Seven Sinful Crowns

Helina

It wasn't a treacherously long ride from her father's castle to her own, but Helina was tired, and the steady beating of the horses hooves were lulling her tired eyes closed. She worked hard to waken her mind, willing her eyes to open wide, rolling her head from shoulder to shoulder and breathing the cool, damp air in deep. It was almost winter and the cold stung her lungs on its way down. Ahead of her were five soldiers, securing the path from kingdom to kingdom, and to either side rode mages, on the chance that a blade was not enough to counter whatever attack one of her sisters may send. She didn't think they would risk breaking their fathers heart yet, but she wasn't certain. Evaline had tested her before, many years ago, and she had retaliated with force, and a promise, that if she were ever to try it again, she would kill her.

Evaline hadn't.

And Helina hadn't.

But that, she was sure, was just a matter of time.

Helina thought of this while she rode in silence; her sisters, their kingdoms, and what their attacks might be. Helina's was obvious. She was a Queen of force. The merciless maiden. The red queen. She would take the throne with blades and blood. Her sisters, though, were much more subtle. If she were a man, and unrelated, Lilith would seduce the throne away from her. Shed perch in her lap, pressing in all the right places, and to a man, it would be hers. She was also a shadow mage, and Helina thought this might aid her in a surprise attack. Perhaps she'd come in the night while Helina was sleeping and slit her throat with her sharp black nails, more like claws than anything.

And then there was Griesha, a water witch, which wouldn't help her much unless the battle was brought to see. Helina made a mental note to order her ships closer to land, just in case.

Gillian was a Giver, which meant she could quite literally pull life from one source and press it into another. This was dangerous, perhaps one of the most dangerous gifts ever given, taxing. Helina supposed she may try to steal her life, but Gillian knew as well as she that in doing so, she may lose her own.

Pria is a curse caller. She can call the curses out of their containment, freeing their captors and taking possession of them within her arsenal to use at a later time, but at a price. Each curse she holds will leave its mark, a physical representation of its nature upon her skin. Helina had not seen her sister in a gown which did not hit the floor and cover her arms in many years, and she wondered just how many curses her sister may be saving.

Silvana was a Moon Walker, another rare form of magic. Helina supposed she might be able to lull them all to sleep with her siren song, and from there it would be easy to pierce their hearts, one by one, as she stepped over their lifeless bodies on her way to the throne. She'd have to ask her mages to find an incantation to block music from her mind. She didn't know if this would work, but extra precautions had never killed anyone, and Silvana had.

Evaline was a Will Wielder, but she only had complete control through touch, as all other will wielders. She could, however, send thoughts and urges into the minds of those within close range, causing them to willingly as she bid...unlike all other Will Wielders.

Helina herself was a Sparrow, a form of magic as ancient as the stars. As a Sparrow, Helina could posses the minds of the birds around her, seeing what they saw, and when strong enough, she could become a sparrow herself - or any other bird she chose, though the sparrow was her familiar. At first, she had been jealous of her sisters magic, and thought her own useless, but over time she had come to learn that her gift was anything but. She could infiltrate any castle. Spy any incoming ship. Perch unnoticed on a tree limb and steal the secrets of those around her, and when necessary...escape.