#instead of the Lord/Rhea telling them ''I entrust you with this'' and not being able to really say no

[laulink]

I think it's pretty well established now that Edelgard and Dimitri are foils to each other in that one looks to the future and the other to the past and that's a huge part of why their outlook on the war and what they went through is so different, but I haven't seen it pointed out and discussed yet that a good chunk of their classmates follow that theme as well.

(I haven't seen all the Blue Lions' supports so this is in general, from the Academy phase's supports I've seen, which means I may lack a specific example one way or the other, but is still globally accurate, at least for their Academy phase)

In the Blue Lions House, based on the students' supports with each other, the most obvious are Ingrid, still mourning and resenting the loss of her fiancé, Felix, still mourning the loss of his brother and focused on that one day he saw Dimitri rampage and those two things being basically the only things that inform his decisions, and Dedue, who literally tries to push EVERYONE away because of how still hung up on the Tragedy of Duscur the Kingdom is and how anyone who spends time with him would be shunned for it (though he does look forward to Dimitri's reign because he believes Dimitri will change things in Faerghus, but most of his supports are still based on the Tragedy of Duscur still impacting his life to this day). Sylvain also fits because bad past examples and relationships have taught him that women are only interested in his blood line ; he doesn't ever talk about finding someone who would think differently, for example, he stays hung up on the past and doesn't even consider the future, at least not as something that could bring a change. Mercedes is less hung up on her past, though still quite focused on what happened to her mother, her brother and herself and wanting to find her brother so they can be happy again, like when they were children. Annette and Ashe, from what I've seen, don't fit the theme.

In the Black Eagles House, the most obviously focused on the future are Dorothea, who talks about her past but only to explain why she's so focused on securing a good future for herself, Ferdinand, who can't SHUT UP about becoming Edelgard's Prime Minister and guiding her in her reign, Petra, who holds a grudge against Caspar's father for killing her own, but whose supports pretty much all mention her desire to make Brigid an equal to Adrestia and ensure a bright future for her people, and Caspar, who is focused only on getting stronger to carve his own path in life. Hubert, of course, being aware of Edelgard's plans, is also solely focused on the future, though always only related to Edelgard and her goals, never his own person outside of his work ; Linhardt is neutral, as he focuses only on Crests ; Bernadetta has been traumatised by her past, but she's not hung up about it, she's only focusing on how afraid she is in the present, so I'd say she's neutral as well.

It always struck me as odd that no one, among the Black Eagles, ever said a word about the Insurrection of the Seven, Edelgard's time in the Kingdom when she sought asylum there, or Edelgard's siblings when, in comparison, the Blue Lions wouldn't SHUT UP about the Tragedy of Duscur and the Faerghus Four's childhood friendship. Even Edelgard and Hubert barely ever mention that they knew each other as children (Edelgard only tells you once, in Hubert's introduction I believe, that he has served her since she was a child) and the others never mention any time spent with Edelgard as children (the only ones who admit they saw each other often as kids are Caspar and Linhardt, but it doesn't even really come up in their supports, when the Faerghus Four's supports with each other are FULL of reminders of their shared past). Now I think it's to further emphasise the themes of their houses : the Black Eagles represent rebellion and the desire to shape their futures the way they see fit while the Blue Lions represent order, discipline and the shackles of the past.

It's really super interesting on a meta level. I haven't played VW yet but I'm curious to see if a similar theme is shared through the House, or if it's a patchwork of different goals and focuses, to represent how disparate the Alliance is and how they can never make a unanimous choice.

[spiritsdw]

{Letters} - Sent at Stroneth Port

The Right Honorable The Earl of Carneath, Clarence Temple

Dear Lord Temple, 

I trust you are well. It has been three weeks since we have left Yielden, which might not seem that long unless you are like me and prone to dramatics when separated from loved ones. Perhaps it seems longer when I say “It has been a whole month since I have seen you last”. 

Your birthday is in two weeks as of the writing of this letter, but the spirits of the air only know how long it will be before it is in your hands. So I suppose a ‘happy birthday’ is in order, my lord, and I hope this letter brings you some cheer after the fact because I know getting yet another year older is a tremendous burden, and I cannot even begin to imagine what forty-four years of age must be like. Soon you will have wrinkles and grey hair and then all your charm will have to rest in your wit instead of your looks. Do not fear, though, I shall love you just the same despite all that. I am terribly sorry that I have to miss this birthday, but I plan on being home for forty-five, which is a far more stable number anyway. 

Speaking of birthdays, Rhea quite was inconsolable that we could not celebrate hers properly. A fact she told only to me and no one else on the crew, so I have a feeling that, while she is prone to dramatics, they are not quite up to my same level. We do not make much of birthdays here on the ship, through no choice of my own, but a general consensus of sorts. Still, it is nice to spend time with friends and family on these days. 

It has been largely quiet, which is generally my report at this point in our adventure. We spend most of this time in Albian territory, or at least that which we share with Ui Braesail, and their staunch neutrality has never once wavered. A fact which I am reminded of time and again as I sail this path. The hiccup, however, occurred in the form of a flock of hippogriffs which approached us two nights ago as we passed over the Gwealian border. 

I wouldn’t quite say that they attacked us, though there was a degree of cosmetic damage to the ship that is easily enough repaired. No one was injured, not even one of the hippogriffs (though I dare say if we had managed to hit one, there would be a lot more than cosmetic damage to the Titan because the creatures would have responded with all due force that they could have mustered). I was asked after their migration patterns, which I admit to not knowing much about, but did know that they typically would not have wandered so far from the cliffs where they make their homes unless there seemed to be an issue. 

Natalya and Adi both insisted upon checking it out, and I am loathe of the idea of passing any sort of possible situation so close to the Albian border. So we turned the Titan around and headed back to a cove very near the border itself. Arculf has taken Adi, Pasha, and Ulutka to investigate. As of the time of writing this, they are currently on the top of the cliff itself, having faced down unnatural fog and a rockslide to climb up it. What’s more, it appears that a small caravan has set up camp at the top of the cliffs. They do not seem to know about the hippogriffs in question, according to Pasha’s report, and suggest that it is possibly just a natural disturbance for another nest further up the coast into Gwaelian territory. 

Now, you might be putting together some clues and asking yourself, Why, I wonder how it is that Ean has received this information from his crew while they are currently on top of a cliff investigating and he is holed up in his ship doing boring things like staring at maps. Well, I say to you, I am so very proud to announce that the stones have worked. 

It has been nearly a year since I started the work on these stones. And Clarence, they work. No one has been able to use a pair of sending stones in ages, much less alone make them. It’s been a century since magic has been lost, and anything arcane is now a precious commodity. But I have finally completed a functioning pair and I could shout for joy if I did not think it would bring on too many unnecessary questions. 

I entrusted Pasha with its twin when he left this morning, and I waited anxiously all day -- unable to see through the thick fog, listening to the sound of a rockslide, and wondering if I lost my first mate and three treasured members of my crew because I thought it prudent to investigate wildlife wandering a bit further out to sea than normal. I don’t know how I would have been able to live with myself if that was the case, and it was a stupid risk for a low reward, no matter my desire to investigate any possible ‘disturbance’. The relief I felt when Pasha called in was far greater than the joy I felt at knowing the stones worked. 

After receiving his report, I sat down to write you this letter. And for a brief second, I wondered… if I couldn’t send you this stone. Books say that they could be used to transmit anywhere, but the enchantment is fickle. I do not think I could bear it if I left one with you and hoped to hear your voice, only to learn that the stone had left its communication range, or to not know if something had happened to the one I had left with you (or if something had happened to you). 

Letters do not remove that anxiety any, but it removes the instant communication that, if not instant enough, causes worry. I have learned to deal with my worries when separated from you when I can only send letters and I can only receive news once we reach scheduled ports of call. 

I long for the days when my greatest invention was simply a ruby that I could use to trigger a trap. But I am proud of my accomplishment, and I only wish that I could have finished it sooner so that I could test it and know if I could have given you one. It is a marvel it works at all, and yet still I am greedy for a better result. 

Instead, however, I have moved on to my next project. I already know that I can create stones with various effects. A skill I have honed over thirty some-odd years. I am attempting, now, to work on other objects. I do not think I am skilled enough to turn a rag into a dagger -- I am not some skilled magician of old. But beyond effects like daylight and fire, I have been able to cause small things to happen. You remember the alarm that you accidentally set off when stepping into my workshop? 

Yes, I know that you are still wondering how I did that, and now that I am far enough away that I can avoid being smacked by you for pulling this prank, I can admit that it was a trick of my own instead of a wire that you tripped or some other sort of trigger that you could have undone. 

There are many small things that I am learning. And I wish to be able to create patches or stones that I can imbue with these new skills. They would do well in a pinch, not only for myself, but for others on my crew. 

If, I suppose, I could ever tell them. 

I do not think I am ready for that, just yet. Perhaps one day soon. 

Or perhaps, I shall simply save it as a surprise and announce it before my retirement, and then simply fade into obscurity. That would be a great trick, I think. 

I have gone on long enough, and there is not nearly enough to update you on. I mostly wanted to wish you a happy birthday, and to brag a little about my achievements. I know that, if you were here, the smile on your face would be enough to ease my troubled heart. (I know that, if you were here, my heart would not be so troubled, but it would be eased nonetheless and I would be able to kiss that smile.) 

Give my regards to His and Her Majesty, and tell Noah to stop asking for my love when I send her letters, because I have none left to spare (respectfully, of course). Not when I give it all to you. 

So saying:  All my love,  Ean