#⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ v: au: there’s so much more; you can reclaim your crown / epilogue

[sylleblosscm]

@novuscaelum x

Her son's sweet babbling and the clicking of her own heels against the marble floors has become the siren's call of her day's end. As long as she can help it, Novus is never beyond her arm's reach - though here and there, duty must will out. This past hour away from him has felt like an age, but now his nanny has been kindly dismissed and the evening is their own once more, all is right in the world.

❝You have much to say, don't you, my darling boy?❞ Novus is carried into his nursery, just off the King and Queen's own room. It is bathed in the golden glow of sunset, and the sound of gentle piano music emanating from the shelf near his seldom-used cot (for he almost always rests in a moses basket at his mother's side, where she can watch over him.) She settles in a rocking chair close by, her precious child held securely in her arms as she remains unperturbed by his grip on her hair.

Every second she spends with him is meaningful beyond the telling of it. A chance to bask in her ever-altering motherhood. He will not be this small for very long - soon, he will be crawling all over the citadel. And then walking, then running. He will learn to speak, and ask so many questions. He will want to explore his home, and then his city, and before long, the whole world will lay at his feet. But for now...his whole world is merely this very moment. The comfort of his mother's embrace, the way new sounds feel on his tongue, the colours and shapes in his room. And the one eternal truth that will always remain: here he is safe, and loved, and wanted.

❝You have such curious eyes,❞ she utters adoringly. ❝Oh, you had a wonderful time with Nanny, didn't you? Come, now. Tell Mama all about your day.❞

[sylleblosscm]

@novuscaelum:

⛺ Build a blanket fort with your muse.

---

Mega Fluff [accepting]

Luna places the final blanket atop the others. With her bed and Novus' emptied into their living room, the royal suite is in utter disarray - but she can confidently say it is worth the hassle it will be to put everything away. As her son seems so happy - to play this game specifically or to spend time with her, she cannot say. Nor does she mind. Luna would move heaven and Eos for that smile; what are a few blankets to that?

❝I believe it is time for the finishing touches,❞ she says, reaching for the pile of plush toys ready to join them in their little fortress. ❝Is there anything further you'd like to add? Also, do not forget to choose a password. Every good blanket fort has its own password.❞

[sylleblosscm]

@rexelectus:

Would you be surprised to learn that you've been on my mind?"

---

Reassuring Starters [accepting]

The comment draws a laugh out of Luna, who is deftly fixing the collar of Noctis’ shirt. Her husband’s brand of affection is one she can never tire of - for as shy as he seems at times, he has always been so unabashed when they are alone. Not a bit afraid or ashamed of his feelings. It is a delight.

 ❝The city of Altissia has adorned herself in lights and colour to charm her visitors, and you manage to be equally as charming with a single sentence. Bravo, dear Noctis.❞

 This brief respite from their duty is well-earned, and to pass it up would have been downright criminal. Lunafreya had been hearing about this carnival ever since she was a child, but it never fell on a convenient day to visit. Until she mentioned it offhandedly to her husband - then suddenly, their schedules magically aligned to give them an entire week to themselves in Altissia. 

 It is like a second honeymoon, almost. Free from the neverending demands of their crown, to indulge one another without the threat of another emergency making itself known any second. And thus, when she utters with such sincerity, she is relaxed and unhurried, for she has all week to make her point. 

 ❝I cannot tell you how much I’ve been looking forward to this. Oh, the carnival will be fun, I am sure - but it is your undivided attention I shall treasure most. Every time you look at me with those eyes, I feel I love you a little more.❞

 She punctuates her words with a gentle kiss, before grabbing his hand in a seemingly sudden burst of energy. ❝Now, let’s go! I hear they have those big cardboard pictures you put your face in - and some themed sweets, too!❞

[sylleblosscm]

@infideliis:

"The only thing I want - the only thing I've ever wanted - was for you to be happy."

---

Reassuring Starters [accepting]

Lunafreya closes her eyes and tilts her face toward the Tenebraean breeze. It is exactly how she remembers it - until she opens her eyes and sees her once-teeming field of blue reduced to a smattering of colour here and there, and otherwise upturned dirt. More than a hundred generations of work wiped out in a day - but her people endure. As rehabilitation began after the Long Night, this famed garden was lavished with all the attention it could need, their people seemingly eager to see it restored more than anything else. It is, after all, the lifeblood of their home. And though it is a long process, little by little, Tenebrae finds herself more with every passing day.

 If only their Princess had been here to see it. 

 Though it was once her destiny to inherit the crown, Lunafreya always knew it would never be her place. She and Ravus are two sides of the very same coin, with half their mother’s legacy apiece. Oracle, and Monarch. 

 Luna married shortly after the Dawn, to the surprise of no one. And though she writes Ravus every day, it is nothing like living under the same roof. Her visits were once frequent, but as her duties as Queen and eventually a mother mounted, it left her with less and less time to return home.

 Her children are sleeping now, and Luna has made herself quite at home on the old porch, just as she once did. It was here, when she and Ravus used to be at odds, that they could find peace. They’d share tea and sweets, and all talk of Gods and the Empire was banned. Those moments were sacred and fleeting and remain some of the most precious in her life. 

 Thus, Ravus’ words do not come out of the blue - not to her. It is as if they are continuing a conversation from more than a decade ago, picking up where they left off as only siblings can. 

 She reaches across the table between them, and takes his hand. The air around them is quiet, save for the odd stirring of the wind and twittering of birds. ❝I know. I have always known. And I am happy, Ravus. In no small part, thanks to you.❞ She looks to him, offering a warm but sad smile. ❝You know, you’re the reason I wanted a second child. There is something…ineffable about a sibling bond. It is a gift I couldn't bear to deny my family. Nobody else could vex me so, and still be as dear to me. You are my first love of this life. Sometimes I look at them, and find my only regret is that we were deprived of that all too soon.❞ 

[sylleblosscm]

@novuscaelum​:

"Mooom! Moooom!" He couldn't hold in his excitement any longer. "Mr. Nyx said that I'm gonna be real good at warping and maybe better than Dad!" The six-year-old was still practically beaming at the compliment. "Can I practice with him? Can I? Please?"

---

Unprompted [always accepting]

Ah, there is that sound she treasures so. The unmistakable cadence of her precious little boy at his happiest. Whatever he has to share, it is good news - that much she can tell before processing a single word he says. Kneeling down to his height, Luna smiles.

 ❝My, that is high praise indeed. You must have shown some incredible talent.❞ She reaches out to tenderly smooth his hair. ❝Provided your father and Sir Ulric are both amenable, I’ve no objection. He will be a good mentor to you.❞

[sylleblosscm]

@rexelectus:

🌠 Take your muse stargazing.

---

Mega Fluff [accepting]

Sleep comes easy to precious few these days. Her beloved has endured his share of restless nights, but never again - as long as Luna has anything to say about it - shall he endure them alone. Drawing his attention with a tender kiss to the shoulder, and then another for good measure, she invites him to walk with her.

The night is blessedly quiet, if a little cold. She keeps Noctis' hand in her own, tight, their fingers laced together. Their home has not the sprawling expanse of Tenebrae, but she has made something no less delightful of the Citadel gardens. An oasis of every colour climbing the walls and littering the greenery. Settling into their garden swing, Luna drapes a blanket over the two of them.

Once, she had looked at Noctis as if he hung the stars in the sky. Now she knows he has. But it is no surprise - he has carried starlight with him all his life. ❝Have I ever told you what I noticed first about you, when we were at last reunited?❞ She lifts her head from his shoulder to meet his gaze. ❝It was your eyes. How light would sparkle in them. When I was with you, even streetlamps looked like stars.❞

[sylleblosscm]

@novuscaelum:

❝ It isn’t fair! I don’t even know them! ❞

---

Arranged Marriage Starters [accepting]

❝You do not need to. This is nothing more than a meeting, my darling. Nothing shall be decided today.❞

Luna already knows how her son hates his fancy dress clothes and formal affairs. She had expected some resistance, but this is beyond what she was prepared for.

She gives up on trying to straighten his tie and sighs. ❝You are a Prince, Novus. Since before you were born there have been people clamouring to marry their daughters off to you. It is the way of things. We are obligated to hear out such offers, but not to accept them.❞ She places a gentle hand beneath his chin in an attempt to lift his face.❝You father and I would never impose a fate upon you that you did not ask for. You deserve to find love when you are ready. Until then, we shall meet this Lord, and you will be kind to his daughter - and then, you father will politely turn down an offer of marriage on your behalf, and we shall all get ice cream. Does that sound like something you can do?❞

[sylleblosscm]

@novuscaelum x

Luna looks between her distressed son and the bag of snacks, and sighs. ❝Oh, dear. Your poor mouth.❞ She scoops Novus up, resting him on her hip. ❝Let us find you some milk, that will help. We can even make it chocolate. I hear chocolate can take away any pain you have.❞

[sylleblosscm]

@princessofmuses:

﹟  reunions﹕ sender  &  receiver  reunite  after  some  time  apart . (From Lynora)

---

Tagged Appropriately [accepting]

The Queen has many obligations, but they must all wait today. For today, Luna prioritises the one that means the most to her. Upon becoming a mother, she swore she would not be a lesser ruler for it - but her children would always come before her crown. Not a day in their lives would they want for her care and attention. They would have it always.

Though her daughter is a teenager, Luna is no less devoted than when she was small and helpless. She waits for the airship to land, somewhat impatiently - happy to know that Lynora was safe while she was away, that Ravus was able to show her many of the wonders of their home; but no less eager to have her in her arms again. As soon as the ship lands and the doors open, Luna has her arms open. ❝How did you enjoy your trip, Blossom?❞

[sylleblosscm]

@princessofmuses​:

“If my wedding doesn’t have ostriches I’m gonna sue someone.” (Lynora)

--

Cliccy Starters [accepting]

Luna laughs at that, unbidden, and quickly brings her hand up to her mouth in an attempt to pass it off as a sneeze. These affairs are always hopelessly droll, but her daughter’s dry humour does add some much appreciated colour.

 ❝I suppose some Lords are more...eccentric than others.❞ There is something about attending weddings that reminds Luna of her own - opulent as it had been to any ordinary citizen, but simple for a royal wedding. Most of the grandeur had been reserved for their guests. All Luna and Noctis needed was one another and their precious book. With both in arms reach, the day had been more than perfect.

 ❝I do not know how he acquired them, but I wonder if chocobos might have been more practical after all. At least the journey down the aisle would have been less chaotic. And faster.❞

[sylleblosscm]

@novuscaelum​:

“Oh my Astrals, Mom! That was like 4 plot twists and I had at least 3 heartattacks!”  

---

Cliccy Starters [accepting]

Luna touch is deft and gentle, handling the notebook as if it were made of a delicate spun glass. It is, after all, the most precious object in this world. Setting it neatly in her lap, she laughs - the pages within have long been her childrens’ bedtime stories, but with decades between the covers, there are still plenty of entries left that may yet surprise them. 

 It is easy to look upon these pages and smile. In the midst of her happiness, it is tempting to forget the slow torture that was being kept from her soulmate, locked away within her guilded cage. But yesterday’s troubles are today’s nostalgia, and Luna wouldn’t change a thing. Not knowing what she knows now; not here, bathed in the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. ❝Your father and I had some wonderful adventures before you were born - though you and your sister have proven to be the most wonderful yet.❞

 She moves from her chair, passing the book to a waiting Umbra for safekeeping, before perching on the edge of Novus’ bed. ❝There are still a few minutes before it is time to sleep. Do you need anything further?❞

[sylleblosscm]

@novuscaelum​​:

🎄

---

Holiday Starters [accepting]  

  6. our muses at a christmas festival

Though it is still early in the day, a crowd has already begun to form. Such is the unparalleled nature of Altissia’s festivals - people come from far and wide to experience them, and the Lucian royals are no exception. As a gift to them, she left Noctis and Lynora asleep in the family’s suite (goodness knows they’re not morning people, and rarely does the chance present itself to sleep as long as they wish without consequences), affording her some quality time with her son.

 ❝Do you see the lights up there?❞ she asks, pointing. ❝Tonight, they shall illuminate the whole city. Won’t that be beautiful? Now, I think our first order of business ought to be breakfast. What would you like, my darling?❞

[sylleblosscm]

@princessofmuses​:

"I never erase a photo once I take it. That’s my policy. No matter what kind of photo it is, the moment captured in it only exists at that time.” (From Lynora)

---

Smile At Despair In The Name Of Hope [accepting]

❝Then it is fortunate for us all that you inherited your Uncle Prompto’s talent for the craft.❞ Luna smiles warmly as she scrolls through Lynora’s many mementos of the family’s visit to Galdin Quay. Each a precious moment in their family’s history, preserved. 

 She knows only too well how easily a moment can slip away. As Luna clings to the years she has with her beloved husband and children, it seems her daughter has already mastered the art of appreciating every second. Returning the camera too her, she seats herself at Lynora’s side. ❝I wonder if you might share with me some of your favourites?❞

[sylleblosscm]

@novuscaelum​:

"Mommy! Mommy!" the three-year-old could barely contain his excitement as he ran towards the queen with a broad smile. "I drawed a..a picture for Unca Ravus and... And he said he wants to put it on the wall!" Not the fridge. The wall. "It's at his house. It's on the wall at his house!"

---

Unprompted [always accepting]

Though caught off-guard, Luna finds her footing easily. Her child’s sweet, happy voice is always a welcome sound, whatever else she might have to occupy her. She picks him up as he reaches her, setting him upon her hip with a smile bright enough to match his. ❝Goodness, that is exciting! You must be very proud. You know your Uncle Ravus allows only the most special, wonderful pictures by the very best artists to be hung on his walls.❞

[sylleblosscm]

@novuscaelum​ x

Her back had been turned for barely a second, but a second is all it seemingly takes for mischief to find her son. She makes a soft hushing sound, taking the glue stick away and scooping him up into her arms. ❝Now, what have we done here?❞ And though her voice is gentle and sympathetic, it takes a herculean effort not to laugh. Perhaps she will never understand the enigmas of a toddler’s mind. She touches the hardened ends of his hair, trying to ascertain the severity of the situation. ❝What were you trying to do, my darling?❞

[sylleblosscm]

@novuscaelum​​:

"Mom! I made it up in the tree!" Had Novus climbed a bit higher than he was supposed to? Yes, he had but now there was a problem. He was too scared to move. The Prince had a problem with heights. "But I can't get down!"

---

She smiles up at her son, calm in contrast to his fear. To panic would only make matters worse for him - besides, even if once she might have, panic is a little beyond her now. Years of his trouble-seeking have made her accustomed to such surprises. Already she had called over a Glaive, in case this very thing came to pass.

 ❝You’ve done marvelously, my darling. Do not worry, you shall be down soon - but perhaps next time we may stay on the lower branches, hm?❞