Chapter Text
The waves lapped against the boat’s polished Tenebraen oak hull as the water split into two at the bow.
Prompto stared at the water, mesmerized by how clear and blue it was. He could see his own reflection on its surface. Beneath the waves, colorful fish flicked out of the boat’s path, hiding amongst vibrant coral reef shelves. A sea turtle lazily banked to the right, away from the oncoming ship.
The bright sun, unbidden by clouds, had caused a slight spattering of freckles to appear across his cheeks. Prompto hadn’t even known he had freckles.
The weather in Niflheim was cold and always overcast with either freezing wind or snow falling so the sun couldn’t penetrate the cloud cover, making the place constantly gloomy. Perhaps that was why he hadn’t known; the freckles were only visible in the sunlight.
Prompto grinned at his reflection, turning his head side to side as he admired himself. He was quite handsome if he said so himself. His golden hair stuck up in a style that was fondly reminiscent of chocobo feathers and upon seeing a chocobo in a book, Prompto could see why some had come to call him Prince Chocobo.
Chocobo couldn’t withstand the bitter temperatures of Niflheim so Prompto had never seen one in person. He hoped to change that with his trip. From his studies, he had learned chocobo were common in Lucis, used as one of many modes of transportation to reach distant towns.
Wearing his best royal garb, a white robe decorated with gold and red trimmings complete with the crest of Niflheim–a pale blue snowflake with ice trailing behind it called Shiva’s Frost–Prompto hoped he gave off the air of royalty.
This trip to Lucis was important. Extremely important. A cold war between Niflheim and Lucis had been ongoing for ten years and Prompto hoped to finally break the ice between the two nations. To be the first Niflheim heir, and the youngest, to end the tensions between his country and Lucis.
It had taken a bit of persuasion to even be considered to go. His father had insisted he go, being the King, but a few days ago had fallen ill, rendering him bedridden with a high fever and cough. With Lucis expecting Niflheim’s ruler to show up in order to discuss negotiations of trade and draft up a treaty, Prompto had been the next best. Next in line for the throne, the twenty-year-old hoped to live up to his father’s expectations as well as his people’s hopes. With little time to prepare, a hasty messenger daggerquill had been sent out shortly before Prompto had boarded the boat bound for Lucis. By the time the boat arrived at Lucis's shores, the king would know of the change in plans and would hopefully be amenable to the prospect of speaking with the prince of Niflheim and not the king.
Prompto gripped the railing tighter in anticipation of speaking with the Lucian King and also seeing Lucis for the first time outside of a book then glanced to his right where Ignis stood silently, gazing out towards the horizon.
Ignis was Prompto’s shinobi, a trained assassin that would protect the prince no matter what, even to his own demise. He had been Prompto’s shinobi since Prompto had been five and Prompto had been startled when Ignis had matter-of-factly told him exactly what shinobi did, according to their code. It hadn’t seemed fair when he was that age: a stranger willing to give up his own life to protect Prompto’s life. It still wasn't fair even years later.
Four years older than Prompto, the shinobi didn’t reveal much about himself or his past and Prompto didn’t pry; it wasn't his place, especially if Ignis didn’t want him to tell him. The first time Prompto had asked where Ignis had come from, as his accent was not of Niflheim, he had gotten a sharp glare from Ignis only after the pain had disappeared from his eyes. Prompto never asked again, if only to spare whatever haunting memory went through Ignis’s mind.
Wearing a dark brown jacket and trousers with a tan belt around his waist to secure the jacket, Ignis didn’t appear to be a shinobi who typically wore a loose kimono. The clothes were clean and neat, a thin mesh of chainmail hidden between the jacket and a black sleeveless shirt. His white socks rarely seemed to get dirty, even when trampling through mud or slushy snow, as if they were magicked with a whicking spell.
Knowing him all his life, Prompto understood that was just the kind of man Ignis was.
Soft-spoken and impeccably groomed. Even his hair, sandy blond and gelled upwards like a crest using the oil of a gigantoad, remained clean.
Ignis was really amazing. His fighting skill even more so. At his left side was a sheathed katana named Senshi. The sheath was made from the wood of a Galahdian hardwood tree and enclosed in the tanned skin of a sahagin which was dyed black using powdered blackstone. A thin piece of metal wrapped around the top of the sheath was stamped with the crest of Niflheim’s king. Made specifically for him, the blade contained within the sheath could separate into multiple segments, held together by strong, corded wire, to strike far away enemies. A weapon as versatile as its master.
Prompto knew Ignis also had small knives lining his arms and he wielded the ability of magic, a rare phenomenon not everyone could master. Prompto had never seen Ignis use his magic, though, and Ignis had explained that using the magic made him tired. Magic didn't come to everyone, much less two extremely different magic types–fire and ice. One time, Prompto had asked how Ignis had gotten his magic–was he born with it or had a God blessed him with the affinity of wielding the power of thd gods–the shinobi had explained that when he had been a child, he had touched a meteor shard that had somehow traveled all the way to Niflheim. It gave him the ability of fire and ice magic from the single touch, though he didn't know why. Being in a cold climate such as Niflheim, Ignis always felt his ice magic supercharged, drawing in the frigid air around him unconsciously, powering him up.
Prompto wondered how Ignis was faring with the boat ride. Neither of them had ever been on a boat before, much less outside Niflheim for so long, and Ignis had been silent the entire ride which was nearing its two week mark.
As Prompto watched, he could see Ignis shifting his weight a small amount to counteract the boat’s rocking.
Prompto imagined being on something that moved constantly made Ignis feel uneasy, judging by how he had a hand set on the hilt of Senshi. Or, as usual, he was always on alert for a potential threat.
“Hey, Igs!”
Ignis’s verdant eyes slid over to Prompto before the shinobi turned to face him, giving a low bow. “Yes, my lord?”
“Oh, come on, how many times do I have to tell you?” Prompto huffed as he crossed his arms, frowning at Ignis even though it looked more like pouting. “You don’t need to bow to me or go on about all that ‘my lord’ stuff. We’re friends!”
“I’m afraid I must disagree, my lord,” Ignis murmured as he stared at Prompto impassively. “We are not friends. You are my lord and I am your retainer. I am to serve you and protect you at the cost of my life.”
Prompto groaned, rubbing the back of his neck as he closed an eye. Same old answer. Prompto shouldn't have expected anything different. “Yeah, well….at least call me Prompto, okay?”
Ignis hesitated, but only slightly, before he nodded once. “Of course, my lord.”
Prompto let that one slide. A coeurl couldn’t change its spots, after all, and Ignis could be stubborn when he wanted to be. It would take a while for Ignis to become used to the change.
Instead, Prompto swung his arms out wide to show what was around them. “Anyway, isn’t this awesome?! The ocean, Igs. The ocean!”
Ignis inclined his head in agreement, a faint hum coming from his throat. They had been on the ocean for a little over two weeks and Prompto was reacting to it now? “Yes. I agree that this is quite….awesome.”
Prompto gave a huge grin at the informal word coming from Ignis’s mouth, even if it did sound unusual.
Ignis gazed back out at the ocean, the breeze ruffling his hair and the scent of salt settling on his tongue.
The ocean….was nice. He liked it better than the biting cold of Shiva’s region. The last time he had been on the ocean had been when he was a child, being shipped to Niflheim.
Prompto wondered how long it was until they reached the port village of Galdin Quay, but as he was about to go ask the boat’s captain, he saw the village beginning to bloom in the distance. Running to the bow of the boat, ignoring Ignis’s call of “My lord, be careful!”, Prompto grabbed the railing and leaned over the edge to get a closer look.
Galdin Quay was a small fishing village known for its local seafood cuisine and white sandy beaches. A large hut was off to the side of the wooden dock, a gathering place for people to eat and learn about the village. The inn Galdin Quay boasted was said to have the softest beds known in Lucis and a warm, salt water bath.
Even from the distance they were at, Prompto could see people milling about on the dock and beach. Some splashed in the surf.
“Galdin Quay,” the captain muttered as the boat scraped against the side of the dock. He picked up a rope with a looped end, tossing it onto the dock's mooring post to secure the boat. “Here’s your stop, gentlemen.”
“Thank you for the passage,” Ignis said, pulling out a few gold coins from the depths of his jacket and dropping into the captain’s hand. Niflheim currency translated particularly well to Insomnia's yen coins despite the cold war and lack of interactions between the two nations. “Come along, my lord.”
Ignis picked up a sizable bag that contained everything they needed for their nearly week long trip to Lucis’s capital city. Prompto had made fun of it at first, jokingly asking what was in the bag. Ignis had matter-of-factly told him that inside the bag was everything they would require in order to survive; tents to sleep in, bowls and utensils and pots for fireside cooking, extra clothes and some non-perishable food. Prompto hadn’t asked about the bag since. There was probably a lot more in the bag that Ignis hadn't mentioned.
Prompto had only taken his sketchbook with him so he wouldn’t get bored during the boat ride.
Prompto was already off the boat as Ignis paid the captain and grabbed their supply bag, looking around the village in awe.
As Ignis approached him, Prompto ran off ahead to see what there was. Being in a foreign country was exciting and Prompto wanted to see everything it had to offer.
“My lord, don’t run off without me!” Ignis called, chasing after the young prince, the bag slung over his shoulders not seeming to weigh him down at all.
A few people stared at the strange duo, but upon seeing the weapon strapped to Ignis, began to mind their own business. Strangers with weapons usually meant nothing good and they didn’t want to be caught up into something sordid.
Prompto didn’t get too far, halting when he saw a colorful cat curled up along the edge of the dock. With a small squeal, he knelt down and held out his hand, clicking his tongue. “Here, kitty, kitty. Here, kitty. Come here, kitty, kitty.”
The cat lifted its head with a purr then stood up, arching its back to stretch, before meandering over to Prompto with the tip of its tail cocked. It sniffed his fingers then bumped its head into his hand.
Prompto melted as the cat allowed him to stroke its soft fur, cooing at it.
Ignis stood impassively nearby, allowing the prince to pet the animal.
Cats and dogs weren’t able to survive the harsh winters that Niflheim provided, so pets in the castle hadn’t been a prospect. Even attempting to domesticate Niflheim-born monsters hadn’t panned out.
After a few more minutes, Ignis cleared his throat. “My lord, we should get going, the trip to the capital will be around a five-day chocobo ride. If we are to arrive at our scheduled time, we need to move on.”
Prompto sighed as he nodded. He understood that they had to keep moving. The king of Lucis was expecting them and he wanted to make a good first impression. That meant being on time.
Giving the cat one last pat and a “be good, kitty”, Prompto stood and followed Ignis over to an off to the side of the docks. The area had a caravan parked nearby that had a pile of different weapons within it to sell to travelers and a small chocobo rental pen. Four yellow chocobo stood in their stalls, already saddled and ready to ride. The birds quietly warbled at one another, shifting from foot to foot.
While Ignis went to speak with the chocobo’s caretaker about the rental price, Prompto approached one of the large birds.
He patted its fluffy neck and gave an excited squeal when it squawked at the petting then lowered its long neck to wrap around him. Prompto draped his arms around the chocobo’s warm neck, squeezing it. “Look, Iggy, look, it likes me!”
Ignis glanced in Prompto’s direction and gave a brief nod to show that he did indeed see that the chocobo liked Prompto before returning to his conversation with the chocobo renter.
For five days, the cost would be 500 yen which was affordable in Ignis’s eyes. 100 yen per day was a steal. Making sure that the man was all right with Niflheim currency, Ignis dropped the coins into the man's hands, mentally reminding himself that once they got to Insomnia to switch some of the money he had brought with him to Lucian currency.
Ignis walked over to Prompto, opening the stall where the chocobo he was hugging stood. Ignis opened another beside it, pulling the reins to lure the chocobo out.
Prompto watched Ignis then grabbed the reins of the chocobo that liked him, pulling it from its stall.
After strapping the bag to the chocobo’s saddle, Ignis climbed up into the saddle himself, glancing over at Prompto who was struggling to imitate the shinobi’s grace.
As Ignis was about to slide down to help Prompto, the blond finally managed to get into the seat, puffing himself up with pride.
The chocobo renter approached Ignis with a small bag. “Here ya go, man. A bag of gysahl greens for your mounts and a map of Lucis.”
Ignis took the bag, tying it to his belt since it wasn’t too large or heavy, and nodded. “Thank you.”
Before they left, Ignis opened the map which was hand drawn with every village and town marked on it as well as notable places that included havens. Havens were huge, flat-topped rocks imbued with magical properties to keep away monsters, allowing travelers to rest in peace without concern of attacks through the night.
The fastest route to Insomnia, the capital city of Lucis, would take them up to Longwythe Peak and to the small town of Hammerhead. Hammerhead was just shy of the checkpoint set up before the massive bridge leading to Insomnia, near Ostium Gorge, an old mine that had been abandoned hundreds of years ago. Along the way were a few havens where they could rest.
Satisfied with the basic route plotted out, Ignis nodded and carefully folded the map, sliding it into his jacket so he wouldn’t lose it.
Kicking the chocobo sent it into an easy trot, Ignis steering it toward the dirt road that split into different paths; the left led to Duscae while the right led to Leide. He took the one on the right.
Beside him, Prompto was gazing at the passing landscape in awe, a huge grin on his face. The trees were so bright and green, birds flickering between branches. Everything back in Niflheim had been dead and grey.
All of this was a new experience for him and he was enjoying every minute of it.
By sunset, they had come across their first haven, Vernaugh. Vernaugh haven was close to Snulhend Pass, a rock bridge spanning over the road leading to the Fallgrove. Legend had it that a fearsome wyvern stalked the Leide region and its gaze turned the region to stone. Ignis wasn't sure how much faith to put into the legend, but it at least explained why the region was barren of greenery. Desert built monsters roamed the area and Ignis was grateful for the shelter the pass gave.
While Prompto fed the chocobos some of the gysahl greens, Ignis began to set up their tents and create a makeshift fire. Once he had hung up a pot over the flames to heat up, Ignis left the haven to gather some ingredients from nearby.
While he had some cured meats that would last them the trip, he knew the lands of Lucis provided wild spices and vegetables that he could add into a dish. He didn’t linger too long in his search, ears pricking at the rustling bushes and distant screeches and cries of something lurking in the growing darkness, returning to the haven with some wild rice, wheat, and sweet potatoes.
Prompto was already snoozing as he waited for the food to be cooked, leaning against his chocobo. The chocobo had its head resting in the blond’s lap.
Ignis smiled at the blond fondly and allowed him the small nap, setting to work on making some chicken and rice risotto. He already planned on making some warm chiffon cake for dessert. Winter tea leaves steeped in boiling water would make an excellent drink for both dinner and desert.
Creating recipes and cooking was one of Ignis’s favorite pastimes, a thing he rarely indulged in. His job allowed little room for cooking and relaxing so being able to cook allowed Ignis’s mind to unwind and drift into a place that didn’t involve being hypervigilant to Prompto's wellbeing.
As he began to serve the cooked food on the metal plates he had brought with them, Prompto began to stir at the smell of food.
“Is dinner ready already?” he asked, stretching his arms above his head with a grunt.
The chocobo gave a sleepy squawk as Prompto shifted, moving its head to the ground to resume sleeping.
“Yes,” Ignis murmured, handing one of the plates to Prompto before setting a cup of steaming tea in front of Prompto.
Ignis sat beside the blond with his own plate and cup of tea.
As Prompto dug into the warm food, he glanced at Ignis out of the corner of his eye, noticing that the shinobi’s sword lay by his side. It was a sign that Ignis was relaxed and didn’t expect any trouble.
With a smile, Prompto shoved another spoonful of soft rice into his mouth. He hoped the entire trip to Insomnia was like this. Getting to see this new land and eating Ignis’s wonderful cooking.
By day three, a half day’s ride from Hammerhead, the two ran into their first problem. It was too dangerous to sleep out in the open or even in a cave, so Ignis kept them going until they could reach the next haven listed on the map. It was an exhausting push, but it wasn't safe outside a haven's protective circle.
Close to Emelle haven, the sun’s light fading faster than Ignis had anticipated, a daemon had suddenly appeared in the middle of the road, the summoning symbol beneath it disappearing as soon as it emerged.
The daemon wore a tattered kimono speckled with dirt and dried blood, wielding a wicked katana in its hand, a circular straw hat covering its face. Its skin was paper thin, like it had been hastily stretched over bones, and deep purple.
Ignis recognized the daemon quickly as a yojimbo, a monster that resulted from a restless spirit attaching itself to a body that died tragically, typically a shinobi. They were vicious and excellent swordsmen.
“Stay back!” Ignis ordered Prompto, already leaping off his chocobo to engage the daemon.
Prompto nodded, looking concerned as he pulled his chocobo back a few feet. He knew little about daemons, but knew that many of them had to be summoned by a sorcerer; a few daemons were naturally born, typically in the dark depths of caves. A cursory glance around revealed no movement in the trees nearby.
Ignis withdrew Senshi from its sheath, metal scraping against the lip of his sheath with a sharp ringing noise. He and the yojimbo circled each other, blades raised.
Ignis didn’t know who had summoned the daemon, but now he was concerned that the agreement to the treaty had been a trick to get the Emperor of Niflheim vulnerable and easily killed. Ignis didn’t know whether Lucis had any sorcerers amongst their mostly samurai ranks or whether they had a sorcerer strong enough to summon the dead. He would figure that out later. His first priority was to protect Prompto and kill the yojimbo.
It was the yojimbo that lunged first and Ignis met it in the middle, their blades biting each other, sparks flying.
After a few strikes, Ignis managed to break the yojimbo’s guard, taking advantage to run his sword through its shoulder.
The blow wasn’t deadly. It took multiple strikes to kill a daemon, even if one aimed for the heart or head.
The yojimbo gave an eerie screech at the pain, swiping out with its sword which Ignis ducked under to avoid.
Pulling the sword out and avoiding the black blood that sprayed from the wound, Ignis distanced himself from the daemon. Even from a distance, he could smell the rot that the blood emanated as it sunk into the dirt, staining it.
Flipping his sword to the side, Ignis flicked it once to segment it then swung out, the multiple sections racing toward the yojimbo.
The yojimbo held up its sword diagonally in front of it, Ignis’s sword wrapping around the blade with a screech. It began to yank back, trying to disarm the shinobi.
Ignis pulled back as well, counteracting the daemon’s attempt.
The yojimbo was powered by the dark magic that had brought it back to life and its strength was powerful enough to cause Ignis to slide forward.
Briefly, the daemon loosened its grip on its sword, Senshi’s segments slackening, before it yanked back with inhuman strength.
The force staggered Ignis and he stumbled, releasing his hold on his weapon to avoid being thrown off his feet.
The yojimbo flicked its sword to the side, discarding Senshi in the grass nearby, and charged towards Prompto.
Prompto froze at the daemon running towards him, gripping the chocobo’s reins tighter.
The chocobo stood its ground, fluffing up its feathers as it reared its neck back in challenge. It was ready to kick and bite the daemon once it came close enough.
“My lord!” Ignis called, instantly leaping between the chocobo that held Prompto and the charging yojimbo. He held his hands up in front of him. “The flames that wreath your mighty crown are a sign of your might. Allow me to borrow some of your flames to protect those dear to me. Ifrit, lend me the wrath of your fire!”
Blue-tinged flames erupted from the tips of Ignis’s fingers, launching toward the yojimbo and engulfing it.
The daemon shrieked at the flames devouring it, futilely swiping at them with its sword.
Ignis kept the flames going until the shrieking died down and the yojimbo vanished in a cloud of dark purple dust. Only then did the flames cease, crackling until they extinguished themselves, and Ignis lowered his hands.
The exhaustion was swift to sweep over him and blanket his bones, forcing him to one knee. A faint sheen of sweat coated the back of his neck, chilling his skin in the night air.
“Ignis!” Prompto slid down from his chocobo and knelt beside the shinobi, setting a hand on his shoulder.
“I’m fine,” Ignis murmured, keeping his voice steady. He wasn’t supposed to show weakness in front of his charge, but he had to do anything to protect Prompto’s life.
Prompto bit back the answer he was about to say, standing instead and going to retrieve Senshi from where it lay.
A twist to the side and the segments retracted back into blade form.
Prompto returned to Ignis who was slowly getting to his feet.
Ignis took the offered blade, inclining his head with a soft “Thank you, my lord.”
Sliding the blade’s edge against the top of the sheath, Ignis slid it into the holder where it clicked once the handle met the sheath’s lip.
Prompto watched as Ignis went to retrieve his chocobo which had run a few feet away into the brush to avoid the battle. Now Prompto knew how Ignis had earned the moniker Graceful Belladonna. He was as beautiful as he was deadly. A sharp wit matched only by a sharper sword.
Ignis nodded to Prompto as he returned with his mount, his exhaustion just barely hidden by his neutral gaze.
Prompto went to get his chocobo so they could continue to Hammerhead.
The outer edges of Hammerhead were marked with magical barriers, creating a sort of haven that prevented monsters from harassing travelers. A long, low building was nearly the only thing there and it offered supplies for those who passed through either to or from Insomnia. A smaller building set off to the side was a blacksmithing shop. They repaired weapons and armor and sold their own armaments.
“I’ll be back,” Ignis said as he got down from his chocobo, fastening the reins to a nearby hitching post. “Don’t wander off too far, my lord.”
Prompto smiled and nodded, watching Ignis enter the merchant building. He got off his chocobo, tying it beside the other chocobo, then began to make his way towards the blacksmith’s building.
Peeking in the doorway, he saw a lit furnace and a low table used to meld and shape weapons. The shop appeared to be empty at the moment.
Curious, Prompto entered the building and gazed around, his eyes going to the many weapons lining one side of the wall. He could see swords, spears, broadswords, and even a wicked looking mace on the end of a chain.
Something smaller caught his eye and without much thought he pulled it from the rack to inspect it. It had a small handle covered by what felt like polished wood with a medium length barrel. He looked into the barrel to see what was inside.
“Careful or you’ll shoot yer eye out, kiddo.”
At the voice, Prompto squeaked, fumbling with the item so he wouldn’t drop it. He shoved it back on its rack, facing the voice as he put his hands behind his back, face burning at being caught snooping.
At the doorway to a back room stood an older male with short gray hair. His face was creased with age and stress. The man wore a thick apron made of leather around his waist to protect him from the sparks and heat that his job offered.
“I-I’m sorry!” Prompto squeaked, giving a hasty bow. “I was just curious! I didn’t mean to offend.”
The man waved a hand as he shuffled towards Prompto.
Prompto moved to the side and the man picked up the strange weapon.
“This is what the Sols call a ‘gun’. It spits fire and metal that can break swords.”
Prompto gasped at the description, staring at the small gun. It didn’t look like it had the power to do such a thing. “How? How can it do that?”
“Don’t know. I’m still tinkering with it. All I know is that it uses the same powder that creates fireworks.” The man set the gun back on the shelf before facing Prompto and sticking his hand out. “Name’s Cid and this here is my blacksmithing shop.”
“Prompto. My name is Prompto.” Prompto shook Cid’s hand.
Cid eyed his clothes, giving a slight grunt. “Nif, huh? Never thought I’d see one of you in Lucis.”
“I’m here to speak with King Regis. My father is the Niflheim Emperor.”
“A prince, eh? I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.” Cid shook his head as he went closer to the lit furnace, picking up a poker to prod at the burning wood.
“My lord,” Ignis said, coming into the shop. “We need to get moving.”
“And a shinobi!” Cid exclaimed, waving his poker with a grin. “Never thought I’d see one of you in the land of the samurai.”
Ignis spared the man a cursory glance then bowed. “Thank you for keeping my charge out of trouble. We must be moving on, however.”
“If your sword ever needs a tune-up, come on back here!” Cid called as Prompto and Ignis left.
“So, what did you get at the merchant?” Prompt asked as he watched Ignis tie the new bag onto the chocobo’s side.
“Medicinal herbs and some fresh fruit as well as some Galahdian coffee beans that I wish to try.”
Coffee was a rare import for Niflheim and apparently a common one for Lucis. It made sense in hindsight as Galahd was next door to Lucis.
Prompto knew that Ignis liked coffee and with it being infrequent in Niflheim he was certain the shinobi was excited to be able to have some on their trip. Perhaps with the treaty, they could ask for coffee beans as an import.
He resisted smiling as they set their chocobos into motion continuing to the first checkpoint before Insomnia.
Prompto gaped at the long bridge that connected Insomnia with the rest of Lucis.
It was definitely a feat of engineering. Made from brick and lined with cobblestone, the bridge led from the first checkpoint to the gates just before the city, spanning over a vast lake that separated the town from the rest of the continent.
If the bridge was amazing, Prompto wondered how the rest of Insomnia looked. Even Ignis seemed impressed by the bridge.
“This must have taken decades to build,” the shinobi muttered, glancing up at the oil lights that lined either side of the bridge.
“I can’t wait to tell father about all of this,” Prompto said with an excited grin. “He’ll be so jealous.”
“Well, should this go well, I’m sure your father would love to visit when time allows.”
Prompto hoped it would all go well. His father was sure to be impressed by Lucis just as much as they were.
As they approached the vast metal gates that blocked Insomnia from view, Ignis slid from his chocobo.
Two guards on either side of the door were quick to approach the duo.
“Identification,” one growled, spear held tighter at his side.
The guards wore heavy armor of black and blue, the crest of Bahamut emblazoned on their chest plates; the famous Crystal of Lucis with draconic wings spread from the back of it and two swords criss-crossed over the Crystal. At their sides were sheathed swords, back up weapons.
Kingsglaive, Ignis’s mind supplied.
Expert samurai charged with guarding the king. Their skills in combat were said to be unmatched.
Just as Ignis was about to tell the two who they were in the presence of, Prompto touched the shinobi’s arm. Ignis flicked his gaze at the blond then stepped to the side, head lowered respectfully.
“My name is Prompto Argentum Aldercapt, son of Emperor Iedolas Aldercapt, the ruler of Niflheim. The king of Lucis is expecting us.”
The two guards glanced at each other before they scowled at Prompto.
“No one told us a Nif was coming here with a shinobi rat," one of the guards scoffed.
The second guard flapped a hand at the two. “Why don’t you two move along and try to trick someone more gullible?”
Ignis grabbed the handle of Senshi, about to withdraw his weapon when Prompto held up a hand to stop him.
Starting a fight wouldn’t help their case. It would probably worsen the situation and it was something they couldn’t afford right then.
“If you could summon someone from the king’s council, I’m sure that they’ll know we’re being expected,” Prompto assured. “We have traveled long and far to meet with the king.”
One of the guards snorted, raising their spear and pointing the tip at Prompto. “How about you listen to your elders?”
“What is going on here?” a voice asked.
The two guards reacted instantaneously, straightening as the butt of their spears struck the ground.
From the doors, a middle-aged man with silver hair shorn short and blue eyes appeared. He wore the robes of a high council member, black and gold, the crest of Bahamut on his breast pocket.
“Councilman Amicitia!” one guard said. “These two claim to be here to see the king!”
“He says he’s the Nif prince and that’s his shinobi," the second guard added.
The councilman raised an eyebrow then glanced at the two, eyes flicking up and down to quickly appraise them.
Ignis could see the heavy broadsword strapped across the councilman’s back, giving the appearance that the man was not just part of the king’s council. It was possible he was part of the Kingsglaive as well.
The councilman sighed, shaking his head before turning on the two guards. “You idiots. Look at his clothes! They’re the royal colors of Niflheim! This man is indeed the prince of Niflheim and the king has been awaiting his arrival. Now open the gates!”
“Yes, sir!” the two guards saluted then scrambled to opposite sides, opening the gates.
As the doors slowly creaked open, Councilman Amicitia turned back to Ignis and Prompto, lowering himself in a bow. “I apologize for them. Please, come in. We welcome you to the great city of Insomnia.”