#etroverse

[radioactivepeasant]

Fic Prompts: Final Fantasy Friday

(Another part of my "Knight of Etro" au)

The dinner table was, for the most part, quiet. Noctis wasn't used to having a lot of company at dinner. And Ignis wasn't even here! But Lunafreya never seemed to mind him following her around, even though she was A Middle Schooler already and he was still a third grader. So Noctis leaned as far over the side of his wheelchair as he could and asked Luna questions about what she did for fun, whether they could go to the pool tomorrow, whether she liked video games etc.

"You should really meet Ignis. He's so cool! He's my re- retainer," Noctis babbled. "And Petrus, Lord Pavonem's son, he said a prince's retainer is a servant who gets paid to be my friend because I'm too much of a baby to make friends by myself. But Ignis says that's stupid, and he's older than Petrus so he knows more. And Dad says Iggy's mom taught him how to be a retainer because I didn't have any older brothers and I needed someone to look up to."

Luna's older brother looked faintly amused, but also just a little annoyed by the chatter. Noctis's dad had said that when he was a teenager, he should remember to be patient if a child ever tagged along at his heels, but also to remember that it was okay to want to spend time with people closer to his age. That's why sometimes he had to "give Ignis space". Noctis supposed that made sense, but he still thought Ravus was kind of boring.

Midway through the clearing of the dishes, there was a brisk tapping on the door. Everyone looked up, surprised. 

Everyone except for Gentiana, of course. She hid a smirk behind her sleeve and facetiously wondered who it could be.

Ravus, being closest to the door of the private dining room, stood and opened it. Immediately, he was greeted by a scruffy-haired man in rich, but tacky, clothes.

"Wh-" was all Ravus had time to say before a dismally battered old fedora was dropped unceremoniously onto his head.

"Godfather Ardyn!" Luna squealed, hopping up in her chair, "You didn't say you were coming!"

"He never does," Sylva remarked dryly.

Ardyn winked rogueishly. "All the better to surprise you, my dears. Milady," he swept into a grand bow, "You're looking well. These rascals are behaving themselves, then?"

"Yes, godfather," Luna said sweetly. 

"No, not particularly," Ravus contradicted, raising the battered hat. "Ask Lu why her puppy has a pink splotch on her butt."

"Ravuuuuus!" the little girl whined, "That was an accident!"

"Yeah, we didn't mean to," Noctis said sheepishly, despite having no idea who this godfather person was supposed to be.

Ardyn pretended to do a double take. "My goodness! Now who can this be? A new darling nephew to spoil?" He stroked his chin. "Hmmm no, you don't have the Fleuret eyes...a Hunter, perhaps, here for a job? I'm afraid I've already cleared out the naga today, so you're out of luck."

"No!" Noctis giggled, "I don't have a job!"

Ardyn snapped his fingers. "Ah! I have it! You're a very well-dressed Tonberry!"

Ravus pulled his hat back down over his face. "Uncle Ardyn, you're embarrassing."

"It's my job, dear boy," the man said airily. "You didn't think I'd come all the way to Tenebrae for your birthday just to be boring, did you?"

Noctis saw Ravus light up under the hat. "You came for my birthday?"

Ardyn stepped back and dropped an arm around his shoulders. "I most certainly did! I can't show you how your present works yet, unfortunately. Your mother has such strict rules about weapons at the table."

Regis stiffened at the table as he glimpsed armor under the raggedy coat and finally remembered where he'd seen the man before. 

Last time, he'd been standing over them amidst the blood and flames, plunging a blade into the Marilith.

[radioactivepeasant]

Fic Prompts: Final Fantasy Friday

This is a piece of an au of mine related to this drawing where Ardyn becomes a Knight of Etro rather than Besithia's lab assistant and eventual chancellor (and therefore avoids a lot of problems for himself and everyone else)

Ardyn: Etroverse au

Nobody saw him coming.

Between the confusion and the chaos, that was somewhat logical, but Regis still couldn't help the instinctive thought that the stranger had warped into the road.

Had he come to help? To save them? Or was he an enemy?

Regis dragged himself forward. Noctis was up there, alone with the marilith. Alone. He'd heard the nursemaid scream. He knew death when he heard it. He already had his Armiger ready, preparing to warp, when the stranger beat him to it.

"Odin!" shouted the raggedy, flamboyant figure, "Give me a boost, won't you?"

Odin?! Regis felt his mouth drop open as the ancient messenger of the Astrals was suddenly just there. Not that he materialized, or stepped out of some fold in space; he was simply there where he had not been before.

The horned warrior lifted the raggedy man, and Regis glimpsed armor beneath the long coat. Odin launched the man at the marilith, and the man plunged a gleaming red blade into the daemon.

"Best get your little princeling to a doctor, young man," the warrior called nonchalantly, even as he ducked so that Odin could jab at the daemon with a monstrous spear. "I don't like the look of those wounds. I'd heal him myself but- Oopsie-daisies!"

He dodged so quickly that his hat was left behind, then just as rapidly reached back to snatch it back to his head.

"As you can see, I've just the teensiest bit of a full schedule at the moment."

Regis gathered his son into his arms. He's too still- he's much too still! Please, please, I can't lose him too! He gritted his teeth.

"Hold on, son," he whispered, "Just hold on."

Seconds before warping away, he looked up at their rescuer.

"Who are you?"

Not that he truly expected an answer when the man was in the midst of a life and death struggle.

"Oh," the man made a slightly bitter laugh. "Just a man of no consequence."