Stars in the Night Sky [NOCTIS X READER]

CHAPTER 11 - THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

The revelation that Adelaide and Prompto were dating didn't come as much of a shock to you as it maybe should have.

While, in your high school days, you'd been accused by many people of being incredibly oblivious, even you had seen the obvious hints that Prompto was throwing Adelaide's way and were going way over your best friend's head. It had been a mixture of your idea and Noctis' to lock them in the room together and - you were pleased to say - it had been a resounding success. And entirely worth it to see the shy smiles Adelaide and Prompto were shooting at each other as they held hands on the slope up to the lighthouse.

The boat had been fully repaired thanks to the mythril you'd gotten and your ride to Altissia was all but secured. You couldn't help but be relieved. Finally, you were setting out to do what you had intended to from the moment you'd been freed from your cell back in Duscae.

"We're not forgetting anything, are we?" Ignis asked. "Everything's packed and essentials and weapons are all in the Armiger?"

"Yup," Autumn nodded. "I triple-checked everything. We're good to go."

Ignis hummed seemingly pleased. They all stepped into the interior of the lighthouse - which smelled slightly musty and was filled with boxes that looked older than you - headed for the rusting elevator at the center. Ignis held up his hand to shepherd everyone on board, but he glanced back out the door and gave pause. You turned to see what he was looking at and found a small black dog padding up the slope towards them. A green patterned satchel hung from around its neck, from where a tiny brown notebook was tucked snugly inside. The dog barked once in greeting and Noctis jogged to meet it.

"What's a dog doing all the way out here?" you couldn't help but ask.

"His name is Umbra," Gladiolus rumbled at her left. "He's one of twenty-four messengers of the gods."

"He's sent messages between Noct and Lady Lunafreya for years," Prompto said. "This is the most I've ever seen him respond to her, though." He only grinned cheekily at the scathing look Noctis shot over his shoulder at that comment.

Noctis pulled the well-worn notebook from Umbra's satchel and flipped through it, pausing at a page that had only been half-filled in. From where you could see, a postcard had been glued into the page with something scrawled in beautifully neat handwriting underneath. Noctis took a moment to respond, pasting in a sticker he had insisted they'd buy from the only vendor in Caem and scribbling a response. He shut the book with a quiet click, putting the notebook snugly back into Umbra's satchel. He gently patted the dog's side and it barked once at him before darting back down the slope.

Ignis started pushing everyone onto the elevator again. "Was Lady Lunafreya well?"

Something strange was in Noctis' expression. "Yeah. She's in Altissia, waiting for us."

"Waiting for you," Gladiolus corrected as Noctis stepped onto the elevator and Ignis pressed the button so they could descend into the depths of the harbor.

Noctis didn't reply, pursing his lips instead and remaining silent.

The elevator came to a somewhat jarring halt at the bottom of the harbor. You shuffled after Adelaide and Prompto (who were still shooting shy smiles and coy looks at each other) off of the elevator and towards a metal walkway. Talcott and Iris were already waiting for them and as Noctis made his way to the front of the group, the little boy practically lit up like a firework.

"Look, Prince Noctis!" he gestured below them. "Even the Marshall came to say goodbye! And we've already put the Regalia on the boat for you all."

"Hopefully she'll serve you as well across the ocean as she did here," Iris added in. "Just don't break her - or Cid'll have your head."