ONE DARK QUEEN ❖ (A Three Dark Crowns Tale)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: PRYNN

"Tighter," Andrea Arron demands to Selene the maid, as she tightens Queen Carina's bodice once again, causing Carina to grit her teeth in pain as she is close to not being able to breath at all. Sheshu hisses at Selene and Andrea, as if she can feel Carina's discomfort.

After Selene stops tightening it, she looks up at Andrea, eager for approval. Octavia Arron then steps closer and opens her mouth to make a remark, but she catches the steely look in Andrea's icy eyes and then hastily shuts her mouth, bowing her head compliantly with a small scowl. Sheshu then slithers closer to Octavia who takes a step back in caution.

Andrea Arron's sharp blue eyes move from Octavia back to the young queen and they scrutinise over Carina for a moment before her look of grim determination subsides and a faint glimmer of approval appears on her face.

"Good," she says, circling Carina to get a full view of her tiny waist in typical poisoner fashion, "Selene, you may depart."

Selene does that, eager to leave but as she does her cap shifts slightly, showing the now fading roots of Arron blonde dye in her hair. An archaic practise in amongst the servants of the Arron household. Outdated if you ask Carina but Octavia insists, eager to have everyone even the common folk marvelling at the Arrons beauty and extravagance, they always want to set the trends.

And they used too. Their fashion and appearances used to be more popular at their former power. In the times of the glorious poisoner dynasty. Four queens in a row. Five if you count Katharine the Unded. But many don't, her rule was short and inspired Fennbirn's civil war.

There was talk of drowning poisoner queens completely for a time when Queen Arsinoe was on the throne. Like the sight gifted queens were removed after Queen Elsabet. They didn't like the stain of Katharine the Undead's mistakes.

But since Arsinoe rule went relatively well, they agreed that poisoner queens could continue to be born into the cycles instead of being culled like the oracle queens.

Still, the island has barely recovered from Fennbirn's war and all the consequences and ill will.

Carina does not like to think about it all, the natural balance being uprooted for a legion cursed usurper is unfathomable. But the Goddess made things right and the cycle was put in motion when Queen Arsinoe, the White Handed, was crowned. And then broken by Queen Halia, the first war queen born in years. Just like that a dynasty was broken and a new one began, for the warriors whose gift grew strong again.

Carina will restore the poisoners' glory back. She will make sure of it. But until then there is no point pretending that they are the peak of society and fashion. Only Octavia's ego keeps the old ways.

Octavia's foot suddenly flies out, tripping Selene but the maid regains her balance a moment later. Octavia beckons Selene closer to her with her long spindly fingers and Selene cautiously moves forward. Impatiently, Octavia grabs Selene's arm forcefully and suddenly yanks a lock of Selene's hair, tugging it harshly.