| Long Live The Queens |

Chapter Three

"My queen," Blythe speaks up.

"Blythe we have talked about this, I am not your queen, I am your friend," I smile as we look over our home.

The homes are being held up by the trees that are growing in the swamp. The pathway we have made to the palace all the way to the end of our territory that enters into the forest land.

"You were my queen way before I was your friend," I nod before standing up and tracing my throne.

The bones of the last rulers, all 824 bones are here. The family of four I murdered in vengeance.

"Mother! Father!" I cry, they are both not breathing with blood coming out of their eyes.

We were on our way out of the palace and they collapsed. My parents asked for permission to leave the swamp land and live in the desert land and they happily agreed.

"Help them!" I scream at the guards, they stand watching my parents. None offering the help they would.

"I see your parents didn't make it to the desert land after all. We have spared you since you are a mere child but remember that no one leaves this kingdom alive," The queen tells me before walking away with her husband.

The royal guards threw me out of the palace. I vow that I will avenge my parents and kill the royals.

It's been 4 years since my parent's death. I am 16 now and I finally will get my revenge. Bronwen, an old warrior who hated the laws of the kingdom has been training me. He told me when I become the queen that he hopes I do better than the old ones.

I kneel in front of the queen, king, and their children. The line behind me is groaning as they have been waiting for hours to get time with the royal family.

"What do you want... Speak!" The queen yells not knowing what is about to happen.

"Vengeance," I yell before uncovering my hood and slicing their youngest child's throat.

His blood splatters on my face before I slice their eldest daughter's throat. The royal guards are quick to run from the doors but they are too late, the king is dead and I hold the queen against my body with the sharp blade to her throat.

"Any of you move... well she is already going to die. If you move when I become the queen you will be executed and fed to the fish with the sharp teeth," The queen is struggling against me.

"Please have mercy on me, I'll step down willingly!" The queen yells.

The people of this kingdom stand shocked but their eyes aren't filled with anger. They have another look in their eyes, the look telling me they want her dead.

"Like you had mercy on my parents when they wanted to leave. Did you have mercy when they had blood coming out of their eyes? Did you have mercy when you had your guards throw me out as an orphan?" I scream in her ear, startling her.

"No..." She answers my question truthfully before having the blade stabbed into her heart.

"For that, you get a quick death," I drop the queen's body to the floor.

"Bow to your new queen!"

The crowd of people is quick to bow and start smiling. The royal guards are shocked but bow anyway.

"What are our plans for today?" I think out loud as I look over the houses I see.

"We can visit the child warriors or visit the child warriors," Blythe offers, knowing I love visiting them.

My red dress is made of different materials from the different tailors around the kingdom. It drags on the ground, the end covered in dirt and dried algae.

We walk onto the path of the cracked bricks. The pink color of the bricks represents one of my favorite colors.

The child warriors are training in one of the rare spots where the swamp is just grass.

"My queen," The children greet me with respect before bowing their heads.

"How is their training going?" I ask the teacher before standing next to her.

"They are all doing very well and even exceed in fighting but they have been failing in their defenses. If we were to send them into battle right now then they would all be killed," The children are quick to have shame on their faces.

"Then let them practice on me,"

"Are you sure my queen?" I nod before taking my crown off my head and handing it to Blythe.

"Two at a time!" The teacher yells, before two stand and come up to me.

We work on hand combat before teaching our warriors on the sword. They stand next to me, they are at the height of my stomach. The children are only 8 but we need them trained up until the time they die in battle or on the rare occasion they have exceeded the age of fighting.

"Hold your right arm to protect your face and your left arm to protect your stomach. If enemies strike your stomach or face then you are immediately dead. You have more of a chance of making it out alive if they strike your arms or legs," I tell the children before they both bring their arms where I tell them.

"Hand me my sword," Blythe nods and brings me my sword.

"My queen, they haven't advanced to sword combat!" The teacher expresses concern.

"You're dismissed," The teacher doesn't fight back anymore and leaves.

"Fight back, hurt me, do whatever as if you were in a fight with an enemy!" I yell at the children before bringing my sword down on the two children.

One of the children punches me in the stomach and the other tries to side sweep my leg. I block one of the children's kicks and slightly slice their stomach before focusing on the one child. The child kicks my arm before pushing me backward with a punch. The child successfully side sweeps my leg before kicking the sword out of my hand and taking it away.

The child looks scared that she put her queen on her ass. I smirk triumphantly as I twist the child's arm and acquire my blade back.

"This child trains with me from now on and lives in the palace!" I yell out, the children grasp as I smile at the little girl.

"Bring her with us and call back the children's teacher," Blythe nods before I walk away.

This child will be my protege, I have no intentions of birthing a new heir to the throne. I have been waiting years for a child warrior to be as advanced as she is, this will be the kingdom's next queen.