Originally published during my book tour for Sapphire: Home and Abroad.
This is the latest entry in The Stones of Power. I am overjoyed and relieved to finally release a new book in this series. After re-publishing back titles, I can now work on new projects. So, if you like magic, surly, anti-hero mages (wizards), and a fun setting with quirky supporting characters, this series might be for you!
Let’s just be honest: Aishe is absolutely Morgorth’s better half. He grew up in a stable, loving home, had a community that protected and nurtured him, as well as teased and challenged him. He has the sturdy foundation that Morgorth never had. His first emotion was love, while Morgorth’s was hate. The contrast between them, from their backgrounds, to their perception of the world, is one of the elements that keep the books entertaining. I enjoy writing their banter, and I hope readers enjoy reading the banter.
But Aishe isn’t perfect. And he’s not without his own inner demons, his own trauma. He lost his entire tribe in one fell swoop. His grief should have crippled him but he managed to forge past it and exact revenge on the sorcerer who took his family from him. In his own way, Aishe still grieves, and probably will his entire life. In some ways, Aishe was more of a challenging character to write than Morgorth. I needed to make him just as intriguing and complex as Morgorth, but not so... extreme. Aishe is more subtle in his growth, and it’s more to do with navigating a relationship with a dark mage and managing his own expectations, than with personal evolution. And yet Aishe’s biggest battle is with his own pride and learning when something is beyond his skill. He worked hard for his warrior and healer status, and yet none of what he knows can compare with magick, and that’s a hard thing to swallow. He’s had to work at proving, to himself and to others, that he’s Morgorth’s equal despite not being a mage.
I explore his dilemma in book three, “Amethyst: Bow and Arrow,” which is strictly from Aishe’s POV. Through flashback scenes, I was able to finally show exactly who Aishe is and why he’s that way. It was my chance to finally showcase the full breadth and strength of Aishe, and I am still very proud of it. I wanted there to be no doubt why they were a perfect match and to illustrate why they complement each other, both in personality and skill set. They might seem like opposites but they have more in common that many would think at first glance.
Aishe has always seen Morgorth and been enchanted by him (something Morgorth still finds hard to accept). Aishe’s upbringing and capacity for love allows him to love and accept Morgorth, even the darker parts. He doesn’t seek to change Morgorth or “fix” him. He wants to help him. Support him. He knows Morgorth can do great things and wants to encourage him to find happiness, to allow himself to do good things and accept the friendship and trust of others.
For all their arguments and conflicts, they respect each other. That was why it was so hard to write book 7, “Lapis Lazuli: Forgotten and Remembered.” The respect and trust had broken down between them and needed to be rebuilt. Now their bond is stronger and takes a different shape. Aishe has proven himself a true equal and a worthy partner to Morgorth, instead of a dependent that needs protecting. And in book eight, they get to prove it to the world by becoming bondmates... and prove it to each other by hunting for a wily stone of power.
I hope you stay safe and healthy, and may dragons guard your dreams,
M.D. Grimm
Comments ()