#oc: ahren ellara

[mysticstarlightduck]

Get to Know my OC Tag!

I was tagged by @doublegoblin for this! Thank you so much (:

I've done this, a long time ago, for Raelen - from my WIP, The Last Wrath. This time, I'll do this tag for Ahren Ellara - from my WIP, Tales of Wilted Flowers.

Ahren is Faellyn's stern but caring, cousin and adoptive brother (when their House - and their entire family legacy - fell they became the only family each other had to rely on, it had some effects on Ahren's psyche, making him incredibly paranoid)

(You see a tall, lanky young man with long, unruly silvery blond hair, walking towards you. His head is held high, proud, though he fidgets anxiously with his hands as he sits down in front of you. Posture immaculate, though the nervous fidgeting doesn't quite stop, he looks at you, wary and haughty at the same time.)

Are you named after anyone? 

No, I do not think so. Though my father was rather sentimental, I don't think I was named after anyone - at least, not after anyone whom I know or whose name is on our family records. If I was named after anyone else though, there's just no way I could know - and currently, it's too late to ask, wouldn't you say?

When was the last time you cried? 

Why do you ask?! (He blurts out, a bit louder than he'd intended, before sighing, though his eyes narrow, suspiciously) Oh for the love of Gods, fine...When those awful dreams started, a couple of weeks ago. I think - it's all rather blurry, really. (Leans forward, suddenly dangerously serious, showing a hidden dagger) No one else knows, and I am not above making sure it stays this way.

Do you use sarcasm? 

The answer is yes, I think so. I usually don't do it extremely on purpose, it mostly comes out naturally - especially when I'm dealing with annoying company or unexpected situations. Some people think my remarks are quite funny, but I still don't know why.

Do you have kids? 

If you count Faellyn... kinda? I mean, of course, I'm not her father, I'm her cousin, obviously, I'm not that much older than her - but I think I did raise her? I don't know if it really counts, as I was a teenager who didn't have many options and she was an insufferable kid (he chuckles), and later on we got a bodyguard. One could say we raised one another, but given the slight age difference and the assassins on our tracks, I think I did most of the work.

What’s the first thing you notice about people?

If they're lying to me, or trying to deceive me or use me in any way. Because most people are, especially when you've got royal blood in your veins and a bounty on your head. I also notice whether or not they're an immediate threat. If not, I mostly notice their quirks, whether they have a sense of humor, if they're assassins working for the King - you know, the normal stuff.

What’s your eye color? 

Dark Greyish Blue, but it does seem to have a slight green hue. I like my eyes.

Scary or Happy Endings? 

(With a mischievous smile, leans forward). Why not both? There's nothing wrong with the right amount of terror and fun!

Any special talents? 

I've been trained in sword fighting and archery, and I would say I am pretty good at it. I also like to write poetry I never let anyone read and I can embroider/sew somewhat adequately.

Where were you born? 

I was a child/ward of House Ellara, whose castles were hidden in the Far Reaches of Ravaryn, so I'm pretty sure I was born in one of the royal chambers of one of those castles. I don't quite remember which one though, it's been a while since I was there.

What are your hobbies? 

Uh, I draw and write random stuff in my journal, sometimes? I guess poetry like I mentioned before, but I'm in no way that good at it. Those are the only things I could honestly think of - I've never quite had a routine or hobbies, that is, and certainly never quite had the time to actively pursue interests like that.

Do you have any pets? 

No. Though, when I was a young kid, I distinctly remember that my elder brothers had a hunting hound named Sundew. She was quite adorable, but I never quite knew what came of her, after everything happened.

What sports do you play/have played? 

I'm not a huge fan of sports, but I guess sword fighting and archery do count as some form of that, don't they? So yeah, I think that's an acceptable answer.

Favorite subject in school? 

I was educated by the best tutors on the land, and my favorite subjects were philosophy and the art of politics. I was also quite good at chess and literature!

Dream job?

... Being a Lord again. Does that count? Oh, it doesn't matter. Does it though? I've done my fair share of working while traveling through these rather accursed lands, and for all I care, what I really want is to go back to what I was. But, honestly, as if that's ever going to happen.

Tagging: @lassiesandiego, @gummybugg, @forthesanityofstorytellers, @clairelsonao3, @unstablewifiaccess, @liv-is, @aziz-reads, @steh-lar-uh-nuhs and @anoelleart

[mysticstarlightduck]

Trick or treat!

Treat! 🎃

This is a flashback snippet from Tales of Wilted Flowers, taking place a few years in the past when Ahren and Faellyn were still traveling the kingdoms (after the destruction of their homeland). At this time, they're just kids who dream of becoming heroes. It's a more angsty/sad (with a hopeful ending) snippet, which I think fits the Halloween theme quite well! I hope you enjoy ;)

"They'll write stories about me one day." Ahren declared, voice waveringly sure. He wanted to believe it. "...And, um, about you... too, I suppose."

He quickly added, realizing his slip-up, throwing a small pebble up in the air, watching it sink into the nothingness below, inches away from where he lay on the edge of the ruins of what he believed was an abandoned temple. On the crumpled staircase to his left, Faellyn giggled at the rushed, absentminded addition.

"You laugh, but I would be perfect. Steadfast, brave, cunning. The whole deal. Like the Old Rulers! Bards will sing songs of the day I slice my sword through the neck of the Betrayer King, just like he did to -... I'd be a hero. Yes, that's it - I'll be the hero. I should be. That'll show them." He continued, at first loudly, gesturing around like a true storyteller, however gradually losing steam, until the last words ended in a dejected whisper.

Faellyn leaned forward, thinking, her laughter faded. She fiddled with the strings of her bag, as Ahren's rant delved into unintelligible, bitter mutterings. At the same time, such foolhardy daydreams should've given her glee - to see her cousin dreaming of adventures, just like he used to be. But those final words had caught up to her, bleeding through the pretense of what could've been.

Nothing was much the same, anymore - not even them. Their dues had been stolen, much like her father's kingdom - which was now a forgotten pile of ash, lost to time and memory. Stolen, by King Tieran Kallasen. Much like Ahren's peace of mind, she suspected, if the muttering habit he had recently taken up was anything to go by.

She pouted, looking up. The sky was bleeding red and gold, the sun fading beneath the trees, just out of sight. They should've reached the city by now. Ahren claimed having learned from someone trustworthy, that an old friend of her mother awaited them in the next city. Faellyn dared to hope it was true - they'd had their fair share of traps and ambushes by now. She decided it had to be true.

As she watched the last rays of sunlight disappear from their makeshift camp, Faellyn turned to her distracted cousin, reckless determination filling her words as she stood up, strapping her bag to her back. "Yes, you're right." Faellyn paused, weighing her words. "We will be heroes - maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow. But we'll be. I'll make sure of it, one day."

She walked up to Ahren, who was still sitting on the edge of the ruins, but no longer muttering, and reached out a hand to him. Snapped from his musings, Ahren looked up.

"What do you think, now? To the city?" She asked, hopefully, as her cousin grasped her hand, standing up. Ahren nodded, and though he didn't look her in the eyes as he started walking, Faellyn swore she saw a shadow of a smile in his features.

"To the city."

[mysticstarlightduck]

Trick or treat!

Thank you for the Ask, @lassiesandiego!

And Treat! 🎃

As a Halloween Treat, here goes Ahren Ellara's playlist (because I adore this character and think anything and everything about him is a treat/gift to humanity lol. Even though he is more of a menace to the world and himself in the books.)

Broken Crown - Mumford and Sons

Unwanted Animal - The Amazing Devil

The Raven - Karliene

Little Sacrifice - Freya Allen, Joseph Trapanese

Redemption - Besomorph

Little Lion Man - Mumford and Songs

Eat Your Young - Hozier (cover by reinaery)

Devil Doesn't Bargain- Alec Benjamin

Empire - Beth Crowley

Villains Aren't Born (They're Made) - PEGGY

Jenny of Oldestones - Florence + The Machine.

Mad Hatter - Melanie Martinez (male cover)

Ceux Qui Revent - Pomme

Fire In My Blood - WOODS

Lonely Place- Eurielle

I hope you enjoy!!! (:

[mysticstarlightduck]

Happy STS!

Which OC has been taking over your mind recently? What excites you about them?

~ @tabswrites

Happy Storyteller Saturday! Thank you so much for the ask, @tabswrites!

Which OC has been taking over your mind recently? What excites you about them?

Cailean Telkerly from Enchanted Illusions, Ahren Ellara from Tales of Wilted Flowers, and Adaria Vytris from Realms of Loss. Lemme explain (:

CAILEAN TELKERLY -

Cailean is one of my favorite characters in that book, being the rogue with a heart of gold archetype that I really, really love in fiction! Since I've been working on his POV backstory a lot lately, I've gotten to know his history a lot better, which only made me love this character even more. I'm excited about quite a lot of things about him, from his intricate past to his personality. He is a classy and witty con man/thief who specializes in stealing from the nobility and overall big targets. To make a very long story short, he agrees to help one of the protagonists (Agatha) because he believes using this partnership will get him rich (and because they have a common enemy), but ends up really falling in love with her in the process (which complicates and screws up his "this partnership is strictly business" plan quite a lot), which leads to a very much "star-crossed lovers" situation sometimes. Plus, he is really adorable in personality, because even though he is a petty criminal, he is also a really good person deep down beneath the opportunistic exterior he carefully crafted throughout the years - and is someone very charmingly sarcastic at that. Writing the growth of his relationship with Agatha, from strangers to partners/friends to lovers, is really, really rewarding, especially given their vastly different worldviews and experiences (and how much they fall in love with each other).

AHREN ELLARA -

I really like writing about Ahren because of his complexity, and his character arc in the first book - which goes from a hesitant good character to a morally grey character, as he ends up doing the wrong things for good reasons (as he was led to believe he had no other choice). He's a really tragic character and a good example of how a chaotic environment and constant pressure can change even the most resilient of people. Ahren had everything, and in the matter of one fateful night, he lost it all. He would do anything to restore his family name and keep his cousin safe, even if it takes making not-so-great choices and morally convoluted deals. The impact of the losses he suffered and the hardships he endured turned Ahren into someone slightly bitter and paranoid, certain that everyone was "out to get him" and that he had to be ruthless before the world has the chance to be ruthless to him - having a "the world was never fair to me, why should I be?" mindset. He is a good person and tried with every fiber of his being to remain so, but eventually, it all becomes too much for him to handle alone, which defines a turning point for his character in Book 1. Overall, a very compelling POV that has taken over a lot of my mind these days!

ADARIA VYTRIS -

There's something I really like about her backstory and motivations throughout the book, they feel very specific and genuine to her. I love writing about underdog characters who beat the odds and decide to take a stand about a system that has wronged them. Adaria is also incredibly loyal and protective of her family, which is the whole reason she embarks on this journey in the first place - to save her siblings. Her relationship with them is also a huge part of why I love her backstory so much! Adaria is a very hopeful character, preferring to believe that one day the future will be brighter - and she will fight to make sure that happens. The odds were always against her - she was just another street kid from the freezing outer cities, probably destined to starve or vanish, like so many before her, but she wanted more than that world could give her, she wanted to be more. To live, not just survive. She decided to challenge her destiny, with what tools she was given and will do whatever it takes to ensure this future for herself and those she loves. Another thing I really like about her is her friendship with Kassien Vann, a knight from Sarythea tasked with protecting a weapon she sets out to steal - their relationship goes from rivals to hesitant allies and finally friends, I really like it!