Notes about Where Shines the Sun Aslant

[badass_tiger]

Some things about the universe/characters that didn't come up in the story/I wasn't able to include.

- Hilbert was originally going to be, if not a cruel tyrant, at least a callous one with somewhat extreme pragmatism, who forces Solange to marry him entirely for the original reason he stated (so that the people of Fleuyan wouldn't revolt against him). There was also the possibility of him forcing her to produce an heir for him or something of the sort, but he falls in love with her quite quickly either way. I thought that this was more gritty and realistic than some gentleman warrior (he was also supposed to have killed most of the castle's inhabitants instead of simply letting them leave), but Hilbert outright refused to hurt Solange or anyone else, so I gave up.

- I let Hilbert become whoever he wants and I'd like to make this clear: Hilbert 👏 is👏a👏himbo👏.

- It's hard to tell because he's still a good leader, but honestly? I really want to write a story (like an AU or something) where it's obvious but I don't really know how to make it obvious. I really liked writing the story about Ragnhild confessing about her relationship with Gwendolyn to him and Solange because Hilbert literally spends the entire story just listening to the girls talk and whenever they're not talking he's just thinking 'gosh my wife is pretty' and even when they're all like 'You're such a good husband/brother' instead of actually replying he just smiles and looks at them this is why Solange had literally zero idea whether or not Hilbert actually liked her HE'S SO STUPID

- He's fair, direct, and straightforward, and when he was very young, he established his own rules for himself and his understanding of the world, and he's just stuck to them for the next 40 years which means he doesn't think that deeply about anything else. He's a well-meaning idiot.

- Hilbert and Ragnhild's horses are sisters. Hilbert bought them from a village chief who had a very fine horse which sired the two.

- Some things about Adalhard: he is as tall as Hilbert but very different in build from him or almost anyone else in their clan, as he is much more slender and almost looks more like someone from Fleuyan. His family was actually one of the wealthy ones in Rasfura, but he became friends with Hilbert through training, and was converted to Hilbert's cause. Although he is a skilled and courageous warrior, he isn't very good with physical labour and refrains from engaging in any of that 'yelling and bashing into each other' stuff that gives a man all those big thick muscles. 

- His brother died a few months before Hilbert & co came to Fleuyan, and Adalhard still has some bitterness over it. He hates that his brother simply succumbed to illness instead of dying for glory in battle and thinks it a terrible waste. He tries to avoid mentioning his brother as much as possible.

- In another timeline where a rival clan ambushes Fleuyan in order to take revenge on Hilbert, Adalhard dies protecting Solange. Solange initially blames herself for it, but Hilbert refuses to be mournful and says that there is no greater honour than dying for the queen, and Adalhard's death is exactly how he would have wanted to go. Unfortunately for Solange, he doesn't die in this timeline.

- Hilbert's not fat (for now), he's just big.

- When Solange gifts her brooch to Hilbert and he wears it to his next meeting/hunting party/etc. everyone teases him mercilessly. He doesn't react to them at all, as he feels pretty secure in his love for Solange, but after the teasing, Adalhard sincerely congratulates him, which he very much appreciates.

- At one point, it nettles Adalhard so much to see Hilbert so desperately in love with a woman who hates him that he considers confronting Solange about it. However, he feels it wrong to intervene in a personal matter which doesn’t concern him, so he refrains during the story. Maybe in the future if Hilbert is greatly stressed by an argument with his wife, Adalhard feels moved to ask Solange if she doesn't pity him and she's just like 'Do you think I stop loving my husband whenever I'm angry with him??' and Adalhard is like '......oh sorry'

- The reason that Hilbert is embarrassed by Brigitta's arrival is that although he never felt shame over sleeping with women before, Solange's much more <s>prudish</s> conservative ways made him ashamed to think of it, so he was hoping to find a way to brush Brigitta off and conceal his past relationship with her.

- What happened when Brigitta went out with Hilbert into the village: Hilbert has developed a great pride for Fleuyan, not only for the inhabitants of the castle, but also the villagers, as many of the people from Rasfura opted to live in there with the villagers of Fleuyan. Because of that, when Brigitta said that she wanted to see Hilbert's domain, he was flattered and eager to show off his domain. While they were riding, however, Brigitta started on her proposition, saying things like 'I never thought you'd be so cruel as to force a woman to lie with you' and 'How can you treat me so coldly after everything I have done for you?' She tries to convince him that taking her as his mistress would be doing his poor oppressed wife a favour, but her words cut Hilbert deeply. The implication that Solange hates him (a notion he has come to fear out of his love for her) hurts him, and he turns back. Despite that, he feels guilty about rejecting Brigitta too, feeling a sneaking suspicion that she may be right (as he has always felt when he is with her and she persuades him that he should be grateful for her attentions).

- Yeah Brigitta's just kind of awful. She does genuinely love Hilbert and has no idea that she's being cruel to him but she is just manipulative and inconsiderate of Hilbert's feelings.

- After the story, Hilbert meets with Brigitta and offers his apologies but ultimately lets it be known that he doesn't intend to continue his relationship with her. He also says sorry for not realising that she loved him, and that he likely would have married her if he had known. Brigitta resigns herself to surrendering him - admittedly not with too much regret. She always had a rather poor opinion of Hilbert anyway so she may as well find someone who she thinks is better.

- Hilbert and Solange eventually have a son (just the one) who takes after his mother's slender figure, although he does develop a healthy set of muscles as his father teaches him to fight, and her delicate features, making him more beautiful than handsome. He has dark hair, grey eyes and, at 16, a fine and closely-trimmed beard (he rejects the notion of growing a magnificent beard like his father's). He is a brave and upstanding youth, yet very attached to his mother, to the point of positively competing with his father for her attention. His name is Armand and he comes to be known as Armand the Noble.