Book two is the first time I ever introduce Arabella, human, beautiful, Burnett, human, yeah. I've never come up with a maiden name for her, but she does get married to Aveir, so she at least has one last name so far.
Arabella was born in the Central World, but before her fifth birthday her family moved to the Western World, where they only fell into poverty. Her father dies in a work related accident and her mother dies of an illness in the dead of winter. Arabella, a bright young woman, is left all on her own, her older brother still living in the Central World, her younger sister having been taken to an orphanage because she was too young to take care of herself. Arabella, alone at only 14, begins a life on the street, too old to be taken care of by the state, too poor to travel away or send a letter to her brother, requesting him take her in.
She avoids most dangers, keeps pretty clean, just sticking to begging or meager jobs. After about a year though she gets caught into thieving, just so she can survive. After she gains a large enough amount of money she travels to Ashton in hopes for a better life. Instead she's put right back into the streets, and returns to theft.
She comes into book two at age 23 by trying to steal some money from Aveir when he's running away from the Sessak. He ends up dragging her along with him, trying to protect her, and she just gets stuck with the main group in book two. Thief, yes, traitor, no. She becomes deeply involved with the revolutionaries and ends up being they're greatest key to get people to joining their side. She strives to regain what little trust she can and unexpectedly marries Aveir near the end of the book. Like, really. Everyone is shocked when they find out the day after the wedding.
At first glance the two don't really seem liked they'd fit well together, but in actuality they do. Aveir is very fond of her, but not over protective and willingly gives her lots of space. I guess the greatest comparison I can give is you know a little old lady and old man, wrinkled, bent over, gray... how they just adore each other, and it's just so cute. That's what their relationship is like... minus the wrinkled, old, bent over and gray parts.
Because of Aveir's curse they never have children before she dies, which happens in between books three and four. Aveir feels pretty guilty about that because he never told her about the curse. Because of that Ralen and Aurora's children sort of treat Aveir and Arabella like a second set of parents, often looking to them for guidance and support.
I'm thinking she died of some unexpected illness, but I know she dies pretty young, in her thirties or something like that. The guilt of what he did during the Elven Wars, which Aveir forgot during the decade or so he was married, returns quickly after her death and he loses much of his spirit again.
In the Five Worlds it's a devastating sin to remarry, which is why no one suggested it to him or he even dared to consider the possibility. Book five sees a change, the True Religion loses power once the Dragon Council is over-thrown in book three, and by the time book five comes around it's socially acceptable to remarry, but Aveir never does, because he still does believe in the True Religion, and he doesn't want to disrespect Arabella's memory.
Anyways, I got off track. Because of some events in book two she sort of becomes emotionally unstable, which is mentioned several times in book three. She's a side character in book three, shows up probably... less than twenty times, probably more than ten. I don't know, something like that.
Well, that's Arabella in a box.
-Dancy M. Grant © 2010
No comments:
Post a Comment