The Battle of the Spring Faeries Pt 2

Second part of the story

Part 2    The Battle

Grundor was in a foul mood this pre-spring evening. He was in a foul mood most of the time for that matter.
The earth was beginning to thaw. That always put him in a mood to begin with. He preferred it cold and white, frozen and lifeless.
It was dark still, so it was very cold.
He walked to the opening of his mountain realm balcony and surveyed the landscape.

Patches of earth with touches of green had begun to peak through the white snow.  He snarled and rubbed his beard in thought.
Usually, this marked the time for his exodus to the south, to visit his sister Vessala. Together, they had great sport as the southern hemisphere of the earth fell under their frozen powers.


But, this time he wished to remain here. A certain faerie had caught his eye. He would not admit it to a living soul of course.
He had spied her one night while making his rounds  freezing the winds that blew and blasted a small town close to his mountain home.  Those who lived in the realm of Grundor were most brave and hardy souls indeed. For it was always blistering cold. Icy blasts of artic wind often covered the area as Grundor raged and bellowed in a temper of some sort.

The faerie in question was the crystal faerie. She went about turning windows frosty and beautiful. Her best work was Icicles and painting delicate frost patterns across Grundor's desolate cold canvas.

She was delicate as her work. White and colorless, her skin was almost
translucent. Her lips were a deep shade of winter red and her eyes were palest blue and frosted all around.  The Ice Troll King was enchanted as he watched her perform her artistry on his frozen landscape.

Now, although it was time to depart these lands, Grundor wished to remain and find this
faerie. So he called his minions. The trolls and faeries of winter together for a special meeting.

"We will not leave as we usually do", he informed them.  "Not until I find a certain faerie  I saw about a week past.  When I find this one, we will make our usual departure.
If any try to force our hand, we will resist.  We will fight them if necessary.  However!
Leave Queen Tatiana to me. Is that clear? No one is to match with her but your king."

The pre-dawn was fast approaching. Queen Tatiana and her army of spring faeries were scouring the countryside in search of King Grundor or his troll armies. They were ready to meet them and demand they depart. But many hours had passed and still no sign of them.  Iredessa flew to the front ranks and landed next to Queen Tatiana with a worried frown upon her little pink face.
"Where are they my queen? Are they hiding from us?"
Tatiana shook her head. "No, Dessa.  My guess would be he is in a meeting with them, planning their strategy for the battle."

"We will rest here,  and wait. There is his realm."  She pointed to the mountain of snow and rock across a barren valley.    As she spoke suddenly there emerged a host of trolls and dark faeries, bursting from the opening of the mountain like angry swarms of bees from their hive.

"Stand ready my faeries!  Do not be dismayed. We are stronger. It is our time now. We will triumph!" Queen Tatiana held her staff up for all to see. They were encouraged and
battle ready as they stared upon their strong and beautiful queen.

It didn't take long for the troll army to spot them. Even in the pre-dawn light they sparkled and glistened with the awakening of spring.  This angered the cold hearted army further as they  advanced upon them.  

Grundor was in the lead, he spotted Tatiana and her army below and ran down to meet
them upon the field of battle.  He would not be dissuaded from his mission.

The queen was ready. She stood her ground and faced him. His hordes swarmed behind her and met her faeries head-on. The air was rent with the clashing of sword and club.
They fought bravely, the Spring Faeries. But, some were slain and many injured.
Queen Tatiana could see that they would not last through the night unless she acted and fast.  She met the Troll King's sword with a powerful  swing of her own, repelling him  by the force of her blow.
He was surprised and she saw it in his eyes.
She knew his strength was wanning with the melting snow.


She struck again the force of her blow pushed him  back against a large boulder.
Only the force of his sword pressed against hers kept him from being slashed by the Queen's sword.   He pressed against her sword but his strength was waning fast. At last, out of breath he gave one final push of his sword against hers and broke free, falling to his knees. He looked abashed as he lifted his sword to her in defeat.  The others stopped all fighting as they watched the gesture of surrender.  
Tatiana had compassion on him and pushed the weapon back into his hands.
"All I ask, is that you and your winter minions leave so that Spring may live on this land.
It is time."    He shook his head and looked up at her.  

"Queen Tatiana, I know I have over-stayed my time. It is not for conquest or vanity I do so. I .. I am in love.  Yes.. you look upon a Troll under the spell of love. It was but a fleeting glance and she was gone. She was spreading lacy ice patterns over the trees and
plants.  The Ice Fairy my lady.

Tatiana looked up and around until her gaze came to rest on Iredessa. She called her to her side.  "Dessa, do you know the Ice Fairy?
Iredessa nodded and looked in confusion from  her queen to the kneeling figure of  the Ice Troll King.  "Yes your majesty. But, what.. ?"

"Never mind the what right now Dessa.  Bring her here at once."   Iredessa was off in a shot and before long she had returned a small and beautiful fairy behind her.

The Ice Fairy bowed to the queen and looked at the Ice Troll then quickly away.

He had an astounded look up on his face. Here was the very creature who had captured his heart. If only he'd gone to the queen before .. but there was no time to ponder this, Tatiana was speaking to him and the Ice Fairy.

"You both belong in the realm of ice and snow, winter and coldness.  It is a suitable union. Would you not say so Dessa? "   Iredessa smiled and nodded happily, taking out a small bag, she reached in and brought out a black powder, but when the fairy of love blew gently upon it, it began to sparkle and glow as it rose slowly from her hand and wistfully circled first the Ice Fairy and then the Ice Troll King.  It settled upon them like dew upon a rose.  They both looked up and shook their heads, staring at each other,they reached out their hands and grasped the other's hand.
Iredessa nodded and looked up at her queen.
"Success my queen. Had they not been meant for each other the love dust would have turned black like soot on their skin."

Tatiana bid the Ice Troll king arise with a wave of her hand, as she bowed in front of him.
"I bid you farewell, lord of the northern winds."
He in turn bowed low to her, all other trolls and dark faeries following his example. The Ice Fairy gave an elegant curtsy.   Then they were away! As if by silent cue, as quickly as they had come.  The medic faeries were attending those hurt and most were magically restored to normal, some were sent to rest and re-cooperate for work another day.  The queen turned to them all and spoke in a triumphant voice.
"My children, the dawn is almost upon us. There is much to do.  Everyone to their stations."

They all scattered, small faerie and large, dark and light. All the faeries of Spring and Summer.  The landscape thawed where they flew touching each plant and frozen tree.
As the sun peaked over the Troll King's mountain, the landscape had taken on new colors, touches of white daffodils and yellow crocuses  showed pretty faces against green patches of grass.  Spring was here at last!