Reyna always knew love was deadly. It was an uncontrollable emotion, very unwise for battle. A random hormone-filled emotion can cloud your thoughts in a siege.
She had a personal grudge on members who were fooling around with love, seeing them as not fully devoted to Rome. More attached to their partners than Rome. Willing to give up their lives for each other. Reyna did not need any unnecessary complications, or people for that matter, weighing her down.
Yet she also envied them as well. They who seemed carefree and happy, with not a single care in the world. And with all of her praetor duties, it would be nice to have something like that.
But don't all drugs all feel nice while slowly killing you inside? Yes, the lovers were addicts, of course. Love must give them some sort of euphoria.
But Reyna wasn't the kind of girl to give in to things. She strengthened her will against it, honing her fighting skills. It also helped that anyone that was attracted to her gave up after she beat them up in fighting class.
Yet she was teetering on the edge of trying. Like being a child, knowing there is alcohol in the house, wanting to try itmbut knowing you shouldn't. And at this point Reyna was standing on a chair wondering if she should open the cabinet.
Like all drugs, she noticed it could poison and taint you. People came out scarred from love gone wrong, scorned by their lovers. And they continued to pass it on.
And the drama surrounding it was enough to ward any sane person off. Of course, being in love rids you of your sanity. And so they jump in, innocent, not knowing what befalls them next.
Finding someone to share it with was the biggest problem. At one point, she was more open and loving, but the war had changed her. She didn't want to lose anyone she loved, so she stopped loving. She still kept relations with close friends, but in a much more platonic way. She had built a near-impenetrable fortress around her heart. She had become the ice queen.
So possible suitors were chased off, humiliated, and others didn't dare to try.
And at that point in time, Jason Grace, her fellow praetor decided to walk by. He greeted her, and continued on his walk.
Reyna felt her heart flutter, cracking the fortress.
It was normal for praetors to become romantically involved, right? And who was she to dishonor the traditions of Rome?
So she followed him, innocently, to join him.
A couple of months later, she finally understood the full power of this poison called love. Jason had disappeared for several months, and he returned with a girl on his arm, shattering Reyna's heart. It was almost ironic that this girl was Venus spawn.
And that was when she learned just how deadly love was.