Intervention [PRP; Claire]

[Mieux~]

The Queen couldn't possibly be any more restless then she was right at this moment, laying in her bed, eyes wide open, golden tresses laying across the softest pillows in Silvereye, and her entire body tensed for nothing. One set of her long, delicate fingers rested on the empty pillows beside her. They had been empty for a good long time now.

The emptiness had sunken into her chest and she was beginning to feel the pressure. The crown was nothing to her, Bel had been living with that burden her whole life. It was being without him, the only thing that really hurt her now. She missed his hands, his hair, and especially his eyes. They always held the answers she could ever ask. She had so many now.

Finally, the Queen rolled over, moving after what seemed a century of night of laying and thinking. Her gaze moved to the large bay window that allowed the moonlight to stream across the floor, lighting up one half of her bedroom. There was a slow chime in her head and a sweet humming voice that matched her own mother's. A lullaby she had heard so many times as the small princess every little girl wished to be. Her mother's voice began to sing along, words that little Belphoebe knew, but now they had been long forgotten. Her breathing fell into the song's rhythm as the short verses closed back into humming. Her eyes began to lull to sleep when she could hear a quiet shatter in the hall. Something falling to the carpet and angered whispers.

After heaving a sigh, she supposed she might as well get the energy out of her system and check it out anyways. She had a good idea of what it was, but it was always a little surprising with Claire. What was she up to in her nocturnal hours this evening. Obviously being much more productive than anyone else in Silvereye, but that was the norm.

Her feet slid off the bed first, passing through the covers and onto the floor. They slipped into a pair of comfortable night shoes as she lifted her head and shoulders up as well. The silken nightgown was quite revealing for a woman of her age, but she wasn't like most. Her skin was smooth, her hair shiny without any grey seeming to sneak in just yet, and her thin silhouette all made her an exceptionally lovely elder. The best part was that she still had her agility and that kept her quite happy. At first she made her way to the closet nearby, grabbing her robe--always stocked with a weapon or two--and wrapping it around her form.

As she walked through the moonglow and towards the royal doorway, the first thing she noticed was the quite snore of the guard beside her. They were placed outside the door for her protection, or at least so said the King, but here they were: useless. She poked him with a sigh, and he shuddered to life in all his chunky armor, looking to her as she placed a finger across her lips to silence him. Her slender digit then moved, pointing ahead of her to a pot, smashed across the carpet with two servants fighting over it in whispers. 'Stay' her majesty mouthed to the guard before moving forward gracefully as ever.

Sudddenly, the servants gasped, noticing the moving figure and then the fear really sunk in as Bel came into view. She looked down curiously, finding a rare and dangerous plant before her though its home had been demolished. With a smile, she looked back to the pair, realizing they were new but she had seen them once about the gardens. "I see Claire has at least picked professionals, though you have done yourself in being so clumsy. I suggest you scurry along before she comes back or you'll both find yourselves with a forked tongue. She's so talented with her daggers," her voice was casual and kind as ever, lacking any hint of anger they expected. The last few words had even been proud of her daughter's skills. The pair before her stood with eyes even wider before she woke them up with a good shoo.

They bolted and the Queen sighed looking down at the plant before her. "Trying to poison us now my Claire?" she said to herself with a smile, but being prepared for a response in case one came, "Well I suppose we'll have to get some royal taste-testers around here. Your father will love that.."

[Kaylii]

Claire felt rather proud of her items, all things considered. While the irritating Nivali always grated on her patience, Backbeat had outdone herself with the supplies. Even with the long journey the plants she requested were all healthy and perfectly delightful in their colors. She had full flask fulls of poisons that she was eager to try out as well, but her mind was already set on one particular plant for the evening, and her guinea pig was quite obvious. Setting traps was something she enjoyed. It proved a challenge. And with her mother the game was all the more exciting. There was no doubt where she got her sharp mind in the family.

How to give it to the Queen required some thought. Handing it as a gift was a bit stupid. The Queen would obviously recognize the red and green leaves of the Calli plant. Perhaps she could have a maid who was dumb enough to listen to the young princess slip it in the room. All she needed to happen was have something touch the plant and spread the toxins. But how to do such a deed?

Then the idea struck. It didn't take long for Claire to hire a couple of her servants to wait guard and instruct them to slip it with a maid's attire when they were bringing in clothes and refreshments for the queen. She knew her mother cleaned her own room, but there was still many chores needed to be done that she could never possibly do alone. It seemed positively perfect. Claire was already back in her room examining her chemicals when a large crash resounded the halls.

"You have to be joking." Claire whispered between her teeth, her eye leering towards the door before getting up. She grabbed her own robe, not that it covered much. Even in her evening attire Claire was fully covered. Showing skin was not a past time for this royal snob. She entered into the hallways to hear small whispers. Panic obviously. Claire was going to skin those two men alive if she got to them.

She wore soft slippers that bore no sound on the floors in the castle, but the sound of her own name didn't surprise her. Who else would be the cause of such raucous this late? Even her ship making brother would be silent at this time, his tinkering always a pester to her sleeping in the day.

Releasing her grip on the dagger that was tucked under her shirt, Claire rolled her eye and stepped out from the corner that hid her from her mother's view and looking rather bored at the crash on the floor. She shrugged her shoulders.
"It would have only been effective if they didn't cook it. You know cooking Calli makes it completely harmless. Don't worry. I don't plan on seeing everyone choke at the dinner table. It'd ruin my appetite." She truly did not care what her family thought of her. Claire didn't hide she wanted the throne among her family. She also didn't hide that she adored her snobbery. Having something done like poisoning them while eating was simply too improper. Where was in it anyway? It was too obvious.

Her bright yellow eye focused on her gentle and witty mother.
"I am surprised you're still awake though. Even for you this is a late hour. Is father still not home?" Belphoebe always seemed to be restless when her husband was away. Claire could see how attached she was to the man. What weakness....

[Mieux~]

The Queen scoffed at her daughter's first comment, "As if you make dinner oh so often Claire." Her sarcasm evident, she let a sigh escape her rose petal lips. Her long fingers lifted to her face and traced the pits below her eyes that had started to form after years of youthful beauty. It didn't help that her husband's absence created the lack of sleep causing them either. These creases were all too evident as she turned to face her third child.

"Of course not," she continued to her later inquiry on her father. Her sorrow was also too evident. Even her most unobservant children always noticed. Richard's presence seemed a part of the castle and always larger than life. He was the hulking, handsome king that Caedere had been hoping for in Bel's brother's reign. Ironic how things worked out, though Bel had always assumed her pent up years of waiting had built up enough good karma to pay her back. His life in the castle just seemed to merge with her own, and over time they made it into a glorious home. It became their home, and then their childrens' home. It was only half as good without him.

Crossing her arms over her chest, a smirk formed matching Claire's usual winning expression. "So aside from this lovely Calli, what else should I be expecting?" Bel said with a pretty laugh seething through her words, "Or do I get to be surprised? You know I won't be. I hire all the work here and I have no problem getting information. You know that by now." She stepped closer to Claire and slid a set of her slender fingers delicately through her daughter's short, disheveled hair.