Chapter 9: Heartvine
Wow, was that an interesting chapter.
The emperor has now abdicated in favor of Genji II, and appointed Genji the reigning baby's guardian.
ETA: Actually, he abdicated in favor of the crown prince, Kokiden's son. Genji II is now the crown prince, and Genji is his guardian.
Kokiden, mother of the former crown prince, is pissed off at this state of affairs and stays at the palace rather than following the emperor to his new abode.
Meanwhile, the mysterious Rokujo (Sixth Avenue) lady is still on Genji's mind. She is the widow of a crown prince who died (I assume this is not the same crown prince as Kokiden's son?) and her daughter is appointed high priestess of Ise Shrine. (As everyone who is familiar with the apocalyptic! tragic! slashy! feathery! CLAMP manga and anime X/1999 will know, the high priestess of Ise has the power to leap tall buildings in a single bound and to materialize a sword from her hand. I kept being distracted by imagining that the Rokujo lady was schoolgirl heroine Arashi's mother.) Anyway, Genji and Rokujo are still carrying on a tormented, on-again, off-again affair.
Also meanwhile, Genji's wife (here called Aoi, for the chapter title) is pregnant and not doing so well. Aoi goes in a carriage to a festival, and bumps into Rokujo's carriage. Aoi eggs on her attendents to beat up Rokujo's attendants, and a brawl ensues. Rokujo is humiliated. Aoi is pissed off. Genji is embarassed, and consoles himself with Murasaki. The skank.
Then Aoi is attacked by evil spirits! Genji hires exorcists! Her head spins around and she vomits pea soup The exorcists manage to exorcise several random household spirits (an occurrance which is written about as if this is a totally normal thing to have happen) but one clings on stubbornly. Since apparently a living person in great emotional distress can have their spirit wander off without their knowledge or consent and act out deeds that they subconsciously wish, people begin to suspect that the jealous Rokujo's spirit is haunting Aoi. Rokujo herself suspects that this may be true, and feels guilty-- but she can't control her emotions to the extent of stopping her spirit from wandering.
There's a lovely little scene where Genji and Aoi have a moment of rapport caused by her illness, and both are sorry that they only seem able to care for each other at moments of crisis. Then Aoi goes into premature labor, and is possessed by Rokujo! Rokujo's spirit speaks to Genji via the possessed Aoi! Then Aoi gives birth to a bouncing baby boy, and it seems that the crisis is over.
The Rokujo lady received the news with mixed feelings. She had heard that her rival was critically ill, and now the crisis had passed. She was not herself. The strangest thing was that her robes were permeated with the scent of the poppy seeds burned at exorcisms. She changed clothes repeatedly and even washed her hair, but the odor persisted. She was overcome with self-loathing. And what would others be thinking? It was a matter she could discuss with no one. She could only suffer in distraught silence.
The poppy scent is a great touch. Creeeepy... Genji goes to attend to Genji II at the palace, whereupon Aoi drops dead.
A letter was brought in, on dark blue-gray paper attached to a half-opened bud of chrysanthemum. In the best of taste, he thought. The hand was that of the Rokujo lady.
It's a sympathy note, which Genji thinks is not entirely sincere. (The use of colored paper and ornaments to add layers to the words of a note reminds me of the use of icons on LJ.) Genji sends her a note with the subtext, "I know you killed my wife." Rokujo again feels horrible but doesn't know what to do. I have to say, I feel sorry for Rokujo, who is in an impossible position. Even though it does look like she was probably the ghost who went BLEAAH, and so has now killed not one, but two of Genji's lovers. But not on purpose!
Too bad she loves Genji, and so displaces her feelings of anger toward him on to his lovers rather than directly haunting the skank himself. But I think this, and her portrait in general, is very psychologically plausible.
Everyone weeps over Aoi for several pages, then Genji, the skank, consoles himself by hitting on Murasaki. Murasaki freaks out, as this is the first time she's realized that Genji wants to have sex with her. Then there's a scene that I found very confusing in which he gives her sweets, and it's implied that he does have sex with her, or maybe even marries her. Did anyone understand what was going on there?
The emperor has now abdicated in favor of Genji II, and appointed Genji the reigning baby's guardian.
ETA: Actually, he abdicated in favor of the crown prince, Kokiden's son. Genji II is now the crown prince, and Genji is his guardian.
Kokiden, mother of the former crown prince, is pissed off at this state of affairs and stays at the palace rather than following the emperor to his new abode.
Meanwhile, the mysterious Rokujo (Sixth Avenue) lady is still on Genji's mind. She is the widow of a crown prince who died (I assume this is not the same crown prince as Kokiden's son?) and her daughter is appointed high priestess of Ise Shrine. (As everyone who is familiar with the apocalyptic! tragic! slashy! feathery! CLAMP manga and anime X/1999 will know, the high priestess of Ise has the power to leap tall buildings in a single bound and to materialize a sword from her hand. I kept being distracted by imagining that the Rokujo lady was schoolgirl heroine Arashi's mother.) Anyway, Genji and Rokujo are still carrying on a tormented, on-again, off-again affair.
Also meanwhile, Genji's wife (here called Aoi, for the chapter title) is pregnant and not doing so well. Aoi goes in a carriage to a festival, and bumps into Rokujo's carriage. Aoi eggs on her attendents to beat up Rokujo's attendants, and a brawl ensues. Rokujo is humiliated. Aoi is pissed off. Genji is embarassed, and consoles himself with Murasaki. The skank.
Then Aoi is attacked by evil spirits! Genji hires exorcists! Her head spins around and she vomits pea soup The exorcists manage to exorcise several random household spirits (an occurrance which is written about as if this is a totally normal thing to have happen) but one clings on stubbornly. Since apparently a living person in great emotional distress can have their spirit wander off without their knowledge or consent and act out deeds that they subconsciously wish, people begin to suspect that the jealous Rokujo's spirit is haunting Aoi. Rokujo herself suspects that this may be true, and feels guilty-- but she can't control her emotions to the extent of stopping her spirit from wandering.
There's a lovely little scene where Genji and Aoi have a moment of rapport caused by her illness, and both are sorry that they only seem able to care for each other at moments of crisis. Then Aoi goes into premature labor, and is possessed by Rokujo! Rokujo's spirit speaks to Genji via the possessed Aoi! Then Aoi gives birth to a bouncing baby boy, and it seems that the crisis is over.
The Rokujo lady received the news with mixed feelings. She had heard that her rival was critically ill, and now the crisis had passed. She was not herself. The strangest thing was that her robes were permeated with the scent of the poppy seeds burned at exorcisms. She changed clothes repeatedly and even washed her hair, but the odor persisted. She was overcome with self-loathing. And what would others be thinking? It was a matter she could discuss with no one. She could only suffer in distraught silence.
The poppy scent is a great touch. Creeeepy... Genji goes to attend to Genji II at the palace, whereupon Aoi drops dead.
A letter was brought in, on dark blue-gray paper attached to a half-opened bud of chrysanthemum. In the best of taste, he thought. The hand was that of the Rokujo lady.
It's a sympathy note, which Genji thinks is not entirely sincere. (The use of colored paper and ornaments to add layers to the words of a note reminds me of the use of icons on LJ.) Genji sends her a note with the subtext, "I know you killed my wife." Rokujo again feels horrible but doesn't know what to do. I have to say, I feel sorry for Rokujo, who is in an impossible position. Even though it does look like she was probably the ghost who went BLEAAH, and so has now killed not one, but two of Genji's lovers. But not on purpose!
Too bad she loves Genji, and so displaces her feelings of anger toward him on to his lovers rather than directly haunting the skank himself. But I think this, and her portrait in general, is very psychologically plausible.
Everyone weeps over Aoi for several pages, then Genji, the skank, consoles himself by hitting on Murasaki. Murasaki freaks out, as this is the first time she's realized that Genji wants to have sex with her. Then there's a scene that I found very confusing in which he gives her sweets, and it's implied that he does have sex with her, or maybe even marries her. Did anyone understand what was going on there?