Swift Six Character Interview
Character Name
Silver Blakely
Which book/world do you live in?
Steel Princess by April Grace
I live in Elysia, on the outskirts of the Steel City that has always been forbidden to me. The cruel queen’s men patrol the gates, and they scour the mountainous areas outside the Wall for humans to hunt down and kill, or to take for their human servants.
Tell us about yourself:
I’m the only gynoid in a travelling community of humans, who I didn’t know, until recently, were trying to avoid the cruel queen’s men because they have been keeping a secret. I am the stolen heir of Elysia, the steel queendom, daughter of the cruel Queen Magnolia Crescent. But I’ve spent my entire life travelling with my human friends, learning their ways and becoming just like them. I’m not supposed to be able too feel emotions like they do, but I can. If someone offends me, I’m hurt. If my friends are appreciative or loving toward me, I can empathise with them too.
I understand humans, and I would never wish to hurt them if I were queen. I want to make the world a better place for everyone, so my community and I have decided that I must return to the city I was taken from as a child, and take down the queen. To be a better and kinder ruler than she ever was.
What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
My strengths are that I’m loving, I’m kind, and I always try to do my best by my friends and family. But I suppose this can also be a weakness, because I’m not supposed to feel such things so it makes me strange, or abnormal. Broken, even. I wasn’t programmed to be this way, but my experiences have changed me.
Name three important people/creatures/institutions in your world (such as lovers, pets, government institutions, leaders, gods etc).
Unfortunately, Queen Magnolia rules over Elysia, and she has ruined the world as we know it. You only matter to her if you are rich, or made completely of steel, and even then you only matter to her as much as she can take from you.
I met Prince Elijah of Sularia when I was journeying under the Steel City to get to the queen’s palace with my human’s friends. He pleaded with us to free him, and he would help us take down the queen. As it turns out, he’s the prince of the kingdom that Elysia lives to imitate. He’s winged, and handsome, and quite charming. But I’m not sure how I feel about him just yet.
I met Seraphina on my journey as well. She’s a wolf made of pure steel, and I found her under the city when I saved her puppy. She hasn’t left my side since. She has become very dear to me.
What does ‘heroism’ mean to you?
Always doing the best for people, never being selfish, and putting other peoples’ needs before your own. I don’t consider myself a hero of any kind, but I am determined to make Elysia a fairer place for everyone. For humans especially, so they don’t have to live every day in fear anymore.
What do you think of your ‘creator’?
I was built by the palace tinkers, and that’s all I know. I was built for the queen, to be her heir, but maybe it was fate that I was taken from her hands and shown such compassion. I was angry that my parents lied to me for so long, but perhaps it was for the best. If I wasn’t, I would have ended up just like the queen, and the cycle of cruelty would have continued.
Give us your favourite piece of advice:
Always be kind, because you never know what someone is going through.
Links to book