Chronicles Eleven: Awakening

"The Six…Represented by the fruit of Sky's Light…Water, Fire, Wind, Earth, Ice and Light…Awaken, True King…Nurture the future's guiding lights…"

Noctis woke up, still sleeping in the chair next to Lunafreya. It had been another three weeks and the woman still hadn't awaken. He had started to lose hope that she would ever but…

"She'll wake up. Don't worry."

"And how are you so sure?" Noct said, melancholic.

The specter of his father appeared and Regis told him, "She's not sleeping because of blood loss. Something else has placed her under this near endless sleep."

"Like a curse?" Noctis asked.

"I don't know, but there's something else going on. I can sense it," Regis told him.

Noctis looked at Luna again and he could sense something…otherworldly. Almost as if her mind had been taken to another world…but that was a bit farfetched. Even compared to what he'd seen during his adventures twelve years ago with meeting Sarah and Y'jimeh.

"WAAH! WAAH! WAAA!"

One of the babies, as the triplets were moved into the suite, began crying and Noct knew who it was. He got up and said, "I'm coming. I'm coming, Gina…"

Just as in one of his dreams, the little baby cried hysterically and sounded as if she had trouble breathing. The trio were connected to various machines, one of them assisting in their breathing. Regina, after getting picked up, calmed down for a moment and immediately whimpered. She, going on two months and weighing 5 pounds, began gnawing on her fist, meaning she was hungry.

"Okay. Let me get a bottle," Noct told her.

Another baby crying and it was Ventus. He flailed his arms, trying to get his dad's attention. Regina whimpered again and joined in. The two babies crying was like stereo and Noct quickly panicked. A third whimper and he muttered, "Please gods, no…"

Aurelius began crying and it was a surrounding chorus of crying and tears. Noct was about to cry himself, the demanding triplets and Luna still being asleep, as well as the politicians and council demanding his return, stressing him out. He let out a whimper, to which someone said, "Wow, we got nearly a choir here."

"Just needs a few more people and I think we got a thing going."

Noct was relieved, seeing Prompto and the short and quite pregnant nurse, Lucina. She grinned, saying, "Oh. We have this happen to a lot of new fathers of triplets. And, Majesty, you're holding her wrong."

She helped him adjust Regina's head, which was hanging off his right arm, not supported at all. So, her crying was trying to alert him that she wasn't comfortable. Lucina went and checked on the others, which Ventus was hungry and Aurelius' diaper needed changing. Prompto held Ventus, who gave him a bit of a glower. Or so Noctis thought from his tired, wanting more sleep eyes.

"So, how's Luna?" Prompto asked, with Lucina handing him a bottle.

Noct went back to his seat, still holding Regina, and said, "Nothing yet."

"Well, we're still here to help ya, buddy. And is it just me or Venny here's lookin' mad at me?" Prompto said.

Lucina looked and said, "Nah, he's just tired from crying. The triplets are still getting used to their lungs. Hopefully they won't develop asthma or other breathing difficulties."

Regina stared at Noctis as he fed her from the bottle and the girl drank the whole thing in less than ten seconds. Ventus took a bit longer, drinking the whole thing in fifteen, and Aurelius cooed after getting his diaper changed. A burp and Lucina snickered, telling the King, "Hee-hee, I guess the little prince and princess are big eaters. They'll gain more weight soon."

"Iggy's gonna be happy to hear that," Prompto said.

He looked at Noct and the man said nothing. His mind was still on Luna and why she was still asleep. They managed to fulfill the prophecy, with the true First King, Ardyn, taking Noct's place, and they defeated Bahamut and Ifrit. And the Starscourge was no more and the world had started to go back to normal…Or as normal as it could be as there were towns that suddenly reappeared, continents and islands that rose up from the seas and different kinds of races that he was sure wasn't there before.

More cooing and Regina squirmed in Noct's arms. She looked as if she was trying to move her arms, but she still hadn't the hang of it. That and Noct could sense something…odd from her.

Ven burped and Noctis could hear Aurelius whimpering. Lucina took him and said, "Getting pretty heavy, my guy."

She then said, "Dr. Gainsborough wants us to measure them again tomorrow. And your bonding with them is helping a lot as premmies need a lot of nurturing to grow to their proper weights and heights. So, putting the triplets on your chest near your heart is helpful. But, these little ones seem pretty aware and want to be with you."

"Yeah, especially this one," Noctis said, looking down at Regina, who turned her face into his chest.

"We'll tell Her Majesty the same when she awakens," Lucina said, putting Aurel down.

Noct looked away, muttering, "If she does…"

"C'mon, Noct. She'll wake up. Have some faith," Prompto told him.

"A lot of good having faith would do…" Noctis mumbled.

Regina grunted, hitting him with her right arm. The man snapped out of it, seeing her face still buried in his chest, but her arm kept hitting him. He held her up in front of his face and said, "Excuse me, miss."

"BAH!" the baby yelled.

"Why are you hitting me?" Noct asked.

"BAH!" she shouted.

She then flailed, hitting him again three times. The dark-haired king glared and said, "Hey!"

"BAH-BAH! YAH!" Regina yelled back.

More flailing and Noct said, "Hey! Stop that!"

Even more flailing and the man yelled, "Stop! Your mom's not waking up! Not now, not ever!"

"Noct…" Prompto said, with Ventus staring at Noctis.

Lucina gave a piteous look and Noctis looked ready to break down. He then said, "She…She's not waking up. And I don't know why, but…I…"

Regina tilted her head, as if she understood him and gave a small coo. Which promptly turned into flatulence. A grin and she looked awfully pleased with herself. Noct saw that and said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that…"

"Noctis…?"

The familiar voice had everyone look to Lunafreya's bed. The Oracle-Queen was awake and staring at her husband, who still held the baby in front of his face like he was picking up a puppy. Noctis was wide-eyed, Prompto's jaw dropped and Lucina held onto her radio, telling her supervisor, "The Queen's awake! No, seriously! She's awake!"

She put Aurelius back in his crib and went outside as fast as she could, wobbling the whole time. Noctis didn't know if he was in another dream or if it was real, to which Luna said, "You're looking at me…as if you've seen a ghost…"

"Because, you…" Noct started, ready to cry.

Regina cooed again, passing more gas and nearly ruining the moment. Lunafreya smiled and said, "Is this…?"

"Yes, um…Let's…Let's wait until the doctors come in and help you…um…" Noct told her.

Prompto grabbed Regina from him, and saw Noctis throw his arms over Luna, who was very surprised.

Two days later…

"So, we have Regina, Aurelius and Ventus. Which one's the eldest again?" Luna asked.

Noctis, ecstatic that his wife was finally awake after nearly two months in a coma, but still bedridden, grinned from ear to ear as they held the triplets. He sat in her bed, the two sharing one after so long, and he told her, "Aurel's the oldest, born two minutes before Regina and three before Ven here."

"Oh. I don't remember much after going into the emergency…But I am happy that you've chosen excellent names for the children," Luna said, smiling at him.

Noct was relieved as he was so sure that he was going to be a single father, repeating what happened with his father. He didn't know how Regis did it, but…apparently, he was much stronger than he was to do it alone. Especially after all that happened to Noctis when he was a child.

"Hello there. I'm your mother," Lunafreya told the triplets.

Aurelius yawned, falling asleep. Regina tilted her head, staring at the woman. Ventus managed to put a fist into his mouth, indicating he was hungry…again. He then whimpered and Luna said, "At least you warn us before you cry…Hold on."

Noct leaned back, closing his eyes and giving the mother and child their bonding time as he felt very, very sleepy. Within seconds, he was out like a light, still holding Aurel and Regina. Luna, breastfeeding, held back a laugh, as she was surprised that he kept his awareness of the two sleeping babies in his arms.

She then whispered, "You would've been a fine father if the gods had taken me. Just like your father."

Yay! This time her waking up wasn't a dream! Woo! Anywho, thanks to everyone that read the previous chapters and gave this fic a chance. And we'll find out soon why Luna was sleeping for so long.

-miano53