Character Interview: Amy
I sit in the common room of Black Wolf inn. This is the final interview and is with a special guest. The sound of soft footsteps precedes the little girl into the room. I smile as Amy takes a seat across from me, curiosity and reluctance warring in her eyes.
“Are you ready?” I ask.
Amy nods. “Aye. I remember the only rule: don’t give away spoilers. Just answer questions as best as I can.”
“Right. So, first off, how old are you?”
“Twelve, but I’ll turn thirteen this winter.”
“Winter is a long way off.”
“I know.”
“But you’re excited, aren’t you?”
“A little.” A small smile spreads over her. “Becoming a teenager is a big deal.”
“I suppose it is.” Why are children always in such a hurry to grow up? “But I bet your brother isn’t as excited.”
“Which one? I have four of them, though only three are living. Five, if you count Christian.”
“Of course, I count Christian. You’ve basically adopted him.”
Amy’s smile grows wider. “He reminds me of Jayson, our oldest brother.” Her grin vanishes. “He was killed because of his gift.”
“I’m sorry. Let’s just focus on happy things for now, all right?” Knowing how her parents abandoned Amy and her siblings, it’s best to avoid the past.
She nods. “So, which brother were you saying isn’t excited for me to grow up?”
“I meant Samuel, but I don’t think Christian is too excited either. To them, you’ll always be a little girl.”
Amy huffs. “I know. Samuel just tries to do what’s best for all of us, but sometimes he’s overprotective.”
“He’s the oldest, right?”
“Aye, now that Jayson is gone. Christian is older, but Samuel is still more or less in charge at home. He has taken care of us since he was fourteen, and he takes the responsibility very seriously. To be honest, sometimes he’s down right bossy.”
I laugh. “He has his reasons. He’s used to being in charge, and he’s just trying to keep you all safe.”
“I know. That’s why I don’t argue.”
“And as long as we’re being honest, you can be bossy yourself.”
“I know that, too.” Amy sighs. “I don’t try to be. It’s just… I’m the same as Samuel—used to taking care of everyone. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve looked after my three younger siblings while my older brothers were at work. I raised them, and even now that there are adults around, I still see them as my responsibility.” She sighs again. “It’s hard being both sister and mother.”
I give her a reassuring smile. “But you’re doing a good job. Look at how happy Elaina, Jaden, and Jonathan are.”
“Well… Elaina and Jaden are. But Jonathan’s always grumpy. He acts like it’s sheer torture to cooperate with me.”
“That’s his age. He’s ten… and he works.” Technically. What he really does is follow Samuel around and try to help, but most employers give him a little something for being there. “A lot of children at that age think they’re practically grown ups. He doesn’t want his older sister telling him what to do.”
“I’m just trying to take care of him.”
I raise a brow.
“And… that’s exactly what I said about Samuel.” She shakes her head. “I never realized I was so much like my brother.”
I chuckle and glance at my papers, trying to find another question and get the conversation back on track. “You’re a lot like Jayson, too, aren’t you?”
Amy gives a start. “What do you mean by that?”
“You’re hiding something, Amy. That much is obvious.”
“I… I’m…” She glances away. “I can’t say.”
“But you do confirm you’re hiding something?”
“Aye. That’s true. I have my secrets, and they’re secrets for a good reason. I don’t want the past to repeat itself, and,” she gives me a sly smile, “I can’t give spoilers.”
Caught by my own rule again. “All right. I guess there’s nothing more to discuss on this matter, then.”
“I guess not.”
“My next question is, why are you with the warriors?”
“When Christian left, my siblings and I followed him.” She shrugs. “Simple as that. Christian is like our brother, and families stay together. So here we are.”
“There’s no other reason?”
Amy gives me another grin. “Even if there is, I’m not allowed to say. Spoilers.”
I huff. “I think you enjoy using that rule against me.”
“Maybe.” She laughs.
“Anyway, speaking of the warriors, what is it like traveling with them?”
Amy’s eyes light up. “It’s so fun, even if it is exhausting. None of my siblings or I have ever traveled before. We’ve lived in Barbosa our entire lives. Getting to see the world is amazing… all right, so it’s not the whole world, but we’re traveling through Artasia. It’s so beautiful. And there’s freedom here! I’ve lived my whole life in tyrant-ruled Norgrom, where you have to guard your every step or you’ll wind up on the end of a sword. But Artasia… it’s so different. I know it’s not really a kingdom anymore, not since it fell two hundred years ago, but Artasia is still better than Norgrom.”
“I agree. But what about the other parts of traveling? You seem to enjoy the company.”
“I do. Ava is kind of like having an older sister. I’m learning a lot from her. And Shayne is nice; I think he likes children. Lucas too.”
“And what about Flynn?”
“He hasn’t been around much, so I can’t say. And when he is around, he scarcely talks.” Amy shrugs. “I don’t know. Ava trusts him, so he can’t be a bad person.”
A frown tugs at her. “But I don’t like how he’s always insulting Christian.”
“To be honest, I think that’s just Flynn’s way of making friends.”
“Really? By being mean?”
I nod. “He’s weird.”
“All men are weird,” she mumbles.
I laugh. “We probably confuse them quite a bit, too.”
An owl’s hoot comes from outside. The world beyond the window is dark.
“It’s getting late,” I say. “So I guess we’re finished.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it. See, there was nothing to be nervous about.”
Amy smiles. “I guess not.”
I accompany her back to the dining room. The others chat quietly, a companionable group despite their differences.
“Well,” I say. “We’re finished.”
Flynn perks up. “Does that mean I can go home?”
“No, that means you can get ready for the next adventure. The story isn’t over yet, remember?”
“Right. We’re… where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
“Now you sound like Lucas,” he mutters.
I hold in a laugh. Being secretive and a little mischievous is just part of being an author.
“Well,” I say, heading toward the door. “I’ll see you all in the next adventure. Try not to get killed.”
A chorus of, “What?” follows me out the door.
The character interviews are over, but the journey is only beginning. Thank you for coming along and reading about my characters’ odd lives. You can see more of them in the Rise of the Warriors series.
Who is your favorite character so far?
