[For once, he was actually distracted enough that he hadn't heard Noctis move until there were already arms around him, the strategist's mind scrambling for an unseen outcome. It didn't make sense--Noctis should have been furious that he'd never been told what price would eventually be paid, that Ignis had tried to condemn the entire world to darkness just to protect the life of his king.]

[...Truly, perhaps that had been why he never told Noctis why he was asking. Because he would never have allowed it. His life, or the entire world; for someone like Noctis Lucis Caelum, it was never even a choice.]

...no.

[The answer came at length, Ignis pulling off his visor to rest his head against Noctis' shoulder. Not returning the embrace, not yet--not until everything was out in the open and the king would decide if his retainer's deception was too much to forgive.]

When we got to the altar...we were followed. Ardyn and a small battalion of MTs. Ravus and I were both cornered, he was threatening to kill you, and--

[Ignis' voice cracked and broke off against Noctis' shoulder, composure cracking but not yet shattered. He took a slow breath and pulled back, taking off black leather gloves with faintly unsteady hands.]

...I did something...terribly careless.

[Around the middle finger of his left hand was a single scar; a burn matching the ones left on his face, forming the unmistakable band of a ring.]