Angelz: oh hell! Snap! I didn't just update this before I said I would! ^^ hehe. Yeah consider yourself lucky, I should be revising for my physics exam but instead I spent the day writing this. The last little bit (you'll know it once you read it!) was going to be the next chapter but I decided to tack it on the end of this one to give you a taste of what's going to happen in later on. Also, isn't anyone wondering exactly how Leslie managed to become Faerie? No? If you are then leave a review saying how you think she managed to pull it off, I have given a massive hint in the chapters so far. (it's not that hard to guess but hey, I thought of it so it's nothing too complex XD) but you will find out in the next chapter...
Sunlight met shadows in a fierce lock of power, twisting together seamlessly as they battled for supremacy. Leslie could see Keenan and Aislinn enter the club; their eyes were drawn instantly to her although she saw Keenan's gaze flick over Niall and Irial almost looking bored and uninterested. It was clear that if it were up to him he wouldn't have turned up here so soon, and if he did it would be out of pure business intentions. After all, if there was a new Dark Queen he needed to know how that would affect his own court, she could be a much less patient ruler than Niall and that would a problem. The Dark Court was wild enough without a ruler who openly encouraged their actions.
"Leslie...no." Aislinn's breath came as a weak gasp, as if she couldn't suck in enough air to pronounce the words. Keenan reached out, almost absently, to place a hand on her shoulder and allowed a flow of sunlight into her and loop back around to him like a never-ending circuit.
"It's okay, Ash." He murmured. Leslie flashed a vicious smile. Already she could taste the bittersweet horror that crept into the room; the Summer Queen's emotions tasted sweet like thick honey dripping lazily onto a bowl of vanilla ice-cream left melting in the sun. Mouth watering.
"No, it's not. I never wanted this, she's meant to be free from this." Aislinn began to walk towards Leslie with an expression bordering on desperate, "Leslie, what have you done? Don't do this, please."
Leslie waited until she'd crossed half of the room until she walked towards her, crossing the remaining distance. The two queens stared at each other for a few tense moments. Around them the club had fell silent even the mortals in the room were shifting uneasily at the sudden tense atmosphere, the Dark fey watched eagerly as the Summer fey moved closer to their regents.
Leslie gave another oddly avian tilt of her head and lifted a hand towards one of the Summer girls who had come to stand beside her Queen. Eliza.
"Come here." Eliza hesitated, stuck between staying by her Queen's side and the soft coaxing voice Leslie had used. After a few seconds she made her choice.
She moved towards Leslie.
Aislinn did nothing to stop her; it was Keenan who moved towards Eliza fearing that the Dark Queen would lash out. The look in Leslie's eyes unsettled him, the abyss that was usually reserved for Irial and Niall danced brightly in her eyes accompanied with a barely suppressed savageness that featured in children's nightmares.
"Eliza, do you think your queen is in any position to question my actions?" Leslie asked. Eliza hesitated for a moment, watching her king moving towards them with inhuman speed. He wasn't quick enough.
In a blinding movement Leslie threw her hand into Eliza's stomach, clutching a dagger with a blade so dark it rivalled the night sky. It sliced through her like she wasn't there. Eliza's mouth gapped open, in enough shock that she didn't yet felt the pain from the blow.
"I don't think she is." Leslie hissed. She pulled the knife back and watched as the crimson liquid glistened in the lighting. A blur to the right of her caught her attention. Irial had moved to block Keenan's pathway to Leslie.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Kingling." He warned, "Don't start a fight you cannot win."
"Learn to keep your queen under control and we won't need to start fights." Keenan snarled. Irial gave a laugh.
"Those are tough words. Maybe you'd like to back them up."
"Irial." Niall's voice was neither a shout or in normal tones. Irial pulled his gaze from Keenan to look at his king, "Leave him alone. This is between our queen and his. If he fails to see that, well, it just begs the question of whether he deserves to be king." Irial nodded reluctantly and stepped back, still standing close to Leslie, and let his gaze stay locked on Keenan.
Niall made a noise at the back of his throat that passed for a smothered laugh. "Nice try, stand next to me. If Keenan doesn't get to intervene then neither do you." Irial flicked a reluctant look at his king but silently came to stand next to him, a few feet behind Leslie. Keenan watched Niall uneasily, why was the Dark King willing to let his queen work on her own?
"You've struck out at my court, why should I stay out of it?" Niall shook his head, fighting a smile. He gave no answer.
Aislinn slowly came out of the shock of Leslie's attack and moved forward to catch Eliza as she stumbled back, her hand clutching her stomach. There was a blur of activity as the Summer fey moved forward and took Eliza from Aislinn, within moments the bleeding girl was taken away from the club and hopefully away from danger.
Aislinn's mouth opened and closed, no words came to her. What could she say? Her once-best-friend had attacked her Court and now stood before her with a pleased smile on her face.
"Don't think you can dictate to me, Aislinn. I've chosen my own fate." She took a few steps closer and hid a smile when Aislinn flinched, Leslie dropped her voice to a low, hushed tone, "we used to be friends, and I get that, but just because we were friends in the past doesn't mean I'm going to be the same girl now. We belong in two different worlds." She turned away from Aislinn and looked towards Niall.
"I don't feel like dancing anymore. Let's go home; we can always burn off some energy there." She flashed a grin and started to move towards the exit.
"Leslie!" Aislinn's voice sent a wave of desert heat blasting towards her; she turned around and saw Aislinn stood determinedly in the centre of the club, her fey surrounding her. "Don't think that I'll bow down to you. Never threaten my court again. Never."
A reluctant smile tugged at Leslie's lips. Stood there now, Aislinn looked every bit a Summer Queen not to be messed with. Her hair whipped around her head as a summer storm slowly built in the room, the harsh warm wind buffeted against Leslie causing her to stumble back a few steps.
"It looks like we understand each other." Leslie bowed her head in a respectful nod, "until we next cross paths." She turned and left the furious Summer Queen to be consoled by her King.
Leslie walked along the late dusk street; the air was frigid and felt oddly calming on her skin. Behind her Niall and Irial talked in hushed tones, glancing up at her every so often. Finally she had enough. With a sigh she stopped walking and turned to face them.
"Do you two old ladies want to tell me what you're gossiping about?" She tilted her head to the side and watched as they both glanced at each other. Finally Niall spoke.
"You can't do that Leslie. Go around attacking other court fey like that. Next time Keenan won't back down without retaliating." She rolled her eyes and started to talk but he cut her off.
"Niall I-"
"No, Leslie! I won't go risking war between the Courts just because you feel like indulging in childish games."
"Childish games! I didn't want her to think that we'd all be friends, how else was I meant to show her that? Iri tell him-" Irial shook his head.
"He's right, Leslie. That could have gotten dangerous. We were in no position to start a fight in there." She stood there staring at Irial in shock. Surely he would agree with her?
"Fine, next time I won't go around stabbing people, happy now?" Niall raised an eyebrow.
"Leslie, we're not trying to attack you. Just be careful." He moved within inches of her, "I've just found you again, don't give anybody a reason to take you away again." He brushed his lips against hers gently; she sighed and leaned into him. Her King.
Irial gave a cough, "I don't mean to ruin the moment but we have a guest." He inclined his head to the small alley to the right of them. A familiar face stood there, one pierced eyebrow quirked in a silent question. Leslie turned to face him.
"Seth?"