Hey y'all,

So, I'm being a bad writer and not working on my story on the first day of Camp.

I have a good excuse though. I have a major major MAJOR family event going on today, which requires all of my attention.

But, seeing as how it's the first day of Camp NaNoWriMo, I might as well do something for the occasion.

So, I'm going to introduce all of the major characters from my project entitled "The Apple in the Snow"!

(All of the avatars were created on this website: http://www.dolldivine.com/hobbit-and-lotr-dress-up-game.php. You seriously should go check it out, I love that the characters are so realistic!!!)


Eirwen, Princess of Glywysing:


For those who've read June's Beautiful People, you've already met this character.

Eirwen is the oldest child of King Aneirin and the late Queen Heulwen, and she is just about to reach the age of majority. She is an avid hunter, but she is also a very talented needlewoman. She desires nothing more than to be a good queen to her people.

There is an interesting legend surrounding her birth. Her mother was on her way to her ancestral home for her confinement. It was in the dead of winter, and snow had been on the ground for weeks already. The journey, as can be imagined, was very very rough. In the midst of a snow-covered field, Eirwen made her early appearance into the world. Thus, she was named for the white snow that surrounded her in her first moments.

Gareth, Prince of Ergyng:

Gareth is the son of King and Queen of Ergyng, a rival kingdom to the west of Glywysing. He has just reached the age of majority (21).


Gareth strives to be as chivalrous as his namesake, the great Sir Gareth of the Round Table.


Gareth has a very important mission tasked to him - he must make an alliance between the Kingdoms of Ergyng and Glywysing. His father doesn't care what kind of an alliance, just an alliance! Why it is of such importance, Gareth has no idea. Though he would much rather set up an expedition to the Farther Lands in search of the mythical dragon, he knows his duty is to his aging father and to his Kingdom.

Yes, I know. Its too big. But I can't make it any smaller....

King Aneirin and Queen-Consort Ceinwen of Glywysing

Aneirin is Eirwen's father, and the ruler of Glywysing. He is a rather soft, kindly father and ruler. He is no pushover, but he is willing to let people have the inch.

Ceinwen is his current wife. She is much younger than Aneirin, and is distantly related to Queen Heulwen, but from a lower family. She has a thing for green dresses, why nobody knows. Probably to match her cat-green eyes or something.

Why is Ceinwen Queen-Consort and not Queen? That is a story in and of itself.....

Aneirin is Welsh for noble, and Ceinwen is Welsh for very beautiful.


Sarnai, Handmaid to Queen-Consort

Sarnai is originally from a very far off land (An ancient province in northwestern China). She was brought to Glywysing as a conquest bride for a high chief that was a mercenary in the Germanic forces as a very young woman.

Now an aging widow, she is forced to remain in the Queen-Consort's household as a handmaid against her will.

Sarnai has extensive knowledge of plants and what they give. Her son, also in employ of the Queen-Consort frequently travels in search of unusual plants for his mother to study.

Sarnai is Rose in Mongolian.


Wulfstan, King's Huntsman, Glywysing

Wulfstan is a lower huntsman that is serving a debtor's service sentence in reparation for poaching crimes against the the lower townspeople.

Not pictured is his tamed wolf, which goes by the name of Ulf. While he doesn't look it, Wulfstan comes from Viking stock. He is a very fierce man, not one to meet in a dark alley.

Wulfstan's parents left him behind as a child in the woods. It was by hard scrabbling that he learned to survive them.

He knows how to be silent, and how to be loud.

He can blend very easily into the underbrush, and is a very deadly shot if need be.

Wulfstan is an Anglo-Saxon name, meaning "wolf stone".





Taliesin, Counselor to the King


Taliesin is one of the oldest counsel members and also a Chronicler. He is a minor character in the Apple and the Snow.

Every afternoon for several hours, he sits by a pool and writes out the Palace Chronicles. Underbrush around the pool hides him from view except his reflection......

Taliesin is the name of a 6th century poet or bard from Wales and it means "shining brow" in Welsh.

yes, this one is too big too. Oh well.

Cadre of Rogues

I can't tell much about these guys without giving too much away, but suffice it to say that they are all teens in training to be knights (squires).

Archer with black hair and brown coat: Merrion. Name is a diminutive of another name.
Hooded dude with sword: Emrys. Name means "around the valley" in Welsh.
Freckle face with dagger: Yale. Name means "fertile upland" in Welsh.
Archer with black hair and green clothes: Cadell. His name means "little battle" in Welsh.
Flame-haired and flame-clothed guy: Brynmor. His name means "great hill" in Welsh.
Sandy haired and sandy clothed dude: Rhisiart. Welsh version of Richard.
Long chesnut hair and longsword: Gethin. His name means "swarthy" in Welsh.