Marriage

Still haven't made decisions on ch4 (I'm so bad), but I've decided to save the little encounter between Van and Hitomi for a later ch. It just doesn't make sense for Van to ask those questions so soon (not that question :P), and I'm impatient to start the real story arc beyond the romance set-up. I'm now doing research for the second part of ch5, and wondering if I've put myself in over my head with Melidoul's exam and diagnosis.

But today I was thinking about the first part of ch5 again, and I realized it's time I answer why Van is still unmarried (beyond the fact that I'd totally hate him forever if he didn't marry Hitomi). Some rambling as I try to reach my response:

I've set the "coming of age" for Fanelia at 15, since that's when Folken and Van did the rite of dragonslaying for their coronation, and also the age that pre-Meiji Japan considered the transition to adulthood. But Goau didn't marry until 30. I can't decide if his marriage was horribly irregular beyond Varie's race.

I've also made up some Fanelian laws based on my idea of an agricultural and militaristic society, extrapolated from my knowledge of old Chinese and Japanese culture, to make a highly patriarchal society with stratified status. A woman's life is dictated by men her whole life--her father when she is young, her husband after marriage, and her sons after her husband dies. Not really to that extent, but enough emphasis on the male order that women play typical roles of wife and mother, and accept men's decision should theirs conflict. This culture is necessary to highlight how unusual Van is, and probably sounds horrible for ff readers, but really, it's fairly typical in an old-fashioned family in Taiwan and Japan even now.

And why hasn't Van married yet? It couldn't be his duty--his duty dictates marriage. If he hadn't a chance to meet a suitable wife, he must have options. He could be like Europe, and send emissionaries to other countries. Or be like China, and send agents to comb Fanelia to bring the most beautiful and talented girls back to pick among them.

Beyond marriage, there's also an ugly question: as long as there is undisputed rule that would keep the country together, who cares if the heir is a bastard?

Of course, Van is really a romantic at heart. He must know he has those options, but decide not to take them. But why shouldn't he? They were young, and their relationship really hasn't progressed beyond the initial "I now understand I like you" phase. The word "love" is even too strong to describe their past relationship (damn you, translators, "tsuki desu" != "aishiteru"). That was the whole point of how I chose how V+H met again. It'd be totally unrealistic to have them fall into each other's arms.

Maybe the easiest way is the most possible way--he just doesn't think about it, until he meets the girl, and then it happens.