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Cor didn’t experience fear like most men. He battled beast, men, and beast-like men and it was apparent that by age fifteen Cor, simply was far from ordinary. But for the first time in his 25 years, he felt a fear bubble up in his chest and tighten around his heart.
He clutched his phone to his ear with a shaky hand hearing the panic on the other end.
“Cor, I need you to come here. Now.” There was an unfamiliar urgency in His Majesty’s voice more foreign than the commanding tone Regis generally reserved for those outside his circle.
It was strange to receive an actual order from Regis after all these years and a number of scenarios played in Cor’s mind. His Majesty was currently surveying the new municipal office for foreign affairs, established in the most tranquil era of Lucis in the most secured district. Perhaps His Majesty had stumbled, Cor at first thought. But surely Clarus was present, so why would Regis call upon him?
Cor’s assumptions did nothing to subdue the lump in his throat. Trying to swallow it down, he pressed, “Your Majesty?” and failed to keep his voice leveled.
“It’s Aulea, she- the baby- I- will you please just get over here?” The commanding facade broke and Regis-the-friend, not Regis-the-King, stumbled through his request.
Before he’d processed his actions, Cor threw himself into the Regalia and turned the engine on with a swiftness of only the most adept soldiers. He sped through the city, breaking laws he even helped form, before throwing the car alongside the curb where His Majesty waited.
“Where’s Clarus?” Cor huffed as Regis helped himself into the passenger side of the Regalia, ignoring the formalities of letting Cor open the car door for his King. Before Regis could answer, the sound of the rear door opened and the car shifted with weight.
“Apparently, I drive TOO slow,” Clarus responded, ducking in.
Cor’s grip on the wheel tightened then, challenged to surpass Clarus. They forwent every safety precaution they were obligated to uphold. The car careened around the corner, halting forcefully on skidding wheels. Scuffed, scratched, and dented.
“I’ll text Cid about the car later,” Regis explained, throwing open his door and rushing through the Citadel halls.
Cor rushed alongside his King and Shield as if they were marching into battle, whiteknuckled on a weapon that was neither there nor needed. Sweat formed on his brow and he dared to wipe it away only when they had finally reached the health clinic in the medical wing of the Citadel.
Regis brushed past the nurse ushering them in, kneeling atAulea’s side. She smiled at him as he brushed her dark hair behind her ear, kissing her forehead before taking the baby into his own arms to do the same to his newborn son.
Clarus softened at the sight of his King, Queen, and the Prince curling into each other’s arms, reminiscent of just three years earlier when Regis stood where Clarus stood with his arms over his own wife and child. As if the thought summoned him, the Amicitia’s retainer entered the room with a young boy clutching the side of his pants.
“Oh my,” Regis chuckled softly, "Your son is growing so big already."
"That's what the doctors keep telling me. He may end up taller than me,” Clarus grunted, bending over to pick up his son before thanking and dismissing his retainer. “Right? My behemoth?"
The young boy nodded with a shy smile, suppressing his pride as his eyes wandered over to the baby curiously, his blood-born sense of duty already calling to him. Clarus placed Gladio on the chair, and Regis gently placed his son into Gladio’s arms.
"Gladiolus make sure you hold his head up and be careful of his neck," Clarus said sternly. The young boy nodded slowly and babbled something incoherent. But his face twisted as Noctis moved and made a tiny and tight noise, trying to break free from his swaddled prison. Gladiolus shook his head furiously for someone to take the little creature from him.
Regis laughed, relieving Gladio of his duties for now, returning the newborn to his mother.
"Makes you want another one, huh?" Aulea smiled sleepily, taking Noctis back into her arms where he settled immediately.
"Maybe in a few years.” Clarus pointed to his son, "He was exhausting."
"I can only imagine. The boy is huge," Cor responded, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the wall, but he turned to the young behemoth of a boy and offered a slight smile.
"My wife claims that she's still recovering,” Clarus laughed, prompting his friends to laugh too while Gladiolus looked around the room with confusion.
They then moved to Aulea’s rooms. The nursemaids assisted her to her bed while Regis held his baby, relieving Aulea for the moment with Clarus by his side. With a knock on the door, Cor announced they had a visitor.
“Weskham!” Regis and Clarus exclaimed in unison.
“Your Majesties! Clarus!” Weskham matched their enthusiasm despite his long journey from Keycatrich. “And his little highness!” Weskham swept through the room with renewed vigor, leaning in to offer a finger to the baby, cooing along with him.
Cor nodded then to dismiss himself.
“You’re not staying, Cor?” Regis asked.
“Unlike you all, I have work to do. Someone’s got to make sure Lucis stays running.” Cor maintained a straight-laced composure before closing the door behind him.
Aulea grinned at Weskham, “Thank you for coming all the way here.”
“I wouldn’t miss this for all of Eos,” he said, letting Noctis grab his finger as he observed the boy in Regis’ arms. “And I’m grateful that he takes after his mother.”
“Dearest Weskham,” Aulea pouted. “The nurses refused my cravings for those tarts I love so much.”
“Lucky for you, my dear Aulea...,” Weskham held before him a box of Tenebrean tarts. “Imported.”
“You’re the best! I’m going to devour these,” she said, fingers eagerly waving in the air until Weskham handed it over.
There was a gentle knock at the door and the muffled tone of a guard announced a second visitor, one that stopped in shortly after.
“Can’t believe you wrecked the ol’ girl again, Reggie,” Cid huffed. “It’s almost like you don’t appreciate my fine work.”
“Cid, of course I do, but you have to understa-”
“This the baby?” Cid interrupted. He took one look at the baby, then to Regis, then to Aulea.. “Hope he don’t take after his daddy.”
“Is that treason, Clarus?” Regis lifted his brow, taken aback.
"If it is, you may have to take me in too," Clarus shrugged as his King pouted.
“This sure is a baby, alright,” Cid huffed, sounding unimpressed, but couldn’t hide the smile scrawled on his face. “My grandbaby is six now. Maybe they both can run around in your gardens with one of her fancy toys her daddy spoils her with. Good kid, though. Takin’ a likin’ to my work at the garage when she visits.”
Regis glowed. “That sounds lovely, Cid. Be sure to bring her around some time. I’m sure we can arrange some play dates.”
“Oh! Queen Sylva’s girl should be about four now. I bet Cindy and Princess Lunafreya would get along perfectly,” Aulea smiled.
“Yeah. I think she’d like that,” Cid smiled kindly at Aulea, patting her hand.
Aulea gave a big yawn suddenly. “Forgive me. All this excitement is making me sleepy.”
"Hopefully he doesn't inherit that from you. He has a kingdom to run after all!" Regis teased, handing over their son to rest in his mothers arms once again and motioned toward his two friends.
“It was wonderful seeing you and the baby, Lady Aulea,” Weskham gave a short bow. “We’ll leave you to rest.”
“Do us a favor and make sure the boy grows up to be a better driver than his daddy,” Cid waved.
“Yes, yes. Let’s all go bother Cor, shall we?” Clarus intervened before Regis could retaliate, ushering them all outside before bowing to Aulea as he shut the door.
Aulea sighed, basking in the serenity of the silence, settling her baby comfortably across her chest and caressing his cheek.
"We're going to hide from your father and sneak in all the naps. Aren't we, Noctis?" Aulea hummed before dozing off.
Regis held his little prince under the moon shining through the window as Aulea slept. Mere moments ago, she clung to her baby as the chambermaids sought to pry little Noctis from her arms to offer her rest, but the Prince cried and cried until the King himself intervened and the world went silent.
Regis melted, proud and privileged from the sign of silent comfort. The baby’s cries turned into contented coos as Regis bounced the boy within his arms, reveling in something beyond joy. Beyond pride.
The line of Noctis’ lips curved as he turned toward Regis’ warmth as much as he could in his swaddled form. It took Regis’ breath away.
His Majesty sat by the edge of the window, bathing both of them in the moon’s light, stars scattered beyond the life of their kingdom. He studied the curves of his son’s rounded features and wondered what parts of him would grow to resemble Aulea’s or his own.
The joy he felt manifested as tears, building up behind the gloss of his eyes, and he felt immense gratitude that he could share the experience with his dearest friends before he had to share it with his kingdom. He brought his lips to his son’s forehead.
“My star. My light in the night’s sky.”
