A mass murderer. A cruel queen. The second black mage.
Iris was aware of what the darklings thought of her as they continued their travels. They encountered a few darklings who left their hometowns to avoid being caught in the war against the monsters of the labyrinth. They all had something to say about the Dark Queen, who caused fear and destruction throughout the land.
She cannot blame them, but she had already anticipated this would happen when she decided to ascend the throne in the Court of Nevernight. Iris knew that her reputation as the second black mage would precede her, and she understood that the darklings' fear was deeply rooted because of her association with the Black Mage.