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]

[Ardyn, for his part, is perfectly content to eat his meal - though as Ignis' vision improves, he'd notice that the prince at least has a very good watch on his surroundings. Assassination is unlikely with the throne's enemies controlled by those who await the success of the Chosen King, but it isn't as though the Chosen himself knows any such thing.

It's very sudden, when it happens. An almost-imperceptible rumble in the ground, one that would go unnoticed by anyone else, but it is the prince's reaction that is more noteworthy. His meal vanishes in the tiny flashes of light of his Armiger as Ardyn presses both hands to his temples with a groan, as though to blot out the sudden pain. His voice is faint, but Ignis of all people would be able to hear it over the crowd.]

What...?

[discutio]

...

[Ignis narrowed his one open eye, shifting perception to a patch of shade a bit closer to Ardyn; fully calling up daemons in a brightly lit city was both ill-advised and difficult, but he could manage that much.]

[Hm. Considering where they were and the closest likely source of a reaction like that...the Archaean was calling to him already, was he? No subtlety to him at all, typical of an Astral that was all brute force.]

[Well, no point in letting the Chosen King collapse in the middle of Lestallum without his retainers at hand. Ignis stepped out in a slow and easy stride, making his way towards Ardyn and stopping a few feet away.]

...It seems you're being called for an audience with the divine, Highness.

[comesunset]

[The pain passes near as quick as it came, leaving behind only aftershocks. Ardyn keeps one hand pressed to his temple as he looks up.

The blind man from before - seen once in passing at a rest stop and once in Galdin, notable for mostly how he moved without the aid of a cane or dog, confident as any man with sight.

Ardyn's eyes fix on him now, and the words that come out of his mouth are uncertain.]

You... What do you know?

[Not a demand, but gentle, almost a plea.]

[discutio]

That depends upon what one asks. For example, I know a great deal about cooking and very little of astrophysics.

[comesunset]

[The comment gets a low groan.]

Not now, please - I don't know who you are, but if you speak of the gods with any knowledge... That's more than we have.

[He's willing to buy it. Blind seer is a trope for a reason and when you're a magical prince you don't argue with fairytale tropes.]

[discutio]

You've been quite careless, Highness. Going about without your retainers, particularly so close to the domain of an Astral? You put yourself at more risk than you know.

[Ignis tilted his head slightly, walking in slow steps beside the overlook's wall and running a light hand along the stone.]

[comesunset]

[Ardyn's beginning to get on edge now, more because of the man than because of his headache.

When he's suspicious, falling into the speech patterns of the court comes naturally. They seem to suit this man, at any rate, in a way they don't suit his companions. And yet the man in from of him can't be much older than Gilgamesh, if at all.]

I am perfectly capable of defending myself if need be. Do the gods have some reason to wish me harm?

[discutio]

[Wasn't that just the question.]

Why should they wish their Chosen harm? [At least, until the proper moment.] Are you not he who has been ordained by the Crystal to deliver this world from darkness?

[comesunset]

...I don't know. It doesn't yet seem as though it could be true.

[Surely there have been, over the ages, better choices for the Chosen King than a carefree prince with a limp and no experience.]

Tell me - who are you, to know all this?

[discutio]

A man of no significance.

[The answer came with a small, enigmatic smile, Ignis leaning back against the wall with clearly no fear of losing his balance.]

[comesunset]

Be that as it may, a name would be a great help, Seer.

[discutio]

Ignis, if you please. There should hardly be need for introductions from your side--you're Ardyn Lucis Caelum, of course.

[comesunset]

Ignis, then.

[And yes he's racking his brains for any 'Ignis' of significance, not that he expects to find one.]

Some match we are. Are you to be my Oracle in Lady Gentiana's absence?

[discutio]

Hardly anything of the sort.

[Quite sharply the opposite.]

It simply seemed an unwise choice to allow the future king to be unguarded on the ground whilst the voice of the gods rattled about in his head.

[comesunset]

Too much to ask them to speak in words, I take it.

[He rubs the side of his head with a sigh.]

I appreciate the thought, however. Might I take you somewhere more private to discuss this? I'm sure we're due to attract listening ears any moment.

[discutio]

Clearly.

[heavens forbid they make anything easy.]

Very well. Do lead the way, then.

[comesunset]

Can I get you anything as we go?

[He stands and immediately puts on his Business Prince face, all polite smiles, no weakness.]

My treat.

[discutio]

With the utmost respect, I think I'll decline. I certainly could never dare to ask royalty for a favor, after all.

[comesunset]

I daresay you've already done me one, with that hot tip regarding the Archaean.

[discutio]

All I've done is hand you a bit of information. It's scarcely up to me whether it becomes of value to you or not.

[comesunset]

Information that would likely have taken us quite some time to discover otherwise. There's not much scholarship on the gods outside Tenebrae, and that resource is... It's not available to us.

[He smiles weakly, but the reasoning behind that ought to be obvious.]

[discutio]

Hardly surprising that it should be beyond reach, all things considered. But if you've curiosity regarding the gods, then perhaps you merely need seek them out.

[comesunset]

Perhaps. But that is not a job to be taken lightly.

[He steps a bit closer, close enough to put his head more obviously those couple of inches above Ignis', though he stops short of taking the man's hand. They're moving back off the main road, now.]

Are you sure that there is no hospitality I can offer you?

[discutio]

Flattered as I am to warrant a king's attention, I've no need of anything.

[comesunset]

...I'm hardly a king yet.

[A slightly melancholy tone.]

Not with throne, crown, and ring all beyond my reach.