Chapter 3
The End of the Beginning
<Work In Progress>

Fire scorched the ground as I slashed down yet another of my foes. At the head of the pack, I was a monster on the field. Human bodies were scattered on the floor, and the number of orphans I created rose with each dying breath. If they wanted to remain with their families, they should not have chosen this war. I swung my great sword, forged for me personally as were my matching armor. The sword of damascus steel was dripping in fresh blood, and the brass armor I wore was an extension of my person. I looked like a dragon, a terrible beast that would ruin their cities if my horde were pestered by their greedy ambitions. I held my promise; I did not attack them first. I waited; I bided my time, trained my Merlin, prepared my armies. Jeremy was sure he would win despite my greatness, and yet I knew the truth. I knew how this would end.

The rush of the battle, however, brought me back to a simpler time - back when I was sixteen.

"Princess?" Jamison's voice seems to be the one thing pulling me from my thoughts these days. "Did you hear what I asked?"

"No, I apologize." I admitted. "What do you need?"

The boy in front of me sat up and nodded to my tea. "He asked how your tea is?"

My servant and his fearless brother sat before me at the outside lounge my mother had decorated for Fae visitors and liked so much that she did not take it down. She always liked whimsy in the castle.

Jamison and his brother looked nothing alike. Jamison was stalky, broad and built for war despite the lack of muscle. His hair was short and the same brown color as his brother - Percival, if I'm not mistaken - but the eye color and skin tone varied. Jamison was richer than Percival despite both being pink in pigment, with deep green eyes that resembled the lake in Teledge. Percival's hair was more unruly than his sophisticated brother, with brown eyes similar to honey. Percival was more handsome than his brother, but that did not matter if he meant nothing to me. No amount of butterflies could logically give me a reason to trust him, even if his voice was like the violin. Charmer, I'll cut out his tongue.

"My tea is fine. Let's discuss more important matters now." I assured.

Jamison chuckled, "I told you she was like this, Percy."

"You did warn me. But I'd like to know what important matters are." Percival said.

"You sound suspicious. You wouldn't mind sleeping in the dungeons for a month?" I asked. "Important as in Merlin Leseque. I'm getting him tonight, and I will be speaking with the Midnight Council in the Dark Keep about Jeremy Doneuuald. What should I say to the women there?"

"Merlin doesn't scare you?" Percival went to take a sip from his cup, but noticed my gaze and sniffed it first.

"Should I be? There is nothing about a failure that intimidates me."

Jamison cleared his throat. "That failure could lead us to victory."

"That victory," I turned to Jamison, "is mine to take. You discredit me."

"I am not, I'm only saying that it will be Merlin who they idolize. Not you. It will be Merlin this, Merlin that. He is the strongest witch we have ever seen."

"Then you have not watched me closely, Jamison." I said, and excused myself from my seat. I could hear Percival laughing, but at who was the question. Perhaps I'll never know.

My sixteenth year of life was rough, but year seventeen wasn't any better. Heraclius started planning for my coronation for the next year and urged me to find a suitor. Leave the upcoming war up to him and find love so that I may rest soundly. I refused to listen to that, so I worked harder than ever. I worked as though I was already queen. Percival was sent to me more and more throughout this year as well, and despite all odds I started to ignite for him. On the eve of my birthday, he sat down with me in my quarters and discussed my work ethic with me, and I found myself entertained by him. There weren't many people who could make me laugh as he could.

"I'm still surprised you are not dead, Lada. It amazes me that you live this way." Percival said.

"I am a woman of the people," I assured him.

Percival looked over at me and nodded a little. "Only the people? Is there nothing that gives you personal satisfaction?"

"Perhaps there is, but I wouldn't know."

"Would you like to know?"

With that request, we stared each other down. I knew what he wanted, and he knew what I wanted. It was selfish to choose myself over my people, but despite that I decided to let myself enjoy the night. When the sun rose, he asked me to marry him and, with a sigh of pure satisfaction, I said yes.

One year later, he watched me become queen and his wife. He became my husband, a king by marriage and not blood so he belonged to me more than I belonged to him. When we reached twenty, it was finally time to conceive. My first born was everything I ever dreamed of - a little baby girl who was the most well behaved newborn I had ever met. Merlin took a liking to her right away.

"Merlin, careful with the stairs. Celine could fall, and that would be your head." Percival laughed.

"I'm being careful with her, your Majesty." Merlin smiled, and lifted Celine up and pretending she leaped as high as a frog to the floor just to hear her giggle and clap. "Gods above, Lada. I really love her already."

"As you should. When I am gone, you will serve her." I smiled at my infant and waved before Merlin captured her attention once again.

"Maybe I should have a kid. I'm good at being a father." Merlin laughed. "Better than Percy, in my opinion."

"Give me my daughter back!" Percival demanded with a hearty laugh, and Merlin returned my princess back to my king.

The next child I had, a failsafe for Celine if anything were to happen to my precious heiress, was unfortunately a boy. I would have just thrown him into an orphanage and tried again if Jeremy wasn't getting too frisky. I left the care for our son, Malyen, to Percival while I took my time teaching and bonding to Celine.

I realized how much she meant to me months ago, in the Battle of Meldrift. I stood on a battlefield not just fighting for my honor and my country, but for the little six year old girl waiting for her mommy to come home. I did not want to be the same as my mother was to me to Celine. I did not want my heiress, my beautiful little firefly, to grow into the beast I have become. In my grief, I destroyed myself. Celine will not do the same, not while I breathe.

I swung my sword, I breathed fire, I tore apart my enemies one by one until there was nothing left of them but the blood on my blade. I had no mercy for them and their offspring; I only cared for my own. When the Battle of Meldrift was over, I reconvened with Percival, Merlin, and the Matrons. Tatiana Greenbriar had fallen already, so I did not bother looking for her. Enid Silverbark, however, was a surprise I did not expect.

"Your Majesty," Merlin said, "Enid Silverbark is dead."

My spine shivered, but I nodded and looked at my remaining allies. "We are doing well. We have reclaimed Meldrift. It will need financial assistance in rebuilding like Noxhaven and Ivorford, but at least we are still holding strong."

"They nearly had us." Percival agreed. "They could still turn it around, Lada. I don't mean to alarm you, but I would like to visit our children before the next battle."

"We may not have time for that." Renske shook her head at him. "We need to be fast with our next battle."

I spoke up after her, feeling the ache in my heart for my child. "No, Percival is right. It's been three months since I've seen Celine. I say we find where they are striking next and stop them before they even reach it, then Percy and I will return home for a few days to ensure the princess of our survival."

Merlin nodded along to my words and quickly agreed. "I think we can do that."

Now I stand, at twenty-six years of age. A queen for nine years, leading my people to victory. I stand on the battlefield in which another victory was won. With the last of my foes defeated - I fought as hard as I had in the Battle of Meldrift. Percival, the love of my life, took my hand and kissed me on the battlefield before we started for the camp. After a few hours of cleaning and planning around our departure, I was in a carriage being taken home. In that battle, I won but I felt like I lost. I had a deep, guttural feeling that something was amiss. Yet, I did not care. My darling Celine waited for me on the steps of the castle with her brother and Lillian La Croix of Teledge, shipped here after her own tragedy, as well as the other royals that now did not have a home from this war.

"Mother!" Celine yelled, and I pulled her into my arms as Percival lifted Malyen off the ground. My baby cried on my shoulder and when we were safely inside, she started to ramble on about all the ways she fulfilled her duties as a princess. I tasked her with patrolling, which she assured me she did everyday. Her tutors gave her book after book to improve her reading and language - she may only be six but I have big plans for my firefly. Finally, she showed me her masterpiece. She cupped her hands together and thought so hard her face became red, but finally her hands combust into flames. Gods, it was like looking in a mirror. She had my eyes, my hair, my gaze, my smile. "Did Grandfather show you that, dearest baby phoenix?"

"He did!" Celine smiled. "He is sick, but he makes time for me. He will be with us forever, right?"

I cupped her cheek gently. "If Grandfather is sleepy and sick, he may want to sleep for a very long time soon Celine. Keeping him forever defeats what makes him so special in the first place."

"Will I sleep forever, Mother?" Celine asked, fear in her voice.

I pulled my daughter close and shook my head firmly. "No, baby bird. You're a phoenix, remember? When you flicker out, you rise again. You will not sleep like that for a very, very long time."

Celine smiled and held me close to her, and within the hour we fell asleep on the couch together. Just me and my baby bird, my firefly. My phoenix; she will be all I could ever dream to be. No matter the monsters she may face, I graced her with my power of light and destruction to vanquish her foes into ash. I am Ostines' sword, and she will be Ostines' savior.

The week I spent with my family was one of the most peaceful weeks of my life. Malyen tried to bond with me once more, and I humored him for a little while. I mostly spent my days on walks through the gardens with Celine, together with my staff and my family in the kitchen, or in my bedroom with my husband. I watched Celine and Malyen play 'war' and battle each other with sticks. As Malyen started winning, I saw Celine prepare a blast of fire and stood as she unleashed it. She slightly burnt Malyen's swordhand - her flame too dull to do any real damage - and as he screamed she whacked him with her stick and successfully won the war.

"Mother!" Celine cheered. "I did it!"

As Celine celebrated, Malyen rushed to me like a sniveling dog. "Mama, she burned me! Mama, tell her she's not allowed to do that!"

He looks so much like his father with none of the backbone. "Malyen, dear, Celine was being smart. In war, you don't win fairly. You win by showing the other your strength and power."

"I win! I win!" Celine said happily, but rushed to Malyen's side and gently kissed his burnt hand. "I win, and you lose! Now you have cooties!"

Malyen started screaming with how upset he was, so I had Percival go and deal with him while I went back inside and got him some ice water for his barest of burns. The kitchen was empty, but I did not care for where the servants were at the moment. They could do as they pleased as long as they worked hard enough. I poured the water into a small cup and started filling it with ice as I heard footsteps behind me. "Jamison, is that you?" I asked, and continued speaking without caution. "This vacation away from the war has been good to me. I feel much better now than I ever had before. Celine is learning well, and Malyen is slowly learning the same. I don't know why I havent started loving him yet, but perhaps it's just the tactician in me regretting his existence. What do you think, Jamison? How do I love him?" Finally I turned, and there in my face was my very own brass sword. In the hands of a man who should never have had access to this place. "Lord Torrance Nevil, what a surprise."

"Greetings, Dragon Queen." The darkest lord of the hellscape known as Chiadan said to me. "Lovely to listen to your family drama, but we have more important issues to deal with."

"How did you get here?" I demanded, my hands sparking with power.

Torrance chuckled when he noticed the embers on my hands. "I wouldn't be so quick to kill me. There are more of us."

"How," I demanded again, "did you get here?"

"A little snowflake signaled a path around your walls. You know, it's not nice to have mothers beat their children, Silverbark said. This ends here, you monster. We will kill you, your children, your friends, and your allies all remaining here. With your bodies still inside, we will destroy this castle and leave your spirits in this hovel." Torrance gloated. My own destruction was mirrored back at me in those colorless eyes of his. He had the upper hand, but all was not lost. Behind him, I could see a familiar head of blonde hair. Lillian of House La Croix in Teledge, who had been sent here after an attack under our noses caused the death of her family. She stood there, a near five year old child, and was ready to whatever I ordered. I would not leave this kitchen alive, I understood that. However, this child - this poor thing who faced more trauma in her youth than I have - now held the fate of my child in her hands.

With this realization coming into her eyes as it did mine, I rose my hands and sent a flurry of embers into his eyes to blind him. Lillian gasped as I started to wrestle for my sword, my hands cutting up and bleeding rapidly at the sharpness of the blade. "Warn them!" I cried, and the girl did not move. "Warn them, Lillian! Find them, and warn them now! Your Queen demands you to move!"

She wailed as Torrance knocked me to the floor. I never saw what happened next. I heard footsteps, close and far, but I saw nothing but red when the sword plunged into my back. I slowly started to bleed out, and it became more rapid as Torrance pulled the sword out. Burning pain seized my back, and my hearing became foggy. Was this what mother experienced when she died? Perhaps I will never know.