Beautiful People is a monthly blog meme hosted by Cait @ Paper Fury and Sky @ Further Up and Further In. Every month they pose 10 questions for writers to answer about their writing and give readers the opportunity to learn more about the writer’s characters.

Friendship is the theme for this month’s edition of Beautiful People. I didn’t even have to look at the questions to know which friends I’d focus on: Eva, a life-size Faerie and the protagonist of my YA fantasy WIP The Keeper’s Curse; and her cousin (also Fae), Gidion. So, apart from Saturday’s Chronicling The Craft, you’ll meet Gidion for the first time today!

Since you might already know a bit about Eva, here’s a quick bio for Gidion: He’s 21 years old, with green eyes and blonde-streaked ginger-red hair. And not only is he the Council of Selanaan’s chief negotiator, but he’s also the Council Captain. Which means that not only is he Eva’s cousin and best friend, but he’s also her boss. That has added an interesting dynamic to their relationship, as the questionnaire will reveal. 😉

(Visit the Beautiful People category page to catch up on past BP posts.)

1. How long have Eva and Gidion known each other, and how close are they?

Gidion was 4 years old when Eva was born, and their families both lived in the Fae capital of Netarlena. So, it’s safe to say that these two cousins have known each other all their lives. They also played together often when they were little and got along very well. So when Eva’s parents were killed when she was 5 years old and Gidion’s parents (Aunt Maji and Uncle Lusan) adopted her into their family, she and Gidion quickly latched onto each other in a sibling-like way. (Gidion is an only child, biologically speaking.)

2. What’s their earliest memory of being best friends?

Both Eva and Gidion remember playing with each other when they were young. They would play games like fanesiela (a magical cross between Tag and Hide & Seek), climb trees, swim, or fly through the forest chasing each other. (Gidion usually won the latter, since he was older and therefore able to fly a little faster. *winks*)

Eva also recalls how their friendship grew closer and more serious after her parents were killed. She suffered nightmares for a few years; and sometimes Aunt Maji would be the first to reach her when she woke up screaming, and other times it would be Gidion. So, Eva especially remembers Gidion holding her, rocking her, telling her it was only a bad dream and that she was all right.

3. Do they fight? How long do they typically fight for?

Ohhhhhhh yes. They did when they were fledglings, and they still do now and then. Thought their fights are more like short-lived arguments, never violent or overblown. Eva can be blunt and assertive, and isn’t afraid to question things if something seems off. Gidion, on the other hand, is more diplomatic. He tends to remain calm in the face of conflict and uses words as his “weapons” instead of emotions, like Eva does.  So, their arguments don’t last long because Eva’s volatility exasperates Gidion, and within a couple minutes he’ll make a final point and take off so she can cool down and think.

4. Are their personalities similar or do they compliment each other?

In some ways, you couldn’t have two cousins who are more different. Eva is a doer in every sense of the word (restless, straightforward, instinctive). Gidion is more of a thinker; he’s tactful, idealistic, and level-headed. Both characters complement each other well, however. Gidion can talk sense into Eva when she’s too hotheaded, and Eva looks out for people who might take advantage of Gidion’s gullibility. (He prefers to believe in the best in everyone until they prove they’re not trustworthy – which has its ups and downs.) Both cousins have also known each other long enough to know how to listen to one another and what each other’s strengths and weaknesses are.

5. Who is the leader of their friendship (if anyone)?

Hard to say. It’s fairly equal, unless you count Gidion’s rank as Captain of the Council, which makes him her superior. So, Eva and her fellow Councilors must follow Gidion’s instructions / advice in regards to their assignments and conduct. Gidion’s a fair, transparent leader, though; and since Eva respects Gidion (in addition to loving and appreciating him as her cousin), she has no trouble listening to him or following his guidance. However, she’s not afraid to speak up if she thinks he’s wrong about something or missing the point.

FYI – Apart from the Captain, rank within the Council of Selanaan is determined by years of service. Eva currently ranks fourth out of six, having been with the Council for 2 1/2 years when TKC begins. Gidion is not only the Captain, but the Council’s longest-serving member, with almost 7 years of experience behind him.

6. Do have any secrets from each other?

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you might already know that Eva wants to avenge her parents’ deaths by killing any Mountain Folk who cross her path. No one knows about her vow – not even Gidion. 😮

7. How well do they know each other’s quirks and habits?

Frighteningly well. 😉 That should be no surprise, given how long they’ve lived in the same kagende (“treehouse”). Questions #3 and #4 covered this a little already, but to offer more… Just by observing Eva, Gidion can recognize when she’s about to snap and when her mind is working on a new spell or solution to a problem. Eva also can tell when Gidion is worried; he has a habit of rubbing the back of his neck, or standing with his hands on his hips.

8. What kind of things do they like to do together?

*lol* Because Eva and Gidion live together and work on the Council, they pretty much do EVERYTHING together. OK, that’s an exaggeration… But they eat most of their meals together and talk several times a day. If they’re home, they might also go hunting or horseback riding together.

9. Describe each character’s fashion style. (Use pictures if you’d like!) How are their styles different / similar?

Eva and Gidion wear Council uniforms every day. Both wear leather boots, brown trousers (or leggings, in Eva’s case), and (if they’re traveling) gray hooded cloaks fastened with a brooch at the neck. And while Gidion wears a shirt and Eva a longer tunic, both tops use the same material (green-dyed cotton) with golden Faerie wings, dragonflies, vines, and leaves embroidered along the cuffs, collar, and hem. Other subtle differences include the knife sheaths on Eva’s boots and the types of brooches they wear with their cloaks (Eva’s is a pair of Faerie wings, while Gidion’s is star-shaped to signify his status as Council Captain).

If Eva and Gidion aren’t wearing Council attire… I guess Eva would wear a dress or a skirt paired with a peasant blouse. But she’s worn her Council attire for so long that it’s impossible to imagine her wearing anything else, unless it’s a special occasion. Gidion’s attire wouldn’t differ too much. He’d still wear a traditional Fae shirt, trousers, and moccassins or leather boots, but with more variety in color – in other words, not just green and brown every day. 😉

10. How would their lives be different without each other?

If Eva and Gidion didn’t have each other in their lives, even as cousins… Gidion’s life would be a lot less interesting, that’s for sure. He never would have had a “little sister” of any kind (his parents had planned on only having one child), but his patience wouldn’t have been tried as often, either. Eva’s life, on the other hand, wouldn’t have been as bearable without Gidion. Without him to welcome her into a new family, teach her how to hunt, soothe her after nightmares, or defend her from bullies at school, she would have felt irretrievably lost for a long, long time.

Um, that’s a rather sad note to end on for this month’s Beautiful People…

What do you think of Eva and Gidion’s friendship based on the answers above? Feel free to share your thoughts and any questions you may have by commenting below.