This is a significant secondary character from Peter's Angel... I dug him up and dusted him off today because a certain HW member (who is welcome to reveal himself if he wants
) was wondering if I had any characters that matched his face. I think Simon's our guy. So while you read this thread, imagine
this hair color/complexion with
period hair and garb (perhaps a little fancier than that, but something like).
SimonSummary:Upper teens/early twenties. Unmarried. Grown son of hired servants in the Marlton (powerful politicians) estate – low end of middle class. Long time confide of Mark, chosen to be Mark’s righthand man when Mark was named the heir of Alaidia.
Synopsis on Simon’s plot and position:I was going to do some kind of formal character development something-or-other for this guy… but I found this modified synopsis I’d written some time ago, and I think it’s enough. Embedded in this summary is the essence of Simon’s personality, and that essence is more effective when absorbed from the summary rather than written out in plain terms. I just know who he is… and I think you get that essence from this synopsis. So I’m gonna call this good. The only additional development I’ll do on him before writing, unless something comes up, is research related to the historical element. This synopsis was written before I decided to make “Peter’s Angel” alternate history, but it’s still accurate.
This is a modified synopsis of the plot from Simon’s POV, with a heavy emphasis on his relationship to Mark. This synopsis also explains Simon’s unique political position. For those of you that are not familiar with the plot, a quick explanation. Mark is the crown prince of Alaidia, a big and powerful vassal of England in the wake of an altered War for Independence. Mark is given charge of Reval, a small colony that allies herself to Alaidia in a modified vassal agreement to protect herself from other colonies during the war. Peter is Reval’s heir, Meriah is the daughter of an Alaidian governor, and Nathan is the rightful heir of Alaidia that’s currently hiding from his uncle (also Mark’s uncle) Edric who killed Nathan’s parents and seized the throne. The end of this synopsis has a bit of spoilery, so don’t feel the need to read the whole long thing if you don’t want to. 
But, if I do say so myself, Simon is a very interesting character with a neat position in the story…Simon’s unique position allows him to wield great power while remaining virtually unnoticed. He has strong connections and influence on all sides, but everyone considers him a standard function of politics and underestimates his power. All throughout the book, Simon makes connections that drive the royalbloods together and spark great movements in the plot, but few realize it – and he, in his subtle contentedness, does his work silently.
Simon is the personal assistant of Mark, the crown prince of Alaidia. Unlike Jason (Peter’s helper), who is a personal friend that generally remains at home and serves the position of valet, Simon is Mark’s official messenger and spokesperson. In nearly all areas of political bearing, Simon’s word is as good as Mark’s. Simon is allowed to act on Mark’s behalf in any area Mark gives him license, and people and politicians are bound by law to receive Simon as they would Mark.
Besides this formal power, which gives Simon insider access to the elite on both sides of the argument, Simon has a personal affiliation with Meriah. Simon’s family works and lives at Meriah’s estate, causing Simon to visit often. Meriah realizes that Simon is her personal link to her sometimes-cryptic and distant cousin, and she milks it well. Simon constantly carries messages between the estates – some commissioned, some not. Simon often brings Meriah unofficial word of Mark’s doings, including his spiritual progress. Meriah, in turn, trusts Simon and sometimes bestows information about her plans, often information she doesn’t want Mark to hear. This volatile wisdom gives Simon the ability to guide both cousins’ actions – as well as share information they might have otherwise hid from the other.
Perhaps his greatest influence, however, is over Mark. Mark is the only person that has any inkling of Simon’s power, and he fans it. Mark realizes that his assistant can (and does) act on his behalf and spread information between parties, but he allows it – partially because he is afraid of a confrontation, and partially because he realizes Simon has never done anything harmful. In a sense, Mark trusts Simon’s control more than he does his own. Additionally, Simon commands great sway over Mark’s spirit, and Mark knows it.
Mark and Simon have always had a relationship ordered by politics. As they were growing up – Mark as a royalblood orphan tossed between estates and Simon as a hired worker in Meriah’s service – they found affinity. However, there was little room for the nephew of a high-class citizen to play with a servant, and after a few mishaps with relatives, Mark and Simon outwardly kept up respectable bounds. But inwardly, they were comfortable in each other’s presence, allowing them to work together well, understand each other, and exchange silent communication – a must in a political society. Mark sealed this relationship by choosing Simon as his righthand man when Mark was named Edric’s heir.
As always, Simon was set up as righthand man – not personal valet. It was a formal position with strict etiquette and little room for intimacy, but that was what the boys were used to. They flourished because they could communicate well, voice disagreements without upsetting, and act confidently on the other’s behalf. A few questioned Mark’s choice of a servant, but the protest died down after they witnessed Simon’s performance. Only Meriah remained curious, leading her to use Simon as a personal connection to her cousin.
For many years, Mark and Simon’s relationship held steady. They agreed on most things, including Edric’s policies. But as Mark came of age and took control of Reval, he began to emulate his uncle in an attempt to establish himself and win the court’s favor. Simon casually objected, attempting to hint at his aversion and hope Mark would come to his senses. When subtle methods didn’t work, Simon stepped out of bounds to try and talk Mark out of seizing land from Reval.
Mark, rattled that Simon was acting unusually, told him off – and Simon withdrew. Using their fluency in unspoken language, Simon continued to fulfill his roll as friend and aide while making it very clear that he disapproved of Mark’s actions. Mark committed more atrocities in an attempt to try and please Edric, and Simon’s distaste increased. He broke Mark’s spirit and held him in fear – and Mark realized it.
Mark had always trusted Simon’s opinion, and he was used to indirectly seeking Simon’s approval. When Simon gave it, Mark gained confidence. When Simon withheld it, Mark usually reconsidered. When Simon disapproved of Mark’s actions with Reval, Mark was devastated. Battling between a desire to please Simon (and his conscience) and a fear of the court, Mark continued to pursue his uncle’s wishes while trying to convince Simon of his reasoning. When Simon continued to refuse, Mark was crushed and slowly began to fear Simon, afraid to tell him his latest move and receive another stamp of disapproval. But Mark could never bring himself to denounce Simon. In the first place, he feared confrontation and utter rejection. In the second, he couldn’t succumb to the idea of life without Simon – nor with the idea of filling Simon’s position with someone he couldn’t trust.
Simon never rejected Mark, either. He used his power to whittle Mark, knowing that his friend wasn’t completely convinced of the rightness of his own actions. Simon hoped to convert Mark, which he eventually did. But before the light began to dawn, Mark grew so hard that Simon was tempted to write him off and resign. Instead of rejecting the responsibility given to him, Simon realized that he could use his unique position to help the royalbloods make the right meetings and decisions without them ever realizing it.
Simon was, in fact, partially responsible for helping Mark figure out Nathan’s identity while preventing him from revealing it in front of Edric – a blessing it would take Nathan a long time to realize. Simon also heard from Meriah where she hid Nathan and, against Nathan’s will, tipped Peter off. Simon realized that Nathan would die if left in the mines, but he attempted to prevent an outright confrontation between the various parties. Unfortunately, Peter did not handle the situation well, and Meriah ended up in disgrace while Saul got to Nathan first.
It was Simon who told Mark to send only a small party of men to collect Nathan’s signature, ever encouraging Mark to limit the violence. Mark, however, at the end of his rope with Simon’s silent disapproval, left Simon at home for the journey. Without Simon’s moderating voice, Mark bent to Saul’s influence and made the poor choice of attacking the castle. In the end, Mark returned home beaten to face not only Simon’s disapproval but Edric’s rage.
In rare explosion, Mark spoke his feelings to Simon, blaming him for the failure by telling him to go with only a small band of men. Simon knocks him off by saying, “You weren’t intended to fight with them.” Mark is beaten, but Simon heals the breech in the friendship by saying something the boys had never spoken aloud – “I’m sorry.”
Simon promptly leaves the room. The entire court expects Mark to fire Simon after his mishandled advice, but Mark plays on both sides. He agrees to return to Reval and attack, but he takes Simon with him. Simon again offers silent disapproval – but he agrees to go, an oxymoron that encourages Mark towards the right side. Simon continues this balance – of disapproving of Mark’s actions while remaining by his side – throughout the dealings with Reval. And then Simon is finally rewarded for his faithfulness when Mark makes the right choice, even though the only supporter he has on his side of the battlelines is Simon.
