Pixie's Honor by: Elsbeth Matthew learns even the littlest of fairies value honor above all

Chapter 12

Countess Sianna gave a half smile. From the way her opponent held her sword to her stance, the Countess knew the green haired Fae in front of her would not be much of a problem. Still, she had faced hundreds of opponents in her lifetime and underestimating any of them would have been foolish.

Quickly, Sianna probed the Fae’s defenses, and then began to push. A sudden attack, a feint all easily defended. As she continued to probe the skill with a sword of the one who called herself Poppy, the half-smile turned into one full of malice and hate.

“Foolish girl, now it’s time to die.” Countess Sianna yelled, thrusting her sword forward expecting to pierce Poppy’s chest but to her surprise, the green hair Fae just simply moved out the way.

When Morgan’s troupe burst through the doorway, Poppy could immediately feel the miasma coming from the sword in Countess Sienna’s hand. Its aura felt like a plague. The thought of someone wounding another with such a blade sickened her.

As a healer and wielder of Samphire, Poppy had protection from such a weapon. In addition, she had to keep her promise to Mab. Perhaps the Unseelie Countess hasn’t planned to challenge Morgan but she couldn’t take the chance that the Princess would accept the challenge herself.

With her sword pointing at the Countess’ chest, Poppy realized that, she didn’t know the first thing about dueling etiquette among the Aos Sidhe. As the Countess called upon Ash, Oak and Hawthorne to accept the challenge, Poppy could see into the cruel eyes of the Unseelie and knew this would be no duel, no affair of honor.

Of course, it had started all well and good until Poppy discovered her clothing had changed. Over the last week, Morgan had started an American Revolution War project for class. While deciding what topic she would write about, the two of them got into a discussion about the naval battle between Captain John Paul Jones’ ship, the Bonhomme Richard, and the British frigate HMS Serapis.

Because of that, Poppy had John Paul Jones’ famous words on her lips as she challenged the Countess and inadvertently, changed her clothing into the green uniform of a Marine officer from the Revolutionary War.

With the Countess’s first thrust of her sword, Poppy knew she faced a very dangerous opponent. Circling the two testing one another defenses, something Poppy had worked on with Alex. Each time their blades touched though, she could feel a deeper connection with Samphire and then the sword and her were like one.

Stepping to the side as the Unseelie yelled at her, Poppy slashed downwards almost knocking the Felblade from Sianna's hands. Following through, she slashed at the Unseelie's Countess face.

Sianna eyes opened wide in shock as she desperately pulled her sword over her head into an over hand block, catching Poppy’s blade at the last second. A chill went through the Unseelie Countess; such an attack should have cleaved her skull in two. The follow up attack, wiping back around like a snake, moved even faster.

She redirected the blow, then began to counter it by dropping her shoulder, slipping her blade back around but Poppy just stepped out of reach. Suddenly, Sianna realized she had left herself wide open.

Surprised, she jumped backwards, feeling the tip of Poppy’s blade open a tear in her outfit right above the abdomen. If she had been even a fraction of an inch forward, the green haired Fae would have spilled her guts on the ground.

Swinging her sword around, Sianna brought it up for a perfect thrust, only to have the green haired Fae move under the blade. Dropping down, Poppy kicked the Countess legs out from under her.

Rolling away, Sianna managed to rise quickly enough to block the follow up attack. Growling, she threw out a deadly counter strike, only to find that that it was expected and easily blocked.

The ancient blade of the Phriomh Ard had faced many enemies in the countless centuries since it was forged. It had always offered protection from magic and it took a great and horrible magic to overcome its wielder. In Samphire’s death, the sword inadvertently pulled part of the Pixie’s Phriomh Ard into itself.

Since awakening, the sword had been an unwilling weapon of the Unseelie Court. Although it couldn’t stop itself from being used, it would never give itself fully to the Unseelie owners.

What it did though, unbeknownst to those owners, was to learn their weapons skills. For each foe it had slain, it learned a little bit more. Those centuries of martial knowledge would eventually be passed down to its true owner.

Sianna’s smile vanished after the first assault. She could hardly keep up, going on the defensive. From the look in this one’s eyes, the Countess knew she planned to kill her outright.

Didn’t Poppy understand the rules that all Aos Sidhe of the Summer Court followed? She was much more valuable as a prisoner than as a corpse. Stepping backwards, the Countess tried to block an overhanded slash, but the blow never finished.

The Unseelie Aos Sidhe looked down in surprise; she didn’t even see the thrust as it pierced her left breast. As the Fae of the Summer Court pulled back the blade, Countess Sianna collapsed, her sword falling out her of her hands.

The troupe stood in shock at the turn of events. No one, except for perhaps Alex, who had faced Poppy’s blade before, thought such a fight between the two would have ended so quickly. It was over before it even started.

“Poppy.” Morgan said softly.

The green haired Pixie felt strange, she could still feel the connection to the sword but the battle knowledge had not left her as it had before. Poppy decided she would think on that later, but first she needed to tend to the severely wounded Countess.

Some might have thought it odd, since she had inflicted the wounds herself, but Poppy didn’t. Tending to the wounded, even the enemy wounded was something she always had done.

Kicking the Fell blade out of the way, she quickly noted that the wound, although serious, was not initially life threatening. Even with the collapsed lung, the sword wound had thankfully missed several thick arteries. Although the Aos Sidhe were resilient folk, the Countess could have easily bled out before Poppy could have healed her.

“I’ll take care of that.” Alex knelt down, picking up the Fell blade. The disgust on his face was evident. “Is she going to live?”

“Yes.”

“Too bad.” Alex turned to Morgan. He wanted to speak with Poppy about what just happened, but it would have to be later. Looking down at the Countess, part of the Aos Sidhe Lord knew that leaving her alive was probably a mistake.

“I heard; Alex, Liam if you please.” Morgan threw up her own wards before motioning to the others to watch the entrance into the room. “Not that I’m complaining, but you almost messed up my plans, Poppy.”

Poppy tried not to look embarrassed; she knew the Countess needed to be left alive. Although she did have a desire to remove the Unseelie from the face of the earth, Poppy moved her blade a little to the left before delivering the final blow.

Countess Sianna slowly opened her eyes, surprised to find herself alive. Before she could move, the sharp end of a rowan spear pushed against her chest.

“I wouldn’t be moving if I were you.”

Startled, Sianna looked up into the eyes of another Aos Sidhe. None of this was right, they were supposed to follow rules, not threaten wounded captives. She then realized that she wasn’t wounded.

“Didn’t I get stabbed?”

“Yes, you did.” The green haired one walked over, still holding her sword. “Princess Morgan has a few questions for you.”

Countess Sianna shrugged. “I doubt I have anything you would be interested in knowing.”

“Why did you kill my father?” A much younger Aos Sidhe approached her eyes full of pain.

Countess Sianna liked that sight. “I have killed a lot of people. Who was your father?”

“Count Delancey of the Summer Court, you murdered him right after midwinter last year.” Princess Morgan rested her hand lightly on the young Aos Sidhe’s shoulder.

Pushing the spear away slightly, Sianna sat up. “I assume you didn’t come all of the way here to ask me that question. Revenge isn’t really your Summer Court thing. So tell me, what’s in it for me.”

“Besides letting you live?” The strange Fae in what appeared to be full Samurai armor said.

“If you wanted me dead, I would be so already. She would have taken care of that.” Sianna pointed to Poppy. “How about if you let me free if I tell you.”

“I have no intention of keeping you captive, Countess. “

Sianna leaned forward, shocked, really. “Will you give me your word, Princess?”

“By Ash, Oak and Hawthorne, I give you my word, Countess Sianna. If you answer my questions truthfully, I will not hold you captive.”

The arrogant smile suddenly appeared back on the Unseelie face. How stupid can these Aos Sidhe of the Summer Court really be? Still, she didn’t like the look of the green haired one. “And she won’t kill me.”

“And, Poppy won’t kill you.”

Sianna turned her head looking at the distraught Cliona. “Your father was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Although I do remember him, he died while crying out for his daughter or something, how pitiful.”

Cliona stepped forward, tears running down her face.

“That’s enough, Sianna. What do you mean, he wasn’t the true target?” Princess Morgan did not remover her hand from Cliona’s shoulder.

Sianna laughed cruelly. “The true target of the Dunkelheit was a member of the Unseelie Court named Baron Scrymgeour of the Red Lances. Of course, why he died was because he was meeting with your Count. To think the two of them were discussing cooperation between the two Courts, what an absurd notion.”

“Not as absurd as you might think, Countess.” Princess Morgan gave her a half smile, as the room suddenly got very cold. Frost crawled up the window and the floor.

“Please, no one move.” Lord Alexander commanded Morgan’s troupe.

Suddenly, a person of terrible beauty walked into the room. Garbed in a long blue gown, her midnight black hair reflected the cruel look in her steel blue eyes.

“Did you hear enough, Aunt Morgause?” Morgan strode forward to meet the regal looking Aes Sidhe.

“Aunt Morgause” Countess Sianna squeaked, all of the arrogance disappearing from her face, only to be replaced by terror.

Morgan nodded. “Everyone let me introduce you to Her Majesty Queen Morgause, Queen of Air and Darkness and current Queen of the Winter Court.”

“That’s enough child, let us skip the pleasantries.” The Unseelie Queen slowly walked over to the prone Countess. “So the Dunkelheit killed Baron Scrymgeour, not that I am surprised.”

“Princess Morgan, please. I have been captured honorably in battle, don't you wish to keep me as a captive of the Summer Court?”

“I’m sorry Sianna. “Morgan said with feigned innocence. “Didn't I just give you my word that I wouldn't keep you as my prisoner?”

The Unseelie Countess began to shake when the right hand of Morgause started to glow with pure white energy. “My dear Sianna, I believe you have a few things that you wish to tell me.”

“Your Majesty, that’s not necessary. I will tell you everything.” Sianna started to back up, as if it were possible to get away.

The Unseelie Queen’s smile was bereft of any humor or warmth. “I know you will.” With a wave of her hand, Countess Sianna disappeared. With that, Queen Morgause prepared to leave.

“Aunt Morgause?” Morgan stepped forward with an Athame in her hand.

“Oh that’s right, is that the item in question. Let me see.” The Queen looked at the dagger, running her hand over the hilt and blade before finally handing it back to Morgan. “My sister was right not to remove the enchantment; it would have most likely killed the Aos Sidhe bound to the knife.”

“Were you able to dispel it?” Morgan asked hopefully.

“Yes and no. She is still bound, however, I have loosened its hold. In time the enchantment will fade, until then I suggest that you keep it safe.”

“Thank you.”

“Was that all, Morgan, no other reward. Seems such a little thing to remove the enchantment on the knife?”

“She’s my friend.” Morgan said simply.

The Unseelie Queen shook her head. “You are your mother’s daughter.”

Suddenly, she looked at Morgan’s troupe, as if noticing them for the first time. “Samphire?”

“Ahh, this is Poppy.” Morgan quickly followed her Aunt who walked across the room to stand directly in front of the green haired Pixie.

“You have her sword.”

“Yes your Majesty.”

Poppy gave a slight bow, feeling quite nervous with a Queen of the Unseelie Court looking at her. She was under no illusion that whatever protection her sword might give her, it would do little against the might of an Aes Sidhe Queen.

“You are of her line, then perhaps?”

Poppy nodded. “I think so, at least Mab…I mean Queen Mab believes it to be the case, Your Majesty.”

The two of them had discussed her possible lineage during their date; Poppy just hadn’t had the time to tell anyone else about it.

“You look so much like her child.” Morgause brushed her pale white hand against Poppy’s cheek. “I assume she is your champion, Morgan?

“Yes, she was the one who defeated Countess Sianna.”

The Unseelie Queen removed her hand and smiled. “Indeed, a worthy endeavor. I imagine Poppy that we will be meeting again.”

“Yes, your Majesty.” No matter what she might say, Poppy had no desire to meet the Unseelie Queen again.

“Lovely.”

Suddenly the room became cold once more, the Gate of Winter opening. Before the Unseelie Queen could step through Morgan stopped her. “Aunt Morgause, thank you again.”

Queen Morgause, Queen of Air and Darkness turned her head and gave her a small smile before disappearing.

As if everyone had been holding their breaths, the tension in the room disappeared.

Emily leaned against her rowan spear, shaking her head in wonder. “That was really your Aunt, Morgan?”

Princess Morgan laughed. “Yes.”

“I think she likes you, Poppy.” Alex smiled.

“Morgan’s Aunt, no, I don’t think so.” One Aes Sidhe Queen was quite enough thank you very much.

“You look tired.” Stepping forward, Morgan wrapped her arms around the Pixie. “Thank you, for everything, my champion.”

Startled, Poppy returned the warm embrace. “You’re welcome.”

Stepping back, Morgan continued to hold the green haired Pixie’s hand. “However, you’re going to have to explain to me the whole thing about the sword.”

“Of course.”

“Good.” Princess Morgan turned to her cousin. “Lord Alexander.”

“Yes, my love?”

The Aes Sidhe Princess rolled her eyes before saying to everyone. “Let’s go home.”

Authors Notes: A special thanks to djkauf for a little elvish editing. If you like the story please leave a Kudos, if you have the time I would love to hear from you. Thanks to all for reading!