Today we interview Melador, grand-uncle to our story's hero, Captain Barwick. Melador is a sole proprietor who owns and manages an alehouse on Scillei's capital island of Saint Mary. He is a confirmed bachelor who enjoys fishing for relaxation, and his favorite activity is interacting with people.
Reporter: Melador, rumor has it that you were born on Avalon. How did you come to own an alehouse on Saint Mary?
Melador: Originally, we planned to go to Normandy but my parents changed their minds at the last minute. They wanted to stay as close to Avalon as we could because of my father's age and Scillei was safe for druids at the time, so the main island is where we came. Mom and Dad bought the alehouse because they could no longer make their living as druid priests. I inherited it. [sighs] I miss my family. I still remember Momma sitting under the old tree by the shore, doing her needlework and gazing across the water toward the sinking island.
Reporter: How many siblings do you have? And what happened to them?
Melador: Those are good questions. I had two older siblings, a brother and a sister. My sister was Barwick's grandmother, of course. She and her betrothed came with us to Saint Mary. A year or so later, she died during childbirth. It was her only child, Barwick's father. My brother, though, did not come with the family. He was old enough to choose his own direction during Avalon's evacuation. He and one of his buddies went on a fool's mission to find Lord Randall Castle. They chased a legend and disappeared. I assume they were caught and killed by Nemoth.
Reporter: How long had you been living on Saint Mary when the story in Engaging Enchantment began?
Melador: You mean yesterday? Well, now, let me see. This requires some math... [Purses lips] This is July of 924. I was born in 771. That makes me 153. I was 13 when my family fled Albion. So I guess I have lived on Saint Mary for... 140 years. Does that sound about right?
Reporter: At the beginning of Engaging Enchantment, you await the return of your faerie helper from taking a message to Queen Piala. How is it that you felt comfortable sending a faerie to the Queen when there is a war being waged against creatures of magic?
Melador: Ah, Bud is a brave little fellow. Isn't he? He never complains about the dangers of a long flight across Saint Mary if it is for a good reason. As for sending him to the Queen, she is from Hibernia. What with so many druids relocating to her homeland and so many Hibernians chasing after Leprechaun gold, she embraces magic-kind. Faeries and pixies talking to her is as safe as safe can be. Now King Charles, on the other hand... Well, a faerie of any kind wouldn't want to show himself to the king even on a good day. He wants an alliance with Wessex and they are waging a war on magic.
Reporter: Your nephew, Barwick, has been half-druid his entire life. How is it that he did not know his magical heritage at the beginning of Engaging Enchantment and why did you wait until he was in his twenties to tell him?
Melador: Well, that is a story all in itself. We druids mate for life and are long-lived. My nephew, Barwick's father, was determined to never marry a human girl because he did not want to live in sorrow after his wife died. He wanted to stay near family and there were no eligible druid girls here, so he decided to remain a bachelor. Did a pretty good job of it for a long time, too. He joined the King's Guard and everything was going fine until King Charles married Lady Piala and she brought her own handmaiden with her.
The boy fell in love the instant he saw that handmaiden. Seventy-five years old and he was acting like a youth. He wasted no time asking her to marry him and they had Barwick right away. Then came two girls and a boy. Tensions with the Nemoth being what they were at the time and growing more hostile, my nephew wanted his children to be safe. He wanted them to grow up like normal kids, something he was never able to do. He made the whole family promise to keep our druid heritage a secret. So, even after he and his father went off and got themselves killed in battle, I honored my promise. That is, until Barwick needed use of his magic for that fool girl.
Oh, no! Did I remember to tell him about the faerie gold I hid in her necklace charm? My memory is getting so bad in my old age. Oh, I hope I remembered to tell him. He'll have a hard time finding her without knowing that.
Reporter: Wow. That is quite a story. Thank you, Melador, for taking time for our interview. It was a pleasure to learn more about you.
Melador: No problem. The pleasure was mine. I am happy to be of service.
Reporter: Melador, rumor has it that you were born on Avalon. How did you come to own an alehouse on Saint Mary?
Melador: Originally, we planned to go to Normandy but my parents changed their minds at the last minute. They wanted to stay as close to Avalon as we could because of my father's age and Scillei was safe for druids at the time, so the main island is where we came. Mom and Dad bought the alehouse because they could no longer make their living as druid priests. I inherited it. [sighs] I miss my family. I still remember Momma sitting under the old tree by the shore, doing her needlework and gazing across the water toward the sinking island.
Reporter: How many siblings do you have? And what happened to them?
Melador: Those are good questions. I had two older siblings, a brother and a sister. My sister was Barwick's grandmother, of course. She and her betrothed came with us to Saint Mary. A year or so later, she died during childbirth. It was her only child, Barwick's father. My brother, though, did not come with the family. He was old enough to choose his own direction during Avalon's evacuation. He and one of his buddies went on a fool's mission to find Lord Randall Castle. They chased a legend and disappeared. I assume they were caught and killed by Nemoth.
Reporter: How long had you been living on Saint Mary when the story in Engaging Enchantment began?
Melador: You mean yesterday? Well, now, let me see. This requires some math... [Purses lips] This is July of 924. I was born in 771. That makes me 153. I was 13 when my family fled Albion. So I guess I have lived on Saint Mary for... 140 years. Does that sound about right?
Reporter: At the beginning of Engaging Enchantment, you await the return of your faerie helper from taking a message to Queen Piala. How is it that you felt comfortable sending a faerie to the Queen when there is a war being waged against creatures of magic?
Reporter: Your nephew, Barwick, has been half-druid his entire life. How is it that he did not know his magical heritage at the beginning of Engaging Enchantment and why did you wait until he was in his twenties to tell him?
Melador: Well, that is a story all in itself. We druids mate for life and are long-lived. My nephew, Barwick's father, was determined to never marry a human girl because he did not want to live in sorrow after his wife died. He wanted to stay near family and there were no eligible druid girls here, so he decided to remain a bachelor. Did a pretty good job of it for a long time, too. He joined the King's Guard and everything was going fine until King Charles married Lady Piala and she brought her own handmaiden with her.
The boy fell in love the instant he saw that handmaiden. Seventy-five years old and he was acting like a youth. He wasted no time asking her to marry him and they had Barwick right away. Then came two girls and a boy. Tensions with the Nemoth being what they were at the time and growing more hostile, my nephew wanted his children to be safe. He wanted them to grow up like normal kids, something he was never able to do. He made the whole family promise to keep our druid heritage a secret. So, even after he and his father went off and got themselves killed in battle, I honored my promise. That is, until Barwick needed use of his magic for that fool girl.
Oh, no! Did I remember to tell him about the faerie gold I hid in her necklace charm? My memory is getting so bad in my old age. Oh, I hope I remembered to tell him. He'll have a hard time finding her without knowing that.
Reporter: Wow. That is quite a story. Thank you, Melador, for taking time for our interview. It was a pleasure to learn more about you.
Melador: No problem. The pleasure was mine. I am happy to be of service.
Come back tomorrow for a character interview with King Charles.
Discover Melador in Engaging Enchantment by Beth Durkee. Available exclusively from Amazon. (Kindle Unlimited Lending Library eligible book.)
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