Fight

It was time.
Fedelm tightened her boots and laced them up. She donned her sword and tied up her hair. She couldn’t afford for it to get in her way at the crucial moment. She lifted her sword and closed her eyes working through the motions as she’s been planning them. Sirona might be faster than her, but she had the advantage of a strategy.
Arawn had chosen her for reasons that many others had overlooked in her youth. Sirona’s stance was narrow but widened and staggered as she attacked. Her lunge was strong, but if Fedelm slipped just to the side of it, Sirona would be thrown off balance and that was when Fedelm would have the most advantage.
She wouldn’t recover quickly. The folly would keep her unsure and allow Fedelm to control the pace so long as she kept tripping Sirona up and getting inside her defenses.
She stepped aside and turned just to the left as the Sirona in her mind tumbled forward. She caught her balance quickly and Fedelm stepped aside, avoiding the swipe of the vision’s blade as she turned. She could see her wide green eyes narrow in shock and harden with determination and anger.
Anger was good. It would make her reckless, sloppy. They’d cross swords a few times. Fedelm would play with her mind enough for her to start relaxing her form before going on a fierce attack and driving her to the edge until the major opening came.
She stepped lightly to the left then the right and turned before driving her sword forward landing the blow in the chest of the dummy. She opened her eyes and smirked.
Sirona was as good as dead. A shoulder wound in her sword arm might heal quickly, but it would be enough to disarm her and kill her by sword or by her bare hands.
She slipped her sword into the sheathe at her waist and turned. She took a deep breath and turned to leave the room heading towards the gardens where Captain Daran told her she had gone after dinner.
It was the best time to catch her off guard. Fedelm kept her steps light as she moved through the garden towards where Sirona sat in meditation.
She stepped out slowly and unsheathed her sword. Sirona turned. Her brilliant green eyes fell on Fedelm and Sirona hesitated a moment, shocked to see her there.
She hadn’t felt or heard Fedelm getting closer, but now that she saw her, she felt her presence. A stirring of irritation went through Sirona, seeing her. She’d already stolen Arawn from her earlier, what did she want now?
She narrowed her eyes at Fedelm. She was dressed to go riding in a plain white blouse.
“What is your plan?” Sirona asked looking at the sword in her hand.
“Conjure your sword and find out,” Fedelm said lightly. “I’m curious what kind of woman he’s bought to my palace.”
Sirona narrowed her eyes, hearing the twinge of a lie in her voice before Sirona conjured her rapier. Fedelm’s eyes dropped to the sword for a moment, and she didn’t lift her sword, adopting a stance that Sirona didn’t recognize.
It was nothing like Arawn’s style, but her eyes didn’t have even a glint of mercy in them. They were cold and resolved. They were a murderer’s eyes. A chill went down Sirona’s spine. She lifted her rapier and watched her carefully. Fedelm was here to kill her. She felt that somewhere deep in her bones, but why?
Was this about Arawn? What right did she have to come here to fight Sirona? Didn’t she know who was more important to Arawn between them?
“You make it sound like I’m not good enough,” Sirona said. “I’d almost be offended if I didn’t know better.”
Fedelm’s expression remained cold. She didn’t even seem irritated. It only irritated her more.
“We’ll see.”
Her tone irked Sirona and the irritation sparked, pushing her forward to attack. Fedelm lifted her sword just enough to knock Sirona’s blade off course. Fedelm aimed a vicious strike into Sirona’s side, knocking her aside. Pain pulsed in her side as she stumbled away and turned on Fedelm. The woman hadn’t moved from her place. Sirona’s heart lurched as she drew back to recover. She hadn’t been prepared for Fedelm to be so serious or so trained. She’d have to be careful.
“Well?” Fedelm asked.

Captain Duran walked down the hallway, thankful to be off duty. He saw Druid further down the hallway and smiled.
“Druid,” he called. The man turned with a beaming smile. “It is good to see you.”
“Soren Duran, it has been a long time! How are you these days?”
“In service of a strong leader,” he said, “And in good health. I cannot complain. Forgive me for not offering formal greetings when you arrived.”
Druid waved his hand, “Don’t be ridiculous, Soren. I am not someone so important.”
Soren walked to stand beside him looking down on the city from the balcony.
“Queen Fedelm is lucky to have your service,” Druid said, “I do not think anyone could be more suited for the position.”
Soren hummed, leaning on the balcony, “It was a fulfilling decision.”
“Druid.”
Soren looked up as Arawn appeared overhead. He drifted down, cocking an eyebrow at Soren as he land on the balcony. Druid sighed.
“Have you seen Sirona?” Arawn asked.
“Your companion?” Soren asked, “She is in the garden.”
Arawn stiffened, narrowing his eyes at Soren, “How would you know that?”
“It is my job to know the goings-on in the palace,” Soren said stiffly. “And Her Majesty asked that your companion be watched.”
Druid turned sharply. His eyes took on a glow and he took off running with a stream of light streaming after him as his feet lifted from the ground and he flew through the corridor. Soren’s heart lurched and he followed. He felt Arawn following soon after though he didn’t know where they were going.
They turned and turned again before he began to realize that they were heading towards the garden.

Fedelm followed with swift sure steps and strikes. At every meeting of their sword, Sirona felt more of her anger and jealousy like thick waves of emotion vibrating through the metal of their blades.
She saw Fedelm and Arawn together in the garden as if watching a memory as sparks leaped from their blades. Devotion, love, and jealousy washed through her. Passion and so much fear came next then anger rose like a furious red tide but it felt so pointed and focused.
Something in her faltered.
“What is your problem?” Sirona asked. “Why are you trying to—”
Fedelm lunged at her. Sirona dodged out of the way. Her heart pounded with adrenaline and anxiety. Fedelm’s eyes were fierce and battle-hardened. She was clumsy or unsure like the bandits had been and she was moving much faster than Sirona had anticipated she could.
When she blocked, Fedelm shifted just enough to get inside her defenses. It was maddening and concerning that she couldn’t seem to effectively block Fedelm’s attacks. When she tried to get into Fedelm’s defenses, she found herself in a trap.
Fedelm stepped swiftly and drove her blade through Sirona’s shoulder. Sirona cried out and stumbled back as pain throbbed in her shoulder. Her arm dropped. Fedelm knocked her sword from her hand and rammed her knee into her stomach.
She couldn’t breathe as she bowed forward. Sirona stumbled back, trying to get some distance between them as Fedelm took hold of Sirona’s skirt and pulled roughly, throwing her off balance before lunging at her. Sirona rolled aside and tackled her.
Pain exploded in her face as Fedelm drove the knuckle guard of her sword into Sirona’s face.
“What the hell—”
Fedelm knocked her back down hard enough that she saw stars and wrapped her seemingly delicate hands around her neck and squeezed.
Anger flared in her, and she thought of the table. Getting rid of Fedelm would be just as easy if she was going to keep up like this. It would be better for the future, wouldn’t it? A dark, angry voice laughed in the back of her hand.
It would teach her quite the lesson, wouldn’t it?
Perhaps in her next life, should she have one, she will learn to know her place.
Sirona grit her teeth, calling upon her power until it started to fill her hands. The thought of blood trickling from Fedelm’s mouth as her body turned to ash filled her with savage glee. Her lungs began to burn and the feeling started to fade as her power heaved.
“Sirona, no!” Druid yelled as Fedelm was yanked off of her roughly.
Sirona screeched as she reared up and aimed a beam of energy at Fedelm. She was snatched aside and vanished out of her vision. Druid appeared in front of her as she let the beam go. Regret and terror went through her. The light around Druid shifted sharply and deflected the beam into the sky where it dispersed into twinkling lights.