Today, we have the founder and headmistress of Hamilton Military Academy, Selenia Hamilton. This half-elven warrior is a former mercenary, who retired to train the next generation of warriors. Her success as a mercenary was great enough to earn her the well-respected title of Mercenary Queen. Even though she is more administrative now, she runs a few elite classes for students who she handpicks. These classes are swordsmanship, martial arts, and a defense class.
So, ask your questions and see what you learn about Selenia Hamilton.
About Charles Yallowitz
Charles E. Yallowitz was born, raised, and educated in New York. Then he spent a few years in Florida, realized his fear of alligators, and moved back to the Empire State. When he isn't working hard on his epic fantasy stories, Charles can be found cooking or going on whatever adventure his son has planned for the day. 'Legends of Windemere' is his first series, but it certainly won't be his last.
Legends of Windemere 
Selenia, how do you determine which student is worthy of being selected for your personal instruction?
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Selenia: I have two methods. The first is when I leave the academy, I keep an eye out for children that show a warrior spark. That look of defiance and courage. Typically, these are children of the street and I bring them in to give them a better life.
The second method is I observe all classes during the first week to see how the students are doing. I always find a few students that are better than we originally observed. They learn quickly or had previous skills that they failed to mention. Leaving those students in a basic class would be detrimental to their progress.
Luke: I’m part of the second group.
Selenia: I’m sorry. There are three methods. The third is that I take trouble-making students under my wing to teach them discipline.
Luke: That makes more sense.
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One follow up. What are the methods of teaching discipline?
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Luke: Yelling, hitting, sneak attacks, chores, and more yelling.
*punched in the stomach by Selenia*
Selenia: A stern voice and the occasionally strike helps keep students in line. I’m training warriors, not cooks. For discipline, it really depends on the student. Take Luke here. I make sure that every reckless act has a negative consequence, so he learns to think before acting. For example, if he stole food from the kitchen, Luke would ordered to clean all of the dinner dishes by himself.
Luke: I told you that Nimby stole the food.
Selenia: If two students are fighting then I pair them off in a class for the rest of their semester. Their grades are dependent on each other. If one makes a mistake then they are both punished. There are more methods, but they are typically for specific events.
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Good stuff. Thanks
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Now this character looks right.
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Found her in a Yahoo Image search.
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Selenia, if you could add any aspect of your life as a mercenary to your current role as headmistress, what would it be? What aspect are you happy to be done with?
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Selenia: I’ve added all of the important parts of my mercenary life to this school. Discipline, teamwork, finding your role in a large complex, and gaining knowledge are taught here along with the physical skills.
Luke: They don’t teach how to negotiate pay though.
Selenia: That’s not an essential skill. I’m happy to be done with the injuries, death, stress, and horrors that come with the mercenary life. Those of us that make it to retirement have nightmares to handle and many dark deeds to atone for. I try to convince my students to become adventurers or guards, but I know only a few will listen.
Luke: You could threaten them.
Selenia: I’ve considered it, but I lack that much influence and power. I’d spend the rest of my life pummeling former students.
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Thank you! 🙂
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Selenia, why did you retire? Also, we know you’re tough as nails. But what, if anything, brings out your softer side? Why?
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Selenia: I can be kind if the situation calls for it. Fizzle makes me smile. I lack a cuddly maternal instinct, so that’s the best you can get.
Luke: You want to skip the first question? You look a little upset and I’m in hitting range.
Selenia: I retired after a horrible mistake. It’s one of those mistakes that led to the death of people who trusted me with their lives. It’s nearly impossible to go on as a mercenary after that.
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I sense that your tough exterior was the result of a traumatic childhood. Your admitted lack of maternal instinct hints at the absence of a mother or worse, one that was abusive. Care to elaborate or do you want to punch Luke instead?
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Luke: She needs a reason and I’m not giving her one.
Selenia: My mother was very busy, so I rarely saw her. When I did, she was quite loving and attentive. She hoped that I followed in her footsteps as a caster, but I lacked the interest for magic. I chose to be trained by my father as a warrior and I use many of his tactics in my academy.
Luke: I’m guessing he didn’t make some of your lessons as brutal.
Selenia: He was worse. I’m much kinder than my father. The tough exterior comes from having to do jobs that eat away at your softness. Assassinations, wars, hunting down traitors, monster hunts, and every other mission that a mercenary has death lurking around it. You need to be tough to face that on a daily basis.
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Selenia: What is your driving force? Ever been in love and lost? Tortured soul or just tattered soul?
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Luke: I think somebody let a bard in. Those questions nearly rhymed.
*Selenia smacks him upside the head*
Selenia: Be nice. My driving force is to succeed. I never accept failure, especially when it comes to training and protecting my students. If they leave here without the basic skills to survive as a warrior then I failed them.
Luke: What if they’re horrible warriors?
Selenia: Then they wouldn’t have graduated. Now, I’ve never been in love. I never found a man that earned my interest or could keep up with me. I was too busy forging my reputation as a mercenary. This would answer your final question, which is a tattered soul. I only regret one thing in my past and I won’t let it torture me. I owe it to my fallen comrades to continue on my path.
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Who has been your most challenging yet rewarding student.
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Selenia: Not this one! *points at Luke*
Luke: I’m challenging.
Selenia: You’re about as rewarding as a blister on my sword hand. I see challenges as pulling great potential out of someone that I don’t have to punish every day.
Luke: Can I get some credit for keeping you on your toes?
Selenia: No . . . I’ve had many students over the year and I hate to put one above the other. Many have become well-established warriors. Daniel Skyblade could count as a student of mine, but we should stick to the school. There was one street urchin that I took in after he was able to defend himself against me. I believe his name was Delvin Cunningham. A very bright and talented boy, but very kind and soft. It was a challenge to mold him into a warrior and help him keep his softer tendencies. I hear he’s become the Mercenary Prince, which I’m very proud of.
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Hi Selenia, my question for you is: how old are you? Sometimes I think you must be fairly old (do elves age the same as humans do?) and then there are other times it seems like you could be pretty young. (No disrespect intended, of course.)
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Selania: First, I’m only half-elven, so while elves can live a couple hundred years, I live only slightly longer than a human. As long as nothing kills me. People seem to forget that part of long life.
Luke: Should I be here for this answer?
Selenia: What do I care? I’m in my late sixties and started the academy in my forties. My elven blood does allow me to age better than full humans.
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Careful Luke, I’ll bet it’d make a pretty funny story for a grandmotherly (no offence Selenia) woman to beat you up…again, Mr. Forest Tracker.
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Luke: Age doesn’t mean much here. Casters and warriors that make it to old age are anything, but frail and feeble.
Selenia: Guess you have a brain in there after all.
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Got it. Thanks you two!
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