The War, Part II: Queen Of Fire

[Amos]

A zombie child with blood on her face and hands, a child-killer brought before the Queen’s justice.

After the dim, blurred landscape of the gardens, the light in the palace throne room was blinding. Yuvna squinted while her vision agonisingly returned, and a small ache grew behind her eyes. The lace on the dress was making her itch. One of the hands clamped to her shoulder shoved roughly, causing her to stumble and crack a knee against the tile floor.

She rubbed the joint instinctively, though it didn't truly hurt her tough zombie skin. "Oy, what was that for?" she said. The guard who hadn't pushed helped her gently to her feet. This unexpected act of kindness earned a sneer from his colleague and a shriek from the pudgy hag, the flower girl's mum apparently.

She sounds like a... hmmm... Yuvna, who gathered facts about monsters they way other girls collect pretty shells, knew a thing or two about banshees. She compared notes and decided that this woman was definitely one. Only a banshee could shriek that horribly.

The guards replaced their hands on her shoulders, one hard and almost painfully tight, the other firm but gentle. Selena spoke.

"Tell me what is going on here." She sounded different to how she had before, thought Yuvna. Not as nice. She was going to say something, explain how the mean guard had taken her doll and stepped on it, but the queen was so high up on that chair and anyway the flower girl's mum started babbling. She settled for dragging the nice guard's hand off her shoulder and holding it with her own, tiny bloodstained one. The mean guard seen this and snorted. Yuvna kicked him in the shin. He kicked her back and they both glared at each other.

(The fourth guard was very unhappy about carrying a little girl's corpse in his arms. He wished he was somewhere else, anywhere other than here, holding before him a lifeless child as if he were offering her back to the world of the living. Only the world didn't want her anymore, so he bit his lip and tried to ignore the hot streams of tears that ran down his quivering cheeks.)

"This... this creature, murdered my precious daughter."

Selena looked to the guards. "Is this true?"

"No!" blurted Yuvna, but the guards betrayed her, saying that to the best of their knowledge she had probably done it. She had the girl's blood on her hands and face and was wearing her dress. Plus she had tiny chunks of meat between her teeth.

"Did anybody actually see her do it?" The guards shrugged, implying that they didn't know.

The nice guard spoke up in Yuvna's defense. "She be only a wee lass, yer majesty, it do hardly seem likely that she may ha' murderised somebiddy." Yuvna smiled broadly up at him, crusted blood flaking off her lips as she did, one hand scatching at her neck where the dress lace was tickling her skin.

"Oh she did it alright! Just look at her evil eyes, empty of humanity!" Yuvna growled as the woman confronted her. "How could you do such a despicable thing! She was a only a little girl, just like you!"

"No she wasn't! She wasn't like me at all and she's only like me now cos she's dead cos I killded her, so just shut up and leave me alone already you fat dummy!"

"Aha! You admit you did do it! And you're right, she was nothing like you. You're not a girl at all, you're a monster!"

Yuvna realised she was a monster, was having fun being a super strong zombie... but the banshee was making it sound like a bad thing. Her head was throbbing now. She wished the queen would hurry up and let her go already so she could take a nap, and she said as much.

"I really don't think so, Yuvna." Selena straightened in her throne, and then addressed the nice guard. "Patrick, will you go and let Juin-Hun know that I will be a little longer than I expected? He's in his chambers."

Apparently Selena knew the first names of her guards already, which Yuvna thought was silly of her since she was queen and didn't have to call anybody anything other than You There, Lower Being or Pheasant. Yuvna was sad to see Patrick go and gave the mean guard another sharp kick. He yanked her hair in response and she yelped.

"For goodness sake, George, stop fighting with the child, you'll only make things worse." Selena turned her attention back to Yuvna "Tell me, Yuvna, do you understand what happens to murderers that get caught?"

"Murderers? I'm not a murderer. I just killed her so she would stop being so noisy. I guess that wasn't her fault since her mum's a banshee, but she didn't need to say that stuff about me."

"People who kill other people are murderers, and that makes you one. If you weren't so young you would be executed immediately." Yuvna gulped. "But I can hardly execute a child, so what I am goi-"

"This is outrageous!" screeched the mother. "You say you wont kill her? You'll let her go after she killed my precious daughter in cold blood? Fine, I'll do it myself!"

It was left to the third guard to intervene. Many guards would have felt uncomfortable, been hesitant and unsure about how to properly restrain "A Lady", but this one apparently had no such doubts, or tact for that matter. He slapped her across the face, shook her bodily and ordered her to "get a hold of yourself woman!" She turned pale, a ghostly banshee white, and crumpled into a sitting position on the floor. Yuvna cracked up and the cruel laughter of the mean guard echoed with hers. She grinned at him but he just scowled in reply and shook his fist. Selena, meanwhile, was not impressed with the insolent guard and ordered him to leave.

The queen seemed about to continue when the woman began crying. Yuvna wasn't sure but she thought that the banshee lady might be crying about her dead daughter, which gave the little zombie girl a tiny twang of something like guilt and moved her to reach over and give the poor woman a sympathetic pat on the head. The grieving woman paid her no heed and Yuvna smiled. Yes! she's finally going to stop screaming at me! Well okay, her twang had been more like cautious relief than guilt.

(The fourth guard, standing unnoticed in the background, was growing weary, his arms tired from carrying the child. He was considering asking the queen to allow him to lay her in another room somewhere, but she was busy so he slipped away quietly, with the intent of returning immediately to let them know where the girl's body was.)

"Kill her," spluttered the woman through choked sobs. "Cut off her head. She's a monster, a monster I tell you!"

"So what?" said Yuvna, her voice carefully quiet, her eyes tracing patterns in the tile floor. Gosh but my head is sore. "It's not so bad being a monster. You get to be really tough and never ever die again. Sometimes people hate you and scream at you and don't like the look of your eyes but that's okay cos you can murder them." Here she brightened a little, and her gaze lifted to settle on the flower girls mother, who shivered visibly. "You're kind of one already, but I can make you into a proper monster if you want to, you know."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Selena interrupted, leaning forward on her throne.

(In another room, a quiet, modest servant's chamber with a bed, a stool, a mirror and a hand basin and not much else, the fourth guard gently laid the corpse down onto the bed. He shook his arms wearily, letting the blood flow through them again. He sighed, said his goodbyes to the poor child, and turned to go... but something in the mirror caught his eye. A blurred flash of black. He spun around but there was nobody there. He looked at the girl lying motionless on the bed, and realised it must just have been his overwrought imagination.)

"Nothing!" Yuvna looked sideways, shuffled her feet.

Selena pointed a finger down at her. "Was it you who ate my special cookies?"

So shocked by this new line of questioning was Yuvna that she didn't even hesitate: in a moment she had broken free and was racing toward the nearest exit. She'd seen the queen in action and had no intention of trying to fight her alone. The mean guard and the banshee shouted. She didn't hear Selena, but when she glanced behind her she discovered why and let out a terrified scream. The queen was chasing her, sword in hand and gaining quickly, and boy did she look mad...

(The fourth guard didn't leave right away after all. He sat on a stool, head in hands and took a quick nap. He woke shortly, feeling a little better and ready to face the world. Once more he said his goodbyes to the child. "Wait a minute," he whispered, leaning over her. "Were her eyes open before? And why are they all whi-" A tiny hand reached up suddenly and thrust two tough little fingers into his left eye socket. He screamed, clutching at his face, and barely even noticed the tiny teeth biting into his arm...)

[Apoc]

The royal guards turned to acknowledge Ridley as he passed, saluting whilst the captain amongst them called for the gates to be opened. At the opposite side of the courtyard beyond, the messenger waited.

Ageless eyes looked out from a young, darkly beautiful face, hidden beneath the dark, hooded cloak she wore. In a soft whisper, quiet, yet enchantingly powerful she spoke, “I possess a message of importance for your queen, you will take me to her.”

“I cannot let you before the queen, so armed.” replied the captain commander, referring to the hilt, majestically inscribed with leaves rising behind the messengers right shoulder, “if I am not mistaken, that is an elven blade.”

“you are not.” she replied as she slid the cloaks hood back, revealing her ears. Aebh unclasped the weapon and presented it before her, “you shall take me to your queen now.”

The blade was impossibly light as Ridley took it from her, handing it with fragile care to one of the gate guards, ‘I shall.”

They approached the throne room in silence, Ridley leading, Aebh following, though the captain commander was making some noise, his footsteps upon the tiled floor, the slight creak of his armour with each step, the gentle swish of his cloak. Aebh however, walked in complete silence, her hood once again raised, it was as if she where Ridley’s shadow.

The guards appeared pale to Ridley. Shouting could be heard beyond the throne rooms large double doors and with each wailing of a very loud woman both guards winced, Ridley shot them a questioning look to which only two words where replied, “child murderer.”

The doors opening, brought a sudden evident rise in volume to the screaming. Ridley surveyed the situation for a moment then turned back to Aebh, “wait here a moment, I shall return shortly.”

A shout from one of the guards and the wailing woman swung Ridley round, the young girl, Yuvna, was bolting straight toward him, not watching where she was going, her head turned to her pursuer, Selena, with sword in hand.

Ridley acted instinctively, taking three strides forward he scooped Yuvna up in one arm and raised his other to order the queen to halt. Yuvna screamed and bit down on the leather guarding on his forearm to no effect, she continued to bite and flail in his firm hold of her. “Your majesty, lower your weapon, she is but a child.”

“You dare order me?” she said angrily.

“Lower your weapon.” he replied in a low, even, authoritative voice.

Yuvna paused in her struggling, unable to see what was going on, “I wanna see.”

Ridley ignored Yuvna’s request but more resolutely ordered the queen to lower her weapon, “Selena, put your sword away.” The rage in Selena’s eyes subsided as the woman behind her began wailing again, the guards approached with hands firmly on their hilts, the queen regained her dignified grace quickly as they appeared by her side. Ridley knew she didn’t need them, he after all was unarmed and burdened with Yuvna, he would put up little fight if any.

A long pause of silence, except for the screaming woman, was broken by Yuvna, “ehh what's happening? I can’t see, why’ve you all gone quiet....I didn’t mean to eat your cookies...I was hungry and they where tasty...I didn’t know they where special...I..I..”

Selena cut her off sharply, “the cookies?...thats not wh...they said “special” on the packet they where in.”

Silence....even the wailing woman had gone quiet, exhausted with screaming so much. “Monster!” she shouted breaking the silence once again, “Kill her!”

“Will someone kindly remove that woman.” Selena ordered, to which two guards quietly withdrew from the standoff and escorted the wailing woman out of the throne room.

“Your majes...”

“Commander Ridley, bring Yuvna before me.” she said resheathing her sword and returning to her throne.

Ridley put Yuvna down and then gently held her by the shoulders he took a knee before the young zombie girl and looked into her lifeless eyes, “you will not be harmed...” Yuvna said nothing. Ridley spoke to her as he turned his head to regard the queen. “I shall handle this.”

[~KA3AK~]

Stil stood on a perfectly flat surface. It was checkered with black and white squares. What the hell? He bent down and touched the ground. It was made of paper! He was on a game board, standing inside one of the checkers!

Nothing beyond the board existed, not even the sky. Suddenly he noticed that he was not alone. Figures were standing all around him. However, for some reason he couldn’t tell if they were male, female or even human. Some felt hostile, while others felt friendly. Yet, there was something about them, something that united them all.

And then he saw it – they were all puppets, with strings wrapped around every moving part of their body, strings that went directly upwards into the emptiness above. They went on as far as he could see. When he tried to move he finally noticed strings tied to all of his own limbs. He was one of the puppets! A figure in somebody’s game. And he had a pretty good idea who the Puppeteer (or at least one of them) was.

Bat’s claws digging into his shoulder returned Stil to reality. The little Beast was obviously agitated. It must those bloody elves again. He was on the run for two days already. Once those elves were on your trail it was virtually impossible to lose them for they were among the best trackers in world. He was able to confuse them and win several hours of sleep, but now they figured out his little trick and would soon be upon him.

Stil quickly rose to his feet and looked around, trying to get a feel of the forest around him, drinking in the flora around him. Things were not looking good. His body still wasn’t fully healed from his encounter with Verlet See, plus there were a couple of fresh scratches, courtesy of the elves. All his belongings were lost with Celi back in the camp. He has not eaten in two days and his waterskin was almost empty. Ok, so first off he needs to find water. He could go on for weeks without food, but dehydration would kill him pretty fast. Stil finally decided on direction and started walking, ignoring the hunger and fatigue. Bat settled on his shoulder and looked around warily.

As he walked, Stil analyzed his situation. The forest was like a giant trap. Because it was surrounded by plains, he could not avoid leaving the forest without being seen. The elves were famous for their keen eyesight, which meant that in an open space they could detect him at distance of many miles. That left only one direction for him to travel – North to Garenheim Mountains. This was the most logical thing to do. However, that meant that he would have to leave Celi behind.

Stil could not make up his mind. The elves would not harm Celi. She’ll be alright as long as doesn’t do anything stupid. Besides, by now he probably had whole battalion of hunters after him. He could almost physically feel the pull of the mountains. And that made him cautious. It wasn’t that simple. Somebody built a very elaborate trap – first drew him into Woods of Sylver, took Celi away and then set the elves upon him. But why?

Then came the recollection of his dream with the game board and puppets. Was Garenheim a way out? No. It was the place he as pulled by those strings from his dream. Stil was now sure of it. The only way for him to escape was to do something unexpected, to ruin the Puppeteer’s move. He has to go South to Isternesse and find Celi, no matter how many elves are out for his life.

[Apoc]

“Commander Ridley, bring Yuvna before me.” she said resheathing her sword and returning to her throne.

Slowly Selena sat down again upon her throne. Ridley escorted Yuvna before it, then began in defence of the child, “Your Majesty, we both know perfectly well this child is already dead and most probably cannot be killed again.” Selena listened as Ridley continued, “I heard from where I stood at the door the situation, the mother of the deceased wants blood and nothing will quench her thirst for justice in this.”

“So what do you suggest commander, that I tell the mother her child’s death is irrelevant for the child that murdered it is needed by the queen?” she replied coldly. Yuvna smiled at hearing she was needed, “do not smile Yuvna, I am still at a loss of whether your importance is enough to get you off murder.” she snapped angrily. Yuvna attempted a reply but the coldness in Selena’s glare silenced her. “So what do you suggest commander?” she asked again.

Ridley spoke, slow but clear and without emotion....

****

The dead child's mother smiled coldly as she left the queens hall, seeing Yuvna’s motionless, lifeless corpse brought her a sense of justice, tears still streamed down her face at the loss of her daughter, but she could grieve in peace knowing the murderer had been brought to swift justice by the new queen.

She had wanted a public execution but the commander had said the execution of a child, though a murderer, would not have gone down well with the public after so much grief was already upon the city. She was content enough now that the child murdering monster was now at Reis’ gates as she left the Palace.

****

Ridley shook Yuvna’s shoulder, ‘she is gone.”

The dead girls pale eyes opened, “that was fun, i’m good at that game.”

Selena moved close to Ridley and whispered, “play dead? that's not justice commander, but it’ll do.”

Ridley shivered, it wasn’t justice but if the queen needed Yuvna, she had her and the grieving woman had her justice also. He still felt unclean doing it. “Your majesty, a messenger awaits...”

Selena reseated herself upon the throne, “yes, I saw, bring her before me commander if you will.” she ordered, still cold at what had just been done, she was a better queen than having to resort to deception. She looked coldly upon Yuvna who sat smiling where she had been playing dead not moments ago, she needed the girl though and now she had her, after seeing this messenger, she would send for Juin Hun.

There was silence as Ridley returned with the dark cloaked woman, “Your majesty, Aebh Ithilial of Isternesse, emissary to the emperor of Neves.”

“I greet you messenger but please, remove your hood in my presence. “ Aebh gracefully slid her hood back, revealing her elven features and beauty.

In a soft yet enchantingly powerful whisper, she spoke, “Not three days ago we learnt that the forces Taranos gathered had disappeared. We believed he was going to strike northward, this is not the case.” she paused and fixed her ageless eyes upon Selena, “We received word only yesterday from Delen’dun. Taranos marched with the Dardenian champion, Diomedeis, and a sizeable host into a storm cloud of sorcery five days ago.”

“Does this mean Taranos can strike from anywhere?” Ridley questioned.

“No.” replied Aebh smoothly, “Taranos had sent messengers north, due to Sacnoths belief that invasion was imminent like the rest of us, the messengers where killed and the messages not delivered.”

Selena rose from her throne, “what was the message?”

The elven emissary answered unflinchingly, “a call for aid.”

“Against whom?” interjected Ridley.

A silence lingered in which Yuvna came to stand between them, looking up at all the worried faces. The elven emissary replied in length, “Taranos united the south swiftly, in doing this we believed he was building an army to take control of all our lands, with what we know now, this was not the case. We have learnt that the Dardenion, Diomedeis, ordered that Taranos was to be woken, he learnt of this from a script he obtained from here, the script belonged to Alazar, I believe you know of this?” Selena nodded, “the script was delivered to us with the message, we have studied it and it is authentic. It tells of how Taranos, the one whom we refer to as the god of Terror, defeated Alazar when he roamed the earth in the ancient days. It is common knowledge now that Alazar has been reawakened, but until three days ago we did not know where.”

“But Taranos did.” Ridley surmised.

“You are correct, Taranos has gone to face Alazar and he has left the gate open for us to follow. The armies of the alliance have marched south to the storm cloud. We request your aid, dragon queen, what say you.”

Selena blanched at the directness and tone of the emperors plead, it felt like an order, she looked upon Ridley and then noticed that Yvna stood before her, pale ghostly eyes looking up at her with no emotion, awaiting her answer, then she remembered her mission, the Neverwas, she thought on it, weighing it all up, Taranos had defeated Alazar in the past, he had an enormous host already, what with Ehrenhal and Neves now going to join him, two forces that had just laid siege to her city, taking a deep breath, she replied, “No, Bloomingdale shall not march beside those that not a week ago besieged this city. Taranos has enough, I shall not leave my city open for Neves just to snap up whilst we are gone nor shall I subject my people to more war.”

She was caught by surprise as Ridley stared disbelieving at her, “How can that be your decision?” he said angrily, “did you not hear what was just said, if we do not unite together against this foe then we will stand alone and should the alliance forces fail, what then?” he yelled.

“I am sure we can defend ourselves adequately commander, do not forget I have a horde of dragons at my hand.” Selena snapped in return, “Know your place commander, your disobedience today is becoming intolerable.” she fumed.

“Your majesty,” the commander boomed, “your dragons? how do you know you can actually control them, all you have done thus far is send them to sleep, a nice trick but I have seen nothing of your dragon control and I do not wish to rely on it if Alazar comes upon us, he may take control of them...” Ridley shouted angrily.

“I know I can control them because I have...because I have...” she scraped her thoughts for where she had last seen the harmonica, she knew she had it but could not present it, ‘I can control them” she snapped loudly in return.

Ridley took a breath, settling his anger he replied sternly but in a low voice, “I strongly oppose this decision your highness”

“noted” Selena replied angrily.

Aebh raised her hood once again and turned to leave, before she did however she uttered in a soft whisper, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing.” and with that, she walked away.

Selena watched as the emissary left, then looked angrily upon Ridley, “how dare you go against my decision, i should have you flogged for this outrage, you are dismissed commander and relieved of your duties till further notice.”

The commander saluted once, turned and left. As he pulled the large doors closed behind him he took a final look upon his queen, she was fuming but still carried the grace and sereneness required of her position, she would be a fine queen without him and hopefully would see sense in what he had to now do, and the child Yuvna, looking so lost but with a mischievous grin on her face, he would miss her also, finally the doors closed as he said a silent farewell to them both.

****
“Where is everybody?” questioned the captain of the Royal Guard scratching just behind his neck where the helmets tail guard grazed slightly, pulling hairs.

“Sorry sir, what do you mean?”

“Where is Commander Ridley?” the captain asked again. The young guard went red with some embarrassment, “what, speak!”

The young guard stood straight, “i’m sorry sir, I thought you knew.”

“Knew what?” he growled.

“That Commander Ridley has gone, sir.”

The grizzled captain barked in rage, “Gone where!”

“South sir, with the elven emissary and all the light cavalry.”

[Apoc]

-epilogue

End game..

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing.

“He awaits us..” muttered Enias grimly.

“That he does.” replied Aebh with little emotion. Beyond the storming, ravaged cloud of sand, a war raged, dark and horrific. Madness was close to victory over the forces of terror, at least that is what reports had indicated.

“I do not suppose we stand much chance of victory...” commented Imrahl. Taranos was slain, of the great Dardenion, Diomedeis, nothing was known, though of his once great host, crushed and in retreat reports where certain,“...we are too few.” he voiced, it was what they all knew only too well.

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things.

The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war, was much worse. Those who had chosen not to go, to stay behind, who have nothing for which they are willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his or her own personal safety, they are miserable creatures and have no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men and women than themselves.

“Against his hordes? no. Against him....possibly. This is an end, whether ours or his, it shall be decided on the other side.” finished Ridley, and with that, they rode into the stormgate, their host following.

No one looked back...to see one last time, all that was cherished, what they where fighting for. Only the dead have seen an end to war. They did not return.

-the wars end.