So Noct gets kidnapped. When he’s 6. By some Imperial fanatics. They drug him with enough stuff to keep a Garula asleep for a week. They manage to get him out of the city. Get him to Galdin Quay, and into a boat that will take them to Altissia to be picked up.
Aaaand then he wakes up.
While the fanatics sleep.
(Take note that for me, Noctis will ALWAYS be an overly curious child who hasn’t learned restraint, or proper fear or caution.)
He doesn’t know where the hell is he, why he’s with those people. Or why he’s in this situation. But he sure would like to get out of it.
So what does an overly curious child who isn’t home do when in the company of strangers?
Climb into things and push buttons.
Specifically, (and unluckily if you asked the fanatics.) a life boat and pushing the button to release it into the sea.
Now normally this would be a terrifying thing for a little kid who doesn’t know shit about boats.
But luck is on Noct’s side.
Said luck lands him on Angelgard.
So you have this little kid wandering in the dark in an island that has no one around.
He gets out of the boat and just walks around.
He’s a bit nervous, as all kids in a new place are, but he keeps walking.
And enters a place that have a certain (trashman) person jailed inside.
Curious as to why a man is like that, he goes up and does the only thing a kid like him would do.
Poke him in the belly. Hard.
Ardyn is both startled, confused, and not amused.
—“What is a child like you doing here? ”
“You talk funny, and your eyes look funny too!
Ardyn is, of course, startled by the innocent comment, gathering his wits and looking at the child more clearly.
—“…Did my brother have a son while I have been imprisoned…?”
“My dad doesn’t have a brother! He’s too old!”
“…”
“So what’s your name?”
This leads to a longer discussion. Ardyn finding out how long he’s been locked away and Noct gets told that they might be related.
—“So you could be my uncle?!”
“Is it so shocking?”
“Does that mean I get to call you uncle?”
“… I don’t see why not.”
Ardyn feels the need to get angry at what his brother did to him but he couldn’t hold any anger towards the innocent child, that he knew beyond a doubt was of his brother’s line, who was looking at him with so much warmth and trust.
Noctis is simply happy to have someone safe to talk to. (Innocent little boy.) even if he does talk funny.
—“It’s I before E. Not F after C!”
“That makes no sense my child.”
“My dad said that too! But I like it!”
“Such a curious mind you hold.”
“And you talk funny!”
“So you’ve said.”
“Um, do you want to sit down?”
“…”
“I mean, you must be sore from standing like that all the time.”
“While it would certainly be most pleasant if I were to rest my legs young one, these chains prevent me from doing so.”
“I’ll get them off for you!”
“My gratitude, but tugging at them will not-“
“Hey, it crumbled!”
“…”
“Let me get the other ones too!”
Let’s just say, Ardyn gets to spend a lot of time getting to know his officially most favorite relative.
And everyone, from the citadel to the fanatics, is panicking over the missing prince.
“Tell me about your home child.” Noctis tilted his head in confusion.
“Isn’t Lucis your home too?” He then scrunched his nose.
“I’m not a child, I’m six!” The glare he gave Ardyn when he chuckled didn’t help his case.
“Yes yes, the height of maturity.” He smiled sadly.
“And I’m afraid this land has not been my home in a long, long time.” Noctis made a small noise as he looked at his uncle. Unsure how to help.
“Well…what do you want to know?” Ardyn didn’t respond for a moment, tilting his head while he examined his hands as if they were the most interesting thing he saw in years.
“I suppose we should start with something simple.” He looked up.
“Are Chocobos still among us?” Noctis perked up at the word, jumping up from his place on the bed and running to the shelf by the window.
Ardyn raised an eyebrow when he received a book, looking down and eyeing the words.
“…you do know I don’t properly know the written language of your age, do you?” Noctis puffed out his cheeks, shaking his head and taking the book back. Flipping it open and turning the page.
“It’s a picture book silly. Here, look. Chocobos!” He returned the book and pointed to the image on it. Ardyn looked at him in amusement before glazing down at the picture.
“Hmm…”
“What?”
“…They are much small then before.” Noctis blinked.
“Wait…They were BIGGER?” Ardyn smirked, tapped the page.
“Oh yes, this one looks like it could hold two adults and a child.” He spread his arms as wide as he could.
“The ones from before could hold up to five grown people.”
“Wow!”
“And a few children with them!”
“They must have been huge!!” Ardyn threw his head back and let out a deep laugh at the utter amazement that shined on the young boy’s face.
“Indeed! But you know what?” He bent a bit and lowered his voice as if telling a secret.
“My Chocobo was the biggest.” Ardyn found delight in watching his nephew’s eyes widen so much.
“You really had a chocobo THAT big?” Ardyn nodded.
“Oh yes, it was such a surprise for me as wells since he was incredibly tiny when he was born.”
“How small?”
“Enough to fit in my hand.”
“How did he get so big?” Ardyn tilted his head to the side and tapped his lip.
“I suppose it was because he ate his vegetables.” He released another deep laugh at the look of revulsion on Noctis’ face.
“Gross.”
“Oh dear, I suppose you’ll remain small forever.” His cheeks were beginning to hurt from how much he smiled as his nephew complained about how unfair that was.
“Oh don’t feel so glum.” He tapped his nephew on the nose. “Staying small is a good thing.”
“Why?”
“Well…it means I can continue to carry you for much longer.” Noctis looked thoughtful.
“I like when you carry me.”
“I enjoy it as well.” Noctis bit his lip, looking at Ardyn.
“I guess staying small isn’t so bad.” Ardyn chuckled and reached out to ruffle Noct’s hair, to the child’s protest.
“BUT if I stay small, you have to stay tall!” Ardyn blinked.
“I am…unclear of your meaning?” Noctis rubbed his arm.
“If you want me to stay small enough to carry. You need to promise not to get chained up again.” Ardyn was unsure how to respond to such a thing, memories that still were still fresh in his mind slowly began to cloud his mind.
Yet they were swept away as his nephew’s touch grounded him to the present.
“Promise that you’ll stand on your own two feet?” Looking at his nephew, knowing he was remembering when he first found him, Ardyn felt both tired and unburdened. Holding his arms out. He wrapped his arms around Noctis, resting his cheek against the boy’s head.
“I cannot promise that fully.” He tightened his grip when Noctis made a small whimper.
“But I promise to do everything in my power to try. Alright?” Noctis didn’t say anything for a moment before slowly nodding, squeezing harder than before.
Ardyn let him, perfectly content in sitting there.
Neither of them noticed the door, which had opened some time ago, gently close without a sound.
Okay but like, consider the baby Glaives first learning to warp. Throwing their weapons, splatting against walls or accidentally falling out of windows because they misjudged distances. How many times did Drautos or an older Glaive have to jump out of windows or off buildings to catch the recruits?
Odds are you are now that author’s favourite reader and they have you specifically in mind when they write because they’re looking forward to your reaction to it 😀
At least, that’s how it goes for me.
If this is you then yes, you are my favorite reader and I DO think about you actively while writing new chapters.
Recently one of my most faithful readers on Ao3, who comments on every chapter of my current series, left a comment that read: “Sorry for being so repetitive, but I am loving this story.”
DON’T BE SORRY, MY DEAR READER! I LOVE THAT YOU COMMENT EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER! I LOVE SEEING THE NOTIFICATION OF YOUR COMMENT!! I DON’T CARE IF YOU PUT THE SAME COMMENT EVERY TIME! I WILL STILL LOVE IT! ❤
Imagine Final Fantasy 