Arthur watched as Faye and Philip giggled in the cell across from him, feeling subtle jealousy. That afternoon a troll came by and opened Arthur's cell, roping his hands and leading him down the corridor. Wanting to see his true captor, Arthur had allowed it. Philip had stuffed Faye into his hat as they had walked by, but shot Arthur a sympathetic glance. Arthur moved throughout the drafty castle behind an armed troll. He was more trapped about the corridors than in his cell. They led him to what appeared to by a large dark throne room. There was a vaulted stone ceiling with large red banners hanging from it. There was also a large red runner carpet along the rough stone floor. It led to a flight of stairs, with an elaborate red throne at the top. 

     "You're going to meet the queen!" The guard shouted excitedly. 

      "The queen wears red!" The troll behind him shouted back. The led him closer until he came upon a black "x" on the carpet. 

     "Kneel!" The guards demanded. Arthur kneeled as told. A red glow entered the room from behind the throne, it stretched and morphed into a human sized fairy, or imp more accurately. The imp had flowing black hair, red skin, black wings, and an elaborate red and black dress. She wore a headpiece that appeared to be made of shrunken petrified trolls. Her face was ethereal with plain black eyes, and deep black lips. 

     The trolls formed a semi circle around Arthur, and kneeled deeply to the ground. The queen silently descended the stairs and walked over to Arthur. She lifted his face from his chin. 

     "Guards! Bring our guest a drink." She yelled, and it made the hair on his neck stand on end. Arthur wanted nothing more than to scurry back to his head. But the trolls did as they were told and brought Arthur a chalice full of red liquid. He assumed it was wine. "I've brought you here, Arthur, because I cannot have you getting in my way."

     "Your way when you do what?" Arthur dares to ask, and the trolls gasped. 

     "All in good time, my dear. You might wonder how I know of you when you know nothing of me." The trolls were clearly at the woman's service, with servers surrounding her on the top step. Trolls were unintelligent, but they were grumpy, and self contained. Arthur wondered how the queen might have gone about annexing them. If he knew trolls, it likely wasn't willingly. 

     "What do you mean?" Arthur dared to ask. His fear was fading quickly. For the first time he looked behind the throne. There were hundred of thousands of cubbies with what appeared to be red glass covering them. Not windows, the hive. He had finally found the imp hive. 

"I'm what you might call an enemy of your father." The queen picked at her king blackfingernails as she spoke. "You're quite like him, you know. Not an ounce of respect." The queen rolled her eyes. "Though similar in another regard. You both are of great use to me."

"Wouldn't the prince offer better leverage?" Arthur questioned, hoping to trade his life for the prince's. 

     "Ah. The prince. A valuable catch indeed." She said staring into his eyes. "For this world. For the downfall of the bumbling king, and Hilderberry. You, on the other hand have a much greater purpose, but shall be offered a greater reward if you comply."

     "You wish to buy my loyalty?" Arthur wondered aloud.

"You have no loyalty." Arthur flinched, but he knew she was correct. "Unlike your wretched father." Her face darkened. "I need you to do something for me."

"What do you wish me to do?"

"I want you to kill the Fairy Queen." The imps lips curled into an awful sneer. 

"What?" Arthur chocked on his whine.

"And if you do so, you may live."

"How could I possibly kill the fairy queen?" Arthur questioned. 

"All in good time. For now I need you out of my way, before you attempt something you'll regret. Don't worry, it's an old trick of my people... the sleeping curse." She said turning away from him.
"Wha..." Arthur began as the room started spinning. 

"The wine. It was poisoned. Tomorrow I will assassinate the prince at dusk, and march forth on the kingdom while the king is heartbroken, at dusk I shall slaughter the light fairies during 'The Overtaking' when they are least powerful, then you shall awaken and fulfill your use. When you have succeeded and the fairy queen is dead I shall control all of the realm." She shank back into a light and flew into the heart of the hive, where she could rally the imps. 

"No!" Arthur yelled in his weaker state reaching forward, but he dropped to the ground, the room beginning to go dark. The light fairies would have a sneak attack when they were weakest, and when their two strongest allies, the elves and the king are dealing with other issues; The Trollven War, and the loss of a child, Philip.