ONE DARK QUEEN ❖ (A Three Dark Crowns Tale)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: UMBRA

Old Gwyneth Milone has five girls, all of them known for something. Ebony remembers meeting them once on a trip to Wolf Spring and she remembers their names: Kaya, Greer, Adela and the little twins Lucie and Cori.

Their only weapons left are their little familiars of small dogs and birds and the ability to bloom flowers, they weren't going to take the title of most feared family anytime soon.

The Westwoods however, had power but they were calm and placid in their approach to life on the island and the Westwoods' tempers only showed when provoked but the Arrons and the Radurons never attacked them.

"Indeed sister," Ebony says, blinking as she emerges from her thoughts and takes another sip of her wine, "Indeed."

"To us little sister," Cierra says, smiling with rare emotion as she picks up her glass and raises it towards Ebony.

"To us," Ebony echoes, clinking her glass with Cierra's before both of them drain their glasses completely.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Arwen rides on Eli through the Raduron lands, feeling like she is flying and laughing as her loose curls float over her shoulders as she races Klaude.

The young handsome suitor had suggested they go on a ride together and that they now have a race on their horses. Arwen had at first been skeptical but she has not had this much fun since her childhood games at the Black Cottage with Nalani and Carina. She hasn't had many friends growing up, just adults who were tasked with raising a queen to someday kill and rule, they know nothing of raising a child.

It is a couple of weeks ago that Arwen had been forced to kill the young prisoner at Lacton Square and then the nightmares that followed it. Klaude has comforted her ever since and Arwen feels herself growing closer to him. Ever since that night where he helped her.

Klaude has been trying to have fun with Arwen to cheer her up but there were some silent moments between them, as they both have an obvious attraction that they both cannot ignore, even though they both try too.

Honestly she did not like him at first, he annoyed her but she has grown to like him in these past weeks. Somehow something has changed between them. Arwen cannot afford to move their relationship slowly, not when she could be killed very soon. It's better to have lived, loved and lost then to never have loved.

One evening, many Radurons and important shadows had come to Draven Mansion for a small ball and Arwen's friend and maid, Darcia had teased her relentlessly after Klaude had spent the whole night looking at Arwen and she at him. They hadn't been able to keep their eyes off of each other and even a half blind man could've seen the clear chemistry between them, they didn't even have to utter a word to each other for someone to see the new romance that has blossomed between them both.

They had both mutually decided to explore whatever it is that is between them and it has been going well so far. Arwen trusts him a bit more now.

Shouting at him as he passes her, riding a beautiful white stallion from the Raduron stables they begin to slow as they reach the tree which they agreed was the finish line of sorts

"I think I win," Klaude says gleefully as he turns his horse to face her, swinging his legs over as his dismounts.

She turns to look at him, not bothering to suppress the smile that has come onto her face, for being around Klaude is the only thing that makes Arwen happy in the world of death that she lives in.

"Klaude you cheat!" Arwen says, getting off of Eli laughing, walking over to smack his arm gently, "you started before me."

Klaude matches her smile with a small happy one of his own, as he strokes her cheek gently, "Well I like to win," he says leaning closer to her, "no matter what the cost."