Ahriana was sure her mother was far off the mark, and it was going to hurt her horribly, because she wanted her to be right. She wanted these accusations to be more than fantasy. Fairsh had been acting strangely lately wanting to talk to Ahriana about something serious, and she knew it was the talk. The one that said he had fallen in love and would have to leave her to her loneliness and life of prophesied solitude. The thought of no Fairsh in her life began to rip apart all that she thought was absolutely solid in this world. The thought that he would be in love with some woman, marry her and make a life created a tightening in her chest..
Without thinking Ahriana turned her back on Nira, she realized her mistake due to the Queen's low growl. In Ahriana's mind this entire discussion with her mother was over. She was young, and had yet to really be pressed on behavior, or responsibility. Oftentimes these little slips were ignored. especially by her father. Life had yet to hand her a lesson worth remembering. Ahriana had the poor little princess story going for her, a mother who hated her, a father who loved her. Beyond that her life had yet to show her any tragedy or strife. She still managed to get entirely too wrapped up in her own problems without noticing the world moving beneath her very feet. Ahriana blinked a few times when her mind cleared, her eyes going wide then squinting shut, she sighed at her own stupidity. This would push Nira over the edge for sure, it always did.
It was yet another thing that Nira would not tolerate, under any circumstance, from anyone. She was Queen, and the only way to end a conversation was to ask for permission, or for her to decide it was over. As long as she was in the room and speaking you stood facing her , eyes lowered.. Queen Nira could do cartwheels and back flips, and you would have to arrange yourself to orient properly. No matter how absurd or difficult she made the task. Even a Princess must face her distaste and judgement head on.
It was a general rule in reference to all royalty of every Elderaldan city. Imerald was the only Elderaldan city left, it applied only to the royal family here. When Ahriana was the highest ranking member in any given room, all must remain directly in front of her head bowed showing absolute respect unless otherwise told. It was absurd, Ahriana did not enforce the rule, King Kieven was of the same mind, it had become entirely too tiresome to see ten people shift constantly as you walked around a room, trying to arrange themselves to always be in front, head bowed.
It was a well-known fact that you could walk into a room with the Princess or King inside, give a pause bow and move along. Such action in a room that contained the Queen sent you to the caves mining for at least six months. It was why the entire whisper network had developed in the palace, all of the servants passing information on just where Queen Nira was located at any moment, so no one was caught unawares.
The Queen grabbed hold of Ahriana's arm swinging her back around. Nira's anger overrode her own good sense and control, her nails dug into her skin. Ahriana narrowed her eyes and set her jaw refusing to react to the blood slowly dripping down her arm.
"Let go," Ahriana told her as calmly as she could manage. Nira just gripped tighter.
"I am your mother; you WILL do as I tell you. You are just a silly little girl who knows nothing, you have no idea what is coming, and I will not allow it. You will behave as you are told, and no more Fairsh, running the woods or anything else. And Meekah will sleep outside, from now on, it is unseemly an animal in the bed."
She was screaming of course, and with each word she shook Ahrian's arm a bit, nails digging further under the skin.
Nira began to hiss as she held Ahriana's arm, it began to heat under her hand growing hotter and hotter the tighter she held it. The heat climbed her arm and into her neck.
Nira's shouts brought the activity in the halls to a stop. There was a pause in the shuffle of feet, a collective breath and then the pounding of feet sprinting across the wood and marble flooring. Most of them were looking for King Kieven, things like this between Nira and Ahriana had a history of escalating.
The older Ahriana had become, the more combative Nira had grown. She sought out fights with Ahriana, would maneuver things so that she would suffer. Nira had started false rumors then dared her daughter to confront her, and many times she had struck her or used her magic against Ahriana. A week never passed with some sort of dramatic display from the Queen.
Nira always told Kieven that Ahriana had attacked her, and he always believed her. These days he feared for his wife's safety , as there was a knife strapped to Ahriana's calf and hip. That was not counting the sword that leaned against the wall next to Ahriana's bedroom door. No longer was she a small child who could be terrified or cowed. Nira would never back down and Ahriana had grown into defiance like rose bush amongst daffodils.
When Fairsh had seen Ahriana with a black eye and scratches across her cheek he decided to do what Kieven would not. He began to teach her to defend herself. Ahriana had long since mastered her dagger, and her skill with a short sword was improving quickly. Nira had not struck Ahriana in years because of Fairsh's instructions, there had been shouting matches, and things thrown, and bruises like the one forming on her arm now, but Nira had quit hitting her at least.
The servants' shouts rang through the house as Nira and Ahriana stared each other down, fury on both their faces. Ahriana was hoping that Nira would make some move so that she could draw her dagger. Nira was watching for the slightest flinch so that she could dodge her daughter's lightning fast strike.
"King Kieven? Hurry, hurry!" the servants shouted, pulling him down the hallway.
His face was a storm cloud, and he was hopping up and down on one foot while trying to pull a boot onto the other. His hair was disheveled and gave off the distinct impression he had been pulled from a nap. He finally waved off the worried serving girl who was wringing her hands and pointing to Ahriana's door as if Kieven couldn't hear for himself the shouting, not to mention that even in the hallway through the thick door you could feel the thickness of pure magic radiating from the two women in his life. He sighed, gathered his power and tried to listen to what was being said before bursting in.
Ahriana continued to stare at her mother, who was still holding tight, though her hand had begun to hurt, the heat radiating from Ahriana's body burning her with each second she refused to release. The power was there, but she still didn't know how to access it, Nira was pleased it remained so.
"Nira let go now, or I will rip your head from your neck!" Meekah thundered, his body coiled tightly in a crouched position quivering, waiting to launch his long frame at Nira.
His long claws made grooves in the marble floor and his muscles trembled. Ahriana's rage pulsed through him, and he was battling to keep their minds separate.
Nira dug her nails in as hard as possible, angry that Ahriana refused to react.. For a moment she saw her daughter's eyes blaze blue. Queen Nira screamed and let go of Ahriana staring at her hand, it was horribly blistered and bright red. Ahriana stared confused, but Meekah just shrugged at the Queen and chuckled deep in his throat, he was bemused but unsurprised by the development.
Ahriana glanced down at her own skin in concern but it only had a faint blue hue to it, almost as if it was cold. She felt warm, actually she felt rather hot. Something odd was going on and Ahriana wasn't totally sure she was going to like whatever it turned out to be. She glared at Nira; sure this was somehow her doing, something she had triggered, or cast upon her possibly.
Nira had calmed; the shock of pain had dampened her anger, but fueled some kind of insanity. She stormed about Ahriana's room screeching about all kinds of things none of which anyone could understand.
She knocked over one of Ahriana's chairs saying a lot about Fairsh, Meekah, and King Kieven, then something about sacrifice. Ahriana rolled her eyes at that rambling, because never in her life could she remember Nira sacrificing a single thing for her. Not even a moment of time for a simple hug.
She blasted a curtain off its rack as she said no she wouldn't fight back she would get what she deserved, all the glory and power she could dream of. All nonsense to Ahriana's ears, but Meekah seemed to be listening fairly intently. Finally Nira rounded on her daughter, seeming to realize why she was still in her room.
Suddenly Nira was in her face, and she hadn't seen her move. Her brown eyes were crazed and wide, her face flushed from emotions. Ahriana locked her muscles down one second too late and Nira saw her arm twitch with the desire to shove the Queen back.
"Oh, what does the mighty manly Ahriana think her wonderful Fairsh has taught her so much that she can challenge the great Queen Nira now?" She spat the words in Ahriana's face, goading her to react.
If Ahriana struck Nira without her raising a hand, Kieven would not understand, he would take his wife's side and Ahriana would be punished.
Nira looked more insane than her daughter had ever seen. Her eyes flashed with a black fire that sent chills down Ahriana's spine, something in her told her to get away. It was some dormant instinct trying to make Ahriana flee from her mother as fast as possible. Nira took a step closer to her daughter. Her close proximity and the deranged look on her face managed to force Ahriana to react finally.
"DONE!" Ahriana screeched, completely losing all hold on her temper when Nira poked her in the chest, shoving her back an inch.
In a flash Ahriana had reached down and grabbed her dagger from the sheath at her hip, Nira's eyes grew wide and she stumbled a small step back from the cold blade Ahriana now had rested on her collar bone, drawing a single drop of blood.