Chapter Text
If only my heart would stop beating so fast. I always got slightly nervous whenever King Regis demanded my presence, and seeing Ignis coming to fetch me usually made me queasy because of it. But with Prince Noctis' incoming trip everything was even more chaotic than usual. Positive about the fact that whatever the king had to tell me had to do with it, I took a deep breath to calm the nerves.
"Calm yourself, Alexandria" Ignis told me gravely, placing a comforting hand in my back. "I still can't understand why you always get frightened when Your Majesty calls upon you"
"I can't help it" Came my only response, with a shaky voice that gave my anxiety away.
The hallways seemed especially long and endless as we walked. I wished we would get to the throne room already.
The silence between me and my friend and colleague was unsettling. It only helped me to overthink the situation more, so I felt the need to break it.
"Do you have any idea why he needs to meet me?"
"You're part of the Council" He merely replied, a hint of a grin upon his lips.
I smiled a little, knowing it was what he tried to achieve.
"I meant for what matter"
"Noct's journey, I assume"
Finally getting to the throne room, the big doors loudly opened as Ignis pushed them. At the end of the room we saw King Regis, sitting in his chair, waiting patiently and calmly.
"Your Majesty" I bowed to him once I was close enough to him to hear what he had to say.
"Thank you, Ignis" The King looked over to my friend first.
The aforesaid nodded his head solemnly and proceeded to leave the room. I opened my eyes wide, terrified of facing the situation alone, and looked over at him. As he closed the heavy doors behind him, Ignis dedicated me a reassuring smile. Everything would be okay.
"Alexandria" Regis' voice brought my attention back to him.
"Yes"
"You have proven to be a wise, loyal and kind advisor during your time serving the Crown" He began to say in his important royal voice. "For that, you have my deepest gratitude"
My heart sped up with his words, fearing it was his way of saying goodbye. Being afraid to hear the words 'I don't require your service anymore' right after.
"It's been an honor, it is but my duty" As usual, I did my best to appear elegant and polite.
I hung my head low and tried to keep my eyes glued to the ground. Looking into the king's eyes felt invasive, daring almost. Such a big figure, a royal one, wasn't to be feared. But definitely to be respected.
"However, I must ask for your help once more" His flat voice quivered a little, being replaced with a softness that I hardly ever heard coming from him.
"Is something troubling you, Your Majesty?" I worried, daring to look up and analyze his expression.
Honestly, the king seemed especially tired. And not only because of the efforts that being a monarch and protecting Insomnia and the crystal implied. King Regis also seemed preoccupied, like something was weighing on him.
"I would like you to accompany my son on his journey"
I gawked at him, shocked by such a petition. I blinked a few times to recover from the surprise and cleared my throat when I felt my voice weak and tiny.
"But I thought that Gladiolus and Ignis were coming with him too, and-" The King's Shield, along with my best friend Ignis and another boy, were supposed to go with Prince Noctis.
Had something happened? Were they not going? Why would the king need me?
"They are" Regis interrupted me, smiling a little in amusement to my nervous outburst. "Yet I want you to go with them"
"N-no offence, King Regis, but I don't understand..."
"I merely want you to support him, to guide him with your kindness and sweetness"
A heavy weight fell inside my stomach when I wondered why the king would ask of me something like that. I could read it in his expression, something was wrong.
"Is there something you're not telling me?" For the first time in my time serving the Crown, I left aside all manners and polite and correct speech. I was truly worried.
The king was a smart man, and he knew that Noctis would be okay with his three friends already looking after him in his journey. Especially with his Shield, his Advisor and his best friend.
If he wanted me to go along with them, it meant that he saw something in me that the other three didn't have. That Prince Noctis would need me to provide him with something special that only I had. I couldn't understand what.
There was nothing special about me whatsoever. I was wise and intelligent for my age, like he had said, but Ignis was far brighter in that field. I was quite strong and skilled in battle, but nothing compared to the great strength of Gladiolus Amicitia. And I was kind and compassionate, but wouldn't compete with the intimate connection the prince had with his best friend – although I didn't even know his name yet, nor had I met him.
"Worry not, Alexandria" It was one of those rare occasions in which King Regis showed himself as just a man instead of as our ruler. "I wouldn't ask this of you if I didn't know you would do a great job"
His sudden familiarity and colloquial speech took me by surprise. But I managed a small reverence and a gallant nod.
"It will be a great pleasure and honor to follow your orders, Your Majesty"
When I briefly glanced over to him, the king was smiling. A fond and broad smile that soon disappeared to be replaced with his usual stern and regal demeanor.
"That will be all" His grave voice resonated all around the spacious room.
"Thank you" I replied, used to say that, and turned around.
As I took the first step toward the doors, my heart began to thump against my chest. Part of me still wondered what the king was hiding, but I decided to trust him. After all, Regis was a fair and just monarch. He knew what he was doing.
As soon as I opened the doors, I heaved a huge sigh of relief.
"Well?" A classy accented voice startled me.
I turned to see no other than Ignis Scientia leaning against the wall. When we locked eyes, he adjusted his glasses over his nose, serene.
"Have you been listening?" I chuckled, delighted with the mere idea.
"Of course not" His green eyes fell over me. "That would be rude"
I smiled at him and silently walked with my friend, almost in an understanding to go get everything prepared.
After all, the both of us were going to the same place.
Turned out Prince Noctis had left packing for the last minute and Ignis had to help him. What a surprise, the brat...
Even though I was fond of King Regis, I didn't really like his son. To me, he came out as a capricious kid who was arrogant and irritating. If it weren't for Ignis and Gladiolus, the journey would be insufferable.
Luckily, that also gave me time to pack my own belongings. I didn't really know how many things I would need for our journey to Altissia, seeing as we didn't really have a return date. But I was prudent enough to take with me anything I thought I would need.
While I prepared my suitcase with nothing but the essentials, I received a text message in my phone. I opened it to see that it was from Ignis – he was telling me where and when to go in order to meet to head out for Altissia.
I replied to let him know that I received it and that I would be there. Then, I carried on packing while my mind drifted to diverse thoughts, most of them concerning the small adventure ahead of me.
I knew these four men –well, technically I knew three of them –and I what to expect. I knew our destination and I was aware of how things were going to develop, which left me at ease since I had developed an aversion towards surprises. Daring to say I was quite like Ignis in that regard, I enjoyed planning ahead and having all situations under my control. That aspect of the journey didn't trouble me. Neither was I worried about our safety. We were all skilled in the art of fighting no matter what, and we would keep each other safe.
Yet it all somehow disturbed me although I couldn't find a reason why. It was truly irrational as I had no real reason why I should be as nervous. I wondered if it was my instinct warning me about something, yet I just blamed it on the giddiness and did my best to focus on my task.
Dammit, I was late! It was the first time I was late, but still...
Well, technically the second time. The first time was during my first day... I was so nervous that I was awake for the entirety of the previous night and only fell sleep one hour prior to my first meeting. And ended up sleeping through my alarm clock.
When I got to the staircase, everyone was prepared to leave, all their goodbyes and farewell wishes already said. I ran to them, feeling stupid and ridiculous. This wasn't an acceptable behavior for a woman who was part of the King's Council! Ignis would lecture me.
"I'm here!" I exclaimed as I arrived to them, hailing to a stop next to the Regalia.
All five men turned to me, giving me different reactions each.
Ignis showed me the disappointed glare I expected, Gladio cocked an eyebrow and watched curiously, Noctis rolled his eyes and ignored me, the King smiled a little fondly, and the blond boy who I was meeting for the first time was surprised yet intrigued.
"I'm incredibly sorry! Sorry I'm late!" I did a pronounced reverence, first to the king and then to the prince, trying to regain my breath.
It got off to a really bad start, arriving late before we even left. I surely made a horrible impression, and I felt embarrassed and mortified.
"No harm done" To my utter astonishment, King Regis placed a friendly hand in my back.
Upon hearing this, I finally stood up straight from my bow. I looked at him and saw that he was still smiling a little. There was definitely something odd about the king lately.
"Gladiolus, Ignis" I turned to them, trying to be as polite as I could. "My apologies"
"Don't worry about it" The first one said, friendly.
"I suppose anyone can have a slip up" The latter complied.
"C'mon!" Noctis exclaimed impatiently. "Let's go already!"
"We're in no hurry, Noct" Ignis reminded him calmly.
I then turned to the odd man out, the blond boy who stared at me in curiosity. I found it invasive, but oddly endearing. He seemed nice.
"You must be Prince Noctis' famous friend" Indeed, he must have been really close to him to come along with the Shield and the royal advisor, even if part of the Crownsguard himself. "I'm Alexandria Adelaide"
The blond boy gawked at me, giving me an adorable puppy eyed look. Gladiolus shoved him a little, smiling in amusement, so he would react.
"I-I'm... Prompto" The doe-eyed boy sputtered in the end. "Prompto Argentum"
"Pleasure to meet you, Prompto" I told him, offering my hand for him to shake.
It took him a few seconds, but he put his gloved hand over mine. His grip was surprisingly soft and gentle.
"Sorry I'm late as well" I cleared my throat, trying to regain composure, and let go of our handshake.
"N-no need to apologize, heh!" He laughed nervously, showing me a bright grin.
"Time to go!" The prince insisted, hating all this unnecessary chatter.
All four of them walked over to the car, Ignis taking the wheel. Except for Prompto, who stood behind slightly to take a better look at me, and I did the same. After all, we were to be together in quite a long journey and it was the first time we ever met.
I was about to follow, maybe try to make small talk with him, when a hand fell on my shoulder.
"Alexandria" The king demanded my attention.
"Anything wrong, Your Majesty?" I worried, seeing him even more tired than last time.
"Look after him, remain at his side just like they will" He said with his kingly voice, to which I nodded. However, his voice softened next. "I'm sure you'll grow fond of him, and he of you"
That was the last thing I expected Regis to say to me. Definitely, that statement hid something that I didn't really catch.
The monarch knew of my opinion of his son, despite the fact that I had never voiced them to anyone, not even to Ignis. I kept them to myself, because how was I to say anything against our beloved Prince Noctis? The Chosen? The heir?
Yet the king seemed to have noticed in spite of it all. And he expected me to change my mind, he didn't have a doubt when believing that we would become... friends?
It took every fiber in my body not to huff or roll my eyes, but I didn't. Instead, I gave a humble and docile head nod accompanied by a smile.
"I will be there for him" Despite my enmity to Prince Noctis, it was my duty to guide and protect him and that was what I intended to do.
"You must go now" Was all he said to me, apparently satisfied by my answer. "Farewell"
With a last brief reverence, I turned my back to the king.
Unexpectedly, I felt jittery as I walked to the Regalia and squeezed next to Noctis in the backseat. He didn't even look at me when I did, and neither did he bother to leave me much room.
I dedicated another glance to the king, who stood there watching us leave. My brow wrinkled in bewilderment as I wondered what was going through Regis' head.
But I was startled by the sound of the engine starting, and I had to drag my eyes away when Ignis drove off.
Preparing myself for the trip ahead of us, I looked at the four men in the car with me.
I couldn't know what to expect of our little adventure, but it would certainly be an interesting journey.