helen-eichenwald

; HELEN !!

— or mara. only she/her. radical feminist. ravenclaw. lovecraft, voldemort and mythology fan.

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le chant des oiseaux : ff, rewrite

Heinrey/Sovieshu.

“Everything went terribly wrong already back when the crown was lowered onto his head. But it became worse when the boy with violet eyes looked at him for the first time. Looked at him as if he had seen something he could not turn his gaze away from. Sovieshu knew that he had brought this misfortune upon himself.”

AU: Glorym Vict, First of Her Name, daughter of Sovieshu the Peaceful and of the silver-haired lady, brought to the Eastern Empire new lands and new gold.

Great Glorym conquered the desert realms - and she bowed before her father, laying them at his feet as tribute and gift.

Начнём, пожалуй, с цитирования вики: 

"As a child, Sovieshu was a kind and sweet boy, continuously looking out for his mother and best friend by trying to ensure they were alright and comfortable. He was very playful, as shown in flashbacks during his time with Navier. In one incident, he even ended up injuring himself to pick peaches for her from a high branch to make her happy. He also teased her often and in return he often got hit with a pillow by her."

С самого детства Совьешу проявлял сильную эмпатию к другим, чего не перестаёт делать и во взрослом возрасте. Именно он становится первым, кто проявляет сочувствие к Раште и воспринимает её не как беглую рабыню, а как обычного человека, со своими мыслями и желаниями. Он искренне заботится о ней, навещая в силу своих возможностей. Он не сближается с ней сразу, но как только придворные начинают активнее распускать слухи,  делает её наложницей, чтобы хоть как-то обезопасить. Он мог бы приписать ей происхождение простолюдинки, но автор, для того чтобы сделать Рашту особенно ненавистным объектом во дворце, не решается прописать подобные действия Совьешу.

“Unlike most nobles, he questions the existence of slavery and considers to restrict its practice (for example: minimun living situations would be granted, certain abuses by their owners would not be allowed, etc.), but does not consider to try to limit the crimes that condemn the punished as slaves, eliminate its inheritence system which condemns the descendants of slaves to the same fates, and much less completely abolish slavery itself. Generally, it seems that, as a ruler, his heart was originally good-intended, but his own interiorized prejudices and beliefs interfered in his desire to help his people.”

Совьешу, в отличие от Навье, сомневается в концепции рабства, что для правителя того времени почти революционные и либеральные мысли, чтобы прийти к которым нужно иметь огромное количество эмпати (о каких именно предрассудках здесь было сказано - неясно). Совьешу видит не титулы, а людей, потому прощает виконта Ротешу за разглашение прошлого Рашты (он разрешает ему спокойно посещать дворец, но это скорее воля автора, без которой дальнейший сюжет не существовал, чем действительное упущение Совьешу), прощает и Великого Князя Руибта, который из-за своей ревности позволил себе ударить Императора (!) другого государства и оскорбить официальную наложницу. При этом Совьешу подчёркивает, что оставляет это преступление без действительно серьёзных ответных мер только потому, что не хочет ПОРТИТЬ репутацию человека и ограничивается простым прерыванием дипломатичных отношений, за что после будет обвинён Навье в эмоциональности:

“  — Я не знаю, что ты задумал, но я не доверяю человеку, который, кажется, движим одними эмоциями. Чтобы спасти твою репутацию, я не стану сажать тебя в тюрьму. — Он холодно отвернулся: — Но мне придется пересмотреть свою сделку с Руибт.” Совьешу не раз просил Навье относится к Раште с сочувствием, но та отказывалась быть хоть сколько-то связанной с ней, безопасность и комфорт которой буквально её обязанность как хозяйки двора.

В самом начале, как Навье отозвала от себя раненную Рашту, Совьешу проронил фразу, которая говорит всё, что нам нужно знать о его мировоззрении:

“Разве платье императрицы благороднее человеческой руки?”

Даже покушение на Рашту виконтом-возлюбленным герцогини Туаной Совьешу, которого привыкли называть мямлей, рассматривает как жестокое преступление, приговаривая виконта к смертной казни.

Но из-за особенной силы Навье под названием неограниченная любовь автора, он смягчает приговор, просто отсылая преступника куда подальше (что тоже может говорить о его вере в способность людей меняться и необходимости давать им второй шанс, но скорее всего это просто очередная воля автора и её желание выставить Навье (которая, вообще-то, планировала пощадить человека, который собирался убить другого!) мудрой и рассудительной императрицей).

Поговорим о других качествах Совьешу. Все знают, что Совьешу довольно сильно зависим от Навье, с которой провёл большую часть своей жизни. Он любит её, и порой даже устраивает сцены ревности, которые чаще всего просто его искреннее беспокойство о Навье (Как, к примеру, один из их разговоров о Хейнли, когда он предупреждает её быть осторожнее с иностранцами, что довольно таки логично. Было бы неприятно, если бы тайны Восточной Империи неожиданно оказались у других. В их случае - у страны, с которой они постоянно были в напряжённых отношениях, и у страны, с которой у них до Новогодних праздников не было абсолютно никаких дипломатических отношений). Он даже признаёт, что не против был бы, если бы у Навье были любовники (что всё-таки довольно сильно отличается от законных наложниц, которые были обычной практикой в Восточной империи, в отличие от любовников, которые могли бы навредить репутации императрицы). Так же, Совьешу на протяжении всей новеллы единственный из них двоих, кто пытается наладить их отношения и вернуть ту дружбу, о которой вечно пишет автор:

“— Не хочешь ли выпить, императрица?

— Я в порядке. Я буду торт.

— Ты будешь набирать вес.

— Это лучше, чем напиваться на людях, не так ли?

— Я не собираюсь напиваться. Но если ты будешь есть в это время дня, то растолстеешь.

— Даже если я немного прибавлю в весе, у меня под рукой есть портной.

Совешу усмехнулся в свое вино, когда я положила кусок пирога в рот.”

Этот диалог - буквально поддразнивание в духе той дружбы, которую они когда-то имели. И которую нам так пытаются раскрыть.

Совьешу - эмпатичный персонаж, способный на доброту и заботу. В новелле не раз упоминается, как он мечтает о ребёнке (Совьешу впоследствии становится единственным реально хорошим отцом, пытающимся заботиться о своём ребёнке), а когда будущий первенец появляется, он переживает, что Навье не примет его:

«Совешу сначала колебался, но в конце концов ответил:

— Я боюсь, что императрица будет враждебно относиться к ребенку.»

Именно из-за любви к детям и желания стать хорошим отцом, Совьешу и забирает у Рашты ребенка, боясь, что та, из-за обострившихся ментальных проблем навредит ему:

«Ее психическое состояние еще больше ухудшилось, когда всплыли ее преступления против империи, и герцог Эрги Клуадия злонамеренно привел своего отчужденного сына к Совиешу во время суда над Глоримом по установлению отцовства. Когда результаты показали отсутствие кровного родства, Рашту арестовали за преступления против империи и императора. Во время суда ее признали виновной в государственной измене и приговорили к пожизненному заключению. Ее лишили титула императрицы. Она покончила с собой в тюрьме, проглотив таблетку для самоубийства, и была кремирована Совиешу, который развеял ее прах.»

Совьешу, из-за шока и отчаяния, после поддельных результатов теста на отцовство скорее всего не присутствовал и на суде, если вспоминать его слабое здоровье (Совьешу на протяжении всей работы теряет сознание и видит галлюцинации).

Я не собираюсь оправдывать Совешу в его нечестных поступках по отношению к Раште, но хочу сказать, что в какой-то мере он стал жертвой обстоятельств. Рашта, похожая на ребенка из-за своей манеры общаться и вести себя, была описана автором такой только для того, чтобы она никаким образом не могла конкурировать с Навье. Она специально сделала Рашту максимально «жалкой» в глазах читателей, чтобы на её фоне её любимая героиня процветала.

Совьешу мог бы быть интересным персонажем и великим Императором, если бы Альфа Тарт не боялась бросать Навье вызовы. Совьешу мог бы быть приятным персонажем, если бы его раскрыли не через призму ненависти к подлому изменщику, а через объективный взгляд без фаворитизма.

Let’s begin with a quote from the wiki:

"As a child, Sovieshu was a kind and sweet boy, continuously looking out for his mother and best friend by trying to ensure they were alright and comfortable. He was very playful, as shown in flashbacks during his time with Navier. In one incident, he even ended up injuring himself to pick peaches for her from a high branch to make her happy. He also teased her often and in return he often got hit with a pillow by her."

From early childhood, Sovieshu showed strong empathy toward others, and he does not stop doing so in adulthood. He is the first to show compassion toward Rashta and to see her not as a runaway slave, but as an ordinary person with her own thoughts and desires. He genuinely cares about her, visiting her whenever he can. He does not grow close to her immediately, but as soon as the court nobles begin spreading rumors more actively, he makes her his concubine in order to protect her in some way.

He could have fabricated a commoner background for her, but the author, in order to make Rashta a particularly hated figure at court, does not allow Sovieshu to take such actions.

“Unlike most nobles, he questions the existence of slavery and considers to restrict its practice (for example: minimum living situations would be granted, certain abuses by their owners would not be allowed, etc.), but does not consider to try to limit the crimes that condemn the punished as slaves, eliminate its inheritance system which condemns the descendants of slaves to the same fates, and much less completely abolish slavery itself. Generally, it seems that, as a ruler, his heart was originally good-intended, but his own interiorized prejudices and beliefs interfered in his desire to help his people.”

Unlike Navier, Sovieshu questions the very concept of slavery, which, for a ruler of that era, is an almost revolutionary and liberal idea—one that requires a great deal of empathy (though it is unclear which specific prejudices are being referred to here). Sovieshu sees people rather than titles. That is why he forgives Viscount Roteschu for revealing Rashta’s past (he allows him to continue visiting the palace freely - though this is likely the author’s will, without which the plot could not continue, rather than an actual fault on Sovieshu’s part). He also forgives Grand Duke Kaufman, who, out of jealousy, allows himself to strike the Emperor of another nation (!) and insult the official concubine.

At the same time, Sovieshu emphasizes that he refrains from imposing serious punishment only because he does not want to ruin the man’s reputation, and instead limits himself to severing diplomatic relations - after which Navier accuses him of acting emotionally:

“I do not know what you are planning, but I cannot trust someone who seems to be driven only by emotion. To protect your reputation, I will not imprison you.” He turned away coldly. “But I will have to reconsider my agreement with Kaufman.”

Sovieshu repeatedly asks Navier to treat Rashta with compassion, but she refuses to be involved with her in any way, even though Rashta’s safety and comfort are literally her responsibility as the mistress of the palace. At the very beginning, when Navier withdraws her hand from the injured Rashta, Sovieshu says a phrase that reveals everything we need to know about his worldview:

“Is an empress’s dress nobler than a human hand?”

Even the attempted murder of Rashta by Viscount—Duchess Tuania’s lover - is regarded by Sovieshu, who is often called weak-willed, as a brutal crime, and he sentences the viscount to death. However, due to Navier’s special power - namely, the author’s unlimited love - he mitigates the sentence and merely exiles the criminal (which could be interpreted as his belief in second chances, though it is more likely the author’s desire to portray Navier - who, incidentally, had intended to spare a man who tried to kill someone! - as wise and rational).

Let us talk about Sovieshu’s other qualities. Everyone knows that he is deeply dependent on Navier, with whom he spent most of his life. He loves her, and at times even shows jealousy, which is usually nothing more than genuine concern for her. For example, in one of their conversations about Heinrey, he warns her to be cautious around foreigners - which is fairly logical. It would be unpleasant if the secrets of the Eastern Empire suddenly ended up in another country’s hands - especially one with which they had long-standing tensions and, until the New Year celebrations, no diplomatic relations at all.

He even admits that he would not necessarily object if Navier had lovers (which is still very different from legal concubines, a common practice in the Eastern Empire, unlike lovers, who could damage the Empress’s reputation).

Throughout the novel, Sovieshu is the only one of the two who tries to repair their relationship and restore the friendship the author constantly alludes to:

“Would you like a drink, Empress?”

“I’m fine. I’ll have cake.”

“You’ll gain weight.”

“That’s better than getting drunk in public, isn’t it?”

“I’m not going to get drunk. But if you eat at this hour, you’ll grow fat.”

“Even if I gain a little weight, I have a tailor.”

Sovieshu smirked into his wine as I put a piece of cake into my mouth."

This dialogue is pure teasing, reminiscent of the friendship they once shared - the one the author keeps insisting existed.

Sovieshu is an empathetic character, capable of kindness and care. The novel repeatedly mentions how he dreams of having a child (and ultimately, he becomes the only genuinely good father figure who truly tries to care for his child). When his future firstborn appears, he worries that Navier will not accept the child:

Sovieshu hesitated at first, but eventually replied,

“I am afraid the Empress will treat the child with hostility.”

It is precisely because of his love for children and his desire to be a good father that Sovieshu takes the child away from Rashta, fearing that, due to her deteriorating mental state, she might harm him:

“Her mental state deteriorated further after her crimes against the empire were exposed, and Duke Ergi Claude maliciously brought his estranged son to Sovieshu during the paternity trial of Glorym. When the results showed no blood relation, Rashta was arrested for crimes against the empire and the Emperor. During the trial, she was found guilty of treason and sentenced to life imprisonment. She was stripped of her title as Empress. She committed suicide in prison by swallowing a poison pill, and Sovieshu had her cremated and scattered her ashes.”

Because of shock and despair after the falsified paternity test results, and considering his frail health (throughout the story, Sovieshu frequently faints and experiences hallucinations), he likely did not even attend the trial.

I am not trying to justify Sovieshu’s dishonest actions toward Rashta, but I do believe that, to some extent, he became a victim of circumstances. Rashta, portrayed with childlike speech and behavior, was written that way deliberately so that she could never compete with Navier. The author intentionally made Rashta appear as pitiful as possible in the eyes of readers so that her favorite heroine would shine by contrast.

Sovieshu could have been an interesting character and a great Emperor if Alpha Tart had not been afraid to challenge Navier. He could have been a likable character if he had been developed not solely through the lens of hatred toward a treacherous adulterer, but through a more objective perspective free of favoritism.

moses felt the cold stroke his cheeks. his vision swam — the rays burned his eyes, and he could only wheeze, clutching at his chest. horror descended upon him in hundreds of needles, tearing at his flesh — the boy whimpered and called and called and called. the little prince drowned in a bed covered with linen sheets and called.

and only He heard little moses.

he who comes at the call of the meek and the humble.

the jews worked without rest. once living as honored guests, now they were nobody — not worth a coin, and never worthy of the prince’s glance. but little moses slipped past bustling maidservants, wound through palace corridors, just to get through and look — at the starving, exhausted, gaunt slaves who fell into the sands under the scorching sun and never rose again. the sight stirred nothing in him — his heart simply stilled and beat slowly, slowly. the sound of the whistling whip made moses press harder against the snow-white palace wall, his breath faltered, and his fingers cramped with trembling — people died like cattle. and he, the little prince, felt nothing — he heard only a чужой voice, sounding more terrible than the songs of the priests, sounding like an end and sounding like the beginning of everything.

תראה, הנסיך הקטן, איך העם שלך מת

little moses did not know this language. blood gathered beneath his nails — scarlet streaks appeared on the wall, and sweat quickly ran down his back and neck. fever seized him once more, and his head filled with sounds — rooted deep in his essence. little moses had long realized that he was ill. ill with something horrifying and incurable, festering somewhere beneath his skin. and therefore he felt nothing toward the roaring slaves begging for salvation — with a curious gaze he merely examined the bodies of men covered in scars and open wounds, beaten into a heap. beside them lay a woman with a round, heavy belly — her body barely covered, but mutilated by labor and childbirth. she did not hold a child in her arms.

little moses watched the slaves until his father shed light on his origin. young, nearly grown, moses was horrified — this was the people the thunderous voice in his head had whispered of.

***

i AM THAT I AM

the horror so familiar to him seized him again. god spoke to him with nonexistent lips, and he wanted to fall — to fall to his knees and beg, likening himself to his own people and curl up, curl up, curl up, to become once more an innocent child, knowing neither fear nor voice nor the unnatural fire licking the cave walls like an offering. god existed and spoke to him — god existed and demanded that he go. His wrath knocked him from his feet — moses could only sob and hide his face in his hands, afraid, tremblingly afraid, to behold Him. because He was cruel, and moses knew this — knew it even then, when he first saw a slave praying for something, knew it when as a child he clutched at clothes just to draw breath.

He was cruel and He chose him. He chose moses, elected him and made him His hand — moses’ hand trembled, but he no longer argued.

ramses no longer recognized the man he once called brother. he was a murderer, a criminal, and a stranger, glorifying an unknown god, greedy for human blood — moses was blind and mad, demanding the liberation of his own people. ramses could only bow his head before him, wishing no more deaths — moses pressed his lips together and, not meeting his eyes, left. the man whose hand he once clasped in his own. the man who shared joy and grief with him became an apostate and slowly perished. the man who came to free his people destroyed another’s — and he was no longer moses, second prince of egypt, who believed that people should not raise weapons against one another.

the land of egypt was dying.

and moses was to blame.

***

the lord loved him, loved him as He loves every mortal who submits to Him. he is moses — His slave and no one more, He says Himself, caressing his cheeks as in childhood. moses obeyed and was loved — the lord allowed him to rule and to possess power, allowed him to hear and speak with Him. He came to him deep in the night and called early in the day, to speak — to speak of his people, of those who dared not believe in Him and how exactly, by his, moses’, hands, they would be punished. and moses, the meekest of all the living, no longer argued — he only felt how fast his heart beat and how blood rose in his throat — but this was his payment, for the chance to be near and to be the one whom the lord guarded most of all. His merciful, truth-speaking slave, belonging to Him entirely.

moses was born to be the meekest of all people.

moses killed for Him.

moses glorified Him.

moses lived for Him.

moses belonged to Him.

moses spoke with His lips, lips that never left him.

hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, i the lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. my servant moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. with him will i speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant moses?

— what do you pray for, my beloved moses? — yahweh smiles and smiles, His lips, utterly bloodless, stretching strangely wide. and moses cannot avert his gaze — he wants to cling to his lord just as much as to push away His icy, powerful fingers, capable of crushing his skull with a single motion.

— i pray for my people, — his hoarse, almost senile voice breaks every time he resists, every time he shows displeasure. and this only amuses yahweh — He runs His fingers over his lips and laughs, like thunder — just as loud, furious, and deadly. — why do you torment Your servant? did i bear this people, did i nurse them?

Yahweh laughs harder, His silhouette changing, glinting, filling with silver.

— no, moses, a second time your speeches will not soften me, — He says as though moses were an orator, as though all his speeches were clear and articulate. but this was not so — his brother spoke for him, and he only spoke what yahweh whispered to him. the tongue had always been his enemy, because it belonged to Him — and he dared not lie, spoke only truth and nothing but truth. truth that twisted his gut and made him sick. truth that set his insides moving, everything tightening — moses did not know, did not even suspect, that a human could experience such pleasure — only god could grant it. god, looking at him with cold eyes and telling him that he, moses, was beloved and the only one capable of ruling in His house.

— you are cruel, — moses resists more strongly, — they are only people, and suffering is worse for them than death, — he bargains like a boy.

rays cut into his eyes — moses only squeezes them shut, accustomed to how yahweh looks and how He feels.

— no, my beloved moses, my servant, — His form changes, spreads and blooms again, — you will suffer together with your people, who dared to forget and cast Me aside. and you, as their leader and father, must convey to them — upon this land there exists only I, god merciful and loving toward mankind, longsuffering and abundant in mercy, true.

moses felt his body burn.