The Rise Of A Queen

Chapter 17

After her encounter with Kalmin earlier that morning, Adira decided to try her best and avoid the royal family. She had breakfast with Cadmar on his balcony as he had suggested and did nothing else for the morning.

Now it was almost time for tea.

She dreaded noon that day as it meant talking with Lucinda. She was a devious woman, wise and mature in age, cunning and smart. She was the type of person who saw things in people that nobody else could and jumped at any opportunity to benefit.

Adira was already dressed and waiting but decided that a stroll around the manor would do her good. She wanted to explore and see what her life could be like here. Adira always had problems with sitting still, she was often reprimanded by her governess at young whenever she couldn't focus during a lesson.

The maids and servants passed by swiftly without meeting her eyes. She walked further until a familiar red mop of hair caught her attention.

She smiled.

There was Louis standing behind a counter top with his lower half covered and his eyes closed. His head was lulled back.

"Louis!"  Quickly he jumped out of whatever trance he was in and looked around frantically until his eyes rested upon Adira.

"Hello Adira, pleasure to see you today."  he stated awkwardly his cheeks were red with guilt and he refused to meet her eyes.

Now she was infuriated. "Why will nobody meet my eyes?" She asked.

He took a quick glance at the intense honeyed orbs before turning his head away. She huffed out her displeasure.

"What will you be occupying yourself with for the day Adira?"

"I have tea in a few minutes with Magnar's mother, to tell you the honest truth, she is quite different. Commanding, bossy and posh. I do not think we will get along very well." She says shaking her head.

A low grumble sounded and Adira's eyes snap to Louis. "That was me, sorry, I haven't eaten for the day." Louis tried to laugh it off but Adira looks on with suspicion. Before she could say anything she is interrupted with the clearing of a throat to see Lucinda standing at the doorway.

"Are you ready for tea Adira?" She plasters on a fake smile. Adira suppresses the urge to run away.

"Of course Lucinda, we must get going." she grinds out with a fake smile of her own.

They walked in a pair together through the halls of the manor before finally reaching the backyard garden which overlooked the moorland. They sat under a huge tree that provided them with shade.

"So Adira are you liking your stay here?" Lucinda asks twirling around the sugar she just dropped in her tea.

"It is going very well actually, I quite enjoy the atmosphere." She lied cleanly through her teeth.

"And what of my son?"

Adira's mind went straight to Kalmin completely dismissing Magnar. She was drawn to him somehow, it was not hatred that drove her perception of him but more intrigue. She never met someone quite like him, Cayden was perplexing and he always kept to himself but quite enjoyable at times. Kalmin, it was as if he was born from the rawest forms of darkness itself.

When the silence drew out longer Lucinda decided to interrupt her thoughts. "Adira."

Her eyes snapped to Lucinda's pale blue and then she realized what she was doing. "Sorry, I was caught up in my thoughts for a moment. What were you saying?"

"My son, Magnar, what do you think of him?" Another fake smile found its way to Adira's lips.

"He's quite charming, I'm excited to get to know him better." She gave the most satisfactory answer possible.

"Wonderful, I hope you stay with us honestly. Take the strain off of your land considering the circumstances." Lucinda said before taking an exaggerated sip of her tea.

Adira cocked her head to the side in question. "Sorry, what do you mean by that?"

Lucinda looked up quickly a devious sparkle to her eyes. "Oh, you do not know? Adira you are-"

"Mother!" The gruff voice sounded from behind one of the rose bushes in the garden where Magnar now stood with an angry look on his face.

"May I talk with you, inside." Magnar stared at his mother with red hot rage bubbling in his eyes. They spoke a secret language as the seconds passed by.

"Of course. Please excuse me Adira." She said standing up and walking over to Magnar who grabs her forearm and drags her back to the doors of the manor.

Once inside he drops her arm roughly and takes a step back. "What in bloody hell do you think you're doing mother?"

Lucinda batted her eyelashes innocently before looking at her son, " I'm not sure what you mean Magnar."

He calmed himself down as he inhaled a sharp breath.

"What ever drama it is you are trying to stir I must tell you to refrain from doing so. Do not mess with the girl she is more powerful than you might think. Tea time is over between the two of you, now go and do something else." He said turning on his heel towards the garden. "To think, my mother has finally met her match." He muttered to himself.

As he weaved himself through the delicate flowers of the garden he found Adira standing with her back towards him. He stopped for a moment to look at her, she was young and innocent did she really deserve a marriage with him? Did he deserve it? She is so much more powerful than him or anybody else in the society. If she ever learned of her true powers he would be doomed and thrown by the wayside and who knows what she would do. She reminded him the importance of this marriage, it had to be done.

"Adira, come let's go inside." He called out after thinking for so long.

Gracefully she turned around and walked straight towards him. He gulped as she neared with a burning look of passion in her eyes. Coming to a stop right before him she looked up into his eyes. It was a scary moment for him, he wasn't sure if she would strike him down or gouge out his eyes. Once she finally calmed herself down, she walked away.

He stared at her retreating back before running to catch up with her. "Adira! Adira! Wait here girl." That last word didn't sit too well on her chest.

She whipped around so fast that Magnar would've crashed into her if she hadn't stepped away in time.

Her eyes burned fiercely as she scowled at him with the utmost disgust. She took a threatening step towards him and her index finger shot out to meet his face.

"What did you just call me?"

"Let's not do anything we will regret Adira." He said in a calm warning while staring at her finger and then at her.

"I am not a child, watch your words Magnar."

A scene was now starting to play out and a few servants came to watch, even Lucinda stared at the so called couple.

Looking around at all the watching eyes his jaw twitched and he grabbed her in one quick movement. She was pressed against him and he gripped her tight. She thrashed around in his arms.

"These are my lands Adira, do not think, for one minute you can disrespect me in my own home." His grip tightened on her hand which she knew would cause major discoloration.

"Now, if you want to maintain the peace between our lands then I suggest you start acting like the responsible leader you were trained to be." In that moment when she met his eyes he saw what he was dealing with. They burned with hatred and rebellion and in that moment he was more than scared. The raw power she was born with was incredibly overwhelming that he started to become flustered.

Releasing his grip little by little he moved past her before stopping. "If you strike me Adira I will teach you a hard lesson." He said before walking off.

Once she composed herself enough that she wouldn't kill him she walked off in search of Cadmar.

She did not want to be here.