With everything that happened over the next few days, Noct didn't have the time or energy to dwell on the suspicious stranger until they ran into him again in Lestallum. Of course, Noct thought. Of course he'd be here spouting creepy nursery rhymes at me. Noct glowered at him—at Ardyn—as he'd finally introduced himself, and only grudgingly agreed to the proposal since it wasn't like they had any better prospects for resolving his steadily worsening headaches. He'd nodded at Prompto and Gladio's assertions that they'd go for a drive but watch their backs, but it wasn't his back Noct would be watching.
-
"Allow me to do the honor of assigning your driver," Ardyn said. He dragged the moment out before pointing at Noct. "I choose...you."
Annoyed, Noct growled. "What if I ride with you?"
Ardyn looked surprised, but the expression quickly smoothed over into one of amusement. "You might find the cab fare to be more than you bargained for." The corner of his mouth quirked in what might have been a leer as he swept his eyes over Noct, but Noct wasn't in the mood for games and implications.
He snorted and let himself in the passenger side of Ardyn's car. "You let me worry about that."
-
Noct was too tense to get any enjoyment out of the drive, though the weather was perfect for it, and Ardyn was an unexpectedly sedate driver, treating his car with more care than even Ignis did the Regalia. "So, Noct," he began as they pulled out of the parking lot, and out of hearing of the others. "Are you really so eager for the pleasure of my company, or was there something particularly...lingering at the forefront of your thoughts?"
Noct made a dismissive sound. "I thought you'd be jumping at the chance to 'satisfy your curiosity' further."
"Perhaps it's already been satisfied," Ardyn murmured, though Noct didn't believe that for a second.
"If that were the truth, you wouldn't still be following us."
Ardyn smiling was disconcerting no matter what the situation, but he seemed especially pleased with Noct for joining in the verbal interplay. "Very good Noct. I do have to admit a certain...investment...in your progress during these most difficult of times, but tell me, what is the true cause of your haste to reach Altissa?"
"To see Luna—" he started, because Luna would know what to do, she always did. But thinking of Luna with Ardyn in the seat next to him seemed dishonest, somehow, and Noct didn't finish the thought.
"Ah," Ardyn said, when Noct didn't continue, "the council of the Oracle." Ardyn's fingers flexed and unflexed on the steering wheel, as if he was thinking it over. "Which of the rumours are true, I wonder? That the Prince and the Oracle are childhood sweethearts, cruelly torn apart by their places in warring nations, or that the engagement is merely another political machination, and the truth of their hearts lie elsewhere?"
"That's none of your business," Noct snapped, temper flaring. Luna was—Luna, and not something for Ardyn to make light of.
Ardyn only smiled again, like there was a joke that Noct was missing. "But of course," he said. "Forgive my impertinence."
-
Noct stormed angrily out of the car when they pulled into the rest stop soon after, shaking his head at the concerned looks the guys gave him. It was probably good that they were stopping for the night, because Noct couldn't take much more of Ardyn right now. Another five minutes and blood might have been spilled. He wasn't keen on bunking with Ardyn in the same caravan either, but at least it was better than sharing a camp.
Fill: No Consequence 2/?
-
"Allow me to do the honor of assigning your driver," Ardyn said. He dragged the moment out before pointing at Noct. "I choose...you."
Annoyed, Noct growled. "What if I ride with you?"
Ardyn looked surprised, but the expression quickly smoothed over into one of amusement. "You might find the cab fare to be more than you bargained for." The corner of his mouth quirked in what might have been a leer as he swept his eyes over Noct, but Noct wasn't in the mood for games and implications.
He snorted and let himself in the passenger side of Ardyn's car. "You let me worry about that."
-
Noct was too tense to get any enjoyment out of the drive, though the weather was perfect for it, and Ardyn was an unexpectedly sedate driver, treating his car with more care than even Ignis did the Regalia. "So, Noct," he began as they pulled out of the parking lot, and out of hearing of the others. "Are you really so eager for the pleasure of my company, or was there something particularly...lingering at the forefront of your thoughts?"
Noct made a dismissive sound. "I thought you'd be jumping at the chance to 'satisfy your curiosity' further."
"Perhaps it's already been satisfied," Ardyn murmured, though Noct didn't believe that for a second.
"If that were the truth, you wouldn't still be following us."
Ardyn smiling was disconcerting no matter what the situation, but he seemed especially pleased with Noct for joining in the verbal interplay. "Very good Noct. I do have to admit a certain...investment...in your progress during these most difficult of times, but tell me, what is the true cause of your haste to reach Altissa?"
"To see Luna—" he started, because Luna would know what to do, she always did. But thinking of Luna with Ardyn in the seat next to him seemed dishonest, somehow, and Noct didn't finish the thought.
"Ah," Ardyn said, when Noct didn't continue, "the council of the Oracle." Ardyn's fingers flexed and unflexed on the steering wheel, as if he was thinking it over. "Which of the rumours are true, I wonder? That the Prince and the Oracle are childhood sweethearts, cruelly torn apart by their places in warring nations, or that the engagement is merely another political machination, and the truth of their hearts lie elsewhere?"
"That's none of your business," Noct snapped, temper flaring. Luna was—Luna, and not something for Ardyn to make light of.
Ardyn only smiled again, like there was a joke that Noct was missing. "But of course," he said. "Forgive my impertinence."
-
Noct stormed angrily out of the car when they pulled into the rest stop soon after, shaking his head at the concerned looks the guys gave him. It was probably good that they were stopping for the night, because Noct couldn't take much more of Ardyn right now. Another five minutes and blood might have been spilled. He wasn't keen on bunking with Ardyn in the same caravan either, but at least it was better than sharing a camp.