December 26th
Claire couldn't recall the last time she had left the children in Rhydin in order to go off realm. Even Valhalla seldom called her away these days. Needless to say there was more than a little apprehension as she and Cooper readied to make the trip the Lucis. It would require a halfway through the Unseen Realm before the final step to Eos and she had called ahead to make sure that their rendezvous point was absolutely secure. Armed and armored in her own way, she kissed the babies goodbye one more time, trusting them to Mia, the Glaives, and a contingent of security that had a habit of watching the Underwood Avenue manor. That left her and Cooper to the flickering blue portal and her vague worry. A hand sought his. "You sure you're ready to do this?"
For a few moments, when the decision had been made to go, the gurahl had been more anxious than apprehensive. The closer they got the to the departure, the more those two feelings changed course to the opposite direction. For his part, Cooper kept himself light in load for the trip, favoring carpenter's jeans over the normal fit and swapping his cowboy boots for something more utilitarian. Only a single pistol and a long knife went with him, both holstered/sheathed behind his back beneath a layer of heavy leather jacket. The Stetson? He wore it. When their fingers finally laced together, he offered her an encouraging smile sidelong. "Ready as m' gonna be, Slugger. It needs t' happen, though."
"It does. Everything will be fine." Maybe she was convincing herself. A moment later they stepped through the portal. Everything condensed, falling in upon itself as reality warped around them. Through the crux they went until their boots touched black sand, far from the empty city up the shore. They didn't linger long, perhaps a handful of heartbeats before she reopened the next doorway, this time gold and grey, to Eos. Without ever letting the cowboy's hand go, she took a deep breath and stepped through. The distant sound of the sea met their ears first, a warm hint of sea air following for their noses next. They had been expected but it made it no less jarring to find a pair of glaives (similar to the ones who had come to oversee the twins) standing right in front of them, weapons at the ready but not overtly threatening.
Cooper was silent and matched his wife's steps exactly for their trek through the portals and to their ultimate destination, drinking in what he saw in wordless awe before he found himself confronted by a pair of armed men. He fought of the urge to scowl, then denied himself a smile, before finally settling on a respectful nod to the pair. The big man didn't look at his wife or otherwise show any sign of uncertainty. He could be respectful, but he wouldn't give them an excuse, no matter how small, to think him weak.
"We're here to see King Caelum." She told them, as if they didn't already know. Wary, as they should have been, one lifted his chin and offered the couple a quick once over.
"W-we need to see your identification." He stammered out. Claire rolled her eyes.
"Really, Antonius? I trained you when you were still a recruit, taught you myself how to shoot that gun you're holding. You know the King is expecting us and you know I'm low on time here. Please can we see him now? I said please, you know I don't do that often." She rambled off a quick and jarring string of words to throw the poor young man for a loop. His cheeks reddened and for all that he should have been an elite soldier, he instead looked more like a scolded boy. His partner looked more than amused at it.
"...Sorry, Commander. Just had to be sure, you know?" Antonius said, turning with a gesture to follow him. Their path took them down a marble lined hallway, half open to the tropical breeze outside. It was a pleasant reprieve from the cold of Rhydinian winter and Claire basked as much as she could. They turned a corner and took three steps down into the sitting room where a handful of people were gathered. They inevitably looked up when the glaives led the Gallows in and all rose to their feet at once, save one. He was slower to get up, not out of disrespect but likely due to the intricate brace on one leg and the cane he leaned on once he got up. His dark hair had gone mostly grey and the laugh lines and crows feet in his expression were much deeper than Claire recalled. She couldn't help but smile at the King, her hand tightening on Cooper's as she led the cowboy over to the older man.
"Regis..." She said fondly, embracing him when he opened his arms to her. Old as he may have been, he still squeezed her fiercely before letting her go but still touching an elbow gently. Claire turned just a bit to include Cooper in their reunion. "Regis, this is Cooper Gallows. Cooper, Regis Caelum, Noct's father."
The gurahl's mouth twitched with the dressing down his wife gaze the young man, but he didn't smile or chuckle, though he wanted to. There was no need to embarrass him further. Instead, he moved along at Claire's side and took everything in, passing a dark, critical gaze over the assembled men. He released her to the affections of Regis before he was finally introduced, which saw him reaching out to offer the King a massive hand. "S' both a pleasure and honor t' meet you, yo' majesty."
Regis looked at the offered hand then up at the man who had given it, craning his neck to really take Cooper in. His hand, much smaller than the gurahl's but still plenty strong in grip, took the offer for a firm shake. "The pleasure's mine, Cooper. If I may call you Cooper? Please, do sit."
The room was comfortable and decorated with rich taste. It didn't surprise Claire any and after Cooper had spent so much time at Caelum Manor, it shouldn't have been too much of a stretch for him either. She took a seat, crossing one leg over the other comfortably but waved off an offer from a uniformed woman bearing a tray with glasses of what looked like sparkling water. The same was offered to Cooper as well once he sat. Regis joined them a moment later in a plush armchair. It was Claire's turn then to speak. "You look well. How're things?"
Regis chuckled. "Flattering an old man, how I've missed you, Light. They're... as well as they have been. Little headway has been gained but none has been lost. But you've not come to talk war and peace but rather... my grandchildren, yes?"
"Sure thing." Cooper nodded and sat when he was invited to do so, taking up a spot next to his wife and leaning forward with his hands on his knees. He smiled crookedly and shook his head for the offer of a drink, his smile widening for the affection between the older man and Claire before the former cut quickly to the chase. "We have."
"We appreciate you letting us come to visit. I know you've been... cautious, all things considered." Claire began. It had been like pulling teeth to get a physical location out of Cor when she had called to set this up. "But we thought it was important to meet face to face for something this important. I had the papers we discussed drafted and gave them to Cooper for Yule. He's more than amenable..."
Regis's gaze swept from Claire to Cooper, lingering on the large man for a few long moments. "We thought it may be advantageous should the Empire seek them in Rhydin. May the Nine have mercy on their souls if they do, but to carry the Caelum name at this time is to bring danger to them. It's my understanding you have been involved with them for a long time?"
"Claire and I were friends fo' a time befo' Noctis' passin', after I had done some things t' help her sister out. I was livin' in the guest house and, given that I never thought I'd be able t' have a family'a muh own, I looked after Alexander and Averia from time t' time. I've been 'round them since befo' they could walk. What happened t' their father, yo' son, was just one mo' reason t' stay close. What happened from there," Cooper spoke plainly but lifted his hands from his knees to gesture. "Here we are. I've been a part'a their lives fo' a long, long time now. I couldn't love them any mo' if they were muh own blood. I could make some impressive, flowery promise 'bout what I would do fo' them, but words are words. I'll say this: they'll never want fo' anything in the world, be in shelter or protection or love. There's no better place fo' them, 'til they or Claire want otherwise."
"I see." Regis said. All of that and Cooper gets an I see? Claire looked smug as if she had called ahead of time Regis's reaction. Her eyes were on the King rather than her husband, her hands settled atop her knee, clasped loosely. The look she gave him very clearly said I told you so. For a few moments silence lingered between them before he spoke once more. "They are very dear to me... especially after we lost Noct. Someday I hope they'll be the future of our kingdom... but for now, they need to stay as far away from here as possible. With people that love them and protect them... and maybe spoil them a little. They're only babies after all."
"You know all about spoiling." Claire stage whispered, prompting a flash of an almost impish smile from the older man.
"I regret none of it." He told her then looked back to Cooper. "Light's the closest thing I've ever had to a daughter of my own. You swear you'll look after them? All three of them."
"M' always gonna support them, fully, in whatever way they need." Cooper nodded solemnly to Regis. "Rhy'din may be where home is now, but they're gonna know their heritage. Lucis. Noctis. S' somethin' very important and they'll know, I promise you that." One of his massive hands rose to rest on Claire's knee, squeezing lightly. "They're muh life now. I couldn't really imagine muh world without them, so you've got muh word that I'd move mountains or heavier t' keep them safe and happy."
"Cooper kicked my butt back in to shape after... Noct passed. Made sure the twins were seen to when I didn't think I could do it myself." Claire told the King, setting her hand over top of Cooper's. "Refused to let me be anything less than what they deserved. I know in my heart that this is the right thing to do for them. Not to remove the significance of their past but to protect it, to protect them so that in the future we can revisit it."
"Very well..." Regis said, inclining his head to the pair on the couch. He quieted for a moment before turning a look to the twins' mother. "Have you brought me new pictures of them? Surely they've grown so much since the last time I saw them."
"Actually..." Claire paused, tipping a look over to Cooper to see if he wanted to make the offer.
Offer? He might have supposed it was supposed to be an offer, but...
"They've got a birthday comin'. Claire and I talked 'bout it and we agree that the best pictures fo' you of the twins should be ones you're in with them. We plan on makin' special arrangements so that their grandpa can spend their special day with them. Like I said, m' gonna support them fully in whatever they need. What they need, is some time with you. And, really, I'm inclined t' think you need the same."
Claire's teeth nipped into her lip to try and hold back the hint of a smile at the surprise that spread across Regis's expression. His dark browns lifted, creasing the lines in his forehead as he looked back and forth between them both. He then glanced over one of Claire's shoulders to one of the men that had lingered at the edge of the room.
"I'm... I don't know..." He hesitated. To leave Lucis was to abandon his people. Not that there were many left at this point. The Empire had taken over most of it by now. Before he could decline, Claire spoke up.
"I'll ensure that you're able to return at a moment's notice if needed. That said, I can make sure that you have the time with them you deserve. Cooper's right, you both need it. So say yes, for them." She insisted, imploring him with her demand of a man she had no right to command. His shoulders sagged but after a moment he nodded.
"Alright. If only for a little while..."
"Not just them. Say yes fo' you too." Cooper gave the man a meaningful look. "You've lost a lot. But you didn't lose everything. S' time you got t' see one of those things you're fightin' so hard fo'. Love is mo' a strength than it'll ever be a weakness. Shit, love's no weakness at all.|
"Language." Claire said with a snicker, gently elbowing her husband as if she hadn't dropped her fair share of f-bombs in front of the King. Regis afforded her a smile for it then looked back to Cooper, his mouth a shadow of the smile of a moment ago.
"It's love that keeps me here too. For the people that are still fighting, for the families of the men you see here, for the people my son died for. If I had a bullet for every time I wanted nothing more than to leave here to go see those sweet babies, I would have won this war long ago. But alas, it isn't so simple. Just the same, I thank you for your proposition and agree more gratefully."
"They're gonna be over the moon t' see you." Cooper grinned, wide and crooked.
"You won't believe how big they are." Claire added, her smile echoing Cooper's.
"Oh I would. They have a habit of doing that, sprouting right up. Before you know it, they'll be driving and dating and it's all downhill from there." Regis shook his head and chuckled before fixing Claire with a level look. "Your time dwindles here, yes? Should you be going?"
"I..." She didn't want to go. But he was right, the less time she spent on Eos, the less chance the Nine would take issue with her presence. "Unfortunately. But I'll give Cor a call tonight to set up the logistics for everything, okay?"
"I look forward to it." Regis said earnestly, rising to his feet. Everyone else in the room rose too, Claire included. She stepped forward to hug the man again and when she let him go, he offered his hand to Cooper once more. "It was a pleasure speaking with you, Cooper. Truly."
"Avy's not allowed to date." He tried not to smile at that, even if he meant it. When Claire and Regis said their farewells, he accepted the older man's hand with just as much enthusiasm as their introduction. "We're family now, Yo' Majesty. The pleasure was all mine and we look fo'ward t' seein' you real soon."
"I wish you all the luck in that. I mean it." He gave Cooper a grave, almost serious look and then relented with his smile. With their goodbyes given, soon it was a matter of shuffling back down the hall, this time with Regis on their heels to say goodbye a few more times. There were promises made of speaking soon, really soon in fact, and before long, Claire was bidding goodbye to their glaive detail before opening up a new portal back to Valhalla. She turned her hand up to Cooper.
"Let's go home."
"Home," he agreed and took her hand.
