Beautiful People - Leiden

NaNoWriMo is approaching, people! Like… almost 3 weeks away approaching! *gasp*

Currently I’m working on planning my NaNo novel, More Green than Envy (or trying, it’s kind of been a crazy week). In preparation I’m working on my two main characters. I think I write better when I know my characters pretty well. So, one of the best ways to discover one’s characters is Beautiful People. It always helps so much!

Today I’m doing Leiden Irethen. Leiden is a young, male elf with far too much energy. He’s the jester of the group and a just all around fun guy. I really look forward to writing his story.

To the questions!

~Leiden Irethen~

What is their biggest accomplishment?
Leiden’s younger life was. . .unpleasant, to say the least. He was enslaved by a group of dark elves for a few years. I’d say his biggest accomplishment was making it through that horrible time and still clinging to his faith and hope. He never gave up. He promised himself he’d hold through and return to his mother one day and he did it.

What is one of their strongest childhood memories?
The day the dark elves took him. His father resisted and so the dark elves killed him, hurt Leiden’s mother, and then took Leiden away. Not a happy memory, no, but definitely his most vivid one.

What is their favorite food?
Probably anything sweet he can get his hands on. Leiden likes his sugar. I don’t think it matters what it is, just that it has enough sugar to put him in a sugar coma. *wink*

Do they believe in love at first sight?
Oh, I think Leiden is very much a romantic. I have no doubt that he does.

What kind of home do they live in?
Leiden lives in a small, wooden house with his mother in a quant little elven village. Nothing fancy, but they love it. They’ve always been poor, so they’re quite content with what they can get.

What do they like to wear?
As just mentioned, Leiden has never had much in the way of money. He usually just wears plain clothes—trousers, tunics, the usual medieval-type apparel. Just something comfortable, he’s not picky at all when it comes to clothing.

What would they do if they discovered they were dying?
Firstly he’d be sure to tell his mother he loves her. After his father’s death and his own enslavement, he and his mother have been nearly inseparable. They’re all each other has and lean heavily on one another. He’d also tell her to always cling on to hope. It’s the only thing that has kept him going. As long as he could do this, I think he’d be content with dying and forever being in the arms of his Creator.

What kind of holidays, or traditions do they celebrate?
I’m bad about not really putting holidays into my made up worlds. They’re always on these huge adventures and I just don’t think about it. Whoops. Umm. . .as far as traditions, each year on the day Leiden’s father died, he and his mother go out and plant a new tree. His father loved trees and its their was of commemorating him. (I won’t tell you I just made that up on the spot. This is why I love Beautiful People, it makes me think about these things.)

What do your other characters have to say about them?
Bouncy! Like I mentioned earlier, Leiden has a lot of energy. People refer to him as a bouncy fella. As for other things, I think it would depend on the person. Nicer people say he’s very kind and funny and all around likable. More disagreeable people claim his overly talkative, super energetic self annoying. (Like his dragon rider partner. *cough, cough*) But really, his excessively happy self is actually his defense to block away all the turmoil inside him. He’s had a pretty tragic life and he has to do something to keep himself going, so he keeps a happy attitude. We can’t blame him for that, can we?

If they could change one thing in their world, what would it be?
Only one thing? He would want to change a lot! His biggest thing is that he thinks the innocent need to be more protected. After getting captured by dark elves and seeing other children go through the same trauma he did, he wants nothing more than for no other child to suffer. I think more defense in the southern areas of his world (which are more dangerous than northern places) is what he’d want the most.

So that’s my Leiden! I kind of love ‘im to death! I look forward to writing about him this November.

Next week we shall meet his dragon rider partner and the other MC of More Green than Envy, Darven. Until then! *waves*