The Everything you didn't want to know about writings Favourite Character Blogfest

Kellic Sparrowhawk.

Introduction:

This is an entry for a Blog Challenge from Everything you didn't want to know about writing. All you need to do to enter is click the link, sign up and reveal to the interworld exactly three things:

1. Who your favorite character that you've written is.
2. Why exactly they are your favourite
3. A snippet of writing so we can all go “Ooh” and “Aah and, if you're very lucky “We want to publish you. Right now!”

Who your favorite character thtat you've written is:

• My favourite character is not part of the main cast but is actually just a minor character that only has a couple of scenes [1] His name is Kellic Sparrowhawk and he is the Captain of the guard for the Baronial keep.

Why they are your favorite:

• Kellic is one of my favourite characters because he's one of the few people that manages to put one over Evelyn, the main character of Harts Change.  He is also one of the very few characters who have managed to survive from the very beginning of it all.
  
  Many many moons ago when the world was much wilder and each night the apegators would swing gently from the jungle vines [2] to the plaintive cry of the Oook Oook bird.  Back then Harts Change was just a game of D&D with a cast of hundreds and it was into this world that two players were thrust. One was an elven thief who went by the name of Smeeg Gnomekicker and the other was a Paladin of Aton who was, naturally, known as Sparrowhawk.
  
  Don't bother combing through my book for mentions of the great god Aton however.  He has long since been exorcised away, if you can exorcise a god that is.  Anyway through circumstances much to contrived to be believable and/or interesting enough to relate.  These two opposites were forced to join forces in what can only be described as a homage to the Road to: Movies of Hope and Crosby.
  
  Eventually these first hesitant notes were scribbled up and given the working title of Children of the Revolution.  Through many revisions, rewrites and swarms of deadly poisoned quills Children of the Revolution became Harts Change and the character of Sparrowhawk was promoted to King and demoted to Prince after it was pointed out that Kings don't get to go on adventures.
  
  Then he was an Epic Champion before accepting the position of Prince but a different one.  For a short time he was the love interest and had a second job as they mysterious figure who berated everyone. Happily he's finally settled down in his career and I am finally, finally, happy with where he is in life.
  
• Right up until I decide to edit it again.

Character Background - Kellic Sparrowhawk:

• A man who has worked hard to ensure that his past won't return to haunt him. His big secret is that he isn't properly Kalagrimian as his father was a spy for the Great Southern Empire [3] and he was born on The Sparrowhawk as it made the crossing to Kalagrim.
  
• He learnt a powerful lesson about keeping the upper hand when he was beaten by a gang of small time thugs. When he returned for a rematch it was with a pit dog that he had stolen from the local dog fights.  Eventually he found his way to the Lutin Barony and joined the guards under the name of Kellic Sparrowhawk, the last tenious link to his birth. After a few high profile cases he caught the eye of Baron Lutin who promoted him to Captain [4] of his guards and, for the next few years, dangled the carrot of Knight Baronial [5] in front of him.
  
• The continued refusal of this promotion has fueled his affair with Lady Aeldrea Lutin, the Barons own wife, who has promised that, were it in her power he would be given the post of Knight Baronial [6] As a result of this he is considerably more loyal to her than he is to the Baron.
  
• He has never gotten on with Evelyn Oneeye, the main character, mainly for profesional reasons. He believes that the post of Barons Personal Guard is one that should be held by one of his men or even himself.
  
• As Baron Lutin is not a fool this clearly isn't going to happen.

Snippet:

[Scene:

• From a secret mission to The Northern Reach Evelyn Oneeye returns to Baron Lutins Keep. The turning, which gifted humanity with the bodies of centaurs, has obviously taken its deadly toll across the region.
• At her side is Straggletaggle, a three legged fighting dog.
• As she approaches the keep she is challenged by the heavily armed guard on duty.]

“Halt!” the guard was a strange sight. Ill-fitting Armor, a pair of swords draped uncomfortably across his back and a heavy spear that was aimed at Straggletaggle who growled loudly.
“Evelyn Oneeye. Personal guard to Baron Lutin” she pushed at the blade with her stump “get that thing out of my dogs face”

The guard snapped to attention “All praise to him”

“What?”

“It's his official title now”

“Really? What brought that on?”

“He tells me his reasons?”

“Less of that now” a familiar voice cut into the conversation

“I see you came through well enough Kellic”

His eyes narrowed in well honed irritation “It's Captain and if you're a guard then a salute would be appropriate”

“I'm not under your command. But if we're pulling rank then I'll point out that the personal guard to a Baron sits a little higher than a mere captain. Were I to look down upon you I'd like to see you saluting me”

“Well were I to glance down I'd see that my own position is a great deal higher than Bandits woman. Or even fathers castaway and you might also gaze upwards at the Baroness, a position you yourself once held [7] and”

“Watch your tongue! You can't hide behind the baroness forever” Evelyn, stung at last, snapped

“You may call on me anytime. Thief, wife, guard or noble. Whatever you call yourself is nothing to me, just as you are.”

“You forgot mother”

“Did I? Baron Lutin wants to see you. So much more than I ever did”

They separated quickly. Both unwilling to endure each others presence any longer than necessary lest, once again, it dissolved into violence.


Current word count stands at 279.  Just can't seem to prune it down any further.

Notes:

1. For now at least. He's going to have a larger role in Book 2: Harts Blood.
2. Apegators: Aligators that have been brought up amongst the apes of the world. A bit like Tarzan but considerably toothier
3. Who held the people of Kalagrim in slavery until the uprising
4. Captain:
   Anyone in command of more than 20 men. In the days of the war with the empire when the Black Pipers sounded the alert it was never certain who would answer. Thus the pipers would choose the leaders from the people that did answer the call. It is a loose promotion which can be given to anybody.
5. Knight Baronial:
   Men promoted by the barons, They patrol the borders, investigate and pass judgement in the barons name amongst the outlying villages and towns in the barony, a Knight Baronial from another region may not do these duties without a special dispensation from both barons.
   
   They can be dismissed from service if they are corrupt or incompetant. Although the position is temporary with it lasting a year and a day from the time of appointment many of the barons, not wanting to lose a good man have simply taken to repromoting the knight after his time expires. The question of why these appointments are not simply made permanent ones has been raised and the answer is that it is always a good idea to remind people that power given can be taken away.
6. And then promoted again to Knight Personalle. “Nudge nudge. Wink wink, say no more”
7. Evelyn Esteele:
   Married to Baron Trailin of the Northern Reach. On the night of her wedding she and Tobias, her lover, took great pleasure in driving him through the streets of Hermitage, the royal city and was subsiquently disowned by her father. Now read on.