June Character Interview
Patricia Parrington ~ June 1, 2024
Hello my lovely readers and fellow book-lovers! For those of you who are new here, I, your fabulous host, Patricia Parrington, have the pleasure of interviewing characters from books all over the world.
Today we have here with us Kai Travaldi from The Faumen War Chronicles trilogy by L. Cyrus Whelchel. Cyrus is a children’s librarian from Texas who has always been fascinated by tales of nobility and the fantastical. He was taught to read at a young age and inherited his love of fantasy and mystery stories from his mother.
Meet Kai
[Patricia leans back against the couch and smiles at her guest seated on a matching sofa across from her.]
Welcome to Fable Features! I’m excited to get to know you. So where are you from?
[Kai gives a nervous laugh, grinning as he runs his fingers through the mane of ebony fur on his upper chest.]
I suppose if I’m being honest, I’m not quite sure of where I originally came from. I was found on the banks of the Great Ardei River as an infant with nothing but a blanket and a small brass tag that had my name on it. The couple that found me raised me in a small Livorian village called Havenfall, so to me, that’s always been home, no matter where I may have been born.
I’m glad that couple found and raised you. Did you like growing up with them?
[Kai’s face stretches into a wide smile.]
Oh most certainly! Ma and Da were great, and even my little sister, Serafina, is fun to be around . . . provided you’re not the target of one of her pranks. Most of the villagers liked to pick on me or call me names, but that’s par for the course when you’re a Norzen, especially if you’re the only one in town like I was. Still, Da taught me everything about how to fend for myself, so I’ll always appreciate him for that.
I’m so glad you had a great family to grow up with!
Do you have any nicknames?
[Kai pulls a small object from the pocket of his red apothecary robe: a brass watch with a crystalline cover.]
There’s a story to that, actually. I earned the nickname Gravebane—though in Livoria we call it a Brand—during an incident that happened after I turned seventeen. During my Trial of Ascension to become a certified member of the Hunter Corps, me and the other participants ran across a savage beast called a nettleboar. Think of a wild hog and imagine it six feet tall and four and a half wide from shoulder to shoulder with venomous quills and two tusks as thick as my wrist. Angry bugger, too. Well, I somehow managed to fight it off and got lucky in killing it. Because of how dangerous they are, I was Branded as a member of the Exarch Knights and given both this watch as a symbol of my membership and the epithet Gravebane, since everyone says my uncanny ability to somehow not die makes me the bane of the death goddess, Cacovis.
[Patricia’s green eyes widen, impressed.]
Wow, what a story! And it’s such a cool name, too.
Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities?
[Kai lifts his arm and smiles as he rubs the fur trim of his sleeve between his fingers.]
Most of my skills as a Hunter I picked up from my adoptive parents, though I’m much happier being an apothecary. I learned most of the basics of medicine from an old Aerivolk my Da knew named Grasol. But because he couldn’t officially take any apprentices, he got me set up with a friend of his named Geraldo, who taught me everything there is to know about being a healer. I owe both of them a lot.
They sound amazing.
[Patricia gestures at his apothecary robe.]
Do you do a lot of healing these days, then?
[Kai nods, lifting his satchel from the ground and opening it to reveal a mass of vials and bottles filled with dried herbs and tinctures.]
I consider it my primary job, even above my duties as a Hunter and Exarch. I am considered the town apothecary for Havenfall, after all. There’s not much I enjoy more than seeing the smiles on people’s faces when I help them overcome whatever is ailing them. With the Faumen War going on, I’ve been leaning on my healer skills more than ever. If there’s one thing you’re never short of in a war, it’s injuries!
Very true.
[Patricia’s eyes grow somber for a moment, then she adjusts her skirt and smiles at her guest.]
Here’s a fun question to consider: If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
[Kai leans back with a wistful look in his eye and a tired smile on his lips.]
Truly, I wish people would be more open and accepting of my tribe, the Norzen. We get a bad reputation because Cacovis was a member of our tribe, but I like to think that not all of us are horrible people. It’s one of the reasons I became an apothecary and try so hard to be kind to anyone and everyone I meet. I want to serve as an example to others that the Norzen aren’t just hellcats or bandits who only think about hurting others.
[Patricia nods.]
It’s awful when people’s view become tainted due to one person. I can’t imagine the hate you must be facing because of who you are!
On a more lighthearted topic, what’s your favorite bug?
[A wide smile stretches across Kai’s lips.]
Ooh, I like this question! I’ve always been fascinated with honeybees. I keep a small hive of them outside my medical dispensary to help pollinate my garden of medicinal flowers and herbs. Their honey also makes a much healthier and tastier sweetener for my morning tea compared to sugar cane.
Mm, I love honey! Maybe I’ll look into beekeeping as well.
Has someone ever done a random act of kindness to you?
[Kai scratches his neck, a pensive look in his stormy grey eyes.]
Outside of my family and teachers, I’d say nobody really showed me kindness until my friends came along. Ione was the first one I remember. Right before that disastrous mission in Mistport, I remember the hug she gave me after my old squad and I gave her a nice tip at the meadhouse for being so kind to us. Ione gives the best hugs. Like a doting big sister who’s always there to look out for you when you forget to take care of yourself.
[Patricia smiles softly.]
I’m glad you came upon her. Kindness like that is a rare gift these days.
That meadhouse you mentioned makes me think of food. What’s your comfort food?
[Kai licks his lips and pulls a small vial with a red dot on it from his robe.]
One of my favorite pastimes: Food! As you can probably guess, I tend to lean towards stuff like fish and poultry. My absolute favorite, though, is herb-braised trout with a side of rice, corn, fresh appleberries, and a delicious sweet roll. I like to season it with a pinch of cappara pepper.
[Kai jingles the vial, which emits a potent, spicy odor.]
Just be careful with this stuff . . . it’s hot enough that getting the oil on your skin can cause contact burns.
Good to know! I’m clumsy enough as it is. I take it you like spicy food?
[Kai nods with a tilted grin.]
You would be correct! Nothing better than a nice kick in your breakfast to wake you up in the morning. One of the nice things about being Norzen is that our muscles and internal organs are denser compared to a normal human, so we can take a lot of abuse. That being said, not even I could withstand getting hit with cappara dust in the face. Nothing could, really.
[Patricia laughs.]
Well I’ll be out long before you! I can barely handle spicy food. My sister on the other hand . . .
[Patricia shakes her head, still chuckling.]
What’s something you would have a super hard time turning down if it were offered to you?
[Kai rests his chin on his palm, leaning forward with his elbow propped up on one knee.]
That’s a toughie. I’d have to say being given the opportunity to travel abroad and learn about medicine in other realms. I’ve heard rumors of some interesting plants they use in the Montridge Island Federation of the eastern continent. So long as I’m allowed to take the girls with me, I’d be content. That would make the trip so much more relaxing.
I love traveling too! I think that would be super fun.
[Patricia stands with a smile.]
It was so nice chatting with you, Kai. If you ever do travel abroad, you’ll have to come back and tell me all about it!
End of interview.
Want to Read More?
Kai’s author, L. Cyrus Whelchel, can be found on Twitter/X and at his website, www.lcyruswhelchel.com. His book Oaths of Life and Death can be bought here. Book 2, Conquering Shadows, is releasing September 4, 2024, so keep your eyes peeled!
cover by Lesia T. (@germancreative)
art by Pevitart
art by House of Imagi Studio
author L. Cyrus Whelchel
See Ya Next Time
Aaand that's all the time we have today. Thank you, readers, for coming. And thank you, Kai, for letting us get to know you! See y'all next time.
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.
Please note that erotica and content with excessive vulgar language will not be accepted.
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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