Cedar's face turned cherry red as the whole castle shook with his rage. Pieces started to fall from the ceiling. Soon enough the rest of the people that lived in the castle soon started to join our tension filled room. Everyone from the staff to the rest of the royals all looked with wide eyes and even wider mouths at the room that was redecorated with a lava pool and ice flooring. Whoever had the spring lands power tried to hold the castle up from falling, some of the innocent bystanders were seconds away from having large pieces of rocks land perfectly on their fragile heads. Clovis automatically took charge and ordered the people to get out of the castle. A girl that I assumed was either a cousin of theirs or one of his lucky children started making a safe path for everyone.
"Look at what you're causing Cedar. You're not only putting your family in danger, but you are putting your people in danger. That doesn't seem like the character for a King to have," Alagan said.
Even though my brother had a point, Cedar took offence to his taunt, which caused the castle to rattle like a baby's toy.
"Your father was right about you, you're an abomination that should never have been born. Both of your kind! You're mother was evil herself, and look at what she created. Her little puppets that are going to destroy each and every season until there is nothing left."
I took steps closer to Cedar, the lava between us cooling and solidifying to stable rock, "You are the one that is toxic. I have not hurt a single person in either of my seasons since I saved winter from my mother. If I wanted domination over all the seasons I would have married and had children with an autumn, not a summer who had no connection to the land or barely a cent to his name. If I wanted to, I would have ruled over summer and winter, but I don't. I do not want summer, just as my brother does not want winter. He wants spring." I was a breath away from Cedar, he struggled to turn his head in my direction as I leaned into his ear. "And he doesn't need my help to get it from you. So, your two options are to either accept your new King, or, jump in the lava to put yourself out of your own misery, because I'm no longer accepting yours, or my fathers, toxic nature. It's ruining our seasons, not me."
"Rissa! I call a rissa against Alagan!"
The people that were making their way to safety instantly stopped.
A rissa was a fight to the death against two competitors, without using their powers. If powers were used then it would be instant death for the cheater. In this case, whoever wins, wins the crown.
I shrugged at Cedar, "Or option three, die like a man in battle. I can respect that."
Alagan crumbled away the hold against Cedar.
"I'm not the one who's dying Ice Queen. And after I take out your bastard brother, I'm coming after you."
***
We all gathered outside where the mountains of flowers gently swayed in the spring wind that was neither cold nor hot. Spring was the season with the most birth, animals had their offsprings, and plants were able to grow in every inch. But at this moment there would be death, and Spring, in a way, felt that. The birds chirping was no longer calm, and neither were the spring citizens.
The story about Alagan spread just as quickly as I was sure it did, and people gathered around the rink to see who this stranger was. Some looked in awe at him, others automatically cursed his name, and mine. When they would look my way and say foul things, I couldn't help but wave at them, as a queen should. Yet, of course, I had to remind them who they were cursing, so I created a copy of my hands, on in fire, one in ice to say hello. As soon as they saw I had my powers, they scurried away and hid.
"Taunting them isn't going to make things better cousin."
"Their king is about to die by his own stubbornness from the hands of my brother, nothing I do at this point will make them like me."
"Well, a gentle smile can go a long way. You get to leave this land, your brother is choosing to rule it. It's not for your reputation, its for him," Aunt Palma whispered.
I hated to agree with her when taunting them was so much fun, especially because who many of them have seen a full grown male tiger practically sitting on someones lap like a kitten? But she had a point, this wasn't for me, this was for my brother. So until the fighting actually started, I just ignored the snickers people sent my way and the whispers they so poorly tried to keep quiet.
Once I saw Clovis finally close to the arena, and away from people, I excused myself and went after him. He met my eyes and didn't wait for me to get to him as he started heading for me too. Apparently we both needed to talk to one another.
"I know you must be upset with me-"
"With reason."
"Yes, but-"
"But, I mean, you are the Ice Queens daughter. You might not be wicked like her, but lands, did you learn a thing or two."
He gave a soft chuckle that didn't have any humor behind it. And honestly if it was any other time I would have slapped him for the constant interruption, but he was about to lose his father, I could cut him some slack.
"It's not like my brother is a horrible person. We are nothing like our mother, she wanted nothing to do with him, tried to have him killed and then he left, never to see her again. I on the other hand was actually raised by her and despised her being. We are not our parents."
"No, we're not."
"He wasn't going to come back from his island, but once he saw the family backstabbing and the war breaking lose, he felt the need to do something."
Clovis just kept looking a the arena. I had never seen him so serious.
"The rissa doesn't need to happen. Your father can still call it off."
He just shook his head, finally accepting the defeat. "I've tried to talk some sense into him, we all have. Even your brother, but he won't listen. He thinks you two are what is going to end our seasons and that he is the one to save us all."
"I must have missed that prophecy," I mumbled to myself. "And do you think that?"
"Think that you and your brother are the end to our world?"
I nodded my head.
"Naw. You guys are a change, that's certain. But the end of the world? Lands no. Like you guys keep saying, if you wanted to take over the seasons, you would have. You would have been Queen in Winter and Summer, possibly married and Autumn to bare their child - obviously not Aki - and then tricked a spring to impregnate you if your brother never came into the picture."
"Oh please, trick a Spring? I hardly think you'd need much convincing," I tried to tease.
He shrugged and smiled just a hair. "Flattered that I would be the chosen one, but yeah, you're absolutely right I wouldn't think twice about it. Well, now I would. I fairly enjoy Ray."
We grew quiet once again. I wasn't sure how his relationship was with his father. Seeing as the type of father he is to his own children, I don't assume his own was very good at parenting either. When did these royals forget how to love their own blood? How could they love their land when they don't even love their own children?
"For what it is worth, I am sorry for your loss Clovis."
He didn't say anything back, even though he had enough time before a waiter came by with wine filled to the very top of the glass. "You're grace?"
"I'm going to need you to stay by my side the entire time," Clovis told him. The waiter nodded and very bravely looked at me in question if I too wanted a drink. "Oh, she won't be having any as I will be drinking them all."
"No thank you," I still said, I even added a gentle smile to the man and he seemed surprised at that. Nevertheless the stress in his shoulders relaxed just an inch. "I'll let you be with your family," I told Clovis.
Before I turned Clovis grabbed my hand and gently kissed my palm like a gentleman. "To new beginnings"
I nodded my head, "To new beginnings."
Instead of sitting at the top of the stairs like I was, I moved to the very bottom seats so I would be right in front of the action. Nazim, Aunt Palma and Nuri were all there waiting for me.
"How is he?" Aunt Palma asked.
"Accepting." Which means he'll be the one to convince his family that it was Cedar's own choices that led him here.
And the time finally came for the rissa.
The drums pounded with the beat of my heart as it signified the fighters coming to the ring. The ring was a flat surface of rock, smooth as glass - which could be tricky for balance once you lose it - and that was it. If a contender was pushed out then he would get a point against him. Three points and you lose, meaning the victor lands one final kill blow.
A rissa was a kill or be killed.
Cedar and Alagan were both dressed in plain tan bottoms, and that was it. No shoes, no shirt, no armer, no weapons. Not even wraps for their hands. There was no need for protection, seeing as how this fight was supposed to show off the one with the most skill in the quickest time, not for those to prolong a fight.
Both Cedar and my brother were fit, their muscular bodies were highlighted by the sun shining down on them. But Alagan's body was differently shaped, it had muscles that not even Cedar had from the many different ways Alagan had trained or just simply lived on his island. That was one of the many advantages he had over Cedar. Cedar was used to his crown and things being handed to him, he never once had to really fight for his life, until now.
Each contender went to their family before stepping into the ring. Clovis still had the drink in his hand and looked to be pleading with his father one last time. Surprisingly, Tulip was dry eyed and quiet.
"Nervous?" I asked him.
"You're joking right?" Alagan raised a brow.
"Obviously I'm joking. But don't make this a five second fight either," I whispered.
"Five second fight or a twenty minute fight, it's not going to matter to them. I will need to find a different way to win them over." I opened my mouth to tell him to take this seriously when he beat me to it. "But, I will make sure Cedar leaves with whatever honor he had."
A drum beat three times. "Fighters! To the ring!" a lesser royal said.
There wasn't much for Alagan and I to say. I wasn't going to tell him good luck, or be careful, or even worse I wasn't going to tell him to make it brutal. So instead we just gave each other a quick hug, Nazim and him a firm handshake, but it was Aunt Palma who gave him last words.
"He favors trickery," she whispered into his ear when they embrace.
Alagan thanked Aunt Palma by giving her a kiss to the cheek.
And then the two fighter stepped into the ring, looking at one another and no one else.
The drum beat three times, the fighting was now in session.