Lord of Lies Devlog #16

December 23rd

Hey guys, it’s Joy! This week is going to be something different, because I need all the time I have to work on the rest of the game. Next week will be more concise I imagine, but for this week a fanfic- except, they are my characters so it isn’t fanfic at all…

This scene is actually not present in the game, but could easily be in the story somewhere lol

Anyway here it is!

Apple of My Eye 🍎

(a Lord of Lies snippet) written by: flowersforjoy

Song inspiration: “Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane, but more specifically the Glee cover by Darren Criss, as that is the voice I imagine Lawrence having, Lawrence can sing and he sounds like Darren Criss OK- it’s important to me 😭

Lawrence awoke to the sound of grunts, and rustling leaves. It didn’t take much at all for him to be stirred out of sleep. He was always sleeping with one eye open.

Charles and the hound lay nestled up in their cot and Lawrence was able to step out without making so much as a rat squeak.

The morning sun hadn’t even settled into the sky yet. The entire campsite hushed.

Except for what had waken Lawrence up in the first place.

The source, Gala moving between standing on the tips of her toes, to hopping to reach, -predictably- an apple on a high branch. She even went as far to use her sword to give her some extra height, but it was still just a couple inches too short.

Lawrence chuckled to himself at the sight.

She was adorable. She’d cleared out all the apples on that tree in the week they’d camped here.

Duchess had been able to get lots for her over the last couple of days, but they were even too high for her now.

Even knowing that he couldn’t be of much help. An excuse to share a moment with the Princess he couldn’t pass up.

Lawrence: “Good morning.”

She jumped in her own skin, whipping around sword still in hand. Lawrence jumps back instinctively.

It was good to know his training with King wasn’t going to waste.

Gala: “Lawrence, you scared me.”

She sounded almost disciplinary. 

‘Lawrence you scared me, now you’ll have to gather firewood for the next month all alone.’

Luckily she didn’t assign him any work.

Gala: “Good morning. I um,”

She doesn’t finish her sentence, well aware he knows just what she’s been up to all morning.

Lawrence: “Let me see if I can reach.”

Lawrence holds his hand out and Gala places her precious katana into his untrained hands.

How silly it is to use such a powerful weapon shaped and passed down for generations to bring down Gala’s most fearsome enemy yet, a tall apple tree.

It was proving to also be Lawrence’s toughest opponent as well, considering he couldn’t so much as touch the butt of an apple, yet alone it’s stalk.

He could feel Gala’s disappointment.

Gala: “I appreciate your help, it’s early, and this isn’t important, I have plenty of dried meat in my pack.”

No.

He’d get her this apple, even if it meant he had to climb this tree.

Sure he may be a fully grown man now, but when it came to putting a smile on a pretty girl’s face, he was a just a boy.

Lawrence: “Well if Duchess isn’t even tall enough, than perhaps we have to double her height somehow.”

Lawrence: “Or I can climb.”

Gala: “Oh no, if you climb you can hurt yourself, I’d do it myself but, I’m-”

Lawrence: “Scared of falling?”

Gala: “...”

Lawrence: “If you climbed, I could catch if you fell.”

She seems to consider that.

And then her almond eyes light up.

She looks so soft, not like a battle hardened warrior in the slightest. Just a young woman.

Gala: “I can reach if you lift me up.”

Lawrence: “I can prop you up, just step into my hands and I can make sure you don’t fall.”

That seemed to seal the deal.

But when it settled between them that they’d have to make physical contact they both hesitated.

Only for a moment for Lawrence.

It was a man’s job to take the initiative.

He interlinks his fingers together and makes a stirrup with his hand.

Gala lifts her leg and places her foot into his hands, pressing her weight down and standing.

She sways a bit and skillfully steadies herself, even still.

Lawrence: “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

She looks down at him, and Lawrence gets a full view of her face.

As red as the apples she’d go so far to get.

She only nods, a smile creeping on her face in place of the borderline fear before.

Fearless in the face of worldly abominations, but a doe in the face of conversing.

She held her place for a moment, thinking about what she should do next, her hands placed delicately against the bark of the tree.

Lawrence watched her patiently as she decided what to do and soon, what apple she wanted.

Lawrence: “Grab as many as you want, I can get a basket.”

Gala: “You’re too kind, I only need a few.”

Lawrence knew that wasn’t true, but didn’t object.

She reaches one hand and manages to reach the bottom of the apple and pluck it with one yank.

A smile adorns her already lovely features.

The early morning sun peeking through the trees illuminates her fair skin and he feels like he’s holding an angel.

True to her word, she grabs a couple apples and leans down, and Lawrence lowers her.

Despite going slow, Gala no longer having her hands free stumbles a bit and her weight falls into Lawrence.

He manages to catch her in an embrace.

Stumbling backward slightly, the only thing that falls are the two apples as Gala’s arms are around his neck and her hands are gripping the back of his clothes.

For a moment neither move. Before Gala pulls herself back from Lawrence, for the first time, eye to eye with him.

Lawrence: “I did say I’d catch you.”

Unexpectedly Gala cracks a smile, and chuckles for a moment. Gala: “You are always true to your word.”

Gala: “Thank you, Lawrence.”

His name on her lips is a sound sweeter than the birds that sang overhead.

He regretfully releases her as she collects the apples scattered on the ground.

He follows her as she grabs them and looks for bruises, she rubs their skins on her skirt and is satisfied they aren’t ruined.

Before turning to him and extending one hand in offerance.

Lawrence immediately refuses.

Lawrence: “No thank you, I’m just happy to help, I don’t expect payment.”

Gala seems a bit unsatisfied with that, and Lawrence almost questions if his chivalry has been his undoing, when Gala grips his sleeve and pulls down, it’s enough for Lawrence to lean down and for Gala to place a singular kiss on his cheek.

Lawrence feels his body temperature shoot up, hot enough to burn the kiss clean off his cheek.

She seems more satisfied with that.

Gala: “Is that more sufficient payment?”

Lawrence can only bring himself to nod.

He clears his throat in an attempt to gather what’s left of him.

Gala: “Is it okay if I ask for your help going forward?”

Lawrence: “Please do.”

It came out a tad more desperate than he’d intended but, seeing Gala smile and nod in response made that fear scatter to the winds like dandelion fuzz. 

(final work still in progress, will update when it’s completed- shoutout to https://twitter.com/abidingSpiro for this piece!)

Next Week’s Devlog Sneak Peak

Next week will be there very last devlog! I cannot believe that, it’s been a crazy 16/17 weeks! I have a lot to show for it as well. Thank you guys for reading as always, and if you haven’t already fill out the google form to have an NPC/Item/Weapon, etc… in the game! (check out last devlog for details).

Also, if you celebrate, Merry Christmas! I’m excited to have at least one day to relax because it’s been straight crunching for the past week lol, one more week to go and it’s over. I want to finish strong! Wish me luck 😤

Until next week!