Character Backstories Vol. 10 - Salva & Angela

Character Backstories

Vol. 10 - Salva & Angela 

Today's Character Backstories belong to:

• Queen Salva (The Qarran Tales)
• Angela Gibbons (Apartment)

 

Salva

Queen Salva was not born to be a queen. In fact, her transformation into a queen was truly one of rags to riches. It was a beautiful summer day, and all of Vakkar was celebrating an annual festival of the harvest. Salva was visiting relatives in the city - a different world compared to the small village life she was used to. Nobody could have imagined that the King himself would traipse along into their midst, that he would fall for her the moment he set eyes on her, and that he would make this commoner his queen.

And nobody could have imagined the terror that he would unleash upon her as soon as their wedding vows had been sealed. Salva survived her husband's temper and his fists for years, but it soon became clear to her that her son might not.

When the King was found murdered in the castle, it was difficult for her to hide her relief. Still, she played the role of the grieving widow as best she could. For the first time in her life since marrying him, she was free - and she held the power, for her son was too young to ascend the throne.

Broken by years of abuse and terror, however, Salva found it difficult to assume the mantle of Queen Regnant. As the years went by, Salva closed her Court off to the outside world, becoming a recluse with only one goal in mind: the protection of her family. 

What will she do, then, when the people begin to call for her head?

Angela

One of the three main characters in Apartment - one of the three neighbours that the story follows - is Angela Gibbons. When I first introduced her, she was still a relatively normal character. There wasn’t much that was off about her, and I sort of liked it like that, because I thought that maybe it would act as a balance for the rest of the characters being so insane.

Then I kept writing and realized that she’s really just the same as all the others. Just as dangerous, just as crazy. 

And, honestly, downright delusional. She is unable to realize that she has limitations, that getting excited when something dangerous happens doesn't mean that you're actually equipped to deal with said danger. But, alas, she doesn't listen to me, the author. And this spells her demise. 

Before coming to the apartment building, it is revealed that she used to be a resident at a psychiatric institute due to her 'hallucinations'.

Here is an OC intro I made for her a long while back: