(13x Featured, Award Winner)
She is ruthless. She is scorned. And her blood? The darkest shade of blue.
***
When Queen Aravena basically life-threatens Gunderson, an evil merchant, to find the best warrior candidate in just a day, she doesn't know h...
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Aravena
Leaves crunched under the fast yet swift pressure of my heels. Cold breeze bit the exposed pale skin of my face and bare arms.
I suppressed a wince as polished red nails dug further into the soft flesh of my wrist.
It was what I deserved, though. I had let down Mother, after all. Again.
She was gritting her teeth more often than she usually did. Her face showed no emotion. Not a single brow moved as she paced forward. However, it was her eyes that made a chill rush through my spine. So cold. So gray. So stormy.
I gulped a dry lump and looked down at the bumps and pebbles adorning the carpet of red and green leaves.
Licking my chapped lips, I focused on calming my erratic breath the way Grandfather had taught me.
Yet, my lungs constricted every time I would look at Mothe- No! Queen Audriella.
Heart was almost bursting in my chest as I could feel warm blue blood flowing fast through veins underneath my pale skin.
"Mo-Majesty, your Majesty. Please, forgive me," my voice trembled as I spoke in a meek tone.
She gripped my hand harder and yanked forward, making me stumble on a stray pebble.
I did the mistake of hissing as a reaction and earned a scorching hot glare from Mother.
Wind ruffled the satin pink fabric of my gown, making me brush the crease in an attempt to fix it.
I dared to take a peek at Mother's hand.
It was curled in a tight fist, crushing the silk fabric of her bottle-green gown.
"Your pathetic excuse of an existence can not fix the trouble you've caused this time, Aravena," her cold voice was harsher than the bite of a spiked lash.
I closed my eyes shut, letting the words wash over me.
What else could I do? How would a mere thirteen-year-old dare stand up against her ruthless mother, a cunning Queen no less!
I took a deep breath before letting my lips form words. Now would not be a good time to stutter.
"Father was discussing marriage, Mother. I had to interfere."
I opened my eyes, letting them gently travel upwards to her soul-less gray eyes.
I could imagine the prickling pain of a sharp slap on my cheeks as well as the burning of suffocation on my neck.
