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All my friends just run away
True to her word, following refreshments and conversation with another subordinate, Nel had taken Ignis and Gladio on a guided tour of the Palace and its immediate environs.
Up close, the garden Malboros were unpleasant to the nose, and wiggled ominously when something had their attention, but they were not the Malboros Ignis had heard hunters tell tales of. They were menacing, to be sure, and Ignis didn't doubt that they made sufficient guards for whatever their keeper held in his greenhouse, but they also looked as if a big eough sword would make relatively short work of them.
The infirmary stood, empty but not abandoned, and raising questions Ignis hadn't been inclined to ask. He could see the heavy duty restraints tucked neatly under the beds. Theoretically, of course, someone under the negative effects of confusion, or a berserk effect might need to be restrained, but the treatment for those would be faster than securing all those restraints would be, and so it didn't solve the mystery of just why such things were on every bed in the infirmary.
The lounges, and ballroom were grand affairs that looked as if they weren't regularly used. The furniture was plush, and old enough to be classed as antique, and the rooms gave the impression of wealth and status, but not comfort. Except for one, which contained the more modern conveniences of television, and a computer terminal that was archaic by Lucian standards but no doubt functional.
The library had captured Ignis's attention when it had been mentioned, and it did so more soundly once he actually saw it. The room was vast, walled in books. Tables and chairs were positioned at key points, so one never had to travel too far from one's section of interest to find somewhere to sit. As was fitting with a room containing some old tomes, the lighting was dim. Natural light peeked around slender gaps in the curtains, and small lamps and spotlights ensured individual readers would have enough light without posing a risk to the books themselves. It was a room one could lose many hours within, and Ignis fully intended to do so when the opportunity arose.
In the end, Nel had shown them two empty member's suites. One was near the furthest end of the wing, and the other was located closer to the heart of the Palace. It was the location, and proximity to all else that swayed the decision; both had sunlit balconies and grand windows allowing the occupants to enjoy the sun, both had truly enormous beds in the centre of a wall, and both were equipped with en suite shower and bathing facilities.
Ignis had swallowed his apprehension over sharing with Gladio out of necessity. For one, the rooms didn't connect, which meant they couldn't have separate beds in the same suite, and for two, none of the available rooms were next door to each other. Sharing a suite was an unfortunate necessity, under the circumstances, or at least, one look at Gladio's face had made it crystal clear to Ignis that sharing was going to happen.
The beds were actually large enough for Gladio, a miracle in itself given Gladio's stature, and it seemed a nonsense for one or the other of them to sleep on the floor, or on the chaise near the balcony when the bed was certainly large enough for them both.
Still, even after the tiring journey and the long day, Ignis hadn't had the most restful of nights. Gladio might be well accustomed to parading in front of onlookers in a state of undress but Ignis was not, even when that person was Gladio. Add to that the way Gladio's every movement and sound roused Ignis from the tremulous clutches of sleep, and the second day was set to be a long one.
Although perhaps a more pleasant one. Ignis had got up early, as he always did, and resigned himself to dipping into his supply of canned Ebony to get started on the day. Out of a desire not to annoy Gladio by wandering off into the Palace alone so early in their stay he'd made himself at home on the balcony, sipping his Ebony and watching the garden spring to life. He watched someone move out to the greenhouse beyond the Malboros, a somewhat indistinct figure at this distance, but he could see enough to see the Malboros stop in their tracks and allow the person that must be their keeper past.
Once Gladio was up and prepared to face the day they went down for breakfast to find Nel, bless the woman, had already been out to collect newspapers, and had made a purchase of a coffee grinder, filter papers, and small bag of dark roasted beans. They sat on the kitchen counter, with a small note in curved handwriting that said, simply, "Ignis, I hope this is better". It wasn't a brand Ignis was familiar with, but that mattered little, and the thoughtfulness of the gesture was touching. Ignis made breakfast for himself and Gladio, a search of the fridge and cupboards yielding the ingredients for a simple croque madame, and then Ignis made himself his first hot cup of coffee of the day.
It was, at the first sip, infinitely better than the instant had been, but it was still not a patch on Ebony. Still, it was sufficient, and Ignis settled himself down at the kitchen table to drink the coffee and peruse the newspapers to see what passed for important information on Ivalice.
Up close, the garden Malboros were unpleasant to the nose, and wiggled ominously when something had their attention, but they were not the Malboros Ignis had heard hunters tell tales of. They were menacing, to be sure, and Ignis didn't doubt that they made sufficient guards for whatever their keeper held in his greenhouse, but they also looked as if a big eough sword would make relatively short work of them.
The infirmary stood, empty but not abandoned, and raising questions Ignis hadn't been inclined to ask. He could see the heavy duty restraints tucked neatly under the beds. Theoretically, of course, someone under the negative effects of confusion, or a berserk effect might need to be restrained, but the treatment for those would be faster than securing all those restraints would be, and so it didn't solve the mystery of just why such things were on every bed in the infirmary.
The lounges, and ballroom were grand affairs that looked as if they weren't regularly used. The furniture was plush, and old enough to be classed as antique, and the rooms gave the impression of wealth and status, but not comfort. Except for one, which contained the more modern conveniences of television, and a computer terminal that was archaic by Lucian standards but no doubt functional.
The library had captured Ignis's attention when it had been mentioned, and it did so more soundly once he actually saw it. The room was vast, walled in books. Tables and chairs were positioned at key points, so one never had to travel too far from one's section of interest to find somewhere to sit. As was fitting with a room containing some old tomes, the lighting was dim. Natural light peeked around slender gaps in the curtains, and small lamps and spotlights ensured individual readers would have enough light without posing a risk to the books themselves. It was a room one could lose many hours within, and Ignis fully intended to do so when the opportunity arose.
In the end, Nel had shown them two empty member's suites. One was near the furthest end of the wing, and the other was located closer to the heart of the Palace. It was the location, and proximity to all else that swayed the decision; both had sunlit balconies and grand windows allowing the occupants to enjoy the sun, both had truly enormous beds in the centre of a wall, and both were equipped with en suite shower and bathing facilities.
Ignis had swallowed his apprehension over sharing with Gladio out of necessity. For one, the rooms didn't connect, which meant they couldn't have separate beds in the same suite, and for two, none of the available rooms were next door to each other. Sharing a suite was an unfortunate necessity, under the circumstances, or at least, one look at Gladio's face had made it crystal clear to Ignis that sharing was going to happen.
The beds were actually large enough for Gladio, a miracle in itself given Gladio's stature, and it seemed a nonsense for one or the other of them to sleep on the floor, or on the chaise near the balcony when the bed was certainly large enough for them both.
Still, even after the tiring journey and the long day, Ignis hadn't had the most restful of nights. Gladio might be well accustomed to parading in front of onlookers in a state of undress but Ignis was not, even when that person was Gladio. Add to that the way Gladio's every movement and sound roused Ignis from the tremulous clutches of sleep, and the second day was set to be a long one.
Although perhaps a more pleasant one. Ignis had got up early, as he always did, and resigned himself to dipping into his supply of canned Ebony to get started on the day. Out of a desire not to annoy Gladio by wandering off into the Palace alone so early in their stay he'd made himself at home on the balcony, sipping his Ebony and watching the garden spring to life. He watched someone move out to the greenhouse beyond the Malboros, a somewhat indistinct figure at this distance, but he could see enough to see the Malboros stop in their tracks and allow the person that must be their keeper past.
Once Gladio was up and prepared to face the day they went down for breakfast to find Nel, bless the woman, had already been out to collect newspapers, and had made a purchase of a coffee grinder, filter papers, and small bag of dark roasted beans. They sat on the kitchen counter, with a small note in curved handwriting that said, simply, "Ignis, I hope this is better". It wasn't a brand Ignis was familiar with, but that mattered little, and the thoughtfulness of the gesture was touching. Ignis made breakfast for himself and Gladio, a search of the fridge and cupboards yielding the ingredients for a simple croque madame, and then Ignis made himself his first hot cup of coffee of the day.
It was, at the first sip, infinitely better than the instant had been, but it was still not a patch on Ebony. Still, it was sufficient, and Ignis settled himself down at the kitchen table to drink the coffee and peruse the newspapers to see what passed for important information on Ivalice.