"The suitor is here," Octavia shouts, her shrilly voice echoing of the walls from downstairs.
Carina remembers seeing her earlier, she was rushing frantically around the Manor, her usual elegant ice blonde curls looking out of place all of a sudden.She looked almost maniac in that moment and Carina had resisted the urge to laugh.
The shouting has been going on all morning, as Octavia has abandoned all logic and the usual Arron calm and cool exterior. Although she has never really had it. Octavia is impulsive and spoilt.
However she cannot particularly blame the Arron for her behaviour today, for both her and Octavia know that Andrea will have Octavia's head if anything goes wrong on such an important day.
The Black Council have sent Klaude Vale, nephew to Valostra's King to visit. They did not say it outright but they are doing it to keep an eye on Carina and the Arrons so soon after Queen Nalani's assassination attempt - they are not happy.
As a result, all the poisoners are on edge now that they're being spied on essentially. And public favour of them has not been kind, Nalani is a popular queen of the people. Carina is not. Nobody seems to want to believe that Carina is innocent as are the poisoners around her. For once.
Curse that stupid assassin, Carina thinks angrily. The idiot has both tarnished Carina's reputation so close to the Ascension and failed to even eliminate Nalani - it was all so useless.
But she currently cannot fully care about the severity of the situation for if Octavia does not stop her incessant shouting, Carina will set Sheshu on her and she can forget Andrea's anger, for her own wrath will be worse than any Arron's.
The poisoner queen smiles at the thought, one of these days she will have Octavia executed. Perhaps she will make it look like an accident. Or perhaps she will put her three knives to good use. One for Octavia. One for Nalani. One for Arwen. When the time comes she will relish the sound of the three knives finding a home in each of their backs. Well she likely won't kill Octavia, she is more an annoyance than anything and Andrea would never forgive her. But Carina doubts the family would particularly miss her. Octavia hasn't had any girls and she doesn't help control Prynn or Carina. It's lucky Andrea has had girls and is both calm and clever enough to do everything.
Catina is fond of her throwing knives. It became practically compulsory for her to learn about weapons. A new tactic for the Arrons. Seeing how their last poisoner queen failed to seize the throne. The dead forgotten poisoner lost to a war gifted. So the Arrons decided their next queen should learn a little war herself.
And not to brag but Carina considers herself herself quite competent.
She likes knives in particular, not too heavy, not too big, easily concealed and easily used. Inconspicuous, just like poison. Although she does enjoy archery as well. She could never use a big heavy sword like the war gifted do or even the long daggers. No. Those are much too brutal.
To be a queen crowned both Andrea and her realise that Carina must not simply limit herself to her gifts. She must learn and use every resource she can, be a jack of all trades. And nobody will see her coming. Her skills with knives and the bow is kept secret mainly for it is a weapon her sisters won't expect from a slim poisoned girl. Carina does enjoy being unpredictable and deadly. She will enjoy it even more when she kills her sisters and seizes her power.
But first maybe she should take Octavia and see how many poisons it will take for her to break, if there even is a breaking point for a poisoner of strong Arron stock. If that fails, she can always have Sheshu bite her. Use her as a personal test instead of rats, birds and the like.
If you apply just enough pressure onto an artery, well she will bleed out after all. That will silence her. For good. But not even Octavia deserves that. No. If anyone is going to have Sheshu bite their throat out then it will be one of her sisters.
Smiling at her evil thoughts, Carina does not notice the presence of another in her room. She almost expects cold brooding Niklaus to be leaning against the doorframe but instead the cold blue eyes of Amara Arron staring back at her. Always lurking.
Her smile bright, deceiving and confident, Amara struts into Carina's room like she is the queen and not Carina; she gracefully sets herself down comfortably on the chair opposite Carina's, careful not to ruffle her beautiful ice blue gown. The dress matches her eyes and brings out the ice in them, making them more noticeable and certainly more striking.
The dress is stunning and looks like the embodiment of winter. To many it would look like freshly fallen snow. Soft and innocent. But Carina sees something else. To Carina, it looks like sharp shards of ice. Dangerous and beautiful.
They should be friends Carina supposes, they are quite equally matched. She is a dark queen while Amara is an ice queen.
While Carina is glass, Amara is ice. Both wicked, both lovely.
Carina is jealous of the dress, the gown is beautiful and intricately detailed with white lace accompanying the bodice and the sleeves; it is though snowflakes have fallen from a sky of white and have planted themselves onto a dress of ice. It is also low cut, though just a hair's width away from being scandalous. Ah the privileges of not being a queen, Amara can wear any colour that suits her and anything she wants.
Carina thinks it is safe to say that the dress leaves not much to the imagination of men and perhaps a few women but it suits her. Everything suits Amara. It is annoying at times. With her ice blonde hair and her ice blue eyes and dress, Amara looks very much the beautiful demon she is.
Amara's ice blonde hair is up in a bun that has braids curled around it, showing off the sparkling white jewels glittering at her throat. It is extravagant and over the top, but somehow Amara pulls it off and uses it all as a weapon. Another hook to pull people in, to make them crave more of her. Everything is a manipulation but it is all fake and that is why Carina doesn't like Amara sometimes. Even though the poisoner queen herself is not, she prefers people more genuine. For she is constantly surrounded by manipulators. It grows tiresome sometimes.
Carina smirks as she studies her friend, trust Amara to wear her prettiest and most revealing gown when there is a suitor that Carina is trying to seduce. Such a helpful friend. Carina suspects that Amara would surely actively go after the suitor if she didn't risk being thrown into the Breccia Domain by Andrea herself. It is not wise to risk Andrea's wrath.
Carina suspects that she wears the dress as a message, just to remind Carina that she could have the suitor, if she wanted. Carina hates her a little for it but finds it humorous at the same time, Amara must be bored of the usual foolish men of Prynn. She seeks a challenge but she will not find it in the new suitor. Not today.
Carina shouldn't feel threatened as she is not ugly by any means and her unusual black hair and eyes always entice and allure both suitors and men but Amara has a certain quality, a certain air about her. Like Carina, she hums with something else. Something not of this world. Something blessed or cursed by the Goddess.
Perhaps the Goddess claimed Amara as well as the triplets and Carina wonders if Amara's blood hums to the heartbeat of the island as her own queen blood does. Questions that she wants to ask but could not find the words. Amara notices her staring and studies Carina just as closely. They both seem like rivals for a moment, watching and seizing each other up. Like spiders in a jar.
Carina is wearing a dress that could rival Amara's for beauty but it is a different type of beauty. A dark one. Her black hair is half up half down and cosmetics that Selene applied ever so carefully earlier cover her lips, eyelids and cheeks. Making her already sharp features sharper and more striking. Somehow Selene has managed to apply an eyeshadow that brings out the non existent colour in her black eyes; her eyes portray a dark web of mystery and shadows which adds to the allure.
She is not as traditionally beautiful as Amara but she is certainly more striking. Sometimes men like that more as it is easy to read the face of someone like Amara as their desires are clear but with her, she is a mystery and sometimes men enjoy the hunt more and Carina is certainly a fitting reward.
Her dress of course is black but is purposely low cut, showing her pale cleavage. The sleeves and bodice have black lace but below the waist, it is just a plain black. Sometimes there is beauty in simplicity. And in that there is power. Some crave power like Andrea and Amara but Carina is power. Ever since she was a child Carina felt the power in her veins, the pull to it. She did not need to crave it, not when she already had it.
"So," Amara drawls, her voice cold and smooth, "What do you think about all the hubbub surrounding the suitor Klaude Vale?"
Honestly, the question bores Carina and she sighs at how utterly predictable Amara is. But that's just it, everyone's predictable. All pawns on a chessboard that is the island.
"I honestly don't care," Carina says, shrugging slightly, "although Octavia has been getting on my last nerves; if she doesn't stop irritating me then I'll might throw a knife at her."
They both let out chuckles at that, though Amara's is considerably more forced, Octavia is her aunt after all. And she knows Carina's viciousness. She does not trust the queen and honestly she is wise for it.
"You're joking of course," Amara says, smiling although it falters slightly as she takes in Carina's maniac expression and there is something thoughtful in her eyes. As if she knows something Carina does not.
Noticing this, Carina smoothes her face into an entirely different mask, one full of charm, "Yes," Carina agrees smoothly, "of course."
Her tone suggests something different but Amara makes no comment as she plasters a charming smile of her own onto her face.
"Well, I brought you this," Amara says, holding up a chalice full to the brim with a dark red froth that coats the liquid beneath, "it's to calm your nerves and to soothe you."
Carina raises an eyebrows and fights to keep a scowl from forming on her face as she replies, "I have no nerves and I am not a child that needs coddling."
Amara's expression immediately turns pathetic and pleading as she looks Carina dead in the eyes and starts pleading, "Please Rina," Carina notes the use of her special nickname as Amara continues, "I made it especially for you and it took for ages."
"Would you feel offended if I said that I don't care?" Carina asks, not really expecting a reply as she goes to inspect her perfectly polished nails.
"Oh please Carina," Amara repeats, "Or I will have wasted all my time, I've been learning about healing brews lately."
Carina sighs and says, "As you keep repeating yourself I'll repeat myself, I. Don't. Care."
Carina is annoyed now but is tiring of this; Amara is bold to keep pestering Carina, no one has dared do it for a long time. Though in truth, Carina wonders why Amara is so insistent. And why is she even learning about healing?
Amara looks her in the eye again, this time with a new gleam in her eyes that is almost predatory enough to match Carina's usual expressions,
"I insist," she says, her voice full of charm as she holds out the chalice.
Carina rolls her eyes. Amara is so dramatic and irritating. A stronger person would put more of a fight up, but she simply cannot be bothered today so huffing, she takes the chalice from Amara's outstretched hands. She is tempted to throw the drink over Amara. But her dress is too pretty, it would be a travesty indeed to ruin it.
So Carina looks at it and then cautiously smells it, naturally as all poisoners tend to do out of instinct.
It smells fine enough but not all poisons have a distinct smell or poisonous look. Some can look and smell as harmless water but be as horrid as hemlock or white snakeroot. Carina feels slightly strange and wary about drinking though she knows that she shouldn't. She is a poisoner, it is a foolish notion to entertain that Amara might poison her. Still, the paranoia stays, particularly as her gift has been temperamental recently. She isn't sure of her strength anymore but she will fake being strong until her gift comes back in full.
Nonetheless, she takes the drink and drinks it all in a few large gulps. Shouts start echoing around the Manor seconds after, startling Carina before she rolls her eyes: the suitor must be here then.
Without a word to Amara, who has now annoyed her, she leaves to greet the suitor.
As Carina walks gracefully down the stairs, her pale hand gliding down the banister, she immediately goes to the drawing room, the source of all the chatter.
She hears Andrea's voice smooth voice. Then a shrill high pitched noise. Octavia then, Carina guesses with a small smile. A male voice that belongs to Vincent Arron. But as she goes to turn the door handle she hears other male voices that she does not recognise. Must be the suitor, she thinks as she pushes the door open.
As she enters, all eyes are on her as everyone in the room studies her as she studies them.She immediately dismisses Octavia and Vincent and lets her shark eyes roam freely. Carina looks around but focuses in on the older unfamiliar man. He looks around Andrea's age, though a little bit older - possibly his mid or late forties.His face is mature yet well kept for someone of his age but there is a coldness and sternness that is permanently engrained on it. He is dressed in finery. He has short blonde hair and unimpressive plain brown eyes that don't match the sky blue eyes of the boy standing next to him, though their hair colours match.
Carina turns her attention to the boy next. He too has long dark golden blonde hair, a quite skinny build though he has some muscle. He's okay looking but all together unimpressive. She tilts her head at him to study him further and sees the glimmer of fear in his eyes that has him looking away quite uncomfortably.
Though Carina does not blame him, for she regards him the way a cat regards a mouse. The boy looks slightly sick as if he knows that Carina could pounce at any time and then the boy looks more uncomfortable as he looks behind her.
Carina follows his gaze and turns slightly.
She smiles and Sheshu is quick to join her side, the enormous green viper looks even bigger today. She must've caught something tasty in Prynn Forest or perhaps she has snatched one of the young poisoner children off of the streets in Prynn.
Carina sees the boy gulp in fear, his Adam's apple bobbing as he does so. He never takes his eyes of Sheshu and his face looks confused for a moment as Sheshu leans her upper body up and nuzzles her head by Carina's pale hand and almost looks happy as Carina starts to stroke her head.
Their bond is unusual yes but the boy looks like he's seen a ghost as Carina continues to study the suitor.Boy. Man. Perhaps somewhere in between. But he is not nearly as impressive some of the naturalist merchants she's seen in town before. They are rare but are usually so muscled and lean.
Carina simply cannot imagine marrying this unimpressive skinny looking thing. Well perhaps she is too harsh but she is vain. She wants her triplets to come out strong after all, not week and weedy. Now she is just being harsh but she cannot help it.
This suitor, Klaude Vale, is not all bad and could be desirable, though he is not Carina's type. Carina prefers those with darker shades usually, those with rich dark skin like Selene and High Priestess Corra.They are so beautiful. Sometimes she wishes she wasn't so pale and her hair so flat.
Andrea clears her throat and she immediately has the attention of all those in the room; the small sound breaks the silence that everyone had been using as an opportunity to size up the other, all trying to distinguish friend from foe, though with the Arrons sometimes the lines became blurred.
"May I present Queen Carina of Fennbirn," she says in her low and smooth voice.
The older man, probably Klaude's father, and Klaude Vale immediately bow from an unspoken order from Andrea and then the tension slowly floods from the room though shadows of it still linger.
Andrea clears her throat before continuing, "And Queen Carina, may I present Prince Grayson of Valostra and his son Lord Klaude Vale."
Carina, in return nods her head at both of them in acknowledgement. Grayson Vale gives his son in unspoken message as he gives a small nod of his head towards Carina's direction. A man who is clearly used to giving orders and having them carried out immediately. But he is royal so it is to be expected. A male royal is so strange to Carina in all honesty.
Klaude instantly obeys his father and walks over to Carina and she notes that he is taller than she thought as he lowers his head and kisses her hand, careful to avoid Sheshu's scaly green head. As he rises, his expression of fear has now turned to neutral with perhaps a glimmer of confidence.
"Perhaps we should take a leisurely walk in the gardens," he suggests, with a charming smile and a friendly look in his eyes.
"Of course," Carina agrees, letting him take her hand as they walk out together. As she leaves, Carina puts out a warning hand out to tell Sheshu to stay. She hears the snakes hiss of annoyance and then the sound of her slithering away.
As she walks out of the door, she can practically feel Andrea's approval and Octavia's warning glances on her back. Andrea approves of their walk, it is distracting Klaude at least while they deal with his father. One obstacle at a time. So Carina takes a deep breath as they go outside.