MORNING – Palace, Sunrise
The palace was unusually quiet in the early hours. A calm before the storm.
Noctis stood at the balcony of his chambers, dressed down in a silk robe, hair still unstyled. The sky over Insomnia was pale lavender, touched with silver clouds. He took a slow breath. He hadn’t slept.
Behind him, Gladio was fussing with cufflinks while Ignis reviewed the day’s schedule.
“You’ll be married in precisely six hours and twenty minutes,” Ignis said, all business.
“Thanks, Specs,” Noctis muttered. “That really helped.”
Gladio clapped him on the shoulder. “Still time to run if you want.”
Noctis looked down at the city—and smiled softly.
“Hadn't even given it a thought."
Your Chambers
You stood in your dress, it hung to the floor, your veil just barely meeting the ground—you couldn't lie, you've never felt prettier.
A seamstress stood behind you, to busy focusing on any touch up in the corner, while Luna stood behind you with calm, braiding a portion of your hair back into a silver-accented twist.
“I'm actually doing it." You muttered. "I'm actually marrying him." It still felt hard to believe for you, yet, that nervousness that pooled in your stomach made it all the too real.
“You are,” Luna said gently, tying the last ribbon.
Your eyes soften.
“…Do you think I’ll do okay?”
Luna grabbed your head gently, forcing yourself to look at you in the mirror
“You’ve already been protecting his heart longer than any title ever will. You'll do great."
NOON – Cathedral of Lucis
The cathedral bells rang out like a call to destiny.
All of Insomnia had gathered to witness it—the culmination of a love story once whispered behind palace walls. Your relationship would no longer be a secret. No longer be a rumor. Today, it stood in the light for all to see.
You stood just beyond those heavy white doors, heart pounding like a drum in your ears.
Everyone else had already walked down the aisle. Now it was your turn. Your wedding day.
You exhaled slowly, trying to steady yourself. Gods, who wouldn’t be nervous? With shaking hands, you adjusted your grip on your bouquet, eyes locked ahead as the music swelled and the doors were finally pulled open.
A collective hush fell over the cathedral as guests turned to look. Murmurs rose almost immediately—of admiration, of awe. But all of it melted away when your eyes found his.
Noctis.
He stood at the altar tall in black and gold, the royal crest gleaming proudly against his chest. His usually steady hands twitched with barely contained nerves, breath catching in his throat as he saw you.
He barely noticed the crowd anymore, barely registered the whispers or the glint of the chandeliers above. You were all he could see. Radiant. Strong. His soon-to-be wife.
Every step you took toward him only tightened the knot in his chest. Not from anxiety, but from overwhelming love—so much it almost hurt to hold in.
Soon, he thought. Soon, you’ll be mine completely. Soon, you’ll wear my name and my ring. Soon, the world will finally know what I’ve always known.
That you were his once-in-a-lifetime.
His love. His heart. His {{user}} Lucis Caelum.