Ileus: The Dark Prince

Iona chuckled at first. Then she laughed softly and then she started laughing. She looked again at the army that was marching towards Vilinski—their silhouettes looking like wisps of smoke in the fog. 

Behind her she heard the division of the armies filling in. The sound of wings beating wildly and heavy footfalls crunching on the snow was nearing her by the minute. It was as if they were ready for the battle… or not?

Etaya came to stand right next to her, her wing flared wide. Seraph lurked on the sides. "Why haven't Diumbe got in you?" she muttered with controlled anger. "You will be leading us!" When she didn't answer and continued to stare at the marching army, which had grown from tiny dots to the size of ants, Etaya got all the more agitated. "We were supposed to attack them. How come they are attacking us instead?" she said as if insinuating her. 

Iona did not respond. Tension filled around her. Her heart stuttered. The silence around her was so acute and unnerving that if someone would have dropped a pin on the snow, they would have it. 

Etaya walked to stand right in front of her. "Why did you ask me whether I had visited the tombs of the ancient faes?" Her eyes bored into her mind as if trying to get inside her skull. 

Iona tilted her head and with her chin dipped and flinty eyes said, "If I were you, I would focus on the army that is marching towards us. As for the little details about you—we will discuss them later. That is if we live!" A Diumbe slithered over her leg. 

Seraph hissed from the shadows as if hating how she talked with his wife. Iona whirled her head towards him as if challenging him to come and get her. "Because of you, Maple is dead," he addressed her with loathe. "You better make up and kill that bloody witch of your mom, or I will make sure that you never see the light of the day!" 

A dangerous smile spread on her lips and she replied, "Yes Master."

Yet another division must have assembled behind her because she heard more wings beating. This time Aed Ruad came to stand right next to his mother. The shock and surprise that the witch queen is attacking them instead must have been replaced with frustration and bitterness and rage. He looked as if he was about to kill them raw with his hands. His wings on which a spell was cast to make them look like that of fae, trembled behind him with fury. He looked at Iona as if she was responsible for this chaos. 

In reality, she was. 

The battle cry of the Draoidh army reached near them. Thousands of them. On brooms, on dragons, as wolves, and vampires—all of them led by Queen Adrianna. And she was on her broom. Wearing a golden armor, hair tied in a braid and two swords strapped on her back, she looked lethal, her glare directed at Etaya. 

Right beside her was Dmitri and behind her were Ileus and Anastasia.

And Anastasia looked… terrifyingly beautiful. All at once dangerous and soft. Her massive wings beating behind her—a spectacle she wanted to make and a statement she had to. Strapped in silver armor with her golden hair braided over the shoulder she was armed to the teeth, her Evindal sword dangling on the left of her waist, naked, glinting even in this fog. 

And it was for the first time, Vilinskians saw their princess, Anastasia with her wings flared like a wide beast. She was truly a royal. The fae soldiers had a mesmerizing impact and stared at her with awe. All of them had only one question in mind—how come the fae princess was on the opposite side? Most of them knew that she was traveling to the fae kingdoms, but she was with the Draoidh army? A shock flitted through all of them. 

When her violet gaze met Etaya, she bared her teeth in a feral smile. Etaya hissed. 

Standing on her right was Ileus, in silver armor, two swords strapped in a vee behind his back and not a place in his body that didn't conceal a weapon. His vambraces were as if they contained a secret weapon. His glare as golden as his mother's, he looked every bit of danger walking in a killing field. Shadows peeled off from him. 

"You wanted a war?" Adrianna called Etaya from her side as both sides stood face to face, ready with their gears, ready with their moods. "We've come to give one, since giving Anastasia to you wasn't an option. You see, she is married to my son." 

A murmur generated amongst the soldiers. Tension was thick in the air. On the opposite side, wizards and witches hovered in the air on their brooms, as vampires bared their canines and Yarddraks ready with their favorite weapon—axe. Two dragons with their riders were far above all of them, kissing the clouds in the sky, bobbing in and out, with their necks red with an angry breath, waiting to come out. 

"Shut up!" Etaya shouted. "Your son kidnapped her and forcibly married her." She was scared of just this. She had to nip it in the bud. She had to make her soldiers hate Ileus, hate Adrianna and the rest of the army, and then only they would attack… wholeheartedly. Yion flew to Aed Ruad's side and then flapped his wings to come to the ground. He crossed his hands across his chest. 

Anastasia sneered. "Let me remind you again, in case you have forgotten. I escaped my wedding because you wanted me to get married to your son… forcibly!" 

"You bitch!" Aed Ruad shouted. 

Ileus was about to lunge at him, but Adrianna stopped him. She looked at Anastasia who nodded and said, "I don't want to fight against my people whom you have misled, Etaya." She took a long breath as her hand went to her Evindal sword. "But I want to give you a chance to explain yourself and I will leave you. Both you and Aed Ruad can go back to Zor'gan." 

"Oh! So the fae princess has got some spine now? Eh?" Aed Ruad mocked. 

Etaya added, "Now that you have come here Adrianna, we will take Anastasia back from you and put her in her rightful place, next to my son!"

"Correction. We will put Anastasia, the rightful heir, back on the throne of Vilinski, as the queen of the fae kingdom, and free her parents from the celestial prison!" Dmitri's voice boomed. "And throw the Zor'ganians out!" 

Etaya lost all control. Her eyes wild, she clenched her fists until her knuckles were white. "Do you know who is leading the battle from our side?" Her gaze settled on Iona on her left. "Your lovely daughter." 

Iona's breath lodged in her chest. Her mother didn't give her a glance. She deserved it. The Diumbe raised further on her body. 

"Go!" Etaya yelled at her and Iona charged at them. 

As she ran the Dimube darted after her at a serpentine speed and the next moment they covered her completely.