A Modern Fairy Story

by Derek Rogers

It would work this time…well it was already working, it was just a matter of finishing the job. Her plan to dominate her part of the world, nurtured through so many incarnations was nearing completion. The last area of resistance, Albionia, was clearly crumbling. There were people in the streets marching, shouting, smashing and burning their own shops and houses, and battling with Authority. Her acolytes had done a magnificent job stirring up so much trouble.  She smiled, it was all very satisfactory. It wouldn’t be long now and that troublesome island would be under her control just like all her neighbours. The thought of forcing Albionia’s Head of State, Queen Atlantica, to her will, filled her with excitement.

The struggle for supremacy between  Kaotica, Queeen of the East, and Atlantica, Queen of the West, had raged since the beginning of time. During previous incarnations Kaotica had nearly defeated her rival, but on each occasion victory had been snatched from her grasp.  Atlantica was a formidable opponent, able to attract powerful forces to her when she needed them. In direct contrast to Kaotica, her magical powers seemed to increase with the passage of time. She also, unlike Kaotica, had the interests of her subjects as her motivation rather than simply a desire for ever more power.

Kaotica’s smile turned into a scowl, it was Atlantica who divulged to her people the secret of transmitting thought and vision across vast distances. The knowledge quickly spread throughout the world and a powerful tool was lost to magicians forever. Worse, it made her magic seem insignificant and diminished her power to influence and control lesser minds. Kaotica would make Atlantica pay dearly for that action in due course.

With each new incarnation Kaotica adopted a new disguise, using whatever persona best helped her bewitch kings and queens and make them do her bidding. With the power this gave her she had sent vast armadas and huge armies against Atlantica’s island, but to her chagrin Albionia had resisted her attacks, remained independent and she had been forced to retreat and start again. This time she had convinced her neighbours to merge their countries into one, eliminating the differences between them and amassing their wealth into a central stronghold that only she controlled. Then she re-named the enlarged community Munimania, with her as its Queen.

So, this time it would be different, she was sure of it. How could Albionia survive, she would now commercially blockade the island and freeze all her assets. Without access to her vast wealth even the apparently invincible Queen Atlantica couldn’t survive. Still, Atlantica had turned the tables before and emerged from the encounter stronger than ever. The thought made her nervous.

A newsflash on her television caught her attention. “International Credit Agencies have downgraded the currency of Munimania as relations with Albionia worsen….” The voice continued. The riots had ended, Atlantica’s guardians were in control again. Kayotica’s confidence began to fade……..