Genevieve-The Ice Queen

 Night finds Genevieve pondering life and her son's future. She knows they call her the "Ice Queen", and she supposes it is with good reason.  As night falls across the Glade she reflects back on a time when she was young and impressionable and excited to be Queen.  

Hers was an arranged union, much like Koehlon's to Hycis. A union made for political reasons. At the time however Genevieve was a young inexperienced girl. A girl who took one look at her betrothed and let her romantic nature run wild. He was so handsome. So tall and strong. She dreamed of happily ever after's, which would never come to pass, as her King's heart was already filled with love for another.

Of course she knew none of this when first mated. It wasn't until Laurion's birth that she discovered her mate had not only been unfaithful to her,  but that his heart resided with the mother of his bastard as well. The King "took care of it", and Laurion's mother has never been spoken of again, but he refused to turn his bastard away, and has raised him alongside their own children. The King was firm there would be no negotiation on that subject.

She supposes that was when the barriers first started being erected around her heart. She has done her duty over the years and given the King 2 more children after Koehlon, whose birth preceded Laurion's arrival by mere months. She loves her children, she truly does, but she has learned the lesson that those you love can hurt you the most, so she protects herself with a barrier of ice around her heart that even her children have felt the chill of over the years.

As Koehlon's mating approaches, she knows he is struggling with his duty to Hycis. She sees the looks her son gives the girl Nan. Nan is well beneath his status and not of elven birth. Koehlon however cares for her deeply if Genevieve's instincts are correct.  Her son is honorable, and has a strong sense of duty and she has no doubt he will follow through with his obligations to the realm. However, when she thinks back on her own past, can she sit by and let her son live the remainder of his hopefully long life living a life full of obligation and little happiness?