Don’t ask me where that came from. I’m also tapping out the tune for Peter and the Wolf as I search images to represent this guy. This tune. I loved listening to Peter and the Wolf as a child, but really don’t know why lately it’s been in my tapping routine. I tap the keys on my keyboard or my nails on the desk.

Also another random sidenote: did you know that DAVID is actually one of my favorite male names? Yuppers. This is why I’m not changing my character’s name. I did consider not using it because my inspiration for the character was David Gandy and I didn’t want to be disrespectful to him, but I veered so far away from the inspiration (you know, like my character isn’t human or anything? haha) that I can’t bring myself to change the name. I love the name David.

All right, so I explained where my main inspiration in looks for the human side of him came from. This fellow – David Gandy. I’m sure to those who don’t live under rocks like I apparently do, you’ve heard of him. Before I was coming up with this character I had no knowledge of the man. I really didn’t. I’d seen him in one of Jennifer Lopez’s videos I think, that was it. Then I saw him in an interview and I was like . . . dayum. Ahem. He’s okay looking. And that accent is . . . so-so ya know? haha All joking aside, when I got to researching him and realized he loves animals and is quite smart (also only a few months older than I am which was odd to learn) I thought he’d be a great inspiration to take off from.

That was just for the human side of it. I also had this image from a long time ago that I used for inspiration on the creature side of David – my character.

Just like with the human inspiration I veered off path from the original. The creature David is, is a leathery black-winged creature which resembles more of what we think of as a demon.

Maybe in some ways like this –

Either way, he’s a dangerous man to cross.

David is a Blodoi (blow-dwah). The creatures who’ve guarded the royals all their life. They are bred for purpose, for hunting, for their intelligence and empathic nature that seeks out enemies of the royal family. For centuries upon centuries they’ve fulfilled their duties. Once sworn to uphold a promise or duty, they will die to keep it.

Their temper is one not to cross. It can shake his fortress where he lives . . . literally. It’s also the reason for all the ice covering the castle and the land surrounding it. With the thick leathery skin of his beast, the cold doesn’t bother him and he in fact thrives in it. Which is also a problem with his temper. When he gets angry, a plume of cold fog tends to float around his feet and the temperature in the room drops. A Blodoi when then want, can also eat light. Not in a literal sense, but yeah . . . they destroy it, dissolve it, remove it from existence by bringing out shadows that consume light.

Why do they do this? Well, it’s a great method of turning your enemies into fearful children if you think about it. By consuming the light, not even a torch will light the way, there is no way to see in such darkness. Short of being a Blodoi who thrives in it and has no issue seeing in the dark.

Blodoi’s aren’t very adept at romance, either. They are built as creature to guard. For war. They don’t know gentility, except on occasion some can bring it to the bedroom. If you’re a human and thinking this guy is for you? Careful. The kiss of a Blodoi is poisonous to humans. Unless you’re a Sylph, you’re better off avoiding this man.

The male impregnates the female and then does what we’d think of as abandoning them. The females are to birth, then raise the children on their own. If there is a male child born to them, the fathers then take them away at a certain age (it really depends on the child – if a mother is being too kind or the child comes across too gentle at an early age they are taken sooner), then trained to be as hard as them. Blodoi’s know loyalty. They know possession. They know predatory hunting of the mate they wish to bear their children. I know what you’re thinking. That’s pretty harsh. Are the females the same?

The females are nothing like that. They know to raise their children (the males mostly) in that manner, but the females are for birthing, are for being everything the male is not. They are not war mongers. They are beings of love. Unique Sylphs geared to be with the Blodoi male. And that is simply because . . . they are not Blodoi’s.

This is where the problem is. A Blodoi is male. He is a creature of darkness. So he needs his counterpoint. His light to his dark. He can only “breed” with the purest of love, of light, a creature like the sun. Warm, kind, loving, but strong.

Enter: the Anhwinlluir (Awhn-win-loore). I’ll explain that soon – another blog.

If a Blodoi is born as female, she will be barren. She cannot bear children. Could you imagine the lack of emotions two creatures would have? They would be blood-thirty monsters. Nature is a bitch. But she’s also smart. Two creatures like that bearing offspring would eliminate all Sylphs, humans, and maybe life. There would be no countering just an emotionless being. The females also don’t live as long. Another cruel turn of fate.

An Anhwinlluir is the only Sylphline the Blodoi can bear a child with. The Blodoi is such a commanding and dangerous predator that nature found a way to prevent them from overpopulating the world. The drawback of that is how much work it takes to bear a child. They cannot conceive easy. It takes a long time for their . . . uh, seed . . . to take. It’s not like a typical human. One sperm + one egg = baby within no time. Sadly the Blodoi’s had to sacrifice the speed of birth for the length of their life. The ease with which they can impregnate for their top of the food chain hunting skills. They suffer. Alone.

Is it any wonder one can grow to be so damn cold? So damn . . . unforgiving of other races for treating them as if they truly are the creature they appear to be?

Only the heart of an Anhwinlluir can open the heart of a Blodoi. And they do have hearts. They are not easy to love. Not easy to do anything but fear. Which is another reason the Anhwinlluir is such aunique and wonderful creature. In some areas we can think of them as an angel.

Not only is it rare to find a Anhwinlluir and one who loves a Blodoi (as cruel as they are – they would never force a pregnancy upon a female or hurt one at all, less a child) and willingly partners with them, but it’s rare for a Blodoi to have such powerful empathetic skills as David does. And he does. Maybe it was from all the hatred for his line. Maybe it’s because he’s the last. But his empathy and intuition have become stronger than any Blodoi before him. He’s lived longer than most of them. He’s had to. There wasn’t much choice. Not only because he wants to have a child and a successor, but he swore an oath to protect the royals. For him there is nothing he won’t do for them. Even . . . if they turn against him. Even . . . if they betray him. He remains at the castle, the fortress and immediate grounds includes that area. He is guard to that place. Until his dying breath, he will not betray those he swore an oath to.

Even if he is the only one who knows the truth. Who believes in the truth. And who honors it.

I think why I most empathize with David is that he’s had so many rumors about him that he finally chose to simply give the people what they thought of him. They wanted him to be a monster. He became the most dangerous monster ever to live.

But what happens when that monster meets a female who proves that despite her kindness and naivety, she can be just as strong-willed, and have just as bad of temper as David? Don’t underestimate Kennedy. She may be naive . . . but she is a force to be reckoned with.

That naivety may just be her strength.

David’s story begins in Sylphline Realm – Crown of Ice