The screech of metal on metal echoed across the field as Fae furiously fought for their lives. A sea of soldiers in royal blue crashed violently against the deep purple of their enemies. Battle cries and wounded yelps added to the symphony of war, threatening to crush them beneath the rolling weight of their armour laden bodies. The outcome of the battle will be forever ingrained in Fae history as the blood of the dying mixed into the muddy ground beneath our feet.

Ducking low underneath a heavy swing of a faceless soldier’s sword, I laughed joyously and sliced my own along his inner thigh. The blue metal shimmered beautifully in the moonlight as I twirled to face my next opponent. Whisking the twin swords through the air, I slashed them down in a X formation across the next purple clad soldier’s neck. Her head tipped back from the force, releasing a spray of blood that splattered against my bare face.

Pointed teeth on display in a manic grin, I continued to cut my way through Mab’s forces. My own warriors were rows behind me as I dived into the thick of things where living was based on skill. The battle had been raging for over two hours now with no end in sight and already I could see her army faltering. They were adequately trained but fought with the fear of facing Mab’s wrath if they lost the battle. While my warriors fought with the need to win and the need to live for their loved ones. And it was because of this, that I would win the battle against Mab.

The throne and Kingdom I created was mine to keep and she knew that, was threatened by it. Her hatred of me and the knowledge that her sons wouldn’t be able to defeat me if I ever decided I wanted the Unseelie throne, caused her to send me away. Somehow she had decided that banishment to the Outerlands would be a better solution for the both of us and it was for a time. I waged wars across the Outerlands, conquering all who opposed my rule and made them into an actual society. The Outerlands that were once a lawless and wild place was now the recognized Kingdom of The Banished Fae. A Kingdom that I’d fought long and hard to create and I’d be damned before I allowed some pompous bitch to come and steal my citizens away. She hated the fact that I was a Queen but she wanted my Kingdom for a sinister reason and I’d rather die than let that happen.

Squatting low, I dropped to a knee and spun with my swords out at an angle to cut the achilles of the soldiers surrounding me. Toppling like dominos, I had a better view to search the crowd before me. Come out, come out wherever you are...Easily blocking the downward strike of a malce with one sword, I gutted the soldier with the other while still scanning for the one I sought. Gotcha! Through a wall of waving swords and shields, I spotted her on the hill above the fighting looking just as disinterested at what was going on around her as always. Pushing forward, I dug my feet deeper into the mud in an effort to avoid slipping in the onslaught of rain while cutting down the soldiers who separated us.

Mab’s hands tightened slightly around the reins of her mare when I finally reached her causing me to release a sharp tsking sound, “Ooooh do not make me that person, Mab. Nobody likes a horse killer.”

Twirling my swords in hand, I paced a few steps closer to the Unseelie Queen. Mab’s deep purple locks were pulled back into a tight bun at the base of her neck leaving a few curls to frame high cheekbones. Porcelain skin was smooth and clear as shrewd violet eyes casted a cold look over my bloodied form. Her own luxurious war robes embroidered in gold and dyed the deep velvety purple of her Kingdom were pristine with not a drop of blood to be found.

Red painted lips pulled down at the corners before she addressed me, “Macha. I see you haven’t changed.”

I smiled, giving her a peek of my pointed teeth, “Neither have you. Still taking what doesn’t belong to you, I see.”

My double meaning hit its mark as purple brows drew delicately together, “Everything belongs to me, it is my destiny. Surrender and I might allow you to live like I have your entire life.”

Releasing an incredulous laugh, I spit, “Surrender? This ends with your blood soaking the earth. There is no other way.”

“You’d kill your own mother?”

“Claiming me in public now, are we? Risky, risky, Mother.” I taunted with a sharp grin. “We wouldn’t want people knowing that Prince Tidhg’s not the first born, now would we?”

Her cheeks flushed as violet eyes lit with frosted flames, “Useless bastards hold no rights to the throne or the royal family. You know that.”

A shadow of pain gently tore at my heart from her words, “I don’t want your throne, Mab. My younger brothers can have their fun trying to rip it from your clawed hands but you want mine.”

Little purple sparks jumped around her hands causing the horse beneath her to shift on its hooves in fright. Mab’s eyes began to glow signaling that her famously controlled temper was starting to fray, “The Outerlands are not your Kingdom. They are under my rule and to claim yourself their Queen is high treason.”

My lips twisted into a harsh smirk, “Like me, mother. You left them out beyond the walls to fend for themselves. You allowed those once proud Unseelie to become twisted in their journey to survive and I just know how it must sting to see both Unseelie and Seelie banding together beneath a single flag of royal blue. Beneath your first born bastards rule.”

Mab’s lips twisted into a ugly snarl that was identical to my own. And then I had only the slight jerk of her wrist to warn me before a bolt of raw energy struck my left shoulder. Teeth grinding in pain, I felt weightless as my body tumbled through the air for a few seconds before slamming back down into the muddy ground. Coughing, I shook my head to clear the ringing in my ears and pushed myself to my feet. Rolling my shoulder, I could feel that even though the blow would’ve killed a lesser Fae only the top layer of skin was burnt to a crisp. A little flesh wound, then.

Running my tongue over pointed teeth, I gave her a smile before spitting out the blood that collected on it. Flipping my palms to face the sky, I waited until the cool metal of my swords hit them to speak. “First shot was free. Now, let’s see who really deserves to be Queen.”