#angst mixed with fluff

Queen and Mother

A LuNyx fanfic set in me and @fabulanova-ffxv ‘s Crown AU in which Ravus became the king of Tenebrae but was assassinated a few years after Luna and Nyx married. After the king’s tragic death, Luna is crowned queen and Nyx becomes her prince consort - making their lives a lot more complicated than what they had anticipated.

Requested by @1piecegirl who wanted LuNyx with their kids moments in this AU.

Other Crown AU fics include the following when you search in this blog: 

• “An Inbetween”
  
• “Lament”
  
• “Liege” (by @fabulanova-ffxv)
  

You can search for fanart of this AU on my main (@annaoi)

Summary: Luna faces the harsh reality of being the sovereign of Tenebrae while being the mother to her children. 

Word Count ~1,700

Author’s Note: This took too long to finish because, while I was sick in the holidays, I went through 3 different plots before I finally was able to write this one. I intended to mix fluff with angst and I think I was able to do it. I hope you like it :)

From the window came a faint shriek of laughter, breaking Luna’s concentration for a second.

“Can you repeat that again, counselor?” she asked an old man with a white mustache as her hands linked on the table top. The blonde royal sat on the queen’s chair yet again as the sovereign who dealt with national matters in discussion. Five men of Tenebrae’s esteemed council, all of them wearing the seriousness of the situation on their faces, were seated as participators of this urgent meeting. The seasoned legislators formed a small semi-circle and faced her attentively. It was somewhat difficult to read them behind their stern guise.

She hoped they didn’t think of anything of that momentary lapse.

The old man, the one who had spoken before the distraction, brushed his mustache with his fingers before he began to repeat his words.

“As I have suggested, my Queen, the trade laws should be put in review if it meant to regain the ties with the Altissian government. And if we are to act upon the urgencies of the West Region’s export, we should have the whole council be included in this discussion”

The queen sighed placing the linked hands onto her lips, deep in thought with the facts laid out to her. She eyed the red classified stamp on the documents that had bulked on the desk. It meant more headaches and late night calls to ambassadors. More paperwork, travels and appearances to aid in the country’s political field. A mess of schedules and ruined sleep. The rougher side of royal duties.

Then, she heard the children counting from outside. Their father’s baritone voice joined, teaching them the order of numbers. Hide and seek must be a new favorite game of theirs.

Luna sighed harshly this time, to keep her mind from drifting. “We’ll have to schedule that for next week.”

“But Your Majesty,” objected another old man in an expensive suit, “the Western Region’s demands are of high priority. If we have it wait any longer Tenebrae’s major trades with Altissia will be put to a grave halt.”

Seeing the sound logic from his counter, Luna nodded to concede. “Very well then. Have the announcement for a meeting at the Oracle’s Hall at the most immediate opportune. I’ll have my secretary rearrange my schedule.”

The men bowed in unison. “As you wish, Your Majesty.” And they left in a quiet line.

Only when the last of them was gone did Luna let her shoulders slouch. She nursed her head bracing for the stress’ pain. More of the work was next on her plate. Papers to read and sign, more discussions with politicians, appearances for the public. Maybe the newspapers tomorrow would point out how her Majesty’s eye bags had doubled in size. To not waste any more time, she grabbed the first of the thick documents to read for the pending signature and stood up to stretch her legs. The first paragraph, unfortunately, was already draining to the sight that she automatically let her feet travel to the window and let herself be distracted for once.

She spotted the grassy grounds of the palace below, with trees creating shadowy spots under the late morning. Her children, the five year old boy and girl twins, ran in uneven circles. Her husband, their father, chased them with slowed steps to keep the illusion that they were getting away from him.

Celeste, the dark haired girl showed baby teeth as she skipped and ran with giggles. Alexis, the blond boy, was also in a fit of laughter but already giving up and facing their father’s grasp. Nyx, with his grin so wide and child-like, picked the boy up with one arm and carried him into the air as he proceeded to chase his daughter in play.

“The boogeyman got me! Run, Lest! Run” Alexis warned in glee as he hugged his father’s neck.

“Noooo not the boogeyman!” Celeste screamed in between the laughs.

Their father was able to capture his daughter with the other hand but his foot slipped into the grass. He segued the fall into a slide, twisting his body so he’d land on his back and the kids he carried would never touch the ground. The twins cheered and grabbed on as they safely fell into the grass. The children and their father laughed so hard that their joyous voices echoed clearly.

Luna’s heart melted on the contagious laughter and uttered her own behind the glass window. This was her family in a perfect picture, bringing the old days back somehow. She itched to go downstairs, join them in the grass and give them her tickles and kisses. Just like the times before she was made queen, when her royal status as a princess was in dormancy and she lived the blissful commoner life. But today, it was a doing she must put on hold as the bulk of work buried the family pictures that decorated her desk.

As he rested on the grass on his back, Nyx’s eyes spotted her from afar and smiled. He nudged the two children who lied down on the grass with him and pointed. They waved at her. In their tiny five-year-old voices, they called. “Hey Moooooom!”

She released a palm from the document she carried and waved back with a brighter smile. She half expected for them to shout at her to and urge her to come down with them but it seemed they spotted the work she held. They knew she couldn’t join them and the thought of that made the somberness more pronounced in her soul.

Next, Nyx blew her a kiss. The children copied the act in their own way. She smiled and let herself do the same for her family, kissing the palm and planting it on their image on the glass. She lingered her palm on the window, as though to hold her love, pride, and joy.

Then, she withdrew and turned to her nagging duties. Work would have her occupied for more time than she had hoped. Yet she still hoped that maybe she would finally join in the laughter later.

.

.

.

She was too late again.

Luna leaned on the door frame and watched them breathe. The twins on separate beds slumbered peacefully with the dimmed lighting of the lamp. As she gently snored, Celeste held a cardboard version of her father’s kukri. No doubt, Nyx had told his battle stories again for bedtime. In the same state, Alexis hugged a Malboro stuffed toy like a security blanket. Clearly, her son still hadn’t surrendered it for a replacement despite it having patches and unmatching stitches from repairs. Their eyes fluttered every now and then, indicating that they spent this hour in dreams.

As any mother would, the queen prayed in her mind that they were good dreams.

A pair of arms she recognized and welcomed gently wrapped her middle from behind. She felt his chin rest on her shoulder. She leaned to the side of his face and her fingers rubbed his calloused knuckles.

“How was work?” Nyx whispered.

“Same old.” she said simply, avoiding a complaint on the stress while still watching their children. “I thought you were asleep.”

“I was but you arriving back woke me up.”

Luna smiled for a bit. “I’m sorry.”

She can feel him shake his head. “Nah, I miss you anyway.” Then, he placed his lips on her cheek, making her feel the warmth all over. His much-needed embrace eased her mind’s gloom as always.

“How were they today?” she asked him.

“Lest had fun times with nannies. They told me she put a lizard into their lunch.”

Luna laughed softly and felt him smile.

“Before you ask,” he continued, “I already gave her a talk about it.

Hard-headed and having more of her father’s genes, the little princess’ antics quickly gained attention throughout the palace. It was Lest being Lest.

“Lexi is on his third book.” her husband said next. “He’s into reading about animals and told me he wanted to come back to the zoo sometime.”

The little prince, undoubtedly, was the well-behaved of the two. Shy and curious at the same time, he took after his mother’s bookworm hobby early on. Luna suddenly remembered the times when he was a toddler and he sat on her lap while she played the piano.

“I hope we can all go back.” the queen muttered. She meant the zoo but it might’ve sounded to have a different context. Maybe it was.

Nyx was silent, clearly sharing her quest to quench the nostalgia. She felt him bury his face into her hair and rubbed her belly with his thumb. It reminded her of the times when her babies were still growing inside of her womb. She enjoyed her husband’s protectiveness while she whispered her hopes and dreams for them. The mother told her unborn twins that she looked forward to seeing them grow.

The more she wore the crown, the more she felt robbed of the time with them. She had come to fear that, before her eyes would witness her children progressing lives, they have already grown up to venture off without her. How ironic that the most powerful woman in Tenebrae couldn’t even arrive in time to say her goodnight while they were still awake. It was always at the dead of night could she watch them and talk to them as they were deaf to her words and blind to her presence.

As the night continued into its stillness, Luna walked towards Celeste’s bedside and sat on its empty space. The mother gingerly set the cardboard kukri aside from the little’s girl’s hold, brushed her bangs and kissed her forehead. Afterwards, she moved on to Alexis who mirrored his sister’s serene face. She brushed away the blond curls and kissed his forehead as well. She looked at Nyx and sighed. His own fatigued eyes shared her somber gaze but eventually told of love and hope.

“There’s always tomorrow.” he said.

He offered his hand so they could go to bed finally. She took it and walked with him to leave their dreaming children be.

Tomorrow, she said to herself, tomorrow should be different.