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[That was not really what Noctis was expecting her to say and now it's his turn to wear the confused look.]

What do you mean?

[Because honestly this is how he's always been--well, perhaps a little more bratty back home from time to time. But the idea of royals not caring about the people they ruled? That was a new one to him. His father had done everything for their people, for his son, and had never hesitated. Even if the end, Noctis knew his father had probably given his life for the hope that everyone would survive the downfall of Insomnia.]

How do princes act where you come from?

Not like you.

[Well, that sure clarifies everything, doesn't it?]

I mean... they're not really nice. We all live behind walls because of the Titans, but they live in the innermost wall, the farthest away from danger, and they have all the best stuff. They get the most food too. They don't really talk to us--people like me, you know--unless there's something they want from us and even then... they aren't very nice.

[That's the least of it, at least the most Sasha can rightfully speak of. There are a million other secrets that the royals are holding back, secrets that leave their citizens out to dry, but as far as Sasha knows, kings and queens only care about their own kind. Their people are just consequences of carrying the crown, things that tag along just because.]

My village is very small and far away from the center wall. Only a few people live there so we don't have anything like stores or schools or anything like that. We didn't see any of the government people a lot of the time, but when we did, they just wanted us to raise horses for them when we were hunters and have been hunters for as long as my family can remember. They hated us. So did people from other towns. We're so unlike them.

[Okay what the hell kind of place--what kind of people would do that to others?

It sounded a lot like the Empire to him and that just made him quietly boil with anger.]

That's not how Insomnia was. It's not how my father did things or how he raised me to do things. Just because we're royalty doesn't mean we can't...my dad always had everyone in mind. He was responsible for everyone, no matter their status.

[It was something he'd always admired about his dad it just..took him awhile to be able to put it into words. And of course it had been too late for him to actually tell Regis.]

People are always going to be different from one another. That doesn't mean you treat them like crap.

No, but they do anyway. And there's nothing we can do about it, not unless we want to go to jail.

[It's the Hell kind of place. She's barely scratched the surface on the description of life behind the walls only because the royals love to keep their people in the dark, going as far as to ban certain kinds of books.]

Insomnia sounds nicer than where I'm from. [Or sounded nicer. Don't correct her tenses.] I guess it's just all about surviving behind the walls. No one wants to be eaten and if it comes down to being between you and someone who isn't as rich as you, the King will always push the poor person into the Titan's mouth.

That..

[That wasn't right. It wasn't how royalty should act. Was that how other countries were back home? He could believe that the Empire was like that but they were corrupt; fueled by Ardyn's whispers. The idea that cruelty like that was the norm in some places and that royalty didn't care about the well-being of everyone in their kingdom..]

I'm sorry. For that really, really shitty example the royals where you come from set.

[He means it. That's just disgusting.]

I'm pretty sure my dad would have kicked my ass--or had Clarus kick my ass if I ever considered treating people like that. My dad always made sure I knew that everyone was just as important as the next no matter their place in life.

[If only he knew just how differently he'd been treated because of the Prophecy, though.]

[Sasha shakes her head. There's nothing for Noctis to apologize for. He might be a prince, but he's treated Sasha with nothing but kindness since day one. Sure, she's asked stupid questions, but he's never called her names or called her dumb. That's a lot more than Sasha can say about other people in her life.]

I'm sorry the Empire took away such a nice man. It's always the good people that go first.

[Gods know Sasha knows that all too well.]

Did he kick your... butt all the time?

[She still can't bring herself to curse just yet.]

[Noct's expression falls and he glances down.]

..Yeah it..really is, isn't it?

[Oh if only he knew.]

What? No, never. I was just--I didn't really mean that. That was me over-exaggerating. He would have been really disappointed with me but he would never have hurt me.

[A pause.]

Gladio probably would have dragged me into the trainer room and made me work harder than normal. But honestly disappointing my dad would have been enough punishment.

[Which isn't something he would have admitted before his time here.]

Oh. My dad kicked my butt all the time. I mean, he hasn't done it in a long time, but that's only because he told me to not come back home until I became a decent person. So I haven't gone home.

[Sasha... that's not something you just say so casually. But in her world, there's only survival and nothing like hugs or I Love Yous or anything like emotional support. Certainly no psychological support for the child soldiers either.]

Who's Gladio?

[What..

Noctis can't help but look a little horrified, mouth working but no words come out right away.]

He..seriously?

[That's all sorts of messed up and he can't blame her for not going back. Who would want to go back when your parent treats you like that??

He manages to get over his initial shock, still looking a little miffed but her asking about Gladio helps distract him.]

Gladio is one of my best friends. And my sworn shield. [Excuse him while he looks a little sheepish.] Every heir to the throne has a sworn shield that acts as their protector. But he's more than that. We've been friends since we were younger and he's taught me a lot. Not just how to fight.

[It is messed up, but that's life behind the walls and why Sasha sounds like it ain't no big thing because to be honest, at least she had a parent. Too many kids didn't.]

We had an argument about how he thought we would be better off raising horses for the government and helping the people from other towns who were moving in on our territory instead of hunting like we always did, but I didn't think we should help people who didn't think that much about us in the first place. He told me I was a coward and I'm not so I left home to join the military after he told me to leave. That was a few years ago when I was twelve, so I don't know how he's doing now.

[Which also means she doesn't know if he is alive or dead and Sasha is secretly too fearful to go around asking and find out something bad happened.]

So he's your bodyguard? You're allowed to be friends with your bodyguard?

Twelve??

[Twelve. She was twelve when she left home? And joined the military?

Okay yep. The place you come from is extremely messed up, Sasha. There were definitely situations like that where Noctis is from but it still wasn't anything as bad as what she's describing.]

Well..yeah. His dad was my dad's shield so we kind of grew up together. I spent a lot of time with Gladio and his sister Iris once things got smoothed out between Gladio and I. He..didn't really like me at first.

Is something wrong with being twelve?

[Well, she sure as heck isn't denying that it's messed up. But it's her messed up world and the only one she really knows through and through.]

Why not? Did you guys fight a lot or something?

Twelve is..it's really young to be in the military.

[At least as far as he knows. That just seems cruel to make kids fight.]

No he thought I was a spoiled brat that wasn't worth the time of day. [Insert a shrug here.] It wasn't until after something happened with his little sister that things kind of changed. We've been good friends ever since.

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