Time for Sky and Cait’s Beautiful People monthly linkup again! And I’m joining in on the very last week of the month, like I do. Is anyone surprised? I didn’t think so. But I REFUSED to let this month go by without doing it. I love this round of questions! If you haven’t joined in yet either, you can do so by hopping over to Sky’s post or Cait’s, snag the questions, linkup, all that good stuff!
So something tragic occurred to me. Out of all the BP posts I’ve done, I’ve never actually done one for my Beast character from Burning Thorns! Like. . .HOW HAS THIS HAPPENED??? It’s a Beauty and the Beast story, I’ve done my Beauty character more than once. But Beast? NOPE. SO TODAY WE ARE FIXING THAT. These questions suited him perfectly. I’m quite excited!
Allow me to introduce you to the Beast a.k.a the Dragon. . .
Keeping the weapon high, he used his other hand to wrench Rose to her feet. “Get out of here!”
Their eyes locked, hers wild and fearful, but hesitant. A dark fae’s sharp claws ripped into his shoulder, tearing his cloak.
“Dragon!” Rose shrieked.
Growling in more frustration than pain, he slashed the blade through the creature’s chest, then shoved Rose behind him.
“Go to the castle.”
She kept her hands cupped against her chest, lips trembling. “But you—”
“You’ll be safe there. Go!”
Without another word, she spun and sprinted down the muddy path. One of the creatures loped after her but the Beast snatched it by the back of its leathery neck. He drove the dagger into its back, making a red spot, searing like coals. He did not wait to watch the body disintegrate to mist.
Turning to the others, he snatched off his half mask and looked right into their dark, gleaming eyes. At their misshapen bodies, once so beautiful. Now monstrous. Like him.
They moved back as one, hissing quietly.
“Leave!” he roared. “You will not come here again!”
He swiped the blade before them. Their hissing turned to screeches. They sunk into the ground and seeped into the shadows, not even leaving a print in the mud behind.
The Beast stood alone, the only sound his own labored breaths.
He stared at his shadow stretching into the depth of the Forest, casting darkness even upon the bright roses encircling him. His fingers crinkled the mask in his hand. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, he would still be a beast. No mask could change that.
He was the Dragon.
~ The Dragon ~
1. Do they want to get married and/or have children? Why or why not?
He’s put a lot of thought into marriage buuuut more for the convenience of it, not for love. And for fear of spoilers, let’s just say this gets him in trouble. To put it lightly. . . *cough*
Children? Hm. I don’t think he’s opposed to the idea, but he hasn’t put great thought in it. He’d probably be fine with children as long as he can promise them a good life. He wouldn’t want to bring children into the life he had to live.
2. What is their weapon of choice? (It doesn’t necessarily have to be a physical weapon.)
He is his weapon. Swords and such don’t need to be bothered with when he can easily kill anything with his own hands.
He is a beast, you have to remember. *smile, smile* Though he does have a certain iron dagger that gets used on occasion. . .
3. What’s the nicest thing they’ve done for someone else, and why did they do it?
Well, the nicest thing is extreme spoilers. We’re talking serious spoilers, guys! So let’s just go with something nice, instead of nicEST.
Where I’m working on the book right now, he’s been secretly putting a single white rose on Rose’s doorstep every single morning to show he still cares. Because last he saw her he may or may not have threatened to kill her. Hey, ALL couples have their problems! Psh.
4. Have they ever been physically violent with someone, and what instigated it?
Bwahahahaha!!!!
Ahem.
Let’s just say the Dragon has a teeny tiny bit of a temper, that maybe sorta caused him to kill almost an entire horde of knights AND catch his entire garden on fire. BUT HE WAS HAVING A BAD DAY. We all have those, am I right?
But, er, yes, he’s been physically violent on many an occasion. He’s a temperamental little dragon and his life stinks. Can we really blame him?
5. Are they a rule-follower or a rebel?
My immediate answer was REBEL. But you know what? He’s really not a rebel. He’s almost worse. Because he uses the rules for his own manipulative purposes. Yes, he tends to follow the rules, but he hates them and makes sure they serve him instead of vice versa.
6. Are they organized or messy?
The Dragon is a total neat-freak and can be so OCD. He basically spends his life polishing his castle to the point that you might slip and die on his ridiculously shiny floors.
Buuuut, on the other hand, when he has one of his tempers the furniture suffers. If you see him hurling a chair or something at the wall you’re probably gonna want to run.
7. What makes them feel loved, and who was the last person to make them feel that way?
Well, this question hits the feels.
People seeing past his monstrous nature, seeing him as a person, not a beast, is the greatest love he can receive. And Rose was the last person to ever do that.
Before then, his parents always showed him love.
Basically, there have only ever been 3 (well, sorta 4) people in his entire life who have ever loved him. (No, I’m not crying, it’s just raining on my face.)
8. What do they eat for breakfast?
If he actually remembers to eat breakfast (which he often doesn’t), he has an enormous selection to choose from every morning, from sweets to fruit to meat to. . .pretty much anything you can think of. Perks of living in an enchanted castle that magically provides a ginormous meal in the dining room every day.
Usually he opts for the sausages. He’s a guy. Gotta have his meat.
9. Have they ever lost someone close to them? What happened?
Ugh, these questions. *sniffs*
Both his parents are dead. His father died fighting in a war that happened between their kingdom and another, and his mother died from grief soon after.
Because of said war and hard times, he’s witnessed a lot of death through his life.
10. What’s their treat of choice? (Or, if not food, how else do they reward themselves?)
The Dragon really doesn’t think about food that often. It’s never his priority.
His greatest treat is a peaceful night’s sleep, when all his warring thoughts aren’t plaguing his mind and he can just rest. Of course, nightmares get in the way a lot. But just being unconscious from the world for a little while is quite a treat for him.
~ ~ ~
Okay, so, my Beast may be wee bit tragic. And I’m really not making his life any better. But I’m a writer. IT’S WHAT WE DO.
So what do you think of my Beastie? Tell me about
one of your most tragic characters! (Because I know we
all have them.) Have you joined in Beautiful People this month??
That snippet at the beginning. . .everything was so hopeful then. (For those who haven't read the book and are reading my comment, and are wondering how a snippet that ends that way can be hopeful — compared to the rest of the book so far, believe me, it can.
Children. I can see him actually liking having a pile of children climbing all over him someday.
"Certain iron dagger that gets used on occasion". So far it hasn't been used at all, though it's come awfully close, and who knows what this next chapter will hold. . . I should try to avoid spoilers, shouldn't I.
Question 4 made me laugh too :).
"He basically spends his life polishing his castle to the point that you might slip and die on his ridiculously shiny floors." *Might* being the key word here.
I've had a tragic character or two, but none nearly as good (or as bad) as the Dragon. And I say that without knowing what his redemption looks like yet.
Man, you know things are bad when that snippet is a hopeful one. (Nooo, I don't have an Evil Author Grin on my face, what are you talking about?)
I guess I'll have to borrow the Dragon's mop, because this image of a pile of children climbing over him just melted my heart alllll over the floor. MEEP.
Well, technically, it was used a smidge in that snippet. But I think that was the only time it was really used as a weapon. It gets threatened to be used a lot, but it never does much, does it?
*grins* He can't help having those bad days, poor thing.
It could happen one day. You never knooow.
OKAY. Let me just flail over you thinking my Dragon is a good (and bad) tragic character!! It makes me so happy when others love my characters as much as I do. ^_^
I meant "used" as in, used for the purpose we know it's supposed to have, which I can't really say what it is. Being used on the fae doesn't count.
Oooh, I gotcha! Yes. That makes sense, and is quite true. *nods*
First: I love that snippet! I can't wait to read Burning Thorns!
Second: This character is so intriguing! There's so much mystery around him but I loved getting these glimpses of him. 🙂
Awwww, thank you! I'm so happy you enjoyed it.
I think there's so much mystery around him because he's practically a walking spoiler. XD I realized why I haven't done a BP post for him before now: Because everything about him is spoilers! Lol.
*shrieking* A BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE WITH THE DRAGON YAYYYYY!!! 😀 Dat snippet though! O_O Loved that part. 😀
Yup, he's a weapon, true. 😉 AND THE IRON DAGGER YUS.
I… I… O________O *stares at answer to #3 and reads it multiple times* i think i've lost the ability to even.
"HE WAS HAVING A BAD DAY" and "He’s a temperamental little dragon and his life stinks. Can we really blame him?" I'm dyyyying. XD
Wow, that was a fascinating answer to the rule-follower/rebel question!!! O_O Just… WOW.
THE ANSWER TO #6 IS THE BEST ONE EVERRRRRRR!!!! I love how he's such a neat freak (slip and die on his shiny floors… NIIIICE! XD) and YES to the running thing when he starts throwing furniture!
It may kinda be raining on my face for that one too… *COUGH*
I LOVE HIS ENCHANTED CASTLE WITH THE MAGICAL BREAKFAST AND SAUSAGE IS THE BEST THING EVER.
I also love how the breakfast question brings out how many of us don't remember to eat breakfast. XD The Dragon, Tare, Teague, me… I feel like I'm in good company. 😛
OKAY NOW I'M RIDICULOUSLY SAD FOR HIM. D: I WANT HIM TO BE ABLE TO SLEEP WITHOUT NIGHTMARES AND TO BE HAPPEHHH! D: My heart! <3333
*shrieks with you* THANK YOU!!!!
Oh yeah, you haven't gotten to a lot of these parts I've mentioned yet, have you? Oops. *covers lips* I'M SAYING NOTHING.
Well, he WAS having a bad day. XD
To be honest, I was a little fascinated to realize the rule following/rebel thing myself. I had never really thought about it in those terms before. This is why I love BP. It makes me THINK.
Hehehehe! I think a little part of me slipped into the Dragon's personalities. (Neat-freaks unite! *fistpump*)
Rude rain, falling on our faces. Psh.
Bwahaha! I think Meridian, Rose, and I need to gather all of you together every morning and force breakfast on you. XDD
I'M SORRY. I MADE MYSELF SAD ACTUALLY. POOR DRAGON! D:
We must needs read this story now, precious!! Yes, we needs it!! All these things and lovely things and secret things… and I'm not braining. Hey, it's Beauty and the Beast, but this is the Beast, and IT IS AWESOME!
I've been spending way too much time stuck in this publishing business. 😛 I think I need more sleep.
Anywhoz, lovely post. *huggles it just because I want to and because the word huggles is epic* 😀
*happy squeaking* YOU. <333
Sleep? You mean writers actually supposed to SLEEP? :O I've been doing it wrong all this time!
THANK YOU! I'm grinning so hard reading your comment. (And huggles is one of my favoritest words!)
Awwww, what a sweetheart! (Is this even the appropriate reaction towards characters such as this? Idk, we're rolling with it. I love me some tragic characters.)
"It's raining on my face" sAME.
Ellie | On the Other Side of Reality
You can totally call him a sweetheart. I can see Rose calling him that. ^_^ I love me some tragic characters toooo!
All this rude rain. SHEESH.
YOU WROTE A BP POST ABOUT THE DRAGON! *flails in the epicness* I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD!!
#3. He's leaving white roses? *sniffs* Wonder how that ends up happening … it sounds really sweet … don't mind the rain on my face …
#4. "BUT HE WAS HAVING A BAD DAY." Poor Dragon, bad days never end up well for him, do they?
#7. Oh, would you look at that, more rain.
#9 SKIP BREAKFAST?! WHO would want to skip breakfast served by an ENCHANTED CASTLE?! I would march straight over there and have a talk with Dragon if … I wasn't a wee bit scared XD.
#10 *sniffs* Poor, dear Dragon …
THIS WAS AWESOME I LOVED IT. HURRAH FOR BURNING THORNS! I can't wait to read more of it :).
YESSSH! 😀 I've been wanting to, but it's so HARD because so many spoilers surround him.
You'll just have to keep reading so see. *grins* He CAN be a romantic when he has the mind to. ^_^
When he has bad days, he has REALLY bad days…
Sheesh, this rain! It's just merciless.
I KNOW RIGHT? I love breakfast already, but if I had it magically appear every day, I'd be OBSESSED with it! The Dragon needs a good scolding. *nods* Maybe Rose will do it for us. XD
I'm really not very nice to him. 🙁
THANK YOU!!!! I CANNOT WAIT FOR YOU TO READ MORE. (But no rush. I understand when life gets busy!)
Spoilerific characters are SO hard to post about!! Actually, the problem with me and spoilerific characters is that I really want to TELL about all the spoilers XD. I'm a weird human being *nods* (though, whether I'm actually human is not a given).
*wants to give poor Dragon a hug so bad*
YES let Rose do it for us! Good idea :D.
I WILL READ MORE WHETHER LIFE DECIDES TO GET IN THE WAY OR NOT XD. Have you added another chapter to the Google Doc lately?
No, no! I totally get that. It's sooo hard keeping all these fun secrets. Sometimes I just want to spill everything!
Wait…you have been getting the emails with new chapter updates, right? o.o We're up to chapter 28 now.
You're kidding. Do tell me you're kidding. Wait, you're NOT kidding? Okay, I am SO SO SO BEHIND!! I'm, like, on chapter FIFTEEN RIGHT NOW. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?! *shrieks in horror at missing so much and in delight that I have so much to read* *rushes off to get caught up*
Did you start chapter 16 in a new Google Doc? 'Cause it's not appearing in the one I opened(apparently I'm REALLY behind XD).
OH NO. I AM SO SORRY!!!! I don't know what happened… Can you email me so I'll have your email address? But I'm so confused because I've been sending it to what I thought WAS your email address. ACK. WE WILL FIX THIS. Yeah, I did start the next chapters in a new doc because that first one was getting soooo slow. So if you can just email me we will get this sorted ASAP! I'M SO SORRY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. D:
THAT'S OKAY! Long as it gets figured out, I'll be okay :D. I GET TO READ ABOUT ROSIE AND DRAGON AGAIN YAY!! (and the email address is theperrans AT cox DOT net – just tell me when you send it so I can make such I receive it :))
Well, this is getting weirder, because I've been sending every email to that exact address. o.o Does your email address not work with group emails maybe? Perhaps I need to start sending things to you individually? I DON'T KNOW. Technology hates me. >.>
Anyways, I sent you an email, so let me know if you get it!
Very much odd. Well, it IS my mom's email address, so maybe she got it but forgot to tell me? Huh. Anyways, I got the new email you sent, so THANK YOU!
So I just sent a group email letting everyone know chapter 30 is up, but I also sent you an individual email just in case you're not getting the group ones. Are you getting either of them? I just want to make sure you're receiving the messages so I'll know what to do for the next chapters. I feel so bad you haven't been all this time!
*cries into a pillow* I FEEL FOR THIS BEAST. But he's not just 'the beast', right? He has a name, doesn't he? Poor thing. *hugs him*
CHRISTINE I JUST SO VERY BADLY WANT TO READ BURNING THORNS! Like, so much, oh my goodness. o.o Sitting here shaking I want to read it so much. SOMEDAY. Beta-reading, hopefully, because I DON'T THINK I CAN SURVIVE THE WAIT UNTIL IT'S PUBLISHED. Ahem.
He definitely has a name! Though for now people just call him the Dragon because of…reasons. *smile, smile*
WELL THAT JUST TOTALLY MAKES MY DAY, YOU SWEET THING. It's comments like these that keeps me going when I get discouraged! I'M SERIOUSLY JUST GRINNING SO HARD.
If you ever want to beat-read, just say the word, because you're absolutely welcome to! Though I so understand life being too hectic. Life is rude like that. >.>
*sniff sniffle sniff sniff* Oh. Oh how beautiful! I loves him already. Tragic characters are so tragic, and my heart just opens up to the unloved Beasts! TT_TT
Good gravy. THE. SNIPPET. I wanna read it ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have such a talent! You make your readers hunger for more to the point they'll STARVE. x_x ;D Dear dear Lauri, this one's a keeper! When you become rich and famous, remember me, OK? (Hahaha! I know it could happen!!)
So sorry for my absence… It's been CRAZY. I miss my writing SO MUCH. Keep it up, girlie! I LOVE your posts! XOXO
*clutches heart* I don't even know what to SAY. You are the sweetest!!! <333 My heat goes out to the unloved Beasts as well. It was inevitable I'd write a Beauty and the Beast story one day.
But SARAH. You are the nicest thing!!!! I'm speechless. *GLOMPLES* Thank you for the encouraging words! <333
And, girl, don't even think about apologizing. You've been building a house and planning a wedding. o.o I can't even imagine how busy you are! I hope everything's going well. ^_^
The poor, tragic, temperamental beastie! I love him.
I know. *sniffs*
But thank you!!! It makes me so thrilled when others love my characters too. ^_^
YOU DID A BP ABOUT THE DRAGON. IT'S ABOUT THE DRAGON! *shrieks*
Oh man, this hits the feels again. And my heart's going all warm and fuzzy at the thought of the Dragon having kids one day. <333
Bwahaha, number 4! And as to the dying on his polished floors–yes. That is a big possibility. XD
*huggles entire post* I can't wait to read the conclusion of Burning Thorns! This poor guy needs a happy ending.
*grins* I DID!
I have to admit, the image of him with children made me get all fuzzy-ful as well. ^_^
That'd be a big twist, wouldn't it? "And they all lived happily ever… *slips on floors* Annnd they're dead. The end."
Thank you! Hopefully the conclusion will be coming soon! Just 6 more chapters!! 😀