Character Profile
Lila
Age 14. The careful one. Lila understands the natural world — ice, tides, weather, wildlife — and she uses that knowledge to keep her friends safe. The year in Paris gave her a new perspective on the village she'd grown up in, and she came home determined to protect it. When the public inquiry was called, it was Lila who organised the community testimony — visiting every family, collecting fifty pages of stories about what the lighthouse means to Merhaven.
Merhaven village The frozen estuary Her science notebook
Favourite Things
The frozen estuary
Lila understands ice better than anyone in Merhaven. She knows how to tell safe ice from dangerous — and she's not afraid to say so.
Her science notebook
Full of observations about the weather, the tides, and the wildlife. Lila measures everything — including the village's mood.
The community testimony
She visited every family in the village to collect their stories — fifty pages of testimony about what the lighthouse means to Merhaven.
Winter mornings
Frost on the windows, steam from the kettle, and the estuary glittering in the low sun. Lila's favourite time to walk and think.
Skills
Spotting danger
Lila sees the risks before anyone else — on the ice, on the water, and in the campaign. She's the one who checks the conditions.
Science and nature
She understands how the natural world works — tides, ice, weather, wildlife. Her knowledge keeps the group safe and grounded.
Staying careful
She thinks before she acts. While the others rush ahead, Lila organises the community testimony — methodical, thorough, patient.
Patience
She visited every family in the village, collected fifty pages of testimony, and sent it to the heritage secretary with a cover letter that helped win the inquiry.
"This is not just a building. This is a life — the life of a village."
— Lila