopped and took another bite, the stubborn girl did was hungry, "we would go out and buy food from street stalls!"
"I was just humoring you."
"Lies; you liked the food as much as me."
"What makes you think so?"
"Because. You aren't the kind to humor anyone, not even my royal father." She said but didn't expect an answer from him, or the food had taken all her attention now that she had reached the dessert. And Cor was glad she had because she was right; he wasn't one to humor anyone, except- except he had done so many times for her.
Cor had to smile at that, of course, he had a soft spot for her since a long time ago, he should have realized that it was a tell-tale of his growing and changing relationship with her and how it would end. Even back then he knew he was already starting to struggle with the desire to be close to her to see her safe and smiling, and the one that still wanted her to forget about him.
"But of course, we could perhaps arrive at a compromise… These MTs can be of great use for our investigations. And before they come into any critical conditions they might be put down so their organs might be of use for—"
"They aren't harvesting recipients for growing organs." Aelia hissed.
"No?" The President chuckled "Princess, you have to understand, they are hardly human- and there are many who would benefit from it. Besides, what you want is to give them as good life as they might get before they die, so we will give them as good as any real children might get to—"
Cor hadn't seen coming Aelia trying to backhand the woman, but he still stopped her in time. The Princess had grown pale and her eyes shined with loathing. She would have hit the woman if Cor hadn't grasped her by the wrist, as much as he thought the witch deserved it, he wouldn't let Aelia debase herself like this. The Princess was still furious enough to fight against his hold so he seized her waist and pulled her back against his chest, she still kicked and hissed like a feral cat until he shook her some and whispered in her ear, "Calm down Aelia. Stop, she's not worth it."
She took a sharp breath and stopped fighting against him, finally regaining some semblance of control. Cor still didn't let her go, he wouldn't until they were outside the room.
The woman shot them a sardonic smile, "I guess that ends our cooperation then, too bad you couldn't see it beyond small sentimentalisms Princess. But then again, that's just how princesses are supposed to be isn't it?"
Even though Cor was having a hard time containing his temper, the woman was looking for trouble. And she would get it, only not this way. Clearly, Aelia still was having trouble controlling her burning desire to throttle the woman so Cor took her firmly by the shoulders and guided her out. Cor forgo his initial intention to let her go once they were outside fearing she would give him the slip and run back in there and just shoot her or throw a dagger straight into that rotten dark heart. And perhaps it was an exaggeration of his imagination, but it was better to don't take any chances; she still was very agitated and her mind was reeling.
So he clasped tightly his hand around her wrist and put her into the car to take her back to the Leville. There she paced up and down in her room, a ball of fury and anxiety. Cor decided to keep an eye on her himself, it's not that he didn't trust Crow, but he had the suspicion that the Princess might convince her to go into the night and trash something or someone.
"You can't expect much of these people Princess. They are uncaring for whatever doesn't gives them profit." Cor tried to calm her before she made a hole on the carpet she was pacing.
Aelia stopped suddenly and turned to him, so many emotions shining in her eyes "Clearly- Clearly they have to see their just children! Innocent and defenseless- How could anyone just turn around and ignore them? To want to use them as if they were no better than pigs going into the slaughterhouse? I can't- I can't understand it. I won't, I don't want to!"
It was odd, how could your heart hurt more for someone else than it had ever for yourself? And maybe it was because Cor himself felt he was part of the problem, part of those who had seen the evils of the world for too long and accepted some of them as things that couldn't be changed. Some things not worth fighting for because you knew the chance of winning is slim. It's not that he believed those children didn't deserve to live and be cared for, of course, he wanted them to have the best chances to survive and lead as happy lives as they could, but from the outtake, he knew it was near impossible to achieve, it simply was beyond human capacities this time.
It would require a miracle, and Aelia was desperately searching for it, for that hope and faith in the fliting goodness of the world that sometimes seemed so otherworldly. She believed in it and that it would triumph over the evils he had witnessed for so long, but now that she saw again and again how humans would most of the times choose the wrong when they could the right it– was shattering her.
She clearly was at the brink of tears and Cor wished there was Regis or Lysa, Ifrit, even Ravus might find the right words to console her or to let her know she could let lose all her hurts for now. But again, he was at a loss for what to do or say. However, there was something he knew with certainty, he didn't want to see her lose that hope and that desire to fight for good even when the chances seemed non-existent. Because he-
"Then don't understand it. You don't have to." Cor said walking to her and resting his hand over her head. "Because you are in the right and they are wrong, and maybe there's nothing you can do to make it right. But you will never regret having fought for it with your all, even if it hurt and broke you some, you've known you were true to yourself and those who trusted in you. And you'll be stronger for it if you don't give up now."
She was such a changing wind of seriousness and professionalism to naive and vulnerable at times which made her reckless. And it was a good thing he was around most of the times the sudden change came, or perhaps he reflected now, it was exactly because he was around that she allowed herself to let her guard down enough to let it shine. Perhaps one of the factors why he had been so reticent to admit his feelings towards her, worrying it would make her get herself into more trouble, but then again there had been enough situations where he wasn't present and she still did so. She would as long as there was someone or something she cared deeply for in danger or hurt. And it had been stupid of him to see it and think the solution was for her to don't care , that might help her survive but not to live. But then again, wasn't that what he had been doing for so long and his closest friends tried to warn him about? So no wonder he had gone down that path of thought.
And Cor didn't want Aelia to lose that, to become so hardened that she stopped hoping for what seemed unachievable things. Because if she stopped, who would fight those lost causes that many forgot involved other human beings? Defenseless, overpowered, and despised? Cor fought to take down people who caused that, but someone had to pick up those who had already been subjected to it. Aelia did just that, and he loved her for it, for how she cared and hurt when she didn't have to. No wonder she loved him; a lost cause outside the area of fighting, he would become obsolete soon enough. Well, he could at least admit now that maybe he had become somewhat overprotective of her when around certain men. That's just another way to say you were jealous. His mind supplied helpfully.
Cor didn't like the man, not because he was one of Verstael's clones of course, but there was something about his ways that didn't sit well with him. How he flirted around with the Princess was none of his business as long as he didn't step over the line, so far he hadn't but Cor didn't like to put any trust in leaving them alone. Back in Gralea, he had seen how his encroaching ways; just a few minutes after they arrived he had seen them some distance in front of him and Aranea while they were walking down the main corridor of Engilram Keep he had seen them stop before some kind of art piece and then the man kissing her hand. Maybe he wouldn't have thought much of it if the Princess hadn't reacted as she did; she had turned pink and shifted nervously some, she didn't have experience around flirtatious men so he was sure she was susceptible to stupid cajoleries like that.
But as it was, Aelia had to be the one to take care of the Niflheim envoy as she was the principal one negotiating and organizing to help with the clones and such.
"Do you think something bad will happen?" Aelia asked him, looking at him from the corner of her eyes. They were standing at the Citadel's doors, waiting for the cars carrying the delegates to arrive.
"Considering that last time you were near a Niff you almost died…" He answered simply if a little untruthfully.
Now the Princess smiled and cocked her head up and to the side to look at him. "I promise if there's an explosion nearby I won't jump into it."
Cor shot her a very unimpressed look. "Let's hope you won't."
She made to reach for his hand before noticing and stopping, then looking up at him again and smiling a little strained. "I will not, so don't worry."
A mix of relief to listen to her being sincere and some strange pang that she stopped herself from taking his hand distracted him enough to don't answer her. Then the cars arrived and the delegates climbed out of the vehicles amid some flashes of the reporters that were allowed inside to write some articles and whatnot. Rufus' coppery hair was carefully slicked back and he was clean-shaven, his clothes neat and becoming. Cor hoped his visit would go smoothly and finish quickly. The man came accompanied by Wedge and at least that was a face Cor was happy to see as he had fought alongside him as much as he had with Aranea; they clasped hands as Aranea's minion bowed handsomely before the Princess and kissed her hand.
"I'm so glad to see you awake and smiling, Princess. This world would be far darker if your light had been gone." Rufus said.
Aelia laughed, but her face heightened some in color. "You flatter me, sir. But I am glad to see you as well."
What a sweet talker son of a wh-
Wedge cleared his throat apologetically. "Sorry. Aranea insisted on sending Rufus as her representative, she said it would be more 'fun'."
Cor turned to him, "I have no problem with him."
"I've forgotten the glare is kind of usual in you Marshal." Wedge laughed.
So as Cor had wished most have been arranged pretty quickly and to end the talks they would announce what had been their plan since Aelia went to Gralea and met the children. It was an unlikely chance many would get adopted, but the Princess still had high hopes for it. So she had prepared some words to try and move people to at least take an interest in the children who had a small chance of survival and no family but themselves to speak of.
It was time for the official announcement of the existence of Verstael clones to the world, Regis talked first, giving a recollection of what and how they came to be and what they hoped to achieve with them. But the King let Aelia some space to try and move the heart of any citizen who was willing to take in one of these children, for it wouldn't be easy to convince them of it.
"Some may say they shouldn't have come to exist anyways, some may want to use them as nothing else than spare parts for 'real humans', but they exist and they are human. Just like me or your children or the ones you love most, they didn't have a say in how they came to be, most of them didn't even have a say in how to live and die. But now, they can be free for the little time most of them have. And that freedom to simply live and have thoughts of their own it's been enough— that's what they told me. But is it fair? To say that the minimum we all have had for granted since we were born is just enough for them.
We came out of a thirty-year-long war, and many lost family and friends on the battlefront, some weren't even soldiers—war makes everyone lose. But there is peace now, and with it, there comes hope because we all have a future thanks to those who fought and died for us. So should we just take it only for ourselves and not share it? Now that we have a chance to rebuild and grow—why not give some of it to those who have nothing at all? They don't have a mother nor a father; not so long ago they didn't even have names; most of them won't even have a long future. So for the little time they have, can't we share some of the respect and love we have been granted?
Because none has ever been born with accumulated merits to earn such things from our parents, most of us have received that care and love for no other achievement of being alive. Their struggle to be alive—has been harder than most of us, so why not give them that same care and love for as long as they might have?"
Cor looked at her waving off politely the applause she received from the politicians, reporters, and the civilian onlookers. Some were genuine, others were just an automatic response to the end of any speech that might be given on such occasions. But he looked to his side at Rufus and a light was shining in his eyes, it was one of appreciation and gratitude as he clapped sincerely. Cor looked around again, the civilians did seem to be moved some, he hoped enough so that several adequate families might reach out to take in one of the clones. But only time would tell.
Aelia walked to her father, who smiled proudly at her, put his arm around her shoulder, and kissed her brow once they were outside of the prying eyes of the public and back inside the walls of the Citadel. Rufus walked over to the Princess, took her hand, and kissed it again -Cor wasn't glaring, not at all-, and thanked her for such meaningful words. At least this time, the Marshal knew he was being sincere, still he relaxed his shoulders when the sticky man let her go and moved to talk to the King.
Aelia walked over to him, trepidation glimmering in her eyes. "How did I do?" She asked, her lower lip trapped between her teeth. Cor couldn't help the soft smile that drew at his face; why was she asking him when her father and one of the integrants of the alluded individuals had been moved by it?
"You did well enough." Cor limited himself to answering her because even if her words were moving he knew people to be fickle and most would forget about it soon enough.
"Well enough? Does that mean it could've been better?" She asked anxiously.
Cor's eyebrows rose a little in amusement and pity. He sighed and put his hand over her head to settle her, she seemed to be bouncing in nervousness. "It was fine, as good as it could be."
"Oh. Alright then." She answered settling a little. Cor had the sudden urge to slide his hand down and caress the side of her face, so he immediately removed his hand from her head.
"Do you think—that they will find a good home?" Aelia asked gently looking absently through a window to the rays of the setting sun amongst the tall buildings of Insomnia's center.
"Some will," Cor answered he had never been one to give false hope.
Her eyes returned to him and smiled sadly. "There was never much hope for them was it?"
Cor had wanted so badly to take her into his arms back then, he wasn't sure how he had resisted it back then, and he wished he hadn't done so now. Because there were no words that could erase the pain over a hopeless situation, but some actions were enough to stave off some of it away. And anyways, Cor had always been a man of actions rather than words. Perhaps that's why they were so well suited for each other; Aelia had enough words for both of them and he could fill the silence whit comfort when words failed. And without him meaning to, she had become somewhat dependent on him, maybe because he was always at near hand when problems raised.
Cor was in his daily workout time at the Crownsguards exercise room, he had been cooped up all morning in his office passing through all the security measurements and background checks they would do on everyone who would work at the house that would serve as a home for the clone children. Nearby was the pool where he had seen Aelia walking in for her daily laps –she was a good swimmer, if not, that time back in Tenebrae where she was thrown into a raging river would have ended much worse-. Cor stopped the treadmill, 10k should do it for today, even if he usually favored going out for a run he wasn't in the mood to drive to one of the parks that had the longest paths. He took a drink from his water bottle when the door to the gym opened with a bang, Cor tensed up and then relaxed when he saw it was only the Prince. He was searching for someone, and he seemed to be a bouncing ball of anxiousness and anger.
Noctis eyes found him and Cor suppressed a sigh when he made his way over.
"Have you seen my sister?" Noctis asked. Thank Bahamut, it wasn't him who he was searching for.
Cor nodded his head towards the doors to the pool area. "She's in there."
Noctis turned immediately and rushed through the double doors. The door to the gym opened again and now it was Ignis, a worried look on his face. Cor's relief at not being the recipient of Noctis's teenage worries vanished as quickly as it had come, if Ignis seemed worried as well it couldn't be good nor a light matter.
"Ignis. What's happening?" Cor asked walking to the young attendant.
"Marshal, I'm afraid there's some worry over Prompto-" Ignis started.
"Noctis' friend?" Cor interrupted, knowing full well who Prompto was, but still, he asked. Ignis nodded. "What's wrong with him?"
"Well, the news about the 'refugees' from Niflheim aired a couple of hours ago…"
Oh. Damn. He had completely forgotten about it.
"He didn't take it well." Cor guessed.
"No, I'm afraid not. Or at least his disappearance would indicate so." Ignis said, accommodating his glasses.
"He's missing?" That wasn't good news.
"Yes," Ignis answered and then sighed. "He doesn't answer our calls nor is he at home."
Cor's eyes turned to the doors of the pool, he could understand Noctis' worry now, but why would he go to Aelia he had a bad feeling. So he and Ignis made their way to the pool. And just as Cor had intuited Noctis was recriminating something to his stunned sister who still was inside the pool, googles off into her hand and water dripping from her hair.
"-should have told me before!" Noctis seemed to finish his tirade.
"I- I forgot," Aelia answered finally after Noctis's heavy breathing was all that remained in the large space.
"You forgot?" Noctis almost hissed.
The Princess propped herself up the water and Cor averted his eyes, she wasn't wearing a revealing swimsuit at all, but her figure did become pleasing to the eye at her graceful movements.
"Yes, Noctis. I forgot he was one of Verstael's clones." She sighed tiredly.
"Don't-!"
"Call him that?" Aelia contested, "You won't help him any by denying reality. You can say all day it doesn't matter where he comes from, but it does matter to him. And by the looks of it, a great deal." Aelia said as she passed him to go for her towel. Noctis reached out and grasped her by the arm yanking her back a little, and Cor had to reach out as the floor was slippery and Aelia was falling. He grasped her by the waist and pulled her towards his chest, then grasped Noctis's wrist and shoved it away with a glare.
"Hissing at your sister won't help find him." Cor scolded the now guilty-looking teenager.
Aelia cleared her throat and moved away from him, her cheeks a little red and Cor would've found it a bit amusing if the situation was less serious.
"I know I should have thought to tell you or him beforehand, but I've been busy." Aelia huffed clearly frustrated at herself and passing a hand through her dripping short black locks. Cor's eyes locked again into her scar that disappeared under the high neck of her black swimsuit and the long sleeves hid the scars of her arm as well.
Then her eyes turned to his and give him a questioning look. Cor put a hand on her shoulder, "That doesn't matter now." He then pushed her gently for her to go get her towel then turned to Noctis, "Where could he have gone? Have you contacted his parents?"
Noctis opened his mouth, but Ignis answered before him. "Yes, they aren't in Insomnia right now and had no contact with him since yesterday. We've searched for him all morning already and have not been successful so far."
"There's not much for it but to wait then," Cor said crossing his arms over his chest.
"But what if he decides to do something stupid?" Noctis asked restless.
There was a moment of quiet among them.
"Do you have any reasons to believe he might have suicidal tendencies?" Aelia asked seriously, Noctis stiffened at the directness of her question.
"I- I don't know." Noctis shifted. "He has never said or done anything to make me sure, but- but I just…"
Cor understood he was worried enough to think many things, but he might be overreacting about this situation. The young man probably just wanted some alone time to think.
"As much as I would like to dismiss Noctis' apprehensions," Ignis joined in his worries. "I do have noticed some worrisome conduct from Prompto at times."
Aelia frowned, Cor breathed out and looked down. "Right now, there's nothing much we can do besides noticing the police and contacting hospitals," Cor said calmly after some time.
"You can go to his house, and wait there to see if he returns," Aelia added when Noctis was put out by no real solution being presented to him. "Keep calm and think what you might do to help him once he's back." She said walking to him and putting her hands on his shoulders.
"He'll be coming back right?" Noctis asked, a desperate hitch at the back of his voice while he looked into Aelia's eyes. His sister smiled.
"I think he's tougher than you give him credit for." She said reassuringly.
Noctis didn't relax, but it did give him a renewed sense of strength. "Yes, you're right." He nodded and turned to Ignis. "Let's go. If he's already back home I'm going to kick his ass for worrying us like that."
Ignis smiled and nodded. And soon enough both were walking out.
"I'll contact the police and start searching at hospitals." She said.
Cor stopped her. "Go change first, I'll contact the police. You can call hospitals later on."
She nodded and left.
Cor finally made it outside of Insomnia. Once upon the highway, he felt more relaxed, it wouldn't be too long to arrive at the ruins. Even Cor had to admit, it hadn't been pleasant hours to go through, but the blonde idiot did have come back to his house eventually. It turned out he had seen the news and been deeply upset by it, he had left to walk around the city aimlessly for several hours, he had forgotten his phone at home, that was all just as Cor had believed from the start. Yet if the eventualities of that day had come to an end that way, he would have been grateful, after all, such a thing had been child's play for what came right after…
"Well that's good, take him out to dine somewhere nice. You will spend the night at his place?" Aelia's face had just switched to absolute relief at Noctis' call, "Ok. Gladio's with you right? Good. Then see you tomorrow."
Cor looked at her hang-up, sighed, and sprawl her face over her desk. "I'll put a tracker in my children once they are old enough to walk…" She said, her voice muffled against the wood she was face-planting in.
Cor huffed. "It's good you get a taste of your own medicine."
Aelia's head snapped up. "I've never done something like that!"
Cor gave her a look. "You're right. You've done far worse, several times."
Aelia pouted a little because she knew it to hold some truth, but then perked up. "Let's go out for dinner."
"No," Cor answered immediately, since she had left clear her feelings towards him he avoided spending time alone with her if it could be helped. Except for sword training- but that was for her good, it didn't mean anything else. "I'm heading out already."
Aelia hummed, disappointed but not surprised. "Alright, have it your way. I'm still going for something to eat, maybe I should head up and see if Dad's eaten yet." She said as they both walked out of her office, the king's being on the next floor.
"Most likely he hasn't," Cor said putting one hand inside his pocket. It was already past seven and most workers had gone home, not that it made a big difference for this floor that only had the high-ranking offices. Clarus's office was closed, but Cor knew the man was probably still with Regis at the King's. His eyes turned to the girl walking beside him, a relieved smile adorning her face as she hummed some tune, and he thought he would have enjoyed going out to eat with her after all.
They were almost at the elevator when the lights suddenly shut down, everything went pitch black as this corridor had no windows, then the emergency lighting came on covering the walls with a red hue.
"What on Eos—?" Aelia asked looking around before both turned to the elevator doors. An odd clanging sound getting near from underneath, then some screeching, and Cor immediately summoned his katana and put the Princess behind him. "Cor? What about we go—"
Aelia was cut off by the appearance of what looked like long gnarly fingers from between the metal doors. Cor felt the Princess summoning her rifle and knew she was pointing over his shoulder to the doors, then the door burst apart and a horrid lizard-like daemon pounced out rushing towards them.
Cor summoned a couple of shuriken and threw them at the eyes of the thing, it hissed and stumbled, Cor didn't hesitate to take advantage of it and cut its head off. There was a moment of silence, then;
"Cor?" Aelia asked looking frightened behind him into the open elevator doors.
Cor didn't need to turn around to know what the sight would be; "Go back into your office."
He didn't have time to see if she had obeyed, he turned around and swung his katana through the mouth of a daemon, slicing it in two. Then he turned to the next, and next, and so on. Cor knew now Aelia hadn't obeyed him, or not been able to do so as there were coming as well from the stairs that were between them and the doors of her office. She was keeping them at bay well enough, shooting round after round with deadly accuracy, but there were too many and the disadvantage of needing to aim is that your focus is too set in what is front of you. So she didn't see the daemon crawling towards her from the back, Cor didn't think twice before pushing her out of the way and receiving the barrelling creature in her place.
Cor grimaced remembering the painful experience of the thing chomping into his shoulder, its teethes had pierced to his bones and grated excruciatingly against them, the doctors said it had broken his collarbone in three places. No wonder they needed so much work to set them right afterward. He had never been one to like being stuck into a sickbed, but certain Princess had made it bearable. Cor knew that the memory of waking up from the pain after drifting into sleep in the infirmary of the Citadel after Clarus managed to tear him out of fighting and finding Aelia curled up sleeping at the foot of the bed with her back against his legs would be always one of his most fond ones.
The road to the ruins finally came into view, once out of the highway, it would just take him 5 minutes to arrive there. He didn't know what he would say to Aelia yet. Apologize? Tell her he returned her feelings now? Admonish her for being reckless again? Well, that one was certain one way or the other. Then Cor realized that their interactions wouldn't be changing that much, if at all. They'd been bickering like an old married couple for some time already.
He turned the corner and the short dirt road that led to the parking area of the ruins came into view. Whatever he would do or say, he didn't know it yet but he guessed something would come out naturally or stiffly, one way or the other there was no more delaying or running from it. So he stopped the car beside the Princess' car, there was a motorcycle as well, he guessed from whomever Regis had sent after his wayward child. Cor didn't have to go too far to find the two Kingsglaives, it was Crow and Pelna, one was sleeping and the other was reading a book. Glancing up from his book, Pelna coughed, surprised to see him, and elbowed Crow to wake her up.
"Marshal!" Pelna croaked. "Is something-?"
"Where's the Princess?" He interrupted him impatiently.
"Over there," Pelna said and pointed towards some fallen pillars around a pond.
"Take my car back, I'll see after the Princess," Cor ordered and threw his keys to the man.
Crow and Pelna exchanged a look, but Cor didn't stay long to see what else they would say, he only heard them talking as their steps faded away and a loud laugh followed by a yelp, then silence. He didn't want to know what it was about, but if he had to make a guess he would say it was that damn wager they had going about him and Aelia, the damned busybodies had nothing better to do now that the war was over it seemed.
Cor made his way to the fallen pillars and there two meters up, laying down in the shade of an oak was Aelia. She had taken off her shoes and let them fall, she better not be asleep because if she fell from that height… Cor stopped and just leaned against a wall wondering how long it would take her to realize he was there. It should exasperate him more that she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings in such an unsafe place. But he was here now and he wouldn't leave her side again.
Aelia remembered to have run away, tears blurring her vision, but determined to get to safety or as safe as she could at least, it had been after all what Cor wanted. She didn't like to think about it as it was still recent, only two months had passed since and she still could feel the despair of watching how the man she loved was taken away in a brutal way that seemed to spell nothing but dead.
Aelia felt Cor pushing her out of the way, the shove was so strong she flew some distance away and fell on her side, winding her a little. But her eyes didn't move away from Cor as he was barrelled down by the daemon that had been meaning to take her, she could make out how the thing closed its teeth as long as short swords into Cor's right shoulder. The momentum hurled both man and foul beast into the ground in a tangle of limbs. Her heart constricted in fear, then she lost sight of them as she crashed into the floor and rolled.
Aelia didn't waste time and incorporated to a crouch, raising her rifle so the sights of it would follow her gaze to the last place she had seen Cor and the daemon tussling. It was for naught as the Marshal had already cut the beast down and stood up, but he was badly wounded. Aelia moved her sights back to the crawling mass of monsters and aimed at their eyes or legs and shot, she fell in an odd automatic rhythm that took the fear of the advancing swarm reaching her; summon a bullet and reload, aim, shoot. Cor was still standing and fighting, but Aelia knew he wouldn't last long with the amount of blood he was losing and his left arm incapacitated and the daemons didn't seem to grow short in numbers no matter how many they have taken down already they just kept coming from the elevator tunnel. There was no sign of help arriving either, and Aelia feared what that could mean. Her only relief was that she knew that Noctis was not at the Citadel, but then again who knew if Insomnia was safe as well?
They managed to retreat into her office and bar the door with the manual security mechanism. It would hold some time, but it wouldn't take long for the creatures to open and tear open the door as they had done the ones from the elevator. Cor was panting and clear excruciating pain reflected in his face as he rested against the wall opposite the door. Aelia moved to him; she should summon a potion and heal him before—
Cor clasped her wrist painfully with his functioning hand. "Don't even think about it." He gritted out.
"But—"
"You'll become too weak to run and it won't even heal completely."
Aelia bit her tongue; he was right. But then, then—
"You have to make it out of here, you know the protocols and where to go. I'll give you enough time. Don't stop. Don't look back. Go! Now!"
Aelia didn't dare to say anything, it would just make her break and unable to leave him. So as the door was starting to give in and Cor summoned again his katana, she turned and sprinted for the safe passage hidden behind one of her bookcases. She knew that the best chance he would get was if she wasn't around to hinder him or distract him, as she ran through the mazes of corridors and stairs she had to constantly wipe her eyes to clear them of tears. Cor wouldn't have been put in danger if he hadn't had to push her out of it. If he died, it would be for her, and not for the first time in her life she cursed her weakness.
Halfway through the path she knew she still had to go to arrive at the fortified areas of the Citadel, Aelia heard rushed footsteps from just around a corner. She slowed, the likeliness of it being a friend was higher than a foe, but if she took it for granted and was wrong Cor's hardship would be for naught. She summoned her rifle and flattened it against the wall, moving as far away from the corner as she could without making much noise. Her heart accelerated as the steps were just about to meet her line of vision behind the sights of her rifle and—it was her dad with Clarus and Drautos. They all had swords at the ready and some torn and untidy clothing told her they hadn't made it here without a fight.
"Aelia!" Her dad said a mix of relief and anxiety reflected on his face.
Aelia's rifle clattered into the ground and her legs gave out. She didn't know why, but she hated it, hated that she couldn't be stronger even in such a small way as keep her composure now that her dad was here. He rushed to her, his sword disappearing away in wisps of blue light, and stooped to reach her, he grasped her shoulders and looked her over.
"Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm- I'm fine. Dad," Aelia's voice wavered and she swallowed thickly; "Cor, Cor is still fighting back there and he's hurt—"
Her father's eyes shone with understanding and his face grew grave, "He will be fine—"
"No." Aelia shook her head and cursed at herself for starting crying again, "No, Dad he's badly hurt."
Regis's face turned pained, "Where is Noctis Aelia?"
"Noctis?" "He's at Prompto's house… Ignis and Gladio are with him, he's safe. But dad, Cor—please…"
"I'll go, your Grace." Captain Drautos spoke from behind her father. "If the Prince is out of danger, then we aren't as hard-pressed."
The King nodded. "Go, but be careful."
The Kingslaives Captain gave a sharp nod and rushed past them to the way back from where Aelia had come.
"Let's go child." Her father said gently and wiped the tears from her eyes. "He's a tough one, don't worry." He reassured her with a half-smile.
Aelia remembered had nodded and followed her dad and Clarus in some sort of daze, then she wasn't sure how, but she ended up on the infirmary where all the non-combatant staff had been taken and the hurt soldiers where been taken care of as best as they could. There was no way to take them out of the Citadel as it was swarmed with daemons throughout the corridors and yards. There was a doctor in turn and one nurse, and even if the infirmary of the Citadel was more stocked than any other usual one, it was still no hospital and they were short of hands. Those who had first aid training were put to use, that included her, so meanwhile more wounded arrived and the night passed by Aelia lost sight of time. But the anxiety and pain from not seeing Cor pass through those gates weighed heavy on her.
Then her phone rang.
"Aelia!" Noctis worried voice came from the speaker, she even had to pull it away from her ear.
"Noct, don't scream into the phone." She chastised.
"I've been trying to call you or Dad for the last four hours!"
"Signals were most likely interrupted by—," By who? Who had been able to summon or amass such a horde of daemons? She hadn't stopped to think about it until now. Then her mind supplied it easily through the fog of tiredness. Verstael.
"—they aren't letting me go back—" Aelia tuned in again to listen to her brother complaining about being stopped to come back, thank the Astrals Ignis and Gladio had some sense in them.
"Noctis," Aelia interrupted him, "Just keep safe alright? You will be of no help if you come here, Dad is already doing stuff and most of the Kingsglaives and Crownsguards are here. Whatever you do, don't come here—,"
The double doors of the infirmary opened and she turned to them more out of custom than of hope, but she almost dropped her phone when she saw Cor being brought in, he was leaning heavily on Clarus's shoulder while the other was admonishing him over something.
"Aelia? Hey! What—" Noctis's voice rang from her phone.
"Everything's fine. Do as you're told." She said in a hurry and hung up then rushed to Cor and Clarus. Aelia had wanted so badly to hug Cor and never let him go again, but he needed healing not smothering affection.
Cor's eyes locked with hers he was in a lot of pain. Aelia didn't know how he had managed to survive such a wound and fight –for she was sure he had kept fighting and only now had his friends managed to pull him away from it-. So some part of her threw away the worry and raised in anger.
"Cor, why didn't you come before?" Aelia demanded hotly. Cor sighed and almost looked guilty.
Clarus coughed behind his hand to hide a laugh, or so it seemed to Aelia. Meanwhile, Cor seemed to be unrepentant at his actions, she took a sharp breath in irritation and moved –very unkindly- his jacket from his wounded shoulder to take a look. He flinched, some blood had dried and stuck the cloth to his wound so when she pulled, well, it hurt.
"It's not that bad. The King healed the worst away." Cor said, albeit weakly.
Clarus moved him to the nearest empty bed, then turned to Aelia, "I'll leave him in your care now. Most of the daemons had been taken care of. It only remains for us to catch the culprit behind it."
"Verstael?"
Clarus nodded. "Most likely." He tapped her lightly on the shoulder then shot a meaningful look at Cor. "Better keep an eye on him, you don't want him to slip from under your nose before going on the chase underground."
Cor shot them both an unimpressed look. "I won't go."
"Finally he sees some sense!" Clarus expostulated.
"I'll look after him," Aelia said, finally some relief was granted if not for the new worry that her Dad would probably go personally to deal with the mad scientist.
Clarus nodded and winked at Cor, to which the Marshal would have growled if he wasn't so lightheaded it seemed. Aelia shook her head at their antics, she didn't know what it was about nor did she want to at the moment. Lord Amicitia left them, presumably to follow her father into whatever lair a mad scientist could have arranged underneath the Citadel. She dedicated a good half an hour only to take off the torn and stuck clothes to his skin, it would have been much easier if he hadn't let the blood dry cake itself around his wound. Which she grumbled about several times, he bore it with silence and didn't complain at her rough treatment. Time was more precious than to be gentle, and soon enough she had the horrible wound clear and cleaned so the doctor would pass to inspect it. Just as Cor had said, the bleeding had stopped after her father had administered a potion to him, but the thing was still in need of treatment.
After the doctor passed by and administered some antibiotics and wrapped the wound, saying he wouldn't touch it further until x-rays could be drawn to see the damage to his bones. Cor refused any sort of painkillers and the doctor went on his way, wounded were still coming in after all and now that paths had been cleared ambulances would start taking the worse of the wounded away. Her help was no longer needed so she stayed by Cor's bedside, well, more like at his foot's bed because there weren't any free chairs around to sit on so she sat on the floor until Cor told her to just sit at the end of the bed.
"Tired?" He asked and she was startled out of a sleepy daze.
"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" She asked and yawning.
"Adrenaline is bothersome once you're not fighting anymore," Cor explained.
"More the reason why you should have come straight away once you could."
Cor stared at her then laughed shortly.
"What?" She asked tiredly.
"It's odd. Our places seem to have swapped for once."
Aelia huffed but smiled. "I guess so. Now I might feel some sympathy towards you Marshal."
"Just keep out of trouble."
"I did." She answered quietly and he sighed a 'That's good' .
They fell into a comfortable silence and not long after Cor did fall asleep, she ended up falling asleep as well, curling around the corner of the bed her back against Cor's legs. It was one of the best sleeps she ever had, as short as it had been.
Cor wasn't the Immortal for nothing. As much as he hated that moniker, she was damn happy he lived up to it. Aelia hadn't been able to see him for several days after, because he had needed a couple of surgeries at the hospital on his shoulder if the bones were to heal properly. But afterward, he had been released and sent back into the Citadel's infirmary, which left her with the perfect opportunity to pester him as long as she had free time. Not that she stayed for too long in general, because as much as she wished to, Aelia was conscious that it might make him more stressed than relaxed or amused. So she limited her time to around fifteen minutes and then went to other parts of the infirmary where other Glaives and Crownsguards were to bring them magazines or books to keep them entertained while their confinement endured.
Aelia frowned as she peeled the apple.
"I can just eat it whole."
"Yes, but it's better if not."
Cor sighed but let her do it. Aelia was quick at it anyways, years of practice for the necessity of feeding her picky eater of a brother had made her so. She could even make them look like 'little rabbits', but she guessed Cor wouldn't be inclined to eat that. She finished and left the slices on a plate on the table beside his bed, he took one and started eating.
"Still feeling guilty?" Cor asked after a moment.
Aelia knew Cor knew she was upset about him getting hurt because he had to take her out of harm's way. But it wasn't guilt, it was just a sense of hopelessness at her being so—
"No, it's not guilt. It's only— It's not like you could understand it, when was the last time you were helpless?" Aelia asked without thinking.
"Recently? There have been a few." Cor noted looking pointedly at her.
Aelia flushed and looked down. She did have to admit he had been having a hard time keeping her safe. "I- I'm not the easiest to keep safe. You've done surprisingly well so far."
Cor's face twisted between painful resignation and dry humoring. "I thank you for your appraisal of my abilities."
"Just eat your apple." Aelia shoved another piece of sliced apple into his mouth to shut him up. "You're of no use to me if you die you know. I probably wouldn't outlive you for too long." She joked.
Cor chewed the apple slowly and his eyes shone with insufferable exasperation. "Considering that the few times I've been seriously wounded was when in proximity to you… I would be thankful if you would stop getting yourself in danger; that would keep us both alive I'm sure."
He was right. She was the cause of all his near-death experiences in recent years. If he would die saving her… Aelia didn't think she could bare it.
"Am I not a hypocrite?" Aelia smiled, turning the small peeling knife in her hand and looking at the distorted reflection of her eyes in the metal. "I don't think I could bare to lose someone for saving me, and yet it's what I've been doing repeatedly to the ones around me." She squeezed her hands together. "I'm just too selfish I guess."
"Some would say you're too brave for your good." Cor said with some humor, then sobered up, "Everyone is afraid to lose those we love. But someone will always have to bare the weight of going on, no matter how much it pains you, it's our duty to those that have passed on. You could say it's the price of living and loving. We all feel at some point that it would have been better to not live at all as long as we didn't have to endure the pain… But if I die I'd rather not have someone mop around all day because I'm not around anymore, that would be like my life was wasted in some way."
Aelia swallowed thickly, if everyone she loved died suddenly, could she be strong enough to stand and live on for them?
"Someday you might have to stand on your own and then you'll learn you're strong enough, even if you don't want to. Because that strength is not your own, but of those who willed for you to keep on living when they cannot. Living with pain will always be better than dying to run from it."
Aelia glanced up at Cor, he wasn't looking at her but far off through the window into the sky. He was called the Immortal, how many had he left behind, how many who followed him, who fought beside him had he had to bury? How many had given their lives for him to be here now breathing in front of her? She suddenly felt ashamed of herself for all those times she had lost her temper and insinuated soldiers were just thoughtless brutes. Aelia wondered at his absent expression, was he remembering all those who he hadn't been able to protect? Those who didn't come back to their families?
Aelia pursed her lips, she had come here to cheer him up, not make him think how he had failed to bring every comrade back. Her hand reached for his, but she hesitated, what could she tell him when she knew nothing of battlefields and their aftermaths? Aelia was good at talking, but sometimes words just aren't enough or the right thing to reach someone. Her heart clenched- she felt useless again.
But suddenly, some fire ignited back into her heart. It wasn't for the weak of heart to hold those that came back from war, for those who had risked their lives to give all a peaceful future or perhaps just a chance for a future. So Aelia's hand moved again and she touched gently the tip of his fingers, for she didn't dare more. When Cor's eyes turned back to her, she almost cowered but remembered it wasn't about her right now, and even if the truth would leave her vulnerable she was willing to entrust it to him. Because he needed to know.
"I'm thankful- I'm very thankful, that you are here now. Here… and alive beside me." Aelia swallowed, looking back at him while saying it was more difficult than she had expected. When Cor's face remained inexpressive then she felt his fingers grasp the tip of her own and give them a playful tug, she looked up at him again and thought she saw a small soft smile. Aelia flushed and looked to the side, then moved her hand away. "Anyways, there's still a lot of work to do. Some reconstructions are already near the offices so it's very annoying. I think you'll be lucky and they will be done by the time you're discharged…"
Aelia had kept rattling on about some other inconsequential things for a while before leaving, Cor didn't answer her much but did eat the slices of apple she had prepared. Overall it hadn't ended as awkward as it might've gone. Aelia rose to a sitting position and looked down into the pond one last time, she rubbed her stomach. She was starting to get hungry, so it was time to make her way back, Aelia only hoped she would be able to hide from Cor for a couple of days until he forgot about this escapade of hers… who was she kidding? The man could hold a grudge about these things, he would just get even when he corralled her into one of their impromptu trainings. She pursed her lips downward, he could be such a pain sometimes… but who was she kidding? Aelia wanted to see him, hug him, and try to kiss his anger at her away. But that was just wishful thinking, he was a hard nut to crack and she didn't think he would relent any time soon.
And yet, she had felt he had somehow started to give in, to see there was something for him now that the fighting was over. So there would come a day that she would have to give up on him, but it wouldn't be today; not because she wanted Cor for herself but because more than anything she wished to give herself to him. As troublesome and tiresome as he said she was, she knew that the way she troubled him had started to change and she had the hope it was because he could see in her what a future could be outside of endless fighting and death, that with her they could start life . And wasn't he the one to always insist to her to keep hoping for a better future? He only was too stubborn to see that that included him .
Another strong gush of wind made her hair dance around her face and now that it was too short to braid it or grasp it tightly around her head, some strands got into her eyes with ease. So she turned her head, so the wind would just brush it back instead of around her face, then her eyes locked into cold blue ones. Her heart skipped a bit, and maybe after all, she would always feel some sort of joy to know him to be so near when she wanted to see him most, even if at present he was here to scold her most likely. She smiled brightly at him, and with some exasperation, he smiled back.