: Re: I accidentally added a character, and then forgot to write them in for the rest of the series I am a young author writing a fantasy series. When I was looking over my manuscript, I realized

@Cooney417

Reading your description, I came to this conclusion: without changing the plot, Autumn can be replaced by an object, a token of friendship that’s an actual token.
You’re right that something needs to be done. Having a character present in the middle of the action but not doing anything or even being mentioned is confusing for the audience. And having a character who only exists for the benefit of another character doesn’t send a good message, even if it’s trope we see all the time in the media.
It’s simply not realistic to have an intelligent being sent to a war zone, risking her life, to do nothing. Either the Queen had a reason to send Autumn specifically, or she didn’t and therefore sent a gift instead.
If you decide to keep Autumn in your story, then make her more like a character and less like an object. What was the reason she was sent on this mission: how does she help the group? What’s her personality? What does she want? Show it! Don’t let the fact that she can’t talk stop you, especially when that doesn’t stop anyone in real life, not even people who can’t use sign language (see for example PECS).

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