Beautiful People - Marigold {June 2016}

Beautiful People tiiiime! And oooh, Sky and Cait have cooked up something special. This month we get to answer questions about our character’s CHILDHOOD. How fun is that? Although, as I thought about who to choose, I realized half my characters’ childhoods are apparently spoilers?? Not even sure how that works. BUT I finally settled on someone who’d probably be harmless.

Since I’m still very much deep within edits of Burning Thorns, I’m mostly doing BP posts for those characters. Today I shall be doing Rose’s (my female protagonist) sister Marigold.

Marigold is the middle of the three sisters—Anya, Marigold, and Rose. The best word I could use to describe Marigold is: Bratty. She has serious “middle child syndrome” in that she thinks everyone ignores her, and spends all her time vying for attention. Fun stuff, fun stuff!

Somewhere along the way, she stole my heart even though she’s such an ignorant, annoying little thing. FICTIONAL CHARACTERS, GUYS. They do these things to us!

Marigold being Marigold, she decided it’d be much more fun for everyone if she answered these questions for herself. And I relented because I’m a pushover.

"You're a child!" [Marigold said.]

Wiping a tear from his eye, [Larke] gasped for breath. "And you're such an amusing little pet."

She had a long response to that, a response that included much shrieking and foot stamping, and continued on for the rest of their hike. At least it kept her occupied.

Her seemingly never-ending well of words did actually fade as the smooth, mossy ground underfoot turned to ash. The steady footfalls behind him hesitated and he turned to find his pet looking ahead, the before redness in her cheeks now drained.

"It's big," she said.

He followed her line of sight to the castle tucked between the trees before them. "Unlike you humans, we fae aren't small minded."

"No, just bigheaded." And the fiery spirit returned. Good, she'd need it. 

~ Marigold ~

1. What is their first childhood memory?
I vaguely remember walking through town with Mother and Anya and wandering off and getting lost. I hid in some alleyway for probably hours before Mother found me. Well, Anya declared it wasn’t even quite an hour but it felt like hours. Mother had said it felt like hours to her too, and she hoped she never lost me again. . .

2. What were their best and worst childhood experiences?
Rose and I used to love playing in the gardens and making flower crowns for each other. Though the best times were when Mother joined us. She’d even sometimes pull us out of bed in the middle of the night to catch fireflies and pretend they were fairies. Of course, such things are childish now. I outgrew Rose and all our silly games years ago.

Mother died when I was ten-years-old. I dare you to come up with a worse experience than that. Mother was the only one who ever paid me any attention. Everyone changed after she left. Everything changed and. . .

Actually, never mind. Can we go to the next question now?

3. What was their childhood home like?
BORing. Father was always busy and Anya followed him around and claimed games were for children. Which they are, of course. But often Mother was busy too, and Rose would hide somewhere to read or run off and play games with other children below our status. I didn’t want to play with them. And no one else would pay me any attention. So I had to entertain myself. There was never anything to do.

4. What’s something that scared them as child?
I don’t think that’s any of your business.

(*rolls eyes* I’ll answer this one for her. She was terrified of being unloved and unwanted. Her biggest fear was of her parents up and deciding they had no use for her and sending her away. She’s since learned that thought was absurd, but she still very much fears not being wanted and. . .doesn’t always go about fighting those fears the right way.)

5. Who did they look up to most?
When I was a child, I always looked up to Mother. Though Anya says Mother was too frivolous and never took anything seriously. I guess she’s right. I see now I should have spent more time in my studies like Anya and learning from Father than out playing with Mother and Rose.

6. Favorite and least favorite childhood foods?
Least favorite? Turnips! I refuse to eat turnips in any form or fashion. Also artichokes. UGH.

My favorite is definitely chicken. Especially when it’s extra salted and covered in carrots and potatoes. Meats are always my favorite parts of meals. Although Anya says that isn’t very ladylike. Hmph. I don’t care. I’m not going to spend all my life just eating greens and fruit. What’s the fun in that?

7. If they had their childhood again, would they change anything?
I’d spend less time playing Rose’s silly games and more time proving to Father I‘m perfectly capable and can be just as useful as Anya.

I’d also convince Mother to not go to Mysira where she contracted that stupid disease that took her life.

8. What kind of child were they? Curious? Wild? Quiet? Devious?
I don’t know! I just. . .was.

(Okay, I’ll take over this question as well. Marigold has a mischievous streak. She often caused trouble, mostly just to get people’s attention. She could be quite the wild-child and as stubborn as a rock. Though her Mother and Rose were often good influences on her and kept her under control, and she could be a lot of fun when in the right mood. When she got a bit older, she started really looking up to Anya and stopped her “childish ways” to be more like her regal older sister. She took on a very superior attitude. Though neediness still very much controlled her attitude.)

9. What was their relationship to their parents and siblings like?
Father was always too busy to pay me much mind, and Anya thought she was too old for me and ignored me most of the time. Mother was really the only one who cared about me. At least she wanted me. I guess Rose and I used to have fun together. . . Not that that matters anymore of course. Rose is too childish. Once I matured, Anya and I became much closer.

10. What did they want to be when they grew up, and what did they actually become?
I always wanted to be something great. Like a great ruler or. . .anything really.
Want to know what I am now? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Life is completely unfair.

Well, there we go. I guess it could have gone worse. XD
Do you have any “bratty” characters? (Hey, at least they’re
good for some fun character growth, am I right?) ALSO.
Have you joined in Beautiful People this month???