Character Interview: Shayne
I sit in a plush chair in the common room of the Black Wolf Inn, going over my questions for the next interview. The inn sits quiet around me. All the others are gathered in the dining room, no doubt enjoying the ample amounts of food Grandpa has prepared.
The sound of footsteps draws my attention. Shayne steps into the room, offers me a warm smile and settles into the chair across from me. “So, Ava says it’s my turn.”
“That’s right.” I tap my papers into a neat stack. “So, you remember how this works, right?”
“You’ll ask questions, and I’ll answer without giving away spoilers.” He nods. “I remember.”
“Good. So, first question… Some readers want to know, why did you leave Dailain, abandoning Ava’s family when they needed you?”
Shayne’s smile disappears. “I… had my reasons.”
“Which are?”
He glances away, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.
“You aren’t going to answer, are you?”
“No. But,” he rushes to add, “in my defense, I can’t answer without a spoiler. So I’m safe.” He gives me a suspicious look. “I suppose.”
I try to hold back a grin. Shayne is definitely not safe.
“Moving on,” I say. “You have the gift of sight, which makes you able to see for miles in the distance. You could have become a number of things—a professional hunter, a guard, a spy. Why did you choose to be a healer?”
“I’ve always wanted to help people. I knew from a young age that the Creator gave me my gift for a reason and I wanted to use it for good. When my brother, Kieran, fell out of a tree and both cut and broke his arm when we were fourteen, I had no clue what to do to help. I had to leave him alone while I found Dailain’s healer, who, at the time, was Grandpa. He brought Kieran home, and I watched Grandpa tend to him. Not that I’m happy that my brother broke his arm and needed stitches, but the process of healing fascinated me. Since my gift of sight makes me able to see close up as well as far off, it made sense that the gift would help with delicate work, like stitches and picking cloth shreds from wounds. I started training under Grandpa and eventually founded my own practice after moving to Tiverton. Healing seemed to be the best way to help others with my gift.”
“But were you ever truly fulfilled as a healer?”
He frowns. “Well, no. I’ve always known there was something bigger I was supposed to do. But when the Creator called me to be a warrior…” He shakes his head. “It’s more than I imagined.”
“Understandable. Prophecy says the warriors will free a kingdom in desperate need. You’ll be helping a lot of people, more than your healing practice ever did.”
Shayne smiles, but it quickly fades. “I hope so. I can’t imagine living under tyranny, spending every day afraid for your life.” He shudders. “People can be cruel.”
“You sound like you know from experience,” I remark.
He gives me an odd look. “You know I do.”
“Yeah, sorry about that.” No, I’m not. Shayne’s past is dark, but necessary.
“At least I don’t have to worry about you asking me about it,” Shayne says. “My past has too many spoilers, so you can’t ask.”
“Oh really? What about this question: Who is this brother you mentioned?”
Shayne groans. “You had to ask?”
“Yep.” I grin. “So, tell us.”
“Kieran is my identical twin. He’s older by fifteen minutes, and never let me forget it. He… has always been hard to take. Kieran can be kind, but usually wants something in return. And he was never shy to lie when it got him his way. He was also bossy. When we were children, Kieran made me go along with whatever he wanted to do, and made me regret it if I didn’t. Don’t get me wrong. I love my brother, and there were times we got along, but the older we got, the more manipulative he became. He made people think he was kind and upright, but it was just a ploy to get what he wanted. Everything had to be his way.”
“Sounds like a narcissist,” I say.
Shayne blinks. “A what?”
“Never mind. So, it sounds like you had a bit of a rough childhood.”
“In a way, at least where Kieran is concerned. But it had its good points. Our parents loved us with all they were. Pa was a hard worker. Ma was a saint on earth. They taught us all they knew and gave us all they could.”
“So you were close?”
“Aye, though I did disrespect them a few times.” A saddened look settles over him. “I just wish I’d spent more time with them while I could. I guess it’s a common thing… when you’re growing up, you’re too excited by life to realize that your parents won’t always be there.”
“I’m sorry.” I clear my throat. “How long have your parents been gone?”
“Five years. But it feels like a lifetime.”
“So, you were only eighteen when they passed?”
He nodded. “It was rough.”
“I can imagine.” I pause, trying to find the right words for this next question. “How did you… manage?”
“The best we could, really. I turned to the Creator for comfort and strength, and he helped me survive. The first year was the hardest.” Shayne’s eyes grow distant, no doubt visiting memories. “But Kieran was different. While I turned to the Creator, Kieran seemed to pull away. He was never a saint, but he did believe. When our parents died… something changed in him. He still claimed to be a believer, but he acted even less like a child of the King. I think he blamed the Creator for what happened.”
“It’s sad, but a lot of people do.”
“Even though it’s not his fault.” Shayne nods. “I’ve seen a lot of that while practicing healing. The Creator hates loss of life even more than we do, but people always blame him. I just wish Kieran hadn’t been one of them.” Sadness fills his expression more than before. He really does love his brother; knowing what Kieran became must be heartbreaking.
“So,” I say after a moment, steering towards a lighter subject, “enough of the past. Let’s talk about the future.”
“The future?”
I nod. “What do you want yours to look like?”
Shayne’s expression goes blank. “I… don’t know. I haven’t thought much about it, not since leaving Dailain two years ago. I guess…” He falls quiet again, his face set in deep thought. “I want a home.”
“A home?”
“A real home. If I’m honest, that’s all I’ve ever wanted. To have a family, and to do good and honor the Creator with my life.” He shrugs. “Some may call it simple, but that’s exactly what it is—a simple life. I can’t think of anything I’d enjoy more than a happy family of my own.”
I smile. “That’s sweet.”
Shayne ducks his head and looks away, red tinting his ears. I hold back a laugh. So bashful.
“Can I let you in on a secret?” I ask.
He glances back at me. “What?”
“You might just have that happily ever after.”
Shayne smiles. “Really?”
I nod. “And in other news, which you’ll probably also think is good, I’m out of questions. You can head back to the dining room.”
Shayne slips from the room as I shuffle through my papers. I set one aside and am met with one filled with questions for Flynn. Well, the next interview should be… interesting.
Flynn will join us next Friday… if I can force him to cooperate. Do you have any questions for the grumpy lad? Be sure to drop them in the comments!
