ITL 137

[blondiechic0]

I'm not done with the chapter yet, but please pleaseplease don't let it be Hitari...

[LilacMajesty]

Seems to me that Ritek was awfully quick to point the finger.  He has access, just as much as Hitari does and who would ever suspect him?

[JaeFire]

Seems to me that Ritek was awfully quick to point the finger.  He has access, just as much as Hitari does and who would ever suspect him?

I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to say that Ritek would be a ridiculous suspect.  He's a Parike.  They're not just one of the wealthiest families in Orikodisata... but the entire country of Orina Anoris.  He doesn't need the money.  As a Parike, his family would never let him live even slightly badly even if they hated him--his shame would be their shame, his bad appearance their bad appearance.  It behooves them to make him look as successful and wealthy as possible.

Ritek has the reputation of a seducer, a notorious rogue, a philanderer... but not a thief. 

- Jae

[anaskee]

This chapter is wreaking havoc on my emotions.  It brought me so high and then so low. 

“Your side of the line?” Talin demanded.  In direct contradiction to what Anosanim had just said, he literally pushed Anosanim, shoving him.  “You never even stayed on your side of the womb!  We don’t have sides!  We share everything!”

I was jumping up and down, so happy that Talin and Anosanim have kissed and make up.  I love the entire shouting match, with some physical assault thrown in! 

It has been a really great breakthrough for Anosukinom and Xio Voe.  I keep despairing because I know that Xio Voe won't put anything else above Jacacea.  But now I know differently. Inch by slow inch, he's giving in:

“I will forever be Jacacean.”  As Xio Voe spoke, Kudorin reminded himself of the progress they’d made, braced himself for this hurt, and thought of how the truth of slow growth was preferable to lies of love.  “My nationality will never change.  But I can comprehend a future where, in addition to Seijaces, in addition to the Eternal Empire, I one day think of you as my home.”

I'm with Anosanim.  I refuse to believe that Hitari has anything to do with it.  He might have some knowledge of what's going on but he's not directly involved.  I know Ritek doesn't think highly of Hitari so I'm not surprised that he'll say that about him.  That does not make me like Ritek any better.   
Do you remember what Selorin said about Hitari?  About Hitari lying?

“Sometime last week, I heard them talking.  Hitari and Talin, and Anosanim.  They were discussing something as simple as fashion, and Hitari’s work, and he was lying.  There were slick half-truths and casual omissions and outright lies threaded through the entire conversation.  A conversation about fashion.  I wonder if he even knows, or cares, that he’s doing it.  Lying may be second nature to him, it may be such a habit that he can’t stop.  I don’t trust him.”

This is not going to be easy for Hitari, or Talin.  Darn.

[Rhia]

Seems to me that Ritek was awfully quick to point the finger.  He has access, just as much as Hitari does and who would ever suspect him?

I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to say that Ritek would be a ridiculous suspect.  He's a Parike.  They're not just one of the wealthiest families in Orikodisata... but the entire country of Orina Anoris.  He doesn't need the money.  As a Parike, his family would never let him live even slightly badly even if they hated him--his shame would be their shame, his bad appearance their bad appearance.  It behooves them to make him look as successful and wealthy as possible.

Ritek has the reputation of a seducer, a notorious rogue, a philanderer... but not a thief. 

- Jae

I'm about halfway through the chapter, maybe a little more, and... I don't know whether to be excited or worried. I was theorizing about this a few chapters ago, and I am seriously geekishly anticipating finding out whether or not Hitari is the culprit and, if he is, what the circumstances are and what'll happen as a result.

I suppose it could be Ritek, but it doesn't seem very likely. What would his motivation be?

[JaeFire]

Nice of Anosanim to conveniently forget his own worries from not that long ago:

Ch.124:
    But there were questions.

    No, there was one question.  And here, at night, alone, to the sound of the carriage wheels and the horses’ hooves, Anosanim couldn’t escape it.

    Money.

    Why was money no longer a problem for Hitari?

    He hadn’t had enough money to feed himself when he’d come back into Talin’s life.  That horrible, bare apartment. But now he was paying off his father’s debts and supporting his sister’s family and buying nice things. He had an explanation for everything - - this had been a gift, that had been on sale, this had been a deal, that had been included in his pay.  And it was true that he was working more than ever, always in demand.  And his pay from the Royal House of Art alone, Anosanim knew, was generous.

    All of Anosanim’s concerns were so easily explained away, how could he express them to Talin?  How, when he knew that Talin’s happiness, Talin’s heart, lived in Hitari?  How, when Talin knew Hitari’s situation even better than he did and either had the same questions or, being better informed, knew the answers to them?  How, when hurting Talin was the last thing in the world that Anosanim could ever, ever do?

And Hamaki Samora?

Ch. 127.3 

    “Did she seem to be doing well, financially?”

    “No, not at first. She dressed…” Kikarin paused, searching for words. “Like someone of wealth who’d fallen on hard times, like someone with shabby nice things. She was almost fashionable, almost well-dressed, but the details were off.”

    Remin nodded. He’d been told that she’d had to sell her jewelry.

    “I wanted to tell her that she could have some well-made but inexpensive clothes if she’d just make them herself, but Talin told me that she doesn’t know how to sew. Which didn’t make any sense to me, I thought that everyone knew how to sew, but she and Hitari missed a lot of school, you know, with their father…” Kikarin’s voice trailed off and she waved that away, taking a sip of wine. “The last time I saw her, though, she looked great. Very well-done, very up-to-date. She was stopping by the Royal House of Art to see Hitari before going to get her hair styled for a party, and she told me about the new dress she’d bought. Something from Hunosetu, actually, and she suggested that Hitari had arranged a deal for her, but even then, you know how expensive Hunosetu is these days.”

- Jae

[anaskee]

JaeFire, you have such good memory.  How could you remember where all these quotes are from? 

I don't even want to imagine what it would do to Talin and Hitari's relationship if it turns out that Hitari is guilty.    But no, I don't think it's true.  Hitari loves Talin.  I can't imagine he would do something like this, knowing how bad this would reflect on Talin.  He offered that red coin purse to Ilanosa to shed himself of his father's taint.  So I don't want to believe that he would be following his father's footsteps.  Plus, this:

Kudorin sighed, admiring Ritek’s horses, letting the wind blow lightly through a handsome mane.  Ritek meant well.  Hitari agreed with Ritek, but was too tense, too defensive, closed up at the idea of other people interfering.  And now Hitari was headed upstairs, to see Talin, to act as if nothing had happened, as if nothing had come up.

            It was a marked improvement.  In other days, Hitari would’ve set out to ruin Ritek, to have him ejected from the inner circle.  But now, Hitari wanted to be a good person, wanted to do what it took to keep Talin.  He wouldn’t risk that for something as meaningless as a disagreement with Ritek.

            He’d grown.  He’d changed.

From JaeFire's quotes, I think Hitari's sister might have something to do with this crime.

[LilacMajesty]

Do we know for sure that the Parikes still  have money?  Maybe they're just putting on a show to keep up appearances.  And some people do things just because they can.  Or maybe I'm throwing rotten eggs at Ritek because I haven't liked him since he got into that argument with Hitari a few chapters back.

[Dena]

Whee for Talin and Anosanim making up!  That was adorable, and sweet. 

Ritek was quick to point the finger, but that may rise out of personal distaste, given his conversation with Hitari in the past.  Anosanim says that Hitari wasn't a criminal - but wasn't there mention of some point of him taking things from the brothers, and giving them to his other lovers?  Isn't that why he had to be searched before he left Talin's rooms at first?

Kudorin and Heir Voe were very sweet this chapters, but I think what interested me most was that we saw little snuggly snapshots of cuteness for every established couple - Kudorin and Voe, Bade and Orinakin, Ritek and Anosanim - save for Hitari and Talin.  Talin was always shown alone, which to me just drew him up as more separate than the others, save when he was with Anosanim.  I'm not sure if that's supposed to be telling, or just a nice narrative underline to the conflict to come.  We also didn't see Rini and T'rin of course - but as Rini doesn't yet consider them a couple really, I don't think their absence had the same connotation. 

Lovely chapter.  Even if it's not Hitari, it's going to make for an awful lot of controversy.  I'll admit that I'm still not really feeling Ritek - but that may be because I'm way protective of Anosanim.  lol

[Susanne]

Seems to me that Ritek was awfully quick to point the finger.  He has access, just as much as Hitari does and who would ever suspect him?

Ritek has the reputation of a seducer, a notorious rogue, a philanderer... but not a thief. 

- Jae




I agree with both of you, Ritek did point the finger at Hitari awfully quickly but I don't think Ritek is a thief either.
There's so many "what ifs" and "maybes".. Like what if Hitari is making extra money doing something that he thinks    would be upset about so thats why he lied when  over heard him?? Maybe Ritek is paying someone to set Hitari up and make it look like he did it?? There's tention between the two  we seen that a couple of chapters back. I still for some reason don't trust Ritek  .  I hope it isn't Hitari I think he really has been trying to be a better person and to change. Lets just get them all in a room with  then we will find out who's lying 

I feel bad for  to because if it is Hitari or Ritek he is the one that's going to have to tell one of his brothers 

[Susanne]

From JaeFire's quotes, I think Hitari's sister might have something to do with this crime.


Didn't we read that she was not the nicest person?  Would she take her own brother down to save her own butt? 

Good possibility..

[LilacMajesty]

Good point, Sue.  And something else you pointed out to me but haven't mentioned her.  WHy would Hitari purposely face Selorin if he as the thief.

[Bren]

If Ritek was devious enough to set up Hitari (either because something Hitari's father did to Ritek's family, or because some personal animosity caused by something that happened between Ritek and Hitari in the past), wouldn't he also be devious enough to understand that under no circumstances should it be he who mentions Hitari's possible guilt to Anosanim? It was a sure-fire way to get Anosanim very upset with him, and Ritek must have realized this. If he really was setting up Hitari, I think he rather would not have said one bad word about Hitari to Anosanim, and would have waited for others to do his dirty work for him.

So maybe he really honestly thinks Hitari may be guilty.

Or he's playing some sort of complicated "long con" I don't understand..

But I really really don't want it to be Hitari! I like him now, and Talin would be completely devastated. And would Hitari take such a risk, now that things have been going so well with Talin?

Hitari's sister would be an excellent guilty party, but does she have enough access to the designers to be able to do this? Would she be allowed to wander around their work spaces and see the designs?

[JaeFire]

If Ritek was devious enough to set up Hitari (either because something Hitari's father did to Ritek's family, or because some personal animosity caused by something that happened between Ritek and Hitari in the past), wouldn't he also be devious enough to understand that under no circumstances should it be he who mentions Hitari's possible guilt to Anosanim? It was a sure-fire way to get Anosanim very upset with him, and Ritek must have realized this. If he really was setting up Hitari, I think he rather would not have said one bad word about Hitari to Anosanim, and would have waited for others to do his dirty work for him.

Beautifully said. 

I agree, if his motive was to "get Hitari out of the way" or what-have-you (get Hitari out of Anosanim's affections?  that seems a little silly when Ritek is already Anosanim's boyfriend and everything's been going so well between the two of them), then to be the one to point out Hitari's potential culpability would be a stupid thing to do.  And as we saw, it did turn Anosanim against him, to the point where Anosanim told him to leave the police station in anger. 

If he really had set Hitari up, I agree that he would have done a much better job at it.  Maybe by playing the "shoulder to cry on" to comfort Anosanim if others came out to point fingers at Hitari, to act as the always-supportive boyfriend in order to stay in Anosanim's good graces.  If he set up Hitari to get himself in better with Anosanim, then he just shot himself in the foot. 


- Jae

P.S. Welcome to the board!  I loved your analysis!

[LilacMajesty]

Personally, I think we're missing the back story of Hitari and Ritek.  It could be that Ritek just hates Hitari so much that he's taking advantage of the situation to try and get rid of him.  From what  has been musing about, I'd say Hitari is going to be OK, but I don't think there's much of a future for Ritek and  . 

[JaeFire]

Personally, I think we're missing the back story of Hitari and Ritek.  It could be that Ritek just hates Hitari so much that he's taking advantage of the situation to try and get rid of him.  From what  has been musing about, I'd say Hitari is going to be OK, but I don't think there's much of a future for Ritek and  . 

I'm not discounting the theory of a Hitari and Ritek backstory, but you know, I've never really gotten the sense that Ritek had anything personal against Hitari (their argument about Anosanim and Talin fighting notwithstanding, because that was really about the twins and the right to interfere with their relationship or not; it wasn't about Ritek and Hitari, really).  (And yes, I recall Ritek getting jealous at Satatunin, but I don't think that's enough of a reason for Ritek to want to be rid of Hitari.  Anosanim obviously chose him to be his boyfriend, and we've never seen Ritek get jealous because Anosanim spent time with Hitari over him, because...well, that's never happened.)

For instance, Ch.112.9
            “Well, I simply had to come out and see Lo Erisokato’s collection.  And I’m happy to support Lo Samora in all of his endeavors.  Of course you know Hitari?”

            “I’ve long admired his work.  Many artists owe much of their success to his talent.”  A flash of a charming smile.  “Lo Kerasiput tires of hearing me credit Upon the Dawn to Hitari’s posing.”

            Oh!  Delighted to speak with someone who knew of Hitari’s early work, Anosanim was eager for more.  “So few people know of Hitari’s involvement in Upon the Dawn.  Yes, I agree, he made all the difference.  And Arike at the Fountain was a real triumph.”

            “For Arike, maybe,” Ritek said with a smile, “but I’m not as sure about the fountain.”

- Jae

[LilacMajesty]

Well, without Selorin around - Ritek is free to lie.

[anaskee]

Is Ritek unpopular here or what? 

[LilacMajesty]

Very much so.  Little bugger.

[Susanne]

Well, without Selorin around - Ritek is free to lie.

And did you notice that Ritek said the one thing that he knew that would upset    and then was asked to leave before they were planning on going to the police station?    Almost like thats what he wanted to do get out of possibly going to the police station and what a better way to do it asked to leave by    what a perfect way to do it without looking guilty....   just my thoughts