When elves argue

As an author, I cannot think of a relevant argument to discuss here.  Then again, I am not posting just to say that I have nothing to share.  I have already explained the situation in which someone tried to insult me for being a writer (and, apparently, not a sports fan).

In Legends of Lorata, I have a particularly moody character: Zarrek.  He’s actually a very important character who starts off in book one, and it’s very rare that he’s in a good mood.  Zarrek is supposed to to be heir to one of the highest positions in the land, but things happen to him that are… less than ideal.  I really cannot say much without raining down spoilers, but suffice it to say that he has a very difficult life between the anger, the frustration, the heartache and the physical pain. 

There is one person in particular with whom Zarrek argues the most vehemently, the most often, and with the most frustrating results.  Again, I am avoiding any spoilers here, so you’ll have to forgive the lack of details, but there is a bard who shows up in book one, and Zarrek very quickly learns to hate him.  There is no end to the arguments they have, and Zarrek often ends up storming out of the room at the end of them.  

There are times when he thinks up some choice words that he could have said to the bard later on, while he is brooding.  Sometimes he says them during the next argument (they often argue repeatedly about the same thing), but eventually he gets to the point where it’s not about words anymore; it’s about actions.  Zarrek makes several decisions that serve as a slap in the face to the bard, some of which also hurt the people they care about. 

These arguments end up being very pivotal to the plot of book two, as Zarrek approaches adulthood and finds his way through life.  They influence his decisions and his goals, but not necessarily for the worst.  Sometimes their disagreements serve to strengthen Zarrek’s conviction and solidify his goals.  Whether are not those goals are good ones is a completely different story.