Stop my muse from being executed! || Accepting (selectively)
It was well known that Ignis was intelligent and seemed to know things that his other companions weren’t aware of. It was a simple thing, really, and he’d given a vague explanation to Noctis once about it. His prince knew that sometimes he would leave the group for a few hours when in one of the cities and towns, to gather information, and ship of ingredients for their meals. He did not, however, know who his informants were.
And that is how he’d gotten into this particular predicament. The band of hunters sporting the Lucis crest on their outfits had mastered stealth very well indeed if they could ambush Ignis. Ignis, who was the most vigilant of the group.
He was bound and on his knees in from of the band’s leader. A man he had not anticipated. Dave. Ignis’s glasses were gone and he was sporting a black eye, but he knew Dave in spite of that.
“You, of all people. Noctis trusts you, your the closest man to him and you’re—“ Dave’s voice was hard, and his shoulders rigid. He clenched hands that shook with rage. “And you’re tellin’ secrets to the enemy!”
Ignis was silent for long moments, expression studiously schooled to blankness.
Then, steadily, Ignis said, “If I were ‘telling secrets’ as you say, do you not think the Niflheim Imperial Army would have captured Noctis by now?”
Dave growled wordlessly, a frustrated and angry sound. “Johnny, here, was the first to spot you fraternizing with the enemy, and who did we see but that Dragoon lady hired by the Nifs to fight for’em, huntin’ the prince, specifically, if I recall right.”
Ignis’s eyes flashed to the man who cringed when his name was spoken and back to Dave. But Aranea Highwind was not who he’d spoken to this time. Had they been following him that long? Ignis remained silent.
“And now, just today...” Dave leaned in, sword in hand, resting painfully at the juncture of Ignis’s shoulder and neck. “Ravus Nox Fleuret, traitor to our late king, all of Lucis, his own goddamned sister and country, high commander of the Nif army.”
Dave was snarling less than a foot from Ignis’s face, and his eyes closed, a barely audible sigh escaped him.
“And you don’t even deny it?”
“I cannot deny what truth you’ve spoken, Dave. And wouldn’t it be just the sort of thing for a traitor to say “it’s not what it looks like” or “I didn’t do it”? You will believe what you want to believe and I am at your mercy.”
Dave growled again and shot upright again, raising the sword over his head.
Ignis’s eyes had remained closed, waiting for the blow to fall, he did not see the flash of blue light until a loud impact made him snap his eyes open. There was a shower of blue and white sparks of magic in the air, a black clad body standing between him and Dave. Their swords locked together.
