#oslc

Set October through to December

Moving things swiftly along, I don't want to drag anything out. Thanks for your support with the last chapter though <3 Those decisions are always tough, even when I did make a few last minute changes.

Sort but sweet chapter this time, wanting to focus a little on normalcy and the acceptance of Noctis towards Lara. Prompto still doesn't know, even though he and Noct are best friends, Noct has been true to his word and not told anyone.

 The Choco/Mog festival - Noctis shakes his hesitantly because he sort of does know it but only briefly. He dreamt about it when he was a kid and Carbuncle was helping him through his recovery. He would dream about an older him enjoying the festival alone.

Also, did I just officially announce who Lara is related to? :D lol Also a bit about her backstory?

Set October 7th

I have a funny feeling this is going to be a long chapter, but I'm loathed to split it into two and make you guys wait because I'm going to making you wait anyway so there's no point making you wait again…

Edit: 9,000 words!!! 9,000 words!!! I'm am so sorry!!!!  I have no idea where I got 9,000 words from. When I tried to split the chapter into two and got 4,000 and 2,000 I was confused. Until I re-counted and it came up with 6,000, much more reasonable lol.

It's the moment you've all been waiting for, Lara and Gladio meet!!! *squeals of excitement* in other news it's really hard to not use the word 'before' he did something before he didn't something else. In the first section alone I had to stop using it before it got too much lol

I need to give thanks to this chapter to ImmortalMarshal over on FF.Net, the review they left me seriously helped in giving this story a bit more to it. Basically right from the start, I knew I wanted Gladio to find out this way, and I knew he wasn't going to be happy about it. But why wasn't he happy about it, the review I got sort of fitting things into perspective, it allowed the puzzle pieces to slot together. The conversation with Cor totally added. It was only going to be Gladio who found out, but by telling Cor it allows the story to take a different turn of events (I'm really struggling not to give away spoilers here as I left the chapter on such a cliff-hanger).

Ignis is feeling rather dejected right now, he's human mistakes happen and this kind of proves it. Everyone makes mistakes, even about love. It wouldn't be a very exciting story if everything was hunky-dory now would it (despite how much I want to write a happy story where nothing goes wrong). We need a little angst in our lives, we need the suffering because, in the end, it will make everyone better. (I mean that's my theory lol).

Writing in Gladio's POV again, it's fun, it’s also practice lol. Didn't actually much of his personality come out though, he's very conflicted though bless him.

Quick note, but I'm really pleased with how this chapter went. Next chapter will be Cor's decision and the aftermath of what is to come and then, unfortunately, nothing really exciting happens until Noct's nineteenth so in 9 months time. That's the next big event that I have planned. There are loads of mini ones though, that aren't as well planned as that one lol.

There are four big events in this story. This is one of them. Noct's 19th is another, Christmas of that same year is another, Lara's 20th is a big one as well, then it's in the game territory. A mini one in April the year the game starts and then the game itself - okay so that's more than four that’s 5.5. And they're all really spread out, I would apologise but I've done it for a reason. It's to give other events a meaningful impact. It wouldn't be very exciting to me if they dated then a month later Gladio found out, it would have the same effect. *shrugs* what do you think. Am I dragging this on for too long? I suppose you won't really have an opinion without seeing my timeline lol.

I suppose I better start explaining her last name. You'll notice throughout I've been consistently Sagittaclaustra, however the last chapter when Lara said it, it became Sagitta Claustra. Not a mistake, something that will be revealed in the big event of Lara's 20th. In later chapters, it will affectionately become S.C as fellow recruits and officers get bored and tongue-tied saying her long name lol.

Alright then, hopefully, some frustrations will be at rest (some haha) Gladio knows, Cor knows!! Big decisions coming up what will happen, only time (and I) will tell mwahaha!

Have a great Hogmanay everyone. (New Year). See you next year!

Chapter set Sept September 19th - 20th

*Peeps up from behind sofa* Still here? Oh good, I love you guys <3

So Ignis buys Lara a dress, thinks about the future and contemplates getting her a key cut for his apartment. He also almost tells Gladio but I'm apparently really mean and stubborn and have their meeting already planned out and just need some dramatic tension and frustration for you all. All being well next chapter, promise :D

Hey look at me (I may have missed a week - so sorry please forgive me) but it's a Thursday :D I mean somewhere in the world it's Thursday, it's technically Friday for me lol. (Edit: I had all intense and purposes of posting this last night, then I got introduced to the wonderful world of Role Play and I sort of got distracted....)

Everything with regards to the oath and attestations I found on Wikipedia and various websites. It's all British Army and Royal Air Force based with the oath (I have had that oath written for so long I forgot where I found it, but I think it's a combination of a UK Police Force Oath and an Oath of allegiance to the Queen). Edit: Never mind found it - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_of_Allegiance_(United_Kingdom)#Armed_forces

The length of training has been elongated, it doesn't usually take 18 months to train to be in the army (if I recall), however, I figure they have so much to learn. Harnessing the powers of the crystal (it has to take some degree of training to pull things out of thin air.)

*Has visions of Cor pulling out bananas and pink flamingos when he was starting out*

*coughs* anyway, enough about Cor brandishing pink flamingos at an amused Clarus and back to my headcanons. They would have to learn how to summon weapons, use elemancy, general fighting. Lara has to become a qualified paramedic (or at least an Emergency Medical Technician - which will include some classes at CCU :D) I also expect them all to have to learn how to drive. (taught usually by Ignis ;) )

Hence why it takes them 18 months at the end of the training there's another ceremony (called a passing out parade) which symbolises their graduation from recruit to crownsguard official - Here they get their official fatigues and get added into the rotations (or in a Kingsglaive sense - deployments beyond the wall). Speaking of Kingsglaive, same oath (slightly different wording), different training (warping, extra magic etc.), different training grounds (more open) and different barracks. Very unlikely that Glaive and Guard cross paths.

The line in the oath that adds His Heirs and Successors means that when the king dies their oath automatically (automagically) transfers to Noctis, which is why Cor and the Glaive can still summon weapons and use magic and what-not because Noct is still alive - the Crystal is still alive (despite being in a different country).

Think that’s it - to be perfectly honest I didn’t like this chapter and it’s an important chapter but I don’t know it didn’t flow for me I’m sorry.

Set June - August 30th

I have literally been struggling with words today. Pronouncing and spelling. Thank goodness for spell-checking.

So we're moving swiftly along with things. Another filler chapter here, outliner the passing of time, various frustrating aspects about Ignis - like why won't he just tell the world dammit!? All in good time my friends lol. It's the good ol' watching a train wreck trope, you know it's coming but there's nothing you can do to stop it (because I'm the author lol).

Gladnis week happened, I've literally been reading non-stop this week, so much great stuff out there. I kind of want to do something for Ignis Fluff week, but… nothing is jumping out at me from the prompts. Maybe next weeks chapter will be extra fluffy lol

Okay on to this chapter.  A little bit about my HC for the Crownsguard:

Applications are literally all year, but they only start training in September. If they only got 10 applications before they opened it up to non-Citadel born folk then they were really desperate lol.

Cor is Marshall of the Crownsguard - literally in command, however, answers to Clarus, who is the voice of the crownsguard on the council. That and he's the shield, but he tends to defer everything to Cor. They work well together. Gladio, as a shield to the future king, has to learn how to do his dad's job. He takes an active roll in training recruits and helping out Cor so he can learn that side of things.

Regis, Clarus, Cor and Gaius are life goals. Their friendly banter and teasing (especially between Clarus, Cor and Regis) are exactly what Noctis strives to have with his friends.

Prompto is literally on his best behaviour for this party as he wants to be invited back. Regis seems impressed with him at any rate.

Clarus just finds it absolutely hilarious that every "souvenir" Cor has rescued has returned back. He affectionately calls Lara and Prompto as Cor's boomerangs. "They just keep coming back to you, no matter how hard you throw them."

I am planning to write a side story to this over in Staying Hopeful, with regards to Cor and Lara meeting again for the first time in seven years. So I'm sure I'll throw in some good old-fashioned Cor ribbing over there. So stay tuned for that.

Link for Staying hopeful is here - just in case you hadn't read it yet. https://archiveofourown.org/works/12350325

Set June 13th - 18th

Okay, sorry for it being late. Things got crazy, next weeks is probably going to be late as well. Work is fun :D Rehearsals all week, late nights too, spent at a local high school so there was a lot of funny looks as we walked through the school and stole the cool kid's tables :D Production week for the next two weeks, so hopefully will have more time to write.

It's also Gladnis week next week! Yay - I have had a couple of fics written for this occasion so I'm excited to showcase them.

As for this fic. Noctis!! I had the urge to write the meeting from Noctis' point of view because I wanted to showcase what kind of leader I envision him. One who is pretty down to earth and cool in order to make those he's meeting with feeling comfortable. Ignis' doesn’t think it's a good idea but hey it worked.

And OMG did Lara almost say I love you? Who knows ha-ha only time will tell.

A quick note just likes how quick the story was, but we're getting into the thick of things now. Paving the way for the meat of the story to happen.

Oooh, education maintenance allowance is a real thing!! It's called EMA and you can get anywhere between £10 - £30 a month for students aged between 16 and 19. I just tweaked it slightly for the purpose of this story, but the inspiration is there. I loved it when I was eligible for it, it helped so much!

The names of the five refugees… Caleb Carpenter - makes furniture. Raven Preacher is a teacher, Petra Khara, It was supposed to be Petar but autocorrect changed it and I liked it, I don't have any reason for that one only that I wanted someone related to an actual FFXV character lol, plus Pelna's the best (not as good as Libertus, ever since watching Liam his VA and MoCap at the ATR live stream has increased my love for his character). Larissa is Lara - cute that she's sitting opposite Ignis. Noctis didn't notice it as he was too busy, but before she spoke her eyes would flick towards Ignis as if asking his permission. She also didn't realise that the crownsguard standing at the door, was the very shield and best friend of Ignis. Ted Shree… I was listening to Ed Sheeran at the time… enough said haha. The scribe is called Papirus because scribes wrote on papyrus… I'm so creative haha.

Speaking of Gladio, I figured he would be there as that's his job. In that dark Crownsguard, you see him wearing in brotherhood. He also didn't realise that Larissa is actual Ignis' Lara. That comes later - in October :D

Huh, I say it's short but when I pasted it all into A03 it's actually 3000 + words long, the length of an average chapter. :)

Set 1st June (one week after Chapter 14).

Not finished Comrades yet, working on it though - hopefully will finish it before Episode Ignis comes out ha-ha.

I start working on Monday and so I don't know how having a normal life will coincide with chapters, so please bear with me if I'm slow to update.

The first section of this chapter was written before I had even finished Chapter 14. It was rough notes but nothing got cut so I consider that a plus. Not much to say about it other than Noctis can think like a king when he wants to and Ignis makes a convincing argument even when he hasn’t had any time to prepare :D

I woke up this morning and it had snowed!! First snow of the season and it's actually early. We don't usually see snow until January, February, so it was quite exciting. Not enough to close the schools (takes a lot to close the schools up here) but a couple of inches. It's raining now though so I doubt it will stay until the weekend.

For our cat, this is her first snowfall whilst living with us. We gave her a forever home in March when we brought her home from the shelter. We opened the back door for her and she just looked at us as if to say "Why are you sending me out there you crazy people?" She licked some snow that was on the slope (our house as slopes instead of steps because my dad uses a wheelchair) and then came back inside. Not impressed ha-ha.

What else has happened in my life? Playing Ultra Sun, picking up my new car on Saturday, Playing Comrades, Writing more Gladnis, I have four started projects but nothing posted yet (one is for Gladnis week so that's excused). Send help hehe.

Set in May (directly after Chapter 13).

May I introduce Lara! (This is the reason the chapter is a day late, I really wanted to post a picture of Lara but due to PS4 issues it wasn’t working :(  

Woo OMG Comrades! *breathes* I played it for a bit the day of release, then my plans changed for the next day so I tried to play it pretty much all day. So many head cannons and feels! Like it just fits with everything I’ve already planned with this universe I’ve created and dycgiwvlchuoqg;.;…

Okay, I’m calm. Apologies for that…

Okay - Chapter 14. I suppose I should start by saying sorry!!! But the story is called Of Secrets, Lies and Coffee for a reason, and yes sometimes I kick myself for spanning it out, but I literally have every reveal planned out, the reactions the thoughts the way it all goes and tonight just wasn’t one of those nights for a reveal. It does, however, start to pave the way for other things though. Let’s just say that Gaius is really taken with Lara :D

I love Italian dining! All inspiration is taken from another Disney restaurant - this time the Italian fine dining of Palo - I certainly made me hungry writing this chapter.

Don’t you just hate having a goal in sight and not knowing how to get there? In life, in fiction, all is a work of poor planning right?

I’m sitting here writing, re-installing FFXV - remember how I said it was playing up. So yeah, had to uninstall everything, reinstall everything and I’m 3.5 hours in and finally, updates are almost completed… nope never mind - 6 hours in and I finally played. Did a couple of missions managed to even get online with a discord friend - so yeah. Hopefully tomorrow?