#keilusa la orr

[yudrein-aile]

I need some kishiyu exes AU mostly because I want a scene of like. Kishiar seeing his brother’s calendar and going “why is my ex boyfriend’s name there” and turns out Keilusa never stopped treating Yuder as the brother-in-law he wanted. They go for brunch every Sunday. Yuder has a standing invitation to holidays, he just spends them with Enon instead.

[mintjeru]

for bet­ter or for worse, for rich­er or for poor­er, in sick­ness and in health

✨ turning fanweek ✨

day 5 marriage | making out as a distraction | priest yuder

open for better quality | no reposts

[turning-dans-le-vide]

Chapter 899

The young hero of the empire suffers too much because of you. As the Emperor, as your brother, I can't help but feel ashamed and sorry. Don't embarrass me further, and from now on, just report back via letter. I hope this item will be of help to you and the Baron.

Keilusa sending Kishiar this strongly worded note is sending me

[loosingmoreletters]

“Did the child live?�� Yudrein asked, his gaze fixed on Keilusa while his face was blank.

He did not resemble the panicked man collapsing in Keilusa’s study just hours earlier, once again embodying the perfect picture of the Cavalry commander his brother had left behind as though a parting gift that could make up for his absence. If the priest were here, he would throw a fit over Yudrein sitting up already.

“Is this why you wanted to retire?” Keilusa asked instead of answering Yudrein’s question.

Kishiar la Orr dies first. Keilusa is left to pick up the pieces.

[helyft]

[corvidaes-crow]

Thoughts again

Yes this is me modifying personal experience for fic. Again. What's new. Chronic pain sucks, but sometimes the people who have it worse live under the same roof as you. You love them all the same.

When the villains have one redeeming quality and that's loving their kid. But it's Keilusa grappling with loving his mother vs loving his brother.

Might be going a bit too deep here but: childhood, in my opinion, should be spent dreaming about the future. Whether it be mental or physical illness that traps you thinking in the short-term, by god when you grow up and realise you've lived longer than you thought you would, it absolutely sucks to then also realise that everyone else spent their childhoods dreaming and planning and preparing, and you've only just begun.

The comradery of standing side by side, watching death approach, not knowing when it will reach you but that there is someone at least waiting for the same thing as you.

The helplessness of wishing they weren't.

[parlerenfleurs]

If... If Emperor Keilusa is still sterile even if/when they manage to repair his vessel, and there are no suitable successors among the corrupt Duke families... And since Omegas can bear children and the endgame seems to be to reestablish the La Orr family line...

Does... Does that mean Yuder is going to have to bear the heir himself??

[yudrein-aile]

One (1) last thought before I go to sleep: it is critical that Keilusa becomes a girl dad. why?

I don’t think we’re getting a kishiyu baby in canon (which tbh I’m actually in favor of - narratively I just don’t see them have a kid) so there’s only gonna be one la Orr kid

It would balance out well with how at least two of the next ducal generation are girls

Man would be so over the moon to see his wife and daughter in matching outfits

There’s enough men in the family already

[yudrein-aile]

Woah just reached the ch where its revealed Keilusa was planning to appoint Kishi as crown prince.... bro.... the usurp and win Civil War before it begins vibes r off the charts

Reading 536 was such a god damn treat for me personally. Like

As he waited for the coughing to subside, Yuder contemplated Emperor Keilusa's true intentions. According to the Empress, the Emperor wants Kishiar to become the Crown Prince. However, if something were to suddenly go wrong—due to hasty action fueled by newfound hope—and the Emperor died prematurely or encountered any issue, then all his plans would be in vain. The same would apply if something happened to Kishiar. 'Considering that, it's not surprising if he finds it more comforting to prepare for a future he can somewhat control and anticipate.'

I’m not sure Katchian can became a threat as he is – too immature, with too many powerful players on the keyboard, but it would be interesting if Keilusa does die now, wouldn’t? All his plans put into motion, only to die—

You can tell how much I’ve been craving a civil war AU for this fandom lol. I suppose I have one fic heading there but that’s a different conversation

That aside, I have been wondering for how long Keilusa has been planning for this and when he informed Faria of his plan. Like, having the child they wanted to become their successor murdered is already horrible, but I don’t think Katchian was terrible from the start. He was fucking fourteen. Fourteen-year-olds are not irredeemable. Was Diarca’s influence to great already? Did Keilusa also think that Katchian was only going to be Diarca’s puppet and that’s why he couldn’t tolerate him?

Or was it simply a question of trusting his brother more?

I tend to put Kishiar’s Awakening as my terminus post quem for Keilusa putting decision into action. While Kishiar's entire condition is obviously not fixed by Awakening, it has stabilized enough that he’s not dying in the next five years, that he’s most certainly going to outlive Keilusa – and outlive him he did! Even in the first timeline, dying bc of the Red Stone injury, he lived approximately a year longer than Keilusa.

But yeah Keilusa wants Kishiar as his heir so badly.

Like in 60 we got

'Kishiar. So, is your vessel still fine?' 'Thanks to your concern, brother, it's perfectly fine.' When they were alone, Kishiar called the emperor 'brother'. Although this was against etiquette, when they were alone, the emperor called him by his real name, not his title, so it was all the same. 'What a pity. If the late empress saw you alive and breathing healthily without any outburst, she would undoubtedly have been so upset that she would have risen from her grave. It's quite regrettable that I can't show her that her most important decision was so wrong.

And in 110 the info that

Originally, the position of the Crown Prince was set to be Kishiar La Orr's. However, about 20 years ago, due to the strong influence of the then Empress, Inella La Orr, at the imperial family meeting, Keilusa La Orr was appointed as the Crown Prince. It is said that the late Emperor and Empress Inella had a major dispute over this issue for several years, and their relationship was not good.

Like, tbh I think that – unlike Kishiar, who I don’t see as ever really considering the throne as a position for himself – Keilusa was very much aware that their father wanted Kishiar to be Crown Prince (or at least, be given more time to pick which one of his sons would inherit the crown) and continues to consider the position Kishiar’s. Not just because Keilusa genuinely has no other heir he approves of, but because he trusts his brother with it. Keilusa is the pettiest bitch being so self-satisfied that his grandmother’s schemes led to nothing, that Kishiar is still well and thriving.

Uh, excuse the off track ramble.

TLDR: god yeah civil war would be fun, don’t think Katchian could pull it off anymore tho.

[yudrein-aile]

Keilusa giving Kishiar a hero welcome from the return to the west... reminded of that meta you wrote about him settings things up so that Kishi can be next emperor instead of Katchian...

I am vibrating out of my skin. Yes!!! Keilusa is SO setting Kishiar up for it. Like I’m still waiting for that one meta on Inella to properly jot down my thoughts but

Kishiar received the same education as Keilusa for at least the first decade of his life

It is commonly known that the Emperor dotes on his little brother

Kishiar went “I want to start a new military organization” and Keilusa was like “okay” and didn’t even fucking ask why and just have him supreme authority over all Awakeners (!!!) in the empire

Every time the Cavalry/Kishiar does something great Keilusa is like “we must celebrate this even tho I am dying”

Keilusa giving last names to everyone in the Cavalry who didn’t have them and bestowing the title of “Sir” on the Red Stone Retrieval gang

And a couple more things that would be spoilers for you so I’m not gonna put them under spoilers at the bottom!

But like yeah. Damn. Keilusa is really out here using every resource to make it clear to everyone that his baby brother is the most perfect candidate actually and they should endorse that. But yeah that’s actually also why I love Keilusa so much. Beyond the fact that I think his interactions with Yuder are also hilarious, my guy just really loves his family

The way they deal with the whole divine sword announcement

The point where Faria straight up says “yeah Keilusa has been trying to make him crown prince”

Chapter Thousand motherfucking thirty. Giving him a title of the first emperor. Formally re establishing his right to inherit. Granting him a residence in the capital,,,, Keilusa was SO smug and happy in that moment

[yudrein-aile]

Various Turning HC I probably have canon justification for but cannot be bothered to look into with chapter citations now

Kishiar was a fairly short kid and then grew up rapidly

Kishiar and Nathan moved to Peletta at 17 and 15 respectively

Assuming the half-sibling thing is still canon, Keilusa’s mother was of the Diarca family, Kishiar’s mother from a rather unimportant smaller noble family, but this is the woman the former Emperor actually loved

If Keilusa had been allowed to choose, he’d not be emperor

Kishiar has been building Nathan’s retirement fund since he became his companion

Yuder’s grandfather knew he was dying and ensures his grandson was as independent as possible before that

Revlin is going to be the next Apeto Duke

[yudrein-aile]

Meta: Emperors and Usurpers (1/?) - The Reign of Emperor Katchian la Orr

It is only fitting that in a story about an Empire whose imperial lineage has withstood a millennia, it comes to a disastrous end once a new Emperor not from that lineage takes the throne. In my opinion, the reason Turning is such an appealing novel, is in part the author’s narrative style. Kuyu is a master in mentioning small matters and bringing them to immense plot relevance much later, but never in a way that the reader feels overwhelmed or could not imagine this turn. It makes re reading this novel a genuine joy because you start to pick up narrative parallels and foreshadowing.

This writing style extends to the politics present in the novel as well, which leads me to my main point and topic of this meta post: Keilusa la Orr, even in the first time line, was preparing to leave Kishiar with all the tools necessary to seize the throne himself in case Katchian turned out to be a tyrant.

Or short, Keilusa wanted his brother to do a regicide.

To put this into context, we first have to look at why Keilusa might be preparing in such a way and for that, we have to go to a time much beyond Keilusa and Kishiar: Yuder’s execution.

At the time of Yuder’s execution, the Orr Empire was already deeply destabilized.

“You are a criminal who forgot your duties and responsibilities as the commander of the cavalry, and dared to conspire with an absurd claim that you acted for the sake of the world. You trespassed into the forbidden sanctuary, attempting to steal the World Sphere. Do you acknowledge your involvement in the assassination of Duke of Peletta nine years ago, the destruction of the Pearl Tower seven years ago, the Red Field Rebellion five years ago, and countless other incidents that cannot be enumerated? When the truth was revealed, you shamelessly attempted to flee by joining forces with other countries.” (Chapter 1)

The accusations leveled against Yuder are quite heavy, especially considering he really only did two of them. He did kill Kishiar, even if that was on Katchian’s orders as he feared Kishiar organizing a rebellion (Chapter 166), and Yuder  attempted to steal the World Sphere, which we know is practically useless.

The point, however, are the other things Yuder is accused of, such as the destruction of Pearl Tower, the Red Field Rebellion, and collaboration with other countries. We’ll take those one by one.

Yuder had nothing to do with the destruction of Pearl Tower, even if he did think it was a “good riddance” (Chapter 34). Pearl Tower, however, was still the leading institution on magic on the continent (Chapter 26). Its destruction had to be a tremendous loss for the Orr Empire.

Similarly, the Red Field Rebellion appears to have been one of the biggest players attempting to kill Katchian during his reign (Chapter 630). At this point, the people were rallying against “the Emperor’s tyranny” (Chapter 630). Never mind that at the same time, the duchies were pressured by Katchian, so that they also didn’t particularly like him either. It has to be noted here that Yuder, once again, was the one stopping Marin’s first assassination attempt and it took knights sent by Katchian, the imperial army, and the Cavalry to take her down (630).

But why were the people rebelling against Katchian? To answer this question, we have to examine how Katchian (didn’t) care for the Empire and its people.

Yuder himself notes that Katchian was “the type who insisted on personally verifying everything. If put positively, he was cautious; negatively, overly suspicious. As he grew older, he began to doubt everything more and more, and in the end, he didn't even dare to deal closely with his overly powerful subordinates.” (107)

Katchian, ironically much like Yuder, decides to deal with everything himself. He doesn’t delegate, not because he necessarily considers himself to be the best at everything, which is Yuder’s issue, but because he doesn’t trust his subordinates. As the ruler of an Empire, Katchian’s unwillingness to rely on others, however, means that he makes decisions incredibly slowly and solutions are found similarly slowly. Acting on your own might result in quick solutions, yet the Emperor might assume you seek to betray him as you didn’t ask for permission.

Additionally, the Emperor is not shy in getting rid of anyone opposing him. After the poisoning event, Yuder recalls that speaking ill in front of the Emperor during the first disaster resulted in those people “secretly [being] killed by drinking the second poison that induced a burning throat.” (151) Katchian wanted such things to be handled in his absence, and the one to handle all kinds of assassination, more often than not, was Yuder. This went as far as Yuder calling himself “a tool of punishment when the Emperor suspected someone of treason.” (166)

It becomes evident that Katchian’s style of ruling appears focused on holding a few powerful people on a tight leash. He sends Yuder to kill Kishiar, forcing him to “Show me your worth, the reason I should keep the Cavalry around” (1031). Katchian relies on blackmail, on endlessly having people prove their loyalty to him, while at the same time using their actions to put “the final nail in the coffin” (815) if he desired to get rid of them.

Katchian’s entourage was filled with “many individuals who veiled their crooked ambitions as loyalty, intending to shake their own lords, and even the whole country. […] These types of individuals were loyal when their superiors followed the paths they desired. However, the moment things took a different turn, they would change their direction, claiming it was all for your sake, ready to tear your throat out.” (243) Thus it was no surprise that Katchian kept Yuder, as his most useful attack dog, on a short leash, and that Katchian, who “despised any potential threats, […] showed mercy to those who kept a low profile and collaborated.” (340)

Yuder continued to prove over and over again that he was loyal to the Emperor, yet Katchian did very little personally to repay Yuder for that. We know that Katchian did nothing to help elevate Yuder’s status in a meaningful way. Yuder was known as a “lowly commoner and an omega, treated as neither a proper man nor a woman” (999) and he was surrounded of rumors making him out to be a monster who would “cruelly use his power to kill people whenever he got angry”. (999)

At the same time, Katchian bequeathed Yuder with “with countless lands and treasures” (173), for which Yuder did not care. To outsiders, Katchian was honoring Yuder’s service in a way Yuder could not even complain about, while actually giving him very little of use. A perfect example of this is the black thornwood staff Yuder receives from Katchian.

“In fact, the item was of no use to an Awakener. Unlike mages, the Awakeners did not utilize magic power. Though it might have some use if already processed into a magic tool, in its pure magic stone form, it was merely a useless ornament. The black thornwood that held it was also not the commonly used white birch or the noble applewood favored by the Founding Emperor, but rather a wood that was prone to decay and weakness, and thus not often used in fine craftsmanship. Emperor Katchian must have known that the magic stone staff would not be of much use to Yuder. But if the Emperor had bestowed it as a symbol of the Commander of the Cavalry, such a point could not be dwelt upon.” (389)

Katchian also continuously “praised Yuder's abilities as the Empire's most valuable jewel in the presence of foreign envoys” (473), which rings hollow as Katchian praising himself for having such a useful servant.

When Yuder speaks up about the correlation between the disasters and the cracks, he is not believed by Katchian either, despite, essentially, providing at least a hint for the disasters striking the West and South, providing a starting point for researching counter measures.

It has to be noted that the other people also did not believe Yuder (Chapter 1), but the main point here, however, is that Katchian, despite Yuder’s loyalty, did not trust him.

To return to the topic of Katchian’s rule, it was to be noted that he enjoyed the lavish lifestyle of an Emperor.

“Seeing the simple yet elegant dishes made with seasonal ingredients, Yuder was reminded of the imperial cuisine he had experienced under Emperor Katchian. The food he had seen then had been uniformly large, flashy, and seasoned lavishly with expensive spices. Despite the increasing scarcity of ingredients due to ongoing climatic anomalies and disasters, Emperor Katchian had never cut corners. His extravagant imperial cuisine had quickly become symbolic of both him and the then Orr Empire.” (Chapter 471)

The people of the Orr Empire are suffering from “earthquakes, droughts, and all kinds of disasters […] and countless people dying” (301), but the Emperor throws lavish banquets and enjoys all the delicacies. It is easy to see why there were so many attempts to kill him. Yuder notes that even during banquets, where he might have been invited to as a guest, Yuder was most familiar with “the corner of the shade below the platform, where he could perfectly protect Emperor Katchian from any assassins that might suddenly barge in.” (999)

Even at the start of Katchian’s reign, years before the disasters happen, the situation is troubled. “All kinds of crimes, including human trafficking, raged out of control as illegal fighting arenas became popular among the dissolute nobles” (269). The one to deal with these issues is Yuder, though it is noted that Katchian gained “considerable fame” (269), although the novel does not elaborate whether that is because Katchian seized the assets of the nobles or because this actually helped the people. Considering what we see of his rule long-term, I would bet on the former.

Now the final question is, why did Katchian turn out this way?

If we look at Katchian’s origins, we’re faced with a child, who grew up, maybe not even in his biological father’s care, as a bastard forced to hide his identity, living not with his family’s riches, but in poverty (Chapter 630-632).

This only changes when the Diarca suddenly need a crown prince candidate. They want to establish themselves as the next imperial lineage. After succeeding to do so in the first timeline, they showed a “subtle sense of superiority […] [which] stirred considerable resentment” (148), but that doesn’t mean they actually wanted a competent emperor. For the longest time, people assumed that “Duke Diarca was the real Emperor” (166).

They want someone easily controlled and thus, most likely, also do not see the point in educating him properly. During the harvest festival, Yuder notes that “the person causing trouble around the Cavalry was Duke Diarca, even if it seemed outwardly to be the Crown Prince.” (121) While Katchian is Crown Prince, the Diarca hide many of their schemes behind his power, waiting for their chance to act. Duke Diarca at one point notes that he has more soldiers, that all the judges are paid off, he has firmly established their family as the most powerful in the Empire (Chapter 1019).

Naturally, Katchian is not content with simply being Diarca’s puppet emperor. Yuder recalls that in the “in his previous life, [Katchian] had never contradicted Diarca or acted alone until he became Emperor” (152), which implies that he was bidding his time.

While Katchian is Emperor, he is characterized as someone who cared about maintaining his position and is described as “sensitive to external recognition” (166). Yuder also notes that Katchian did pay “considerable attention to state affairs, and skillfully pacified and collaborated with the nobles. However, he was relentless if he ever suspected someone of coveting his position.” (166)

Considering all this, it paints the picture of an Emperor deeply concerned with the matters of the imperial court, while leaving little time and awareness for the Empire at large, thus resulting in the continued suffering of its citizens.

It is, however, no surprise that Katchian is so concerned with himself. Even as a prince, he was “compared to a splendid flower since his childhood for his exceptional beauty.” (121) His facial features are the only reason he ever became crown prince in the first place. They are, in a way, his only legitimacy as the crown prince selection was rigged and Keilusa’s original choice for an heir died (Chapter 169).

Duke Diarca also seeks to reaffirm this believe in Katchian as we see in this scene:

“Do you know who gave me this mirror?” “It was... I heard it was His Highness, Duke Diarca.” “Yes.” Katchian’s lips curled into a derisive smile, reflecting in the mirror. “He sent me this, telling me to reflect on my status every day.” (204)

It is thus also not surprising that Katchian “erased all traces of the entire imperial family” (347) so that not even a portrait of them could be found. It is not just that he perceived Kishiar as a threat, it gives Katchian more room to establish his own legitimacy.

Katchian early on develops a sever inferiority complex over his looks. We see this most severely in the aftermath of the assassination attempt.

“Though Katchian, the crown prince, had fully recovered from the physical wounds of the assassin's attack, his mental state had not improved at all. Every day, he lashed out and broke objects, as if his previously wicked laughter had been but an illusion. The primary cause of his madness was the unbearable scar on his face.” (303)

Katchian threatens his servants of several occasions, escalating even as far as injuring and killing them. To deal with his own mental state, he further takes drugs capable of functioning as pain killers for their “mood-enhancing effects” (205).

Of course we cannot talk about Katchian’s mental state without mentioning the Sage. The Sage’s doctrine that “the superior should punish and make [the weak] repent” (493) must have deeply appealed to Katchian. Yuder notes that “Katchian’s trust in the man had been deep at the time” (493) and that if Yuder had not connected him to the Star of Nagran, Katchian would’ve executed him. So in part, Katchian’s deteriorating mental state cannot be blamed just on himself, but also on the Sage, who manipulated him. The aftereffects of this severely impacted his relationship to Yuder as well, as he grew mistrustful of Yuder too (Chapter 136).

And now, the final nail in the coffin of Katchian’s rule: his foreign policy. While Katchian did not react appropriately to the disasters, he did try to help the West recover and initiate changes in the Empire. He poured “effort into commercial policies” (345) and began “trading with other countries much more actively for a while” (345). It is noted that this stands in direct opposition to Keilusa’s rule. It should also be pointed out here that Katchian participated in illegal trade, gaining the magic stone of the Cavalry Commander’s staff through such means (389).

Katchian’s foreign policy was protested against, but failed to achieve genuine results against his will. ‘Positively’, we have to say that Katchian at the very least did not let xenophobia stop him from trying to exploit foreign countries. Still, he feared that “envoys from other countries, including the South, might extract information about the Cavalry or the Awakener management system” (391) and thus remained wary of them and did not allow them to interact with Yuder. Had he allowed for a closer collaboration, he might have realized which Southern traders might be out to scam citizens of the empire.

However, the project failed as Katchian’s policy “didn’t bring about effective results without sufficient disaster recovery” (345). Naturally, the result was Yuder being sent out for assassinations once again.

It is, however, understandable while Katchian might try to trade with other countries, especially considering the growing influence of Nelarn. Katchian “was wary of Nelarn swallowing him up” (173), even if that never happened until Yuder died. To understand why Katchian was so scared of Nelarn, we have to take a brief look at King Ejian. Yuder describes that Ejain, upon meeting him for the first time “seemed less like a human named Ejain and more like 'the King of Nelarn' itself” (247). Few rulers managed to lead their nation well “amidst the tumultuous times.” (173)

Ejain, opposed to Katchian, fought his battle to even get the throne, his legitimacy was not an issue. He was well-admired as a king, “never committed any tyranny” (247), and even stabilized the Western countries (Chapter 277). As an Awakener too, Ejain personally was incredibly powerful. Under his rule, Nelarn grew into a power comparable to the Empire, willing to risk war with the Orr Empire (301).

Ejain going as far as sneaking somebody into the prison to break out a man convicted of high treason is nothing short than risking hostile retaliation, which means that Ejain was not only confident that Nelarn could withstand it, but also that Yuder would be worth it.

Thus Katchian’s Empire was falling apart while the neighboring country was thriving.

So where does that leave us? With a picture of a rather incompetent Emperor, who leads the Orr Empire down the path of ruin. While Katchian could have done nothing to foresee the disasters, he could have reacted more appropriately. His habit of executing everyone speaking out against him also did not help. Considering that he showed the tendencies that would later characterize his rule already early, it is no surprise that Keilusa, upon realizing his brother is healthy, started planning to give Kishiar the capability to keep Katchian in check or, if more drastic measures were required, get rid of him altogether.

[loosingmoreletters]

“Commander,” Ever greeted him, speaking for the Cavalry as a whole. “We’re glad to see you returned.”

If Yudrein Aile was surprised, he didn’t show it. His face was not as pale as it was the day he left for the palace and it shamed Ever how much selfish relief she felt as seeing his improved condition. The man in front of her didn’t look healthy yet, but his stay under the care of the imperial palace’s medical team had done wonders for Yudrein. Guilt bit at Ever’s heels.

Ever Beck considers a question.

[yudrein-aile]

plan for emperor and usurpers meta

this essay continues to keep getting out of hand because turns out you can't just write a breakdown of how much Keilusa loves and trusts Kishiar and expect it to be a normal length

points to be addressed:

why was Keilusa made crown prince instead of Kishiar

how did Keilusa empower the Cavalry

how effective was the Cavalry actually, aka enter stage left: ✨Cavalry Commander Yudrein Aile, his highs and lows✨

the divine right to rule aka deep dive into the religion of the Orr Empire

finally: Kishiar's competencies and answering the question whether he even would make a good Emperor

which. is more than 6k of meta but we're going to pretend I'm not going to write another three university length essay about the topic. If anyone has any relevant quotes concerning this topic, I'd appreciate them being sent my way!

[yudrein-aile]

ask and ye shall receive

TLDR: Keilusa calls Katchian an incompetent brat for 800 words (and tells Kishiar to do a treason)

I am so tempted to post a director’s cut version of my political testament fic just to show how many insults Keilusa is actually throwing at Katchian

[yudrein-aile]

Sorry for the beyond rambly turning posting today but I’m procrastinating on everything in my life right now.

anyway.

Need a 5+1 fic of Yuder doing things in Kishiar’s name that he’s not actually officially been permitted. One of them needs to be blatantly signing off of paperwork in Kishiar’s name right in front of Keilusa. And the plus one something like. after they’re married and he’s very well within rights to do something as Kishiar’s spouse but the person who came to talk to him is so annoying that Yuder just prettily refuses