This month's topic is about villainous characters who might have reached redemption and how did I go about making this happen?
In my first novel, the fantasy story of Magic Ageis, one man, Eldin, is a childhood friend of the character Ottillie. He is a royal guardsman, although his father is an aristo, his mother's family disavowed the pairing, making Eldin a bastard. It has rankled within him. He is guiding and guarding her on a trip to the southern province when a royal messenger arrives and gives Ottillie a message that the king and his family have been killed and Pertelon is invading the eastern coast along the river. Ottillie tells him he must go and inform the eastern garrisons to be on alert. He leaves but does not do as she asked, instead he goes back to court and works for the current regent who wants to become king.
Months later when Ottille goes back to the court she learns what he has done, but also accidentally overhears him talking in a circular staircase. She cannot recognize who he is talking with, telling Eldin he must kill the new king, Warrick. She learns he has been working for the Pertonalese. She waits until he comes down the staircase alone and asks him why he has committed treason. He replies, 'To improve my status!" He pulls a blade on her neck but knows he cannot kill her because of his love for her. Her feelings for him allow her to tell him to escape--to get out of Kaereya, their homeland. He does.
In the book Acceptance, Eldin is mired in the Pertelonese court but is not held in high regard even after doing some spying for the current King Clement. He is given the assignment of watching the previous king's son, a young man consider a dolt. Eldin knows the new king usurped the previous reigning family. But Eldin, still wallowing in his guilt over his actions in Kaereya, suddenly swears fealty to the dolt Prince Uilleam. Eldin goes on to prove his loyalty to Uilleam and even saves the idiot's life. It turns out Uilleam is not a dolt, but a smart young man playing an act to save his own life. Eldin thus, although forced to leave his home country and a ruined reputation, becomes an important supporter of King Uilleam.
It took two books, and although Eldin's reputation remains repugnant in Kaereya, he has proved his loyalty and worth in Pertelon.
Often, villains have a strong background of different types of abuse that makes them develop into an evil person. Depending on their mental background they can revert to descent people.
Visit these authors' blog to see their take on this topic:
