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FFXV: For Hearth And Home
Traditions in Galahd were always very strict. As women we had to stay “pure” for our marriages to our husbands, and often more than not we were betrothed at a young age to someone who would be our one and only for the rest of our lives. I was no different. Nyx Ulric, my childhood friend had been chosen to be my husband when we grew older. Of course being close friends, we were happy about it and didn’t care. As we grew, our village had been planning our wedding; the closer and closer the date came while Nyx and I seemed to do nothing but goof off, living a carefree life with all of our friends we called a family. But then it all changed. The Nifs came and attacked our home.
King Regis of Insomnia was there, fighting with his Crownsguard and his Kingsglaive to stop the Nifs, but it was all for naught. The Magitek Imperials were far too advanced for the soldiers from Insomnia. They were pushed back, defeated, and it left us homeless. My family was gone, Nyx’s family was gone. We had no one left. So we went to the only place we knew that wasn’t under control of the Empire; Insomnia.
Nyx, Libertus, and I all migrated to Insomnia to try and make a living for ourselves. We had terrible jobs at first because no one wanted to hire Galahdian immigrants and a lot of us found small but livable apartments. Nyx and I stayed together, being the only thing we had left of our home and many a day would go by where we wondered what we could have done different to save our home. But one day, Libertus came to us with an offer: the Citadel was opening up for possible new Kingsglaive recruits. Nyx jumped at the offer, wanting to help do something that could possibly save someone else from having the heartache we had when we lost our home. Of course, I followed him, I would follow him everywhere he went. I felt like I at least owed him that much, because after the fall of Galahd, Nyx was my hearth and home.
We trained as members of the Glaive, learning how to warp and use magic. I guess Cor, the Marshal, saw how quick I excelled at everything, and he offered me a promotion. He said I would be better off being a member of the Guard than a member of the Glaive. At first I declined, but Libertus and Nyx both immediately had me take the offer, Nyx especially. He always did want the best for me.
I quickly became a member of the Guard under the tutelage of the Immortal himself. I also met other guard members like Prompto, Ignis, and Gladio, even Prince Charmless himself. But the happy time I had with the Guard didn’t seem to last all that long either.
Insomnia was attacked from the inside during the treaty signing. King Regis had me and Nyx escort Lady Lunafreya out of Insomnia with the Ring of Lucis in hand as he was killed. We would have made it out, had Drautos not turned on us and tried to take the Ring himself. He already saw what it did to Lord Ravus, there was no way that it would let someone like him wear the ring as well. But without our magic, we didn’t stand much of a chance against the daemons that were invading the city due to the fall of the wall.
But Nyx...that idiot...he just had to go off and be a hero…
Nyx managed to get the Old Kings to bring back the Old Wall and he was given some of their power. He went off alone to try and save Insomnia and defeat General Glauca, while Libertus and I got Lady Lunafreya out of the city. Libertus had some hope that Nyx was going to come back, but I knew different. As I bid my brother and Lady Lunafreya farewell, I made my way to Hammerhead to try and join up with Prince Noctis and his Crownsguard. I swear I never cried so much in my life. I feel like I had tears falling the entire walk I took to Hammerhead until I met up with Cor once more. Nyx was my first in everything; my first friend, my first kiss, my first lover, and he was going to be my first husband, though we may have broken tradition just a bit but it’s not like it really mattered after the fact since our entire town was dead.
So you can imagine how I feel, standing here, staring up at his body, hanging from the Citadel’s ceiling in chains. His skin was pale and flaky in areas where the Lucii Kings tried to burn him alive. I could see the scars he had from constant use of magic during training. And his eyes, those eyes that once held so much emotion for those who could read it, were lifeless and black. Alongside him was Lady Lunafreya, King Regis, and the Nif Emperor. I could care less about his body hanging there but to see the bodies of the people I cared about being used as...decorations in this sick fantasy that Ardyn made...I was furious.
I wanted to scream, I wanted to find Ardyn and put him through the same pain these people must have felt when they were killed. Briefly, I could hear Prompto yelling my name, Ignis asking if I was alright, before I was brought back to my senses when I felt Gladio place a hand on my shoulder and tug me backwards towards him. I was turned away from the hanging bodies and instead I found the rough leather of his Guard uniform with his arms around me and a hand petting my head. He, along with the others must have sense how I felt at seeing Nyx as I once had to explain to them what we once were and how I had given up hope that I would ever see him again.
I wrapped my arms around my mountain of a husband tightly for a moment before I let him go. He knew how to make me feel better, he always had ever since Nyx died being a hero; it’s probably part of the reason as to why we wound up together anyways. His amber eyes looked down at me and I felt his thumb reach up and brush the tears I hadn’t realized fallen in my small burst of anger. He silently asked if I was okay, I was, I knew I would be. Because my job was to make sure Noctis sat on the throne of Insomnia. Luckily though, that meant we would have to cross paths with Ardyn once again. Looking at my comrades that have become my family, I knew none of us were going to let Ardyn get away with everything he had done...