Take these stars from my crown

[flawed_immortality]

♥ Who: Lucis Family + SOs
♥ Where: The food testing area
♥ When: Late Nov/Malom
♥ What: The Eosians getting together for a family gathering.
♥ Rating: Probably just PG?

Cor made a point of getting to the tower early so he could make some preparations, setting the table for the full family. Even Will is coming and that is so strange. Cor has never once in his life had a +1 for any kind of event. Yet here he is setting a table for nine instead of eight.

The prep work had taken weeks of going over the correct textures and tastes with the research team, something Ignis had taken on the bulk of the work for while the others worked on the wall. Still he was confident that they were close enough to get a solid match on many foods, leaving some of their bet recipes only very slightly off from the originals. Cor had taken over rolling a large selection of sushi as well as a light starter soup. Some of the more robust recipes had been Ignis' purview but, if nothing else, Cor is an efficient prep cook.

All in all there's a pretty spectacular spread when everyone arrives, something for everyone and a familiar Altissian berry cake for dessert.

Comments

[kingkingcxiii]

[Regis blinks slowly as Ardyn's words draw him back to himself. When he turns toward redhead, his expression is an odd mix of loneliness and amusement.]

I was debating if it would be her or Lunafreya who would come looking first. I should not have doubted her. How are you holding up?

[This would be a lot for Ardyn if they were a normal family having a family gathering, and they are in no way a normal family.]

[scourgingstars]

Oh, I'll live--I suppose I'm good at that if little else. I was, however, about to ask the same of you.

[kingkingcxiii]

[A self-conscious look crosses Regis face.]

Am I so obvious?

[His gaze returns to the window for a moment. What he is about to say feels silly, considering how long Ardyn was parted from Aera, but he isn't about to lie to the redhead about it either.]

I have rarely been away from Aulea this long. I miss her terribly.

[scourgingstars]

...I see. You must feel terribly lonely, then.

[To the contrary, he answered with the usual half-smile and tilted his head in interest.]

Would you tell me about her?

[kingkingcxiii]

Is it strange to feel that way when there are so many around?

[Another question it feels odd to ask Ardyn, but he asks it nonetheless.]

We've known each other since childhood. I swear she knows what I need long before I do most times even though her personality is so much more energetic than my own. Were it not for her, I would be a lot more restrained person. She's the one who taught me how to enjoy life again after my father trained it out of me.

[scourgingstars]

Not at all. I've often found myself lonely without Aera, even in the midst of a crowd.

[Ardyn paused at Regis' words, frowning in a brief expression of thought.]

...My dear relative, I start to wonder if perhaps we have a type, as the phrasing goes.

[kingkingcxiii]

[Regis can't help but laugh at that, his mood brightening a little.]

The more we talk about it, the less I can argue it. I take it Aera did something similar for you?

[scourgingstars]

She has ever been...'willful' is the polite term.

[Although that couldn't have sounded less like a complaint.]

[kingkingcxiii]

'Willful' is a lot more polite than many of the things my father and his sycophants called Aulea. She challenged him and would not back down. She didn't care if he was king. Sometimes I think he thought her Ifrit incarnate called down to make his life miserable.

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn laughed softly behind his hand; yes, they definitely had a type.]

I've often found myself wondering if Aera simply enjoys testing my patience. Or rather, enjoys seeing what she can get away with.

[kingkingcxiii]

Oh, if she is as much like Aulea as it sounds, there is no question she is, but generally it is for a good reason. We are not always good judges of what is best for ourselves.

[UNDERSTATEMENT!]