I have been doing fluffcember but I have yet to yield anything that’s presentable, so enjoy this old and very un-fluffy thing instead!
"Don't speak to me."
She had barely opened her mouth, and he wasn't looking her way, but then they knew each other quite well by now.
At least so she'd thought. She had never seen him like this – curled up tightly on the bed, illuminated just by a thin strip of moonlight falling in between the curtains, and his voice thick with emotion like she'd never heard from him.
It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened. She had seen the head of the secret service – the same secret service his sister worked in – approach him for a word in private, and then afterwards come to her, alone, to let her know he had gone home.
She knew they had been very close, his almost-twin and he. It didn't surprise her even he couldn't contain his grief, carefully as he hid his feelings otherwise.
She respected his request for silence, and sat down next to him without a word, just softly placing a hand on his shoulder, hoping he would accept the gesture of compassion. He didn't push her away, and after a while, his fingers found hers.
"She's dead," he finally announced.
She didn't know how to respond – her pity was unwanted, her knowledge inappropriate – so she just squeezed his hand while she had it, trusting it would be enough to assure him of the frail bond between them.
Neither of them slept much that night, but finally, the sun rose for another day, and so did they. What else was there to do?
I got tagged by @sahados-shadow (on my main blog but I’ll answer here since it’s a writing thing :)) I’ll just... stick to the core characters from Usurper.
11 answers:
1. How well do your characters draw?
Not very! Benai’s and Anrhun’s interest in art is mainly passive. Elvja doesn’t have time between studying, working her side job, and running underground protests against monarchy. Rodaya can probably draw best of the lot but that isn’t saying much. Rhavan and art just don’t go together, though he probably would do okay with technical drawings.
2. Did (or do) they sleep with any comfort items (stuffed toy, blanket)?
Not that I know, I shall inquire in the future. Rhavan certainly not (he probably wouldn’t have been allowed one even if he’d liked it.) Rodaya, unlikely. The others maybe.
3. Have they ever gotten drunk?
Benai has gotten tipsy but not completely drunk. Elvja and Anrhun certainly have gotten drunk before, Rodaya probably at some point too. Rhavan never.
4. How useful are they with home improvement projects?
That’s an interesting question... probably they all
could
be useful, but they won’t, because Elvja has other things on her plate, Anrhun can’t be bothered, Rodaya will delegate it, Benai will be very enthusiastic but mostly watch, and Rhavan doesn’t give a fuck.
5. Do you have nicknames for your characters that aren’t included in the story?
I mean, I call their species “shrimpgoats,” if that counts? Recently I finally gave them a proper name (Meracanan), but they’ll always be shrimpgoats in my heart :D
6. If your characters had pets, what would they be?
Elvja has a “spirrel,” which is functionally a rat. The others have horses, of course, and Rhavan has a pair of hounds.
7. Your main characters go out to eat but only have the money for one appetizer for the table. What do they decide on?
Some simple fried crickets I guess. They’re from three different (albeit strongly connected, but globalization has not washed gastronomy into a uniform mass yet) cultures so simple is best.
8. Do your characters have any useless collections?
Benai likes to collect art, including street photography and designer clothes/accessoires. Elvja together with her nest sister Bintori has a haphazard collection of mugs. Rhavan collects sons The others, I don’t think so.
9. How many writing-related playlists do you have?
Nine. I haven’t made any in a while, either... I like music to set the mood, but when it comes to actual writing, I prefer silence.
10. Which character is most likely to crash on another character’s couch and who would let them do it?
Benai, and Elvja.
11. Which character would win an arm-wrestling contest with the others?
Rodaya or possibly Anrhun. Ten years before, Rhavan hands down.
11 new questions (feel free to do multiple characters as well):
1. Does your character have any recurring dreams?
2. What’s the most important thing to your character in a relationship?
3. How quick is your character to trust people?
4. Does your character write for fun at all? What do they write?
5. If your character were a pair of shoes, what kind of shoes would they be? (Sorry not sorry)
6. Does your character eat a lot of sweets? What kind?
7. What would your character’s ideal retirement like?
8. What’s your characters least favourite weapon?
9. How tidy is your character’s place?
10. Do they keep any plants? What for?
11. Do they play any instruments?
11 tags (you’re of course free to ignore, I don’t know a lot of people on here yet, so sorry if this is a bit out of the blue!):
Rhavan is my secret favourite character. He’s horrible and I love him. Yeah Seldwyn deserves better but she’s one of the few people who can handle it.
Rhavan: Oh, I love my grudges. I tend to them like little pets.
Rhavan: My default expression makes me look like I’m in a bad mood which is convenient considering it’s usually true.
Rhavan: Behold, the field in which I grow my fucks. Lay thine eyes upon it and thou shalt see that it is barren.
A person: I hope you know how pretty you are.
Rhavan, unaffected: I do.
Rhavan: Am I bitter? Yes. But do I try to move on and forget past anger? Well, actually no.
Rhavan: I don't like this.
Seldwyn, his wife: To be fair, you don't like much.
Rhavan: You’re an idiot.
Seldwyn: I’m your idiot. (points to wedding leaf) Forever!
Seldwyn: Just be yourself. Say something nice.
Rhavan: Which one? I can't do both!
Seldwyn: (hugs Rhavan)
Rhavan: What are you doing?
Seldwyn: Giving you love and affection.
Rhavan: I don’t need love and affection.
Seldwyn: (stops hugging Rhavan)
Rhavan: I didn’t say you could stop.
Rhavan: You love me? You love my personality?
Seldwyn: I know, I was surprised too.
Serhevan: Dad was hurt.
Rhavan: I wasn't hurt, I was lightly stabbed.
Seldwyn: You were stabbed?
Rhavan: Lightly stabbed.
Seldwyn: Real friends don't judge each other.
Rhavan: They judge other people.
Alya: Together.
Anrhun: Would you take a bullet for Lady Seldwyn?
Rhavan: If I have time to jump in front of her, she has time to move.
Anrhun, king: Can you answer some questions without the usual level of sarcasm?
Rhavan: If you ask the questions without the usual level of stupid.
Anrhun: Commander, what's up?
Rhavan, without blinking: The sky
Anrhun: …
Rhavan: Look, your highness. I want to apologize for everything I said. For what it's worth, I really like having you around.
Anrhun: No, you don't.
Rhavan: I know. I have dreams where I staple your fingers to your face.
Seldwyn: Why are you smiling?
Rhavan: Can't I just smile because I feel like it?
Alya: Anrhun slipped and fell down the stairs.
Anrhun: You remind me of the ocean.
Rhavan: Because I'm deep and mysterious?
Anrhun: Because you're salty and you scare people.
Endrhun, Anrhun’s father and predecessor: Must you always attack me with words?
Rhavan: You want me to use rocks?
Alya: That guy was going to buy you a drink!
Rhavan: I already have a drink. Do you think he'd buy me mozzarella sticks?
Rhevara: I'm having problems with a boy.
Rhavan: Like his dead body won't fit in your trunk problems or you like him problems?
Rhevara: I like him problems.
Rhavan: Too bad. I could have helped with the other type.
Masrin: Hello, Commander. Made anyone cry today?
Rhavan: Sadly, no. But it’s only 4:30.
Rhavan: Being attractive is so inconvenient. How am I supposed to do things if I'm constantly surrounded by fangirls and fanboys?
Masrin: Open your mouth. Your personality will drive them away.
Rhavan: You're really competing for asshole of the year, aren't you?
Rodaya: As defending champion, are you nervous?
Random fact: Garnai had such a reputation for poisoning people that even four generations later, any of her descendants offering anyone a drink is generally taken to mean “fuck off and die.” Much to the delight of Rhavan, who does it often.
for the writing ask game, 6, 15, and 16 please! :)
Thank you so much!
6. Are there any former titles you’ve considered but discarded? - Not yet haha. At least, as far as I remember, it’s been Usurper as long as I’ve put a name to it.
15. Describe each character’s daily outfit. - Benai always pretends to be really casual (even to herself) but she does put a lot of care in her outfits, and of course she has access to whatever clothes she wants (at least until things come crashing down) so she’s quite chic in a deliberately “undone” sort of way. Elvja actually is what Benai pretends to be (in more than one way, hah), she’ll just throw on whatever is on top in wardrobe, lots of loose jackets and shirts with prints, combined with simple grey or beige pants. Rhavan is in uniform whenever he can get away with it; he always pretends not to be vain (also even to himself) but he is well aware it makes him look best. Otherwise he’ll wear something simple but elegant, think black suit. Rodaya wears sporty/elegant stuff, she also dresses very deliberately. Anrhun is the flashiest dresser of the lot - if at all practical, he’ll wear the equivalent of a cocktail dress (wonky comparison because apparently men aren’t allowed to dress like that on Earth and that’s sad) on a daily basis, unless he’s required (and delighted to) dress up all the way for formal events. (That’s not every character of course but this’d get long haha)
16. Do any characters have distinctive birthmarks/scars?- Scars can actually be avoided with medical technology, but many Canmerans choose to keep battle/dueling scars to show off, so these are the only ones considered here. Rhavan would have a large assortment of scars but he doesn’t care to impress others that way, so he kept none of them. Benai doesn’t have any yet, she’s quite young. Elvja doesn’t have any of course, not being a warrior. Anrhun has a few, especially a distinctive one on his cheek from a duel for the throne (which comes back to bite him when he’s on the run, because it makes him easy to recognize even for aliens). Rodaya must have a few as well… I haven’t thought too much about hers. Not distinctive ones apparently lol.
