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]

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.

[discutio]

[Ignis was far from stupid enough not to see a wounded anak gambit of sorts when he was confronted with one. But it was interesting to see where this might go--the worst that could happen was that it came to a fight and the unfortunate immortality of the first king and his retinue became apparent. But even that could be worked with--Noctis would understand, should it unfold that way. He always did, benevolent and compassionate to his three-man court as he was.]

Come now, such a dismal outlook is hardly suitable for the gods' blessed Chosen, now isn't it?

[comesunset]

Not dismal, merely practical.

[And Ardyn has few doubts that this seer, whoever he is, has some awareness of the possibility of an underhanded play, if not outright an expectation of it.

Which is why Ardyn himself thrives on the unexpected. At a particularly narrow pass of the alley, thus, he pulls a blade from his Armiger in a tinkle of crystal and immediately warps to the other side - hoping to catch Ignis off guard with the unusual direction in order to pin him into the wall. The dagger he used for warping remains in his hand, ready to test the other man's neck if he needs to make the point.]

[discutio]

[It was almost cute, in the way a newborn coeurl might try to bat at an elder's whiskers. No threat--at least no realistic one--and far too much posturing. Then again, the latter seemed to run deep in the Lucian blood.]

...That's hardly the hospitality of the Lucian crown, Your Highness.

[Ignis was, however, utterly unfazed. He hadn't even moved to defend himself, going along without a trace of resistance.]

[Yet.]

look just pretend it isn't fuckfaced

[comesunset]

And you're hardly all you appear to be, either. 'Ignis' is an old Lucian name, and even half the nobles don't use those nowadays.

[Whether it is his birth name or a chosen one, it's something of significance indeed.

Ardyn has one of Ignis' hands twisted behind the man's back, the other pinned between the man's body and the alley wall - not ideal, but it will do. His dagger scrapes - ]

Now, then, I'd dearly like to know where you really got your -

[ - and breaks skin - ]

...information...

[And Ardyn's demands fall suddenly silent.]

meh

[discutio]

[The carefree prince truly was smarter than he acted, wasn't he? Ignis hadn't truly expected to be caught on such a detail, but so it went.]

[The thin trail of evaporating black miasma told him that knife had scratched just a little further than he'd have liked. Ah, well. He remained confident that Noctis would think little of the secret getting out in a sense. Such things happened, in even the most perfect of plans. All it would take was a mere adjustment, and it was hardly as if things would end differentl-...]

[...wait, why had Ardyn stopped talking? Usually right about now he'd have expected some declaration of shock or disgust, and yet there was nothing at all.]

If we're to stand here in some manner of awkward silence, I might prefer to have my arm back. That may get terribly uncomfortable after a while.

[comesunset]

[At first Ardyn doesn't say anything, but after a moment the knife vanishes and he backs up a step, letting Ignis off the wall.

His expression - not that he expects it to be seen, because who would, even when faced with the black blood that vanishes under Ignis' collar (he'd been careful, at least, to mark a place that wouldn't be obvious, and though he doesn't realize it that works to his disadvantage, hiding the way the cut seals shut after) - is one of genuine pain, not quite pity but sympathy.]

...I'm sorry. You must be suffering greatly, aren't you?

[discutio]

...Excuse me?

[Ignis turned to face Ardyn again, completely at a loss for any other way to respond.]

[comesunset]

I'm not stupid. I know how far the Scourge must have progressed for your blood to be that color.

[Compassion, sympathy... Apology. All genuine. Even if he is mistaken about the exact nature of Ignis' infection.]

I'm sorry. I only wish that there was something I could do.

[discutio]

Not five seconds ago you were threatening to kill me unless I gave you information.

[like. what is going on here.]

[comesunset]

Yes, well...

[There is no way to be polite about this, is there?]

With however many weeks you might have left, I imagine that isn't much of a threat at all.

[discutio]

[Ignis actually laughed at that before he could stop himself, a sound between bitter and actually amused.]

Do I look an invalid to you, Highness?

[comesunset]

Invalid, hardly. But you do appear to be at the very end before that stage.

[A pained smile.]

Which means that it can't be easy for you to be up and walking around right now.

[discutio]

[Maybe he was as stupid as he looked after all.]

And yet here I am, all the same.

[comesunset]

[Ignis you can't possibly expect him to make the jump to 'immortal' from what he knows, now come on.]

Here you are.

[Ardyn takes a step back and... bows, not quite sweeping and formal but from one peer to another.]

Thank you. I won't take the knowledge you've offered for granted.

[discutio]

[Ignis tilted his head and frowned, looking for not the first time as though he could actually see Ardyn clearly.]

That's all? Threatening to gratitude after a mere scratch? You truly are careless.

[comesunset]

My thanks was hardly insincere in the first place, thank you very much.

[discutio]

And it scarcely makes you less careless. A short time ago you were quite insistent upon discovering who I was as well as my intent, and now you're simply leaving it alone?

I confess myself stunned your retainers ever dare leave you alone.

[comesunset]

I think they spend most of their time in much the same state of mind.

[Look, they try.]

If you're that disappointed, I can go back to putting my blade on your neck.

[discutio]

I'm not disappointed, I'm baffled. Aren't you revolted or stunned about this at all?

[comesunset]

Why should I be? The increase in the Scourge in the last few years is a known fact. It seems stupid to be stunned about meeting it face-to-face when I knew already that my people are suffering.

[If only he knew...]

I'm still very much curious and don't trust you an inch more than I must, but that's no reason to hurt someone already in pain.

[discutio]

I am not in pain.

[you know, like a liar.]

You presume quite a bit, Chosen King.

[comesunset]

Your face alone speaks of worse wounds than mine, and my hip is damn near unbearable at times. Next.

[... He is at times still 21.]