Character Spotlight | Interview with Prince Nácil (feat. Kerry Goodwill)

Even though the Blog Tour is over, I wanted to add one more bit of PN content on the ol’ blog.

During the planning and preparation stage for my Blog Tour, my mother expressed a wish to interview one of my Characters, by way of being involved. Initially she chose Victor/Nácil, but Kendra had another blogger assigned to him, so she interviewed Müriel instead.

I felt Mom’s original interview deserved to see the light of day, as it were, so I’ve given it its own special blog post. My hope is that reading Victor’s answers will give y’all a bit more insight into his character.

On to the interview!

[via Pinterest]
(Yes, I know it says "Fingon,"
but this was just about
perfect for Nácil)

~*~

1. What was it like to suddenly be thrust into the world of men and discover you no longer could read anyone's thoughts? I found it very different from Ýdära—and even from the last time I had been there. (My author hasn’t mentioned it in this book, but I was actually born in the World of Men and left sometime in my fourteenth year.) I’ll not distress you with the details of all I felt and observed … but suffice it to say, it was what you would call quite the culture-shock. And of course I was still reeling from the horrors of the Revolution, and mourning my family’s deaths, so having to deal with that grief in a strange place was a sore trial, to be sure.

As to Mind-reading, we Elves can read Mortals’ thoughts to some degree, and sense your emotions; however, it’s more difficult. Pray don’t take this amiss, but my people have often likened reading the Human mind to pushing through thick mud or miry clay, or a wall of beefsteak. It took me some time to learn the knack of it.

Remembering that Mortals can’t read my mind also took some getting used to. Eventually I realized I needn’t be so guarded in my thoughts … which led to my neglect of some of my mental powers … for which I now suffer severe headaches until I re-learn them.

2. What were the biggest adjustments you had to make concerning your life style as it was in your world compared to the world of men? First and foremost, I had to learn English by trial and error, for none in the World of Men even remembered the Common Tongue, let alone Elvish. I also had to disguise myself as a Son of Adam, to better integrate into your culture. On a slightly humorous note, I at first found male fashions of the time rather bulky, and it was several years ere I was truly comfortable having my hair so very short (we Elf-lords traditionally wear our hair anywhere between shoulder-length to mid-back, so cutting mine up above my ears at first felt as though I had no hair at all, by contrast).
   I had to be cautious about using my Gifts. By that time, most of Adam’s Race thought the Fae only make-believe, so anyone using magical powers would be suspicious, at best.
   

But perhaps the greatest adjustment I had to make was accepting the fact that the Children of Adam are—to be blunt—decidedly self-centered … and while many of them claimed to be God-fearing, they often lived their lives to please themselves, without regard to His Law, in my observation. A stark contrast to my people, who seek Elyon’s wisdom in everything, and live to serve our fellow-beings and make life beautiful … or at least a trifle easier.

3. How did you feel when Mrs. Whitaker took you in and you discovered there were people in the world of men who did care for others? I’m not sure mere language can properly express it. Joy. Gratitude. Overwhelming relief. Those are the words that come closest. After one-hundred years of being taken for granted at best, and muddling my way through life however I could … to find folk who treated me like a person, and were concerned for my well-being … well, as I said, words simply fail me. The day Mrs. Whitaker and her family took me in as one of their own was one of the happiest of my life at that point.

4. Could you tell us more about your faith and how it sustained you through the loss of family, home and even country? In all honesty, the first decade or so of my exile was a struggle, to put it mildly. For a time, the only thing preventing me from giving way to my grief, and fading away from the Land of the Living, was the thought that Iceheart would have victory over me then. I couldn’t abide that. As time passed, I was able once again to look to Elyon for comfort, and strength to endure each day. From a child I have always believed He never does or allows anything without a purpose … but I must confess, I could see no purpose for such horrors as I endured. I still can’t. But of course that’s what faith is all about—trusting in Elyon’s wisdom, and clinging to Him, even when we don’t understand His will.

5. Were you excited or horrified when you discovered there were still portals from the world of men to your world? I knew the ancient Portals still existed; I simply didn’t know where they all were. I was frankly shocked to discover one so close to my friends’ home. In a way, it was both exciting and frightening. Exciting, because it represented a chance to return to my homeland, which I missed sorely, in spite of everything that had happened. Frightening, because I knew once I set foot in Ýdära again, I was as good as dead.

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Well, that’s a fine note to end the interview on. :-P

VictorNácil:
To be sure, it is rather what you would call a downer, but it’s the truth.

Thankfully your story ends on rather a happier note, wot?

*Lopsided faraway smile* Indeed.
Stay—wouldn’t that be considered a—what do you call it?—a “spoiler”?

Aw, anyone who knows me knows I only deal in happy endings.
And I didn’t say how your Happy Ending came about, did I? ;-)

And just so this post ends on a happy note, may I ask your Majesty to relate your thoughts and feelings about your Happy Ending?

Without giving away too much … it still astounds me that things worked out the way they did. That it pleased Elyon to give me back my life, that I might serve Him and the people He has put under me, as did my father. *Lopsided grin* And the fact that I needn’t do it alone … well, it’s simply too wonderful for words.
I do realize life won’t be a bed of roses henceforth—in fact, I can foresee one or two “thorny patches” looming on the horizon. However, it doesn’t frighten or discourage me as much as one might think. I have my loving queen by my side, and Elyon above all to guide us. I’m determined, by His aid, to face whatever the future holds for us.

(Hang onto that faith, Victor; you’re going to need it. *Evil Anka cackle*)

Until next time, Gentle Readers,
God bless,

~ℛ~