Knariss

How did it come to this? Me the Summer Queen running from my insignificant bastard sister. It’s her that should run from me, a pure child of mother Titania. Not the bastard of the Fiend. She should never have been born but mother had a plan. She was going to get back at the Fiend for imprisoning father Oberon. Bear the child of the Fiend then cripple it at birth, it was simple, but no that bastard cried out for him at birth, and he saved her.

Faun Sway the Twilight Queen, Fae Fiend, Goddess. She doesn't deserve any of it. That half breed vermin, she stole what never belonged to her and bluntly flaunts it in front of her betters.

“My Queen.” A high pitched voice broke Summer out of her hate filled spiral. “We believe we have lost our pursuers. What are your orders?” One of the loyal spriggan guards asked.

“Your orders, my little one, are to stay alert. For now, we plan. I refuse to return to the Fey wilds, defeated and shamed.”

As the Summer Queen spoke her words, the conviction with which she spoke inspired her remaining followers. They cheered and applauded their queen. Yet it didn’t last long as thick shadows covered the clearing and an ancient voice laughed.

“Hehehe, well you have one thing right girl. You aren’t leaving this world ever. My Queen, my Goddess, my sweet Faun Sway demands your presence back in the Twilight Forest, and I would hate to disappoint her.”

Standing a few paces away in the clearing from the Summer Queen was a wretch of a woman. Skinny as a twig with long spindly limbs, skin pulled taut over her bones, and wearing a tight robe that drew in the light around her. She was missing her left eye and what remained of her hair was greasy and matted with dried blood.

The Summer Queen recognized the woman standing before her. The ancient night hag, Aunty Celene Misery. Yet another of the treacherous cretins that dared spurn Oberon and Titania’s kindness.

“You wretched crone, how did you find us?” Screamed the Summer Queen.

Aunty Misery smiled showing off her black rotten teeth, then beckoned to one of Summer’s sprites. The poor creature struggled and tried to resist but its body betrayed it as it walked up to Aunty Misery.

“Ah, that's a good lad. So obedient just like Aunty raised you.”

“How dare you Misery!” Summer spat. “These sprites are mine. You dare to turn them against me. The both of you will pay for this.”

Aunty Misery cackled. “Stupid little girl. You’re so spoiled you think anyone choosing a side is a betrayal, but in this situation, you are wrong this pathetic sprite didn’t betray you.”

“What are you talking about? I can clearly see the little ingrate trying to hide behind you.”

Aunty Misery cackled again, and almost fell over. The Summer Queens stupidity is truly enjoyable. Alas nothing good lasts forever. So, with a snap of her boney fingers the sprite convulsed. Blood leaked from the poor little things, eyes, nose and mouth.

“My Qu-Qu-Queen please forgive me.” Were the last words to leave his mouth as several dozen purple gray mushrooms sprouted from his corpse.

While they inched away trying to find another way to flee from the hag, the strange mushrooms started to wiggle. That movement caught their eyes, and they froze as small arms and legs pushed out of the stalks. Tiny grinning faces appeared under the caps and wings made of mycelium sprouted from their backs.

The Summer Queen and her remaining guards looked on in disgust as the small fungus creatures let out piercing cries. Aunty Misery on the other hand let out another horrid cackle, as she smiled over the little ones.

“What are those abominations Misery? What has that bastard done?”

Aunty Misery was all too happy to gloat over what had happened. “These little dears are my Goddess's latest experiment. She wanted to make the fae more fun. These are the stable results, the others didn’t last. Beautiful aren’t they, she modeled them after myconids and a dash of parasitoid wasps just for fun. I think they turned out perfect. The convulsions and look of fear when they start to eat their way out magnificent.”

“None of you will get away with this degradation. When my mother and father hear of this there will be hell to pay.” The Summer Queen sneered. Her loyal sycophants quickly agreed. Unfortunately, Aunty Misery didn’t seem concerned at all. In fact, she seemed quite happy with this outcome.

“What makes you think we plan on letting you go anywhere? After you fled the forest Faun Sway convinced the other gods and goddess to lock down all means of transportation on or off Knariss. You no longer have anywhere to run even if you manage to escape from me, we will find you eventually.”

The crushing weight of reality slowly came down on the Summer Queen’s head, but she still refused to accept her situation. She ordered her guards to attack while she flew away.

“Oh, ho ho naughty girl. You aren’t comprehending the situation that you're in. It’s hopeless. You’re finished. You haven’t got a prayer, cause Queen Faun ordered you captured so you ain’t going nowhere hahahahaha!”