"Where is my daughter Vivienne?" Pele questions, grumbling and weary after her journey from Umbra to Rolanth, pacing irritably as Vivianne sits on the large dark green sofa, her green gown almost blending in.
A dead suitor and a dead queens guardian. Pele is tired of it. Already the island's treasury has taken a drain, gold and ships to appease the Valostran king for the loss of his nephew and the loss of a burial in his homeland as the young Queen Arwen took matters into her own hands. Cressida Lermont had negotiated, a friend of Klaude's mother who used to be an diplomat and a native islander, and prevented war luckily, calming the temper of her husband Prince Grayson Vale. But still, Pele has ruled the Black Council for many years and she feels aged by it.
"Where you bid her to be, by Queen Nalani's side," Vivianne replies stonily, turning to Kali and gestures for more tea who begins to rush over but Pele raises a hand to dismiss her and she goes back to the corner of the Westwood parlour.
"You have no control over your ward," Pele snaps, "it is the middle of the Ascension, we made a deal, I am fulfilling my end Queen Nalani has a guard but what use is it when she slips away and does as she likes? And now convinced my daughter to aid her in her rebellion."
Vivianne holds her forehead wearily, helping herself to some peppermint tea to soothe her mind. In truth she is not pleased at Nalani's excursion, her daughter Hestia told her she saw the two riding away and relayed the alleged vision prophecy seen at Beltane and how hyperfixated Nalani had been about getting answers.
Her daughter was reluctant but Vivianne pressed her, they are both worried for Nalani, as is her nephew Rowan who had been training with weaponry none stop since Nalani's departure.That girl is so stubborn when she wants something.
"It is her way," Vivianne says bluntly, offering no defence, "she is a queen and a powerful one at that, the strongest elemental for years, made of fire, blood and storms - how could we ever hope to contain it?"
And the Westwood matriarch has never really cared to. Of course Nalani had a temper, but she is powerful, strongest with fire - Elo come again. She is too passionate, and free spirited. Never truly recognising authority. But she always respected Vivianne, usually opting to work with her in most matters.
Her traits, to Vivianne, are traits of a queen who could truly strike her sisters down, put the Westwoods in control and raise the power of all elementals. Her predecessors are remembered for their weakness, their failures to truly support their queens. And Vivianne has and always will support Nalani by any means necessary, her and her queen have worked together over the time to prepare her for being Queen Crowned and to win people's hearts.
And Vivianne loves her ward, she brings back a fiery nature that elementals have lost over the years. And the only way to wrestle power from the shadows and the poisoners is to fight fire with fire. Nalani's spirit is what makes her strong, yet it always makes her disobedient and impulsive.
"She is not made from storms and fire, only blood," Pele states icily, "blood that will be split if you're not careful Vivianne ... Queen Arwen is changed, she is colder and by all accounts her gift has grown even more powerful, then there is Carina who had already made an attempt on Arwen and caused me a political headache. All three are strong, perhaps I was too quick to put my faith that Nalani would reign victorious."
That shocks Vivianne, who shoots Pele a monstrous glare with her furious green eyes and gestures for Kali to leave who bows hastily and then does so, shutting the door behind her.
How can her ally and friend speak like this? Who has always steadfastly stood by her.
"Do not lose sight of what is best for the island," Vivianne snaps, then subdues her temper before Pele's rises to meet hers and says carefully, "the shadows and the poisoners will only bring ruin and dissent, unreliability and resentment, Nalani is the island's best hope I believe that with all my heart. Yes she is disobedient and wilful but she is a queen, they are not like us and they never will be. Her passion and strength will ensure the love of the island as well as inspire fear into our enemies, she is the best choice and most worthy of your support."
"You are biased," Pele says simply, rubbing her eyes wearily, "but my daughter can stay by Nalani's side if she wishes, I will not order her, and I will not waste the time of the other three assigned as a guard, they will return to Bastian City."
Vivianne goes to retort but Pele raises a hand.
"Do not tempt my fury Vivianne not today," she snaps, "I held no love for Cierra and certainly none for Andrea but Ebony rules Umbra now and she will be a fair leader by all accounts and my own personal experience ... circumstances have changed and Queen Nalani is going off on foolish missions during an Ascension Year, I will no longer be involved in a queen that wastes mine and my warrior's time."
Vivianne smiles tightly, "So you no longer support Queen Nalani."
Pele considers it for a minute wearily, she must keep faith with all on the island, now Carina and Cressida Lermont's daughter work together and Ebony rules rather than Cierra. When the the political situation changes, the future of the island changes.
"I only support the island, and as I still rule for a little while longer I cannot be seen as biased. Not after a queens guardians' murder," Pele says regretfully, she is not sorry for Cierra but she does not like the instability it represents.
She fears there is a faction working to undermine the queensline, the attack on Queen Carina at Beltane by the Milone girl, the attack on Queen Nalani by a rogue Arron. Even rumours of an attempt on Queen Arwen months ago. All before the Ascension Year.
She has already dispatched Black Council members, Evangeline Antere and her husband, James Antere, to Umbra to investigate Cierra's murder and interrogate any involved and keep their ears to the ground for any suspected of treason towards the queensline. She trusts them both, they are fair but brutal. They would surely get answers if there were any.
And now the removal of a queens guardian confirms it, there is something, someone at work. Perhaps stemming from the original rebels who tried to oust the queensline in the Queens War. Pele just wishes she knew exactly who was behind it all, there must be a correlation.
"I must be fair," Pele continues at last, "for even Queen Carina has surprised me, lately she has been tending to the sick and wounded, our fellow Cressida tells me that her youngest daughter teaches her the art of healing. Ebony will influence Arwen for the better and the Lermont girl influences the poisoner for the better, it is not so black and white as to who is best for the island anymore Vivianne, and Nalani wastes my warriors and is ungrateful for my efforts ..."
"Sorry to interrupt Madam," Kali says nervously entering again and bowing her head, sensing the tension between the two women, "but your daughter Morrigan has returned to Westwood House."
Pele and Vivianne bolt up immediately, yet Pele gestures for the Westwood to stay out, "stay here, I need to talk to my daughter in private."
Reluctantly she sits back down, but already thoughts of concern take over. Morrigan is here? Where in the Goddess' name is her companion? Where is Nalani? Vivianne thinks desperately, hoping nothing dreadful has happened.
But Pele is already gone, opening the door and taking those long strides of hers till she finds Morrigan stands at the doorway, looking both tired and angry.
"Where have you been?" Pele demands angrily to her daughter, "and where is Queen Nalani?"
"She's safe with Aunt Hecate or perhaps already on her way back to Rolanth as we speak," Morrigan replies then her tone switches to urgency,"come to the gardens with me mother, we must call on Nimue soon but first I have questions, information to tell you and we must not be overheard."
Morrigan spins, heading to the gardens before her mother has a chance to respond. And Pele freezes a little at her daughter's words. Why is Mor mentioning Nimue? Dread sinks to her stomach. What did her younger sister Hecate tell them? She thinks angrily. They promised never to reveal their secret. Her Halia and Hecate swore to take it to their graves.
Swearing silently, she follows her daughter to the gardens, dismissing all the gardeners and servants who flee from the sight of the two angry headed warriors with blood red hair rather quickly. They are a menacing pair. When they are both far enough Morrigan stops and faces her mother, so many questions dancing in her expressions.
"I will tell you everything I know now, Queen Nalani told me she saw the dead queen appear to her at the Quickening, they spoke of a Blue Queen and of darkness for the island and of other nonsenses, she told me and asked me to go with her as these dead queens told her to seek out Aunt Hecate, I was curious as well that's why I accompanied her and I knew the chances of the other queens learning that she was in Innisfuil Valley were low," Morrigan says quickly before her mother can even deign to lecture her about disappearing with the queen, "Nalani had more visions in the Breccia Domain and we went to the Black Cottage to see Hecate, and Nalani figured out what I'm guessing you already know, that Nimue is a fourthbo queen."
She stops at that, gauging for her mother's reaction who just looks shocked. That is all the confirmation Morrigan needed - she never sees her mother stunned. Pele Murta is always so composed, with control over her emotions. But her mother can't even deny a secret she has helped cover up.
"So it's true," Morrigan whispers to herself before changing her tone, "but now Nalani knows and she threw a temper tantrum and essentially is out for my sister's blood all because you and Aunt Hecate in all your wisdom decided to keep a fourthborn queen hidden in plain sight."
"It wasn't that simple," Pele says plainly, trying to keep her voice measured, "a shadow, an elemental, a poisoner and a fourth born naturalist, this cycle was not a normal one from the beginning, Hecate swore the Goddess spoke through her and my foster sister Queen Halia believed it, a prophecy of unknown destruction if all four queens did not grow to live, the elder three couldn't be culled, not with such a threat and the cycle would've preceded as normal and no one would've even known of Nimue's existence."
And of course that is why Nimue was raised into their family, Morrigan thinks, an orphan they had taken in, an old family friend - it all makes sense now. Except for Nimue's blue eyes but Morrigan imagines Hecate, Halia and Pele found a way to conceal her true black irises.
"Yet now they do," Morrigan exclaims, true fear in her green eyes, "now Nalani knows and she is convinced that she will never be Queen Crowned as long as Nimue lives, because of those dead queens prophecies, I have never seen her so fearful, she will strike Nimue down to save herself I know it, there is no reasoning with her anymore and how long until she tells the Westwoods, they will be threatened as well."
Pele clasps her head. A disaster. To her foster daughter's life, for over the eighteen years Nimue has truly become one of them, a Murtra and Pele loves her just as she loves all her children.
"If Nalani makes this public I fear the temple most of all, the High Priestess will support killing the three other queens and will most likely turn the Black Council against me for meddling with Hecate and myself will be removed from our positions," Pele says fearfully, "the other queens are not young enough to be culled, they are too powerful and they will never will fully submit to it and each of their city's people love them, the island will demand that they carry on with the Ascension, Nimue included."
It is true, Morrigan thinks glumly. A fourthborn's sisters may be culled as infants but as adults who are all strongly gifted in their own right and have different sectors of the island supporting them? The temple will not be able to carry out an execution so easily.
"It cannot happen," Morrigan hisses, "Nimue has and never will have an interest in ruling or politics, I will not let her by a pawn in a bloody Ascension Year, we need to get her off of the island, her and her wolf Nox. We have become a powerful family, we have money and connections, we could set her up in one of the mainland countries, perhaps Kaiden will join her."
Morrigan has known for years of Kaiden Milone and Nimue's affection for each other, as much as they tried to hide it. And there was nothing for the Milones on the island anymore, they were hated by queensline supporters, for their ancestor Jules and Kaya's attempt on Carina at Beltane.
Pele considers it nodding, "if it is so dire as you say that Queen Nalani will not be reasoned with ..."
"She is too fearful of those prophecies and fear makes people do awful things but if Nimue leaves and and Kaiden too, they will forsake their naturalist gift, everybody knows our gifts weaken on the mainland, they may even lose their familiar connection," Morrigan says regretfully, hating her mother a little for inadvertently causing this. But hating the Goddess most of all, wanting all her four queens for extra lambs to the slaughter.
They have their war gift because of her, the island is strong because of her but queens have been sacrificed because of her. Is the power worth such a sacrifice? It has always been the way of the island. Morrigan has never questioned it, but being gaining the friendship of Nalani, gaining a sister in Nimue. She knows them too well and she doesn't want either of them to die.
"You know Nimue will never forsake her gift," Pele says carefully, "she cares too much for that wolf of hers, it would be best for her to leave but we cannot force her, you have been by Nalani's side for months, if you cannot reason with her, can somebody else?"
"Her foster sister, Hestia, the two are close friends and she is a calming influence," Morrigan notes, "she could be of use with subduing Nalani, I know the elemental queen now I do not believe she truly wishes to harm Nimue nor to make it public to undermine her own position but she sees no other way because of her fears, whether or not Nimue leaves the island she must remain hidden."
Pele nods in agreement, Nimue must disappear from Nalani's sight or reach.
"Nimue is still in Wolf Spring with the Milones, comforting that boy she so clearly loves, she is a naturalist and that is where she should be, but I have allies across the island, she can seek refugee in Bernadine's Landing, Nalani has no cause to go there and it is less obvious than Wolf Spring," Pele says, detailing her plan, feeling sick to her stomach.
The secrets of the past have come to haunt her and now the warrior stews in regret and fear for Nimue. She is luckier than the other queens in a way, she has never had any responsibility nor the definite threat of bloodshed once reaching maturity. And even if she had become a Blue Queen, her whole life would have been dictated. Being a queen is a bloody cruel game. And Nimue has never been a player.
Pele has never truly thought her as a queen, not since she raised her. Nimue is her daughter and the daughter of her foster sister, Queen Halia. She is a Murtra.
"And we owe her the truth, daughter, you know our Nimue just as well as I, she will not flee without reason, and her ignorance could put her in more danger should Nalani ever find her," Pele says slowly.
Morrigan nods reluctantly, "I think you're right, Nalani will be angry at me I had to subdue her to reach her before and she was in such a rage with her flames, but I will try my best to reason with her, tell her that Nimue is leaving the island for both of their sakes."
"Nimue will stay hidden and Queen Nalani will continue her Ascension, I withdrew my personal support from Vivianne and Nalani but you have a connection with her now, if you want to stay I understand but the other Vatros guards are going back to Bastian City," Pele says firmly.
"I understand Mother, and I will stay here for now and try to calm Nalani's temper when she returns, if I fail I will send a raven to father in Indrid Down," Morrigan replies, missing all her family dearly. But she is just as much involved in the island's politics as her mother. It has always been her fate in a way. And she is the oldest daughter of Pele Murtra. With a bit of luck she can tame the fiery beast of an elemental queen. Or she can try.
"Alright, I will go to Nimue in Wolf Spring, Cressida Lermont can handle the Council in my absence," Pele says consolidating their plan, then hugging her daughter which takes Morrigan by surprise before her daughter returns it.
"I love you Morrigan," she says and it is a rare thing,
"I love Nimue too, I will do anything to protect our family and I know you will too," Pele says, taking a deep breath of fresh air and watches from her daughter's embrace at the beginning of the leaves' browning. It will be the queens' 19th birthdays in the coming months. Who knows who will be alive to celebrate it.
Just as there is a shifting of seasons, there is a shifting of alliances, a change in the island. Pele does not know what. But these prophecies, a shadow queen, this Blue Queen - something big is coming. Perhaps a terrible thing.
And if they are not careful they will all be swallowed whole. After all The Goddess, unhinges her jaws before swallowing her victims.