An Interview with Karro (Anya's Father)
This is the eighth of ten weekly interviews (ok, I know I said that last time, but that one was really the seventh) with characters from my novel In the Enemy's Service. The week after I post the final one, the novel itself should be available in Kindle format on Amazon! (Scroll down to the first one to read why I'm doing them in the first place.)
Glancingat my directions to double check the address, I knock on the front door of thehouse I’ve been directed to. It’s a two-storybrick building in a middle-class neighborhood in Sazellia, the capital ofMalorn.
Atthe sound of my knock, the shutters on the front window open a crack as thoughsomeone is peeking out. A moment laterthere is the sound of a bolt being drawn back, and then the front door opensand Karro stands there, smiling nervously.
“Comein, come in. Sorry for the delay; I hadto be certain who was out there.” He ushersme in and gestures toward a sofa in the comfortably furnished sitting room. A fire crackles in the fireplace nearby, and alamp hangs from the ceiling, but with all the shutters closed, the room isstill dim. “Please, make yourself athome,” Karro urges. “My son is out atthe moment with my brother and his family, so we won’t be interrupted. Can I get you anything to drink?”
Idecline his offer and pull out my notes as he seats himself in an armchairacross from me.
1. Do you like your job? Why or why not?
“Oh, yes. I wouldn’t want to be anythingbut a merchant. I love to travel, and Ienjoy making new contacts, striking bargains, picking out the best goods and planningthe best places to sell them. I’ve beentraining my son Arvalon, who’s nearly ready to join me in the business, and itmakes me so proud to see him learning and enjoying it too.”
2. Do you have any friends? Significant others?
A shadow seems to pass over his face. “My wife passed away ten years ago. But my son and daughter are the joy of my life, and we have a largeextended family here in Sazellia. Withmy business, it’s been easy to make friends almost everywhere. In fact, I’d say I have friends in a dozendifferent towns back in Alasia, and nearly as many in Malorn.”
3. What is your idea of success?
Karro smiles. “Striking a goodbargain. Buying a cartload of goods fromsomeone who’s glad to get it off his hands for that price, then finding justthe right people to sell it to somewhere else for just enough profit to make itworth it, while they consider it an amazing bargain and can’t wait to dobusiness with me again.”
4. What do you hate?
He considers this. “Being cheated intobuying damaged or low quality goods, though that doesn’t happen often. Heavy rain when I’m out on the openroad. Being talked back to by one of mychildren or nieces or nephews.”
5. What do you do in your spare time?
“I’ve tried to spend as much time as possible with Arvalon and Anya since theylost their mother. I try to do some ofthe things she used to do - plan picnics, take them fishing or out to play onthe beach in summer or in the snow in winter. In the evenings the three of us often cook dinner together, andsometimes I’ll read aloud to them afterwards.” He chuckles ruefully. “Arvalonthinks he’s getting too old for such things, and I suppose in a way he is, butAnya still enjoys it. Sometimes I’llpull one or both of them out of school for a few days if I need a hand on oneof my longer business trips. I reallythink the life experience and time with their father will do them more good inthe long run than sitting in a classroom.” He sighs. “I’m glad I broughtArvalon along this time, but I would have brought Anya too if I’d known whatwas going to happen. Our family hasnever been separated for this long before, and I’m not sure how long it will bebefore we’re together again.” Hisexpression is worried.
6. What did you have for breakfast?
“Moliansweetbread and a cup of coffee.”
7. Did you ever have a pet? Describe it.
“I have two horses, if you can call them pets. They’re work animals. My wifeliked cats, so we had a few back when she was alive, before Anya was born. When I was a boy, I kept turtles.”
8. Do you believe in luck? Why?
He hesitates, and I see that his expression has grown uncomfortable. “I don’t know. I suppose so. I mean, I would probably have said no if you’d asked me a year ago,but….” His voice trails off. I wait expectantly, and finally, reluctantly,he goes on. “A few months ago I had whatI can only describe as a run of very bad luck in my business. You know, deals turning sour, customerscancelling orders for no reason I could understand. Finances got tight, and I was worried. I couldn’t figure out why everything wasgoing wrong all at once. I had to makesome difficult decisions.” He fidgets, runninghis fingers idly along the arm of his chair, and as I watch him, he won’t meetmy gaze. “So, do you have any morequestions, or was that all?”
Wonderingwhat it is he isn’t comfortable talking about, I turn back to my list.
9. What is your favorite scent? Why?
Karro seems relieved to be on a safer topic. “The tang of salt air, perhaps. Ispent most of my childhood here in Malorn where my father is from. As you may know, Malorn only has a few milesof coastline before the mountains get in the way, and what there is is mostlyrocky. The water is all swampy and siltyaround the Grenn Delta, so it isn’t exactly an ideal place to enjoy a day atthe beach. But every now and then we’dtravel to Alasia to visit my mother’s parents, and they lived close to abeautiful beach, perfect for sandcastles and swimming and all sorts of fun. Sometimes we’d see dolphins out in the surf,or seals sunning themselves. That beachwas one of the reasons I chose to move to Almar almost as soon as I was grown.”
10. What is the strangest thing you have everseen?
Karro thinks this over for a while. “I’ve seen a lot of interesting things in my travels, but strange?” Then he chuckles. “Ah, I know. A few years back I was crossing the Grenn River on the ferry, headingback home to Alasia with a cartload of Malornian coffee. It’s always a little frightening, standing bythe horses on that big flat raft, hoping they don’t spook and capsize the wholething, while the ferrymen pull you across on their pulley system. I always try not to look down at the water soclose to my feet, but this one time, my attention was caught by a glimpse ofsomething moving. You may not believethis, but it was a shark - a huge one, too; the biggest I’ve ever seen. Its dorsal fin cut through the water notthree feet away, and the water was so clear I could see its whole body. It was longer than my cart; longer than thewhole raft. I suppose it was lost, maybedisoriented in the fresh water, trying to find its way back down to theocean. Don’t ask me how it managed toget thirty miles upstream from the coast.” He shakes his head in wonder. “Ithink about it every now and then, wonder if it ever did make it home.”
11. What is the most frightening thing that hasever happened to you?
Immediately, Karro grows uncomfortable once again. His gaze shifts to the floor, the fireplace,the tightly shuttered windows, but he doesn’t look at me. Finally he licks his lips and starts tospeak, pauses, starts again, and stops. I wait, and finally he tries again.
“I’msure you know about what happened two weeks ago. The Malornian army invaded Alasia; rumor hasit they’ve killed the royal family and wiped out the Alasian army. It’s very disturbing, especially since mydaughter is over there right now. She’sstaying with my neighbors, who’ve always taken good care of her and Arvalonwhen I’ve been gone. But still, I’m worriedabout her.” He pauses, and I can tellhe’s struggling between the need to get something off his chest and reluctanceto speak about it.
“Thething is, I’m afraid I may be partly to blame for -” he begins, then breaks offabruptly. Rising to his feet, he beginspacing the room, chewing on his lower lip in distraction. “I didn’t mean any harm, but -” He breaks off again, pausing at one of thewindows to pull the shutter open just far enough to peer out. “Anyway as long as I stay in Malorn, what’sthe worst that can happen? Nothing, ofcourse. No one’s allowed across theborder at the moment, so I know I’m safe. It’s just that -” He glances atthe door. “I just have this awfulfeeling that someone’s going to - but of course that’s silly. Not with the Malornians in charge over there,and the Alasian government nonexistent now.” He sighs. “I love Alasia. It’s my home, or it was. I love Malorn too, but I don’t know whatpossessed Prince Korram to attack a peaceful kingdom like this. And I don’t know what’s going to become ofAlasia now, but in the unlikely event that the kingdom ever struggles back toits feet and somehow throws off Malornian control, I don’t think I can ever goback.” His voice catches for a moment,and he turns away.
“Idon’t dare,” he whispers finally, desperation in his voice. “But I’ll be safe as long as I stay on thisside of the river, right? Even in peacetime, the Alasian authorities would never -” He breaks off once more, shaking his head with a sigh. “I’ve got to send for Anya as soon as theystart letting people across again,” he tells me finally. “There’s no future for us in Alasia anymore.”
Glancingat my directions to double check the address, I knock on the front door of thehouse I’ve been directed to. It’s a two-storybrick building in a middle-class neighborhood in Sazellia, the capital ofMalorn.
Atthe sound of my knock, the shutters on the front window open a crack as thoughsomeone is peeking out. A moment laterthere is the sound of a bolt being drawn back, and then the front door opensand Karro stands there, smiling nervously.
“Comein, come in. Sorry for the delay; I hadto be certain who was out there.” He ushersme in and gestures toward a sofa in the comfortably furnished sitting room. A fire crackles in the fireplace nearby, and alamp hangs from the ceiling, but with all the shutters closed, the room isstill dim. “Please, make yourself athome,” Karro urges. “My son is out atthe moment with my brother and his family, so we won’t be interrupted. Can I get you anything to drink?”
Idecline his offer and pull out my notes as he seats himself in an armchairacross from me.
1. Do you like your job? Why or why not?
“Oh, yes. I wouldn’t want to be anythingbut a merchant. I love to travel, and Ienjoy making new contacts, striking bargains, picking out the best goods and planningthe best places to sell them. I’ve beentraining my son Arvalon, who’s nearly ready to join me in the business, and itmakes me so proud to see him learning and enjoying it too.”
2. Do you have any friends? Significant others?
A shadow seems to pass over his face. “My wife passed away ten years ago. But my son and daughter are the joy of my life, and we have a largeextended family here in Sazellia. Withmy business, it’s been easy to make friends almost everywhere. In fact, I’d say I have friends in a dozendifferent towns back in Alasia, and nearly as many in Malorn.”
3. What is your idea of success?
Karro smiles. “Striking a goodbargain. Buying a cartload of goods fromsomeone who’s glad to get it off his hands for that price, then finding justthe right people to sell it to somewhere else for just enough profit to make itworth it, while they consider it an amazing bargain and can’t wait to dobusiness with me again.”
4. What do you hate?
He considers this. “Being cheated intobuying damaged or low quality goods, though that doesn’t happen often. Heavy rain when I’m out on the openroad. Being talked back to by one of mychildren or nieces or nephews.”
5. What do you do in your spare time?
“I’ve tried to spend as much time as possible with Arvalon and Anya since theylost their mother. I try to do some ofthe things she used to do - plan picnics, take them fishing or out to play onthe beach in summer or in the snow in winter. In the evenings the three of us often cook dinner together, andsometimes I’ll read aloud to them afterwards.” He chuckles ruefully. “Arvalonthinks he’s getting too old for such things, and I suppose in a way he is, butAnya still enjoys it. Sometimes I’llpull one or both of them out of school for a few days if I need a hand on oneof my longer business trips. I reallythink the life experience and time with their father will do them more good inthe long run than sitting in a classroom.” He sighs. “I’m glad I broughtArvalon along this time, but I would have brought Anya too if I’d known whatwas going to happen. Our family hasnever been separated for this long before, and I’m not sure how long it will bebefore we’re together again.” Hisexpression is worried.
6. What did you have for breakfast?
“Moliansweetbread and a cup of coffee.”
7. Did you ever have a pet? Describe it.
“I have two horses, if you can call them pets. They’re work animals. My wifeliked cats, so we had a few back when she was alive, before Anya was born. When I was a boy, I kept turtles.”
8. Do you believe in luck? Why?
He hesitates, and I see that his expression has grown uncomfortable. “I don’t know. I suppose so. I mean, I would probably have said no if you’d asked me a year ago,but….” His voice trails off. I wait expectantly, and finally, reluctantly,he goes on. “A few months ago I had whatI can only describe as a run of very bad luck in my business. You know, deals turning sour, customerscancelling orders for no reason I could understand. Finances got tight, and I was worried. I couldn’t figure out why everything wasgoing wrong all at once. I had to makesome difficult decisions.” He fidgets, runninghis fingers idly along the arm of his chair, and as I watch him, he won’t meetmy gaze. “So, do you have any morequestions, or was that all?”
Wonderingwhat it is he isn’t comfortable talking about, I turn back to my list.
9. What is your favorite scent? Why?
Karro seems relieved to be on a safer topic. “The tang of salt air, perhaps. Ispent most of my childhood here in Malorn where my father is from. As you may know, Malorn only has a few milesof coastline before the mountains get in the way, and what there is is mostlyrocky. The water is all swampy and siltyaround the Grenn Delta, so it isn’t exactly an ideal place to enjoy a day atthe beach. But every now and then we’dtravel to Alasia to visit my mother’s parents, and they lived close to abeautiful beach, perfect for sandcastles and swimming and all sorts of fun. Sometimes we’d see dolphins out in the surf,or seals sunning themselves. That beachwas one of the reasons I chose to move to Almar almost as soon as I was grown.”
10. What is the strangest thing you have everseen?
Karro thinks this over for a while. “I’ve seen a lot of interesting things in my travels, but strange?” Then he chuckles. “Ah, I know. A few years back I was crossing the Grenn River on the ferry, headingback home to Alasia with a cartload of Malornian coffee. It’s always a little frightening, standing bythe horses on that big flat raft, hoping they don’t spook and capsize the wholething, while the ferrymen pull you across on their pulley system. I always try not to look down at the water soclose to my feet, but this one time, my attention was caught by a glimpse ofsomething moving. You may not believethis, but it was a shark - a huge one, too; the biggest I’ve ever seen. Its dorsal fin cut through the water notthree feet away, and the water was so clear I could see its whole body. It was longer than my cart; longer than thewhole raft. I suppose it was lost, maybedisoriented in the fresh water, trying to find its way back down to theocean. Don’t ask me how it managed toget thirty miles upstream from the coast.” He shakes his head in wonder. “Ithink about it every now and then, wonder if it ever did make it home.”
11. What is the most frightening thing that hasever happened to you?
Immediately, Karro grows uncomfortable once again. His gaze shifts to the floor, the fireplace,the tightly shuttered windows, but he doesn’t look at me. Finally he licks his lips and starts tospeak, pauses, starts again, and stops. I wait, and finally he tries again.
“I’msure you know about what happened two weeks ago. The Malornian army invaded Alasia; rumor hasit they’ve killed the royal family and wiped out the Alasian army. It’s very disturbing, especially since mydaughter is over there right now. She’sstaying with my neighbors, who’ve always taken good care of her and Arvalonwhen I’ve been gone. But still, I’m worriedabout her.” He pauses, and I can tellhe’s struggling between the need to get something off his chest and reluctanceto speak about it.
“Thething is, I’m afraid I may be partly to blame for -” he begins, then breaks offabruptly. Rising to his feet, he beginspacing the room, chewing on his lower lip in distraction. “I didn’t mean any harm, but -” He breaks off again, pausing at one of thewindows to pull the shutter open just far enough to peer out. “Anyway as long as I stay in Malorn, what’sthe worst that can happen? Nothing, ofcourse. No one’s allowed across theborder at the moment, so I know I’m safe. It’s just that -” He glances atthe door. “I just have this awfulfeeling that someone’s going to - but of course that’s silly. Not with the Malornians in charge over there,and the Alasian government nonexistent now.” He sighs. “I love Alasia. It’s my home, or it was. I love Malorn too, but I don’t know whatpossessed Prince Korram to attack a peaceful kingdom like this. And I don’t know what’s going to become ofAlasia now, but in the unlikely event that the kingdom ever struggles back toits feet and somehow throws off Malornian control, I don’t think I can ever goback.” His voice catches for a moment,and he turns away.
“Idon’t dare,” he whispers finally, desperation in his voice. “But I’ll be safe as long as I stay on thisside of the river, right? Even in peacetime, the Alasian authorities would never -” He breaks off once more, shaking his head with a sigh. “I’ve got to send for Anya as soon as theystart letting people across again,” he tells me finally. “There’s no future for us in Alasia anymore.”
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