Today, I have the
delightful opportunity to be part of the Release Day Blog Tour for Anne
Elisabeth Stengl's incredible book, Dragonwitch!
In celebration of this
wonderful day, Sir Etanun, Knight of the Farthestshore, graciously agreed to
answers questions to an interview! As you know, Etanun is a legend spoken of several times throughout The Tales of Goldstone Wood. He is famous for many deeds, not least among which is slaying the Dragonwitch twice! But today, we get to have a look at the man behind the warrior. I'm sure you're as excited as I am, so
without further ado, I'm pleased to host--
Character Interview With Etanun Ashiun
1) As I understand, you and your brother were
the first to heed the call of Lumil Eliasul and become Knights of the Farthest
Shore. Was it difficult returning to the Far World and dealing with people who
knew you before the change?
Because we had each
other, neither Akilun nor I felt the difficulty of which you speak. Yes, there
was change. Yes, there were those to whom we had been close who were now
distanced from us. But our own bond was so much strengthened, and our passion
and purpose so bright, that we certainly would not exchange any few
inconveniences for the lives we once knew.
2) What was it like entering the Near World? How
did it feel to be so reverenced by the mortals? Was it easy to think you were
responsible for your achievements?
The Near World is a
strange and appalling place to those unaccustomed to its ways. It stinks of
death and the dying, and it is full of craven fear. But one cannot help but
feel compassion for those who dwell in that realm. One cannot help but wish to
stretch out a helping hand. Yes, they revered us. Yes, they sang our praises.
Alone, it would have been difficult not to let my heart turn to wayward pride.
But Akilun stood at my side, and I at his. Together, we were better able to serve.
3) Akilun must have been an amazing man to work
with, let alone to have for a brother. Did you sometimes wish you had his
wisdom or did you consider your strength and warrior prowess to be superior?
I have always counted
myself blessed that our Lord bestowed Halisa on me, rather than on my brother.
But not, perhaps, for the most obvious reason. It was not for any sense of
superiority that I preferred my sword to his lantern. So long as I was in my
right mind, I knew that I would never be able to bear the weight of Asha as
Akilun did. It is easier to thrust home the blade of a sword than it is to
carry light into darkness. Akilun, in turn, never wished to bear Halisa, for he
was ever a man of peace, not war. But he never looked down upon my tasks, for he
knew as well as I that together, we were complete.
It was only when I
forgot that truth that life became . . . more difficult.
4) I understand these next questions may bring
unpleasant memories, but please bear with me. When did you first meet Ytotia? Did
you know she had an interest in you, and did you do anything to encourage it,
even accidentally?
 |
| My Own Dragonwitch Fan Art |
If I did encourage her
regard, it was without intention. She was a fair and powerful queen of Faerie,
and I but a lowly knight. A man of common blood and lineage does not dare to
raise his eyes to one of the Queens. It is the same among immortals as it is
among mortal kind, more so, even. And honored though I am among the denizens of
the Near World, respected though I might be in the Far, I am no Faerie king or
prince. Thus I never imagined anything particular in the regard she displayed
for me, but was honored that a Faerie queen should seem to think so highly of
one of far humbler birth.
I think Akilun may have
known. But he held his tongue, no doubt for reasons of his own.
5) What was your reaction when you learned that
Ytotia had become the Dragonwitch? Did you ever feel you could have prevented
it?
I always felt I should
have prevented it. If only I had
recognized my folly sooner . . . had been gentler . . . even, if only I had
made myself love her. Perhaps then all that suffering might have been averted.
Klara would even now live in peace among her people. The Houses of Lights would
stand bright and tall throughout the mortal world. There must have been something
I could have done differently. One word, one gesture . . .
But it is folly to
pursue that line of reasoning.
6) Slaying the Dragonwitch twice is a seemingly
impossible feat. Were there times you thought you wouldn’t win, and what led
you to victory?
I never considered that
I would not succeed, so bright, so intense was my fury and, yes, even my
hatred. Others may have doubted, and perhaps I would have been wise to question
my own strength. But I did not. Not because I thought my strength limitless; I
simply never stopped to consider it at all. When I saw the work of generations
crumbling beneath her fire, when I heard of the lives she destroyed—innocent
lives, helpless victims incapable of defending themselves against her wrath—it
was as though a red veil fell across my eyes. I did not think, and I did not
wonder. I simply acted.
Yet another testimony
to the Lumil Eliasul’s wisdom in giving over Asha to my brother and not to me.
7) Shortly after the Dragonwitch’s second death,
you went through a very dark period and came out of it without your faithful
brother, Akilun. I can’t even imagine how difficult it must have been. What new
revelations concerning yourself did this bring, and how did it affect your
relationship with the Lumil Eliasul?
I learned as I had
never understood before how much a part of me Akilun was. How without him, I
was broken. I had never before considered that my strength could be so
compromised. But what is the use of a warrior’s arm without a warrior’s heart
to guide it? Where is the good in strength without wisdom? Where is the
blessing in truth without hope?
So, broken, I went upon
my knees to the throne of my Master. And, broken, I was returned to the mortal
world and to my continued labors. No longer the man of strength, but the man of
weakness.
But in weakness, true
strength can finally be made manifest.
8) Your Path has led you through beautiful and
terrible times, Etanun. It led you to a place where you had nothing left but
the Lumil Eliasul. After your tribulation, you came to understand the heart of
your Lord better than ever before. Your story serves as inspiration. Are there
any parting words you’d like to share with us all?
In the end, what
matters is love. Not power. Not regard. Neither fame, nor revenge, nor even security.
Nothing else is important. Only love. And the foundation of all true love is
grace. This I have learned in the longest, hardest, most dreadful battle of my
life. I would have preferred to face dragons and demons and monsters of all
kinds rather than to look into the truth of my own soul and see that which I
needed most and that which was most lacking. But when at last I was broken and
could no longer hope to win, then was grace poured down upon me.
And so love conquered
me, as it will, in time, conquer all.
What a wonderful message! Thank you so much, Etanun Ashiun, for taking the time to share with all the Goldstone Imps! You're an inspiration to us all! And thank you, Anne, for giving me the opportunity to ask Etanun these questions! You're a great go-between! ;)
This is only part of the fun! Check out all the celebrations of Dragonwitch's release across the blog world in the links below!
July 14
- Day 1
July 15
- Day 2
Crafty
Booksheeps - Interview
Young
Adult Books - Sneak Peek
Darling
Diaries - Interview
Blooming
with Books - Interview/Sneak Peek
July
16 - Day 3
Learn More About The Author!
Anne
Elisabeth Stengl is the author of the award-winning Tales of Goldstone Wood
series, adventure fantasies told in the classic Fairy Tale style. She makes her
home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a
passel of cats, and one long-suffering dog. When she's not writing, she enjoys
Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and studies piano, painting, and pastry baking.
She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell
University.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
