Queen Carina sits in her chambers, some of the biggest in the entire estate, drinking some may wine from her intricate silver goblet. It is a poisoner's drink, though it is weak, sweet and sickly - for children mainly due to its lack of strong toxins. Carina had always loved it as a child and always has it now to comfort her.

She needs comfort in times such as these. Many blame her for Nalani's assassination attempt a few weeks ago. It is nonsense of course. But the assassin happened to be an Arron, one of the more irrelevant ones though. Not from the main branch.

Carina wishes Laura Arron was alive. If only so she could kill the fool herself, cut off her head, slit her throat, stab her heart, poison her. Who knows. There are endless possibilities with murder. How dare she try and kill Nalani, kill a queen. She is Carina's to kill. No one else's.  A mere loose stone to be tossed aside on her path to the throne.

The Arron assassin is the cause of the venomous rumours flying around the island and Carina's public image is practically dirt now in several places. If it was towards Queen Arwen most likely wouldn't have cared. But Queen Nalani is a popular queen, beloved. She is certainty and strength. And most importantly, an elemental. Not a mysterious elusive shadow or a sly treacherous poisoner.

Andrea had to pay a sum to the Black Council as a consequence of the assassination attempt and she has been in a bad temper ever since. Especially as all of this business has put diminished both their own and Carina's popularity considerably.

No matter, she supposes. She can win them back at Beltane. Somehow. It is imperative she has an impressive Gave Noir at the Quickening.

For now however, she concentrates on the simple pleasure of her favourite drink. She wants her head free of the politics, if only for a moment.

Her maid and friend, Selene, brought it in a few minutes ago as she knows how Carina loves it, and now the poisoner queen sits in her chambers with Selene, who looks very uneasy as she is not doing her maid duties as Carina told her to sit and drink with her.

"Thank you again for bringing me this my darling," Carina says, giving Selene a rare kind smile as she takes another sip of the sweet drink. She is genuinely fond of her beautiful maid.

"It is quite alright Rina," she says, a small smile appearing on her nervous face as she sits and fiddles with her hands, "may I return to my duties soon though? I don't want any trouble with Miss Octavia."

"Not quite yet," Carina says, savouring the sweet taste of honey and sugar and then waves her hand dismissively, "and don't worry about Octavia, I will protect you from the likes of that silly hag."

Selene fails to hold in a small laugh at that and drinks from her own untainted orange juice. Octavia isn't popular with the staff. Or with anyone much.

Shame Selene can't enjoy the sweetness of the honey and sugar that may wine brings. They are two of the main ingredients of the delectable drinks. It wouldn't hurt her to have a little but Carina knows the maid wouldn't want to risk it.

Selene seems more at ease despite not working but perhaps that is because Carina sent Sheshu off to hunt, for the snake had been keeping her company for days and had not eaten. Everyone, even the poisoners, are more uneasy when her giant viper was around and Carina cannot wait to see the fear in her sisters eyes when they see her with Sheshu draped around her shoulders or slithering by her feet, they will be cowering.

Arwen will hide in the dark and Nalani will perhaps summon a cloud to hide behind. The mental image makes her laugh inwardly.

Smiling at her thoughts, Carina takes a larger sip of her may wine, a fine treat and delicacy. Andrea let her have it as a child, when she was sweet and innocent, before they told her of what really happens to queens when they turn eighteen. Of how they have to kill each other.

Queens are raised at the Black Cottage until they are six and then they are separated. After a few years they forget, they forget the sisterly love they held for each other and the slain ones are reduced to ghosts, their names only said by the howl of the wind.

Once Andrea told her of the true sinister plot that her and her sisters would have to star in, she had stopped treating her like a child and started to treat her like an adult, like the future queen crowned.

"Can you pass me the bowl of hemlock berries?" Carina asks, spying the dark berries that sit in a bowl on the other side of the room, they are just sitting there, almost daring for her to try some, to have another dance with death.

It is probably a reckless decision, hemlock berries are some of the most poisonous of berries but are very popular among poisoners, particularly the more powerful families. The Arrons. The Marlowes. The Vends.

For the strong poisoners eating these would be nothing but Carina is not sure if she is weak or a strong now and this uncertainty that she feels is not good, not now that her Ascension Year is looming. She must appear strong, in both opinion and fact. She most prove herself worthy.

But her gift has been temperamental lately, almost as if the Goddess has taken some of it from her, carved it out with her bare hands from Carina's very mortal soul. Or perhaps smothered it. For now.

Carina considers summoning an oracle, one of the Lermonts, to cast her bones or tell her fortune. The Arrons wouldn't like it but she can't stand the uncertainty. Perhaps the few sight gifted that remain can provide some clarity for her.

Selene nods at Carina's request and goes to pick up the bowl, careful not to touch the berries, even though they are only fatal through eating them.

She quickly rushes over to young queen, setting the bowl down next to her, breathing a sigh of relief to be rid of the berries. Every time Carina asks Selene for poison food, there is always a glimmer of fear in Selene's eyes. But Carina cannot blame her, a non-poisoner living, serving and eating in a poisoner's house is dangerous. You cannot eat anything that you have not prepare yourself, for any bite might be your last. Well perhaps that is a bit dramatic for the Arrons cellars contain not just poison but antidotes as well. Some forget but they can be gifted healers.

But in this household, all of them have a little poison at every meal. Such is their power. They used to be able to eat more but since the war gifted took power their gift hasn't got any stronger. Such is the way of the island. New queens means strength for all who share her gift.

Carina still contemplates her gift and it just brings confusion for it makes no sense for her gift has always been a strong one. She used to have poison at nearly every meal but now she has been sneaking around in the kitchen and snacking on berries which have made her sicken recently.

So now she must do her own poison training and keep having poison until she gift comes back fully. She cannot and will not admit it publicly. Not even to the Arrons. It is an embarrassment. She's never needed poison training before, not when her gift was strong but now she may need it.

She cannot be weak, especially not now. Weak queens die in their Ascension Years. That can't happen. She won't let it.

So she picks up a few dozen berries and stuffs them into her mouth, she ignores the bittersweet taste and keeps chewing until she's swallowed them.

"Are you sure that is wise Rina?" Selene asks, apprehensive in her tone as she looks down at Carina in concern for she has been there every time Carina has sickened and cleaned up the mess that no others in the house saw. The only one who Carina trusts with the knowledge that her gift has been waning.

The poisoner queen ignores the maid as she continues to devour the berries until the bowl is empty.

After a few moments, Carina smiles, her teeth stained red from the berry juice and starts laughing. She laughs and laughs and it is maniac and there is a touch of insanity in her eyes as she keeps laughing, relishing in the pain. Soon the laughter turns to choking and Carina stops laughing as she feels her body stiffening and her hands start swelling at an alarming rate.

The effects of the hemlock have kicked in and Carina realises that she shouldn't have had such a strong poison when her gift is weak, she just thought that a strong poison would perhaps provoke her gift to come back. It was a foolish idea but she hoped. But now all she feels is an unfamiliar pain as her muscles stiffen and swell at the same time.

Everything goes into slow motion as Carina falls to the floor, knocking her may wine all over the white carpet. She thuds as she hits the wine-stained and it almost looks like she is lying in a sea of blood but she is strangely peaceful; she only has a second to wonder if this is how she would've died at her sisters' hands and then her eyes roll back. Selene starts screaming and rushes to where Carina has fallen to the floor.

She is alarmingly still and it is hard to tell if she is alive or dead. But Selene can see that she is still alive as Carina is blinking slowly, the drowsiness has kicked in. Her black hair is sprawled across the floor and her perfect skin looks pallid and gaunt, the only colour are her lips which have gone a brilliant vibrant red, as if all the blood suddenly rushes to her lips. Her mouth is slightly parted as saliva drips down.

She is completely still for a moment and everything is fine before she starts screaming. It is a strange scream as she is half choking; Selene does not know what to do as she screams for help. The pain of the poison is excruciating for Carina and it is like an unbearable fire that has invaded every vain in her body causing her very blood to turn toxic.

Selene holds Carina in her arms and tries to help but she is not prepared for this. It is unlikely anyone will hear, as Prynn Manor is an incredibly large estate and the Arrons personal bedrooms and studies are on the other side of the house, far away from earshot, far away from Carina.

To both Selene and Carina's surprise, the door is flung open and Carina manages to turn her head slightly to see Niklaus Arron hurrying through her door. His face is so concentrated as he rushes to Carina.

"Out of the way Selene," he says calmly as he lays Carina down on his lap while Selene stands and moves away, a look of pure horror on her face.

He quickly pushes his fingers down Carina's throat to induce vomiting.

Carina coughs in reaction but no vomiting happens as she continues choking, becoming closer to death at every passing second.

"Come on Carina," Niklaus says, a determined look on his serious face as he concentrates, "vomit the berries up."

They stay like that for a moment and for that moment it seems like Carina might very well die in the arms of an Arron boy rather than her sisters. She finds it strangely funny. But the she suddenly springs up as she turns and vomits over the carpet.

Niklaus and Selene both breath a sigh of relief as Carina coughs a bit and then stands up wobbling, leaning on Niklaus for support.

"Selene, can you clean this up?" He asks calmly, holding Carina as she struggles to keep her eyes open.

Selene nods and rushes out of the door, happy to leave the weak queen and the poison berries that are now piled up on the ruined white carpet.

Once they are alone, Niklaus looks down at Carina, shaking his head at her,

"Why did you do that Rina?" He asks his eyes roaming over her in unfamiliar concern. Normally Carina would reprimand him for using that nickname but she is too weak to even speak.

He sighs for a moment as she can do nothing but stare up at him as he shakes his head again and places a loose black hair back behind her ear with surprisingly tenderness, especially for an Arron - the Niklaus Arron Carina knows has always been mysterious, brooding, cunning and quite icy at times, much like Andrea but he is different in this moment, this man before her is not Niklaus Arron but an unfamiliar angel who has come to protect her. Who knew that an Arron boy would be her guardian angel. For Arrons kill the weak, they don't protect them.

Maybe his old promise to her wasn't futile after all. Perhaps he truly means to help and protect her.

All these thoughts continues to plague her as she loses consciousness.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Andrea Arron is sitting in her study to escape Octavia and her endless whining about the news that the Arrons had found out only yesterday.

A letter from Cierra Raduron, with regards from the Black Council, had told them that the suitor, Klaude Vale, would be arriving in Prynn later in the day. No doubt Cierra purposely sent the letter late so that they would have little time to prepare, all to undermine the family in any way possibly. And the fact that this is most likely an additional ploy by the Black Council to spy on the Arrons a little. They are even less trusted than usual after that little assassination attempt on the elemental brat.

Octavia is furious at the short notice and has been barking orders all day at servants, to prepare the Manor and themselves to greet the new suitor. Andrea does not care for the new suitor, for he is under Cierra Raduron's influences much like the shadow lapdogs that she sends occasionally to try and suffocate her with their powers.

But the lapdogs never succeed and they never survive, for as soon as they arrive at Prynn they are shot down with poison arrows.

Only one shadow assassin has ever made it close to her and Andrea can never forget the feeling of being drowned by shadow, she never wants Carina to feel that, especially not by Arwen's hand. Though Andrea tries to poison Cierra occasionally as well, neither woman expects their assassination attempts to succeed. It livens things up a little and keeps them both entertained.

As girls they were rivals when Cierra had come to Prynn to learn more about poisoners. It was incredibly strange because shadows rarely left Umbra and had virtually no contact with the rest of the island. Still, the Arrons couldn't really refuse as the Radurons are a strong family. It wasn't wise to make enemies of them. Still isn't. Not directly anyway.

Cierra's mother had said that it was for culture but Andrea knows that Keira Raduron only wanted her daughter to infiltrate Prynn in the most obvious way possible.

It has always been a dance between Andrea and Cierra, both of them with a fire in their eyes that will not be extinguished until Cierra drops dead onto her dinner, from a glass of tainted wine or Andrea suffocates from shadows, nobody to hear her silent screams.

Both women have spies so they both usually know when the other is trying to kill them or seriously maim them.

Andrea is not stupid or naive, she knows that not all of the residents of Prynn are to be trusted, so she only half trusts her siblings and family. Even though she is related to them, she will never fully trust them or anyone. She is loyal to her family but love is quite foreign in the Arron family. Loyalty is what binds them rather than love. She would not hesitate to kill one of her own if they betrayed her or Queen Carina though.

Pondering her thoughts, Andrea's peace does not last long as Octavia soon enters, slamming the door behind her as she goes.

Grimacing, Andrea looks back down to the pile of papers on her study,

"Sister I am busy," Andrea states, not bothering to face Octavia as Andrea hears her coming closer.

"I have been trying to find you all morning," Octavia says, a stroppy tone in her voice. If they were still children Octavia would get slapped across the face by their grandmother for that tone.

Andrea looks up at her younger sister and sighs, "Well you obviously haven't been trying very hard if you couldn't find me in my study, the most obvious place."

Octavia just huffs like a child and ignores Andrea as she turns around sulking like she always used to as a child after being scolded by their mother, Kesdeya.

"Beatrice!"" Octavia shouts from the study at one of the servants, "where are my belladonna berries? I need something to eat, otherwise I will waste away!"

Octavia puts her hand on her gleaming icy blonde hair as she finishes shouting. Octavia is pretty but unapproachable like most Arron women. Not as beautiful as her sister though. But Arron women all have the same beauty that could only be described as icy.

Eirene looks more like Octavia but Amara is the beautiful Arron girl, she looks more like Andrea in her youth and she is the strongest daughter, she will succeed Andrea when she is gone. Though the older Arron matriarch is still beautiful just colder as her years on the island shorten.

Andrea shakes her head at Octavia before chuckling and gesturing at her sister's body, "You are hardly wasting away sister."

Andrea's words cause Octavia to pout as she sits down on a nearby chair. Her icy blonde hair a great contrast to the black chair that her hair is sprawled on.

The door soon flies opens as the maid, Beatrice, comes in with a glass bowl of dark berries. Andrea notes that she looks more nervous and on edge than usual but Andrea makes no comment as she watches the servant like a hawk.

Beatrice places the bowl down without a word as Octavia snatches one, popping one in her mouth, biting it delicately, causing the juice to stain her pearly white teeth a blood red, making her look like the predator she really is. Andrea waves her hand at the maid who departs quickly, closing the door delicately as she goes.

"What are we to do sister?" Octavia asks in a wailing tone, "we need to get Klaude Vale to fall for Carina."

Shaking her head, Andrea takes a sip of her chrysanthemum tea that has long gone cold as she had forgotten about it while she had been reading her various letters of business.

"We do nothing," Andrea says calmly, placing her tea down, "my reports say that Klaude Vale has been lost to Queen Arwen"

"But it's a disadvantage!" Octavia protests, her voice reddening from frustration.

Andrea nods in understanding, trying to placate Octavia slightly as she keeps explaining,

"It may be a disadvantage but it was to be expected, Grayson Vale and Cierra Raduron's dark dealings have been going on for some time. Of course Arwen was going to be the queen that the Vales favoured."

"So you are not concerned about how Klaude Vale is a lapdog to Queen Arwen?" Octavia asks in disbelief, placing two more berries into her mouth.

"I didn't say that Octavia," Andrea explains calmly, "but there are many more suitors and Klaude Vale may not even win the Hunt of stags at Beltane. The Vales are loyal to Cierra and the Radurons. Not to mention they have ties with the Black Council, none of whom trust us, especially after the recent elemental events."

Octavia nods in agreement while placing the remaining berries into her mouth and it looks like she has been drinking blood.

"I have sent more spies into higher places in Umbra, like both of us and Vincent discussed in our last meeting," Andrea says, picking up a letter on her desk.

It is a plain white but the seal is purple, the poisoner's colour and the seal's pattern is an M with poisoned berries around it. Beautiful and deadly, which is the poisoner way. The M is for Marlowe, a loyal poisoner family who have always been closely linked with the Arrons, along with the Vend poisoner family.

The letter would have been sent to the Marlowes residence, resealed by them and then sent to Prynn Manor. All to avoid detection and portray normality. Espionage can be a complicated thing.

The Arrons, The Marlowes and the Vends are three most powerful poisoner families on the island, though the Arrons obviously reign supreme over the rest. Because of their vast wealth, power and general superiority.

"This is a letter from Melinda Marlowe, it is a weekly report of the dealings of Cierra Raduron and the Umbra shadows," Andrea says watching as Octavia looks at it, her face is similar to that of the suitors when they see the queens. Hungry for what they see, "though this information is to stay in our inner circle only, you, myself and Vincent. Under no circumstances can anyone else know about this."

Melinda Marlowe is one of her high ranking spies and because of the delicacy and danger of her position, she is being rewarded handsomely.

"Of course Andrea," Octavia says immediately, suddenly eager to play the obedient sibling as her tone becomes serious for the first time since she stepped into Andrea's study.

Andrea bows her head and looks back down at the letter, analysing it carefully as she does with everything and everyone. She will use her personal cipher to decode the letter when Octavia leaves and she is finally alone.

The door creaks open and Andrea only sighs. Her family keep invading her study at every moment. She listens to the footsteps but the footsteps are too loud, there are multiple new people who have entered her study.

"Mother,"a dull voice says. Andrea knows it's Eirene from the flat tone of her voice. She tries not to cringe at her daughter but fails slightly. Pity being a good mother isn't one of her skills.

Andrea then looks up and sees both her daughters: Eirene and Amara. The weak and the strong. A cat and a mouse. It is no competition for who will be Andrea's successor when she's gone. Amara will raise the next poisoner queen and be head of the family one day. She will keep the family strong. That is what she's been raised to do.

"What do you all want?" Andrea asks, she is straight to the point today, ignoring any little pleasantries.

Her children all look at each other before Amara bravely steps forward. Ever the bold one.

"A messenger has just arrived, he said that Klaude Vale's carriage has just entered Highgate and they have stopped to rest. He will be arriving later than planned and will probably arrive tomorrow, depending on how long they need rest," she says, a mask of confidence on her face to hide her nervousness and Andrea nods her head at Amara who quickly steps back into line like an obedient soldier.

"Eirene, you will go and tell the kitchen to prepare food for a meal containing no toxins in case they arrive later today," Andrea says to her oldest daughter, "we do not want any suitors dying by our hand, not the strong ones anyway and if they don't arrive today then the hounds can have the meal."

Octavia smiles at Andrea's dry humour but no poisoner would dane to eat a meal devoid of toxins. Even the hungriest of poisons would only ever pick at the sides of a non-poison meal.

Eirene breaks the silence as she shakes her head in annoyance at her mother,

"I am not a servant mother!" She protests angrily in a rare outburst, "and I do not want to aid in causing a meal to be prepared for Klaude Vale, the Shadow Queen's little lapdog. Stuff some hemlock into the meal I say, let him choke on the poison."

Eirene's words almost ripple through the room, affecting all of the people in it. Amara gasps at Eirene's uncharacteristic boldness and Octavia's mouth is hung open in an entirely un-Arron way. Nobody ever talks back to Andrea Arron and no one raises their voice at her. Well no one who lives to tell the tale. Andrea rises, like a queen from her throne, her whole demeanour stiff and cold as she starts slowly walking towards Eirene.

Eirene gulps but does not dare to move as Andrea advances, similar to a snake who is just about to catch its unfortunate prey.

Nobody dares to move or breath as Andrea reaches Eirene. She raises her hand back and slaps Eirene's face with such force that the whole Manor shudders. The sharp noise, like a knife cutting through air, causes Amara and Octavia to flinch as they both take a small step back in fear of Andrea.

Eirene automatically raises her hand to touch her red stinging cheek, opens her mouth to say something but then wisely closes it, for if Eirene kept talking to Andrea Arron in that way then she would find herself at the sharp end of an Arron knife.

"Hold your tongue Eirene," Andrea says, seething with rage as she points her finger at Eirene threateningly, "or I will cut it out for you. I am the matriarch of this family and you will respect me. I may be your mother but us Arron women weren't made for love, we were made to rule and inspire fear; I will not tolerate this behaviour from anyone and if this continues the punishment next time will be worse than a single strike."

Her tone suddenly changes as her whole demeanour relaxes as she leans back, "now go to the kitchen and tell them to prepare that meal and I suggest you hurry little mouse."

Andrea turns her head to address all of them while Eirene quickly rushes out of the room.

"Leave now," She barks to the rest of them, going back to her desk and sitting down on it like it's a throne.

Octavia and Amara happily leave, careful not to provoke Andrea's temper further. Andrea is kinder than her mother Kesdeya Arron and an angel compared to Lilith Arron.

Every Arron matriarch has a streak of cruelness in her and it is no different now. It is necessary, for the survival and prosperity of the Arron family. If they were soft hearted fools like the naturalists then they wouldn't have the wealth and power they have now. But it all comes with a price. Perhaps their souls.

Being nice won't restore the Arrons to their former glory. And it won't get Carina on the throne.

For the promise of power Andrea will happily be a monster.