Dark Queen

viii.

     "What?" exclaimed Zora, dropping his hand. "But you're absolutely perfect! You're so kind. Etharia needs a ruler like you!"

     Pyter shook his head, allowing dark locks to shield his eyes. "Father believes I'm too kind, sestra. He worries that I will not have the iron fist he has." Lowering his voice, he whispered, "Furthermore, he doesn't want me to change the laws regarding women."

     Zora's face fell. All those times Pyter had claimed he'd change Etharia for the better...would they never come true? "But if you aren't crowned King, then who will be?" She already knew the answer.

     "Gregori will. He's the next best choice. I don't like the idea. Gregori is simple minded and easily manipulated. Even if he becomes King, Father will remain behind the scenes. He will be the puppeteer playing with Gregori's strings."

     "Blazing stars," hissed Zora, balling her hands into fists. "How dare he! You are our firstborn prince. Under no circumstances besides death should you be replaced!" She wanted to storm into the throne room and wring the bastard pig by the neck.

     Pyter caught sight of the murderous look on her face and shook his head. "What's done is done. Now, didn't say you were going to visit our dear mother?"

     Estilda gazed blankly out the window and didn't even turn to greet her two children, whom she hadn't seen in over a decade. Zora frowned and rapped on the door sharply.

     "Hello? Mother?" she called. Estilda rocked back and forth in her chair, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

     "The birds aren't chirping," she murmured. "I think the snow has fallen on them?"

     "Estilda," said Pyter. "Please, look at us." Upon hearing Pyter's voice, she turned and immediately grinned.

     "Zora, sweetheart, your scars are absolutely horrendous. I hope they weren't too painful, but they are ugly enough for those bad noblemen to stay away from you."

     Zora blinked in astonishment. Had she not felt Pyter's soothing hand at the small of her back, she might have slapped the woman, mother or not. "Are you mad?" The words were blurted before she could stop them.

     She'd expected her mother to be enraged. Instead, the aging woman only glanced at her fidgeting hands. "So I am," she whispered. "I suppose you are not grateful. That is to be expected, dorogaya. I'd hoped you would see my good intentions, but alas, they locked me away before I could convince you."

     "Don't call me that," Zora cut in harshly. "And serves you right. How could you do that to me? I was blazing four, mother. Four, and you decided to rake out my eye. I don't give a damn about whatever nonsense you thought you were going to achieve."

     Estilda was still a Queen. She could punish Zora right then and there, but she chose to play with the tassels of a small pillow. She remained silent. Frustrated, Zora ground her teeth.

      "Pyter, let's go. I'm sick of her." Zora stalked out of the room. Pyter grimaced. He looked back and forth between his mother and his sister, inner turmoil raging within him.

      As Estilda refused to meet his gaze, he let the doors fall shut with a bang.

      Just outside Estilda's window, a raven cawed, its intelligent eyes glistening.

finally. chapter eight. yipeeeee! so so so sorry for the long wait guys! but here's the (hopefully) long-awaited chapter. i have finally wrapped up little Zora and introduced current, teenage Zora!

what are your thoughts?

Discussion Questions: What do you think will happen to Etharia with Gregori on the throne?

Does that raven outside Queen Estilda's window mean anything?

note: originally, Estilda was supposed to be the fourth queen, but then i realized if pyter is the oldest heir, he should be born earlier, so now she's the first queen XD i don't know if i added this somewhere but pyter is currently twenty-six right now, so he was about fourteen in previous chapters. idk this whole thing is so messed up XDD