Rauladin Sneak Peak: Characters

In celebration of finishing the first draft of Rauladin (and because I've been on vacation), I thought I would give a little sneak peak of the characters I have been spending my time with. 

Anyway, just a brief disclaimer before I start: All quotes are from a first draft.  Not all of the following excerpts (or characters)(or scenes) may be found in the finished work. 

Also I edited a few sentences (or withheld names) to keep spoilers to a minimum. 

With that out of the way...  *drum roll*

The Hero of the Story: Raul, son of Sarador

“If He wills that I should live and continue to lead my people, then not one enemy can kill me.  Not one arrow can pierce me.  Not one man can take me down.  But if He decides that my time is up, and I must leave this world, then not even my bodyguard can protect me.  Not even the strongest armor can keep out a weapon.  Even if I run from this fight, death will still find me.  But I will place my trust in Him alone.”

~~*~~

“You know that the Order is no more, and that I have chosen my path: a path not of blood, but of kindness.”

~~*~~

Sometimes Raul considering making a fake path that doubled around, traveling in a big loop, just to trick travelers going to his house.  When he was little, he even tried making the sap to mark it with, but after covering himself in the sticky substance, and being unable to wash it off, he threw the whole idea to the wind.  His Father never asked why his son was covered in black sticky sap, and scrubbed it off without comment.  Raul figured he guessed, but simply kept his questions to himself.

Ah.  Raul's father - Sarador

"Fools!!”  Sarador’s deep voice boomed, startling them all into silence.  “You are not thinking through this the right way!”

 Raul stared at his father, confused.  He and the prince spoke at the same time.  “What?!”

 “You are planning how to get to where you think you should be.”

~~*~~

“Berend is coming with me to the King’s Court,” Raul turned to face his father.  “He’s offered his services as a bodyguard, and I’ve taken him up.”

 “You both will get yourselves killed,” Sarador muttered.  “But it’ll give King What's-his-face something to think about first.”

And Berend - a Kinsman Bodyguard

“Order him, then,” Mayra spat.  “Order him, Princess!  I don’t think he will do it!  You don’t know him like I do!  He’s not the killing type.  He never was...He calls himself a bodyguard: someone who is supposed to protect life.  But he forgets that sometimes his position means killing things to save his charge from danger.”

~~*~~

“What inside or out of the forest is this??” Ravenna demanded, waving a piece of parchment in Raul’s face.  “Is this some sort of joke?”

 Raul ripped the parchment from her grasp and looked it over.  A comic sketch of Ravenna herself, with a Ragglyn tangled in her curly hair, covered the paper, etched in charcoal.  “That’s funny, that is.”

 “Who drew this??” she yanked it away only to wave it in front of his nose again.  “Wait – it can’t be you.  You don’t have any writing calluses to speak of.  Where’s your bodyguard?  I need to look at his hands.”

 Berend sat on the ground, leaning against his saddle, taking a drink and staring at the sky.  He patiently let Ravenna look his hands over, but she only huffed and stepped back. 

 “So many sword calluses and scars, I can’t tell if any are from drawing or not!  Did you make this?”  She shoved the parchment in his direction.

 “This is good,” Berend replied, pointing to the sketch.

 “No, it’s not!  Look at my nose!  It’s not that long!  And the hair...not curly enough!  That’s just plain wavy!  And what in the world is that Ragglyn doing?  When I find the person who drew this…” she growled, and marched off, deep in her purpose to find the villainous person who had done such a drawing.

 Raul turned to Berend.  “What do you think you’re doing?  Did you purposefully leave that in her saddlebags?!”

 Berend gave his rare smile.

Which Introduces Ravenna!

“What in the world is going on?  I can’t leave you alone for half a day?” Ravenna’s voice shattered the strained silence.  “Or is this just an attempt to let some stress out?  Because there’s a lot to stress over.”

~~*~~

“How can I ever repay you?” Gwen held out her hands, signifying her lack of money.

 Ravenna grinned.  “It’ll make my life a little more exciting.  That’s good enough for me!”

~~*~~

“I don’t think she’ll tell us anything.” Gwen stamped her foot.  “Traitor that she is!”

 “Unless she is allowed to scratch my lying mouth,” Ravenna prompted.  “I’m almost inclined to let her do it, just so we can get out of here.”

And Gwen.  The Princess.  And a sweetheart.

"Your men, if they drop their weapons and come to us, will be saved,” Gwen added, holding out an open hand.  “There is mercy to those who repent.”

~~*~~

“Why is violent fighting his reaction to everything?”

            “Why is thoughtful prayer yours?”  Gwen smiled, her words comforting, somehow, in a way he would never explain.

Let me not forget Fitz, a Teacher of the One.

“The One is more powerful than anyone we can ever imagine.  So who are we to decide what is good and bad for him to do?  We can only see our view of things, the here and the now.  We cannot see what will happen in the future, or how something now affects someone else.”

~~*~~

“What if we were not put on this earth to enjoy whatever good thing we can find, but what if we had a more important purpose?”

And Muirn, the man trying to gain the world.

“He leads with blood, hatred, and lies.  Anything built upon such will never last.”

~~*~~

He crouched low, examining the wounds, and then stood his hands flying to the hilt of his weapon.  “I know that sword stance,” he said softly, staring at the unconscious bodies.  “The one who does not kill!”  A shiver ran down the spine of the man who had managed to gather and lead an entire army under the mountains.

 He feared Berend nae Richimae above all else.  And Berend knew it.

 That made it worse.

~~*~~

Mayra tilted her head, almost mockingly.  “You have united the people, brother.  They are all gathered together with one goal in mind: your death.”

Lastly, Mayra.  Can't forget her!

“Look who is talking!  It’s a little girl who just wants to be seen as a great warrior!” Gwen threw her hands in the air, as if talking to an exasperating child.  “You play at swords, pretending to be scary, but you’re pathetic.  You can’t fight, Mayra.  Admit it.  You want to be great, and hope that perhaps your bother can get that for you.”

~~*~~

“Who was she?”

“The sister to Muirn.”

“What did she want?”

“She wanted to finish the job.  Not that she could, of course.  They think she’s a great fighter, but she’s sloppy.  She just knows how to do it fast and make herself look good.”

So, what did y'all think?  Interested in reading more?  I wanna know!