#jared hester

Jared Hester & Talcott Hester | 1,010

Since the day Talcott was born, Jared has lived to provide for him. And now he is prepared to die for him too.

Iris watched the TV as the aides put the documents on the table.

“This is taking forever,” Talcott muttered, letting his heels fall back against the couch with a thump.

“Don’t kick the furniture, please,” Jared said, his eyes fixed to the screen.

Iris smiled at Talcott. “Government stuff always does.”

A boom brought Iris’ gaze to the picture window. Smoke and fire rolled from the center of the Citadel. The Wall shined bright then shattered.

Iris sat straight up and looked back at the TV. The room was absolute chaos — everyone on their feet, weapons everywhere. The feed went black.

“Go get your bags!” Jared ordered.

“What?” Iris stared at the black square inside the news station’s overlay. Her brain couldn’t make sense of what the reporters were saying.

“The bag your father told you to pack — go get it now,” Jared explained as he hurried Talcott toward the Hester’s rooms. The boy kept trying to look at the screen.

Her dad said they might go to Altissa with the King after the signing. Told her to pack now because there wouldn’t be much notice.

She did, of course, but this wasn’t—

Her chest felt tight but she rushed to her feet and ran upstairs. She tossed a couple last minute things into her bag — her photo album and a plush she’d had since she was a baby. When she looked back up, she saw movement out her window.

Ships.

Imperial airships.

Moving toward the Citadel.

Well, this has been a longtime coming! After contributing to the event, I always intended on taking the time to polish my works and archive them on AO3 proper. I muddled along for awhile, but then real life and everything else got in the way.

Turns out it was just as well, as over time I’ve found a more refined system to re-writing and editing my works. Along with a healthier writing schedule and posting process.

So here’s the better and improved MASTERPOST for my entries to Amicitia Week (2018)! Each story will have the pairings, ratings, categories, and warnings that I’ve always included, along with summaries and links to AO3/Tumblr for everyone’s convenience.

NOTICE: because of Tumblr being duct taped together, editing the original posts to include the updated stories were just not happening. I tried and tried to transfer the stories, but for some reason formatting issues persisted. The Tumblr posts remain for those who reblogged/favorited/bookmarked the original in the past, or want to reblog/favorite it on the platform now for their reference.

Still, I encourage AO3 users to track the series page or for all readers to bookmark the stories there since the documents are only hosted on that website.

Some bad, some good, some cute - and some of Sola terrifying the shit out of Ravus. @secret-engima because hey, we get to see Ardyn and Sola exchange words!

-Sola has to admit that helping Uncle Cor take out the Norduscaen blockade was cathartic (though the exasperated why me look he gave her after she walked in the front gate with the rest of the Retinue, glaive across her shoulders and she cheerfully announced that being the distraction was fun was completely unnecessary) and she’s in a much better mood as they wander through Duscae looking for more royal tombs.

-They pick up a couple hunts - including a damn behemoth so Prompto can ride Chocobos, but in the face of Prompto’s delighted expression no one can begrudge the blonde - and Sola heals a few people from what looks like poison. Black crawling through their veins that feels like a smothering, choking fog as Sola pulls it into herself. She frowns as her magic fights off the poison, but sluggishly, taking hours, even days where normally she’d be fine in a manner of minutes.

-It’s odd, but her magic beats it off as it does everything else, so Sola simply keeps her gloves on and jacket sleeves down to hide the black creeping up her hands and wrists. The others would only worry, and she’s fine.

-Until she’s not.

-Until the poison in her veins are creeping up her forearms, up her arms, and she’s vomiting up black goo almost every night. Fortunately, she has her own tent - as big as Gladio’s is, there’s no way to cram four people inside when three of them are six feet tall, and Gladio is... Gladio - and a decade of having hanahaki has taught her how to hide the fact that she’s getting sicker every day.

-In Lestallum, Sola crashes hard when they reach the Leville. She sleeps in later than Noctis even, and wakes up after Noctis has left with Iris to tour Lestallum. Ignis returns first, and it turns out that Pelna and Axis are in Lestallum and Sola takes the chance for an update.

-She even waves off the Chocobros when they go to find the next Tomb, instead going out to get takeout and finding a discreet place to have lunch and talk about glaive operations.

-Then lunch gets interrupted by that same silky tone Sola is coming to hate. She’s not the only one to react violently, weapons whirling through the air. Ardyn casually sidesteps them all. His casual remark that Sola’s finally found herself a Shield is met with a snarl from Axis, but Sola waves both Pelna and Axis down. They cannot afford to start a fight here - too many civilians, too many refugees that cannot afford Imperial attention turning to the city - no matter how much Ardyn deserves a knife to the kidney.

-Then Ardyn grabs Sola’s hand, pushing her sleeve up and revealing the black poison stark against pale skin before Sola can wrench her arm away. But Ardyn knows what this is, mentions that it is the Scourge her little brother is fated to defeat, even if at this rate Ardyn doubts Sola will live to see it. Pelna and Axis still dangerously, and Adryn leaves with a vague comment of wondering how Sola will go.

-Sola, Pelna, and Axis return to the Leville, where Sola pulls Jared aside and asks him to look into the Starscourge - and what happens to those who are infected with it. It means revealing her infection to Jared and making the man promise not to tell the others, because Sola can feel it now. She’s dying, and unless they miraculously find a cure, Sola won’t survive.

-Pelna and Axis are not happy. They argue with Sola when Sola refuses to divert Kingsglaive forces to researching the Scourge. She tells them that they don’t know if there is a cure, and it’s more important that they continue to fight the Empire. Pelna is named Second, and if when Sola dies, he will be Chief.

-Unfortunately, Iris overhears enough and bursts into the room to confront Sola about it. Sola sighs and lets Iris look at her arms with trembling fingers. She has Iris promise not to tell the others, because they need to focus on protecting Noctis, not her. Iris nods, and Sola kneels down to wipe away Iris’ tears. Especially because Iris sniffles that she’s going to leave her Shield all alone. The glaives blink down at Iris, and Iris sniffs again, this time in part offense and says that she’s not blind. Axis is Sola’s Shield, and... Iris hesitates before she quietly adds that he’s family too, isn’t he?

-Axis is still as a statue, and Iris babbles that he looks a bit like her grandmother, and he acts a lot like Gladdy and her father around Noctis and the king. Iris shuffles when Axis still doesn’t react, and she asks why he never said anything. Axis, faced with a crying kid, immediately switches over into dad mode, and he gently tells Iris that he’s a bastard. It would’ve brought too much scandal for both Lord Amicitia and Axis’ family if Axis came forward. Iris pouts, but she grew up in Insomnia and while she wasn’t involved in court, she was still trained, and so she doesn’t try to argue against what she knows is true. 

-But Iris is also whip smart for being only 15, and Iris asks if they were worried about the Council forcing Axis to be Sola’s Shield. Axis blinks, but Sola smiles at Iris and confirms it. It’s why Sola helps Axis hide his ties to the Amicitia, because both Axis and Sola wanted it to be their choice. Iris nods, hugs Axis tight, before scampering off to help Jared and Talcott with their new research project. Because she doesn’t want either of her older brothers to lose their King/Queen.

-Sola is out with Pelna and Axis, finishing up reports and orders and plans (and telling them to send some of the Ornata over to Galdin Quay to find one Dino Ghiranze) when she gets a text from Ignis that they’ve returned from the tomb and are going to check out the Disk of Cauthess. Sola texts back and tells them to be careful of the Imperial presence in the area. Sola doesn’t worry when they aren’t back by nightfall - Ignis texted her to tell her that they’d rented a caravan for the night.

-Axis and Pelna, being absolute shits, stick Talcott on Sola babysitting duty before they leave. A duty little Talcott takes to with enthusiasm. Sola sighs, flips her two glaives the middle finger where Talcott can’t see, and proceeds to bow to Talcott’s every whim. Because she’s always been a sucker for kids. (Iris, the traitor, hides giggles behind her hands and cheerfully waves as Talcott drags Sola to wander around Lestallum. Sola won’t admit it, but the sunshine hurts on her skin, hurts her eyes and she makes sure to buy sunglasses. Sola refuses to give up sunlight, even if it hurts.)

-Sola abruptly worries a lot more about her little brother when Titan wakes up and throws a fit. Lestallum isn’t too damaged in the resulting earthquake, but the sight of the giant Astral is... an eye catching sight to be sure.

-Then the Chocobros return to Lestallum by Imperial airship, and Sola learns that they’ve been interacting with Ardyn. Sola snarls, because herself is one thing, but he is not allowed to meddle with her little brother!

-Without the Regalia, the group is forced to rent Chocobos to get around. Fortunately, the birds can cover more terrain than the car, and it allows them to avoid the sudden Imperial blockades that have cropped up. Sola splits off from the group in order to organize and lead glaive operations in blowing up the blockades and bases.

-And, well, Sola’s seen the way Ignis keeps glancing at her, and she’s worried that he’s starting to suspect that she isn’t as well as she pretends.

-Sola gets a call from Cindy pointing her towards Archeole base, where the Regalia has been impounded and waiting for shipment to Niflheim. Sola leaves Pelna in charge of wider operations, and takes Axis and two other glaives with her to meet up with the Chocobros just outside the base.

-Sola does not step into the Haven. She tried that a couple days back and it was not fun, Sola does not recommend. It means she’s now running mostly night shifts so she can sleep during the day, but she’s managing.

-Instead, Sola leaves the two glaives to coordinate with Ignis and the others while she and Axis sneak around to scout out the base.

-Night falls, and Sola and Noctis’ group infiltrate at separate points. They proceed to sneak around and murder their way through the base. Sola’s group focuses on taking out as many MTs and imperial forces as possible, while Noctis’ group heads for the main generator and the Regalia.

-At several points, Sola calls forth bursts of sunlight to disorient the mech sensors. It sears through her veins like nothing has before, but it’s the best option she has so Sola forces herself to continue through the pain.

-Frankly, Sola thinks Noctis calling down Ramuh to smite the generator is overkill, but the glaives are an Awe.

-Ravus has just pushed Gladio back against the Regalia when about two dozen weapons materialize around him. And Sola slinks out of the shadows, all predatory grace and lethal smile. “Hello, darling.”

-Ravus doesn’t dare move. Not with the blades pressed against his throat, against eight different spots that will kill him instantly if Sola wills it. With the two blades pointed at his eyes and the gun against the back of his head.

-He’s seen the power of a Lucis Caelum armiger. It’s not something he ever anticipated being on the other end of it.

-Sola’s almost a foot shorter than him. That doesn’t stop her from using the tip of her wickedly sharp blade to lift his chin. “Tell me, darling,” And Ravus has never heard an endearment sound so threatening, “why I shouldn’t cut you down where you stand?”

-He says nothing. There is nothing to say, no convincing reason he can give for Sola to spare his life. And Sola knows it. Her smile widens until it’s less a smile and more a snarl of bared teeth.

-“I’m afraid I will have to protest, dear Princess.” Sola twitches as Ardyn materializes behind them, but her glaive doesn’t move as she turns to glare at the High Chancellor. Thank the Six, that blade is uncomfortably close to his throat. “Lady Lunafreya will be most put out if her brother dies.”

-Out of the corner of his eye, Ravus sees Noctis wince. Sola however, is unmoved. “This is war.” Sola drawls, “Lady Lunafreya will understand.”

-“Let him go, and all of you will be allowed to walk free with your Regalia.” Ardyn promises.

-“Please, I’m not that stupid.” Sola scoffs. “I let him go, you’ll kill all of us.”

-“You have my word, you will not be harmed.” The Lucians give Ardyn dubious looks, and Ravus honestly agrees with them. After Insomnia, what Lucian would trust anyone from the Empire?

-“Your word means nothing.” Sola counters with a vicious smile, “Try again.”

-Ardyn tilts his head thoughtfully. “Oh? It almost seems like you want a reason to spare him, dear Princess.”

-Sola laughs. It’s the most chilling thing Ravus has ever heard.

-“Hardly.” Sola says. “But your attempts amuse me.”

-“Sola,” Noctis intervenes, voice quiet but firm. “Withdraw. We’re leaving.”

-A breathless moment where Sola is utterly still, before her weapons shatter into shards of golden magic. Her hand forms a shape, and Ravus suddenly spots the three figures waiting in the shadows when they move, forming a formation and waiting for Sola to join them.

-“As my king commands.” Sola intones. She fades back into the shadows with inhuman ease, sparing a moment to send Ravus a smile that sends shivers down his spine. “Until next time, darling.”

The anime Episode Ardyn - Prologue shows us that Ardyn and Somnus have opposite ways to deal with the Starscourge: while Ardyn chose to heal sick people, Somnus prefered to kill the infected to stop the epidemic. Both have followers: Somnus has Gilgamesh and an army, and Ardyn has the support of the people.

  So what happened after Ardyn get rejected? Did his people stood up against Somnus? Did Somnus jailed/murdered every remaining Ardyn’s supporter? Did they surrender? Did they have to hide?

The Crystal sure rejected Ardyn, but for his people he was their king long before the gods’ decision was revealed, as the old man said to him: “you are our one true king”. I don’t think Ardyn’s rejection would be enough for them to repudiate him because they’re aware of all the good he did, many of them were probably healed by him or had a relative saved by his powers, and besides most of them seemed to disagree with Somnus’ policy. So despite the Crystal’s decision, they probably remained faithful to Ardyn.

However, if Ardyn knew about his own condition it seems that he hid it to everyone else, as the scene in the house at the beginning of the anime suggests. In this case, it’s possible that some of his people have been scared when the corruption that he kept all along inside of him was revealed, leading them to change their mind on him. (not to mention that Somnus didn't hold back and voluntarily spread the news that his brother became a monster)

  Knowing that Ardyn had to be erased from History and knowing his brother’s intransigence, I suppose that the only options at the time were or to agree with Somnus and shut your mouth, or to face his reprisals if only you dared to mention Ardyn’s name. But I don’t believe people would forget Ardyn this easily. If they probably hadn’t the strength to fight against Somnus who was the legitimate king and possessed a whole army, the only choice for them was to praise Ardyn in secret. (the surname “Adagium” we’ve never heard of before was maybe the name they gave to him among themselves to speak about him)

 Ardyn’s followers appeared to be sincerely loyal to him and to care about him: when the soldier said Ardyn had been chosen to be the king, his people were truly delighted, and when Ardyn collapsed in the forest, the next day they were worried about him because he wasn’t home on a rainy night. They surely knew that Ardyn was hunted by Somnus’ soldiers, meaning that they all accepted from the beginning the risks involved by remaining by his side. Ardyn saved countless of lives all around them, they can’t simply forget it. That’s why I believe that even if the Crystal has chosen Somnus, even if people were afraid of his repression or the fact that Ardyn kept darkness in his body, this wasn’t enough to let down the man they supported and who did so much for them.

If I don’t think they waged a war against Somnus (who was nonetheless the legitimate sovereign), I conversely do believe that they did something to honor Ardyn so he and his good deeds won’t be forgotten.

And I want to believe that, thanks to their duty to remember, 2000 years later in a world of darkness, two hunters named Ignis and Talcott found an ancient paper mentioning Ardyn, the savior of the people.

 .

(By the way, don’t you think this old man who supports Ardyn and Jared Hester have some common points? I ever wondered where Jared found his Junior Woodchucks Guidebook which seems to have pretty much every informations we want to know about FFXV’s lore, maybe there is a connection between these two? ^^)

I thought I might write down some tidbits and fill in some gaps revolving around some minor characters in FFXV I find fascinating: 

This time it’s about Dustin Ackers and Monica Elshett (pictured below).

Dustin Ackers and Monica Elshett are members of the Crownsguard and are amongst the highest ranking members there. The only ones to have higher status are Cor Leonis and Clarus Amicitia.

Monica and Dustin have both trained Gladiolus, and it’s hinted that Monica even trained Ignis how to use the arm-pole. Iris’ fighting style is closer to Ignis’ than Gladiolus’ as well and that suggests that Monica might’ve trained her as well.

When Insomnia fell Iris, along with Jared and Talcott Hester, were escorted from the capital by Dustin and Monica. They took shelter at the Leville in Lestallum shortly after. When the boys arrives at Lestallum Iris joins the boys’ party. While Iris is gone, Dustin and Monica are out tracking the Niflheim’s next move. 

Unfortunately, the Niflheim army finds their location at the Leville and heads over there to scare them.

Jared and Talcott are the only ones at the Leville when the Niflheims’ find them. They attempt to scare Jared, but he resists and is killed. When Iris comes back and finds out Jared has been killed she calls Monica, and along with Talcott and Dustin they flee from Lestallum to Cape Caem.

At Cape Caem the four of them pretty much set up a temporary home. Iris and Monica does the garden work. Monica also cooks.

Only at the very end of the game when the Adamantoise appears do Monica and Dustin appear to leave Iris and Talcott.

After the darkness has fallen Iris begins to assist Cor Leonis. Monica and Dustin helps them out and they form the beginning of the hunters’ headquarters.