6 | ACT I, SCENE VI

P R E V I O U S L Y

"Excellent," I said, giving him a brilliant smile, flashing my teeth. "I do hope you have prepared yourself for defeat, Favian."

RYVENNDEL MANSION, BELLHAVEN, STEFFITH.

AMPHITRITE

"DO YOU HAVE A FUCKING death wish, Edwina?" I shrieked in my sister's ear. We had all been shaken by the fact that she had agreed to such a fight, and even though I didn't doubt her capacity, she could get seriously injured!

"Amphitrite, calm down," she replied calmly, preening into the mirror and curling her lashes.

"Calm down? Calm down?!" I cried. "Favian is strong! He is big, muscular, heavier than you! And he is a man-"

"Cosmo has not allowed Bloodstone in this fight! Come what may, no one is going to die."

"But you could get injured," I tried to reason, making my voice forcefully even. She said nothing, patiently applying a layer of mascara to her lids and batting her lashes, watching the black dry.

"Is it crooked?" she asked me earnestly, not the least bit worried.

"Edwina Tremayne, you put that thing down and listen to me!" I started to get angry, and droplets of water began to fall from the air. They turned to steam with a hiss as my sister flicked her hand and finally looked at me.

"I'm not going to get injured, Amphi. Do you think I'd have agreed to this if I wasn't sure? I could have given up my claim to the throne. But I didn't! Because I am sure about this. Because I will not go down without a fight."

"Please!" I pleaded, pulling at her toned arms like a child. "What if something happens to you?"

She lightly patted my head in a motherly way, unsheathing her sword, Seraphine. It was quite heavy, the hilt filled with rubies and the tip sharpened by diamonds. I wondered how she lifted it, let alone swung it around.

I was half Tremayne and half LeVane, married to Eric, but she was single and all Tremayne.

Filthy rich.

The door opened and father came in.

"Child, you must -"

"You will not deny me this!" she suddenly snapped, turning around. The soft voice she'd been using with me turned harsh. "All my life, it has been my pleasure to do what people say I cannot do. And I will do this."

"I'm not stopping you, my girl-" he consoled her, pouring out a glass of wine "-but keep this in mind - Favian Rotavelle is a serious fighter. He can severely hurt you. The stakes are too high here."

"I know," she rolled her eyes and sheathed Seraphine, getting up. "I swear by Uranus, if you stop me, I will never forgive you, father."

If - when - Edwina found out what father had done, sent her to the mortal world and made her suffer so much - let alone days, she would never forgive him even after centuries. Because it had been unintentionally cruel. Yet it was the only way of keeping her safe from the Rotavelles who would have assassinated her.

My memories went back to that day, three days ago, when we had gone to bring her back to Endollon from the mortal world. I had cried all night, seeing her in such a painfully thin and sufferable state. I could not lose her. Not my sister. Not the person who had raised me from an infant in the absence of a mother.

"Please..." I clung to her arm, tears running down my cheek. "Please. Don't do this."

I felt Eric gently dislodge me from her and hug me.

"Hey," Edwina whispered, bending slightly so that our faces were level. She was taller than me. "I'm going to be alright, Amphi. I have a plan in mind. Tell you what, if I win, I'll let you braid my hair for a month without complaining," she grinned good naturedly, and I whacked her on the head.

"I'm not a child anymore," I whined.

"I know, sweet. Now let me go, it's time."

"Promise me you won't let yourself get hurt," I grabbed her wrist, and she squeezed my hand reassuringly.

"I promise," Edwina whispered.

Eric hugged me tightly, his chin resting on my head.

"Be careful, won't you?" he asked in a clipped voice.

"I will, Eric," she replied confidently.

The door opened and another god entered the room.

Aidon.

He was Edwina's and my brother. Mother had them quite early after marriage. I came later, and she was killed by Apollo before I was not even a year old. They were both more than a century older than me.

Besides his solidly built frame and broad chest, he had reddish brown hair, just like father's. His chartreuse green eyes twinkled good naturedly. Must be up to some other mischief. Aidon was the god of the forge, masonry and metalwork. Right now his nimble hands were delicately twisting and turning a metal strip, dexterously fashioning it into an arrow tip. It was his favorite pastime. Besides causing trouble.

"I might have... stalked Favian for a few minutes," he grinned, hair gleaming like copper. "He plans to flirt with you as distraction. Hoping you come undone with his romantic declarations," he snorted. Only Edwina laughed. He looked around questioningly. "Calm your tits, people. Don't get your panties in such a twist-"

"This isn't funny, Aidon!" I scolded him, and he put his hands up in mock defense with a theatrical groan of horror.

"Hey, hey, hey, Amphi. I swear, you're making me grateful you hated learning how to fight."

"Gods, please. She's our sister and you're worried about pick up lines?"

"Come on. Our sister is big and strong. She's going to beat and smash the bloody hell out of that pervert, aren't you?" He laughed and twisted the metal strip into an elegant bow, bowing courteously and presenting it to me.

Edwina scoffed, trying to hide her smile, buckling her boots.

"There's a difference. I'm tall. Not big."

"Right, I forgot. That was me," he snorted, dodging the copper jug she playfully threw at him, melting it in mid air to a burnished plate, happily tossing it out of the window.

She got up, sword in hand, face determined. We all followed her as she reached the door.

"His pickup line is, 'You're so hot, even my pants are falling for you,'" Aidon breathed, before collapsing into a howl of laughter.

• • • • •

[TRIGGER WARNING: MILD VIOLENCE!]

HEWE, STEFFITH.

ERIC

"I appreciate the concern, but can you all stop sticking to me like leeches?" Edwina hissed. Her flame red side braid swung back as we all settled into the seats.

"Listen-"

"I. Am. Going. To. Be. Fine. Now sit and let me fight. I haven't had a good fight in years."

Edwina walked to the arena that had been demarcated for the combat. Not too big for them to just avoid each other and not so small as to make the fight end fast. Thousands were filling up the seats, and all the gods were seating themselves, whispering excitedly. For most, a simple visit to Steffith was turning into a wild drama.

What all it took to become a Monarch.

Across the Tremaynes and LeVanes, to the other end, sat the Rotavelles. Emerick in the middle with Justaline hanging on his arm, a huge, knowing smirk on all their faces. Amphitrite was whimpering, and I fondly rubbed her back. Aidon and Lucius Tremayne were both whispering worriedly, Cosmo and Titania were on the High Seat, watching the stands fill up. Behind us, the crowds slowly filled up to watch the important duel. The Everlys were just beside the Rotavelles, a sullen scowl on Drusilla's face.

Favian was sitting with a group of gods, who were busy having a good time with one of the courtesans. He got up as he saw Edwina.

"Fancy armor, Rotavelle," I heard her say as he stalked across the field, sword in hand, looking for his prey. He was quite heavily armored from head to toe, what with steel gauntlets and an engraved breastplate.

She, on the other hand, was dressed loosely in her favorite black leather, lightly armored. But leather wouldn't stand against metal.

I feared for her safety.

"Looks like you don't have any of your own, Tremayne," he greeted, gesturing to her lack of armor. Favian had tied back his long hair with a piece of twine, yet the green eyes flickered dangerously, looking her up to down. "What impoverished the Tremaynes, huh? Begging on the streets now, aren't you?"

"Ah, looks like you need a whole boatload of metal to defend yourself from a mere woman," she said, swinging Seraphine in arcs around the air, testing it. The ruby filled hilt glinted in the light of the early evening.

"Look," he ushered her aside. "You don't really need to fight. Though," Favian chortled, "if you're really that insistent on losing calories, perhaps I'll pay you a visit in bed tonight."

"Aww, please. I suppose you can hardly pay enough to get a bowl of food everyday. Losing calories should be the last thing on your mind," Edwina laughed, her voice high and rich.

"Women like you are my cup of tea," he snarled.

"Honey," she clicked her tongue disapprovingly and grabbed him forward by the scruff of his neck,"I'm not a cup of tea. I'm a glass of champagne."

Favian's demeanor changed all of a sudden, face contorting in rage at her comments.

"This is going to hurt by the time it's over," he snapped, flexing his muscles and testing the edge of his own sword.

"Ah yes, it damn will," she said coolly, readying her stance. "I'm going to shove that sword so high up your armored ass that you can forget about losing calories for centuries."

The gods around us burst into fits of laughter.

"If you both are quite finished trading insults, we should begin," Emerick called out from the stands, his voice anticipatory with excitement, and Amphitrite clutched my arm tighter.

"Very well, my great grandchildren," Cosmo's voice boomed over the arena. "No use of your powers is permitted, and it will qualify as disqualification. You may use weapons of your choice."

Both the combatants nodded, giving each other a stiff handshake. It meant Favian crushing Edwina's fingers while she was most probably wondering where to knee him in the crotch.

Amphitrite's grasp on my hand grew tighter, and there was a prayer on her lips, constant, unceasing.

A dead silence descended on the arena.

"Begin," Cosmo announced, leaning back in his seat with a distracted smile on his face.

"May the best man win!" Emerick jeered from across the stadium, whistling, as everyone hushed down to watch the fight.

It began.

Edwina and Favian circled each other for a minute, then another, then another. Studying each other. Edwina moved as nimbly as a doe, quick and light on her feet, and Favian moved as fluidly as water.

He drew his sword, keeping it ahead of him, staring at her, choosing a strategy that played to his own strengths. His weight was his advantage, but it slowed his speed. She was very fast, I knew, having seen her fight myself.

Breaking her own rules of combat, Edwina moved Seraphine to behind her back. She did not make the first move, keeping her eyes locked to his sword.

"What is she doing?" Aidon sputtered, clenching his shoulders as he fervently watched his sister circle her opponent.

Favian saw Edwina's right hand flex behind her back. She lept to the left, but he remained stationary, knowing it was a feint. I saw the glint in Edwina's eyes as she took in this measure of her opponent.

Cunning god, Favian Rotavelle.

"Don't you have anything to do?" he asked, bored, after some more minutes of circling. "Or say?"

"I prefer to let my sword do all the talking," she sweetly replied, lunging in a counterfeit, striking him to action as the real fight began.

He moved to strike a blow to her neck as she rolled away to the left, out of range, yet his sword was buried deep in the sand, and he strained to remove it. She took the opportunity to land a blow to his armor, a huge metallic sound that struck as a dent. Her knuckles bruised heavily, slicing open, as her fist broke something.

"Coward!" he cried.

"Am I, now... ?" Edwina asked, as Favian got up, a vicious slash tore across her shoulder, ripping open the leather. She winced as a collective gasp went out on from the audience.

"Five to one Rotavelle beats Tremayne," one of the gods piped up from the crowd.

"I take you up on the offer. She's faking," the other said, sidling to him with a smirk on his face.

Edwina retreated, moving Seraphine to her back and transferring from one hand to another.

"I'll make it quick, I promise, Tremayne," Favian gloated.

She swerved again to the left, and he moved before she did any damage. He swung ferociously, landing a cut on the same place as before, and this time his sword embedded in her shoulder, buried to the bone!

"Bastard!" she gasped, as Amphitrite tightened her grip on my hand, praying.

"First blood," Favian grinned cheerfully, blowing her a kiss as she grimaced.

"Ten to one," the greedy morons muttered.

"Just see," the other argued. "She's going to lose. He's struck her twice in the same place already and she hasn't made a single scratch."

"She doesn't know what she's doing," Deimos snapped. "And you want to make her Queen!"

"What is she doing?" Aidon asked, wide eyed, and Amphitrite worriedly looked at me. "I know she'd have him on his back in a minute - the hell is she bloody doing!"

"She's laying a trap, Aidon," I sighed exasperatedly. "She's faking a weakness so that he gives in."

Again, Edwina nimbly avoided Favian's strikes and laid a knock on his ribs. He grimaced slightly.

"Ah. So now you have a temper, don't you?" Favian taunted. "That one almost tickled."

She moved behind him, and he turned around in surprise to find her arms wrap around his neck, strangling him, but he knocked her to the ground, roaring.

Edwina rolled away again, her sword cutting a slash on Favian's cheek, ducking the blow he sent her way. She was aggressive now.

"Come back and fight, vermin!" she shouted, her voice an angry growl. Everyone tensed as he gathered all his might and charged at her like a bull. She neatly stepped aside at the last moment and Favian crashed to the ground, bruised by his own heavy armor.

"They'll... watch your head roll over the sand," he panted, raising a hand to feel the blood on his cheek. "I'll make sure your father gets a good view," he gasped, his sword slashed out again, almost catching her at the hip as the crowd roared.

"I'll make sure your father has a good view when I crush you under my boot, Rotavelle," she spat. "I promise."

"That's not going to happen," Favian hissed, and they came close again, and he almost cut her wrist before her knees landed a solid jerk to his crotch.

"Bitch!" he cried, and I found myself grinning.

"I've been called worse, bastard," she sang, but he got up before she could complete, pulling her braid as if he could jerk it out from the roots. She gave him another kick in the nether regions. He was smart enough not to fall, yet he let go of her hair.

Edwina now moved her sword in menacing arcs, back to her typical style. No one was faking anything now. They were at each other's throats. Favian uselessly tried to break into her circle of defense. He faltered.

"She really is something, eh?" Helios chuckled.

He suddenly managed to pry in, almost knocking her off her feet, but she merely pulled out a knife out of her sleeve, sinking it into his side which was left exposed.

"Oh god..." he staggered.

"They call me a bitch from hell, sometimes," Edwina mercilessly smiled, burying it in all the way to the hilt, twisting the knife to impact maximum damage.

He weakly tried to swipe at her, but she grabbed him by the neck, and a fist went flying as she broke Favian's nose, blood spewed out at an alarming rate as bone crunched.

"It's not over," he panted, weakly raising his sword. "You scum!" he shouted suddenly.

"Fool!" she cursed, as the blade cut a slight injury on her neck, but she ducked, the sword fell to her leg, cutting open the leather but not her skin, leaving it undamaged.

Her expression was furious as she knocked his balls, again, elbowed Favian's neck and this time, he fell to the ground, bleeding and clutching his side.

"You little-" he muttered, grabbing Edwina's boot as she walked past.

Favian pulled her down by the boot, pushing her on the ground.

"You dickless baboon," she seethed, trying to get off before he climbed on top of her.

Then he swiped dust in Edwina's eyes, but she averted her gaze three seconds before, anticipating it. This took him by surprise, and in the time she took to duck, Edwina grabbed a fistful of sand and threw it into his eyes.

"This is getting dirty," Aidon whispered.

"He isn't playing fair!" Lucius shouted. "This is unacceptable!"

Both had forgotten the use of their swords and had come down to fighting with their fists.

Edwina climbed on top of Favian, sitting straight on top of his broken ribs as he uselessly tried to shake her off.

"In a minute, cousin," she purred in a honey coated voice. "I just need to make a few... alterations to your face first." Another blow landed on his already broken nose as she smiled to herself.

"Edwina, stop!" Favian's mother called out angrily from the stands.

"Leave his face!"

"Of course," she said with a smirk, and another punch landed above his cheek.

Favian Rotavelle now had a black eye as well.

"Edwina, stop!" Emerick bellowed, face strained.

"You forget, my lord," she grinned. "This was supposed to be a fight to the death."

She pulled out the knife from his side, Favian howled as the blood rushed out and she held it inches from his heart.

Quickly, careful not to move her eyes or her hand, she got up, the heel of her boot hovering above his sword hand.

"Not my hand!" Favian wailed.

"Let my son go!" his father roared, three people were holding him back.

"Edwina, stop!" Justaline shouted. "He's... leave him!"

"You forget?" she turned around. "A fight to the death, this is. A fight to the death it will be."

"He is my son! My only son."

"Yield," Edwina urged her opponent, inching the knife closer to his heart.

"Nooooo..." Favian groaned.

She gave a cruel, malicious smile, and her boot landed right on his palm, bones breaking with a sickening crunch.

Lord, she was going to torment him to death.

"Please!" he howled.

She twisted her boot even further, cocking her head to one side.

"Yield, Rotavelle," she said, smirking. "Yield."

"Edwina!" Emerick called out. "There's no need for this."

"This was your fucking idea, my Lord! I am merely seeing it carried out!" she snapped angrily, and her heel dug deeper, burying Favian's hand in the ground. Another crunch sounded.

"Please!" he yelled.

"Just say the word," she urged. "One simple word."

"Never!" he spat, eyes wild. She gave him amused look, then bent down to pry the sword from his hand. She flung it right at the Rotavelles, and it fell right at the horrified Justaline's feet.

"I will not yield!" Favian howled, teeth gritted in pain. "Not to a woman!"

"Well then... well, well, well," she mused. "Let's see what we can do about that, can we?"

She threw away the knife as well, dragged him by the scruff of his neck, dragging, dragging. The arena was dead silent at witnessing this form of her. Wild. Merciless. Livid.

And very dangerous.

"Pick a hell and rot in there," she spat, putting him down at Rayden's feet where he could get a clear view.  She suddenly bent down to whisper something in his ear. No point of the low voice, being a god meant having advanced senses and everyone could clearly hear what she was saying.

"If you're still interested in losing calories, swing by my room tonight. I can give you another beating."

She got up, livid and brutal.

"I've fulfilled my promise," Edwina said loftily, swinging back the hair over her bloodied shoulder, holding her sword up to the crowd which roared in cheers.

The position was hers.

She let him go. Even though he didn't give in, she let him go.

"Yes! Yes! She did it!" Amphitrite said wildly, hugging everyone who was dancing, clapping.

"Aunt Edwina is awesome!" my daughter smiled to herself, beaming brightly, dazed.

"Pay up!" the god behind laughed, and there were plenty of defeated groans.

"Man's balls are going to be bruised black and blue after the beating my sister gave him," Aidon grinned.

"Well. Let's say he's going to be the... butt of many jokes," Edwina said, reaching us, wiping the sweat off her brow as Amphitrite rushed to check her shoulder wound.

"Excellent, my girl," Lucius said proudly, reaching out at once and pulling back the leather to inspect the injury. He carefully made her sit down as the skin closed. Aidon was making lewd gestures and smiling from ear to ear. Both his sisters laughed finally as he mimicked Favian theatrically, pretending to fall over his feet and knocking his head.

Asteria Tremayne was dead, but her family had never been more close. It made my lips pull up to see the four of them bantering.

"Well, then," Cosmo stood up, smiling. "It seems this fight has reached a decision. We are to have a new Queen."

• • • • •

Hello, lovelies!

Question Of The Chapter - I've introduced a new character this week - Aidon Tremayne! Mischievous idiot he is :) what did you guys think of him??

Speaking of which, she defeated Favian!!! Did you expect it? Was the fight scene too harsh or alright? I'm trying to tone down the violence from my draft and rewriting, but there's always scope for improvement! I've always wanted Edwina as a character who doesn't shy away from violence with those who ask her for it - and I love that. It's alright if some people hate you - not everyone can love you. And if you're going to be a Queen, of course you'll have enemies!