Weekly Progress Update [11/JUN] (Patreon)

Hey all, hope June has gone well for you!!

I was supposed to post development sneak peeks for tier 2+ patrons this past week, but I've had a bit of an impromptu break. A little mini-vacation to rest my mind before overworking myself, haha. The weather was really hot and sunny, so I spent most of my time enjoying it, which means I'll be posting the dev sneak peek this coming Tuesday instead.

I'm also hopeful I'll be able to finish and post the bonus A/R snippet the coming week as well, so keep an eye out for that ✨

Chapter progress

I have a few things to report on the chapter, but I'll keep it short. First, the word count is currently 50k words, to where I've finished the first draft for R's route and am halfway done with A's route. I've also written bits and pieces for D's route, but haven't properly written scenes for it yet since I wanna finish A's first.

Realistically, CH11 will likely end up being an August release. I realllllyyyy wanted to release it in July at the latest, but this chapter is SO massive.

My brain is yearning for summer vacation at this point since it's the end of my last year at university too, and it desperately wants to switch off haha. It's so hard to write for hours at a time cooped up inside when the sun is shining. So, unfortunately, it will have to be August 😭

Also, since the LI-related and plot-related divergences will be especially huge in this chapter, I'll probably do another call for beta testers. This time, though, I'll open it up to the general public as well by posting it on Tumblr, so keep an eye out for that if you wanna apply for beta reading again!!

As for actual CH11 content, I don't have much else to report on that I haven't already stated in previous progress updates - all the planning and structure of the chapter remains unchanged.

So, here's some previews from A's route this time, with a few choice bits redacted due to spoilers:

“They could’ve died!” $aname erupts, $atheir sudden anger taking you aback. Even when you argued before, $athey never reacted so intensely, instead choosing to freeze you out. This time is different. “They very nearly did die!”

You don’t understand this reaction, your own voice raising in offense at being scolded for ensuring $aname’s safety. “I couldn’t [xxx]! What would you have had me do?”

“Trust that [xxx], and save the people you swore to protect!” $aname snaps back, pointing at the ruined warehouse. “They could have suffocated in there, they could’ve burned to death all because you [xxx].”

“But you are—”

$aname’s anger disappears as quickly as it came. Now, $athey recoils, stepping away from you physically. It is so much worse than $atheir anger. “Don’t.”

$cathey averts $atheir gaze, breathing heavily as $athey wipes away some soot from $atheir cheek with $atheir sleeve. $catheir voice is much quieter when $athey speaks again.

“You’re the Crown, $name.” $cathey exhales a deep breath, weariness settling in the weight of $atheir brows as $athey meets your gaze once more with a deeply troubled frown. “You can’t act solely on your own desires anymore.”

The way $athey looks at you then—is it you $athey sees, or is it $atheir father?

And another one:

“I thought…” You inhale a deep breath, yet it doesn’t feel enough to relieve the ache in your chest. “You have to tell me these things before acting on your own, $aname, you can’t simply- you can’t—”

“I understand.” $aname lifts $atheir hands to your shoulders, but doesn’t quite grip them, as if uncertain whether that would upset you more. “I understand, $name. I’m sorry, I should’ve sent a message.”

You bend your head, leaning forward and resting your forehead against $aname’s shoulder to hide your face. Part of you feels ashamed of your panic. You know the intensity of it is irrational and has little to do with what $aname did.

It was the thought of $athem disappearing without a trace, without any explanation, leaving you without answers.

“I thought something happened to you,” you confess against the soft fabric of $atheir robe, words trembling between your lips. “It was like…”

The fire at the farmhouse.

Your father’s last words, your mother’s screaming. The wandering after, the loneliness of your grief, the feeling of helplessness in not knowing why any of this had happened. Why it had to happen to you, to your family.

You squeeze your eyes shut. “I can’t go through that again.”

After a brief pause, $aname’s hands settle on your back. A light touch at first, almost cautious, but once you lean further into $atheir embrace $atheir arms wrap more firmly around you.

I'll post more previews for A next week, and hopefully a small one for D as well once I finally dig my teeth into the meat of that one. For now, though, hope you enjoyed these little glimpses!!

Catch you next time 💖