Character Conversations: Kiefan

On the heels of Tuesday's post about Myers-Briggs personality types and researching how those personality types behave in the real world: a brief character interview with one of my major characters. Kiefan is the only prince of Wodenberg, a small kingdom facing invasion by a vast empire. I'm speaking to him later in the story, during Part IV since that's the part I am currently revising. Kiefan tests as an ESTJ, though he's only a mild extrovert.

It's been a while since I've posted a character conversation -- you can find more of them here. Particularly Kiefan's previous conversation. My side of the conversation is in italics.

Character portrait coming soon!
I've seen the artist's preliminary
sketches and they look great. 
Keep an eye on the book blog for
Disciple art reveals.

One of the interesting things I learned in researching ESTJs is that you're staunch supporters of the rules of the game -- until you decide the rules are wrong. 

And then they must be mended. Which I mean to do.

And if you see a weakness in those who oppose you... 

All the better.

Your mother taught you that, in using you against your father? 

The war that Mother and Father waged against each other -- left its marks on me, true. In particular, the day I realized it was a war, and I might be a soldier caught in it or I might take control of my part.

There's a bit of difference between manipulating your parents' personal vendettas and defying the (powerful, god-like) saints you're bound to...

Powerful as the saints are, they are still men. Each has strengths, weaknesses, limitations.

You're not exactly in a position to demand an exemption from your saint's rules in exchange for your talents.

I'm no helpless child. Clever of my saint to treat me as an apprentice this long, to keep my attention on what I still needed to learn. Father did the same thing, and I believed it until I realized he no longer sparred with me because I could put him on his ass.

Your saint expects obedience. 

My saint expects victory. And knows full well that if he were negotiating in my place, we'd soon be friendless and facing the empire's armies alone. Even he doesn't doubt we need these allies, after the disasters of the siege. So long as I seal this alliance, he has little space for complaint at how.

I have some reservations about the assumptions Kiefan's making about his saint -- and the other implicit assumptions that he's making. But this should make for some good drama.

Disciple, Part I: For Want of a Piglet will be published in November, 2012. Watch the book blog for information, flash fic, cover reveals, maps, and other goodies...