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Lunafreya sat quietly in the small apartment that the First Secretary had allowed for her usage. It wasn’t really safe for her to leave or have visitors. The Secretary’s people brought food and left it in the entryway without actually coming into contact with her. Ravus had come here to speak with her once, the day before.
Gentiana came and went, but of course she did. Umbra and Pryna napped in the room she was currently settled down in. There was a cup of tea on the table, going cold. Luna’s attention was taken up by the notebook sitting on the table, brought by Umbra. Noctis’ last message had a date and indicated they were just about to leave for Altissia.
He should be within the city at that very moment. And it was only the fact that if she was seen everything might fall apart that kept Luna where she was within the apartment. Obedient.
If the Empire found her too soon, she might not be allowed to complete the ritual. If she could not raise leviathan, then Noctis wouldn’t be able to receive the tidemother’s blessing. And without that, Noctis would not be able to continue on his journey as the King of Kings.
The Oracle considered her options carefully. She could tell him where she was, Umbra would deliver the message, and given an address she knew Noctis would come. There were risks to bringing him here, and it would be incredibly selfish to take those risks needlessly.
And yet… would it be so terrible to do something simply because she wanted to? She could give him the ring properly now instead of waiting until the altar when half the empire might be watching. But it was dangerous, and taking risks unnecessarily made it easy to make excuses to keep taking risks.
Putting Noctis in danger wasn’t an option.
The woman was jarred from her thoughts by a knock at the door. Luna frowned, it wasn’t time for a delivery from the secretary, and they never knocked anyway, always letting themselves in and leaving without speaking with her. Ravus had knocked, but she didn’t think he would come again.
Lunafreya frowned to herself, but rose and moved into the entry hall and approached the door, peeking carefully through the peephole in the door. For a second, her breath caught in her throat.
She pulled the door open and gestured for him to enter, and closed the door behind him before she allowed herself even to breathe out.
“Your Highness, how did you-”
“Please, Luna. Just Noctis.” He murmured, keeping his voice pitched low. “And Gentiana told me where to find you. I was careful not to be seen.”
So the messenger had done this, and without consulting Luna for what she thought, either. For anything else, Lunafreya might have been at least marginally annoyed in the Messenger’s direction, but for this, all the young oracle could feel was relief.
“Noctis…”
“I’ve missed you so much.” He whispered. She hugged him, slender arms wrapping tightly around his form for several seconds. Noctis seemed taken aback by the gesture, but wrapped his arms around her and patted her back gently. “I’m here now.” She heard him murmur into her hair.
And it was true, they were together now, at least for the moment. “I’ve missed you too.” She breathed in return, for it was the truth and there was no reason to deny herself that. Finally Luna let him go and led him back into the living area where she’d been sitting.
There was a lot Lunafreya wanted to tell him, but there wasn’t a lot of time to talk. He shouldn’t stay for very long, and they both knew it.
The ring. The oracle drew it from its hiding place on her person and offered it to Noctis, palm up so that he could see what it was laying in her hand. “This should go to you now. Ravus has your father’s glaive. He will be looking for you so he can release it to you after the rite.”
What Noctis thought of that statement was hard to say, but Luna noticed the way his eyes flashed. He wasn’t happy to know Ravus had it. She wasn’t surprised by that reality. Not the way she’d been surprised to see King Regis’ weapon at her brother’s hip.
“Okay.” Noctis took the ring from her without argument and tucked it away into a pocket. She wasn’t surprised he chose not to wear it yet. He would when it was time, and that was what was important.
To deliver the ring and inspire the king is your calling.
She was so tired, but the Ring was where it belonged now. And here, with Noctis beside her, it felt like she could perhaps manage the rite. But that was not today.
Today, they were together not so much as King and Oracle but as Noctis and Luna, and it was strange to realize, but a relief at the same time.
“Luna I-” He trailed off, and she wondered what he’d meant to say. Curiosity flickered through her eyes as she reached out and took his hands between hers.
“I don’t know when else I’ll be able to say this, so I want to say it now.” She began quietly. Noctis looked surprised but nodded once, as if to encourage her to continue. “Despite everything, the short time I was led to believe that we were going to be wed was one of the happiest moments in my life.”
So much so that she had allowed herself to believe it was true, even though logic would say otherwise.
“More than anything, I wish we had been allowed that happiness.” Noctis murmured into the silence that she left in the wake of her words.
We.
A clear acknowledgement of the fact that perhaps he felt the same way she did.
“And when this is over, I’d like the chance to share that happiness with you, Luna.”
Her mouth opened as if to speak, and then she closed it. Surprise crossed her expression while she tried to find her voice again.
“Of course.” She heard herself say, though she had no idea if she would even live to see the end of this. “I’d like that, Noctis.”
Neither of them knew what was to come, but if they were together, then they could face it.