Scribes & Archers

Halder is another character from The Masked Captain, another friend of Rynn’s, and I love him so much. XD He’s sweet, honorable, fun, loves both storytelling and music, and is just all-around an awesome character. (I promise I didn’t set out to create nearly my dream guy, it just happened.) I hope you enjoy reading about him as much as I enjoy writing him!

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Halder: *enters and holds out his right hand to the interviewer with a smile* Hello.

Interviewer: *shakes his hand* Hello. How are you today?

Halder: *takes a seat* Doing well. How are you?

Interviewer: Just fine. *smiles* Are you ready to get started?

Halder: *nods*

Interviewer: Excellent. First off, what’s your name?

Halder: Halder Lorne Eckard.

Interviewer: How old are you?

Halder: Seventeen.

Interviewer: Do you have any siblings?

Halder: *nods* Three older and three younger.

Interviewer: What are your relationships with them like?

Halder: *laughs* You don’t want me to go in depth or this will take all day. But I get along well with all of them. We’re all really close. *grins*

Interviewer: Do you have a job?

Halder: I do! I’m a minstrel in Peren–my hometown. I’m hoping, once I become an adult, to travel around Scythia more–and maybe even into Thienid–and share my skills there as well. *grins*

Interviewer: When will that be?

Halder: In about a year and a half.

Interviewer: I can tell you’re passionate about your job. What do you love most about being a minstrel?

Halder: Oh the smiles, definitely. *grins* I love making people happy, spreading joy, seeing the smiles on people’s faces… Both story and music have such an ability to influence people’s emotions, and I get to use them both. Occasionally I enjoy evoking other emotions, but joy is definitely my favorite.

Interviewer: What instrument do you use?

Halder: I play the lute, and I sing. I’ve had my current lute since I was nine, and it’s really special to me. *smiles*

Interviewer: Why is that?

Halder: My father got it for me for my ninth birthday, and my brother Horace has carved a design into it for each birthday since. It’s quite a beauty at this point.

Interviewer: Do you have a favorite carving?

Halder: *takes a deep breath to think about it* The one from the year I turned fifteen–a falcon–has a special place in my heart because that was the same year I started entertaining for people other than my family and close friends. But I think the elm tree–from when I was ten–is my real favorite.

Interviewer: Why an elm tree?

Halder: *chuckles* I’m friends with the Aryons, Rynn and Rhylan, and we have an old hunting box we adopted as a playhouse when we were much younger. We still hang out there now and then, and it’s up in an elm tree.

Interviewer: Very fond memories, then, I take it. *smiles* Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

Halder: I definitely gain my energy from people. When others are happy, I’m happy. When they’re not, I’m aware of it and do my best to cheer them up. Usually that involves telling a story about my brother Hunter and some crazy mess he’s gotten himself into. *laughs*

Interviewer: Do all of your brothers’ names start with H?

Halder: *nods* And my two sisters. It’s customary in noble houses for all the children’s names to start with the same letter as their father’s name. It gets pretty confusing in a family like ours with so many kids–not to mention my nieces and nephew–but I guess it works. *chuckles*

Interviewer: Wow. That sounds like a great exercise in creativity for the parents.

Halder: *laughs* Yeah. And a great memory exercise for the parents and the siblings both.

Interviewer: *laughs* What’s your favorite food?

Halder: Mom’s apple pie. Without a doubt.

Interviewer: Do you have a favorite color?

Halder: Green. Any shade. It’s such a fresh, growing color. *smiles*

Interviewer: Do you have a favorite book or story?

Halder: The Lay of Veramar. It talks about the conflict that led to the Ellis and Beckham houses exchanging their lands with each other. Now instead of there being Beckhams of Beckham and Ellises of Veramar, there are Beckhams of Veramar and Ellises of Beckham. *chuckles at the interviewer’s confused look* Exactly. *sobers* But the story is a serious one, and I enjoy the music and poetry of the lay.

Interviewer: Well, I admire your knowledge of Scythia. *chuckles* I’d never remember all that.

Halder: *shrugs* Comes with the territory of being a minstrel, I guess. *grins*

Interviewer: What is your favorite animal?

Halder: Our dog, Finn.

Interviewer: A chocolate golden retriever, right?

Halder: *nods* How did you know?

Interviewer: *smiles* Rynn mentioned him when she was interviewed.

Halder: *grins* Cool.

Interviewer: Aside from the things you’ve already made clear–storytelling, music, history–what are some interests or hobbies of yours?

Halder: Gardening, reading, and running would be the other main things. And playing knights and dragons with Rynn and Rhylan. You never get too old to use your imagination. *grins*

Interviewer: Which of these is most important to you: kindness, intelligence, or bravery?

Halder: Kindness.

Interviewer: And honesty or selflessness?

Halder: Selflessness.

Interviewer: What’s something you can’t leave home without?

Halder: My lute. *smiles*

Interviewer: Well, that’s the last question. Thank you so much for your time. I enjoyed talking with you.

Halder: *nods and rises* You’re welcome, and thank you. I had a good time, as well. *shakes the interviewer’s hand and bows slightly before leaving*