The Keep, Ebon Askavi, Kaeleer, Monday Evening (Fandom Time)

[glacial_witch]

The last time Karla had been here, she'd been incredibly nervous about how that evening would turn out and affect her future. Standing in the Keep tonight with a crowd of people around her--some of them almost complete strangers--made her almost laugh at how naive her fear had been the last time.

Her Offering was nothing. This was the completely

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Post-Ceremony

[glacial_witch]

More food and receptions and...

Well, probably yelling.

Re: Post-Ceremony

[trigons_child]

Why, yes, someone wanted to have a few words with Karla, why do you ask?

Re: Post-Ceremony

[glacial_witch]

Karla was very tempted to try to hide behind some of her other Court members. After all, they were supposed to protect her, right?

And maybe if she avoided Raven and Warren for a little while, they might forget to be mad at--AHAHAHAHA, okay, yeah right.

So she took a deep breath, got herself some fortified wine, and walked over to Raven. "You wanted to see me?"

...She could tell. Call it a Queen thing.

Re: Post-Ceremony

[trigons_child]

"I believe you must have good reason for the shorter length of certain contracts compared to the rest of your Court," Raven said. "But you should have discussed it with us first. Especially with Warren."

She trusted Karla. She just didn't like to be caught so off guard.

And, yes, she would have argued against it anyway.

Re: Post-Ceremony

[glacial_witch]

"Okay, that's a fair point," Karla said. "But I was kind of busy up until now, and, well...I didn't want to argue about it."

Not until it was fait accompli. Now that she already had her way, they could discuss it all Raven wanted.

Re: Post-Ceremony

[trigons_child]

"I do not think it was fair of you to put us on the spot as you did," Raven said. "But I would like to know why."

She had her shields up high, not wanting any hurt to leak out. She didn't want to allow herself to feel hurt; that wasn't fair, either.

Re: Post-Ceremony

[glacial_witch]

"I'm sorry that you were put on the spot," Karla assured her. "I honestly am."

She held her arms open for a hug if Raven wanted.

"But..." She'd been trying to figure out how to word this for days now, and still hadn't come up with anything good. "I want you to have a choice. A full and informed choice. When you agree to serving me for a lifetime, I want you to do so having a full year of living in Glacia and seeing it at its worst."

Re: Post-Ceremony

[trigons_child]

Raven stepped closer to give Karla a sincere hug, then drew back.

"But you did not give me a true choice," she said. "I could not refuse to sign and shame you and myself, not in front of all your Court. I understand your reasons, and perhaps I might even come to agree with them, but I wish you would have told me first. And you should have definitely told Warren. He is very hurt."

Re: Post-Ceremony

[glacial_witch]

"I know," Karla said, wincing a little. "But I didn't want an argument. Not now." She rubbed her temple a little. "I'm already looking at a civil war. I was hoping I could take just the easy way and kind of...sweep it under the rug."

WHERE IT WOULD NEVER BE NOTICED AGAIN.

Re: Post-Ceremony

[trigons_child]

"I fear you are going to get one regardless," Raven said softly. "Not from me. I forgive you. I understand what you were doing, and I will not let myself feel hurt because of it. But you cannot attach a year to a title like Consort and expect that to be easily accepted."

Re: Post-Ceremony

[glacial_witch]

Karla sighed and hung her head. "He'll understand," she said, clinging to that. "Because...this is a year contract. Once it expires, I can give him a longer one. And you, too."

Because lots of Consorts only had a year contract!

...Sure, they weren't the kind of Consort that Warren was, but still! He wasn't the first or last to only get a year at first!

Re: Post-Ceremony

[trigons_child]

Raven reached for Karla's hands. "You should go talk to him. Sooner rather than later. Do not allow it to fester."

Re: Post-Ceremony

[glacial_witch]

Karla glanced at Warren, far on the other side of the room. "I don't think that's going to be a problem," she said ruefully. "He's giving me the 'just-wait-till-we're-alone' face. I'm probably lucky he hasn't dragged me out of here by my hair yet."

Re: Post-Ceremony

[trigons_child]

"He is upset and hurt, but he loves you," Raven said. Even if Karla had been horribly horribly MEAN to them both. Azar, Karla!

Re: Post-Ceremony

[glacial_witch]

SORRY YOU WERE SAD THAT YOU DIDN'T GET TO DRINK HER BLOOD, RAVEN.

"And I love him," Karla said gently. "I love you, too. And next year, when your contract expires and I give you one that says you're never, ever, super-extra ever allowed to leave, you'll sign it with full knowledge of what you're in for, with me as your Queen."

Re: Post-Ceremony

[trigons_child]

"I would sign it now. You know that, do you not?" Raven said. "I have seen the dark parts of your world, and yes, perhaps there are darker things still that I have not, but they will not change my mind. Your health and safety, and that of your children when they come, are my foremost concern now. You are stuck with me."