(no subject)
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Galanna was not at all pleased by Aerin's birth; not only was Aerin a first sol, which Galanna would never be unless she managed to marry Tor, but her mother died bearing her, which made Aerin altogether too interesting a figure within the same household that Galanna wished to continue to revolve around herself.
Aerin was by nature the sort of child who got into trouble first and thought about it later if at all, and Galanna, in her way, was quite clever. Galanna it was who dared her to eat a leaf of the surka; she dared her by saying that Aerin would be afraid to touch the royal plant, because seh was not really of royal blood: she was a throwback to her mother's witch breed, and Arlbeth was her father in name only. If she touched the surka, she would die.
They made a pair, facing off, standing alone in the royal garden, glaring at each other. Galanna had come to her full growth and beauty by that time: her blue-black hair hung past her hips in heavy waves, and was artfully held in place by a golden webwork of fine thread strung with pearls; her cheeks were flushed becomingly with rage till they were as red as her lips, and her huge black eyes were opened their widest. Her long eyelashes had almost grown back since the night Aerin had drugged her supper wine and crept into her bedroom later and cut them off. Everyone had known at once who had done it, and Aerin, who in general held lying in contempt, had not bothered to deny it. She had said before the gathered court- for Galanna, as usual, had insisted on a public prosecution- that Galanna should have been grateful she hadn't shaved her head for her; she'd been snoring like a pig and wouldn't have wakened if she'd been thrown out her bedroom window. Whereupon Galanna had gone off in a fit of strong hysterics and h ad to be carried from the hall (she'd been wearing a half-veil that covered her face to her lips, that no one might see her ravaged features) and Aerin had been banished to her private rooms for a fortnight.
Aerin was as tall as Galanna already, for Galanna was small and round and compact, and Aerin was gangly and awkward; and Aerin's pale skin came out in splotches when she was angry, and her fiercely curly hair- which when wet from the bath was actually longer than Galanna's- curled all the more fiercely in the heat of her temper, and for all the pins that were attempted to keep it under control. They were alone in the garden; and whatever happened Galanna had no fear that Aerin would ever tale-bear (which was another excellent reason for Galanna to despise her) so when Aerin spun around, pulld half a branch off the surka, and stuffed most of it into her mouth, Galanna only smiled. Her full lips curved almost charmingly when she smiled, and it brought her high cheekbones into delicate prominence.
Aerin gagged, gasped, turned a series of peculiar colors which ended with grey, and fell heavily to the ground. Galanna noticed that she was still breathing, and therefore waited a few minutes while Aerin twitched and shook, and then went composedly to find help.
~the hero and the crown pgs 23-25
Galanna was not at all pleased by Aerin's birth; not only was Aerin a first sol, which Galanna would never be unless she managed to marry Tor, but her mother died bearing her, which made Aerin altogether too interesting a figure within the same household that Galanna wished to continue to revolve around herself.
Aerin was by nature the sort of child who got into trouble first and thought about it later if at all, and Galanna, in her way, was quite clever. Galanna it was who dared her to eat a leaf of the surka; she dared her by saying that Aerin would be afraid to touch the royal plant, because seh was not really of royal blood: she was a throwback to her mother's witch breed, and Arlbeth was her father in name only. If she touched the surka, she would die.
They made a pair, facing off, standing alone in the royal garden, glaring at each other. Galanna had come to her full growth and beauty by that time: her blue-black hair hung past her hips in heavy waves, and was artfully held in place by a golden webwork of fine thread strung with pearls; her cheeks were flushed becomingly with rage till they were as red as her lips, and her huge black eyes were opened their widest. Her long eyelashes had almost grown back since the night Aerin had drugged her supper wine and crept into her bedroom later and cut them off. Everyone had known at once who had done it, and Aerin, who in general held lying in contempt, had not bothered to deny it. She had said before the gathered court- for Galanna, as usual, had insisted on a public prosecution- that Galanna should have been grateful she hadn't shaved her head for her; she'd been snoring like a pig and wouldn't have wakened if she'd been thrown out her bedroom window. Whereupon Galanna had gone off in a fit of strong hysterics and h ad to be carried from the hall (she'd been wearing a half-veil that covered her face to her lips, that no one might see her ravaged features) and Aerin had been banished to her private rooms for a fortnight.
Aerin was as tall as Galanna already, for Galanna was small and round and compact, and Aerin was gangly and awkward; and Aerin's pale skin came out in splotches when she was angry, and her fiercely curly hair- which when wet from the bath was actually longer than Galanna's- curled all the more fiercely in the heat of her temper, and for all the pins that were attempted to keep it under control. They were alone in the garden; and whatever happened Galanna had no fear that Aerin would ever tale-bear (which was another excellent reason for Galanna to despise her) so when Aerin spun around, pulld half a branch off the surka, and stuffed most of it into her mouth, Galanna only smiled. Her full lips curved almost charmingly when she smiled, and it brought her high cheekbones into delicate prominence.
Aerin gagged, gasped, turned a series of peculiar colors which ended with grey, and fell heavily to the ground. Galanna noticed that she was still breathing, and therefore waited a few minutes while Aerin twitched and shook, and then went composedly to find help.
~the hero and the crown pgs 23-25