Ileus: The Dark Prince

Iona rose from the bed in one swift movement. She turned her head like an owl and said, "Yes, but that was if I could enter Draoidh. But since I can't, we wait." 

"Fuck you!" Aed Ruad cursed her. 

Iona lunged at him and punched him hard on his face. "Fuck you, bastard!" Saying that she vanished. 

Aed Ruad landed on his ass outside the tent and his lips split right in the center. Iona's punch was strong and for a moment he saw stars in his vision. Etaya and two soldiers rushed to him and helped him get up. He mumbled curses as he was led inside his mother's tent. Once he was resting on the bed, Etaya scolded him, "How many times have I asked you not to interfere between Iona and me? She is not worth it!" Etaya gave him a wet towel to press against his lips and cast a healing spell over him. "Why can't you understand that she is nothing but a tool in our hands? We have to be patient to use the tool correctly!" 

"She can go to hell for all I care," Aed Ruad grunted. "Once this bloody mission is over, I am going to make sure to murder her by my hands, and—" His breath became ragged as he said, "And I am going wring the neck of that bitch because of whom we are all stuck here!" 

Etaya jerked her head back at his outburst. She snapped at him, "You are not touching Anastasia until you marry her." 

Aed Ruad got up from his bed and in a voice laced with anger and frustration said, "That bitch was married to Ileus in Evindal. You very well know what are the repercussions if you try to break their marriage. You will die. You will bleed to death. How exactly do you propose to marry her with me under the given circumstances?" 

Etaya shook her head. She looked at the ceiling as if telling the heavens to give her patience. Then she looked at her son and said, "You know that she is married in Evindal. These people here know that she was married in Evindal, but do our people know?"

Aed Ruad narrowed his eyes as a frown formed on his forehead. Etaya continued, "We just have to stage an act in front of Vilinskians that you married her in a private ceremony. You rescued her from the dark wizard and she begged you to marry her." She shrugged. "That's all. We will call the priest to stage the fake ceremony and then call him for the coronation of the king and the queen." 

He stared at his mother's insane plan. "Mother, you do know that the Miltary General, Yion, knows that she was married in Evindal and there are few more who are aware of it." 

Etaya brushed the nails of left hand's fingers with her thumb and said, "Other than Yion, the rest who knew about the marriage no longer live. Don't ask why Yion is not dead. He is a moron who is bound by an oath to the throne. He serves the throne and not an individual. And he is useful." 

Aed Ruad's breath hitched. A moment later he said, "You have really thought about everything in advance, haven't you?" A smile came on his split lips. 

"Of course, my dear. I also have plans for Iona, but that comes much later." She giggled. 

They all waited in the camp and kept a close observation on the borders of Draoidh and Silver Vales. However, for the entire day, there was not one sound. Everything was too peaceful. In fact, it was so silent that Etaya started having apprehensions. She had asked the fae soldiers to keep a watch on the borders, but they never came up with any news. According to Iona's information, Anastasia was supposed to officially marry Ileus today. 

It was after the sunset that Iona had come out of the cave and had crested the hill where she and the Diumbe were crawling and purling around her. From her vantage point, she could look at Etaya's campsite. She knew that Etaya and Yion had cast heavy spells around the campsite and that is why it was invisible to a normal eye, but for her—she could see everything. All of a sudden, she noticed a commotion in the tents. A soldier rushed towards Etaya and spoke something to her. The next moment Iona leapt in the air and turned into a swirl of darkness that traveled towards them. Appearing right beside Etaya, she asked, "What is the news?" 

The soldier was taken aback and flinched. A moment later after recovering from the shock of seeing the dark witch so up and close, he said in a shaky voice, "We saw a small tear in the walls of Draoidh. It got filled in quickly. We just thought we should inform you about it." 

"Where did you see the tear," asked Etaya. 

"On the east walls." 

"Maybe we should put a few soldiers there and use it to our advantage by damaging the spells there," said Etaya tapping her chin. 

Iona let out her shrill laugh that made the soldier cover his ears. "Good move, Adrianna," she said. Then she barked at the orders. "That was a small distraction for all of us. Ask your soldiers to march towards the main gate of the kingdom. Anastasia and Ileus are going to Silver Vales and with them there would be a large number of Mozias!" She clasped her hands. "Oh, it would be wonderful to kill Mozias. My Diumbe are going to love their flesh!" 

"Are you sure?" Etaya asked. 

"Of course, I am," she replied with a cackle. "Don't forget Adrianna gave birth to me. I know her tricks." 

Etaya' eyes flared wide. So this was how Adrianna distracted them. From the corner of her eye, she saw another soldier running towards them. He was panting when he reached them. "M'lady, there is another tear in the walls, but it was repaired almost immediately. The tears this time were very big and we could see inside the kingdom." 

"March to the main gates," Etaya shouted, certain that this was Adrianna's trick to distract them. She looked at Iona, who was already swirling at serpentine speed towards the main gates. 

"See you at the main gates," she hissed and left. 

The entire campsite came into fervent activity. Aed Ruad commanded the soldiers in the camp, while Etaya commanded the fae soldiers as they all marched towards the main gate of the kingdom of Draoidh. They had to fight the dark wizard and his Mozias. She had to abduct Anastasia and Ileus. Her chest hummed with excitement that her plans, her dreams were just a few hours away. Her son would become the monarch of Vilinski and she would become the queen mother. Finally, the fae kingdom would be hers. She chuckled and thought of her parents who had taken the right from her. They must be turning in their graves. 

The entire army gathered under a cloak of invisibility about hundred yards from the main gate. Iona was also there, lurking in the dark along with her Diumbe. 

Suddenly—