AND: Well, this is the next to last chapter for this story. Just a little note for people, I'm listening to the King of Priderock from The Lion King. It's the music that plays when Simba is confronting Scar. Appropriate, don't ya think. One more chapter after this one folks, then we start on a new story in the series.

Chapter 20 "The Queen"

Eva rolled to the side as Waterfist's blade arced downward. The spearhead hit cold marble. Sparks flew up. Eva quickly scrambled to her feet. She was whimpering and tried to find her cuspis without turning her attention from Waterfist. Waterfist turned to stare at the young Heir.

"Is this all you have?" she mocked. "You have lost your main weapon. What will you do now?"

Eva growled and withdrew her small daggers. Waterfist laughed once more and struck with the speed of a lightning bolt. Eva was instantly put on the defense. The two leapt about and struck out. Eva was forced out the broken window and onto the edge of the palace's inner wall. Firelight and lightning gave off the only light. Cold rain began to pour upon the two women. They stood at ready. Waterfist struck and knocked Eva to the ground. The demented one stood above her.

"You are about to die, little child. Any last words?" Waterfist said.

Eva stared into the older woman's eyes and took a deep breath. She needed to be calm. There had to be something she could do, but she was weaponless. Then she remembered, she remembered a training session she had had back at the Keep.

-Flashback-

Pith was working her hard. The two were mock fighting with staffs, since that was the young Heir's primary weapon. The two danced around each other until Pith managed to disarm Eva.

"And now you're unarmed," he said.

"No, she is not," Nagali said from the sidelines. "The Queen is never unarmed. She is nature's voice, its living warrior. She is never unarmed"

"And just what does that mean, grandmere?" Pith asked.

Nagali gave a small smile and shook her head. "It is something the Queen will understand when the time is right"

-End Flashback-

Eva's eyes widened. She understood. She finally understood what Nagali, or is that Alistar, meant. Eva's eyes hardened and she leapt away from Waterfist. The false queen was confused. Her prey should have given up the fight. There was no way for her to win. She was weaponless.

"Going to fight with your fists then," Waterfist sneered.

Eva just smirked and held one hand above her hand. Her body began to glow white. The clouds above began to shift and the rain came down harder. Waterfist began to move toward her. Eva stared the woman right In the eyes. Seconds before Waterfist's weapon would have ended the true Queen's life, a lightning bolt crashed down upon the mad woman from above. Her body was blown back, chared and unmoving.

Waterfist was dead.

Eva turned her attention to the sky and smiled. The rain was still pouring, but the fires in the city were being put out. The sounds of fighting had quieted. All she could hear was the rain. Turning back to the dead body of her adversary, Eva walked toward the crispy flesh. Her nose wrinkled at the smell. Looking over the body, she saw what she needed, the Elysian crown. Choking her gag reflex, she took the warm metal circlet off of the dead body. She reentered the throne room through the broken window and turned her attention to the dead nobles. In the corner Arexandoro stood proud.

"It is over," Eva said softly and retrieved her cuspis. Arexandoro bowed to her. She smiled at him and walked to the front of the palace. Stepping outside the marble structure, she saw the people of Elysian, the rebels and the civilians of the capitol, standing on the front lawn. The openly stared at her. She held the crown up with both hands and placed it on her head. The people cheered.

"Long live the true Queen!"