SOMETIMES THINGS DON’T COME FULL CIRCLE
the queen did not seem opposed to katia’s presence, keeping her flame colored eyes pinned to the former princess. instead of making her uneasy, as direct eye contact could often do, the white woman reassured katia with her attention. there was a sureness in the other that katia found comforting, even as the pessimistic part of her scolded that this could so easily be cockiness, and that her arrogance would get her killed when war came to her doorstep. katia swallowed it back like a knife - just another dagger of guilt to stab into her. still, she gentled her expression into something softer when the woman grinned at her. the queen chuckled at katia’s gentle quip about her protector like nothing could touch the little bubble of friendliness that surrounded them. the diluted woman wished she had as much - she couldn’t even put a name to the aura the other woman put off. confidence? nonchalance? unawareness? whatever it was, katia longed for it. she longed for peace from this guilt and worry that hung on her shoulders and gnawed at her heart like some kind of demon. large charcoal ears pricked as the queen began to speak, giving her as much of her focus as she could. ”He didn't offend me, dear. He requested a meeting with me however to discuss a previous pact you and the last ruler had. I'm sure you can fill me in on such details? And, you do not have to call me "miss", Motionless is my title if you wish to just call me as so. Under my crown I am same as everyone." there was a brief pause as the hellfire portals shifted to the water before the queen continued talking. "Come sit. Tell me of this agreement." katia let a small smile crack her royal mask and she moved closer, sitting at a respectful distance next to the woman. she had not had to truly explain any of this to anyone - not that she would want to involve anyone else, lest they get hurt - and she was silent for a long few minutes as she pieced it together in her head. how much should she tell motionless? she had already told her that there were outside forces involved, but would ignorance from who those forces were protect the wolves of malignant felicity from being dragged into a war they had nothing to do with? lucifer had already known of the agreement when they arrived, and she knew that akuji had merely told motionless that the agreement was that they stay - he was there only to protect her, and if she ever left than he would go too. she sighed quietly, and then began, voice hardening slightly - as if, by keeping her tone hard, than she would be hard too, untouchable. ”my father is caspian, the former king of cold summers - if that means anything, anymore.” her words were sharp here, bitterness hanging underneath the rolling lilt of her speech. if motionless caught that, katia did not know - and frankly did not care. she had more things to worry about than her father’s reputation. no one knew about her childhood, and thus no one could judge her feelings. she wore this fact like armor. she continued with only slight pause. ”we come from a clan of kalaks that live in the world outside of blossom forest. our’s is not the only one - the politics of that world is complicated, and truth be told, not even i would want to navigate those waters. our clan was falling out of favor with my father - my mother died and i was the only surviving heir to the throne of cold summers,” she gave a sardonic chuckle. ”it is ironic,” she told the other woman conversationally, ”that the head of our clan is female, but they expect there to be a male heir in each individual family.” ”my father thought he could regain their favor by forging an alliance between our clan and one that we’ve been at war with for centuries - betroth me to their patriarch, and all would be well when we were married.” she swallowed thickly, jaw clicking shut as she settled the panic that began to flutter angrily against her rib cage. ”my father’s mate, as it turns out, is my betrothed’s daughter. she told my father the true horrors of this man, and -” her jaw clicked shut again abruptly. ”it would not be good, if i were married to him,” she said softly. ”my father sent me here in an effort to keep me safe while he tries to negotiate the breaking of our betrothal with farant. if i am truthful with you, i doubt that it will end with words. there will be bloodshed, and i understand if you would have us leave. i do not want to put you or the rest of malignant felicity in unnecessary risk.” she went silent after that, squeezing her eyes shut before opening them to stare into the water before her.
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