rєgís lucís cαєlum cхííí (
kingslight) wrote in
hadriel_logs2017-01-20 04:52 am
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Entry tags:
Drifting to the Deep End
Who: Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII & Noctis Lucis Caelum
What: A long and emotionally painful conversation between father and son.
Where: The kitchen of their makeshift apartment in Hadriel.
When: Current
Warnings: Mentions of death & violence. Allusions to emotional torture. Post-KingsGlaive: FFXV & possible Chapter 13 SPOILERS.
[Never has it ever been more of an ordeal to keep his mind busy until now. Regis actually misses the complexity of his kingly life. Having this amount of downtime weighs heavily on his conscious and sanity both. So used to being on the move despite his bad leg, Regis finds it oddly disturbing to have such peace now. Of course, it's all just an elaborate illusion at best. Hadriel isn't remotely peaceful, not even in the slightest. However, Regis confined himself to the solitude that this humble apartment offers and hasn't regretted it yet. While his mind constantly tends to wander by its own volition, Regis did what he could to ignore it.
How unlike the King of Light to take up menial chores to ease his weary mind. Regis feels utterly ridiculous hovering over this cutting board pretending to know how to cook a meal. This is a task best left to a proper chef. This is not what a king should be doing and yet here he is. He makes a regal siholuette by the counter chopping away at his leisure. The vegetables he found were ones we took out of a shop nearby. Fresh greens, onions, mushrooms and carrots which thankfully weren't spoiled or rotten. He snatched a few things from this shop only to feel guilty in the end for his thievery. Regis vowed to replace the items he stolen upon a later date but right now, he needs them for dinner. Lady Lunafreya and his son both haven't eaten in days and that's mildly worrisome. The Oracle needs to conserve her strength in order to recover but she also needs to eat properly to regain her mentioned strength.
Without a proper diet, she'll surely die. That's a thought that scares him deeply.]
...Nngh! [ A sharp gasp escapes Regis once a sharp stab of pain startles him from his gloomy thoughts. The knife is coated red with his blood and his fingers stinging from agony. Somehow while cutting this carrot, Regis injured himself. He stares at the gruesome gash with a look of surprise. Thankfully, Regis didn't cut through the tendons and bone but he left a bloody mess upon the cutting board.] Goodness, no.
[He tries in vain to save the vegetables but it's too late. The gentle curved leaves of the spinach are marred with splotches of red and the carrots are ruined too. Regis makes a move to stifle the bleeding but instead he freezes once his gaze catches a better glimpse at his obvious mortality.]
Right upon the ring finger---
[He whispers as he stares down at the gash. His mind blanks as a dark memory replays within his thoughts. Not too long ago, the Ring of Lucii once sat there but it was cut away by Glauca's blade. Paralyzed by a fear unknown, Regis just stares at the thin red rivulets that cascade down his fingers not at all aware of his son's approach.]
What: A long and emotionally painful conversation between father and son.
Where: The kitchen of their makeshift apartment in Hadriel.
When: Current
Warnings: Mentions of death & violence. Allusions to emotional torture. Post-KingsGlaive: FFXV & possible Chapter 13 SPOILERS.
[Never has it ever been more of an ordeal to keep his mind busy until now. Regis actually misses the complexity of his kingly life. Having this amount of downtime weighs heavily on his conscious and sanity both. So used to being on the move despite his bad leg, Regis finds it oddly disturbing to have such peace now. Of course, it's all just an elaborate illusion at best. Hadriel isn't remotely peaceful, not even in the slightest. However, Regis confined himself to the solitude that this humble apartment offers and hasn't regretted it yet. While his mind constantly tends to wander by its own volition, Regis did what he could to ignore it.
How unlike the King of Light to take up menial chores to ease his weary mind. Regis feels utterly ridiculous hovering over this cutting board pretending to know how to cook a meal. This is a task best left to a proper chef. This is not what a king should be doing and yet here he is. He makes a regal siholuette by the counter chopping away at his leisure. The vegetables he found were ones we took out of a shop nearby. Fresh greens, onions, mushrooms and carrots which thankfully weren't spoiled or rotten. He snatched a few things from this shop only to feel guilty in the end for his thievery. Regis vowed to replace the items he stolen upon a later date but right now, he needs them for dinner. Lady Lunafreya and his son both haven't eaten in days and that's mildly worrisome. The Oracle needs to conserve her strength in order to recover but she also needs to eat properly to regain her mentioned strength.
Without a proper diet, she'll surely die. That's a thought that scares him deeply.]
...Nngh! [ A sharp gasp escapes Regis once a sharp stab of pain startles him from his gloomy thoughts. The knife is coated red with his blood and his fingers stinging from agony. Somehow while cutting this carrot, Regis injured himself. He stares at the gruesome gash with a look of surprise. Thankfully, Regis didn't cut through the tendons and bone but he left a bloody mess upon the cutting board.] Goodness, no.
[He tries in vain to save the vegetables but it's too late. The gentle curved leaves of the spinach are marred with splotches of red and the carrots are ruined too. Regis makes a move to stifle the bleeding but instead he freezes once his gaze catches a better glimpse at his obvious mortality.]
Right upon the ring finger---
[He whispers as he stares down at the gash. His mind blanks as a dark memory replays within his thoughts. Not too long ago, the Ring of Lucii once sat there but it was cut away by Glauca's blade. Paralyzed by a fear unknown, Regis just stares at the thin red rivulets that cascade down his fingers not at all aware of his son's approach.]
no subject
--!
[ He snaps out of his nap quick, which is certainly a sign that he hasn't been able to rest much at all. Noctis is normally a heavy sleeper, but he's roused from it quickly. So quickly, he accidentally rolls off the couch and faceplants into the floor. ]
What-- Dad?!
[ Noctis scrambles to his feet fast, rushing to the kitchen. His heart is racing out of pure panic that something has happened. Whether that be someone breaking in here and hurting him, or this has all been some elaborate illusion, he's at his side. He skids to a halt when he reaches the kitchen, looking over to his father gazing at his hand as he essentially bleeds all over the counter. ]
You alright?
[ He sounds panicked, and is seemingly bewildered by the complete look of shock on Regis' face. ]
Don't just hold it like that; you're bleeding all over the place.
[ Quickly, he grabs the closest rag and rushes to his side. He's shaken, a bit pale in the face and still not all the way there from waking up so suddenly. But Noctis takes Regis' hand and quickly wraps it. ]
C'mon, I got it.
no subject
The faint scent of charred flesh nausates him as Ravus lingers within the throne room still crying in agony as his arm withers to ash. No one besides the Chosen Kings can wield the Ring of the Lucii. A painful truth that cost the First-Son of Tenebrae his arm. Regis feels the anxiety pool within his stomach and as he remembers how earnestly Lunafreya pulled him forward. With all the strength she could muster, the Oracle lead the king towards the secret passage that lead towards the outside but in a moment of pure irony---
He let's go.
The sheer terror upon her face as she glanced over her shoulder matched the terror Regis felt when he lost Lunafreya to the Empire all those years ago. It was a look of despair that haunted Regis to his end. Nyx turned ever so quickly too stop the Oracle for rushing towards him but the Kingsglaive is equally spooked. The look of fear within their eyes spurred the king to face his exceutioner fearlessly but now---]
Noct? [He whispers once his sight returned to him. The raw fear that seized his heart releases him ever so slowly. Regis stares at Noctis with some alarm before taking a moment to gather his thoughts.]
I'm...I'm fine. [Regis says with a hapless smile.] It's merely a small cut.
no subject
[ But even with that considered, the distance in Regis' gaze and his lack of attention seems to shock the prince. While Noctis applies pressure to the wound and keeps his father's hand held tight, there is concern that something else is bothering the king. ]
Sure of that?
You... Seemed pretty dazed there for a second.
[ He tilts his father's arm, looking from that and the blood that has spilled on the counter. ]
You didn't suddenly become squeemish at the sight of blood, did you?
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Of course not. [Regis answers without much conviction in his voice. His gaze is focused away from Noctis and towards the bloody counter ahead. Just seeing the crimson pools there makes Regis quite easy. He might look a tad paler now. Not a particularly good sign.]
There's no salvaging dinner.
[The king says in hopes of changing the subject off him. He doesn't want to worry Noct but his son might be able to feel the slight trembling of his hands right now.]
I'll toss it out.
no subject
Leave it.
[ Noctis tucks the kit under his arm and places his other hand over Regis' again, gesturing with a tilt of his head towards the living room. ]
C'mon. Couch. I'll get this cleaned up and taken care of, and I'll take a shot at handling dinner.
[ Which will likely end in going up in flames, but WHO CARES? Noctis is far too busy trying to guide his father to the couch to care. ]
no subject
[He rambles before attempting to clean up. Regis jerks his hand free from Noctis suddenly only to instantly regret doing so once the sharp agony races through him. The king let's out a pained gasp. Maybe taking his son's advice here might be wiser. Instead of pleading with Noctis not to worry again, Regis caves in and follows his son towards the living room. Funny, he doesn't remember being out here since that stressful night with Lunafreya.
The couch doesn't have a speck of blood on it but knowing she almost died right here in this room makes Regis uneasy. Hell, everything is making him uneasy now that these awful memories are resurfacing. He's oddly quiet now, too quiet. While Regis looks aware of his surroundings currently, his mind is still someplace else right now. It's as if the gravity of it all is finally catching up with him.
The king looks exhausted.]
no subject
[ Noctis is forced to stop for a brief moment when Regis attempts to pull away and get back to cleaning. He scoffs, and it's immediate that Regis makes a pained sound. ]
Dad, give it a rest. I'll take care of it.
[ He's not the best at being overly doting. Over time, he has learned to take a bit more responsibility upon himself. But even with it being a rather fresh quality, Noctis has gotten his ass into gear with considering others a bit more during his trip. So he's a bit firmer in guiding his father to the couch and ushering him to sit. ]
Easy.
[ With the first aid kit set on the coffee table, he gently pulls Regis' hand closer to him. Gently, he turns it over, just to check the bleeding. ]
Jeez, you really dug through it.
[ This isn't exactly the father-son activities he wanted. It's been a frequent thing dealing with his loved ones bleeding all over the place. And on him. And it's not fun. But Noctis handles it better this time around, and places the rag over to apply pressure. He holds firmly, waiting for the bleeding to stop. ]
... What's going on?
no subject
Regis knows it but he doesn't want to do it.]
It's... [A slight hiss of pain escapes him once Noct starts applying some pressure to the cut. It might just all be in his head but this gash upon his finger hurts more than his damn leg. Maybe it's a combination of real pain and phantom pain. He did almost lose his hand when Glauca attacked him for the ring.
Regis can still feel the bite of the General's blade hacking away at him. It's sickening.]
It's difficult for me to say. Far too difficult.
[The king takes a breath as he's about to take the plunge into the deep unknowns.]
Noct. [He turns to his son again. His eyes are filled with such worry and sorrow.] What was said on the day Insomnia fell?
What did the headlines say exactly?
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[ His gaze can't quite meet Regis. Not yet. Not when he recalls that look on Ignis' face as he walked into their hotel room with the newspaper. He'd refused to believe it, somehow trying to ask all of these questions in hopes of bringing comfort and settling nerves that would never be soothed. Knowing that his home was destroyed, his kingdom gone and his father murdered in cold blood. But he knows that avoiding it brings no progress, no hope. The prince lifts his eyes to look into his father's, wearing as much resolve as he can. ]
Explosions interrupted the treaty signing. Imperial troops flooded the streets and when the dust cleared?
[ Noctis pauses, swallowing thickly as he looks down again. ]
The king was found dead.
[ Not precisely the exact words. But close. Noctis could likely recite the whole damn headline from memory if he wanted, but putting it in his own words seemed easier. ]
[ He shrugs his shoulders, looking to Regis' hand as he begins to lift the rag. The bleeding has stopped, giving him signal to start cleaning the wound. ]
"Insomnia falls" in big bold letters.
[ Noctis lowers his voice and leans over to the first aid kit, grabbing the necessary tools. ]
Just like that.
no subject
Quite anticlimax though.
[His son's reluctance only fuels his dread further. Regis doesn't want to dreg up the past but what the media covered regarding the failed 'Treaty' wasn't entirely true. There's more to this story than Regis is willing to say but as he speaks with Noctis, the more he realizes he needs to talk.
This is his son. If he can't talk to his son about what ails him, then how will they progress beyond the tragedy that separated them? Regis needs to try.]
Noctis.
[His gaze falters from the prince's face and falls upon the first aid kit for a moment. Regis' hesitance is telling. The always surefooted King of Lucis is hesitating. This is honestly quite worrisome.]
The Kingsglaive, my own men, betrayed me.
[He pauses briefly as he looks back towards Noct. His throat feels painfully dry as he speaks.]
The Ring of Lucii once sat upon the hand you now mend. It was cut from me, severed by...Glauca's blade.
[A tense sigh escapes him.]
Or do I dare say Titus Drautos...
no subject
[ He's about to make a comment, fine with discussing how much of a joke the news article was to him. How disappointed he was in it, how simple... As Noctis finishes cleaning the wound, he's forced to pause when the king begins to speak of what truly occurred within the walls of the Citadel. ]
What?
[ His head darts up quick, eyes wide and shocked. The Kingsglaive killed him? Devoted men committed to the cause of protecting the king turned their blades on him? And a General at that? Noctis may not have known the man too well, but he'd known enough to never think this would happen. His heart seems to stop, the color in his face draining. ]
[ Noctis finds that any further words are impossible to him, especially when his mind begins to run a mile a minute. Why would a Glaive seek to kill the king? ]
That... That doesn't make sense.
[ The treaty... The treaty would have put them out of jobs, homes more than likely. He'd known some of them to be refugees, but he'd never really managed to speak with any of them beyond a short "talk" with one that had driven him home just a day before he'd left Insomnia. ]
no subject
His Glaives betrayed him. All except one and that sole Glaive died fighting to protect the Oracle and the Ring both. Out of all his men, only one remained loyal in the end.
What a dismal..truth...
Regis always thought of himself as a 'good king' and in truth, he was. He's always been kind and courteous, wise and stern, but also loving and protective. He's a good king but there was nothing he could've done to prepare him for the chaos that followed after the treaty signing.
Just nothing.]
Oh, it does. [Regis manages to say one he finds his voice again. The Empire is known to offer riches in forms of gil and gold. My Glaives betrayed me for both and something more----the chance at obtaining power.
[His gloomy gaze drifts back to Noctis before resting upon the familiar black band that sits upon the Prince's right hand. Even now, Regis could still feel the remnants of its power coursing through his veins.
It's apart of him, apart of his very essence.]
Men crave power like one would crave water.
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[ The protectors of the crown, of the city... Sold themselves out. Noctis can't help but think of Ravus having done essentially the same thing once Tenebrae had been seized. It's all about the power, and nothing about the people and the peace. ]
[ As he rolls the bandage around, he catches a glimpse of the Ring of the Lucii that remains on his finger. While it's rendered useless in terms of power in Hadriel's jurisdiction, it brings a heavy burden upon his own hand. It means so much more than its mere connection to the gods. Noctis tries to will himself to relax as much as he can, but his shoulders are tense. ]
So all of this was inevitable.
[ The realization seems so obvious, but reaching that conclusion is much harder on Noctis' end. For weeks after the fall, he'd pained himself over knowing his father was fully aware of what was to come. It seemed so simple to see it merely as the Empire being let within the Wall, where there was no foreseen end to the war in sight. That those who served within Insomnia were already prepared to tear the kingdom apart regardless. ]
[ Noctis finishes bandaging Regis' hand, setting it at his father's side before he sits back against the couch. He lets out a heavy, labored sigh as his head rolls back against the headrest. ]
[ Yes, this is not an easy conversation in the slightest. ]
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[A quiet sigh escapes Regis as he reclines against the sofa more. They're both sulking at this point, the two of them looking like mirror images of each other. All this talk about death and everything else under the sun. Regis can't help but feel like the bearer of bad news but this needed to be said. Makes no sense of him to hold any of the truth back from Noctis, especially now that everything is already said and done.]
The dead don't normally talk but this is the most extreme of circumstances.
[It took Regis a moment to realize Noctis was done bandaging his hand but once he did, he eyed his son's handiwork with mild appreciation. His son catches on quick it seems. Noct always been a bit of a fast learner but not with anything like this.]
...You've gotten good at it. [The old king says in hopes of lightening the tension just a little with a hit of harmless humor.] Let us hope this is the last time you'll play the role as medic.
[Watch out, kid. He's leaning over to pat that chocobo nest Noctis calls 'hair'.]
Despite everything, I admit I'm at least thankful to be by your side again.
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[ But as Regis compliments his handiwork, Noctis is at least able to come down from the dark place that threatens to drag him in again. He has good days and bad days dealing with the weight of Eos, but there are times he can't quite help his negative string of thoughts. For his father, however, he manages a smile. ]
Yeah. Me too.
[ Knowing that he at least has his father through all of this helps. Significantly, actually. He doesn't make a sound to the ruffling of his hair, allowing it without protest. It's moments like these that he has to hang on to. ]
Just hope you and Luna don't get in the habit of getting hurt. Blood stains clothes, you know. You're lucky I wear black normally.
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[Promises are often meant to be broken but Regis sincerely means every word.
He let's his hand fall off that sloppy mess of hair with a grin upon his face. His son is a handsome thing, so much like him in his youth and yet so different. The two of them do favor each other but he can see Aulea's influence upon the boy as plain as day.]
Whenever I feel brave enough, I'll find you something nice to wear.
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I'm 20 years old, Dad. I can find myself something to wear.
[ It's endearing, though. And Noctis can't say he's displeased with the slight babying going on here. This is the most time he and Regis have been able to spend together, and he cherishes it. On that note, he chuckles and shrugs his shoulders. ]
Guess I can let it slide. You don't have a throne to fuss over out here, more time to be a dad huh?
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[Regis mutters awkwardly as he tries not to look so sheepish. Sometimes when he looks at Noct, he still sees the little boy who used to laugh at all his silly jokes and want to be held. Oh, how quickly they grow. The poor king wishes he could go back in time and cherish the time he took for granted with his dear son.]
I always wanted to spend more time with you.
[Regis admits quietly as he stands. Someone needs to clean up the mess he made of dinner and it might as well be him.]
When your mother had you, it was the happiest moment of my life...
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I know, dad.
[ The prince stands with his father, reaching over and pats his father on the shoulder affectionately. But his smile sort of fades at the mention of his mother. He'd never known her, given that she passed away shortly after he was born. He's heard about her plenty of times, and it seems like each time, the king is pained to even bring her up. This prompts Noctis to follow his father closely to help him clean. ]
[ He's never faulted Regis for him being so busy, especially considering he's been a single father his entire life. As Noctis stands close by, silent for a moment, he breaks it in favor of keeping the conversation going. ]
I know it's not the first time you've told me, but...
What was mom like?
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When she passed, Regis didn't dare have anyone claim her seat.
It takes him a moment to form words, especially now when he feels the sheer weight of his gloom start to overwhelm. Speaking of Aulea brings a myriad of feelings that Regis isn't quite so ready to feel again.
It always does.]
...Courageous. [He answers with something like a chuckle.] Courageously stubborn and brave but ultimately...loving.
She was quite the woman, a breath of fresh air. Your mother was my equal in every way and I loved her for it.