#why ya gotta make everything sad Tam

[tesbloodline]

Interview #5 - Tamrela

How have I already made it to five interviews? Didn’t I just write the first one a day or two ago? (Or: The Author has no sense of time. Everything was both an eternity ago and yesterday, all at once.) It’s just so much fun to get to talk about these characters. Just a reminder, there are a whole bunch of questions here; feel free to send me a character and a number (or a question that’s not on the list, just please keep it PG-13) if there’s something you want to know!

This interview is after Tamrela joins the Dark Brotherhood, but before the Purification. Mostly because it’s one of two happy periods in her life and I need something to counteract the angst right now. Watch the questions turn out dramatic and painful, just to be ironic.

WARNING: Tamrela is a murder cultist. There may be discussion/romanticization of death and murder.

1. Do you have a moral code? If not, how do you base your decisions? If so, where did it come from, and how seriously do you take it? (#166)

T: Oh wow. Straight for the hard questions, huh? Let’s see... when I was a child, I had a very strict moral code - comes from being the fourth person in a line of saviors of the known world.

(T rolls her eyes.)

T: The first time I seriously, deliberately broke it was when I took the Blade of Woe from Lucien and went to kill Rufio. And if I let myself think that was wrong - if I let myself start to question it - I’ll lose my mind. I was hurting, and I needed someone, and Lucien was the only one to offer. And now I love him too much to let go.

2. Do you feel you deserve to have what you want, be it material or abstract, or do you feel you must earn it first? (#61)

T: Earn it. Or, if I don’t earn it myself, someone earned it for me. My family has suffered for years to earn safety for the whole of Tamriel. I rescued Martin to earn the chance to know him. I killed Rufio to earn Lucien’s affection, I became an assassin to earn comfort and belonging and safety. Everything is earned.

3. Have you ever thought about homicide? (#118)

T: ... You do realize you’re talking to a member of the Dark Brotherhood, right? Half of my life is something to do with homicide.

4. How do you behave around children? (#49)

(T smiles sheepishly.)

T: Would you believe I haven’t really spent any time around children? Between being Dunmeri and being from a servant family, no-one really let their kids near me growing up, and ‘stranger in Dark Brotherhood armor’ is even worse.

5. What gets you flustered? (#201)

T: (flushes) nooo... you’re making me think of it! (quietly) Lucien’s pet names for me. I just - he calls me his Tamriel, ‘because I’m his world’, and I turn into a blushy, stammery mess! I am literally his favorite person in the whole world. I can’t even comprehend it; how am I supposed to take that calmly‽

6. How patient are you with others? Do you find it easy to handle people that try to annoy you, or hard? (#227)

T: It’s not exactly easy, and I can’t keep up a pleasant face for long, but I can put on an icy blank face and just not emote for as long as I need. It’s not a great solution, but it works when people are being brats. Of course, that’s only if they’re actively trying to antagonize me; if it’s accidental, it’s much easier to keep my temper in check.

7. Do you have a good memory? Short term or long term? (#226)

T: Eh. I have a pretty decent memory, I think, and about the same long and short term. Nothing amazing, but not pathetic either.

8. Would anyone be happy if you died? (#20)

T: ... Had to go for that one, huh? I - I really don’t like to think about that question. I know there are plenty of people who want me dead, but I don’t know who they are. But if I open the door, if I let that question creep into my head, it takes forever to get it out again. I just keep wondering, who else is on that list? Who do I know that wants me dead? Who wishes I wasn’t here?

9. What is your motto about life? (#235)

T: “If not no, then yes.” (laughs) I know, it doesn’t make much sense; let me explain. It’s a reminder to myself that whenever an opportunity comes up, if there’s no reason to say no, I should say yes. Otherwise I have a bad habit of just not doing anything. I’d rather sit around like a lump and avoid people.

10. Do you prefer a hot or cold environment? (#112)

T: Oh thank goodness, something simple! (sighs in relief) I wouldn’t say I prefer cold weather, but definitely cool weather. Think about a gray Autumn morning - that’s about the temperature I prefer.