Maura is nice, and answers all his questions with very detailed answers. She ushers him into an open-plan kitchen/dining area, where there's already a stack of books on the table, as well as an open laptop.
He's halfway through a maths assessment (not as hard as the tests he had to take a month ago, but still kind of tricky) when a door opens, and he hears Noctis's voice chattering happily.
--
Queen Aulea is beautiful, and is happy to sit a suddenly-shy Noctis on her lap and join him on the bench. Lady Maura is the head of the Royal Household, arranging food deliveries, cooking, cleaning, and partially managing the Royal families' schedules.
Noct is quite content to sit curled in Aulea's lap, hand clutching her sleeve. Ignis can't help shooting glances as he finishes each problem - this is the boy he's meant to give his life to protect.
--
The daemon laughs, a horrible rattling sound - and Ignis hides behind Aulea's skirt, beyond terrified. Maura snarls in return and there's a sound like dry wood snapping. Today had meant to be a charitable outing to Crestholm, just outside the Wall - but they were ambushed.
Skeletal figures wielding scythes surround them, and even though Ignis knows Aulea is more than capable, he's still terrified.
--
Noctis looks very small in the hospital bed, still and silent but for the tubes and machines whirring and bleeping. Technically Ignis isn't meant to be in here, but someone forgot to update the permissions on his ID card - and sneaking is good practice. Or something.
The Reapers and Ronin that had ambushed them at Crestholm had been one half of a pronged attack - the other was a Marilith that had nearly killed Noctis and slaughtered its way through a motorcade before Commander Drautos killed it.
It seems wrong, though, for Noct to be so still and quiet. He's a bubbly boy, always interested in what people (especially Ignis) are doing. Ignis had meant to just keep an eye on him, maybe catch up on his Ancient Lucian homework. BUt now that he's here, he just wants to hold his Prince.
[...]
It's late when Regis finally limps into the secure room where Noctis is recuperating, Aulea on his left and Clarus supporting him from the right. The Wall is demanding tonight, tested and stretching against the wailing daemonic masses. It makes his hip ache something fierce, throbbing in symphony with the old war-wound on his knee.
What he doesn't expect to see is the Scientia boy curled up carefully next to Noctis - almost but not quite touching. Clarus hums thoughtfully even as Regis sighs and Aulea chuckles.
"Remind you of anyone, dear?" She says, lightly. Regis opts not to incriminate himself by answering, and instead scrubs a hand across his face. Maybe assigning Noct an agemate who wasn't an Amicitia was a bad idea.
no subject
He's halfway through a maths assessment (not as hard as the tests he had to take a month ago, but still kind of tricky) when a door opens, and he hears Noctis's voice chattering happily.
--
Queen Aulea is beautiful, and is happy to sit a suddenly-shy Noctis on her lap and join him on the bench. Lady Maura is the head of the Royal Household, arranging food deliveries, cooking, cleaning, and partially managing the Royal families' schedules.
Noct is quite content to sit curled in Aulea's lap, hand clutching her sleeve. Ignis can't help shooting glances as he finishes each problem - this is the boy he's meant to give his life to protect.
--
The daemon laughs, a horrible rattling sound - and Ignis hides behind Aulea's skirt, beyond terrified. Maura snarls in return and there's a sound like dry wood snapping. Today had meant to be a charitable outing to Crestholm, just outside the Wall - but they were ambushed.
Skeletal figures wielding scythes surround them, and even though Ignis knows Aulea is more than capable, he's still terrified.
--
Noctis looks very small in the hospital bed, still and silent but for the tubes and machines whirring and bleeping. Technically Ignis isn't meant to be in here, but someone forgot to update the permissions on his ID card - and sneaking is good practice. Or something.
The Reapers and Ronin that had ambushed them at Crestholm had been one half of a pronged attack - the other was a Marilith that had nearly killed Noctis and slaughtered its way through a motorcade before Commander Drautos killed it.
It seems wrong, though, for Noct to be so still and quiet. He's a bubbly boy, always interested in what people (especially Ignis) are doing. Ignis had meant to just keep an eye on him, maybe catch up on his Ancient Lucian homework. BUt now that he's here, he just wants to hold his Prince.
[...]
It's late when Regis finally limps into the secure room where Noctis is recuperating, Aulea on his left and Clarus supporting him from the right. The Wall is demanding tonight, tested and stretching against the wailing daemonic masses. It makes his hip ache something fierce, throbbing in symphony with the old war-wound on his knee.
What he doesn't expect to see is the Scientia boy curled up carefully next to Noctis - almost but not quite touching. Clarus hums thoughtfully even as Regis sighs and Aulea chuckles.
"Remind you of anyone, dear?" She says, lightly. Regis opts not to incriminate himself by answering, and instead scrubs a hand across his face. Maybe assigning Noct an agemate who wasn't an Amicitia was a bad idea.