A Man Of No Consequence (Ardyn x Reader)

Into the Dark

"When the prophesy is fulfilled, what will happen to you? Or the Prince?" you continue.

"The world shall be purged of the night, but... a very similar fate awaits us both," he responds.

"And... what will become of me?" you ask, hesitantly.

"You will become the Queen of the Pyre."

Your eyes drift to the fireplace, and its gently dancing flames, playfully reaching up into the air. Anxiety creeps in and you jump out of the armchair, throwing your hands in the air.

"And what if I don't want that? What if I just want to go back to living my life?"

"My dear, it is far too late for that."

"I didn't ask for any of this!" you exclaim, nervously pacing in front of the fireplace. "Nobody asked me!"

Ardyn follows your movements for a moment, until finally reaching out for your hand. Making you pause, he gently pulls you closer to him.

"None of us did. We are all but pawns in the game of the Gods."

You stare at him, wanting to protest. His gaze is so soft, so compassionate, that you realize he already knows how you feel, he already knows what you want to express, and he already knows the answers to any arguments against your fate.

Bringing your hand to his temple, you brush the hair back, breathing out slowly. Having his body near you has become the only solace for you recently. Despite being the source of all your confusion and all the pain, his touch alone and calm your soul. Only those eyes can read your mind, only those hands can soothe the aching.

He utters your name quietly and you climb into his lap, gazing deep into the golden glow. His arms wrap around you, bringing your bodies together. You push your lips against his brow and he closes his eyes, breathing you in, holding you tightly.

"If there is any abatement to this woeful life, then it is you," he breathes into your neck.

Warm lips press against your skin; a soft kiss followed by another, lips grazing under your ear, on your cheek, against your lips. He holds you in his arms, a moment that you pray would last forever, a sanctuary where, for a brief time, you're protected.

Slightly parting your lips, you allow the kiss to deepen, cherishing his taste, his warmth, his intimacy. Inescapably, the heat grows greater the longer you're together, becoming almost uncomfortably intense. Forcing yourself to break the kiss, you grab your top and pull it off, throwing it on the floor. Helping him undo his vest, you remove it as swiftly as you can, followed by his tunic, that ends up in the same pile next to the chair.

Before long, you find yourself on the rug, the blaze from the fire blending with the fever your bodies are creating in the slow dance. His lips push against yours as he slides inside you, a pleasure sweeter than you ever thought possible. The profound need you have for him can only be appeased momentarily before you're yearning for him to possess you again. He takes his time moving slowly out and back in again, gazing at you, drunk on the sounds you're making. Your fingers clasp his back, discovering rough lines of scar tissue amid the soft skin.

Your body quivers with the realization, an ancient pain you so desperately want to transform into pleasure. He moans words of passion into your ear as you wrap your arms around his shoulders, leaving no space between your bodies apart from the small distance he's creating with the slow thrusts. You feel yourself squeezing tighter around his girth, every move leaving you gasping for air.

Calling out his name as your climax pulsates through your body, you feel him reaching his release simultaneously, your bodies melting into one. Staring up at the ceiling, all you can see is an army of flames engulfing you, the fire combusting and instantly leaving you anaesthetised, rewarding you with the familiar tranquility you were longing for.

Lying still with Ardyn wrapped around you, you close your eyes. From deep within the darkness, two glowing dots appear, burning like little flints in the distance.

Do you beckon me, Priestess of the Pyre?

You wince, opening your eyes wide. The chandelier hanging from the wooden ceiling sways gently, making a faint little jingle.

For a long while, you stay in each other's embrace, in total silence. You run your fingers along his back, softly grazing over the old wounds. You reflect on the things you told him earlier; all the dreams you had, all the plans you had made for the future. None of that will come to pass.

After a long, dark night, a gentle glow floods into the cabin, a shy visitor asking for a permission to enter.

Ardyn pulls himself up, helping you to sitting. You observe his bare body as he turns around to find you a blanket, a man so perfect it's a travesty in the light of what he has become. Why does it have to be like this?

"Come, darling," he says softly, wrapping the blanket around you and bringing you to the window. Over the snowy hills, a little red orb is wearily making its way above the mountain top.

"Sunrise..." you whisper.

Ardyn nods smiling, his eyes fixed on the determined little labourer in the horizon.

"I wanted you to behold it. It may be the last one we share."