ONE DARK QUEEN ❖ (A Three Dark Crowns Tale)

CHAPTEE THIRTY FIVE: THE MURTRA ENCAMPMENT

"I don't need you," he spits, now trying to purposefully wound her after she has given him a scolding. His mother makes him feel like he is a young foolish novice again who's been misbehaving. It isn't a good feeling and makes him want to snap back at her by a natural instinct.

Before he has time to react Pele is upon him, swift as an adder, as her hand recoils, curling into a fist before she punches him square in the face with such force that he falls off of his chair. Any other woman would've slapped but war gifted woman will punch with more force than a male warrior at times.

Dazed, he scrambles about on the floor before he rises to resume a defence position automatically, blood is now streaming down from his nose. He should've been able to anticipate that move. To anyone else he would've seen it coming a mile off. But this warrior in front of him is his mother and instructor, she's taught him nearly everything he knows. So she knows how to beat him as easily as drawing breath. And war gifted attack so much faster than any mainland warrior, he forgets that.

Humiliated, he puts a hand to his nose, warily stealing glances at his mother who stands calmly and collected as she waits for him to stand up properly. Scowling, he rises to his full height which should've been intimidating to his mother, who despite her muscular slim warrior's figure is still shorter than him by about a head's length. Despite her shorter stature Achilles feels as tiny as an ant as he stands before the predator before him.

"If you want to be treated like a man and like a warrior worth anything then you should damn well start acting like it," She snarls, bearing her shiny teeth at him in an animalistic way, "you may be the oldest, the best and the fiercest but you got all of that from me and trust me I am ten times as fierce and nasty as you are. Don't try me little boy, I'll knock you right on your ass in the dirt in front of everyone to teach you a damn lesson about discipline," she finishes calmly watching with an faintly amused expression as she watches the anger pour from him, "now shut your idiotic mouth and help me fix your mess."

Achilles can only nod and bites his tongue to stop himself from snapping right back at her, but that will earn him a full beating and he knows better than to challenge his mother. She is the best warrior on the island and she personally trained him into the warrior he is today. He owes her everything but as of right now all he wants to do is curse at her until his voice is too dry to speak, not because he wants to defend himself but because he knows she's right. She always is. But that doesn't mean he has to like it.

Pele only shakes her head at her son, her temper now sizzling out like a freshly doused fire, "you have forgotten our ways boy, you have forgotten the way of the island, people will whisper about it, they will call you a mainlander with those mainland clothes and your mainland customs. No islander would've dared to commit your crime."

"I do not care what the people think, I may have been travelling the mainland for the past two years and I may have forgotten Fennbirn's customs and the way of life here but I was born here and I will die here, I am an islander at heart," Achilles says, eager to defend himself.

He truly believes it. Travelling across the mainland was thrilling but he has always felt he pull of the island, luring him back to the island like a siren's call. Fennbirn would not let him go, not truly, it is as much a blessing as it is a curse.

Pele cups his cheek in a rare moment of tenderness which is of no real surprise to Achilles for all the Murtras switch from love to anger like the speed the wind changes its direction. He allows his mother to be affectionate for now. Pele knows what it is like to be a young islander and explore something beyond the island but he is here now and the island will not let him go again.

"I understand but next time use your head and think of the consequences of every action you make, well at least we Nalani was found and is safe, who knows what might have happened if she stumbled across any drunk rogue poisoners or shadows in the woods alone," she says kissing his forehead as she used to when he was a boy, "do not worry I will take care of everything."

Achilles nods and they both trade a look of understanding.

"What poison herbs did you use?" Pele asks, looking at Nalani wearily as if she may never wake. That truly would be the cherry on top to all her problems. A dead queen accidentally killed by her own son. How Andrea and Cierra would laugh and crow over her, before they took her head followed by her son's.

"Only one to weaken her gift," Achilles reassures, "and one that will make her forget the past few hours when she wakes."

Pele nods, slightly more relaxed in her stature but still with assessing and weary eyes, "that's good and it is for the best that she forgets, otherwise the alliance between us and the Westwoods would be over and Queen Nalani could demand your head."

"Do not worry mother I took precautions and as soon as she wakes I will stay true to my duty and guard her faithfully," Achilles promises, silently reprimanding himself for his foolishness. He doesn't believe he's entirely in the wrong but he probably should've thought it through more rather than acting on impulse. Warriors are meant to act on impulse just not regarding the queens. He has just been away from the island for so long he has forgotten the laws and customs of his homeland.

But honestly he mainly did it because he's heard tales of the strength of her gift and burning alive isn't really the death he has envisioned for himself.

He's travelled to many mainlands Salkades, Bevellet, Valostra and even Centra with its ruling kings rather than any queens and the mighty building of Torrenside Castle with structure even to rival the grandeur of the Volroy.

That is a world where mean rule and the rulers are not sacred, they do not need to fight to the death for their crown and if they died then another of the royal line would be there to take their place. And the rulers are always sons, never any daughters. Which is strange.

Achilles forgets that Nalani is a queen and that now he is on Fennbirn, the island where women rule. Here death is immediate to any who harm any of the queens in any way. Well depending on the situation.

Achilles can admit that it was quite stupid of him and a mistake he will not do again. He's scolded some of his soldiers for less when he commanded them. Punished them for less.

"I will make some sort of excuse up to Vivianne regarding Nalani's whereabouts," Pele says and Achilles just gives a curt nod again.

They both glance to the bed and then help themselves to some wine, unaware that the Fire Queen has been fully awake and listening to their every word.

She has not forgotten and she will not forgive. Not entirely. But she will let it go for now at least but her new guard should watch his back. You know what they say about little boys who play with fire. They get burnt.