Interview with Raelin Tabra

One the of the things I've really been struggling with is finding the voice for First Sight. I think I've mentioned before how much of a love/hate relationship I have with this book. Well, I really want to get it in good shape, so I'm working on it again (as I mentioned here). As such, I decided I needed to try and find Raelin's voice. I felt like that was one of the biggest things missing from the other drafts of the book. So I looked up some character interview questions online and found some good ones that I liked at this blog.

I really liked the results of the interview. It turned our to work a lot better than I expected and I feel like I got a much better sense of what Raelin sounds like. Because of that, I thought it would be fun to post the interview in this blog post. Maybe someone will find it interesting.

Note: this interview takes place before the events of the book. I figured that would be best since the inciting incident kind of changes everything Raelin knows about herself. I wanted to get to know her before everything in her world changes.

Interview

Who are you?
I'm Raelin Tabra. How can I help you?

I was just hoping to ask you a few questions. Do you mind?
That's fine. I'm not sure why you'd want to talk to me. Most people would rather talk to my mother or father.

Why is that?
Surely you know who they are? Cassara and Lenton Tabra? She's the most famous Seer in Alyona. He was the Emperor's personal Healer until shortly after they married and moved to our family home outside the capitol. Everyone knows who they are.

And everyone doesn't know who you are?
They probably know me too. Usually they forget I exist, until they see me with one of my parents.

Why's that?
You really don't know anything do you? I'm their unGifted daughter. The fact that two of the most powerfully Gifted Alyonians have a daughter who never Presents, it gets talked about. Except, they don't realize who I am unless they see me with my parents. So most of the time I go unnoticed.

Does that bother you?
Going unnoticed? Not usually. It means I don't have to deal with all the scrutiny that Caedan deals with. Since I'm not Gifted, I don't have to worry about living up to my parents greatness. I'd prefer to be unnoticed than have everyone staring and whispering.

What do you care about most in the world?
My family.

You answered that pretty quickly. Any particular reason?
My family is all I have.

You don't have any friends?
There are a few people I talk to when I go with Papa to market days, but other than that, not really. I think it is a side effect of being so unnoticed. I have Caedan. He and I spend a lot of time helping Papa in the garden. Most of the other people I know find me . . . unsettling. It is very rare for an unGifted child to be born to Gifted parents, so many people don't know how to interact with me.

Do you think that if you were Gifted you would be treated differently?
Of course. It's the way of our country. Those with Gifts are far more respected and sought after than those without. But I told you, I'm used to this treatment.

You don't seem used to it.
*she glares at me now* Do you have any other questions? If not I have things to do.

No I do. What really ticks you off?
I'm not sure there are many things that make me really angry. Injustice does make me mad though. And people preying on those too weak to defend themselves.


Do you think the way people treat you is unjust?
No. I'm not discriminated against. Those without Gifts have all the same rights and privileges as those with Gifts.

But you just said that people treat you differently because you aren't Gifted. How is that not discrimination?
Because my treatment isn't just because I am unGifted. It is because I am the unGifted daughter of Cassara and Lenton Tabra. I am not saying that there are not Gifted Alyonians who discriminate against unGifted Alyonians. I'm just saying that it is not the normal practice among those groups. My parents have always made it very clear that I am no less of a person because I don't have a Gift.

It sounds like you are upset by the way others treat you. You clearly don't like talking about it.
Since you have figured as much out, don't you think it would be wise to move on to a different question?

All right. If you could do one thing and really succeed at it, what would it be?
I would be as great of a Healer as my father. I love being able to help others, and Papa does so much good with his Gift. I can only hope that despite being unGifted I will be able to help as many people as he does.

Is it hard to be a Healer without a Gift?
There are many things you can't do as an unGifted Healer. You are limited to using herbs and natural remedies. Papa's Gift allows him to Heal more serious illnesses and injuries faster and easier than someone without a Gift can. But it's not impossible to be an unGifted Healer.

What people do you most admire, and why?
My father, because he is such a great Healer. He helped developed some of the best cures that we have. He was the Emperor's personal Healer for years.

So just your father? Anyone else?
Should there be someone else?

Nope. Just checking. What was your childhood like?
*she takes a deep breath* It was interesting. I spent the early part of it wondering when I would Present. Caedan Presented by the time he was three. My parents tried to treat me as normally as possible, but even they seemed confused when I hadn't Presented by the time I was ten. During that time, I had discovered that I greatly enjoyed working in the garden and helping Papa, so at that age, I began to formally train as a Healer. It took my mother a little longer to accept my choice but eventually she too accepted it. As I grew older, the expectations for me to Present lessened and I finally settled into my life as an unGifted Alyonian. Most people who knew my family stopped asking about my Gift by then, so I didn't have to deal with questions much past that age. Since then, I've worked to master everything I can about herbal Healing and gardening.

What's the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you?
It was a market day, so my whole family was at the market in the Merchant Quarter. There was a Gifted boy who often came around to buy herbal remedies for his sickly sister. I had become very fond of him and Caedan found out. That day, the boy came to our stall and he and I had struck up a conversation. Suddenly Caedan appeared and proceeded to tell the boy how much I loved him and that I wanted to marry him and have his children (I was twelve at the time). I was so embarrassed that I ran away and hid. I've never been able to speak to the boy again.

What do you look like?
I'm short. Most people believe I'm younger than I am because of how short I am. I have green eyes and long, dark, curly hair.