A/N: Not sure if anyone loves FFXV as much as me, but an OC came to mind and she wouldn't leave me alone... I keep dreaming about her! So I decided, finally, to put her in writing. I have a horrible track record here on fan , because back when I was active here, I ended up losing access to internet for about a year {living out in the middle of nowhere}, but I'm gonna do my best to keep up with this story. I have lots of it written towards the end; the beginning is where I always struggle! This could change depending on where my characters' motivations end up, but for now, this will probably end up a Prompto/OC, Ignis/Aranea, Noctis/Lunafreya, Lunafreya/Nyx story, TO SAY THE LEAST! I'm less concerned with the pairings than I am doing this universe justice; the themes caught up in the world blow my mind, between the family lineages given sacred, Christ-like purposes, to the strength of friendship bringing light to a world plagued by sin... all of it is what I find most captivating in the story! "The Gray Place" probably seems like a weird name, but hopefully it'll get a little clearer later. The game loves to play with the ideas of black vs. white, yin vs. yang, and the sweet spot lies somewhere in the middle. Enjoy :) -Fallon
Chapter 1:
"Lady Lunafreya," She pleaded in her most professional, diplomatic voice possible. "I beg you, please reconsider your position on this."
"Lady Inertia," Lunafreya shot her a most disparaging glare, something Inertia wasn't used to. The two usually saw eye to eye on most matters, for the last 7 years that Inertia had been in her employ. Though she never felt like an employee; Lunafreya was more like her sister. Her breath hitched in her throat, and she waited for her lady to speak. "I appreciate your opinion on the matter, but my word is final."
"Yes, m'lady," Inertia offered her a quick bow, but she hesitated in the doorway, unsure of herself. Would it be too forward of her to discuss matters on a personal level, rather than a professional one? Sighing, she closed the door, making her way to sit in Lunafreya's stead.
"Inertia, please-"
"Luna," Inertia interrupted her. "I come to you now not as your lady-in-waiting, but as your friend," She held Luna's hand, and Lunafreya was startled by the gesture. Startled, but not bothered. Instead she offered her a small smile.
"Are you truly ok with all this?" Inertia's gaze faltered as she felt a breeze by her ear. "Hello, Gentiana."
"Salutations, m'lady," Gentiana placed a hand on Inertia's shoulder, taking the seat beside her at Luna's desk. Her eyes were closed; she must have been communing with some Astral or another. Inertia was a little curious which message she was receiving today, but she figured it wouldn't matter much anymore given that Luna was sending her away.
"I…" Lunafreya grasped at her throat, hand trembling. "I'm not entirely sure."
"Doubt is normal, m'lady," Gentiana offered. Inertia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She appreciated the Messenger near as much as she did Lunafreya - they'd both accepted her with open arms. But sometimes her tendency towards the literal was frustrating.
"I feel as though I've barely finished my training with you…" Inertia tucked her hair behind her ear, a habit she couldn't help when she was nervous. Lunafreya knew her ticks as much as she herself.
"Inertia, you are blessed with a wonderful gift," Lunafreya smiled at her. "Do not doubt that."
"So they reject me, and accept you?" Inertia's voice shook. She possessed Luna's healing capabilities, and a resistance to the Scourge, but the Gods ignored her voice, and left her in a void of silence. No one could answer why this orphan was blessed with the same gifts as the Oracle, nor could the Oracle answer why the Astrals favored her, and offered Inertia nothing in return.
"Still your mind, and quiet your heart, Inertia," Lunafreya tried to reassure her friend. Inertia's hands gripped the seat beneath her; it was easy for her lady to say it, and another for herself to accept it. "All will reveal itself in time, I'm sure. As for myself…" She looked towards the window, which looked out below onto the rest of Fenestala Manor, and, beneath that, the rest of Tenebrae. She was thoughtful, yet Inertia could feel her troubles as her own. Having the same gifts as she, she too could share in another's grief and shoulder it as her own. "I've wanted to see Noctis for a long time." She smiled, though it was sad. It didn't reach her eyes. "But not like this."
"This is why I'm not at peace leaving you alone with the empire, m'lady," Inertia offered. Her heart was pounding; she had little time before the train arrived to whisk her away to Lucis.
"I will be here watching over her, Lady Inertia," Gentiana reassured her. Her olive eyes were finally open now, shining with the reflection of the sun that poured in through the window. Inertia knew Gentiana would do all in her power, but would it be enough against the might of Niflheim?
"My heart is troubled by the circumstances," Luna nodded solemnly to herself. "But I am at peace with my duty. I need an ambassador to be at the Citadel while these terms of peace are established between Niflheim and Lucis. I need you there, Inertia, because there is no one else I trust with this sacred duty."
"You know I'll serve you to the best of my ability, Luna," Inertia's eyes brimmed with tears. She blinked them away. Tenebrae had been her home for so long now, and whenever away, she'd been at Luna's side. Learning. Helping. Healing. "I… just stay in touch, ok?"
Luna looked to Gentiana, who nodded in understanding.
"Obviously, m'lady, you and Luna can't communicate outside the bounds of diplomacy over mobile phone with the empire tapping into all communications," Gentiana began slowly. Inertia nodded, agreeing with the point. "But I'll see to it your messages are relayed to one another. I, Umbra, Pryna-" she looked to the doorway, and Inertia was surprised to see Griseo standing there. The silver, multi-tailed fox with the blue markings on his face was, what she could only assume, her own Messenger, but he had been watching over her since childhood, and she hadn't ever been sure how to explain his existence to Lunafreya. Though why she thought she could hide him from the Oracle and her Messenger was a mystery to her in this moment, as her shame overtook her for keeping the secret. "And Griseo will all see to the well-being of you and Lunafreya." Luna smiled at Inertia knowingly, and Inertia fumbled for words.
"How long have you known?"
"I've always known," Luna giggled, Umbra and Pryna following the fox through the doorway. The three began to play; not an uncommon sight to Inertia. The three had frequently enjoyed each other's company in the years since her being here. But Griseo had always made himself scarce in Lunafreya's presence. "Since the very first day we met, Inertia, I knew you had a Guardian watching over. Yet another reason I knew you were special. The fact that the Astrals have not yet recognized your importance matters little to me."
Inertia rose to her feet, walking to Griseo's side and caressing his ears lovingly. He nodded at her, taking off ahead of her, already aware of the journey they were to undertake. "Thank you, m'lady," She nodded at Gentiana and her Oracle, her mistress, her sister. "For everything."
Noctis was bored. He was sitting at the long table he'd grown up to admire, which he'd later slowly come to resent, headed by none other than his father, King Regis. Clarus Amicitia was at his side, his shield, his best friend. Cor Leonis was here, and the rest of the Citadel advisors, including Urentus Scientia, and Gladiolus, Ignis, and the newly regaled Prompto sat with him, all attentively listening to the Marshal brief them on the training they were to undertake as serving as Noctis's company guard. Prompto in particular was taking notes; he'd never received any martial training before, and it was a little late for him to learn to fight with the weapons Ignis and Gladiolus did. But he'd always been a technophile. Cor was hopeful he could pick up gunplay rather quickly, given his propensity for technology, and perhaps even heavier machinery, so that he might be useful in the days to come. The two had gone to high school together, and, now, University, but Prompto hadn't been raised in a royal house like the other two, and he hadn't been groomed for combat. But Noctis had insisted Prompto come with him on the journey to Altissia; it was the closest thing to a bachelor party he would get.
"You're to be here on the hour every weekday morning for your training," Cor finished with his notes, looking at the three seated at Noctis's side. Noctis knew the drill already. And while Ignis and Gladio had undergone intensive training of their own, this was the first time they'd be joining the Glaives for morning practice on a regular schedule. "Any questions?"
"Uh, yes, actually, Mr. Immortal, sir?" Prompto was raising his hand like this was a classroom, and Noctis snorted back a laugh. Cor rolled his eyes.
"Yes, Mr. Argentum?"
Noctis didn't hear whatever Prompto asked him. He was distracted by the girl who'd just entered the room. The guards were on strict order not to allow anyone into the Hall while the meeting was taking place, but they themselves had allowed her entry. She was clad in white, but she wasn't Lunafreya, which meant only one thing: this must be her lady-in-waiting. Noctis had only ever heard about her through word-of-mouth, or idle articles online or in magazines, but pictures hadn't done her justice. She was breathtaking; almost as much as Lunafreya herself. Her hair was a deep, cherry red, so red it was almost purple, and it fell in cascades down her back, but her eyes were brilliantly blue, almost like Luna's. She thanked the guards quietly for allowing her entry, and made her way silently to stand at the wall on the side of the room. She had no desire to interrupt the Marshal, who was now briefing Prompto on whatever stupid thing he'd asked him. Cor saw the girl before Prompto did, and that was probably a good thing.
"Ah, yes, I believe we're done here," He offered, ushering her forward. "King Regis, I believe your next meeting is due to start." Regis, his Highness - dad, though the word felt foreign to his lips - looked to the girl standing at the side of the room, waiting patiently with a small bag in hand. Noctis wondered why Lunafreya had sent an ambassador here… was she here, too? His father hadn't mentioned anything about this.
"Ah, welcome, Lady Inertia," Regis rose to his feet, and Noctis, Ignis, and Gladiolus raced to do the same. If the king was rising, so should they all for whoever the esteemed guest may be. Prompto was a little bit slower on the uptake, but caught up eventually. "Thank you for being prompt, not many in this day and age live by the same sense of obligation," He shot his son a knowing look, and Noctis looked away sheepishly, knowing he was referring to his and Prompto's less than stellar timing getting here today. Truth be told, they probably could have made it on time after they got done meeting with the Dean this afternoon, but they'd both agreed that stopping by the Cafe on campus wouldn't make them that late. And they'd both been famished. The stop in the comic book store was probably unnecessary, though. It was gonna be weird to take time off from school, the first time in his life his father had been okay with the prospect. After marrying Lunafreya though, he didn't know how easy it was gonna be to go back.
"No, the honor is mine, your Highness," Inertia, she seemed to be called, offered a small curtsy in the king's presence. Noctis could practically hear Prompto slobbering next to him. "I appreciate you making time for me on such short notice."
"Gentlemen, it seems our business here has concluded," The king nodded towards Noctis, Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto, and the four gathered their things in haste. "Do try to be on time tomorrow morning, boys." Noctis was the only one who caught his wink. His dad wasn't such a curmudgeon all the time.
They shuffled past Inertia hurriedly, unsure if they should bow, or salute, or tap dance in her presence. She wasn't the Oracle, no, but she was Lunafreya's sole lady-in-waiting, which made her pretty damn important too. Noctis had to pull Prompto by the arm to get him moving, and the guards closed the doors wordlessly behind them.
"Who was SHE!?" Prompto gaped after her longingly. Ignis pushed his glasses up his nose; oh boy, here came a dissertation.
"Lady Inertia Izunia of House Nox Fleuret," Ignis recited from memory. Noctis wondered to himself just which Encyclopedia he was quoting. "Lady Lunafreya's sole lady-in-waiting, who began in her employ around 7 years ago."
"Specs, chill," Gladio clapped him on the back. "You're not in the Hall anymore, you don't have to impress anyone."
"One must always be prepared to impress, for the forging of a habit takes longer than the ruin of a reputation." Ignis smirked at Gladio. "Your own father's words."
"Do you think that means Luna's here?" Noctis wondered absentmindedly. He didn't want to come off as smitten, but he didn't know who else to ask. His three friends stopped in their tracks, looking at each other.
"Most likely, no," Ignis shrugged. "My guess is Lady Lunafreya has sent an ambassador in her stead while she continues to make preparations in Tenebrae."
"Come on, Noct," Prompto punched him in the shoulder. "You've already got a wedding date. If I marry Inertia, does that make us in-laws?"
"They're not related, chocobo-brain," Gladio punched Prompto in the back, nailing him with a kidney shot. Prompto groaned in agony, Gladio chasing him down the hallway, Ignis shaking his head at the two of them. Noctis hesitated before joining them in the elevator though; if Inertia was here, what did that mean for Luna? And his father had had no reason to hide Inertia's arrival from him. Something didn't feel right about this whole thing, and the entire ride down to the ground floor he had a sinking feeling in his stomach that his wedding wouldn't turn out the way he hoped it would.
A/N: Yep, that last name was Izunia. I wanted the reveal to be later, but it didn't seem plausible that no one would know her last name, working in Lunafreya's employ. I tend to time skip a lot in my stories, so bear with me!
