I was the fourth daughter born to my mother and my father, the King and Queen of Ireland at the time. It was a disappointment to my father, him, hoping for a son at last. He ended up with me. Well, needless to say, he took what he could get. He started me on the sword at a young age, while my mother taught my sisters how to sew and keep house. I loved my life. I loved the time I had with my father, the freedom of getting out of the castle. My mother taught me the basics of healing, sewing, cooking and so forth when my father would have to meet with his soldiers. She told me she had the gift of healing, and though I paid attention, I did not have the appreciation for it at the time. I would rather be fencing in the back of the castle as my father would have liked. Regardless, she did what she could with me.

As I came upon the age of 14, I was a mighty warrior, as young as I was. I was the best my father had. I was quick and lethal. My lessons had paid off. He took me on all of the invasions, all of the wars. I saw innocent people slain, I myself doing my best to hide those who were innocent, knowing it would anger my father, but he would never see it. I would slay those who were meant to be slain, and I was good at it. No man could ever out do me. It pleased my father. I lived for his acceptance and appreciation.

Close to my 16^th birthday, I awoke to a commotion outside of my bedroom door. I saw my father dragging my mother from their chamber to the front doors of the castle. I stepped in the middle, asking him what the problem was. He answered "She is no longer my wife my dear daughter. I have found someone who may bear me a son, who will honor my name. She is no longer welcome in our home." All eyes turned to the young woman, who must have not been more than 20, holding a slightly swollen belly with a sly smirk on her face. She turned and walked into the chamber my father shared with my mother. His words were like a slap in the face. This was my mother he was throwing out. Her eyes bore into mine, and I heard her plea, but I did nothing. The slap was too strong. He still wanted a boy after what I had done for him. I saw him throw my mother out the door while everyone stood on watching, even my sisters. I heard her screams as she was executed at the gate. I saw the tears stream down my sisters faces. They all looked at me, waiting for me to do something. I did nothing. I turned and went into my chamber, holding back the tears.

A few months prior to my 17^th birthday, my brother was born. The son my father always wanted. The kingdom rejoiced, as my sisters and I looked on. For the first time, I felt like an outsider. I left early the next morning to practice my fencing, as a noble warrior would do. I felt betrayed. I went to a meadow where I had escaped for so many years when things got too tough for me to handle. I fenced as I had never fenced before, letting out my anger, my sadness, my pain. Drained, I knelt to the ground, not able to hold the anger anymore and released the bitter salt inside of me.

Trying to gain my composure, I stood up and saw a young gentleman, looking weak, kneeling by the water, next to his horse, who was also obviously tired. I carefully approached him, with my hand on my sword. He slowly turned his face to me, I saw his eyes open with shock. "It's you." With that, he fell backwards. That's when I saw the gashes along his side. I rummaged through the meadow, trying to remember what my mother had taught me in regards to herbal medicine. I gathered what I could, and went back to kneel by his side. He was so frail. I tended to his wounds, gave him water, fed his horse the little food I had brought with me. I sat by him through the night. As I woke at dawn, I looked over at him, and found him staring at me. He spoke. "I've seen you before. You were shown to me in a dream. I was told you were The Warrior. Have I found you, Warrior?" With that, I fled. I ran all the way to the castle, and hid in my chamber for the next few days, only to come out to train with the other soldiers. I had engraved his face into my memory. Knowing I could not have him, I closed myself from all love. I did not want to hurt anymore.

Years went by. I was now close to 30. I continued the journeys with my father and his soldiers. Feeling numb inside, I no longer protected the innocent, I shed their blood along with my father's men. I continued trying to please my father, knowing I was going to be pushed aside once my brother became of age, which was near. I did what I could to prolong that. My father never bothered to look for a suitable man for his youngest daughter, as I was his best warrior at the time, and now, I was too old to give to a man. I was alone. As we finished our venture, we returned home to find my brother at the gate. He was now 13 years of age. He had been training, some training by my own hand. He stood before us, then kneeled on one knee. He spoke. "Father, I am ready. I am ready to be the warrior you always wanted." With that he stood. He looked at me and smirked. I knew that smirk. He inherited it from his gruesome mother. She loathed my sisters and I, and she raised him to be the same. My father was ecstatic. The called for an initiation at once.

I did not join the party. I fled to the meadow I used to visit. I immediately fell by the river, looking at my face in the water. Just as soon as I had sat, another face appeared in the reflection. I gasped and looked up. It was the young man I had helped so long ago. And tied to the tree was his beloved horse, now old, obviously no longer able to hold a grown man. "Warrior, I have been coming here every night, hoping to see your face once again. And now that night has come. Please tell me your name." I softly said. "Elsie. He whispered, Elsie, the Warrior. You have haunted my dreams before the first time I met you. The woman who showed me to you resembles you." I knew then that I was my mother who led him to me. I put all of my anger and sadness to the side. I laid with him that night and we gave each other our hearts. I swore to him that I would never leave or betray him. We left each other that night with hearts lifted. We had agreed to meet on the next full moon to wed.

For the second time in my life, I awoke to a commotion outside my door. My father was ordering the soldiers together. We had an army coming our way. At first I refused, knowing I had to meet my love on the full moon. My father was enraged. He ordered me to suit up and meet outside of the gates. With reluctance, I suited up, not wanting to disobey my father. We all gathered outside the gates of the castle. My brother on my father's right hand side and I on his left. We rode out to meet the army.

Their man rode up the middle line, waiting for our man to meet him there. My father ordered me to go. As I rode up, the soldier lifted his face armor. It was my love. I lifted my armor in return. We stood in front of each other, speechless for a moment. My father ordered me back, as did his father. Little did we know that our families were enemies. My mother had drawn us together. But why? I would not find out until later. My father, furious, rode up beside me, looked at the love between us, showed his sword and swiftly thrust his sword through my beloved's heart right in front of my eyes. As I saw the life drain out of him, I dismounted my horse and caught him in my arms. I swore to him that I would fight for him. No sooner than the words were out of my mouth, my brother rode up beside me. I saw my father's look in his eyes, and his mother's smirk. He drew his sword, and I stayed where I was, by the side of my love. He quickly thrust the sword through my heart as ell. As I took my last breath, I saw the lives of the innocent I killed. I saw my love. I saw my mother and heard her words, "Elsie, you are a warrior, you will fight for those who do what is right, you will fight for those you love, even in death, you will do what is right. You have seen the truth."

On the day I died, I swore to defend those I love, and make up for the lives of those who should not have ended so soon. I defend the name of my mother who stood up for me even when I turned my back. I now defend those who are out to do good for others. I am Elsie, "The Warrior Witch."