FFXII Fic: Five Similar Gardens (Larsa/Penelo, from Swansong)

[mariagoner]

For mithrigil, as a present to commemorate the ending of the Schwanengesang Series. And also, because the scenario she came up for Larsa and Penelo was too interesting to not dabble on with! ♥ If you're not familiar with the series, you might want to read Erlkonig to see the basic story of Larsa and Penelo. This is merely made to fill in the gaps left there

Comments

[artemischan]

Wow! Well done, love. I love how I can see the seeds of this relationship's destruction, even from the very beginning. Makes me hope my own relationship doesn't end up down a similar path. ^_^

[mariagoner]

One can only hope they don't end up with a partner as controlling and manipulative as this Larsa. ^_^ I'm not saying that Penelo was totally faultless in this relationship-- she stuck around with this Larsa for over six years, even after she must have realized that he wouldn't be willing to marry or make future plans (besides keeping her around as his mistress) with her. But... well, he's the one that really sowed the seeds of that relationship's destruction, as you put it. And he's also the one that reaped the full sadness as well.

[mithrigil]

::melts:: Thank you for this. Thank you. I can say little more than that*.

But it's lovely--the way you set things up as decaying before they've even formed. It's a credit to your love for these characters that you can do this to them and their relationship, and still in your open, natural style--"thank god for younger men", eh?

Thank you for this. Again. I'm flattered. And it's good.

(*except to correct your spelling of the word "callused")

[mariagoner]

Heh. It's Penelo who's callused and Larsa who's callous. I shall most definitely have to keep that distinction in mind! ;)

I'm really happy you enjoyed these little bits culled from the last time I called for prompts. (Though I haven't even finished any set but yours!) And I'm glad it seems to have worked well in the Swansong universe... like I confessed earlier, writing your Larsa is hard. He's a fascinating character but the way he works and acts and manipulates others is so different from the Larsa I usually write. But I'm glad that it apparently worked out after all.

And their relationship totally was doomed from the start due to Larsa's neediness and manipulations. I really do think Larsa and Penelo might have had a chance to be friends, if nothing else, if he had just been honest with her. But if he wasn't and if she couldn't ever trust him to be, how on earth could they have remained friends or lovers or anything after he betrayed her...?

[mariagoner]

Also, look at what Gunshou was lovely enough to write! ♥

http://gunshou.livejournal.com/35181.html

Re: Penelo's not happy.

[mariagoner]

Oh, he totally did. He's just lucky that Penelo was content to leave him with a letter in Mithrigil's Verse, rather than walloping him on the head with a great sword as I would have. And writing them as doomed from the start was... certainly something else. Complex but weirdly invigorating at the same time.

Even though this is such a minor part of what you've written here, the moment of describing how beloved Larsa's drawings are to Drace and Gabranth made me utterly squish inside.

Part of Larsa's tragedy was how he persisted on following these scripts as to how his relationship with Penelo should be, rather than acting based on who she really was. He wanted his relationship with Penelo to be like what he imagined Gabranth's relationship with Drace was like. But look how they ended up...

[himehikari]

I loved this, albeit it was a bit sad.But it is realistic nonetheless.I can imagine their relationship going on this way, although I would like a happy ending for them. ♥

[mariagoner]

I am really glad you loved this. Writing it was cathartic, even if I did feel sorry for the hell I was putting them both through. That sort of future is rather terrifying plausible for them if Larsa doesnt' tone down the possesive and manipulative qualities in his nature...

And hey, if you want happy endings, there's always fic like A Sort of Fairy Tale and Songs in the Key of Strange Minor and 20 Things the Late Emperor Left Behind After He Was Gone to read! I promise, there's 300% more lasting happiness in that sort of stuff. ;)

[adore184]

Love this. It was very well-written and consistent throughout. Of course, I'm usually all for the happy ending concerning this pairing, but I also enjoy this side of the spectrum, expecially when it's executed so well. You added a nice amount of realness and depth into this relationship and the people involved that is completely believeable. Even though both characters have their faults in this particular story/larger series, you still can't help but feel for the both of them. Great job! <3

[mariagoner]

I'm really glad you enjoyed this! And yeah, I prefer seeing a happy ending for Larsa and Penelo as well, if only because I am such a sap... but seeing them facture and fall apart is sadly very plausible-- not to mention terribly interesting to explore.

And I'm glad you saw that both of the characters had their faults but were still sympathetic. Even Larsa, though he was the one whose manipulations basically tore them apart forever, had his justifications. Think of how miserable and burdensome his childhood was. I don't blame him for wanting someone as gentle and caring as Penelo in his life, though what he did to get and keep her was inexcusable...