Character Interview: Maddie
I tap my papers into a neat stack, glancing at the questions listed. The silence of the library and the scent of ancient books filling the floor-to-ceiling shelves is calming. That may be an advantage later. Characters aren’t always happy to be interviewed, as I remember from talking with the Warriors in Dailain. Thankfully, there is something about King Lyren’s private library that makes people behave.
Time to get started.
I step into the hall and trek the short distance to a small sitting room. Seven people wait there.
Three humans—Maddie, Jay, and Alexis.
Three elves—Prince Aven, Princess Eryna, and King Lyren.
And Pynn, a dwelf.
Most are having friendly conversations, all but Alexis and Aven. Alexis sits perfectly still, obviously uncomfortable with being in an elven world.
Aven sits by himself, scowling and looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. He’d probably prefer to be on the battlefield than forced to sit in a room with humans. Hopefully, he would hold on to what little patience he had until the interviews were over.
“Okay,” I say, gaining their attention. “Let’s start the interviews. I’ll call you all in one at a time. Remember to not give away any spoilers. Maddie, you’re first.”
A human in her early twenties follows me back to the library. She sits in one of the tall chairs in front of the desk while I take my seat behind it. Maddie glances at the countless books surrounding us.
“Unfortunately, most are in Elvish,” I say.
She slumps a little. “I was afraid of that. Maybe one day I’ll be able to read them?” She gives me a hopeful look.
“Maybe.” I smile. “Shall we get started?”
Maddie nods and sits up straighter.
“First, why don’t you just introduce yourself?”
“Oh. Okay. I’m Madeline Farmer, but everyone calls me Maddie. I’m a Christian and a writer. And…” She chuckles nervously. “I have no clue what to say.”
“Don’t worry. Just answer some questions.” I glance at my papers. “You’ve found a portal to another world?”
“Yes!” Maddie leans forward in her seat. “It’s amazing. There are elves, griffins… And it’s so beautiful here. I’ve only seen a small part of Exterrah—that’s what this world is called—but I hope to see more someday. I can’t imagine what all is out there.”
“Not everything is good.”
“No. There are shifters.” She shudders. “They’re terrifying. They can take on any shape and are masters of mimicking others. I hear they can even impersonate people. You could be talking to a shifter and not even know it until it’s too late. That’s what makes those monsters so horrible. They could be anywhere, waiting to attack.”
“Yeah. Not a pretty picture. But let’s not focus on them. Tell me why you love Exterrah. Is there a reason beyond the excitement and beauty of it all?”
Maddie nods. “It’s a place of escape.”
“Escape from what?”
“Life.” She shrugs. “My stepsister is a narcissist and makes my life miserable. She’s bullied me for years, and won’t stop even though we’re adults now. Alexis takes every opportunity to insult me. I don’t know why she hates me so much. But then again, narcissists don’t really need a reason to be mean. But she also tries to make me go along with her lifestyle. She wants me to party and be a flirt like she is, but it isn’t going to happen. Because I refuse, she accuses me of being judgemental.”
Maddie sighs. “I pray for her, but I know it has to be her choice. I’m better at being patient now, but sometimes Alexis really pushes my buttons. Coming to Exterrah is a way to escape her... and the demands of college and work.”
She smiles. “It’s also a writer’s goldmine.”
“You’re a writer?”
“Yes. I write fantasy. And Exterrah is like a book come to life. I’ve gotten so many ideas just from being here. I’m learning a lot.”
“Like what?”
“Eryna is teaching me archery. And Pynn says I can learn the sword later.”
Eryna is Aven’s younger sister. Pynn, a dwelf, is their lifelong friend.
“So you’re making friends here.”
“Yeah. Everyone is so nice. It’s surprising. I wouldn’t have imagined the elves would be so kind to a human stranger, but they’ve welcomed me as a visitor. King Lyren even gave me a room in the royal wing that would normally be a guest room for visiting nobles.”
“So, there isn’t a downside at all?” I give her a knowing look.
“Well, yes. You know. There’s Aven.” Maddie frowns. “He’s…”
“Difficult?”
“To say the least. He’s rude and often insults me. Thankfully, he seems to avoid me whenever possible, but he makes his opinions clear when he is around. I get it; he hates humans. He doesn’t have to take every opportunity to remind me.”
“Pynn says Aven has his reasons.”
“But I don’t know what those reasons are.”
“I can’t say exactly why Aven hates humans, but it’s a painful tale. He and his family have been through a lot.”
“I’m trying to be patient with him.” She sighs again. “Will he ever come around?”
I smile. “You’ll see.”
She gives me an odd look. “You’re planning something, aren’t you?”
“Maybe.” I tap my papers. “Let’s move on. Have you told your family about Exterrah?”
Maddie’s eyes grow wide. “No! I could never do that. They would think I’ve gone insane. Besides, Exterrah is only safe if people don’t know it exists. Can you imagine what people would do if they found the elven world? They would probably invade and try to take over. Or make it into a tourist attraction. Or try to capture the elves and other creatures to study them like some kind of sick science experiment.” She shook her head. “No. No one can know about Exterrah.”
“Not even your parents?”
“No. They wouldn’t believe me unless I proved it to them. I promised to keep Exterrah a secret, and that’s what I intend to do.” She pauses for a moment before adding, “And just so we’re clear, I have a dad. But Susan, his wife, is not my mom.”
“Your dad is remarried, I know. What happened to your mom?”
Maddie glances away and takes a deep breath. “She’s dead. Lung cancer. She fought hard but died when I was fourteen. She was brave, always finding the strength to smile. I didn’t understand it then, but now I know her courage came from her faith. She’d gotten saved a few years before she fell ill. After she died, Dad and I started going to her church. We got saved, and now I have the hope that I’ll see her again in heaven.” She takes another steadying breath. “But it’s hard. We were close, and I miss her so much.”
I nod. “I’m sorry. It’s always hard to lose a loved one. But you have friends you can turn to.”
Maddie nods. “Queen Jessinia died when Aven and Eryna were young. The whole family misses her. I can see the sadness in King Lyren’s eyes when he talks about her. The odd thing is, no one will tell me what happened to her.”
“Let’s just say, it has to do with why Aven hates humans.”
Maddie tilts her head. I can practically see the gears turning. “Okay…”
“Well, I think that’s everything. I’ll walk you back to the sitting room.” I adjust my papers one more time, and the name of the next person to be interviewed stares up at me. “And wish me luck, because Aven is next.”
“Then I wish you all the luck in the world. You’ll need it.” She pauses for a moment. “And maybe a guard. That man is crazy.”
I can’t tell if she’s joking. “Don’t worry, Aven won’t be any trouble.”
Maybe.
Check back Tuesday for Aven’s interview. The ill-mannered elf prince should prove an interesting person to talk to. If there is anything you want to know about him, drop a comment below.
