Today, I set out to start describing the last member of my hero’s traveling group.
This character is from another kingdom and in many ways is a counterpoint to the heroine. She grew up in an aristocratic family, as well, but her personality split dramatically from my heroine. She represents all that is prissy and obnoxious about nobility in general. In that way, she can show what different decisions would have led to.
She is also from a different culture and kingdom that is antagonistic to the heroine’s, so she can point out differences in the culture and way of life between the two. I hope to put her in some ridiculous situations as the story goes on.
But I can’t have her be just an annoying hanger-on, she needs to have more of a role in the story. For a while there, I wasn’t sure whether I should keep her or not. I think she can add a lot of drama and fun to the relationships in my heroines’s group, though. Plus, she represents the greater geopolitical threat that keeps readers reminded that this is an epic fantasy, which it’s still in its early stages.
I decided to write her out to see as I went how essential she was to the story, but as I got going with her wound, background, and conflict, I could see that she will bring something not just to the book, but to the series in general. (That “Fake Ally” reference in the title is going to come more into play in later books, I think . . .)
I’m going to keep her and I look forward to learning more about her in the character interview later!