Serena stared wide-eyed at the curly haired woman standing in front of her door, inspecting her nails as though this was a regular activity for her. Serena was returning from having her late lunch in one of the smaller dining areas, she was slowly growing bored of her room.
Charlotte was the last person she expected to find lounging at her doorframe like an old friend. Serena stopped short, blinking slowly, her mind sluggish to catch up. She had almost forgotten about the strange woman who introduced herself as her "second-in-command," supposedly planted by General Silas of Crimsonclaw.
Charlotte tilted her head slightly, just enough to glance at Serena in what barely passed for acknowledgment. She pushed off the doorframe with the grace of someone who found the whole world underwhelming, and stared down at her with a lazy kind of appraisal.
"Well," Charlotte drawled, her voice light but sharp at the edges, "am I not invited? You look stunned... or was I not the person you expected?"
Serena still could not give her an answer, the brown haired woman was speaking in something that was passable for an Eastern accent. How in the world did she pull that off?
Serena stumbled over her words before she spoke clearly. "No, of course not. Please come in."
Serena pushed her key into the lock and twisted it. She had asked the supervisor of the castle to give her the key to her room. It would be an embarrassing sight to have someone randomly walk in and see her undressed.
Charlotte brushed past her with the ease of someone who belonged, making a beeline for the bed and sinking into it like she’d done so a hundred times before. She sighed, stretching her arms out behind her head, and watched Serena shut the door.
"You’re terrible at your task," Charlotte said suddenly, voice flat but amused.
Serena’s brows knitted as she stepped into the center of the room. "I don’t follow."
"This can not be the ambassador of Crimsonclaw that everyone claims. Even at your grand debut, you spoke with so many people, that is not how the Eastern wolves behave."
Serena felt the heat rise at the back of her neck, she felt embarrassed at the words and scrutiny. So far no one had exactly found fault with the way she carried herself. She swallowed and blinked slowly.
"And how would you know that?" Serena asked.
Charlotte let out a short, delighted laugh and pushed herself upright. "Oh no," she mocked, widening her eyes in faux alarm. "The big, bad rogue found fault in my words. Should I tread carefully before you rip my head clean off?"
Serena’s lips parted, startled, but she caught herself and clamped her mouth shut before she could make herself look any more foolish.
"I... I would never do something like that," Serena said, her voice low and defensive. "That’s not who I am."
Charlotte threw her head back and guffawed, she did so for a few more seconds. Serena twisted her fingers together, this woman made her feel like a foolish child.
"You had a change overnight?" Charlotte asked in a mocking tone.
"I think we got off on the wrong foot," Serena began carefully. "I am Serena and I do not want to hurt anyone."
Charlotte looked her up and down with a critical eye. She rolled her eyes and threw one leg over the other and leaned on her knee. "Maybe, but I do not know that, no one does."
Serena looked down and then she looked up, her lips were set in a thin line. Being with Darius had deluded her in a painful way. He had more or less accepted the parts of her he was aware of. Everyone else, even the ones she considered friends, still had their misgivings. And people like Charlotte...
"I will do whatever to prove that I am not the rest that have hurt your people," Serena said.
Charlotte’s posture shifted, her spine straightening as she grinned like a cat that had just cornered its prey. She had already come to the conclusion that Serena was far too unsure of herself. It showed in the way she stood, in the slight hesitation before every reply. But there was something, something that might yet salvage the mess Silas had sent her to manage. Serena was determined. And not in that desperate, clawing way that sent people to their ruin.
"You’ll do anything?" Charlotte pressed, eyes gleaming. She laughed when Serena’s brows drew together, confusion plain on her face– like a witch had just asked her to sign over her soul with a drop of blood.
"Well," Charlotte added, voice softening, "that’s all I really needed to hear." Content originally comes from N0v3l.Fiɾe.net
She reclined slightly on the bed, head tilted. "I’m not sure I care whether you’ve killed someone before you came here, but do try not to do it while you’re here."
Charlotte groaned and flopped backward onto the bed, her arm flung over her eyes. "Do you not understand what a joke is?"
Serena hesitated. After a beat, she murmured, "But... it wasn’t funny."
Charlotte sat up and looked at her like she had just materialised into the room. Her upper lip twitched into a smile and then she laughed. "You are funny, I think I might like you."
Serena, unsure of how to react to that, stood silently until Charlotte spoke again.
Serena didn’t move, unsure whether to feel insulted or flattered. She stood quietly, her hands brushing against her skirt as Charlotte continued.
"I don’t know much of the East, but I’m a fast learner. That voice you put on... I’m almost there, but gods, it shreds my throat. How do you keep it up?"
"I can just do it," Serena replied lamely, her tone apologetic.
"Of course you can," Charlotte muttered with a snort. "Do I need to remind you what my purpose here is?"
Serena walked over to her desk and placed the keys on it, she turned to see Charlotte watching her like a cat. "It was not clear to me from that night."
"Ah, so we need to work on your memory as well," Charlotte said. "I am Charlotte Lewis, I am the last remaining member from your party from Crimsonclaw."
Serena nodded, that she already knew. She had hoped the woman would have given her some tangible information as to who she really was, not some persona that was to join her in her act.
"You said that was not your real name," Serena said.
"Oh so you do remember what I said on that night. Good." Charlotte rose from the bed and placed her hands on her hips.
"We need a bonding experience, my lady," she said, smirking.
Charlotte’s next words came out like a dare: