Sharp Dark Things IV

Sharp Dark Things IV - Larell

Here is Sarah's most recent drawing. This is Larell Lac Taal. He is the security chief for The Citadel of Faetaera. Larell takes his job seriously as Queen Aurelia (more about her to come in a subsequent blog) specifically chose him for the job.

“To others these small inconsistencies in Faetaera would seem insignificant. Unless, they had an inbuilt distrust of anything more out of the ordinary than usual. Why was he wired this way? He wasn’t sure. It certainly made for an interesting youth but now in his middle years he was less enthralled by this quirk.

The queen was only too aware of it. She told him it was the main reason she had appointed him as head of security, a post never before held within the kingdom. That she felt the need for the position was disturbing in itself. Larell had been unable to decline her offer.” © Rae Stoltenkamp

His character is led first and foremost by duty. He puts his personal needs aside to do what must be done. He has been in love with Aurelia from the first day he met her.

As the words in the song go:

#When a man loves a woman,

can't keep his mind on nothin' else,

he'd change the world for the good thing he's found.#

There's little I can say about Larell that he does not say for himself.

“His eyes forgot to look at her skin and met hers. For an instant everything in Larell’s world stopped. The queen’s gaze barely grazed his face but Larell felt it like a rain of blossoms on his upturned cheek. Then her attention moved away and he came back to the room.

“Idiot. Such an idiot. I can take down a gargantuan rampaging troll with the flick of my wrist but the instant the queen speaks to me I become a gibbering imbecile. It’s a wonder she didn’t think I was one of the creatures from my report.”

Larell’s heart was full to the brim. His audience with the queen had been unexpected and full of wonder. He was not surprised she was aware of his plans to send a force through to the other side. Aurelia always knew everything that was going on in her world. At times he thought he saw the weight of it bearing down upon her. Then he wished to take her in his arms and carry her as well as the burdens she bore. But of course he would never do this, merely imagine it. It made him love her all the more.” © Rae Stoltenkamp

With grateful thanks to

Sarah Pennock for all character drawings in this and subsequent blogs.

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