Fic Update and Notes: "Anthology"
Feb. 24th, 2011 05:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mark_asphodel So, I broke down and wrote an Elibe 'fic. Inspired by FE6, mind you, but based around FE7 characters.
"Anthology" (for collection of flowers) is three variants upon the theme of Eliwood presenting a rare white flower to his beloved on the eve of their formal engagement. The first section, "Corolla," deals with Ninian, while "Calyx" handles Lyn and "Nectar" presents the Fiora end of things. The section titles are, obviously, themselves the names of flower parts.
The Lilina/Marcus supports present Eliwood as an out-and-out romantic: "[W]hen the two were youths, they were such a happy pair that just looking at them would cheer one up. The people of Pherae were truly happy for them." You can put a darker slant on those words, which might imply that the later years of Eliwood and Wife were darkened by sorrow (well, duh... she died), or that Marcus is sugar-coating things, as a loyal knight speaking to a sensitive young girl. But the idea of Eliwood as a truly romantic figure-- as backed up by his Ninian supports, for sure-- places him in stark contrast to the likes of, say, Ephraim. Or even somebody like Alm, whose relationship with Cellica is beautiful, positive, and not quite the stuff of roses'n'chocolates romanticism. So, why not run with it? Why insist on making the man a tortured figure when, for a time, he was happy, dashing, and actively the chivalrous nobleman upon his horse, sweeping his lady off her feet?
It's fun to make him tortured. I know. Bear with me here.
Anyway, so here are three versions of the tale of Eliwood, his wife, and the flower he gave her. The Ninian-scene uses the flower as a symbol of mortality/immortality-- Ninian, unlike the other wives, knows in advance that her life won't be long, and while she might be at peace with it, it's going to color her perceptions. The Lyn-scene uses the flower as more of a symbol of the "unnatural" lives and deaths of the Lycians, while Fiora's scene is very much grounded in home and family, in memories of Ilia and her sisters, with the flower being a link to both. I did not go the angst-bucket route on any of them; the Lyn scene was bitter and angsty in the initial draft, which made me mad and spurred some of my tl;dr over on![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
xirysa 's journal. Anyway, I got away from all that in the final draft. The meta discussion helped, as the final draft incorporated ideas from both sacae and shining_valor , among others.
Each one takes place in a different "universe"-- the Eliwood/Ninian is in my Default Headcanon 'verse; though it isn't mentioned, Hector in this one would be married to Lyn. The Eliwood/Lyn piece has Hector/Florina, and the Eliwood/Fiora has Hector/Farina. Three possibilities, three completely different timelines. And Roy is featured briefly in all three scenes, with the flower serving as a connection to his mother.
I needed to write this, I enjoyed writing this, and it gave me more 'fic ideas (oh no!). Ninian is a pain in the ass to write, but I came out of this a confirmed Eliwood/Fiora 'shipper. I'm going to have to do with FE7 like I do for FE8 and say, "I don't care what the text is ramming down my throat, THIS is my preferred pairing."
One review (from our friend Lord Lelouche, no less) called this "heartwarming." When Eliwood/Lyn and Eliwood/Fiora are unabashedly heartwarming compared to my usual output... well, I guess that pretty much says it all.
"Anthology" (for collection of flowers) is three variants upon the theme of Eliwood presenting a rare white flower to his beloved on the eve of their formal engagement. The first section, "Corolla," deals with Ninian, while "Calyx" handles Lyn and "Nectar" presents the Fiora end of things. The section titles are, obviously, themselves the names of flower parts.
The Lilina/Marcus supports present Eliwood as an out-and-out romantic: "[W]hen the two were youths, they were such a happy pair that just looking at them would cheer one up. The people of Pherae were truly happy for them." You can put a darker slant on those words, which might imply that the later years of Eliwood and Wife were darkened by sorrow (well, duh... she died), or that Marcus is sugar-coating things, as a loyal knight speaking to a sensitive young girl. But the idea of Eliwood as a truly romantic figure-- as backed up by his Ninian supports, for sure-- places him in stark contrast to the likes of, say, Ephraim. Or even somebody like Alm, whose relationship with Cellica is beautiful, positive, and not quite the stuff of roses'n'chocolates romanticism. So, why not run with it? Why insist on making the man a tortured figure when, for a time, he was happy, dashing, and actively the chivalrous nobleman upon his horse, sweeping his lady off her feet?
Anyway, so here are three versions of the tale of Eliwood, his wife, and the flower he gave her. The Ninian-scene uses the flower as a symbol of mortality/immortality-- Ninian, unlike the other wives, knows in advance that her life won't be long, and while she might be at peace with it, it's going to color her perceptions. The Lyn-scene uses the flower as more of a symbol of the "unnatural" lives and deaths of the Lycians, while Fiora's scene is very much grounded in home and family, in memories of Ilia and her sisters, with the flower being a link to both. I did not go the angst-bucket route on any of them; the Lyn scene was bitter and angsty in the initial draft, which made me mad and spurred some of my tl;dr over on
xirysa 's journal. Anyway, I got away from all that in the final draft. The meta discussion helped, as the final draft incorporated ideas from both sacae and shining_valor , among others.Each one takes place in a different "universe"-- the Eliwood/Ninian is in my Default Headcanon 'verse; though it isn't mentioned, Hector in this one would be married to Lyn. The Eliwood/Lyn piece has Hector/Florina, and the Eliwood/Fiora has Hector/Farina. Three possibilities, three completely different timelines. And Roy is featured briefly in all three scenes, with the flower serving as a connection to his mother.
I needed to write this, I enjoyed writing this, and it gave me more 'fic ideas (oh no!). Ninian is a pain in the ass to write, but I came out of this a confirmed Eliwood/Fiora 'shipper. I'm going to have to do with FE7 like I do for FE8 and say, "I don't care what the text is ramming down my throat, THIS is my preferred pairing."
One review (from our friend Lord Lelouche, no less) called this "heartwarming." When Eliwood/Lyn and Eliwood/Fiora are unabashedly heartwarming compared to my usual output... well, I guess that pretty much says it all.
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no subject
Date: 2011-02-24 11:03 pm (UTC)Yeah, I could definitely feel it in the Eliwood/Fiora section--I think that's one reason I liked that last bit the best, because it was so family-oriented. Ninian's was more tragic, as she is already cognizant of her transience in Eliwood's (and eventually Roy's) life, and Lyn's bit definitely had that bitterness to it.
(Also, as a huge biology and botany nerd, the fact that there was reference to plant anatomy made me squee inside. And a fun fact/coincidence: my mother's name means "nectar" in Sanskrit, and she's a huge gardening/botany freak too. Must be in the genes. xD)
Though I can't help but feel that I really need to start working on my own Fiora/Eliwood piece, now.OH AND ROFLMAO I saw that review. xD Made me lol like whoa.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-25 03:17 am (UTC)The original draft was far worse. As in, she didn't die-- she LEFT. At which point I started wondering how valid the assumptions that Lyn would be that unhappy actually were.
there was reference to plant anatomy made me squee inside.
Heh. Nerds rejoice!
no subject
Date: 2011-02-25 05:07 am (UTC)With Kent?Oh my stars.You know, even though I ship Kent/Lyn as much as I do, I've begun to seriously reconsider Eliwood/Lyn because of you. It's far from being a favorite pairing of mine, but it's still something really interesting to consider.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-25 12:21 pm (UTC)With Wil.
It's far from being a favorite pairing of mine, but it's still something really interesting to consider.
:D
Long have I wanted some brilliant writer to come around and convince ME of that pairing, so it's incredibly funny that I turned into a defender of it.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-25 04:09 pm (UTC)(I swear this isn't a ploy to get you to write this.
But it would really awesome if you did.)XD It's funny how things work out that way though, isn't it?
no subject
Date: 2011-02-25 05:02 pm (UTC)Uh, yeah. But I wish Lyn/Wil had been given a paired ending. It's my "L'Arachel/Rennac" for FE7.
I'm just not terribly fond of Kent. He's kind of like Cain, but I like Cain better
until FE12 made him boring, so I kind of don't... "need" Kent taking room in my head. There are fanfic Kents that have really moved me, but in-game he just doesn't captivate me.no subject
Date: 2011-02-25 05:10 pm (UTC)it's not entirely clear whose son Wolt actually is.
...I have a Rebecca/Wil/Raven/Lowen idea I've been playing around with, just to answer that question. Twisted relationship polygons FTW.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-26 01:41 pm (UTC)I think it's mostly because there's something about Wil that, in spite of how nice and likable he is, hints at trouble. Well-meaning impetuous trouble. So I can see him as Lyn's co-conspirator in a plot to leave Caelin... or as a very big source of trouble for a bored and stifled Lyn looking for a way out of Pherae. (Also I find it amusing that Rebecca assumes that Wil has a thing for his "Lady Lyndis.")
no subject
Date: 2011-02-25 12:10 am (UTC)But I did want to say I like Eliwood/Fiora. I can't pick whether or not Eli/Ninian is default in my head or not, though. I think it might be, if only because I like Sain for Fiora better than Eliwood. Or maybe I like Fiora for Sain better than any of his other choices. I don't know anymore; I don't have many default headcanon thoughts these days.
But it's scary that Lord Lelouch thinks anything is heartwarming.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-25 03:21 am (UTC)Heh. Well, I do like Sain/Fiora for sure. But I've gone from finding Eliwood/Fiora a WTF option-- because the Lord character has got to have the chance to make with a Peg Knight, right?-- to finding it... really plausible and moving. And yes, it could be twisted and depressing and unfulfilling, but at the same time... I dunno, there's something to it. Something that isn't there with Eliwood/Lyn (it doesn't have to be a ball of angst, but really now), and something that just feels more real than the whole otherworldly Ninian deal.
Maybe I'm just biased toward Peg Sisters. I dunno.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-25 03:48 am (UTC)My personal opinion about Ninian-- and see, I like Ninian-- is that she's the love-at-first-sight, first-love type of a deal. This is why her romance with Eliwood seems almost surreal or otherworldly.
I kind of feel that, in one of my headcanons, Eliwood's first love is Ninian. I mean, first real love with some basis-- not a derpy crush. Ninian is pretty and sweet, and other than being overly goody-goody, has no real flaws that the player knows about. So to Eliwood, she at least appears to be THE MOST PERFECT THING EVER. Unfortunately we know this cannot be true-- as everyone, dragon or no, has faults.
I actually find Eliwood/Ninian to be most moving when he kills her, starts to get over her, and then she's brought back from the dead. (Now I wonder what they did with Ninian's body.)
I mean, everyone has presumably had a first love, right? So that's fairly relate-able, and poor Eliwood, to finally be getting over his grief of losing her only to have her dangled before him again.
I'm split kind of 50/50 on her staying with him. Half of me thinks that Fiora is a lot more grounded and in this way, she's better for him. Fiora is practical and would pick up on things easily. She's not easily swayed or discouraged or hurt. I can't see Fiora loving the job of being Eliwood's wife, but I see her doing better at it than Ninian. And in fact, losing Fiora's help could be a huge blow to Eliwood now that I think about it.
Either way, if Ninian leaves: Nils gets to chill with his sister, though we all know that he'd survive without her and he doesn't NEED her. (For all we know he could be like, four hundred years old.) Ninian gets to keep her longer life. SUPPOSEDLY. But she's already been raised from the dead, so who really knows?
If Ninian stays: Her life is shortened drastically (in that she probably only lives a few years at best?) and Eliwood marries a half-dragon zombie chick.
Fiora is a smarter choice. I don't want to say Ninian shouldn't marry because she's a half-dragon zombie, but I think it was pretty unthinking and cruel to bring her back to life to begin with. (But that's a 'fic for another day, bahahaha.)
TL;DR, you're not just biased toward pegasus sisters, no. I think Eliwood/Fiora would take a little time-- I mean, the dude lost his father, then killed the girl he liked, then started to get over killing his girlfriend when all of a sudden she's back and dangled in front of his face, and SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO and really, how does a person make such a decision in a moment's time? I think my headcanon is that he hesitates in his answer, and she goes back through the gate because of it. He would, perhaps, beat himself up over that moment of hesitation, but in the end what's done is done, and though it might take him a little while to feel that way, I'm sure he could reach that conclusion on his own.
And Eliwood is a caring individual. Even if he loved Ninian still, he might let her go because it's what is best for her.
Now, to make it a happy ending sort of deal for Eliwood, Fiora and Ninian... Perhaps during FE6 Ninian makes her way back to Elibe and then to Pherae. ;P
Seriously though, Eliwood/Fiora feels more like a realistic pairing to me. Two people who've made mistakes and have learned from them, but aren't afraid to love again? I think there is a lot of romantic potential. And I think Fiora needs a guy to tell her she's pretty-- Eliwood is just that kind of a person. Hahaha.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-26 01:42 pm (UTC)