She eyed the bottle warily, her eyes never leaving it. Deepening her connection to the darkness element... As tempting as it was, Charlie knew she wasn't a mage. Would she be scorned for spurning her aunt's help? Was it another test? There was too much at stake. And even if it deepened her connection, would it increase her magical reserves? If not, there was no point to drinking the stuff.
So first, she answered the question Z'laenna had asked. "I want to learn this because it's expected of me," she said quietly, reaching to stroke Romule between the ears. "Even before I was named heir I wanted to learn it. To be found worthy of learning it. To prove my royal blood, to do my family proud." A sigh. "To be frank, Auntie, I'm sure not the Lunaria would help. If my lack of magic is the root of the problem, even strengthening my connection to the element wouldn't remedy my own shortcomings."
It stung to admit, and hurt even more to be admitting such a thing to her aunt of all people. While she'd never wanted her father to know this, she'd hoped to hide her weakness from her aunt, who she was now the heir of. So she shifted the topic of conversation elsewhere. She'd been told to speak to Z'laenna about this directly, and there was no time like the present.
"Auntie, I'd like to ask you something." Charlie took a breath to steady herself. "Father told me you've been considering matches for me, and if I may be so bold...I'd like to request a year or so to find a suitable match on my own. Not that I doubt your judgement," she added, "I just feel that if I'm trusted to be heir, I should be trusted to make my own choice of partner. I'd hate to be stuck with some ignorant noble who can't handle me." The girl gave a weak chuckle, and hoped Z'laenna would consider her request.
Otherwise, she was about to be even more miserable.
So first, she answered the question Z'laenna had asked. "I want to learn this because it's expected of me," she said quietly, reaching to stroke Romule between the ears. "Even before I was named heir I wanted to learn it. To be found worthy of learning it. To prove my royal blood, to do my family proud." A sigh. "To be frank, Auntie, I'm sure not the Lunaria would help. If my lack of magic is the root of the problem, even strengthening my connection to the element wouldn't remedy my own shortcomings."
It stung to admit, and hurt even more to be admitting such a thing to her aunt of all people. While she'd never wanted her father to know this, she'd hoped to hide her weakness from her aunt, who she was now the heir of. So she shifted the topic of conversation elsewhere. She'd been told to speak to Z'laenna about this directly, and there was no time like the present.
"Auntie, I'd like to ask you something." Charlie took a breath to steady herself. "Father told me you've been considering matches for me, and if I may be so bold...I'd like to request a year or so to find a suitable match on my own. Not that I doubt your judgement," she added, "I just feel that if I'm trusted to be heir, I should be trusted to make my own choice of partner. I'd hate to be stuck with some ignorant noble who can't handle me." The girl gave a weak chuckle, and hoped Z'laenna would consider her request.
Otherwise, she was about to be even more miserable.
