Saturday 24 March 2012

Beautiful People - March 2012

Because this is Beautiful People's one-year anniversary, Georgie and Skye have decided to do something special this month. It's an optional challenge focusing on … relationships! Not normally my cup of tea, but, you know what, I think it could be very good fun.

However, here I came across a slight hitch. Though the questions don’t state this specifically, I get the feeling this month’s questions are aimed at a romantic couple, rather than just a random pair of characters. Though I am working hard to sort out the romance factor of my Aeserion Trilogy rewrite, Rin’s sweetheart hasn’t got much more than a name at this stage, and it wouldn’t be much fun if I went and set their relationship down here only to have it eaten and sicked up on the carpet by a plot bunny overnight.

So, instead, I’ve decided to find the most interesting couple I have. You lot have met Vidal before, of course – he’s taken to haunting this blog, it seems. And today, with the aid of bribery, begging and a large pack of biscuits, the Bastard of Tanelorn has agreed to grace us all with his presence. With him, you’ll meet Lady Arystel Greysong – a classy, high-society Kinswoman. A bored, classy high-society Kinswoman.

Now then – let’s see what they’ve got to say for themselves:


1. Do they believe in anything that most people think is impossible?

Vidal: I’ve seen ice burn, kings wear rags and fools lead armies. I’ll not discount the truth in anything nowadays.

Arystel: I’d say there were plenty of impossible things in this world. I’m not half the conspiracy theorist Vidal is.


2. Are they strong, or the "damsel/knight in distress" sort?

Vidal: *raises an eyebrow* Does the fact that people call me “The Bastard” not say enough?

Arystel: I doubt I’ll ever need to be rescued. I’m not stupid enough to get myself into distress in the first place.


3. Do they have a special place? (e.g. a corner in his/her bedroom, under a tree...)

Vidal: Please excuse me while I go and cough up a hairball. All this whimsical nonsense is upsetting my stomach.

Arystel: *rolls her eyes at Vidal* I’m fond of the riverside, but there’s a particular peace about the Bonegrounds. I sometimes go and sit with my sisters of an afternoon. They don’t talk much, but, well, I like to think they’d enjoy catching up on the gossip.


4. What occupation do they have, or plan on having?

Arystel: Ha, as if I have any choice in the matter! I’ll be married and settle down to the job of trying to squeeze out a squalling heir for whichever manner of respectable man I’m given to. *she sticks her tongue out in disgust*

Vidal: Occupation? Well, I wouldn’t call it that, but I do have something to do with my time. The pay isn’t fantastic, but there are certain perks to the job. *he yawns* Pity about the death-threats, really.


5. Explain their last crisis. How had they changed when they came out of it?

Vidal: *bark-laughs* Crisis?! I’m a crisis on legs!

Arystel: And as if he wasn’t bad enough, there’s the small matter of a civil war … oh, you mean personally? Oh, I don’t do those. Not at all.


6. If they could drive any kind of car they wanted, what would it be?

*Vidal and Arystel both stare blankly.*


7. How do they deal with change?

Vidal: I don’t “deal with it”. It deals with me.

Arystel: There’s no point in arguing with things one can’t alter. Much easier to sit and watch and work around it if necessary.


8. If they had to amputate one body part, which one would they choose?

Arystel: What sort of bizarre question is that? Oh, I suppose it would have to be the middle finger on my left hand. It’s a pretty useless appendage really.

Vidal: It might also help with your incurable swearing problem.

Arystel: *looking affronted* Look who’s talking! What about you then?

Vidal: The idiot who thinks he’s removing my limbs has another thing coming. Perhaps he’ll learn a lesson or two about sociable behaviour while he’s scraping his entrails off the walls.


9. What would their favorite be at the local coffee shop? 

Vidal: Coffee? You mean that vile smelly drink the traders have started importing from the lowlands?

Arystel: It’s for drinking? And here I was thinking it was some sort of lotion or cure for chest infections.

Vidal: Really? Ah … perhaps I ought to apologise to Asphodel after all … I thought it was my uncle making another piss-poor attempt to poison me.


And here are the extra 5:

1. How did they meet?

Arystel: We met at one of my brother’s dinner parties – he’d spoken so much about Vidal I thought I had to come and see this infamous creature for myself.

Vidal: A very scintillating discussion we had too – I think it was something about the origins of the bloodlines?

Arystel: Yes. I think it all started when Yallar Fairwind started rambling on about blood superiority and we had to correct him …

Vidal: Oh, I remember now. Strange, for such a talkative fellow he didn’t talk much after that …


2. How do these two deal with conflict?

Arystel: I don’t do conflict. It gets rather tiresome after a time.

Vidal: Conflict and I have a special arrangement. He scratches my back, I scratch his. *He smiles, showing off a set of glittering sharp teeth*


3. Do they have a special song, phrase, item, or place? 

Arystel: Well, there’s my family motto … oh, you mean between the two of us?

*She looks at Vidal. He looks back. Both of them snort with mirth*


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

Arystel: *in a mocking, sighing tone* Oh, romantic strolls in the forest, dancing at high society balls, buying trinkets in the marketplace, dining with our friends –

Vidal: *smirking* Gazing at the stars in each other’s embrace.

Arystel: Yes. Sometimes Vidal comes and serenades me outside my window –

Vidal: When I’m not writing ardent love poetry.

Arystel: Oh, *she clasps her hand to her heart* how could I ever forget!

*The two burst out laughing again*


5. Describe their relationship as a whole in 3 words or less.

Vidal: *picking up a note that Charley has shoved to him across the table* Errr … “Bonnie and Clyde”?

Arystel: Fascinating. As much as I’d love to sit about and ponder the immense improbabilities of our author’s brain, I’m afraid I have more pressing needs to attend to. Imladris Noonlight wants me to come and join her for supper – apparently she’s had a deer bought in especially for the occasion.

Vidal: Oh, enjoy that. If you see her father, tell him I send my condolences.

Arystel: Whatever for?

Vidal: *cackles* You’ll see. You’ll see.

15 comments:

  1. OH *just about falls of her chair laughing* Oh they are Priceless! And what a couple two. I heartily approved of Vidal's taste in women. Hm... Perhaps Vidal is made from the Arystel flower on Tallirax 9, the twin sun system of the universe I have yet to name. *giggles*

    I'm thinking of participating using Sarah and Jason as they are the couple I know the best. (Actually I have done it, but I may post to my blog on Wednesday)

    I suppose Rachael and Michael might be interesting to do... except there would probably be a few other of her lovers trying to comment.

    :} Cathryn

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    1. (Thank you - the two grin at Cayla)

      Hehe, they're good fun to write - both of them. Arystel's hysterically snobby at times, and the two of them have the best debates over the dinner table. Poor Caiafal's wishing he'd never let them meet, bless him!

      Oooh, I'd love to see that! Sarah and Jay are the cutest couple ever ... Rachael and Michael would be hilarious, ESPECIALLY with interjections from others. I shall keep Rembrandt locked up so he can't try and jump in too xD

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    2. Personally, Elo, I'd like to see one of the other couples you've got, rather than Sarah or Jay, because we know a lot about them already! *grin*

      Spook, this is a laugh, thanks ;)

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  2. I love your characters' reactions to the 'mushy' questions! Well played, Charley!

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    1. Heehee, thank you! Vidal and Arystel appreciate it, I'm sure ;)
      I was exceedingly amused by how Crestlen and Redpaw reacted when they realised the mushy questions were designed for couples - so funny xD

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  3. Haha, this was awesome! Their answer to "What kind of things do they like to do together?" was priceless. xD Vidal and Arystel are fantastic together! I love it!

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    1. I'm very glad you think so - I was really worried these two wouldn't play ball and do their usual acts of general bizarre/strangeness. They're so much fun to write, and I'm glad they're enjoyable to read about too. :)

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    2. They definitely sound like they'd be fun to write - I loved reading about them, that's for sure! I just hope my Beautiful People with Elli and Finn is half as entertaining. ;) (It'll probably be a little while before I get to that post, of course...writing one post a week means it sometimes takes me awhile to blog about things. I think I've got everything figured out, though! ;)

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    3. They really are - I'm trying to kick the story forward, but with Vidal being the creature he is, it's taking a while. Lots of fun orchestrating plotting and all, but I want to get onto the fun stuff. Still, if I ever get it done, you can be sure to expect extracts, lol!

      Ooooh, I can't wait to see it! I love the name Finn, too, don't know why.

      Only posting once a week would be impossible for me - I get bored and need to feel I"m being productive somehow. Habit of talking too much spills out into cyberspace, lol.

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    4. Haha, yeah. I always look forward to getting to the "fun stuff" - specifically, I look forward to writing the fun (dramatic, emotional, interesting, milestone, etc.) scenes! I know some people write passages and scenes out of order, then weave them together into a cohesive work, but the thought of doing that overwhelms me. Besides, I like to be organized and neat, so I write everything in order. The only problem is that most of the fun scenes to write tend to take place at least halfway through the book! ;)

      And thank you! I like the name Finn, too, and I always like when characters have different names. As far as I know, there aren't too many female Finns out there, and it's fun to give girls names that are typically given to boys! ;) So...yeah. I'm just being different in that small way, haha!

      Oh, and believe me, I know! I used to blog every day, then I cut it down to every other day so I didn't totally overwhelm my followers; but eventually I just got so overwhelmed I had to cut back. If I hadn't, I would have had hardly any time to work on TSW, so I just had to prioritize a little. :) I'm glad you blog a few times a week, though - your posts are such fun to read!

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    5. Me too! I cannot write out of order - sometimes I'll skip a moment I'm stuck on, but that usually only happens in NaNoWriMo. The rest of the time, I fight on through the bleck until I get to my "cookie" scene :P

      I love doing that! Except I tend to go for tomboy-ish names rather than outright boy ones. I've got a couple of male characters whose names are usually given to girls but are fairly unisex too. Break the rule in both directions, bahahahahaha!

      Aww, I'm glad you think so. I don't have a lot of time to do my stories anyway, but blogging is a good way to get something else out of me other than essays. Hopefully this summer will give me some more "story time" as it were :)

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    6. Exactly. Fighting on through the bleck is the perfect description of it, haha! ;)

      There you go! Tomboy-ish names are good, too. :) Or nicknames, which I guess goes for Finn, since her real name is Serafina. But nearly everyone calls her Finn, so that's how I refer to her...

      I hope you have tons of writing time this summer! :D Good luck!

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  4. Crisis on legs.... that was awesome! :) That and, coffee being a cure for chest infections.... XD

    Well done, Charley! Too bad fictional characters are.... well, fictional. I would love to hang out with these two ;)

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    1. Aww, thank you so much! These two will be strutting like peacocks for weeks with all the love they're getting here, hee hee! I sometimes think I'd like to meet them ... until I remember how liable they are to mischief, hehe!

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