September 10th: Loqi as Prince of Niflheim
Platonic Aranea/Loqi, Platonic Ravus/Loqi
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 2212
Warnings: Implied deep depression, implied violence, fantasy
politics
Summary: Loqi was named prince of the empire, and heir to Aldercapt’s
throne. As the last Tummelt, it’s only right that the emperor rewards him
right? Unfortunately, not all is as it seems, as Loqi is aware. He knows he’ll
never succeed the throne and sees through the plan the emperor has in store for
him all too well.
AO3 Link.
Loqi looked out from the inside of the keep, at the
surrounding area of Gralea. People were going about their business on the
streets below. They probably didn’t even realize that the keep had a window
here. But that was to his benefit. He couldn’t people watch otherwise.
Loqi Aldercapt, formally Tummelt, was mentally preparing for
the journey ahead. It had been a turbulent few weeks here in the empire. From
his sudden adoption by the emperor, to the announcement that the war with Lucis
was finally ending, the political environment had been rendered unstable. So,
the upcoming trip to Lucis to sign the peace treaty doubly served to ensure the
emperor’s and his safety. Already, he’d had three assassination attempts from
just inside the empire.
A part of him wonder if he’d been chosen for this due to his
background in combat.
“Your highness?”
He turned from the window to look at Ravus, assigned to
protect him for the trip.
“Oh, come off it Ravus.” Loqi rolled his eyes at the title and
pushed himself off the wall he’d been leaning on. “You and I both know that
this appointment likely won’t be for long.”
It had crossed everyone’s mind at least once. The emperor
had killed the previous prince because he refused to give up his throne. And
now, when they were so near the end of the war, to suddenly name another? The
emperor had something up his sleeve, and Loqi believed he knew what it was.
He wasn’t just mentally preparing to go on the trip. He could
see the outline of the Emperor’s plan. It wasn’t chance that a mercenary, a
former prince of a conquered territory, and the newly crowned prince, were all
on the same ship. They’d also be taking a separate route from the rest of the
group. The emperor’s route was public knowledge, while their new prince would
travel in secret. To ensure his safety was the reason given.
But, even with all their precautions, wouldn’t it be a shame
if something happened to the prince on the way there?
It would skew the talks into more than favorable territory
for the empire, for sure. Maybe even be enough to reignite the outrage in their
homeland. To start the fighting anew with the last of the loyal house of
Tummelts, named prince of the nation as a reward for his family’s generations
of sacrifice, as a martyr.
The final push needed to crush Lucis.
As for Loqi? He’d never go against the emperor’s wishes. The
man was just as brilliant as Loqi was, and undoubtedly knew that he’d see
through the plan. Maybe even counted on it. But he also had faith unshaken that
Loqi would follow along with it. Loyal to last breath was part of his house’s
oath after all.
Ravus broke him out of his thoughts by humming in uninterest
before saying, “It’s time to depart, so if you’d come along now.”
The corner of Loqi’s mouth twitched with unsaid warnings as
Ravus turned to go down the hall. He was willing to die for the empire if
that’s what it needed, but it was unfair that two people he very nearly once
considered friends would die with him. But the warning remained unsaid the
further away Ravus got and he followed along silently.
It didn’t take long to reach the hanger, where Aranea was
shouting orders and monitoring the last-minute checks on her ship. But when she
saw him a smirk crossed her face and she left the rest to Biggs and Wedge with
a signal. Only when they signaled back did she come over to greet them both.
“Well, look at you. You’re moving up in the world, Fluff.”
She said, and then ruffled his hair.
He sighed, his eyes reflecting just how he felt about her
ruffling his hair, and said, “It’s nice to see you too, Aranea.”
She smiled at him again before turning to look Ravus up and
down. “Ravus. Hope you still don’t get airsick. We got a long ride ahead of
us.”
An almost silent huff left him.
“That was years ago, commodore.” But then a small grin split
his face, “And as I recall, you were also sick.”
Aranea’s eyes narrowed at him, but she couldn’t hold the
expression. She laughed and said, “It wasn’t airsickness, that’s for sure!”
“You’ve…travelled together before?” Loqi asked.
The two glanced at each other before Aranea looked back at
Loqi, “Actually, we were part of the same training program for a short time,
just with different focuses.”
“What she means is that the dragoon that was training her
was hired to-“ Ravus stated, raising an eyebrow at her.
“Shut your mouth, Fluff doesn’t need to know that.” She waved
her hand at him and shot Ravus a look that managed to send a shiver up Loqi’s
spine, and he wasn’t even on the receiving end. “Or do you want a repeat of
those training days?”
“We’re older than we were then. I’m sure the result would be
quite different.” In turn, Ravus stared back at her with an unchanged
expression, well-aware that Aranea was all teeth and no bite to her friends.
However, seeing the pair bicker made Loqi’s head spin a
little. Now that they were in Aranea’s personal hanger, it was an oddity seeing
Ravus of all people let his hair down enough to banter with someone. That
person being Aranea was even odder.
Noticing the lost look on Loqi’s face, Aranea turned to look
at him. “Well, now that you’re here, we could start getting sleeping arrangements
squared away.”
Loqi frowned at that, “I just assumed that I’d bunk where I
normally do.”
“You’re the prince now. Can’t exactly stick you on the floor
with the rest of us anymore.” Aranea laughed and lead him away. Though out of
the corner of his eye, he saw Ravus watching the door of the hanger. As if
something might jump out. But then he was inside the ship and lost track of
him.
He had his own quarters next to Aranea’s and Ravus’s rooms
while on board. Most of his luggage was already put away, which surprised him.
He had actual gaurds while they were on the ground, in the form of Biggs and
Wedge, who fell easily into conversation with him. It passed the time quickly
and soon enough they were taking off, leaving Gralea behind.
Once in the air, they figured he was safe enough and left
him alone.
~
He knew it.
Across the ship he could see Aranea shouting orders to
anyone near, to douse the flames that had started when one of the few MTs on
board suddenly self destructed. He was by the hanger door when they opened it.
The MTs were ordered to jump to the ground, due to fear that more than one
would self-destruct. They’d collect them on the way back, if they didn’t end up
destroyed.
But it was the last one to jump, one that had a hitch in its
step, that did self-destruct. But only after attempting to stab him. But he
managed to evade in time, and only ended up with a cut on his arm.
It had been nearly right next to Loqi, and the force from
the blast was enough to knock him from the ship. Disorient him while he fell.
The air rushed past him, and he couldn’t seem to catch his breath. As far as
Lucis knew though, MTs don’t detonate unless irreparably damaged. It would look
like an attack happened.
Or would have. With Aranea and Ravus left alive, things
might not go the way the emperor wanted.
He managed to open his eyes a little and saw Aranea had
jumped off the ship as well. And with her mastery over air, she easily caught
up to him. Then it was just a matter of engaging her armor and slowing their
decent to the ground.
“Six damn it,” She muttered, her armor only meant to slow
one person’s fall, “This is going to hurt kid.”
He wanted to point out he was already hurt but couldn’t
muster the energy.
Loqi closed his eyes again and felt the moment they hit the
ground. It was a jarring sensation, down into his bones. Aranea managed to land
on her feet, but he could hear her armor crack. And the gasps of pain lead him
to believe her legs were hurt from that landing. He tried moving, but only
managed to half-heartedly lift his arm before dropping it again. That blast
would have been nothing if he’d had his armor on.
But royalty doesn’t need armor, the emperor said. It’s
unsightly and implies that they fear being hurt. Aside from that, they had
people to protect them for a reason.
“Hey, fluff? You okay?” Aranea said. It sounded like she was
trying to keep her voice steady, but fear had managed to seep into her words.
He’d reply later he decided. He very suddenly felt tired. It
wouldn’t hurt to sleep for a while.
“Hey. Loqi?” Aranea tried again, and the last thing her
heard was for her calling the airship back to them.
~
Everything hurt, so he knew he was alive.
With a deep inhale he opened his eyes and found himself in
his room on the ship. He turned his head and could see Aranea and Ravus bent
over his table, planning something he guessed. They hadn’t noticed he was awake
yet, and part of him did want to go back to sleep. But he figured that would be
cruel and sat up.
The movement drew their attention and for a moment, Aranea’s
face shifted to relief. But then her expression immediately went back to the
mask she wore, though she couldn’t seem to get rid of a small smile. Ravus on
the other hand allowed himself to look relieved. Which made Loqi wonder if, on
top of everything else, he’d hit his head.
“You’re awake.” He said, and they both came over to his
side.
“What happened?” Loqi asked.
Aranea sighed, but then explained, “The MT’s were tampered
with. But no one thought to check them since they came from the Emperor’s
personal guard.”
Her eyebrow was raised as she spoke, a silent question and
accusation in one. All at once, Loqi remembered his time with her, back before
he’d been named prince. When he’d just been Loqi. She’d killed to protect him
when he was in training and he knew she’d do it again if she had to.
Even if it was the emperor.
He couldn’t think of a reply, and instead looked away from
them both. All the answer she needed. The moment it was confirmed that he knew
something like this would happen, she flew into a rage.
“You didn’t think to say something?!”
Ravus looked alarmed at her sudden change in tone, feeling
like he missed a whole chunk of conversation.
“I couldn’t Aranea.” He looked back at her, “I wasn’t even
sure it would occur, just that is was a possibility.”
“And it did. You were freaking blasted out the back of the
ship! You were nearly stabbed!” Her tone was angry, and she was tense. Something
frantic hung around her shoulders.
It was then that Ravus stepped in, finally realizing what
Aranea was speaking about, “We also knew it was a possibility Aranea. The moment
Loqi was named Prince we knew something wasn’t right.”
She turned to face Ravus faster than a viper and looked like
she was about to launch a verbal assault. But then the fight went out of her,
and she let out a sigh.
“We also said we wouldn’t let him get hurt.”
Loqi breathed a deep sigh, before saying, “Either way, the
attack failed.”
He left out that the emperor’s plan was probably ruined now.
He saw it as a negative, and something in him clenched at the thought he’d
failed the emperor.
“Thank the gods for that.” Aranea said, a frown on her face.
“Once peace is here, and with you alive, you realize the empire has a fighting chance,
right?”
“A chance to what?”
“A chance to be better. Do better.” Aranea spoke, a troubled
look on her face. “Aldercapt, now that you’re his heir, you realize he can’t
order you to die anymore?”
“And you’ll out live him. He has no other heirs. And he’s
old. We just got to keep you alive.” Ravus added.
Loqi dwelled on what they said. Mulling it over. This would
be going against the emperor’s wishes. He knew that. But…
His loyalty was always to his homeland above all else, and
the rulers that watched over it. But this war. The more Loqi thought about it,
which to his shock he realized he hadn’t very much before, this war wasn’t in
the best interest of the empire. It hadn’t been for a long time.
As for Aranea and Ravus,they’d decided, almost as soon as
the emperor named him prince, that they would see him on the throne.
So, he gave them an answer.
“First…before all that. We need to get to the signing.”
With that the dice were cast, and Ravaus and Aranea both
nodded.
Imagine Final Fantasy 