gurabad | 023 » these shallow waters never met what i needed

[it's really a terrible time to be giggling, but iris giggles all the same, hiding her smile behind her hands and then hiding her hands behind her back.]

Aw, you can't be that old! You're, what — thirty, forty? My dad's still on active duty, and he's fifty-five...

[but iris's smile fades as she thinks of her father and realizes that, with all the commotion in the citadel, something must be terribly, terribly wrong.

the thought comes even though she doesn't want it: my dad's probably dead.]

...He'll... he'll be fifty-six soon.

[empty words.]

[Try two thousand and forty, Iris. But he won't correct her.]

Your father is a dedicated man if he hasn't retired at that age.

[That wavering smile has him worried that she's going to start crying. Ardyn isn't a fan of tears that he's not purposefully trying to elicit; they're just a waste of time and he feels no satisfaction from them. Worst of all, once in a blue moon he finds they tug uncomfortably at the tiny speck of Ardyn the healer left at his core. It never elicits true sympathy from him, but he does find the reminder of who he was to be incredibly irritating. Better to avoid it.

He walks up to her and lightly pats her upper back, twisting his voice until he sounds impossibly gentle.]

The best you can do for him is to make it out safely. Come.

[Again, he takes up the lead.]

...Yeah, you're right.

[iris's lips twitch into a half-smile as she follows ardyn with a cautious half-bounce in her step. the thought of her father being dead is certainly sobering, but she feels a little happy to have solved (in her mind) the mystery of ardyn. "formerly in the military" means he's probably ex-crownsguard — and that he probably did something pretty bad to have been dismissed from it, but she isn't going to be so callous as to ask. it's enough for her that she's seen him rescue two people now, including herself.

his gently rumbling voice makes her skin crawl, but... surely he's a good person, right?]

So... from what I can tell, the imperials are landing in the major thoroughfares and then spreading out towards the smaller streets. That's why I told those two to take the alleyways, but... do you think that was a good idea?

[He talks as he walks, keeping an eye on the sky to hopefully avoid any additional encounters. Taking out his own troops is a terrible waste! For the most part Iris is correct in her assessment, so he won't have to explain the route he chooses to take.]

I would say it gives them the best odds. If the empire is looking to actually rule this city, they're unlikely to simply slaughter everyone, anyway. Other countries they've taken over are intact for the most part. It's still best to not travel in a large group so as to avoid detection, though.

[A larger group looks like resistance. Taking her family history into consideration he doesn't doubt that Iris will resist the empire at some point, but so long as it's after Noctis is well on his way he really doesn't care.]

Hmm. You sure know your stuff.

[she doesn't say that in a suspicious way — she's just calling it as she sees it. more imperial airships streaking through the sky catch her attention; she frowns up at them, mulling over her thoughts.]

...I wouldn't be able to stand seeing Prince Noctis in the same kind of cage they put Lady Lunafreya in.

[That makes one of them, because Ardyn thinks he would like to see that very much. Watching Noctis struggle will be an exquisite pleasure he's waited far too long for.]

They caged the Oracle? How utterly shameless.

[Despite the fact that he's got some responsibility for Lunafreya's treatment, his voice still drops dangerously before he speaks again:]

A healer of the people should always be respected.

Oh, I'm not talking about a real cage. But, y'know, when I saw her arrive in Lucis... you look past the pretty dresses and the heels, and then you realize she's... stuck.

[she's done her research, as all girls with hopeless crushes do. iris's impression of lunafreya is that of a woman from a dream: unbearably beautiful, every inch of her measured and tailored to suit her position as the oracle. from the outside looking in, iris cannot imagine what lunafreya would be like at her most relaxed or vulnerable.

noctis, meanwhile, has always been some level of vulnerable. even she knows that; she knows how lazy and silly and overwhelmingly ordinary he can be. lunafreya, on the other hand, seems otherworldly.

the illusion of perfection must be a terrible burden to bear.]

...Yeah. She really deserves better.

Edited 2017-02-08 13:50 (UTC)

[She does, but she won't get it. The gods are as cruel as ever, and they've continued to "gift" people with powers very similar to his own after turning their backs on him. Lunafreya will have no reprieve — she'll continue to absorb daemons from the masses at the cost of her own health until the day she dies. Killing her now would be a mercy. Sadly for her, she won't receive that mercy from him. She must continue on to pave the path for the hopeless, hapless prince of Lucis.]

Such is the burden royalty bears. Being at the top comes with a heavy cost.

[He pauses his steps for a moment.]

Perhaps she won't have to bear it alone, though. The people were terribly excited for her marriage to Prince Noctis. I imagine that union is going to stick even without the treaty.

I guess so.

[she regrets saying it like that as soon as the words leave her lips. she should have been more chipper. more i guess so! and not i guess so. she tries again.]

I mean, I guess anyone would be excited to marry her —

[that's when the ground shakes and a building near them collapses, and iris lets out a rather undignified yelp, ducking behind ardyn before she stops to think about what the limits of her trust in him should be.]

Oh, what are they doing now?!

[It may only be one little disappointed sounding line, but to a man that's lived thousands of years it's simple to instantly deduce why she might be disappointed. So, the little sister carries a torch for the prince, does she? The information is likely to be useless to him, yet he files it away all the same.

Ardyn turns toward the building as it crumbles without flinching, irritated all over again. Really, didn't he advise the emperor against any unnecessary destruction? He can't help but feel like he's doing this on purpose, trying to send some silly message like "this is what happens when you resist my mighty empire for so long!".

Oh, well. He'll be able to do away with the man soon enough.]

It seems we should pick up the pace, [he calls out over the noise, offering his hand back to her. If they're going to be running, he has to be careful to not leave her behind.]

[she takes his hand without a moment's hesitation. which is stupid, really. if gladio were around, he would yell at her for taking some old guy's hand so easily. but there are a lot of things going on, and there's entirely too much to think about, and ardyn is here while the other men in her life have always had other places to be.

she keeps pace with him easily enough, given that she's an athletic teenage girl and she can keep pace with her brother without breaking a sweat. part of her wants to laugh at the way ardyn's clothes flutter from their movements. another part of her is trying to figure out the imperial strategy, but there is no strategy, just chaos. a third part of her is worried about noct. suppose the imperials found the prince's car heading towards galdin quay? suppose noctis, too, is dead? no, gladio would never let that happen, unless gladio himself was also dead...

she grips ardyn's hand a bit tighter as they run.]

We're... we're almost there, right...?

[the city streets have never seemed so long.]

[Despite those claims of being "too old" for the military, Ardyn doesn't seem to tire as they flee for the east gate. He doesn't even look sweaty despite those many, many layers he covers himself in. He single-mindedly runs toward their goal, undaunted by the ships in the air dropping troops all around them.]

Just a bit more, [he affirms encouragingly. In fact, with how close they are she'll be able to see a large grouping of people not far ahead being ushered through the gate. There's no small amount of pushing to be next in line despite calls for people to proceed in an orderly fashion. Humans are so incredibly selfish the moment pretending to be altruistic no longer benefits them. Why did he ever try so hard to save them?]

[iris stops short when she sees the crowd of people shoving to be first to leave the city. it's not that she's appalled at their behavior — it's just that the amicitia family butler is entirely too loyal, and has elected to wait for iris at the back of the crowd rather than leave insomnia without her. she spots him immediately.]

— Jared! Talcott!

[jared raises one hand in solemn greeting; talcott looks as though he might cry. much as she'd like to rush over to them, iris isn't going to do that without at least a few parting words of gratitude. she turns back to ardyn, still loosely holding his hand.]

That's, um... that's my grandpa and my little brother. [it's a lie, but it's so close to the truth that she doesn't feel guilty for saying it. easier to say this than explain why she has a family butler.] I'm so glad they're alright...!

[Iris may not have recognized him as the chancellor on sight, but the Amicitia family butler likely will. Ardyn releases her hand and takes a step back, bowing in a manner that's somehow gallant and mocking simultaneously.]

Then I shall leave you here. I'll wait for that crowd to die down a bit before passing through. Women, children, and the elderly first, hmm? Perhaps we'll meet again outside the city sometime.

[It's likely, even. He has no doubt that the prince and his entourage will want to meet up with her at least once, and he'll be sure to be nearby so he can track their progress.]

Oh — w-wait!

[she's grabbed his wrist before she really thinks about whether or not it's the right thing to do. then she seems faintly embarrassed by her own assertiveness, making a wry face as she clasps her other hand around his wrist in an effort to double down and do not falter, as her father likes to say.

fortunately for ardyn, jared's eyesight isn't the best in his old age, and it's hard to spot who iris is talking to through the crowd.]

Um... I'm really grateful that you showed up today. I'm sure I could have made it out of the city on my own, but... it was nice to have someone with me. A-And you helped me save that boy, so —

So, thank you, Ardyn.

[she lets go of his wrist, awkwardly pulling her hands back to her sides.]

I don't know if we'll meet again, but... if we do, I'll do my best to repay the favor. I promise!

[How cheeky, grabbing onto him like that! Though it would be easy enough to avoid her hands, he doesn't. Ardyn turns slightly to look at down her over his shoulder, watching in silence as she rambles on a bit trying to get to her point.

I'm really grateful. Thank you.

They're empty words. People are quick to express their undying gratitude and just as quick to turn their backs when it no longer suits them. Even so, he can't deny that it's pleasing to receive the thanks he deserves all the same. It's been quite some time since he was moved to help someone for any reason and it's been even longer since someone genuinely thanked him.

He turns the rest of the way and reaches out to lightly pat her head like he might have lifetimes ago.]

Think nothing of it it. Do have a safe trip, now.

[iris smiles and nods, turning round to join jared and talcott. she's only taken a few steps when she turns around and waves again, a little unwilling to simply turn her back on him and leave him behind forever.]

...Goodbye!

[that's the last of it as iris turns around and runs to join her "grandpa and little brother" — and once she reaches them and turns around again, ardyn is already gone.]

[much, much later — when the dust has settled, and the bodies are buried — iris manages to take refuge in lestallum.

jared takes care of everything, really. iris has a sneaking suspicion that the old man either pawned something valuable or is otherwise paying out of his own pocket to keep them all in their rooms at the lestalle, but she knows better than to ask. it's a pity that most people in lestallum already know that they're from insomnia. the majority of lestallum citizens are anti-niff, and don't care — but there are some outspoken few who refuse to greet iris and jared in the streets on account of their being crown citizens.

(talcott, mercifully, is spared the brunt of their ire.)

noctis and his band of merry men are off investigating the legendary sword behind the waterfall when iris steps out of the lestalle one evening. jared's a lot more lenient than her dad is — he never asks too many questions about what she's doing or where she's going, he just nods and tells her not to stay out too late. besides, it's not like she ever does anything dangerous. she just plans to walk down to the outlook to catch a breath of crisp evening air.

she yawns and stretches on the hotel steps, taking a moment to look up at the starlit skies.]

Edited 2017-02-09 04:14 (UTC)

[Of course, he knows that Noctis was here. He also knows that he'll be returning soon, ready to follow on the heels of the Oracle. Preparations have been made at the disc, so all he has to do now is wait for the prince's return. Boredom and yet another sleepless night finds Ardyn wandering about Lestallum, taking in the sights and sounds of the busy little town. It's no Insomnia or Gralea, but it's interesting enough in its own way. He finds the street musicians to be particularly amusing, and he makes a game of flipping old coins into their tip jars.

By the time Iris leaves the hotel he's just walked away from the musicians nearest the outlook in favor of standing by the binoculars, gazing out at the distant flames. Soon they'll be extinguished, just like every other light on this wretched planet. He almost thinks it's a pity in this case, though — Ardyn hates the sunlight, but he loves flames.

He turns away from the view, spotting the youngest Amicitia out on a night stroll. What a convenient diversion. Ardyn lifts his arm in a wave, and even without his silly hat it's probably easy enough for her to recognize him in the lower light. No one else in Lestallum wears so many layers.]

Why, if it isn't Iris! I see you made it out safely.

Oh — oh, it's you!

[that slightly graceless it's you! is admittedly because she's forgotten his name (she remembers him simply as that strange man who helped her get out of insomnia) — but she's remembered it by the time she practically bounces down the stairs and rushes over to him.]

Ardyn! Yeah, I'm great! What are you doing here in Lestallum?

[He moves to close the distance between them as well, though Iris does most of the work since Ardyn moves at the same languid, tired pace as always. My, but she seems happy to see him, doesn't she? That could have potential in the future, if only for entertainment. He'll continue to cultivate their little friendship for now.]

I'm meeting someone here. This is a good place to stock up, and it's also the safest place to take a little break at the moment.

[With a little smile he leans in slightly.]

And yourself?

[as happy as she is to see him... the way he leans in is still slightly off-putting. she'd forgotten how he creeped her out in the first five minutes of their meeting; his particular knack for doing that doesn't seem to have changed.

it's a little better this time. she doesn't feel slick disgust, the feeling of being covered in slime. it's just that something about him makes unease set into her bones.]

Oh... I, um... I've just been staying in the hotel here with my family — at least until we find somewhere we can stay permanently. I just snuck out to get some fresh air.

[maybe it's just that he's not the best-looking guy around, she tells herself. in the morning hours of insomnia's fall, she thought ardyn was thirty or forty; now, in the harsher lights of lestallum nightlife, he looks forty or fifty. his lank, unkempt hair makes him look a bit younger, she supposes, but it looks like he hasn't brushed it in years. and, again, what was with that outfit? in the sultry heat of lestallum, no less! surely he's sweating in all those layers...

...

yep, she imagined it.

iris purses her lips, mostly because she's trying really hard not to simultaneously laugh and cry at the truly, truly repulsive mental image she's got right now of ardyn sweating under all his clothes.]

D-Did you, um — c-can I ask who you're meeting?

[trying. really hard. not to laugh.]

[Well, someone's thought of an amusing joke. He doesn't ask, electing to settle down on a nearby bench instead. His coat swishes around dramatically with the movement — if he is sweating under all those layers, at least he doesn't smell. It's a happy miracle! He pats the spot beside him to encourage her to settle down as well.]

A relative of mine. We're actually somewhat distant relatives, but he doesn't have any other family left...

[Iris isn't the only one struggling to not smile. Yes, it's just Noctis now. He'll have his satisfaction soon.]

...well, you know how it is. Our circumstances are hardly unique at the moment.

[still laughing to herself, iris takes the seat beside him, shifting over a bit when she realizes she's sitting on part of his voluminous coat. at ease, she tells herself. there's nothing to worry about. besides, it's still early in the evening and there are plenty of people walking by — they'd probably help her if anything happened.

probably.]

Oh... yeah, I know how that is. Things are pretty rough right now. But even if you haven't seen him in a long time, it's really nice of you to help him out.

[Ardyn just laughs, a pleasant rumble that doesn't at all suit the ominous air that surrounds him.]

Well, if you can't count on your family, who can you count on?

[No one.]

It's been awhile now since I had anyone to look after. I'm actually looking forward to it.

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