FFXV: Subvert Fate

12 - The Arms, The Ring and The Conduit

When Chrys and Cor rejoin them, both of them look a little bit shell shocked. Ignis is ready to ask what is wrong when Cor shoots him a look that silences the words in his throat. He will have to find the time to talk to either of them soon, but it is clear that whatever they said to each other needs to settle first.

Gladio takes the lead as they head back to the Regalia, the second tomb awaiting them in the distance. For all his brash machismo, Gladio does always seem to cue in when Chrys is retreating into her shell. He pulls her along with him, challenging her to race across the ground or ribbing into her to try and draw her sarcasm out. She's hesitant right now but Gladio's good-natured joking at least gets her to talk to him, only if monosyllabically. That's more than Ignis has been able to get out of her lately so he lets the two of them run ahead, blowing off Chrys's nervous energy with a footrace.

Cor hangs back to fall into step with Ignis. The advisor acknowledges the marshal with a bob of his head. "Thank you for your aid in finding the tombs," Ignis says. "It's been invaluable to have you at our side these last couple of days."

"The honor is all mine," Cor says. He glances at Ignis out of the corner of his eye. "You are quite the fine tactician Mr. Scientia," he says.

Ignis feels his neck flush at the praise from the marshal. Training in the Crownsguard, Cor always had a fearsome reputation, one all the other Crownsguard members, himself included, wanted to live up to. "Thank you, marshal," he says, his own disbelief clear in his voice.

Cor chuckles to himself. "Don't doubt it," he says in the gravelly way of his. "You'll serve the young king well." He stops Ignis by taking the younger man's forearm in hand, making him face him, brown eyes meeting green. "You see things the others don't," he says pointedly, flicking his chin towards one figure in particular who is keeping pace with Gladio.

Ignis lets out a breath a bit, haltingly, unsure what the marshal is implying. His gaze strays to Chrys, to her serious face, those biting sepia eyes flatter than they have been in a long while. Cor sees that Ignis understands his meaning and they stay where they are to have this private conversation, letting the guys and Chrys move on ahead.

"Do you know much about her past?" Cor asks Ignis, getting directly to the point.

"I will admit, not much," Ignis says. "The king never questioned her, I thought out of common respect for the fact that she lost much to make it to the Crown City. I know she is a refugee, from a small settlement in Galahd, that she lost her family and spent years in the wilds before joining the kingsglaive."

"Mmmm," Cor wordlessly acknowledges. "Yes, that is about what I know as well. You're not wrong that Regis allowed her to keep some of her secrets from the Crownsguard, and I would agree that it was out of respect for her, for how painful it would have been to have to relive her journey to Insomnia."

"But you think there is more to it," Ignis prods, eyes narrowing at the marshal.

Cor gives a faint chuckle. "I know there is more to it. Regis did keep me in his confidence after all." He looks at Chrys, whose eyes are on her king, ever watchful, even as she and Gladio run around. She's off to the side of him, keeping some distance between herself and the boys but not any less ready to defend Noctis because of it. "She has a very charged past," Cor says. "And a very heavy future."

"What do you mean by that?" Ignis asks, surprised at the depth of the defensiveness that creeps into his tone.

Cor sighs, scrubbing a hand over his rough beard. "She knows that I know more about her past than she wants me to."

"She seems to be wary of you in particular, marshal," Ignis fires back with a bit more forthrightness than he intended.

Cor grunts an affirmation. "Yes, but I suspect she is reticent about a lot of things with you if you think about it," he says pointedly. "Regis told me some of ... well he told me about her. She's careful with her truths and secrets, isn't she?" Cor asks him, not letting Ignis drop his gaze away. Ignis has to admit this is the truth. "I suspect she is afraid I know some of her secrets from Regis. If she's keeping them from you, there must be a good reason, but she is most likely watching me to make sure that I don't reveal anything she doesn't want revealed."