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wot-tidbits · 7 years

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In defense of Tuon’s character

by TheIconoclasticFury

That she's proud there can be no doubt. Not unlike Elayne, Tuon's a former heir apparent and now rightful Empress of arguably the strongest nation in the world (pre-Semirhage anyway). She's also exceptionally competent in her own right, not only as a leader but in personal pursuits like training damane (the morality of that aside for the moment). She's proud, but there are good reasons for her pride and she still isn't as bad with it as some of the others.

……… Tuon seems perfectly willing to wait to get what she wants when she sees the need or reason to wait and she also seems willing to consider things that differ from her previous world-view. She disregarded Mat's tales of Trollocs and the Eelfinn/Aelfinn, but then, those things are completely fantastical to most people, especially someone from a continent that hasn't seen a Trolloc for 2,000 years. Her only evidence that such things existed was Mat's personal testimony, as I recall, and while she certainly trusts him a great deal as time goes on, that's hardly reason to take everything he says at face value. She's shown a remarkable willingness to converse about the system of damane and the morality of it at length with Setalle Anan and others and her defense of the institution, when we see it, is rational and clearly has some thought behind it. She isn't just saying "Yeah, damane are okay because I say so and that's just the way it is." She clearly has moral and practical reasons behind her position, and if she isn't willing to completely abandon her stance on an institution that is clearly a cornerstone of Seanchan society, and has been for 1,000 years, who can blame her? Even if one accepts that the institution has no redeeming qualities, abandoning it should be something that is thoroughly thought out over a longer period of time, not done on a whim. That'd be highly irresponsible as a leader.

Is she demanding and does she want things to go her way? Of course. Everyone wants things to go their way and given her position she does expect certain things to go her way simply because of that position. But she's not a child and she doesn't want things her way NOW! necessarily. She's shown a dedication to long plans when necessary, especially with Mat. She thinks things out, like the institution of slavery in Seanchan, like the attack on the White Tower, and like the Seanchan's political position relative to Rand and the rest of the Westlands.

Tuon hasn't made moves to fundamentally change Seanchan society as of yet. But then, I would argue no responsible leader would. Not yet anyway.

Let's sweep past the fact that the institution of damane is 1,000 years old and that there are real and good historical, practical, reasons behind its implementation. Tuon isn't Empress until the end of KoD, and then she has 3 books left before the series concludes. She has less than that before Tarmon Gai'don breaks out in all its fury and Seanchan needs to be ready for that Battle. I am not sure of the exact timeline for tGS/ToM/AMoL, but it can't possibly be more than a few months. The prohibition of slavery in reality in the West was generally an on-going process that took decades and a changing economic and political climate to resolve. Tuon has a few months (tops), isn't facing the economic changes of the Industrial Revolution to help her along by disincentivizing slavery, isn't faced with the philosophical changes the West was having in the late 18th Century, and has to be ready for Tarmon Gai'don in that same few months.

When, then, does she have the time to uproot Seanchan society before the books conclude? …………………she can hardly do whatever she pleases. Galgan exists and while I wouldn't go so far as to say he is disloyal, Tuon abolishing slavery suddenly is hardly guaranteed to meet with his support. Especially since it would gut the Seanchan military capabilities with regards to channeling on the eve of Tarmon Gai'don, an act that is hardly sound strategy. The rest of the Seanchan would be shocked and dismayed, and quite probably overtly rebellious. The damane alone would take months to get reconcile with their new circumstances, as we've seen with other freed damane and be in no good shape to do much in the meantime. Not to mention what a wreck the sul'dam would be, going around and insisting they be collared as they are liable to do.

But this all assumes certain things, like that the institution should be abolished. I am not certain Tuon is yet convinced that it should be. And she has good reasons why she is not yet convinced. Like I mentioned earlier, the institution is 1,000 years old and hard to disavow suddenly. There's an entire culture built up around the degradation of channelers that has to be worked with. Tuon's too smart and careful of a leader to suddenly throw 1,000 years of history and culture out the window in the span of a few months, but she is willing to talk about it so that if she is wrong, she would learn that. And if she is not, then those who are wrong would be educated. She's willing to discuss and defend her positions, not just take them on face value and hold them as inviolate. This isn't worthless, this is indicative of the leader of the Seanchan being willing to carefully consider her position on the institution of damane at length rather than simply holding that the institution can and should exist and no one can say otherwise. It's, frankly, the most that can reasonably be expected in the time-frame Tuon is given.

………

Tuon hasn't made any sweeping changes to Seanchan society, but I would argue she has not had the time, conditions, or opportunity to do so responsibly. Nor is she so wanton to have decided that all of Seanchan needs to be uprooted, culturally and institutionally speaking, without thinking it over and talking it over for more than a few months. She is, however, willing to discuss and consider her positions carefully.

I think the best time for Tuon to start making any changes, even gradual changes, would be after the Last Battle. The nobility will still have suffered deaths and be 'diluted' by incoming Blood from newly conquered parts of the Empire in the Westlands and Tuon's position will be more secure as well, even if the nobles have more of their feet under them. As it is, Galgan, for a singular example, seems plenty competent and secure enough in his position to seemingly plot against Suroth for control over the Corenne and Tuon recognizes his potential as a threat a well. He'd make an excellent focal point for any opposition to Tuon's policies, even before the conclusion of the Last Battle. While the general populace want stability more than anything else, changes to the institution of slavery a practiced by the Seanchan, da'covale and damane alike, are probably going to be regarded as destabilizing, if anything. Especially changes to the system of damane. And while the Westland nations that have been conquered are likely going to be more than okay with any steps towards mitigating slavery (not having a history of such themselves) they do pose something of a revolt risk still. Not all are happy to be living under the Ravens (though the Seanchan policies regarding new territories and the security they've offered have done wonders in this regard); Taraboners fought under Ituralde for a time and Beslan has contemplated rebellion in the near past in Altara. Internecine conflict among the high ranks of the Seanchan could open up an opportunity for such factions, it at least has to be considered.

Ultimately, we may just disagree about the strategic implications of the timing. This is a point that is hard to be certain on, because it's not like we can fact-check.

………………..Tuon is still a supporter of the institution. She's willing to discuss it and hear other people out and respect their opinions on the matter, but she does disagree with the idea that damane should run free or be unleashed, I think. Certainly, I think her concerns running up to Tarmon Gai'don were not the betterment of damane in Seanchan, but consolidating her own position, preparing for Tarmon Gai'don, and advancing Seanchan political and military interests in the Westlands. Her treatment of Elaida aside, she authorized a raid on the White Tower with the explicit objective of collaring Aes Sedai. Were she opposed to collaring damane, she would not have done this.

I do think she is gradually changing her opinions on the matter, and will continue to do so in the near future. I'm not saying that necessarily means she'll abandon the concept of damane, but Aviendha's vision does at least imply that she may become increasingly amenable to the proposition in the years to come. In that future we saw her being well respected by the Aiel and possibly coming to an agreement to free Aiel damane before she was succeeded (for reasons unknown). And she did offer to let marath'damane leave her lands, which does show she's willing to make compromises on the matter in certain circumstances, more than might be expected from other Seanchan nobility. Unfortunately, we barely see anything of anyone after the Last Battle, visions of a future that can never be aside, so it's hard to say for certain how her opinions will develop and whether that will lead to abolitionist tendencies later.

………………

We get a little less than a page or so with Mat and Tuon after Tarmon Gai'don, and it's mostly just Aludra throwing up fireworks and Tuon stating that she's pregnant, as confirmed by Min. Not...a lot to go on regarding her future domestic policies, heh. I think in the long-term, between her own abilities and Mat, Min, and Karede at the least, she'll be able to do quite a lot, if she wishes. But she does have to be careful and do things properly to avoid massive societal unrest and instability and possible rebellion.

#Wheel of Time #SPOILER #Tuon #seanchan #Towers of Midnight #a memory of light #analysis

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jesatria · 5 years

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The Other Princeps, Chap 36

Title: The Other Princeps Fandom: Codex Alera Characters: Aquitainus Attis, Amara, Antillus Raucus, Ensemble Pairings: past!Attis/Invidia, slight past!Attis/Septimus, Attis/OCs Word Count: 3,150 Rating: R Summary: In which Attis’s confrontation with Invidia during the Battle of Riva goes better for him. AU. WIP. Warnings: Massive spoilers for First Lord’s Fury. Disclaimer: I do not own the Codex Alera. This is only for fun & no profit is being made from it. Previous Chapters

Chapter 36: Liberation

We were welcomed into Rhodes as heroes. I rode into the city with Thyra, my singulares, and my officers beside me, to be greeted by cheering crowds. It was a bit strange, being cheered by the residents of my own city’s rival, but the one good thing about the Vord was that they fostered national unity. I hoped it would last once the last of them was vanquished. We did not get far beyond the gate before we were met by a group of riders, including Rhodes Tadius. The physical resemblance between him and the late and unlamented High Lord Rhodes was even more apparent in person; I tried not to hold that against him.

“Welcome to Rhodes, Lord Aquitaine,” he greeted me. “We thank you for your aid in our time of need.”

“I am happy to aid you,” I replied. If my response surprised him, he gave no sign. “Against the Vord, we are all Alerans.”

Rhodes Tadius nodded. “Please tell me you brought a large amount of food.”

“We did,” I informed him. “Enough to feed the city and Legions while we clear away croach and prepare the nearest fields for planting. This far south, you should be able to get at least one harvest in before winter comes.”

We followed him to the High Lord’s palace. As I’d never been to Rhodes before, I took some time to observe my surroundings while I rode. The effects of the prolonged siege were immediately apparent—many of the buildings nearest the gate bore heavy damage much like what I’d seen at home. As we rode past, Rhodes Tadius informed me that the Vord came close to breaching the northern gate on a couple of occasions and actually did breach the western gate. It took heavy fighting to drive them back and repair the breach.

Once we were further away from the gate, I was able to get a better sense of the city. In my humble opinion it couldn’t hold a candle to Aquitaine, but it had its own charm. The city had the feel of a seaside resort town, though far larger than a typical resort town would be. The feel of the sea air was quite refreshing—it had been some time since I’d been to the ocean and I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed it. It was also warmer here than it was at home, where autumn was clearly setting in. The High Lord’s palace was located on the coast, beside the eastern wall of the city. It was built in the style of a seaside villa, which made sense considering its location. I had to pause for a moment and consider how bizarre it was that I was about to enter the home of a man I’d loathed and had a hand in killing as a hero. Life was strange indeed.

We were welcomed enthusiastically. If you’d told me a year ago that I’d be embraced by multiple relatives of Rhodes Martinus, I’d have laughed myself silly. But we were in strange times and the new Alera was not the old. It was time to well and truly put the rivalry to rest. I suspect this was a significant factor in Octavian’s decision to send me to liberate Rhodes and it wasn’t due solely to my proximity to the city. For now, at least, there was unity. I’d spent most my life striving for a unified Alera, but it took a potentially world-destroying enemy for it to happen. I only hoped it would remain once the Vord were no longer a serious threat. While receiving the Rhodesians’ gratitude, I introduced Thyra to them as my illegitimate daughter. Much to our surprise and delight, they treated her with the same politeness and courtesy they showed the rest of us. Their gratitude for our aid in liberating their city overcame the social stigmas attached to illegitimacy.

“I never thought I’d receive such a welcome in Rhodes,” I remarked casually once the initial greetings were over.

“You and I both,’ Vitellus replied.

Rhodes Tadius invited us to dine with him in the palace that evening. I had already ordered the Legions to bring the extra carts of food we’d brought into the city. But first we had to inform Octavian that Rhodes had been taken. Tadius led me to the Rhodesian viewing pool. The feeling of strangeness I’d experienced since setting foot in the palace only increased as I stood beside Tadius. It was not my viewing pool, which made me something of an intruder there, though I was still a Princeps and my connection to all of Alera remained. I could use this pool if I wanted to despite it being the seat of another High Lord’s power. However, there was no need for that with Tadius being perfectly capable of contacting Octavian himself.

We did not have to wait long before Octavian’s face appeared in the pool. “Lord Aquitaine, Lord Rhodes, I take it you have news for me?”

I let Tadius answer, since it was his city. “Sire, we’ve liberated Rhodes. The Legions have broken the Vord besieging the city and driven them off.”

“That’s good news,” said Octavian. “The casualties?”

“Not large,” I answered, based on what I’d seen of the battle. “We don’t have official numbers yet, but they didn’t inflict heavy losses on the Legions before breaking.”

Octavian nodded, then proceeded to ask Rhodes about the conditions in the city. Food was the primary concern—with the Vord no longer a threat, repairs to the walls and gates could wait. He informed us that no more food would be forthcoming, as it was needed to feed the Legions and other liberated cities. I wasn’t surprised. “We’ll need to begin planting as soon as the fields nearest the city are cleared of Vord and croach,” I interjected. “My Knights Terra and Flora not otherwise occupied hunting Vord can assist with that.”

“That would be greatly appreciated,” said Rhodes.

When our meeting with Octavian was over, I went off in search of the baths. Though I’d removed my armor earlier, I was sorely in need of a bath to wash away the dirt and sweat of battle. Once I was sufficiently clean, I left to find Thyra. I found her on a pillared balcony overlooking the sea.

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed. “I’ve never seen it before.”

“Really? Never?”

“Never. Mother and I didn’t exactly have our own coastal villa to visit and she never felt much inclination to visit any resort towns,” Thyra replied.

“It’s a shame you’ve gone this long without seeing the sea. I’ll have to take you to our seaside villa sometime.”

Thyra’s eyes widened slightly. “You have a seaside villa?”

“Yes. We usually go there in the summer, after the Midsummer Festival. This year was an exception considering the situation in the city,” I explained. “It’s a very refreshing retreat.” The villa had been in the family for years. I’d always loved visiting it as a child, so much so that I continued the tradition of spending at least part of my summers there.

“I can feel the water from here,” said Thyra. “It’s like a pond or river, except it’s much stronger.”

“Your watercrafting will be stronger in the ocean, absolutely,” I informed her. “Speaking of crafting, how did you fare in the battle today?”

“Oh, I was fine. I was able to pick off many of them as they were running. It’s not the first time I’ve fought Vord, remember. Most of the time I stuck with firecrafting, but I did manage to kill a few with my sword.”

My eyebrows rose—in truth, I hadn’t expected her to use her sword very much. My own instincts would be to stick with what I was familiar with in my first large-scale battle. “And how was that?”

“It was… easier than I thought it would be. I just stopped consciously thinking about what to do and let instinct take over.”

“That’s a sign your training is beginning to stick. Very good. You are progressing quickly.” I put an arm on her shoulder. “You are holding up very well today for someone who has just fought in her first large-scale battle.” Truth be told, I sent a handful of my singulares to watch over her before the battle started. Perhaps it was a bit overprotective on my part, but you will forgive me some parental concern. Thyra hadn’t objected to their presence, likely because she’d befriended them during our march. Some of them had even taken to giving her sword lessons.

“Thank you, Father. I guess it’s because it’s not the first time I’ve fought Vord. The scale is just… larger.”

We were interrupted then by a slave informing us that dinner was ready. My fears that Thyra would be snubbed by our hosts turned out to be unfounded, as she was seated beside me at the high table. I had already introduced her as my illegitimate daughter earlier, so there was no ambiguity about her identity. All of the captains were there as well, both Aquitainian and Rhodesian. I daresay this was the first time the captains of the Aquitainian Legions had ever dined with their Rhodesian counterparts after being welcomed into High Lord Rhodes’s palace as guests. The cooks put the food I’d brought to good use, though the meal was far from decadent. I was pleased to get some fresh seafood, something I’d not had in some time. It was the Rhodesians’ ability to fish and the lack of aquatic Vord which allowed the city to hold out as long as it had. I’ve never heard an explanation as to why the Queen couldn’t create some, seeing as she could create any number of other Vord forms. Perhaps the Vord were simply unfamiliar with water and didn’t know how to deal with it, or more likely it was because croach couldn’t grow underwater.

After dinner, Rhodes offered me lodgings in the palace, but I turned down his offer. Though a room in the palace would be more comfortable than my tent, the latter was more convenient. We had to clear out as many Vord as we could, so I thought it best to remain with my Legions. Thyra elected to stay in her tent as well—I suppose she felt awkward staying in the palace without me there.

That night I lay on my camp cot with Samarra resting atop me, feeling pleasantly tired after the exertions of the day. She’d insisted on accompanying me on campaign through no prompting on my part and I was not about to turn her down. She’d been excellent company during the campaign against Kalarus. The Vord War was another matter—I’d insisted she remain in Aquitaine where it was safer. I ran my fingers through her thick, dark hair. They brushed against her slave collar, a reminder that I had yet to free her. I pressed a finger against the back of her collar. The delicate gold gave way and the collar opened. Samarra instantly stirred and raised a hand to her neck. “My collar?”

“You’re not dreaming, Samarra. You’re free,” I said gently.

She sat up and removed the collar, turning it over in her hands. I’d tried my best to ensure the collar would be comfortable and not scar her neck. One hand moved up to rub the place where her collar had been. “But… why? Why would you free me? Have I displeased you, Master?”

“Not at all, Samarra. The truth is I’ve been meaning to free you for some time. The First Lord means to abolish slavery and I gave him my support. It won’t do for me to have slaves should he ask me to address the Senate on the matter,” I informed her.

She was silent for a moment as she stared at the collar in her hands. “I never thought I’d be free,” she murmured, more to herself than to me. I’d no idea how to respond to that, so I said nothing. “I was happy to remain with you,” Samarra continued. “When I first offered myself to you, I did it because I reckoned you’d be much better than being passed around the Legions. I was right. You’ve always been good to me.”

“I’ve never believed in mistreating slaves, and certainly not bed slaves,” I told her. “It cheers me to know you have no regrets about our time together.”

She tossed the collar aside. “No regrets at all. I’m not sure where I’ll go now and what I’ll do—I haven’t seen my family since I was a young child and they’re likely dead now anyway. I’d rather remain with you.”

That was unsurprising, though I confess it did flatter me to hear it. “You are quite serious about that?”

“Yes, I am.” Even without my watercrafting, her sincerity was obvious.

“You don’t have to leave if you’d prefer to remain with me,” I offered. “Not as a slave, but as a free concubine.”

Samarra’s eyes brightened as I felt a rush of relief from her. “Me, as your concubine? You truly mean that?”

I smiled and slid a hand down her back. “Of course! Haven’t I made it clear that I greatly enjoy our time together?”

“Yes, Master.”

“You don’t need to call me Master from now on, Samarra,” I told her, amused. “You are no longer a slave.”

“As you wish, my lord.”

“That won’t do either. I would have you call me Attis.”

“Yes, my lo—Attis. Be patient with me—it will take me some time to remember since I’ve been a slave for so long and not used to using such familiar forms of address.” She lay back down atop me and soon fell asleep. As I waited for sleep to claim me, I realized how relieved I was that Samarra chose to remain with me. I would’ve genuinely missed her, had she chosen to leave. She was very skilled and her Kalaran heritage added an exotic touch which differentiated her from my other dancing girls. Aside from that, she was also both bright and observant, and her insights into Kalare and its culture had proven useful during that campaign.

Feeling satisfied and tired after the events of the day, I soon drifted off to sleep.

There was much to do the following morning. The fields nearest the city needed to be cleared as quickly as possible so planting could begin. We also needed to clear as much of the lands surrounding Rhodes of Vord and croach as we could. The Rhodesian Legions, though they’d been fighting and marching much more than we had, were eager to volunteer. They immediately set to work clearing the nearest fields. It was of critical importance that the planting begin as soon as possible. Autumn was upon us, and the food we’d brought would not last forever. I opted to leave the auxiliary Legions behind to assist while I took the First, Second, and Third to clear out the Vord and croach in the surrounding areas. We liberated every town and steadholt we came across on the way to Rhodes, but there was plenty of territory left in need of liberating.

The Vord had scattered in all directions after we broke the siege. Fortunately, they weren’t exactly difficult to track. We quickly dispatched every Vord we encountered and burned away every bit of croach. It wasn’t the most exciting work, but it was necessary as well as satisfying. This same pattern repeated itself every day for the next week. Once the fields were cleared, I sent my Knights Terra and most of my Knights Flora to aid the Rhodesians with the planting. I would’ve joined in as I had outside Riva had I not been busy hunting Vord with my Legions.

“This is much less exciting than I thought it would be,” Thyra remarked after several days of Vord hunting.

“Tedious, perhaps, but important,” I replied. “You’ve seen the gratitude in the eyes of the people when we clear out the croach around their steadholts and give them food.” There was little enough we could spare, but it was better than nothing. With any luck they’d be able to get a harvest in before winter.

“Well, that part is satisfying but I can’t help but feel that we’ll never get rid of all the croach.”

“I know—it does seem like an impossible task right now, but I’m sure we’ll have all of it cleared away eventually,” I assured her.

“I’d hoped I might get a chance to visit Rhodes’s library. I want to do a bit of reading on the Feverthorn Jungle,” said Thyra.

I raised an eyebrow. “I see you’ve developed an interest in it.”

“Yes, you could say I have. I enjoy unraveling mysteries, and that place has been one for centuries,” she elaborated.

“If you did manage to solve the mystery of the Feverthorn Jungle, you would quickly become one of the foremost scholars in Aquitaine, perhaps in all of Alera,” I informed her. “Scholars have been trying to solve it ever since the destruction of the Children of the Sun.”

Something in Thyra’s face brightened at my words. There was a hunger in her dark eyes, so like my own. It likely came from growing up a bastard, shunted off into a country villa and ignored. Once again I regretted not finding my children sooner. “Your intellectual curiosity is a worthy attribute. It’s a shame you never made it to the Academy. You’d have loved it.”

Thyra gave a small, wistful sigh, then regarded me with curious eyes. “Before meeting you, I never would’ve guessed you were the intellectual type.”

“You are not the only one. There’s a certain image I’ve cultivated over the years.”

She smiled. “I used to ask Mother what you were like. She told me you were incredibly charming and witty.”

“I do try my best.” That was the part of me my lovers saw. Only some of them saw all of me. Most of them had no idea of how much I enjoyed reading, for instance.

“She always said she never regretted her time with you, even considering what happened after,” said Thyra.

“Did she now?” I grinned. To be honest, I’d been quite disappointed when Pomona broke off our affair—it had been thoroughly enjoyable. Knowing it ultimately produced such a bright and capable child made it even better in retrospect. “I do wish she’d told me about you,” I admitted. “I’d have done what I could for you, despite being shackled to Invidia.”

A wave of warmth hit me from her. “I used to imagine meeting you some day, though Mother said it was unlikely to happen.”

“Well, I suppose late is better than never,” I said. “We have plenty of time ahead of us.”

#the other princeps #codex alera #aquitainus attis #jesatriafic #au

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shenanigumi · 7 years

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Hello! My question follows one of your recent responses. You mentioned that your favorite 'husband' is Okita (yes! I share it completely), your favorite pairing is HeiChi (for solid reasons) and your favorite character is Kazama due to his complexity. If you want, could you expand this statement? Why is Kazama so complex in your opinion, what are the possible reasons of his complexity (his inner conflict, his motives etc)?

Ohhhh man… ‘If I want’? I’m always down to talk about my faves. You’d best be prepared for a goddamn characterization essay, because I love Kazama to death. Also, it’ll be good practice for getting started on an actual essay, so I thank you for this wonderful way to wake up the brain!!

I’m throwing this under a read-more for those of you who can see it, because wow I talk a lot:

First off, let me get one thing straight: I hate Kazama. I don’t hate him in the same way or as much as I hate Kaoru; my ‘hatred’ for Kazama is rooted more in awe (e.g. “Wow, that was badass, but what an asshole”) than in genuine dislike (e.g. “I AM GOING TO SKIP ALL YOUR TEXT AND THEN KILL YOU”). By no means is Kazama a good person, but one doesn’t have to be a good person to be a good character.

Admittedly, I think the games could have handled Kazama’s characterization a lot better, and hopefully some of it has been resolved in Shinkai. Though I’ve made the connections that fit all the different sides of his personality together, and will hopefully be able to prove it below, I feel like it should have been more obvious in canon. He’s so different between routes that unless you spend a lot of time thinking about him and his character, like I apparently do, it can be pretty jarring.

Since I’ve already practically written an essay on the wiki I made, I’m going to be lazy and use my four fucking paragraphs I wrote on Kazama’s personality as a basis for analysis. The wiki-entries are as objective as I could make them, but I’m gonna give a warning for possible speculation/headcanons re: how I interpret them. Basically, I’m gonna try to explain my perception of Kazama’s characterization, which is pretty self-explanatory as far as why I like him is concerned, but I can’t guarantee that there’s any solid evidence. These are just the conclusions at which I arrived after considering what I have seen in canon:

Kazama is proud, selfish, domineering, and often cruel. He is severely prejudiced against humans, and even more so against furies. He refers to them almost exclusively as “fakes” or “abominations”, and sees it as his duty to dispose of them. Having little respect for those incapable of adapting to changing times, Kazama asserts his superiority of race and cause whenever possible. He is fatalistic and detached from his own violent actions, regarding them as proof of humanity’s frailty without ascribing any agency to himself. However, though Kazama maintains a clear dislike of and disdain for all humans throughout all routes, he strives to keep his emotional distance and remain aloof.

Whenever Kazama must do something he considers unpleasant, he tries to find a way to further his own enjoyment in the meantime, up to and including using Chizuru as an excuse to toy with the Shinsengumi. However, though he initially considers this a game in which he holds no real investment, he eventually becomes genuinely intrigued by the humans and their ideals. In Hijikata’s route, Kazama is unable to reconcile his existing values with his newfound attachment, and—once Amagiri confronts him about his errant ways—finally abandons his title and status in favor of engaging them. Thus, though Kazama has an extreme sense of responsibility and loyalty to his clan and people as a whole, he “[sees] no charm in command”, and is willing to step down from his position and pursue his own agenda if he finds a purpose he perceives as more worthwhile.

First and foremost, I love Kazama because he is not the person he is trying to be. Even though his development is never directly focused on, and in fact I’d actually argue that he develops the least on his own route, that little tidbit is an enormous driving force in his side of the story. Kazama’s Thing™ is that he’s an Honorable Demon, and tries to live Honorably, but he just doesn’t have the temperament to keep his distance. He’s too naturally curious, too easily driven to anger, too arrogant and drunk on power over humankind, and he knows it. He simply doesn’t care until these tendencies cause him to become completely entangled in the Shinsengumi’s affairs. Although this doesn’t happen on every route, the foundation for that frustration is there in all of them.

Essentially, Kazama is in pursuit of an ideal he cannot obtain for as long as he continues acting the way he does… and eventually, his behavior gets him to the point where he must either change that ideal or change himself. Each time he hits that crisis point, Kazama has opted to change his ideal, and that speaks volumes about his strength of will and character. Rather than ‘improve’ his flaws and conform to demonic expectations, Kazama would rather change what he is fighting for. Sometimes, his new goals do change him in turn—but his shifting priorities always precede his development in any direction. (More on that later.)

Kazama is persistent to the point of obsession when he wants something, demonstrated most prominently in Saito’s route, in which he turns his back on his previous concepts of good and evil, joining forces with Kodo for the sake of marrying Chizuru. Similarly, once his pride has been wounded, Kazama will stop at nothing to get revenge, and does not consider tipping the odds in his favor to be morally dubious. This is most evident when (in Hijikata’s route) he procures his family’s legendary sword, the Demonslayer, to vanquish Hijikata. However, despite his willingness to ensure his victory by any means necessary, Kazama has his own brand of honor in that he views lying as beneath him and will always tell the truth as he sees it. Though he may twist situations to his advantage or omit certain information if his own interests demand it, the few direct lies he tells are obviously identifiable. This applies to even the smallest matters, such as insisting that he rested during the night when in fact he was tending the fire.

Kazama is the voice of the conscience, and of radical reason (which I use in opposition to emotion in this case). I love Kazama because he’s never wrong. There are a lot of things you can say about Kazama, but you can’t exactly say he’s wrong. Humans are weak in comparison to demons? Absolutely right. They don’t know what they’re doing? No, they don’t. Furies aren’t supposed to exist? Indeed they aren’t. His methods may not always be sound, and I certainly don’t always agree with them—but his statements are generally true, if harsh.

Despite his aforementioned inability to live up to expectations of aloofness, Kazama is still duty-driven and follows a very strict, largely self-imposed code of honor. This also says a lot about his character, since it does not allow for direct lies, but it is extremely flexible since it is wholly unconnected to his sense of responsibility to his clan. Rather, it centers around whatever he has chosen as his goal—and, once he gives up on the idea of staying out of human matters, his code relaxes. Once Kazama no longer tries to maintain his distance from humans, he becomes more comfortable with acting based on his emotions. Through his fixation on humans, Kazama seems to become more human himself (and his choice to use the Demonslayer is incredibly ironic for exactly that reason).

Now, to circle back around to priorities… In his own mind, Kazama is always fighting for demonkind. If he cannot keep his distance as is expected of him, then he chooses to discard that notion and instead dispose of furies (in Hijikata’s route) or even dispose of humans (in Saito’s). No matter what his goal is, Kazama never abandons his self-identity as a demon or his wish to live an honorable life. He may change his definition of what exactly that means route to route, but no matter what he perceives as the right way to go about fulfilling it, he still centers himself around that idea.

In both Hijikata’s and Saito’s routes, Kazama concludes that it is impossible for him to operate within his current boundaries and chooses to pursue a new ideal, each one still rooted in what he believes to be a cause worthy of the demon he is… even if his people openly disapprove. However, even though anger plays no small part in Kazama’s decision to seek revenge in Hijikata’s route, he thinks of that decision as built more on moral righteousness: a fake spilled demon blood, so of course he should die for it. There is still a rationale for his actions, and while Kazama demonstrates and acts on his anger more freely, he maintains his morals (however gray). His mission is specific and personal, so all his wrath—as uncontrollable as it may be in the moment—is deliberately directed at Hijikata.

However, on Saito’s route, Kazama demonstrates what happens when he stops fighting his emotions altogether, and instead allows them to rule him. Because his goal is now to resurrect the Yukimura clan by marrying Chizuru and to eliminate all humans, his mission becomes less focused, and so too do his feelings. He no longer has a singular cause to fight for; he’s simply thrown in his lot with Kodo. He loses his conventional moral compass somewhere amid his natural arrogance, exacerbated by these loftier ambitions. Since Kazama still believes that the end justifies the means, and this end requires more power and the exercise thereof, it’s little wonder he abandoned his usual reluctant restraint. The only thing that changed was the ideal he chose to pursue, and that in turn altered his behavior almost beyond recognition. The potential was always there; his new goal just turned him inside out.

(Again, I think the game should really have made this connection clearer, because the consistency in Kazama’s motives between Saito’s route and all others is a tad indistinct.)

…And lastly:

Though Kazama’s attitude is cold, direct, and serious by default, he does have a sense of humor, which is dry and sarcastic and usually manifests at others’ expense. He also readily displays scorn, anger, and conceit, all of which appear impossible for him to fully conceal. However, Kazama finds it difficult and/or unpleasant to openly admit more sentimental emotions such as affection, sadness, gratitude, or even agreement.

Yeah, so let’s not forget about the sense of humor, since it’s a more prominent (if somewhat shallow) reason why I love him. On Heisuke’s route, their sass battles are legendary, okay. Plus, on Kazama’s route, some of his one-liners are pure gold. And speaking of humor, as a postscript, I’d also like to point to my previous essay about Kazama and Shiranui’s similarities, which everyone has probably seen by now, but which further my point that he’s really an interesting character. Anyone who can be so similar to another character yet so strikingly different is A+ by me.

Okay, I think I’ve talked enough, considering I just spent two hours putting this mess together. Hope that actually answered your question!!

#answered #kurokiorya #characterization essay #kazama chikage

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luminoustico · 7 years

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What do I have to pay you with to do the P&P engagement scene with salcroft? Because you know that's how it would go down. Especially if he went in on her background.

I’ve done the P&P engagement scene with Reylo and zombies, I can do one for Salcroft.

While awaiting the yearned-for, and much promised by Mr Anderson, invitation to Rosings, Sally had become accustomed to the routine of taking walks within the Park. They put her, as she walked the paths and grass, underneath the dappled autumn sun, in mind of home. When she received letters, the thought of home was ever stronger. It was not Kent where she walked with Rosings in the distance, but the hills of Hertfordshire.

Molly wrote to her most often. She wrote with the same bright manner as ever, but Sally saw in her words the effect of summer’s end. It is with regret, so had said the letter written in the hand of a loyal valet, that my employer, Mr Holmes, has decided to leave Netherfield indefinitely. Since then, Molly’s spirits had been mellowed, forced more than natural.

“Miss Donovan!”

Sally looked up to find Colonel Lestrade walking the same path, some way back from where she stood. Holding a hand up in greeting, he hurried forward until he stood at her side, and bowed in greeting. Sally folded Molly’s letter away and fell into step beside the Colonel.

“I didn’t know you walked this way.”

“Not often, no. Holmes recommended I try it out. Thought I’d end it with a visit to the parsonage,” he explained, pointing to the small cottage ahead.

“Then you can accompany me, or we can accompany each other,” Sally replied, giving a small smile. Colonel Lestrade nodded. They walked on in silence. It did not occur to her, despite the Colonel’s friendship with Holmes, to tell him of the numerous occasions she had accidentally met with the elder Holmes while wandering the Park. The first, she’d made certain to warn him of her routine, that she favoured the Park most of all; the second time, he apologised for intruding, and the third, they walked a little while, knowing etiquette but not what to speak of.

“If Holmes doesn’t put it off again, we shall be leaving Kent soon. Saturday,” Colonel Lestrade said. Sally was quiet, letting him chatter as they walked. “That’s why I wanted to make the visit to the parsonage. Unfortunately, I’m entirely at Holmes’ disposal, he arranges everything. Sorry, my mouth’s run away with me. Must sound ungrateful.”

Sally shook her head. “No. Mr Holmes seems to enjoy, more than anyone else, the power of doing what he likes. I’ve never met anyone else with such a… fondness for choice.”

“That is one way to frame it,” Lestrade said, chuckling. “But then, he is the elder; his younger brother is freer. Doesn’t carry the responsibility.”

“Yes, well. The elder Holmes is kinder to his brother than he is to others.”

“There’s some truth in that. In fact, just recently, he rescued his brother from a terrible mistake. A ‘bad marriage’.”

Sally forced herself to continue walking and recollect herself, enough that Colonel Lestrade asked her what made her so thoughtful.

“Nothing,” Sally replied, then corrected herself with: “Except – did Mr Holmes give a reason for this? For his interference?”

“None at all, but from knowing the man, I can surmise it. He dislikes sentiment, always has. Even keeps his own brother, despite the kindnesses he heaps upon him, at a distance. There were some objections too, I think, about the lady’s fortune.”

“What of it?”

“Well, a second son can’t marry whomever so he likes. There always has some attention given to money, sadly.”

“Doesn’t the younger Mr Holmes earn 5,000 a year?”

“From his elder brother’s own pocket,” Colonel Lestrade replied. “So, you understand – money is paramount.”

It was her fortune that Anthea and her husband were there to greet them; seeing Sally’s secret distress, Anthea made out she looked ill and sent her up to her room, urging her husband not to disturb until Sally was recovered. Sally, once in her rooms, listened to the muffled conversation and paced, all at once throwing herself down onto her bed. However, she was soon up again, finding Molly’s letters and re-reading them. In each one, she found a new focus on the spaces between the words, found her friend’s desperate melancholy.

A knock came at the door, alerting to the time passed. Midday sunlight had faded into the coming afternoon, the sunlight low and orange in colour.

“Miss Donovan,” came Mr Anderson’s clipped concern, “we are due—”

“Mr Anderson!” called up Anthea from downstairs. “We mustn’t be late!”

“Yes, of course—” Mr Anderson’s footsteps clattered down the stairs of the cottage, and the door closed behind them.

When she was sure that they had gone, Sally retreated from her room and down to the parlour. She re-read the last of Molly’s letters but heard only Colonel Lestrade. Money is paramount, so he’d said. And Holmes had seen this to be fit enough reason to act as judge and jury? The singular comfort she could find in her anger was the fact that she wouldn’t have to interact with the man past Saturday. She could, of course, tell Molly of this, that it had been the elder Holmes who had been the cause of her pain, and yet—that would only make the pain worse, Sally knew.

Her agitation was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell. Sally rose to her feet, thinking it Anthea or Mr Anderson returning for his hat, which currently lay on the chair by the fire. Her agitation gave way to amazement as Mr Holmes came through the door.

He was as she remembered him. Balding at the front, dressed in the finest tailored garments, with a cane at his side. He was not lean like his brother but carried a slight stomach, and his face, rounded, carried a look of contempt.

He bowed his head on entering.

“Miss Donovan. I came to – how is your health?”

“Fine enough, Mr Holmes,” she answered, with cold civility.

“I heard you were unwell.”

“I have recovered, Mr Holmes.” She scratched the pad of her thumb. “It was a small headache.”

“Very well.” Having sat, he suddenly stood up. Sally had the most suspicious feeling that he was nervous. She did not find this unexpected, for she was never good at hiding her feelings from others, and he must’ve, with his talked-about great intellect, have known from the start her cause for her behaviour.

“Miss Donovan, please, allow me to speak for the next minute without interruption.”

Sally coloured, but regained her composure. It was a strange request, but not one she had trouble acquiescing to. Most men, especially around her, never made the request of no interruptions but surged ahead in conversations as if such a request was needless, already granted by their existence.

“In spite of my attempts to cure myself of the affliction, Miss Donovan, you must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. I’m sure you are as aware as I am that, in expressing these emotions, I am going against not only the wishes of my family, but my own better judgement. Yet I am prepared to go against these obstacles.” Holmes paused, taking a breath. Sally glanced towards the clock on the mantelpiece. The minute clock ticked patiently. “Understand that I have given much thought to this, and do not make this offer lightly. I request that you consent to be my wife.”

The afternoon sunlight passed over the parlour. Sally looked down at her hands, lighted in gold. She pressed her fingers against her palms, looking up at Holmes.

“I know that a sense of obligation – even happiness? – is expected, at times like this. Unfortunately, I find myself unable to feel the same way. Though I cannot expect to know the reasons why you have come to feel for me in this way, I can tell you that the reasons for your lack of acknowledgement of this regard will curtail it soon enough.”

“I doubt it, Miss Donovan, for I have examined the situation quite closely. Even acknowledgement of my family, your background, have proved irrelevant to the strength of my feeling.”

“My background, Mr Holmes?” She spoke slowly, standing to fully face him.

“Your background,” he repeated. “You cannot expect my family to rejoice at my feelings for you.”

A deep silence fell between them. The implication weighed heavier than any outright speech.

“If I could feel gratitude for your proposal, Mr Holmes… I would now thank you. However, I do not. I’ve never desired your opinion, good or otherwise, on anything. I especially have never needed your opinion on the matter of my family. But I have other reasons for rejecting you. You know I have. Did you think I could ever be tempted to accept the hand of a man who endeavoured to, perhaps forever, ruin the happiness of my most beloved and closest friend?”

He was silent throughout, which served simply to increase her fury, and when he responded to her final query with an inclement smile, her lip trembled.

“Of course. My brother. I did wonder when that subject would emerge. Believe me, Miss Donovan, I’ve no wish to deny my involvement in that particular affair. I did everything in my power to separate my brother from Miss Hooper, and I rejoice in the triumph.” Taking up his hat and gloves, he tilted his head, staring at her in examination. “And this, in full, is your opinion of me, correct?”

“Correct, Mr Holmes.”

“Then I shall take my leave. I will not second guess you and soothe myself with thinking that, if I hadn’t been so honest, I might not have been rejected in this manner. You’ve made your position clear. But I am not ashamed of the feelings I’ve revealed to you. They were natural and despite my – distrust of sentiment, I can only follow what is natural.”

“Except for when it affects the state of your family,” Sally snapped. “Believe that, from the moment I met you, I knew you to be arrogant, selfish and disdainful of the feelings of others. Your actions prove my suspicions tenfold. But more than this, your judgement of my background, of my family, has made me certain that you are the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed upon to marry.”

Holmes coloured, opened his mouth, but was silent again. He made to open the door, made to leave her, but at the last moment, turned to face her. The silence was strained, yearning to be broken.

“My apologies. Forgive me for taking up so much of your time. Good afternoon, Miss Donovan.”

The door shut behind him.

#introspectivenavelgazer #salcroft #sally x mycroft #ch: sally donovan #ch: mycroft holmes #sherlock #au #eleanorwrites #i hope this is okay

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