Character Interview 

Characters Rowan and Astrin from ‘Hostage’ are here today and agreed to a joint interview.  Greetings, Rowan and Astrin.  Thanks for stopping by.

• What or who is the greatest love of your life?

A: Rowan, of course. I have to say that, don’t I?

R: *Rowan swats his head affectionately* Please don’t feel constrained by me.

A: *Astrin laughs* Of course it’s you. It’s always been you. We’ve been through a lot, haven’t we? It was a great adventure, but I don’t think I’d have got through it without you.

R: *Rowan melts and hugs Astrin* You can get through anything, with or without me. You’re amazing.

*Astrin ducks his head and blushes*

• Okay, on to the next question.  What’s your favorite journey?

A: Oh, I don’t know. We’ve had a few. I can tell you which one wasn’t my favorite. Do you remember when we had to ride camels? *Astrin shudders* I don’t ever want to see a camel again, let alone ride it. I wasn’t too fond of the train either, but that was my fault.

As for my favorite…hmm. I think that was the one I took down the aisle of the cathedral. My whole world was waiting for me at the end.

• What is your most marked characteristic?

A: Oh. I don’t know. What do you think?

R: *Rowan shrugs” You know what I think.

A: *Astrin chuckles and rolls his eyes* Rowan things I’m stubborn. *He gives Rowan a sideways glance* Okay, Maybe I am a little stubborn. Okay, a lot stubborn.

• What is your greatest fear?

A: That I let down the people I love. I take my roles very seriously. One day, I will be king of House Raphael and when I am I will give myself to my country absolutely. Rowan knows well that my commitment to my people comes first, but I worry that one day my commitment to them will conflict with my commitment to him, and I fear terribly what would happen if it did.

R: *Rowan cuddles him* I know the score. If you weren’t such a good prince and a good person, I wouldn’t love you as much. I know I have to come second to your people, and I’m good with that.

A: Yeah, until the situation arises. So many people have found themselves unable to accept a reality they thought they had peace with.

R: Well, it won’t be me. I promise.

A: *Astrin gazes up at Rowan and gives him a sad smile* I pray you’re right, but I fear you’re wrong. We shall see.

• What is your greatest regret?

A: I have no regrets. If I had to live my life over there is little I would change. Perhaps I would have accepted my feelings for Rowan a little sooner. Perhaps I would have trusted our families a little more. Perhaps I would have been a lot more careful in the castle of Strebo Michael and not got myself into a situation that could easily have been my last.

• Which talent would you most like to have?

A: I’m happy with the talents I have. House Raphael has a long association with water and I have strong abilities with healing, manipulating water, and influencing emotions. They’ve always worked well for me. Although. *he glances at Rowan* I would love to have Rowan’s abilities to manipulate stone, so I could make him beautiful things like he makes me.

*Astrin reaches into his pocket and takes out a tiny stone head* Rowan made this the first night we spent together in the South. It was his first try and it doesn’t really look much like me but it’s kind of a memento. I’d love to have been able to make something like that for him.

R: *Rowan shrugs* I have plenty. Besides, without your healing talent I wouldn’t have been there to make the head in the first place. And I wouldn’t have survived the prison.

A: *Astrin shivers* We had an adventure, and looking back, a lot of it was fun, but we need to remember that it was deadly serious and we both almost didn’t come out of it alive.

*Rowan turns solemn and chews on his lip*

• What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

A: Being completely alone. That’s one of the things that made it so hard for me to cope when I was Rowan’s prisoner. I felt so alone. Usually, I’m never alone. Even if there is no one physically with me, they’re only a thought away. It’s not always a good thing, especially when my mother tries to start a conversation when I’m…er…busy, but I know there’s always someone there. When I was a prisoner I didn’t even have myself.

• What is the quality you most like in a man?

R: *Astrin glances at Rowan* Impulsiveness, and proclivity for temper tantrums

*Rowan cuffs him lightly and they both grin*

A: No, seriously, I like spontaneity. Many of the men I grew up with hold important positions and have to abide by rigid rules of conduct. Rowan was like a breath of fresh air. He doesn’t care about protocol and tradition. He just does things because they feel right, and he makes sure that sometimes I do things just because they feel right, too.

• What is the quality you most like in a woman?

A: Knowing when not to drop into someone’s head unannounced. Hear that, Mom? *Astrin grins* No, seriously, I’d say it was having a great sense of humour. Things are getting better but it’s still harder for a woman to get on, especially in House Gabriel. Melissa is doing a great job, as Queen and I know my mother is helping, and being helped, a great deal. Both of them are very level headed and sensible, but they have a wicked sense of humour, and that makes a huge difference, I think.

• What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

A: I’m weak. I would like to be stronger, like Rowan.

R: *Rowan’s eyes widen* Weak? Are you crazy? You’re the strongest person I know.

A: Yeah right. How many times did I almost die? How many times you have to save me?

R: About the same number of times as you saved me.

A: Yeah, but those were accidents.

R: And you…. *Rowan makes a huge effort and chews his lips* I not ‘going off on one’ as you keep saying. Let’s just say I totally disagree, and move on.

• What is the trait you most deplore in others?

A: Cruelty. Everyone hurts people sometimes, mostly without intending to. Even when you don’t care it’s not deliberate. But when someone hurts another living being just because they can, because they enjoy it or get some twisted kick out of I just don’t understand that.

*Rowan keeps chewing on his lip, his eyes firmly on the ground. Astrin squeezes his arm* I know you didn’t really mean to be cruel to me. You’re not a cruel person. You were blinded by your anger, and I’ve forgiven you a hundred times.

R: I don’t want your forgiveness. I don’t deserve it.

A: Okay…moving on. This is an argument I can’t win.

• What do you most value in your friends?

A: Honesty.

• Which living person do you most admire?

.A: My father. He’s had to fight hard for me, and he’s done it without thought for himself. He is the strongest, wisest and most admirable person I know. He’s a true king.

• What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

A: I don’t think any virtue can be overrated. I try to be the best person I can be, and I don’t consciously try to be virtuous, but I think that if you constantly strive to be the best version of yourself you can be, you’ll always be virtuous, without being sanctimonious.

*Astrin gives a wicked grin* Although Rowan’s working at loosening my virtue and I have a feeling he might try to steal it.

• On what occasions do you lie?

A: Never if I can help it. Sometimes I have to give slightly different versions of the truth, but I try very hard to be truthful whenever I can.

• If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?

A: Definitely not a camel. Um…something soft and cuddly I think. I like being cuddled.

R: I’m very glad about that, because I like cuddling you.

A: So what would you be?

R: A camel.

A: What? Why? Why would you be a camel?

R: *Rowan whistles and rolls his eyes” I thought I might be able to teach you to ride me properly.

A *Astrin coughs* Moving on.

• What is your motto?

.A: Never give up.

Runners Up Prize: 2 E-copies of Hostage.

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