#Nox’s Shield and Heart in Axis and Cindy

[a-world-in-grey]

@raven-6-10 @secret-engima

Sola dearly wants Nox to come back to the Citadel. He’s her brother and wherever he is now he clearly isn’t taking care of himself properly and Sola worries.

But Nox is more than a little reluctant, magic skittering with wariness-fear-grief, tangled like thorns around love-longing-want. So she doesn’t push after she makes her initial offer for Nox to come to Insomnia, resolves to put her foot down and ensure Papa and Uncle Clarus and Uncle Cor don’t force Nox to the Citadel either.

Instead she leaves Dissidia with a handful of new numbers in her phone, so she can call and make sure Nox is alright even if her brother forgets to charge his phone.

Regis, Clarus, and Cor immediately want to bring Nox into the safety of the Citadel of course, Nox is Sola’s age, only fourteen, that’s far too young to be running around without support. Sola stands up to her family and tells them to leave Nox be. He’s more than capable of defending himself, and he has support, support he actually knows and trusts. She points out that Cor was part of the Crownsguard at thirteen - Nox as a Hunter at fourteen is not that different. Arguably, Nox is safer than Cor was, because Nox isn’t part of the military during an active war and is a far better fighter than Cor was at that age.

She already let Nox know that he’s welcome at the Citadel. So let Nox be. If he wants to come, that’s his decision to make.

Besides, if they start trying to chase him down, they’ll risk alerting Niflheim to Nox’s existence. Is that a risk they want to take?

Sola tells Noctis about Nox. Noctis is excited to have an older brother, even if he doesn’t really understand why Nox won’t visit. Sola tries to explain that Nox is afraid of what people will think of him, because Papa wasn’t married to Nox’s mom and some people think that makes someone less than others whose parents are married. Noctis is promptly outraged on Nox’s behalf.

Nox does not expect, when Axis next tracks him down to force him to eat and sleep, for his Shield to shove his phone into Nox’s hand - Nox’s phone lays dead in his armiger - with an exasperated reminder to call his sister. Nox sheepishly does, because apparently it’s been almost three weeks since Sola called him to warn him that she did her best to keep Papa and Uncle Cor and Uncle Clarus off his back but she’s not sure how long her efforts will last, and she’ll try to warn him if Cor ever leaves Insomnia.

Only, instead of hanging up after updating him on the latest goings on at the Citadel, Sola says there’s someone who wants to talk to Nox. Before Nox can fully process that, a young voice comes through his phone, excitedly saying hello and telling Nox that he doesn’t care that Nox’s parents weren’t married and he still wants to meet Nox and he hopes Nox will visit soon.

Which is how Nox is first introduced to his younger counterpart.

Nox isn’t quite sure what he says to Noctis, but he must not screw it up because Noctis is happy enough when he hands the phone back to Sola. Nox, trying to breathe past the tight anxiety in his chest, asks if Noctis knows Nox is related to… Nox trails off meaningfully. Sola says Noctis doesn’t, but then bluntly asks if it matters.

That catches Nox off guard. Sure, Sola hadn’t reacted beyond a single surprised blink at hearing his surname, but her lack of questions meant that Nox hadn’t known if Sola knew how closely related he was to one of Niflheim’s highest ranking political figures.

When Nox fails to answer, Sola huffs on the other end of the line. She tells him that she’s not Uncle Cor, and Nox isn’t his relative either. Nox is Nox. And Nox is their brother. That’s all they care about.

Nox swallows past the lump in his throat and thanks Sola.

Sola tells Nox to thank Axis again for her, and to tell him that she’ll pay the long distance charge, before she ends the call.

Alas, the Marilith attack is not derailed, because the two people who know about the attack beforehand both have no sense of time and therefore forget until it’s nearly too late.

And since both Ardyn and Nox are terrible at remembering to charge their phones, neither of them get the notification from Axis, passing on Sola’s warning that if Nox wants to keep avoiding Regis to avoid Galdin Quay for Noctis’ birthday (the text Sola sends Axis is vague enough that anyone who doesn’t know who ‘Sunny’ is and that she’s Nox’s sister wouldn’t realize that the royal family will be out beyond the Wall on a day trip).

Due to security reasons, Sola and Noctis are in separate cars in the convoy. Which is why Sola isn’t able to protect Noctis from the Marilith when it attacks. But she recognizes the magic that whisks Noctis away from the wreck, and she trusts that Nox will be able to help their younger brother.

Sola joins Regis, Clarus, and Cor when they get the call from Cid. Oh, they want to leave her in the safety of the Citadel, but Sola adamantly refuses to be left behind and none of them are willing to spend the time to force her to stay.

When Nox instinctively reacts to Regis, Clarus, and Cor’s intrusion, Sola is there to wrap her magic around his in safety-reassurance-family. She’s also there when they meet Ardyn, and she goes still when she sees the scars and brand inflicted by Papa’s predecessor. She proceeds to shock everyone still awake when she not only calls Ardyn ‘Uncle’, but asks if she can hug him.

Regis is somewhat pained when he tries to tell Sola that Ardyn isn’t really her Uncle, but Sola cuts him off with a glare and a fierce remark that her brother’s uncle is her uncle. Then she turns back to Ardyn, waiting for an answer, ignoring Cid’s muffled snickers in the corner.

Ardyn… is honestly baffled by the request. He’d heard of Sola’s quick acceptance of Nox, but he’d never imagined such acceptance would extend to him.

Perhaps he takes too long to respond, or perhaps Sola can sense his bafflement, because she quietly says that he deserves kind touch too. Ardyn can’t speak through the tightness in his chest (it’s been millennia since he received such immediate compassion from family) but he manages a nod. Sola’s hug is gentle, he could step out of it easily, and yet warm in a way he can’t describe. It’s not her magic - his niece has kept it tucked beneath her skin while in his vicinity. After a moment, Ardyn hugs her back. From his sternum he hears a muffled ‘thank you’, so quiet he has to strain his ears to catch it. Ardyn says nothing in return, only briefly tightening his hold on his new niece before ending the hug, all too aware of Regis and his Sword and Shield watching with sharp eyes and tense shoulders.

Regis is unable to pry Sola away from Nox those four days he’s unconscious. Nox wakes in the Citadel with Sola curled up next to him, clinging to him like a limpet with fingers and magic both, Axis sitting in a chair on the opposite side.

Axis quietly explains, smirking as Nox tries and fails to extract himself from his sister’s grip, plopping a tray of food in Nox’s lap after Sola clings harder and Nox gives up. Apparently, Sola had sent Axis a message about Nox rescuing Noctis in Leide, and Axis immediately booked it to his location, changing destination after Sola updated him later that night about taking Nox to the Citadel to recover. Axis only just arrived a few hours ago - Sola’s been keeping everyone other than Ardyn out of his room in the meantime, since Sola knows Nox doesn’t really trust anyone else. She passed out once Axis arrived. (Axis doesn’t mention how Sola had taken one look at him and had known he was an Amicitia, merely thanking him for looking after Nox and telling him to call her Sola instead of Princess.)

Axis also informs Nox of Sola’s insistence on referring to Ardyn as her Uncle, on the basis of him being her brother’s uncle. Noctis, more than a little irritated at Regis not allowing him to see Nox despite Sola being allowed (rather, Sola wouldn’t take no for an answer) enlisted Ignis and Sola’s aid - Sola’s aid coming in the form of her giant cat Abyssus - and met Ardyn under everyone’s noses, promptly following Sola’s example and dubbing him Uncle as well.

Aka, Sola and Noctis have been cheerfully giving Regis, Clarus, and Cor grey hairs by completely disregarding any concerns of Ardyn being Niflheim’s High Chancellor.

Sola’s also promised to help Nox get out of Insomnia if he doesn’t want to stay, though she did ask that Nox stay long enough to meet Noctis properly.

Nox concedes to that, and Noctis ends up convincing Nox to stay.

Gonna make a separate post for the Little Nox Dissidia verse, once I get that fleshed out.

Well, since you said it's okay :)

Nox verse crossover! Specifically, Sola and Nox being summoned to Dissidia sometime before the entire Marilith incident.

Sola was not happy to be dragged into some weird fighting tournament, so she is more than happy to derail the entire thing to talk to her New Brother. Now if only he would stay still! Please stop running away, Brother, she has Questions!

Sola also has Questions for her Papa, once she gets back to Insomnia. Starting with how many ooops babies did you have, Papa? She wants to know if there are More Siblings out there.

(Yes, Regis, how many kids do you have running around? says Clarus while Glaring at his King. They saw the entire thing through Crystal-vision.)

Absolutely okay to keep sending in asks! Can't promise I'll get to them right away given it's finals season atm, but the asks are fun!

Putting this under a cut because I got clocked in the head with a bat by the damn plot bunnies while writing this and it got stupidly long.

Not gonna lie, this is great - Sola would lose her entire mind because brother? New brother?

New brother who has definitely not been taking care of himself properly, sit down so Sola can feed you, Pyre damn it all.

Meanwhile Nox is more than a little surprised to come face to face with a girl who looks so much like mom but with Ardyn's hair and magic and Cor's scowl. His new sister - who claims him as a brother despite giving his surname as Izunia, only blinking once at the name of Niflheim's Chancellor before she promptly calls him her little brother - fights a lot like Cor as well, which is how Nox learns that Sola's been apprenticed to Cor since she was ten, after she foiled an assassination attempt on their younger brother, Noctis.

(Nox has to swallow around a lump in his throat at how easily Sola accepts him as family, calling Noctis their little brother instead of just hers.)

Actually though, Sola has a blast while she's in Dissidia. How could she not? She got a new brother - who is definitely a Little Brother, she doesn't care that he can kick her ass with both hands behind his back, his personal care habits are atrocious and she will do her duty as Older Sister and remind him to eat Pyre damn it - got to cut loose and fight a bunch of people and creatures, and didn't have to deal with the snobs on Papa's Council.

Best vacation ever.

Sola comes back from Dissidia grinning ear to ear - she convinced Nox to exchange numbers, and even if he's bad at remembering to text or call her, Sola will remember if it means badgering her newest brother into taking care of himself better - and cheerfully asks Papa if she's got any other siblings hanging about. Regis chokes on his spit, Clarus looks like he'd also like to know the answer to that question, while Cor looks like he can't decide if his birthday's come early or he wants to preemptively break out the alcohol.

So yeah, this is great. Maybe even better than original Sola and Nox and Noctis get pulled into Dissidia while Sola is pregnant, because teenaged Sola is having so much fun.

But.

Consider.

Little!Nox 'verse.

Specifically the version where @secret-engima dropped Nox and Noctis on Materia's side and Ardyn on Spiritus' side, with Sola joining Ardyn in this case. Post-Marilith because otherwise Nox would be like, three and Noctis eight and even I'm not that mean.

So instead Noctis is ten (Materia did try to call for champions that weren't literal children and had at least some combat experience. Normally Noctis wouldn't count, but he's since got the same soul as Nox, things got kinda mixed up. Not that that excuse will save Materia from Sola and Ardyn's wrath). Nox is five, and Sola is seventeen and newly outed as a Kingsglaive to the media, and newly realized by the Galahdians as being a half-feral Sky-born instead of just a short-tempered magical teenager.

Sola arrives at the tower before Ardyn and learns from one of the less-asshole villains who may have done this whole dog-and-chocobo show before that she’s to fight her counterpart. Which makes her immediately suspicious because she doesn’t have a mortal enemy like these people. Well, most of these people. Apparently one of them is fighting his sister-in-law and former comrade while another is fighting his own son, and if Sola goes off that pattern that means her counterpart is-

Oh Pyre no.

At which point Ardyn arrives in all of his furious-terrified-where-the-fuck-is-my-nephew Scourge-magic-faced glory. Which neatly derails Sola’s impending Rage as she stares at the man that looks (and feels, and Sola never realized how lonely she was until she met another with her magic) more like her than her own father and brother and it feels like she’s been sucker punched. Because that’s the missing Chancellor of Niflheim putting the fear of him into the other champions through the sheer strength of his magic that Sola’s doesn’t have a snowball’s chance on Ifrit’s Pyre of matching.

And yet-

“Uncle?” Ardyn’s not sure how he hears it past the sheer terror and rage pounding in his ears, past the red and gold shards of magic swirling about him in a physical manifestation of come-near-me-and-die, but somehow the soft word gets his attention from where he’s seething at Spiritus. Or maybe it’s just the barest brush of hesitant-surprise-hope that has him turning to the young woman looking at him with wide blue eyes framed by achingly familiar red hair.

He remembers hearing about the Regis of this alternate world (and hadn’t that been a shock on top of everything else) having a daughter older than Noctis. He’d simply been too busy caring for Nox to look more into it. Now he wishes he had.

Noctis may look almost exactly like Somnus, but clearly his older sister takes after Ardyn.

“Niece.” He greets. He cannot muster up the effort for even his most insincere smile right now, not when he doesn’t know where Nox is.

Sola steps fearlessly into the magic swirling around him like a storm, shards of red and gold shattering harmlessly against her skin-

Is she, is she hugging him?

She is. Even though she’s old enough to know who he is, her arms are circling his torso in an encompassing hold that is nonetheless so gentle that he could break out of it with a single step.

Ardyn… doesn’t. It… feels nice. His niece is warm, her magic (so like his, he never thought anyone would ever inherit his magic) contained such that only hints of it brush up against his, and yet Ardyn can feel clearly how his niece has no fear or disdain of him.

Ardyn isn’t sure what to make of that. He awkwardly pats her shoulder.

“Who did they take?” His niece asks. “Your counterpart.”

Ardyn’s hand involuntarily tightens on Sola’s shoulder. She doesn’t flinch. Ardyn wavers on whether to tell her, because he’s been trying to keep Nox secret and he can’t do that if anyone from the royal family knows.

But this is Sola, whose reputation for being so fiercely protective of her younger brother managed to reach even the furthest reaches of the Lucian outlands. And Sola’s magic is radiating her honest desire to help him, simply because he’s family.

Ardyn prays he’s making the right choice. “My nephew.”

From where she’s clutching him like Nox does with his stuffed chocobo, Sola stills, before looking up at him with shocked blue eyes. Underneath the worry and fear for the others taken with them, hope and affection blooms. “I have another brother?”

“Nox.” Ardyn hesitates, then adds. “He’s five.”

It’s like flipping a switch. Sola’s delight is buried under a wave of protective fury that doesn’t touch him, and she bares her teeth in a snarl. “They summoned. My five year old brother?”

Ardyn hasn’t seen this kind of fury since the mother coeurl chased off a voretooth pack that had gotten too close to Nox and her other cubs. He’s darkly eager to see how much violence his niece will dish out. If he deigns to leave her anything to kill, that is. “Most likely.”

Sola whirls on Spiritus, seething. “Where are my brothers?”

.

Meanwhile, Noctis is Absolutely Not Panicking.

He’s ten now, and if Sola was able to protect him from assassins without panicking at ten then Noctis can protect his baby brother without panicking, especially because he’s got so many people looking out for him. He’s a big kid now after all.

(Noctis doesn't know that Sola very much did panic when she saved him from that assassin seven years back. That the whole incident was one blur of Kill The Threat By Any Means Possible of panicked Sky-born instincts.)

Noctis is trying so very hard to be brave for Nox, but then they’re attacked and Noctis sees the attack coming for them and he knows he can’t get his sword up in time and he wants his sister-

And then there’s magic ripping through the air, familiar-but-not even as Sola appears out of nowhere to scoop the both of them up in her arms and raise the strongest barrier she can around them, her magic quivering in relief and protective fury, reassuring them that she’s got them, they’re safe and Uncle is just outside taking care of everything, they’re safe.

Noctis bursts into tears. Nox follows in short order. Sola holds them both, rumbling low in her throat like how she used to soothe Noctis after a nightmare, and keeping her shield as opaque as she can because like Pyre she’s letting either of the kids see the absolute carnage happening on the other side. Bad enough they can hear it. Sola would rather be tearing someone apart, but someone needs to protect her brothers and Uncle is so much stronger than her. So she sits on her cranky Sword instincts and goes about comforting her brothers.

When Ardyn finally knocks on her shield, the screaming has finally stopped, and both her brothers have cried themselves to sleep. Sola’s still making that rumbling sound in her chest, a self-soothing technique she hasn't used in longer than she can remember.

In a mirror of last time, Ardyn fearlessly steps past Sola’s bristling magic and hugs her, long arms wrapping around her and the boys with ease. He doesn’t say anything - he’s never gotten the hang of comforting words, even after two years of caring for Nox - but cautiously wrapping his magic around Sola and the boys has all three of them relaxing in his arms. At which point Sola dissolves into tears, silently sobbing into Ardyn’s shoulder in an effort not to wake Nox or Noctis, but Astrals, she was so scared and they nearly didn’t make it in time and Sola doesn’t want to have to contemplate living without her brothers. And Ardyn doesn’t know how to comfort, but he can just sit there and hold his niblings while his niece cries.

.

Sola and Ardyn only met hours before, but looking at how they act with each other no one is able to tell. Because those two get along like a house on fire.

(What is this overkill you speak of? We only know keeping nephews/little brothers safe. With extreme prejudice.)

Sola is monstrously protective of her newest brother and uncle. Nox’s Sick Day has Sola and the rest of the mages capable of healing and Ice Elemancy tending to Nox around the clock, struggling to keep his temperature down, Sola once more making her rumbling approximation of a purr to try and comfort both her family and herself. Which prompts Y’shtola to actually purr whenever it’s her turn to watch over Nox because the rumbling/purring helps Nox sleep through it all.

The reveal of Ardyn’s scars sends Sola into a towering fury that she makes sure to keep away from Uncle and her brothers, and Mors is lucky he’s already dead because Sola would gut him and leave him to bleed out on the floor.

(Ardyn is surprised by Sola’s fury and grief on his behalf. He’s not surprised by the love she has for Nox, but for him? It’s been millennia since he’s received that kind of immediate and unconditional care from anyone, much less family.)

So when Sola later sits by him that night after Nox and Noctis are fast asleep, burrowing under his arm for a half-hug Ardyn can easily escape from, Ardyn doesn’t expect the soft, “You’re safe? Wherever you are?”

Ardyn looks down at his niece’s red hair in surprise, wondering what’s prompted this inquiry. But it’s easy enough to answer. “Yes.” As safe as one can be living in the outlands, which is safe enough with Axis and his family helping and Ardyn being the most powerful being on the planet short of an Astral.

Fingers tighten their grip on his coat. “…will you call?”

“Call?”

“After we go home.” Sola clarifies. “I want to know you’re both okay.”

Ardyn stills. Because she can’t mean what he thinks she means. “You won’t try to take Nox?” Not that Ardyn would let anyone take his nephew.

“You don’t trust Papa.” Sola says. Which, yes, but Ardyn didn’t expect Sola to pick up on that when he’s been keeping a lid on the vitriol he feels for most of his family, for Nox and Noctis’ sakes. “Nox is my baby brother, but he’s your nephew too, and he loves you.” A quiet sniffle. “I’ll miss you.”

“I will call.” Ardyn promises, resting a hand on Sola’s hair. “Both of us will.” He’s gotten a lot better at managing time, he can absolutely make a reminder on his phone to call his favorite niece once a week. If not, Titus can remind him.

[secret-engima]

Okay, I've got to ask. Nox's Shield is Axis. I'm guessing Cindy is Nox's Heart (and Cid maybe grumbles about Nox and Cindy being chips off the old blocks). Nyx is Nox's Consort, but does she also become Nox's Sword? And who (if anyone) becomes Nox's Hand? (I could see Nox not having a Hand or a Sword honestly. Because he never had a Sword before and never intended to get a second Heart or Shield, but then Cindy and Axis just... happened.)

Oooohhhhh BOY.

I actually don’t know? I mean- you’re right about Axis and Cindy being his Shield and Heart but Nox never intended to get another Retinue after the loss of his old one so I have no idea where he’d ever get a Sword....

Tbh I think his new Hand is Porrima? She’s very background character in most of my HCs I know but she’s just- such a grounding, calming presence. Very sensible and forgiving and patient, and no one can ever replace Ignis in Nox’s heart (and one of his “quirks” people puzzle over is how he will out-stubborn everyone in existence but if Ignis just sighs at him he folds like a house of wet cards), but Porrima ... I can see her being his new Hand in the way Axis is his new Shield. It’s not a perfect fit, and it’s not the same, but when Porrima speaks, he listens, and when she says “be calm” he goes still and takes a deep breath to rein himself in.

I can kinda see Nyx being his Sword? But also not because she’s his Consort and I feel like those are usually two different positions that don’t cross over well.

Gonna have to think on that and see if he ever gets a sword.

......Ravus would make a very good Sword.

Hmmmmmm.

[a-world-in-grey]

Sola&Nox verse: please tell me about their combined Retinues and how weird it is and what where people's reactions to when they finally noticed this fact

*grins* the combined Retinue!

So it starts out with Nox and Sola worrying about each other. Nox worries about Sola because Sola is very much like Cor in leaping at problems sword-first and doesn't always stop to consider that she might be biting off more than she can chew. And it's not like Sola's going to stop. If anything Sola only gets worse as she gets older, as she accrues more and more skill and experience and gains more freedom to encounter Bigger Problems. If Sola had strong magic, Nox might worry less (Axis: liar) because in this au Sola and Nox aren't in the Glaive and as such don't usually leave Insomnia and there's less dangerous things for Sola to Throw Hands with in the Crown City. But Sola doesn't have strong magic, for all that she's been training with her magic ever since meeting Nox in Dissidia, will never have the reserves of her male relatives. And Nox worries that Sola will burn through her magic reserves and won't have enough magic left to keep herself from dying if she gets seriously injured.

Meanwhile, Sola worries about Nox not taking care of himself. But she's a Sword, she doesn't do well trying to solve problems she can't literally or verbally stab. Axis and Cindy do their best, and Sola will be the first to admit that Axis and Cindy do a lot for her twin. But none of them are Hands, and with the way Nox still mourns his first Retinue she doubts Nox will ever bond with another Hand. That Nox bonded with a second Shield and Heart is nothing short of a miracle. Sola can't do much to mother-hen Nox into taking care of himself beyond setting Abyssus on Nox, because Abyssus will absolutely remind Nox to eat - loudly - if it means he can beg food off the kitchens as well. Axis finds it hilarious that a cat is better at getting Nox and Ardyn to eat regular meals than two Shields and all the alarms on their phones. At least, when Axis isn't despairing over that same fact. But Sola can help Nox manage his pain, when she can out-stubborn him into letting her, that is.

@secret-engima has already covered how Nox bonded with Axis, and later Cindy, and that won't change. Sola bonds with Copia Egestas after Sola starts learning from Ardyn the art of politics so she can verbally shred certain Councilors and nobles and convince them to better their behavior or else. (The court thought Sola's smile was terrifying. Then Uncle Ardyn showed up and now Sola's smile is so much worse.) Sola and Copia met when Sola started networking with the Council Heirs. Copia decided to leverage that connection in hopes of being named the next Lord of Finance after her father. Sola knew this, but she was fine with that because Copia is really quite brilliant with both numbers and politics and knows the Lucian court in a way that Ardyn doesn't yet. And Copia is more than willing to assist and advise Sola in navigating the sormr pit. During late-night planning sessions they quickly discover that they share similar senses of humor, and they become friends, and some point before Nox and Sola's Coming of Age Copia decides she'd rather be Sola's Hand than the next Lord of Finance.

Ravus and Sola bond... both very quickly and not really? Like, I'd have to go back through the stuff written about how Ardyn gets the royal family out of Tenebrae and to Lucis, but Ravus doesn't have years of Niflheim conditioning him to hate the Lucis Caelums. He's also fiercely devoted to his little sister, which is something Sola immediately vibes with. And at this point, Ravus is angry and itching to fight for his family and home, and Sola's more than willing to enable him on that. So she drags Ravus to a sparring room, runs him through his paces, then promptly takes him on as an apprentice like Cor did her because sure, Ravus probably isn't completely inexperienced with a blade but he didn't spend the last five years apprenticed to Cor the Immortal. Sola's reasoning for training Ravus personally before she helps him enlist in the Kingsglaive is that Ravus wants to protect his little sister like how Sola wants to protect her little brothers, which of course means that Ravus wants to be the best he can possibly be in order to accomplish that. And the glaives are good, don't get Sola wrong, but it's a very different fighting style, and Ravus does need some serious training before he'd survive boot camp. Which means Sola gets to train Ravus into the ground first. Ravus might have found it insulting, being apprenticed to someone a year his junior, but Sola really is that good, and she never makes him feel inferior. Oh, she's as harsh a taskmaster as Cor, but she's also training Gladio at the same time as Ravus and she pushes Ravus just as hard as she does Gladio. Harder, in some cases - Ravus is sixteen going on seventeen, but Gladio is only eleven going on twelve, even if Gladio is in better physical shape, so Ravus is held to different standards. Sola also teaches Ravus how to wield magic - with her borrowed magic - because Ravus is aiming for the Kingsglaive and Sola doesn't do anything half-cocked. Once Sola deems Ravus good enough, she presents Ravus with his own weapon - as Cor did with her - as a 'graduation gift' of sorts, then kicks him over to the Kingsglaive. That cements the underlying trust and friendship necessary for when they bond later.

They don't bond until years later. Ravus is busy in the glaive, Sola is busy forcing the Lucian court into looking beyond their own personal concerns - like properly supporting the glaives as their main military branch, supporting the refugees and other non-upper class citizenry, etc - and being the main trainer for Noctis, Ignis, Gladio, and later Prompto. She also makes a convincing case to train Luna and Sylva in combat, because them being able to defend themselves shouldn't be an afterthought. But Sola and Ravus still hang out when Ravus is in Insomnia, still spar and vent their frustrations to each other because both of them are Swords and prefer to tackle problems in similar ways.

It's Ravus, who informs Sola of the prophesized fate of the Chosen King and his Oracle. Sola is about as happy about that as Ravus is, and their mutual desire to prevent the deaths of their younger siblings is what spurs them to finally bond.

Nox and Sola get on well enough with the other's Retinue. Sola will never accept a Shield, not after years of the Council insisting on it, but she trusts Axis to guard her back, trusts him to keep her grounded like he does for Nox. Axis will never be her Shield, but Axis doesn't mind acting in that capacity for the Princess on those rare occasions. She's easier to ground than Nox, in some ways - usually Axis can direct one of his own damn kids to go sit on Auntie Sola and Sola's successfully tethered to one spot for as long as his kids demand her attention. Or he can order Abyssus to sit on Sola. Axis and Sola trust each other as fellow members of Nox's Retinue.

Cindy and Sola, when they meet, become fast friends as Cindy introduces Sola to the wonders of mechanics. Cid laughs when Cor and Regis call him to complain about Cindy and Sola building Sola a motorcycle. Cindy's also got a refreshing no-nonsense attitude and is the one to exasperatedly tell Sola to finally do something about her crush on Libertus.

Nox will never accept another Hand after Ignis. But he trusts Copia to advise and guide Sola, and trusts Copia enough to accept the blonde woman's advice on occasion. Copia will never be Nox's Hand, he has no interest in the court, not even as a battlefield to conquer like Sola. But Copia will never let one of her fellow Retinue to their Queen enter a battlefield unprepared, and so she will ensure Nox is prepared for court when he is required to make an appearance. (And if she makes Nox godsfather to her little Mira? Well, a godsfather needs to set a good example, and there's nothing like handing Nox his sleeping godsdaughter to get him to sit down for an hour or two and rest.)

Nox is... understandably hesitant to get to know Ravus, when he has such stark memories of his Ravus. It's really only once Sola and Ravus bond, that Ravus and Sola join Nox in his crusade to ensure his younger counterpart gets the future he never got to have, that he and Ravus develop anything approaching a friendship. It's a quiet friendship - Ravus and Nox love Sola dearly, but she is not quiet.

Nox and Sola bond sometime before their Coming of Age. It starts as Nox wanting Sola to have access to a second, deeper reserve of magic so she never is unable to heal herself, and as Sola wanting Nox to have her healing capability to cut down on most of his chronic pain. Oh, it won't stop the pain completely, but the healing factor will cut down on the irritation and inflammation that builds up. Two Lucis Caelums have never bonded to each other before, but honestly neither expect anything unusual to come of it, even as their bond grows tighter and closer over the years, until it's sometimes difficult to tell where gold magic ends and blue begins, the two are so enmeshed.

It's Cindy, ironically, who notices the change to her magic first. She's working on a project when her tool slips. Now, Cindy's no strangers to bruises and the occasional cut or burn, and every once in a while there'll be an injury that requires more than what the first aid kit can handle. And sure, the little injuries here and there haven't been as noticeable, but Cindy's pretty darn sure the gash on her hand should require stitches and yet the bleeding has already stopped by the time she's put the towel used to stem the blood down and washed off the blood and grime for a better look. Ain't that interestin'.

Turns out, Cindy's not the only one whose magic got an upgrade. Axis also has access to Sola's healing factor now, and Copia's magic has abruptly deepened and gained blue accents to the normally pure gold. Best theory is that because Nox and Sola have entwined their souls so tightly, their magic has essentially 'bled over' into their own bonds. Nox and Sola haven't bonded to the others, the magic still comes solely from their respective monarchs.

As there doesn't seem to be any negative side effects to this new and unexpected development, Sola and Nox basically shrug and roll with it.

[a-world-in-grey]

Sola/Nox Fusion III

@secret-engima *evil grin* Okay, but IMAGINE-

-Sola and Nox are Protective of each other. Sola because Nox is her Little Brother, who saved Littlest Brother and is always in pain and he’s HERS. And Nox because Nox is just as possessive as Sola when it comes to family and this is the older sister he never had but wishes he did the first time around.

-The only quicker way to get Nox and Sola to Rage is to hurt Noctis. Or Uncle Ardyn (despite the fact that Ardyn can usually eviscerate anyone who goes after him, Uncle Ardyn has enough scars and it’s the principle of the matter).

-Due to Sola’s enlistment in the Kingsglaive, she’s the first of the two to get massively injured in front of the other.

-Sola’s not typically a front-line fighter in this verse. No, Sola dove head first into mastering her healing magic, because she never wants her Uncle or Little Brothers to suffer injuries like that again without her being able to help.

-Nox... is torn. On one hand, he knows how Sola’s healing magic works, and for all that he’s not known Sola very long he knows his older sister pretty well to know that she’s as self-sacrificing as Uncle Ardyn. Which means Sola’s going to take on every single injury she can. And Nox hates it as much as he hates it when Ardyn does it. On the OTHER HAND, Sola’s not on the front-lines. No, she’s in a support role, with Abyssus bringing her injured Glaives to heal, surrounded by the other medics which means that when she does overdo it (and Nox knows it’s a when not if) the other medics will be right there.

-But then Sola’s enlistment in the Kingsglaive is leaked, specifically her role as a medic.

-(Ardyn and Nox. Clean. House.)

-Sola refuses to resign. She’s a medic. She’s always been a military target. She’s not going to let an increased risk stop her from doing her job.

-After Sola and Nox’s Coming of Age, Sola deploys to the most critical part of the war front and stays out there through multiple rotations, merely transferring where ever they need her most.

-Nox actually goes out to the base Sola is at after about a year, intending to Wreck Some Shit to give the glaives a breather because in the video calls with Noctis and everyone else at home, it’s clear that Sola is exhausted. But she’s also too stubborn to come home when she feels she’s needed.

-Perhaps Niflheim learns that there are two Royals at the base. Perhaps they learn that Sola will be rotating back and want to get one last shot in before Sola’s behind the Wall once more. Nox doesn’t know. He doesn’t particularly care. Uncle Ardyn will take care of the Nif leak.

-Nox is a bit busy fending off the army that showed up out of nowhere to drop far too many bombs, MTs, and daemons on them. Using the cloud cover and late night hour to sneak in close before anyone could raise the alarm.

-The fatalities are high, casualties even higher and Sola is the major reason why there aren’t more deaths as Nox lets loose and obliterates the Niflheim army. Still, it’s not enough. There are too many injured, too many that are trapped or too far from help, even as Nox spies Nyx staggering out of a warp with an unconscious glaive across her shoulders.

-Then Nox hears his sister scream, not in pain but grief-rage-denial and her magic explodes behind him. 

-Axis swears as the air lights up golden, bright and warm as summer sun, and a massive avatar of glowing armor rises, looking like someone had modeled a King of Yore off the Kingsglaive mage uniform. It raises the glaive in its hands and slams the end into the ground, and tendrils of golden shards, tens, hundreds form and snake through the air, unerringly finding even the most hidden glaive.

-Then Sola’s magic gutters and goes out, and Nox Loses It.

-The resulting magical supernova makes it very clear to Niflheim that they should be very glad Nox isn’t the Royal serving on the front lines. Because there is nothing left by the time Nox is done.

-The Kingsglaive are also very glad that Nox passes out in a dead faint (bad eating habits coming back to bite him in the rear) because it means he doesn’t see the glowing stab wound through Sola’s heart, doesn’t see the medics slam a phoenix down into Sola’s chest and still have to do CPR until her heart starts beating again.

-Nox wakes up first, still exhausted, and Axis takes advantage of the exhaustion to tell Nox that Sola is okay, but also about the death-blow.

-Nox yells at Sola when she finally wakes up. So does everyone else to be fair (the exception of Ardyn and Regis who just hug Sola tight) but Nox’s shouting is the worst behind Noctis’. Because Sola was there when Nox neared the Crystal, she knew that reaching too deep had it’s cost. She does not get to sacrifice her life.

-(Sola doesn’t tell Nox or Ardyn, but she thinks she knows part of why Ardyn has Issues with the Founder King. Because wow Somnus is an asshole and Sola is fair certain Somnus is the reason for the death blow on Nox’s chest, the death blow she now has a matching copy of.)

-Then Nox nearly dies. Protecting Uncle Ardyn from an assassin. At Sola and Libertus’ Wedding. 

-Sola’s magic flares, a blazing sun were she was once but a bonfire even if she’s not Nox or Ardyn’s supernovas, searing hot across everyone’s senses and bowling over everyone between herself and her Little Brother as she rushes to his side, healing magic already pooling in her hands and heedless of the blood staining her wedding not-dress.

-The only reason she doesn’t go for the assassin - assassins, there are three others in the crowd - herself is because Uncle Ardyn erupts, armiger flaring and the sheer weight of his Rage sending everyone but a handful of people to their knees. And because Uncle Ardyn lets her by Nox’s side, lets her heal him when he doesn’t even let Papa or Titus near.

-(Also because she’s already raised the strongest shields she can around her Family and Claimed. Papa, Noctis and his Retinue, Iris, Axis’ wife and children. Cindy and Uncles Cid and Weskham. Even the Shields and Nyx and Libertus and Crowe and the others of her Glaives and Uncle Cor, until she can override her instincts and let the glaives and Shields and Cor out.)

-She’ll let Uncle Ardyn handle the assassins. She’s content to wait. But after Little Brother is safe?

-Sola goes hunting. And she displays just how well Shield spells can crush.