Ruminations on SaiMono and my arcs
Oct. 22nd, 2007 06:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
branchandrootOkay. Enough of the SaiMono novels are out that I finally have some idea of where the Emperor!Seien storyline needs to go.
See, the difficulty is that the first arc fits in pretty neatly. Just swap around a few characters, and it still works. After that, though, we start to have problems.
For one, I think Seien is a lot more ruthless than Ryuuki, plus better settled into the position of Emperor, never having tried to fool his way out of it. So I think he would do just what Enjun intended: call the entire Sa ruling line to the capital and execute them as traitors, as demonstrated by the actions of the head of clan. This means that the whole second arc has to be refitted.
I think Shunki would, knowing the danger, have herself brought to the capital and beg Kokujun's life from Seien. Her reasoning for him might be that it isn't good for the ruler to have the kinds of powers she does--it makes for too much nervousness all around. So she will marry Kokujun, he will take the clan, and they will undertake to put their province in order. I think Seien would admire her spine, and probably agree. Especially once she shows that she had the ring, given to her mother by Shou at the behest of Enjun's spirit, let's say.
Probably Ensei could still show up about now, for much the same reasons he originally does. Since Seien likely still goes back to the Kou house as often as he can manage, having them meet there still works.
That done, it seems more possibly that Seien (insanely protective lad that he is) would consent to let Shuurei go to the Sa province as governor. That would put most of that arc back on track, especially if Sakujun was never part of the party that travelled to the capital (out gallivanting with thugs, no doubt) and is still at large. If the Sa clan in general is pissed off, as well they might be, then Shuurei and Eigetsu might well still choose to travel secretly and separately, hence a meeting between Shuurei and Sakujun. It would probably be Ensei who would have to call Sakujun on the whole thing and have the go-round with the poison.
So the whole bit with Sa province could stand, with Seien back at the capital quite likely slowly going nuts over having one of his precious people out of his reach. I expect Ensei gets /very/ tart letters over this.
But then we run into another problem. The major movement of Ryuuki's tenure as emperor has to do with him becoming a real ruler, being motivated on his own account, not just for Shuurei's good will. It also, lately, has to do with the very clear fact that his two advisors are more loyal to their families than to their emperor.
And this sets me back, because I think Seien would understand /that/ from the start. And I don't think he would offer flowers to Shuuei and Kouyuu. Have them as his aides, yes, but he would not offer when he knows they could not swear to him without reservation.
Another major issue for Ryuuki is to get a grip on his government and work with his ministers, which he has naively failed to do.
I think Seien, not having all the handicaps to his beginning that Ryuuki had, would already be doing this.
So what I'm left with is the question: what is Seien's primary problem?
And I think it's his lack of trust.
His ministers would not be upset that he's bulling through without their advice, depending only on sons of Kou and Ran, who then abandon his side. Instead, I think they will be upset that he isn't depending on /anyone/. Except Ryuuki. I think he's going to give a flower to Ryuuki early on. I think, once the Sa arc is over, and Ensei returns to the capital, he will also give one to Ensei--but in secret. So his ministers will still feel cut out of the loop and disturbed over whether Seien will be another Senka and use death and blackmail to keep the country in line.
This brings us to the most recent arcs, in which Shuuei and (perhaps) Kouyuu resolve their divided loyalties and give themselves wholeheartedly to Ryuuki's service. I think that a lot of the same pressures will lead to a lot of the same realizations in the Emperor!Seien-verse. Shuuei will sneak off to get himself disinherited in order to offer his undivided loyalty. Kouyuu will do whatever it turns out he's going to do about this. And /then/ Seien will offer them his flowers.
And at /that/ point, I think Seien will be placed to resolve a similar threat to his throne as the one Ryuuki faces--the disapproval of the government, to the extent that other candidates of royal lineage are starting to put themselves forward. It's possible that he'll even accept Jyuusan-hime, the same way Ryuuki has, because she's just a very cool woman and I think her common sense would appeal to him.
And all the while, fortuitously, Shuurei's story can move forward in pretty much the same way it does in canon. She can be stripped of her rank, go through the culling of officials, wind up working for Internal Affairs, and do whatever she's going to do next. All the while, most likely, fending off Ryuuki's increasing interest. Though not, to be sure, quite the same way as in canon, because the Ryuuki of this 'verse has far more friends and his Aniue to boot, and will not be as desperate.
Actually writing all this will probably take a good long while. But I'm very pleased with where the storyline has been going, and the fact that a lot of complex issues are having justice done to them. Plus, I'm totally giggling over the idea of Seien giving Ensei a flower. Probably with a bunch of insults thrown in.
See, the difficulty is that the first arc fits in pretty neatly. Just swap around a few characters, and it still works. After that, though, we start to have problems.
For one, I think Seien is a lot more ruthless than Ryuuki, plus better settled into the position of Emperor, never having tried to fool his way out of it. So I think he would do just what Enjun intended: call the entire Sa ruling line to the capital and execute them as traitors, as demonstrated by the actions of the head of clan. This means that the whole second arc has to be refitted.
I think Shunki would, knowing the danger, have herself brought to the capital and beg Kokujun's life from Seien. Her reasoning for him might be that it isn't good for the ruler to have the kinds of powers she does--it makes for too much nervousness all around. So she will marry Kokujun, he will take the clan, and they will undertake to put their province in order. I think Seien would admire her spine, and probably agree. Especially once she shows that she had the ring, given to her mother by Shou at the behest of Enjun's spirit, let's say.
Probably Ensei could still show up about now, for much the same reasons he originally does. Since Seien likely still goes back to the Kou house as often as he can manage, having them meet there still works.
That done, it seems more possibly that Seien (insanely protective lad that he is) would consent to let Shuurei go to the Sa province as governor. That would put most of that arc back on track, especially if Sakujun was never part of the party that travelled to the capital (out gallivanting with thugs, no doubt) and is still at large. If the Sa clan in general is pissed off, as well they might be, then Shuurei and Eigetsu might well still choose to travel secretly and separately, hence a meeting between Shuurei and Sakujun. It would probably be Ensei who would have to call Sakujun on the whole thing and have the go-round with the poison.
So the whole bit with Sa province could stand, with Seien back at the capital quite likely slowly going nuts over having one of his precious people out of his reach. I expect Ensei gets /very/ tart letters over this.
But then we run into another problem. The major movement of Ryuuki's tenure as emperor has to do with him becoming a real ruler, being motivated on his own account, not just for Shuurei's good will. It also, lately, has to do with the very clear fact that his two advisors are more loyal to their families than to their emperor.
And this sets me back, because I think Seien would understand /that/ from the start. And I don't think he would offer flowers to Shuuei and Kouyuu. Have them as his aides, yes, but he would not offer when he knows they could not swear to him without reservation.
Another major issue for Ryuuki is to get a grip on his government and work with his ministers, which he has naively failed to do.
I think Seien, not having all the handicaps to his beginning that Ryuuki had, would already be doing this.
So what I'm left with is the question: what is Seien's primary problem?
And I think it's his lack of trust.
His ministers would not be upset that he's bulling through without their advice, depending only on sons of Kou and Ran, who then abandon his side. Instead, I think they will be upset that he isn't depending on /anyone/. Except Ryuuki. I think he's going to give a flower to Ryuuki early on. I think, once the Sa arc is over, and Ensei returns to the capital, he will also give one to Ensei--but in secret. So his ministers will still feel cut out of the loop and disturbed over whether Seien will be another Senka and use death and blackmail to keep the country in line.
This brings us to the most recent arcs, in which Shuuei and (perhaps) Kouyuu resolve their divided loyalties and give themselves wholeheartedly to Ryuuki's service. I think that a lot of the same pressures will lead to a lot of the same realizations in the Emperor!Seien-verse. Shuuei will sneak off to get himself disinherited in order to offer his undivided loyalty. Kouyuu will do whatever it turns out he's going to do about this. And /then/ Seien will offer them his flowers.
And at /that/ point, I think Seien will be placed to resolve a similar threat to his throne as the one Ryuuki faces--the disapproval of the government, to the extent that other candidates of royal lineage are starting to put themselves forward. It's possible that he'll even accept Jyuusan-hime, the same way Ryuuki has, because she's just a very cool woman and I think her common sense would appeal to him.
And all the while, fortuitously, Shuurei's story can move forward in pretty much the same way it does in canon. She can be stripped of her rank, go through the culling of officials, wind up working for Internal Affairs, and do whatever she's going to do next. All the while, most likely, fending off Ryuuki's increasing interest. Though not, to be sure, quite the same way as in canon, because the Ryuuki of this 'verse has far more friends and his Aniue to boot, and will not be as desperate.
Actually writing all this will probably take a good long while. But I'm very pleased with where the storyline has been going, and the fact that a lot of complex issues are having justice done to them. Plus, I'm totally giggling over the idea of Seien giving Ensei a flower. Probably with a bunch of insults thrown in.
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Date: 2007-10-23 01:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-23 02:06 am (UTC)