༶•┈┈⛧┈♛Foxgloves and Greenleaves ♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

Chapter 13: Miranna

My hands quiver at the very sight of the orc army. Not only did my life matter, but thousands of other elves did as well. The presence of Mornag makes my fear no better than before.

"Where is the King?" Mornag demands, looking up from his ax. "Does he still grieve for that Telerin witch?"

Anger blooms in my chest. How dare that murderous monster insult my mother, much less kill her!

"The king is dead!" I answer, drawing my sword. "The new ruler of Delmaris stands before you."

"I will not waste my time battling a she-elf! Where. Is. The King?"

"You fool!" Legolas cries. "You stand before Miranna Foxglove, the new queen of Delmaris!"

I shoot Legolas a glare, but he pretends not to notice.

"Oh, is that little foxglove all grown up?" he mocks. "I remember giving you that scar as if it were yesterday."

Ignoring Mornag, I turn Virago around, looking each of my soldiers in the eye. It seemed as if I were the only one who showed fear, for their faces were expressionless.

"Brothers and sisters of Delmaris!" I call out. "Fear neither death nor bloodshed, but the fate of those around you when this battle is lost. I fear neither of those things, but I fear for the future of Delmaris and its people. Join me today in bloodshed, for time and tide do not wait. Tell me brothers and sisters, will time and tide wait for the enemy?" I ask, pointing to the orc army with my sword. "Will they wait for evil to pass through these gates?"

They beat their swords and tridents against their shield like a drum. "They wait for none!"

"Will they wait as the darkness shadows Delmaris?"

"They will not wait!"

"And will we, brothers and sisters, will we wait for a glorious victory?"

"WE WILL NOT WAIT!"

I raise my sword in the air as Virago whinnies, standing on her hind legs. "My people and I fear not you and your army, Mornag! Death shall reap and harvest, for it does not wait!"

The tall, dark orc raises his ax in the air. "Fools! Fools you all are! Fools rush death, just like your parents did!"

"Then I hope you are ready to meet it Mornag, since yours will be slow and steady."

Without another word, I charge into battle, yet the orc army still stands their ground. An arrow fires from behind me, hitting a goblin in its eye.

"Oh, no you don't, elf prince." I whisper underneath my breath as the first orc meets my sword. I decapitate the bald head of another and slice the chest of a fat goblin.

"Four already, Miranna!" Legolas yells. "Five! Six! Seven!"

"War is not a contest, elf prince!" I smirk as I slide off my horse and land on the ground, surveying the incoming orcs. I nock three arrows at a time and manage to shoot two. I roll to the side, shooting another one with its knife held high above its head. Before it falls to the ground, I roll again to the side and stand upright. I cup my hands around my mouth and whisper a Telerin spell under my breath.

"VOLLEY!" The spell amplifies my voice so that it is thrice as much as its usual volume.

A rain of arrows narrowly overlooks the elves, but bury themselves in the orcs.

Legolas bursts forth from the trees, stabbing yet another orc with his knife. "How many dead?" he asks over the clashing of metal and blood-curdling screaming. "I have killed twenty already."

"Too little!" I yell back, shooting a pale goblin. "Where is Mornag?"

"Little foxglove," A hoarse voice rasps behind me, "why are you so eager to meet death?"

But before I could turn around to meet Mornag, a heavy force sends Legolas and I flying in the air. Luckily, I land on the ground, leaving a deep divot. The same could not be said for Legolas.

He collides into a tree with a sickening crack!

"LEGOLAS!" I scream. I reach for him, and scream again, but not out of concern. A sharp pain shoots from my stomach, bringing tears to my eyes. I look down and almost scream again.

A piece of wood is buried deep within my torso with blood beginning to trickle from it. Removing it would only increase blood loss. Nevertheless, I crawl over to Legolas, biting my lip whenever pain shoots up from my torso.

"Miranna," Legolas whispers, weakly pointing in front of him with a finger, "behind you."

I look behind just in time to see Mornag charging towards us at an alarming rate. I quickly sling Legolas over my shoulders with difficulty and jump out of the way.

Mornag's ax chops the tree, sending a rain of splinters. I shield Legolas with my body as the fragments of trees beat against my armor.

I stand up and draw my sword once again. I start to make my way towards Mornag, but something tugs at me from below. I look and find Legolas, weakly pulling on my cuff.

"Meleth nin," he pleads, spitting out blood, "do not do this."

I kneel to the ground until I was face to face with him. His eyes, half-open half-closed, beg me to stay. If Mornag had not caused so much strife for me and if I were a different elf, perhaps I would have.

"Leithio nin, mellon." I answer, pressing my forehead against his. "Av-'osto. If fate allows me to pass through the doors of shadow-"

"Do not utter those words again, Miranna. I will not lose another she-elf to fate."

I take his hand into mine, interlocking our fingers. "Fate is an unfair being, elf prince—it takes what it wants and leaves behind nothing. That is its nature and there is nothing you can do to stop it. You know my nature, elf prince. And there is nothing you can do to stop me."

I release his hand and stood up, facing Mornag. His ax shines in the pale sunlight, slick with blood—my blood.

"It has been long enough, Mornag!" I taunt. "Your reign of terror ends today!"

"Are you here to avenge your parents' death or to prepare for a family reunion?" he cackles. "Tell me little foxglove, how many sacrifices must you make until you become a sacrifice yourself?" His gaze turns to Legolas. He lifts a corner of his crusty lip.

"Lay a hand on him and you'll find my blade through your heart." I threaten. "Your fight is not with him."

He points his ax at me. "Indeed, it is with you."

I run towards him as he raises his ax high in the air. For my parents. For Deltus. For Delmaris. An eye for an eye. When he brings his ax down, I slide between his legs, making an arc with my sword from his stomach to his back. I skid to a stop on the other side, panting out of exhaustion. Yet every time I breathe, a sharp pain explodes in my chest.

The grass below starts to collect a dark liquid—blood. I look down, regretting my decision to do so.