Caly Writes

Forgot a word in Spanish, while speaking Spanish to me, but remembered it in English. Became weirdly quiet as they seemed to lose their entire sense of identity.

Used a literal translation of a Russian idiomatic expression while speaking English. He actually does this quite regularly, because he somehow genuinely forgets which idioms belong to which language. It usually takes a minute of everyone staring at him in confused silence before he says “….Ah….. that must be a Russian one then….”

Had to count backwards for something. Could not count backwards in English. Counted backwards in French under her breath until she got to the number she needed, and then translated it into English.

Meant to inform her (French) parents that bread in America is baked with a lot of preservatives. Her brain was still halfway in English Mode so she used the word “préservatifes.” Ended up shocking her parents with the knowledge that apparently, bread in America is full of condoms.

Defined a slang term for me……. with another slang term. In the same language. Which I do not speak.

Was talking to both me and his mother in English when his mother had to revert to Russian to ask him a question about a word. He said “I don’t know” and turned to me and asked “Is there an English equivalent for Нумизматический?” and it took him a solid minute to realize there was no way I would be able to answer that. Meanwhile his mom quietly chuckled behind his back.

Said an expression in English but with Spanish grammar, which turned “How stressful!” into “What stressing!”

Here are the deets on Tobias, the protagonist of The Savior’s Champion. DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU DON’T WANT TSC INFO - no *major* spoilers, most of this is info you’ll learn within the first 3 chapters or so.

Copyright © 2016 Jenna Moreci

CATEGORY#1: BASIC STATS

Sex: Male

Gender: Masculine, but not hyper-masculine. Doesn’t need to throw his weight around to feel like a man.

Age: 21

Race, ethnicity, culture: Thessian. 

The realm of Thessen is loosely based off of ancient Greece and Rome. It sits in between Kovar (think vikings) and Ethyua (think ancient Egypt), so its population is widely mixed due to immigration and trade. Tobias’s family is not a product of immigration - they come from Thessian natives, same as most of the folks in his village. 

Height: 5′10″ - 5′11″

Body type: A few years ago he was slender, even a bit scrawny. But at around 18, he switched occupations, became a laborer, and the constant physical work has helped him bulk up. He’s no adonis, but he’s cut.

Appearance: He’s got wavy mop hair. Imagine an adorable mess of curls atop his sweet little head. Hair color is chocolate brown, but extended time in the sun is turning pieces of it golden brown. This is kinda what we’re working with:

(face covered because it’s way off)

Eyes are large and black. They’re technically a very dark brown, but you have to see ‘em up close to even make that distinction.

He’s got olive skin - think Greek, Portuguese, or a southern Italian look. Since he works every day in the sun, his skin is mega ultra super tan.

No mods, no tats. Angular features, long nose, and full lips. He occasionally rocks the five o’clock shadow, but the men of the Sovereign’s Tournament are frequently cleaned up by servant girls, which includes a shave.

Where is he from? He’s from a small hilltop village in the realm of Thessen. His upbringing was very humble, and he’s from a lower, “common” class, but his family didn’t necessarily struggle - they just lived within their means. It wasn’t until his adulthood that their financial situation became a big concern.

CATEGORY #2: RELATIONSHIPS 

Family: Has a twin sister named Naomi who was left crippled after a workplace accident. Prior to that, she was apprenticing under their father to become a metalsmith. Tomboy. Looks just like Tobias but is his opposite, as she was always the outgoing social butterfly of the pair. Her current situation has left her battling depression, though her spirits are higher than that of the average person in her condition. Despite their differences, Tobias and Naomi are fiercely close. She calls him Toby, and he hates it.

Father (metalsmith) died when Toby was 18 in the same accident that left Naomi crippled. Dad wanted him to become a metalsmith, but Toby wanted to become an artist. They butted heads for years until Toby acquired a super prestigious apprenticeship with the principal artist of Thessen. Once that happened, his dad was finally proud of him, and they started to get along. He died a year later.

Mommykins (Yucana) stays at home to care for Naomi. She had a job prior to the accident, but now it’s up to Toby to bring home the bacon. Now that Toby has sacrificed his dream to care for his family, she feels immense guilt. Because of this, she tries to shield him from the pain associated with caring for Naomi; when Toby gets home from work, it’s his job to relax. What she doesn’t realize is that she’s actually just making him feel alienated from his sister.

Friends: Toby’s two closest friends are Naomi and Milo. Milo is his neighbor, the youngest of a bazillion siblings, and the “runt” of the litter. They grew up together. The thing is, as they grew up, they became very different people. At this point, Tobias has essentially outgrown the friendship, but they’re still friends because by now their bond is more like family than anything else.

Tobias also makes friends within the Sovereign’s Tournament. Avoiding details for the sake of spoilers.

CATEGORY #3: THE SEXY STUFF

Sexual orientation: heterosexual

What is he attracted to?: He really likes long, pretty hair. He’s a boob man, provided they’re attached to the right woman. He likes femininity - when a girl smells nice, or when she’s wearing a pretty dress. But what’s really important to him is having a partner who sees and understands him, someone he feels comfortable talking to. He likes spunk and feistiness in a woman - someone who will shock him, keep him on his toes, make him laugh. He likes a strong, fiery personality - someone with opinions and purpose. Someone who will challenge him.

Sexual experience: Late bloomer, mostly due to his lifestyle - work work work and no time for play. His life revolves around providing for his family, so he doesn’t have the luxury of going out, having fun, and getting laid. He’s still a virgin, and he can count the number of girls he’s done anything intimate with on one hand.

Romantic experience: Two young, innocent, and very short-lived “romances,” if you can call ‘em that.

CATEGORY #4: SKILLS

Skills: Skilled at all things art. His expertise is as a portrait artist. Smarter than the average bear, but no genius. His creativity and intelligence become assets to him in the Sovereign’s Tournament.

Occupation/schooling: Went to the Thessen equivalent of basic public school. Worked his ass off to become an apprentice for the principal artist of the realm, then had to quit due to extenuating circumstances. Now works as a laborer in the sugarcane fields. He hates his job so much because it’s so incredibly mindless, but he does what he has to for his family.

Hobbies: PAINTING. DRAWING. He is obsessed with art. It is his greatest passion. He also really enjoys epics and fables (that shit is the equivalent of comic books in Thessen), and he likes to unwind with a drink at the end of a long day. He’s not an alchie, but he’s gotten sauced on occasion.

CATEGORY #5: PERSONALITY & CHARACTER

Introvert or extrovert? Introvert. Takes a while to warm up to people. Once he’s comfortable with someone, he’s very open and witty.

Right-brained or left-brained? Sooooo right-brained. Very artistic, creative, and in touch with his intuition. Deep thinker.

Strengths: He has a genuinely good heart. He is compassionate and kind. When he cares for people, he cares deeply. He’s intelligent, talented, and an old soul. Very deep thinker who questions conventions as opposed to blindly following the masses. Stands up for what is right and what he believes in. Unwavering loyalty. Selfless to the point of being self-sacrificing. When he opens up, he’s very witty and charming. Hard worker. Very brave, and very curious. A bit of an incognizant romantic.

Weaknesses: Honest to a fault. Has no poker face. Hellbent on saying his piece, even if it gets him into trouble. Led by his gut and emotion, even if it goes against his own self-interest. Has moments of obliviousness, especially when it comes to women. Sometimes overwhelmed by his feelings, which leads to poor decision-making.

Goals/dreams/aspirations: All he wants to do is protect his family and become an artist. But when he enters the Sovereign’s Tournament and starts developing warm tingly feelings, his aspirations change. Sure, he still wants to be an artist, but pursuing a life with the woman he loves becomes priority numero uno, especially since it seems like such an impossible feat.

Beliefs/affiliations: People in Thessen believe there is a higher power who ultimately created The Savior. The Savior, for lack of a better word, is somewhat of a Demigoddess - a Child of that higher power. However, Tobias doesn’t have the undying awe for The Savior that most people have. He knows She’s magical, but he sees Her as a Woman - Someone capable of being flawed.

Outside of religion, Tobias has a strong sense of principle, loyalty, and truth. He questions conventions. He needs to feel that an action or belief is right for him to be comfortable with it, regardless of whether or not the masses believe it’s right. He is not content with other people’s sense of morality - it needs to feel moral and right to him for him to accept it.

Fears: He’s had to deal with some really heavy realities, so his fears are reflective of that: losing the people he loves or losing himself. He feels an immense burden to take care of the people in his life and to stay true to himself. When either is compromised, he takes it very hard. 

Additionally, the Sovereign’s Tournament forces him to do things he would normally consider unthinkable, and he fears how these decisions will change him.

Insecurities: He’s insecure about his art. He really, really wants to be good. And he has very little awareness of how talented he is. He surpassed his master when it came to portrait art, and he has no idea. 

He seriously underestimates his capabilities in the tournament, and he’s a little ashamed about being in the tournament in the first place. It’s not his scene, he finds it objectifying, and he’s embarrassed to be a product for consumption/entertainment. 

Lastly, he questions his ability to care for the people he loves, even though he busts his ass doing so. 

“I must protect you,” he said in his normal, monotonous voice. “You are Miss’ daughter. I was given strict orders not to let anything bad happen to you.”

“Mom’s over-protective, but I don’t think you  understood what she meant,” Raina sighed, remembering the trip that he was allowed to go on when she was fourteen. They had taken a trip to Savannah and she wanted to go into the shops while mom and dad had some quality time together. Her mother did, indeed, tell him to no let anything bad happen to her, but hetook it to a whole ‘nother level. He began waiting with her at parent pick-up for her ride, following her whenever she went to the mall with friends, etc. “You can’t come with me!” She repeated.

“That’s not an option.”

“You-!”

“I’m coming with you.”

“Azreal, no!”

“Azreal,” Inanna poked her head in the bedroom door, “you can’t go with her to college.”

“...Yes ma’am.”

“You’re not the only one that can make terrible dad jokes,” he said, amused. “Plus, I think it’s warranted. After all, it took us....two hours? To get Raina to settle down for her nap?”

“Don’t remind me,” Ina groaned, walking into the living room and flopping down on the couch. “I hope that she grows up to be more like you. I don’t think that I can take another me running around.” Eru chuckled.

“Every toddler is like this,” he comforted, sitting down next to her. “It’s just a phase that we’ll get through in no time.” Eru grew quiet, his lips arching into a frown. Elves always aged every six years, but his daughter, Raina, whom had her mother’s Succubus blood running through her, was aging like a mortal. He loved his daughter more than anything, but the thought of still being the Elf equivalent of a twenty-two year old when she became an adult was not something that he looked forward to.

 “It’s difficult for me to,” Ina said, breaking the silence. “It’s the same for all immortals. That’s why so many of them have so many children.”

“I don’t think that I can go through this twice,” Eru chuckled, dreading this conversation. He knew that Ina wanted another baby, but he...well...disorienting. “Besides,” he put his arm around her, “imagine the heartbreak when she goes off to college.”

“I’ll never be ready for that,” Ina leaned into him. “I’m already nervous for when she has to go to school, let alone college. Meira still going gives me enough anxiety, and I now she can take care of herself.”

Eru kissed Ina gently on the forehead. “You give birth to strong women, Inanna,” he smiled.

“You know that coming from anyone else, that would sound insanely creepy.”

"Oh, hush.”

“You know I love you no matter if we have one kid or one kid for every century, right?”

“And you know that I love you more,” Eru said in Elvish, smirking.

“That’s none of your business,” the girl scoffed. “Who doesn’t get scared when they’re stopped by a cop?”

“I never asked if you were scared, Miss...,” the officer sighed, looking at her license, “Haston. I’m just saying, a lot of Supers come here for a safe-place. Fortean has a lot of protection for people like you.”

“You know,” the girl let out a petty chuckle, “I’m really tired of people saying that ‘people like you’ bullshit! So what I have a fin when I’m in water! I don’t want to be treated any differently than you are!”

The officer stood, taken aback by the girl’s defensive mannerisms. “Uh, miss,” he said quietly, “I don’t mean to sound rude but I’m not exactly mundane either.” He smiled.

The girl pursed her lips together, adjusting her glasses. She sighed. “I’m sorry,” she said, leaning against her car. “I’m trying to get to Grimm University. I get that I was speeding and I’ll take the ticket and pay it, but I need to get to New York soon. I just came through here because I have a friend that works in Delta Academy that said I could crash with him tonight.”

The officer listened to her story, and sighed for what felt like the millionth time in the past ten minutes. “We see a lot of us come through here. I’ll give you a warning miss, and you can be on your way.” The girl looked up at him, so happy that tears were forming in her eyes.

The Loaded March series (Merthur) by Footloose is 1,261,720 words. That’s is insane!!! You can also put in second copy of The Half-Blood Prince and still have a few thousand words to spare!!!

“Perhaps,” the woman sitting across from her said patiently, “you could at least try.”

“I don’t want to try,” Ina groaned. “I just want to leave the past behind me!”

“I understand, Inanna,” the doctor scolded, “but your problem has been just that. You try to leave the past, but that’s what’s been getting you into all of this danger.” Ina’s jaw tightened. “The only way to-pardon the pun-get past this is by digging through it a little bit. I need to know about your past to help you with your present and future.”

Ina remained silent. The Succubus had never much liked talking about her childhood. Only recently had it been even moderately resolved, but there were sour feelings still between her and her family.

“We lived on Earth,” she started. “My parents had immigrated from Hell. Dad had a thing for ignorant mundanes and mom tries to stay out of Hell as much as she can. Dad was...nobility here. He had schmoozed his way into the Danish King’s family, and he owned a small castle in Aalborg.”

“I wasn’t aware that the Alistors were in line for the throne.”

“I’m not in a hurry to take it,” Ina said flatly. “The castle was...stuffy. The walls were stone and cold. It was so...gray. We all had a fireplace in out bedrooms, but I was so sensitive to the cold that I kept it on one night and almost set my room on fire.” She looked at the therapist, who was clearly trying to keep a straight face. “You can laugh. Mom was pretty peeved but she couldn’t be too mad at me.” She closed her eyes, trying to remember her childhood home. “There was always yelling,” she said solemnly. “Mom always had a reason to be angry. We didn’t do our routine right, dad was shacking up with another maid, she stubbed her toe, something. One day, I can’t even remember what I did or said to set her off, but she slapped me so hard that I almost blacked out.”

“Your mother sounds like a violent woman.”

Ina hesitated. “I use ‘that was the nineteenth century’ a lot, but...yeah. When I was dating...him,” she swallowed, hating every moment she brought up her ex, “whenever he got angry, I just...instantly put my hands up. He got me out of the habit, but now...Eru’s caught me putting my guard up.”

“You’ve been through trauma, Inanna,” the woman consoled her. “It’s normal for you to put some kind of guard up, emotional or physical.”

“I know...I’m just...so fucking tired of having to put it up.” Ina put her hand over her face. “I’m sorry, is it alright if we end this session early?”

A force to be reckoned with in the deep down, Burlesque Dalca is a gorgeous woman with a love of all children. Over the many years that she has been alive, she has courted many men, and has had their babies. However, each one has met their demise in one way or another.

Anarchy’s father was a serial killer who did his job in front of him, and that did not end well. Morfine’s tried to stab Burlesque while she was pregnant. Calamity and Riot’s died of natural causes, and that was a side day.

Yes, each one has met the Black Widow’s embrace. All but one.

Rage; Havik’s father. Burlesque tried to break that off, but Rage wouldn’t take no for an answer. Now he torments Havik from afar, and the day that Burlesque finds him won’t come soon enough.