The Aetherial Embrace Character Close-Up: Lord Aro Black

The Aetherial Embrace

Character Close-Up: Lord Aro Black

Character Profile:

Basic

Name: Aro Black

Gender: Male

Age: Made Kindred in 1815 at age 25 (Born 1790 so actual age is 226)

Role: Antagonist (Male)

Other Names: Samuel Black

Historical Notes: Dies in 1815 during the Napoleonic Wars Died in battle- British empire gaining traction for the empire. Met with Lucien in battle right before death- recognises him and harnesses intense hatred for him. Before he departed for war he was betrothed to sixteen year old Briar Northe who later became Storm the Nephilim. The war changed him and left him with extreme unrequited love and fantasies about what his life with Briar would have been like. When the two of them meet again after 14 years, Storm is drastically different but still naïve to Aro’s charms.

Physical

Weight: 210lbs (15 stone)

Height: 6 ft 2

Hair Colour: Dark chocolate brown

Hair Style: Windswept mop which seems both boyishly ruffled and constantly perfect without any effort at all.

Eye Colour: Deepest Indigo (Almost black) with flecks of Lilac- like stars.

Race: White- English

Skin Tone: Bone white- plays with shadows- turning them beautiful.

Supernatural Features: Black wings tinged with gold.

Nature

Mannerisms: Assertive- confident, walks with his shoulders set straight back. Knows how to use his face to manipulate. Is aware he’s attractive so often uses his smile, his eyes, to get his own way. Elegant motion, but strong. Hands are very dextrous, but sturdy. Is a good dancer, has extremely proper etiquette and erect silhouette. Uses his hands a lot when he is explaining things. Shakes a single loose strand of hair from his forehead. Purses his lips when he’s frustrated, clears his throat to interrupt, but isn’t afraid to use silence to assert his dominance either. Good at switching from kind to cruel in a split second. Grandiose in his motion, shows off, dramatic. Cunning. Envious. Knows how to romance.

Flaws: Underestimates women. Arrogant and closed minded. Proud. Uncontrollable rage. Too busy focusing on what he doesn’t have instead of what he does- Silver. Uses those around him, including the land and his Kensari, rather than treating them with respect. Power hungry, war monger. Hates democracy- This is from his Empire enforcing background. He believes his rule would be better for everyone as he knows best.

Prejudices:

Hates the French, and Lucien. Also hates Genevieve for killing Pandora, who he greatly respected. Has vowed to avenge her death by killing Algoric.

Is extremely masochistic, believes men are strong and women weak. Doesn’t like taking opinions of High Ladies, hence why Lucien was brought along to the meeting where he Proposed to Storm all those years ago. Feels superior.

Talents:

Excellent with a sword. Also great at sketching and horseback riding. Strong and brutal in battle. Smart and cunning. Good with strategy and deceit. Extremely athletic, good at chess, billiards, pool, dancing, and flying.

Hobbies:

Sketching.

Chess.

Piano.

Boxing/ fighting.

Sword practice.

Flight practice/ racing.

Personality Type:

Type A- Extremely organised, clean, perfectionist. Romantic, but very emotionally aloof inside. A great actor. Determined and ambitious. Power hungry. Patient.

Special Abilities: Can conduct. Extremely strong. Summon lightning to him and use it as a weapon.

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Gallery

(I do not own the rights to any of the images below unless stated otherwise.)

For more images and inspiration that went into designing Lord Aro Black you can check out his Pniterest Board HERE

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FAQ WITH KRISTY NICOLLE

I pick some of my favourite frequently asked questions about Aro…

QUESTION: What originally inspired the idea of Aro’s character for you as the author?

Answer: All of the other books in the Queens of Fantasy Saga have some kind of contrast within the stories where I as the author take a traditional idea of storytelling and invert it in a realistic way. With The Tidal Kiss Trilogy this was done in the second book when the idea of soulmates becomes a nightmare more than a fantasy for Callie, and in The Ashen Touch Trilogy this is when the very idea of life, rather than death, is discovered to be the real thing to fear. Aro Black came as the result of my idea to take the concept of Fairy Tales, with the white night coming in on a noble steed and saving the damsel in distress from a dragon, completely upside down and inside out. His last name was used as a blatant nod to his true identity, and his look was inspired to contrast against Lucien, whose hair is pure white. Lord Aro black is the epitome of dark intent, and selfishness, but he is also able to charm his way into Kairi’s heart. In this case, the dragon saves the damsel, and the black knight is left full of rage, anger, and ambition.

QUESTION: Why do so many readers love Aro, despite the fact he does some truly despicable things?

Answer: I think Aro is appealing to so many readers because he isn’t weighed down by his emotions. What he says he will do he does, he is disciplined, and refreshingly resourceful when it comes to getting his way. He might be morally awful, but nobody can deny the way in which he gets shit done. I think coughs in particular my female readers find something about his power and refusal to back down extremely appealing. It also doesn’t hurt that that man look damn good in a suit, and to be honest, the readers, just like Kairi, is charmed by Aro in the very beginning, meaning that our first impression of his isn’t negative at all.

QUESTION: Who do you imagine being cast as Aro if The Aetherial Embrace Trilogy was ever adapted for TV or Film?

Answer: Ben Barnes. No question. He has that bad boy who you can’t help but fancy the pants off thing going on which i always picture for Aro. As you can tell by Aro’s Pinterest Board i’m quite the Ben Barnes fan and have been ever since i saw him as Dorian Grey. Can we also talk about how he’s killing it as The Darkling in Shadow and Bone swoons.

QUESTION: Why does Aro hate women so much?

Answer: This is a really interesting question and I feel like perhaps it is not so much women he hates, but the weakness he sees in them and the weakness they create in him as he desires them so intensely. When this desire starts to wane in the second novel, we find him moving on to Genevieve, who has neither the weakness he despises, nor does he immediately seem to desire her. It is not until later that her lack of vulnerability puts the challenge in his head which causes him to begin to pursue her. Aro’s feelings towards women stem from his mother’s abandonment, and are later intensified by his frustration at the fact Hera’s curse puts power over his ambition into the hands of The Nephilim.

QUESTION: Do you struggle to write such a seriously misogynistic and cruel character?

Answer: Actually, for me, Aro is one of the easiest characters to write. His dialogue and inner thought process is succinct, and he is very direct in knowing himself to the point of arrogance. This is easy to write because Aro deals in absolutes, in action, ands very rarely finds an internal conflict which he does not cut through as he would an opponent with a sword. Oh, and if you think Aro is cruel you should check out Solustus from The Tidal Kiss Trilogy… that guy is MESSED UP.

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Ready to meet Aro Black?

Indigo Dusk

Synopsis:

When Kairi Freemont happens upon a winged man on her parents’ Tennessee Ranch, she’s given what she’s wanted ever since the day she was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome: An escape from the pain of her chronic, invisible illness. Through the power of the Aetherial Sun, Aro shows her there’s not only a place where her pain disappears but that she can live in a fairytale world of Unicorns, Fae, and magic she’s always wished was real. But when Kairi discovers that meeting Aro was no accident, that she may have lived a whole past life at Aro’s side before being stolen away by the monstrous Draconians, things start to spin out of control.Are the Draconians, a race of banished dragon riders who have long since lost their precious reptilian steeds, as monstrous as the rest of Aetheria believes? And what lies at the heart of Aro’s motivation behind sweeping Kairi off her feet? Is it simply flirtation and his desire to give her a better life, or is the truth far more malicious than she could have ever expected?

Grab Book One- Indigo Dusk

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