Chapter Text
It was horribly warm and stifling in the Council chamber and Noctis could feel the sweat bead at his nape, itching and making him horribly uncomfortable. His hair was pinned tightly to his head, the black and silver ribbon of his position of Crown Prince wrapped around behind his ear, a mirror of his Father’s silver crown that he will one day wear, when he finally takes his place as King.
It took a lot for him to not scratch at the hated thing every morning when his Chamberlain wove it into his hair and it took even more not to rip the thing out in frustration when finally away from the prying eyes of the Council.
He sometimes found himself wondering whether his Father felt the same about the Crown.
He never asked…
‘Your Highness?’
Noctis started, his thoughts broken by the prompting of Councilman Phetrum.
‘Yes?’ he stated, forcing himself to sit up straight.
‘Do you find the terms sufficient?’
Silence fell through the chamber and Noctis dared not flick his eyes to either his Father or his Chamberlain, the burning of their stares pressing against him. He had been trying to not let his thoughts wander so much recently, trying to show himself as the future Monarch they all expected him to be. So against his better judgement he looked Councillor Phetrum in the eyes and nodded.
‘Indeed. The terms are sufficient.’
He felt as much as heard the sudden scratch of Ignis’ pen and it took much of his strength to not turn to it immediately. The Councilman on the other hand smiled and nodded as the others moved to wrap up. A sliver of cold crept up his spine as his Father brought the meeting to a close, only to be solidified when his Father patted his shoulder as he passed.
His Father never did such things anymore. Noctis’ growing position requiring much more in the way of propriety between them both; King and Heir rather than Father and Son. The movement was more than disconcerting.
‘Well done, son.’ His Father smiled as he limped past, a strange feeling akin to fear settling in Noctis’ stomach at the statement.
Even more so when he met the shocked eyes of his advisor as the room cleared, leaving them both together. Noctis sat quietly for a moment before finally sighing, he wondered how much of his dignity would still be intact by the end of this.
‘I take it, you would wish for a copy of the minutes for this meeting?’ Ignis stated carefully, closing his own folder and sliding it into his briefcase before standing.
‘I would.’
An uncomfortable silence once again fell between them both. Noctis wanted to snatch the folder out of Ignis’ briefcase, decipher those hieroglyphs he calls handwriting and figure out what the hell he had missed. But he couldn’t.
He just couldn’t.
‘For what it’s worth, Highness.’ Ignis started, strangely hesitant with his words. ‘I am proud that you have made this decision and I will be glad to continue to stand by your side. As it has been an honour to, these past years. I shall see you after dinner.’
Noctis nodded, allowing Ignis to leave for his other duties, leaving Noctis desperately wracking his brain for what the hells could have happened to make his Father and even Ignis act the way they did.
Fuck I haven’t just agreed to get married or something have I?
The idea filled him with stomach dropping dread.
They wouldn’t just drop that on him, would they?
He hoped not.
With that oh so pleasant thought in his head and knowing that if it wasn’t that, then the possibility of it being something equally as horrible being quite high, Noctis finally stood and left the chamber, scratching at the back of his neck as he went.
…
Wandering back to his apartment, Noctis chose not to bother with the car that would be sent for him. Deciding instead that he needed to walk. On the way he had swept passed the Crownsguard barracks, breathing in the familiar stink of sweat and leather before snagging an overly large hoodie and whipping the hood over his head.
He entertained staying and training for a time, but as soon as the thought strayed into his mind, it suddenly felt like a momentous effort. Energy he did not have.
So back to the apartment it was, but instead of heading straight there he headed down the streets instead.
Insomnia was bustling. A bus hurtled past him along with cars of various types down the clean streets. The symbols of his bloodline littered the lampposts and the postboxes, the flower of Lucis in bloom wherever he looked.
He went to a bench, the urge suddenly taking him and just; watched…
Watched the people of Insomnia go back and forth. Shopping, running for transport, eating and enjoying themselves, the police forces making patrols, the soldiers travelling to the Citadel, the Glaive-
Shit.
‘My head on the chopping block if you keep missing our dates there, Young King. Ice cream?’
The Glaive who just plonked his butt on the bench next to Noctis pointed a second ice cream cone in Noctis’ face.
Raspberry Ripple.
Bastard.
‘Found me quickly enough, Nyx. Thought you were deployed?’ Noctis muttered, careful to keep his voice down, eyeing the few groups of people who passed them.
‘War’s over remember?’ he replied good-naturedly.
Snatching the cone, Noctis huffed before shuffling away. The Glaive just shuffled closer.
‘So why you hanging in the square instead of at the Citadel? Or your apartment? Or in the car that I was waiting in that you decided to not turn up to?’ Nyx took a bite straight through the ice cream and the cone eyebrows rising in overacted appreciation before catching Noct’s eye.
Who the fuck ate a cone like that?
‘Just felt like the walk…’ he answered vaguely, licking at the cone, like a normal person.
‘Not surprised.’ Nyx answered. ‘Word’s gotten around, needless to say a few folks were surprised but given the end of the War,’ he shrugged before taking another bite, ‘maksh shensh.’
The question burned under his tongue. What the hell did I agree to?! But he said nothing, just ate his cone. The last thing he needed was the Glaive laughing about how he agreed to something huge with no idea to what he was agreeing to. The only way to save face, was to carry on as though it were all his idea and then tonight after dinner; he’d know.
‘Right, so you gonna let me do my job now?’ Nyx exclaimed finishing his cone with a final crunch, sucking the remains off of his thumb and finger with obnoxious pops.
Noctis morosely looked out at the sky above the tall buildings.
‘How are the Glaive doing? After…’
Nyx sighed, sitting forward. Eyes tracing the people roving past.
‘Some of em are ready to head out, go back home. We got a lot of folks who need a helping hand rebuildin’ ye know? But until Insomnia makes a statement about what’s happening to the Glaive; we’re staying. A couple have already pulled out, planning on something permanent here, as not everyone’s got folks back home. But we can help them more by funding the repairs, then being another mouth to feed, ye know?’
Noctis didn’t know, but he nodded anyway, suddenly not in the mood for ice cream, the cold settling in his stomach in an uncomfortable way. Sighing, Noctis pushed the cone to Nyx who just happily grabbed it and munched through that one in much the same way.
‘Come on then, Highness. Let’s get you back.’
Nodding, Noctis followed Nyx across the square to the car parked on the side of the road, already it had garnered attention and there were a few people taking selfies with the licence plate.
‘Oi, back up.’ Nyx called before opening the door for Noctis.
‘Whatever Glaiivvee...’ they jeered before taking another pic and running off.
Noctis frowned as Nyx got in, turning the car into traffic.
‘Kids, eh?’ Nyx laughed as they headed downtown.
Noctis didn’t laugh back.
…
Dinner was quiet. Ignis was late as his meeting had apparently gone on longer than expected ‘due to recent developments’ but he assured Noctis that he will be over later to drop off the minutes of the meeting. Something loosened in Noctis chest at the part even as his stomach twisted.
Ignoring the kitchen entirely, Noctis went instead to his sofa and collapsed on it, staring up to the ceiling and watching as the lights of Insomnia shifted on the pale surface. He’s body shook uncomfortably with excess energy, he was exhausted and restless; he wanted to just sleep but also to scream.
‘Fuck…’
Sitting up, Noctis tore his black sweater off before summoning a small dagger. He flipped it up and down, spinning it in his palm as he made his way across the room. With a shuddering exhale he slung it behind him to the opposite wall, diving into the cool well of his magic before exploding out in a shattering of sparks, hand grasping the dagger, bare feet skidding on the hard wood polished floor as he stopped himself from hitting the wall.
Breathing heavily, Noctis span the dagger in the air, catching it before tossing it behind him again, the blue flash of his magic following him across the room once more.
He was panting on the hardwood floor, sweat clinging to his skin by the time Ignis let himself into the apartment. Flicking on the overhead light shocking the Prince to sitting, blinking stars out of eyes. Ignis came round, eyebrows raising at the sight of his Prince on the floor.
‘Highness? Is everything alright?’
No it isn’t!
‘Just…restless.’ He answered instead, standing up gingerly, head swimming ever so slightly from his magic use.
‘Ah, well you have a free day tomorrow, it may be a good use of your time to train with Gladiolus. He had been asking for you.’
Noctis just nodded, sitting down at the table, the restlessness itching once more at his fingers as Ignis opened up that dreaded briefcase and dropped the unassuming slim folder on the table. Black leather, gold embossed it sat menacingly just out of Noctis’ reach. The snapping of the briefcase’s locks brought him back into the room.
‘I’ll leave you to it now, Noctis. Sleep well and I shall see you in the morning. We have much to prepare for.’
And with that enigmatic statement, Ignis left as suddenly as he had arrived, leaving Noctis to sigh heavily, undoing the tie on his hair and letting it fall against his shoulders. Reaching out, his fingers touched the soft folder before attempting to pull it towards him but the leather caused the folder to stick to the table and after a few useless pulls, frustrated he stood up, grabbing the damn thing and slamming it back onto the surface, opening it, flicking the pages to the end.
Negotiations of peace with Niflheim are still ongoing but we can finally begin the draft the official statement as to the ending of the War.
‘Blah blah, get to the point-!’
The council have discussed and agreed that with the ending of the War and the ceasing of aggression with the Empire, the dawning of a new age of peace would be best highlighted by a grand even-
‘A damn party, that was what I was stressing over?!’
-A new Age with a new King. We ask for His Majesty and His Highness’ permission to prepare for the Prince’s Ascension.
Noctis stopped. His heart thudding. Slowly sinking back down into his chair as his eyes scanned the rest of the minutes, the King’s passing of the decision to Noctis, and his own damned agreement.
‘One week…’ he gasped in the silence of his apartment, the world crashing around him. ‘They gave me one damn week.’