Rayne Drops (FFXV)

XI) The Power of Kings

~Four months before~

King Regis sits straight in his throne, never once daring to slouch. His pale hands clutch the ends of the throne's sides, dark blue streaks revealing the veins running underneath his skin. He should look no older than a day over forty-five, and yet, his white hair and weathered skin give the illusion that he's well beyond his middle aged years.

I stand on the platform beneath his, my arms pressed tightly to my sides. My heart pounds against my rib cage; I can see the vibration of my chest against my shirt with every loud beat that resonates in my ears. In the presence of the king, there is no room for error. No room for protest or opinion- unless you're an advisor, of course. But I'm not. I'm a battle-driven, glorified guard. To Regis, a pawn, at best. And yet he still insists on small talk. Well, kind of.

"How is Magnus these days?" he asks, his voice not quite as booming as what I call his 'king voice.'

"He's well," I reply dutifully. Regis nods, studying me with his sharp eyes.

"Of course. He has his children to care for him." I mean, he's not that old. He continues. "Though shouldn't one of those be more focused on his purpose?"

"Uh," I start, unnerved by the hinting look on his stern face. "Yes, Your Majesty." So, it really has gone around. But to the point that the king...

"Your Majesty," an unfamiliar voice says as the throne room's doors swing wide open. I turn to see several guards part like an ocean, revealing a small group of organized soldiers in white. Tenebrae. "They have arrived."

"As I can see," the king says lowly, almost to himself as he straightens even further, if that's humanly possible. I'm just not entirely sure how he and Noctis are related. That is, if I don't look at appearance. "And where is the one I require?"

"Here, Your Majesty," a light accent replies. I watch as a tall man dressed in white steps forth through the wall of guards, bowing. "Wyn Iterum, Highness."

"Come forth," Regis commands, nodding in acknowledgement. "You have both been assigned to a marriage that will bring the suffering lives of innocents back under the rule of Insomnia. After that marriage, you both shall return to Tenebrae with a portion of our guard." He looks between the two of us in silence before his 'king voice' goes back to echoing through the expansive room. "Do you accept?"

"As you will, Your Majesty," the man beside me replies, bowing lowly.

"I accept," I answer, following suit. I cringe to myself. My voice, so used to responding to the king's orders with strength and dignity, is now weak and humble.

"Very well," the king continues. "This will occur within two weeks. In the meantime, Rayne, take Iterum to his temporary quarters."

"Yes, Your Majesty," I bow once more, refusing to look at the Tenebraen soldier as I turn and walk down the carpeted steps leading to the king's throne. The guards blocking the door part, stepping back and holding their tall spears at their sides. I can hear Wyn following me as I leave the throne room, leading the way to the exit of the citadel silently.

"Where are we headed?" he asks as we step outside. I glance over at the Tenebraen to my right. He's what I would call the generic man from that region: tall, lean, and blonde haired. He's dressed in some sort of white uniform, silver being the prominent accent color. I resist the urge to scoff; they're all so fancy out there.

"I don't know yet," I admit with a sigh, pulling out my phone as we head down toward the road. I shoot a quick text to Ignis, nodding toward Cor when he walks by, eyeing Wyn with a frown. My phone vibrates as Ignis replies almost instantly. Must be on break from babying Noctis.