Zaerna Throt'oll
The female Drakken's display went largely unnoticed by the others in the room. For that, she was not surprised, but grateful. She was sure every man in the room was more than familiar discipline, and as the situations on the other side of the room escalated, Zaerna was more than glad to be left out of it. She had already pushed her Father's nerves by coming to accept a bride; the last thing she needed was to annoy a man as powerful as Wilhelm or as prominent as the Prince. The female readjusted her cloak, trying her best to survey the situation and not make sure there was no attention drawn to her own brides. Demure and chaste, but not extraordinary, her brides were exactly what she needed them to be. She had no desire for the hand of the Royal Gem because not only wasit obvious what kind of attention she would draw, but also because Zaerna needed no rat in her ear trying to ferret its way into her political pursuits. In few words, she sent one man into a fury and two more to duel. No, Zaerna needed mindless, dolled-up accessories, not a pathetic former-royal who thought itself on the Drakken's level. The fiery one needed some time in the dungeon, of course, but her spirit was not nearly as strong as Zaerna's whip.
Watching the men start to challenge each other out of pride and lust, the female realized she was the only Drakken to not cause a scene. The brides, most of them, cowered frightfully from the display, but the smart ones were realizing the ferocious Drakkens were barely more than arrogant dogs snarling over butcher scraps. The Princess stood on even feet, and as much as Zaerna wished for someone slap countenance of ease she displayed, she gave the Gem no more than a passing glance. The female wanted the Prince to challenge Wilhelm, if only because the Gem would break much faster under the younger man's more violent nature.
Slowly, she returned to her second choice, and herded her with sharp gestures to her new sister bride. She moved them off to the side, away from danger, but not enough that the other men had trouble seeing them. She was well aware not all choices had been made. After Wilhelm claimed the last remaining bride, Zaerna noticed that there were no more available, and that her hasty actions might have been too much so. As one of the youngest and least known nobles in the room, she would not be surprised if one challenged her just for the ease of it. But as she began to worry, two new brides joined the rest, and she was more confident that she would be left alone. She had chosen brides that were ordinary for a different reason, but the fact that they weren't really worth the competition was a nice benefit. She had already decided that, if needed, she would release the spitfire, but now was thinking that she wouldn't have to. Zaerna was no coward, but she felt no desire to give the Gems the satisfaction of thinking they had so much worth that they caused dissention between Drakkens.
Leaving the men to their debates, secretly hoping they would go at it just for the chance to see such a magnificent display, the female turned again to her brides, but kept Wilhelm in her peripherals. With a sugary smile, she addressed the woman still chained. "
Now, beloved, let's try this again. What's your name? And, were I you, I'd take a hint from your new sister and answer politely. You don't want to earn any more time in my dungeon then you have already." She ended with a coquettish wink.
Riaxh
