Prelude - Long March Home

[comesunset]

His Royal Highness, Ardyn Lucis Caelum, took the chance to step onto the streets of Lestallum without the constant company of his retainers. Verstael had gone wandering off in search of information on the next tomb - a researcher to the bone, even at twenty, a year Ardyn's junior - and Gilgamesh had gone to meet with the Crownsguard. There were few threats in the city, the largest outside Insomnia itself, and after shedding his royal blacks in favor of a more relaxed ensemble, Ardyn practically vanished into the crowd, notable only for his red hair, his height, and the scarf draped loosely around his neck.

Three Arms down, ten to go. And the Lucian countryside hid them well - they'd found a fourth tomb, but with its relic missing, and information from the hunters pointed to a ruin that Ardyn's Shield had turned their trio away from. Ardyn, for once, hadn't argued, feeling the potency of the daemons within in practically the air itself.

For now, he takes his break wandering the streets, picking up a set of skewers from one vendor, a pastry from another, a locally mixed lemonade from a third, and making his way down to the overlook. They've only been in Lestallum a week, and he's already growing fond of the benches there, the view out over the meteor crater. The sunset provides the perfect backdrop as he recalls his meal from its brief time in his Armiger, careful to keep the royal magic out of the sight of any passerby before settling in to people-watch. It's not like he's totally reckless, Gil.

Times like this, with the crowd of the power plant's shift change bustling around him, are the times he most feels like he can relax. Rather than being the Prince, just another face in the crowd... With a smile, Ardyn sips his lemonade before taking another bite of the skewer held idly in his left hand. So refreshing.

Comments

[comesunset]

[That, all in all, could have gone a bit better. The violence of the Niflheim military was one thing, but the might of a god was something else again. Even with the new addition to his armory - and Ardyn knows this one, has seen it in the hands of how many statues over the years? - it's all he can do to just survive the onslaught of the Archaean.

Let Gilgamesh be suspicious of their rescuer. Even given the man's position, Ardyn can only offer the Chancellor his thanks and retreat somewhere deeper into the dropship to close his eyes and rest for however long the flight might take. Could bear him straight to Niflheim for all he cares at the moment.

It doesn't. It drops them at the chocobo post instead, with some vague word about their car, and Ardyn only manages to be polite about the whole thing on autopilot before making his way into the camper set up at the edge of the parking lot. He barely even manages a 'goodnight' to his retainers before passing out.

And meanwhile, that very dropship descends to an out of the way spot outside the settlement, to allow the king of the dark a moment to talk with his Hand before carrying on, back to the best fishing spots at the Vesperpool once more. It's an exchange best summarized in a handful of words -

'He really almost fucked it, Ignis. Don't let those idiots get anywhere near Leviathan.'

And so, come sometime in the afternoon, which is honestly the earliest possible hour that anyone can expect royal eyes to open. Ardyn stretches as he makes his way out of the camper, ever alert to the second-highest royal priority, after sleep - breakfast.

He's washed his face off, at least, but the rest... Well. He's had better weeks.]

[discutio]

[He was, as ever, an agent of his king's will. They'd have to make a covenant with even the Tidemother eventually, he'd reminded Noctis--but certainly not soon, given that pitiful showing. Slow steps, guided along carefully.]

[The guidance was, of course, where Ignis came in while his liege spent his endless time as he chose. Gladio at his side as protection even to an immortal, and Prompto there because someone would have to take a picture when some legendarily-sized fish was caught.]

[...Well, that was fine. Typical, and typical was something comforting to this day.]

Well--good morning to you. [Ignis glanced up from where he sat at a nearby table with a warm but untouched cup of coffee.] You look a bit worse for wear.

[comesunset]

- Well, well. I daresay you're about the last person I expected to see here.

[And with that chipper comment, Ardyn glances around- ever watchful for the rest of his minders - before wandering over and taking one of the other chairs at Ignis' table. Verstael, Gil, or both will give him hell for not getting cleaned up first if they catch him, so he just needs to be casual and avoid being caught.

Not like he needs to worry about his appearance before a blind man.]

I do hope your trip from Lestallum was less eventful than ours.

[discutio]

[lot of shadows early in the morning, and let's be honest he doesn't care as much about subtlety at this point. Ignis could see well enough to call him out.]

Oh, it was nothing eventful enough to comment on. Have you had a difficult time of it?

[comesunset]

[But if he did that, how many more questions it would raise.]

I think Titan would have damn near smashed my skull in even if Niflheim had not picked that very moment to try and do unto him as they did the Glacian. It was, in a word, a mess.

[discutio]

Didn't go well, then. I hope you at least got the sword you were after.

[comesunset]

And Titan's blessing as well, at what I imagine to be the very last moment it was possible. I daresay I don't feel up to another of those any time soon.

[discutio]

I hear the gods are terribly draining, in their demands of mortals. Won't be chasing down more of them anytime soon, I take it?

[comesunset]

Certainly not. They can very well sit tight for a while.

[He rubs his hand unconsciously over his forearm, which is hidden under his sleeve.]

[discutio]

They've surely waited a long time. A bit more won't hurt anything.

[comesunset]

Except perhaps me, if they intend to make themselves known as the Archaean did.

[discutio]

Doubtful. I think most of them a bit less...present than the Landforger.

[comesunset]

Let us hope that your knowledge shall prove correct once more.

What brings you out this way, then?

[discutio]

I didn't know I needed a reason.

[comesunset]

[Don't bullshit him, now, Ignis.]

To meet again so soon rather stretches the definition of coincidence, don't you think? I'm yet a bit too tired for secrets.

[discutio]

I simply thought I might check in on you. Nothing more than that.

[comesunset]

Well, I do appreciate it. A friendly face or two is always welcome.

[discutio]

How kind of you to say.

[comesunset]

Is there anything I can get for you?

[Ignis just tell him to take a goddamn shower.]

[discutio]

I suspect you'll find I'm very self-sufficient. You needn't linger around here on my account.

[comesunset]

We're not going anywhere fast, I'm afraid. In all the ruckus, Niflheim rather made off with our transportation. And I am far too sore for chocobo-back today, a sentence that I'm sure will force Verstael to check me for an imposter should he hear it.

[discutio]

[Right...that. Noctis had hoped it would slow them own a bit--time to build character of sorts, Ignis had agreed.]

How terrible. I suppose you're stuck here for a while, then.

[comesunset]

Time enough to recover and take on a few hunts to restore our budget, I think. But today is going to be mostly the former.

[discutio]

The best priority to have, given the situation. How were you planning on spending this newfound spare time?

[comesunset]

Responsibility says sit down with the damage reports from Insomnia and try to get a better sense of exactly what is happening to my kingdom. Fun says 'go watch the chocobo races for a bit, perhaps with some company.

Most likely it will end a mix of both.