March Character Interview
Patricia Parrington ~ March 6, 2023
Hello my lovely readers and fellow book-lovers! For those of you who are new here (which is all of you because this is our first feature), I, your host Patricia Parrington, have the pleasure of interviewing characters from books all over the world.
Today we have here with us Lady Veral of Vestin from the book A Choice to Die by M. M. Liles.
Lady Veral
[Patricia flops onto a suede orange couch across from Lady Veral.]
Welcome to Fable Features, Veral! So, tell me, what’s a day in your life like?
[Veral eyes her interviewer from under the hood of her deep red cloak.]
Which part of my day? The part where I pretend to be a pathetic flirt, luring unsuspecting knights into my net and enduring the disgust of those who think they know me? Or the other part?
[She draws a knife and tosses it casually in the air.]
Too bad for you, I don’t have anything to tell you, except someday I will dominate those who ruined my escape from this life.
[Eyes focused on the knife, Patricia shrugs]
That's alright if you don't want to elaborate.
Do you have any hobbies? Or a hobby you wish you had time for?
[Veral rolls her eyes and sits back against her white leather sofa.]
I’ve done my fair share of needlework, if that’s what you’re asking.
[Patricia's eyes light up.]
Needlework you say! Anything in particular you’re proud of?
[Veral purses her lips.]
Well, the last time I embroidered, I made a heart of seaweed and decorated it with ships, but I burned it the next day.
Aw, that’s too bad.
[Patricia taps her chin with the tip of her quill.]
So I find I’m always trying new foods. What’s your comfort food?
Anything not Alcasan. All they eat is chicken and potatoes, and they hardly know what spices are! There is this cinnamon breaded banana that the Elerins make. Yess, good thing my maid knows how to make them now.
[She pauses and raises her eyebrows.]
You don’t know who the Alcasans or Elerins are, do you?
[Patricia laughs.]
Nope, never heard of them.
You’d think you were from another world.
[Veral sighs and mutters something under her breath but says no more.]
What are your thoughts on pineapple pizza?
What’s a pizza? Or a pineapple? I hate to break it to you: apples don’t grow on pines.
Haha, I admit it is an odd name. We actually have some here today if you’d like to try it. [Patricia waves and a crewmember comes out with a slice of pineapple pizza on a plate. He offers it to Veral.]
[Veral takes the plate and looks back at the crewmember expectantly.]
Well? Eating utensils?
[She glances between the interviewer and crewmember.]
Ah, I see. This must be a party dish.
[She picks it up and takes a bite.]
The tangy sweet yellow fruit, it adds a particular flavor.
[She tests another bite.]
Yes, I believe I like this—pizza—right? I will require the recipe for the pineapple. Is it a sort of candied apple?
[Patricia smiles.]
Something like that! I’ll show you where to get pineapple after the interview.
Alright, I’ll stop talking about food. So do you have any close friends? What are they like?
Friends are for the weak. They only hurt you.
Interesting perspective. I have another deep one for ya: what does perfect happiness look like to you?
[Veral crosses her arms, staring in calculating silence for a long minute.]
Power. To watch them suffer as they made me suffer. Make them beg from me whom they despise.
[There's a long moment of silence.]
Power certainly can bring about many things.
On a lighter topic, do you have any tattoos, scars, or birthmarks?
[Veral stiffens.]
My scars are none of your concern. They are the last remains of a mistreated child.
I'm sorry to hear that. So what’s your favorite memory?
Once I would have said the night Kalrick first asked me to dance, but now.
[Her face goes hard.]
Now I have no favorite memory, only daydreams.
Sounds like you’ve led a hard life. Do you regret anything?
[Veral studies Patricia for a long minute. She glances off to the side.]
Not standing up to Countess Vestin when I was a girl.
[The fingers around the knife clench white.]
I should have refused, or told Father, or—nevermind.
That’s alright. Let’s move on to the next question!
Do you have any embarrassing moments?
No.
[She flashes a painfully loose grin.]
I’m a pathetic flirt, remember?
[Patricia sticks the feather quill behind her ear and leans back.]
Looks like we have time for one last question, so here it is: What’s something you would have a super hard time turning down if it were offered to you?
A chance to cure my reputation.
[Veral stands and sheathes her knife.]
But I would refuse it, this reputation is my cover and that is essential.
[She stands up and spins on her heel, her deep red cloak swirling around her black dress as she heads for the door.]
Wait! The pineapple recipe . . . !
[Patricia runs after Veral.]
End of interview
Want to Read More?
Lady Veral's author, M. M. Liles, can be found on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or her website. The book A Choice to Die can be found here.
[Patricia waves around her own copy of the book.]
It's really good, guys! Check it out!
See Ya Next Month
Sadly that's all the time we have for today. Thank you, readers, for coming. And thank you, Lady Veral, for letting us get to know you! See y'all next month, and until then stay outta trouble and keep writing!
If you would like to submit a character to be interviewed for a future issue of Fable Features, please send an email to linnaekconkel@gmail.com with the subject line: Fable Features Interview.
If you have questions you'd like Patricia Parrington to ask in a future interview, please submit them to linnaekconkel@gmail.com with the subject line: Interview Questions.
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