BRANT

Since I am talking about Brant today, I will have to talk about Kiernan Kane next week. The two are linked, and I could never choose a favorite between them.

So, Brant.

Originally, he was named Ramstrand. Originally, he was just a farmer and shepherd, albeit a wealthy one. He was merely supposed to be the latest in a long string of people who had chased Yole out of various towns. The only thing to set Ramstrand apart was that he was kinder to Yole than others had been.

Well, when you are getting instant feedback... and your audience decides they really, really like and respect a minor character because of his kindness... and they demand to see more of that character... what is an author to do?

1. Change his name (because “Ramstrand” is not a great name for a main character, in my humble opinion). 2. Kill off his family. Harsh, I know, but it had to be done. There’s no way this man would have ever joined the story otherwise. 3. Give him a mysterious back-story that somehow causes him to become the central figure of the entire book.

What does he look like? Tall, broad shoulders, dark hair, dark eyes. Brant has a square jaw and has perfected the “stony” expression. There is enough mystery to his face to fill at least two books. In King's Warrior, Brant is the mysterious figure at the center of events.

Second Son is Brant's story. It is the explanation of all the mysteries, the answer to all the questions. Who was Brant, before he was the King's Warrior?

Here is an image of how I imagine Brant looks in Second Son, in his younger days:

Was he based off of a real-life person? Much of Brant’s character: his quietness, his sense of humor, his hard-working steadfast nature, his determination, and his courage was modeled off of my dad and one of my brothers.

(as a side-note and a nod to next week’s character post: Much of Kiernan Kane was modeled after my other brother... which is probably why I can no more determine my favorite between Brant and Kiernan than I could pick a favorite brother)

Brant is a tightly wound spring. He may appear laid-back or easy-going, but he is constantly ready for action. He moves like a dancer, with a fluidity that is as graceful as it is deadly. His temper is quick but burns away just as quickly. He has a soft spot in his heart for children, and will go out of his way to protect them if he can. He will always choose the path that is right over the path that is easy (to paraphrase from Harry Potter), even if it is the unpopular route.

I love Brant. He has been, and will always remain, amongst my top favorite characters to write. Getting to write about him again was probably the number one reason I joined the Battle of Ebulon collaboration.