Untold Omens

Chapter Fourteen: Episode Gladiolus

Midnight blue shadows veiled the unlit bedroom, before the door creaked open inviting light and noise to disrupt the still dark silence. In a near crouch, a determined mother crawled to her son's bedside. Holding her breath, she placed a firm hand against him to jostle him awake.

"Hush, hush…Wake up, hon. We're leaving…" whispered a familiar tender voice.

Mind still fighting off his addle haze, Gladio lurched up rubbing a clumsy hand over his face to wipe away the last dregs of sleep.

"…Mom?" He mumbled in confusion.

Though wispy and distant, Gladio could still remember her voice even after all these years. His amber eyes opened half expecting to see his mother again, but instead he was only greeted to the sight of black nighttime shadows by his bedside.

A quick glance to his clock told him he's woken up much earlier than anticipated. His drowsy gaze reflexively wandered to the neatly bundled green duffle-bag sitting at the foot of his bed, packed with only the barest of necessities.

Before dawn, he will be leaving Insomnia with Lady Claire as his guide to the Tempering Grounds in order to prove his worth.

When he returns triumphant against The Blademaster, the victory will be enough to attest to everyone in doubt of him. King Regis and the brat prince. Crownsguard and Kingsglaive. His father and his forefathers before him. He will prove to them all that he too is worthy of being the Kings Shield. He must show them that he was never unworthy of the task in the first place.

Seeing as there was no point in trying to get any more sleep, he tossed his blankets aside and began his morning workout routine. Once completed, he came out of the shower moments later, clean and refreshed. While getting dressed, he glanced over his near minimalistic bedroom once more as if truly seeing it for the last time.

No one would be the wiser of the cherished mementos that sat within the bare walls. A bookshelf filled with his mother's collection of books and old romance novels sat next to a row of photographs. Those who meant the world to him were framed within its dust-free surface.

Gladio grazed a thumb over the photo of his mother with amber eyes that matched his own. Her stomach was round in the late stages of pregnancy, carrying Iris. He and Aracelis stood pictured alongside her, the girl lovingly hugging his mother's round belly, both of them still children back then.

...Ten Years Ago

M.E 741

"Glaaaaddddiiioooooooo!" A melodious little girl's voice called from outside his bedroom window.

Eight-year-old Gladio perked up at the call of his name and hurried away from his homework, fumbling to open his bedroom window. Somewhat mindful as to not completely throw himself over the edge, he lunged his head out and looked down to the house next door.

Waving at him from her bay window was a little girl with dark twin braids and wide-lens glasses. She held one of her many teddy bears in her arms and swung it at him in an excited wave.

"Ariiiiiie!" He waved back, happy at the sight of his next door neighbor.

"Can you come over and play today?" chirped the small brunette. "Mommy made snacks for us!"

"Uhhh…" Gladio glanced back to the stack of homework still sitting on his desk, shoulders dropping at the sight of the unfinished work. "I can't… I have homework."

"Awww," whined the little girl before a solution popped into her mind. "If you can't come over then… can I come over instead?"

"Oh, yeah. Sure!" shouted the hefty boy, elated at the prospect. "I'll go open the door for you!"

In all his excitement he made a hasty retreat, ready to charge down the stairs and greet her, before leaping back to decidedly shout one last thing.

"Bring the snacks!"

Gladio ran down the steps, taking two to three at a time. His hand barely grazed the banister as he practically flew to the bottom. Racing down the hallways, he was careful to peek around every corner in case his father was around. Seeing the coast clear he was quick to hurry along, a bright smile on his face.

However, just as he was about to pass the library, a pair of heated voices came from within. Gladio slowed his steps to a halt when he recognized them as his parents.

"He's only eight years old! You can't expect him to go through that kind of training on top of all his studies!" argued his mother, Rose.

"He is an Amicitia!" Clarus boomed. "And while under my house, he will obey my rules! If you cannot accept this…then you can leave!"

"Maybe I will!" She threatened. "You think I'm scared of you?"

Gladio hurried away in silence, not wanting either of his parents to catch him eavesdropping. By the time he reached the door, the boy had lost all his original glee at potentially seeing his friend.

"Gladdy!" cheered Aracelis when he opened the door, but tilted her head in confusion when she noticed his dour mood. "You okay? Do you have a tummy ache?"

"…No." He shook his head before forcing a grin to his face. "Did you bring the snacks?"

"Yup!" The bespectacled girl confirmed with a wide smile, tugging a little red wagon along.

A ridiculous amount of goodies were stacked atop one another in a mountain of neat little boxes, with several of her teddy bears and toys nestled against them for stability. Between the two children, they managed to lug the entirety of their horde up to Gladio's room.

It would be hours before the Hester Chamberlain found them asleep on the ground, surrounded by a mess of toys and teddy bears, their mouths covered with crumbs and smudges of sugar. This was the only remaining evidence of their confectionary feast. The boy laid sprawled out, mouth ajar with snores while the little girl curled up against his shoulder hugging a teddy bear.

The elderly man shook his head with fondness as he attempted to untangle the two children.

"Master Gladio. Aracelis…" At the disturbance, Gladio opened his groggy eyes and tried to move his napping buddy off him with a clumsy shove.

"…Arie… geroff," slurred the boy sleepily.

"Nyooo," whined the little girl as she clung on to him, stubborn and unwilling to let go of her human pillow.

"Now, now…" Jared hurried to settle the two children, lest they start screaming at one another from a cranky wakeup.

When the elder cradled Aracelis into his arms to bring her home, the little girl snuggled closer against her grandfather with a content yawn. He gave a pitying sigh before deciding to wake up the older boy, bringing an abrupt end to his peaceful slumber.

"Master Gladio." The Hester chamberlain called again, maintaining his tone hard with resolution. He couldn't resist smiling at the unkempt child gawking up at him, dazed in a groggy stupor. "Best you wash up before your bedtime young master. Lest your father find you in such condition."

Left alone, Gladio resigned to doing just as he was told. After washing up, he readily began tidying up the plain bedroom, putting away the mess of his friend's forgotten toys before drifting off to sleep. All the while, his mother's threat and his father's ultimatum weighed heavy on his mind.

…Might his mother leave him behind?

A firm hand jostled him awake much later that night.

"Hush, hush…Wake up, hon. We're leaving…" His mother whispered, brushing a gentle hand against his face.

"…Mom?" He murmured softly. The boy sat up, opening his eyes to the sight of her forlorn amber ones.

He curled a fist against his own, trying to rub away the remaining sleepy fog before he caught sight of the green duffle bag at her side. "Are we going over to Arie's house for a sleepover again?"

Her eyes red and stung with tears, his mother made haste as she rummaged through the drawers to shove some of her son's clothing into the packed bag. A choked laugh escaped through a stifled sob when she answered him. "…Yes sweetheart. Of course."

Sleepovers at the Hester household after midnight were no strange occurrence for Gladio. He's all but come to expect them whenever his mother packs the duffle bag in the middle of the night like this. Rose maintained a brave smile when she ushered him up and out of his bed. Together, they snuck out of the home and off the premises, hand in hand.

"Oh Rose…" Selene took one look at the disheveled woman before quickly pulling her into a hug.

"Gladdy!" Aracelis cheered through a sleepy yawn while plodding her way down the stairs. "Are you coming over for a sleepover again?"

When the girl found them, the nighttime guests no longer stood in the foyer. A weary smile graced the boy's face at the sight of his best friend.

"Arie, why don't you take Gladio up to your room?" Selene requested, escorting Rose into the kitchen. Aracelis hummed a sleepy confirmation as she took hold of his hand. The Hester matriarch fussed over the pregnant woman ready to prepare two warm cups of tea.

The children paused near the bottom of the stairway when they heard his mother's woeful declarations to Selene, her voice muffled behind the walls.

"I can't stand that tyrant anymore!" snapped Rose. "I'm going to take Gladio back to Lestallum with me. I mean it! I'm leaving as soon as possible."

"…Leaving?" Aracelis mumbled as she rubbed her eyes with a free hand, the other tightened possessively around his. When she took notice of Rose's bag at the doorway, the girl was swift to pull him along and lead him away, up the stairs and to her room.

"Rose, don't be ridiculous!" chided Selene. "You're about to give birth any day now! You are in no condition for traveling! What if… you gave birth in the middle of nowhere?"

Gladio missed the rest of the conversation between the two older women as they ascended the staircase, his friend urgently tugging him along. When she dragged him into her room, he couldn't help but appreciate the plush carpeting beneath his feet.

Her room was lit only by the decorative fairy lights adorning the walls. Sheer canopy curtains framed the bay window, piled high with a colorful assortment of teddy bears, each wearing handmade outfits sewn and knitted by Selene. A fluffy blanket and plush pillows laid haphazardly about the floor along with a scattering of crayon drawings, open books and toys. It was almost enough to tempt him to lay down and nap some more.

"…Gladdy?" Aracelis whispered softly, her hand squeezing his. He looked down at the smaller girl and noticed a slight trembling of her lower lip. "You're… not leaving are you?"

Any residual sleep still lingering completely disappeared as he squeezed her hand back. "Course not!" He forced a grin to his face.

"But…" she trailed off in hesitation.

"I'm not going anywhere," reassured the older boy as he planted a hand on her head.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

A shy smile lit up her rosy face and a relieved sigh escaped her. The girl was about to suggest games for them to play together before bedtime, but a loud shout was heard coming from downstairs.

"ALDER!" Selene cried firmly, a hint of urgency in her voice.

Both Aracelis and Gladio rushed back to the edge of the stairway to see her struggling to hold up the pregnant woman. His mother was hunched over in great discomfort, a puddle of water at her feet.

Weeks later, Gladio laid wide awake on his bed, staring blankly at his ceiling. His baby sister's cries could be heard echoing down the halls. His mom was gone. His father hasn't spoken in days.

Selene had tried to explain what happened, but Gladio couldn't understand any of it at the time. When he first saw the wetness beneath her, he had no idea what it meant, so he thought maybe his mother had an accident she often used to complain that the baby was kicking her bladder. He should have realized something was seriously wrong when Aracelis' parents rushed her into their car.

His father had charged out from their home next door not long after. Expression grave, Clarus kneeled by the open backseat clenching his hand tight over hers. The ordinarily stoic Amicitia patriarch held the panicked woman with steady patience, assuring her that she would be okay through her swearing and labored breathing… That was the last Gladio saw of his mother that night, before the Hesters drove his parents to the hospital.

He was told to stay behind with Aracelis to wait for further news. The next time he saw his father, the man hadn't spoken a single word to him. He just brought him to the hospital to see his mother… one last time.

Gladio took a deep breath as he fought back his anguish, his palm furiously rubbing over his face to dry up his miserable tears. He rolled out of bed and snuck over to his new little sister's nursery. He watched the nursemaid carefully set down his now quiet sister into her bassinet.

Waiting until the woman was long gone, he slipped in for a better look at the baby girl. Until now, the boy wanted nothing more than to bunch up his fist and strike her for taking his mother away. However, seeing how tiny and helpless she was, barely bigger than most of Aracelis' teddy bears, his anger immediately dissipated.

"Gladio, be a good big brother to your sister okay? No bullying her."

He recalled his mother's words to him when she first told him that he would be a big brother. He wasn't very excited about it at the time, but Rose made Iris sound especially fun. She even asked for his help with picking out a name for the baby from her favorite book, The Language of Flowers.

"…It's okay Iris," he whispered. The boy reached into the bassinet with a timid finger to gently prod at his sleeping sister. The pink baby began to squirm and wriggle to life at his light touch, remaining sound asleep. "Mom's gone, but… you still have me…"

...One Year Later

M.E 742

After his mother's death, his father Clarus only grew more stringent with overseeing his physical training and academic coursework.

Commonplace mistakes that were once passable were now wholly unacceptable. His father contended that he must work through his studies with utmost efficiency to make time for more essential matters, such as physical training. He received increasingly severe punishment for any sign of oversight or imperfection in both areas.

The boy worked hard to fulfill every task given to him. After all, he was a whole year older now, so Gladio clung firmly to an unshakable conviction that he must endure all his training, meet every standard, and accept every act of discipline as a met justice, carried out because it was due.

The most recent punishment tasked him with assisting the kitchen footmen in the low hot sculleries of the Citadel, peeling, husking and hauling countless vegetables among other such drudgery.

Fingers raw, numb and stiff from the hard labor of the night before, the boy gingerly buttoned his suit vest for the evening. Tonight, he would get to attend the event that he and the Citadel's kitchen scullions worked very hard to prepare for.

King Regis was hosting a garden soirée inviting a number of noble houses with children just about the prince's age, in order for them to meet with their awaited king. As the heir to the Amicitia House and the anticipated shield, naturally Gladio was expected in attendance as was Aracelis. Her mother even bought a lovely new dress for her to wear, yet the girl vehemently refused to attend as if her life depended on it.

Though the loss of his mother pained him greatly, he wasn't the only one affected. Aracelis had seemingly changed overnight since then, just after her seventh birthday. Gone was the carefree, friendly little girl that dragged him into anything that caught her interest and in her place was a distant, stoic and rule-abiding girl. A girl his father often praised for being mature for her age.

Despite having to wear a stuffy suit, Gladio very much looked forward to the evening. Tonight, he would finally be introduced to the Crown Prince of Lucis, Noctis Lucis Caelum.

As the Amicitia heir and the subsequent shield in training, he long resigned to his inescapable circumstance. In grim silence some unknown time ago, he submitted to the realization that he would never be treated as other children were because instead, he had a great purpose to fulfill.

The prince that would be his king was key to that purpose. Albeit not yet having met the other boy, the young Amicitia believed Prince Noctis to be the single most important figure to his life, crucial to bestowing all of his tribulations with any sense of pertinence and meaning.

The husky boy tugged uncomfortably at his suit collar while he stood in quiet obedience by his father's side. His gaze darted about rapidly, taking in all the sights of the Citadel gardens, decorated with soft white lights for the affair.

Finely dressed lords and ladies mingled with one another while the children played amongst the blooming spring flowers under the starry night sky. Uniformed staff scurried to and fro, serving the socializing nobility all around him, yet his eyes searched only for one person.

"I bet I can do a handstand longer than BOTH OF YOU COMBINED! WATCH THIS!"

At the sound of the declaration, Gladio snapped his attention to a trio of other children. A mischievous little girl, dressed up in pink bows abruptly flipped herself upside down. All at once, the ruffled layered skirts of her dress swung freely over her head unhiding the thick petticoats underneath.

Eyes wide, he watched as the girl began to wobble and struggle to remain upright, then ultimately lost her balance. With a clumsy landing, she fell directly on top of one of the boys she was playing with in a fit of laughter. The undisciplined girl cackled as the third child, a redheaded boy attempted to dislodge the little kid trapped beneath her. Once freed, the raven-haired boy scrambled away pathetically, in utter fear.

A mixture of confusion and dismay crossed Gladio's face while studying the frightened quivering child, growing disheartened by what the evidence suggested. From the looks of it, the meek raven haired boy was the only child around decked out in Lucian regalia.

Could that … really be his future king?

Whimpering, the boy scurried behind the safety of the king's legs, all but confirming Gladio's newfound fear.

King Regis stood tall, noble and dignified as a ruling sovereign should, whereas the delicate prince hiding beside him appeared comparably different from his own father. A fond chuckle escaped the king's lips as he planted a reassuring hand atop the prince's soft raven head.

Unable to restrain the brewing sense of disappointment, his distress began to overlap with a bitter longing at the doting display. Gladio's previous crestfallen expression twisted into a dark leer when both boys incidentally met eyes from a distance.

"Your majesty." The Amicitia patriarch approached the Lucian royalty, his hold hard on Gladio's shoulder.

"Clarus." The king greeted his shield with a smile before turning to his small son, still hiding behind his legs. The raven-haired boy clung onto his father's side, drawing his timid gaze from the austere shield down to his scowling son. "Come now, Noctis. There's someone I'd like you to meet."

Noctis balked. Refusing to stand at the foreground, the prince dug his boots into the ground. His saucer-wide blue eyes resembled a frightened cat as he observed the robust older boy with apprehension.

Not to be utterly bested by this setback, the younger Amicitia steeled himself before he stepped forward first.

"Hi," he greeted, thrusting a hand out in salutation towards the younger boy. Determined, he managed a tight-lipped smile when he introduced himself. "…I'm Gladiolus Amicitia, but you can just call me Gladio."

The king lowered a hand to the shy prince, gently prodding him to step forward as well. "…Noctis," his father softly urged through a restrained grimace.

Young Noctis flinched, his fair fingers gradually released hold of his father's suit. The prince surveyed the rough larger hand, gaze arrested on the tough skin, raw with callouses. Noctis stalled for a long indefinite moment, undecided, only to renounce him and turn away.

Gladio faltered, dumbstruck. Holding his breath, he lowered his hand back to his side.

A sigh escaped the monarch's lips before he turned to the perplexed Amicitia father. In stone silence, Clarus cocked a single brow.

The king revealed a quaint and sheepish expression. "I suppose he's still a bit shy. Please don't mind my son."

A moment later, the skittish prince took off. Regis called after his son, concerned at the boy's abrupt departure, but he was long gone. At the king's show of leniency, Gladio found himself clenching his fists tight at his sides. The prince hadn't even gotten a reprimand. It was then that he felt the beginnings of a bitter grudge, fueled by a covetous rage for the other boy's abundant privilege. A forbidden secret he buried deep within him.

The young shield in training couldn't be more demoralized by the brat prince that was to be his future king.

Founders Day Festival

M.E 742

"Come on Arie!" Gladio exclaimed as he dragged her along.

"Must I?" drawled the younger girl with a sigh, nudging sleek lenses back up the bridge of her nose. Despite her protest, he abruptly yanked her away.

Strings of lights hanging with blue and yellow banners stretched beneath the bridges within the city slums. Food stalls puffing smoke lined the crowded streets. The aroma of heavily spiced food permeated through the air, adding to the heat of the summer eve. Hand in hand, they maneuvered through the crowd, passing along a vibrant maze of street food and funfair activities. The local residents wore a plethora of varied clothing, styles reminiscent of their hometowns outside of the Crown City.

"Now, now." Selene called after them playfully. "Wait for me, you two!"

She walked fast to keep up, even with baby Iris strapped to her front in a harness. In place of their late mother, the Hester matriarch had taken it upon herself to invite the Amicitia siblings along to whatever festivities she brought her own daughter to. The baby girl shrieked and giggled as she took in the bustling surroundings, kicking her stubby arms and legs in joy.

"Okay, who's hungry?" Toting the three children, Selene ushered them along to the nearest food stall taking a much needed break at a nearby bench.

Aracelis turned up her nose at the smell when the woman handed her a skewer dripping with sauce and dry spices.

"…What is this?" The girl asked in dismay, carefully nibbling the edge before quickly pulling away. Her face pinched, eyes tearing at the spiciness of the food.

Gladio held no such reservation as he happily dug in at the offered food, tearing a small chunk of meat off the stick. Tender and flavorful, the robust boy had no trouble devouring it in record time.

"You gonna eat that?" He asked, pointing at the barely touched skewer in her hand.

Without a word, Aracelis handed it over to him then tugged on Selene's arm in demand of a drink to clear off the burn in her mouth. Despite this being his first year coming here without his mother, Gladio still found himself excited. However, a quick glance at Aracelis made him wonder why his best friend didn't share his high spirits.

"Stop being such a sourpuss!" He ruffled her hair, much to her annoyance.

"I said quit it." Aracelis ordered in a clipped tone, swatting the boy's hands away.

He rolled his eyes at the sedated girl. The serious child held herself akin to a noble lady of the court, composed and graceful compared to the fun wild child she once was. She no longer wore her hair in twin tailed braids. Her hair now hung partly down, clasped tightly with a barrette.

In his peripheral, he caught sight of the perfect remedy to her bad mood. The biggest teddy bear he's ever laid eyes on was being offered up as a grand prize at a game stall nearby. This would cheer up his best friend for sure. The little girl adored teddy bears. All he had to do was beat the game and win the prize for her, easy.

"Watch this!" The boy dragged his friend over to the game stall after asking Selene for some money.

"Gladio, no. I don't want that thing," groaned Aracelis as she was helplessly pulled along. "Besides, all these games are probably rigged anyway…"

The dodgy huckster who ran the stall began his usual spiel, smirking with confidence as the boy exchanged payment for a small leather wrapped ball. Before he could finish speaking however, every stacked metallic can went flying into the air with a loud violent impact. The ball clung pitifully into the tent before falling to the ground.

Aracelis gapped in surprise, not expecting the quick victory. Exuberant, Gladio held out his hands, opening and closing them in an expectant gesture. Eye twitching, the irate man heaved over the grand prize, more than happy to conceal the cheeky grin on the boy's face. The young Amicitia caught the large bear in a wide hug and without warning, dumped the oversized stuffed animal directly on top of his friend.

Surprise turned into indignation as the giant stuffed bear toppled her small body to the ground.

"Gladio!" She growled, murder clear in her eyes as she struggled to crawl out from underneath its heavy plush body.

Enraged yet determined, the girl attempted to throw the bear back at him in revenge. Try as she might, she ultimately couldn't get the thing to budge and eventually gave up, sending him into a fit of laughter. Iris joined in, clapping her small hands with glee as Selene approached the pair giggling in amusement behind her hand.

Getting the giant stuffed bear home was quite the chore as it didn't fit in the trunk. The children laid it flat across their laps together in the backseat, pressing down with all their might so it wouldn't obscure the rearview mirror. Unhappy with the situation, Aracelis grumbled under her breath the whole way back. Seeing her so flustered sent the boy into another laughing fit.

Amicitia Estate

M.E 745

In the following years, Aracelis had taken to posing the gift, Mr. Bear directly in front of her bay window, at first to convince him the giant toy was alive. However, at twelve years old, he was too old to fall for her mean-spirited tricks. Still, she often maintained the ruse, now an inside joke shared between them.

Taking a short break from his studies, he stretched before momentarily sparing a glance out his window in search of her. Hand pressed against the windowpane, he spotted Aracelis seated alongside three-year-old Iris in Selene's backyard garden, surrounded by shrubs and a blooming assortment of flowers. Both girls looked over his mother's favorite book, The Language of Flowers.

Gladio felt his heart grow warm watching little Iris pointing to the various hand drawn art of the flowers, much like he used to when his mother was still alive. The familiar book held many fond memories of her. Rose would go through every flower, explaining what each represented and what messages one could send through a bouquet.

Fond memories aside, Gladio broke away and returned to his desk. He had just one more year to complete all of his studies. After that, his real duties would begin, taking his place at the Citadel and officially training the prince.

It became an inward struggle to endure all his training after their rocky first encounter, but he continued to face the mountain of adversity head on. The future shield clung to the hope that perhaps with his tutelage, it would be enough to shape the prince into the kind of man he needed him to be. With that, Gladio held strong and pulled through. In time, he would one day have to join the ranks of Crownsguard.

It was dusk when he next gazed out his window. The twilight sky was painted with the colorful hues of blue and green with streaks of pink and orange. He glanced down to the bay window next door, expecting to see Mr. Bear placed in yet another position.

What he saw instead was Aracelis curled up against the stuffed bear, gazing out at the view. Solemn expression, she appeared to be looking up at the sky. However, when their eyes met she stuck out her tongue childishly. A short laugh escaped him at her immaturity. He grinned before returning the gesture by making faces at her. Despite her serious and ornery personality, she was still his dear friend after all.

...Present Day

M.E 751

Gladio stared absently out from his window, gazing down to the lightless empty window to Aracelis' bedroom. Tonight, Mr. Bear was missing again. Idly, he wondered how much longer she would continue to keep the old thing when she'd already gotten rid of everything else from her childhood.

He shook the doubts from his head before reaching for the last photo taken of her and Iris, carefully packing it with the rest of his essentials.

Brimming with determination, he was now prepared to rendezvous with Lady Claire. Unfortunately, the Auburn heir hasn't changed much since the day he first laid eyes on her, mischievous and covered in bows in the Citadel garden party. The prince hasn't changed much either since then.

Gladio silently closed the door to his bedroom. With his mother's green duffel bag hanging over his shoulder, he snuck out of the home and off the premises. This time he made his way alone.