by Unknown
As soon as the presentations were over, we hurried to our carriages. Fearghal had everything prepped and waiting, so we were able to leave immediately. It was a good thing too because we had to get home as soon as possible. As far as we knew, Earth could have already sent a contingent to put up camp around Castle Aithinne and block our arrival. Then there were those worrisome rock fey. We'd need to come up with some kind of defense technique. So we rushed down the forest path and then along the Road of Neutrality, which was about to become a lot less neutral, trying to make it home before our enemies arrived.
Chapter Thirty-Three
There was no sign of the Earth army when we got back home. Before we went inside though, we looked over the castle for any possible weaknesses. Fearghal stood with us, waiting for instruction, as the rest of our party went inside. The rest except for some of the new steam fey. They came over and surveyed the castle with us.
Castle Aithinne was beautiful in the winter moonlight. The red stone of the mountain was frosted with white but the heat could not be fully conquered. The twin flows of magma which marked the borders of the castle itself, were glowing orange in the night, their light shining off the snow and turning any that got too close into slush. This created mini waterfalls alongside the magma falls, they steamed and hissed when they inevitably fell into the magma moat that ran in front of the mountains. The moat was our best defense, separating us from the rest of Faerie, but we wouldn't be using it when Earth attacked. Hiding behind a moat was for cowards.
“It's good to be home,” one of our returned fey said.
“We're happy to have you back, Griogal,” Arach nodded. “Your release couldn't have been more timely.”
“We're all glad to be able to defend the kingdom,” Griogal nodded to the three other liberated fey. “The shutters will help,” he waved to the new shutters on the windows. “If I may recommend a few things?”
“Please,” Arach nodded.
“After seeing the abilities of the rock fey,” Griogal started, “I'd think it would be wise to reinforce the drawbridge with metal beams angled against it from within.”
“A good idea,” Arach agreed.
“And possibly metal reinforcements for at least the lower windows,” Griogal continued. “I'm sure you'll want to start the war outside but it's always good to have the option of retreat.”
“I concur,” Arach nodded to Fearghal. “Can you see to those improvements? Also, have the barricades brought up and anchored into place.”
“Yes, my King,” Fearghal ran off.
“Barricades?” I looked over the open area in front of the castle.
“We have spiked metal barricades that we'll place before our front line,” Arach explained. “If the earth fey want to rush us, they'll impale themselves.”
“Ouch,” I frowned. “What about these rocky fey? What should we do if they go all stony on us?”
“I believe the steam fey will be able to handle that,” Arach looked over to Griogal with a grim smile. “Do you think you could levitate something so heavy?”
“Levitation,” Griogal started to smile back. “That's a fantastic idea, King Arach. Yes, I think we'll be able to manage it. I'll gather the steam fey and get to practicing.”
“Excellent,” Arach nodded.
The last war I'd been in was against the Darkness but it hadn't really felt like a war. If Faerie hadn't possessed me, we would have been destroyed with barely any effort at all. No, war was an exchange of strikes between two armies and the last time I'd experienced that was when I'd been challenged by Eris and her army of the dead. I had also participated in a battle with Iktomi but he didn't have an army, well I guess he was an army of one. He didn't need anyone else. Monstrous Godzilla spiders rarely do. So again, I didn't think it was technically a war but the war with Eris had been rough. Arach had arrived in the nick of time and helped save the day but the deciding moment had been when I'd used my emerald to drain Eris of her magic and send it into the earth. If only I could do the same to the earth fey. Or even Faerie, for that matter.
I blinked. Wait. No I couldn't use the emerald on Faerie. If I pulled the Darkness out of her and drained it into the ground, it would merely send it right back into her. Also, I'd have to get her into a body to do it and the only body that could house her was mine. Still, the thought nagged at me. It bore further consideration.
“Will we be fighting on the ground or in the air?” I asked Arach as we headed inside.
“In the air,” he grinned at me. “It's where we can do the most damage as well as keep an eye on things.”
“Wouldn't it be better to have one of us on the ground and one in the air?” I didn't feel right about leaving the ground without a leader. Things look different from the sky.
“Maybe you're right,” Arach considered. “Okay, I'll be right above you if you need me.”
“Then I'm going to want some armor.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
I was trying out my new suit of fey armor on the training field when Salem approached me. It was beautiful; a shining steel breastplate worked with gold swirls that resembled flames. The flames went up my sides and around my breasts, curving up and over my shoulders from both sides. Then there was an articulated gorget, a neck piece that was surprisingly comfortable and looked more like a necklace than a piece of armor. There were swirls of gold on my shoulders to serve as pauldrons and delicate looking vambraces over my lower arms. My legs were protected by two pieces of worked steel, cuisses on my thighs and greaves over my shins, that extended up over my kneecaps. Oddly, there was no helmet. I guess no one expected to be hit in the head at a fey war. The armor was so gorgeous, I almost didn't want to use it. It was definitely going on display after the war.
“Hey, Salem,” I called out as I swung my new sword in an experimental arch.
It had been a long time since I used actual weapons but honestly, the sword felt good in my hand and also, I was afraid I'd kill someone if I used my claws. I think it was a good decision to keep me grounded and in my human form. I just wasn't experienced enough with my dragon abilities to be able to rein them back and control the bloodlust.
“Hey, V,” Salem sat next to me. “I wanted to offer my services in the upcoming battle.”
“Oh, that's okay,” I shook my head. “This isn't your fight and there are rules that might be hard for you to adhere to.”
“Such as?” He lowered his head down to mine.
“Such as, we can't actually kill anyone.”
“What?” He looked horrified.
“Yeah, the fey just maim each other until one side calls Uncle,” I laughed. “It's more like a very painful training exercise.”
“One with a lot of animosity involved,” he huffed. “You're right, I'd best sit this out. I don't know how to fight without killing.”
“I know, right?” I laughed and sheathed my sword. “That's why I'm staying in my human form. I'm afraid my dragon will want to do a lot more damage than I'm allowed to do.”
“Can I perch on the mountain and watch?”
“Of course,” I started walking back toward the castle with him following. “I'd say you could fly with Arach but I'm afraid if you get hit with something, you'll want to retaliate.”
“Good point,” he huffed and steam came out his nose. “I-”
“They're here!” Isleen came running out of the entrance.
“Formations!” I called back to the training fey. “It's time for the real thing. Isleen, have the other kingdoms arrived yet?”
The fey gathered behind me as Salem took flight, presumably to perch himself on top of our Mountains of Serenity.
“Not yet, my Queen, they've only now been notified.”
“Okay, I'll guess we'll have to start without them.” We marched through the castle and quickly out to the barricades before the army of Earth could overtake them. “Has Arach been informed?”
“He's there, Queen Vervain,” Isleen pointed above us and indeed, there he
was, shining like a ruby in the sunlight, circling above us to survey the scene. He saw me looking and let out a roar. I waved back.
“Alright, you all know what to do,” I said to the fire fey lining up in front of me. I wanted to quickly go over our plans before the Earth army got into hearing range. “The first line makes three attacks and then we lift up these levers here,” I pointed to a lever on our side of the barricades. “Which will thrust a spear out into their army and allow us to fall back so that the next line can come forward and launch their attacks. The line that leaves the front will go all the way to the back of the army and await their next turn. That way we'll all be fresh by the time we rotate to the front again.”
This had been a new concept to the fire fey, whose idea of battle had previously been to just rush their enemy and count on brute force. It had taken awhile for them to get the hang of it but now they all agreed that the idea of taking a breather between attacks was rather nice. It would give everyone an opportunity to not just participate in the battle but observe it as well, another concept that the fire fey liked.
“Now, every line has a different number of attack movements they can make before giving up the front, so that our enemy doesn't catch onto the pattern,” I continued. “Do you all know your numbers?”
“Yes!” A loud shout came from our ranks, rumbling and rolling forward. Very impressive.
I cast a glance over my shoulder and saw the Earth army setting up their positions. They were impressive as well, with a whole contingent of archers and a front line of knights. Commanding the army was King Cahal and Queen Aalish, set back behind the lines of soldiers, sitting on a pair of gorgeous unicorns. Freaking unicorns! I was so mad I could spit. Aalish doesn't ride unicorns, my ass! There she was looking every inch the Faerie Queen in leather armor and a damn skirt(who the hell fights in a skirt?) astride a black unicorn decked out in battle gear. The bitch brought a unicorn to war and every cell in my body wanted to knock her off it... and take it for myself.
I controlled my irritation and scanned the rest of the Earth army. The sidhe soldiers looked amazing, long hair streaming out around them and cold eyes surveying us with calculating looks. There weren't just the sidhe either. Among them were little fir-darrigs, a race that I unfortunately have an aversion to after having to hunt a traitorous one through the Human Realm. They looked a little like rats and in fact, appeared to be rats to unknowing humans.
There were also leprechauns, little men and women who looked kind of frightening in their small suits of leather armor. There were gnomes and boggarts(brownies gone bad), who were quite small as well but there were also dryads and the tree-sidhe were slender and tall. They had long faces with branches instead of hair and roots instead of feet. They were kind of slow but I bet if they wanted to hold a line in battle, they'd be immovable.
There were also spriggans and though the grotesque fey started small, they could grow to enormous sizes and had done just that in preparation for battle. They lumbered above the others, thick arms swinging carefully so as not to hit one of their own. Padding carefully among them all were the cats and dogs. I glanced back at our side and thought it kind of odd how we mirrored each other in that regard.
I was told the dogs of Earth were called barghests and they really only resembled canines in shape. They were much larger than your average dog, with black shaggy hair and glowing eyes, closer in appearance to wolves actually. Then there were the cat-sidhe. I was a little confused that they had come in cat form. When we'd gone to battle the Darkness, they'd been in human form, presumably to do the most damage. That they'd chosen cat form at this particular battle bothered me a little.
“Roarke!” I called back and Roarke ran up to my side. Mairi had stayed in the castle with Hunter so he could come and participate.
“Yes, my Queen?”
“Is there any advantage to being in cat form?” I waved a hand to indicate the numerous cats weaving in and out of the feet of their comrades.
“Only the ability to slip through barricades more easily,” he eyed our metal spears. “We'll need to be on guard for any trying to come through.”
“Right,” I nodded, “spread the word.”
“You got it,” he grinned and I realized he was looking forward to this battle. It was probably a good way for him to work out his issues with his old house.
I looked back over our collection of fey and felt more optimistic as well. All of the Hidden Ones were there, except for Fionnaghal, who was below with the children and Dexter. They alone generated enough fear to practically win the war. Seeing them in daylight was even more disturbing than in darkness and when I cast a glance at the other army, I saw that they were not immune. The Hidden Ones were doing just what they were made to do: scare the shit out of people.
Then there were the stunning leanan-sidhe, so deadly in their beauty. They looked positively gleeful at the chance to take as much blood as they could hold. Draining a fey wouldn't kill it, so they had carte blanche to do their worst. They stood smiling in their shiny armor, revealing little glimpses of pointed teeth.
We had our phookas of course, most in their dog forms but a few in human and even a couple in horse forms with vicious pieces of metal strapped to them. I would have called those metal pieces armor but it looked as if they were made more for damage than protection, so that would make them weapons. The phooka's sleek fur was just as black as the barghest's but their eyes were filled with fire, not just a yellow glow, and I thought them much more beautiful. Though I could be biased.
Our new group of steam fey were ready as well, most were of the sidhe variety but there had been a few goblins that had turned too and I have to add that the steam goblins were very intimidating, especially when they levitated. Then there was our fire-sidhe. They looked regal in their armor, some with armor that was actually on fire, and they stood calmly waiting for the battle to begin.
The calm ended with the fire-sidhe though. The huge red caps and their cousins, the smaller goblins, were practically jumping up and down with excitement. The imps were there as well, little red guys who resemble ewoks. They were just as excited as the goblins and among them, in pockets and riding on their shoulders, were the tiny fire pixies. The earth pixies had remained behind, they weren't warriors and I wouldn't have asked them to fight against their old house anyway. They might choose to return someday and I wouldn't want there to be any grudges held against them.
Arach roared above us, long and loud. The signal to attack. I pulled my sword and let my beasts scream out of me in a battle cry that the fey had yet to hear. A combination of wolf, lioness, leopard, and dragon, the sound that came from my throat was an eerie chord of destruction. A roaring, growling, howling noise that never failed to instill fear. The Earth army actually paused in its movement and I smiled.
“Fire and Steam!” I shouted and the first line, which included me, set swords to the ready.
The Earth army attacked but before they could even reach us, Arach swooped down and cut open their entire first line. I gaped as the earth fey scrambled and pulled back their injured soldiers. Arach roared and descended again, lifting a full size spriggan off his feet and taking him up into the air. When he was high beyond the tree tops, which were higher than five-story buildings, Arach dropped the spriggan and it fell with a horrible crash that vibrated through the ground. It laid there, groaning where it fell. The earth archers recovered from their shock and released their arrows into the sky. Arach did a rolling maneuver to evade them.
Earth rushed forward toward us and I found myself face to face with a tall and handsome knight of Earth. His green eyes were bright but grim and it was almost painful for me to hack into him. But hack I did and he fell back before my three strikes were up. I got to do one more strike against a new face but he got a strike in too. I had a dented vambrace when I lifted the lever with the rest of the line and stabbed the poor guy in the gut. As he flailed and pulled himself off the spear, I backed up and let the next row have its go.
I made my way back to the end of the rows, where those of us in the first line were going to wait for our turn again. The sounds of battle carried back to me; battle cries, the clang of steel, and the anguish of the injured. My war magic came alive inside my chest, giving me added strength and vigor. Victory came hard on War's heels and I had to tamp down the urge to rush forward and claim the day immediately. This was not the kind of battle my magic was used to and I got the impression that it would have been happier with the old rush and hack technique of the fire fey.
Among all this my wolf became restless, wanting Trevor to be beside us, and the rest of my animals simply wanted action. My legs were twitching as I tried to confine myself to an even swaying movement that would keep my muscles warm. Then I realized that I was an idiot, I was a dragon-sidhe, my muscles were hardly in jeopardy of going cold.
But standing still wasn't an option, I paced back and forth through the snow, watching over my army from the ground as Arach screeched out orders from the air. We were doing well but we were not immune to Earth's efforts, several fey were pulled back into the castle for healing. We had a room set up with some leanan-sidhe to attend the wounded, so I knew they'd be fine but it still concerned me. Especially when I saw the little earth pixies leaping over the barricade to cut into vulnerable earth fey body parts. They were screaming in delight, much too fast to be caught by the earth fey, but still, they were so little. I reassured myself with the knowledge that Earth couldn't legally kill anyone.
But what if they did? What actually prevented them from dealing killing blows? Would action be taken against them? Would we even be able to figure out which fey made the fatal strike? I felt a sudden chill slide over my skin as I realized that though laws were in place to prevent the loss of life, the Earth Kingdom hadn't exactly been playing by the rules lately.