The Summer King and His Winter Bride-Chapter 35: Triumph

The battle raged on for many hours in the Valley of Tears that was located between the Autumnlands and the Winterlands. A land that had never borne witness to the violence of war and bloodshed. The sound of the clash of steel and the crackle of magic echoed in the valley. As the armies of the Autumn Court backed by the treacherous factions of the Spring Court closed in on King Casimir’s armies.

The scent of burning wood and the metallic stench of blood filled the air, as the bitter cold continued to descend upon the battlefield. The pristine snow beneath the warriors’ boots were stained with blood and covered with the many dead bodies of what had once been a proud army.

Their resolve began to falter with every passing moment they spent fighting the armies of the Autumn Court and the rebel factions of the Spring Court.

Casimir fought at the front lines, his sword cutting through his enemies with precision, but even his strength could not turn the tide in his favor, as the Autumn Court’s generals were relentless in their pursuit and the Spring Court’s dark magic caused a disorientation amongst the warriors of the Summerlands.

Although Casimir’s Summerland warriors fought the enemy together with the Winter Court army, they were still outmatched and outnumbered. The air began to pulse with the slow building tension of an inevitable defeat.

Queen Arabella watched everything, her presence like a tornado that had descended without warning on the edge of the battlefield. The winds swirled around her, a violent tempest that promised to do her bidding.

Her eyes gleamed with victory as she observed the carnage that covered the battlefield as her enemies fell before her one by one, by the sword. She had known this day would come when Casimir would be brought low to his knees.

Her gaze shifted northward locking in on Lady Genevieve who stood firm in the midst of the battle, desperately trying to rally her forces with every ounce of strength she had. However, even Lady Genevieve’s unshakable resolve was no match for the fierce enemies that attacked her from all sides for she suffered from injuries underneath her armor.

Queen Arabella could feel that the moment was drawing near when all would fall perfectly into place for her to rule and reign starting with winning this war.

With a snap of her fingers the winds rose as though coming to life as ready to do her bidding. The air became colder as Queen Arabella raised her arms. She commanded the winds to become her weapon and with a loud voice that cut through the battlefield.

She cried out, "Enough!"

At her command, the fires were snuffed out, the screams of war silenced by the icy gusts of wind. The soldiers stood frozen in terror. The harsh light of the moon above seemed to mock the warriors below, casting the entire valley into an eerie glow. Queen Arabella’s magic had crushed the spirit of the battle itself, rendering all who fought helpless.

Lady Genevieve still stood defiant, as she turned towards the storm that had begun to surround her. Her heart refused to sink in and admit defeat as she realized what had happened. The battlefield fell into silence but it was not peace that reigned but the stillness of death amidst a great defeat.

Lady Genevieve’s eyes found Casimir then, struggling in the midst of his fallen forces. Once a mighty king, now brought low, his armor was battered and his sword hung useless in the face of overwhelming opposition. His back was pressed against the edge of defeat as his mighty men began to fall by his side one by one by the sword. Yet there still raged a fire in his eyes.

A fire Queen Arabella had not expected to see.

With her gaze fixed on Casimir, Queen Arabella moved forward. Her steps graceful as they were lethal. A predator in every sense of the word, she approached him slowly savoring his reluctant defeat.

Casimir’s voice, which was hoarse and ragged, broke through the silence.

"You think this victory will change anything, Arabella?" he spat out, his words heavy with defiance. "You have no idea what you’ve started."

Her lips curled into a cruel smile, as she spoke with a chilling calmness.

"Oh, I know exactly what I’ve started, Casimir. The end of your reign. The fall of your people and when this is all done and over with, it will be your head that rolls from the edge of my sword."

To make her point felt, her hand rose and a gust of wind blew off Casimir’s helmet from his head. His hair whipped wildly in the storm, but his gaze never wavered but burned with something far more dangerous like the promise of retribution.

Queen Arabella allowed herself to gloat in the fact that he was no longer the king who had stood proud in the Summerlands, but a man who was now broken before her. Yet there was something in his defiance that made her weary. It was a reminder that he had not yet given up.

With a flick of her wrist, the winds surged once more to do her bidding, this time it seized the Winter Court General who had been at Lady Genevieve’s side. The general was swept off his feet, his arms bound by the violent force of the wind. The display of power was terrifying and the man who was once a fierce warrior was now a helpless captive of the Autumn Queen.

As Casimir and the Winter Court General were forced to kneel before Queen Arabella, Casimir’s gaze never left hers. Even in this moment of utter defeat, his eyes burned with a defiance and a silent promise that this would not be the end.

Queen Arabella’s gaze met his and for a moment she wondered at the reason behind his unyielding fire but quickly pushed the thought aside.

Queen Arabella turned her cold gaze to her soldiers. "Take them both," she ordered, her voice laced with authority. "Casimir and the general will be of value to me and serve as reminders of what happens to those who stand in my way. Bring them bound in shackles to the Autumn Court, where we shall celebrate our triumphant return."

Her soldiers obeyed her command and dragged Casimir and the Winter Court General away from the battlefield knowing full well their resistance would be futile against the forces of the Autumn Court and Spring Court combined. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

For now, she had won that was all that mattered. The Winter Court had fallen. King Casimir was hers to control and with him the power the Summerlands once held would be crushed once and for all.

She turned her gaze to Lady Genevieve who had watched from a distance. Her face was etched with fury. The woman had not yet broken and she seemed to only have gotten tougher through the battle.

Queen Arabella’s lips curved into a mocking smile as she announced with finality.

"Tell your queen, that this is only the beginning. I have much more planned for all the courts."

With that, she turned away, her triumphant footsteps echoing amidst the silence of the battlefield. Her winds swept her away from the Valley of Tears, leaving behind her large army of men and the dead bodies of those who had dared to oppose them.