Note: This interview was originally part of the Royal Captive blog tour, and was first shared on Author Sarah Hill's website: https://artauthorsarahannhill.art.blog
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Hello Mia, thank you for taking the time to sit down with me today.
Of course! Thank you for having me.
What's your favorite color?
Pink.
I thought we'd start with getting to know you a little. I see you have a small collection of books, do you have a favorite?
Picking a favorite is impossible! I love to read so many different things. Poetry, adventure tales, and romances. I enjoy learning about the world as well, so studying plants, different climates, and cultures—I love it all!
Staying inside a cell most your life has to be boring, but you found a talent for painting. They are beautiful, do you have a favorite piece of art?
Probably this one. Grayson once told me about one of his trips into the northern mountains, and my imagination couldn’t let go of this stream he described. The setting sun glittering on the water. The fall leaves that blanket the rocky banks. And of course, the focus of the piece is the vibrant orange leaf caught in the current of the stream. The scene is both beautiful and somehow tragic, and I’m proud of how it turned out. I’ve always been fascinated with how such a simple image can convey powerful, complex emotions. I think that’s part of why art is so important to my sanity; it gives me a place to explore, create, and pour my emotions into.
How does it feel being out of the dungeon and in a bigger space?
It’s honestly a little unnerving. My world was a small, usually predictable space. Now I’m not sure what to expect, and none of it feels real. But despite those anxieties, I am enjoying the new environment.
You have a window for the first time since coming to Ryden. I know being able to see the sights you only imagined is a gift, but what about the smells? They have to be different than those beneath the castle in a dark cell. Do you have a favorite scent? Is that scent new or one you've known for years?
It took a while for my eyes to adjust to the natural light, but being able to see outside is definitely a gift—and a little overwhelming, if I’m being honest. And the sounds! Hearing people talking and working outside, dogs barking . . . It’s strange to hear all of that. To know that the outside world is right there. That in a way, I’m part of it again.
And since you mentioned the smells, yes. They were overpowering, too, at first. I’m coming to love them, though. The rain smells divine, and I love the scent of flowers, though I hadn’t forgotten the smell of them while in my cell. Grayson would bring me flowers quite often. But I recently learned the name of my favorite scent: pine.
It is said that a song floats from your room from time to time. Is this a song you learned from childhood? Who taught it to you?
While I’ve made up some of my own songs over the years, I mostly sing ones I learned as a child. There’s a particular lullaby my mother would always sing to me, and that’s the song Grayson first heard from me.
Do you have a favorite memory?
Meeting Grayson. Everything was so dark before he came into my life, and I will always be grateful that he found me. Sometimes he says that I saved him, but in reality, he saved me.
Let's delve a little deeper. You were brought to Ryden when you were very young. What do you remember about that day?
I was young, but I remember the journey to the castle, and I remember meeting King Henri. When I first saw him, I thought he might help me. I think I’ll always remember how my gut fell when I realized he wasn’t going to.
Do you remember who you are, or is the truth still locked behind a door in your mind you haven't found yet?
I remember, I just can’t talk about it. I can’t even think about it. It triggers a panic, where my lungs and throat tighten and I can’t breathe.
Let's move on to your friendships. You and Grayson have been friends for almost as long as you've been in the castle. Is it safe to say he is the best friend you've ever had?
Without a doubt. We have been there for each other in a way I don’t think people on the outside can fully understand. He knows me better than anyone else in the world, and I would do anything for him.
Do you see a future with Grayson?
When I think about the future, Grayson is the only constant I see. I know we live in a dangerous and unpredictable world, but I honestly can’t picture my life without him.
There's a look in your eyes when you talk about Grayson, is there maybe a little something more than friendship?
Absolutely. The friendship we built as children turned naturally into something more, and I love him with all my heart.
And what about Tyrell? To hate him would be understandable after the way he treated you after your first meeting, but you don't hate him, do you?
No, I don’t hate him. I never thought I’d consider Tyrell a friend, but that’s how I see him now. I know some people won’t understand how that’s possible, and sometimes even I wonder how it happened, after everything he’s done. But there is more to Tyrell than meets the eye, and I think there is more goodness in him than even he will admit.
It's quite obvious that Tyrell has feelings for you, do you return them in any degree? Is it friendship you care about or are there feelings hidden beneath that you might be scared to admit to?
Tyrell has made it clear that he cares for me, and I . . . Well, I wish things hadn’t become complicated. I don’t want to hurt him, but I’ve told him that I’m in love with Grayson—and I am. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about Tyrell. I want us to remain friends. I just can’t offer him anything more.
How do you think Grayson will react to your friendship with Tyrell? Will he be grateful to him or do you think knowing how close you've grown will cause him to unravel?
I’ve tried to picture the three of us in the same room, and I really can’t. Tyrell and Grayson both wear masks to hide their vulnerabilities, and they never let others see deeper. Pair that with the fact that they have a complex relationship filled with a lifetime of resentment, jealously, and pain, and I think it might make it impossible for them to see each other as I see them. I worry that all of this could lead to a fight, and that’s the last thing I want.
But to answer your question, I think Grayson will be confused by our friendship, but I hope I can explain things in such a way that he can see Tyrell as I see him now, and not as the prince who hurt me. Grayson has always been protective of me, though, and while it’s something I love about him, I think that will make it hard for him to ever let Tyrell near me. And honestly, I think it will be even harder for him once he finds out that Tyrell has deeper feelings for me. All that being said, I think Grayson will be grateful to Tyrell for saving my life.
Would you be able to choose? If a knife were held to each of their hearts and you could only save one?
Just the thought of a decision like that turns my stomach. I can’t imagine being placed in such a situation. I think the weight of that guilt—no matter my choice—would ruin me. But if I had to choose . . . I would choose Grayson. I would give up anything for him, including my own life.
Thank you so much for joining me today Mia, I honestly hope you get the happy ending you so deserve.
Thank you, I appreciate that! And thank you for taking the time to talk to me.