Interview Of Princess Celeise I Of Tresinta

Bongiorno! Today I'm here with Princess Celeise I of Tresinta, from Alomina. And without further ado, here is her interview. :)

***

Belle. Hello, Celeise - er - Your Highness! Would you please answer some questions for me today?

Celeise. Like the question you just asked?

Belle. Eh... yes... *smiles sheepishly* Alright, so these questions are all from my audience, a bunch of people I tell about you and Montefore and all the other people in this story.

Celeise. *raises eyebrow* Who's Montefore?

Belle. Oops... uh, you won't find out for a while. Don't mind him. In fact, forget that because you don't even meet him until chapter thirty or so. Anyways... uh, what was I doing...?

Celeise. You had certain queries you wished me to answer.

Belle. *nods* Yes, that's right. So, the first ones are from Hope, who is one of my lovely Inkling readers of your story. What is your favorite thing about being a princess?

Celeise. *smiles a little* Being able to learn. To read and to memorize whatever beautiful thing strikes me or whatever I have trouble wrapping my mind around - that is the thing I love best about being a princess. The ability to learn and the means to do so is really all I need to happily occupy myself.

Belle. What is your least favorite thing about being a princess?

Celeise. *frowns slightly* Politics. I get wind of this and that ever and always, every single day. Lord Something did this - Peasant Someone did that - and it's all so ridiculous. What a lot of half-witted pigeons the kingdom is composed of. My father tires of it often as well, and I try to ease his mind of it when I can.

Belle. Speaking of King Edarian, what do you admire most about your father?

Celeise. *gazes off distantly for a moment* I don't know... there are so many things... I only hope that one day I can be as great a leader - and as great a friend - as he is. Maybe what I admire most is that I never even needed - much less desired - a friend as a child because he was everything to me. I never thought I would need anybody else, and I never have even now. He's so good, and he loves me so. There's nobody like him in the world. If... *blushes slightly* If my future husband has even half of what my father has - if he is even like my father in the least; as good, as loving, or as gentle - then I shall be content forever with him.

Belle. *snickers*

Celeise. *snaps back into reality and glances quizzically at Belle* What is it? Do you think this wish comical?

Belle. *shakes head, holding back a laugh* Nope, I just... nothing. *clears throat* Anyways, Do you spend time with your younger siblings? What do you typically do together?

Celeise. *smiles almost gently* Oh, yes, I do very often. Generally I'm found in the evenings lulling Alfonso to sleep myself instead of letting the nurses do it. I know it's perhaps a bit silly, but it gives me a sense that I really am doing something for him.

Not quite the right ages for Celeise's siblings, but they look enough like them.

Belle. *nods* I know how it is. If you find yourself with free time, what is the first thing you want to do?

Celeise. *cocks head thoughtfully* Go and read poetry. Or maybe even memorize some verse. I love doing it. Right now I'm working on memorizing The Ballad of Ellian.

Belle. *snickers and then raises eyebrow quizzically* Wait, you really are?

Celeise. *looks puzzled* Why is that poem of particular import?

Belle. *shakes head and shrugs* Oh, nothing. Nevermind. Anyways, next question! How do you personally feel about the betrothal?

Celeise. *gazes off distantly* I don't know... I suppose I really don't mind it, and I even helped arrange it to some extent. Maybe I was afraid for so long that I would never have someone that I rushed into saying yes... But, it doesn't matter now. And the matter really doesn't disturb me in the least. Although... *smiles a bit sadly* Sometimes I am a bit silly, and I daydream to myself about what he's like. I don't care if he's good-looking or anything like most other girls, but I want him to be a good man - just like my father, if he can be.

Belle. *nods* I can understand that. You know, I feel the exact same way. Just wish there was someone out there that was good enough.

Celeise. *smiles* Well, I suppose I'd better stop daydreaming, though, if I'm ever to get anywhere. It is absolutely ridiculous - but it's not bad to be ridiculous every so often - just so long as I can keep to myself usually.

Belle. *laughs* Well, I'm ridiculous all the time, so I can't really sympathize with that statement. If your life had been different and you weren't a princess, what would you want to be instead?

Celeise. *expression turns unreadable* I - I don't know... If I weren't a princess...? I'm not sure...

Belle. Not at all?

Celeise. *furrows brow* Well, maybe a knight's daughter. Then I could still have the opportunity of learning much and having good company without being exactly like a princess. In my kingdom, to be a knight's daughter is like the bridge between being a commoner and a noblewoman. You're still a lady, and you are in the same society as though you were a titled woman, but no scandal would arrive were you to marry someone below your rank, and no one would fret if you lived in the village instead of the city or such things.

Belle. *writing it down* Hmm... I see... very interesting! *looks back up at Celeise* Okay, what would happen if, say, you fell in love with a stranger before your betrothal was fulfilled?

Celeise. *raises brow rather cynically* I don't believe that will happen.

Belle. *swallows hard to keep from laughing* But what if it does?

Celeise. A heart is a thing that may not be controlled, Miss Belle. If it is already cold, it will remain cold. I shall never fall in love except when I am ready to. I already - in my heart - feel that I could never fall in love, therefore I will not.

Belle. That's rather flawed logic...

Celeise. *inclines head slightly* Perhaps so. But, I won't let any such thing happen. *takes breath* Any man that even tries to win my favor shall be met only with civility and no more.

Belle. But what if you fall in love with him?

Celeise. I shall take care to do no such thing. But... if it were to happen, I should merely leave it, and pretend it never happened. I don't believe that I could fall in love frankly. My own mind is far too set to ever be changed.

Belle. *shrugs* Quizas, Quizas, Quizas.

Celeise. What?

Belle. *laughs* It means 'perhaps'. Anyways, the next set of questions are from Miss Lucy Agnes. Firstly, how do you feel about animals?

Celeise. *inclines head slightly* I like them well enough. I have a fawn which roams around the palace grounds that is tame, and I sometimes go out to it. It's a sweet enough creature. I never really was a person for many animals, but I don't mind them.

Belle. Do you enjoy reading?

Celeise. *raises brow* My Lady Belle, I don't believe you have listened very well. But I shall repeat myself nonetheless. No pastime gives me greater pleasure or fulfillment than reading, especially that of poetry and verse reading.

Belle. What's your education like?

Celeise. *looks out thoughtfully* Well, until I was about four years old, my mother and father taught me by themselves, and then I had a tutor until I was sixteen, and for the past two years my father and my own interest have been the initiators of my learning.

Belle. I see. Next question: what kind of dreams do you usually tend to have? Good, bad, scary, realistic, weird, instantly fading?

Celeise. Usually fairly unmemorable, and generally concerning whatever I was thinking about when I fell asleep, I suppose. Often they fade come daybreak, but I sometimes remember them.

Belle. How would you describe your personality?

Celeise. Cold, haughty, imperious, and words of the like would be my own description. I am not known for particular sentiment or tenderness in the court.

Belle. *under breath* Yes, quite the contrary...

Celeise. What is that?

Belle. Oh, nothing. *clears throat* Alright, last question. Who did you play with growing up, and how is your relationship with him/her/them now?

Celeise. Well, when I was littler, my father and mother, and then when I was a bit older, my siblings. I would say my relationship hasn't changed much with any of those parties, except that I don't hide behind tapestries for my father to act like a bear and find me anymore.

Belle. *laughs* That's a funny mental image. *nods to Celeise* Well, that's all, Celeise. Thank you very much for cooperating!... it's more than Montefore does...

Celeise. Montefore again?

Belle. *winces* Um, like I said, Celeise, just forget anything about Montefore. You're not even supposed to know he exists yet. *waves* Bye!

Celeise. Wait, who -?

Belle. *leaves*

End Interview.

What did you think of Celeise? Did you enjoy her interview? Perhaps you are so bored that you have fallen asleep and are not even reading this question...?

I am now setting forth for vote amongst commenters the next candidates for a character interview on this blog:

Alagna Arleine, the heroine of my book, Alagna, and an independent (and rather nosy) socialite noblewoman of the royal court who seems determined not to mind her own business, even unto accidentally hearing word of a conspiracy in the court.
Jim Stevens, a rather grouchy and brooding member of  The Top-Hat Gang in the 1950's who is very rarely cooperative with anyone (...especially not me).
Captain Owain Lontrey, a knight of the realm of Elliar (from The Second Brother) who wishes to be left alone but all the same reluctantly does the right thing - even when it involves chasing over hill and dale his troublesome half-brother, Feotheire.
Sir "Echo" Torriven from The Pain of a Memory, a dutiful but sometimes child-like lesser knight who enjoys nothing more than the simplest, most commonplace delights of life, but has memories that are not so joyful or simple.
Ultimately, whichever story's character is chosen is the story I'll be steering character interviews into for a little while. The links in the characters' short descriptions are links to their stories' introductions and - in Echo's case - Beautiful People posts on them, in case you want more info before deciding. Put your vote in the comments and soon enough I will post a bio of whoever is chosen! :)