HI sorry I'm dumb (as "blame it on my ADD" plays on endless repeat in my head) and didn't... actually mention that I was thinking especially of Alexstrasza. Because obviously people will just know what I was thinking by magic, right?
orz
Anyway.
I don't really know Xander enough to gauge on a character level... but I'm fairly sure Alric is pretty much only romantically and sexually attracted to women. That obviously doesn't in itself preclude awkward arrangements, which can be fun to thread, but since the Kaithenian political motivations for an arranged marriage would be to ensure heirs and to appease the resentment of an unfortunately fairly bigoted nobility. I'm not sure how to make that work from the Kaithenian side, although I'm always open to ideas and brainstorming!
Even if there isn't a great way to go a shippy/arranged route, though, if you're really much more up for playing Xander, something on the friendship side of shipping could work. I'm pondering the historical practice of peace being brokered on the collateral of a royal hostage (I feel like there's another more specific term but it's not in my brain at the moment) who's treated mainly as a guest more than a prisoner. It's not how Alric's father would want to operate, but if it's in line with Nohr tradition and his advisors insisted, I can see him reluctantly giving it a try; or he could have been brought to Kaitheny years before at the end of the previous, much nastier dynasty, if you wanted to put more of a childhood friends twist instead.
LMK your thoughts, and again, apologies for spacing out and not actually, you know, saying what I was thinking...
no subject
orz
Anyway.
I don't really know Xander enough to gauge on a character level... but I'm fairly sure Alric is pretty much only romantically and sexually attracted to women. That obviously doesn't in itself preclude awkward arrangements, which can be fun to thread, but since the Kaithenian political motivations for an arranged marriage would be to ensure heirs and to appease the resentment of an unfortunately fairly bigoted nobility. I'm not sure how to make that work from the Kaithenian side, although I'm always open to ideas and brainstorming!
Even if there isn't a great way to go a shippy/arranged route, though, if you're really much more up for playing Xander, something on the friendship side of shipping could work. I'm pondering the historical practice of peace being brokered on the collateral of a royal hostage (I feel like there's another more specific term but it's not in my brain at the moment) who's treated mainly as a guest more than a prisoner. It's not how Alric's father would want to operate, but if it's in line with Nohr tradition and his advisors insisted, I can see him reluctantly giving it a try; or he could have been brought to Kaitheny years before at the end of the previous, much nastier dynasty, if you wanted to put more of a childhood friends twist instead.
LMK your thoughts, and again, apologies for spacing out and not actually, you know, saying what I was thinking...