Summer Garden

Summer

Summer stood in front of those of the Council who could gather. Half of them were missing, already working for her. This was just a formal procedure, moving through the motions.

The Faeling attached to her head tensed, digging her claws in Summer's scalp. Astrian was certainly proving to be more attached this time around. Summer sighed heavily, her wings drooping, "Honoured members, as of fourteen hours ago, I have invoked my right as Queen."

The Council looked at her grimly, most already knowing what was coming. Some shifted uncomfortably, their loyalties clearly lying elsewhere. Which was the problem. Summer knew that this would mean war, a civil war. Fae against Fae. Brother against brother, sister against sister. No family would remain undivided. Being forced to choose between the embodiment of their goddess, and the hero who had protected them against countless threats.

It was worse. Summer was supposed to be marrying one of those threats, a mortal. Janus attacking and kidnapping him would be seen as a patriotic move by so many of those that worshipped the light shining out his ass crack. There was nothing she could offer them. No reason not to join the Arbiter in a brilliant and chaotic movement that would restore the Evening Realms to their former glory.

Summer glared sideways as she felt the perceptual shift, and she saw Tyr standing there, leaning against a wall as he watched impassionately.

"I have declared a state of war." She spoke, her voice threatening to crack. An unwelcome sign of weakness.

One of the Councillors held up a hand, "Excuse me, your Highness, but how can that be? The mortals have not invaded us. There is no insurrection. With whom are you going to war?"

"There is insurrection." Summer growled angrily, as Astrian hissed from atop her head, "Janus served the Fates, and conspired with them to interfere in my affairs."

The man swallowed nervously, not expecting such a brutally direct answer, "Do you have proof of this?"

"Yio is dead." Summer replied simply, "Her sentence has been carried out. The man who was Arbiter, shall soon join her. If you continue to supply weapons, food and dust to the forces hiding in Gallan's realm, Lord Dal, you will be considered a traitor."

The man paled, freezing as if rooted to the spot. Summer glared around the room, "I am your Queen. I do not require your support to take this action. Nor do I require your help in bringing the coming battles to an end. I killed Yio, and I alone. If any of you wish to challenge my right to rule in the old way, do so. I will be waiting. I have been gentle, and I have been kind to this Council. I gave the Arbiter far more leeway than a man who attempts to usurp a throne deserves. No longer. He has taken my bride. For that alone I would be justified in taking his head as a prize. Yet more than that, he involved the celestials and took actions that broke our treaty with them. I have no need for your weapons, supplies or tactics. I have my Shadow Knight. Stay out of my way. Keep your people safe."

"I challenge." One of the councillors said, rising. He was old, and his hand shook as he drew his sword, "I will be a slave of Sumner no longer!"

Summer considered him carefully, and stepped atop the table and gestured to him, "I will not insult you by refusing your right to challenge, Lord Ashwith."

Another Fae leapt onto the table, standing between them, she stared at him in horror, "M'lord! You must not!"

Summer placed a hand on her shoulder gently, "Nor may you, Lady Ashwen. A challenge has been issued. Neither of us may interfere with it."

The young Fae woman stepped aside, biting her hand nervously, and the lord stepped towards her, pointing his sword, "The Faeling."

Summer smiled at him, "Astrian is in no danger, sir. You may proceed."

He frowned, dubious and then slashed towards her. The blade broke apart in the air as it came close to her, the fragments floating in a spiral around her. Summer shook her head sadly, "The blade was poisoned, Lord Ashwith. Who was it that gave you this?"

The man stared in horror, "Poison?"

Summer pushed a fragment gently with a gust of wind, letting it float in front of him. "Observe the purple colouration at the edge of the blade. Gingerbane, if I'm not mistaken. Painful, and fast."

The lord dropped the broken hilt to the tabletop, and fell onto his knees, "I'm sorry."

The rest of the blade fragments dropped onto the tabletop with a clatter and Summer nodded slowly, "So am I, Lord Ashwith. You know the laws that command us. The ones you have invoked. I must either break our laws, or kill an innocent man sent by a coward."

Ashwith looked up at her, passion burning in his grey eyes, "No. You must avenge my death, at the hands of the coward who sent me. My blood is upon him, and not you, my queen."

Summer crouched, touching his face gently, "Then speak this traitor's name."

"Janus."

There was a crack and the man slumped backwards onto the table, and Summer stood again, turning to the woman who had so often been a daughter to the lord who would now never be reborn. "Lady Ashwen. I grant you the titles and lands of the late Lord Ashwith. Do with them as you will."

She stepped down from the table, and walked forward, opening a rift in the air in front of her. Astrian hissed backwards at the room.

There was no room for doubt, now.

She was their queen, and this was war.