《The Demon and the Princess》


 Volume I, Prologue: The Treaty of Highpass

    ¡°After the Great War between the Demons and the Humans, which lasted for roughly 102 years, the Human Kingdom of Leonia and the Demonic territory of Dralarag have agreed to marry a member of their royal families to one another, thus ending the war in what would later be known as The Treaty of Highpass after the name of the fortress the opposing armies have agreed to send peace emissaries to¡­¡±


    ¨CA brief history of our World, Cerolus Kreshorok, 600 AS.


    <hr>


    ¡°Father, you can not do this!¡± I slammed my hands against the table of Father¡¯s office as I propped myself upwards, my palms reddening from the impact.¡®This is bullshit! Does the royal title mean nothing to him? Was there any point in my six years of martial training? Am I seriously going to be just a Princess that has been sent to the enemy in a peace offering?¡¯


    My father sat on the opposite end of the huge table with the other nobles, or should I say, ass-kissers, at his sides. I sized each and every one of them as I look around the room.


    ¡®They are only looking to make a profit from all of this. Is this how nobility is like?¡¯ If Renald or Gavin were here, maybe they could¡¯ve talked some sense into this crazy idea of his. ¡®But no, they have yet to return from the battlefield and he¡¯s taking this opportunity to finish everything fast. How typical of him.¡¯


    ¡°What I can and cannot do is up to me and the Great Council.¡± Father decided to play calm in this affair, his gaze barely leaving the table in front of him.


    ¡®He¡¯s speaking to the table rather than a daughter.''It felt quite cold being in a room with someone who wouldn¡¯t even bother looking at you while he speaks. Any semblance of dignity just washed off me at that moment.


    ¡°We need this peace with the Demons, the War has been going on since before my great-grandfather. It must be put to an end,¡± Father grabbed the closest scroll, opened it up, read some pointless scrabble, and then put it back on the pile to his right¡ªall without ever looking at me. ¡°Their proposals are extremely favourable for us, and this one we have to concede to them.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry a Demon! What kind of a father are you to make me do this!? Am I simply a luxury to be thrown around on peace deals to you? You don¡¯t even know who you¡¯re marrying me off to!¡± I almost started to snarl from my side of the table, forgoing any kind of manners that were previously drilled into me by various tutors. ¡®The Demons want a marriage between the royal houses! How stupid is that? And how stupid are you to agree to this? What good will possibly come out of this situation?¡¯


    ¡°They have agreed to marry a member of their Royal Family only if we offer the same. They have also agreed that they will agree to not influence our Court after the marriage. Your sister is already married to the Duke of Lesthoria, and you have approached marriageable age.¡± Once again, my father took a small parchment from the table and started reading from it. The room was in complete silence while he muttered under his breath. It was like I was in a graveyard instead of a king''s office.


    ¡°Your future husband has said he is older than you, and that he supposedly took a liking to our culture¡ªunlike the other brutes of their race.¡± He now turned the parchment to me, the rough scribbling on it looked like it was in our language mixed with some unknown glyphs and symbols. ¡°He may even be reasoned with and, given time, he may even cede you back to us. If anything should go wrong, the entire Kingdom is ready to take up arms again, but I doubt we can stand warring against them for such a long time.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I will not forgive you for this!¡± I turned and stormed out of the Council room. I made way to my chambers. I would just have to wait for my brothers to return, or just run away from all of this. ¡®He can¡¯t marry me off to someone I¡¯ve never met, let alone to a Demon! If Mother were still alive, she would¡¯ve protested this! She would¡¯ve made him understand! Why is everything going so badly for me?¡¯


    <hr>


    ¡°Master Cerolus, are you sure you want to do this?¡± Kozzok had decided to be a little more proactive and talkative than usual, even using words for this exchange, instead of the usual mental pulls and pushes.


    ¡°Kozzok, this wouldn¡¯t be my first marriage, my kids are already gone and, honestly, the bunch I call my family are nothing but spoiled brats. I shudder just by thinking what would happen if they were to marry a Human girl.¡± My family had already tried to approach me after the Demonlord announced the plans of marriage, trying to place themselves or their children into the union. I always hated our politics. ¡°This way we keep this peace with the Humans and their precious Kingdom, and I can¡¯t really decline our Demonlord, can I now? He is my grandnephew after all, and my nephew placed a lot of trust into him taking the throne.¡±


    Kozzok¡¯s apprehensive approach to political matters had always allowed me greater insight than most of the nobility enjoyed, but this decision was not up to him to make. He had served me well all these years, but I had to notice his slow deterioration. ¡®After all, I always have the final say in the matters.¡¯


    ¡®If someone had told me fifty years ago that I would marry a sixteen-year-old Human girl, I would have probably beaten him to a pulp. How times change. Maybe this peace with the humans will turn out good after all?¡¯ We had been warring for the past century, possibly even more. Even after that phase, I never understood what they wanted from us. Peace was something we all gravely needed.


    ¡°Have we started constructing the new residence outside of this sulphur pit we call our Capital?¡± Over the years, I had grown to dislike the proximity of so many people. The town that I had been given governance over would possibly even profit by me actually living near it, rather than being half a week away.


    ¡°We have contracted our best builders and everything is going according to plan. We have received some preliminary reports on what humans call castles and gardens and will try to make them so your bride feels at home, per your instructions.¡± Kozzok always had that detached tone to his voice.


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want her to try and run away now, would we? From what I¡¯ve gathered about humans, they really like the memories of their home and families. We appeal to that, we win them over.¡±


    ¡°You are strangely attracted to this whole idea, my Lord.¡±


    ¡°It does seem fun. And besides, I¡¯ve lived quite a life so far, maybe this will bring some more excitement for a while. But, for more pressing matters, what is this wedding ring they are talking about?¡±


    <hr>


    All of my and my brothers¡¯ pleas had fallen on deaf ears, just as I feared. I would have to go with my father¡¯s judgment for now. ¡®But if that Demon tries to lay a hand on me he will see who he is trying to mess with!¡¯


    The preparations for the wedding had already begun mere days after the peace treaty was officially proclaimed in the lands. It would seem the matter had been solidified well before I had learnt of it.


    The Demon was to come with a couple of servants and a carriage to take me to my new home as they all call it. ''A prison is what it is. He even agreed to have a ceremony at our Church!


    Just how cocky was this bastard? It was well-known Demons can¡¯t stand light magic! I couldn¡¯t wait to see him squirm at the mere sight of our Goddess¡¯ blessings. ¡®Maybe he will die and I¡¯ll be free!¡¯


    But enough dreaming, I had my wedding to prepare for, and I¡¯d be damned if I wouldn¡¯t try to look my absolute best. Arranged marriage or not, a princess carried herself the same.

 Volume I, Chapter 1: The Arrival

    ¡°Selina, the Goddess of the Sun, is worshipped by the Humans and a small population of High Elves. Many believe that the Gods and Goddesses are the ones that give magical powers to mortal beings, but some research has shown that knowledge of magic precedes the worship of the Pantheon. Correlation, or causation, it is up to an individual¡¯s preference.


    ¡­


    Nevertheless, the Human marriage ceremonies are often conducted in places of worship, where future spouses vow for loyalty towards one another. The exact vows differ between the Kingdoms, and the social circles, but apparently ¡°until Death do us part¡± is a common occurrence.¡±


    ¨CRaces of our World, multiple authors, 560 AS


    <hr>


    ¡°He is late.¡± My words echoed around the room I¡¯m sitting in, surrounded by a small entourage of ladies-in-waiting. The ceremony should have started an hour ago already. I simply sat there all dressed up, everyone around me running in circles trying to make everything on me perfect, and my future husband was late.


    ¡°Have you expected anything different from a Demon, milady? You can¡¯t possibly think that savages they are wouldhave a way to keep time correctly?¡± I was inclined to agree with Melinda¡¯s words. This wedding should have never even happened, but alas, now we were at the Great Church of Light, where every royal wedding in the past century, or even more, was performed, waiting on my Demon husband to come and ''grace us with his presence''as his pompous self would probably put it. ''UGH! Fucking Demons! Rot in the Underworld all of you!''


    The door to the bride¡¯s chambers opens and a guard announces, ¡°Your grace, His Highness has sent for you, it seems the Demon has arrived.¡±


    ''So now they even expect me to wait for him at the Altar?This is ridiculous!''I had tried to think of something to say, stop everything, but was left with nothing in particular. I had to go to the wedding eventually, but I''d be damned if I waited for him.


    ¡°We will be coming down after my future husband has announced himself.¡± The guard nodded, well, as much as you could nod below a fullarmourand a helmet, and left the four of us in the room. The sullen atmosphere quickly returned.


    ¡°What do you think he¡¯ll look like, milady? Everybody has said he¡¯s older than you are, but nobody mentioned exactly how much.¡± My ladies had got chatty these past few days, withrumoursgoing around the Palace of how my future husband looked like. It only hammered in the realisation that all of this was actually going to happen and that I hadn''t been dreaming for the past few months.


    ¡°Why does it ever matter? I have to marry him whether he¡¯s twenty or sixty, it doesn¡¯t make a difference, and I¡¯ll hate him and his kind either way.¡± I honestly hoped he was at least not an old man. There was only so much malice I could take from all of them, my family and the Demons. I did try to picture him at least. I imagined him as one of those Human-like Demons whose pictures we¡¯ve seen from soldiers who had lived through battles. I had shuddered at the mere thought of having to stand next to somethree-headedterror some other people have told stories about. ''That would be dreadful. And Selinahelpme, I hope he doesn¡¯t stink. I¡¯ve heard that all Demons stink. Why do they have to stink? Is it the smell of blood, magic, or do they just simply, stink?''


    As soon as I delved deeper in thoughts, the murmur on the outside of my room, or possibly in the entire Church, went silent. It would appear something really good, or something really bad has happened. ''I guess my wedding is about to begin.''


    <hr>


    About 1 hour earlier


    ¡°You have told me to dress formal, Human. This is formal attire. Ceremonialarmour, the Cup of Blood, and the Sword of Offering." I traced my hands across my body in an almost futile attempt to show these Humans of my civility in these matters. I cared little for what they thought I was to wear at a wedding, some traditions had to be taken seriously.


    "This is how we do our weddings, if you wanted something different, someone should¡¯ve said so in one of many letters exchanged in the recent months.¡± I probably wouldn''t have listened even if they had sent a list. They had no right to change any of these customs, and they had to know it. We had already given them much leeway in these matters.


    ¡°My¡­ Lord, it is not customary for the groom to wield his sword at a wedding. Thearmourwill have to pass, but we must ask for the sword to stay with your carriage.¡± The tiny Human in front of me tried to persuade me to leave the sword behind, a couple of times already at that matter. It was seriously rather concerning as to how their weddings went about. It would seem they had no fun or manners at all.


    ¡°But how will I kill the SacrificialHellboar? Let me speak to whoever is in charge of this charade and we¡¯ll reach a conclusion, I will not be held back by simple servants.¡± I wondered if I could¡¯ve made him piss himself with a bit of magic in my voice. That would be a nice experiment to conduct for the future unless I forget to take it up to Kozzok. He always managed daily affairs; I don¡¯t know how I¡¯d live without him. The servant went into an adjacent room and I could hear some rustle and murmur. Whatever happened in there, someone was not happy as the servant came back out.


    ¡°Followme, please. His Highness is eager to meet you.¡± Well, I got the point across; the old man himself wanted to meet the lowly me.''What did they call him, the Great Lion of the West or something? It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if he named himself just to boost his ego. Great Lion. Heh.''


    I had to admit, I did not expect them to have such a good sense of architecture. Their forts seemed malleable, ugly, and weak, but the ¡®Great Church¡¯, if that was the correct name for this establishment, looked decent, even the lighting throughout the building was gentle on the eyes.


    ¡°Is thewardingcharm working well, Kozzok?¡± I¡¯ve had to make him a Ward. Shadowlings did not handle light magic well, and this place appeared to ooze it in excess. Even I was a bit flabbergasted when I learned of this fact. ''What can generate so much light magic? They could¡¯ve used this in the War.''


    ¡°Yes, my Lord, thank you for making it for this lowly servant.¡± Kozzok always used the formal tone in front of strangers, it made me uncomfortable at times. We both knew that this wasn''t the exact nature of our mutual relationship, but Humans probably couldn''t come to terms with that anyway.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Nonsense, if anyone were to be at my wedding, it would be you. Besides, you probably know more about Humans than I have learned; I can use the guidance as usual.¡± That part was true, his knowledge at times seemed to go well above and beyond what I could grasp. Him being at my side for a good portion of his life, and also mostly shadowing me during my daily affairs, had left him with what I would guess to be a decent understanding of how Humans worked.


    "Very well, my Lord.¡± With that shortexchange, we reached a heavily guarded room.


    ''The King must be the other side. Well, time to meet my father-in-law.''


    <hr>


    ''This fool thinks he can play with us in the centre of our own Kingdom? He comes here and demands to wield a sword at a wedding! Ever since the first Kings, the royal weddings have been conducted with the groom wielding no weapons, and this pompous prick comes and tries to go against everything we have done so far? He¡¯s even talking about killing something! What kind of savages are they?''


    I had to calm down, he¡¯s probably trying to rile us up and break us apart, something typical of a Demon to attempt. It would seem warfare seeped into every corner of their barbaric ''culture''if they had any. I was giving my sister away to one of them, and a wedding was a day for everyone to remember, for better or worse. It would''ve been best if certain appearances were kept.


    ¡°The Demon is coming with a single servant.¡± I nodded at that and proceeded to tell the guards to let them in. The guards were hardly necessary; I¡¯ve fought Demons before and won, so if anything should happen, I still had the upper hand. I did not think it would actually come to that, but it was easier to just be prepared for it than not be prepared at all.


    The doors opened and the entire room heated up as they entered. I had to admit, he did look menacing, for a lack of a better word. None of the words I had in mind implied anything good, and that did not console me in the slightest. Although that could just be thearmour. Two large horns, a tail, and what looked like hooves adorned my future brother-in-law. The only features the helmet revealed were the red skin and two completely black eyes, like all the light in the world is not enough to fill them. They gave me the creeps. The redarmourand the sword look ready for combat, the heavy plating on all possible sides clattering as he walked. The sword was adorned with magic gems. ''Did he callthis ceremonial?''


    The Demon behind him was similar, but only with a sullen and old but dignified look, with no visiblearmour, wearing simple black clothes instead. He looked almost identical to what our old head butler Kraig looked like, Demonic addons notwithstanding. Even the skin colour was not that far off, with only a hint of grey. His hooves were cloven, his gait noticeably quieter.


    ¡°Greetings, I am Renald Leonia, the First Prince of the Kingdom of Leonia. As we¡¯re both royalty let us put our servants aside for now and converse between each other. We¡¯ve been expecting you, Lord¡­ Cerolus, I presume?¡±I started the introductions, although he was our guest. Hopefully, I threw him off with my ¡®humility¡¯, but I doubted they knew of the concept in the first place.


    ¡°Ah, yes, my name is Cerolus Kreshorok, currently tenth in line to the throne of Dralarag. I have accepted for the ceremony to be held at your Church by your tradition and will remove my helmet after we approach the Altar,however, I must ask that I keep my sword and conduct the Sacrifice myself, as is our tradition.¡± His pearl-white teeth contrasted the black eyes, only adding to the eerie of his appearance.


    ''What is this sacrifice he¡¯s talking about? I haven¡¯t heard anything about that in any of the reports coming. This should¡¯ve been mentioned.'' He appeared to wander at my confusedlook but didn¡¯t look fazed. It was hard to determine what he was thinking by looking at his face. The helmet covered most of it, and the Demon himself seemed well poised in muting his expressions. At that moment his servant whispered something to the Demon, after which he gained an almosthumanelook.


    ¡°It would seem you don¡¯t conduct the Sacrifice in your culture. It is understandable. Allow me to explain it then.¡± With thosewords, he took the sword from the sheath. My guards immediately responded with theirs, a completely unnecessary action on their part; if he was actually trying to kill me, he¡¯d be a lot more direct and vocal about it.


    ¡°¡­Easythere, boys. I don¡¯t bear ill intent. The sword is used to kill a sacrificialHellboar, one of our delicacies back home. The beast is completely restrained, and once beheaded the groom will pull its heart out and fill the Cup of Blood. The bride then drinks from the Cup, ensuring a long-lasting marriage. From what we¡¯ve seen, there is no danger to a Human drinkingHellboarblood so there is no need to be alarmed.¡±


    ''He seriously expects us to comply with THAT? Animal sacrifice? Drinking blood? Ceremonial swords? What kind of madness do they do in theirGods-forsakencountry?''I was awed by the simple fact that my father actually agreed to all of this nonsense.


    ¡°I seem to notice a bit of apprehension on your face." The Demon loosened his grip on the sword, the slab of metal now resting on the floor, adding small cuts to the marble. He spoke almost softly, his pronunciation of our language mostly on point, but some words were intoned incorrectly, adding a roughness to them. "Some disgust, too. You must think of us as savage with our ceremony. Well, we are perplexed with you in some areas as well. We have upheld our end of the bargain, and have agreed to hold the ceremony here. I only ask for this in return. The Sacrificewill, of course, be prepared for the meal after the ceremony. It is a delicacy, and you will surely enjoy tasting it.¡±


    <hr>


    ''They didn¡¯t even send the King to meet me.Oh well.''I didn''t let this small insult go far. Maybe they didn''t even consider it an insult at all. It was amusing to think of the possibilities, being on a political battlefield rather than a weaponised one.


    The first Prince did seem to be an intelligent man, and capable enough to possibly lead a country in the future. The Young Lion was what they called him if I recalled correctly. His hair did have the appearance of a golden-brown mane, I could attest to that much. His blue eyes were attractive, and his sharp facial features greatly helped. A young man in his twenties, I could almost bet he got a lot of company at night. ''It¡¯s been way too long since I¡¯ve had the company of a man.''I had realised I digressed a lot with the latest thoughts, and needed to get back to our current business.


    ¡°What do you say, Your Highness? Will you appease our act of selfishness this once and allow us to give you a glimpse of our ¡®savage¡¯ culture?¡± I could hear his teeth grind at the remark. At times, a peer into a mind of a lesser being was a wonderful talent Iwas given. I was usually against using it, as those more trained and inclined to such measures could easily detect my tampering, but what one doesn¡¯t know cannot hurt him. ''Well, that is completely wrong, but the saying is quite amusing to hear.''


    ¡°Very well, we will allow you to keep the weapon and do the¡­ Sacrifice. I am looking forward to seeing it. Now, shall we go? Everybody¡¯s eager to finally meet you, especially my dear sister.¡± A badly crafted lie at best, but it would have to do. There wasn''t really a way around that, I certainly wouldn''t give in to the demands, and they needed to have the wedding go without a hitch.


    In the end, everybody would stay alive and well. Well, except for theHellboar. I adored eatingHellboar.

 Volume I, Chapter 2: The Church of Light

    ¡°The Great Church of Light was built between 12 and 25 AS, and is known as the biggest place of worship of the Light Goddess Selina in the western part of Mainland. The marble for the structure was imported from the Great Quarries of Dendrin, some 300 miles away, while the stone was reused from an old church nearby that fell during the Razing of the West. The structure was built to contain several adjoining rooms to serve the Royal Family and the Clergy. It is now used for every major ceremony and Holy Service to the patron Goddess in the Kingdom.¡±


    ¨CThe Great Pantheon and their patronage, Sir Renald Lewin, Great Mage of The High Council, 770 AS


    <hr>


    ¡°Shall we, Lord Kreshorok?¡± The Prince gestured towards the exit of this room, his face trying to reassemble a notion of coherence and indifference towards me. That is something vastly easier said than done when facing someone like me. ''And I should know, I faced people like myself.''


    ¡°Please, just Cerolus, we are going to be a family before long. It will only be appropriate. Besides, I rank lower than you in our respective families. Just Cerolus will be fine." My politeness could have maybe mistaken for friendliness, but the man in front of me should do much more to deserve that title. Perhaps with time if he would show humility and respect when it is due. "And yes, let us commence, we are already late, and it is unsightly to be late to your own wedding after all. What would the people think, that their Princess is marrying an uncivilised brute?¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­ Cerolus,¡± his efforts at coming to terms with our current relations could be described as commendable. ¡°Everybody is waiting, let us not waste any more time.¡±


    We left the room with an entourage of armed guards trailing us. It would be so easy to make them fall lifelessly on the floor, a flick of a thumb and Greater Darkness Magic.''No, stop it, we¡¯ve stopped the War, they are here for nothing but a formality.''


    The walls of the Church felt cold to the touch as I grazed the occasional wall we passed, a refreshing difference from the outside, as the temperature slowly movestowardsits yearly peak. We moved through what I could discern to be the main corridor of the Church, my horns having plenty of free space below the ceiling. More guards waited ahead, it would appear that everyone is already present and awaiting my arrival. ''Well, at least we get the pleasure of making a grand entrance.''


    <hr>


    ¡°Open the door!¡± The guards yielded and I walked ahead of the Demon to take my seat next to my father''s. Speaking of, he had not arrived yet. ''What he will have to say about our newest member of the family?''


    The Hall was filled with various nobles from our Kingdom, and several from the nearby countries. This would be the first marriage between a Human and a Demon in our recorded history; it would be surprising if it wasn''t the biggest thing happening currently in the country, if not the World itself. I turned back to see what the Demon wasdoingand noticed him standing in front of the door, still largely covered from everyone¡¯s view. ''Is he waiting for something? Or is it possible that he is¡­ shy?''


    It would be peculiar that a person who oozed confidence on their entire way here appeared to possess even a hint of apprehension. The Demon glanced around the room with those black eyes, not betraying a hint of emotion whatsoever. There was something mystical about them. ''Something extremely welcoming...''


    I caught myself in a pointless train of thought and recoiled briefly, only to see that my father was entering the Grand Hall as well. He had yet to notice the visage of our visitor, but the Demon was poised to make his entrance anyway. ''Let us behold what wonders we shall be present for today.''


    <hr>


    ¡°Do it.¡± I ground the words through my teeth. Kozzok was always ready for everything, and we had already agreed on a suitable entrance for this matter. The Altar was empty, so the bride would be the last to join. ''I guess it is kind of fitting, I¡¯ve read that many Human girls dream of their wedding days, but this little princess doesn¡¯t have a knight on a white horse waiting for her.''Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Kozzok stepped ahead and proceeded with the announcement. It was explained to me as a custom and these lands, and the suitable guests such as ourselves could only be jovial to oblige. ¡°May I present His Highness Lord Cerolus Kreshorok of the Royal Kreshorok Family of Dralarag. He comes today in good spirits to marry the Second Princess of the Leonia Kingdom, for the prosperity of both our countries.¡±


    My small step forward echoed through the room as I passed Kozzok while removing my helmet. Hiding my face to my future wife would be a rather unwelcome behaviour, one that is frowned upon in the entirety of Dralarag. The helmetfound a resting spotin Kozzok¡¯s hands and I strolled forward with slow steps, letting each one resonate through the Hall. The sound was enchanting, and I could simply lose myself in the cadence, but nevertheless, I pressed towards the Altar. It didn¡¯t really seem different from Churches of Kreshorok, barring any Sacrificial Altars and depictions of flame on the wall. It was, however, a lot brighter, the place being the biggest Church to the Light Goddess. I set my sight on the Priest in front of me, who would perform the wedding ceremony. The fear coming from the people surrounding me was palpable, as I revelled in the trepidation that the crowd tried to contain. What six months ago was their greatest enemy, now stood in front of them in broad daylight, and they had no way to escape this predicament. I turned around, taking in the stares and flabbergasted faces of the crowd below me. ''Truly, Humans could be a pitiable bunch. But maybe not all of them are like that.''


    ¡°Greetings, Humans. It is a great pleasure to meet all of you here today. Let this be a beginning of a new chapter of history, as we end a war and open an era of peace. It is quite lovely to see so many people interested in seeing my unsightly visage, and a great honour to be joining a royal family of a Kingdom. Now, shall we call for my beautiful bride?¡±


    Sound magic was not my forte, but one could learn to amplify his own voice throughout the years of practice. I tried to reach that perfect pitch where the ground was just about to shake and the glass windows were ready to crack. ''A perfect display of power over these lowly beings, and a perfect start to somebody¡¯s perfect day. Mine of course.''


    ¡°I COME HERE BEFORE YOU TO TAKE YOU AWAY, MY PROMISED BRIDE, IF I HAVE TO FIGHT YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY FOR YOUR HAND, I WILL DO SO, IF I HAVE TO RAVAGE THROUGH EVERYONE PRESENT, I WILL NOT HESITATE, AND IF YOU DO NOT WANT ME, WELL, TOO BAD, BECAUSE YOU WILL COME, WHETHER IT IS YOUR WISH OR NOT.¡±


    ''I may have gone a little overboard with that.''I let out a chuckle as the guards didn¡¯t appear to like my announcement, glaring daggers, or more appropriately, spears, at me. The crowd of what I can assume to be useless nobles was deathly silent, with a perfect depiction of shock on their pale faces. ''Do these people even tan?''


    I turned to face the Prince and the rest his family. The old one appeared to be the king. ''Oh, he looks a bit mad.'' I¡¯d call the precise emotion furious.


    ¡°Have no worries, this is a standard opening to a Demonic wedding ceremony. Well, normally you¡¯d actually have to fight the bride¡¯s brother or father for her hand, but that would become¡­ messy rather quickly. So, where is my wife-to-be?"


    Kozzok stood in a corner of the Hall. I was not entirely sure if he tried to make himself invisible or prepared himself to perform an assassination, as I¡¯ve had him do both of these at several weddings already, but we hadn¡¯t made such plans for today. ''Apprehensive as usual, a truly great servant to have.''


    <hr>


    The Demon was either stupid, overconfident, or extremely powerful to do what he did just now. Nobody had ever promised to ''battle every member of the bride¡¯s family'' to get her hand. I concedethat combat did happen centuries ago, but something in the back of my mind was nudging that he would actually try to kill someone should that occur. In any case, after that display of, let¡¯s call it power, for now, my father seemed most likely to lose every bit of sensible thought, and my brother and I would be following shortly behind. ''But let¡¯s try to behave civilised. Mother had always said that a wedding is just a different kind of war. And we are starting to lose this one.''


    I did have to admit that if he wanted a showy entrance, he certainly pulled it off; I have barely seen most of these nobles shut up my entire life, and he managed to do it in mere minutes. ''Respect where respect is due.''


    I turned towards a guard next to me and tried to lower my voice as much as possible. After this, however, me yelling would be considered a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m entirely certain that my dear sister Sophia has heard this grand entrance, but just go up and call for her to make sure. Let¡¯s begin with this before it devolves into simple charades.¡±


    Nodding, the guard left my side and exited through the side door.


    ''Dear Goddess, what blasted thing did we agree to in that treaty?''

 Volume I, Chapter 3: The White Princess

    ¡°A bride almost always wears a white dress to a wedding; white signifying purity, joy, perfection, and chastity. Humans particularly stick to this tradition, their patron Goddess being the Goddess of Light. Although some other colours have been observed, white remained dominant for the entirety of the written history.¡±


    ¨CFashion throughout the ages, Olivia Blackthorne, 1450 AS


    <hr>


    ''Was that him?'' The booming voice had spread throughout the Church Halls. It was a voice of wrath, a voice of might, a voice of power. ''Could that be the Demon everybody has been waiting for? How did he do that? Was that sound magic? Is my new husband a mage? They have never told me he would be a mage!''


    The mere thought of having someone that powerful for a husband was frightening. I had no idea how to approach now. And I was lightheaded all of a sudden. ''Is that the result of this powerful magic of his?''


    ¡°Is that HIM?¡± My ladies were obviously more vocal about this matter, murmuring and whispering behind me. ¡°He sounds like a really powerful person, milady. Are you sure you want to get involved with the likes of him? Nothing good can come out of that.¡±


    ¡°Once again, I apparently have little choice in that matter, so now that we have heard my groom¡¯s grand entrance, let us go down and end this madness already.¡± I thought about how to escape this predicament, but no ideas came to me. I hoped something would eventually come to light, but for now, embracing the situation would be best.


    A guard''s head peeked into the room, ¡°Your Highness, the First Prince has called for you. The wedding is about to commence.¡±


    ''What does he think I am, a child? Can I not decide ANYTHING by myself around here?'' I stopped myself from berating someone and put aside my frustrations for now. It would do me no good to get mad at someone at this moment. ¡°Very well, we will be coming down at once.¡±


    ''Mother, I honestly hope you aren¡¯t watching this. And if you are, please give me some hope.'' The silent prayer escaped my lips in a hushed breath, and my entourage slowly moved.


    As we approached the Grand Hall, my legs were getting increasingly numb with each passing step. ¡®I am getting married. To a Demon. I am getting married. I¡¯m going to have a husband soon. I¡¯m going to become a wife. I¡¯m going to have to share a bed with someone. With a Demon. That stinks. They all stink. I¡¯m getting married. I¡¯M GETTING MARRIED!¡¯


    I took a small pause, reaching for the wall to steady myself. I couldn¡¯t process why I was riled up about this. He was not a dashing prince on a stallion ready to take me away to his grand castle. He was a blasted Demon. You could put as many titles on him as you imagined or wished, a Demon would always be a Demon. I could bet he lived in a cave, where the Sun never shone. The monsters that they were had been at war with us for a hundred years, and even before that, we¡¯ve never been friendly. ¡®They are the scum of this world.¡®


    I clenched my fists, then looked down at them, gazing at my pale palms. I looked back, towards the door that concealed the outside. Towards the air. ¡®Towards the freedom that I¡¯m losing.¡¯


    ¡®I should run, run as far as my legs will take me, rip off this blasted dress and just run away from all of this.¡¯ Maybe they don¡¯t find me, maybe they all forget. I never asked to be married, especially not like this. I didn¡¯t want to be taken from my home, my family, all of this. I was going to miss this. I had no clue where he would take me, not an inkling about what he would do with me and I would have to endure every day.


    I looked onwards, towards the ending of the Hall. The lone doors stood like colossi, mere fragments of ornate wood separating me from my fate. At this moment, time stilled. I lifted one foot off the ground, keeping it there until I choose which way to choose. Moments passed. Agony spread through me. I put my foot down. A step towards the Doors of Doom.


    I put my hands up in a small attempt at a prayer again. ¡®Goddess, help this lowly girl in her hour of darkness, help her to find the right path, send her a sign, anything, that will put her heart at ease.¡¯


    The halls were silent, eerie. The statues, unmoving. The marble shone, the Sun radiated, and yet none could light my way. My life was dark; my thoughts were dark. I knew it even know; this was the beginning of the end. ¡®This blasted wedding will be the end of Sophia Leonia.¡¯


    A ray of light set upon my face; a single tear slowly threaded down my right cheek, the Sun caressing it, its heat feeling like the embrace of Mother I felt so long ago. ¡®Is this it? Is the Goddess looking after me after all?¡¯If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Perhaps my pleas were answered. This path may be the correct path. ¡®MY path.¡¯


    The Sun didn¡¯t answer. The Sun never answered. It brought life, it brought joy, but the affairs of mortals were beneath it. It didn¡¯t concern itself, it just shone.


    ¡®And so will I.¡¯


    I wiped the tear away, the rays of light on my face shining carelessly. ¡®Mother, your little girl is a woman now. Be proud of her. She is getting married. You always said you¡¯d like to see me in white, you always said your baby girls deserve the wedding of their dreams.¡¯


    I pinched myself gently. This was hardly a dream, and it was definitely not a wedding of one, but it was my wedding nevertheless. Demon or not, a wedding was a wedding; I would push through. I would get married. ¡®Mother, be proud. And don¡¯t watch¡­ alright, you can watch.¡¯


    We stood before the guarded doors of the Great Hall. A nod was all it took; the guards slowly opened the door. The light of the Great Hall was inching towards the corridor ¡ª the Goddess smiled upon her servants.


    ¡°Her Highness, Second Princess Sophia Leonia of the Leonia Kingdom,¡± the loud voice echoed throughout the Hall, merely a whisper compared to the Demon¡¯s thunderous announcement.


    Queue the music</a>(Optional, you all can assume what is going to go here, 5 minutes, plenty of time to enjoy it)


    I sauntered towards the Altar, my legs trembling along the way. Fear, excitement, terror, joy; it was all there; a conglomeration of emotions guided me, my mind empty, feeble, as my legs carried me across the marble floor. My destination was in sight. The Sun shone on all, even him.


    A red suit of armour with horns and a tail was on the Altar. My groom had his back turned to me. He wanted me to see this. He didn¡¯t want me to look at his face while walking down the aisle. ¡®Is that the tiny bit of consideration he is giving me, or am I not worthy of his sight?¡¯


    I looked around. Everybody was standing. Everyone was silent. It was astonishing that weddings were so similar to a funeral; I¡¯ve been to enough of both. ¡®And what is the difference today?¡®


    I looked towards my family. My father with tears in his eyes. ¡®Your daughter is going away father. You are giving her away. She will no longer be there in your home. She will no longer be here. She is going away.¡¯


    My brothers looked happy. I could see their teary eyes. They were afraid, but happy. ¡®Be happy for me, my brothers, be happy and be afraid. I am going away, but I will never forget. Maybe I will forgive. But I will never forget.¡¯


    My sister was here as well, streaks of salty tears visible on her cheeks. Sad to see me go. I was sad at her wedding as well. I didn¡¯t want her to leave me. ¡®And now, I¡¯m leaving her. I am leaving everyone.¡¯


    My little brother stood next. He understood what was happening. But he didn¡¯t cry, trying to look strong, unmoving before the big bad Demon that¡¯s going to take his sister away. ¡®Grow up and be a strong person brother. Maybe if I had some of the strength you¡¯re showing today. But it is alright to cry, little brother. Nobody will think less of you.¡¯


    The suit of Armour shifted, my gaze falling on it. The Demon had turned towards me. His black horns pierced the sky above, the right one slightly chipped at the top. His black hair like onyx, as his black eyes absorbed all the light around. His face was welcoming, his brows strong, his chin angular, his face manly, his visage handsome. He looked quite a bit older than I. He looked older than any of my brothers.


    But he was not an old man. His eyes were not the eyes of an old man. There was cunning, there was vitality, there was youth in those black eyes. Although they were simply black, showing so little, they revealed so much. It was eerie, frightening. ¡®Wrong.¡¯


    His mouth opened in a small grin, his white teeth a complete contrast to his red skin, a blinding light in the centre of all darkness. ¡®He is¡­ enchanting.¡¯


    I moved to the Altar, the stairs yielding to my feet. I stood next to him. He was so tall, my face barely reached his chest. Looking up to him, he looked scary, and pleasant at the same time. ¡®Are these the same Demons we¡¯ve been fighting for years?¡¯


    His red armour appeared incredibly heavy; a sword adorned with gems at his side. The armour looked menacing, while the face looks enchanting. ¡®A Warrior, A Villain, A Hero. A Demon. This is a Demon. This is MY Demon.¡¯


    He had hooves for feet. It was funny; all that bulk, all that size, ending in a small pair of hooves. It almost made me laugh, and I had to stop to regain composure.


    He bowed forward, his knees bending a bit. He was now ever bit closer to my height, but the difference was still enormous. ¡®Is he being considerate?¡¯ His face was now a bit closer to mine; I could see the eyes clearly. A sheen in that blackness, just a hint of red. A small red star in a vast open night sky.


    I couldn¡¯t stand his sight, and he reached the same conclusion. I looked ahead, towards the Priest. I looked down, at my white dress. My ladies said I looked beautiful. I wondered what this Demon was thinking. But it didn¡¯t matter. I knew how I look; I knew how the Sun was caressing my face. I was standing in the white rays of our Goddess. He could take that away from me.


    ¡®I am Second Princess Sophia Leonia of the Leonia Kingdom. This is my wedding day. And I. Will. Shine.¡¯


    At least he didn¡¯t stink.

 Volume I, Chapter 4: The Choice

    ¡°Weddings between royal families are historically complicated. While there are certainly exceptions, many of these were pre-arranged, without the consent of either one of both parties involved. Political gain from uniting two houses was apparently more important than wishes of one or two people.¡±


    ¨CA brief history of our World, Cerolus Kreshorok, 600 AS


    <hr>


    It wasn''t difficult to describe or make sense of what my bride was wearing, but it was interesting to see her wearing a white dress. I''ve heard before of such Human tradition, but I had not seemed to adjust well to seeing a woman wearing white. Red dresses were more practical if my opinion were to be asked for, but I had to admit that her pale skin made the dress look elegant and fluffy somehow. It was enjoyable in the least, and I''ve been pleasantly surprised. I''d thought they''d have a more dull tradition regarding clothing, but this one seemed suitable. After all, most of the Humans I''ve seen so far wore armour, and it wasn''t even good one at that.


    As for my bride, she appeared somewhat plain. Not in a bad way, I must''ve had to correct myself, but she was far from the most beautiful and eye-catching persona in the room. She had pretty long hair the colour of a Widower tree bark that rounded up her small face and contrasted the small blue eyes. Overall, she was simply pretty, and that was all you could say about her. Her skin looked soft, and something in the back of my mind wanted to touch it as if my touch would taint the pale flesh and make it mine.


    I didn''t know where my thoughts were coming from, and I felt ambivalent towards all of this, but something in her made me wonder if she were as fragile as she looked. I could tell at a glance that her shyness and hesitation were caused by her inexperience. She had plenty of time to grow. She reminded me of our children in a way, a lanky figure that needed guidance, help, and nurture.


    So many possibilities were unravelling before me in my mind, but I had to stop imagining the future and focus on the moment at hand. Taking a step at a time was a practice that had served me well in the past, and I intended to keep it. However, even if preparation was key, I was willing to accept the turns and twists that life threw my way. After all, it was a twist that brought me here today in the first place. So I would try to enjoy the wedding. ''After all, a wedding was meant to be enjoyable.''


    She stopped fidgeting next to me, seemingly embracing her position, and we both looked towards the priest who would perform the ceremony. He opened the large tome in front of him and the room got silenced in an instant, while the man in front of us started off slowly as if trying to lull us to sleep.


    ¡°Friends and family, thank you for coming on this glorious day.


    "We are gathered here under the light of our Goddess to celebrate the joining of Her Highness Sophia Leonia and Lord Cerolus Kreshorok into a holy union of marriage.


    "Marriage is a very special place¡­¡±


    It was incredulously dull to listen to the words coming out of the man''s mouth. Most of those were idle and empty, read word for word from that tome of his he never let his gaze off. I had my doubts about a marriage between them and Demons was a situation the book was intended to celebrate or officiate. I glanced away towards the crowd and saw stern faces that lacked any elation and joy on them, the entire audience bored and I would assume eager for this painful madness to end. The girl next to me was sullen and moody, obvious lacking the joy the ceremony should be bringing with it.


    I kept listening to the empty words spewed out of the priest''s mouth, thoroughly not amused by the various mentions of their Goddess. If that was an attempt at making me kneel before them in a show of humility or weakness, it was a rather poor one. If, on the other hand, they were somehow hoping the ''holiness'' of those words would ''smite'' me, they were poised for a stark surprise. I enjoyed the touch of light myself, it was a potent force when used correctly, being able to bring peace and mirth to a foe before taking all of their hope in one fell swoop. Light could do more harm than darkness could hope to achieve, but the fools around me were oblivious of such facts of life. The light for them meant glory and joy, so I was willing to bring all that to them. Show them all I could do using their own strengths and hopes against them.


    ''As soon as the man before me stopped speaking, that is. We wouldn''t want to be rude, would we now?''


    <hr>


    The ceremony was a disaster either already happening or about to be one. The Priest kept spewing empty words at us: "love", "marriage", "union", "cherishing". I cared about none of those. I was getting married to a Demon, so he probably lacked most of those concepts in that blunt head of his. I fully well understood the eeriness of weddings. ''So many empty gestures, barren words, false promises, political games, shadow plays; So much and all that for a gain of the few, makes me sick of royalty I belong to.''This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    I had now become a part of that vicious circle, given away to an enemy for nothing but peace deals and promises. I was like a common gem, traded away until it lost all its value or got dropped into mud, forgotten by all that once had any regard for it, and I didn''t have an inkling of what to do about it or how to make my stance against it.


    I looked at the Demon, watching intently on his brooding face. He seemed deep in thought, and that was deeply unsettling. ''Is this it? Does it all end when the Priest finishes speaking? Will he just grab me and take me away, without being able to even say a goodbye? Will my life end like this, with empty gestures and false promises? Why is everything so uncertain?''


    I¡¯ve always loved having dreams, having plans, knowing what the next day will bring. Life was more joyous when you knew what it will bring, although I can¡¯t deny that there is an allure to unpredictability. Somewhere along all this, I''ve lost a part of my hesitation. This was all new to me, although I''ve been to weddings before.


    The Priest had stopped his arduous speech, and looked towards the Demon, seemingly ignoring my presence completely.


    ¡°Do you, Lord Cerolus Kreshorok, welcome Her Highness Sophia Leonia as your wife, offering her your love and encouragement, your trust and respect, as together you create your future?¡±


    I swallowed. I had hoped somehow he would say ''no''. I had even imagined all of this being a game and nothing was serious. The Demon stared at the Priest, drawing a large grin across his face as the Priest tried to look away, like a rat was trying to escape a lion.


    "I do," he said bluntly, smiling innocently and looking directly into my eyes, seemingly having his plans unfold like he wanted them to.


    The Priest turned to me.


    ¡°Do you, Her Highness Sophia Leonia welcome Lord Cerolus Kreshorok as your husband, offering him your love and encouragement, your trust and respect, as together you create your future?¡±


    ''Of course, I don''t! He¡¯s a Demon! He¡¯s going to take me away, he¡¯s going to toy with me, make me his slave, do whatever he wants, and yet you want me to agree to that?'' I had plenty of thoughts around my head, but was unwilling to speak them out, silently pondering what was happening to me.


    I looked around the Great Hall, the ghastly silence befalling everyone present. ''What would happen should I decline?'' I contemplated briefly, thinking about what my family would do. Then I realised another aspect of all this, and looked towards the Demon, who stared at me with a smile, waiting for me to answer.''More importantly, what would this Demon do? Do I have the courage to stand up to this; to stand up to him?''


    My hands were shaking and I dug the nails into my skin, my hands hurting. Everyone was watching me, judging me, and I was lost as the murmurs and whispers spread around the crowd behind us. I could almost hear them, plotting and mocking me, or impatiently waiting for me to answer and get on with their perfect lives, completely disregarding my own. I could imagine their words in my head, ''Just say ¡®I do¡¯ and this will all be over and I can go back to my life¡¯.


    I wondered was that all it took for a man to turn against one another ¡ª a single promise of peace, a simple contract, and every price would become negligible before their joy.


    My family was to my left, beyond the Demon''s towering body. I cast a glance, watching their unwelcoming faces. The people that were my family, or that I considered such, were casting me out, and I was being left alone. ''Can I live alone?'' I wondered, eking out more painful moments of thinking about my damned future.


    I knew what I had to say. The words clawed at my throat, tore through my mind, wanted to get out, and yet I continued to suppress them in a seemingly futile effort. The choice was all mine, but there wasn''t a choice, to begin with. This wedding was already planned and done before it had even started, and all of us here were just puppets playing out parts in machinations of others. I knew it, and my family knew, and the Demon next to me was fully aware of the fact.


    There was one single answer here, two words that I had to say, same words that sealed my fate and cast away everything I knew and cherished. A final thought passed through my mind. ''Is this the beginning or the end of my suffering?''


    I cleared my throat, ready to accept all of this for what it was. Ready to accept my part, move my strings to someone else''s plans. There was nothing I could do, so I had to yield. "I do."


    Silence welcomed me, and the world around me didn''t change one bit.


    ''I am Second Princess Sophia Leonia of the Leonia Kingdom. This is my wedding day. And I have fallen.''

 Volume I, Chapter 5: The Red Wedding

    ¡°A notable exception to this occurrence is the wedding ceremony of the Demonkin, in which the bride will wear either red or black. The now largely abandoned practice of religious sacrifice and a large amount of bloodshed (Demonkin blood being black) on these ceremonies would inevitably and irreversibly dye a dress of any other colour. It also reportedly ¡°matches their eyes¡±. It is a unique phenomenon not occurring in any other known civilised society.¡±


    ¡ªFashion throughout the ages, Olivia Blackthorne, 1450 AS


    <hr>


    No matter how much I had hoped my sister would say ''No'' and reject this madness, I had already known of the outcome. There was little I could do and I hated every part of it. I looked at the Demon and had to contain the urge to draw a sword then and there. My blood looked primed to boil, and I had to wipe a tear from my cheek.


    We could not afford more warring with the Demons, no matter what the bastards actually did. My father had agreed to this ludicrous proposal, even without consulting me or Gavin. We both learned of this too late for it to matter, but we were fully aware of the consequences.


    I was somehow glad that this went without issues. Enraged that my sister had to be the one upon whom the entire peace deal rested, but glad that she had realised this was the best way to handle it all.


    The Priest in front of the couple seemed unfazed by her sullen look, completely ignoring both of them, focusing on that book of his instead. ''Are these truly the people that should bring hope to the masses, who should show the Path of Light to those that have lost it?''


    ¡°Lord Cerolus, our customs agree that the groom should present the bride with a ring, but we understand if you haven¡¯t¡­¡± he started, barely keeping his head up to watch.


    "Of course! I came prepared! Kozzok!" The Demon bellowed cheerfully, and his servant came out of the crowd, appearing from a shadow of a pillar as if it was his home. He carried a small black box in his outstretched hand, making his way towards the altar.


    <hr>


    It was all over. It had been done. The rest would just be simple formalities. I had no more purpose now. I looked at the cheerful Demon next to me, as he exclaimed words that I could barely understand.


    Before I could think of anything else, a smaller one approached us from the side and handed over a small black box. I followed the other Demon for a while, noticing the enormous disparity in height between them. The servant, as I could only assume, was barely any taller than I, if not for the horns that curved above and back over his head. A mere moment later, he was almost gone, seemingly melding with the shadows that the pillars of the Hall cast. I tried focusing on where I saw him, but the darkness made everything a blur.


    ''Is this magic again?'' I asked myself, then shuddered at the thought of something being able to leap from a shadow at any time. So I tried dismissing that altogether and focusing on what was next to me.


    The Demon, whom I should have probably started calling something else by now, held the small opened box in his hand, small gems and a piece of gold safely tucked inside. He took out the gems gently, and I could notice them being two rubies and a larger onyx.


    I wondered what he meant to do with them, but he turned towards me before I could think further.


    "I apologise, but I haven''t received information regarding the size of the ring," he said softly, with a slight twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face. It looked creepy.


    I heard something about him being prepared, but was lost as to how. ''Are these gems a part of his preparation?''


    "Thus I''m afraid I must improvise!" he exclaimed and opened his palm. A blinding light came out of his arm and not long after a small flame burst from it, seemingly floating in the air. I held back, in shock, then inched a bit closer, trying to make sense of it. He put the piece of gold inside the flame and it melted into a shapeless lump. Then, with his other hand he put the gems into the golden piece and it started to slowly bend.Stolen story; please report.


    ''Is this fire magic? Melting down and making rings?'' I was intrigued. I had always thought fire was destructive and unpredictable, but to see someone use it like this was enchanting. I couldn''t take my eyes off the hovering ball of flame and the small ring that had formed inside. ''Magic is... amazing.''


    I glanced back and watched the crowd that was in awe themselves, then went back to look at the Demon. He moved his hands gently, as if guiding the flames, giving the ball of fire a life of its own. The soldiers always said Demons were ugly and terrifying, but this one was so calm, different, and gentle.


    The fire stopped burning, leaving nothing behind but a ring that rested in the Demon''s palm. Then he turned towards me.


    "My lady, if you would allow me to put this ring onto your hand," he talked gently, and I was dazed. I had simply presented my hand to him without even needing a thought, and he slid the ring on my finger effortlessly. The ring was cold, despite being engulfed and born from flames mere moments ago. And it fit perfectly.


    ''He didn''t know my ring size, so he made one right in front of me.''


    I watched his face, a bright grin showing his pearly teeth against the red skin and black eyes. ''Should I smile as well? Is the wedding finished?'' I pondered on what was supposed to happen, then looked towards the Priest, who was grumbling something about Demons into his chin.


    He stopped shortly, and raised his voice. "I hereby pronounce you husband and wi..."


    But before he could finish officiating the marriage, the Demon interrupted him, and I almost jumped out of my skin, "WAIT! WE HAVEN¡¯T COMPLETED THE SACRIFICE! KOZZOK, GET THE BOAR! THIS IS GOING TO BE A REAL TREAT!¡±


    The doors of the Great Hall crashed open, and a hooded figure entered pulling a large cart. I couldn''t take my eyes off the wooden cart. A huge beast was strapped down with numerous ropes and its squealing filled the entire room, the noise dreadful and ear-shattering. It looked like an oversized boar, were it not for the three rows of tusks from its jaw or horns coming out of its head. It was fiery red, fuming, and furious, struggling to break free from its shackles.


    The Demon looked at it and grinned. ''He brought a Beast into the Church of Light!?''


    The hooded figure stopped just below the altar with the cart in tow, and I could gaze into the eyes of the boar. At that moment, I felt similar to it, being bound by someone I cannot escape from. There was a glint of fear in its eyes, something oddly humane for a beast.


    The Demon started going down the steps, "In my culture, a Sacrifice to the Gods ensures a long and healthy marriage," he started explaining, perhaps only to me, or perhaps to everyone in the room. Then he stopped just shy of an arm''s reach from the cart.


    His arm went for the sword on its back, and I watched as it was unsheathed. The slab of dull, black metal that was the blade had visible cracks running along its length, while the handle was adorned with gems, radiating a soft crimson, like the armour the Demon wore. For a moment I remembered the stories about the knights in white armour coming to the princesses in need. He fit into none of those stories, but seemed more dignified than any knights I''ve seen.


    A quick swing of the blade was all I could notice, and the head of the boar rolled across the marble floor. A fountain of blood spurted from the body, the pool of red slowly forming on the floor, and a noticeable gush staining a part my dress. I gasped towards the Demon, who looked pleased with the prospect. The crows had horror across their faces, while my brother was trying to suppress awe. ''Did he know of this?! How could he not tell me?''


    To my further horror, the Demon then just pummeled the side of the beast''s chest with the sword, the sound of breaking bones utterly clear, then set it aside. With another grin, he shoved a gauntleted hand inside the mess, and moments later pulled out a large bloodied heart. The blood was everywhere, the Church looking more like a slaughterhouse by the minute.


    The servant once again came out of the darkness to hand the Demon a gem-adorned chalice. ''Where in the World do they get all these gems to put on things?''


    The Demon put the chalice below the heart and the blood oozed slowly into it, the thick red liquid overflowing as the cup tried to greedily take as much as it could. ''Is this the Sacrifice? It''s... horrible.''


    Before I could think any longer, the Demon appeared next to me and knelt down to hand me the chalice, blood dripping down the sides.


    "Drink, my bride, and may we live long in prosperity!"


    I looked at the chalice, then glanced back to him, only one word echoing in my mind, ''What?!''

 Volume I, Chapter 6: The Goblet of Fire

    ¡°Upon ascension, Demonlords are bathed in the blood of Hellboars, signalling the start of their rule as mighty warriors and fierce rulers. The Hellboars themselves are specifically bred for these purposes, as they are considered sacred to Kreshor, God of Fire, and a great delicacy to all Demonkin. It is prohibited to bring a live Hellboar outside Dralarag, unless it is to be killed within two days for a ceremony; their tendency to slaughter other livestock making them unsuitable in other areas of the World.¡±


    ¡ªFauna of Dralarag, Demonlord Serentia Kreshorok, 890 AS


    <hr>


    The Demon looked at me with those piercing black eyes that just ached to suck all the light out of the room. They were horrifyingly intriguing to look at.


    He held the chalice, trying to hand it over to me, keeping it close to my face. ''Does he expect me to drink it? Is it poison? Does he plan to kill me already?''


    I''ve started praying to Selina, hoping she would spare me a gruesome death in a blood soaked wedding dress, then realised that him planning to end me made little sense in this situation. He had plenty of chances to do much worse before, and he didn''t take them, so it should be obvious that he intended to be peaceful, at least for now. Then, I didn''t even pose much threat to him, considering the vast size difference between us, as I barely seem to be able to reach his chest, adding to that the frightening fact that he can do magic.


    I was terrified of him, but a part of me wanted to listen to his words and do what he said. ''Maybe it''s fine, after all?''


    I looked at him again, the smile on his face eery, but not malicious in any way. If I were to squint, it would actually look like a normal smile.


    ''Besides, what is the worst thing that could happen now? I''m already getting married to him ¡ª a Demon, my dress is ruined by blood, so my day cannot get worse,'' I comforted myself, trying to find something to cling on to at this time. ''So, what if it kills me? Fewer things to worry about.''


    Hands shaking, I slowly reached for the bloody cup presented to me. His enormous hands made the cup appear smaller than it was, as I could barely hold it in one hand. The blood on the sides slowly seeped, running down my fingers and I could feel the warmth spreading through my hand. I''ve only seen animals killed during the few hunting trips with my older brothers, and this was the first time I''ve seen it up close. There was so much blood there, and I shuddered at the thought of having to taste it, let alone drink it.


    I raised the chalice slowly, like it would be the one to consume me, and the smell was not comforting in the slightest. I pinched my nose shut in an effort to smell it less, but it was too late. At this point, I was just trying to get it over with.


    "Go on, I promise you won''t be harmed. You don''t have to drink it all ¡ª a small sip will be just fine," the Demon spoke behind the cup of blood, and I was slightly relieved by his words. I knew I couldn''t stop this now, so I''d just have to endure it.


    I took a small sip, as the metallic taste spread around my mouth. There was an odd sweetness to it, like the cakes we had for birthday parties, but there was also some saltier tone to it, similar to the soups Mother would give me when I got ill on cold nights. In one word, it was remarkable.


    I had to have more, so I took a larger gulp. The taste spread all over my tongue and the warm blood entered my throat, sticky sludge going into my chest.


    All of a sudden my vision went blank. I could see nothing, completely surrounded by darkness, but not cold. There was warmth around me, as if I were enveloped in flames, but didn''t get burned.


    I could see no one around me, but I didn''t feel alone, like someone was there just beside me, holding my hand, guiding me through this. The fire around me spread and the flames danced, as the darkness around me surrendered before the warm light.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    I took a hefty breath, engulfed in flames, but wonderful. At that moment, I felt strong, and courageous. ''I feel... alive.''


    My vision came back, and I was still holding the chalice, the surface of the liquid trying to reflect my image. I looked at the Demon, who had a wide grin on his face. "So, did it hurt?"


    His eyes have become redder. What was once almost pure black had given way to a blazing spot in the darkness, an unyielding vanguard of life in the void. There was vitality in those eyes, and will. Mother had always said that I would know good men by the look in their eyes, and perhaps this Demon wasn''t far from that. ''Maybe I can actually do this. Maybe it is what I am supposed to do, who I am supposed to become. Perhaps this was the path paved by the Goddess for me.


    ''Maybe this Demon is my future.''


    "No... It was wonderful."


    I tried looking away from his eyes, and he turned towards the Priest, who gaped at me.


    "You may proceed," the Demon said, in a voice that was more commanding than gentle or elegant, and the Priest flinched.


    The Priest cleared his throat, struggling to get breaths out. "Very well. In the power vested in me by our Holy Goddess, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife."


    So it was done. I was married, and my husband was a Demon. ''So why am I excited and terrified at the same time?'' I knew this was going to happen for months. ''Has the realisation finally set in? Have I finally given up to this fate? But why would I be excited then?''


    As I spend time contemplating my uncertain future, the ground disappeared beneath my feet. I had glanced around me and realised I''ve been swept up, the Demon carrying me away from the Altar. I struggled in his grasp, "Where are you taking me!?"


    My arms flailed around but did little to free me, his hold much firmer than I could hope to leave. I tried to not look at his face, but couldn''t help myself. He held a gentle smile on his face, perhaps even a smirk.


    "Settle down. Isn''t this the tradition, for the groom to hold the bride in his arms?"


    I thought about what he said, then rattled my memory of what I knew about marriages. "No."


    He looked at me, and blinked in confusion. "Well alright then. But I like more it this way. I''m taking you to the ''wedding dinner''. Isn''t that supposed to be after the ceremony?"


    The shadows around us parted and the lanky servant Demon appeared on the side, his methods still eluding me. "Indeed, Master. The dinner goes after the wedding ceremony. But there is no carrying part that I''ve heard of."


    "Well, no matter in any way. Start preparing the Hellboar for the meal, I''d love to eat it."


    The confusion and fear lifted. He wasn''t taking me away after all. But I was still hesitant about all of this. I grabbed what parts of the armour I could, some parts of me wanting to get away, while others just wanted to hold on.


    By the time I wanted to say something we had already left the Great Hall and the corridors of the Church. The grand doors gave way for us and light shone into my eyes. A crowd of people around us gazed unwittingly, watching us, each of them focusing their gaze on me and the Demon. I could see their faces, and the fear and disgust they gave off. Everyone was afraid of him, and they''d avoid looking at him directly. I glanced at the Demon''s stern face, unmoving, a steeled look gazing into the distance. ''Does it get to him, all this fear? Or does he enjoy it, and think of us nothing but weak and feeble?''


    I looked ahead of us, and a carriage black as coal was prominent before the mass of people. I looked at the red horses, as no horses I knew had that colour. Their manes fluttered in the wind, and it took me a moment to notice that they were made of blazing flames, surging in the wind.


    Something small opened the door. It looked like a Demon, but it was so different from the one carrying me. Another small Demon held the metallic reins, the beasts neighing loudly over the clamour of the crowd, everyone afraid to approach them.


    The Demon walked nonchalantly, unfazed, as if the two of us were alone in the world, and carried me inside the carriage.


    "Inform our hosts we will proceed towards that dinner they talked about," he spoke gently towards the outside, and the doors closed.


    I sat across him in the carriage, still trying to avoid his eyes. A shrill sound went from the front, and a clank of metal clashed with the trot of hooves. We have begun moving. This was it.

 Chapter 7: The Royal Gardens

    ¡°Frital, The Capital of Leonia Kingdom, was first mentioned in 450 BS, after the establishments of first Human Kingdoms in the World. The city was a Capital of 3 different Kindgoms since then, the Leonia family being its current rulers. The Palace of Frital, also known as ¡®The Pearl of the West¡¯, albeit the smallest of the Royal Palaces of the World, is also the most beautiful one. The Palace Gardens are said to contain plants from every corner of the Mainland (including some from Dralarag, after the generous donations of Lord Michael Kreshorok, after the death of his mother, who remodeled a part of the gardens to allow those plants to grow properly). The Leonia Royal Family uses it to this day as a spot for banquets and ceremonies.¡±


    ? Palaces of the World, High Chieftain Ton¡¯Darros Graphat, 770 AS


    <hr>


    Apparently, this ¡®dinner ceremony¡¯ is to be held at the Palace Gardens. These ¡®Gardens¡¯ are apparently special places where only plants grow. Who dedicates that much grounds to plants? Also, aren¡¯t plants dangerous? I mean, sure, there are some flowers that women love to have at home, but a plant that doesn¡¯t try to kill you is a rarity. I mean, I grew up close to a Bilespewer marsh. The stench was horrific during the summer! It took 10 years of rigorous campaigning to remove them all, and we lost an entire colony of Flame Imps in the process.


    I lost 12 Imps to the Widower that we planted in our ¡®Garden¡¯ already. The thing eats like a person. They wrote that she likes ¡®Gardens¡¯. Let¡¯s see what is so special about them.


    <hr>


    The carriage is moving incredibly fast through the streets. The Demon is just sitting opposite to me, looking through the windows. Does he seem¡­ surprised? What do the Demon cities look like? Nobody has ever seen one, the Demons preferred to meet us at our forts, rather than let us venture in their territory.


    We¡¯re sitting in complete silence; I¡¯m not sure why. He seemed so full of himself and used to being in public at the Church; looking at him like this you¡¯d think you were watching two completely different people.


    ¡°Hey, what is that thing called?¡± He asks, pointing his finger at the watermelon vendor. Is he asking me what a watermelon is, or what a vendor is?


    ¡°The green, round stuff, in the stall, what are they?¡± Yep, the watermelons.


    ¡°Watermelons.¡±


    ¡°What do you use them for?¡±


    ¡°Eating?¡±


    ¡°Is it a fruit? How does it grow?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a plant; you get a bunch of them when you plant the seeds in the ground. They grow them at farms. The inside is watery and sweet, used to refresh yourself during the hot summer days.¡±


    ¡°What do you feed them?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± How does one feed a plant?


    ¡°Well, what do you feed them to grow?¡±


    ¡°You put the seeds in the ground, and water it regularly? It grows in about three months.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t have Plant Imps?¡±


    ¡°What are Plant Imps?¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.¡°Well, the Imps you feed to the plants obviously. You put a whole colony of them, they forage on shrooms, mana, and trash, you have workers weed them out a hundred at a time and feed them to the plants. Simple. Kids love it, they invented a game around it: ¡®Feed the Imp to the Grappler¡¯; the winner is the one who manages to not use magic to escape the vines. Ah, good times.¡±


    What the hell is he talking about? Feeding the plants? Imps? Grapplers? What kind of monstrosities do they have there? What am I going into exactly?


    As our light conversation came to an end at my new husband apparently reminiscing about his childhood, we enter the Palace Gardens. I always liked it here, the peace, the beautiful smells, the silence. I even trained in here for a while. The oaks have grown so much since I was a child, my father had planted some whenever each one of us was born. ¡®Let your lives be stable as these trees, and may you take your own roots one day, like they take roots now¡¯ he said.


    The Gardens have been fitted with so many tables, almost every noble from our country and even some from other countries have come. To come here to see the Princess getting married, this is bigger than what we had at my sister Magdalene¡¯s wedding. Or was I smaller back then? I¡¯ve noticed that recently. That ¡®huge¡¯ tree I used to climb when I was 7 is now within the grasp of my hand. It¡¯s funny really. I¡¯m going to miss this place.


    I suddenly realized, we actually talked to each other. About watermelons! He¡¯s taking me away from my home, and I¡¯m explaining what a watermelon is to him! Is he using magic on me? Is there a kind of magic for that? How could have I been so stupid! He is definitely dangerous, I need to watch what I¡¯m doing.


    <hr>


    Huh, watermelons. I wonder if I¡¯ll get to taste one.


    <hr>


    He grabbed her and carried her off! Who does he think he is? What did he do to her? A bride is supposed to arrive to the dinner followed by her family, and a lot of guards. He literally waltzed in, killed that huge thing that cannot possibly be called a boar, took her in his hands, walked out, then they rode in his own carriage. With no guards! What if we had a spy in the wedding? How can he be so careless?


    And then he just nonchalantly says that they¡¯ll go to the dinner themselves, and to start preparing this filthy thing on the floor. What are we supposed to do with it?


    As I¡¯m thinking about this, I almost walk into that blasted shadow of a servant. How does he do that?


    ¡°Lord Renald, may we take the Hellboar to your kitchens? We have brought some cooks to prepare it, and it will be ready shortly after dinner begins.¡±


    ¡°Fine, just wipe this mess up.¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡± With a flick of his hand, three Demons walk into the Great Hall. One pulls up the cart with the carcass and takes the head with him, while the other two start chanting something unintelligible. Suddenly, all the blood starts moving towards them and starts flowing upwards towards the pots they carry. The. Blood. Flows. Upwards. What in the World is that?


    They then walk out, no words to be spoken between the four of them. I turn to look towards the servant Demon and find myself alone in the Hall. Blasted Demons.

 Chapter 8: The Dance with the Demon

    ¡°Species of Demonkin differ one from another, sometimes to the point of unrecognizability, but they all love fire and heat. When serving a meal to one, you can use various spices; use of open flames for food making is also preferred. They may even offer help in that regard. But be careful not to burn yourself. Those who play with Demonkin, tend to get burned.¡±


    ? How to Avoid Death on a Daily Basis, Alastor Moody, 900 AS


    <hr>


    The tables have been set, the guests have arrived, the Garden is perfect, and we are serving dinner to the Demon. Why does something not fit in this scenario? I look towards the main table, reserved for my sister and him, and I can¡¯t help but wonder: Where does he fit all of that food?


    He¡¯s eating food for at least for 3 people, foodstuff just going into his mouth, disappearing through the endless hole of his stomach. He still manages to look dignified while eating; he¡¯s even using utensils!


    ¡°This chicken you have is delicious! Can we get some live ones? How large do they get?¡±


    And then he displays a lack of some basic knowledge. The things he mentions are completely new concepts to us, and he seems baffled by some ordinary things we have.


    ¡°Kozzok, is the Hellboar ready?¡±


    The servant appears, out of nowhere again.


    ¡°Yes, master; would you like to announce it?¡±


    ¡°They have shown me such great foods today; it is only natural that we return the favor.¡±


    At that the Demon stands up and everyone in the crowd is silenced. All plates are down, the chatting dies out, and even the animals don¡¯t dare make noise. How does he manage to do that?


    ¡°Greetings, esteemed guests. You have shown me great hospitality today, and I would like to introduce you to one of my homeland¡¯s delicacies in return. If you have been present at the ceremony¡± at which point there is a collective shudder ¡°you know about the Sacrificial Beast I have brought. My cooks have prepared the meat and would like to serve it now.¡±


    He makes a simple gesture with his fingers and out come trays of food pushed on carts by his servants ¨C female Demons. How do I know they are female? Well it¡¯s simple; I have yet to see a Human woman that is that well-endowed in the chest area. Is this the part of his tricks as well? Press the guests with some breasts then slaughter us all?


    <hr>


    He¡¯s eating so much, he even compensated for my lost appetite. I just rummage through my food-filled plate trying to muster to eat; worrying excessively has been bad for my stomach.


    ¡°At least try the Hellboar. My cooks have prepared it many times, it always comes out great. Also, the meat is said to not fatten at all.¡± He winks cunningly. Is he trying to charm me, or calling me fat? I look completely normal for a girl my age. Sure, my training has brought out some muscles, but some men like that. I don¡¯t suppose he would understand anyway. What can he possibly know about me?


    The plate of food in front of me, a tender piece of meat served with some spices on top. At least it looks appetizing. I cut off a bite and slowly inch it to my mouth, as if it will come alive any second now.


    The meat is flavourful, tender, juicy even. I get a glimpse of that feeling I had when drinking the blood at the Altar. That incredible warmth, vitality, security. It is almost addictive. I slowly take more bites of the meal, each piece bringing that feeling slowly, somehow replenishing my energy with every bite I take.


    Before I know it, I¡¯ve already eaten the whole portion. I almost feel sad that there isn¡¯t any more. Maybe I can ask him for more? I bet he would want something in return. I can¡¯t give in to him. I won¡¯t give in. But that warmth; that embrace I felt when Mother would hold me to sleep; that happiness when I would pass a challenge given to me by my combat instructor.


    ¡°Can I¡­ have more please?¡±


    He looks at me like I have three heads. Wait, do Demons sometimes have three heads? Will I meet one in my life now? His surprised gaze drops and he answers plainly.


    ¡°Sure, just don¡¯t have too many, you are overloading your channels with that meat.¡±


    My what? Channels? Could he be talking about magical energy? Does this meat have mana in it?


    ¡°Wait, this meat has mana?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Oh, yours doesn¡¯t. No wonder why the food feels unfulfilling.¡±


    ¡°Does every kind of food you eat have mana?¡±


    ¡°No, just some. Hellboars are especially rich in it. The farmers take very good care of their diet and environment for that.¡±


    ¡°That thing is¡­ farmed? It¡¯s livestock?¡±


    ¡°Yeah? You can find it almost anywhere, I brought a small one with me; an adult Hellboar would probably not fit through those doors in the Church anyway.¡±


    They raise that at their farms? And that huge things is not even fully grown? How does that even work? Goddess protect me, I¡¯m going to my death soon.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    <hr>


    ¡°And now, for the First Dance!¡±


    Ooh, a dance. I¡¯ve tried practicing those. Let¡¯s see, they said something about a waltz, the onetwothree steps, the feet joining¡­ Ugh I can¡¯t remember. Whatever, let¡¯s just try our best, today is the day for fun.


    My bride seems worried about something. I can¡¯t play these children¡¯s guessing games with her now.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± I take of my gauntlets; it¡¯s the only thing I can take off separately other than my helmet. Maybe some armour improvements are needed in the country.


    She takes my hand sheepishly and we move towards what seems to the stage they set for the dance. The Garden looks too green for my liking, and the white tables don¡¯t help. The plants didn¡¯t try to eat me once, though!


    The crowd around us makes way, only two of us standing. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have eaten that food. I accelerate my stomach working, I¡¯ve remembered some moves are particularly nauseating.


    Alright let¡¯s prod a little for some help.


    <hr>


    The Demon looks directly in my eyes, as if he¡¯s looking for something. A headache starts close to my eyes, surging pain crossing my sight, as if someone is poking my head with a knife. Suddenly, the pain goes as he came, with only a sliver of memory serving as proof of its existence.


    The music starts.</a>


    He takes my hands, slowly, gently, as if he were holding a flower, his rough palms pressing against the entirety of my hands. Despite his large stature, his hooves are as small as my feet, the sight once again almost comical to me.


    He takes the first step. I follow. The song moves, and we flow with the notes, both of us trembling with excitement, yet the peace of the tune steadying our steps, as we dance in unison. Suddenly he surges backwards, letting me fall without any support, his hands grabbing only thin air. Then, I am caught, his tail wrapping around my waist as he grants me balance again, and the cadence starts again.


    We dance for what it seems to be hours, the slow pace of the song bringing sadness with it, slowly bringing me to the final realization. He is going to take me away from this place, from this life. He lives completely differently than I, and he is giving me this final experience. He is giving me this peace, this serenity, for the last time in my life. Am I ever going to see these people again? Will he let me go; or will he lock me up and use me as he pleases? Will I be reduced to nothing but a common ornament, to be used and presented at his whim?


    The tears flow down my cheeks as we dance to the tune, the day slowly passing, the Sun ceasing to shine, the Moons already on the horizon. My wails reach no one but me, for he most likely won¡¯t care. A Demon is a Demon. MY Demon.


    Is he my Demon, or am I his Human?


    What happens after the dance, does he take me in his arms, and carry me away? Where do I go? Do they practice First Night as well? Will he take me against my wishes and claim my innocence? Will he bother trying to be gentle, or will he play with me like with some gruesome toy? Will I be forced to carry his children, if I can even do so?


    My Dear Goddess, help this ignorant child, guide her, and save her from the atrocities that await her.


    <hr>


    The Mind Link is working.


    I can feel it all.


    The fear, the uncertainty, the sadness, the helplessness, the prayers to her Goddess she so fervently tries to call.


    Does she think so little of me? Do they all think so little of us? We are different, but we are not emotionless. We may be twisted, but we are not deformed. We have desires, we have needs, but we have empathy, we can feel so much as well.


    Humans have fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the darkness, fear of death. Yet they crave war, they crave blood, they seek perfection that can never be, unity that can never happen. Their minds crave for knowledge, but they fear the consequences. Their bodies want lust, but fear pain. They train to get strong, but take pleasure in abusing the weak.


    She fears her life, but it is only hers to control, only hers to guide, her own path to make. No Gods ever guide. They protect, they give, they take, they signal, but they don¡¯t guide. You must not follow Gods; you¡¯ll get devoured should you try. The Fallen have taught us that much.


    Can I teach her? Can I guide her to happiness? Is this what I was meant to do? The series of events leading me to a fragile existence that needs me?


    Will she let me? Will she try taking off her shell and showing what is deep inside? Am I worthy enough to know that? In all these many years, am I finally worthy for something? I was not worthy for the throne, they cast out my blood. I was not worthy for my wife, she sought for something I was not. I was not worthy for my children, I had to bury them already. Am I worthy of this lonely Human?


    The Mind Link is working. It is working too well.

 Chapter 9: The Night Watch

    ¡°Azalea, Goddess of the Night, and Trebinor, God of Dreams, watch over us when the sky goes dark and the Sun hides behind the end of the World. They work in unison, lighting our way, providing us comfort in the dark.


    Once every two months, Trebinor covers behind Azalea, every mortal experiencing dark, dreamless sleep that night. It is a night of terrors, a time when it is forbidden to use Dark Magic, for it shall call upon the Beasts that Lie in the Darkness.¡±


    ? Myths of the Forgotten, unknown, unknown


    <hr>


    The night has fallen, the Sun no longer providing us warmth. It is time. The dance ends, the wedding concludes, and I am finally his. The Demon will have me for the nights to come, my pleas to the Goddess all for naught. The Goddess has gone with the Sun, and my hopes went with her.


    The crowd has gone cheerful, full from various drinks served at the dinner. The smell of liquor permeates the air around me, my own will keeping from tasting drinks. I fear I will succumb to the Demon¡¯s wishes if I were to do otherwise. My head must remain clear, for the night that is to come.


    I look around for the Demon. He has consumed food and drink for three men, and yet there is no apparent change in his demeanor. It is intriguing that he can handle so much; does that hold for all Demons, or just for him?


    My family has not given in to the cheerful mood in the Garden, their looks sullen, their eyes teary. It is time to say goodbye. I am leaving this Palace, the Demon taking him away.


    I must ask him to give me time. It cannot end on simple silence; I must at least have time to say proper farewells.


    I slowly move towards our table, contemplating what to say. Do I ask, do I demand, do I beg? What must I do to get enough time? Will there ever be enough time?


    I am looking my husband in the eyes; the black orbs feeling at home with the night sky, his skin barely visible in the moonlight.


    ¡°May I say farewell to my family before I go with you?¡±


    I look towards the ground; maybe he takes pity on me, maybe he fulfills this wish of mine.


    ¡°What are you talking about? The Night Watch is about to begin. The only place you will be going tonight is to your bed.¡±


    ¡°What? But am I not to come with you to my new home?¡± The sequence of events is baffling. What is he talking about? Does he plan to take me to bed right this night, under my parents¡¯ roof? Does he have no mercy?


    ¡°The Night Watch is done on the eve of the wedding. The bride sleeps in her room, the groom watches over, standing guard. If another man touches the bride during the night the groom may not take her away, the marriage becomes doomed. When the dinner ends, and the wedding finishes, I will watch over you. We travel home after the morning. Farewells may be said then. Besides, it would be foolish to travel at night. The open plains are dangerous during the night, many things hide in the shadows.¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    So I do have some time. My last night home. I am happy; my wish will be fulfilled.


    <hr>


    I approach the Demon. He can¡¯t take her away; not yet.


    ¡°Lord Cerolus, I ask you to not travel tonight, let my sister rest. It has been a long day.¡±


    ¡°Once again, Lord Renald, just Cerolus will a fine way to call for me. And our customs demand that she stays in her bed tonight, with me watching over her while she sleeps. If I don¡¯t protect her tonight, the marriage is said to be doomed. So she will stay. And I will stay with her, guarding.¡±


    Does he plan to take her to bed tonight, in our own home? Will we have to hear her through the walls, our dear Sophia losing innocence? My stomach retches upon the mere thought.


    ¡°Do not be mistaken, Lord Renald, she will stay untouched tonight. We Demons have customs, they are not to be taken lightly.¡±


    Are Demons really as savage as I¡¯ve heard the tales tell? He has behaved eccentrically, sure, but he hasn¡¯t hurt anyone, he hasn¡¯t forced Sophia into anything; as if he was actually gentle towards her. No, towards all of us. He was commanding, imposing, and yet still calm and gentle.


    Is he really a bad person? Could it be that we were wrong; that we held unreasonable grudges against him?


    ¡°Thank you, Cerolus, I appreciate that. I appreciate it greatly.¡±


    <hr>


    The wedding is over; the crowd gone. I stand in my room, dressed in my night gown. This is my last night here. Who knows when will I go back? Who knows when he will let me come back? The Demon enters the room, still in his armor, his helmet now hiding his face, only darkness inside it.


    ¡°Go to sleep, my wife. Tonight you will be safe. Nobody will come through this door. Nobody will enter through the window. Have nice dreams.¡±


    Why do I¡­ believe him? Why do I suddenly feel so safe? Is this really how my nights will be from now on?


    I crawl into my bed, resting my face on the pillows. The pillows are soft, but sleep will not come easily. I am exhausted, but dreams will not take me. I try to remain peaceful, but my nervousness prevails. I cannot sleep.


    I raise my head slowly, my room empty, the Moonlight shining through the window. Not a sound can be heard, my heartbeat almost palpable. Is he still there? Has he lied, and left me? Am I hoping for him to leave me?


    ¡°My hus¡­¡±


    No, that is wrong.


    ¡°Cerolus?¡±


    The Demon opens the door, his horns scraping its header.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Can you stay inside?¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    The door closes, the horned red suit of armor blocking them now.


    ¡°Good night, Cerolus.¡±


    ¡°Good night, Sophia.¡±


    I fall back into the bed. Sleep takes me almost instantly.

 Chapter 10: The Morning After

    ¡°Before the age of 12, all Demons must learn the words and numbers. This decree ensures that every Demon must have the opportunity to be tutored by those more knowledgeable than them. Only with this shall we ensure the greatness of our country in the centuries to come, for it is the young that will lead this country when we grow old and frail.¡±


    ? The Second Decree of Dralarag, Demonlord Koran Kreshorok, 10th year of his reign


    <hr>


    The Sun¡¯s rays are in my eyes. I have slept for so long; I feel refreshed, ready to take on a new day. My room is beautiful; I get out of my bed sheets and plant myself in front of the large mirror. The maidens should be here by now; they always knew when I woke up. I need help with this jumbling mess on my head. And these dresses cannot be properly tightened without help.


    ¡°Milady.¡±


    An unfamiliar voice echoes through my room. I turn around, searching for its source. My gaze stops at the doors.


    A woman with flowing red hair and dark skin is standing in my room, dressed in a simple black maiden¡¯s dress, curtsying slightly in my direction. I have never seen this woman before. She stands up, revealing a small smile and completely red eyes.


    How could I have forgotten it already? I got married to a Demon yesterday. This is going to be my life from now on. He wasn¡¯t there when I woke up, it made me think it was all a bad dream. But now I am cruelly reminded of the reality that has fallen upon me.


    Demons are a part of my life now. That still doesn¡¯t explain what this woman is doing here.


    ¡°Who are you and what are you doing in my room?¡±


    ¡°Milady, you can call me Tiana. Lord Cerolus has appointed me as your personal servant. I will be taking care of you from now on. Milord has asked that I start replacing your previous maidens today; he considered it wise for me to start as soon as possible.¡±


    So he already plans to replace everyone I know with Demons? Will he even let me see my family now?


    The guards outside my room are standing still. They look unperturbed by the Demon inside my room.


    ¡°Milady, Lord Renald has already been informed of this and has agreed to the arrangement.¡±


    So that is why they aren¡¯t moving; they must¡¯ve been told already.


    ¡°Fine, start with my hair then.¡± The Demon woman bows, and moves behind me, talking the brush in her hair. Her moves are as elegant as my maidens¡¯ were before. Before long, the mess on my head is gone, and the long brown hair I pride myself in is here again.


    I get up and start changing into my dress. I shiver at the thought of a Demon seeing my bare skin, but I have to dismiss those thoughts.


    The work goes silently, I unwilling to speak, and I assume she is not to speak unless spoken to, the introduction being one of the few exceptions. Not that different from my maidens before.


    After a few minutes, I am dressed and presentable. Which is great, because I see a familiar face at the door.


    ¡°Magdalene!¡±


    ¡°My dear sister, you have finally woken up. You have always slept until late, always being late to breakfast.¡±


    I run towards my sister, my hug almost chocking her. I have not been able to speak with her last night, the wedding taking so much energy from me.


    ¡°I have missed you.¡±


    ¡°I have missed you too, Sophia.¡±


    I look into her blue eyes, the one thing we have in common, the thing we took after Mother. There are tears on her face. She is happy to see me after all this time. And now I am going away. It breaks my heart to see her like this. It breaks my heart that I will see my sister only for one day after 4 years, and then we will part ways again.


    ¡°Come, we have to get you something to eat.¡±


    I follow her outside my room, towards the dining hall. There are guards all around us, some even walking behind us.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Who is that, Sophia?¡± She points at the Demon trailing us. I wouldn¡¯t have noticed her if she didn¡¯t point it out, her steps are silent.


    ¡°Apparently, my husband has already appointed a new maiden for me.¡±


    ¡°She looks so different than him, and that servant of his yesterday. She almost looks like us.¡± Now that I think about it, it does look like it. She doesn¡¯t have horns or a tail, she is as tall as me, and she even has normal feet. With fingers! If it weren¡¯t for the bright red eyes or the coal like skin, she would look like us.


    She is still silent; maybe I can ask her some questions, to get some answers?


    The doors to the dining room have opened before us, revealing a lavish breakfast that has been served. Ronald, Gavin and John are at the table; my father seems to not be present.


    ¡°Where is Father?¡±


    ¡°Apparently the nobles have already started complaining about something, and he had to go.¡± Ronald answers offhandedly, stuffing himself with some pie. ¡°It is great to see you outside that bloody dress, Sophia. Red never suited you.¡±


    Oh right, my white dress got soaked in blood at the wedding. I can still feel the warmth on my skin, but how? I have already taken a bath before bed, all the blood furiously scrubbed away. No, it¡¯s not the warmth of the blood, it¡¯s that same feeling I had when I drank it. Just what has happened to me? Maybe the Demon has some answer I need.


    ¡°And him?¡± There is a small silence in the otherwise busy room; everyone stopping at the thought of the Demon.


    ¡°Master Cerolus has been inspecting the carriages himself milady, ensuring that we will be safe on our journey home. He has sent me to inform you that your possessions have already been accounted for, and that we are to begin travel after your breakfast.¡± The horned servant appears from nowhere once again, staggering everyone in the room. ¡°I will take my leave now, if you need anything, ask Tiana.¡± He bows, and walks away, melding with the few shadows in the room, before he completely disappears.


    So this meal will be my last meal at my home? Will this be the last time I see my family?


    ¡°Come here, sister, and eat.¡± They know that too, but are trying to stay calm, sadness visible on their faces, as I walk to the table, taking my last meal in the Palace of Frital.


    We eat silently, no one daring to start the conversation, afraid that we will all start sobbing uncontrollably should we do so. The meat is bland, unappealing, or is that because of all the sadness in the room?


    My younger brother breaks the silence. ¡°Sister, why do you have to go? Make that Demon go without you! When are we going to see you again? This is unfair, that we have to watch you go away, and can do nothing about it! Please, stay with us.¡±


    I start crying; all the feelings come out, everything I¡¯ve been suppressing pouring onto the surface.


    ¡°I am going to miss all of you.¡±


    Everyone is silent; we just hug each other, sobbing, cursing the Demon for everything he has done so far, for everything he will do in the future, and for taking me away.


    Time passes slowly in the dining room, nobody willing to let go.


    <hr>


    ¡°It is time. We have to get moving, or we will not be able to stay at Nerim for the night.¡± I turn around to look at Kozzok; his face has gotten old these past few years. I remember when he came to me as a small child, asking to serve ¡®the great Kreshorok family¡¯, a small child with black hair, two little stubs on his head. A child from a minor Shadow spawn, his fate uncertain. I took him in, I made him my servant, I gave him a purpose.


    He bows before me, leaving to fetch my new wife.


    The Human cities look different, the air here different, the Humans different. There is nothing like home.


    I turn towards the convoy. The Firemanes are fed, the Imps rested, the luggage packed, the carriages inspected for faults and sabotages.


    ¡°Demos har nos.¡± We ride home.

 Chapter 11: The Language Barrier

    ¡°Kingdom of Leonia is a small country on the west of the large landmass called Mainland, as most of civilization hails from it. It is the only country to border Dralarag, and the one that suffered most of the losses during the Great War of Humans and Demons. The capital of Frital is placed close to the borders of these two countries, in order to minimize losses should the country be invaded from the west. The closest border town of Nimur is only a two days ride away, growing into a veritable fortress during the War.¡±


    ? Geography of the Mainland, Volume Seven, Royal Cartographer Jonas Maverick, 700 AS


    <hr>


    There are a few black carriages in the Palace Entrance; all of them black as coal; each but one having two red horses harnessed to them; a small Demon holding the reins. The biggest of the carriages has four beasts to pull it, the servant Demon standing by the Door. They are waiting for me.


    This is it.


    I look back, my family has gathered. The silence falls upon all our faces. We¡¯ve already said our farewells in the dining room, many words exchanged, many tears shed, many wishes uttered.


    My father is standing before my brothers and sister.


    ¡°Goodbye, my dear daughter, and may you have a pleasant journey.¡±


    A cold farewell to end it all. My journey awaits me.


    I move forward, towards the big carriage. The servant guides me inside, allowing me one last look at my family, my home. I am going away.


    I enter the carriage and the doors close. It is only the two of us inside. The Sun peers through the windows, allowing me to see him. He is not wearing armor anymore, soft fabrics on his body, the shape of his muscles guiding the lines of the clothes. His red skin almost glows in the Sun, while his black eyes remove all the light around them. There is still that red flare in them, the one I saw at the wedding before; it has shrunk, but I can make it out in there.


    The carriage is enormous for me, but his long black horns almost scrape the ceiling. We are now at eye level, his silent gaze grasping my skin, seeping through my pores. He slowly smiles.


    ¡°Let us begin the journey.


    Demos har nos.¡± The carriage begins to move, the flaming beasts starting to neigh in front of us, the sound of hooves permeating the air.


    Was that their language? I¡¯ve never even considered in until now, he talked Lyndarian, the language common to all Humans, so far. Has he learnt it before the wedding?


    ¡°What does that mean, what you just spoke?¡± I ask, maybe he provides the answer.


    ¡°It means ¡®we ride home¡¯ in our language. Oh right I almost have forgotten about this.¡±


    He takes out a small box from the side of the carriage; there are a lot more compartments than the eyes lead you to believe. He opens the box to reveal a necklace with a large red gem as its pendant.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°This is for you; it will allow you to understand the language before you are able to learn it. Just put it around your neck and the words you hear will be different from the words we speak to you.¡±


    He then comes closer to me to put the necklace around my neck. His breath is warm to my skin as his hands reach around my neck; without any armor and heavy cloths, his skin feels warm on my neck, the warmth somehow putting me at ease. His large hands nimbly lock the necklace in place, the red gem resting neatly on my chest. The gem glows briefly, and I feel sudden pain in my head, as if hands are grasping it from all sides. The pain quickly recedes, and the gem fades, its color now darker, as if I absorbed some of the light.


    ¡°Does it work? Can you understand me?¡± I watch at his mouth moving. The words don¡¯t match the movement of his thin lips, but I can understand them nevertheless. This is fascinating. I¡¯ve heard of magic allowing you to understand languages, but I¡¯ve never seen one being able to be bestowed in simple jewelry.


    ¡°Yes, it is¡­ odd, hearing different words than the ones you speak. How does it work?¡± He smiles briefly, relief visible on his face. He seats back into the carriage.


    ¡°It is an old magic, putting the essence of a language in a gem. Only Mindreavers can do so, they have the talent for it. And it only works for our language, care to not wear it when you meet someone else, the consequences can be severe.¡±


    Mindreavers? What, or who are those? Are they Demons? Do they have different peoples in their country?


    ¡°What are those Mindreavers you were talking about?¡±


    ¡°They are a race of Demons, of course. There are several different races in Dralarag; how do you call them here?¡±


    ¡°We¡­ don¡¯t. We didn¡¯t call you differently. We call all of you Demons. That¡¯s what you are to us.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Demon is what we call all of us put together. ¡®Home¡¯ means ¡®Home¡¯ in our language, ¡®Demon¡¯ means Demon.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying? You are just repeating yourself. Home and Home, Demon and Demon, I do not understand you at all.¡±


    He clutches at his stomach laughing, completely ignoring my presence now. I don¡¯t find anything funny in what I said; where is the joke? After a minute of him laughing uncontrollably, he calms down and inches closer to me again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s try this again. The gem converts the words you are hearing into the words your mind has the same image of in your language. It assimilates the image, and the connection between them brings the words together. If a word with two different meanings is uttered, or if the meaning is not the same, the confusion can be easily made. I will now write what the words mean, so that you can understand what I¡¯m talking about, as the gem won''t work on written language.¡±


    He takes out a feather and ink, the swaying of the carriage not bothering his writing. He slowly writes down words on paper and then hands it over to me. It is written in Lyndarian.


    Demos means Home.


    Demon means The one that belongs Home.

 Chapter 12: The Road Home

    ¡°After the Great War, the economy of Leonia went to shambles. Many soldiers, now with no income, resorted to banditry, the roads of Leonia becoming increasingly dangerous to traverse. The situation would not stabilize for several years, the Kingdom receiving help from nearby countries.¡±


    ? A brief history of our World, Cerolus Kreshorok, 600 AS


    <hr>


    So, this is what they mean by Demon? What had they thought of us, calling them vile and twisted?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know¡­ We¡¯ve grown up with different values, different meanings for demon¡­¡±


    ¡°I do not take offense. We have realized the meanings when we tried translating your scriptures. It is but a mere coincidence that leads to misunderstandings. I can only hope that you grow to not look at me in that light, but small steps at a time. You have been taken from your home, you have fear; you have anger. I have gone through those before. It takes time. Small steps.


    I will go to sleep now, yesterday was¡­ tiring, I hope you can understand. If you have questions, feel free to ask Kozzok; he can be a good company. We reach Nimur by sunset, we have already agreed on having dinner there and a small rest. We will continue travel during the night across Dralarag; our residence will be reached by noon tomorrow.¡±


    With those words he leans back into his seat, the carriage providing enough room for him to spread his legs a bit. He seems sound asleep a few moments later. He has stayed awake for the night, guarding me. I think he deserves the rest. Maybe the journey will be easier, not having to look into his eyes.


    I spend the next few hours watching the landscape passing, the convoy slowly taking me to his home.


    <hr>


    The Master has fallen asleep. The Night Watch and use of magic has exhausted him. When I met him, he could go a couple of days easily without sleep. He says I¡¯m getting old, but he is as well. How unfair, the difference in our lifespans. My race lives short lives, dedicating our craft to longer lived beings; my forty five years already pushing the limits of my age. My Spawn is starting to call me back, the Darkness Beyond slowly whispering at night.


    Master, on the other hand, will live long after I¡¯ve gone. Does it get to him, all those deaths he witnesses, the loneliness of losing someone close? Shadowlings don¡¯t bond after Spawning, staying in the shadows forever, not knowing of the bonds the other Demons make. We are aware, but the instinct is not there, the drive nonexistent.


    Will he seek me again after I¡¯ve come back? Will he recognize me after a few dozen years? Will he have that same smile he had when he laid his eyes on me for the first time, welcoming me into his service?


    Master is the oldest of the few Lilin alive, majority of his race choosing their deaths instead of letting nature take its course. Is he simply biding his time; this girl merely a short distraction? Or will he try his best to live to the end, living through all those sad moments until he is driven insane?


    After the first Lilin Demonlord, no others have ascended for life, only serving as temporary leaders until a suitable heir is born or comes of age. The long lives bring stability, but that stability often brings madness after centuries. The crown must be kept moving; a single person cannot have it for too long.


    These open roads really do allow for a person to disappear in his own thoughts.


    The convoy enters a small forest, Firemanes galloping at great speed. Those ¡®horses¡¯ Humans have are so fickle and weak, how long do their travels last? I spot something unusual ahead. There is a huge tree on the road, but the cause of the fall seems unnatural. This is a road block. Bandits are around us.


    Master is asleep, the Mistress is in charge.


    ¡°Mistress, it appears that somebody has blocked the road.¡±


    <hr>


    My daydreaming is cut short by the voice of the servant.


    ¡°Kozzok?¡±


    ¡°The road has been blocked; I suspect we have bandits moving around us.¡±


    Bandits? There has been an increase in banditry, but not this close to the capital surely. Wait, where are we anyway? I¡¯ve lost the track of time.


    ¡°What do you command, Mistress?¡±


    What? Me? But he¡¯s the master isn¡¯t he? Can I handle this without him? I know how to handle a sword, but I don¡¯t actually have real combat experience, only relying on my training.


    ¡°Can we repel them without my husband? Do we actually have any guards here? How do we fight?¡±


    ¡°You could always wake the Master up, Mistress.¡±


    I move towards him, his sleeping face so calm and peaceful, while the bandits are around us.


    ¡°Cerolus? Cerolus, please wake up?¡± I try to shake him from his slumber, hoping we have enough time.


    The convoy slows to a halt, we have reached the road block.


    <hr>


    ¡°Well, well, well, looks like we have some Demons here. No matter, I¡¯ve fought Demons before. Just give us all your valuables and we will let you go.¡±


    There are a dozen Humans around, some of them are staying in the Shadows of the trees, but my superior sight doesn¡¯t let me down. The one talking seems to be their leader. I haven¡¯t yet learned how Human aging works, I can¡¯t tell how old he is.


    ¡°I ask again, will you hand us your valuables, or would you like us to¡­ give you a hand?¡± A foolish threat, Human; I can hear shifting in the carriage, the Master has woken up.


    ¡°I would advise you to surrender and let us pass, maybe my Master has some mercy for you. You¡¯ve woken him up from his sleep, he won¡¯t be happy about that.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯d listen to a bloody Demon? You won¡¯t surrender, you will lose your lives today. Men, take everything they have!¡±


    <hr>


    I¡¯ve been a commander of the army. I¡¯ve lost all of my family and our farmland in the War, and this Demon is the reason for all of that. Today I shall have his head!


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    My men close on the convoy, completely surrounding us. There seem to be no guards, a perfect one to loot and take their valuables.


    The doors to the carriage open, only darkness is inside.


    My archers are ready to open a volley at anything that comes out. The horses could be useful, we don¡¯t have enough of them.


    A large Demon leaps out of the carriage, barreling towards two of my men. He isn¡¯t holding a weapon, but his hands are surrounded by dark flames. He takes one of the men by his neck and raises him above the ground, the fire burning his face as his screams spread through the air.


    A deep voice resonates through the air.


    ¡°KOZZOK, ARE YOU WAITING FOR A PLEASE? TIANA, GET OVER HERE. IMPS, KEEP THE FIREMANES STEADY, OR I¡¯LL FEED YOU TO THE WIDOWER!¡±


    The Demon I talked to disappears from my sight, as if he wasn¡¯t there in the first place. I look towards the man to my right, the Demon pulling a blade across his throat.


    Suddenly, fire spreads around my men, the metallic armor cooking them inside. The scream echo through the air. This was not supposed to happen, do they have a superior magic user in this small convoy.


    I turn to the source of the flames, a female Demon with red hair and black skin walking in it. Her skin cracks, the cracks glowing, as if about to burst open.


    The large Demon continues his slaughter, moving from one helpless man to the next. He carries a wide grin on his face as he kicks the man in armor with his hooves, the armor taking a heavy dent, the man in it squirming for breaths.


    This is not a fight, this is a complete annihilation. Why had they even agreed to end the war if they had this at their disposal?


    I look towards the carriage from which the Demon went out. There is a girl inside, I¡¯ve seen her somewhere before.


    Is that¡­ Princess Sophia? What is she doing here? Wait, if she is here, then this is the dreaded Demon the Capital is talking about, the one that has asked for a royal wedding.


    <hr>


    These people wake me up, and then they don¡¯t even try to put up a fight? Simple foot soldiers and some lousy archers, no wonder they couldn¡¯t find any work with these skills.


    I am overworking myself right now, but I am furious that someone decided to take me so lightly. The soldier that I have just kicked is struggling to breathe; the hoof guards are working wonderfully.


    I¡¯ve used most of my energy to keep the wounds as shallow as possible, ending this quickly will be best.


    Kozzok is getting slower by the day, but he is still a valuable asset in these chaotic fights. We have the advantage of magic after all.


    Tiana is using a wide area flame magic. I¡¯d have to get her to rest soon, she knows she can¡¯t handle that much. She is only half of a Flamebearer, her Mindreaver blood is still limiting her control.


    I look towards the carriage; the leader of these petty bandits is walking towards my new wife. I¡¯ve just got married, and you want her?


    The archers have run away as soon as we have started, cowards in heart. It helps being able to spread madness to enemies; the fighting is so much cleaner that way.


    I walk towards the leader, his back turned to me. He is crying, he knows he lost.


    ¡°Have mercy¡± I hear his weeps.


    ¡°No.¡±


    <hr>


    I have shrunk to the corner of the carriage, not daring to look outside. The fighting has died out, and the fire that I saw glimpses is gone.


    I slowly tread outside, the bodies of men on the ground, the Demon standing above them. He did this all by himself? He killed almost ten men in mere minutes? How strong is he? Or are we just simply too weak?


    He is covered in red, his clothes ripped open, a small gash across his chest and a cut on his arm. Black blood oozes from his wounds, but he doesn¡¯t bother with it. He is just watching the man on the ground, pummeled to unrecognizability.


    He wakes up from his trance and notices me; he manages to make a smile. It looks terrifying.


    ¡°Are you ok, my wife?¡±


    He¡¯s worried about¡­ me? I haven¡¯t even stepped out of the carriage this whole time. Is he an idiot behind all of this.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Worry about yourself first.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± He apparently just noticed he is bleeding. ¡°Well, this shirt is ruined. I NEED A NEW SHIRT AND BANDAGES. NOW!¡±


    A female Demon runs out of the carriage behind us with some cloth, and starts cleaning his wounds. He winces at the liquid passing over his skin, but remains calm in the face of all of this.


    ¡°Do not worry; I have lived through way worse.¡±


    His wounds dressed, my maid walks up to him holding some clothes. He takes them and gets dressed; the blood on his pants and legs the only remains of combat visible.


    ¡°What do we do now? What do we do with the dead here?¡± He looks at me at my questions, apparently pondering what to do. Or pondering why I ask so stupid questions.


    ¡°Kozzok, get some Imps to clear the road of that tree.¡±


    ¡°What about them?¡± I point at the corpses beneath these feet.


    ¡°Change of plans, we rest here, then go straight to our home. Prepare the tables for the meal! Release the Firemanes!¡±


    The several remaining Demons step out of the carriages, moving in unison; a table is set up on a small clearing away from the dead, some food being brought out. Small Demons release the beasts that lead the carriages, the red horse like beings apparently being happy to be free for the time being.


    ¡°Why are you releasing them?¡±


    ¡°They can get some food and rest now. Come, let us eat.¡±


    I am led to the table, food presented to me. I try to look away, but can¡¯t help and watch at the carnage that has happened. The horse-like beasts walk around, merrily sniffing the air around them. They suddenly spot the same thing I was looking at. They move towards the corpses.


    One horse opens his mouth. A set of extremely sharp teeth is visible. The beast bends down, reaching into the corpse, teeth ripping flesh from the corpses. The other beasts move closer. Splotches of blood and pieces of meat fly as the beasts rend through the corpses, the ground becoming redder by the second. Sounds of bones getting crushed reach my ears.


    I retch, emptying the little I had in my stomach.

 Chapter 13: The Arrival of Two

    ¡°Demonkin have excelled in a vastly different environment to the rest of the races, something that can be attributed to a large concentration of magical energy in their lands. They have learned to use the smaller, less sentient beings in their land, called Imps, as their workforce or fodder. The Imps themselves seem to obey simple commands if given food. A single Demonkin noble house can have ownership of several ¡®colonies¡¯ of various Imps, which can also be used as a capital for trading.¡±


    ? Races of our World, multiple authors, 560 AS


    <hr>


    The horses eat meat.


    The horses. Eat. Meat.


    ¡°Master, it appears that the other bandits have escaped through the forest.¡± I look around the table, the Demon eating calmly, the servants carrying foodstuffs around.


    ¡°No need to run after them Kozzok, I don¡¯t think we will have any issues with them anymore. Sit, eat.¡±


    They are behaving as if this is a picnic, while a group of horses has just eaten nine corpses on the ground. Am I going to be like this in a while, just casually ignoring slaughter and bloodshed at every corner, while servants stuff me with food?


    ¡°You have to eat something, my wife. We have a long journey ahead, and I don¡¯t plan on staying in your Kingdom. The dinner in Nimur will be cancelled, we will move throughout the entirety of the current day and night. This puts our arrival at¡­¡± He raises his head in a questioning matter, as if expecting the sky to answer his questions.


    ¡°Breakfast time tomorrow, Master.¡±


    ¡°Excellent, we get to have breakfast at our new home; I¡¯m excited to finally see it.¡±


    Wait, that sounds wrong. Shouldn¡¯t we be going to HIS home, as in, the one where he LIVED?


    ¡°What do you mean, you want to see it, haven¡¯t you lived there before?¡±


    ¡°No, I had them build us a new residence, away from the busyness of the big cities, in a small town close to the border of Leonia. It¡¯s a lot more peaceful there, and you¡¯ll have plenty more freedom than you would in the Capital.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    So, I am going to be living on the countryside? What exactly is a ¡®small town¡¯ to him? I don¡¯t know whether to be excited or terrified of the prospect of being away from the big cities, their customs are new to me, will I ever get used to them?


    ¡°Where are we anyway? We haven¡¯t been travelling for that long, yet you speak of Nimur being less than a day of riding away, and I don¡¯t recall there being a forest this close to Frital.¡±


    My husband shrugs, still stuffing his mouth with food. Is he eating that much because of that fight earlier?


    ¡°Mistress, I assume we are about two thirds of the way to Nimur, and for your first inquiry, the beasts you call ¡®horses¡¯ are extremely slow in speed, although we must praise their durability for long journeys.¡± The shadow Demon is once again at my side, his movements as silent per usual.


    ¡°What do you call those¡­ things then? They look like horses to me.¡± I ask pointing towards corpse-eating beasts, now grazing on nearby bushes, behaving like you¡¯d expect from a horse.


    ¡°They are Firemanes, we use them to pull carriages and carts. They can travel extremely fast when properly fed, and if we had appropriate feed in your Capital, we could¡¯ve finished the journey in a single day and night without rest.¡±


    ¡°Appropriate feed?¡±


    ¡°Firemanes prefer food that has a natural attunement with fire, so Flame Imps are a natural choice.¡±


    ¡°What exactly are those ¡®Imps¡¯ you talk about? I have heard about ¡®Plant Imps¡¯ before, but I have no clue as to what they are.¡±


    My husband chuckles, then stands up and walks to the carriages, grabbing something from one of them.


    He comes back and puts a small creature, about three feet in height, on the table. It¡¯s the Demon that was controlling the reins!


    I observe the thing in front of me, the creature squirming to escape the grasp of the hands holding him down. It¡¯s dull grey, with a small torso and comically long limbs for its size. The fingers end in small claws, but they look to be cut, the curve of the nails unnatural. The creature¡¯s head is large and pointy, the nose dominating the landscape of its face, two beady eyes at its sides. The teeth are serrated and sharp, but it doesn¡¯t even try to bite the hands holding it in place, likely knowing what would happen should it do so.


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°This is an Imp, a Grey Imp to be exact. They are commonly used as small servants, just smart enough to obey commands when there is food to be had as a reward. Grey Imps are the smartest of the bunch, often used to control the other Imps and take basic care of the animals.¡±


    He then looks directly down to the squirming Imp at the table.


    ¡°Bow to your new Mistress.¡±


    The small creature looks at my husband, confused. He then takes a look at me, beady eyes receiving a small glint of recognition. The creature stops squirming around and is released from my husband¡¯s hands. It slowly stands up and walks across the table, stopping about an arm¡¯s reach from me. It then slowly bows down, its face almost buried in the table.


    My husband watches the entire sequence of events with glee.


    ¡°Take some meat from the table and give it to him. That¡¯s how they learn. They obey, they get food; they don¡¯t listen, they get punished.¡±


    I look at the plate next to me and grab a slice of meat, as if it were alive. I put the meat in front of the Imp¡¯s head, still planted on the floor. The Imp slowly looks up, and quickly grabs the meat as if its life depended on it. It then sits on the table, devouring the small piece of meat as if it were the tastiest thing one had in his life.


    ¡°You can give him a name if you want, but I don¡¯t bother with those.¡±


    The Imp looks scrawny, comical, cute; in a creepy way.


    ¡°Creeps.¡±


    The small Imp nods at my words, still eating the meat, savouring every bite. I give him another. He accepts it gleefully, unintelligible blabber coming from his mouth. I¡¯ll consider that thanks.


    ¡°What do I do with him now?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you want, he¡¯s yours now; consider him your pet if you want to.¡±


    So, my second wedding present is an Imp.


    ¡°Well then I¡¯d say this was a good break. The Firemanes have been fed, and we can go home.¡± I will probably never shake that image out of my head.


    The table is packed as fast as it was set, everything done in complete unison of the servants. The Firemanes are harnessed once again, the beasts neighing loudly as in protest. I go inside the biggest carriage again, my husband helping me up the step.


    He sits across the carriage again and leans into the pillows that cover the interior. Is it just me, or is this carriage extremely comfortable all of a sudden?


    ¡°Ready to go?¡±


    Is he asking me, or telling me? What decision do I actually have in that thing? Does he expect me to do anything here?


    A small smile is suddenly nestled on my face, as I know exactly how to answer.


    I try to be as loud and clear as possible.


    ¡°Demos har nos.¡±


    The carriage starts moving. A huge grin on my husband¡¯s face, a fiery glint in his black eyes.


    We ride home.


    -----------------------------------------------------------------------


    After what feels like a day¡¯s worth of sleep, I am awakened by the carriage slowing down to a halt.


    We have arrived.


    I step outside the carriage after my husband, watching at the sight in front of me. A castle of grey stone with two large towers on its side, the castle grounds filled with ponds and plants I¡¯ve never seen in my life. The gate is made of black metal, the statues of a Demon and a Human standing guard at the entrance. Demons group around us, slowly bowing down as they see us.


    This is my new home.


    No.


    Our home.


    End of Arc 1: The Bride and the Groom

 Chapter 14: A Welcoming Party

    ¡°Although Imps can be considered pets, they are much more profitable as simple servants and fodder. Demonkin do have real pets though, they just tend to be more¡­ exotic than what you might expect. If you are entering a Demonkin¡¯s house (especially unannounced), make sure you bring something edible with you.¡±


    ? How to Avoid Death on a Daily Basis, Alastor Moody, 900 AS


    <hr>


    I stand before the castle that is my new home, transfixed.


    He had all of this built, for me? I mean sure, their sense of beauty is severely lacking, but you can¡¯t not admire the sheer magnitude of the work. The castle (it really is a castle, walls around the grounds, towers that look like they¡¯d have archer posts in them) is sprawling across the grounds as far as eyes can see.


    It is amazing, and to think they had built it in mere months.


    The group of what I can assume to be servants is bowing in front the two of us. I can spot several different kinds of Demons, some have horns, some have tails, and some have only a skin differently colored than me. It is incredible to see such a variety of life in one place.


    I take in the air of the castle. It is dry, as if a wildfire has just gone through the area, prompting me to sneeze. The female servant, Tiana, was it(?), hands me a handkerchief. My nose will need some getting used to.


    I look towards my husband, who is looking around, slowly taking in the scenery, as if evaluating everything that has been done here. A singular word escapes his lips, the single word that permeates the silence.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    There are two demons walking towards us, one holding several stacks of paper, the other some tools unknown to me.


    ¡°Lord Cerolus, we have been expecting you a bit later, to be honest.¡± Their faces cary a calm composure, the Demon with the papers scratching one of his horns.


    ¡°Well, we had some surprises on the road that allowed us to arrive faster than expected. You can leave the paperwork to Kozzok, I am hungry now.¡±


    A small female Demon stands up, dressed in what I assume to be their form of maid¡¯s clothes, a short black dress and a tightly buttoned shirt that allows one to admire the look of her ample breasts. Show-off.


    ¡°Master Cerolus, if you would follow me to the dining room, I am sure we can make something at once.¡±


    ¡°Very well, Lilianna.¡± He then turns towards the group, nowhere in particular, ¡°As you were.¡±


    Everyone dismisses themselves shortly, and my husband starts following the maid. I am left with only my maiden at my side. And the Imp, apparently; he somehow managed toget out of the carriage behindus andstick to my leg like glue. Should I be worried?


    ¡°What are you waiting for? You must be starving by now, let¡¯s eat and then see our home.¡± I look towards my husband, waiting for me to move.


    I walk towards him, staying by his side as we walk across the castle grounds. The maidens follows closely behind, the Imp trailing us, unsuccessfully trying to be silent.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    I am surrounded by unknown plants. Some of them look beautiful, with large flowers of warm colours. Some of them are not as pretty. Some of them I could barely consider plants at all. I¡¯ll have to ask him about all of this, he mentioned that some have to eat Plant Imps before, I need to stay away for now.


    As we are approaching the doors, two dogs can be heard barking in the distance. Then the sounds of running can be heard as well. My husband looks towards the direction the sound is coming from, as if expecting something to come.


    Well I wasn¡¯t wrong; something did come out from the corner.


    A strange beast is running towards us, its legs similar to dogs¡¯, with large paws that end in small claws. Its body is lean, bones could be made out along its red skin. But the weirdest part is the head. Or should I say heads? It has two heads connected to the body, one next to other, both with wide mouths brimming with teeth, its miniature eyes leaving me wondering whether the beast can see or not. The heads each have a row of spikes at the top, merging at the bulging neck, and continuing along its spine, its tail reduced to a small spike at the end of its bottom.


    The beast is running at full speed, me cowering at the mere thought of those teeth and spikes near me.


    My husband, however,opens his arms in a welcoming manner, as if he has seen a childhood friend after a dozen years.


    ¡°FLUFFY!¡±


    ITS NAME IS FLUFFY?


    That¡¯s it; nothing can surprise me anymore.


    The beast runs into my husband¡¯s open arms, knocking him over. The heads proceed to lick his face, my husband¡¯s hands strokingthe beast''s sides.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you buddy. Have you been a good boy while I was gone?¡±


    The dog (or dogs) bark happily at the question, signaling that, yes, indeed, he has been a good boy. He? They? This is so confusing. I just hope no one can hear my thoughts now, narrating a dog¡¯s bark.


    My husband stands up, the beast running around its master¡¯s legs.


    ¡°My wife, allow me to introduce my pet, Fluffy. Fluffy is a ¡­ well, our word isCerberus.¡±


    The beast suddenly looks at me, as if understanding what my husband has just said. Its four eyes inspect me curiously.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t bite you. He knows what happens when he bites what he is not supposed to.¡±


    My husband looks at the dog, a small, malicious grin on his face. A whimper radiates from the beast, some bad memories resurfacing in his mind (minds?); but the thought goes as it came, its attitude becoming as cheerful as before.


    He slowly walks towards me, sniffing the air around me. I put a hand out towards him, my brain yelling me to run and cover, but my legs not working, and my arm not listening to my preservation instinct screaming inside my head.


    One of the heads slowly licks my hand, as if trying to determine its taste. The tongue is incredibly moist and slimy, the wetness spreading around my hand as the beast tries to cover it with its saliva. Then, the running continues, me now being its center of attention.


    ¡°Aww, he likes you.¡±


    I just smile and nod, wiping my hand with the handkerchief,the two-headeddog running circles around me.

 Chapter 15: A Small Meal

    ¡°Demonkin diet consists mainly of meat rich in magical energy, and plants that come from mana-saturated soils. Their bodies constantly craving the energy, Demonkin away from home will often try swallowing mana crystals, occasionally leading to their untimely deaths. A good present for any Demonkin household is the fruit of Widowers, which contain an enormous density of magical energy, sometimes even used as a replacement for crystals in magical rituals.¡±


    ? The Great Cook Book: How to prepare meals for every race of the World, multiple authors, 990 AS


    <hr>


    The female maid gives my husband a cloth, which he uses to wipe his face.


    ¡°Come on let¡¯s eat!¡±


    The 6 of us, counting the Imp and the two-headed hound, pass two armored Demons that stand next to the doors of the castle, the Guards nodding and opening the door in compliance. We enter our new residence.


    The inside is lit by several crystals hanging from the high ceiling, the interiors of the castle looking empty and sullen, the furniture still being carried around by various Demons and Imps around me. The Demons nod as they pass us, and several ¡®greetings¡¯, ¡®master¡¯ and ¡®lord¡¯ are heard. The maid directs us through the corridors of the castle, the grey walls illuminated by lit torches on them feeling as if we are in the dungeons of the Palace of Frital. I¡¯ve been there once when I was little, accidentally stumbling across it when playing around. A shiver runs up my spine, trying to dismiss the memories.


    I shudder at the thought of getting lost in this place, almost instinctively drawing near my husband as we walk, trying to hide behind his wide back, as if a great monster will jump in front of us at any time.


    We are led to what seems like a dining room, with a huge table in the middle, dozens of chairs around it. Several suits of armor adorn the walls, a large white crystal on the ceiling providing light to the room. The light doesn¡¯t feel warm; it just illuminates coldly, my thin hair on my arms standing straight from the cold air of the castle.


    My husband takes the seat on one head of the table, and I am being guided to the other one. Several feet of dark wood separate us, as we wait in silence for the meal, maids slowly bringing out cutlery and food.


    I wash my hands in the small basin presented by a small black Imp next to me; then wipe my hands on the towel handed to me by another one. The Imps are fit into small black clothes with ends that flow freely as the Imps walk clumsily, trying to hold the objects in their hands.


    The Shadow Demon and my maiden Demon are standing at the sides of our room, ready to take order at any time. The room, although full of clamor and movement, is silent, no words are uttered between people, only the Imps making an occasional babble.


    The large beast that is my husband¡¯s pet is staying by his side, lazily moving around his heads to look across the room. My Imp is trying to make itself as small as possible as it sits on his bottom, occasionally glancing at the two-headed beast, with a glint of fear visible in its small eyes. It¡¯s wearing some small garments, not nearly as clean, only managing to cover its small torso, the limbs branching out of it.


    The table is finally a set, several plates of food presented to me and my husband. There are several pies and slices of meat that I can discern, but some foodstuff is just foreign to me.


    My husband takes a fork and a knife into his hands. ¡°Have a nice meal, my wife.¡±


    My first meal at my new home has begun.


    I slowly taste the meats and pies that I feel accustomed with, their taste almost identical to the foods back home.


    The chalice in front of me is filled with a red liquid, my face reflected on its surface. I look at my reflection, noticing my tired face and droopy eyes. I will need to sleep better.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The liquid turns out to be a sort of wine, pleasant to the tongue, light on the aroma. My head is not as dizzy as when I tried the wines made at home occasionally, this one feeling incredibly juice-like instead.


    I spot a small shell on the table, similar to what I¡¯ve seen on the few occasions I have visited the beaches with my parents when I was little. It¡¯s firmly closed, still trying to contain its insides, even after being taken away from its resting place.


    I notice a small pick-like tool next to the plate with the shell, determining that it is used to open it. I slowly take the shell in my hand, trying to rest it comfortably, yet keep it in place. It is cold, assumingly to be kept fresh and keep whatever it¡¯s inside from spoiling.


    I take the pick tool and try shoving into the small edge of the shell, trying to break it apart. After several tries, it pries open, my hands feeling numb from the effort. I need to start training my strength if I¡¯m going to eat food here, apparently.


    The shell opens to reveal the meaty insides, which slowly try to slip out of its now open container. I notice a small pearl buried in the meat, the black surface lazily reflecting the cold light of the crystal above us. I take a pearl in my hand, bringing it close to my face, trying to act like a jewel merchant would inspect his wares.


    My husband notices my actions across the table, resting his cutlery on his plate. ¡°Oh, you got a pearl on your first seashell, congratulations. The pearls are a rarity, a real surprise if you find them in your meal. We consider it a sign of good luck, especially when a lady opens the shell that contains it.¡±


    My maiden walks towards me with a small red cloth, as with signaling me to rest the pearl in it. I do so, and proceed to eat the profits of my labour before. The meat of the shell is salty, reminding me of the air around the seaside, slowly drying my lips, as I reach for the wine in my chalice to refresh myself. The wine and the meat mix inside the mouth, the salt and sweet mingling together, as I spread the taste around my mouth, enjoying the pleasant feeling my tongue provides me.


    The meal proceeds silently, with my husband occasionally handing some meat to his pet, the beast devouring its meal instantly, waiting for more. I try to do the same with my Imp, finding his babbles of joy cute and creepy at the same time.


    My stomach almost stuffed with meat, I gently put down my cutlery and notice a soft looking fruit on one side of the table, yellow in colour, one end dripping purple liquid from the inside.


    I poke it with my finger, the fluids pouring out at the response of my touch. I raise a questioning look towards my husband, hoping he will notice me and give me some sort of a verbal response.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Widower fruit, you squeeze the fluids out and drink it, or you can just drink straight from it. It¡¯s incredibly sweet and rich in magical energy, a true treat to the tongue.¡± He takes the same looking fruit from his end of the table and a small cup next to it, squeezing the contents out, the purplish liquid overfilling the cup, small drops going out its sides. He then presses the cup to his lips and closes his eyes in content, as if tasting the Heaven itself. The liquid drips from the end of his mouth, dying his red skin with a purple sheen, the entire scene strangely pleasing to my eyes.


    I take my fruit in the hand, pointing the dripping end towards the small cup that I have put in front of me. The liquid lazily oozes out, my gentle squeezing rushing it against its will. Soon, the cup is full, as I try to relax and take the cup in my hand.


    The sweetness fills my entire being, energy coursing through me, my mind feeling exhilaration. I can barely contain myself as I gulp the juice down greedily, as if someone were to take it away from me at any time.


    I let out a small sound of pleasure, my husband chuckling in response.


    ¡°Delicious¡±.


    My first meal at my new home is delicious.

 Chapter 16: A Tour Guide

    ¡°The residences of Demonkin nobility vary in size and grandeur, often depending on their master¡¯s status and profession. The residence in a mining town of Bretir is said to be one of the most magnificent ones, in spite of it being roughly half the size of other noble residences. It was commissioned by Lord Cerolus Kreshorok for his second wife Sophia, who came from the Human Kingdoms; the style of the residence reflecting the merging of the architectural prowess of these two races.¡±


    ? Geography of the Mainland, Volume Eight, Royal Cartographer Jonas Maverick, 700 AS


    <hr>


    As my wife and I slowly finish our meal, I decide that we need some exercise.


    ¡°Take us around the castle, Lilianna; I want to see all of it.¡±


    ¡°Very well, Master.¡± Lilianna was born into my service, both of her parents working for me at the time. I¡¯ve allowed them to retire since then, Lilianna staying to learn. She is approaching twenty five years, most likely trying to seduce some of the men around the castle. Not like I really care what they do in their spare time. A job of a maid will never truly stop, but having her man in the same house she serves provides some sort of security.


    We exit the dining room, the light of a Lightstone being once again replaced with simple torches on the walls. I like the design, reminds of my childhood home. The Palace of Dralarag was built to look menacing, and I can agree that torch lit corridors did add to the appeal.


    My wife walks slowly behind me, trying to stay in my shadow, apparently afraid of whatever we are going to see next. As if I¡¯d let something wander the halls of my home.


    We are led to a large room, overlooking the town below us. The mining town of Bretir has been under the pressure of the army and War, never truly allowing it to access the ores it has in the ground nearby. The town will prosper from the mines that will finally be able to be completely built.


    The room is¡­ bland. These Human castles really don¡¯t have much in the way of ornaments. I¡¯ve got to see that we order some proper furniture.


    My wife, on the other hand, seems to like what she sees, eyeing the knee-high table with large chairs around it, turned towards the large balcony outside. The Sun is almost at the peak of the sky, the room not needing any aid to be lit.


    ¡°This is the comfort room, to be used for casual guests, and games.¡± It does seem welcoming, I guess.


    Next we are led to my office apparently. They¡¯ve managed to cram a lot of shelves inside.


    ¡°The Master¡¯s Office of course, for official business.¡± The desk is masterfully made, with lots of compartments for documents. The surface is polished to perfection; I can see my reflection in it. The chair is comfortable to sit in.


    My wife is looking around the room, observing the various books and documents, as if trying to understand what is written on the covers. I¡¯ll most likely need to teach her the language, only four of my servants can speak hers.


    <hr>


    There is only one chair in the office, so I will apparently not be needed around here. Good, I never had any knack in those matters.


    I try to read what is written on the covers of books on the shelves around me. Is this an office or a library? The letters I know, and the words look similar to Lyndarian, but I cannot see one word that I could guess its meaning.


    The maid leads us around the castle, the dark corridors looking daunting. There are so many rooms in here, I cannot believe that this is smaller than the Palace.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    We reach a large door on the second floor, two guards having to open it.


    I can see a small table and several chairs around it, surrounded by what seems to be rows and rows of books. How many books do they have in here? Several crystals on the ceiling provide the light for the room, with smaller ones placed on the table itself. The small crystals are dim and dark. And to think we thought of Demons as savage and brutish, when they have such huge collections of books with them.


    We are then led across the floor, several doors can be seen as the corridor ends.


    ¡°This one is the Master¡¯s bedroom.¡± The maid points towards the largest door at the end of the corridor, the only one on its wall.


    ¡°And this one is for the Mistress.¡± She points towards a smaller door on the right.


    Wait, I have my own room?


    ¡°Of course, the Mistress can use either of the rooms, but the Master can only use his.¡±


    So, he can¡¯t go into my room. He is going to leave me alone? Or will he force me to come into his room every night? Or will he simply ignore everything and force himself into my room, whether I like it or not?


    We are once again led around the castle, while I¡¯m trying to remember where the rooms are. The corridors are confusing, dark, each looking almostthe same. We somehow end up on the same place from which we entered the castle.


    ¡°So, do you like it?¡±


    I don¡¯t know what to think of all this. I¡¯ve just been shown an entire castle in what seems like seconds.


    ¡°I¡­ guess so.¡± I answer timidly, hoping that he doesn¡¯t prod further.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get used to it with time. Onwards, to the Gardens!¡±


    We exit the castle, guards opening the grand doors for us.


    I take a look out on the grounds, various plants around us.


    The maid walks in front of us, explaining what each plant is as we move. My husband nods and comments occasionally, while I try to take in all the scenery.


    ¡°Grappler.¡± She points towards a large tree that sways around, a dozen large vines around it, some on the ground, some moving in the air. The trunk of the tree has a large hole between it and the surrounding ground, the inside is pitch black. There is nothing that approaches the tree for as far as the vines reach.


    ¡°Seraphim.¡± A lovely tree with white petals that slowly fall off from the occasional wind that passes through. It is caged in; as if they are trying to contain something within it. It provides a sweet smell around it, as if trying to lull me to sleep.


    ¡°It looks beautiful.¡±


    A petal slowly falls to the ground near the tree. A small fire burns where the petal once was, the ground remaining scorched afterwards.


    ¡°Deathcry¡± a small field of black flowers stands in the garden. I try to reach for one and pick it up. A hand stops me. The commanding sound of my husband brings chill to my veins. ¡°Don¡¯t. Try.¡±


    The maid suddenly walks past a humongous tree that seems to have the same fruits that we had for the meal. The roots are thin and spread around the base of the tree, the fruits beckoning people to come and try them. My husband stays in his place, while the maid goes towards the tree.


    ¡°This is a Widower; if a woman were to pass by it, nothing would happen; if a man would try to do the same, the roots will kill him. It feeds on Plant Imps, roughly once per week.¡±


    So, a plant that only kills men? A fitting name, I guess, at least.


    ¡°Now you have a place to run to when you get angry at me.¡± My husband smiles honestly. I slowly nod silently, trying to sound calm.

 Chapter 17: A Night Sky

    ¡°All races of Demonkin are different when it comes to raising children. While Mindreavers prefer to marry young, they will stay childless until a late point in their lives. Firebearers, on the other hand, will have children regardless of their age or marital status, many nobles having a multitude of partners during their lives. Shadowlings do not marry or have children at all, simply being made from the mana-abundant areas called Spawns.¡±


    ? Races of our World, multiple authors, edition second, 700 AS


    <hr>


    Being shown around the castle took quite a bit more time than expected, considering we had to stop and have my husband feed the Grappler, since he ¡®hasn¡¯t done it in a hundred years¡¯ apparently, whatever that meant.


    Apparently, the adults do it rather simply.


    First, you have to take a plant Imp in your hand, which is not that hard considering the plant Imp is only about two feet tall, and even I could¡¯ve carried it easily. It took quite a while to find the said Imp though, the critters understandably unwilling to jump into his arms. Some running around the gardens was also present.


    You then approach the Grappler with the Imp in your hand.


    And at last, you toss it.


    The Imp somersaulted midair, to the delight of my husband, before the Grappler apparently noticed the creature flying at him. Two of the vines immediately latched it by its legs and pulled it into the hole in the ground, a small screech escaping from it before the sounds died out. The plant shuddered a bit, shifting its vines around; then stopped moving, content with its meal.


    My Imp was visibly shaken by the scene, shuddering and babbling incomprehensibly all the while. I had to pet the poor thing for it to stop.


    By the time the tour of the grounds was finished, the time for dinner has come, the maid guiding us to the dining room.


    We sat at the table like we did for breakfast, the table between my husband and me. The dinner was appetizing, the meats having the same taste I was used to at home. The two-headed hound was once again at the table, my husband now urging me to try and feed him. The beast immediately devoured the pieces of meat I gave him, possessing almost none of that terrorizing presence that I have felt when it first appeared. I still wouldn¡¯t want those spikes near me, though.


    My husband retreated to his office afterwards, I assume to finish the paperwork that the two Demons from this morning brought. Having nothing to do, I dismissed my maiden asking if I need anything and tried to find the comfort room; a foolish endeavor to undertake all by myself.


    I got lost after three corridors.


    I did have a guard with me that followed me in my steps. I decided to ask him, maybe he actually knows where to go. Which is when the trouble started.


    I turned towards the armored Demon, one head higher than I was, two white horns on his head, face covered by a helmet, red eyes glowing from it. He is wearing some iron armor, coupled with a sword on his hip, a spear in his hands, and a shield on his back.


    ¡°How do I get to the comfort room?¡±


    Silence.


    ¡°I said: tell me how to get to the comfort room.¡± Is he deaf or something? The Demon stood silent for a bit, then noticing my stare, silently uttered something.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry milady, I do not understand.¡± Then he started to bow, as if expecting punishment.


    What? And then I remembered I had the necklace around me. I took it off.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Absolute gibberish came out of his mouth, repeating it fast did not help.


    Damnit.


    Ok, what words do I know? ¡®Demos¡¯ means Home, that means nothing here. ¡®har nos¡¯ means ¡®we ride¡¯ possibly, but that doesn¡¯t help me at all. Ok, ok slow down. There is a way to get out of this.


    ¡°KOZZOK!¡±


    The Shadow Demon appeared next to me, as if expecting the call.


    ¡°Mistress, you called?¡±


    Oh thank the Heavens; that actually worked.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Can you tell me where the comfort room please? The guard doesn¡¯t understand me.¡±


    Kozzokturnsto the guard, who was still bowing deeply.


    ¡°Escort the Mistress to the comfort room, then report to the Master.¡± He then turns to me ¡°I¡¯ll fetch Tiana to assist you momentarily.¡±


    ¡°What is to happen to the guard?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t obey orders; a punishment is in order of course. But considering the matter is trivial, Master may overlook it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell my husband about this, please?¡± I didn¡¯t know their language, and who knows what is going to happen to this innocent guard because of that.


    The Shadow Demon has a small glint in his eyes. ¡°Of course, Mistress.¡±


    The guard leads me to the comfort room in mere minutes, then leaves, fear evident in his eyes.


    I stand in the room alone, contemplating the events that transpired these couple of days, finally having a moment to myself.


    I got married to a Demon that took me away from home and brought me to a foreign land. I don¡¯t know their culture, I don¡¯t know their customs, I don¡¯t even know their language, yet he still tried his best to be calm and gentle about it, never rushing me, even keeping me from harm. Have we been wrong about Demons all these years? Are they really that different from us?


    Can I rise over the differences that we have, and maybe have a pleasant life here.


    I think of my family, the looks in their eyes as they silently gave me away to this life. I think of my home, trying to remember every single detail as if I¡¯m going to lose my memories of it. Then I think of the moment I saw the Demon at the Altar, standing tall, the blackness of his eyes absorbing all light around me.


    I fall asleep in the comfort room, a trail of tears down my cheeks.


    <hr>


    ¡°Master, this guard has disobeyed an order.¡±


    Every day something has to happen.


    ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t obey the Mistress¡¯ commands.¡±


    I turn towards the bowing guard.


    ¡°What do you have to say for yourself?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand the Mistress'' wordsMaster, this servant begs for mercy.¡±


    Of course, that¡¯s the problem. Well, having her learn the language is going to be a must I guess.


    ¡°Very well, you can go. No punishment is to be received, a simple misunderstanding.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± The guard turns around and leaves, visibly relieved.


    I look Kozzok in the eyes. There is some shame in there.


    ¡°Did my wife tell you to not report this?¡±


    His eyes are sullen now. He knows he can¡¯t escape me, I¡¯ve known him his entire life. ¡°Yes.¡±


    So he still doesn¡¯t trust her. Well, I¡¯d say the feeling is reciprocated, but I have not Peered since the time of the Dance.


    ¡°And where is my dear wife now, if I may ask?¡±


    ¡°She has asked to be escorted to the comfort room.¡±


    ¡°Fine, the day is over anyway, I¡¯ll go and fetch her to go to bed.¡±


    It takes some time for me to find the comfort room, still adjusting to the changes. I am starting to miss my old place.


    She is sleeping on the small bed, the light of the night sky shining upon her pale cheeks. She has been crying.


    Does she feel that repulsed by us still? Will I ever be able to make her happy?


    I pick her up, she is incredibly light, and carry her to her room. The guards hesitate before letting me in, it is officially her room, but I am still the Master of the house.


    I put her down into her bed, wiping away the remains of tears from her cheeks. Her sleeping face is really beautiful. I pull the sheets over her body, letting her get some rest.


    ¡°Good night, Sophia.¡±


    I then retire to my room for the night, the day has been so long.


    <hr>


    I sense someone carrying me somewhere, my mind between dream and reality; my senses dull.


    I can faintly hear the sound of steps, and a silent creaking.


    It feels so good to be carried, the warmth spreading around my body.


    Then I am put into a bed again, a lonely warm finger running across my cheek.


    I can hear a faint voice.


    ¡°Good night, Sophia.¡± The voice feels so strong and familiar.


    The person then leaves.


    I fall back to sleep again.

 Chapter 18: A Breakfast for One

    ¡°Dralarag is surrounded by sea from three sides, with about half of its coastline inaccessible due to mountainous or volcanic terrain. This has led to the relative isolationist lives of the Demonkin until the end of the Great War. Abundant in magical energy that shaped the life inside it, Dralarag is now known to be the third harshest environment in the World, after the Dread Archipelago and the continent of Drakkar.¡±


    ? Geography of the Mainland, Volume Eight, Royal Cartographer Jonas Maverick, 700 AS


    <hr>


    We are in the Great Church of Light. I am standing with my family; dressed in a beautiful wedding dress, completely white in color.


    I can hear the bells signaling the start of the ceremony, but something is not right. I am standing alone in the Altar, nobody by my side. That is not supposed to happen. I turn to look at my family, but they are exiting the Great Hall, leaving me alone to stand there. There is no one but me inside, only light reaching through the window. I look towards the great mosaic window of the Church. There are cracks around it, and it shatters, revealing the sky. I move towards the opening, looking down on the ground.


    ¡®Good Night, Sophia.¡¯


    The voice is cold, eerie. I recognize it; it¡¯s my father¡¯s voice, when I was little and he tucked me into bed.


    Something pushes me through the window, letting me fall.


    -----------------


    I jerk awake, finding myself on a bed, Sun¡¯s rays piercing into the area.


    I try to make out where I am, and I try to reach for the fragments of the dream that have slowly slipped away. I try to reach for the memories of last night. Didn¡¯t I fall asleep on a smaller bed? I look around the room, a loud ringing in my ear slowly dying out.


    I look around the room, trying to see where I am. The bed is large; the sheets blood red, a large assortment of pillows around me. The room is lit by the Sun¡¯s light coming from the large window in the room; I can make out a small table with various cosmetics laid out in front of the small mirror; there is a ceiling high mirror on the other side of the room.


    There is a small door on one side of the room, and a larger one opposite my bed.


    I slowly shudder, the air around me strangely cold.


    I try to call for someone.


    ¡°Melinda? Catalin?¡± The names of my maidens, always ready at my call.


    Nobody answers.


    I suddenly remember where I am. A castle, away from home. A red face with black eyes and horns, and a big smile suddenly pops into my head. Yes, I¡¯m married, this is my new home, my new room.


    My new room feels lonely.


    I suddenly remember a name.


    ¡°Tiana?¡±


    The female Demon opens the small door on the side of my room, dressed in plain black dress.


    ¡°Mistress.¡±


    ¡°Is this my room? I remember going to the¡­ comfort room, and then I must¡¯ve felt asleep.¡±


    I push my brain to give me answers. A strong, calm voice echoes in my mind: ¡®Good Night, Sophia.¡¯


    ¡°Master has brought you to your room after you¡¯ve fallen asleep.¡±


    Yes, I remember now, the steps, the creaks, the warmth, a finger across my cheeks.


    ¡°What time is it now? Have I missed breakfast?¡±


    ¡°You can never miss breakfast when you are a Mistress of the house.¡± I can hear a small chuckle from her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make me presentable first.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    I sit before the table with the mirror, Tiana walking behind me with a brush in her hand.


    --------------------


    After more time than I dare admit, I am finally dressed and presentable, following Tiana through the corridors of the castle.


    We reach the dining room, a table set for my breakfast.


    I eat slowly in silence, Tiana and an armored guard staying nearby. The breakfast is amazing, the Widower fruit revitalizing me with energy, but I still feel off. My Imp somehow wanders into the dining room, now wearing some black cloths, planting himself by my legs. I give him some food as I eat my breakfast slowly, in silence.


    ¡°Where is my husband?¡±


    ¡°Master has gone out to the town, some important issues have emerged and he apologizes for leaving you alone, he has told us that he will be back as soon as the issues have cleared. He had left you a small note for when you wake up.¡± Tiana hands me a small piece of paper, black scribbles visible from afar.


    My dear wife,


    I am sorry for leaving you alone so soon and will be coming back shortly. I have arranged for Tiana to start teaching you our language in the library, she has learnt your language faster than I have and trust me, that tells a lot.


    There are no expected visits today, so you don¡¯t have to worry about anything.


    Have a nice time, and see you soon, my wife.


    Your husband, Cerolus.


    Apparently he has already left, and I am alone in this huge castle, surrounded by servants. Well, I guess I can find something to fill my time. Learning the language will be extremely beneficial, especially after that blunder yesterday.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.¡°Very well, let¡¯s go out to the garden for now, I need some fresh air.¡±


    --------------------------


    My day passes slowly, walking around the huge castle grounds, no business to take care of. I¡¯ve spent some of my time in the Palace training, I wonder if I would be allowed to do so here. I¡¯ll have to ask my husband when he comes back.


    The Cerberus has apparently sensed me leaving the castle, immediately running towards me, his enthusiasm not diminished when his master is not home. I ask Tiana how my husband plays with the hound.


    ¡°Fluffy is trained to hunt and loves to play fetch.¡±


    ¡°Well, what does he fetch?¡±


    ¡°Master usually uses a bone from a Hellboar.¡±


    So I¡¯d have to throw a bone around? What happened to simple sticks?


    Fluffy suddenly runs away, and comes back shortly carrying a large bone in his mouths.


    Oh well, might as well get used to it now.


    -----------------------


    The dog is bloody tireless.


    I¡¯ve literally considered throwing the bone towards the Widower just to see what happens, but have decided against it.


    Laying the bone away and stroking one side of the hound as it lays on the other, I consider what to do with the rest of the day.


    I guess I¡¯ve had enough fresh air, saliva being the unexpected bonus, for the day; might as well start learning about their culture as soon as possible.


    After a brief changing of clothes, Tiana and I found ourselves in the library, a stack of books around me, while she runs around the room, grabbing some more.


    ¡°May I begin Mistress?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°As you wish. The basics of our language, or Dral as we call it, is simple¡­¡±


    ---------------------


    After trying to understand anything in my lesson, only figuring out the basics of reading, which is extremely simple, I go to have dinner. Cerolus is apparently still out, so I¡¯ll have to eat alone again.


    I try to eat something new every meal, trying to broaden my knowledge. This time I try a gelatinous dessert. It¡¯s extremely sweet, prompting me to drink some water, but the taste is marvelous, a sudden feeling of warmth spreading around my chest.


    ¡°What is this made from?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mostly made out from Hellboar blood, with some additional ingredients to make in sweeter.¡±


    Why do I feel warmth whenever I eat Hellboar? Does it have to do anything with the ¡®mana channels¡¯ Cerolus talked about at the wedding dinner? I¡¯ll have to ask more later.


    The evening is spent learning more about the language and enjoying the afternoon Sun in the balcony of the comfort room, Tiana mentioning that Cerolus has a musician employed at the castle. He plays on strange instrument, resembling a violin, just many times larger, having to stand on the ground to be played. The tune fits perfectly with the setting Sun, as the day comes to pass and night takes over, Azalea and Trebinor watching over us.


    After the Sun sets and the tune ends, I go to the baths to finally clean myself properly after a few days.


    The baths are on the lower floor of the castle, illuminated by crystals, with enough room to fit several people; warm water falling from above as the steam rises.


    ¡°How do you heat so much water up?¡±


    ¡°We have plenty of magical crystals to heat up and transport water, Master spares no expense on that matter.¡±


    I step into the bath, warm water feeling wonderful as it flows around me, washing me away from everything that happened these past few days. I spend what seems a lifetime in the baths, the skin on my fingers wrinkling from the warm water.


    After I exit the baths and dress in clean clothes, ready to go to sleep, I notice there are more guards around the castle than before.


    ¡°Has my husband come back?¡±


    The Shadow Demon appears from nowhere in particular.


    ¡°Master has returned and has already retired to bed, hoping you will forgive him for not seeing you, he didn¡¯t want to intrude on your bath.¡±


    ¡°Very well, I guess it is time for me to go to sleep as well, this was a surprisingly long day.¡±


    I go to my room, lying in my bed, preparing myself to sleep.


    So why can¡¯t I fall asleep?


    The room feels so cold, so unwelcoming, so distant. My day has been calm, nothing bad has happened, and yet, nothing good either.


    A strong, calmvoice echoes through my head.


    I slowly rise out of my bed and leave my room, finding myself in the corridor outside. The guards nod and ask apparently ask something, I just nod slowly and watch at the large door on my right. A decision is slowly reached in my mind.


    I push at the door meekly, the guards opening it as in response. I enter the room. A huge bed is in the middle, a window on either side of it spreading small amounts of light that comes from outside.


    A big figure can be seen lying in the bed, wearing nothing but a pair of pants. His muscular body makes a large indent where he sleeps; his broad shoulders and defined chest seem so welcoming as he sleeps serenely. There is a small trickle of drool on the side of his agape mouth.


    I slowly move towards the bed, trying to be as silent as possible.


    I lie down, and he is half-awake, barely aware of what is going on.


    ¡°I felt a bit lonely.¡± I admit, and slowly move next to him on the bed, resting my head on one of his forearms.


    He doesn¡¯t answer, just puts his other hand around me and pulls me into a close hug, my head resting against his chest.


    ¡°Good night, Sophia.¡±


    ¡°Good night, Cerolus.¡±


    The warmth of his body slowly lulls me, as I enter a sweet sleep.

 Chapter 19: A New Dawn

    ¡°There are several theories about magic among the circles of the council.


    Humans believe that beings blessed by Gods will possess potential to use magic; Elvin believing that the magic comes from nature itself, living creatures just being able to tap into it using various incantations.


    The Werekin think that magic is the work of their ancestors, guiding them towards the future, while Dendrin profess that magic is an extension of one¡¯s soul, reaching into the surroundings separate from the shackles of reality.


    Demonkin, Drakkor, and Nazjars on the other hand, say that lower ranks in magical prowess are extremely simple to obtain, believing that every living being possesses some amounts of magical power in them.


    Every race has its own theories about magic, and each of them have developed different means towards the same goal.¡±


    ? An Introduction to Magical Studies, Julian Carell, 1200 AS


    <hr>


    My sleep ends with light falling on my eyes, notifying me that another day has come. I slowly take in my surroundings, feeling refreshed, but still somewhat groggy from my sleep. I sit up slowly, looking around me, as if trying to piece together a puzzle of what had happened last night. I find myself on a middle of a huge bed, a white silken sheet surrounding me. I look around the room I am in, the Sun behind me irradiating it with light.


    I notice there is a small curtain on one side of the room, splashing of water can be heard behind it. I slowly get out of the bed, walking up to see what the curtain is hiding.


    My hand moves the curtain away, revealing a large red figure behind it.


    Cerolus is standing in a small room, looking into a mirror while holding a small blade in his arm; a yellowish foam on one half of his chin. He apparently spots me.


    ¡°Oh good morning, I am sorry if I woke you up. I¡¯ll be done shaving shortly; I hate the feeling of my beard.¡±


    I look away from his face, my gaze slowly moving down his body. His broad chest is moving slowly, Cerolus taking slow breaths as he stands. Eight finely defined muscles can be seen on his stomach, not a sliver of fat on it. His back slowly curves, his bottom accentuated due to his shallow bow; his long snaky tail moving slowly behind him. Short white pants cover his thick thighs. A large bulge can be seen in the frontal area of the pants.


    He notices my gazing eyes, smirking. ¡°Like what you see?¡±


    My face flushes with heat, my hand moving the curtain back, a loud thumping in my chest, as I run out of his room and enter my own.


    <hr>


    Well, I probably shouldn¡¯t have done that. Teasing her would probably be the worst thing to do right now, we know almost nothing about each other, and I can still feel some fear and trepidation in her when I look into her eyes.


    She did spend a lot of time watching my pants though, and I haven¡¯t had shared a bed with someone in such a long time.


    Her face looked charming, and her body, while a bit small, is certainly pleasant to hold. I remember the feel of her soft skin on mine as I woke up.


    I slowly dismiss my daydreams, finishing my shave, looking forward to the new day.


    <hr>


    My face is buried in my pillows, emotions swirling all over.


    Am I starting to like him? And is that even bad?


    But he took me from my home, my family! He dropped me into a complete unknown! He is so different from me!


    Does he like me? Do I look like a small child to him? Does he think I¡¯m a brat, capable of doing nothing on my own, relying on someone else?


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    My thoughts are interrupted by Tiana coming into my room. ¡°Mistress, Master has sent me to inform you that breakfast has been served and that he would like you to join him.¡±


    What is that supposed to mean? What does he want with me now?


    ¡°Very well, if I must. Come here and help me get dressed.¡±


    I stand up, moving towards the small desk with the mirror, getting ready for the new day.


    -------------------


    Tiana leads me to the dining room, Cerolus already eating at the head of the table, Fluffy lying by his side.


    I sit on the other end, the Imp already by my chair, getting used to being fed being my best guess. I slowly start taking in food, feeling great hunger all of a sudden from the pits of my stomach.


    The usual silence of the dining room is disrupted.


    ¡°What would you like to do today? I have no present plans for the day, I am free to keep you company if you want me to.¡±


    He wants us to spend the day together? Why? What are his plans?


    I suddenly remember yesterday, wanting to ask about training or magic. If he doesn¡¯t have any plans, maybe he¡¯d be willing to help. Would it hurt to ask?


    ¡°Actually, I would like to ask you some questions.¡±


    Cerolus is visibly intrigued by my words, prompting me to elaborate.


    ¡°How did you make that ring during the wedding? And how did you make your voice so loud?¡±


    ¡°Oh it¡¯s simple magic, really, no huge deal.¡±


    ¡°No huge deal? I could count the number of Mages I¡¯ve met throughout my life on fingers of my hands, and you¡¯re telling me it¡¯s no huge deal?¡±


    ¡°Well, most of the Demons can use magic, one way or another. It¡¯s not that uncommon? I could even probably teach you if you¡¯d want; it should not be that different than teaching a Demon child to do it.¡±


    He could¡­ teach me? But he doesn¡¯t even know if I can use magic or not? What is this madness?


    ¡°I can sense your mana channels a bit, they are small, but they are indeed there? Can¡¯t you feel them?¡±


    ¡°Ummm, no? I mean, I don¡¯t know? How do I do that?¡±


    ¡°How about this, you keep learning the language from Tiana for a bit, and I¡¯ll come in the afternoon and start teaching you magic slowly.¡±


    I can maybe learn magic? This is wonderful! I¡¯ve always dreamed of using it when I was little, imagining what I could do if I knew it.


    ¡°Anything else? This is your home too you know, if you need anything, feel free to ask.¡±


    ¡°Could I get some¡­ combat training?¡± I ask meekly. Father has allowed me to start training with some of the younger recruits after I constantly asked him to let me train. I always liked listening the stories of men fighting great beasts, exploring the depths of caves for lost treasures, seeking out powerful artifacts that bring glory to those who found it.


    ¡°You want to train to fight?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡± I answer more firmly now, I need him to see that I am not weak or a pushover.


    Cerolus slowly scratches one of his horns. A sudden thought of wanting to feel his horns pops into my head, before disappearing.


    ¡°Well, I guess we can start out slow, but I don¡¯t really know how to begin even. I guess we¡¯ll just have to see what you can do first. I mean it¡¯s not really common for women to fight, but it¡¯s not unheard of. If that¡¯s what you wish, who am I to stop you?¡±


    Is he being thoughtful? Defensive? Protective? I can never seem to know what he is thinking of me at times, is that because of how different we are? Is that because he¡¯s a Demon? Or is that simply because he¡¯s a man?


    Am I overthinking, and he is just looking out for me? I remember the time the bandits attacked our carriage, he asked me if I were alright not even noticing his own wounds. A picture of his wide chest flashes in my head, my body feeling slightly warmer all of a sudden.


    ¡°Thank you, Cerolus.¡±


    We continue our meal in silence again, anxiety filling me as I look forward to the coming day.

 Chapter 20: A Humble Beginning

    ¡°The few Humans that display a talent for magic quickly rise in the social circles, becoming respected among peasants and nobility alike. Several have abused their status, prompting the Humans to go to war with other races and one another alike, the time period now known as the Human Mage Wars, which caused all major Kingdoms and sovereign territories to nearly fall apart. It took nearly a century for the Mainland to stabilize, learning that one can never get too sure of his own powers, and that Humans as a race still have a lot to learn.¡±


    ? An Introduction to Magical Studies, Julian Carell, 1200 AS


    <hr>


    After another session of Tiana trying to hammer their language into my mind, my vocabulary increasing by only several words, I spend some free time in the garden again, Fluffy coming as soon as I sat down on the red grass. The dog does seem harmless in the way he behaves around Cerolus or me, but I have seen how he eats. I still have reservations about his mouths close to my face. Cerolus, on the other hand, doesn¡¯t seem to be bothered at all, letting the dog lick his face clean the first time I saw it. Fluffy also isn¡¯t really that fluffy, having no fur and leathery skin, but he does enjoy being rubbed. I¡¯ve noticed his back spikes lay a bit lower when I rub his side, as if they tell how he feels at the time.


    After a short time basking in the Sun¡¯s rays and watching the garden around me, the white petals of the Seraphim tree looking lovely (from afar, obviously), I head into the castle, asking the maid to show me where Cerolus is, eager to start learning about magic.


    I am led to a small room fitted with various crystals and books on the shelves covering the walls, a table and two chairs in the middle of it all. A wooden target is on the end of the room opposite the entrance, I¡¯m assuming for practice. Cerolus is sitting in one of the chairs, his eyes closed and his demeanor calm, as in some sort of trance.


    He slowly exits that relaxed state as I enter the room, standing up to greet me.


    ¡°Well then, let us begin. Take a seat.¡± He points to the chair next to him. I oblige and sit down, turning towards him. He sits, the difference in height slightly lower when we are sitting down, his legs being a bit longer compared to the rest of the body.


    ¡°First, let us start with the basics. What do you think magic is?¡±


    I¡­ never really thought about it. I¡¯ve seen Mages perform various feats, healing wounds that would otherwise cripple a person forever, summoning pillars of flame as high as a roof of a house, even casting protective barriers around one¡¯s body, keeping them from harm. But I never understood what magic REALLY is.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know? Anything that defies logic and reason?¡±


    He chuckles. ¡°As good as of a guess as any, really. In truth, nobody knows what magic is or how it exactly works, but we Demons simply think of it as a tool that helps us live better lives. Everything in Dralarag possesses some amount of magical power, however small it may be. Plants, animals, crystals, even ordinary rocks and air possess trace amounts of it. Every living thing and magical crystal that possesses the energy will slowly shape it according to the nature it knows best. For example, a Flame Imp¡¯s mana will be naturally attuned to fire, after which they gained their name. They are able to use this mana to hurl small balls of fire, especially useful in clearing away unwanted plants.


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    We Demons often possess mana of various types, as few as two and as many as seven have been observed in an individual. The types of mana can be summed into the basic elements: fire, water, air, ground, light and its opposite, darkness. There is also arcane and disturbance mana, which belong to neither of the elements, complementing them instead. Every living being will possess at least one element and one of the non-elemental types, many magic requiring their merging to be successfully used. For example¡±


    Cerolus then conjures up a small red flame from the tip of his finger, its light shining upon the crystals in the room ¡±This is a simple flame spell, using small amounts of fire and arcane mana to make a small flame, as the name would suggest. It is one of the basic things someone with the elements learns to control, as its principle is quite simple to understand. Children will usually learn to conjure small flames after maybe a week of training.¡±


    ¡°I can sense what your elements are, but it¡¯s a lot more convenient and precise to use the crystals to do that work.¡± He then stands up and walks around the room, taking several crystals of the shelves, putting them on the table between us. Each crystal has a different color.


    ¡°These are basic elemental crystals, harvesting pure mana from the ground and air and slowly converting them into a mana of a basic type. They are usually used to assist, complement, or replace the mana used when casting spells, but can also be used to discover a person¡¯s natural affinity. Take this one for instance;¡± he takes a red crystal in his hands, which then begins to glow brightly; ¡°This is a fire crystal, the brighter it glows, the more attuned the person is to the mana belonging to the fire element.¡± Same goes for the rest of the basics: ground¡± he points to the brown crystal; ¡°air¡±, its colour being blue; ¡°water¡± pointing to the crystal with a green tint, ¡°light¡± a milky white crystal is shown, ¡°darkness¡± a coal black diamond on the table; ¡°arcane¡± a transparent gem reflecting every colour of the rainbow; ¡°and finally disturbance¡± a crystal with a purple tint rests on the far right of the group.


    ¡°Now, the first thing we¡¯ll do is learn your exact affinities, as these don¡¯t change after a person has been born. Take each of the crystals in your hand one by one, and wait for a short time, since you can¡¯t still control your own mana, the crystals will have to slowly draw any they can find out of you.¡±


    I start from the left, reaching for the red crystal Cerolus used for demonstration, taking a firm hold of it in my hand.


    I sense warmth in my body, the feeling I had at the wedding when I drank the blood of the Hellboar. The warmth¡¯s embrace is so welcoming, so pure, I wish I could stay forever in its grasp.


    The crystal slowly brightens up, emitting a small amount of light around it. Cerolus looks pleased with the results. ¡°Well, as I have guessed, you have potential for fire magic.¡±


    I return the crystal to the table, excited to see what kinds of magic I¡¯ll be able to learn in the future.

 Chapter 21: A Tired Mind

    ¡°All of the magically inclined races have one basic element they are not aligned with. They can only use the magic corresponding to it using a crystal of that element.


    Demonkin have no affinities with water;


    Dendrin cannot use fire;


    Drakkar have not been able to utilize ground magic;


    Elvin don¡¯t use dark magics;


    Nazjar have no access to magic belonging to the air element.


    Humans have been observed to be able to use all basic elements of magic (although very few of them have an affinity towards more than two of the basic elements), the versatility making up for their naturally low talent.¡±


    ? An Introduction to Magical Studies, Julian Carell, 1200 AS


    <hr>


    I move on to the next crystal, it being brown in color. I take it into my hand, pressing it hard against my palms, as if pressure would make it light up of a sudden. No such thing happens, the crystal retaining its dull brown colouring. I sulk a bit, my expectations taking a small hit after the initial success.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; it¡¯s not a big deal if you don¡¯t have an affinity for an element. It¡¯s completely normal to have only two or three elemental affinities, four or more are a real rarity, even I could probably count people with five or more on the fingers of my hand. For six or seven, I think my legs would be enough.¡±


    I proceed to the other elemental crystals. Air and water crystals yield the same results as the ground one, their brightness not changing within my grasp.


    At this point, I am dejected, begging to receive at least one more affinity. Even darkness would be better than nothing at this point.


    The black crystal doesn¡¯t change its colour when I hold it, Cerolus not showing any kinds of emotion on his face, remaining stout and neutral towards my despair.


    Finally, I take the milky white gem in my hands. A shine immediately surges out from the crystal, illuminating the table below me. I put the crystal down, my despair somewhat lessened.


    ¡°So, fire and light, see, it¡¯s not all that bad. Most Humans I¡¯ve observed had two affinities, so don¡¯t feel so down. Your fire affinity seems strong as well; I sense you could really become really proficient in it, given time.¡±


    He then puts the remaining two crystals in front of me.


    ¡°And now for the non-elemental affinities, although I already know the results.¡±


    I take the transparent crystal in my one of my hands, and wait a bit. A small light shines from the inside, irradiating the crystal in various colors.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit small, but it¡¯s definitely there.¡± Cerolus nods cheeringly; I can¡¯t help but be emboldened by his smile.


    The last one is the purplish crystal, for the disturbance affinity. The crystal lightens as soon as I touch it, not even needing to be held for the effects to be seen.


    ¡°So, a small arcane affinity and quite a bit of a disturbance one. Not bad, not bad at all.¡± He seems in deep thought over the results presented to him. Maybe he is thinking of the best way to start?


    ¡°Well then I should probably start with explaining exactly what arcane and disturbance mean first, as you are probably wondering about that anyway.¡± I slowly nod in agreement, realization dawning upon me. I mean, I can guess what the elemental ones do, but arcane and disturbance mean absolutely nothing to me at the moment.


    ¡°To put it as simple as possible, arcane allows you to cast the element directly into the world, something like I¡¯ve shown you with the fire earlier, it basically means you can create and manipulate various objects made of the element. Light for example, would allow you to blind or heal a person, among several other things.


    Disturbance on the other hand, allows you to enhance or impart an object or a thing with a quality presented by an element. For example, fire disturbance magic could make your blade be able to corrode and melt some metals, greatly enhancing your deadliness in sword fighting.


    You have a larger affinity for disturbance, so you won¡¯t be able to do flashy things, but your magic would still be useful nonetheless. Your necklace is made using extremely large amounts of disturbance magic, for example.¡±


    So, I¡¯ll be able to do magical sword fighting is what he is basically saying? The prospect of using a sword to melt through armor excites me a bit, my lifelong obsession of combat coming through.


    ¡°Now that we have covered the basic introduction, your training can officially begin. Since I myself have affinities towards fire, darkness and light, as well as arcane and disturbance, I can teach you magic all by myself, if you are alright with having me as your teacher, that is.¡±


    The thought of spending so much time around Cerolus is¡­ calming, weirdly. Have I started warming up to him? Do I consider him someone who can keep me happy and safe? He is so different from me, but he has been really nice towards me all this time. Will that change? Will he become harsher over time, only luring me in at the start? Will he turn out completely different in a few days? I guess there is really no reason for him to suddenly change. Hide something from me, maybe; but not change. He is older, he must have some secrets he doesn¡¯t want me to learn, but that doesn¡¯t really make him a bad person now, does it?


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    ¡°Sophia? You alright over there? Do you want to continue another time?¡± I find myself completely absorbed in thought, barely noticing him staring at me with a look of curiosity on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. I¡¯d like to start, I am really looking forward to learning from you.¡±


    Cerolus shows a big bright smile at my words, a loud thumping in my chest showing up again.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start with it slowly.¡± He suddenly gains a serious demeanor, a slight chill grasping the air around me.


    ¡°First thing you have to learn is to detect mana channels inside of you, and the mana around your immediate surroundings. This will be easiest if I pour some of my own mana inside of your body, letting you feel the change that happens, Humans seem to be less sensitive to the mana around them than Demons. So I would first like you to calm down, breathe slowly and close your eyes.¡±


    I do what he says, trying to empty my thoughts, that being ridiculously hard. It¡¯s hard not to think about anything; even the mere concept of not thinking about something makes you think. It¡¯s frustrating to be completely honest with myself.


    I hear him move behind me, putting his hands on my shoulders. His palms are so warm, his touch is so strong and yet gentle at the same time, it makes me sleepy all of a sudden, as if all my worries were to be carried away.


    ¡°Try to just relax and feel the energy running through your body, I will slowly put some of my mana, and you just tell me when you feel anything at all.¡± I try to remain calm and silent, but I can¡¯t feel anything beyond the touch of his hands, nothing is changing inside. I try to imagine looking at myself in the mirror, as if that would somehow help me notice anything different about me all of the sudden.


    I look at myself in my mind, this ¡®me¡¯ not wearing any clothes, but otherwise looking the same, nothing is different, nothing at all. Am I hopeless at magic, will I ever be able to learn it? Is this all for nothing, all my hopes remaining just that?


    I try to concentrate on the mental image of me harder, maybe that will produce some better results. I can feel sweat forming on my face, exhaustion suddenly taking hold of me, as if I¡¯ve been running for the past several minutes.


    I can still only feel his hands on my shoulders, and nothing else entirely, my exhaustion and frustration only making it worse to concentrate.


    I open my eyes.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t working, I can¡¯t feel anything.¡±


    Cerolus raises his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry much about it, it doesn¡¯t happen immediately, almost no one can do it at their first try, it¡¯s completely normal.¡±


    But what if it isn¡¯t? What if I will never be able to do magic? What if I¡¯m simply a failure, my only purpose to be a wife of a Demon in order to end a war between our races? My cheeks are wet now, visible tears on my face. Cerolus kneels on the ground looking me in the face with a small smile.


    ¡°Look there is nothing to worry about. It¡¯s completely normal to not succeed at first. It¡¯s how we learn, mistakes and failures can only make us stronger in the long run. Let¡¯s stop for now, get you something to eat and get you rested, I know the first times can be extremely exhausting on the mind, and I have talked quite a bit today, I¡¯m a bit scared you¡¯ll forget it all.¡± His smile slowly calms me down.


    I wipe my tears away and stand up slowly, the exhaustion catching up with me as I stand. I almost lose balance, but Cerolus takes hold of me, not letting me fall down. ¡°Easy now, we wouldn¡¯t want you to hurt yourself on your first day of training, now would we? What would that say of me as a teacher?¡± I smile at his words, the sadness in my mind slowly fading away.


    We walk down to the dining room, the Sun has almost already set, my feeling of time almost completely gone while I was concentrating earlier.


    We eat slowly, in silence, me occasionally stealing some glances at his face while he is feeding Fluffy. He looks so caring at times; you can almost forget he is not a Human.


    We finish our meal and go to his room. Well I guess it can be considered my room as well.


    I lie in the bed and fall asleep instantly.


    <hr>


    She¡¯s slowly warming up to me, I can feel it.


    She has tried so hard today, I guess she really does feel like she is weak; but that is not true.


    She has been taken away from home, dropped into a different land, next to unknown people. And she¡¯s slowly getting used to it. It takes bravery to do that.


    She looks so pretty while she sleeps, her fair skin illuminated by the light of the night sky. It¡¯s mesmerizing. I take off her shoes and slowly move her towards the middle of the bed, she¡¯s already in deep sleep. I remove everything but my pants, getting ready for sleep as well.


    I lie down next to her, my chest behind her small back, and put my left hand over her hip. She unconsciously grabs it with her own.


    I slowly drift to sleep, it has been a long day.

 Chapter 22: A Chipped Horn

    ¡°The Mainland was for a long time considered to be the only landmass in the World, the Humans, Elvin, Werekin and Dendrin establishing their own territories since the beginning of known history; Demonkin keeping to themselves in the magic-abundant west of Dralarag.


    Over time, Humans have become the most widespread of the races, being in frequent contact with the others (for better or worse). There were dozens of Human countries to rise, only to fall or be conquered by another.


    Elvin have taken residence in the northeast of the continent, establishing several minor Kingdoms, which have since slowly grown apart in culture, the northern Kingdom of Darnas having vastly different appearance to the southern Republic of Krios.¡±


    ? Geography of the Mainland, Volume One, Royal Cartographer Jonas Maverick, 700 AS


    <hr>


    I wake up in the dawn of the new day, trying to remember how I got into the bed last night. I can barely remember walking up to our room, and then just lying down on the edge. I look around me, almost unable to move, a red arm pressing on my body firmly, while a hoof is sticking out between my legs.


    With some light struggle, I slowly squirm away from the oppressing limb, and am finally free to turn around the bed. I look behind me, noticing Cerolus is still asleep, his bare chest in direct view. I look up to his face, his closed eyes making his facial features surprisingly gentle, the only difference between his and a face of a Human being the tougher red skin. And the black horns on the top of his face.


    I slowly sit up on the bed, looking at his sleeping face. A sudden thought comes into my mind, my body reacting instinctively, not letting me stop my motions. My hand slowly moves towards his head, caressing his black hair, Cerolus letting out a small sound unconsciously. I move my fingers up his head, moving my hand across one of his horns. They are rough to the touch, my fingers scraping on their surface. I slowly move upwards, feeling every dent and crevice of the pointed horns, the feeling unlike anything I can remember. I reach the top of the horn, where a small visible crack can be seen. I cannot help but wonder where he got that from.


    Suddenly the horns move slightly, and my eyes shift to look at the origin of the movement. Cerolus has woken up, his black eyes, with the ever present red glint, watching my face as I stand still, unable to think of anything to say, as if caught in committing a crime.


    ¡°You know, you are usually supposed to wake your husband up in a different way.¡±


    He sits up, my eyes letting go of the black pillars adorning the top of his face, and moves his face close to mine. I am able to feel his warm breath on the tip of my nose, the warmth somehow ending up in my chest instead. I am still unable to move or speak, as if dazed or bound.


    He slowly presses his lips upon mine, their softness contrasting with the toughness of his skin. The light kiss lasts for a shortest of moments, but it feels like eternity. My face flushes with heat, my thoughts becoming jumbled, as his face slowly moves away, letting the light of the Sun¡¯s rays shine between us once again.


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    He opens his mouth: ¡°Good morning, Sophia.¡±


    Our first kiss ends, and a small feeling of somehow wanting more resides in the pit of my stomach.


    <hr>


    Well, I don¡¯t suppose she will let me do anything more for the time being.


    Her lips are really soft; completely different from the people I shared a bed with over my long years. They are so light to the touch, so gentle and fickle, as if begging to be taken care of; I simply couldn¡¯t hold myself back, especially after she ran her fingers up my horns. Rarely anyone has ever done that before.


    I am starting to develop some feelings for her, but I¡¯m still not sure how she would react if I acted up on them. Better take things slowly, one small step at a time. And time is what I, at least, have plenty of, for better or worse.


    ¡°Ummm, good morning.¡± She is still a bit shaken. We hadn¡¯t really had any intimate contact before, although you could count in those hugs, but I mostly think that was her loneliness taking over rather than any real strong affection towards me. We still have a long way to go before she is able to trust me, but I guess that can only be understandable. Small steps.


    ¡°You feeling better? You were pretty exhausted last night, I guess I should¡¯ve stopped our lesson sooner.¡± She has tried too hard for her first attempt, and I¡¯ll have to stop her from pressuring herself too much, it won¡¯t be good on her. She¡¯s doing completely fine, no one can be expected to master magic as soon as they are introduced to it.


    ¡°Yes, I am, actually. I feel refreshed after all that sleep.¡± Her cheeks are still red, her feelings jumbled up from the kiss we had. The Link has started from it again, and I have no way of stopping that, a curse and a blessing at the same time.


    ¡°Excellent, let¡¯s get ready then, you must be hungry.¡± I rise out of the bed, dressing myself, my back turned to her, trying to get her some semblance of privacy. ¡°I¡¯ll call Tiana on my way out, you can stay here; I won¡¯t look.¡±


    I put on my clothes quickly and get out of the room, Sophia still on the bed, having not moved since I woke up. Small steps.


    <hr>


    Cerolus has dressed and left quickly, my feelings and thoughts still over the place.


    What was that kiss supposed to mean. Does he really like me? Has he liked me since the beginning? Is he waiting for me to figure out what I want, what I feel? Is he being kind? Patient?


    What do I want? A few days ago, I hated him with every fiber of my being, the Demon that took me away from home, but now it¡¯s different. I¡¯m actually feeling calm next to him, he seems so strong and dependable, I can¡¯t but feel welcomed in here. He¡¯s being so nice to me, so gentle.


    Tiana enters the room slowly, visibly happy for some reason.


    ¡°Mistress, Master has informed me to come here.¡± She slowly bows, unsure what to do. What did he actually tell her? What is she thinking about me now? What does she think happened?


    ¡°Come here then, and let¡¯s get me ready for the day. Start with the hair as usual.¡± She complies with my request, brush in hand.

 Chapter 23: A Question with an Answer

    ¡°Werekin are spread throughout the southeastern area of the Mainland, their nomadic culture guiding them through the deserts and the steppes present in the areas. They frequently come in contact with other races for trade and exchange of knowledge.


    Dendrin inhabit the lush forests of the south of the continent, their nature binding them to the plants that live inside. They prefer to be left to their own devices, rarely if ever trying to influence other races. However, some Dendrin are known to travel across the Mainland, endlessly searching for something only they know, their motivations unknown to us.¡±


    ? Geography of the Mainland, Volume One, Royal Cartographer Jonas Maverick, 700 AS


    <hr>


    Breakfast passes slowly in silence, Cerolus feeding Fluffy, while I cannot stop thinking about what happened this morning.


    What did that kiss mean to him? Is that how a wife is supposed to behave, or does he hold any genuine feelings for me after all? We have got married, but is he straining himself to behave he is supposed to, or does he actually want me to be happy by his side? Is he actually happy with me being his wife, or does he feel bound by our marriage. We never talked about anything in our lives, we are almost complete strangers, the most I know of him is his name. Will he let me learn about him, will he listen to me should I open myself to him? So many questions, so many emotions, no answers in sight.


    Am I simply worrying too much? Am I overcomplicating the issues? Should I just let myself go, be more open, ask more and see what he responds with? Would that help, or would it only worsen the situation?


    My thoughts are interrupted by Cerolus talking to me.


    ¡°Would you like to continue with the same schedule as yesterday? Remember, magic takes a bit of practice to get going, don¡¯t get dispirited by a single day of no apparent results.¡±


    ¡°I would like that. I guess I¡¯ll see you in the afternoon then.¡±


    -----------------


    After another grueling studying session with Tiana, my knowledge of their language ¡®slowly improving at a steady rate¡¯ as Tiana herself has been telling me, although she might just betrying to console me for my lack of apparent progress in anything I try these days apparently, I find myself surrounded by the red grass of the castle gardens, Fluffy by my side.


    I take in the air around me, the sweet scent of the Seraphim allowing me to relax and let go of all my worries for the moment. Maybe this IS the life I¡¯m supposed to have, being taken care of by my strange husband and his servants while almost nothing is really expected from me.


    I suddenly notice Cerolus sat down next to me, stretching his legs. It¡¯s always weird to see them; thick thighs followed by a knee which bends the same way Human legs do, but his lower parts of the leg looking almost identical to legs of a horse, with the hoof being slightly larger if I were to guess from my encounters with one. I wonder how it would feel, to have hooves instead of feet. He even has horseshoes fitted!


    ¡°Did it hurt, nailing horseshoes on?¡± I suddenly ask him without even making a second thought about it, as if it were the commonest thing to ask someone.


    ¡°Not really, it is slightly uncomfortable to stand in one place for so long while they are hammered in, but the shoe itself doesn¡¯t hurt. I got used to it after a while. I change them every few months or so, they wear down quite quickly. Some Demons with hooves don¡¯t like them, but I¡¯ve found them rather comfortable to have. Besides, they make my entrance that much better, the sound of hoof stomps echoing throughout the room. Makes me feel good inside. You¡¯re welcome to come and watch the next time when they get changed, it¡¯s not exactly the most private of things a person does.¡± He smiles wholeheartedly, sitting on the grass, Fluffy now going to his side to get pet, Cerolus obliging.


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    I missed this, talking to someone about completely harmless subjects, learning about one¡¯s past or their plans for the future; I¡¯ve had so few friends in the Palace these past few years. Can I start considering Cerolus as my friend in the least? Could I consider him something more than that? We are married after all; it would only be natural if we shared a bed together. But would he like it? Can I fulfill his desires? I am so much younger than him, and completely inexperienced, only listening to stories my maids told me and reading some books in our Palace library. Will I like it? Who is more important, me or him? Will he just simply throw me out if I am not enough, trying to find someone else more suitable for him? What would happen to me should he do so?


    Cerolus breaks the silence and my line of thought, saving me from the never ending doubts in my mind.


    ¡°So, what do you think of the garden? I never actually had one at my old residence in the capital, but I wanted you to have one here.¡± So, he had this garden built because of me?


    ¡°It¡¯s quite enjoyable, if you exclude the Grappler. I don¡¯t know why anyone would want that in their garden.¡±


    ¡°Security? Easy disposal of intruders? Although the dungeons are more useful than the Grappler for that, I guess. They do have flowers though, and they can be pretty, it¡¯s just the wrong time of the year for that.¡±


    ¡°Wait, there¡¯s a dungeon in here?¡±


    ¡°Of course, most of the designs for the castle came from what I¡¯ve been sent in the letters from your Palace. We do have them too, you know. It¡¯s not that uncommon. They¡¯re empty anyway, for now.¡± He said that last part with a bit too much enthusiasm in his voice, as if expecting them to get filled in the future. I shudder at the thought and try to change the direction the conversation is going.


    ¡°So, how did you get that crack on your horn? Your other one seems to be fine.¡±


    ¡°I headbutted a person while I was drunk. A word of advice, don¡¯t headbutt people in armour, whether you have horns or not. I can¡¯t even remember why I did it now; it¡¯s been so long since then. The crack will stay, my horns no longer grow. I consider it sort of a battle scar, to be honest. We Demons are proud of our horns, and cracks are a sign that we lived fulfilling lives. But getting your horn cut-off is great shame as well. But I think that only goes for us men. Women don¡¯t seem to be as HEADSTRONG as we are.¡± Was that a joke? Should I laugh? I stay silent, unsure of how to respond.


    ¡°Huh, tough audience I guess.¡± He sulks a bit, saddened by my lack of response.


    ¡°It was funny.¡± I concede. He brightens up a bit, the red spot in his eyes becoming slightly larger.


    We sit on the red grass, the Sun shining upon us, and I really think that somehow, with some great effort, I might actually be happy here.

 Chapter 24: A Tingling Sensation

    ¡°The current Human territories include:


    Basinea Kingdom, just northwest of the Amys Mountains in the centre of Mainland, the largest Human Kingdom;


    Leonia Kingdom to its west, the only territory connected to Dralarag;


    Lesthoria Duchy on the north, separated from the Darnas Kingdom by the Narrow Pass;


    and Elipea Duchy and Stogoras Kingdom to the southwest and south of the Amys Mountains, respectively.¡±


    ? Geography of the Mainland, Volume Two, Royal Cartographer Jonas Maverick, 700 AS


    <hr>


    ¡°So, are you ready to continue your magic lessons?¡± Cerolus asks me while we relax in the garden, the Sun high in the sky shining upon us.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡±


    We go to the same room as yesterday, me sitting down while Cerolus stands behind me. He puts his hands on my shoulders, my chest starting to thump louder, and gently speaks to me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much, it¡¯s going to be alright. Nobody has learned all this stuff in mere days. Just take it slow and easy, and eventually you will get it. Now, let¡¯s begin. Close your eyes, relax, and tell me if you start feeling anything.¡±


    I try to repeat the process of yesterday, trying to calm my mind and remove all unnecessary thoughts out of my head, an image of myself appearing in my mind. I am naked as usual, and nothing is happening. Nothing changed.


    I try to slowly concentrate on Cerolus¡¯ hands, focusing on my shoulders where he is saying he¡¯s putting mana in. I can¡¯t feel any differences; my head is starting to hurt slowly from my efforts. I try to dismiss my naked image and just focus on what is happening in my body. I try to remember the warmth I felt when I drank the blood of the Hellboar, thinking it may help me.


    A small tingle suddenly strikes my shoulders, as if a feather is slowly being traced across my skin. I can feel Cerolus¡¯ hands on them, his strong, yet gentle grasp, but I can also feel that small tingle as well. It¡¯s barely noticeable, my mind working hard to try and understand where it comes from, only to abandon the unfruitful efforts shortly.


    I decide to speak my mind about this. Maybe Cerolus can explain it better, maybe his guidance will help.


    My eyes are still closed, but my concentration leaves me in lieu of excitement of actually feeling anything different.


    ¡°I noticed a small tingling just now, right on my shoulders where your hands are.¡±


    ¡°See, I told you it will work. You have the ability, you just need to slowly reach it. That will be all for today, you are soaked.¡± He lets go of my shoulders, wiping his hands on the towel that I didn¡¯t even notice was put in the room; it definitely wasn¡¯t there yesterday. Did he predict this? If he did, does that mean he also knew what would happen yesterday?


    Cerolus hands me a towel to wipe the sweat of myself. I didn¡¯t even notice when it happened, I was just trying to concentrate on finding anything inside my body. Is this how magical training will go?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it happens when you do it like this. I put mana into you and your body couldn¡¯t accept it all, so it tried to get rid of it as quickly as possible. Because I focused on your skin, you have just sweated it off, with no harm done to your body.¡±


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    No harm done? Is magical training that dangerous?


    ¡°What would have happened if you didn¡¯t focus there, what if you put it deeper inside?¡±


    ¡°Well, mana overload often causes a severe rise in body heat, and can cause your brain to work extremely slowly for the duration. The fever itself would then cause severe weakness, until the excess mana is released. Depending on where the mana came from, overload can last between a couple of minutes, like with what we did just now, with only slight sweating and maybe some light headache, and a timespan that covers months of slow rehabilitation, during which you are barely able to move. In extreme cases, it can even cause your blood to boil inside you, killing you slowly, and painfully if I might add.


    That¡¯s why we¡¯re taking this slowly. I¡¯m putting as little mana as possible, trying not to endanger your wellbeing, while putting enough to make your body notice it. It¡¯s similar to putting a frog in a kettle. You put it into boiling water, it jumps out scalded; you put it in cold water and heat the kettle up slowly, the frog gets cooked alive. I¡¯m trying to avoid both scenarios at once.


    Now, you need to get cleaned, eat something and slowly rest. Magical training takes time. I might consider accepting your request for combat training, physical endurance helps your magical abilities grow, if by only a slight amount.¡±


    Tiana is waiting outside of the small room to lead me to the baths. The feeling of warm, cleansing water around me relaxes me endlessly, as if I¡¯m in my bed at home. I think about my family; what are they doing now? Do they worry about me? Do they think about me as they go to sleep, hoping to see me once more?


    I miss them. I don¡¯t hate it here, but I still miss them. It hasn¡¯t even been that long. I remember how much I cried when Magdalene went away. But I am not crying now. I am sad, but I am not crying. Have I grown, or have I accepted my circumstances? Will I be able to see them again, or have I already lost any hope?


    I step out of the bath, refreshed and clean, my hair free from the smell and oiliness it used to have. I get dressed in clean clothes and get into the dining room.


    The Sun has already set, and Cerolus and I are eating our dinner basked in the light of the crystal above us.


    ¡°You go ahead and go sleep without me, I have to bathe myself. I am dirty and sweaty and you wouldn¡¯t want me like that in your bed, I¡¯m sure.¡± He smirks, again showing that slight teasing tone I heard from him this morning. A sudden image of his almost nude body pops into my mind, my cheeks heating up ever so slowly at the thought.


    We finish eating, and I¡¯m escorted to our room by Tiana and a guard. I undress into my night gown, a white silken tight dress that doesn¡¯t reveal much of my body, and lie in the bed, falling asleep.


    ------------------------------


    An indeterminate amount of time later, the doors to the room open, waking me slightly. Someone lies in the bed next to me, and puts a hand around my stomach. A slow, rhythmic beating can be felt on my back.


    The warmth of Cerolus¡¯ body and his firm hands lull me to sleep again.

 Chapter 25: A Daily Ritual

    ¡°Although light magic is considered ¡®good¡¯, several of its applications can surely be described as anything but. The ability for a light Mage to blind every living thing with eyes around it, be it friend or foe, is astound, and its ability to project pure rays of destructive light are known to be one of the deadliest types of magic known to Humans today.¡±


    ? An Introduction to Magical Studies, Julian Carell, 1200 AS


    <hr>


    ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Cerolus is standing above me, his hands holding my shoulders. It¡¯s the sixth day of my magical training, and I keep doing the same things all over again: breakfast, language lessons, light break in the gardens, magical training, dinner, bath, sleep. It has been going on for the past five days, and I¡¯m slowly getting sick of it.


    I close my eyes, trying to relax, once again an image of me naked popping into my head. Ever since the first time I experienced that small tingle, I have been focusing on those spots on my shoulders, hoping to speed up the time it takes my body to notice the mana. So far, I haven¡¯t had much in the way of actual results, the tingle still remaining almost undetectable. I would always break into a sweat, but I have slowly reduced the amount of it. Cerolus said that¡¯s my body slowly getting used to having mana circulate throughout it, a natural occurring thing among the Demons, apparently.


    The spot on my shoulders tingles again, but this time I can see a small spark of light come out of it, as if the tingle is caused by that same spark. The light flickers briefly and disappears, lasting no more than a mere moment in my mind, as my concentration leaves me panting and gasping from air, something I still can¡¯t figure out how I achieved, since my mind doesn¡¯t show it. Magical training is weird.


    Cerolus notices my panting and lack of focus, his hands leaving my shoulders. He has been incredibly patient these days, and his constant encouragement, although helpful, is becoming somewhat annoying. I cannot help but remember the way Mother pestered my Father about little things, his look of annoyance amusing all of my siblings and me greatly. I would hate to admit it, but I catch myself doing the same look as Cerolus speaks about the training. Does this mean we are getting along in our marriage? I can only wonder.


    ¡°Anything different today? You took a bit more time just now.¡±


    ¡°I saw a small light from the spots where you put your hands on.¡±


    ¡°Saw?¡± He asks me, his questioning look somewhat amusing. His black eyes are naturally creepy, but his facial expressions can remove all of that creepiness in some situations, this being one of them. It¡¯s welcoming, to be honest.


    ¡°Yes, I imagine myself in my mind, trying to focus on the spots you touch and use mana on. My¡­ mental image helps me concentrate better. That¡¯s how I felt the tingling five days ago. And now I just saw light on those same spots.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, visualization has been said to help during training. You¡¯re doing good. And you have also successfully determined the type of mana I¡¯m channeling today. If I were to be completely honest, you¡¯re doing quite fine so far. I predict that you should be ready to cast your first magic in about two months.¡±


    Two months? That much? Or should it be ¡®that little¡¯? I am dejected by the prospect of having to do this thing for a week more, let alone two months, it¡¯s incredibly boring.


    ¡°Is that good?¡±


    ¡°Well, based on your current progress, you are as talented as our least talented children, at least by the time it took you to discern a specific type of mana. That would put my estimate to about two months from now, although I can¡¯t really say for certain. It seems Humans are extremely limited in the way of mana manipulation. Simply put, it¡¯s not really your personal fault. We¡¯ve grown in a mana-abundant lands after all, and you haven¡¯t. You have to take time to adjust.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    In the meantime, I¡¯ll allow you to train your physical strength a bit. It will help your studies, and I can feel you want to get out and do more around the castle.¡± He says, wiping his hands after handing me a towel to wipe my sweat off.


    ¡°You¡¯ll start tomorrow morning, of course that means you¡¯ll have to stop sleeping in.¡± A grin shows on his face. What exactly does he mean by ¡®physical training¡¯? And will he do it personally, like he does with magical studies?


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s get some dinner and allow you to sleep, tomorrow is going to be a long day.¡±


    We walk to the dining room, my orientation around the castle now starting to improve. I¡¯ve got lost only three times there past five days, always having to rely on Kozzok to tell the guards where to go. I¡¯ve been told my language skills are starting to improve a bit, but I still can¡¯t converse properly, making commanding my guard¡­ difficult at best. He¡¯s still the same one from the first time I¡¯ve got lost, so it seems he is also getting used to it as well, and Cerolus hasn¡¯t done anything to him, which I assume means Kozzok actually hasn¡¯t told him anything about the incident. Or maybe he did, and Cerolus just ignored the matter completely. I¡¯m not sure which scenario I like more.


    On one hand, I may be able to start trusting Kozzok a bit more, but I still don¡¯t like him much, especially the way he moves around unnoticed. I¡¯ve asked him about it on one occasion; his exact words being ¡®it is a special ability my race possesses, one which many Demon nobles use to their advantage¡¯. I guess he would make an excellent spy or assassin; I¡¯ve only heard minor things about those at the Palace, and I don¡¯t know much about how the politics here work. I can only guess Cerolus is a noble with a small claim to the throne from what I¡¯ve heard about him before the wedding, but I haven¡¯t asked him about it, and he hasn¡¯t been talkative about the matter either. Maybe I¡¯ll find out when the time for that comes.


    On the other, Cerolus not doing anything to the guard after he did disobey an order in a way, shows that he is a kind man after all, one way or the other. I¡¯m pretty sure I covered this a dozen times already, but I still keep having doubts, even though we sleep in the same bed every night now, his arm wrapped around my body.


    I believe I am starting to like him, as a man as well as a husband. I keep thinking about his figured body sometimes when I¡¯m alone, my chest swelling and heat rising in response. I¡¯m not sure if I am ready yet to confirm those feelings, but Cerolus hasn¡¯t shown any kind of impatience or tried to pressure me into anything. I¡¯m not sure what will happen in the future, but for now, I like how this is going. Our daily ritual of magic practice puts my mind at ease.


    We eat our dinner slowly, Cerolus urging me to eat a bit more than I¡¯d like. Is he trying to make me fat?


    ¡°And no, I don¡¯t have any thoughts about your figure. You look fine. I¡¯m telling you to eat because I need you to have energy tomorrow.¡± He assures me, but some lingering doubts about my figure remain. Will I look prettier if I gained more muscles or not?


    We finish our meal and I go and take a bath, with Cerolus taking his after I go to our room and lie in bed. I can¡¯t fall asleep without him putting his arm around me anymore, my mind immediately put at ease once he does.


    His embrace puts me to sleep again, wondering what my next day is going to look like. I hope it will be good, I¡¯ve had a good time here so far, I wouldn¡¯t want the good times to end so soon.

 Chapter 26: A Training Regimen

    ¡°In order to become trained soldiers, young children started their training early in their childhood; boys would be sent to large castles to train under knights and military instructors. Although single combat was practiced the most, team fighting and team building trainings were held regularly. Boys would finish their training when they became sixteen years of age, after which they would be mostly sent to squire knights, guard the nobility, or enter the army. A number of those would later also become what would be known as Seekers, men and women who search the continents and seas for challenge, glory and powerful artifacts lost from the civilizations before us.¡±


    ? A brief history of our World, Cerolus Kreshorok, 600 AS


    <hr>


    My sleep was interrupted by someone removing my sheets from above me, exposing me to the morning air. I opened my eyes, noticing that the Sun is barely up, the room lit by its earliest rays, still mostly dark. The towering figure above me turned out to be none other than my husband.


    ¡°Wake up, princess. Today¡¯s the day your combat training begins, and it starts¡­¡± Cerolus looks out of the window briefly; ¡°¡­right now.¡±


    Still groggy from sleep, I try to squirm back into the bed, trying to somehow overpower his grip on my sheets to cover myself. He snickers.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t get up soon, I¡¯m going to make you get up, and you won¡¯t like that.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯m getting up already.¡± I slowly rise out of my bed, wearing my white night gown. He goes to a corner of the room and picks something up; then comes back towards me. In his hands lies a suit of armor as if tailored for my size.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to send Tiana in to help you put this on, alongside some better looking shirts, and I¡¯ll see you in front of the castle in a few minutes.¡±


    I nod sleepily, not understanding half of what he is saying. Soon, he is out of the room and Tiana is strapping the suit of armor on my body. It¡¯s made of metal, but it¡¯s not particularly heavy. I can remember using some armor at the Palace when I started to train with it.


    The armor looks similar to the one I remember, and as I suspected it fits perfectly to my body. When did he have it made? Or did he just take one that just happened to be my size?


    Tiana leads me to the gardens, where Cerolus waits for me. On his side is another Demon, this one almost fully armored, only his head lacking the protection. He has two white horns on his head that curve backwards in an arch, following the shape of his head. His skin colour is red, but his eyes are blue. And I mean completely blue. It¡¯s even creepier than Cerolus¡¯, as his eyes at least match the skin tone and the horns.


    ¡°Sophia, this is Sephor, he is in charge of training the local guards and keeping them in shape. Since I don¡¯t actually have much in the way of combat training, and I use very different tactics anyway, he¡¯s going to be the one in charge of you from now on regarding your training.¡±


    Sephor bows before me, his suit of armor clunking as he does so. ¡°It¡¯s an honor Mistress.¡± I notice that he doesn¡¯t have hooves, which is probably a good thing, since I suspect a person with hooves would move differently in combat.


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    ¡°Well then, let us begin. We¡¯ll start with some basic sword fighting today.¡± I assumed he would get me started fighting immediately, getting in shape again could be useful; I haven¡¯t been training for a long time.


    Sephor leads both Cerolus and me across the castle gardens, where the guards are stationed presumably. I never really got the exact outline of the castle, but I presume most of the guards live and train here. Sephor then leads us into a large training area, outfitted with various weapon racks and training equipment. More than a few people are already in here, some currently having mock battles.


    He then walks over to one of the racks, removing two wooden swords, handing me one to use. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you Humans train, but I assume you know the basic of using a sword. We¡¯ll see what you can do now.¡±


    Cerolus stands near us, trying to find something to do apparently. ¡°Well I guess I¡¯ll watch, it¡¯s not like I have much to do.¡± He sits atop a crate, the wooden box letting a small creak under the sudden increase of weight on its top.


    Sephor and I move to the center of the training area, several guards that were here now gathering around us. I assume it is because it¡¯s odd to see a woman in armor, let alone a Human one.


    Sephor takes a stance, readying for the training. I take a stance as well, my armor embracing me from all sides. He then utters a single word which starts the training ¡°Begin.¡±


    We start moving towards one another, wooden swords clashing. He is somewhat taller than I am, but he is most likely a lot stronger, and it starts showing. My movements with the sword aren¡¯t nearly as fast as his, me being out of practice. I am glad I didn¡¯t eat yet, since I would lose my meal by now.


    The sparring continues for several minutes without rest, my instructor obviously toning down the strength of his blows, but still managing to overpower and movement I try to make against him. If I attack from the left, he dodges and surges with the sword forward, prompting me to back off. If I attack from the right, he parries the blow easily with his sword and tries to perform a blow to my sides.


    I am tired out by the time we finish our spar, Cerolus intently watching us the whole time, or at least pretending to.


    Sephor then lowers his sword, commenting our training. ¡°You have some training Mistress, and I¡¯ll be looking forward to improving it further. Take some time to recover, and we¡¯ll do this again shortly.¡±


    Cerolus then feel the need to add to the conversation. ¡°Don¡¯t forget you will still have to study with Tiana and then learn magic from me in the afternoons. Make use of this time, you¡¯ll start hating it soon enough, I know I did.¡±


    After several minutes of rest, the spar starts again, my body aching in response to my movements. The results don¡¯t change as expected.


    Sephor and I take a few spars and a couple of breaks, the Sun now already risen in the sky. He then lets go of his sword, putting it back in its rack. ¡°That will be all for today Mistress, we¡¯ll see each other tomorrow.¡±


    Cerolus leads me back to the castle, where I wash myself quickly and dress appropriately, going to finally have breakfast, feeling starved. I could probably get used to this. Maybe.

 Chapter 27: A Summoning Letter

    I¡¯ve been training for a couple of days now, Sephor teaching me a new technique with the sword. Or at least trying to. His movements are incredibly fast, peering those of the master warriors I¡¯ve met over the years at home. It''s incredible, the amount of training I¡¯ve seen the guards do here; It makes me wonder why the war lasted for so long.


    I¡¯ve only heard tales of how it started, most official documents kept hidden away, lost, or destroyed in various events that transpired over the past century or so. Father had told me some tales of the war when I was younger. I can remember how he spoke of the bombardment of Nimur over thirty years ago, when the sky turned gray and black and fireballs rained from the sky for days, devastating the castle walls, the fields surrounding it, killing hundreds of people. He remembered it as one of the deadliest battles in the war, but it could''ve been considered a slaughter more likely, since he told me the Demons mostly retreated beforehand.


    I imagined it many times, a rain of fire hurling over the castle, bringing death and desolation upon our people. It made me burn up both with hate for the monsters that could do something so vile, yet also with fear of the beings that could so effortlessly perform something so grand. Fear, hatred, reverence, a swirl of emotions fills me when I imagine what I had been told about the war.


    Yet these emotions are rarely present when I look at the Demons around me. They train, they work, they tell stories and jokes, they behave like people, no different from what I¡¯ve seen in the Palace. Sephor looks so unnatural to me, his blue gaze almost chilling, but he doesn''t instill fear, rage, or disdain. I don''t really think anything different of him than I did of my old training instructors back home. His skill is admirable, his methods, although maybe harsh, are good on me, allowing me to tire myself through and through. He possesses that same commanding presence my old instructor had, the memory of me shaking in my boots on the sound if his voice resurfacing in my mind for a brief moment.


    I look around the training grounds during the brief rest I''m allowed, Sephor trying to manage little time I have as efficiently as possible. The Demon men around me look different from one another, whether it''s their skin, their feet, or their horns, they all have differences between them. I¡¯ve noticed they sometimes sneak a peek at me when they think I wouldn''t notice, a slightly curious gaze on their eyes.


    ¡°Sephor.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mistress?¡±


    ¡°Why does everyone seem to be staring at me?¡± I try my best to converse in Dral, I¡¯ve been trying to get better at it by the day, and the basics of the language don¡¯t seem so hard after I¡¯ve passed the basics. The words are incredibly difficult, adding letters to a base word adds to the meaning, a single word of Dral can be translated as several in Lyndarian.


    I¡¯ve already learned some basic words, but this would be my first try at speaking with someone who doesn¡¯t understand Lyndarian, thus I guess it could be counted as a test of my progress. It is exciting in its own right, the prospect of learning a new language. Sudden pride fills me at the thoughts of being able to converse without using the necklace. Maybe Cerolus would like me better if I learned the language properly. But how does he feel towards me now? What are his current thoughts of me? Does he think of me as much as I do of him? I can¡¯t deny that even like this, I keep thinking about him. It feels¡­ weird, and natural at the same time? But why natural? Is it because we¡¯re married? Is it something that I dreamed about when I was younger, having someone to think about all day, having someone by my side? Heat flushes my body in waves as thought linger, before I steel myself again. It is time for training, it is not the time to think about Cerolus now.


    Sephor looks around the training grounds, many of the people here trying their best to look away and make themselves busy all of the sudden. A flurry shows on his face, the contortions of his brows and mouth leaving me unable to tell what he is thinking; the emotions appear swirling around, him seeming unsure of what to answer with.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± he starts meekly, as if expecting punishment for his words that I haven¡¯t even heard yet.


    ¡°Just say it.¡± Ooh, I like being the commanding one for a change. I had my ladies while at home at my beck and call, but this is entirely different; they were more similar to friends than subjects; here I have a Demon man that looks to be incredibly experienced and strong cowering at my sight. Or is it because of Cerolus? Yes, I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s because of Cerolus, everybody must fear him, he is the Lord of the house, and he is my husband. Is Sephor afraid of insulting me? Does he expect me to call for my husband to ¡®defend my honor¡¯ should I be insulted?


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    ¡°Well, Mistress, it¡¯s unusual to see a woman training in combat. It¡¯s even rarer to see a Human. The War has ended only several months ago, some of these people have been in it, for others this is the first time they saw a Human woman. It¡¯ll take some time for people to adjust, Mistress, especially having you as the Lord¡¯s wife. You are safe, of course, nobody would think badly of you or try to harm you. It¡¯s only but a mere curiosity. They are at your command as well, the Mistress has the power of command in the Master¡¯s absence.¡±


    I can command the castle garrisons? I wouldn¡¯t know the first thing about that. I hope it never comes to that, or at least it doesn¡¯t come until a lot later in my life.


    ¡°How long have you been here Sephor?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve served Master Cerolus for about twenty years now, but I was in the war as well during that time, as well as before; Master had to give some of the garrisons to the army, as was required of everyone during the war. He fought in the war himself, or so do the stories say, but later just kept mostly for himself. I myself don¡¯t know much about Master at that time, but he had always treated me well.¡±


    ¡°How old are you anyway? You don¡¯t look like you served for that long, you don¡¯t look older than my father.¡±


    ¡°You flatter me, Mistress. I¡¯ll have turned seventy by the end of this year.¡±


    ¡°Seventy!? My father has celebrated his fiftieth birthday this year! How are you so old!?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Mistress? The people of my race, Leatherskins, live for about a hundred years. It is normal for us to reach nineties easily.¡±


    A hundred years? That¡¯s so long. It is insurmountable compared to us? What is the secret? Is it the presence of magic in the lands and the food? Does it help one live longer? Could I age slowly and stay young while by my husband¡¯s side?


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re saying you¡¯ve served my husband for at least twenty years, and that he fought in the war even before that? Just how old is he?¡±


    ¡°That is not for me to say, Mistress. Only the oldest of the Demons know how old exactly Master is, and he rarely says it himself. The only thing I know is that he is indeed old.¡±


    Should I ask Cerolus himself? Will he answer me? Will he let me now his past, will he let me know who he really is? How much will I get to know Lord Cerolus Kreshorok?


    The desire to learn more about my husband is filling me with joy and anxiety. I do wonder what will become of me, what will become of us, should I learn to know more about him. It¡¯s perplexing, I feel that knowing his secrets would bring us together. Do I want that? Do I want to get close to him? Should I do that?


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue Sephor, it¡¯s already getting late, and I think I¡¯ve had enough rest.¡±


    ¡°As you wish Mistress.¡±


    We rise up and stand in the middle of the training grounds. I take my stance, the wooden sword firmly in my right hand. I watch Sephor as he stands his ground, waiting for our spar to begin.


    ¡°Begin.¡±


    We charge forward, the wooden swords clashing, small splinters flying off them, metal armor resonating at our sudden halt of movement, as we begin our training spar.


    <hr>


    ¡°Master, this letter came in by a quickwern.¡±


    A quickwern? They almost never use them to relay messages, there could be only a couple of options, and I¡¯m not certain I like any of them now. We will definitely have to go to the Capital, and I¡¯m not sure Sophia is ready yet.


    Kozzok hands me the parchment with ink on it. The Supreme Seal is on it. Damn it.


    Lord Cerolus Kreshorok,


    The Royal Family of Kreshorok hereby announces the birth of the fourth Demonprince of Dralarag.


    Your presence is required for the bestowal ceremony that is to be held at the Royal House in five days time.


    We await for your timely answer and are eager to have the entire Family in one place again.


    From Ashes We Rise To The Fire Above,


    Royal Kreshorok Family of Dralarag


    Herod got another child? Well at least the news are good.


    On the other hand, this could become complicated.


    "Start preparing; we ride to the Capital tomorrow."


    Kozzok bows and leaves me alone in my office.


    Well then, time for my wife to meet my family I guess.


    End of Arc 2: A Human and a Demon

 Chapter 27: A Summoning Letter

    I¡¯ve been training for a couple of days now, Sephor teaching me a new technique with the sword. Or at least trying to. His movements are incredibly fast, peering those of the master warriors I¡¯ve met over the years at home. It''s incredible, the amount of training I¡¯ve seen the guards do here; It makes me wonder why the war lasted for so long.


    I¡¯ve only heard tales of how it started, most official documents kept hidden away, lost, or destroyed in various events that transpired over the past century or so. Father had told me some tales of the war when I was younger. I can remember how he spoke of the bombardment of Nimur over thirty years ago, when the sky turned gray and black and fireballs rained from the sky for days, devastating the castle walls, the fields surrounding it, killing hundreds of people. He remembered it as one of the deadliest battles in the war, but it could''ve been considered a slaughter more likely, since he told me the Demons mostly retreated beforehand.


    I imagined it many times, a rain of fire hurling over the castle, bringing death and desolation upon our people. It made me burn up both with hate for the monsters that could do something so vile, yet also with fear of the beings that could so effortlessly perform something so grand. Fear, hatred, reverence, a swirl of emotions fills me when I imagine what I had been told about the war.


    Yet these emotions are rarely present when I look at the Demons around me. They train, they work, they tell stories and jokes, they behave like people, no different from what I¡¯ve seen in the Palace. Sephor looks so unnatural to me, his blue gaze almost chilling, but he doesn''t instill fear, rage, or disdain. I don''t really think anything different of him than I did of my old training instructors back home. His skill is admirable, his methods, although maybe harsh, are good on me, allowing me to tire myself through and through. He possesses that same commanding presence my old instructor had, the memory of me shaking in my boots on the sound if his voice resurfacing in my mind for a brief moment.


    I look around the training grounds during the brief rest I''m allowed, Sephor trying to manage little time I have as efficiently as possible. The Demon men around me look different from one another, whether it''s their skin, their feet, or their horns, they all have differences between them. I¡¯ve noticed they sometimes sneak a peek at me when they think I wouldn''t notice, a slightly curious gaze on their eyes.


    ¡°Sephor.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mistress?¡±


    ¡°Why does everyone seem to be staring at me?¡± I try my best to converse in Dral, I¡¯ve been trying to get better at it by the day, and the basics of the language don¡¯t seem so hard after I¡¯ve passed the basics. The words are incredibly difficult, adding letters to a base word adds to the meaning, a single word of Dral can be translated as several in Lyndarian.


    I¡¯ve already learned some basic words, but this would be my first try at speaking with someone who doesn¡¯t understand Lyndarian, thus I guess it could be counted as a test of my progress. It is exciting in its own right, the prospect of learning a new language. Sudden pride fills me at the thoughts of being able to converse without using the necklace. Maybe Cerolus would like me better if I learned the language properly. But how does he feel towards me now? What are his current thoughts of me? Does he think of me as much as I do of him? I can¡¯t deny that even like this, I keep thinking about him. It feels¡­ weird, and natural at the same time? But why natural? Is it because we¡¯re married? Is it something that I dreamed about when I was younger, having someone to think about all day, having someone by my side? Heat flushes my body in waves as thought linger, before I steel myself again. It is time for training, it is not the time to think about Cerolus now.


    Sephor looks around the training grounds, many of the people here trying their best to look away and make themselves busy all of the sudden. A flurry shows on his face, the contortions of his brows and mouth leaving me unable to tell what he is thinking; the emotions appear swirling around, him seeming unsure of what to answer with.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± he starts meekly, as if expecting punishment for his words that I haven¡¯t even heard yet.


    ¡°Just say it.¡± Ooh, I like being the commanding one for a change. I had my ladies while at home at my beck and call, but this is entirely different; they were more similar to friends than subjects; here I have a Demon man that looks to be incredibly experienced and strong cowering at my sight. Or is it because of Cerolus? Yes, I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s because of Cerolus, everybody must fear him, he is the Lord of the house, and he is my husband. Is Sephor afraid of insulting me? Does he expect me to call for my husband to ¡®defend my honor¡¯ should I be insulted?


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    ¡°Well, Mistress, it¡¯s unusual to see a woman training in combat. It¡¯s even rarer to see a Human. The War has ended only several months ago, some of these people have been in it, for others this is the first time they saw a Human woman. It¡¯ll take some time for people to adjust, Mistress, especially having you as the Lord¡¯s wife. You are safe, of course, nobody would think badly of you or try to harm you. It¡¯s only but a mere curiosity. They are at your command as well, the Mistress has the power of command in the Master¡¯s absence.¡±


    I can command the castle garrisons? I wouldn¡¯t know the first thing about that. I hope it never comes to that, or at least it doesn¡¯t come until a lot later in my life.


    ¡°How long have you been here Sephor?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve served Master Cerolus for about twenty years now, but I was in the war as well during that time, as well as before; Master had to give some of the garrisons to the army, as was required of everyone during the war. He fought in the war himself, or so do the stories say, but later just kept mostly for himself. I myself don¡¯t know much about Master at that time, but he had always treated me well.¡±


    ¡°How old are you anyway? You don¡¯t look like you served for that long, you don¡¯t look older than my father.¡±


    ¡°You flatter me, Mistress. I¡¯ll have turned seventy by the end of this year.¡±


    ¡°Seventy!? My father has celebrated his fiftieth birthday this year! How are you so old!?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Mistress? The people of my race, Leatherskins, live for about a hundred years. It is normal for us to reach nineties easily.¡±


    A hundred years? That¡¯s so long. It is insurmountable compared to us? What is the secret? Is it the presence of magic in the lands and the food? Does it help one live longer? Could I age slowly and stay young while by my husband¡¯s side?


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re saying you¡¯ve served my husband for at least twenty years, and that he fought in the war even before that? Just how old is he?¡±


    ¡°That is not for me to say, Mistress. Only the oldest of the Demons know how old exactly Master is, and he rarely says it himself. The only thing I know is that he is indeed old.¡±


    Should I ask Cerolus himself? Will he answer me? Will he let me now his past, will he let me know who he really is? How much will I get to know Lord Cerolus Kreshorok?


    The desire to learn more about my husband is filling me with joy and anxiety. I do wonder what will become of me, what will become of us, should I learn to know more about him. It¡¯s perplexing, I feel that knowing his secrets would bring us together. Do I want that? Do I want to get close to him? Should I do that?


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue Sephor, it¡¯s already getting late, and I think I¡¯ve had enough rest.¡±


    ¡°As you wish Mistress.¡±


    We rise up and stand in the middle of the training grounds. I take my stance, the wooden sword firmly in my right hand. I watch Sephor as he stands his ground, waiting for our spar to begin.


    ¡°Begin.¡±


    We charge forward, the wooden swords clashing, small splinters flying off them, metal armor resonating at our sudden halt of movement, as we begin our training spar.


    <hr>


    ¡°Master, this letter came in by a quickwern.¡±


    A quickwern? They almost never use them to relay messages, there could be only a couple of options, and I¡¯m not certain I like any of them now. We will definitely have to go to the Capital, and I¡¯m not sure Sophia is ready yet.


    Kozzok hands me the parchment with ink on it. The Supreme Seal is on it. Damn it.


    Lord Cerolus Kreshorok,


    The Royal Family of Kreshorok hereby announces the birth of the fourth Demonprince of Dralarag.


    Your presence is required for the bestowal ceremony that is to be held at the Royal House in five days time.


    We await for your timely answer and are eager to have the entire Family in one place again.


    From Ashes We Rise To The Fire Above,


    Royal Kreshorok Family of Dralarag


    Herod got another child? Well at least the news are good.


    On the other hand, this could become complicated.


    "Start preparing; we ride to the Capital tomorrow."


    Kozzok bows and leaves me alone in my office.


    Well then, time for my wife to meet my family I guess.


    End of Arc 2: A Human and a Demon

 Chapter 28: Word of Travel

    ¡°Dralarag can be traversed rather quickly in its entirety; it takes less than two weeks of riding by horse-drawn carriage. However, since the local wildlife (and occasionally livestock and furnishing) has found horses edible (and apparently quite appetizing as well), their use is incredibly limited in these lands. The local Demons use the native Firemanes as primary sources of transport, but those can pose serious threat when ridden, as their names would imply. While Firemanes are used in carriages, riders prefer reptilian alternatives, such as drakes on land and wyverns in the air, of which there are several discerned species. The most common riding drake is the Triforce, aptly named for the three horns on the top of its head. Its speed cannot match that of a horse, but it is much more maneuverable on rough terrain in return.¡±


    ? Fauna of Dralarag, Demonlord Serentia Kreshorok, 890 AS


    <hr>


    My morning training routine with Sephor ends with me drenched in sweat, bruised all over my body, and severely fatigued from the lack of nourishment, all of the points which I intend to improve upon shortly.


    Receiving a small word of praise from my training instructor, and several¡­ suggestive looks from the guards as I stand in the grounds panting for air, I return to the interiors of the castle. I am slowly getting used to living here, the daunting halls no longer looking so grim, the barren walls now decorated with torches in a livelier manner, the rooms getting more furniture by the week. The entrance hall to the castle is now adorned by a couple of banners, apparently showing the sigil of my husband¡¯s family: A black flame inside the orange Sun. Do I belong to my husband¡¯s family now? I was actually never informed of that. Has my name changed now that I¡¯m married? Am I still Sophia Leonia, the Second Princess of the Leonia Kingdom? Or do I add Kreshorok to the end? There¡¯s so much I do not know, and so much new things to learn.


    From my language studies with Tiana, I¡¯ve come to learn that Kreshorok means ¡®from Kreshor¡¯ in Dral, showing the connection, if there actually is any, between the family and Kreshor, God of Fire, to which most of the Demons here show their devotion. I haven¡¯t learned much about the Gods over the years, mostly focusing on Light Goddess Selina while I was in the Palace, so most of my knowledge is superficial and limited to what I¡¯ve read in the Book of Origins.


    Their interpretation of the Origins is that Kreshor resides in the Sun, providing the World with warmth and fire of life, allowing all of us to bask in its flames. It¡¯s interesting to hear the story, and how it contradicts with what I¡¯ve learned at my home, which is the Goddess Selina creating the Sun to light our path during the day. Perhaps only one of those is true, but the clergy would never agree upon that. Maybe both are true in some alternative versions of the story I may learn in the future. Or maybe neither of them holds any ground, simply being explanations to what we can¡¯t perceive. Heck, maybe it¡¯s all magic anyway.


    My after training routine of bathing, dressing and going to get breakfast lasts too little as I stay focused on my thoughts, my slight daze cut short as Cerolus starts talking to me at the dining table.


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    ¡°Well, we have some great news, and you will finally get to leave the castle.¡±


    I slowly stop gorging on the food in front of me to try and focus on the words leaving his mouth, or rather on the words my necklace is bringing to my mind, since they do not seem to match. He¡¯s speaking Dral, the words spoken by him too fast for Lyndarian.


    ¡°Our dear Demonlord has received a child, and I, as a member of the Royal family, am required to attend the bestowal ceremony. Since you are my wife, we will be going together. This is a great opportunity for my family to meet you and for you to see more of Dralarag.


    The ceremony is in five days, so we leave tomorrow morning, otherwise we would be hard pressed for time. Your luggage will be sorted by the servants, and you will not attend tomorrow¡¯s training.


    My family is also most likely expecting you, so I¡¯d rather not disappoint them, they can get quite rowdy when things don¡¯t go their way, but luckily you are MY wife, so no problems should occur.¡±


    That last part was spoken with a tone that signaled I am apparently now rather important, or at least married to someone that is. The letters I had gone through before the wedding mentioned he is the tenth in line to the throne, but I have no clue what his actual position to the family is. Sephor mentioned that Cerolus is quite old, even by their ridiculous standards, so it is possible that age and eligibility to inherit aren¡¯t completely related. If nothing, it seems I will learn of everything shortly. Being thrust in the middle of his family without any foreword will at least lead to some new discoveries if anything.


    ¡°What exactly is that bestowal ceremony you mentioned? How should I behave? I know basically nothing about your family other than the name.¡± My mind is racing for thoughts as I start listing things that could go wrong, from insulting someone¡¯s mother to being sentenced to death by the leader of the country. I have learned etiquette regarding royal summons and attendings, but they didn¡¯t cover Demons, unsurprisingly.


    Cerolus is calm while my head is starting to hurt imagining the possibilities. ¡°Relax, nobody expects you to know everything, especially not after mere three weeks you¡¯ve been here. I¡¯ll tell you everything when the situation requires it, have no worries about that. Everybody will know you¡¯re my wife, you¡¯d be the only Human there, so you¡¯d be treated well, I assure you.


    Anyway, the bestowal ceremony should be a simple gifting of the child, done by either someone of great power or by someone of high enough rank in the family. The parents will usually name the child, and the bestower will pray for the child to stay healthy and live long. It¡¯s a simple ceremony, really, and you don¡¯t have to do anything but attend, I¡¯ll do all the work required.


    If you have a gift for the child, you may also present it there, but it is certainly not expected of you.


    With that said, relax for today, no magic lessons either, I¡¯ll be busy dealing with everything around the castle for our absence, and will be seeing you for lunch. Don¡¯t worry about anything. Consider this some sort of an adventure, without all the fighting. Well, some fighting may be present, but it can only be good right? What is life without good combat?¡±


    What was that about fighting and adventures now? Now I¡¯m definitely worried.

 Chapter 29: Royal Blood

    ¡°There are many physiological differences between Demonkin and Humans, but their reproductive systems are incredibly similar. The period of carrying a child is slightly longer for Demonkin women than Human ones, it averaging 310 days opposed to 280 of Humans. This of course doesn¡¯t apply to Shadowlings, as they lack working reproductive systems altogether, although they do possess external genitalia potentially capable of intercourse, were it not for their complete lack of drive to do so."


    ? Biological study of the races of the World, Volume 5, Doctor Swift Aattoson Worgar, 1360 AS


    <hr>


    I am jerked out of my sleep by the warmth and stickiness of the sheets below my bottom. My eyes still shut, I pick and prod around my sheets with my hand. Unable to feel anything, I open my eyes, readying myself for the light of the Sun to overwhelm my senses. A dull pain threads around my head as I slowly open my eyes, but I can barely discern anything around me, as it is still dark. Only a glimmer of the Sun¡¯s rays can be spotted entering the bedroom, barely lighting it.


    My arm grazes over my husband¡¯s sleeping body, notifying me of his presence. He still hasn¡¯t woken up, so I assume it is way too early in the morning to be up and about. I can feel his back turned towards me, the broad shoulders the only thing within my grasp.


    I return to the task at hand, trying to discern the cause of my awakening yet again. My hand moves over the place once occupied by my bottom; the sheet is warm and sticky, the same can be said for my sleeping gown.


    It¡¯s been three weeks since I came here, meaning eighteen days. If I remember correctly, my last course was a week and a half before the wedding, putting this exactly twenty seven days after. I hope it doesn¡¯t last long, the pain was unnerving last time it happened.


    Should I tell him about it? He will probably notice the mess on the sheets anyway, maybe he could actually do something. I haven¡¯t actually asked anyone here about courses, do Demon women even have them? From the outside they look very similar to Humans, but the differences on the inside could be vast. I should probably let Tiana know regardless, I¡¯ll need some clean cloths the next couple of days anyway.


    My inner debate about sharing secrets with my husband is interrupted by the rustling of the other side of the bed. The body next to me turns around, Cerolus¡¯ black eyes barely open as he looks at my face. His mouth contorts into a small smile as his lips connect with my own for a brief moment, the pain in my head slowly giving way.


    ¡°Slept well? You¡¯re up earlier than usual.¡±


    I don¡¯t know how to respond to that now. Should I tell him about it, or do I keep quiet, hope he doesn¡¯t notice, and try to push through the next couple of days silently? I¡¯m not even sure what his reaction would be to this, men don¡¯t have these problems anyway, so they can¡¯t really understand them.


    Cerolus focuses on my face, as if trying to unlock the secrets of my mind from it, his questioning gaze, I assume due to the lack of response to his questions, moving around slowly, as if slowly putting together a puzzle. His gaze shifts to my hand, which is in full view, the traces of warmth still on it.


    ¡°Is that blood? Are you hurt anywhere? What happened?¡± His words turn into a barrage of questions, as the mood slowly shifts from serene to chaotic. His words only instill more worry onto his face, but the matter is harmless, almost comical to his over-exaggeration. I suddenly remember how I reacted when I got my first course; scared to death of something strange happening to me, something that never before occurred. It took my maidens a long time to assure me that nothing is wrong with me. I can barely remember how old I was then; I must have been fourteen or so when it happened, they even said it¡¯s a bit late compared to the usual.


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    I move my other arm, the one without any traces of fluids on it, across his, my hand grasping it to calm him down.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t worry, it happened before, it happens around once a month.¡±


    His look of worry suddenly changes to a look of realization, and then a look of relief as he exhales loudly in response.


    ¡°Oh, that.¡± His look then shifts to the bottom part of my sleeping gown. ¡°You¡¯ll need to get changed then. And these sheets will have to get cleaned as well.


    Are you feeling well? Does it hurt? I don¡¯t really know much about how you Humans deal with courses, but I can guess you are in luck today.¡±


    Why am I lucky exactly? To have pain assault my head and stomach, while my cloths get dyed with blood I can¡¯t control? Is he mocking me now?


    My most recent questions still unanswered, Cerolus moves his hands over my head and stomach. His palms suddenly flare up with energy. I have had magic lessons and can now discern mana easier than when I started, but this is an entirely new feeling. The energy courses away from me, a world of difference from our initial training. The pain in my head and the pit of my stomach subsides a little, the sudden lack of feeling eerie to my mind.


    Cerolus removes his hands from my body, the flow of energy slowing to a halt, the pain slowly going back, but not to the strength it had before. What exactly did he do to me now?


    ¡°I suggest you talk to Tiana, she¡¯ll give you an herbal concoction to relieve the pain, and provide you with some clothes that are more appropriate for this time.


    Now we have to get up and ready to travel, our dear Supreme awaits us in a couple of days, and this will have to be only a minor problem to be solved during our travels. How long does it last for you Humans anyway?¡±


    ¡°What did you do to me now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, just minor light magic and some disturbance magic to feel around your body in order to make you a bit better for now. It doesn¡¯t work as well as actual medicine, especially since you aren¡¯t actually hurt, but I assume it helped a bit at least.¡±


    He gives me a small smile, but something feels odd about his words now. I¡¯ve felt light magic before, and it didn¡¯t feel like this. This felt¡­ strange, different; like someone was grasping towards the source of the pain and taking it away as a whole. Maybe he simply doesn¡¯t want to tell me the entire truth, but it didn¡¯t seem like a lie either. I do feel better, for one, so whatever he did, worked.


    Cerolus gets up, leaving the bed altogether, proceeding to dress himself. He always wears that brown longcoat, with a fitting shirt underneath and simple pants that cover him up to his¡­ second knee I guess? I don¡¯t know what it is called exactly. His hooves are left bare, but they are surrounded by thick hair so I assume he doesn¡¯t get cold easily. I¡¯m not sure how cold it gets in Dralarag, but if it¡¯s similar to Leonia, he shouldn¡¯t have many problems.


    My husband leaves the room shortly, leaving me alone on the large bed, my hand still mildly dyed red. I hope this travel doesn¡¯t take too long.

 Chapter 30: Road to Capital

    ¡°Triforce drakes are the only mounting drakes in Dralarag, being relatively small compared to other drakes. They are relatively hard to tame, especially considering their general apprehensiveness of larger beasts. They are the preferred choice of traversing through Dralarag, being favored by Seekers that delve in the area, as they are naturally hardy to the elements present and have great stamina, capable of traveling for days on minimal rations. Their ability to scavenge and hunt smaller prey efficiently also allows them to survive in the wild, until they become prey to larger beasts.¡±


    ? Fauna of Dralarag, Demonlord Serentia Kreshorok, 890 AS


    <hr>


    With Tiana¡¯s help regarding my current condition, my outfit is changed accordingly, with a new layer of thick cloths in my undergarments, keeping me clean and more importantly dry.


    I was also given a small flask of thick, greenish liquid to drink alongside my breakfast. It tasted dreadful, but the pain in my stomach quickly subsided. With the instructions to drink a small amount of the liquid after breakfast and dinner, it seems my problems may not actually be so problematic in this place.


    ---------------


    Standing outside the gardens of the castle, looking outwards into the open sky in front of me, I am nervous about the upcoming travels. I¡¯ve never seen Dralarag, well except for the little bit along the way here, which was uneventful to say the least, coupled with the fact that I¡¯ve spent most of that journey soundly asleep. I also haven¡¯t left the castle grounds in the past weeks, partially out of fear for what may happen on the outside of it, and partly because there wasn¡¯t any real need to do it anyway. That changes today, as we start our journey to the Capital.


    That¡¯s how they call it, just the Capital, no special name. Well, at least that¡¯s how it translates to Lyndarian anyway. In Dral, it¡¯s named Democrit. I¡¯ve been told it¡¯s not as large as Frital, but I¡¯m pretty sure it will be just as interesting, or even more, considering it¡¯s a place with a vastly different culture from what I¡¯ve had the pleasure of enjoying in my last sixteen years.


    The same large carriage that I rode in after the wedding is present in the gardens, waiting for Cerolus and me. This time however, the convoy of carriages is joined by several armored guards, and some of them are holding large beasts by the reins. The beasts look like overgrown lizards on two strong back legs, their gaping maws full of serrated teeth the size of a large dagger. Every lizard has three horns on their head, two going backwards along the backside of their cheeks, while the thirds stands prominently on their forehead, allowing them to pierce whatever they headbutt should they need to do so. The front limbs of the lizards are comically small, containing only two small claws on what can be appropriately described as a twig of an arm, the use of such small appendages eludes me for now. Perhaps they don¡¯t even have one at all. The beasts are growling from time to time, but seem both used to and looking forward to the travel, the saddles on their back allowing for one rider per lizard.


    ¡°What are they?¡± I ask in Dral, trying to get used to the language as quickly as possible, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m going to need to use it during the course of this travel.


    The guard closest to me provides me with an answer. ¡°These are Triforces. Milady. They are a kind of drake here, one of the few species we use for various occasions. Triforces are a riding beast, which are used to combat, and if properly utilized, can be a great boon to a warrior¡¯s battle prowess. Master has asked for several of them to accompany the convoy during the travels, as several dangers may be encountered on the road. But have no worry, Milady, we are here to protect you from harm.¡±


    Cerolus enters my view just as the guard finishes his explanation. ¡°We are ready to go, everything has been prepared. The trip should last three days at most, but we will spend most of it travelling, allowing us only brief amounts of rest. We will stop at few towns along the way to restock and rest the beasts.


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    Now let¡¯s get in and start the journey at once, the road awaits.¡±


    With that, I enter the carriage, saying goodbye to the castle for now. I wonder when I will get back.


    ------------------


    Travelling is boring. Cerolus keeps reading various books around him which he has prepared for the journey, and I can only look at the passing landscape as we slowly trudge forward, Triforces being clearly slower than Firemanes, but the convoy must move at the speed of its slowest part. Maybe I¡¯ll use this chance to get to know more about his family; I am supposed to be meeting them after all.


    ¡°So, can you tell me something about your family? I want to be at least somewhat prepared when I meet them, I wouldn¡¯t want to insult them somehow.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I guess. You¡¯ll need to lose the necklace for this conversation, it will be important to remember how to pronounce certain terms.¡± I oblige, the necklace I got so used to having around my neck now resting on the side of the carriage.


    ¡°First of all, let¡¯s start with the names. The Supreme is called Herod. You can refer to him as Maou, as that¡¯s the word for Supreme in our language.


    He has two wives, Serentia and Feitora. Serentia is a mother of two, Sarron and Hieron, while the newborn is Feitora¡¯s first child.


    Herod has two living brothers, Pharalad, who has a daughter named Sierra, and Dariel, who has a son named Rollokor. There was one more brother who died in a war, leaving behind his son Saraad.


    You can refer to Herod¡¯s brothers and their wives as Lord and Lady, that would be the proper etiquette, but I¡¯m sure Tiana has already informed you of that. The children you can call by name, they are not that far away from you in age and I¡¯m pretty certain they won¡¯t mind. Hieron is actually just a bit older than you, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to get along easily.


    You don¡¯t really need to know anything else basically, you¡¯ll get to know them once we get to Democrit. I have my own residence outside the Grand Palace, so we¡¯ll be staying there for the time being.¡±


    I take in all of the names presented to me, but that doesn¡¯t actually mean much unless I get to meet them in person, so the knowledge I have and would have gained would be superficial at best. I guess Cerolus is right, I¡¯ll get to know them when we actually meet, no point in trying to take in unnecessary information beforehand.


    ¡°Look, you¡¯ll be the only Human present in Democrit, so everyone will know who you are beforehand. I am a member of the Kreshorok family, and you are now as well, so you have that status going for you, which is nice.¡±


    ¡°So my name is Sophia Kreshorok now?¡±


    ¡°You still retain your birth family name, so it¡¯s Sophia Leonia Kreshorok actually. That¡¯s how we put it in the books too. Do you not like it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I guess.¡±


    Does my name matter to me anymore? Leonia, Kreshorok, what is the difference anyway? I¡¯m here, I¡¯m married to a Demon, and I can¡¯t escape that fate.


    ¡°It does have a nice ring to it though: Kreshorok.¡° Sounds intimidating and proud when you say it like that.


    Who knows, maybe I will actually get used to it. Maybe I get used to all of this.


    -------------------------


    The first day of travel passes relatively quickly, the scenery almost featureless as we pass through the open plains. Nothing important happens on the roads here, I guess. I wonder why we needed the guards for.


    As the Sun begins to descend below the horizon, I spot walls ahead of us. I can discern a small gate on one spot, surrounded by two watchtowers. It seems we have arrived at our first stop for the journey. Maybe this place will be more interesting than the roads we passed.


    ¡°Welcome to the town of Hadron, my wife.¡±

 Chapter 31: Legends Only Tell

    ¡°All roads eventually lead to the Capital. Just make sure you¡¯re not on the wrong ones. Travelling to the Capital can be full of adventure, and also full of death. Many things may happen on the Royal Road, of some only legends tell.¡±


    ? Myths of the Forgotten, unknown, unknown


    <hr>


    We have finally reached Hadron, at last. This journey seems to not be as difficult as I thought, as we haven¡¯t encountered anything along the way. I can only hope the rest of the travel will be as peaceful, but only fools hope for peace in Dralarag. At least someone will get a workout in case things go wrong.


    I¡¯m sure our patrons have received the Quickverns I sent yesterday, our rest here shouldn¡¯t be interrupted. Hadron isn¡¯t known to be a dangerous place, but anything can happen, especially during the night.


    The town guards open the gate and the convoy is lead through the winding streets of the town. Hadron hasn¡¯t changed much in recent years, but the town is noticeably more busy during the evening, I can hear chatter from the nearby taverns along the way. Peace has arrived to Dralarag after a century, and people are no longer away from their homes.


    Sophia is keenly observing the town streets, her blue eyes darting around, exploring every corner of the small view the window of the carriage allows. She hadn¡¯t left the castle in these three weeks, and I mostly left her to her own devices at times. I am trying to give her space and be patient, as I can only imagine what she had been going through these past few months.


    Maybe this small trip brings us together in a way. I am looking forward to explaining everything in the Capital, their Palace looked almost nothing like ours. Such differences are sure to be at least entertaining in her mind.


    But one thing at a time, let us rest at Hadron for a while first.


    <hr>


    The town is lively, if anything. I never imagined that the Demon towns looked so¡­ ordinary. There are your usual street vendors, your usual houses along the stone-paved streets, the chatter present in the taverns, nothing remarkable at first sight, all the things you would expect when walking into a town in Leonia.


    The carriage slowly trudges past the small brick houses, stopping in front of what seems to be a manor. It could hardly be called that however. The black rock of the building reflected almost no light provided by the lamp posts on the streets or the various lanterns hung from the roofs and walls of the buildings. The manor itself had several of those around the walls, the lanterns seemingly floating in mid-air, the blackness of the wall impenetrable to the light they provide.


    The place seemed to look more like a fortress than a manor, with the high walls, guard towers, and banners dropped down. The sigil on them depicted an upright lance with a serpent slowly coiling around it, with the lance running through the serpents head. It screamed hostility, but the meaning could actually go anywhere. The sigils actually have a sentence written underneath, but my knowledge of their written word is still not up to par, especially since the letters on the banners are purposefully distorted.


    ¡°What do the words on the banners mean?¡±


    ¡°It means ¡®We crash with the Darkness within¡¯. It¡¯s the sigil of the Hadron¡¯s Kolider family.¡±


    As soon as the carriage halts completely, Cerolus is walking out of it, and a figure could be seen exiting the manor. I stay in the carriage unsure if I¡¯m to come to my husband¡¯s side or not.


    ¡°Well come on outside, we will be staying here for this night.¡±


    I slowly step outside the carriage, finally able to see the figure that came out earlier. It¡¯s a tall Demon with broad shoulders, two short horns on his head, with almost coal like skin that seems like it would crumble to dust at any moment. The clothes he is wearing imply stature and dignity, while also portraying some aloofness.


    ¡°Lord Cerolus, my father apologizes for not being able to greet you. He has business in the Capital, so I am here in his stead.¡± The Demon bows curtly towards my husband, apparently signaling the difference if status among them.


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re the little Cernol? You¡¯ve grown so much, I still remember when you were a little kid that played with wooden swords. How time passes. So, your father finally allowed you to take care of the estate in his stead? I know the old bastard rarely set foot outside these doors.


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    Allow me to introduce you to my wife.¡±


    Cerolus pulls me to his side, the Demon right in front of me now.


    ¡°Cernol, this is Sophia, my new wife. Sophia, meet Cernol, our host for the evening.¡±


    The Demon sets his eyes on me, his gaze perplexing to my mind. He seems apprehensive of me for some reason. I remember what I was like when I first learned of the matter of my marriage, throwing a fit in the Palace. His first reaction seems much more composed though, I wonder what he thinks of us Humans as a whole.


    His face brightens somewhat, as if forcefully, and he takes a small bow towards me.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Sophia. I am Cernol Kolider, the heir to the Kolider house of Hadron. I am delighted to be your host for the night. This would be my first time seeing a Human, so I must apologize for any misconduct in advance.¡±


    Unsure of how to respond, I stand silently, silently expecting for Cerolus to help me out. When no such thing happens after a while, the Demon starts eyeing me curiously, as if a bit insulted by my lack of response.


    ¡°It¡¯s a¡­ pleasure to meet you as well, Lord Cernol. You have ummm¡­ a wonderful home.¡±


    The Demon brightens up at a topic he can continue the conversation with. ¡°Oh you flatter me, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s nothing like your homeland, or your castle here. This ugly thing has been here for centuries now, and some things do need to be changed.


    Now come in, you must be famished from the travels, we have prepared everything for your arrival.¡±


    Several servants exit the manor and start taking the luggage with them, others start leading the Firemanes and Triforces away, while we are led by Cernus towards the doors.


    The inside of the manor is as gloomy as the outside, the winding corridors barring great resemblance to the ones I somehow got almost used to in our castle.


    The dining area is not nearly as nice as ours, the room being lit by a large number of torches on the walls. Cernus sits at one end to the table, while Cerolus heads over to the other one, the two seated men setting their eyes on me now. I slowly move towards Cerolus, taking a seat on his left side, looking for any kind of response from him. When none is given, I assume I must¡¯ve done something right at least.


    The dinner starts as soon as we are seated, the servants carrying large plates of food to the table. Cerolus makes himself at home, starting up a conversation with our host.


    ¡°So, how is life in Hadron? Your old man giving you trouble?¡±


    ¡°My father is having me learn everything about what he does, he plans to retire soon, and I¡¯m the only child he has, so all the responsibilities will fall on me when he does so.¡±


    ¡°It will be nice, having responsibility, looking for a lovely bride to start a family with, being young. Ah, the joys of youth when you don¡¯t live as long as I do.¡±


    Did the Demon¡­ blush at the mention of marriage? His skin is coal black, but his cheeks have suddenly adopted a slightly reddish, almost smoldering queue. His serious persona has all but disappeared by now, it¡¯s a bit funny to be honest to myself. But I can¡¯t exactly laugh at the dining table, especially at our host, it would be anything but appropriate.


    ¡°Or is it that you already have a woman in your mind, boy?¡± Cerolus winks at the Demon, the young Lord almost sinking in his seat. ¡°Love is a beautiful thing to have, don¡¯t be ashamed of it.¡± Cerolus then looks meaningfully at me, a completely different demeanor than what he had a moment ago. I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s trying to tell me something or not, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll ever be able to understand what is happening behind those pitch black eyes of his.


    His words do spark a line of thought in me, though. Is he trying to like me, and more importantly, can I try to like him back? I still don¡¯t know what I¡¯m feeling for him after this time. I¡¯ve certainly grown past the hate I had when I learned of my marriage, and definitely don¡¯t think he¡¯d actually want to hurt me in any way now, but can I end it at that? Would it be easier to fall in love or stay like this?


    ¡°Do you know of the Legend of the Hadron Lurker?¡± The question seems to be directed at both me and the young Demon across the table. I have never heard of such a story, which isn¡¯t surprising, considering that I haven¡¯t heard of many stories at all. Cernus gives a vocal response that aligns with my own.


    ¡°Well, it is an old story, usually passed down by mouth. I¡¯ve heard it a long time ago, and if I remember I heard it here¡­¡±

 Chapter 32: What Lurks

    ¡°It was said that long ago, Hadron began as a simple fort next to a marsh, a new territory for the people of Dralarag, a whole new adventure for those who sought for one.


    The marshes were the place where danged awaited in every corner, the place of incredible concentration of magic, as wondrous as it was deadly to those who decided to traverse it.


    The small Fort of Hadron, named after the then commander of the army that set up in it, was a paragon of hope, a small buffer of rock and metal that formed a thin line between Demon and beast, between life and death.


    With each passing year, men have worked tirelessly to destroy the monsters in the swamp, trying to see what treasures it held within. ¡®Surely such powerful magic could be used for our benefit¡¯ they thought, as arrogant men were in those days. Not that it is much different now, but I digress.


    Men were sent into the marshes, and men would return. They would return broken, beaten, sometimes some wouldn¡¯t return at all, but all survivors told of one particular creature that brought them demise. Nobody has seen it, let alone encountered it, and the only thing they told was of a shrill roar piercing the air followed by screams of their fellow men. The swamps were the perfect hiding place for the ultimate hunter of beast and man, the vile stench covering its smell, the thick fog making it imperceptible to the eyes, the muddy ground allowing it freedom of movement and trapping its victims.


    The marshes brought death upon many, yet the creature remained inside, never to venture out, content with what it had. The creature was named The Hadron Lurker, as none such monstrosity was encountered before, and the Hadron Lurker would come to be known across Dralarag as the ultimate predator, kneeling before no one.


    The men were still eager to conquer this piece of wilderness, to see what treasures the swamps held inside, and vigilantly ventured into them, the presence of such monster only strengthening their resolve. In that time, the secrets to magic have started to be unraveled by those who possessed enough talent, patience and ingenuity to discover them.


    The newfound strength in magic has been a boon to the explorers of the swamp, the magical light now pushing the fog from itself, the powerful earth magic slowly drying up the muddy soil, the fire spells providing power for those able to wield it. And yet the Lurker remained, and it brought down man after man, mercilessly as ever.


    In time, the swamps slowly cleared, the labors of many bearing fruit, and Hadron slowly expanded from the fort it once was to become a small town that is now known as. But no one knows what happened to the Lurker. The swamps were gone without a trace, the magic within it subsided, the gems it held in its core taken and spread across the land for use and study, but the Lurker was never seen. It simply vanished with none to witness it again.


    Some say there wasn¡¯t a Lurker at all, the swamp just playing tricks on men as simple animals made them into meals. Others think the Lurker died with the swamp, disappearing with the place it called home.


    But there are those who believe that the Lurker has never left, only went into the ground to sleep and regain strength, and when it does, it will return, to lurk upon the unsuspecting victims it found so easily before.


    No one knows where the Hadron Lurker is, and no one can precisely tell. But once every few years, the skies over Hadron go dark and the Sun disappears, and an ominous roar echoes throughout the fields. The Hadron Lurker may be just biding his time, and when he does return, no one will be safe.¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.Now I remember my father told me the story when we were travelling across the country. I was so fascinated by the Lurker, I dreamt of encountering such monstrosities one day in my life. I haven¡¯t done so all these years, but perhaps my fortune, or misfortune shall change.


    Looking around the table, Sophia and Cernol have gone almost pale. Maybe my voice does sound a bit ominous when I tell scary stories. They can¡¯t be considered more than grown children after all. And the looming presence of a beast no one knows can be intriguing to young minds.


    I start laughing at their open mouths. ¡°Of course, that is only a story they used to tell. Some stories are just that, stories meant to scare children. It worked on you I guess, so you aren¡¯t that far from small kids after all.


    Now, let¡¯s go and retire for the evening, we still have a long way to go to Democrit and tomorrow will be an early morning to start the travels with.¡±


    <hr>


    After our lavish meal and I guess you could call it entertainment, Cerolus and I are in a guestroom, preparing to go to bed. The story he told just now sounds like one of those bedtime stories meant to scare children to behave well, although his sounded more¡­ real. I was visibly shaken after he finished telling it. I can¡¯t even begin to imagine the creature that would earn such reputation. The War has changed many people¡¯s opinions on various things, danger being one of them. Being taught from a young age that Demons are all that is bad on this World puts you in a somewhat judgmental state I guess. But him telling this story reminds me of those I heard when I was young: a vast open World, filled with wonder, joy, danger, sadness, and adventure. I wish I could have a proper adventure in my life.


    But for now, my adventure is meeting my husband¡¯s family. One task at a time.


    I lie down next to my husband, him not wearing anything but short underpants, per usual. It¡¯s become something that I am used to actually. He grabs me and pulls me in as soon as I lie down, not letting me escape his grasp. It¡¯s¡­ comfortable. I¡¯m comfortable with him now. What that is supposed to mean, I cannot tell.


    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s something like that Lurker out there?¡± I am genuinely curious, if only to hear what Cerolus thinks of the story.


    ¡°Maybe, that story is really old though, and coming from me, that¡¯s saying something. Old people like to tell older stories, makes them feel younger again.¡± I can sense some sadness in his voice, which is a real rarity. Is living long a bad thing? I always assumed having a lot of years to live makes for a more interesting life.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look old. But I¡¯m only sixteen, I always wanted to grow up anyway.¡±


    Cerolus only chuckles at my words.


    ¡°You¡¯ll start complaining after a couple dozen of years, trust me. People always do. We aren¡¯t that different in that regard.¡±


    ¡°But you do live longer. I¡¯ve talked with Sephor, he¡¯s seventy! I have barely heard of a Human that got that old, let alone one that could look like he did at the same time. What¡¯s your secret?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just like that I guess. We also vary wildly between the races. Sephor will live to be a hundred or so. Some don¡¯t have the luck to live as long or as short as he does. People just learn to make use of the time they have, and that¡¯s the most important thing. That¡¯s always the most important thing.¡±


    ¡°So, how old are you Cerolus?¡±


    ¡°Now that is something I won¡¯t tell¡­ for now.


    Good night Sophia.¡±


    He smiles briefly and lets me get comfortable in his grasp. He is still not letting go of me. But I can¡¯t complain. It is nice to be held like this.


    And now I have something to look forward to more. Learning more about Cerolus.

 Chapter 33: Joys of Travel

    ¡°Come on Sophia, we need to get going if we are to sleep in a bed tonight.¡±


    We leave the town of Hadron as soon as we had our breakfast, which was without a story this time. I have slept rather comfortably, but I suppose that is more due to Cerolus¡¯ grip on my body rather than the softness of the bed.


    Now, our travels continue across the plains of Dralarag, and I can only hope this day will be a bit more eventful than the last.


    -------------------


    It¡¯s funny how no stories mention getting from one point of another. Now I know why. Travelling is exhaustingly boring, and my husband is apparently not a man of many words.


    ¡°You know, you can try some magical training if you are bored. It shouldn¡¯t be affected by being in a carriage. You¡¯re no longer at the stage where you require perfect focus to achieve some sort of betterment, and if anything were to happen on the road, I¡¯ll gently pull you back from your relaxed state.


    Or we can do something more interesting to pass the time.¡±


    I remember that grin on his face. It¡¯s the exact same one when I walked in on him shaving his face. My thoughts immediately jump to the morning it happened and heat flushes through my face. He wouldn¡¯t, would he? Here and now? My mind jumps from thought to thought, my chest thumping loudly as I contemplate what Cerolus is thinking right now.


    ¡°¡­like this.¡±


    He pulls a small linen bag somewhere from the carriage, and also lifts a small board to stand between us as a small table. The bag opens to reveal a number of figurines which pour onto the table which has visible planks hammered into it making a tiled pattern on the surface, with 8 rows and columns of squares clearly visible, each tile slightly sunk in the surface.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you know how to play Maoross?¡±


    I take a good look at the figurines spread before me. Half of the figurines are white, while the other half are red. I take a single one in my hand to examine it closer, a small helmeted warrior being depicted on it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that complicated to start with. These are the footmen.¡± he points to the helmeted warriors like the one I¡¯m holding, a total of sixteen on them split evenly between the two colours. He then takes them one by one and puts them on the table, each put on a single tile to make two complete rows of eight, one white and one red. The rows of figurines are turned to face one another, with one empty row behind them and four rows between.


    He then takes a figurine that depicts a cloaked horned Demon, similar to what Cerolus looks like. ¡°This is the disruptor.¡± There are four of them in total, each put into a tile in the corner of the table. ¡°Next are the charge cavalry.¡± Four mounted Firemanes are then put on the table, each one occupying a space next to the horned Demons.


    ¡°Then we have the tracker cavalry.¡± Four Triforce drakes are then put on the table next to the Firemane figurines. ¡°Last, but not least, we have the Maorok and the Consort.¡± A large armored horned Demon and a smaller one that appears to be looking more like a female is then put on one side of the table, with the same figures of different colors put on the other, each facing its coloured counterpart.


    ¡°So these are the basics:


    The Maorok can move exactly one space in any direction, provided it is empty, or there is an opponent¡¯s piece on it. It can also move together with the disruptor if either of them hasn¡¯t moved before in a game¡­¡±


    --------------------


    After Cerolus has briefly explained the game to me, I set out to play against him a couple of times. There aren¡¯t really that many rules to the game, but the essence lies in the execution of those rules. The goal is apparently to make the enemy Maorok unable to move after being attacked or all enemy pieces unable to prevent the attack on the Maorok when he is attacked.


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    Cerolus showed me some of the basic strategies used in the game, like using footmen to make a diagonal wall that would allow my pieces a larger area of movement, or making the Maorok and the disruptor swap places moving one in a more defensible, and the other in a more maneuverable position.


    He won all of the games, understandably.


    ¡°It takes time to learn to play the game. You being able to follow my instructions is worthy of praise at this time. Who knows, you might be able to beat me in the near future if you set yourself to playing the game regularly. At least you¡¯re not as bored as you were at the beginning of the day, right?¡±


    He¡¯s right actually. My mind has been almost completely occupied by the game, I can¡¯t even discern what time of the day it is.


    ¡°We should be nearing our stop for the day, before we continue with the travel. It would do us all good to get out of the carriage.¡±


    Soon enough the carriage slows to a halt, the beasts in front audibly neighing as they are allowed a glimpse of rest. Cerolus and I walk out of the carriage, the scenery around me vastly different from the open plains I watched all day yesterday.


    We are standing on a small cliff overlooking a valley, a river making its way throughout the center of the landscape, splotches of red grass intermingling with the various colours of the flowers and trees spread throughout. A large number of animals can be seen around the river, some using it to drink, others to bathe in the water. The sounds of birds can be heard in the distance, only helping me relax in the view I¡¯m given now. I can see Firemanes and Triforces running around, but the other animals elude my recognition. A large reptile can be seen basking in the afternoon Sun, just next to the river, his tail slowly swishing around the water. A flock of large pink birds is threading through the shallow water, their long necks darting into the water, before their beaks break the surface of the water carrying a small frog or a lizard. The trees slowly sway in the gentle breeze that tingles my skin, the petals of a Seraphim laying small fires on the ground as they fall.


    A large shadow crosses the landscape, and my eyes dart upward, only to see a huge winged creature soaring in the skies. It¡¯s a dragon! The beasts of legends, here, right before my eyes! It¡¯s amazing, I¡¯ve imagined Dralarag to be a deadly and desolate place, but this view shows anything but that.


    ¡°Is that a dragon?¡± My head turns toward the sky following the path the flying monstrosity makes below the clouds.


    ¡°It¡¯s a wyvern actually. Dragons can only be found in Drakkar, and the Drakkor will be really angry if you make the mistake in front of them. That in front of us is a Black Wyvern, the largest of the wyverns in Dralarag. It¡¯s a gentle beast, contradictory to its appearance, usually avoiding people and nesting on various mountaintops.


    And what you see before you is the Valley of the river Styx, the largest river in Dralarag. I sometimes come to this place to bask in the peace, it¡¯s a rare thing to find in here.


    We¡¯ll make a stop here for the meal, and continue our travels then.¡±


    I wish my family could see this view, maybe they would like Cerolus more then. I wonder if he would allow them to visit us sometimes. Not now certainly, but in a few years, maybe.


    Small tables are set on the small clearing the convoy has stopped in, as I slowly take a seat and begin enjoying my meal to the fullest. Maybe Dralarag isn¡¯t so bad after all.

 Chapter 34: Cold Welcome

    ¡°Maorok¡±


    I simply can¡¯t get it to work at all. The more I play, the less I think I know about this game. I move my Consort to protect my Maorok, since it¡¯s one of the only pieces that can save me from defeat. He has a sizeable advantage and I simply can¡¯t see the proper way out of it.


    ¡°You see, now I get to kill your Consort in exchange for my tracker, which doesn¡¯t work in your favour. Here, go back a move and try again.¡± Cerolus returns my Consort to the position it was before, allowing me to make a different move. It¡¯s helping me in a way, I guess. He sometimes points out the things I do wrong, congratulates me when I do a correct move, and tells me some of the basic things that I could do in the game. He also points out some moves he can make.


    Our game in the carriage is cut short by Kozzok¡¯s voice from outside of the carriage. ¡°Master, Mistress, we have arrived at Greenhorn.¡± Greenhorn is apparently the necklace¡¯s doing, the town¡¯s name is Verforak. It¡¯s an interesting thing, this necklace. It sometimes works on the words I hear, and sometimes it doesn¡¯t. For example, it never translates Maorok, even though its meaning is Supreme. I wonder if it¡¯s because I¡¯m actively learning the language or not. For now, I¡¯ll go with the explanation I¡¯ve got so far: it¡¯s magic.


    ¡°Oh excellent, we¡¯re right on time.¡± Cerolus is almost gleeful, and I¡¯m relieved at the prospect of having a bed to sleep in tonight. This carriage is comfortable, but a bed is a bed. ¡°We¡¯ll stay here for the night, but this town doesn¡¯t have a Lord, so we¡¯ll be staying in a different place than usual.¡±


    We won¡¯t be staying at a castle or a manor? I¡¯m not sure what Cerolus has planned for tonight.


    ¡°Why is it called Greenhorn anyway?¡±


    ¡°Greenhorn?¡± Cerolus looks confused by my question, or by the name I called it. ¡°Oh right, the necklace. It fits I guess. You¡¯ll see it in time.¡±


    The convoy enters the streets of the town, this one looking similar to Hadron. Surprisingly, people barely seem to notice we are here at all, as if this would be the most common of sights in a town like this. Maybe I¡¯m simply used to being in the Royal Family of Leonia too much, people would gather from all around when we went away from the Palace. It was like that at the wedding as well. How do commoners feel about nobility here? How do commoners feel about nobility anywhere would be the correct question I think. I¡¯ve never really put that much thought into that in the first place.


    The convoy eases to a halt, what seems to be the town square sprawling in front of it. The doors to the carriage open, and my husband takes his first steps outside, while I follow. Another town, another story I guess.


    The people in the streets which until now hadn¡¯t change their regular demeanor are now looking in our direction, but their eyes seem to follow me rather than Cerolus. The cold gazes make a shiver run through my entire body, the unwelcoming postures seen everywhere I turn. However, nobody does anything, the people just stand and stare in contempt. I haven¡¯t seen many people in Hadron, but here I notice the clear difference between us, the invisible walls put up between the races.


    Cerolus walks through the masses, his hooves stomping through the streets as if threating to trample the unlucky ones in his path. The people around us make way for my husband, and I make sure to stay closely behind him. He never even bothers looking around or behind him, with a destination seemingly already in his mind.


    The clamor of the mass has already died down by this point, the sound of hoofstomps permeating through the air. I can sense the eyes still upon me, as if trying to peer behind the clothes I wear, looking directly into my body, no, my soul. My breaths linger in my chest as I try to gasp for air, as if I suddenly forgot how to breathe.


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    I used to be a princess in my country, people used to bow when they saw me. But who am I here? Will I only be known as that Human girl who married Cerolus Kreshorok? Do I suddenly yearn the respect and devotion of the people here? What exactly do I want in this life, and how will I obtain that? Only question rummage through my mind, my chest clogging the more I think, my breaths becoming increasingly ragged.


    No, Sophia, calm down.


    I am safe here. Maybe less than welcome, but safe. Cerolus has been nothing but kind to me all this time, and he has done nothing but try to make me comfortable. He hasn¡¯t exactly shown what kind of influence he has, but from what I¡¯ve gathered so far he certainly possesses some, and I¡¯m sure he isn¡¯t afraid to use it.


    But am I really happy taking comfort in him every time something would happen? I have pushed so hard at home to be seen as independent, but out here, I look like nothing more than an afraid child hiding behind her carer.


    The short walk that felt like a century has passed ends with Cerolus stopping in front of a huge red building with a banner on its front fluttering in the breeze. The banner depicts a seven pointed star, each tip of a different colour, ranging from pure white to a dark purple. They remind me of something, but I can¡¯t exactly figure it out.


    ¡°This is the Guild of Dralarag. It deals in trading, magical lessons, transportation, crystal refinement, cave delving and much more. There are a few of these Guild Houses around Dralarag, and as far as I know of they have regular contact with the Elvin, Drakkar and the Nazjar. I¡¯m really not sure what you could compare it to in your lands. We just call it the Guild, from Grah, Utri, Inar, Lerint, Dungen. Trade, Magic, Travel, Crystals and Caves. Guild.


    We will be staying here for the night, they offer excellent service to travelers with enough coin. And they mostly know me. Or rather, I know them. I know the Guild for a long time.¡±


    Kozzok opens the large doors to the establishment in front of us, the hinges responding with a squeak, announcing our entrance. The interior is filled with tables, the floor apparently serving as a tavern for the people. Most of the people in here are armed, armored, or most commonly both. Cerolus walks calmly across the room, several nods of recognition being exchanged and some pleasantries spoken. The major difference is the lack of a cold stare towards me, it¡¯s as if I don¡¯t even exist in here. Or maybe they just don¡¯t care about me being different? Are we that different anyway?


    My husband reaches the counter at one end of the room, a smiling woman standing behind it.


    ¡°Lord Cerolus, it is a pleasure to have you for a visit? I assume you want to spend the night?¡±


    ¡°Of course, a room for my wife and me, and of course appropriate quarters for the personnel and beasts. Feed the Firemanes as well. We will be having dinner in our room.¡± Cerolus put on his bright smile, the white of his teeth contrasting with the color of his eyes, but the visage doesn¡¯t dampen his appearance, making him just a bit more attractive instead.


    ¡°Of course, Lord Cerolus. If you would follow me to your room.¡±


    We follow her across a staircase and a hallway, ending in a set of doors which hopefully open towards a bed.


    ¡°If you need anything, just call for Rena. I hope you have a pleasant stay at the Guild.¡± The woman turns and walks away, not a word uttered towards me, or even a glimpse of acknowledgement given.


    I think I know what my goal is: to be remembered as Sophia Leonia Kreshorok,not only as a mere wife to Cerolus, but as a person of her own.

 Chapter 35: Guild Dinner

    ¡°The Guild was originally an establishment located in Dralarag that dealt with several spheres of business, encompassing the workload of a mercenary recruitment, magical training, trade center, transport service and crystal refinery. The establishment spread outside of Dralarag and the word Guild entered the Lyndarian language, the Guild exuding influence around the World, with prominent members requiring entry into the Great Council.


    In recent times the Guild became more known as the Seeker¡¯s Guild, after the bulk of its responsibilities turned toward catering to the Seekers around the World.¡±


    ? The Sociopolitical landscape of the Mainland, Volume 1, Cerolus Tartaran, 1950 AS


    <hr>


    Cerolus pushed the large wooden doors, decorated with streaks of gems and metals, illuminated by the gems that hung from the ceiling and the torches that warmed up the hallway significantly. The doors squealed lazily before giving way to my husband¡¯s palm, opening to reveal the room behind them.


    The large bed dominated the interior of the room, red silken covers laid on top of it. The bed posts were heavily ornamented and the covers vibrant in color, giving the room an extravagant feeling. The room was decorated by a table with heavy looking chairs, the lone window on the wall providing what little light was left of the day, the lamps starting to be lit around the town. A huge mirror stood in the corner, allowing me to look at my entire body, the dress slowly getting dirtied from the travels. A smaller door was set on one side of the room, presumably for the service to go through.


    While I was enjoying the interiors of the room, Cerolus has managed to lose most of his clothes and lie on the bed, his ample forearm providing a resting place for his head. I walked over to the other side of the bed and sat down, the comfort of the bed already taking over me.


    ¡°So, do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Why are you undressed?¡±


    ¡°Why not? It isn¡¯t like we¡¯re going to go anywhere.¡±


    ¡°But the food is supposed to come soon!¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re almost naked! What are the people going to think?¡±


    ¡°That I¡¯m having a lovely time with my wife in a bed. Which I¡¯m not.¡±


    I cannot do anything but scowl at him. Is he that comfortable with other people watching his body? Is that how Demons generally are? And what¡¯s with the last comment? The room enters a deathly silence, neither of us conceding a point.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Cerolus gets up and dressed, the shape of his body filling the clothes.


    A knock on the door ends the pointless squabble. Why was I even bothered? I have seen him like that almost every day since the marriage. Am I jealous of other people seeing him like that? We haven¡¯t even done anything! I¡¯m not even certain he likes me that way. I don¡¯t know if I like him of all things. My line of thinking is getting me nowhere, that¡¯s for certain.


    The doors open after Cerolus has allowed entry to whomever it is. Several Demons walk in carrying trays of food and drink and preparing the table in the room. The entire scene happens without a word uttered, Cerolus gently sitting down at the table.


    The Demons leave after the table has been set, the same woman from before being the last to stay in our room. ¡°Have a nice meal.¡± I respond with a small nod to the woman barely acknowledging me while Cerolus uses a more verbal way to respond.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.The doors close and we are left alone in the room. Silence lingers in the air before Cerolus decided he had enough of it.


    ¡°So, will you join me or can I start eating alone?¡±


    I take a chair by his side, and sit to eat. The meal passes in eerie, as only utensils can be heard scraping across the plates.


    ¡°Look I¡¯m sorry about earlier. I generally don¡¯t care what other people think of me, since I¡¯m well known anyway, and any reputation I have had is not going to go away. I¡¯m trying to make everything comfortable for you, so if you have anything you want to talk about, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. ¡°


    He then flashes that bright smile at me. Heat flushes against my body in an instant as my stomach churns. Cerolus notices me clutching my stomach, the smile dissipating from his face.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ fine¡­¡± I stagger between some ragged breaths as the pain slowly dissipates. I haven¡¯t had them in a while and the medicine they gave me seemed to work so well. I hope it doesn¡¯t happen again.


    ¡°Well take something small to eat and rest. I¡¯m always here if you need anything.¡±


    The meal ends on a lighter note than it began, with the Demons coming back to take everything away.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed early now, we can go around the town tomorrow in the morning. I did tell you you¡¯re going to find out how the town got its name, and I don¡¯t plan to back away from that.¡±


    Cerolus strips to his clothes and helps me lose my increasingly overbearing dress.


    ¡°Would you like to get a bath first? I¡¯m not going to look I promise.¡± He winks at me with an aloof grin on his face, me forgetting most of what happened today in the process.


    ¡°Yes.¡± My words couldn¡¯t have been more timid if I wanted to.


    ------------------


    The bath is drawn in the adjoining room and I bathe while Tiana helps me lose the grime from my body. The warm bath helps me relax as I slip out of it and into my sleeping gown, ready to embrace the softness of the bed.


    Cerolus awaits in the room with nothing but a thick strip of cloth covering his groins, his tail swingingside to side behind him. I still can''t fathom how tall he is, despite the time we spent together. The hooves and the horns only make him taller than he is though. ¡°I thought me getting a bath as wellwould be a good idea.¡± My eyes wander over his dirtied sweaty body, my mind rushing through thoughts, heat rising to my head.


    Cerolus walks past me, completely unaware of the mess in my head, his tail brushing against my skin, sending shivers down my spine, weakening my knees. Before long, I am left alone in the room, breathing audibly as I ponder what to do with myself.


    Relegating most of the thoughts away, I lie down in the bed. Should I just try and see what happens? Is it too early? Or was it supposed to happen even earlier? Weddings in Leonia usually end with the couple spending the night together, but he didn¡¯t do that with me. Is the time now?


    The image of Cerolus¡¯ body is carved into my mind, but the heat slowly fades away. Before long, a hand glides across my body and Cerolus crawls into the bed, resting peacefully after his bath, the lack of smell noticeable.


    ¡°Good night, Sophia.¡±


    Maybe the time is not right. Maybe I still need to know him more.


    ¡°Good night Cerolus.¡±

 Chapter 36: Old Friends

    A brush of cold against my skin jerks me awake as my legs swing around, not finding any resistance around me. I groggily turn around, noticing the empty sheets next to me and the rays of the Sun blinding my barely open eyes. My eyes slowly getting used to the newfound light, I sit up on the large bed, examining the room surroundingme.


    A parchment on the table with visible ink on it draws my attention as I lazily get up from the bed, its sheets spread across haphazardly, a scene more likely from a battle rather than sleep. I walk to the table slowly, my bare feet tingled by the soft carpet below.


    The parchment opens to reveal scribble in Dral, my mind pushing itself to translate the written words. I¡¯ve had some practice in it, but I do hope Cerolus hasn¡¯t decided to use difficult words.


    ¡°Downstairs for breakfast and drinks.


    Call Tiana if you need anything.


    Join me when you get ready.


    Cerolus¡±


    So, he woke up and left me alone in the room. Does that mean he doesn¡¯t really care that much for me? Or that he just wanted to do whatever he wanted without me being in the way? I¡¯ve never even considered what Cerolus wanted these past weeks, he¡¯s never said any of his needs to me and just listened to whatever I wanted to say instead.


    My eyes fall onto a small ring on my finger. It¡¯s the ring he made for me at the wedding. I didn¡¯t even thank him for it.


    Does this mean that I was a bad wife all this time? Did that make me too selfish? Should I try to be more considerate to him, to his needs?


    ¡°Tiana!¡±


    Well, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try, right?


    The small doors open, Tiana walking out, brush in hand.


    -------------------------


    Dressed and ready, I exit the room and slowly make my descent to the floor below, following the small sign on the wall that points to a dining area after Tiana has told me that Cerolus is most likely to be found there.


    The large doors open to reveal a large area packed with wooden tables and chair, people sitting all around me, chatter and meaningless conversation coming from everywhere at once. The Demons nearest me turn around to look at the newest arrival, but they don¡¯t drop their gaze from me, following me as I slowly trudge around the room, looking for any sign of my husband among the crowd of faces.


    The gazes multiply as the chatter slowly dies down and the various conversation halt, the eyes crawling across my skin as far as I can tell. Most of the Demons here carry at least some sort of a weapon, with a large number of them armored as well, the minority keeping the regular clothes that do not seem to show any kind of weaponry, but I suppose even they would be able to defend themselves in a pinch.


    I notice a familiar set of clothing in the corner of my eyes, and notice a familiar tail swinging lazily behind a large back and a pair of black horns with a small chip on the top rising above the Demon¡¯s black hair.


    I don¡¯t think I ever ran this fast in my life, even Sernol would give me a praise.


    <hr>


    ¡°So the thing with light magic is that it¡¯s incredibly useful in being unpredictable in nature¡­¡±


    A small pair of hands grapples my chest tightly as I almost instinctively try to defend myself before I see the pale skin of the small hands below my chin.


    It¡¯s her.


    I turn around slowly, as the grip around my back loosens, blue eyes watery to the point of tearing looking back at me.


    Gods she looks prettier every day.


    Sophia lunges at my chest, her small figure almost perfectly hidden from sight by my clothes.


    ¡°Missed me, I presume?¡± Sophia only nods at my words as I look around the room, eyes directed straight at us.


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    ¡°What are you all looking at? Get your own wife.¡± Chuckles can be heard as the room slowly rises into a clamor it had before, the attention on the two of us dissipating.


    ¡°Anything for you and your wife, Lord Cerolus?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have some eggs with bacon, and she¡¯ll join me on that. And give us some bloodwine.¡± I look down, slowly raising Sophia¡¯s head from my chest. ¡°Is that alright with you, Sophia?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­. Yes.¡± Her face brightens up slowly as she takes a seat next to me.


    Did all these people look that intimidating to her? How do I make sure she understands that she is safe here? Is she still afraid of us, of me?


    I will make sure to protect her, that I swear upon the Gods themselves.


    <hr>


    Slowly calming myself down from that embarrassing performance, I look around the table I¡¯m sat. There¡¯s only one person apart from Cerolus and me, with several guards seated around us.


    ¡°Sophia, this is Lord Nagarit. He¡¯s an old friend of mine.¡±


    ¡°Emphasis on old; that horned bastard by your side hasn¡¯t aged in years.¡± Lord Nagarit bows gently, to which I respond the same way, since I don¡¯t know otherwise. Cerolus has told me that I¡¯m a member of the Royal Family so I should have some freedom regarding the other nobility.


    Lord Nagarit doesn¡¯t possess any horns, his skin almost milky white and his hair visibly grey. I haven¡¯t actually heard of all Demon races, and nobody actually pointed out the exact differences, so I could only guess at this point.


    ¡°Are we seriously going to talk about how old we are, Nagarit? I thought you would at least understand how tedious it is to be old.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s tedious to be old when you are actually old. Doesn¡¯t apply much to you Lilin, now does it?¡±


    Lord Nagarit has raised his voice, if even barely. It does seem like age is a sensitive matter to both of them, but I¡¯m almost certain not in the same way.


    ¡°So, how are the wife and kids, Nagarit? You haven¡¯t even mentioned them this morning.¡± Cerolus seems intent to move the conversation going in a different direction.


    ¡°They¡¯re fine, Cerolus. The kids are starting to get out of the nest at last, it¡¯s been twenty five years with those leeches at my back. The oldest one actually found a wife and is ready to inherit the business. This old man can¡¯t keep all his wits around anymore.¡±


    ¡°I think I have a long way to go before I retire, Nagarit. And when I do, I¡¯m not really certain who¡¯ll get the ¡®privilege¡¯ of inheriting the stuff I own.¡± Cerolus turns his head towards me as I try to look anywhere but his face. The sound of plates hitting the table saves me, as I try to divert any attention he may have towards the food in front of us.


    ¡°Well for now I¡¯m lucky to have such a pretty and young wife next to my side. As for the rest, there will be time.¡± Cerolus¡¯ tail wraps slowly around my hips as he starts eating the food in front of him.


    ¡°Time is what you have Cerolus. Time is what you have.¡± Lord Nagarit looks meaninglessly around him, his thoughts seemingly drifting off beyond this room. Just how cryptic they can be about all of this? Am I ever going to be in a position to find something out about my husband?


    ¡°Well I guess I¡¯ll leave you to your meal then.It has been wonderful seeing you again after all this time, Cerolus, make sure you visit again before I die.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯d haunt me from wherever you end up if I don¡¯t.¡± Both men laugh briefly and Lord Nagarit stands up, the guards around him moving in unison. The table is shortly devoid of company, my husband and I left to eat.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take a small tour of the town and then go off to the road to Democrit. We should arrive by night if everything goes well.¡±


    I can only nod as I stuff myself with the food on my table.


    Let¡¯s just forget what happened today. Food will be good for that I think.

 Chapter 37: Green Horn

    Well it is big, round, and points at the sky.


    And the colour is as it implies.


    I should¡¯ve figured it would be something like this.


    The markings on the surface seem reminiscent of writing of some sort, but they are too weird to make any sense. They seem too sharp to be letters of a language, and you can¡¯t really tell if they are pictures or not.


    I slowly reach towards it and touch the surface, the cracks and lines on it imbedded into it. It appears made by tools, it would be an extreme coincidence of something so organized and detailed to be made by nature, and the mere presence of this sprouting from the ground, so detached from its surroundings, especially when most of the grass here is red, is enthralling.


    ¡°Who made this? What does it say?¡±


    I look above, towards the top of the Green Horn, its tip pointing at the sky, and see the markings go all around it and reach just below the tip, occupying the vast majority of the surface.


    Cerolus is standing behind me, the grounds around the landmark clear of any roads and buildings, the red grass contrasting against the rock¡¯s green mossy surface. His enthusiasm appears to stem from showing new things to me rather than being genuinely interested in the Green Horn.


    ¡°Nobody actually knows what the writing says or who made the Horn in the first place. Even the colour is uncharacteristic of the area. We just call it Green Horn since it¡¯s¡­ well¡­ green and looks somewhat like a horn.


    Some of our scholars have expressed great interested in the rock over the years, but anything they did yielded no results apart from slightly damaging it. Since we don¡¯t actually know of any other similar phenomenon, at least in Dralarag, we just decided to leave it alone.


    It doesn¡¯t seem to cause any harm to the people living here. In fact, people say that if you make a wish while holding onto the rock, it will come true.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s it?¡± I am a bit disappointed. Although the premise of an unknown story on the surface is interesting, a wish-fulfilling rock is not really that interesting.


    ¡°Did you expect fire-breathing Dragons to pour out of it? Imagine what the rock means ¨C someone out there long ago has been here, made this for whatever reason it was, and then suddenly left without any trace. Was it a spell gone wrong? Was it a terrible monster that wiped them out? Did they simply move away and forgot their lineage over time? It must spark some kind of interest in you at least.¡±


    Cerolus seems mildly annoyed by my lack of surprise at seeing the Green Horn. He mention in the morning that he would take me to see how the town was named, and I guess he was right about that. At least it¡¯s fitting, I can tell that much.


    ¡°Well then, can we go now? I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything else to see here, and I¡¯d like to get to Democrit by the end of day.¡±


    Yes, please, just don¡¯t make me go to the Guild again, I swear people are still talking about me running in tears. I try to shake off the embarrassing thoughts and smile to my husband.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡±


    -----------------------


    We are again slowly rocking in the surprisingly comfortable carriage, the Firemanes keeping a steady gait as the sounds of hooves and wheels echo across the road. Cerolus had the Triforces sent back to the castle. ¡®Not needed anymore¡¯ was all he said about it.


    Should I be calling it castle? And why am I still calling the Frital Palace my home?This is where I live now, his castle is my home. How long until those lines of thought become natural to me? How long until I forget where I came from? Will the people here accept me as one of their own or will I be marked forever as a novelty, eyes turned towards me as I enter a room of people. I remember the gazes in Greenhorn, the discomfort of the eyes pointed straight at you, the people almost undressing you just by looking. I felt so vulnerable then, will I be able to shake that off? How will I look to his family if I can¡¯t even manage a room of regular people who I had no need to know?


    I must slowly ease my nervousness away, that¡¯s what I was taught, and a Royal Family shouldn¡¯t differ from one another, regardless of their race. I am a member of two royal families now, I should start acting like one. Chin up, Sophia, you¡¯re meeting your husband¡¯s family, it¡¯s not the end of your life.


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    ¡°You alright over there? You¡¯ve been quiet this whole time. Did I do something to make you mad at me? Please tell me if something¡¯s wrong.¡±


    He is worried about me being mad at him? Why? He did nothing wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just thinking about what it¡¯s like at your home now. You¡¯ve seen my home, and now I get to see yours.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really like my home that much. It reminds me of too many bad things that happened over the years. I like our new home, mostly because I get to live with you there.¡±


    Why does his smile look so good against those black eyes and that red skin? It¡¯s completely unreasonable. And why does my chest strain so much now?


    Is this the love my Mother told me so many stories about, how I would find someone to cherish for the rest of my life? Is it possible that fate held such a weird turn for me, finding someone so great when I first wanted nothing to do with him?


    I try to remain calm as I move my face to the window, watching the landscape unfold before my eyes. It¡¯s beginning to look completely different from the one I saw at the first day of travelling. The flat plains have been changed to ragged hills and uneven terrain, as black mountains loom in the far distance. Dralarag looks ominous here, as if danger could come at any moment.


    My mind loses the previous ramblings, now replaced by the feeling of wonder of what is ahead.


    -------------------------


    The day slowly passes with the two of us in the carriage, the time spent in me trying to get better at playing the game Cerolus introduced me to. The rays of light slowly change the colour of the sky around us, the day coming to a close.


    A voice comes from the outside, slightly breaking my concentration.


    ¡°We will arrive to Democrit soon, Master, it is visible now.¡±


    Unfortunately, the windows don¡¯t allow me to see it, at least not until we move closer.


    ¡°Excellent, I can¡¯t wait to step out of this thing. No matter how comfortable the travel is, it is always better to be on your own two feet.¡± My husband¡¯s voice chimes in to my thoughts, as I already imagine the firm ground beneath me.


    The carriage loses some of the speed it had before, the Firemanes slowing down by the minute. The city is now visible from the little window on the side, as I press my face against the railings, trying to take in the view.


    The walls of the city are enormous, with towers stretching far into the sky, the black rock casting a grim light on the outside of the Capital of Dralarag. The gates open even before we come near them, the sigil on our carriage apparently more than enough to grant us easy entrance into the city.


    The streets unravel before my eyes, as bustling of people can be heard from every direction. The people almost don¡¯t even notice us, the convoy almost running over some unfortunates who stood in the way.


    As we go deeper into the city, the small houses make way for the elaborate manors, which in turn disappear before an enormous building comes into view. The outer walls depict many Demons in combat, and fire sprawling across the open ground, taking in all it can.


    ¡°This is the Fire Church, sacred grounds to Kreshor, the Bearer of the First Flame.


    A statue of a large Demon clad in fire holding a torch over its head towers over the people on the streets, welcoming the denizens of the city into the church.


    As the building passes by, the carriage slowly comes to a stop, the doors opening to reveal a mansion of red and black stone, the black gates unwelcoming to any potential visitors it may have. The mansion rises above the surrounding buildings, it being similar in size to the castle at home.


    ¡°Welcome to Democrit, my wife. This is my old home, and the place we will be staying in the city.


    You will get to meet my family tomorrow, of that I assure you. For today, some sleep will do.¡±


    I step outside the carriage, taking in the hot air around me, as I turn around and try to take in all of the surrounding, and everything that has happened so far.


    Time to meet my husband¡¯s family is approaching, and I think I¡¯m actually ready for that.


    End of Arc Three: Princess meets Dralarag

 Chapter 38: Hallways

    ¡°Democrit, the Capital of Dralarag, is an existence that defies reason for many a traveler that happened to venture out into the fire red lands on the west of the World. A seemingly chaotic conglomeration of buildings, a glimpse of order made by the presence of the Demonic Royal Palace and the Fire Church, the architectural design of Democrit lends itself to picturing the haphazard design of everything that shouldn¡¯t work together somehow managing to uphold a working city, even inspiring some tranquility should you decide to look deeper into its core.¡±


    ? Palaces of the World, High Chieftain Ton¡¯Darros Graphat, 770 AS


    <hr>


    How big is this house? The interiors look no smaller than the ones of our home, with the enormous difference being the various paintings on the walls. This place has so many of them, but I can discern several frames being burned and damaged, as if a fire has spread across that particular portion of a room. I wonder if that could be Cerolus¡¯ way of disposing of things he doesn¡¯t want to see anymore. The thought sends a small shudder across my skin, an image of bloodied Cerolus from the time we were travelling in Leonia flashing into my eyes. He hasn¡¯t shown that side of him after that, it made it easy to seemingly forget.


    The mansion oozes the antiquity I have felt at the Palace of Frital. It is a weird feeling, discerning that a building is old just from the way it smells, the way walls are lit or how the torches are spread. It doesn¡¯t feel wrong or bad, quite the opposite actually. A brief longing for my home hits me as I walk across the torch lit hallway, clinging to Cerolus¡¯ back as if holding for dear life. He doesn¡¯t seem to make any notice of my hands clutching his coat, his attention brought onto stringing sentences together, most likely aimed at me.


    I try to compose my thoughts and keep my mind focused on listening to him.


    ¡°... and tomorrow we are going to the Palace¡­ Are you listening to me?¡± Cerolus suddenly stops and looks back at me, the turning of his torso releasing his coat from my grasp.


    I can only give what I could describe as a blank look if I could see myself in a mirror now, only providing an answer in form of a nod.


    Cerolus just laughs the situation off, apparently realizing the walls would¡¯ve made a more attentive audience in the past few minutes.


    ¡°Well, never mind. Let¡¯s just eat and take you for a quick tour of the house. We¡¯re expected in the Palace tomorrow, and you need a more fitting dress should you go there.¡±


    I look below, trying to see what about my dress is inadequate of a royal appointment.


    ¡°What is wrong with it?¡± I can¡¯t seem to notice anything wrong, as this would be anything but inappropriate apparel at a Palace I know.


    ¡°It¡¯s not red or black. The dresses have to be of either one of those two colours.¡±


    Cerolus¡¯ answer is nonchalant, as if having a black dress is the commonest of all things in the World.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean why? It¡¯s just like that. Some Maorok decided to make formal women¡¯s dress have to be black or red. Besides, I think you¡¯d look good in those colours. I personally would like to see you in a dress like that.¡±


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    Well, I suppose it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try, if anything just to appease him. I guess.


    ¡°Is that a smile I see?¡± Cerolus¡¯ knowing smirk flushes heat into my cheeks and immediately makes my head try to point anywhere but in his direction. ¡°Well I guess that means you don¡¯t hate the idea, at least. I¡¯ll have your dress brought tomorrow, I¡¯m pretty sure we brought one in the carriage.¡±


    He had a dress already made for me? Did he already plan for this in advance? How soon did he actually start preparing for the travel? When did he start preparing for our life together? I refused to believe any notion of the marriage itself up until a month before it happened, and I had no plans further than the ceremony. Was I fooling myself somehow? Now that I have spent some time with him, would I have willingly done it if given the chance?


    Cerolus interrupts my thoughts by pointing out a table spread in front of us.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have some dinner, as you must be hungry by now.¡± Cerolus takes one head of the table, the other side already prepared for a diner to sit on.


    A brief recollection of our first meal together comes as I sit across from his, the black wooden table placing a few feet of food filled plates between us. The racket of cutlery permeates the air, as we eat illuminated by the torches hung around the walls, a lack of a bright gem bringing a sudden sense of longing.


    ----------------------------


    Bath water flows beneath my back, the warmth spreading around my body, the water seemingly seeping into my pores and washing away my thoughts, my mind remaining empty. I could actually practice magic here maybe. I try to put a thought in my mind to save it for a latter occasion. Asking Cerolus about that particular training method seems like a good idea to do for a start.


    I bring myself out of the bath, the unfamiliarity of my surroundingsmaking me clutch my towel closer to my body, as if something dangerous could come into a room.


    My night gown safely on my body, I wade through the darkness of the hallways to the bedroom Cerolus pointed out to me before I took my bath, Tiana staying close to me with a torch of her own. The house is noticeably darker, and that can¡¯t be attributed to my unfamiliarity of it.


    The doors to the room open, the large bedroom spreading before me. The bed is a lot more ornate, the black wood prominent in every piece of furniture in this house. A large windows provides a glimpse of the Trebinor as it crosses the darkened sky above us, an endless blackness of roofs intertwined with small lights of the windows sprawls below the horizon.


    The walls are empty save for a painting taking a small amount of space on the wall next to a mirror. The painting itself is burned off the frame, only charred black remaining across a vast majority of the canvas.


    Cerolus walks into the room, silently lying down into the bed, his red skin melding with the colour of the sheets spread below him. The warmth of the air here makes any cover unnecessary, as I lie down next to him, his large hand pulling me just a bit closer to him.


    The darkness of the room slowly edges towards me, but deep within I feel safe like this.


    ¡°Good night Cerolus.¡±


    His nose nuzzles through my hair and his breath tingles the back of my neck, as I slowly go to sleep.

 Chapter 39: Introductions

    ¡°The Palace of Democrit has an extensive history, the books in its libraries mentioning several different dates of its establishment, but all pointing out to it being built far later than the first Palaces of Humans. The Palace history includes various disasters, as well as multiple devastations caused by what appear to be monsters, early scriptures being more poetic than descriptive in those regards.¡±


    ?Palaces of the World, High Chieftain Ton¡¯Darros Graphat, 770 AS


    <hr>


    ¡°Wake up, Princess.¡±


    A kiss lands on my forehead as a gruff voice echoes around my ears. My eyes open only to be met by the eternal darkness of his, the small red glint inside lighting my face, bringing heat into my body, swirling thoughts into my mind.


    The time pauses for a moment as his face hovers above mine, neither of us willing to go further, or go back. The eternity in a second ends as his head moves away, the air around me finally gushing into my lungs as I drown in my breaths.


    Cerolus stands next to the bed, putting on a white shirt, nonchalantly walking around the room.


    ¡°We have been summoned to the Palace at once. A meal will have to wait, and we will probably be dining with my family today. I hope you¡¯ll like it. Tiana is going to fetch you your dress as soon as I leave the room, you have little time to get ready.


    I myself need to get my ceremonial attire, so I will see you outside the house soon.¡±


    Not waiting for any answers or acknowledgements, he leaves the room, letting me bask alone in the morning Sunlight coming through the lone window. I groggily get out of the bed, my mind calmed down since my energetic awaking.


    Not a moment passes since I stand on my feet that Tiana has entered the room, followed by two female Demons, ones who I cannot remember seeing at home. Tiana carries an extravagant black dress, lined with red gems and embroidered with gold around it. It looks magnificent, and my mind races of the thought of me being able to wear such a thing today.


    I always thought their dresses would be simple and ugly, a mere thought of wearing black being repulsive to my mind. But this is something completely different, completely out of my wildest dreams. I let out a small squeal, unsightly of any manners I was taught as a child.


    ¡°Is something wrong, Mistress?¡± Tiana seems puzzled by my actions, the dress in her hands swaying as she stops in her tracks.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful! When Cerolus said he¡¯s going to have me wear a black dress, I never thought it would look as pretty as this! Who made this? And look at these gems! They look amazing!¡± Words exit my mouth as they please, my tongue faster than any thought I can muster.


    ¡°Master had this dress made as soon as the wedding was announced. He has exchanged letters with your Palace to gain information about your tastes and size, to have the dress fit as well as possible.¡±


    The Demons set to work putting me into the dress, the silken fabric flowing across my skin, the mirror in front of me showing every bit of my body as it¡¯s engulfed by the dress, curves of my body melding into the darkness, the golden embroidery making me look slimmer and dignified.


    As the dress is being straightened out on my body, removing any crumbles and imperfections on its surface, Tiana straightens my hair to fall down behind my back, while one of the other Demons pretties up my face by using fine powders on my cheeks and a smearing a dark red liquid across my lips.


    I don¡¯t even have enough time to look myself over properly in the mirror, only spotting some vague outlines of what appears to be my face, the black dress making me almost unrecognizable. Tiana rushes me through the dressing process, putting heeled shoes on my feet, while a Demon dyes my nails a sullen red, mirroring the redness of Demons¡¯.


    Preparations seemingly complete, I am almost ushered through the corridors I cannot discern one for another, until we reach the doors that lead to the exit of the house, my head turning around to gaze at the family sigil spread across the wall opposite the doors, the first thing visitors are privy to seeing when they enter the house.


    The doors burst open by the guards that stood in front, and I look outwards into the streets of Democrit lit by the morning rays. Vibrant reds and sullen blacks paint the various buildings around me, as the Church looms in the background.


    I exit the mansion, stepping down to be met by the sight of a familiar carriage, a Demon in a red suit of armor with a cloak fluttering in the wind standing before it. The Demon¡¯s chipped horn is a telltale sign of the person inside the armor, as his hoofed legs bend to allow him to kneel slightly and extends his hand to take my own.


    A single word comes out of his mouth, barely reaching my ears, muffled by his own efforts and the helmet that allows only a part of his face to show through the darkness.


    ¡°Beautiful.¡±


    My chest pummels. Is this what I always wanted? Is this acknowledgement the beginning of something that I wished for?


    Cerolus guides me inside the carriage, and the Firemanes start their trot across the streets of Democrit.


    ---------------


    As the wheels on the carriage turn, I spot the humongous building we are seemingly headed towards. The red and black brick decorates the outer walls as spires surge upwards ending in spikes and towers, the grotesque building apparently made to instill terror and awe into those that visit, and it is succeeding in my case. The large banner that swirls in the wind shows the flame in the Sun I¡¯ve got used to seeing in our home.


    The carriage stops and my husband leads me out of it, and we are in front of a humongous black door, statues of Demons with spears posed to guard it. The guards open the door before us, as I take my first step into the Palace of Democrit.


    The sound of our steps reverberates through the enormous hallway, devoid of any life that hasn¡¯t just entered through. We wordlessly move to the other side, where similar doors await.


    Cerolus taps them with one finger, the doors reacting to the slightest touch.


    ¡°Opens by putting in a magical force.¡± A nonchalant answer to my unasked question.


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    The doors open to reveal a passage with several guards standing on the side, making a path with their spears. On the far end of the huge room a magnificent throne lays, a person sat upon it, with more Demons on the chairs and tables around.


    The hall is silent save for the sounds of hooves stomping on the floor, a rhythmic beat echoing through the room. Many torches and crystals light the room, but a lot of it remains in twilight, the sheer size not allowing the darkness to be completely removed.


    As Cerolus makes it near the throne, Kozzok appears from the darkness of the pillar near us.


    ¡°Lord Cerolus Kreshorok and his wife, Sophia Leonia Kreshorok.¡±


    Cerolus stops before the throne performing a small bow, his body barely moving.


    Suddenly, the person on the throne stands up, taking me by complete surprise, as I was taught that the King almost never stands up from his throne to greet visitors. Just what is Cerolus to them?


    ¡°Uncle Cerolus!¡± The Maorok exclaims almost gleefully, and steps down to embrace my husband, Cerolus only opening his arms into a wide hug in response.


    ¡°Herod, you devious man! Congratulations on your child!¡±


    The Demons, both in suits of armor, with The Maorok only with a huge gemmed crown on his head instead of a helmet my husband wears, leave their quick embrace, the entire regal atmosphere that preceded the event turning into a more lighthearted one.


    ¡°Herod, allow me to introduce my wife Sophia.¡± At his words I curtsey forward, trying to not offend any one of the several people gathered around us.


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to meet you, Maorok.¡±


    He only laughs briefly.


    ¡°Nonsense, call me Herod, I can¡¯t stand Cerolus calling me that, and neither will I have you do it too. The pleasure is all mine, meeting the human girl that made him move out finally. He¡¯s been getting boring in my later years. But where are our manners, we have to introduce you to the rest of the family. Come, child.¡±


    He leads everyone away from the throne into an adjoining room, the difference in its sizes incredible in comparison.


    I am then swarmed by Demons in formal attire, none with armor on them though.


    Two gruff Demons approach me, some similarities with The Maorok seen on their faces.


    ¡°Greetings, I am Pharalad, and this is Dariel.¡± The larger Demon exclaims with a pleasant voice, similar to my father¡¯s. If I remember correctly, these are the two brothers of The Maorok.


    ¡°It¡¯s lovely to finally meet you. I¡¯ve been excited to finally meet my husband¡¯s family for a while now. He has been very secretive about you, as if you were going to eat me or something.¡± I try to lighten the mood with a silly joke.


    ¡°Nonsense, we wouldn¡¯t eat you.¡±


    ¡°You look way too thin for that. We prefer much fatter men.¡± Both of them lick their lips in unison.


    My body freezes at their words, unsure of how to take that.


    ¡°We¡¯re joking, dear.


    Come, don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    Cerolus has been talking to The Maorok all this time, paying little attention to me, only briefly turning his head in my direction at times.


    A younger Demon approaches me wearing similar attire to what Cerolus¡¯ regular clothes look like, a simple crown on his horned head.


    ¡°Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sarron, the first son of Herod Kreshorok.¡± He bows briefly and takes my hand to kiss it lightly, my cheeks reddening for a brief moment. His pale red skin looks eerily similar to Cerolus¡¯, but his eyes are a deep blue instead. He is closer to me in height as well, my eye level reaching his chin.


    ¡°Hello, I am Sophia.¡± My trembling causes me to stutter for a bit, Sarron only responding with a small chuckle of his own. ¡°It¡¯s lovely to meet you, Sophia.¡±


    One by one, I meet everyone Cerolus has told me about while we were travelling. They don¡¯t seem anywhere near the stories I was told of their ruthlessness and terror. They don¡¯t seem that different from us to be completely honest.


    ¡°So are you going to let us see the child, Herod, or do we have to humor you for longer?¡± Cerolus¡¯ exclamation brings chuckles to the group.


    ¡°Of course, Uncle Cerolus, come, Feitora¡¯s with the child now. You should see his eyes, he¡¯s going to look just like me when he grows up!¡±


    ¡°You told me that when these two were born, and I fail to see the resemblance now.¡± Cerolus points towards Sarron and Hieron, and indeed they don¡¯t look much alike. Hieron even has the coal skin Tiana possesses, only accentuating the differences.


    ¡°Bah, I sometimes hate that you remember stuff well, Uncle.¡±


    I approach Sarron, as he seems the friendliest of the bunch. ¡°So why does The Maorok call my husband ¡°Uncle¡±?¡±


    ¡°Oh Uncle Cerolus didn¡¯t like being called anything but that ever since we were little. He said other names made him feel old.¡± He laughs while talking. ¡°Father told me that he once got beaten for using a different moniker, although I highly doubt that ever happened. He¡¯s actually my grand-uncle, so that makes him the great-uncle to the Maorok. I¡¯m surprised he never told you any of this, it¡¯s not a secret, and it would¡¯ve been a bad kept one at best.¡±


    So he¡¯s that old? Will he ever actually tell me any of that?


    Our party moves through several corridors reaching a small room. A single woman cradles a small bundle in her arms inside.


    Cerolus walks over to the woman, putting a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Good to see you Feitora. I wish you all well in motherhood. Now let¡¯s see this little lad, shall we?¡±


    He takes the small bundle from her hands, a small gurgle coming from the blankets. I hesitantly move towards him, both eager and hesitant to look.


    I move over to Cerolus¡¯ side, and he slightly lowers his stance, allowing me to look at the baby. Its skin is bright red, small black eyes opening lightly, but otherwise he looks like a human baby through and through.


    ¡°What is the child¡¯s name, Herod?¡±


    ¡°We were hoping you would name the child as the Elder One, Uncle.¡± Everybody else has moved away from us, only observing my husband with the newborn in his hands.


    Cerolus takes a deep breath, as his hands move over the baby¡¯s head, and a single sentence comes out of his mouth.


    ¡°Since the child is a Lilin like me, I shall name him Cerolus, the Ender of Wars.¡±

 Chapter 40: Lilinlord

    The little Cerolus cooed in my arms. I remember how warm it was to hold Axelor like that when he was born. I put my little finger in front of him, the little hand grabbing it in place.


    I wish I could see him again. I wish I could see both of them again, if only to tell them I am proud of what they¡¯ve done.


    ¡°Hello Cerolus, I¡¯m your great uncle Cerolus, but you can call me Uncle Cer.¡± The soft coos from the child are adorable.


    ¡°Are you crying?¡± Sophia asks me from my side.


    I take my finger from the grasp of the baby and touch my face. I wipe a tear from it.


    Why did I remember that? I have tried so hard to forget all of it, for Sophia¡¯s and for my sake. It was better like that. It was all better. So why now?


    I shift the painful thoughts away, moving on from the loss. That¡¯s what I was taught to do. And that¡¯s what I will have to do. It always is. This curse in disguise is merciless, but I must go through it, I made a promise to my boys that I would live a life they never did, that I won¡¯t fall down uselessly after them.


    I got my revenge years ago. I moved on. It was better. The Humans did this to us. I retaliated. Hate bred hate, war meant more war, the cycle of death continued for years. It¡¯s peace now, a new beginning. And I have someone new in my life. I have her.


    She¡¯s a Human, but she¡¯s not responsible for what all of them have done. She isn¡¯t to be blamed. And I don''t. I think I''m happier with her around. More peaceful.


    Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have been so secretive around her. Maybe she deserves to know all about me. I think we need to know each other properly. Will she accept Cerolus Kreshorok, the Lilinlord of Dralarag?


    ¡°Cerolus.¡±


    I turn towards Herod¡¯s voice, his lone figure standing in the center of the room.


    ¡°Revert him.¡±


    No. Not you. No. You can¡¯t be serious. Why?


    <hr>


    "Revert him."


    I look around the room, everyone staring at Cerolus and The Maorok in silence. Even the baby hasn¡¯t made a sound. Everyone is trying to glance away from the two, trying to not be a part of the scene. Just what is going on?


    ¡°Why? You know what that does. You know what that can do.¡± My husband has taken a defensive stance, cradling the child in his arms.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I want what¡¯s best for him, Cerolus.¡± The sullen look on his face doesn¡¯t match the gravity of his words, and I am still at a loss to what any of this means.


    ¡°What¡¯s best for him? You¡¯re going to cripple him, and you call that doing what¡¯s best? You¡¯re going to ruin his magical prowess, you¡¯re going to risk his life even, for what? So he doesn¡¯t live long?¡± Cerolus is almost shouting at this point, the words echoing through the room, the other Demons almost retreated.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want him to become like you! I have heard what happened to you! I know what happens to most of your kind, uncle! Do you consider me stupid? I don¡¯t want to have to watch my own child grow like that, I don¡¯t want that to happen to him.


    I just want him to be normal, uncle. I don¡¯t want him to suffer. Not like you did, not like when the Humans first attacked. You¡¯ve watched the entirety of the war unfold. You know what we did, and you know what they did. I don¡¯t want him to remember everyone like you do. Is that selfish of me? Is it selfish that I want my child to grow up happy, to live happy, to die beside his loved ones happy?


    You have told me many a time how your existence is a curse in disguise. So remove the curse from him, uncle, I beg you. As a father I beg you.¡±


    Cerolus has gone into tears, cradling the small child in his enormous chest, The Maorok wailing before him.


    ¡°And if I can¡¯t beg you as a father, I will command you as The Maorok, Lilinlord Cerolus.¡± The atmosphere of the room changes from sorrow to seething ferocity, The Maorok enveloped in a cloak of flames. So this is the power of the Demons.


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    Cerolus calms himself down slowly, wiping away his tears, removing any semblance of emotion from his face.


    ¡°Feitora?¡± He looks towards the woman who has since joined The Maorok¡¯s side, grasping his arm with both of her hands. She only nods silently in response.


    ¡°Very well. The Reversal Ritual will be done tomorrow. I, as the Lilinlord, will perform it. You know of the risks, and you have agreed to take them. I will begin preparations. The Ritual will be perform at the Fire Church.¡±


    He walks towards the couple, returning the child to his parents, before turning to exit the room.


    ¡°Come Sophia.¡± What? Me?


    I just follow his lead, still oblivious to what all of this entails.


    We exit the room, rushing through the corridor.


    ¡°Cerolus.¡± I call him meekly, my voice strained, afraid to stand before him.


    He keeps walking, not minding any attention to my words.


    ¡°Cerolus.¡± I call again, trying to make myself clear, calling for his attention. I am ignored once again.


    I run to keep up with his pace, his gait much faster than my walk.


    ¡°Cerolus, please!¡± I am starting to shout, my voice echoing through the halls. I don¡¯t know what is going on, but I deserve to, don¡¯t I? I am his wife after all.


    ¡°Cerolus, stop!¡±


    He stops before me, turning around. His face is clouded in tears, water pouring from the blackness of his eyes. His voice is strained, his tone sullen. He kneels to embrace me in his arms, his chin resting on my shoulder.


    ¡°They want to cripple him, and I have to do it. Why, why must it be like this? None of us wanted to become like this. None of us wanted this wretched life.¡± His sobs send shivers across my spine, his hands clutching me with force.


    ¡°Cerolus, what is going on? I don¡¯t understand, what¡¯s the Reversal Ritual? Cerolus, please explain to me.¡± I hug him back, the girth of his shoulders making me almost unable to do so.


    He calms down, the waterworks slowing, his emotions shifting from one moment to the next. He leans back from the hug, his warmth no longer put against my body.


    ¡°I am a Lilin. We are the longest living race of the Demons, and I am the eldest one among us. The elders discovered you could change the race of a Demon by using powerful magic shortly after the birth, when the magical pathways are still young and malleable. They want to change him, so he ceases to be a Lilin.


    It will drain him of most of his magical talent, since our talent grows as we age, strip him of any race, a blank slate ready to be filled by the Gods¡¯ will.


    I¡¯ve lived for a very long time Sophia, longer than any of you Humans, longer than any of the Demons today. I¡¯ve seen the War unfold before my eyes, remember so much terror, so much pain. They don¡¯t want him to experience the same, and I can¡¯t stop them. If I don¡¯t do it, they¡¯ll force someone else, someone less powerful, someone more prone to error.


    No, I must do it, I am the Lilinlord, the Elder One.¡±


    His sobs have turned into resolve as he coerces himself with his words. Just what has he lived through? Will he tell me that sometime?


    ¡°Go to the house or stay with them, I don¡¯t care, but you can¡¯t be with me today, I must spend today in preparation, alone. Please understand. I¡¯ll see you in the evening. Take care, Sophia.¡±


    He kisses me briefly, warmth enveloping me for a moment before fading away into nothingness. Then he leaves me alone in the hallways.


    Kozzok appears from the shadows of the halls, his figure slender as always.


    ¡°Your command, Mistress?¡±


    Do I go after him? Do I stay here, where his family is, or do I leave for the house to not be seen?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to my husband¡¯s family. I need to know more about them.¡±

 Chapter 41: Offer

    Kozzok has shown me how to get to the chambers where I could find Cerolus¡¯ family. The room is illuminated by various crystals around, not unlike what is used in the dining room of our home. Our home? Have I already got used to calling it that? Is it a sign of growth, or something else entirely?


    Entering the room that seems far too large to serve any purpose, I find that Cerolus¡¯ family has mostly gone their own separate ways since we had left them, leaving me alone in the room with Sarron, Kozzok disappearing per usual. I really have to figure out how he does that.


    I decide to make the most of the situation and ask Sarron about the family now that I¡¯m here. I¡¯m not exactly sure what Cerolus had in mind, but the¡­ situation seems to have gone in a different direction than what anyone could¡¯ve imagined. I hope that doesn¡¯t make them less receptive of me in the least, I am trying to make them like me, or I think I am. Does Cerolus care what his family thinks of me?


    ¡°Hello again, Sophia. I am sorry it all went this way, no one really expected this to be honest, all this with the baby and the ritual. I myself think it¡¯s a bit stupid, but my father has the say in these matters, not me.¡± Sarron seems approachable and kind, somewhat reminiscent of how Cerolus was at the wedding, both stern and gentle in tandem. His blue eyes glint at times, the eeriness of the contrast between the red of his skin and the color of his eyes almost palpable.


    ¡°Want to take a walk around the grounds? I don¡¯t know if you had any plans, but I¡¯m sure you can find something you like here.¡± He points toward the hallway behind him, a door hiding any contents beyond.


    ¡°I¡¯d be delighted.¡± I try to be as formal as possible, although I am now his¡­ grand aunt? That seems¡­ weird to me now, especially since he seems older than I am. No, I can¡¯t handle that definitely, it¡¯s just too much. ¡°How old are you, Sarron?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be twenty one within the month. I am trying to get a feel of being a leader, despite my father not wanting me to do that. He seems to think I don¡¯t want it somehow.¡± We walk side by side through the eerie halls, seemingly no destination in sight.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he? You seem serious and competent enough to do so. My second brother is twenty one as well, and he already has command in the army and some leverage in the kingdom. I myself am not that well with ruling, I prefer a more mundane kind of life.¡±


    ¡°He thinks I am too young and too unwound for that. I can take care of myself, mind you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you can, Sarron.¡± His growing smirk creeps me out somewhat, I¡¯m not entirely sure what Demons think of me in general right now.


    ¡°So, how is married life treating you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ fine.¡± Should I be giving out information about our life to him? He¡¯s family, but he¡¯s still practically a stranger to me at least. I go through everything that happened since the wedding, and I have to say that Cerolus has been so good for me all this time, not asking for anything from me, teaching me magic, the language, and some space if I ever want to.


    ¡°Oh so it¡¯s like that? Why don¡¯t you go with me instead? He probably won¡¯t care much either way.¡± He starts approaching me slowly, I instinctively trying to move away from him. ¡°What do you say? I¡¯m younger, more energetic, and I can bet I can make you feel better than he ever did. How can you be with someone so old anyway?¡± He almost corners in me in the wall, as he presses his face close to me, his eyes seeming to look straight inside me, as I stand almost helpless to do anything to defend myself against him.


    What is he getting at? He seemed so much gentler before, and now he seems a completely different person. Was that entire friendliness just a ruse all along?


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    I put my hands between us, his body putting more pressure on mine as he continues his approach. ¡°What do you say, Princess? Have some great times with me, you can even go back to him after if you want.¡± Why is he calling me Princess? It seems so wrong coming out of his mouth.


    ¡°What are you talking about? Are you crazy?¡± I try to push him away, my arms faltering beneath the weight of his body.


    ¡°Oh, so you like it a bit rough? Fine by me, makes it more enjoyable as well.¡± His purses his lips and tries to press it on mine, while I am trying to struggle out of this. How could all of this happen? And why to me?


    ¡°No¡­¡± my hands push him away briefly, his smirk turning more sinister by the moment. My eyes are already watering at the predicament. What¡¯s going to happen now? Will I be tainted like this? Are all Demons this bad?


    ¡°Why not? Come on, it¡¯s going to be fine, no one else has to know.¡±


    He approaches again, but suddenly stops. I look below, a knife pressed against Sarron¡¯s neck.


    ¡°The Mistress said no.¡± Kozzok¡¯s voice echoes the hallway, as Sarron¡¯s breathing suddenly slows down, an audible gulp going through his neck, skin pressing against the shiny metal of the blade.


    I have never been happier to hear Kozzok voice as I am now.


    ¡°I said, the Mistress said no.¡± The knife presses deeper into the skin, blackish blood coming out of the shallow cut.


    Sarron backs off, his skin seeming to get redder by the second, now visibly enraged by my savior.


    ¡°You little dickless bastard. I¡¯ll remember this.¡± He storms off, his distancing steps bringing me great relief.


    I don¡¯t even think for a second, when my arms reach outwards and I hug Kozzok with my entire being, my head resting on his shoulder.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you so much. I don¡¯t know¡­¡± my voice cracks and tears come out uncontrollably as I babble away incoherently, my grip holding the grey Demon in place. Not all of them are bad. I know that. How could I have doubted it?


    ¡°It¡¯s my duty to protect you Mistress, and I intend to do that while I¡¯m here.¡± He brings an arm and pats me slowly on my back, my tears dripping from my face on his clothes. ¡°Would you like to retreat to the Master¡¯s home now?¡±


    I try to compose myself again.


    ¡°Yes, please.¡± I think I¡¯ve had enough of Cerolus¡¯ family for today, and maybe for a lifetime.


    ¡°Would you like me to tell the Master what happened today?¡± The glint I once saw in his eyes is gone, his expression more sincere this time. Does that mean he trusts me a bit more? Do I look like someone who he feels he can work for now?


    ¡°I¡­¡± Silence envelops my entire being as I ponder what to do about this? Do I tell Cerolus all of this? How will he react?


    No, wait, what am I even thinking about right now? This should be about me, and this is about me being approached wrongly. It¡¯s not my fault, and it¡¯s not his, but he needs to know what happened. If I am not strong enough to defend myself yet, I¡¯ll ask for his help until I am able to. That¡¯s how it is going to go. It¡¯s not supposed to be shameful to admit I need him to protect me. Because I do need Cerolus.


    No.


    I want Cerolus.


    I want him to protect me.


    I want him to be next to me.


    I want to be his wife.


    I want to be happy, and I believe I can be happy by his side.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell him myself. Thank you Kozzok. Would you mind showing me the way back? I can¡¯t wait to get home, as stupid as that might sound.¡±


    The grey Demon slowly nods at my words, and for once, his entire figure stands out of the darkness, as he guides me away from this place.

 Chapter 42: Pictures

    I have already reached Cerolus¡¯ house by the afternoon, and there is not a single sign of him anywhere. And I already got worked up for telling him what happened to me.


    I guess I can look around the house, what¡¯s the worst that can happen?


    I go around the almost empty halls of the house, the barrenness disrupted by the occasional ashen segment of the wall, or the charred remains of a picture. Did he seriously live here before? I mean, it¡¯s not that bad, but why are there so many burns?


    I walk around the main hall, reaching what seems to be the only preserved piece of art on the wall.


    I can discern Cerolus in the group of the four people presented on it, his red skin, a bright smile, abysmally black eyes with a red glint, and the black shiny horns making him even more attractive than in person. He seems a bit younger on the picture, the horns without any cracks and chips on it, his face a bit more¡­ tighter, I guess.


    He seems to be hugging the Demon woman next to him, his arm stretched around his waist. A sudden urge to feel his touch against me overtakes me, as I attempt to glare at a picture that seems older than I am.


    The two other people on the picture are two male Demons, one on each side of the center pair. They look similar in a way, but the differences in their skin colour make them easily distinguishable. While the one has the same bright red tone as Cerolus, the other has an ashen grey skin more similar to the woman¡¯s paler complexion.


    I notice Kozzok is now around. It¡¯s a bit unusual to find him near me and not Cerolus. He is also in full view, the shadows no longer overlapping him.


    To be completely honest, his horns remind me of a ram¡¯s somewhat, they have the same curve around his head and are positioned a bit more towards the side of his face compared to Cerolus¡¯ jutting ones.


    ¡°Kozzok, who are these people on the picture?¡±


    His brooding over answering me takes a better part of a minute. Is it that sensitive of a subject?


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to answer, I guess that is fine, I guess I¡¯ll ask Cerolus later.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s his family from what I¡¯ve heard him talk. I never met them before, he told me it was long ago. He talked sometimes about his sons, but it never turned out that well, it always managed to make him melancholic when the issue was pressed. We eventually learned to not ask or talk about it.¡±


    His sons? He was married before me? How long ago was that if Kozzok, who seems really old, doesn¡¯t know them?


    He and I have so much to talk about when he gets back.


    <hr>


    ¡°To perform a Reversal Ritual, it is best to first shower the child in the blood of Hellboar or another mana rich beast, overloading its magical channels. The Ritualist then uses some of his, or her, magical power to strip all power from the child¡­¡±


    How did we even come up with this thing in the first place? We shower everyone in Hellboar blood for anything these days. Although I must say the feeling of Hellboar blood on my skin is exhilarating, it¡¯s such a rush of power and warmth. I can remember the last time I showered in the blood of Hellboar, it was the best sex I¡¯ve had that decade. And the excitement of his tail entering¡­


    ¡°Ahem, back to the task at hand Cerolus.¡±


    How long since I¡¯ve talked to myself like that? Surely it can¡¯t be that long? I can¡¯t even remember so much of what has transpired in the recent years. So many memories I lost, so many I discarded, so many I tried but failed to lock up somewhere deep inside me.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    I take some more scrolls from the library, some of which I even remember writing. I¡¯ve performed the Ritual already, with varying success, but it has been so long since I¡¯ve had one of my own appear, and it¡¯s in the family no less. And he seriously commands me to Revert him, ridiculous.


    Do I call the Lilin Council on this matter? Do I let someone else do this after all? How can I just stand and do this without any guilt and without any remorse?


    I peruse through the material I gathered, fully realizing what must be done.


    I peer at the depictive imagery of a Hellboar bloodshower, and I have to resist the urge to temper with the throbbing in my groins.


    I seriously need to sleep with someone.


    My mind already starting to hover somewhere between vivid dreams and reality, I look around for any sense of true privacy in case someone decides to disturb the cobwebs of this ancient building.


    Unable to deflect the thoughts and desires of my mind, I enter a small reading room and quickly undress my attire, the blood rush making me sweat from the thoughts alone.


    My mind wanders through sweet memories as I recollect the experiences I have had, while my hand clutches my groins vigorously yet tenderly, every touch more alluring than the last.


    My thought suddenly wanders to the graze of Sophia¡¯s soft skin against mine, the paleness of her body so mystically alluring, her small lean figure providing me with a deep sense of pride, joy and an unmistakable sense of longing for her smile, touch and breath, as the swelling in my hand continues to throb while I furiously tug away.


    Maintaining my unruly thoughts while I whimper and groan, my groins shiver as I take a large breath and my gut drops, with one last jerk letting loose all of my suppressed emotions.


    I open my eyes after what seemed like an eternity spent in pure bliss, the throbbing in my hand pushing the last drops of liquid out.


    I have to clean all of this mess up now. Why do I sometimes think with the wrong head?


    ¡°You know, if you needed a release, you could¡¯ve always called.¡±


    I jump at hearing anyone in this abandoned place. Was I that loud, or did I just completely abandon any semblance of attention of my surroundings?


    The noticeably female voice is coming from the now open doors of the room, the shadows covering my conversation partner. But it seems eerily familiar, I know I¡¯ve heard that melodic note before. I can¡¯t put my finger on it though, my mind still mostly blank from what happened.


    ¡°I appreciate the view, I haven¡¯t actually been privy to it thus far.¡± I look down only to realise my equipment is in full display, something which would in other situation be quite welcome. I hurriedly put my pants on, haphazardly tucking my shirt in.


    ¡°Very funny, now who the hell are you and why are you here?¡± I almost shout at her, trying to ascertain at the consequences of this untimely meeting.


    Wait, why am I even bothered that much?


    ¡°It¡¯s shocking to think you¡¯ve forgotten the voice of your own daughter¡­ daddy.¡± The noticeable attempt of a seductive voice behind that last word almost chills me, removing any semblance of the relief I felt mere moments before all of this went wrong.


    There¡¯s only one person that has ever called me that.


    Fucking great.

 Chapter 43: Missing

    ¡°Helen?¡±


    Why is she here now? We haven¡¯t spoken in decades. Has she even changed after all these years? I shudder at the thoughts.


    ¡°Oh relax, dad. That was a joke.¡± The smiling figure reaches out from the shadows of the doorframe, revealing a girl, no, a woman, that I took in over half a century ago. She''s grown since then, matured.


    ¡°Really? You know what happened the last time we were alone?¡± My back against the wall of the room, I grip the stone with my hands as she approaches me slowly, her hooves making a characteristic noise that I once cherished hearing around my house.


    The happy memory of a smiling girl in my arms recedes after I recollect how we distanced one from another.


    ¡°Yes. I was wrong then, dad. I was¡­ confused. It¡¯s better now.¡± She stands at an arm¡¯s length, and slowly reaches out for me, hugging me around my back, just like she used to do. ¡°I missed you, dad.¡±


    I slowly reach and stroke her hair while she buries her cheek in my shirt. The Link surges, none of the eruptive desires present from the last time. I discern pain, I feel sadness. I peek at the hints of happiness of being home. It''s difficult, trying to contain it all.


    ¡°You know your horns are poking my face when you do that?¡± She unclutches my body and smiles briefly, and I look down to see right into her bright red eyes. ¡°There¡¯s the girl I raised. Well, before¡­¡±


    ¡°Before I tried to get into your pants and you banished me?¡± She tries to avert her gaze from my face, barely successful. ¡°Yeah, that was my fault. I realize that now. It was so foolish of me.¡± She starts walking around the room, only rarely moving her head in my direction. ¡°I guess you were right that two Lilin can¡¯t live together like that. You were correct, as usual.¡± A small sulk shows up on her face, like the times I tried to teach her something during her training.


    ¡°So, why are you here of all places? Nobody ever visits the Underlibrary these days. Except for the old folk like me.¡± I crouch, using a simple water stone to wash out the evidence of my activities from the floor. It sometimes sucks not having the water affinity. I¡¯ve tried burning it off a couple of times, but the smell was¡­ less than desirable. Although, the entire place here could use a bit of cleaning. Maybe for the next Lilin Council meeting, we organize this place.


    ¡°I heard about the new royal baby, and I knew you¡¯d come to The Capital soon enough. I realized you usually spent your time here. Being able to sense you from a distance helped.¡± A small smirk escapes to show on her face. So she came specifically to see me?


    ¡°What are you doing in the Underlibrary, dad? You almost never come here.¡± At her questions, I exit the room, her footsteps following me in tandem. I walk over to the table with the Ritual scrolls and books and hold one in the air for her to see.


    ¡°He asked me to do it.¡±


    Her mouth agape and eyes wide open, she stares at the writings spread around us. ¡°But why?¡±


    ¡°You should know why, better than me as well. It¡¯s better than¡­¡± I stop mid-sentence trying to not cause more harm with this conversation. Enough of sad tales for one day.


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    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s better than what happened to me. But I turned out fine in the end, right?¡±


    A small chuckle escapes my lips as I start picking things up around me, trying to ascertain what I need to keep and read further. ¡°Well, apart from trying to sleep with your own adoptive father, I¡¯d say you turned out well, unless you did something terrible in the past thirty years or so. But I¡¯d probably hear something about that if it were to happen.


    Where have you been anyway? And why are you here now?¡±


    Her face turns sullen again. ¡°I¡¯ve been here and there, travelling across Dralarag, going to Drakkar and Nazjara a few times, been on a few adventures of my own. It¡¯s been fun, and liberating.¡°


    ¡°Did you meet someone? Thought about a family? Without involving me, that is.¡± She laughs alongside me on that note.


    ¡°His name is Sersos. He¡¯s from Nazjara.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to marry a Slither?¡± Well, I suppose it¡¯s not that far out of reach. It¡¯s not exactly against any laws we have, but they usually had problems with that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call them Slithers, it¡¯s rude.¡±


    ¡°Fine, but that wasn¡¯t rude a century ago, let me tell you that.¡± Oh Gods, I¡¯m starting to sound like an old person. Is this it?


    ¡°Anyway, I came to see you for your blessing. And to see The Capital again.¡±


    ¡°Of course you have my blessings, why wouldn¡¯t you?¡± I start walking away from the library, various scrolls in hand. Then I realize I may need to do something else. ¡°Would you like to come home for dinner?¡±


    She almost squeals, running along the steps to catch up to me. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you got married. Congratulations.¡±


    So, word travels, I guess. ¡°Well, you get to meet her I guess now. I didn¡¯t predict this happening. I think you¡¯ll like her, even though she¡¯s a Human.¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you fight Humans? Didn¡¯t you hate them?¡±


    ¡°I did, once. And I fought. I won battles, and I lost things. And then I forgave. You¡¯ll understand someday, I hope. I forgave you too a long time ago, I just didn¡¯t think you¡¯d want to come back. I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve found yourself now. You grew up so fast, you¡¯re a proper young lady now.¡±


    ¡°Dad, please, I¡¯m fifty.¡± Her mock anger over her age is fun to coerce.


    ¡°So? I''m still a lot older than you are. When you become the older one, you get to call me whatever you want.


    How long are you staying in The Capital, Helen?¡±


    ¡°I was thinking on leaving tomorrow or the day after.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I still have something to give to her later, something I should¡¯ve done thirty years ago. I approach her and hug her tightly. ¡°I missed you too.¡± A breeze blows from somewhere in the halls, as silence envelops our bodies for a moment, the memory of a child I met long ago resurfacing again, as my eyes tear up briefly.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go. I think you¡¯ll like Sophia.¡±


    With that said, we leave for my home, where my wife is hopefully waiting for me. I can¡¯t wait to see her face again.

 Chapter 44: Meeting

    ¡°Sophia?¡± I hear Cerolus¡¯ voice booming from the front doors of the mansion. I¡¯ve spent the afternoon idly walking around the rooms, trying to take a peek at his life before we met. So far, apart from the surprise family, I haven¡¯t been able to learn anything useful.


    Almost running towards the doors to the sound of his words, I wonder when I have started to be like that. And I also want to talk to him, about what happened today, about what has happened thus far. But mostly, I would like for him to share some of his secrets with me. It sounds weird when I think about it at first, but somehow learning more about him would make it a bit easier.


    Easier to do what exactly?


    After passing what seems to be the tenth corridor laden in darkness and cobwebs, I reach the entrance of the mansion. Then I stop in my tracks.


    Who is she? And why is she with Cerolus now?


    ¡°Oh there you are.¡± Cerolus simply walks up to me and kisses me briefly, as if nothing has happened at all. I just nod absently and point towards the intruding Demon woman in the room, my voice not managing to come out of my throat, audible wheezing passing through the air between us.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Cerolus brief grimace of confusion is replaced by idle cheerfulness, as far as my understanding of his facial expressions goes.


    ¡°Helen, this is Sophia.¡± I only nod at the woman in question, unable to make any gesture that would be appropriate for someone of my stature, simply lost in my mind.


    ¡°Sophia, this is my daughter, Helen. Well, adopted daughter.¡± Receiving a similar pearly smile I notice the similarities between them, the same shade of red of their skin making them eerily alike. However, her white horns and completely red eyes are a giveaway to the differences between them.


    She¡¯s also less¡­ noble. Cerolus¡¯ presence fills the place he is in completely, like an otherworldly aura around him. She doesn¡¯t have that same air around her, a slight tinge of¡­ brown coming off her for some reason.


    Wait, Cerolus didn¡¯t mention anything about family, and Kozzok doesn¡¯t seem to have wanted to say more about it. When did this come from? How many things will I learn about Cerolus during my stay here?


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± is all my mouth is able to create at this point in time, as my mind is overwhelmed by the newfound information about my husband.


    Cerolus decides to end the deathly silence around us. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for dinner.¡±


    --------------------------


    Master has returned home, which I think is great, since the innumerable questions I can¡¯t answer have been getting to me. Humans do lack some observational abilities, but they seem to be rather noisily curious, or at least Mistress would lend me to believe that. Not that I would say anything about that to Master.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The years haven¡¯t really prepared me to be grappled by a woman however. The similar melodic tune echoes through my head, and I know I should remember her, but my memory is failing me, the vastness of my mind being covered in mist.


    ¡°Kozzok! Oh how good it is to see you again!¡± The woman is clearly energetic about our reunion, if I may call it that, but that doesn¡¯t lend any help towards me noting her identity.


    I look closer into the mystery in front of me trying to remember something I maybe shouldn¡¯t have forgotten in the first place.


    The Master¡¯s laughing voice breaks any composure and concentration I have had. ¡°You forgot Helen, Kozzok? Well, you did last see each other thirty years ago, and that¡¯s quite a long time for you, I gather.¡±


    Helen? The little Mistress? This woman in front of me?


    ¡°I am sorry, little Miss. I apologize for my failing memory. This servant is ashamed.¡± I bow lowly, trying to regain some elegance Master has taught me to strive for ever since we met.


    ¡°Oh forget all that Kozzok. You¡¯re as much a part of the family as I am.


    How have you been? Has dad been hard on you?¡±


    I remember now. Helen, Master¡¯s adopted daughter. She was there when I entered Master¡¯s service, only a small child. It could be said that we grew up together, if not for the fact that I already looked more similar to what Master described as a young man at my Spawning. She was kind to me when she was little, if not a bit overbearing at times. Young children are a lot of work from what I¡¯ve gathered Master doing in the beginning.


    I remember Master casting her out as well, something about unforgettable and unforgiving behavior making him more distant at that time. He would often close himself in his chambers, sometimes clutching various objects, some which belonged to her, some to him, and some I was only told belonged to his sons. Those days passed incredulously slowly.


    ----------------------


    I am sat down on the spot next to Cerolus, a shift from our usual sitting arrangements, while the woman is sat opposite of me, leaving the entire half of the dining table barren. Cerolus¡¯ explanation to this was, ¡®I can¡¯t possibly make either of you sit so far away¡¯. I guess it¡¯s kind of him to think like that.


    I, of course, still have no clue as to who this woman is, beyond Cerolus¡¯ brief mention of her being his adoptive daughter, and the fact that she knows Kozzok, which would be a change for once.


    Kozzok seemed more like a shadow for as long as I knew him, nobody but Cerolus seeming to spare him more than a thought. His demeanor hasn¡¯t shifted since, though, cold as usual.


    I look towards the woman now, her looks seemingly pleasant to my eyes somehow. It¡¯s weird somehow, I have been close to my ladies in waiting, but my first impressions of her seem more in line towards me meeting a man rather than a woman, more akin to me meeting Cerolus in fact.


    ¡°She¡¯s using the look, dad. It¡¯s weird seeing it from a woman.¡± The woman points out with a small snicker, Cerolus¡¯ smile spreading across his face. ¡°I¡¯m a Lilin like dad. Your reaction is completely normal, I don¡¯t have that much control over my abilities yet. Don¡¯t fret on it. That¡¯s why he adopted me, actually.¡±


    ¡°You were a small child which needed to be saved from a cruel life. How could I not do something so small for one of my kind? There are few of us as is.¡±


    ¡°One fewer tomorrow.¡± The woman¡¯s word spread silence across the room, as the air around us chills noticeably.


    ¡°Let¡¯s change the subject shall we? How was your day Sophia?¡±


    In his question I realize there is something I almost forgot.


    Sarron.

 Chapter 45: Discipline

    ¡°Look, there¡¯s no use in worrying about anything right now. Nothing bad happened to you, and you told dad about it. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± Helen¡¯s words barely reach me over my thoughts.


    I had barely got the right words out of my mouth. It was horrible, as if someone was trying to strangle me to prevent me from saying a simple sentence out loud.


    And the dreadful silence accompanying my story, extinguishing any semblance of cheer in the room, the cold stares between all of us, it made all of it feel like a funeral. I remember Mother¡¯s funeral, the sadness and eerie accompanying it as the stone slab covered the tomb.


    Cerolus just stood up, telling me not to worry and that he¡¯ll be back soon. Then he just walked out of the room, not turning towards anyone with almost a blank stare on his face, as if no one were in it in the first place.


    Kozzok left shortly afterwards, as if called by an unknown force. I assume they somehow can communicate like that, but I haven¡¯t felt privy to ask. More questions pop up wherever I go, and I always feel out of place to ask them.


    That left Helen sitting on the table, and me staring at the door Cerolus left through.


    ¡°So what¡¯s going to happen?¡± I ask timidly, almost expecting a punishment for the mere question I pose.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t really know¡­¡± Helen¡¯s words linger in the air around us, each pause seemingly taking some of my breath away. Just what have I exactly done? ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a law to govern this kind of a situation.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I try to remember if Leonia has something similar, but my memory decided to fail me.


    ¡°Well, to put it bluntly, people don¡¯t usually say no.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t follow. They don¡¯t say ¡®no¡¯ to what?¡± Her leisure is offputtingly calming somehow, my own tangled thoughts seem to slowly fade away altogether.


    ¡°To sleeping with other people. Especially if it¡¯s the Prince. Definitely if it¡¯s the Prince.¡± Helen herself seems to have entered a small world of her own with that last sentence, and my hopes of getting any information from her now seem slim.


    Wait, they don¡¯t shy away from sleeping with other people? Then what is the marriage supposed to represent? It¡¯s a sacred bond of trust and love towards one another! That¡¯s the entire core of the marriage. How do you just go around betraying someone like that?


    Is Cerolus like that too? Has he been doing whatever he wanted while I wasn¡¯t with him? What will he answer if I ask him that? How can I trust anything he ever says to me anyway?


    <hr>


    ¡°Master, what are you going to do?¡± Stupid questions, stupid answers, stupid children not being taught any proper manners. Why did I even think anything good would come out of this invitation? Someone gets born in this family and everything starts going downhill.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to teach our dear Prince a valuable lesson in life, Kozzok. You can go and report this as mutiny towards the crown, you know I won¡¯t really care.¡± Kozzok mentally shrugs at the notion. An attack on a Prince would usually be sentenced to hard labor or death, but that hadn¡¯t actually occurred for a while. Well, not for our family.


    ¡°Would you like me to step in to stop you from killing someone?¡± Why does he think I¡¯d actually kill someone? I haven¡¯t killed anyone in years.


    And why would I kill him over that? He only overstepped on a couple of boundaries and almost raped my wife. Who I haven¡¯t had the opportunity to consummate the marriage with yet. And who was scared for her dear life then, and probably now. Who probably has very few things to like about me, and will probably like even less now. And now I¡¯ve left her with Helen, who is bound to fill her mind with some nonsense somehow¡­


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    -------------------------------


    ¡°You wanted to rape my wife!¡± I lift Sarron up by his shirt and throw him into one of the cabinets of his room. ¡°We come here happy and cheerful over you getting a brother and you just decide you want to do some raping and pillaging! What was going on in that empty head of yours? ¡®Oh my uncle got married to a Human, so let¡¯s just try and fuck her.¡¯ Who in the entire Underworld was teaching you that nonsense?¡± I walk over to him and pick him up by his collar. I put fire magic into my hands and fear into his mind. Oh how good does it feel to manipulate someone like this. ¡°SAY SOMETHING YOU CRETIN!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Uncle. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± He is bawling his eyes out while being held up in the air. And this is supposed to be someone that is going to rule one day. He can¡¯t even put up a fight.


    ¡°You two over there, stop screaming already!¡± At that point, the incessant screaming from the two young women on the bed stops, finally allowing me a moment of peace and quiet. ¡°And you, what am I supposed to do with you now?¡± The sobbing from the manchild in front of me prevents me from hearing any answers.


    ¡°Uncle, stop!¡± My attention turns towards the man in the doorway. Oh good, finally an adult in the room.


    ¡°So, ¡®Maorok¡¯, would you want to take over disciplining your child over how he¡¯s supposed to behave? Or should I do that for you? Because the previous twenty years didn¡¯t seem to yield much.¡±


    ¡°Just put him down first Uncle. You¡¯re hur¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hurting him? I¡¯M HURTING HIM? HE TRIES TO RAPE MY WIFE, AND I¡¯M HURTING HIM? You really want to have one fewer son, don¡¯t you, Herod?¡± I release my hands, a loud thump from the floor echoing through the room into my head.


    I try to calm myself down, thinking of what someone else would¡¯ve done in this situation. What would I have done if it were Axelor in his place? Whipping, overloading, expulsion, banishment, I go over all the possible ways of hurting someone without maiming them. But I¡¯m not Sarron¡¯s father and I don¡¯t get to discipline him. Maybe I should, though. He would¡¯ve turned out much better.


    ¡°Tomorrow morning, I am doing the Ritual, and we are leaving. I don¡¯t want to see him anywhere near the Church, and you better pray to all the Gods that I forgive this in a few decades. Is that clear, Herod?¡±


    A solemn ¡®yes¡¯ lingers behind me as I exit the room, turning over some furniture along the way.


    What happened to me? Why am I suddenly so protective and concerned for her now?


    I haven¡¯t felt like this in years, it¡¯s perplexing to say the least.


    ¡°You could¡¯ve done a bit more, Master.¡± Kozzok joins me from the shadows around.


    ¡°You think?¡±


    ¡°It seemed to do well on you, you seem¡­ less tense now.¡±


    ¡­ I really need to sleep with someone.


    ¡°You seem a bit cheerful at the prospect of bloodshed, Kozzok. Are you finally getting so old that you want something major to happen?¡± I try to remember how long he has been in my service and the number of nearly five decades comes to mind. That is on the far end for a Shadowling. Kozzok¡¯s silence only exacerbates my dread. ¡°Has it started?¡±


    ¡°Master?¡± Kozzok¡¯s feign ignorance is crafty at best.


    I guess it did. ¡°Since when?¡±


    ¡°Two months, more or less.¡±


    ¡°Then I guess you¡¯ll get to see a Reversal Ritual in the least. Not many get to do that.¡±


    ¡°As you say, Master.¡±

 Chapter 46: Doubts

    I spent the entire evening mulling over things Cerolus would, could, or will do at some point. What is he going to do about Sarron? How will what happened make me look in his eyes? What is going to happen afterwards? Is there anything I could¡¯ve done better?


    Is he going to look for someone else for company? Helen has been pretty ambiguous about the entire situation, but if they don¡¯t fret from sleeping with other people, will Cerolus do that? Has he done that already and I don¡¯t know? What does that make me, a simple agreed-upon valuable that¡¯s been traded and set for everyone to view? Am I going to end up alone while Cerolus does whatever he wants all the time? Does he even feel anything for me or was everything until now been just a polite ruse, for me to feel better about being imprisoned here?


    Does he pity me, then do all of this to make himself look better in people¡¯s eyes? ¡®Lord Cerolus Kreshorok, looking after a poor little helpless girl, he is so handsome and good!¡¯ Is that what people are saying behind my back? Is that why my family wasn¡¯t nearly as fazed by the prospect of me leaving them? They haven¡¯t even sent a letter asking about me, they haven¡¯t even bothered to see if I¡¯m doing well. It¡¯s been a few months and they already forgot, as if I¡¯ve never existed at all.


    What do I do now? Do I just take all of this as it comes, and just pretend I am fine with everything happening around me, with my nonexistent life now, bending to everyone¡¯s whim?


    Is there a point in trying to like Cerolus, or am I simply doomed to a loveless life locked away in a castle, with no dashing knight in white armour to save the princess from the bad Demon that took her away. I should not have read all those stories as a child, I don¡¯t even see the point of them now. He is so much more powerful than I, what could I ever do to him if I even bothered trying?


    Was Sarron right all along? Should I have simply gone ahead and accepted it? If Cerolus doesn¡¯t like me and just pretends he does, would it have gone better with someone else, someone that actually seemed to care?


    No, Sophia, what are you thinking right now? If they¡¯re both Demons, equally bad, how could one be better than the other? At least Cerolus didn¡¯t try hurting me. Not yet at least.


    But will he now? Will he just come in this room, his room since this is actually his house as opposed to ¡®our¡¯ castle out there, and do whatever he wants to prove that he owns me? Is this going to be it? Should I even try resisting it, or will that make the entire situation worse?


    What am I going to do now? What is going to happen? How is this all going to end for me?


    ¡°I suggest talking.¡±


    My eyes dart to the now opened doors of the room, where Tiana is standing. How did she hear me? Can she read my mind? Is that what Demons do? Is that how the War lasted so long? Did we even have a chance? That is a terrifying thought to have.


    ¡°You were thinking out loud, Mistress.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Oh. Crap. How much did she hear? Is she going to tell all of this to Cerolus? Have I just made my predicament worse than it is? Congratulations, Sophia, you somehow went from bad to worse because of your stupid mouth.


    Tiana simply walks up to a chair in the room and sits. ¡°This may not be an appropriate position, for me to talk to you this way, but I think it would do you well to hear someone else now.


    I¡¯ve been in Master Cerolus¡¯ service for as long as I remember. My parents were in his service and me being here was something that seemed to matter to them. They trusted him, they still do, and they always say he treated them well. So they asked him to take me in as a simple servant if anything, and here I am over twenty years later.


    Master Cerolus is, in my eyes, a good man. He is always nice, he treats people well, and he always seems to know exactly what to do with people around him. He never made me do anything¡­ with him¡­ and I have never heard of him doing anything like that to someone else as well. I don¡¯t even remember if he has been with anyone these past years, all I know is that he treats people the way they treat him.


    I don¡¯t think I know all there is to know about Master Cerolus, even after twenty years by his side. I don¡¯t think anyone knows Master Cerolus in his entirety, but I think that you want to. I think that you should try to get to know him, and he should try to get to know you too. All of us at home thought despicable things of you Humans as a whole, I think some still do, and I¡¯m sure there are Humans, maybe even yourself, that inwardly hate us at the core. But Master Cerolus was willing to let all that be in the past and welcomed you. I don¡¯t think he was wrong about doing that.


    I may have even disliked you the first time I saw you, a little being full of hate for every single one of us, ready to make our lives miserable because she can. But you proved me wrong. So here I am, prepared to take any consequences for speaking without permission, asking you to just talk to him. I think it would do both of you good.


    I also think you should talk to Kozzok sometimes, he is the one that had been closest to Master for a long time. He probably knows him in ways Master doesn¡¯t even know himself, if that¡¯s even possible.¡±


    Why haven¡¯t I done any of this sooner? Have I simply tried to get away from everyone all this time? If this is how Tiana thinks, then surely there must be something good after all? This can¡¯t all be Cerolus¡¯ grand plan of manipulating me; it would just be too cruel.


    ¡°I apologize if I have offended you in any way Mistress, and would like to take my leave now.¡±


    ¡°Why tell me all of this?¡± Is there something she gains with this, or something I lose?


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? I serve Master Cerolus, and by extension, you. I am supposed to take care of you and try and help when I can. Can¡¯t I do what is in my power to try and help you when I am able?¡±


    I guess she has a point after all. What can I possibly lose at this point? There is nothing that can make this situation escalate even worse than it actually is, so why not take a chance? For once in your life, Sophia, take a stand and do something about yourself.


    ¡°You can go, Tiana. I¡¯m just going to wait for Cerolus here.¡±


    ------------------


    It¡¯s not long until I hear familiar hoof beats across the stone floors of the mansion. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ve grown to dread or enjoy that sound by now.


    So, this is it. The night of nights.


    As Cerolus enters wearily into the room, his clothes completely unblemished, his presence a perfection in itself, as if nothing had happened today, as if playing a part in a song or a story.


    But no more rehearsing and playing a part.


    My words begin what could be the end of everything I knew.


    ¡°I think we need to talk.¡±


    He simply looks in my direction with solemn eyes and a stern face. He removes his coat, and for the first time I¡¯ve seen him, lies on his side of the bed in his clothes. The red stars in his eyes completely disappear, the darkness overtaking everything around me.


    ¡°So, what would you like to know?¡±

 Chapter 47: Answers

    ¡°So, what would you like to know?¡±


    What do I ask? Where do I begin? Will he stay truthful throughout this all? ¡°Everything?¡±


    He laughed briefly at that. ¡°Everything? That could take a while, and I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t like it all. How about we start somewhere in particular first, and then go from that?¡±


    That seems fair and reasonable of him. ¡°Are you going to have someone else in your bed now? I heard from Helen it wouldn¡¯t be uncommon, and since we haven¡¯t¡­¡± Why am I starting with that? How stupid can I get? Where in the World is that the first question that someone starts knowing another person with?


    ¡°No. Although it, as you said yourself, wouldn¡¯t be uncommon, I won¡¯t. I¡¯ve read about you Humans and your society and behavior regarding such things, and I think it isn¡¯t unreasonable to try. So, no, I won¡¯t, unless you want me to. I also won¡¯t pressure you into such things.¡±


    ¡°So you wouldn¡¯t want to sleep with me?¡± Does he not like me in the end? Is this all for nothing?


    ¡°Not right now if you don¡¯t want to. At some point, yes, if you¡¯d like to. But I won¡¯t make you do it just because we¡¯re married. I know enough about arranged marriages, and I¡¯d like to say I know enough about people. If you don¡¯t like me, we¡¯ll figure something out. There¡¯s no point in being unreasonable.¡±


    If I¡¯d like to do it someday? Is that ever going to happen? Could I ever like him that way? I have considered it, briefly, but was that really it? How will I know?


    ¡°Anything else? This seems not nearly all-encompassing as ¡®everything¡¯ would suggest.¡± He flashes a brief smile from across the bed, the two of us lying on the opposite sides.


    ¡°Kozzok mentioned you had a family before¡­ all this. What happened to them?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that.¡± He pauses for more than what could be considered brief, the darkness of his eyes accentuated by the tiniest tears around them. ¡°I had a family once, a very long time ago. Wife and two sons, Axelor and Sorror, I thought they were the greatest thing that ever happened to me once. Maybe they still are. Unfortunately, not everything seems to go according to what you plan, or want, or dream. Over the years, I¡¯ve found that life, or the Gods, depending on how you view it, take more than they give to you sometimes.¡±


    He briefly pauses to look at me, then continues on with his tale.


    ¡°My sons were killed in the War. They went to the battlefield, and never came back. It was unimaginable at that time, to see someone before you then lose them as if in a moment. To know that you will never get to see them again. To think that you should¡¯ve been there, to try and protect them, to curse everything for not being by their side, as if that could somehow bring them back. And I looked. I looked for a while how to bring them back, but nothing of the sort ever came up. Nobody could help.


    And then the anger. I was angry at the Humans that did all of that. I was enraged at everyone who helped take them away from me. I went there, to the battlefield, and took out my anger. It was fulfilling, glorious, to see those who have wronged you die in throngs, to rip entire walls and forts apart, to help avenge them even by the tiniest bit.


    My older brother liked that side of me at that time. The great Hieron the Second, Maorok of Dralarag, found his little brother very helpful at defending the country against the ¡®magicless vermin of the grounds¡¯ as he called them. And I reveled at being acknowledged, at being useful. I was enthused by being someone who killed, who slaughtered those who would oppose me.


    My wife however, did not. She thought I was ¡®a mistake, a horror¡¯ and someone who she ¡®thought was better¡¯. She didn¡¯t want to see me. She wanted ¡®someone that could die peacefully by her side¡¯. And I could never give that. She knew I couldn¡¯t. So she left, I don¡¯t know where and how, but she did. Told me to never look for her, to never look at her again, said she is will try her best to forget me, and that I should do too.


    I am not sure what exactly was going on then. At some point I stopped caring for everything. I didn¡¯t return to the killing, because there was no point. I¡¯ve done my share. I was no longer angry at Humans, I was angry at myself. I was angry for being born like this, for my children to be different than I am, I was angry that I lost almost everyone I ever cared about.


    Then my brother died of old age, my younger died in an unsuccessful effort of fort defense, and the country was left almost shattered. So here I was, advising my nephew, in time of war, in a country that was ready to fall before an enemy, salvaging what little I could where I could to keep us afloat. There was no time for me to be angry at myself, or anyone.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    So I stopped.


    I stopped being angry, and I stopped loving people. At least for a while, I stopped being me altogether.¡±


    At this point he stopped, as I vehemently tried to take everything in. How could he possibly ever forgive something like that? Would I have been able to do something like he did? How much time did it have to pass for him to do so much?


    ¡°How old are you Cerolus? Really?¡±


    He looked at me and sighed audibly, the entire room seemed in accord with his demeanor.


    ¡°One hundred and ninety four. Soon to be one ninety five.¡±


    He¡¯s¡­ almost two centuries old. It¡¯s¡­ incomprehensible, incredible. Unbelievable. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°Really old, yes.¡± He laughed, and at this point I followed.


    He¡¯s almost two hundred years old, and I thought I knew the tiniest bit about him. He must know so much, must have lived through so many things, what am I to him? What could I ever be to him?


    ¡°Are you going to die soon?¡± At this point it is incredibly obvious that I only know how to ask stupid questions, and that whoever decided women aren¡¯t appropriate rulers has done well to the World.


    ¡°Most likely not. There have been records of Lilin living well into their two, or even three hundreds. Why are you asking? You think I¡¯m going to marry you, only to die so soon?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ll be here?¡± I look him in his watered eyes, a single shred of red passing through the dark.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°With me?¡±


    ¡°If you want me, yes.¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t plan on having someone else.¡± Why is that even important so much to me now?


    ¡°Unless you want me to, I have no such plans.¡±


    Can I truly like someone like him? Now that I know some of his past, is it going to be easier in the future? How many more things will I get to learn from him?


    Wait, he¡¯s almost two hundred. Two hundred years of living. And he would like to stay with me. That must mean something, right?


    ¡°So, what now?¡±


    ¡°Now we sleep. Tomorrow we do the Ritual and go to our castle. I think we don¡¯t have much to do here anyway. Sorry you didn¡¯t get to see much of the Capital.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to go home?¡± I blurt this out excitedly, to which he only looks at me in a smile.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re going to go home.¡±


    Aren¡¯t I forgetting something?


    ¡°So, what happened with Sarron?¡±


    By now, Cerolus has taken off his shirt and lied down next to me, his arm going over me into a wide hug. ¡°That is being taken care of.¡±


    <hr>


    I move through the dark halls of the Palace once more. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be going back here so soon after Master left, but his plans seem overreaching as always. And to think he would be going easy on the boy after that.


    Truly, he seems different with the girl by his side.


    The guise of darkness hasn¡¯t been welcoming these days. The voices, the screams, the calling, the mysterious allure of darkness has been getting stronger. Is this it? The Call of Shadows, the last thing a Shadowling hears before his death, before our return to where we came from.


    Quickly, and rather uneventfully, I am standing before the Maorok. How long has it been since I¡¯ve delivered a message? A simple message, yet so¡­ exalting to see.


    I see I¡¯ve been getting old, and have lost a bit of me over the years. I should¡¯ve noticed the subtle shift in the Darkness around me. I dodge the dagger pointed at my face, but the second one manages to get a hold of my neck, the situation peculiarly similar to the one that happened just this afternoon.


    ¡°Raffar of Herod Kreshorok.¡± Ah, remembering the simple Conduct of the Shadowlings. ¡°And Tekket of Herod Kreshorok as well. I see he kept two of you by his side. What is the Maorok afraid of these days?¡±


    ¡°Kozzok of Cerolus Kreshorok, it is nice to meet you again, old man.¡± The hand holding the dagger to my neck trembles as the red skinned Shadowling talks. Such an unfortunate colour of skin for someone who handles all things in shadow. ¡°What brings you to our Master today? Haven¡¯t you done enough still?¡±


    ¡°I bring a simple message.¡± Well, simple is an understatement. I know little of the actual matters, but I know enough that dealing with the Circle is never simple.


    ¡°Speak, Satyr.¡± The Maorok himself stands before me now. It is good to finally hear Shadowspeak again.


    ¡°I am impressed, not many learn Shadowspeak, even with more of us in their service.¡±


    ¡°Just say what you want and leave, Satyr. I¡¯ve had enough of both you and your Master today. I also have to figure out a way to discipline that silly child now. And he thought he was ready to rule over anything, the idiot would lose a mansion to simple Imps.¡± That would be a really hard thing to achieve, if I may interject, but I don¡¯t. I have already gone too far from the subject.


    ¡°Master has decided for the course of action regarding one Sarron Kreshorok, Crown Prince of Dralarag.


    Crown Prince Sarron Kreshorok of Dralarag is hereby invited to the next Elder Circle Council. The invited will serve as an advisor and a listener to the Demon Elder of the Circle. Other parties of the Elder Circle will be informed in due time. You may withhold accepting or denying this invitation up until the Council convenes in five months¡¯ time. Denial of an invitation to the Elder Circle Council may cause repercussions from the members.¡±


    ¡°He wants to do WHAT?¡± A fireball sears a chair in the room, as Maorok starts walking in circles across the room, paying no mind to the three of us along the wall, the dagger still pressing on the skin of my neck.


    ¡°What in the Underworld is he planning?¡±


    ¡°Master has not informed me. Message has been completed in full.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been there once. It was¡­ terrifying. The mere presence of those beings is¡­ suffocating¡­ what in the World does he intend to do with my boy?¡± He raises his head in my direction. ¡°Is that all?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Leave.¡± The touch of metal stops and my shallow breathing is finally returned to normal, as I slowly mend into the darkness again. ¡°And please, don¡¯t come again. I don¡¯t think I could take much more of this.¡±


    The touch of darkness across my skin, the warmth of nothing pleasantly drifting across my torso, alluring me to the depths, follows me as I make my way back into the Mansion.


    I''m going to miss doing this.

 Chapter 48: Rituals

    Waking up to see the black dress I wore yesterday spread before my eyes, ready for me to wear again, I remember the entire ordeal about why we came here in the first place. Cerolus had already left by the time I woke up and I figure I need to get prepared for the upcoming ceremony, whatever it may entail. Surely, he would¡¯ve said something if I had a part in it, so I assume I¡¯m here as a mere spectator.


    At least let me look pretty then.


    ¡°Tiana, how long do we have until the Ritual?¡± I call from my room, hoping that she is nearby to answer my questions.


    ¡°You have time to have breakfast, Mistress. Kozzok is supposed to come and get you later.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, breakfast, clothes, the Ritual, and please let¡¯s leave this place. No offense, but I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m welcome here anymore.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Mistress.¡± Tiana comes in the room, the familiar hair brush in her hand.


    --------------------------


    So, this is the inside of the Fire Church. It¡¯s¡­ fiery, I guess. The walls seem to be made of black rock with various red streaks alongside it, with the pillars reaching for the ashen ceiling above us. The centerpiece of the structure is clearly the huge altar, made of what seems to be black and red stone, carved into a shape of a blazing fire, red gems radiating from the inside of the sculpture. Similar gems irradiate the church itself, providing light when there are no windows to be seen.


    Although the inside of the Church is massive, there aren¡¯t many people here, only a few dozen Demons apart from the members of the royal family I had the pleasure of meeting yesterday. I try to look into the small crowd and spot one person I¡¯m more¡­ acquainted than the rest.


    And there he is. Red skin and shimmering blue eyes. Well, eye, since the other one is wrapped in cloth, along with the larger part of his face. Cerolus was serious when he said it¡¯s being taken care of. Sarron¡¯s eye briefly meets my own, and he quickly shuffles around in an effort to avoid me, while I do the same. It is uncomfortable being in the same room as he is, and I don¡¯t know what part of my mind even tried searching for him here.


    I try to steady my composure as I feel Kozzok¡¯s presence behind me. At the wedding, he was completely hidden in the darkness, where here it is the complete opposite. It¡¯s uncanny to see him not surrounded by mist or shadow, it almost feels unnatural.


    The crowd around me quiets down as Demons step up to the altar. I can unmistakably spot Cerolus¡¯ black horns as he takes stand in the center of the altar before a large basin. Unlike the form fitting clothes and coat I got used to seeing him in, the cloak he is wearing now almost completely hides him to the outside world. His face is but a shadow under the hood of the red cloak.


    The large crown is a clear giveaway of the identity of the person holding a small bundle in its arms as it approaches Cerolus¡¯ side. The entire crowd silently watches as Cerolus takes hold of the small baby and the Maorok steps away from the altar, only to be replaced by two hooded Demons carrying large chalices.


    The baby in Cerolus¡¯ hands makes an adorable sound, to which Cerolus responds with a small chuckle of his own, before sighing back into a steady silent demeanor. He then starts chanting, the words incomprehensible even to my necklace.


    As the chanting grows louder and more elaborate, the two hooded Demons pour the contents of their chalice upon the bundle, liquid the recognizable colour of blood seeping from the showered clothes, as the baby now starts crying. Nevertheless, the chanting continues, the baby¡¯s cry merging with the incoherent words to make a cacophony of noise flood the Church.


    Suddenly, a burst of fire surrounds Cerolus¡¯ cloak, the blue flame grasping towards the baby, as small lines of light seep from Cerolus¡¯ arms and converge upon the bloodied bundle. The lines dance around the baby, shifting and swaying as if the wind or the fire moves them, before covering the bundle in a small cocoon of light. The blue flames then engulf the cocoon, the baby¡¯s outcries silenced, as the chanting slowly dies out, leaving the entire room listening to the sound of smoldering flames.Stolen story; please report.


    <hr>


    I performed every part of the Ritual as I remembered it. I removed every bit of mana from the child, engulfed it in my own, let the blood seep through the yet to be formed magical channels. Everything is going according to plan.


    What the plan doesn¡¯t involve is finding me standing on an open field of fire and brimstone, the child spread on the small altar before me, akin to the one we built in the Church.


    I ignore the burning flames around me and walk towards the altar, my feet pushing nothing but thin air, but yet still allowing me to move forward. The child lays still, lines of light dancing around it, passing into and out of his body as if it weren¡¯t there. I reach for the child and caress it slowly, as if that would make this situation any more comforting.


    The last, which was also the first, time I had been here I was alone. Well, I was the lone mortal in the scene anyway.


    The flames around me start dancing to an unknown wind that passes through, the fire converging upon a single point above me, well beyond my reach. The point of fire burst into a small ball, and the entire space around me fills up with a single voice.


    ¡°So, we meet again, child.¡± The roaring voice fills my very being as my body almost instinctively bows on one knee.


    ¡°Great Kreshor, this humble mortal is honored to meet you, even more so to see you twice in his short and meaningless life.¡±


    ¡°You need not be so fearful as you were the first time we met. I think both of us were different people back then. Oh it was a different time, meeting one of my offspring asking for power and glory to bring vengeance upon those who have wronged him.¡±


    ¡°A foolish endeavor of thosewho do not see the bigger picture before them not after it is too late.¡±


    ¡°So you do understand after all. I thought you wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°And yet you still lent me your power.¡±


    ¡°I gave you nothing of sorts. You anger did everything for you. I was just there to hear you out. Sometimes we need a person to hear us in times of need. That was a time of need for you.¡±


    ¡°So, why come now? Have I done something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No. You came last time because you wanted something. Now I come to you because I want something in return. Why did you choose to marry a Human? I see you forgave them, that much is clear, your rage is gone, but why go so far?¡±


    ¡°I saw people who I cannot possibly comprehend, doing things that may not be that far from what you¡¯ve done, accomplishing so much with so little time given to them. So, why not try something like that? Why not take a chance that was given to me?¡±


    ¡°So, have you regretted the choice you made?¡±


    I think back on the previous months. The preparations, the learning, meeting the Human who seemed so hateful and fearful of us. Watching her slowly come out of that hatred. Seeing the look in her eyes when I showed her what she could do, the gaze when she first saw her hidden potential, the happiness in her eyes. I made a Human happy, after making so many suffer. Did it make things equal, of course not, but did it matter? Making one Human happy, no, making THAT Human happy at that point made the entire World stop and nothing else but her mattered.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s wrap this Ritual up, you might feel a bit weak, after all I took quite a bit of your power to do this. Shame, that some people reject the gifts given to them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not angry that they take it so lightly? That they throw away what you do for them?¡±


    ¡°Not really, no. I gave the option, they decided to refuse, I can somewhat understand that. Given the tiny scope of what they see, it is sometimes easy to try and take the easier route.¡±


    ¡°So why do you keep giving it if they¡¯re going to refuse it?¡±


    ¡°Because every once in a while, I get to see someone like you. And it makes it worth it.


    Now off you go, it is done.¡±


    I turn to see doors behind me, then take the baby into my hands. Walking towards the door, I stop before the last step.


    ¡°Will I get to remember any of this?¡±


    ¡°What would be the point of this if you don¡¯t remember it?¡±


    ¡°But what do I do now? How do I continue with my life?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯d tell you? Just go and see for yourself. Make choices, make mistakes, grow. Live. That¡¯s the entirety of it. Nothing more and nothing less.¡±


    I take the final step, the world of fire being replaced by a flash of light.


    <hr>


    The conflagration ceases, and the cocoon of light dissipates, the baby starting to cry again. The audience starts cheering in relief, as the Maorok approaches Cerolus and takes the baby in his hands. Cerolus then slowly catches his breath and walks towards me, removing the hood of his cloak.


    Tears can be seen marking a path across his cheeks, as he silently walks past me, grasping my hand to take me with him.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I ask him, even though I probably know the answer.


    ¡°Home.¡±


    We pass a familiar female Demon on our way out of the Church.


    ¡°Not even going to say goodbye, dad?¡±


    Helen and Cerolus hug, and he takes something out from under his cloak. A small necklace with a red crystal inside it shines from his grasp. ¡°Here, I should¡¯ve given you this a long time ago. Welcome to the Lilin Council, Helen Kreshorok.¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯m leaving Dralarag soon.¡±


    ¡°And when you come back, we will be waiting.¡±


    They hug again, then Cerolus walks out of the Church, me trying to follow him long steps.


    ¡°Kozzok, we¡¯re going home.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Master, I don¡¯t think we will.¡± Both Cerolus and I turn around, to see Kozzok¡¯s figure going into his own shadow, as if his entire body is melting into the ground. ¡°I think it¡¯s time.¡±

 Chapter 49: Darkness

    I had thought that things would get hectic and urgent at this point, but my guess had proven to be wrong. Instead, Cerolus¡¯ demeanor was calm, hauntingly so. His approach to the entire situation as being even less concerning or interesting than the events that transpired yesterday afternoon, makes me flabbergasted at best. I mean, I don¡¯t understand the entire situation, but surely I¡¯ve never seen Kozzok do that before, and the cryptic saying of us not going home is quizzical to the point of wondering how much exactly I have learned about Kozzok in all this time.


    Cerolus¡¯ voice finally interrupts my line of thought. ¡°So soon? It shouldn¡¯t happen so fast. How long ago has it started exactly?


    Never mind, that doesn¡¯t matter anymore. Well then, I guess we¡¯ll be going to your Satyrn.¡±


    Satyrn? What¡¯s a Satyrn, and why doesn¡¯t the necklace translate it? Is it not a translatable word?


    ¡°Cerolus, what¡¯s going on? What¡¯s a Satyrn? What¡¯s happening to him?¡± My questions make me look like a simple child among the crowd. Even worse, the crowd around us seems to be completely aware of what is going on, and a passing child asks the same question to what appears to be his mother. I can hear the mother answer in a comforting but sullen tone.


    ¡°That¡¯s a Shadowling, dear. He¡¯s going to meld soon, and they go to their Satyrn to do that.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s meld?¡±


    ¡°You know how last year, your grandpa died and went to Great Kreshor? Well, this is like that, except that Shadowlings go to their God, Moros of the Darkness.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean that mister is going to die?¡±


    ¡°Yes, dear.¡± The child is now sadder than I first noticed him, but not particularly taken aback by the notion.


    Do children not understand dying? How is that anything but terrible? Worst of all, Kozzok¡¯s dying? Why, or how, didn¡¯t he tell me that? And Cerolus seems completely fine with that? What in the World is going on?


    Death is the worst thing that happens, how can anyone be as oblivious to that? Cerolus himself should be more aware of that, especially now that I know he has been in the war.


    Wait, how does all of this make me feel? Kozzok¡¯s dying, or melding, whatever that means, and I¡¯m standing here contemplating why they are taking their sweet time doing nothing about it.


    ¡°Why are you not doing anything?¡± I ask Cerolus in almost a childlike tantrum, my face heating up for no good reason.


    ¡°What do you mean? We¡¯re going to the Satyrn. There¡¯s nothing else to do.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re just going to let him die?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ yes.¡± I can now spot a faint presence of shock on Cerolus¡¯ face. He only seems unaffected by this, but how much is he hiding behind this fa?ade? ¡°Let¡¯s go. There isn¡¯t really much point in standing there.¡±


    Cerolus simply starts walking, to which Kozzok responds by shuffling behind him, his movement more akin to a snake slithering about the ground, his legs below the knee almost completely sunk in what appears to be nothing more than a spot of darkness on the ground.


    I follow them, still unsure of everything that is going on now.


    ------------------


    Our return to the mansion consisted of the three of us going into the carriage, Kozzok now sitting with us in the cabin rather than in the front, his usual place now ceded to a Grey Imp that seemingly appeared from nowhere, and passing the entirety of the short journey in utter silence. I didn¡¯t want to ask anything, Cerolus didn¡¯t seem to want to talk, and Kozzok was his usual silent self.


    At this point I realized I know nothing about him, or about what he is. For someone that was in close proximity to me for the past four weeks. And now he is dying. How ignorant of this World am I exactly? Will I change, will I learn?


    The silent treatment lasted well after we reached the mansion, as I found out that all the things we had were already packed and ready for travel, our destination the only thing being changed apparently.


    I looked outside the carriage as we slowly left the Capital. I had been here less than two days, and I already felt sick of it. Is it because of me, because of what happened, and can it be changed with time? I¡¯ve learned so little about it, seen so few things, I feel like I¡¯ve only grazed the possibilities inside it. And yet somehow, I¡¯ve decided that I had enough. Truly, I feel ignorant.


    The sullen air inside the carriage did nothing to change my mood, and the silence of the Demons that accompanied me didn¡¯t help either. Surely, I could ask something, anything, and be given some answers?


    ¡°Kozzok, what¡¯s going on? What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid my time is up Mistress. I must return where I came from. The Darkness is calling upon me again, and I must answer. I am bound to answer.¡±


    ¡°So this is it? Just like that, you¡¯re dying and nothing can be done?¡±


    To this, I am met only with silence and not so reassuring sighs from Cerolus.


    I guess this conversation will have to continue another time.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ------------------


    The uneventful travel has lasted for what seems to be a few hours, as the Sun is now starting to lose height in the sky. However, the sky itself starts getting darker, even with the fullness of Sun¡¯s ray being uninterrupted by any clouds. It¡¯s as if wherever we are going, the Sun never shines, simply because it isn¡¯t allowed to.


    Gradually, the entire area around us is engulfed in twilight, as if it is evening outside. Which is precisely the moment the carriage starts to slow down. Wherever we were going, we have arrived. Cerolus exits, followed by Kozzok¡¯s slithering, after which my feet touch solid ground once again. What lies before me is¡­ strange.


    The darkness seems to be coming out of a swirling mass of¡­ something. The entire area feels unnatural and hostile, my instincts screaming at me to back away. The mass itself contains some light inside it, before the darkness shifts and covers it all up, only to be pushed outside, the tiny specks of light resurfacing once more.


    And then I heard it. The wailing, the moaning, the screeches. As if there is something, or someone, crying inside the mass, making all this darkness come from within with it. The voices assault my senses, my body involuntarily shuddering despite the heat of the air around me. How is it so cold and warm at the same time? Nothing about this makes sense, nothing feels right, the entire existence of this thing is wrong.


    Cerolus then starts talking for the first time since we left the Church, completely unaffected by the cacophony before us.


    ¡°This is a Satyrn, or a Shadowspawn. It is where Shadowlings come from, and it is where they go back. This is the beginning and the end for them, all that matters to them in the end of it all. What we call life to them is nothing but a passage of time outside the Satyrn. Nobody knows what happens inside, and nobody but Shadowlings is able to enter it.¡±


    ¡°So, this is it? This is where it ends for him? He dies, and nothing is left, only the mere memory of him inside us?¡±


    ¡°Is that not enough sometimes? When do people die, when they leave, or when they are forgotten? If we cannot stop the passage of time, can¡¯t we at least cherish what it did, and how it mattered?¡±


    My sudden urges get the best of me and I hug Kozzok, or at least what part of him remains outside the darkness, as he seems to slowly disappear into it. Now I realize why they call it melding.


    ¡°I know we don¡¯t know each other, but I¡¯m going to remember you Kozzok. You better believe that. I¡¯ll remember what you did for me, and I regret that I won¡¯t be able to thank you for that.¡±


    <hr>


    The feeling of Mistress¡¯ soft skin as she clutches to the little of me that is left outside is warm.


    How do I respond to her words? Surely, we don¡¯t know each other, we can¡¯t know each other, and yet she says she will remember me?


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret Mistress. I¡¯ll remember you too. It was nice to be in your service, even though we knew each other for such a short time. It was nice.¡±


    I turn towards the Master. It is time for me to go.


    ¡°Master, I wish to be released from your service.¡±


    He only looks at me, a single line of water going down his cheeks, as he starts to remove the Connection. I feel a part of me that I never knew existed coming back, returning to this failing body. But I also feel like I shouldn¡¯t have it, that it belongs to the Master as well.


    The markings of the Connection flash on Master¡¯s skin, before burning away, leaving nothing but a mere shadow of it ever existing. And thus, I¡¯ll turn into nothing but a memory for him. Everybody turns into mere memories for Master. Truly a complex and inexplicable existence, to see people go away, to see people leave.


    In the end, I never know how he feels about all of this. He has experienced all of this before, and he will probably do so again. Does it feel the same each time? Does it feel different? Is it better? Is it worse? How does it actually feel to lose someone? I know so much about him, yet so little, what is the point of all this? The instinctual wish to serve someone, the drive to be by his side, to be bonded until I go back to my Satyrn, is that all there is for me in here?


    I heard of what my Master can do. Perhaps he would be willing maybe? Will he grant me that? Am I allowed wishes? Am I allowed to take something with me upon my return? Is that the point of me being here by his side?


    ¡°Master¡­ can you make me feel? I wish to feel. I want to know how it feels.¡±


    ¡°How what feels, Kozzok?¡±


    ¡°Everything. I wish to know about¡­ everything. The good, the bad, the gains, the losses. The love, what does it mean to love.¡±


    The call of Darkness etches into my very being, the hailing from the Satyrn becoming stronger as my Master stands before what is left of me outside the Darkness. I can¡¯t even feel how much of me is left outside, the Darkness is welcoming. The Darkness is everything, and everything is Darkness.


    Master¡­ no, no longer master, but Cerolus Kreshorok, as I called him only once before, the day we first met, the day I left this very Satyrn, puts a hand around what I trust to be the remnant of my head.


    Darkness calls for me, the voices echo around me, but his hand anchors me to this very place, as if he himself will not let me go. Then I feel the warmth of his forehead across mine, the sizzling heat of his skin melting away at the darkness, driving away the hauntings that search me.


    And then everything turns to light. A burning sensation crosses my chest as the entirety of my being is flooded by images, colors, motions. I see what it is to have someone by your side, and I can feel what it is like to lose it. A single thread that invisibly connects two people seems severed, and the coldness of your very heart prevents you from ever thinking the thread is going to be repaired, that you¡¯ll ever have something like that thread again, like you are losing a portion of yourself with that someone, that they¡¯re taking it away. And you hate them for it, and you want them to give it back, and you want to see them again, no matter what you have to give, only to have them back. To have that thread safely spun around you, where nothing can harm it. But nothing but cold dark remains.


    Then I feel the warmth inside, the fluttering of tiny wings across the air, the sensitive allure of touch of someone¡¯s skin, the greatness of being near it. My eyes turn towards the Mistress, and the feeling grows stronger, the flames burn brighter and the entire world spins and disappears out of sight. I can feel nothing but warmth now, the entirety of my being focused solely on wanting to stay near, to hang on. Is this what they call love? Is this how they feel towards one another?


    Is this the purpose for them? How is it allowed to feel so great, then feel so sorrowful after it ends? Does it end, or does it just stay with you as you move forward no matter what happens. Do the feelings of sorrow, of loss, stop and yield before these brighter ones in time? Is it the memories that seal the bad and release the good?


    The flood stops. The warmth cedes. The Darkness comes again, but it isn¡¯t the same. There¡¯s something more in it now. A familiarity of sorts, as if I were always meant to be here in the first place. As if I was away, and now I¡¯m back again. The same feelings that were just before shown to me are present again.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He has shown me what it is like to lose, and what it is like to have. And I feel both. I¡¯ve lost someone, and gained something in return. I¡¯ve grown past what I used to be, and I¡¯m ready to embrace what I will become. This doesn¡¯t seem like an end, but merely a small change. And I think everything is going to change yet again.


    The Darkness takes me. The Darkness is everything, and everything is Darkness. But it feels exactly where I¡¯m supposed to be. It feels like home.


    Cerolus Kreshorok, let us hope we meet each other again. In a different time, in a different life. And be well until then. As for me, I think I¡¯m going to be fine.

 Chapter 50: Mark

    As Kozzok¡¯s body slowly dissipated into the swirling mass of haunting cries in front of us, I could not help but take Cerolus¡¯ hand in my own. Tears wetted my cheeks inexplicably, sadness overcoming me for the person I, in the end, barely knew, and yet somehow grew to cherish.


    How must it be for Cerolus, who had known him for far longer than I? Does it still hurt? Does one ever get used to being hurt like this? The memories of Mother flood me as we solemnly stand in front of the writhing threads of light battling with the darkness.


    Is it truly a better place to where they went? Do Gods give us such luxury of joining them for time eternal, or is that a complicated ruse that no one knows how to disentwine?


    Cerolus silently walked away from me, my hand left hanging to grasp for thin air, and sat down, his back turned to me, and to the vile mesh of lights. I followed shortly. The shimmer in his eyes tore through the blackness of the sky around us as his gaze looked towards the heavensif they weren¡¯t covered in unsightly clouds.


    I tried not to speak for the longest of time, but eventually, the situation got the best of me.


    ¡°My condolences,¡± I started, almost superfluously, receiving only a small nod in return. ¡°How do you¡­¡± I stopped, almost slapping myself at even trying to finish the sentence itself. How does one feel after witnessing death? Sad? Grieving? Shattered? Unwilling to move, speak, or eat? Completely disembodied from the World? It¡¯s what encompassed me when Mother died. The sheer notion of never being able to see her again, it clutched at my heart and tugged it to the ground, out of my body and trying to suffocate me. The dull look of my family as they hopelessly tried to continue with their daily lives exacerbated the loneliness and the futility of all of it.


    Cerolus simply looked at me, his empty black eyes eerily similar to the sky.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d get used to all this by now.


    Seeing people go, seeing people die, having people taken away from me.


    I knew this was going to happen, eventually.


    You lose track of time somewhat. One day you greet them for the first time, the other, you see them disappearing before you, like petals in the wind.


    And now that one left, another will come. And the day of leaving becomes the day of greeting againlike it did before.


    Does that make it less honest? Does that make it less real? Should it matter less or more? How do you gauge which deaths should hurt, and which not?


    I feel¡­ emptier again. Well, I suppose I somewhat am.


    But time has no place for empty people, or at least for an emptied me.¡±


    The crackles and howls behind us converged into a small source of gasping and shrieking, my back turned in an effort to shelter myself from all of it, unsuccessfully so. Cerolus took notice of the change, his solemn face placating a fickle smile instead.


    ¡°No place for an emptied me.¡± He stood up and turned towards the sound.


    <hr>


    I have not had a Shadowling get replaced within the same week, let alone hour before. It usually took some time for one to find a way to slither into my life. Usually, the Exchange is brief, although the person who initiated it varied.


    ¡°Your name, Satyr?¡±


    I stood before the small lump of dark mist as it engulfed the fickle creature in it. The newly birthed being gasped for air and prodded the dirt around it, its dark blue skin partially sheltered by the rapidly disappearing guise.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    I waited a few moments for the writhing and wheezing to stop, before initiating the Exchange once again.


    ¡°Your name, Satyr?¡± I now used Shadowspeak fully, instead of mixing it with Dral, remembering that newborns do not possess the knowledge of other tongues but their own.


    The small blue Satyr now took notice of my presence and his long ears perked upwards, moving his face out of the solid dirt below and slowly anchoring himself on the cloven hooves. The naked body reminiscent of a child no more than seven years old finally mustered enough strength to stand up.


    Easily reminiscent elongated face, shimmering eyes, and small horn stubs adorned the Satyr¡¯s visage. Although he looked like a child now, he would grow fast as soon, many parents wishing their children would do the same, only to be regretting it later as well.


    ¡°Your name, Satyr?¡± I initiated the Exchange properly, our eyes locked now. A shiver coursed through my entire body and prodded my magic channels, feeling for remnants of Kozzok¡¯s Mark and efficiently removing it.


    The not-a-child child¡¯s mouth opened, its voice raspy and weak, still testing its abilities and limits, tasting the air. ¡°Rikkir. And yours, Lilin?¡± It¡¯s astonishing how they always know you. He even knows my name, but the Exchange is necessary all the same.


    ¡°Cerolus Kreshorok. Do you accept to be marked by me, Rikkir, and be mine to serve for the rest of your time in the Light?¡±


    ¡°I accept.¡± The Satyr stuck out one of his dangly arms, which I took in my hand, the chill of his cold body taking over me.


    ¡°Then say your name, now, until your Meld, and receive your Mark.¡±


    ¡°I am Rikkir of Cerolus Kreshorok, one and only, here to serve.¡± The Exchange ended, and the Marking began. Darkness infiltrated my magical channels, my entire body ravaged by the foreign energy of the small being in front of me, his entire essence being shared with me. Images, sounds, smells, everything tried to escape from my mind and enter his, his small form flooded with lines of light between us. And then everything stopped.


    The markings on my body glowed only to change once again, accommodating to the new Mark that aroseand providing only a memory of those that came before it, before fading altogether.


    The familial feeling of creeping darkness arose again from within, the small tug of the Satyr¡¯s heartbeat now resting somewhere in my mind. Mentally, I grasped the newfound rope and pulled at it, a simple message to be pushed through the line. The first of many, and the most important one. Kneel.


    The Satyr¡¯s body slowly interpreted what its mind has been subjected to, the legs slowly bending and the head falling down again, his eyes escaping my sight. The Marking has completed.


    ¡°Stand up, Ko¡­ Rikkir.¡± My mind still required some adjustments to the events that transpired this day. Surely, the day would be over by now and I can rest for a bit?


    <hr>


    As I watched the scene unfold, my mind trying to go through every detail as it happened, I realized one simple thing.


    I really have little clue about Demons after all.


    We came here to say goodbye to Kozzok, we said farewells and goodbyes. Cerolus opened his mind to me once again, throwing words that meant so much more than I probably took in. And now, a small child appeared from the same place that took Kozzok away.


    And then that happened. The unintelligible noises that made their conversation, intermingled with the mention of Cerolus¡¯ name, led to the parade of light around their bodies.


    Is this how Shadowlings are born? They just¡­ appear from these things, ready to take in the world? Then what did Cerolus do to it? No, him. The child is clearly a male, his dangling bits out in the open, now that the black mist and light no longer cover his decency.


    Cerolus then approached me, the child Satyr in tow.


    ¡°Rikkir, this is my wife, Sophia.¡± Then he turned towards me. ¡°Sophia, this is my new Mark, Rikkir.¡±


    The child slowly knelt again, its small body seemingly out of proportion, not unlike a large Imp. ¡°Mistress.¡±


    Mistress? But that was how¡­ This is how Shadowlings live? In constant servitude to someone else? Is that how Kozzok was, a simple servant just made to be one, with nothing else to him?


    ¡°Is he¡­ a servant? That young?¡± I asked incredulously, my mind still figuring things out somewhere between the glimmering lights and the kneeling. Cerolus just walked past me, telling Rikkir to make himself decent, the child making a small dark cloud around his groins, both of them completely ignoring me.


    ¡°Where are you going? What happens now?¡± I turned to Cerolus as he stood by the doors of the carriage, seemingly waiting for me.


    What happens now? Where do we go from here? What will I come to learn about these strange people in this strange land? Will I be able to make any of it before my mind starts refusing it as fervently as when I first heard of them?


    ¡°We¡¯re going home.¡± He said before simply taking my hand and pulling me into the carriage with him.


    Well, home, I guess, is a place I could really use right now.


    End of Arc Four: Demons of Fire and Darkness

 Chapter 51: Invited

    2 months later


    ¡°Alright, now focus. Repeat everything you¡¯ve learned so far. And most importantly, don¡¯t stress yourself out if it doesn¡¯t work.¡± As I prepare myself, both physically and mentally, Cerolus¡¯ words keep me still in the present.


    Right, open the magical channels and focus on pushing the mana out of the hands, close all other paths, mix the arcane and fire mana together, swirl the mixed energy into a solid stream, inhale to stabilise your body, and¡­ NOW!


    I open my eyes as I exhale and open my palms slightly, a small burst of flames spreading out of my hand, only to quickly disappear into the air. It lasted less than a second, but I did it! I managed to cast a flame burst! It¡¯s weak and almost cold even, but I did it!


    I turn to Cerolus almost immediately, completely exhilarated. He taught me magic! Real spells! I almost leap into his arms and kiss him on the spot, completely careless about my surroundings.


    He prolongs the kiss for a bit before putting me down slowly. His smiling face is incredibly pleasant to see. ¡°I told you it¡¯s going to be fine.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, thank you, thank you¡­¡± I continue repeating the same two words over again as I dig into his chest with my face with my arms sprawled around him. I never thought I¡¯d be able to do this! He¡¯s been nothing but great to me all this time, and I must¡¯ve been a huge pain to take care of.


    ¡°Now, you repeat that for a bit, and we go onto other spells,¡± he says caressing my hair.


    ¡°Why so soon? I mean, I just learned this one now, and we¡¯re going to go for more?¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have a great talent in arcane spells, so anything you learn from this will be less useful than learning distortion magic properly. Flame Burst is a useful beginner spell since it contains only the basics of movement and does not require any finesse to perform. Just repeating it over and over won¡¯t get you far. Sure, you¡¯d be able to burn things in front of you, but with barely any control.¡±


    I understand now. He¡¯s been teaching me the simplest of the basic spells, but thoroughly enough so I understand how to start on more complex ones.


    ¡°For example, one of the most useful flame spells which can be used with either arcane or distortion mana is Fireskin.¡± Cerolus backs off to go in the opposite corner of the practice room, away from any shelves and books.


    After taking off his shirt he''s left with nothing but his pants. His rough breathing accentuates his chiseled body as he almost instantly combusts. Unlike the orange ember I managed to produce, the fire around his body is cerulean. Somehow, his pants remain unscathed and the flames never reach his face. Even his hair manages to remain safe from the flames.


    ¡°See, this is what I¡¯m going to teach you. Complete control over what you want to accomplish. Having the flames bend to your every move and light whatever needs to be lit and nothing more. What you decide to do with the knowledge will be up to you, but I¡¯m giving you the options.¡±


    The fire stops as quickly as it started, leaving Cerolus¡¯ body shining from sweat, his coated muscles reflecting the light of the nearby candles.


    He towels off quickly and puts his shirt back on, the image burned into my mind.


    ¡°Now then, Flame Burst.¡± He walks around the room, putting away various books and crystals, and moving the target to where he just stood. Then he walks up to me and almost shoves me into place a few feet from the target. ¡°You¡¯re going to practice until you hit the target.¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    This¡­ might take a bit longer than I expected.


    I breathe slowly, trying to gather enough mana into my arms as necessary for the spell. Then I mix the two types. Open the channels in the arms and close the others. Breathe in, focus¡­ NOW!


    -------------------------


    After a grueling session of trying to reach the target, where I realized not only that my flames need to be strong enough to burn the target, they have to reach it, and they have to be concentrated enough to not dissipate in all directions as soon as they leave my hands, I leave the room to have some well-deserved dinner and a bath.


    Cerolus had left a lot sooner, leaving the guard, Hiratun, to keep me company and, surprisingly, ask for advice. What I failed to learn before is that EVERY Demon knows Flame Break. Except for Shadowlings.


    I have to admit, it took me a lot longer than I want to admit to coming to terms with the entire situation about Shadowlings. At first, I was disgusted by how Cerolus immediately took a child and made him a servant, until he pointed out, multiple times, that it would¡¯ve come to us regardless.


    The next thing I came to learn is that Shadowlings will grow up from that form quite rapidly, as Rikkir now looks similar in age to my youngest brother.


    I still have reservations about the fact that Shadowlings are basically eternally servants to other Demons, but they themselves seem fairly content, from the little emotion they let out. I even tried to talk to Rikkir about it. His only answer was ¡°I felt this is what I¡¯m supposed to do, so I do it.¡± I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to understand them as a whole.


    My quite pleasant dinner got interrupted rather suddenly, by a commotion coming from outside and Rikkir coming to tell me my presence was required in the Gardens. Leaving behind a big juicy Hellboar steak, rather begrudgingly if I may add, I head out of the castle.


    -------------------------


    It¡¯s Humans! On horses! The regular, non-meat-eating horses!


    Wait, where do they come from? Why are they here? What is going on?


    I approach the nearest rider, trying to figure out if he wears some kind of a sigil on him.


    ¡°Greetings, Milady. We were sent to deliver a message to you.¡± The rider bows briefly, still on horseback.


    I notice Cerolus next to the other horsemen, reading a scroll that if I assume correctly holds the message. I approach him, taking him by surprise as I snatch the paper out of his hands. He merely accepts it and waits by my side for me to finish reading.


    ¡°Lord Kreshorok;


    My dear sister Sophia,


    I am proud to announce my marriage to the Princess of Basinea, and hope that you will come to the ceremony. The ceremony will take place on the sixth day of the twelfth month of current year.


    I can¡¯t wait to see you again, my dear sister.


    Your brother,


    Crown Prince Renald Leonia of the Leonia Kingdom.¡±


    I turn to Cerolus, my mouth slightly agape. My brother¡¯s getting married! This is such a great news!


    ¡°So, I assume we are going, Sophia?¡±


    ¡°We are?¡± I ask him back, as if testing to see if he has any reason not to go.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see a reason not to go. I¡¯m not going to keep you away from anyone, especially your family.¡±


    First magic, and now this, today is such a good day. I can¡¯t wait to see my family again, it¡¯s been too long. Three whole months after I¡¯ve come here, I can¡¯t even figure out how I didn¡¯t miss them so much.


    ¡°The wedding is in two weeks, so we have plenty of time to prepare for the journey.


    And as for you, you¡¯re welcome to stable your horses in the town for the night,¡± he turned towards the messengers, after which they promptly rode out of the Gardens. I don¡¯t know what they were afraid of. Cerolus, maybe? He does give off a fierce look sometimes.


    ¡°And I think you¡¯d need a visit from the tailor. You need a dress.¡±


    ¡°But I like the black one with the gemstones.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then that is taken care of, one less thing to have to pay for.¡± How does he even GET money? I never bothered to try and question Cerolus¡¯ wealth. I myself never needed to use it, nor do I have any insight into how money works in Dralarag. I assume he¡¯s wealthyif he had this castle built, especially considering how old he is, but I never checked.


    I don¡¯t even know if I could actually take care of any of the things here if he wasn¡¯t around. What would happen if he had to go somewhere without me? The whole place would crumble apart.


    But why am I thinking about money now? My brother is getting married, I get to see my family again, the Palace, everything! It¡¯s going to be so amazing, I can feel it!

 Chapter 52: Dressing Up

    Several days later


    ¡°What do you think? I¡¯ll wear this on the way there,¡± pointing at the simple red dress embroidered with some gold flakes and strings that Tiana is holding in her hands, ¡°then I¡¯ll change into the black one for the wedding and the dinner,¡± caressing the beautiful black silk of the dress, ¡°and then I¡¯ll put on the white one for the day after the wedding, when only the family is in the Palace.¡±


    I walk between the entirety of the collection of dresses currently displayed in the fitting room, while Cerolus is sitting on a chair in a corner barely paying any attention. ¡°Hey!¡± Cerolus finally digs his head out of the stack of papers he is holding and looks over what I¡¯m presenting.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll look amazing whatever you decide to wear, so there¡¯s no need to worry. I¡¯ll have these dresses packed and ready in the carriage. Also,¡± he makes a simple hand gesture at one of the Demons in the room, at which she brings out a small wooden box, ¡°I think these will go well with the black dress.¡±


    The Demon opens the box, which reveals a pair of long, black gloves with a small gem on one side of the hand. I put a single glove on that ends up covering my hand almost to my elbow with the red gem sitting comfortably on the back of my palm.


    Cerolus continues his speech while I appraise the gemstone on my hand. ¡°I had it made with a fire magic crystal, which should allow you some greater power should you need it. The glove is made from Pyre Spider silk, making it extremely durable to fire magic, so you don¡¯t need to worry about gloves getting damaged in the process.¡± Cerolus¡¯ wide smile makes me wonder what he actually prepared for, a wedding or a duel.


    ¡°What are you going to wear, Cerolus?¡± Please don¡¯t let it be armour and a sword. He looks horrifying. Mysterious, enchanting and strong, yes, but still horrifying.


    ¡°I was thinking about a nice coat. Armours are usually worn to weddings, but I get the feeling your family won¡¯t appreciate it much this time.¡± He walks out of the fitting room, only to quickly reappear holding two coats, one dim grey and the other sanguine, in his hands. ¡°So, which one do you think looks better?¡±


    Is he asking me for my opinion? Why would he do that? I know next to nothing about what he likes to wear and how he likes to look. I even like the daily coat he wears because he looks good in¡­ everything.


    ¡°The grey one.¡± How in the World did he consider red to go well with his skin? It would probably look amazing on him regardless, but let¡¯s not try it out now. We¡¯ll end up with similar colours, but that doesn¡¯t sound so bad. On the contrary, maybe it¡¯ll look well even.


    ¡°Well, that deals with that issue. I¡¯ve taken care of the town administration,¡± he takes a quill and scribbles across one of the papers in the pile, ¡°made the arrangements for transport,¡± another scribble on the paper, ¡°sent a letter to your Palace confirming our presence at the wedding,¡± now he is starting to walk around the room counting things on his fingers rambling about the things he did or should do for the trip.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    I really should be listening more to what he¡¯s saying, and maybe start to take a more active approach to leading this place at least. I feel absolutely useless as is.


    ¡°Oh right, the wedding present, I almost forgot about it,¡± Cerolus puts a paper in the air. A hand reaches out of the shadow on the wall and grasps the paper, Rikkir¡¯s face appearing out of the wall shortly. ¡°Give this to the apothecary. He¡¯ll know what to do with it.¡±


    What does this wedding present entail? Shouldn¡¯t I be more worried about my husband giving presents to my brother? He never tried to harm me that I¡¯m sure of, but I don¡¯t know what he thinks of Renald.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sophia, it¡¯s completely harmless. That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll tell you what it is, though.¡± Cerolus flashes a grin at me, his teeth making it more vicious than anything.


    ¡°I guess that settles everything.


    We¡¯re leaving the day after tomorrow, so we get at Frital the day before the wedding.


    Now, I believe you still have magical training to do.¡±


    I¡¯ll pray for you brother. I somehow think you¡¯ll need it.


    <hr>


    ¡°Renald, why did you invite that blasted Demon in our home again?¡± Father looks at me with a completely stern look. Does he not remember that Sophia is married to ¡°the blasted Demon¡±, as he likes to call him?


    ¡°How else am I supposed to invite Sophia to the wedding?¡±


    ¡°Alone! I never want to see his face again after that day.¡± He is already fuming like he did every day for the past week after I sent those messengers Sophia¡¯s way.


    ¡°You really think he¡¯d let her come without coming himself? Last time he was here, he never let her out of his sight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to get her out of that marriage, believe me on that! I never should¡¯ve accepted that treaty, it¡¯s the cause of all this!¡± The smell of wine already radiating all around my Father, I try to stay calm and not worry about the upcoming event.


    I recall the last time I saw Elena, the day I asked her father for her hand, her sweet smell around my neck as we spent the entire day in the Gardens. It always helps me relax and lose all my worries.


    I won¡¯t let a Demon ruin my wedding. That is for sure.


    <hr>


    A few days earlier


    ¡°Miss Ophelia, we should be arriving at the Leonian coast shortly.¡± The captain of the ship has taken quite an interest in me over these past weeks of sailing, constantly trying to entertain me with stories of monsters, beautiful voyages and various adventures he had encountered over the years.


    Taller than average, his bright blonde hair and clear blue eyes would never make me consider him a ship¡¯s captain or any kind of warrior for that matter. Someone looking like he does would most fit in a college or a study.


    His skin and attire, however, tells a different story. Various cuts and bruises show on the exposed skin, and his unwillingness to wear anything more dignified do tell of someone who is used to this kind of life. It¡¯s strangely attractive, to be honest, but a noblewoman like myself should never be caught mingling with someone like him.


    Perhaps it would¡¯ve been easier if I were not of noble birth. My talent in spellcasting had already got me so far with barely any need of support of my family, at this point, I think that all the imposed rules are holding me back.


    I look at the coast of Lesthoria, too far to spot anything of relevance. How Humans came to inhabit such huge swaths of land is surprising. They barely even held in that Great War, as they¡¯re calling it. It took a lot of our best casters, as well as Kriosine etchers to allow them to hold the line properly. Humans even started the war in the first place, if our accounts of their history are correct.


    And now when everything has gone to peace, my family ¡®proposes¡¯ that I go to a Royal Wedding. At least it will give me some freedom from being constantly watched and controlled by them.


    Who knows, maybe I get to see something interesting in this place, Frital, as it¡¯s called.

 Chapter 53: Nostalgia

    Afternoon before the wedding


    I can¡¯t actually believe that we are here again. When I left Frital I was certain the next time I¡¯d get to see it would be in the far future, but now that seems like a distant dream. It is almost winter now, but Frital doesn¡¯t really get cold, being close to the coast. It snowed only once during my life, but it isn¡¯t such an uncommon occurrence that people do not know what snow is. The parts near the border of Basinea get regular snowfall during winters. We¡¯ve gone to the Royal Residence there on occasions and it was a wonderful experience.


    Cerolus is sprawled on his back, his suit of armour clanking as he shifts from one resting position to the next. To my utter shock and amazement, he still chose the wear the armour during the travels but promised me he won¡¯t do so tomorrow at the wedding. I can only hope that much becomes true.


    As we slowly approach the Palace, I am overtaken by sudden panic and excitement. I haven¡¯t been away from my family for more than a week before I met Cerolus, and now it¡¯s already been three months. Have they changed some since I left? How will they react to me now?


    Cerolus slowly shifts forwards, taking a sitting position on his side of the carriage. ¡°You ready?¡± In my overthinking, I only just now notice that we¡¯ve already stopped and that the carriage doorsare opening. I can only slowly nod as Cerolus exits the carriage. I take a deep breath and take his hand, ready to see the Palace again.


    As soon as I step on the ground and try to take a look at my surroundings someone collapses with me and knocks some air out of my lungs. My back bends and my arms instinctively reach for the small person while his small arms open in a wide hug. My little brother¡¯s voice is muffled by his chin poking into my stomach.


    ¡°Oh, I missed you so much, Johnny!¡± After almost a minute of hugging incessantly, I straighten up and look over at his smiling face. ¡°You better have behaved, or I will found out and tickle you to death!¡± I blurt out and reach for his sides as he struggles to escape while giggling at the same time.


    I look up towards the rest of my family, my other brothers and Father standing in place without uttering a single word. I run over to them, hugging them one after another, tears welling in my eyes.


    Cerolus comes over and bows slightly in front of my family. ¡°Father in law. Brothers.¡± The tension in the air is palpable, as only Renald approaches Cerolus to give him a proper welcome. Father, on the other hand, wordlessly turns around and leaves, muttering something under his breath. I turn to Gavin for any explanation to Father¡¯s cold behaviour.


    ¡°Just leave him be,¡± is all I got for an answer.


    Renald and Cerolus seem to be exchanging pleasantries quite peacefully if I may add. I turn around, noticing that there is one person missing. ¡°Is Magdalene here?¡±


    ¡°In her room,¡± Gavin answers absentmindedly, staring at Cerolus and Renald making small talk about our travels. I approach Cerolus, trying to get into the conversation for a brief moment.


    ¡°Would you mind if I go see my sister?¡±


    ¡°Go, see your family. I¡¯ll be perfectly fine on my own here,¡± Cerolus answers briskly, again turning to my brother. ¡°Actually, would you be so kind to show me to your dining room? We¡¯ve travelled for quite a while, and I myself am getting a bit peckish.¡±


    ¡°Why sure, I¡¯ll get someone to lead you there. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to leave you now, there is apparently a wedding to plan,¡± my brother shows his brightest smile, the one I always envied. He always got whatever he wanted with that smile.


    ¡°Of course, I understand. I¡¯ll see you later then.¡± As Renald begins to leave, Cerolus turns towards me, ¡°and I¡¯ll see you later if I don¡¯t get lost here,¡± he says sizing up the Palace with his eyes.


    My attention then turns completely towards going to see Magdalene, as I almost run through familiar halls and past paintings I¡¯ve seen for the most of my life. I reach the closed doors of her room and, unaware of any possible consequences, push them open.


    What I forgot to ask Gavin before is if Magdalene came alone again.


    I quickly turn away and cover my eyes as if it would help to stop etching the image of my sister naked, straddling the Duke of Lesthoria, into my head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t see anything!¡± I try to touch the door and close it with one hand, while the other is securely over my eyes. I manage to do it sloppily and then run to the dining room, hoping none of this sticks in anyone¡¯s memory.


    What was I thinking? I should¡¯ve knocked in the least. I run into the dining room, where Cerolus has hogged most of the food from the table.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you on your way to see your sister?¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°I¡­ got hungry all of a sudden.¡± Yeah, let¡¯s go with that Sophia. Brilliant as always. Cerolus simply shrugs and continues gorging on food. I sit down next to him, trying my best to look as innocent and inconspicuous as possible.


    The dinner passes quickly with none of my family there to dine with us or at least keep the conversation going. The food is somewhat bland now compared to what I got used to at home. It¡¯s like there is some part of it missing somehow, some strange flavour that I can¡¯t properly describe.


    Wait, why did I use that word ¨C home? Shouldn¡¯t this be my home, the place where I¡¯m from? Have I got used to living a married life with Cerolus this fast? What does the word ¡®home¡¯ exactly entail? I¡¯m here, yet Renald and Gavin have barely spoken to me, I haven¡¯t seen Father for more than a minute and Magdalene¡­ of Gods, how will I ever forget that?


    Cerolus gets up from the table, stretching his arms, still wearing the armour. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to go on a run. Better care to not get fat! Then you won¡¯t like me as much.¡± He grins towards me, and my face flushes with heat. Luckily, no one is looking directly at us.


    The same moment he leaves, a guard approaches me. ¡°Milady, Lady Magdalene has asked for you.¡±


    Oh Gods, please make me disappear.


    -------------------


    I enter the room like a rabbit would enter the wolves¡¯ den. Carefully, and aware of any sudden movements.


    ¡°Relax, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± I flinch at the sound of my sister¡¯s voice then turn in the direction I heard it from. ¡°Gabriel¡¯s not here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to intrude. I was just so excited to see you again that I¡­¡± I almost start crying when Magdalene comes over and hugs me gently.


    ¡°I missed you so much, Soph,¡± she looks at me with a sombre look on her face. She always looked prettier than me. Her nose is prettier, her eyes are a much more vibrant colour, her face seems so gentle and kind. I, however, got teased for looking like a boy when I was younger. Even now, when she is frowning, she looks pretty. ¡°It must¡¯ve been terrible these past three months for you. I couldn¡¯t even imagine what you were going through.¡±


    She shoves me into a chair and has a lady-in-waiting bring us some tea.


    ¡°Now, tell me everything that¡¯s wrong with the bastard.¡±


    How do I explain that Cerolus is¡­ great?


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ not bad, actually.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Are you being followed, so you can¡¯t say anything? Do we have to check for spies? Is he hurting you? I swear to the Gods, if he¡¯s hurting you¡­¡± Magdalene already went on a ramble.


    ¡°No, no, wait, stop,¡± I wave my arms around, trying to calm her down. Shouldn¡¯t I be the hysterical one? ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Nowhere near like that, if I were to be precise.


    ¡°He is¡­¡± how do I even start? ¡°¡­nice.¡±


    ¡°Nice?¡± Magdalene asks incredulously, cutting and dissecting the word as she speaks.


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s nice. Nowhere near those stories we¡¯d heard from the War. He had an entire castle built for us.¡± I try to remember everything that happened in the past 3 months. ¡°He allowed me to continue my training; gave me this beautiful dress; introduced me to his family.¡± Although I will skip that part of the story. ¡°He¡¯s even teaching me magic, Magdalene! Real magic! It¡¯s wonderful.¡± Magdalene is awestruck by my words, like her image of him is completely shattered.


    ¡°So, he didn¡¯t hurt you?¡± I shake my head. ¡°Has he¡­ asked you to¡­¡± I shake even more furiously this time. ¡°Really? So, you haven¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°No, he said he won¡¯t force me if I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°So he must be having a mistress.¡±


    ¡°He said he¡¯s not going to have anyone unless I agree with it.¡± At this point, I believe Magdalene is thoroughly confused. I think this will be a lengthy talk.


    -----------------


    ¡°He¡¯s what?¡± Magdalene has started to sip some brandy in her tea at this point.


    ¡°Yes, but he doesn¡¯t really look that old. And he told me it¡¯s not going to be a problem.¡±


    My sister just keeps repeating the number over and over again, like saying it more would make it smaller. Or bigger, I¡¯m not sure which one of those she wants. ¡°One-ninety-four. By Selina. You married a relic.¡±


    I had to laugh at that. ¡°I guess I did.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re completely fine? And you¡¯re happy?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I actually think I am happy now. Everything bad that had happened with Cerolus has been vastly overshadowed by the good he brought into my life.


    ¡°So, are you going to do it?¡± Magdalene, now already a bit cheeky from the stronger drink, is waving her arms around with decreasing control.


    ¡°Do what?¡±


    ¡°Sleep with him, of course.¡±


    ¡°Magdalene!¡±


    ¡°What, I¡¯m just saying. You¡¯re happy, you obviously like him and he seems to like you as well. Why not just do it?¡±


    I try to dig further into the chair as I ponder my options.


    Does he seriously want me? He did mention it, but maybe that was a passing thought. What if I¡¯m not good enough?


    ¡°I see you don¡¯t really know the answer yourself.


    Well, it¡¯s getting late. Tomorrow is a big day, and we have to get some sleep.


    Not to mention the special guest that we¡¯re having.¡±


    ¡°Special¡­ guest?¡± Renald didn¡¯t mention anything in the letter. Actually, the letter was quite vague at best.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? We¡¯ll have an Elf spellcaster join us for the wedding. She¡¯s a noble of some sort, and this is meant to ¡®encourage friendly relations¡¯ with the Elvin and everything.¡±


    ¡°Is she here already?¡± I¡¯ve seen only one Elf on occasion. It¡¯s said they were the best when it comes to magic, although I¡¯m pretty certain they were the ones saying it. I can¡¯t even properly remember how they look like.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s arriving tomorrow morning, just in time for the wedding.¡±


    I hear a knock on the door and both of us stand up to see the person entering. It¡¯s Magdalene¡¯s husband, Gabriel. Only, now he is clothed.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here, Maggy.¡± Maggy? Is that how he calls her? Sounds cute.


    ¡°Hey!¡± she raises her voice briefly but giggles nevertheless.


    ¡°And Sophia, long time no see.¡± He approaches and kisses my hand briefly. ¡°Well except for¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not mention that again.¡± I try to stay away from that subject. ¡°Please,¡± I whisper the last word, almost afraid of someone hearing what we¡¯re talking about.


    ¡°No complaints there.¡±


    ¡°I should probably go. It¡¯s already getting late, I need a proper bath and Cerolus might actually start looking for me.


    Good night.¡±


    I leave the room and go for the baths, and after I¡¯m cleaned, head for the bed.


    With my nightgown on, I slither under the warm sheets of my bed, until I hit something soft.


    I look up to see Cerolus sleeping soundly in the bed. Last time he was here he didn¡¯t sleep at all.


    I push myself into his chest and his arms slowly come around me, locking me in his embrace.


    Now, what could possibly go wrong tomorrow?

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 Chapter 54: Special Guests

    I leapt out of the bed with a vigour that would¡¯ve made Sephor proud. The first thing I came to notice was that I was alone in this room. It was oddly lonely even though I spent a lot of time in this room by myself previously. It¡¯s as if something, or someone, was missing from this picture.


    Slightly dejected by waking up alone in the room, I fumbled back onto the bed, trying my best to eke out an additional shred of sleep. It seemed too early to be doing anything important, anyway, and the only possible thing I could think of was getting breakfast and getting prepared for the upcoming wedding. Both of those things could wait a bit more.


    The wedding was always a late afternoon event, at least the ones that I had the pleasure of attending. Mine was similar, although at the time I considered it was the first thing that happened to me.


    Tiana¡¯s familiar visage appeared in the doorway, stopping any previous thoughts of getting more sleep. ¡®Just what happened now?¡¯


    ¡°Lord Cerolus is waiting for you in the dining room, Mistress,¡± her tone carried a certain sense of urgency while also being quite lax, causing nothing but utter confusion to appear in my mind.


    ¡°Fine then, let¡¯s go. But I¡¯m going to need some help first.¡± I chuckled and pointed to my dishevelled mess of a hair, something only I seemed to have problems with. Tiana already had a hairbrush at the ready as usual, and so the daily ritual would proceed once again.


    -------------------


    After completely preparing myself for breakfast, but not the wedding, I headed down to meet with my husband. Wedding preparations always commenced mere hours before the ceremony, to allow last moment changes should the need occur, so they would have to be postponed for now.


    I expected Cerolus to somehow say the wrong thing and manage to cause a ruckus. Or for one of my brothers to get angry at the prospect of sharing a table with him. Or even possibly, although highly unlikely, for people to already start duelling. Those were the options off the top of my head, ones that I carefully considered last night and had to convince myself that were not going to happen.


    So it was hard to hold my surprise when I found none of those things had happened. Instead, I was greeted, in the lack of a better term, by Cerolus gorging on the foodstuff on the table. Magdalene and her husband were sitting on the other side of the table, whispering energetically to each other, my sister trying to shush Gabriel down while pointing in Cerolus¡¯ general direction. It would seem whatever their conversation was, Cerolus was at least a minor contributor if not the object of it. I looked at Cerolus again and some pieces of the puzzle were starting to get into place, while the others eluded me even more.


    ¡°Why are your horns on fire?¡± He was gracefully eating from his plate and was completely silent while his horns were engulfed in cerulean flames. That alone should definitely be the highlight of this day.


    ¡°Oh, your brother seems to enjoy the show,¡± Cerolus simply said and pointed next to him, where I found John staring at the spectacle with his mouth fully open in absolute, unblemished awe.


    ¡°Amazing,¡± was all that came out of John¡¯s mouth during the entire meal.


    I looked around the noticeably empty table, stopping the squabble of my sister and her husband. ¡°Where are Renald and Gavin? It¡¯s unusual for them to skip breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Renald is waiting for the bride¡¯s carriage, while Gavin is welcoming our other special guest.¡± Magdalene simply shrugged, then resumed whatever she was doing before.


    ¡°You mean the Elf is here already?¡± I was wholly interested in the prospect of meeting an Elf again. Last time I did so, I was so young I can¡¯t even remember how one looks like anymore. Only tales of them are left in my head. Wonderful tales, but there¡¯s only so much a story can do.


    Cerolus turned his head around towards me, his horns extinguished in a blink of an eye, slight warmth being all that remained out of his little show. ¡°An Elf? Wait, I heard that word before¡­ Elf, elf, elf¡­ Oh right, Elf, your word for the Dwarves.¡±


    That last word was translated in its entire essence by the necklace since I hadn¡¯t even heard of it before now. ¡°Dwarves?¡±


    ¡®Why would they call them like that?¡¯ I considered briefly of the meaning of the word behind it, lacking any means to decipher why Demons would give such a rude remark for a race.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Cerolus had gotten excited by now, his lines of thought seemingly going everywhere at once. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen one so far! Most of what we have on them are based on guesses. Is one here right now!? I can¡¯t wait to meet him, or her. It?¡±


    ¡®He hasn¡¯t met an Elf? How? He¡¯s almost two hundred years old!¡¯ Any of my questions would have to wait because the person we were talking about seemed to approach the room as a loud clamour could be heard behind the door.


    The doors opened with a loud thud.


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, somewhere in the Palace of Frital


    I had almost completely forgotten that these people cannot speak Darnasyn or Kriosian. I now remember why I had to be the one coming to this country, since I was one of the rare few that learned the common language of the Humans.


    I was told beforehand that Prince Gavin Leonia was an energetic person, but he looks more mad and erratic instead as if something had possessed him. He almost shuffled to his feet and fell over when we met.


    ¡°If you would pardon my behaviour, Lady Ophelia, the Palace has received a person I could not possibly stand as a guest, and it¡¯s driving me insane that my brother would allow such scum to lounge over our estates.¡± His manners didn¡¯t seem fitting for a Prince just then, but I was never a person to judge. I read that my kind spoke much harsher words of Humans themselves a few generations ago. Something about ¡®low-magic brutes¡¯ was a phrase that would not exit my mind no matter how much I tried.


    Indeed, most Humans¡¯ talent for magic was low at best, but some have managed to make a name for themselves even in my country. Of course, their feats were nothing but child¡¯s play to a true spellcaster like myself.


    ¡®Now, who could possibly cause such ire for a Prince? It would have to be someone out of his range of influence, thus a stranger, or a noble of higher status.¡¯ I always enjoyed small political games, but never bothered to actually focus my mind on them. Possessing a talent for magic always meant more to me than to my stupid sisters, who got married as soon as they were able to, going off to some rich guy to give children to and control.


    ¡°Oh, I do wonder who you are talking about, Lord Gavin.¡± My tries to play myself off as a kind gentle lady would only be more successful if I looked more the part. My sisters always called me a ¡®bit too rough around the edges¡¯.


    ¡°You¡¯ll meet him soon enough. I bet he¡¯s devouring every ounce of food we have just as we are talking.¡± A thought of a gluttonous fat-ass crossed my mind for a brief moment, bringing a slight chuckle out of my throat.


    ¡°But where are my manners! You must be tired of your travels, and here I am complaining about things when we only met a mere minutes before. I must apologise, my Lady.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, we all have something we dislike, and sometimes strangers are best befriended through a common plight.¡± I had met some of my best of friends that way. To be said though, an academy for spellcasters is quite a world away from a political theatre inside a palace.


    ¡°I can only hope that you see things the way I see them, then.¡± Gavin nodded and smiled at me, while his figure looked like a tower from my view.


    Finally, we approach the dining room of the Palace. I¡¯d quite enjoyed the brief tour thus far, not being able to visit any other Royal Palaces. I¡¯ve heard much about our Royal Family¡¯s, but my status as nobility could not get me so far as to actually take a step in it.


    Gavin stepped in front and shoved the door in front of me, the light of the dining room bursting into the small corridor.


    <hr>


    I can now somewhat realise why Cerolus referred to them as Dwarves. It fits somewhat.


    The Elf is¡­ well, short would be the appropriate word. Although none of us would actually say out loud.


    She entered behind Gavin, allowing everyone in the room to see her clearly. If she was maybe next to someone of smaller stature, like me for example, she wouldn¡¯t look so tiny. This way, she was almost completely overshadowed.


    Her light blue skin, or what was revealed of it, had several different markings, all of which seemed to be made in black or white ink, glowing faintly in sunlight. The markings went around her face and followed the outlines of the features. From time to time, they would shimmer and disappear then return shortly afterwards. Her face could be best described as ¡®pretty enough¡¯, although that could be because of her stature and overall height as well.


    She wore a thick white dress that seemed a tad wider for her size, managed by gold-engraved belt and rings around her ankles. The white of the dress fit seamlessly with the pure white colour of her hair, tied in a large braid behind her back.


    One of the focal points about the Elf, though, was her accessory. She held large wooden staff that was as long as the Elf was high, with the top curving into a spiral that was unlikely to be natural. The staff had marking similar to those that were on her skin, the main difference being the sheer number and density of them. For every mark on her face, three smaller ones could be discerned on the staff.


    The Elf watched around the room, observing every one of us. Then she made her appearance proper by curtsying lightly. ¡°Greetings, my name is Ophelia Berthunal. I hail from western Darnas. It is a pleasure to be here.¡±


    The room was then silent for a while, everyone seemingly afraid or enchanted by her presence. That is until Cerolus spoke up. ¡°Greetings, Lady Ophelia. I am Cerolus Kreshorok of Dralarag. It¡¯s a true pleasure to meet one of your kind, at last.¡±


    He stood up from the table, then walked to the Elf and then bowed to kiss her hand. What actually happened was quite different. The difference in their size was great enough so that she had to put her hand higher simply because Cerolus couldn¡¯t bow low enough without kneeling or genuflecting.


    ¡°What is a Demon doing in the Palace of Frital? I thought you rarely left your homes.¡± Ophelia¡¯s emphasis on the word Demon was not unlike my own when I first heard of my marriage. The seeping disgust layered in a sugary coat of kindness would surely be unmistakable. It seems that she didn¡¯t hold Demons to a much higher regard than I used to.


    ¡®I might consider getting these two separated.¡¯

 Chapter 55: (Non)Impressionable

    I had previously only heard of Elvin, as Humans call them. Some accounts of them on the battlefields of the War exist, but it was limited to only rough appearance and some basic feats performed.


    Roughlyfour, maybe four-and-a-half detrinis tall compared to me being six (horns not included), blue-tinged skin, a bit of a plump face, extremely pointed ears in contrast to my slight narrowing at the top or Humans'' round lobes, and a talent for magic of some sorts. Most of the information acquired was about the general location of their countries, which ended up being too far away from us to allow any influence, and also about the way they used mana. They seemed utterly useless at arcane magic. During many sieges, we never had a description of any one of them throwing a Fireball, let alone something more complex.


    Shadowlings were recruited to garner everything they could. Bodies wereacquired, in whatever shape we could muster. They were of little use, the vague markings disappearing moments after the person would perish. Nothing impressive about them was found. No peculiarities involving magical absorption. Any one of the Elder Circle races were regarded highly superior it those regards.


    The woman right in front of meseemed completely ordinary if maybe a bit on the shorter side. She could have been mistaken for a child, maybe, if her assets were not adequately developed and if her face hadn''t had minute wrinkling around the eyes and the mouth. I usually was not a good judge of someone''s character by their looks, but the way she stood and carried herself spoke of a certain dignity and pride. The look on her face, however, could be called something between surprise and disgust, if I were the one concerned.''She also carries a hint of ignorance it would seem. Possibly a lack of knowledge, but being judgemental and overt could mean she''s either young or too self-confident for her own good at times. She reminds me of Sarron.''


    Her markings and her staff, however, were a completely different story. They were both seemingly designed to channel mana, the staff being similar to a grand gemstone if a Demon were to use it properly. The markings, on the other hand, seemed to have a purpose of channelling the mana into, around, as well as out of the body. Other than that, the inner channels seemed to be quite lacking in comparison. Compared to an ordinary Human, she could be a savant. Compared to a common Drakkar, she would be considered almost inept.


    The room felt ice cold between the newly arrived Dwarf and the majority of the Royal Family of Leonia present. Sophia herself kept her eyes on both of us, her gaze darting back and forthas if she were trying to get herself in a trance. Gavin, Sophia''s other older brother, and also the one I had the least amount of contact with, seemed prone to burst into flames any moment. ''Perhaps we interrupted a budding romance? Does the younger brother feel left out in this family?''


    While Renald seemed to be cordial enough to put aside his current opinion of me for the lack of a better word, and John being a child with much less of the inborn hatred I''ve had experienced from the majority of the Humans as a whole, Gavin was, on the other hand, the one who was the most likely to get on my nerves. If push came to shove, I could consider actually looking forward to something interesting happening during this day. Human weddings seemed like a boring enough of an affair anyway.


    Sophia was the one who decided to break the chilly silence. "Why don''t we all sit and eat? The day is still young and the wedding will be bound to be a while away."


    She approached the Dwarf, Ophelia, and curtsied slightly. Her approach seemed more of try of quelling them rather than me. "My name is Sophia, I am Gavin''s sister and Cerolus'' wife."


    The look on the Dwarf''s face was precious. Disgust, amazement, conjecture, confusion, a hint of anger, her face scrunched up through all of those in a matter of moments. ''I wish I could just try and Link to her now.''


    Instead, what I did was try and defuse the situation if only for a bit. It wouldn''t do anyone any good to get riled up before the wedding even began. "Indeed, we rarely leave our homelands. But I thought my wife wanted to see her brother get married, and I couldn''t miss the chance of seeing the Palace again. She wouldn''t let me forget it I did. Is that right,dear?"


    Sophia flinched, then turned red, then flinched again. Then she looked me right in the eyes. I could sense a mixture of shock and confusion. And a hint of happiness. After all, we''ve spent enough time together for me to sense some shreds of her emotions. That was the extent of the Link for now. Sophia seemingly gathered herself, then came to my side and took one of my hands into her arms. My palm could be considered a paw in her gentle hands, the softness of her skin trying to melt the roughness of my own. She then smiled at the Dwarf, a smile that looked only partially falsified. "Yes, that''s right. How could I just come without him, or not come at all?"The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    It would seem that whatever anyone tried to do now, the tension in the room won''t lessen any. It was possible food could help, so I sided with Sophia''s suggestion. "Yes, let us eat, you must be famished after your journey. Maybe we could all get to know each other better, even."


    The entire crowd sat at the table that was starting to get refilled with food carried by what looked like a stream of servants. It reminded me of my childhood, so long ago. I recalled a specific line my father would say. ''One of the best ways to get to know someone is through sharing a meal, Cerolus.''


    Besides, it wouldn''t hurt to actually try.But I''d have to have the hosts actually ask the questions. Thankfully, Sophia''s sister seemed to know what to do. She opened the conversation: "So, Lady Ophelia, can you tell us more about yourself? How was your journey?"


    <hr>


    ''I have never seen a Demon before.''This... thing, if I can call it, seems like a perversion on everything right. Black horns, black eyes, red skin, the Demon looked like everything that is wrong with the World. ''And this Human is married to it?''


    I''m not even sure if I could consider the Demon to be a person. We''ve spent a few generations helping Humans in the War against them, and the only thing we observed from Demons is that they cared not even a little bit about saving anything of nature. Or magic. They seemed highly potent in magical craft, but they only seemed to use them for destruction and deception. Darkness and Fire. Brimstone and night. Everything wrong about the use of magic could be found in depictions we have of them. Ruthless. Cunning. Malevolent.


    And now, I was standing almost face to face with someone who I could never trust to be a decent person, let alone good. Humans seemed to have made a lot of mistakes with their peace treaties.''They shouldn''t have made a treaty at all.''


    But I tried suppressing all those thoughts and expressions. After all, I was in someone else''s home, and my safety was all but guaranteed by the nobility. And I knew I could stand my ground. I had attended the most prestigious Academy of course. I was, after all, one of the best spellcasters Darnas had. ''Maybe if they actually sent some useful people to the War, the results would''ve been different.''


    I pried my eyes off the Demon in front of me. It was useless to dwell on him, after all, we were in Human lands, and Demons seemed all but powerless outside their puny, barren lands. I turned towards the woman that asked the questions. No matter the country, nobility behaved similarly.


    "The journey has taken quite some time. Our sails are second to none, it still took us nearly a month from one shore to the other. It was, however, quite pleasant at times to be on the open sea. The sunsets over the water are beautiful." I recalled some of the sunsets as I said that sentence. Or rather, I recalled what I did with the captain of the ship during those few last ones. My family had on more than one occasion expressed little concern about my activities, and I was more or less free of but the basic of rules and responsibilities that came with it. "But it is nice to be on solid land again, and Leonia seems like a nice place to live, all things considered. I am somewhat nostalgic for home, but that passes with time, I heard."


    The Humans appeared to have a rather simplistic style of architecture, art, and fashion. Even their cuisine seemed underwhelming. Everything I tasted was either too spicy or too bland. I tried to rummage around my plate to find something that better suits my tastes.


    The conversation steered somewhat in the direction of my home. I tried to speak as little as possible, mostly kindly answering to some basic questions. They seemed to be mostly interested, however, in my staff and markings. ''I suppose that it would seem weird to them.''


    "It''s a spellcasting aid. Allows for much greater precision and control over the spells used." I shrugged the question off, hoping that it would satisfy them, at least for now. But I could always play it up a bit. "PerhapsI could provide a demonstration after the wedding ceremony, where a lot more people can observe, if you''d like."


    I put on my best smile, trying to look my best. "So, where are the bride and groom. I''d have thought they would be the centre of attention, rather than I."


    Gavin was the one that snatched the conversation away. "My brother is preparing for the wedding. As for the bride, I''d received news that she would be coming directly to the Church. Something about ''not seeing the bride before the wedding''being a part of Basinean practice. I guess that means we have more time here."


    He audibly sighed, obviously dejected by the prospect of being in the same room as the Demon. I could barely stand the Demon, Cerolus, himself, but Gavin''s resentment seemed to go above and beyond simple discomfort. I made a proposition that Gavin would probably not refuse. "Lord Gavin, why don''t you show me more of the Palace? There is still some time before the wedding, and I could use the air."


    "Certainly, Lady Ophelia." His face brightened a bit and, with the faintest hint of a smirk on our faces, we left the Demon and his wife.


    I''ll get to know them better after the wedding anyway. That''s when the good part starts.

 Chapter 56: An unpresentable Present

    "I''m not sure if I like''Lady''Ophelia," I spoke to the only other person in the room, while standing in front of a mirror, lamenting my inability to have a decent hairstyle. "She seemed overconfident and overall unapproachable."


    ''Even though I was almost two heads taller than her.''


    Tiana was, on the other hand, busy with helping me get into the black dress I''m supposed to be wearing for the wedding. The process, at least, wasn''t as arduous as putting the dresses made for balls in the Palace. The black dress required very little clothing underneath,without the need for an underdress. "I know who you are referring to, but I do not know what opinion to give. I haven''t met Lady Ophelia yet."


    Tiana tied the dress up, leaving me little breathing room.''At least my figure looks prettier.''


    After the dress was on, Tiana handed me the gloves Cerolus had had made for me. I put one of them on, still admiring the gem on the back of the hand. Trying to put the other one, it tugged on the ring of my hand, which I had managed to completely overlook. ''I guess I put it on without a thought by this point.''


    I looked at the small golden ring in my hand, the gemstones shining in thesunlight. I remembered how Cerolus had made the ring, then the entire scene of my marriage came to me. I remembered the way I looked at Cerolus for the first time, the terror he brought in me, the fear and the uncertainty of my future. I recollected how I thought of him at first, confident, scary, enigmatic. ''When had that changed? When did I stop fearing him, and started accepting him instead? It happened only three months ago, but I can never put my finger on the exact moment when it happened.''


    Coming back from my thoughts, I put the glove on then returned the ring to my finger. I decided to not dwell on those thoughts. They were unimportant anyway.


    Tiana managed to somehow wrestle my hair back into appearing passable for the wedding. "Mistress, you look almost like a proper Demon now."


    "You think he''ll notice?" I asked, the meaning of the word he being passed silently between us. After all, there was only one that could be talked about in that context. "Do you think he''ll like it?"


    "Who will like what?" A voice came from the door, startling me. Cerolus stood just outside the room, his grey attire seamlessly complimenting his white shirt and red skin. It even somehow managed to make his eyes look brighter than the usual night black. Although that could have easily been the red flares in them. Or his bright pearly smile. He approached me and took my hand. "Ready to go? We have a wedding to attend to, after all."


    I could only nod. ''Definitely unimportant thoughts.''


    ------------------------------


    The last time I was in the Church, it was me who was standing in front of the Altar. I looked around the Church, suddenly feeling a hint of magic strewnthroughout it. The lines of light that permeated the walls and the pillars made the entire view of the Hall that much enchanting. I realised that this was how Cerolus would have seen it the first time he came here. I wondered if he had been impressed by it then as I was now.


    I looked towards my husband, turning and shifting in his seat. "Just stay still at least."


    Cerolus continued to squirm, trying to fit into the small chair, his hooves dangling quite a bit forward. "My tail hurts if I try to sit properly."


    Eventually, he settled on a position between sitting and sprawling across the chair, his tail dangling off it. Next to him, as if fate planned to have some laughs, was the Elf. I wondered who thought that was a good sitting arrangement.


    Ophelia just took a glance at Cerolus and smirked at his inconvenience, her small stature allowing her to freely sink into her chair with enough room left over to put her staff. The rest of the people in the Church glanced at us, then continued to whisper among themselves. It was quite an odd sight, to see those two people that looked as different as they possibly could, next to one another.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I looked up to my brother standing at the altar. He seemed to look the happiest in his life.


    The room silenced itself in a single moment, a single voice resonating the halls. "Her Highness Third Princess Elena Sabelar of the Basinea Kingdom."


    We all stood up, Cerolus'' efforts of fitting into his chair seemingly futile. I looked towards the back of the Hall, where the doors have opened.


    She looked breathtaking. Her long blond hair reached up to her waist, flowing freely behind her as she moved. Her golden brown eyes shined with an eerie beauty that could have possibly touched your soul. The longest, most elaborate white wedding dress slid across the corridor as she seemingly floated gracefully towards the Altar.


    ''I wish I looked that pretty at my wedding.''


    "You were prettier." Cerolus'' lips nearly touched my ear as he whispered into it, my cheeksmelting under his warm breath. I turned towards himbut found him standing tall, as if nothing had happened, a mischievous smirk on his face while he gazed forwards. ''How did he hear me? Did I say that out loud? Could anyone else hear that?''


    The bride walked to the Altar, her white dress flowing down the steps. At that moment, a single thought crossed my mind, one that I had never thought I''d have.


    ''It really would have looked good in red.''


    ----------------------------


    The ritual itself did look kind of boring throughout. My brother looked enchanted throughout the entirety of it, he almost stuttered when he was to agree to the vows. The crowd found it oddly charming. They really looked like they were made for each other.


    I looked towards Cerolus again.''How did we look together? Cerolus looked intimidating, while I looked like a child. What stories did people say behind our backs? Did we look like a mismatched couple forced to live together because of a peace treaty? How did my life look like to someone outside of it?''


    I glanced over to my Family. Other than Magdalene, none of them had almost spoken a word to me since I got here. John was fascinated by Cerolus, but I''d blame the magical show for that. If they had accepted it, it didn''t show on their faces. If they had something against it, they didn''t voice it out.''Is my family still here, in this Palace, or is Cerolus the only one left? What made a family?''


    <hr>


    ''THIS IS THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE!''


    This one thought resonated throughout my head as I stood on that Altar, looking at the most beautiful woman of my life. Even now, when the ceremony was long over and we were in the Gardens for the dinner, I couldn''t get that single line of thought out of my head.


    The entire setting was perfect. The guests clamoured on their seats, the food and drinks seemingly flowing on plates between them. The late flowers were in full bloom. The Sun was almost setting, giving the sky various shades of red and blue.


    Speaking of red, I noticed Cerolus approaching my table, one of his hands holding a small bag. He motioned me to stand up and join him, so I did. If he was trying something I was missing the point, or there was no point to be made in the first place.


    As we walked slightly away from the tables, some of my guards instinctually following several paces away, he put his hand around his shoulder and slightly bent down so we were seeing eye to eye.


    He dangled the smallbag in front of me. "I know we haven''t really had time to know each other, brother, but I felt obliged to give you a wedding presentsince I heard of it being a custom here."


    He put the bag in my hand, and I reached for its contents. I pulled a small, porous ball that left a powdery trail as it rested in my palm. I tried to discern what it was but obviously failed. It seemed like it could be a medicine one was meant to swallow, akin to a pill.''Is he trying to poison me.''


    Cerolus saw my perplexed look and decided to elaborate. "Oh no, it''s not poison, nothing like that. It''s helpful instead."


    I tried to follow his line of thoughts but drew blanks. I looked at him again, and he continued. "You take it before going to bed."


    "It helps you sleep?" I suddenly wondered why would I be given sleeping medicine. We had those as well, they were nothing special.


    "Not... quite. Actually, it would be the opposite," his mouth stretched into a smile, "you see, you take it before going to bed,with your wife."


    ''Huh?''I still stood there, my face contorted.


    "It makes you''perform''better. You know," he moved his hips back and forth slightly, to accentuate his point, "it''s as much for you as it is for your wife, if you follow."


    "Also," he put one of his fingers up, which made me think of a whole another part of a body, "it helps in getting a child. You''re a Prince, maybe even a King soon. The Palace could use a baby''s cry come next year. Good for the morale of the people, and the woman," he winked at me. I wasn''t sure if he was serious or out of his mind.


    His hand retreated from my shoulder. "Just try it. It won''t make you ill, you can have my word on that. I helped made them, after all."


    I could only nod in response.


    "Good, let me know how it goes." Cerolus then slapped my behind and winked again. "And good luck."With that, he turned around and left to join the ever louder crowd at the tables.


    I stood there, the ball slowly rolling in my palm, barely able to make a coherent thought.


    ''What kind of a day is this?''

 Chapter 57: A Light Firefight

    "What did you give him?"


    Cerolus had just gone back to our table and sat down, taking his silverware in his hands again. I looked around the table, most of the food on it quite unappetizing now that I''ve got used to eating what was served in our castle. ''Is it because the food lacks mana? Cerolus mentioned something about it a few times.''


    I took some meat from my plateand slowly chewed on it, trying to find the differences between then and now. ''The taste is the same, it just doesn''t feel fulfilling enough. Is this how everything is going to go in the future? If it doesn''t have mana, might as well not eat it?''


    "It''s a secret. Not a well-known one at home, but I guess it would be a novelty to a Human." Cerolus shrugged then proceeded to wolf down his food. He always ate so much, it was a wonder he wasn''t twice his size.


    My brother had returned to his table, his face shifting between red and white. ''Surely Cerolus wouldn''t harm him, right?''


    The dinner was getting livelier by the minuteuntil Lady Ophelia (I stuck to calling her Lady in my mind, although the terms ''Elf'' and ''Dwarf'' seemed like a close second rather than only her name) stood up and walked to the centre of the tables, allowing everyone to see her. She clutched at her staff while her white dress stood just above the ground. Whenever it would get dragged on the ground by her walking, the dress would simply remain spotless. ''Was it a magical dress as well?''


    "I''d considered some requests that were made this morning, and thought I''d liven up the party by performing some magic. I''m not sure what exactly you had in mind, but I thought I''d do some simple light spells."


    She stabbed the staff into the ground, the etchings on it lighting up lazily from bottom to top until all the markings were giving off a slight glow. She then dug her heels in and made some sort of a pose. It looked somewhere between a battle stance and a prayer, her legs slightly apart while her palms were joined together.


    Cerolus stopped eating and focused on thescene in front of us. I could spot the red flares in his eyes twirling around the blackness, constantly shifting in their small dance.


    The Elf started chanting. I couldn''t understand a word of what was spoken, and the necklace I was wearing started glowing slowly. I just supposed it was trying to decipher the language uttered, but found no way of doing so. It didn''t seem to hurt in the slightest, but I took it off. I already understood Cerolus well enough when he spoke anyway. I wouldn''t need it until we get home.


    I glanced back towards the Elf, regaining my lost thread of thoughts. Her chanting seemed to go on for a while, but besides the soft glow of the staff next to her, nothing was actually happening.


    Just as I was starting to get bored, rays of light shot up from the staff, illuminating the evening sky. Twirls of various colours danced around, the hues of yellow, green and white shining against the dark blue of the early night. The lines of light went onwards towards the sky, before reaching what seemed to be their limit. They coalesced into small glaring balls hovering quite a bit above us.


    The balls then erupted rays of bright light followed by some crackling reminiscent of thunderstorms. I watched as the displays slowly dimmed itself down to nothingness.


    The crowd sat in their chairs with open mouths, before a small clap echoed throughout. Soon, an applause had started to spread, and shortly after everyone seemed to be standing up and giving a standing ovation to the show.


    The Elf turned to our table, simply glancing over me, then looked straight into Cerolus'' eyes, giving off a resounding glare as she did so. ''Was this an invitation, a challenge, or simply bragging?''


    Cerolus simply clapped his hands a few times and returned to his meal, as if nothing had happened. I could''ve started laughing at that point.


    Ophelia rushed over to the table, putting a single fist on it. "Not impressed? Think you can do better maybe, ''big guy''?


    Cerolus simply shrugged what seemed to look like an insult off. "A good show, if I may say. Highly inefficient, too long of a preparation, the chant seemed redundant, and, most importantly, it seemed like justa show. If it had any practical uses, I''d probably consider it a good effort."


    The Elf seemed furious at his offhand remarks. "Well, why don''t I show you something practical then, Demon? I did learn how to fight after all. Perhaps you''d be more impressed by that?"


    "Is that a challenge to a duel, Lady Ophelia?" Cerolus'' face seemed to brighten up as he spoke, his face suddenly gaining a smirk, his red glares in his eyes gaining in intensity.


    "What do you think we were going to do, dance?"


    "No, the two of us dancing would turn into me swinging you around the place." Cerolus stood up and walked to the centre of the table. "Then again, I think the duel won''t end in a different manner as well."


    The Elf joined him on the impromptu duelling ground, just mere feet from all the tables. "I do apologise for this, Prince Renald. If we may?"


    My brother only nodded, and I had just noticed that the crowd actually seemed eager to watch this unfold. I could even hear some betting going around the tables.


    The Elf took on a slightly different stance, the staff held firmly in her hands. The markings on her skin shimmered, and her white, braided hair swung behind her back. She looked intimidating despite her small size and lack of actual armour. Cerolus on the other hand... started taking his clothes off.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    The Elf''s face took on various expressions, but surprise and curiosity seemed to be most prevalent. "What are you doing? I said a duel, not a..."


    "What, you duel in clothing? That''s ridiculous. These clothes are too good to lose because of you." Cerolus lost his coat and shirt, leaving his in his pants. I looked around the crowd, a slight annoyance swelling inside my head at seeing other women among them.


    His clothes deposited on the nearby table, Cerolus flexed his body for a bit before assuming some sort of a battle stance, wildly different from what I was thought. Then again, he had hooves and double my number of knees.


    He beckoned the Elf towards him with his hand. "Well then, show me what you know."


    ''And I wondered what could possibly go wrong.''


    <hr>


    ''This Demon is a fool.''


    I tried my best to contain myself from saying anything that could be considered insulting, but this Demon''s mere presence here is enough of an insult. He probably doesn''t even know how to fight properly. ''Must be all for show.''


    Then he even took his clothes off. Granted, his body seems... defined, but there is little use of physical strength in a duel with someone like me. I could probably end this with a single spell. ''Maybe I will.''


    I twirled the staff in my hands, my mind reaching for every spell I had learned. Demons were weak against the light ones, although how he sat in that church was perplexing. It probably meant he was weaker now, which only bolstered my advantage.


    I thought about starting with some pure arcane arts then, just to test the area. Even though it was one of the weaker spells, it was hard to defend against, and I won most of my spars with those.


    I reached for the incantation for the Arcane Barrage. It would suffice. My staff pointed straight towards my opponent, I gathered what mana I could around me, enough for the spell to fire.


    The magic language is an old form of Elvin, something that you couldn''t converse in. But they could bend the magic toward our will, and so they did.


    Finishing the simple five-second incantation while my opponent stood there looking at me like a simple moron, I cast the spell.


    Several balls of light appeared near the tip of my staff, a small shower of arrows made entirely of mana surging out of them. Even though they were not quite big, the sheer number of them meant the spell was hard to avoid, and the body is weak to pure mana hitting it.


    The Demon watched the mana darting towards him, seemingly confused at what happened. ''Does this idiot even know magic?''


    Then he moved. His hands quickly moved in front of him while his body bent to avoid most of the incoming projectile. The part of the arrows that were to hit his palms simply bounced off harmlessly while his body only received one small cut from the largest brunt of the arrows. ''Maybe he does have some skill. He prepared a Ward beforehand.''


    ''Luckily, one Ward means you can''t prepare another one for some time.''


    I prepared the Light Bolt spell. It was a misnomer, really, being made of pure energy and only a small part of it was light magic, and it didn''t look like a bolt but a ball, but it would follow the enemy targeted and gather strength as it flew. Since he was a Demon, it would surely be enough to get him to his knees.


    The incantation was longer. Several words had to be strung in exact order for a ball of light to surround my staff and make its way towards his chest. I usually try to not aim for the face. Maybe I should''ve made an exception, his looks like it needed an improvement.


    The Demon just stood and waved his hands around, possibly trying to forfeit, while the ball dashed at him. It was amusing to watch his face lose some of its redness at least.


    I assumed the Light Bolt would strike him in the chest and push him on the ground. What I didn''t prepare for was his arms gaining a dark tinge around them and cutting through it, only a small hapless ball striking the intended target. And the ball did nothing. Pure light magic. Demons were weak against it. No damage.


    "Was that it?" He seemed to dust off something from his chest and looked at the cut on his side. "All that bragging for a small cut. Come on child, you can do better than that."


    That was it, he went over the line. "Well show me whatyoucan do then if you''re so all-powerful."


    "Sure." He flicked his hand at me, and a Fireball was launched in my direction. No preparation, no three-second incantations, nothing. A perfect Fireball, something that took a year of practice. And he only flicked his hand.


    I dodged. I had to. There was no way I could''ve prepared a Fire Ward in that short amount of time.


    I surged towards my right, the Fireball singeing the end of my dress as it missed and burned the ground behind I just had stood.


    Spellcasting was an art. It required precision, preparation, finesse. It took several years to learn the complex incantations that harness the magic around us, a few more to learn the proper forms and stances to not get a backlash. Books were written and spread around the cities for only the most talented to learn.


    And he made everything seem so easy.


    The Demon looked at the charred ground, then at me. Another Fireball popped up from his hand and darted towards me.


    I used my staff to prepare a hastened Ward. One second incantation, using a lot more mana. ''Protect''


    The Fireball collided against the shiny coating of light that hung in the air, dissipating with the resounding shatter of the Ward. I could still feel the heat of the spell as it warmed up the surrounding air.


    The Demon stood, doing nothing, seemingly waiting for me to act.''What could I do?''


    I stood up, propping myself with the staff, then started one of the longest incantations I knew. Light Blast. A concentrated beam of light energy that should at least hurt.


    It took a lot of mana, I even had to resort to using what I could of my own. It left me panting for air and sweating feverishly.


    But I had done it. I made the perfect sequence for it. A small circle of light twirled in front of me, before releasing a ray of sunlight straight towards him.


    He had to dodge it. There was no way to defend against something like that. It would properly harm him now.


    He leapt to his left, the ray of light cutting through the air he once stood, hitting the right side of his stomach. He groaned and stayed on the ground after that.


    ''I did it!''I struck a pose as I watched the Demon on the ground. The part of his skin where the light hit him was blackened, some blood oozing from the deeper wound. "See what I can do now? Just surrender so we get this over with. Would be a shame if you''d get hurt more."


    But the Demon decided to stand up at look at me. Then he smiled. And soon he started laughing.


    The Demon laughed, his hand stuck to the wound I made. Then the hand started glowing, and the blood stopped seeping from the uncharred flesh.


    ''No way. Absolutely no way. This isn''t right! He''s a Demon! He shouldn''t know light magic! He shouldn''t be able to...''


    "Excellent, you have some skill it seems. Care to continue?" The Demon simply stood there, laughing, as the wound on his side mostly subsided. I just watched him heal himselfbecause that was everything I could do now.


    "No? Well, then, it was nice." He walked towards me and shook my hand, then left to put his clothes on.


    I simply stood there.


    ''How in the World did they not win that War?''

 Chapter 58: Fathers Folly

    The crowd watching the two of them fight was mostly discouraged and somewhat disappointed. Ophelia used a few spells I had never even seen before, while Cerolus only launched a Fireball at her. And that was it. They just stopped, as if nothing had happened. I was expecting a bit more, to be completely honest.


    Cerolus put his clothes on and then sat back at the table. I leanttowards him and tried to get him to explain this entire fight to me since, in my mind, that wasn''t at all how I imagined battles were. "Why did you do that?"


    Cerolus just cocked his head at me, as if I had said something wrong or dumb, possibly both. "Why did I do what?"


    "Why did you end it so soon? I thought both of you could do more." I was perplexed by this notion of short combat. Cerolus definitely had more power than what he had shown, he himself explained to me that a Fireball is a relatively simple feat for anyone with a decent proficiency. And he was greatly above decent.


    "We could''ve, but she would''ve lost anyway." He simply shrugged the questions offof him, his hands grasping for more food on the table. At one point I wondered where he stored all that food. "Her magic seems powerful, but the way it is cast and prepared seems extremely inefficient. You noticed how she had to chant all the way through it?"


    I simply nodded, trying to see his point.


    "She would''ve needed a lot more time to respond to me than I had for her. And she didn''t seem to use any spells that were not light in nature. Now that was just inhibiting yourself. Not using other elements in a duel is like tying one hand behind you." Cerolus'' talk seemed to grab the attention of the people nearby, and I could even spot Ophelia, who was sitting relatively close, trying to listen inon his responses.


    "The point of the matter is that the outcome was determined simply by the participants involved."


    That sounded downright depressing to hear. ''If battles were determined before they even started, where does that put people?''


    I decided to shelve the matters of magical combat for another time. It didn''t seem like a proper time to be asking my husband about proper forms of battle in the middle of a wedding dinner. I had to find something else to concern myself with.


    "I''m going to go on a walk around the Gardens. It''s been a while since I had been here." I spoke while I was already standing up and walking away from the table. Cerolus didn''t seem to move from his position, although all of that was directed at him in a way. ''Why did I feel the need to tell him that? Is it because I want him not to worry about me? Do I want him to know where I am so he can be at ease? Why does that suddenly matter to me that much?''


    "Alright." He simply waved one of his hands at me while he ate.


    I went away from the raucous crowd and further into the Gardens, passing guards and servants on my way. I grazed my hand over the bark of the trees that I walked around, as I tried to think of a particular direction to head for.


    I realised that there was one person who I hadn''t seen in at the dinnerand that I was fairly certain where that person would be.


    -----------------------


    I paused before entering the small clearing in front of me. The moonslight reflected from the surface of the pond in the centre of the clearing, while an old willow hunched to dip its branches into the water. The setting of the autumn Gardens felt serene in the night thathad fallen around us.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Kneeling just in front of the lake was the one person I had been looking for. The light shone upon his grey hair and silvery clothes, while his face was turned away from me, shrouded from my attempts to guess the expression on it.


    I approached the kneeling figure slowly, but with enough noise as to not cause any alarm. I wanted to say so much, but the words were currently stuck. So I decided to open with the most simple endearing word I could find, one that I had used throughout my entire life. "Father."


    Father didn''t try to move or speak while I had approached him. His wrinkled face spoke of sorrow while the small light in his eyes tried to maintain dignity I had always thought, no, knew, he possessed. I had known that face, despite that I''ve seen him wear it but a few times in his life.


    I didn''t speak as I moved next to him, putting one hand on his shoulder while he was still on the ground. I had lots of things to say and ask, but it simply felt too inappropriate to do so now. So I simply stood there holding him while he engrossed in the faint noises of the night.


    "You know, your mother would''ve wanted to see this," he started off, slowly, as if trying to reach for words that were stuck somewhere other than his mouth. "She wanted to see all of you grow up, get married, start your own families."


    He sighed audibly, his hands reaching to wipe at his face.


    I recalled Mother. I remembered how she would tell me stories when I was little, how she would berate Renald and Gavin when they did something unfitting of us royalty. I thought about her gentle voice as I tried to remember her face.


    It was so long ago when she left Father alone. And he never wanted to find anyone else, even though I distinctly remember there being many a discussion over that. He simply wanted to be alone after that.


    Father turned his head towards me, a small wet trail across his cheek reflecting the flickers of light around us. "She always wanted to see you five grow up happy, without feeling the War we were at the time. She was a much better person than I was, your mother. She knew what to say to all of you, she knew what made you happy, what made you sad, and what gave you night terrors when you were babies."He smiled briefly, the trail of tears running down his lips.


    He smiled briefly, the trail of tears running down his lipsbefore his face turned to the pained expression. "I had wronged you, you know? I shouldn''t have sent you away to that Demon. I should''ve kept all of you here, with me. With her.


    "I''ve been so angry at myself since then, thinking about how that Demon is treating my little girl. What you had to endure next to him, what he was making you do or say. I''ve considered calling it all off so many times."


    A spark of thought entered my head, and a spark of regret followed it. ''I should''ve written to him maybe. Maybe if I tried to speak to him more, maybe it would''ve been better.''


    "You know, Cerolus isn''t bad once you get to know him." My father shuddered when he heard me say his name like that in the open. "He''s actually quite nice, even. He''s been nothing but understanding so far."


    "But he''s a Demon! Vile, stupid, ignorant..." he went off in a small tantrum. I simply tightened the grip that I had on his shoulder.


    "Charming, intelligent, understanding, not demanding, and actually quite interesting once you get to know him. He knows so much more than I''ve imagined. And he has gone through so much more than I have. He''s nothing like those stories said, Father."


    My father didn''t relent. "Demons will always be Demons. That all has to be a farce. And you are falling for it."


    I started to get a bit annoyed, if not angry, by his dismissal of me trying to make him understand. "Cerolus is not like that, Father. I think he''s a better person than you think he is. Actually, I know he is a better person than that."


    His face by know has started to gain back some colour, although it was starting to turn more into an expression of anger. "So, you''re now even willing to defend him? Just how much has he tricked you?"


    This was starting to get ridiculous by the moment, and I wasn''t sure if I would be able to get anything out of this. "Maybe if you didn''t send me there in the first place, it would''ve all been fine! But now that you actually did, at least take some time to listen to me!"


    I turned on my heels before all of this would escalate, completely forgetting the scene that had been here before I came. "And actually, Cerolus is not only better than you, or most people here, think of him, I''d say he''s a better person than you overall. He actually listens to me, for one. And he tries to care."


    I started walking, leaving the scene before tears could start running down my face.

 Chapter 59: Escalation

    I had barely calmed down by the point I''ve reached the table, the entire walk over riddled with thoughts about me answering back to Father. I hadn''t done that before, his presence always seemed too intimidating for me to try and talk back to him the way I did just now. ''Is this because of Cerolus?''


    Cerolus was not in his chair, seemingly disappearing from sight. I had considered talking to him about... well, everything, but I now had to find a new conversational partner. I knew there was one person who understood me here, so I had to go to her.


    I reached Magdalene''s table, where I found her in a conversation with other noble ladies. She saw my approach and beckoned me with her hand as I took a chair out and sat, trying to remember these women''s names. I had just realised I hadn''t interacted with any nobility in two months, being completely isolated in my castle. My entire days were devoted to learning the language, training in magic, and studying combat. ''No, wait, it''s studying the language...''


    I was engrossed in my thoughts so much to not notice that every woman at the table was looking at me. I was obviously asked a question but did not hear it. I put a small facial cue out to Magdalene for her to repeat the question, my face slightly nodding in her direction. Thankfully, my sister is a lot better at social gatherings than I ever was, a fact which some people always reminded me of.


    "So, Sophia, how have you been these past months?" Magdalene feigned interest since she already knew almostevery detail. I tried to think of any way to make a proper conversation with that question. I simply wondered what all these people thought about Cerolus or Demons in general because if they were anything like me in the beginning, there would be little point in trying to dissuade them. Many of these women lost their family in the war, so the only emotion I could build upon was anger, and I wasn''t comfortable with that because eventually, that would seep towards me as well.


    "It''s been fine. Dralarag is quite nice. The plantlife could use some improvements, to be honest, but it''s not bad." I attempted a laugh, but only a pained chuckle managed to escape. My audience seemed more puzzled by my words than entertained or interested, and that moment was the one where I realised I would be treading on a completely new territory from henceforth. ''A wife of a Demonor a Human Princess, how do these people around see me as?''


    Thinking it would only be fair, I then tried to further my cause in letting others understand what Dralarag is like to someone who had barely heard, let alone seen it. My tries to unravel the mysteries of the things I''ve seen have gone mostly... awry.


    "So, the tree produces lovely white flowers?" General Kalus'' wife was the first one to understand the concept of the Seraphim tree that I had tried to explain a few times.


    "Yes." I inwardly sighed, the prospects of some of my explanations giving roots seemed to take a lot of energy, mostly mental rather than physical, out of me.


    "And then the flowers burn the ground they land on?" Oriana Kalus was a smart woman. Someone who was married to one of the leaders of the army had to be both smart and educated to manoeuvre around the man that gave her the last name she wore. But even she seemed to found the concept of the tree baffling. ''With good excuse, to be frank. I''m not even certain what part of the explanation made sense.''


    "Well, yes. The flowers are actually used only to attract the insects the tree wants. Since it grows in areas rich in magical power, the flowers simply use the unstable remnants of the energy they develop in to also serve as a last ditch defense against animals that would harm the tree." I''ve almost repeated that sentence mechanically as I''ve heard it. Tiana had to hammer that one in over the course of a couple of sessions, her observation that I learned better when listening about things I could imagine having some solid construct of believability. It would''ve been either that or me being too stupid to understand the perfect logic of the flaming tree.


    "And the flowers don''t ignite until they hit the ground?"


    "No, they ignite if they hit anything," I mimed a Flame Burst without accidentallydoing it, as the mere action already tried to make use of some of my mana. Cerolus described the process as muscle memory, something he had said would eventually come naturally to me like it does for most of the better-trained Demons. Some scary thought ran throughs my mind that day, me being on fire was one of them. I recalled having to scrap a dress because a wind decided to blow too strongly on one particular afternoon, the same day Seraphim was apparently ''in full bloom''.


    The crowd around me gasped, more in confusion than in shock. Some murmurs went around the table, as women whispered between one another. I just watched everything unfold, everyone around me treating me like some kind of a story teller. ''Or a lunatic.''The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "So, why do you have that outside of your home?" The question was actually a sensible one, but it seemed quite naive in its essence.


    "Because..." I stopped to think a bit about the answer, trying to put together something that didn''t seem like half-assed or comical. "Because the flowers are beautiful, and it doesn''t actually seem that dangerous. The smell is also divine."


    I think the women laughed at me rather than with me on that one. The portion of those that did, in the least. Some of them retained their demeanour from before my answer, their faces incredulously akin to a mask, asingle expression plastered across a pale canvas. ''How was I even looking forward to these when I was younger?''


    Magdalene took one of my hands in hers. "I''m sure it''s amazing when you get to actually see it."


    "Yes, I''m sure it''s wonderful," came from someone at the table, the barely contained snickering going around.


    These people were starting to mock me now. They could not understand what I''ve been going through so they decided to uphold it as nonsense. ''Was I like this at first?''


    "I think I''ll go get some fresh air and a drink," I said absently to my sister, not even trying to wait in case she did not hear me. I had enough of them anyway. I got up, an empty glass of wine in my hand. I usually didn''t drink the wine, its taste being brutally sour at times, but I''ve somehow found myself having a few glasses anyway. In any case, it made me feel a bit more relaxed towards the situation in front of me. ''Who cares about them anyway? I''m not trying to impress anyone, and they will hardly ever get to see anything I described. Might as well leave it at that.''


    I tried to find Cerolus among the crowd. For someone so large and... noticeable, he somehow always managed to blend in with the crowd. Or he simply wasn''t here. ''Where could he have gone to?''


    I noticed Cerolus somewhere in the distance talking to people around him. At that point, I desired to know how he could do that, get an upper hand in the crowd, keep calm and serene, and take hold of a conversation easily. People seemed to somehow like him, to my amazement.


    He turned his head towards me and smiled. My mind felt like hovering, all thoughts dissipating in the moment. I started walking towards him. In my mind, that''s where I felt I could be now. Where I needed to be.


    My head turned slightly in my half-awake state of walking, my gaze locking with Gavin, who was in a position between sitting and standing. His face was red, his eyes faltered slightly but he managed to look straight at me nonetheless. A noticeable smell of wine and ale spread from his clothes. It would appear he decided to get drunk at my brother''s wedding. I chuckled at the thought. Rounds of laughter echoed around as the people told jokes and stories.


    "Well, look who we have here," he studdered briefly, his words ringing around, directed both at me and the people around him, who seemed equally inebriated. The laughter stopped briefly as the people started to watch me.


    "It''s my dear sister Sophia." I thought he would choke at the word considering the obvious malice and sarcasm put into it. Whatever his problem with me was, and I didn''t know of it, it seemed to be his centre of thought at the moment. "Why aren''t you with the Demon, sister? I thought younever left his side."


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about, Gavin." My stance became defensive in an instant, my hands warping around my chest. I suddenly could feel the chill of the evening air around me.


    "You don''t? Look at her, not knowing what I''m talking about." He made a weird gesture around the table, some of his friends, or drinking buddies in the least, picking up on the intended humourif there was any. "You go away, you don''t write, you don''t talk to us, and you always look for that blasted Demon when around us. It''s always him, him, him.


    "It hurts a bit, to be left like that, you know?" He made a small weep, then returned to his ''normal'' self. "But what could I know about that anyway, here you are with your Demon husband, wearing a black dress, with red gems. You look a lot like them now. Like those Demons."


    He spat, and I noticed now that most of the crowd had gathered around us in the meantime. As much as I wished sometimes to be the centre of attention, this wasn''t it.


    "It''s not like that, Gavin."


    "Oh, it isn''t? Then tell me, Sophia, what''s it like? You seem like you could always talk about him, I wonder what he is doing for you. Ortoyou." He snickered, the emphasis on the last words clearly intentional, whispers going around the crowd. "That must be it. Sophia doesn''t just look like a Demon now, shelikesthem, too. No, shelovesthem. How is it then, sis?"


    I was somehow lost in his insults, intended or otherwise. "How is what?"


    "How does it feel to love Demons? How does it feel to have one beside you? No, oneinsideyou. After all, you must''ve taken it by now, that would explain everything."


    There was a subtle line there, and he managed to cross it. Gavin slowly trudged around the crowd, slowly sipping whatever drink he had in his hands.


    "Hey, everyone! Sophia likes Demon co.."*SLAP*I stopped thinking for a moment. I''ve had enough of everyone, and everything. But this was too much. My hand moved by itself. The palm connected to his cheek. I didn''t try distancing myself. Wisps of flame erupted from my palm. They burned.


    Gavin yelped and fell. He tried to smother the fire that took on his hair with his hands. He screamed, he grunted, he cursed. People around us gasped, everyone''s eyes were on us now.


    "You bitch! You burned me! Now you are truly a Demon! I''ll kill you!" Gavin gasped for air between sentences, his singed brows, burnt hair, and charred skin hanging from half of his face. It looked like a really well-made mask at times. Thenthe realisation struck.


    ''I did that. I''ve hurt someone. I''ve hurt my family.'' Tears started welling from my eyes uncontrollably.


    ''I''m a monster'' was one thought that echoed throughout my mind, as my legs decided to move by themselves, and the entire scenery became dulled and distant as I ran.


    I ran to my roombecause that was the only place I could be right now, the only place where the monster could be alone.

 Chapter 60: Climax

    "Get back here you whore!" I considered Gavin to be quite charming when I first met him. To be completely fair to myself, I''d still taken a bit of liking to him. More important, though, was what that girl, Sophia, did.


    It was eerily reminiscent of the Demon''s magic. Chant-lessand uncontrollable, the fire burned half of Gavin''s face off. And it wasn''t a bad looking face. Blackened skin stretched just above his right eye, his eyebrow completely gone. He seemed to struggle with breathing and talking yet it didn''t dampenhis temper. If anything he was more energetic, sobered in a mere instant.


    Sophia in the meantimejust tried to shield herself from the crowd and ran away. Gavin tried to follow, getting back to his feet, albeit groggily.


    The Demon noticed the commotion. He galloped over. And I meant galloped. His movements were more akin to a wild horse than anything else. He stood in front of Gavin, his massive frame threatening in contrast to Gavin, who was by no means little. Nevertheless, Gavin tried to muster up some strength and shove the Demon away from him.


    "Get out of my way, you vile scum!" Talking, though, was all he could accomplish. His arms simply faltered on trying to push the body standing in front of him, after which he winced and covered the burn marks, visibly in pain. "What are you looking at, moron?! You want to fight now, too? Well come and get me."


    The Demon simply shook his head, partly in disgust, partly in disappointment. Then he leant forward, one of his hands grasping Gavin''s head. Gavin was, understandably, upset about the development. I stood in the foreground puzzled by what was happening, but also curious as to how the Demon will proceed.


    "Get your hand off me!" Gavin winced in pain, his mind just now realising the damage done. The Demon, however, simply stood there, almost sneering into his face.


    Suddenly, an eruption of dark magic came forth from the Demon. It smothered the air around us, the density almost making me choke. I had to remember how to filter it out to not get affected. I started preparing the first defensive spell that came to mind. It would probably be too late, but it was worth a shot. ''More importantly, why would he attack now?''


    The Demon simply stood there unmoving, the dark magic seemingly invisible to people around me. Humans seem to be extremely bad at detecting it, but I wasn''t. It was ominous. He opened his mouth. An eery voice replaced his usual calm demeanour. "Sleep."


    Gavin simply fell over, his body sprawled across the grass. People came over, fascinated and afraid at the same time. The Demon turned to me, the darkness seeping out of his black eyes. I instinctivelybacked off, my defence prepared. I put my hands in front of meas if trying to bolster my defence and improve my resolve. It didn''t help in the least.


    "I assume you can heal him?" The entire world froze at that moment. The question was baffling. ''Why was that of any importance?''


    I simply nodded. The world came to again, my lungs grasping at any air they could find. The Demon nodded in return.


    "Then heal him," he said briefly and started walking away.


    "Where are you going?!" I tried to feign some semblance of strength in my voice, although my legs were shaking by this point.


    "To my wife of course. I have nothing to do with this. He''s all yours." He pointed to Gavin''s face briefly. "If you can''t manage it correctly, I''ll see it in the morning."


    Then he left, the crowd converging on Gavin''s fallen body. I rushed over.


    I put my hands on his neck, trying to see if he was breathing. I sighed in relief when I felt his heartbeat.


    The Demon invoked a sleeping spell in momentsand some kind of a terrorising curse around him simultaneously. It was baffling.


    I looked at Gavin''s faceand prepared the healing spells. My staff glowed brightly as I tried to channel as much light magic as I could. I was still afraid of remnants of darkness, so the more I gathered the better.


    Strings of light connected to the charred flesh, slowly starting to mend it. The process would only repair the skin so far. The burnt hair and singed eyebrows would have to wait. His face would take a while to heal completely, and even then, I doubt I could get it back to what it looked like before.


    Gavin winced in pain while sleeping, as I gently stroked his hair and felt the rough marred skin.


    "There, there, it will all be fine." The words were meant for both him and me alike, as I glanced at the Demon leaving for the Palace.


    I could only hope everything will be fine. The Demon was incredibly powerful.


    ''Maybe he could teach me?''My thoughts wavered as the healing spell spread around Gavin''s face.


    <hr>


    ''I''m horrible. Nobody likes me. Everyone will hate me now.''


    Thoughts swirled around my head as I cried into the sheets of my bed. I had already ordered Tiana to leave me alone after almost ripping off the black dress and the damned gloves off me. Everything was uncomfortable now. I just wanted to lie here and weep myself to sleep. I would at least certainly try.


    ''Father couldn''t be bothered to listen to me. Renald thought almost nothing of me. Magdalene tried her best to understandbut still seemed distant. And Gavin...''I tried to recall what happened back there. I didn''t mean to perform a Flame Burst. I did want him to stop saying those things to mebut didn''t want to hurt him.


    ''No, I wanted to hurt him. For a moment, I wished to hurt him.''The realisation set in slowly as more tears welled up in my eyes.


    I had hurt someone. I caused someone pain. And that someone was my family no less. ''I am truly horrible.''


    A knock on the door echoed throughout the room, interrupted by my soft weeps. I didn''t bother trying to glance over. I didn''t want to see anyone right now.


    A few hoof stomps echoed on the floor, and then I felt someone sitting next to me on the bed. An arm tried to reach my shoulders, but I leant away from it.


    My efforts were futile, as Cerolus'' arm steadily rested on my shoulder, and soon after the rest of him was by my side. I still didn''t look at him. I didn''t want to see the look in his eyes. Whatever he thought of me now, it certainly couldn''t be good. ''Who could like someone that hurts her own family?''


    "Go away." But he didn''t. Moments passed when I would only cry into the sheets, and he would hold me. The moonlight shone through the window, trying to invade into the room. The sounds of the wedding dinner could be discerned if I tried to focus on them. But neither of those things mattered now.


    I sat up, my head against Cerolus'' shirt, tears staining the soft fabric. His heavy arm circled around me, the large hand grasping at my shoulder.


    I looked up. I didn''t know what look to expect from his face. The hesitation washed over me, but I steeled myself to at least do so much to look at him.


    His face was calm, comforting. He wasn''t angry, scared, or frightening. His lips curved slightly into a small smile. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"


    I didn''t know the answer to that question. ''Was there a correct answer to it anyway?''


    "I hurt Gavin." More tears welled in my eyes. "I wanted him to stop, wanted him to shut up. I wanted everyone to just go away. So I..." my voice wavered as put my palms in front and gazed into them. "I burned him. I''m a monster."


    "Why would you think like that?" Cerolus'' voice was soothing to my ears. It felt nice to hear him say anything at this time.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    "Because I''m a monster who hurt her own family. And now everyone hates me. Monsters are hated by everyone."


    Cerolus'' other hand took hold of my chin and he turned my face to meet his. "I don''t hate you."


    "You don''t? Why?" my voice came out to convey surprise and relief.


    "Why would I hate you? He insulted you, and you had every right to strike him back. If you hadn''t, I would''ve probably done much worse to him than what you did."


    "Why?" I had an endless supply of ''whys''when Cerolus was around.


    "Because you''re my wife, of course. And because I love you," he smiled briefly. My face flushed with heat.


    ''Why would he say that? No, how did he say that? I hurt someone. What does he mean by ''love''?'' Questions spread around my head, the list of them growing before I could find an answer to either one.


    "But... I hurt someone... I am horrible..." I tried to get some semblance of speech backbut was too taken aback to even think and comprehend words, let alone speak them properly.


    "You''re not horrible. You''re kind, sweet, young, beautiful. I have every single reason to love you. I''m not going to stop loving you because you slapped someone, Sophia," he chuckled. "Also, it was a pretty nice slap. Nice use of Flame Burst."


    ''He thought it was... nice?''I was confused. Thoroughly and utterly confused.


    "But I hurt him! Now he''s going to hate me. Every one of them is going to hate me."


    "So, what? He was an intolerable drunk, and you put some sense into him. Some people are going to hate you no matter what you do."


    "And you?" I was terrified of the question, and of the answered that would follow. Any answer that would follow.


    "I''m going to love you, no matter what." His rough lips pressed against my own and for a moment I forgot about everything that happened today. Here, it was just me and him.


    I was lost, completely and utterly. Thoughts swirled around my head. Feelings contradicted each other. Wishes took turns manifesting themselves. I didn''t know what do to. I had no idea how to proceed.


    The kiss wouldn''t last long. But I somehow didn''t want it to stop. My thoughts coalesced into a single barely coherent stream. I suddenly knew what I wanted to do.


    I wanted to love Cerolus. I needed to love Cerolus. I needed to have Cerolus.


    I opened my mouth, my tongue grazing across his lips. My hands involuntarily moved across his chest, slowly starting to feel at his body. My head was a jumble, but I didn''t want it to be anything else.


    His mouth opened, his tongue intertwining with mine as it entered my mouth. Cerolus explored my mouth thoroughly, as his hands slowly went around me and pulled me into him further. The heat of his breath flared across my face, as his hands slowly caressed my skin as they made their way to my back.


    I somehow managed to grab hold of his shirt, and our faces parted long enough for me to yank it upwards. He smirked and simply took hold of the little clothing I had and ripped it off me. His mouth went for my neck, his tongue and teeth slowly caressing every bit of flesh they could find. The warmth spread around me uncontrollably.


    Fingers felt up one of my breasts, and a soft squeeze made me shudder and whimper. Cerolus stopped moving briefly and looked into my eyes, the red circles in the blackness of his swirling around.


    His face went down to meet my other breast, and a moment later I felt something soft and wet across my nipple. Waves went across the entirety of my body, as Cerolus gripped one of my breasts firmly and caressed the other one with his tongue.


    My hands tried to grasp the entirety of his muscular body, going from his defined stomachto his hairy chest, up to the curves of his horns. I tried feeling up every part of him that I could as he didn''t let me go.


    One of my hands tried to slide down his belly, and Cerolus took my intentions in kind. He briefly sat up away from me, propping himself to unbuckle his pants. I watched his chiselled body move as his hands stripped away every piece of clothing he had on him. The last to go were his underpants, something I''d never seen him lose before. With a swift motion, he pulled them off. I gasped, then took a slight step backwards.


    "What is that?" I pointed at his member. Even from here, it looked huge. A solid slab of meat that ended in a dark red mushroom sprung in my direction. Two large bulbs accompanied the image, lazily hanging below the staff. I just stared at it. Veins went along the length, pulsing slowlyas if the thing itself was alive.


    "A... dick?" Cerolus had a puzzled look on his face as he scratched his head, the atmosphere suddenly changing.


    "That''s... going to go... inside?" I shuddered at the mere thought of it going anywhere near me. "It''s not going to fit!"


    Cerolus just had a wide grin on his face as he winked at me. "Don''t worry, we''re going tomakeit fit."


    He approached me again, the look on his face reminiscent of that of a hungering dog. His lips approached mine, as he slowly kissed me. The enjoyable kiss, however, was cut short by Cerolus moving his face downwards. His tongue moved across my body, tracing around my breasts, as his arms made their way all over my naked body. The roughness of his hands contrasted with the gentleness of his touch. He grabbed one of my buttcheeks, eliciting a gasp from me. He smirked every time I would make a sound, never stopping in his ordeal to go all over my body.


    His head reached my navel, and my legs were clasped together. The terrifying thoughts of his rod splitting me from inside were still prevailing.


    "You don''t have anything to worry about." Cerolus came back to kiss me briefly, as his hand made its way to my innerthighs. Fingers slowly circled around, caressing my inner thighs as he kissed me slowly, the other hand playing with whatever part of my body he wanted. The tension that I had was soon lost, and my legs slowly came apart, opening me up to him completely. I had never felt more vulnerable in my life, but I somehow knew that everything would be fine. A single look into his deep eyes comforted me.


    A smile on his face was all that I saw before his head went down between my legs. His tongue started moving around my flaps. I squirmed and moaned as the slow assault of his moist tongue made everything in the vicinity wet, as I slowly realised I was the one who was producing all that wetness. The electrifying touches of his tongue on my lips soon became unbearable as his tongue slowly went inside, the soft flesh looking for things to push and prod inside. The tip of the tongue finally pushed a small button inside that made my mind blank. Pure extasy came rushing out of me as I attempted to somehow vocalise what was happening to my body.


    I could hear myself spouting moans and groans, but I had little control over what my body was doing at this point. Cerolus'' tongue kept grazing around the lips, occasionally grazing the small flesh button inside, shocks rippling through my body each time he would do so. His fingers danced around my body, my mind trying to stay in focus of what was going on, and failing consistently. It was terrifying to be left to the mercy of someone else, but the sensation that he provided were wonderful.


    I tried to focus myself on doing something, but could only bring my hands to rub Cerolus'' horns repeatedly, eliciting a small groan. His passing breath brought another wave of shivers to ripple through my body, as he slowly ascended to meet my eyes. A sudden desire for him to continue what he was doing welled up in me, but all that came out of my mind was a gasp.


    Cerolus'' face came up to mine again. "This might hurt a bit at first." I didn''t care. At that moment, I was prepared to go through anything if it meant that this wouldn''t stop. He kissed my neck as his hands slowly guided my legs in the air.


    He positioned his hips towards me and put my legs in the air, my thighs grabbing his waist.


    In an instant, I felt pain as the tip of his rod started going inside of me, every small movement further inside followed by a small burst of pain. My body felt like it was attacked, but instead of trying to defend, it simply surrendered and gave way to his member. I screamed out while Cerolus spoke softly into my ears. "Yes, that''s it, just relax."


    The large head burrowed through, pain intermixed with pleasure coating every second of Cerolus'' slow prodding.


    Finally, the assault stopped, my body weak from being pushed open. I slowly came to, realising that he stopped moving altogether, and looked into his eyes. I panted for breath. Cerolus just kept on looking in my eyes, a small smile on his face. "Now, that wasn''t too bad, no?"


    I failed to send any sort of reply as he slowly started retreating outwards, my body now overwhelmed to have the assault finally end. But I knew better.


    The head of Cerolus'' staff rested just inside me, and I could feel it expand my opening as it stood, each second drawn out in spades as a multitude of sensations coursed my body. "Ready?" was all I could hear as I nodded slowly and shut my eyes, giving Cerolus complete control over my body, if that weren''t already the case.


    Cerolus hips slowly went forward again, a groan escaping his mouth as my insides were once again attacked. This time, thepain receded quicker, and a moment of bliss washed over me at one point. Cerolus started moving slowly at first, the slow movement of his staff inside me slowly eliciting less and less pain as it moved, until at one point there was no pain at all. Just pure bliss remained as every thrust forward elicited a moan from me, and a small groan from him.


    Cerolus sped up his thrusts, my hands trying to find any surface to grab hold of, as pure pleasure washed over my entire body, coating me in sweat.


    I registered some of the words that came out of his mouth, most being the repeats of the words "yes", the other ones being "tight". I cared little at this point, my own moans taking up most of my spare time as my entire body pulsed and a wash of relief coursed through me.


    My limbs felt limp and my mind was in a haze as I slowly came to again, only to see Cerolus clasping around me, pinning me to the bed, and slowly speeding up his movements. Moans echoed around the room as neither of us stopped making sounds.


    Cerolus'' movements reached a steady beat where he would continuously thrust back and forth, every thrust bringing more joy than the last. Finally, he grunted and I could feel my insides getting coated with warmth and my mind went into pure ecstasy again, losing every sense of what was going on around me. I could feel my toes tensing up, as everything reached a pinnacle. Every piece of my body felt light and pure.


    The thrusts calmed down to a halt, as Cerolus pulled away from me, and everything seemed to pour out of me as he did. He lay next to me, his body touching my own, as he put an arm around me.


    I lay there motionless, processing what had just happened. It was surreal. I never thought I''d feel like that, and I knew I wanted to feel like that again.


    Cerolus'' nose nuzzled into my face. "See, it wasn''t so bad."


    I smiled briefly. "It was... amazing." The next thing that came out was completely unthought of. "I love you too."


    Cerolus briefly looked up, the red circles in his eyes slowly swirling, and he kissed me again, before returning to nuzzling.


    A wave of fatigue washed over me, and I slowly closed my eyes. At that moment I knew everything would be fine because he was next to me.

 Chapter 61: Mending

    My eyelids felt on fire as warmth and light poured onto them. I tried my best to shield myself from the encroaching menacebut failed. I shifted my head a bit and realised that the Sun has won this time. Making any movements hadsealed my chances of going back to sleep. I''d just have to give up and get on with my day.


    I opened my eyes, taking in the light brought by the new, wonderful day. I breathed in, hoping to smell fresh air and flowers. It did not, and I couldn''t have stressed this enough, smell anythinglike flowers.


    A smell of dread permeated my bedsheets as I swiftly abandoned them, moving to the other side of the room. Several steps away, I realised the smell coming from the bed wasn''t unlike the smell coming from my own body. I realised my entire body could''ve been made of grime and sweat at this point. I quickly found any kind of cloth to cover my nude body and almost screamed. "Tiana!"


    The black skinned Demon rushed inside the room. "Milady?"


    I looked over myself, her, and then the scene around us. Everything wasexactlylike people would''ve thought if they were to see what I had been looking at. I tried to disperse those thoughts. "I need a bath, a shower, anything, just please get me cleaned somehow."


    As I pleaded, Tiana''s face lost the look of urgency and gained a small but encroaching smile. "Lord Cerolus had already called for a bath to be drawn. If you would follow me."


    ''Speaking of, where is he?''I glanced at myself, then gave off a less-than-smart comment about my current situation. I pointed at the thin bedspread I had managed to wrap around my body, tangling it somehow. "I''m supposed to go out... like this?"


    "You don''t have anything to be embarrassed about, milady. Only a guard and I are here to escort you. You''ll have utmost privacy provided." She gestured for me to follow her out the room. I spared a passing glance to the bed. Memories of last night rushed through me, and I caught myself smiling. It was wonderful.


    I walked out, a guard walking in front of me, his back turned to me the entire time, as we walked to a nearby room. I shuddered thinking someone would see me like this, but nothing of the sort happened.


    I entered the room and almost ran to the basin of water, stepping inside before Tiana could even manage to close the doors. I scrubbed my body off fervently while the sweet smell of the bath salts permeated the air.


    I had read and heard about what sex was like, but nobody explained the smell afterwards. That, however, was only a minor inconvenience compared to the feelings I''ve gone through last night. I slowed down my ravenous scrubbing to take a moment to close my eyes, lean my head on the edge of the basin and enjoy the warm water, taking everything in while Tiana washed my hair.


    I heard a chuckle and panic coursed through me, the instinct of jumping barely contained to keep my body hidden in the water. I opened my eyes and saw Magdalene sitting close to me, smiling. I sighed in relief.


    "Does this mean what I think it means?" Her eyes inspected the entirety of the basin, my body almost completely covered by water. I tried to sink further, but the hard bottom wouldn''t let me. For the first time, I thought of asking Cerolus if he knew anymagic that would make me invisible. It would''ve been handy. I only nodded and tried to look away as I blushed. Magdalene laughed.


    "What are you embarrassed about? I''m happy for you. Now tell me, what was it like?"


    "Magdalene!" I tried to contain every important emotion in that word.


    "Alright, alright, you don''t have to tell me," Magdalene stood up and walked away from my impromptu bath. She stopped at the doors and turned back to me, the expression on her face a bit solemn this time. "Are you going to be alright? With everything?"


    I took a moment to remember everything that happened before. Father not bothering to listen to me. People around me not wanting to understand. Everything that happened with Gavin. I thought long about that last part. ''Is Cerolus right? Should I care less about what people would think of me? Was I correct to retaliate like that?''


    I convinced myself that maybe it wasn''t all about me after all. People would think of me differently now, and maybe that wasn''t so bad. I briefly considered going to Gavin and apologising, but decided against it. ''He would have to come to me. And I don''t think it would be enough.''


    "I think I''m going to be fine." I thought about Cerolus and what happened last night again. "More than fine actually."


    "Am I going to see you soon again?" I thought about trying to mend things with Father. Or speaking to Renald about any of this. He wasn''t even there when everything happened.


    "I think I''ll stick to letters for a bit. Actually try sending some this time as well." ''Let things cool off. Try to see if they could understand me like that. Maybe it would be better, or maybe it won''t. Wouldn''t hurt to try.''


    "I''ll always be there if you need me, Soph." She hasn''t used that nickname for me in a long time. "You seem different now. More determined, and willing to speak, or act, out. I think it suits you."


    I tried to remember what I was like before meeting Cerolus, and how I behaved back then. ''Maybe Cerolus isn''t too bad of an influence, after all, Father.''If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Thank you. Goodbye, Maggie." I snickered, and Magdalene''s face flushed red for a moment. "I''ll miss you."


    She straightened up. "I''ll miss you too, Sophie."


    Maybe it was supposed to be like this. In time everything would find its place. I think my place, for now, is with Cerolus. But my family will always remain nearby.


    Magdalene left and I turned to Tiana, who has made some wonders with my hair as usual. "I think I soaked myself enough. Now, where has Cerolus gone off to?"


    ''I have to thank him for the bath. And for everything else.''


    <hr>


    "Stay still." The Demon spoke while Gavin grunted in front of me. I''d tried healing his face the best I could, but scars from magical fire worked differently than those from anormal one. The Demon held Gavin''s face tightly as he tried to worm out of his grasp.


    It did not help that he was in Gavin''s room and that I was actually covering myself with the sheets. I thought about what happened last night, coming to realise one simple mistake I made. ''I shouldn''t have tried to dispel the sleep.''


    I managed to cleanse off the sleepand to somehow arouse the man at the same time. I would''ve thought the drink and the fire would lower his enthusiasm, but somehow the exact opposite happened. He kissed me as soon as I stopped channelling the spells.''The rest was, well, I''m not sure if it was bad.''


    I awoke to see the Demon nonchalantly looking at Gavin''s face as he squirmed in place, trying to spout curses.


    "Not bad," was his initial comment.


    "The healing?" I asked, as a bit of pride swelled inside me.


    "No, the slap. She managed to instil distortion manaas well as fire mana in it. The healing is... well, it could be better." The Demon put one hand on the side of the face that was burned, now disfigured into a multitude of scars and wrinkles, a result of quickly healing the affected spots.


    Light seared from his palm as Gavin screamed in agony. I screamed myself. "What are you doing?"


    Gavin''s arms flailed around as he tried to wrestle the bigger man off him, unsuccessfully. Cerolus shot a glance at me, his palm firmly embedded on Gavin''s face. "Just keep him still, will you? I''m peeling off the scarred skin, then slowly mending what''s underneath. I have to get the mana out, his body is not used to it."


    The explanations made little sense, yet I did what he asked nevertheless. I held Gavin''s hands close to me as I let the Demon do what he wanted. I don''t know why, but something made me think he didn''t want or try to hurt Gavin.


    Some torturous moments of Gavin screaming and panting in turns, the Demon removed the hand from his face. There was much less scarring compared to what I''ve done previously. The skin itself seemed a lot pinker, as if newly grown. ''He could promote that much healing on a fresh wound?''


    "There, just cover it up a bit and don''t touch it excessively. The eyebrows and the hair should grow back after a while. Although, this look suits you better," the Demon spewed almost threateningly.


    Gavin felt up his face, shocked. He then closed his eyes one at a time and looked up to the Demon in confusion.


    "Your sight should be back to normal by evening, although it could take a few days." He shrugged, stood up, and turned to walk away.


    I leapt off the bed, still holding on to the sheets for cover, uncaring of how inappropriate that looked. "Lord Cerolus!"


    He stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned towards me, remaining silent. It was hard to figure out anything from looking at his face.


    "Could you teach me your magic?" I could''ve gone to my knees to beg at this point. He was unlike anything I''ve seen at home, his magic seemed so different than ours. It would''ve been a boon to anyone who could obtain a sliver of what he could do.


    "No." He simply shrugged the question off. I stared at him, my mouth opened, taking in air like a fish out of water. That was it. My chance at something that could be great was getting away from me with a simple shrug. And I had no clue what to do about it.


    "Please?" I tried to whisper the words out of my throat, only the first syllable going through.


    "I might consider taking you in another time. Now, though, I am unable to."


    "But... why?" I could only look at him in confusion. ''What did he mean by unable? Did something, or someone, stop him from that? Or did he not think I was worthy of learning from him?''


    "You really think I''d reveal that much to you, girl?" He scoffed at my words and left me alone in the corridor.


    I went back in the room, picking off my clothing from the floor. Gavin gaped at me with one eye open, the other one presumably blind from what much I''ve gathered. His breath was ragged as he tried to speak, moving his jaw unnaturally. "Did we...?"


    ''Great, he doesn''t even remember.''My palm slapped my face. The simple motion explained everything perfectly.


    I stood still for a couple of moments, letting me regain some semblance of composure.


    ''Alright, Ophelia, you have a new goal now. Learn more about the Demons and meet that Demon again. Maybe next time you won''t be so stupid and he''ll agree to teach you.''


    <hr>


    I stood in front of the doors of the Palace as I watched Cerolus walk around the convoy he had brought with him, uttering words that I couldn''t understand. Why no one else decided to come out to send them off was understandable, if only barely.


    I had been briefed of what happened after I left the dinner last night. It was perplexing. On one hand, I considered what my brother did. On the other, he was my brother, and this was almost a stranger.


    ''But Cerolus didn''t actually do anything wrong. And Sophia just defended herself. Granted, she used force, but it was still defence. And also...'' I recalled the small pouch Cerolus gave me yesterday, and what joy it had provided me last night. It was marvellous. I felt like I could do anything I wanted. Elena enjoyed it thoroughly.


    ''He actually wasn''t a bad guy overall, maybe just misunderstood.''I approached him slowly, the Demon noticing my hesitation. He was much more relaxed than I was.


    I stopped at an arm''s length away, putting my right hand up. He took it in his own and grasped it firmly as weshook hands. For a moment I didn''t know how to proceed, but it came to me shortly.


    "Thank you for the present brother. May you have a pleasant journey." His face brightened and he winked, and even I managed a smile. I noticed Sophia looking at me from behind Cerolus'' back. She came to hug me firmly.


    "I''m not sorry what I did to Gavin, but I am sorry it happened during your wedding." She spoke in my shoulder. I don''t think she was like this when I saw her the last time. I should''ve treated her better before she left.


    "Don''t worry. It''s fine. Send a letter sometimes, though. At least to me." She nodded in response and left to go stand next to Cerolus, taking his arm in her hands. They actually looked well together.


    "Ready, Sophia?" Cerolus'' question was met with a small nod and a smile from my sister. I tried to suppress a tear coming out of my eye as they turned towards their carriage. I think she would end up being the best one out of all of us.


    I heard her speak loudly to the people around, mostly servants and guards that came with them. "Demos har nos."


    ''Yes, she would definitely do well.''


    End of Arc Five: A Husband and a Wife

 Volume II, Chapter 1: New Territory

    "The NazjaraIsles are a densely connected archipelago south-west off the Mainland. The Nazjarare the sole rulers of the lands and seas surrounding the islands, their vastly different society, culture, and appearance remaining a true mystery. They maintain good relations with the other magically-adept races, particularly the Dendrin, who are their closest link to the Mainland. Several Nazjaritrinkets and artefacts have made their way to the countries of Humans and Elvin, treasured as a true rarity among the populace and nobility alike.


    The Isles are ruled by a monarch, whose title seems to translate to ''Empress'' or ''Queen''.


    There seem to be a few different kinds of Nazjar(the plural and singular form of the demonym is the same), but they all seem to share similar features. They themselves seem to be offended by any kind of attempts at classification in order to separate them.


    If travelling to the Isles, take care of the local plants and animals, as most of them seem highly poisonous or venomous to anyone that isn''t a native. And do attend the Solstice festival, it is a sight for the eyes."


    -Races of our World, multiple authors, 560 AS


    <hr>


    Few months later


    "Mommy, I don''t wanna leave!" Korthonaspleaded as I held him in a tight embrace. My other children had already started to be somewhat independentat his age. I gently stroked his black silky hair that grew from only the top and back of his head, the sides of the scalp covered in glittering iridescentscales. I could see him being quite charming when he grew up, the black hair contrasting slightly with his reddish skin.


    I looked into his watery eyes, the small swirls of red going around the pupil. His iris was black in colour, and his pupil almost completely meldedwith it, something I could never comprehend. The black contrasted with the yellow that was typical for our eyes. It looked odd, seeing a black circle inside a yellow eye compared to our slit pupils. But when the swirls came about, it looked mesmerising.


    "Now, now, didn''t you always tell me you wanted to see your dad?" I cooed as he gained a portion of the cheerful attitude he previously had. I had spent quite a lot of time describing where he would be going. After all, a half-breed had no place in the Palace, next to my other children, and my daughter had already started to threaten me. Any attempts to try and keep Korthonashere would be futile. I''d much rather not see him at all, but know that he is safe, than have to worry constantly about his well-being in the middle of my home.


    "But you won''t be there, mommy!" he tried to squeeze me tighter, his small arms reaching for one another at my back.


    "You''re a big boy now, you don''t need your mother anymore. I''ll go with you as far as I can. And your father will be there, waiting." At least I hoped that would be the case, I had no clue what I''d do if he refused.


    "Is he really as strong as you are?" I chuckled. He always wanted to know more, experience more. Cooped up in this place must''ve been tormenting for him. I had already told him a lot, and he alway had more questions for me. It was exhausting at times.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "He''s one of the most powerful people I''ve met. And someday, you''ll grow up to be as strong as he is." I pinched his nose, eliciting a small outcry from my son.


    "I really want to meet dad..." Korthonascalmed as I lulled him to sleep slowly in my arms. He was already getting heavy at four-and-a-half years old. I really was getting old myself, and he was a complete surprise to me, as I thought I was long past getting more children.


    I slowly laid him onto his bed, stroking his hair once more. He looked funny as he slept, coiling into a ball, trying to hold onto his small tail. A knock on the door caught my attention now that Korthonas was firmly asleep. I turned to see Vastar at the doorframe.


    I moved away from my son''s bed, trying to keep him asleep this time. My slithering was, thankfully, quite silent compared to his steps.


    Vastar bowed slowly. "My Queen..."


    "Stop calling me Queen, Vastar. I abdicated the position to my daughter over a decade ago." The hissing of the snakes sprouting from my head only exacerbated my annoyance. It was sometimes annoying to be called Queen. I tried to consider myself past that, and I heard people giving me various names in the process. I preferred the one given to me by the Elder Council. Stone Maiden seemed to evoke everything I strived for in my youth.


    "Apologies, milady."


    "And I consider you a friend Vastar, you could call me by my name for once." She sometimes had silly antics, and we were both in late stages of our lives. That is to say, we were grumpy old women who were way past their prime, clinging on to anything they could.


    "Is he asleep?" Vastar''ssingle headsnake swivelled and pointed in the direction of the bed. I had always been a bit envious of other people having only two headsnakes at most, while I had to contain a tangling mess of them on my head. ''I didn''t complain, though.''


    "Yes. He''s... restless these days. He''s so different from my other children, they were all pretty keen to leave my side at an early age. Korthonas is... nicer, gentler. It''s strange, to try and care about someone so much." I conceded. I wasn''t a bad mother in any sense. All of my surviving children well quite well off. But Korthonas always seemed to want more from me, always wanted to have me by his side. It was curious to experience it. ''Was that how other races cared for their children?''


    "How long until the travel?"


    "About a week or so." I had only a week to see my youngest child off, and send him to somewhere he''d never been. I still held my hopes high that everything would go well. But there was still that tiny shred of doubt crossing my mind every now and then. "About a week until the boy meets his father, at last."


    Vastar hugged me, and I felt a trail of a tear across my cheek. I was rarely like that. The hug was brief, but what I needed. I needed a friend to console me, tell me what I wanted to hear.


    "Do you think he''ll take him in?" That wasthequestion.


    I didn''t know that much about the man. After all, we''ve met only a few times. The legend of him, though, was already well established even before I ascended the throne. ''It only made me more curious about him. I wondered how someone spoken about that much would actually look like. Feel like.''


    I looked back at my sleeping child, the person that always reminded me of that time.


    ''Indeed, will Cerolus Kreshorok, the Lilinlord of Dralarag, take his son in?''

 Volume II, Chapter 2: Brief Farewells

    The early rays of Sunlight entered the room, the steady glow breaking me away from slumber. It took me minutes to fully come to, trying to suppresswaking up completely. I sprawled on the bed, my arms touching Cerolus, who was barely awake as well.


    "Hey," I whispered as I slowly nudged closer towards him, my nude body coming in contact with his. I smiled as I recollected every detail of last night''s activities.


    Cerolus hugged me with his huge arms, the heat of his body flowing into my own. His grasp was the safest place I knew now, as his arms went around my body. We kissed briefly, and he nuzzled his nose into my neck. "Morning, beautiful."


    I realised what day it was, and a part of me became anxious and dejected. I knew we talked about this at great length, but the actual realisation was still to set in. "Do you have to go?"


    His brow furrowed a bit, as he sighed. "I really do. The Elder Circle convenes about every five years, and it''s vital that every race''s representative is present. It''s how most of our diplomacy had worked."


    "Can''t I come with you?" I stroked his horns. Cerolus thoroughly enjoyed that for some reason. "You said you''re allowed to bring someone if needed. So bring me."


    "Sophia." Cerolus'' tone became stern. "I already had invited a certain someone to join me on this occasion. And you''re..." he lingered for a brief moment.


    I had to concede, he made his points stellar. "...a Human. Yes, fine, the rest of the races don''t like Humans. I got that."


    It was something extremely hard to accept, that people out there just hated us for various reasons. ''But then again, weren''t we the ones who did the same to Demons?''


    "Nobody hates you. But no other races are allowed at the Circle. We''d have to make an official stance about the other races regarding their status with the Circle. I already know that you Humans have something called a High Council with the Elves. It''s similar to that. Would they allow me to be there?"


    ''Probably not.''I could see his reasoning. It was, after all, something I''ve been taught rather thoroughly in the Palace. I was unlikely to inherit the throne or hold a great title, but the education I considered to have received was similar to that of Renald''s or Magdalene''s. It was, begrudgingly, one of the few good things I considered to have gained from Father. He still decided to not answer my letters, even though I sent a few ones to all of them.


    "But..." Cerolus'' frown turned into a smirk, "that doesn''t mean I have to leave right this moment."


    His face slowly disappearedfrom view as he kissed along my body, while all I could do is enjoy.


    <hr>


    My usual morning approach to Lord Cerolus'' chambers was off. He would''ve usually been gone by this time, leaving only Hiratun at the doors to wait for Lady Sophia. Seeing Nerephil here was a surprise. A pleasant one, but a surprise nonetheless.


    "Phil, what are you still doing here. Is everything alright?" I came to his side and received a small peck on the lips. His brown eyes shone brightly and he went to reach for my bottom. I shoved his hand away with my own, as we were on duty and this was not a part of it. His hand reached for my hip instead, which I minded less.


    I realised he liked to show off a bit in front of the other men, but that wasn''t really necessary.


    "Why don''t you hear for yourself?" He nodded towards the shut doors. I approached the heavy, and ornately engraved, wood and leant in.


    Moans, groans and sudden shoutouts made me jump back and slap Phil then and there. "You could''ve just said it, you idiot!"


    "What, it''s not like we don''t know what''s going on in there. It''s been practically the same every night since they came back from the Human country. Gotta admire the old man, he still has it in him." Nerephil struck out a fist and Hiratun did the same as they bumped and smiled. "It seems they went for a morning routine as well this time."If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Probably because the Lord is leaving for the Capital today," Hiratun added, a usually stern face under his helmet replaced with a bright smile as he nodded.


    I remembered what is going on, and realised the implications. I clasped my hands around Phil, trying to ignore proper manners and etiquette. "Don''t you have to go, too?"


    "Yes." Phil''s answer was slightly solemn. "I''m gonna miss you."


    I kissed him again. "I''m going to miss you too."


    Hiratun groaned audibly. "Oh get a room. I know I have to stand here and listen to that guy doing it," he pointed towards the doors, "but I sure don''t have to watch you two in front of me."


    Phil and I sneered at him in unison and in that same moment the doors opened. I tried to regain my composure and straighten my shirt, partly in panic.


    Lord Cerolus came out, panting lightly, but soon regained his usual stern composure. "Oh good, you''re here Tiana."


    I immediately curtsied at the mention of my name, trying to not show my rapidly searing face. It was hard at times to contain emotions when your face could burst into flames at any time.


    "Just stay there for a bit. I think Sophia will call for you when she''s ready. Nerephil,let''s move. I hope you packed," he made an offhand remark as he already started strutting along the hallways, Phil rushing to get to his side.


    I sighed, relieved at the Lord''s lack of reaction. But then he turned his head back to me. "Don''t worry, I''ll get this guy back to you in one piece." He patted Phil''s shoulder piece, as the person wearing it tried to sink into the floor, and winked at me mischievously.


    I could only nod and try to make myself invisible, something that isn''t a Firebearer''s forte.


    ''Of course, he knows.''


    When the two of them were out of sight I sighed while Hiratun was snickering at my side.


    <hr>


    I tossed around on the sheets, trying to delay the inevitability of getting up. ''It wouldn''t do if I didn''t at least see him off. That''s what wives do, no?''


    I leapt from thebed and put on the sleeping gown I was supposed to be wearing to bed. The silken dress saw little use in the previous days, as the feel of Cerolus'' skin is much more comfortable than fabric.


    I traced my hands along my body, trying to remember if there was something I forgot.But nothing of the sort came to my mind in the moment. I shrugged off the worries. ''There shouldn''t be anything wrong anyway. I''m feeling the best I''ve ever been.''


    I called for Tiana, but she already seemed to have been standing at the doors. It''s a bit embarrassingif I were honest with myself. Her faced seem a bit redder than usual. And it showed. Her skin colour was coal black, so any redness was a stark contrast to the norm. It was like an inverse of Cerolus'' eyesif I were to make a comparison.


    "Are you alright, Tiana?" She simply nodded and shrugged the question off with a brief yes, then started to fit me inside the dress I was usually wearing. It was a bit tighter fit than usual. ''I guess I could''ve been eating a bit more these past months.''


    The room was in silence as Tiana worked her usual magic in making me presentable, at least until I get to my training for the day. I switched up the routine a bit, the combat training was now a few hours after breakfast, after which I''d take a small meal, then proceed with the magical lessons. Although, I had to rethink that plan now that Cerolus was leaving. He didn''t even bother specifying how long he''d be gone. '' "I don''t know what they''ll want," he said. Well at least tell me an approximation, so I don''t have to worry.''


    The morning routine was a bit rushed as the three of us strode along the hallways, the silent guard''s armour clanking as he moved. I was queasy along the waybut didn''t think much of it, instead relegating it to fatigue. It was a blissful tirednessif I were to add.


    We exited the castle to see Cerolus already directing the convoy. I ran up to him and hugged him from behind, losing myself in his broad back. He turned towards me and smiled brightly, the smile that always filled me with glee.


    "I''m going to miss you," tears welled in my eyes slowly as I realised that for the first time since we''ve met I actually won''t get to see him the next day. It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.


    "Not as much as I''ll miss you," his lips pressed against mine and I could feel the warmth spreading around me. I would have to remember this and treasure it in the coming days.


    The hug ended, and Cerolus quickly readied the guards that would be escorting the carriage on their Triforce Drakes. I noticed one guard that is usually in front of our chambers nodding to Tiana as she blushed vigorously and shied away. My eyes bulged as the wheels in my head turned to come to a resounding realisation of what was going on.


    Cerolus waved at me, and I waved back as he stepped into the carriage and disappeared from view, the wheels starting to turn as the Firemanes neighed furiously, flames seeping around.


    He really did leave me alone in the castle. Yet somehow I felt confident I''d manage. I turned to the coal-skinned woman with reddened cheeks.


    "Now then, Tiana. Tell me... everything!"

 Volume II, Chapter 3: New Discoveries

    "...So it''s been going on for two months?! And I didn''t know?" My voice resonated through the dining hall. I couldn''t contain myself from poking at Tiana''s life now. She had been literally taking care of me for the past five months, and I knew so little about the woman. I felt negligence. ''And I thought I would be better than this.''


    My questions were going on for the largest part of the meal. I even had Tiana sit next to me and talk. She protested, almost making me feel bad for asking her to sit in the first place. I had to order her to sit next to me to stop the incessant refusals. They were futile from the beginning.


    "Yes, milady. Nerephil is..." she wandered off, her cheeks blushing. Although her blushing was actually a torrent of red streaking across the coal skin, providing enough light to see well in the darkness even. It would certainly be difficult to hide. I felt fortunate to be able to at least somewhat contain what was going on in my head at times.


    "You know, you once told me to be open to Cerolus. I respect that. And you don''t need to say anything. I can practically see it on you." I held up my hands and pulled her into a hug, shrieking.


    Tiana panicked briefly, and her arms flailed about for a bitbefore she embraced me as well. "I am lucky to have him. But I don''t think I''ll ever have what you and Lord Cerolus possess."


    Her eyes took on a tinge of sadness before I wiped at them. "No, no. No crying or sadness here. You have someone you like, and I have someone I love. We''re supposed to be happy."


    Realisation struck me. I had used these words. Joy, love, happiness. I''d made idle chat. And I did it here, with someone I never thought I''d get to meet. And I had a person that meant everything to me. Somehow, my mind managed to cast fear and doubts. ''How much of this is real? And will this last?''


    I tried to not think about the future,staying in the now instead. I had the entire day to myself. I had to learn to use it.


    But some things would needremain as a part of my habits. ''Like training with Sephor, for example. But a bit after this hearty breakfast.''


    Tiana and I proceeded with chatting as we moved to the Gardens. The morning Sun would warm up the air just enough to feel comfortable. I learned that Dralarag doesn''t really get cold at any point in the year, it just got less hot. The lessons I had were taking root, and I now had actual confidence in my language capabilitiesto hold a conversation without using Lyndarian or the necklace.


    I still kept the ornate gem around my neck, for it felt almost a part of me now. Taking it off in the evenings felt neither relieving nor saddening, but it was comforting to have the necklace touch my skin during the day.


    A wave of nausea hit me as the fresh air of the Gardens entered my nose. I took smaller, sharper breaths as I clutched my head. Colours seemed blurry for a moment, and then everything dissipated to normalcy.


    "Are you alright, milady?" I registered Tiana''s concerned tone.


    I deflected the remarks. "I''m fine. I could''ve just ate too much too fast. I just felt so much hungrier today."


    Tiana''s face briefly remained contorted into worry but soon snapped back to her normal demeanour.


    We got to one of my favourite sitting spots in the Gardens. I could lie back and watch the sky change hues, the wind blow through the trees, even glance at the quivering Grappler as it shook occasionally. The flowering season had ended, and the Gardens were noticeably duller.


    Cerolus had a structure of stone made inside the Gardens and enchanted to spout water upwards, the droplets flying about. The refreshing air relieved any pressure or worry I had as I took in the sight.


    Barks echoed nearby, and Fluffy raced towards me with a large bone in his jaws. His movements stopped as he dropped the large rib onto the ground. His noses moved across the air around him as he sniffed vigorously. Whereas he would almost instantly lay by my side, he was now at a few steps away, visibly perturbed.


    I heard Cerberi were great at detecting danger, so I immediately rushed to several conclusion, each less likely than the last.


    Just as I got worried about some grave danger hanging overhead, Fluffy picked up the bone and approached me again. He lied down lazily, one head clutching the bone while the other lapped as a response to my gentle caresses. ''That was unusual. For a moment, he behaved like the first time I saw him as if he didn''t recognise me.''


    I dismissed any presumption I had, considering that it could''ve been nothing at all.


    We enjoyed the beauty of the morning for a while, but it was time to get going and proceed with the day. It was due time to go train with Sephor. I had been slowly improving, getting used to the fighting and sparring style Demons presented with.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    I got to the training grounds, where Sephor had already been waiting for me. We spent almost every day out here, sparring and improving on my technique. Today should be no different. My sparring armour rattled as I moved into the position, preparing for the assault that would inevitably come.


    "Good morning, milady," Sephor''s words slurred. He would always come off with the slightest hint of mockery in his stanceas if I were not good enough for this. It only helped stir up my motivation to improve and learn. If I were to guess, that was his actual goal with his gestures, because if it was, he was an excellent instructor and this castle was lucky to have him as its Guard Captain.


    "Good morning to you as well, Sephor," I chided from under the helmet. He had me wear them starting from a month ago, saying it would be good practise once I''d got far enough in the training. The helmet was anything but comfortable and my hair wasoverflowing onto the sides, making it all the hotter inside.


    I intended to strike first this time, switching my defensive stance to one more appropriate for attacking. My heels shifted, pushing the loose soil and digging the rare patches of red.


    I made a step. My stomach rumbled. My vision blurred. My throat itched. My head burst in pain.


    I toppled over and opened my mouth. A gush of yellowish goop splashed on the ground below, some particles making their way on the iron and leather armour. My throat felt on fire, and my head wasn''t any better.


    I caught only a glimpse of the ensuing panic. Before I could protest, the helmet was taken off, my hair was tied into a tight knot, and parts of armour were discarded. The sudden fatigue made any attempts to persuade Sephor, Tiana, and Hiratun that I would be fine futile at best.


    A soft fabric covered the clothes I was wearing under the armour and Hiratun picked me up, carrying me in his arms. I tried to protest, "I''m fine!"


    "We won''t take any chances, milady. We''re going to have a physician visit your chambers," Tiana responded from out of my view.


    Hiratun made short work of the steps and hallways and in what seemed like moments, I was redressed and lain down, embracing the soft covers of my bed. Tiana ran circles around the spacious bed, gathering water and some unknown herbs.


    There was a knock on the heavyset doors, and I could hear Hiratun''s voice from beyond it. "Milady, it is the physician."


    "Let him in," the sentence came out more as a question rather than a statement, but the doors opened regardless. A slender Demon entered. He was noticeably older than the people I came in contact with so faror at least looked the part. Rough spectacles laid on his nose, distorting the size of his eyes. He was bald but had a patch of grey on his chin, giving him the appearance of a scholarly goat, especially considering the large ears and the milky white skin. He possessed hooves like Cerolus, the completely white groom contrasting with the black of his coat and pants.


    He trotted slowly to a chair that was laid on the floor near the bed and put a large black case on the seat. "Greetings, milady. I am Asclepias Mantadarand I serve as the physician of the town and castle ofBretir."


    His voice was mesmerising, and I had already started to calm down. My head was better and I felt no urge to lose my breakfast anymore.


    "Now, if you would just remain calm and tell me what you have been doing prior to the... event."


    I briefly recollected what had happened this morning. He demanded details, and after a few nods from Tiana, I had to tell, to my utmost embarrassment, what happened in the bed this morning, omitting all the details I could. The Demon took out a small book and scribbled in it as I talked. My cheeks were now red hot, which could be quite fine considering I had looked myself in the mirror before being set in bed and appeared pale.


    Once the painful exchange finished, he put the book down, then went towards the basin of water. He calmly washed his hands while he spoke to me. "Do I have your permission to examine you?"


    I nodded slowly, trying to trust the man in front of me. I assumed Cerolus placed some trust in him considering Bretir was, as I came to learn, under our governance and that I was the one supposed to make decisions if my husband was indisposed, like now. ''Really great timing for all of this.''


    The wise goat Demon put his hand on my chest, poking at my belly and sides with the other one. He took out several gems from the bag, and I just watched as the cold surfaces touched my skin. Some of the gems glowed, some flickered, others did not change at all. The physician made sighs and grunts as he worked. It seemed like this was either going really well or really bad.


    "You don''t seem ill," he conceded finally. "Have you eaten anything strange? Drank something that tasted different than usual?"


    I shook my head vigorously. I had been eating similar meals for a whileand had grown accustomed to them as well. Some fears let themselves out and swirled about my mind. ''Could have someone tried to poison me?''


    "Have you drank any medicine or potions?" The Demon made more scribbles in his small book.


    "Well, I drank that thing Tiana gave me for the... courses..." the physician wrote something in the book, as I tried to remember when was the last time I took it.


    "I usually take it as soon as they start so that was..." I drew blanks. I couldn''t remember anything about the green goo. I wasn''t particularly distressed or distracted, but any semblance of amemory of it was gone from the past month.


    "...two months ago..." The realisation settled in as the entire room enveloped in silence.


    Asclepios took out a vibrant red gem from his bag. It was noticeably larger than the previous ones, and he could hold only one end of it in his hand. One side of the gem was almost perfectly rounded, having very few imperfections in its shape.


    The rounded edge of the gem was laid squarely on my chest. "This is a heartstone. It detects, well, the beat of one''s heart."


    The gem slowly lit up, the crimson brightness pulsating through. It beat at a steady pace, and I instinctively tried to count the beats of colour.


    The Demon moved the gem slowly towards my belly, the steady beat slowing down a bit. A new shade of crimson could be discerned in the gem, a few brief pulses completely overshadowed by the larger one.


    As the gem moved, the pulses of the newly developed shade grew faster, beating the first one in intensity.


    Soon, the gem was squarely on one side of my belly, and only one shade of crimson could be seen, pulsing furiously inside the gem.


    My mouth was wide open, as the Demon looked towards me. "Congratulations, milady. You are with child."

 Volume II, Chapter 4: New Resolve

    I stared blankly. Thoughts ran about, each but a sliver of coherence. A sea of thoughts in my head, all emptied in an instant. Inklings popped up, then came back down, crashing with any other thought mustered. My head was a battlefield, and I was losing.


    My gaze centred on the physician in front of me, an ambivalent smile and a curt, but cold, glimmer in his eyes. Thoughts pierced. My head rang. My ears burnt.


    "Are you... are you sure?" my words echoed. There was nothing to be unsure about this, yet I somehow didn''t know of any other reactions.


    A small nod. Affirmation. Approval. ''Congratulations?''


    There was nothing more to be said about this. ''I am having a child.''


    My memories took me to Mother. I recalled how she was before John had been born. She seemed so happy, always cheerful, with a constant smile upon her lips. I had learned I would have another brother or sister, and the entire Palace rumbled in joy and celebrations.


    I smiled. It was so peaceful and joyous back then.


    My thought reappeared. ''What happens now?''


    Fear came about. It grasped at the threads of my thoughts, reshaping them slowly,''What do I do now?''


    I gazed at my room. I grabbed the sheets around me and tried to meld into the bed. I watched Tiana''s face light up as a wide smile crept up on her face. I looked onwards towards Hiratun who stood stoic in a corner of the room. The stern face elected calmness. A small smile curved nevertheless. The room eked spaciousness and joy throughout, but in my mind, there was only trepidation.


    I looked onwards into the physician''s calming eyes. The serenity tried to grasp me, and I slowly let it. My eyes reached for the window, the landscape in the distance making my worries seem small and insignificant.


    I reached for the thoughts of Cerolus. I puzzled on how he would react to this. I imagined his face in the moment, the pearly smile encompassed by the swirls of red in his eyes. A tingle of warmth melted the remains of fear I harboured as I looked into the light-veiled plains.


    A thread of realisation hit me. We did this. What we had between us made this child. It was all real, the thoughts, the feelings, the memories. They all crashed about and made this child. I truly had someone by my side now. ''So I can do this. No, we can do this. We can have a child.''


    A tingle of warmth melted the remains of fear I harboured as I looked into the light-veiled plains. ''There is, after all, little use of worrying now.''


    I looked up to Tiana.


    "I''m going to have a child!" My exclamation held none of the fear, trepidation, or reservations I had. It was pure joy and bliss.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ------------------------------


    I spent the better part of the day hidden behind the doors of my room. The physician droned about everything I should do and care about. The stand in the room had herbs, jars and flasks scattered about, each one serving a different purpose but going towards the same goal. The child.


    I was forbidden combat training, something that I pleaded against. The physician gave in and allowed for minor exercise, but no sparring or heavy lifting. I was to be healthy, but not to put myself in harm''s way.


    I came to realise that there was nothing like this before. I''ve never heard of a union between a Demon and a Human, and the physician was similarly stumped as to how to proceed with all this.


    I was given the treatment any noble Demon wouldand could hope it would be well. Everything here seemed already beyond what the Palace could offer, and I sent prayers to any woman who had less.


    When the physician finally left, I realised that not even half a day had passed since Cerolus left, and the world seemed so different. I held hopes now, vastly different from those I had months ago. It was surreal. ''Me, a mother?''I considered someone playing a grandiose jest on me. Maybe Gods did, in a way. Perhaps both Selina and Kreshor did something to start all this.


    I''d have to learn a lot more than I imagined during this separation, but I somehow knew it wouldn''t be difficult to do. ''All I can do now is do my best and count the days until he returns. Whenever that is.''


    I went to Cerolus'' study. The ornate table was littered with books. Scrolls and parchments rolled across as I traced across the wooden surface.


    Somehow, I was left in charge here until he came back, and was to learn how to manage all of this.


    I sat on the chair, slowly reclining in the comfort of the padding. I glanced at the nearest piece of writing I could spot.


    "Monthly taxation reports, eleventh month, fiftieth year of Herod Kreshorok the First"


    I took the parchment in my hand, taking in the babble. Completely in Dral. And I could understand it, which came as a surprise, but did not reassure me in the slightest.


    ''Bah. Now I wish he never left in the first place.''


    At least I can''t screw up.''


    I touched my stomach, trying to feel something different than usual. But nothing came to be. It was explained it would take time, as with everything. ''Apparently, it will get worse before it gets better, and then it will shortly be worse again.''


    Even though I could feel nothing, I could sense the changes. I changedand will continue to do so. I gazed onto the table, books and pens scattered about. I was actually eager to proceed with all of this somehow.


    ''Perhaps this change is good.''


    I took a small empty parchment from the side of the tableand searched for a quill and ink. I chose the crimson colour. It somehow grew on me, the colour red. ''I was surrounded by it the entire day... and night'', I chuckled.


    I started tracing words on the thin parchment.


    "Dear sister..."


    ''Yes, she should be the first the know from my family.''


    I sat in the high chair of Cerolus'' study, writing letters to my family. All was well.


    ''I can do this.


    ''We will do this.''


    -------------------------------


    Three days later


    I scribbled along Cerolus'' writings on the parchments. Most of the mess he had left has been taken care of, and piles of books were now orderly put along the shelves. A glance towards the window notified me that the Sun is about to set. I stood up to go and eat, looking forward to the meal.


    I glanced at the clouds that gathered in the sky. Cerolus told me the seasons had changed, and that rain is to be expected now.


    I remember that it was three days since he left. ''He should be in Democrit right now. I wonder what he is doing. Is he thinking of me at the moment?''

 Volume II, Chapter 5: Leaps and Bounds

    At last, we had arrived in Democrit. The journey was incredulously dull, sitting in that small carriage was a deathly boring experience. ''Gods, I miss Sophia already. I can''t wait to get back.''


    But, those things aside now, we were in a rush. I had to get my ''invited guest'' ready and informed, barring any unfortunate circumstances that Herod could possibly provide. ''I''d really like to see him try, maybe just for show.''


    I entered the Throne Room, already notifying everyone of my arrival days in advance. All that was left were simple formalities. And then we would be gone for a while. ''Joy.''


    Herod stood in the middle of the room in attire I could only call unceremonious. Sarron was clutched in a tight hug, something I doubted aMaorok did often.


    "Ready, Sarron? I don''t intend to delay this for long; the Circle meets every five years, you better not make us late," I briefly added while moving towards the unhappy pair of father and son.


    Herod released Sarron from his fiery grasp, which would on other occasions make his enemies tremble. He was a mighty fine Flamebearer and a good leader. ''Hopefully, this experience teaches Sarron something valuable as well.''


    "Now, remember, son, listen to Uncle Cerolus.Especiallynow. And do not try to disrespect any of those people." He patted Sarron on the back again, then turned to me, his eyes wet. "Please don''t be harsh on him."


    "Oh, I''ll just give him what he''s due, Herod, don''t you worry about any of that. Now, the parchments," I declared offhandedly. As much as this was a private matter, the Elder Circle was a political establishment first.


    I put one of my arms in front and a stack of papers was thrown on it. Every important political detail we needed to discuss with the other races contained within those flimsy sheets. ''I guess we''ll be staying there for a bit longer than I initiallythought. I''m going to miss her so much.''


    "Here," I buried Sarron with the papers, then simply started walking away. "Now we''re ready to go."


    Herod stood in the centre of the Throne Room as the doors closed behind us. Sarron caught up to my walking pace.


    "I''m really sorry about... everything, Uncle," he tried to mumble some incoherence at me, but stopped once I glared at him. He swung his head low on his shoulders, keeping his gaze on the floor in front of him.


    The silence of the halls marred by my hoof stomps didn''t last long. "Where are we going, Uncle? We''re nowhere near any of the exits of the Palace."


    "Any that you know of, boy," I grinnedand opened the small elaborate doors that stood on the end of a nearly featureless hallway, barely illuminated by the torches.


    In front of us was the room that expanded beyond what seemed normal for a door of that size and decor. The illuminated ceiling was ornated by a low hanging astrolabe, showing the current positions of the stars and moons. The elaborate piece reflected the golden light that shone onto it, littering the room with a golden hue.


    The crimson markings on the floors were being redone by a number of servants and mages, each one meticulously inspected to perfection. The circle was being formed anew, as it was done every time. It was much better to be safe about these things.


    The descriptions of the ritual were scattered across the room, pages upon pages of scribbles depicting how it worked. We had discovered it quite a long time ago, and many mages studied it to improve upon the points. But no improvement actually came, the initial find still remaining in use. ''Some things are made perfect as-is.''The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    I watched Sarron gaze in awe, looking around the room few people actually have the privilege to see in their lifetime. I almost felt sad for what I had planned for him. But I really wasn''t. ''Some things children should learn the hard way.''


    I noticed the Gems being put in their positions, signalling that every plan now is afoot. I took Sarron by his hand and moved to the centre of the elaborate circle, the lines in it intersecting and curving into various shapes and figures.


    I gestured towards the large Gems around us. "These are the Jaunting Gems. They are going to get us to Drakkara."


    Sarron looked hesitantly at me. "Drakkara? But the Island of Drakkara is across an entire sea!"


    "Which is why we''re performing the Ethereal Jaunt." I motioned for the mages to start the ritual.


    Pure magic was extracted from the smaller gems within the room, and every bit of it processed and channelled into the Gems. The crimson of the circle brightened as the leyline filled with energy and the Gems absorbed the power that was pushed inside of them. The Gems took on hues of crimson and brown, pulsing lazily as the spell crescendoed.


    "Now, you might want to close your eyes and hold on to me," I didn''t bother trying to explain everything to Sarron and let the magical energy inside my body outwards. I had to give a bit more to compensate for the stowaway that I had beside me, but it would do nothing to harm me.


    The room in front of us spun once, and a blink of an eye later we were surrounded by armoured Drakkar. The Gems that were in the vastly more spacious room hummed briefly and their earthen hue dimmed. I recollected myself briefly, already got used to the process of Ethereal Jaunts. Sarron, on the other hand, was sprawled on the floor.


    I picked up the papers that were littered around him, then turned to one of the guards that were stationed in the room. "Get this guy some water."


    I noticed the welcoming committee waiting in the far corner of the room next to the oversized doors. Drakkar didn''t bother keeping the presence of this room a secret. I myself wasn''t sure what made our ancestors hide ours, but grew to like the surprise factor of it.


    I glanced to look at their faces, trying to spot any familiarities. Drakkar looked odd at times, some were too similar while other could be told apart in a mass. The pair in front of me did not catch my eye.


    One of them stepped forward. "Welcome to Drakkara, Lord... Cerolus, I presume?"


    "Who else? There aren''t many of us who classify as ''Elder'' nowadays." The crowd in front of me chuckled, then returned to their stoic standing against the wall. "In any case, this is Sarron, I''ve already announced my invitation of him to the Circle. He won''t need a room."


    The Drakkar looked at me curiously, then resigned themselves to an enigmatic sigh. Their leader approached me. "The other Elders have already gathered."


    "Well, then, better not make them wait for long."


    Sarron had calmed down and regained his composure by now. He even managed to not puke. I was looking forward to that. "What do you mean, I won''t need a room?" he gasped behind me.


    I started walking again, "No need to explain when you''ll get to know soon. Hurry up now. We are guests, and our hosts don''t like to wait."


    <hr>


    Several hours earlier, Archipelago of Nazjara


    "Ready, Korthonas?" I looked down to my son gripping my tail as we stood in the Hall of Flight. The Gems glowed a soft cerulean, gaining an ochre tinge as the spell words were uttered all around us.


    I wondered how long would it be until he would see the shores of this land again. I puzzled on the mystery that I would encounter in but a few moments. My heart pounded as I tried to bolster myself into doing all of this. ''There is no other way, but this. I can only have hope now.''


    Korthonas looked up to me, his eyes wetting with tears.


    "Don''t be afraid now. Mommy''s here. Just look into Mommy''s eyes, and it''ll be over before you know it." As for how the rest of this journey will go, I knew no words of encouragement.


    He gripped by tail even harder and didn''t leave eye contact, his gleaming red swirls locked on my face.


    The sight around us shifted instantaneously, and the rough stone of the Drakkari floors welcomed us.


    A group of four Drakkar stood on the far corner of the room, making up the welcoming party. ''Only one more Elder remaining.''


    The Dendrin were largely focused on being early, so I could guess who was going to be arriving last. I just hoped it was the person I expected. And could only hope even more that this affair would go as I imagined.


    There was no other resort to all this. I turned to my son, who looked around the room, baffled by the strangers that were Drakkar. He looked oddly similar to them in a way, but that was a pure coincidence.


    "Come on now. Let''s go wait for your Dad." I outstretched my hand towards him, and he grasped it, his face oozing joy and astonishment. ''Please, Gods, don''t let him lose that joy. Ever.''

 Volume II, Chapter 6: The Circle of Elders

    ¡°The Elder Circle was founded by the races that have first discovered the Transplanar Crystals. The Circle was initially composed of the leaders of the four founding nations, only to soon turn to other influential individuals of said races. Most commonly, those are in order:


    The Dragonheir of Drakkara, the firstborn of the current leader


    The Lilinlord of Dralarag, the oldest Lilin Demonkin in the lands


    The Diamond Lady of the Nazjara, commonly the abdicated former leader


    The Traversing Root of the Dendrin, any of the largest mobile Dendrin


    The Circle usually met in secrecy, and the meeting place would rotate among the participating nations. Every Elder is commonly allowed a guest, someone that has personal, political, or influential ties to the nation they represent.¡±


    ¡ªThe Political Practices of the Past Eras, Mr Philip Darsanur, 2060 AS


    <hr>


    I¡¯d usually prefer to do a little sightseeing before going to the Circle, enjoying the varied landscapes of foreign lands. The last years of the War had done wonders to trap me in Dralarag with little means of escape.


    But today would be quite different. I looked behind me, Sarron¡¯s body scrunching as he tried to follow in my hoof steps. ¡®Children today, they lack even basic training. Well, this Circle will steelhim.¡¯


    I chuckled into my chin, anticipating the Circle now. I am no longer in Dralarag under the watchful eyes of Herod¡¯s Shadowlings, so my freedom has vastly increased. ¡®Yes, children sometimes need to be put in place.¡¯


    I was furious with him before, and I can¡¯t say it had changed any. The mere look in his eyes is sometimes enough to make my heartbeat rise and my breath fume. ¡®Is this revenge? Retribution?¡¯


    I mulled over the correct phrasing to use as I passed the spacious hallways and sun-lit gardens on the outside. On different days, I¡¯d enjoy the Drakkari plantlife. My entourage, if it may be called that way, has positioned in front of and behind me, as if I needed protection.


    But in the end, I paid little mind to everything that happened around me at the moment. The stellar doors towards the Circle Room were sprawled in front of me.


    It would take only a slight nudge, and everything would begin.


    The doors clicked with the tiniest ounce of effort on my part, the large circular dome spreading as far as eyes could see. The Drakkar did tend to exaggerate at times. I looked over the few faces in the room, and finally, the word that I had been looking for came to me.


    I made my way over to my seat, coincidentally on the other side of the room, as Sarron followed me all the while. I noticed that at least one other member of the Circle stayed the same. ¡®Perhaps she could deliver much more than I had hoped for with the punishment?¡¯


    I toyed with the idea for a brief moment then let it go. It would perhaps be too cruel to do such a thing. ¡®Then again¡­¡¯


    I passed by her, putting a small smile on my face. We had known each other for long enough to be more than simple acquaintances. She responded in kind, although any smile on her looked more ominous than it actually was, the hissing not helping sate the feeling of dread. I enjoyed watching her face on occasions, there was a glimmer of vigour and empathy behind the facade she preferred to put on. ¡®How times pass.¡¯


    My cold hard seat awaited in all its obsidian glory, joined by the Language Gems for every language the races present. I had long lost any use of those. Knowing the languages by heart made for a much more intimate understanding of people you converse with. There was a certain essence and finesse that the crude Gems could never impart on the user and sadly, the one I gave Sophia was no better. I was glad when she started putting in the effort to learn the language. ¡®I do wonder what she is doing at the moment.¡¯This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Dismissing the image of her face in my mind, I sat down, allowing the Elder Circle to officially convene. It was times like these that made up for the boring days.


    I looked around the room, three chairs similar to mine positioned to make a circle in the middle of the dome, overseeing a sprawling well that made up the centre of the dome, stacks of papers spread around each and every one of them. The Dendrin looked similar to the one before, perhaps even the same, but their minute differences were far past my observation skills to pick up on. The branches slowly moved as the trunk of the body settled in the darkwood chair, the irony of a tree sitting on a tree not escaping anyone in the room. The Dendrin did not seem to voice concerns regarding the arrangement, and the ancestors were the ones who made the first rules.


    The multitude of eyes shone brightly along the knots and creases of the wood, as multiple stray pixies circled their home that was the Dendrin. One of the limbs of the branches came slightly down in a greeting, something every Dendrin learned to do separately when coming across one of us. I nodded my greetings in return and looked onwards.


    The Dragonheir has changed, to my disappointment, or luck. Perhaps some congratulations are in order after this lengthy affair. The youthful person sitting in the chair the colour of endless skies I couldn¡¯t recognise. His face was slightly longer than the average snout Drakkari possessed, and his tail seemed much more muscular in turn. He reminded of a Wyvern in a way.


    To my left was the emerald chair of the Nazjar. She filled the spacious chair with her tail, letting the end swing lazily barely off the ground.


    I gave Sarron the Drakkari Gem and motioned him to stay by my right. He watched the other Elders in trepidation. This excursion did have a goal of teaching him important things along the way, and my sidetracking will surely not allow those learning opportunities to pass.


    Finally, the Drakkar started the introductions.


    ¡°Greetings, Elders. I am known as Dragonheir Malkorok. This will be my first time in the Circle after my father has ascended the throne.¡± The Drakkar spoke with resolve but tried to rush it through, still inexperienced in the manners we adopted.


    I now recognised the face behind the name. I¡¯d seen Malkorok on few occasions, more so when he was still a small hatchling playing with toys. But that was decades ago, and times changed. The Dendrin was the next one to introduce itself.


    ¡°This Dendrin is known as Antyr. This one was present at the past ten meetings of the Elder Circle. Greetings to all.¡± The cold voice resonated through the dome, amplified by the multitude of voices that coalesced to make it. The voice softened for a bit, and a lone pixie came out of the top of the Dendrin¡¯s head. It shimmered as it hovered above the wood, ropes of light connecting it to the main body. We acknowledged the colony queen, as the particular pixie was called, as she procured a gentle wave.


    The pixie returned to the Dendrin as soon as it came out, the knots brightening up as she disappeared among the leaves and branches. We turned our heads to the emerald chair.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you. Some of you may already know me¡­ personally. I am Medusa, the Stone Maiden of the Nazjar. This would be my third time as an Elder.¡± She swung her wide hips as she talked, slithering slowly inside her chair, the snakes on her hair hissing in accord with her speech. It made for a mesmerising experience, and she didn¡¯t even use any magic she was known for.


    Finally, it was my turn, and it was the time to begin the charade.


    ¡°Greetings everyone. My name is Cerolus Kreshorok, the Lilinlord of Dralarag. This would be my¡­¡± I stopped to count the times I had sat in chairs like these surrounded by people similar to ones in front of me, ¡°... eighteenth visit to the Circle. I hope we all have a wonderful time together.


    ¡°And this,¡± I pointed to my right, ¡°is someone I am quite eager to introduce to the Circle.¡± Sarron looked at me partly in disbelief, partly in awe, not knowing how to react as all eyes turned on him.


    ¡°This is the First Prince of Dralarag, Sarron Kreshorok. He is my special guest for this Circle, one that should be locked up to the wall of the well in the middle. Now then, if you would be so kind to escort this fine gentleman and introduce him to the chains.¡± I motioned towards the two Drakkar that stood behind me and they took no pause to grab Sarron by his arms, as he finally realised the implications.


    ¡°Uncle Cerolus, what are you doing?!¡± His screams were mixed with fumes of anger and fear as he tried to squirm out of the grasp of the two much larger men than he was.


    ¡°Does anyone oppose?¡± I looked towards the Circle, met with a silence as the three seated people looked at me.


    Medusa was the first one to answer. ¡°Cerolus¡­ what did he do?¡±


    I leant back into my chair, embracing the cold stone. ¡°This little piece of shit tried to rape my wife, and this¡­ this is vengeance.¡±

 Volume II, Chapter 7: Revelations

    ¡°Now then,¡± I looked over Sarron, who was strapped to the wall of the Well of Secrets, as the Drakkar liked to call it. He tried squirming for a bit but ended up simply glaring up my way. I smirked and glossed over his visage.


    ¡°This Elder Circle can officially begin.¡± Every one us of pulled the stacks of papers we brought closer, and the dome was silent for but a brief moment.


    Malkorok was the one to break the ice. ¡°First of all, congratulations on successfully negotiating the peace agreement with the Humans, Lord Kreshorok. And congratulations on the wedding.¡± The Dendrin added its own congratulations. ¡°May you have a long a prosperous marriage.¡±


    We raised the empty glasses on our sides, neither of us willing to dabble into liquor just yet. There would be ample time for relaxation and indulgence later.


    I looked towards Medusa, whose face was scrunched up in thought, as she tried to find something to say. ¡°Everything alright, Medusa? You seem awfully quiet.¡±


    I decided to be cheeky today. Apart from the Dendrin, I was the eldest one here, and the Dendrin themselves don¡¯t really seem to age or change at all. Medusa thought for a moment longer, then simply shied away.


    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s¡­ nothing. Forget it,¡± she turned away from me, breaking eye contact while her snakes hissed around. I was perplexed by the development, since as far as I knew, I did nothing that concerned her since the last meeting. ¡®Women.¡¯


    I tried to leave the futile thinking of what I did wrong, reminiscing about the moments of long lost past. I put every thought of that aside since I considered that past to be far behind me.


    ¡°In any case, thank you all. I consider myself lucky to have such a happy life at this moment.¡± I had realised this was not quite the time and place to share details of that kind, so it was back to business.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s see, what do we have on the agenda for today, shall we?¡± I glossed over the first paper I had in view, lamenting the text sprawled across it. ¡°Maybe it would be better if someone else started.¡±


    A short round of uncomfortable laughter later, we delved into the simple and boring diplomacy and politics. We renewed the trade agreements between each other, stated the possible changes that might occur with those, I learned that almost nothing happened in foreign lands of these people that could be of any concern. Things were, simply put, peaceful and dull. ¡®Maybe it was for the best.¡¯


    I trudged through some papers until I came across the one simply titled ¡°Elves¡±. I sighed, knowing that I would have to get across this bridge at a certain point. I was hoping it could be put away for some other day of this meeting but considered it might be better to just go over it and let things simmer from there and see how they go. Decisions could be reached later.


    ¡°So¡­ I¡¯ve met an Elf, in person. Finally.¡± The faces around me brightened up, ears turning towards me.


    ¡°Really? What are they like?¡± Malkorok asked, filled with curiosity, looking at me like a small boy rather than the man ¡ª young as he may be ¡ª was. The other people looked at me with slightly controlled faces, not letting many emotions come through.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to explain,¡± I started thinking about my encounter with Miss Ophelia. ¡®What are my impressions of her exactly? Are there any?¡¯


    ¡°The one I¡¯ve met was¡­ childish in a way. Too similar to Humans in some manner. She seemed to have a greater knowledge of magic than Humans, but completely different to what any of us use. It¡¯s a novelty, for me, at least.


    ¡°She asked me to tutor her, or something along those lines.¡± The crowd murmured at that. We haven¡¯t made many contacts with the Elves as a whole, so this should rile them up in the least.


    ¡°I suppose, it could be a new outlook on their capabilities,¡± Medusa started, coldly calculating the predicament.


    ¡°Or, it could be a ruse for her to spy on someone that belongs to a Royal House of the Demons,¡± Antyr followed with his counterargument. The Dendrin¡¯s mind probably ran about listing the possibilities that could ensue from this.


    ¡°Granted. But I am currently far away from any central politics of Dralarag, at least when I¡¯m not in the Circle meeting. I¡¯ve moved closer to the Human lands, partly because I think it¡¯s easier to handle my new marriage there.¡± I thought about any reasonings I have, and actual detriments to inviting Ophelia in my home as a student or however the styling would be. I had to consider Sophia, in my mind. ¡®I¡¯m not certain she¡¯d like that very much. Or she could enjoy it thoroughly, having someone as new as she is in the castle.¡¯


    Malkorok looked towards the windows that were scattered about the dome, and I noticed that in our idle chats the day had already passed. ¡°Perhaps it would be good to stop here and let this sit on our minds for the night?¡±


    We all agreed, the fatigue of this day catching up to me. ¡®I definitely have less energy than ninety years ago when I started on this thing as a member.¡¯


    I glanced over Sarron as we slowly made our way out of the dome, seeing he has not lost concentration in the slightest, at least listening in to our conversation. ¡®Progress.¡¯


    I called for the two Drakkar posted outside. ¡°Give him something to eat, and set up a bucket so he can relieve himself. Also, take off his pants then, I need him to come back in somewhat clean clothes.¡± Maybe I¡¯d buy him new ones anyway. The guards moved silently and in unison.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Uncle!?¡± He gasped at me, rocking his chains upon hearing what I¡¯d plan for him. ¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone who opposes me here. Besides, did you really think I¡¯d just chain you for one afternoon and let you go? Heh, wishful thinking at best. You should consider yourself lucky you get to eat.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ my clothes...,¡± he added timidly, the colour of his face draining away to be replaced by a shameful red.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give them back to you when you¡¯re done. Or scrap them and give you new ones altogether, you¡¯ll admire the Drakkari tailoring,¡± I chided, then went through the door.


    ¡°Practice your fire magic, it¡¯s known to get chilly here at night,¡± I added behind me, before leaving the dome altogether.


    <hr>


    I left the meeting, perplexed and fearful. Cerolus spoke of so many new things. He got married, he had a vastly new life thanwhen I saw him the last time. My hopes faltered.


    I slithered back into the chambers reserved for me and my son. He greeted me with open arms and a bright smile on his face while the Drakkar that was in the room looked ready to collapse in fatigue.


    ¡°Did you see him, Mommy? Is Daddy here?¡± His energetic voice filled me with joy again.


    ¡°Yes, dear, he¡¯s here. What were you up to today, darling?¡± I let him nuzzle against my tail, something he enjoyed doing since he was a wee hatchling.


    ¡°I saw a Dragon today!¡± he exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air.


    ¡°A Dragon? You mean, a Wyvern?¡± I know Drakkar use the Wyverns as beasts of burden, although there were some striking similarities at times between them. But Wyverns were stupid beasts, after all. Then I realised Korthonas was not supposed to leave his room, and there weren¡¯t any ways to see a Wyvern from here.


    ¡°No, a Dragon! That¡¯s what he told me, that he is a Dragon.¡± He turned to the Guard in the room. ¡°He looked like that, only bigger and stronger and with a huge crown. It was so big, Mommy!¡±


    ¡°You met the Dragon?¡± I asked, looking towards the Guard. ¡®What purpose did the leader of the Drakkar have with my son? Was he simply curious? If so, maybe there is a second option if all else fails. Perhaps¡­¡¯


    I went back to my previous line of thought, reminding myself on what I had planned to do. I took Korthonas in my arms. ¡°Want to come and meet your father, Korthonas?¡±


    He smiled, small white teeth already coming out strong. ¡°Yes, Mommy!¡±


    I stood up, taking him by the arm, and went out of the room. ¡®Hopefully, all would go well.¡¯


    We made our way through the halls, sculpted figures of Drakkar on the walls. Korthonas made sure to touch every single one of them, one sculpture losing a tail in the process. ¡®No one saw that, right?¡¯


    I stood in front of the doors of Cerolus¡¯ chambers, hesitant to go in. I looked down towards my son. ¡°Now, stay here for a bit, and don¡¯t move.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mommy,¡± he answered, and I opened the doors, my heart racing.


    Cerolus was lying in a chair, looking over some writing, a glass of what I assumed to be Bloodwine in hand. I adored that drink when he introduced it to me, and I¡¯m pretty certain it was one of the reasons I was here in the first place.


    He noticed my entry and looked up with a slight smile on his face. One could take a look at his visage and get lost at that pearly smile amidst the fire and darkness that he gave off. It was dangerous, yet alluring at the same time. There was, after all, a reason Lilin were called Temptation Demons at first. And Cerolus was a master at that particular craft, if someone were to ask for my opinion.


    ¡°Hello, Medusa. What brings you to this humble abode? Granted, it¡¯s quite a ways away from where we last met,¡± he looked over the spacious room, which was noticeably smaller than my own still. ¡°Some wine, maybe?¡±


    He didn¡¯t wait for my answer, just handing me a filled glass with crimson liquid inside. I took a small whiff, savouring the heavenly smell it gave off. I almost forgot why I was here.


    ¡°Lord Cerolus¡­¡± I started. He immediately laughed.


    ¡°Oh, come on Medusa, no need to call me Lord. Especially not after everything we went through.¡± He sipped on the wine, then stood up, moving closer to me.


    ¡°We did have fun last time, didn¡¯t we?¡± He gazed into the distance, seemingly reminiscing the occasion. I myself remembered that night now, how we started drinking slowly, laughing at simple jokes and sharing some useless things about each other.


    The night then progressed to something more than that, and I remembered the distinct touch of his warm hands across my skin and his lips against my neck. It was pure pleasure to be in his arms that night, and I would trade nothing for it.


    I straightened myself up, shoving the pleasant memory to the past it belonged to.


    ¡°I do have to apologise, maybe we shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± he started, and I went into panic.


    ¡°No, no, it was great. It was¡­ amazing even. I¡¯d actually be happy to do that again,¡± the words escaped my mouth without me even realising what nonsense I was spewing around. I straightened myself again, trying to regain my bearings. I was once a queen, and now was a blabbering mess.


    ¡°About that,¡± I tried to move the conversation forwards the way it suited me. Cerolus appeared to have other plans.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to decline the offer, even though I do appreciate it. I made a promise to my wife. I¡¯m sure you understand.¡± He looked at me with a hint of regret, but also a strong resolve in his eyes.


    Whoever she is, I somehow felt she was in far better hands than anyone would think, and probably even she didn¡¯t know of that. I dismissed idle thoughts, again.


    ¡°What I mean is¡­¡± I tried to find words for what I wanted to say, anything that would prove helpful this time. My mind decided to white everything out, leaving a void.


    The doors to the room opened, to my chagrin. Korthonas stood alone just outside the room, small hands against the large door. He looked at me, then at Cerolus. His face brightened like the Sun in the sky.


    He ran towards the man, Cerolus seemingly lost at the development. Before I got any chance to say anything, to explain even a glimmer of what was going on. Korthonas hugged Cerolus, or rather, hugged what he could grab, which was Cerolus¡¯ legs.


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Cerolus looked down, then at me, then back down at Korthonas. His eyes kept switching between the two of us. He stammered ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡±


    I could only nod. All the words of multiple languages I knew, and the Queen of Nazjari could only nod.


    He took the bottle of wine, untangled from Korthonas¡¯ grasp, and went for the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± he added, a visible tone of shock on his face.


    Korthonas leapt into my arms, crying. ¡°Mommy! Daddy hates me!¡± his weeps resounded through the room.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not true, he was just¡­ surprised¡­ you grew so much¡­¡± I tried adding any words of comfort as I caressed his hair, looking out the door, finding no one.


    ¡®Could¡¯ve gone worse.¡¯

 Volume II, Chapter 8: Bonds Bent

    I found myself on a balcony, looking out into the distance, a whole bottle of wine in hand, slowly sipping the enchanting liquid. The night sky above Fek¡¯Toran was truly a sight to behold.


    I paced my thoughts, letting each one take its time as it moved across my mind, each thread slowly unwinding before dissipating into the void.


    I thought about what just happened. ¡®I have a son? A real, alive, well, son? With¡­ her?¡¯


    I took another swish of my wine, indulging in the sweetness, losing myself in the floatiness it gave me.


    ¡®I have a son.¡¯ The realisation hit me like a Hellboar headbutting me in the gut. It seemed surreal, that I would be in this situation. I looked at the drink in front of me, tracing my fingers across the glass.


    ¡®How do I¡­ proceed?¡¯ I had so many questions, so many worries, and not an answer in sight. I glanced around me, the balcony devoid of life and light, and leant on the railing in front of me, my arms hanging lazily. I looked down, to spot the faraway ground, when dizziness made me look away again.


    ¡°So, I heard congratulations are in order,¡± the gruff voice made me flinch and look around me, searching for the source. A coarse touch across my left shoulder made my head turn. I looked into the eyes of the stranger I once knew.


    ¡°Berthurok.¡± I had called upon that name a long time ago. It sounded so mighty at times, fitting a person unmoved by life, steadily walking his own path and making his own destiny. Maybe he truly was like that, or at least a long time ago.


    ¡°It¡¯s Dragon now,¡± his golden eyes gazed at me with the look he had a long time ago. I turned my head away, taking another gulp of the wine.


    ¡°So, Dragon Berthurok,¡± I quipped in mockery. Drakkar lost the use of their names upon ascension, only known by their titles, seldom going by their given names. But that wouldn¡¯t stop me from calling him the way I used to for years.


    ¡°Berthurok,¡± he sighed in concession. ¡°It¡¯s always going to be just Berthurok for you, Cer.¡±


    ¡°Heh. Cer, how long has it been since I¡¯ve been called that¡­¡± I let the question linger in the air, as the two relics of the past that we were stood alone on the balcony, joined by the wind and silence.


    ¡°So, you have a son now, I hear.¡± Berthurok¡¯s sudden exclamation piqued my interest.


    ¡°How did you¡­¡±


    ¡°You do realise I reign over this country now, Cer? I have my eye on everything that goes on in my castle.¡± He gave me a mocking smile, then put an arm on my shoulder. I didn¡¯t shrug it off or react to it in any way, just letting the fingers stay in place, as if the shoulder weren¡¯t mine.


    ¡°Apparently, I do,¡± I turned to look him in the eyes again, the golden hues glowing against the dark. ¡°I am a father¡­ again.¡±


    It stung. It bit. It hurt. But it somehow made me so proud as well. To be a father again. To be responsible for a child. To have someone next to you, someone bound to you in blood. It felt liberating in a way.


    ¡°So you are.¡± Berthurok just stated slowly, joining me in gazing into the night sky. ¡°I guess that means we both got what we wanted all those years ago.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    The past flooded, the memories overflown, the feelings burst.


    ¡°Although I recall wanting to have a family together, Cer. Not like this, separated by seas and castles. The two of us, with our own small brood of laughter.¡±


    I laid my head on his shoulder, something I used to do a long time ago. ¡°It¡¯s better this way. Much easier. We¡¯re both happy, and no one is suffering. What we had was in the past.¡±


    ¡°In the past,¡± he added, a small sigh escaping his toothy maw.


    ¡°And it¡¯s good it stays there, I think. Things are less complicated that way,¡± I wiped a tear from my cheek, and took another swig of the sweet wine. I handed the bottle over to him, the Dragon beside me taking a gulp of his own.


    ¡°So, here we are, married¡­ with children. Alone¡­ together,¡± I smiled. Nothing was ever simple apparently. ¡®The years make everything complicated.¡¯


    ¡°Alone together,¡± Berthurok repeated, ¡°sounds about right, old friend.¡±


    ¡°Heh, old,¡± we giggled.


    ¡°So?¡± Berthurok started with a question, getting us back into the present, where everything was messy. ¡°You have a son.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡± I had a mangled mess of thoughts, all made simple by a single word. ¡®Son.¡¯


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± he asked, the enchanting look in his eyes hitting the past again.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to love him. Like a parent would. Like a father should.¡± I thought more about that line for a while. ¡°That sounds good.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Like a father should.¡±


    We stood in silence for a while, slowly sipping on the wine, emptying the bottle. Someone brought another one, and we opened it as well.


    ¡°So, I saw Malkorok today,¡± I started.


    ¡°Ah, yes, the Elder Circle. He¡¯s in it now,¡± Berthurok¡¯s voice brimmed with pride. ¡°He¡¯s grown up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he did,¡± I tapped on his thigh, ¡°he reminds me of you when we first met. He has that same vigour you had.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t seduce my son, Cerolus,¡± he added, a slight hint of mockery traversing his tone.


    ¡°Of course I won¡¯t.¡± I glanced at him. ¡°What do you take me for?¡±


    We laughed again.


    ¡°You going to go back to them?¡± he asked, returning to a more serious demeanour, more befitting a leader he was.


    ¡°I think so. I should,¡± I answered, not knowing what lay before me.


    I stepped away from the balcony, looking up towards the Moons above us. The night was silent, and so beautiful.


    ¡°It¡¯s been nice seeing you again, Berthurok,¡± I added, turning away from the man I once loved. Maybe who I would always love, and just learn to forget about loving eventually, when enough time will have passed.


    ¡°Take care, Cerolus,¡± he used my name in full. Maybe we weren¡¯t meant to be after all, and me pushing him away was the right thing to do all that time ago.


    ¡°Good night,¡± we said to each other, parting ways again, for who knows how long.


    I got back to my chambers, meeting a sight similar to what I left. Medusa laid across the floor, cradling a child. ¡®No, our child.¡¯


    I stood in silence, just watching the two of them. She noticed my presence after a while.


    I mouthed a short question. Something I should¡¯ve known from the start. ¡°Name?¡±


    I got it across, and received a similarly silent answer.


    It was a nice name. Fitting, for both a Demon and a Nazjar. Or someone else entirely, only time would tell.


    I stepped slowly towards the two of them, a small tear once again making its way down my cheek. ¡®I¡¯m going to do this right this time.¡¯


    I tapped my son on his shoulder, and the child with a wetted face turned towards me. I put on my brightest grin.


    ¡°Hello, Korthonas. Look at how much you¡¯ve grown.¡± I hugged him slowly, the child bawling in my chest. ¡°Don¡¯t cry now. Big boys don¡¯t cry.¡±


    I looked at Medusa and slowly took her arm, as I held my child in my arms. ¡®Everything is going to be fine.¡¯


    I looked him in his bright red eyes, as a smile slowly replaced the tears. ¡°Daddy, are you going to leave again?¡±


    ¡°No I won¡¯t, my son. I¡¯m not going to leave.¡±


    He pushed his head into my chest again, and I clutched him harder.


    ¡°I¡¯m never going to leave you.¡±

 Volume II, Chapter 9: Customs and Custody

    The morning air flared my nose, and I jerked myself awake, albeit barely, clutching my head. My mind rumbled, assumingly from the last night¡¯s wine I had. I could not remember much of what happened. Some vague moments came to me, but nothing concrete. ¡®Weird dreams.¡¯


    I noticed my breaths were ragged and a weight on my chest, which could have explained the former. I looked down. A small head lay on top of my chest, moving in unison with my breaths. The scalp was covered in red, flinty scales apart from a voluminous strip of black, silky hair running from his forehead to the nape. I clutched my head again. ¡®Not a dream after all.¡¯


    I knew I had to face the reality of the situation. There was no going back or backing off with this. I remembered what had happened the night before. The golden eyes inscribed themselves into my mind again, and I had to smile.


    Something was beginning anew, and something had definitely ended, a long time ago. I thought of Sophia for a moment. I tried to consider what she would think of all this. I could only hope she¡¯d be considerate enough.


    The small head on my chest moved a bit, and I caressed the silken hair slowly, as my son let out soft breaths, seemingly in wonderful dreams. I could already feel the Link forming, the small tendrils grasping at my mind, shoving little pricks up my spine. His mirth and tranquillity were intoxicating.


    I inched up, trying to keep my son asleep. Eventually, I picked him up and he squirmed to settle in my grasp, until I deposited him back into the bed. I looked at his gentle face, oblivious to any harm or terror of the world I¡¯ve learned in the past centuries. I would try to keep it that way. ¡®Like a father should.¡¯


    I moved with the softest steps I could muster and grabbed my coat. I escaped the room of peace, to my chagrin, just signalling to the Guard to keep an eye on my child as I let him have more time sleeping. I made my way across the halls to Medusa¡¯s room. There was a discussion to be had, and I did not know what to expect from her. Much as I had experience, women were a completely different sort, and Nazjar were vastly different in that regard as well.


    I stood outside her chambers, taking shallow breaths. I eventually steeled myself enough to make the next step, and knocked on the doors.


    <hr>


    ¡°Cerolus?¡± I opened the door ajar, looking up to the face of the man in front of them. I pushed the doors open, letting him in, mulling over how this all would go.


    His eyes were stern, unmoving, unyielding. He gently trotted towards a chair and sat down, sipping himself a glass of water from the table. He looked at me, and I had to keep close to something to grab onto, lest I lose my bearings.


    The silence in the room was suffocating. Neither of us dared talk. I took notice Korthonas wasn¡¯t with him when he came in. ¡°Korthonas?¡± I asked, the remainder of the question needing not be said, or at least I hoped it didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Sleeping, still,¡± he simply answered, gulping the glass of water in one go, ¡°I thought it would be better if I let him sleep a bit more.¡±


    Korthonas asked to sleep in Cerolus¡¯ room. Rather, he begged. It didn¡¯t take much persuasion for me to yield, just looking at his eyes was enough. At that moment he reminded me of Cerolus, frighteningly so. I had hoped that would only cement my plans, and put them in motion sooner. I was out of options.


    ¡°Please, Cerolus, I need your help,¡± I slowly slithered towards him.


    I wanted to sit down, and explain everything. I imagined this scene going two ways, good or bad. I shuddered to think about the latter, so I didn¡¯t. I focused on my hopes.


    Cerolus was the first one to talk, instead. ¡°Why not say anything sooner? Why not send a letter?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know the answer to that. I was hopelessly lost, addled. Everything flashed in front of me, thoughts and memories rushing back to when I learned I would have a child. I never even considered it for a moment. Thoughtless.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d handle it alone, without anyone else,¡± I moved back, trying not to look at him, instead gazing out the large window, looking in the distance. ¡°I was wrong.


    ¡°You must know how our policies work, Cerolus,¡± I glanced towards him, and he simply nodded, not saying a word to what I had just said. I hoped he understood in the least.


    ¡°My daughter doesn¡¯t want him in the Palace. I¡¯m even starting to lose any attachments, as I always did.¡± I reminisced about my other children and the differences between them and Korthonas. In the end, I had little doubts it would be the same.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°I need you to take him,¡± I said those words and the world around me fell apart. The line hung in the air, freed, lingering between us. I looked at him as he sat silently, brows furrowed.


    He stood up and stepped towards me. He took my hand, and everything from years ago flooded back in an instant. I hadn¡¯t felt so vulnerable near anyone else, yet I knew it was futile and fickle. I needed to forget all of that, and forget him, in a way.


    ¡°Of course I will,¡± he answered slowly, each word seeping into my mind. I looked towards him in confusion. ¡®It was¡­ that simple? Done? Just like that?¡¯


    A large part of me didn¡¯t hear it, or refused to acknowledge it was over that quickly. ¡°But don¡¯t you have a wife? A family? What are you going to do with him?¡±


    A thought ran about my head and I grimaced. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare hurt him.¡±


    Cerolus looked at me, opened his mouth, closed them, gaped for a while, then opened them again, each action seemingly eternal. ¡°What?¡±


    I blanked.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m not going to hurt him, how can you think of that even?¡± he appeared shocked at my hasty thoughts. ¡°And of course, I¡¯m going to take him in, I¡¯m not leaving him without anything, Kreshor be with me.¡±


    He laughed a bit, tension leaving the air around us. ¡°And here I was, coming here to talk you into allowing him to stay with me.¡±


    I stood there, beyond words. Then I hugged him, my tail coiling around his legs. ¡°Thank you,¡± was all I managed to let out.


    He tried to caress my head briefly, then gave up, holding a hand on my back,instead, silent.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to say goodbye to him, Medusa.¡±


    I anticipated as much and feared the moment. I tried to prepare myself, but I didn¡¯t think I was ready. ¡®Perhaps I would never be ready, but I have to do this. For his sake.¡¯


    I looked up to Cerolus and his red swirls that brought back so much. I kissed him briefly, and he didn¡¯t resist. But he did back away slightly. Whoever she was, he was going to take good care of her. All the more hope I was doing the right thing.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I said, looking at his face. I thought he¡¯d protest again, but realised I didn¡¯t want to do anything more this time, no matter how good I felt.


    ¡°I think you should stay with him until the Circle ends, Medusa. He¡¯ll understand, eventually,¡± Cerolus said sagely, stepping away from me and going through the still open doors of the chambers. He glanced back at me. ¡°You¡¯re a good mother, Medusa. No matter what happened here.¡±


    He left, and I slowly slithered back to the floor. I wiped away the tears from my eyes. I couldn¡¯t remember the last time I cried. ¡®I was a good mother.¡¯


    That was all I could hope for.


    <hr>


    We were all back into the dome, readying ourselves for the meeting to commence again. I looked down into the Well, taking a glance on what Sarron was doing. He glanced at me with defeated eyes then looked down again, barely holding himself upright.


    I motioned for the Guards to release him. I considered this much enough. I still had unfulfilled rage and anger, but it would just have to pass.


    Medusa looked at me as she made her way inside, then glanced at the Well. ¡°You want me to help?¡±


    I thought about her way of helping with this situation, but in the end, was against it. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t feel right. Correct.¡¯


    We all sat down, ready for another day of decisions. The only thing on my mind was my son, and almost nothing that the people around me said caught my attention.


    Hours passed in a slow debate until we reached the point we ended with last night.


    ¡°So, Lord Cerolus,¡± Malkorok started slowly, ¡°what do you propose about the Elf agenda? I believe it would be a good opportunity to welcome her into our lives,¡± he stood up, pacing slowly around his chair, ¡°namely, your life.¡±


    The Dendrin on my side took its time, then added, ¡°This one believes that to be a course of action most suitable at the present, and agrees with the Dragonheir¡¯s proposition.¡±


    Medusa and I looked at each other. I thought about my situation getting further complicated by the minute, and she seemed to have similar qualms. In the end, though, she sent a nod of approval towards the group.


    It would seem that I would have to rise to the occasion and deal with everything. ¡®Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be so bad.¡¯


    ¡°Then it¡¯s agreed, Lord Cerolus will take miss¡­¡± he gestured my way.


    ¡°Ophelia,¡± I added with a sigh, trying to find some reassuring thought.


    ¡°Right, Ophelia. Lord Cerolus will take miss Ophelia to his home, possibly under the guise of teaching her their customs. We shall make arrangements for further diplomacy with the Elven in due time, every country on its own.¡± He went up to me and shook my shoulder, ¡°the Elder Circle thanks everyone for their presence, and I believe we have finally reached the end of this meeting.¡±


    ¡°Good luck,¡± he sent my way, as we slowly trickled out of the dome, Sarron slowly walking to my side.


    ¡°Did I miss anything?¡± He asked, relieved of the smell after the bath he took, now in fresh clothing. He even looked proper now and lost that obnoxious arrogance he presented himself with. ¡®Slightly better. Workable with, I think.¡¯


    ¡°Nothing in particular,¡± I responded back, ¡°I believe we could spare one more evening here. You can go sightsee or meet the locals. Maybe even get to know these people,¡± I gestured around me as Drakkar passed by our sides.


    He gulped audibly at the sight of Guards who seemed to have a mocking expression on their faces, ¡°Perhaps. Maybe I¡¯ll just go to my room instead.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± I added, and went back to my chambers, quivering with anticipation.


    ¡®Perhaps I will manage this all, somehow.¡¯

 Volume II, Chapter 10: There and Back Again

    Next morning


    ¡°Now then, listen to your father, and behave. Can you promise me you¡¯ll be a good boy?¡± I stroked Korthonas¡¯ hair as I spoke to him, trying to not be heard by the Drakkar Guards that were around the Upheaval Dome as they called it. It seemed to hang in the skies compared to our ornate Flight Chambers, the lack of art on the walls disappointing.


    ¡°Yes, Mommy,¡± he answered, and squirmed when I grasped around him. I gazed into his eyes again, the mesmerising swirls making me look away lest I abandon every hope of leaving today.


    I looked behind him, as Cerolus and the other Demon he brought with him stood silently. Cerolus looked at me sternly, granting me one last goodbye to my child. I did not know when I would get a chance to see him again, and if such a chance arose, he would certainly be different by then. I engraved his smiling eyes in my memory.


    I nodded towards Cerolus, and he silently walked up to me, then took Korthonas by his shoulders, and slowly pulled him away from me. Some instinct made me reach for him with a semblance of strength, but I tried to resist, watching my son slowly moving towards the edge of the Dome with his fatherinstead. From here, they appeared so similar in a way.


    I felt guilty, and ashamed, for not letting Cerolus know sooner. Perhaps things would have taken a different path then. Perhaps fate would have a different turn for me.


    In all this, I didn¡¯t feel fear. It had all disappeared by now. Seeing Cerolus again made me regain some hope that got lost along the way, and I just knew that whatever happened now, he would take care of my son. ¡®Our son.¡¯


    I slithered towards the centre of the dome, the crystal around me slowly gaining the familiar cerulean hue. The markings on the floor filled with energy, and the spell would be powered again today.


    Looking over my shoulder, I watched my son try and grab for me as Cerolus held him back with one hand, kneeling down and embracing him tightly in a tight hold. He whispered something, which I could not hear, while Korthonas cried out for me.


    Standing alone in the middle of the Dome, I could do nothing but watch and endure as I felt a piece of me slowly break apart and shatter to pieces, and my resolve flinched before rising anew. Tears welled my face as I turned away from the scene, steeling myself to not look into their eyes.


    The scene around me pulsed, and I breathed in the fresh salty air of home. I slowly dragged myself away from the dimming Gems, looking up to see who had decided to welcome me back into what was once my domain.


    ¡°Mother,¡± the current Queen of Nazjari welcomed me with open arms. I slowly drifted towards her lithe figure and embraced her.


    She leant on me and whispered slowly into my ear. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Mother. I truly am.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± we patted each other slowly on the shoulder as the trail of tears dried out, leaving a smear across my cheek.


    I escaped my daughter¡¯s grasp and slowly made my way to my room. She stopped me before I could leave the Flight Chamber.


    ¡°There is someone who wants to see you, Mother,¡± she spoke calmly and sternly, with none of the finesse and emotion she let out moments ago. As was suitable for a Queen.


    ¡°You know that you¡¯re the Queen now. I can¡¯t take your guests anymore.¡± I smiled slowly towards her.


    ¡°She asked specifically for you, Mother, and showed me the Lilin Council seal.¡±


    The wheels inside my head turned slowly to grasp the implications. I have heard of only a single person that could be in Nazjara from the Lilin Council. I have met with her only twice before, and our meetings have been quite brief at that.


    I turned away, abandoning all hope that Cerolus¡¯ life was not going to be eternally connected to mine. I just prayed this meeting wouldn¡¯t be connected to him. I won¡¯t be able to bear it if it were.


    ¡°Helen Kreshorok, so we meet again.¡±


    Hopefully, she would not complicate my life any further than her father did.


    <hr>


    The evening before


    I finally sat down, looking at my son play with some of the toys. I glanced over Medusa¡¯s chambers, noticing a large pile of luggage than expected for her short trip. I went over to check on some of the things, noticing that most were books and clothes. Children clothes to be more exact.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I looked her way. ¡°You already prepared for this, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    She slowly slithered up to me and started poking around the tidbits around us. ¡°This was my last option, Cerolus. My only option.¡±


    We both looked behind towards our son and sighed. I turned towards her again.


    ¡°Do you want me to leave so you can be alone with him?¡±


    She slowly moved towards me, and I took her hand between my own. She shied away from me, before completely turning away.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to be alone with him now. I¡¯ve already explained all this to him so many times, I¡¯m not certain I could handle another night like that,¡± she slowly moved towards the window.


    ¡°So, please stay. If not for me, then for him.¡±


    I tried not to laugh, thinking she would take that as mockery rather than reassurance. ¡°I will.¡±


    We both looked at our son, and I could hear her sigh over my own.


    She tried to change the subject briefly, if at all. ¡°So, what did the young man¡­ Sarron, do?¡±


    Something flared up inside me as I recollected Sophia almost sobbing as she explained what he had tried to do. I pressed my hand in a fist and squeezed out the anger, wisps of flame pressing out of my fist.


    My son noticed it, and came running. He gaped at the sight of my fist in flames, seemingly oblivious that it is a common sight.


    ¡°Look, Mommy, it¡¯s magic! Fire magic!¡± He circled over me as I stopped fueling the flames further and let it slowly burn out as I opened my palm. When it stopped, he was enchantingly disappointed. ¡°Again! Again!¡±


    I looked at his shining eyes, and a tinkle inside reminded me of something that happened a long time ago. For a moment, I looked at the eyes of Axelor, and something pushed inside of me to stop the past from flooding through.


    I dismissed the flames and the thoughts completely and hugged him. It lasted for what seemed like hours and I spent all that time just savouring his smell.


    I finally let go and clasped his shoulders. ¡°How about I teach you some magic then when you grow up a bit?¡±


    He hugged me, then ran off to Medusa to hug her. ¡°Mommy! Daddy¡¯s gonna teach me magic! I can¡¯t wait!¡±


    She looked at him solemnly at first, then her expression slowly changed to a smile. ¡°Neither can I, sweetie. Neither can I.¡±


    He ran off again, bothering the Guard about everything he could possibly come up with, as the poor man tried to explain to him the intricacies of his own hard, flinty tail compared to Korthonas¡¯ leathery one.


    I looked towards Medusa, then went by her side.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be alright?¡±


    She looked at me, then somewhere in the distance, her eyes glazing over slowly, and her nest of snakes slowly hissed.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to teach him water magic, too,¡± she smiled, ¡°that¡¯s going to be a tall order for a Demon.¡±


    I could only smirk, then find confidence inside of me. ¡°I think I¡¯ll manage.¡±


    -------------------------------------


    I watched Medusa disappear inside the circle of the Dome, and held my son as he cried for her, the severity of the situation only coming to him at the moment. I whispered slowly in his ears, trying to calm he down as he pleaded for me to let him go.


    When she was gone, I let go of him, and he pulled away to look at my face. His cheeks were wet with tears. ¡°Why did you let Mommy go? I want to go back to Mommy!¡±


    I took his face in my palms, and slowly calmed him down. ¡°Korthonas. Mommy doesn¡¯t hate you. She loves you very much. I love you too. And you¡¯re going to be staying with me now. Think of all the fun we¡¯ll have!¡±


    He slowly regained composure, then talked to me inquisitively. ¡°And magic? Are you gonna teach me magic?¡±


    ¡°Of course I am! I¡¯m going to teach you so well, you will be better than Mommy at it! How does that sound?¡±


    He shrieked, his joyous demeanour passing through the worries he had before.


    Sarron looked at me. ¡°So you¡¯re taking him with us?¡±


    ¡°Of course I am. Would you like me to send you with Medusa then, do some cultural exchange? I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t mind a guest.¡± I grimaced him in what I could assume to be deep-seated anger seeping through.


    He stood back, not saying anything. ¡®Still so much work to be done.¡¯


    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    The three of us stepped in the middle of the circle, Guards depositing the things Medusa had left me with. The Gems pulsed, changing hues, as the magical energy coursed around us.


    Korthonas tried to hold on my leg, and Sarron tried to remain on his feet as the world spun around us, and we were shoved back into the room of the Palace we came from just a few days ago.


    Sarron leapt back to his feet, then scrambled towards the door, trying to stay silent all the while. Korthonas, on the other hand, stood beside me, clinging to my right leg, gazing around the room we were in.


    I tried to move, but he pinned me in place with strength unsuitable for a child his size.


    I caressed his hair briefly then was handed over the stacks of paper I came with as the servants scrambled around us, and he slowly looked at me in awe.


    My hands now full, I presented him with my tail, which he eyed curiously. After a moment of seeming recognition, he exclaimed towards me. ¡°You have a tail, too, Dad!¡±


    ¡°Of course I do. Now, come, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    He took my tail in his hand and followed behind me, as we walked, father and son, and scenes from over a century ago flooded over again.

 Volume II, Chapter 11: Gut Instincts

    ¡°Where are we going, Daddy?¡± I held on to Dad¡¯s tail while he walked in front of me. His feet made funny noises. I looked down to them. They were black and shiny. I looked at my toes.


    ¡°What are those?¡± I looked up to Dad.


    ¡°What do you mean, Korthonas?¡±


    I pointed at his feet again. ¡°What are those?¡±


    ¡°Hooves. Those are called hooves.¡±


    ¡°Hoo-fs?¡±


    ¡°Hooves, Korthonas. Hooves.¡± Dad continued walking and I grabbed on his tail. The walls were scary and dark. The torches, how Mom called the fire sticks, were pretty. I spread my hand and enjoyed the warm as we passed.


    ¡°Where are we going, Daddy?¡± Dad looked down, then stopped and leant towards me.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to see a really important person.¡±


    ¡°More important than Daddy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, more important than Daddy,¡± he smiled.


    ¡°Can we play with him?¡± I asked Dad.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll like that,¡± Dad was puffy and mean now, then he went up and started walking again. I grabbed his tail.


    I got sad. Someone didn¡¯t want to play with me.


    ¡°If you¡¯re good, I think he can show you magic.¡±


    ¡°Really!?¡± I wanted to see more magic. I needed to see every magic. ¡®Magic is so cool!¡¯


    Someone poked me on the back, and I turned. A huge monster with blue skin was next to me. I grabbed Dad. ¡°Daddy, a monster!¡± I pointed at the monster, and it only laughed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a monster, Korthonas. That¡¯s Rikkir. He¡¯s here to keep you safe.¡±


    The blue monster slowly stepped forward and I could see its pretty white eyes. It took my hand and shook it. ¡°Greetings, Young Master.¡±


    ¡®It can talk?!¡¯ I looked at my Dad, and he was smiling. I looked at the blue man again, since Dad said he wasn¡¯t a monster anymore, and he smiled too.


    The man disappeared and a black cloud went around me. It was so warm and fuzzy, and I wasn¡¯t scared anymore. Then the cloud smiled.


    The man came back and we walked together, and the walls were not so dark anymore.


    ¡°Now, then, Korthonas, are you ready to meet Herod?¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°That is¡­ your child?¡± Herod¡¯s questions seemed more like something Korthonas would ask.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I pointed out matter-of-factly. Herod couldn¡¯t provide anything I didn¡¯t know already, and his role in all of this would be nothing but a formality.


    ¡°So¡­ you want me to do what exactly?¡±


    ¡°I need you to legitimise him, at least as my son, if not a primary heir,¡± it was a pain just having to endure more politics at this time. Korthonas stood behind me, poking his head to look at Herod, then going back again, like playing hide-and-seek with the Demonlord of Dralarag. The thought was amusing.


    Herod actually smiled at the first occasion, then grew increasingly frantic and confused as he learned who Korthonas was.


    ¡°So, his mother is, I assume, a Drakkar? He looks like a Drakkar to me.¡± Herod was right. Korthonas looked more like a Drakkar than a Demon or a Nazjar, especially considering he had something that looked more claw than a finger on his arms and legs. I was surprised myself when I saw the similarities.


    ¡°His mother is Medusa,¡± I stated simply, already anticipating the reaction. Herod blanched, his usually pale orange complexion turning whitish in an instant. The flames around the throne dimmed in response.


    ¡°You mean to tell me that this child is the offspring of the previous Nazjari Queen, the Stone Maiden?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I shrugged. I saw no reason to lie to Herod. Who Medusa was once was irrelevant, and it certainly made no difference in how Korthonas would be treated here.


    ¡°What? How¡­¡± Herod started blabbering incoherently, pacing in front of his throne.


    Korthonas pulled at my pants. ¡°Daddy, is the mister going to be fine?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my son. He just knows your mother. He says you look like her very much.¡± I¡¯d need to start teaching Korthonas how to speak Dral. ¡®Maybe the first lessons can start as soon as we leave for Bretir.¡¯


    I thought about Sophia again. I had slight fears about her reaction. I trusted my judgement, though, and had high hopes it would go well.


    ¡°So, the legitimacy,¡± I asked Herod again, who stopped pacing and mumbling.


    ¡°Of course, Uncle,¡± he took a small parchment and scribbled something for the horde of the administration we had to go through.


    ¡°How was Sarron, by the way? I hope you weren¡¯t hard on him. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s that bad overall, just needs a bit steadier hand and perspective in life,¡± Herod sighed, and for the first time, I sighed with him. For what it was worth, he was right.


    I was imagining the comfort of my carriage. ¡°I think you¡¯ll find him quite a different young man. And I think he might be afraid of wells now.¡±


    I smirked, and Herod just leant back into his throne as I turned to leave the room. Being a Maorok was never sunshine and daisies, and I had to hammer that thought into three people by now.


    ¡°You¡¯re far from over with your time on the throne, Herod. I can tell that much.¡±


    I stopped and turned to Korthonas, who was grabbing my tail in a vice grip by now.


    ¡°Have you ever seen a Firemane?¡±


    <hr>


    Three days later, Bretir


    I had already got bored being alone in this place, and couldn¡¯t wait to see Cerolus¡¯ face again. The image of his black eyes always brought me comfort when I woke up, and it¡¯s already been getting harder to have to recall it every morning instead of it being there.


    I could feel every part of me aching slowly as I trudged from the lavatory, wiping the remains of my breakfast from the corners of my mouth. ¡®The physician said it should stop soon. Can it stop faster, please?¡¯


    I went back my newly instated post in Cerolus¡¯ office, where I spent the last week vigorously going through his handiwork, reading lines upon lines of text I could barely pronounce correctly, let alone comprehend. If that was what nobility did all day every day when leading a small town like Bretir, I shuddered at thinking what someone like Father had to endure.


    I caught myself thinking about Father again. He had yet to answer any of my letters. It was like I had been forgotten or thrown away. Like he still held some unseen grudge towards me, or Cerolus, or both of us. I didn¡¯t know who he was angry at. Or if he was angry at all. I felt disposed of, just left somewhere to take care of myself, with no regards to what could happen to me from his side.


    I clenched my fist and hit the table, seething anger welling up. The ornate surface received a few more hits before I had been sated enough to not harm it anymore. I had to restrain myself from not using magic as well. Cerolus would surely mind his table being burnt or at least grazed by fire, which was the most damage I anticipated I could do at the moment.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    I felt like I was stagnating, that somehow I was stuck in this place, with no way to go forwards, just kept in a loop of papers, dinners and sleep. I was even advised to tone down my magical training and let go of any physical one, the physician stating it would ¡°not be good for the child¡±. I scoffed at that and Hiratun kept my arms in a lock to prevent me from training spells.


    I couldn¡¯t be mad at the man, as he was trying to help me, but I felt hopeless for a time. I had so much, and at once it was whisked away.


    I stroked my belly, with no seeming trace of a child in it. Calmness washed over me. Every bad thought I had disappeared, to be replaced by serenity and mirth. I could not still believe I was going through all of this.


    It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. My heart raced, and I could do nothing to stop it. I looked to the window, gazing at the afternoon Sun above the red landscape in the distance. Everything was so calm, and it felt right, like I was truly meant to be here now. I took solace in that, enjoying the lonely moments, still aching to see Cerolus, but somehow coping with it.


    Tiana burst into the room, papers flying from the table. She looked exhausted as if she were running, her face flaring orange.


    ¡°Mistress, Lord Cerolus is here.¡±


    I leapt up at the mention of his name and received a bout of nausea when my head disagreed with the sudden course of action. We rushed to the entrance, my mind empty save for the anticipation of seeing him again.


    We broke through the large front doors, the Guards barely managing to open them as they saw us running from the staircase.


    I watched as the carriages slowed to a halt, the Firemanes and Triforces sounding their arrival to the Garden around us. The place became a cacophony, as it seemed most of the castle¡¯s denizens came out.


    My eyes followed the largest carriage, where Rikkir stood on the front, and I traced him as he walked to the large doors and opened them. Time felt still, and everything around me disappeared in an instant to my eyes. Nothing mattered except those doors and the person that should be coming out of them.


    Familiar hooves slowly made their way to the ground, and before long, I was running into Cerolus¡¯ arms. I collided with him and he hugged me, reminiscent of the way he held me the first time we met, at the wedding. Everything around me was bright, warm, and safe, and I felt nothing could ever be wrong.


    I looked into his eyes and kissed him slowly, extending the moment of mirth just a bit longer.


    ¡°I should leave more often if this is the welcome I receive,¡± Cerolus dared to joke but I couldn¡¯t hold it against him. He was here and that was all it mattered.


    I heard another set of footsteps coming from the carriage and my head shifted to follow the noise.


    A small child with a rather peculiar haircut and brightly red skin, reminiscent of Cerolus, stepped out. His eyes seemed dangerous somehow, the slit pupils looking over his surroundings. Then his face shifted towards awe and curiosity.


    The child stepped behind Cerolus, grabbing his lower leg as he slowly peeked towards me. I didn¡¯t recall anyone similar to it when I met his family a few months back.


    The child gulped, then started speaking nervously, spreading out words, sounding like me when I first started learning Dral.


    ¡°Dad-dy, wh-ho is this la-dy?¡±


    <hr>


    Sophia paced around the room, grasping her head in confusion and seeming rage. I just stood on the side, hoping deep down that this would, in the end, go more smoothly. I didn¡¯t give up on those thoughts, not even when she started running for the room, escaping the crowded Gardens.


    I left Korthonas, who was crying profusely, in the hands of Tiana. She would handle it. She always handled things with more grace than imaginable. My current efforts were pointed towards my wife.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± She mumbled and paced, making little sense at times.


    I could only shrug and sat down. My previous attempts at holding here were met with outright hostility. I¡¯d rather try taking meat from Fluffy than go through that again.


    ¡°Look, Sophia¡­¡± I started trying to explain the situation, again, before she held up a finger and pointed at me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ¡°look¡± at me. I trusted you! You said a lot of things before, things I believed. You told me you wouldn¡¯t sleep with other women,¡± she began pacing again, trying to look away from me and failing repeatedly. ¡°You specifically said that. And I trusted you! And here comes Cerolus, with a small child behind him a few months later!¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t know! And I didn¡¯t do anything after the marriage.¡± I tried to put some sense into her, but it appeared futile.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know?! How can you not know you have a child?! No, you keep this away from me, then just spring it up when you like it. You don¡¯t even care about me, do you? As long as Sophia¡¯s merrily away in her room in the castle you bought, you can go around and fuck with whomever you want. Is that the way this is going, Cerolus?¡±


    I was mildly irritated by this point but still tried to stay calm and start from the beginning.


    ¡°Listen, everything about him started long before I even learned of you, Sophia. That¡¯s all in the past. But he isn¡¯t anymore. And he needs me.


    ¡°And you¡¯re still my wife, and I still love you. And I never did anything like that behind your back. You have to trust me.¡±


    She stopped for a moment and looked me in the eyes. The Mind Link flared between us but only made the confusion inside our heads worse. I grabbed my head and tried to alleviate some of the pain, but it did nothing to help.


    Sophia continued what appeared to be more like a childish tantrum than a discussion.


    ¡°How can I trust anything you say? You bring me here and expect me to trust you, then bring up secrets like these. It¡¯s a child, Cerolus! Your child! Not ours, or mine. Yours! Do I mean anything here?¡± She pointed at me, and the irritation grew to the boiling point.


    I stood up, seething anger burning the air around me. I lost every conscious lock that I put on my temper. I grabbed her by the arm.


    ¡°And what are you going to do about that? You¡¯re my wife, and I¡¯m your husband here. This is MY castle. MY house. MY home. You¡¯re living WITH ME.¡± She tried to squirm out, but I kept my grasp on her.


    ¡°And that out there bawling its eyes out is MY son. You don¡¯t have to have anything to do with him. Love him, hate him, call him a bastard every day, I don¡¯t care. But what I am not going to is leave him alone, or let you command me what I¡¯m going to do with him. You¡¯re not in charge here, I am.¡±


    Her eyes wetted, and I continued my furious onslaught of words I don¡¯t think I actually meant.


    ¡°Do you understand? My child is not some toy you can toss around and play with however you like.¡±


    I let her arm go as the realisation hit me, and the thoughts started running about my head again. The anger dissipated in a moment, and she started crying.


    I realised I just told her what she was in front of her family. A toy or a treasure to be played with and given away. She didn¡¯t have any option in getting married, it was only a question of to whom she was given away to.


    She ran away, and I could only try and reach for her. ¡°Sophia!¡±


    She didn¡¯t answer, and just left the room, and I sat back, guilt running over me. ¡®I screwed up.¡¯


    <hr>


    I sobbed in the room. It wasn¡¯t even my own room, but our main bedroom. Cerolus could¡¯ve entered any time he wanted, but just stood on the other side of the closed doors


    ¡°Sophia, please. I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean any of that.¡±


    The feeling of being betrayed and humiliated once again washed over me and tears welled up again. I tried to answer coherently but didn¡¯t manage.


    It appeared somewhat of a blur, the entirety of the scene. All I distinctly remember was him mentioning people as toys to be played with.


    I immediately remembered my family, and the way they used to treat me. How we were now was not much better, but I thought I could trust Cerolus to understand, not make it worse.


    I went and opened the doors, only to be met with Cerolus¡¯ eyes squarely in front of me as he knelt.


    He smiled slightly, apparently in hopes I¡¯d forgiven him already.


    I felt a bout of nausea coming and ran to the lavatory. He ran up to me while I held my hair and barfed.


    ¡°Are you alright? I¡¯m going to call the physician. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean any of that.¡± He started mumbling apologies, while I wiped my face again.


    I looked at him again, and saw the same person he used to be. I saw someone I could trust, and wondered how I missed something like that. But the words he said came back, and I remembered about the child. And the other one, that was the actual cause of me barfing in the place.


    He stepped towards the door and I stopped him. ¡°Wait, Cerolus.¡± He turned back, his eyes full of worry.


    I sat on the bed, trying to look anywhere but those deep eyes of his.


    I mumbled something in my chin, and he moved closer.


    ¡°I¡¯m with a child,¡± I repeated the phrase again and again until I steeled myself to speak more clearly. ¡°It¡¯s why I was sick. It wasn¡¯t you. Well, mostly.¡±


    I looked up, not knowing what to expect.


    I was met with a kiss. He pushed me slowly on the bed, pinning me down with his strong arms.


    I didn¡¯t know what was happening. One moment everything was messy and complicated, the next everything was clearer and calmer. Some relief washed over me. I didn¡¯t know how he¡¯d react, but I did realise I overreacted.


    He said the child was almost five years old. That was before we met, probably before he knew I existed even. It was not his fault, and I knew that. Yet I lashed out nevertheless.


    And I knew he didn¡¯t mean what he said. He didn¡¯t wish for his child to go through anything I did. I admired that. I liked it even, it made me feel better for the child I was carrying, knowing that he¡¯d probably do anything in his power for it.


    We kissed for a long time, until everything blew over.


    He leant up. ¡°Really?¡±


    I nodded, and chuckled. He looked down on my belly, then slowly ran his fingers over it.


    ¡°You¡¯re with a child,¡± he said with complete serenity, and some surprise and amazement, and none of the fury I saw before.


    He laid beside me and hugged me for what I thought was an eternity.


    I tried to recall what happened today.


    ¡°So, what is the name of that child again?¡± I asked him, and he started explaining with fervour in his eyes. Somehow I had a belief everything would be fine now that Cerolus came back.

 Volume II, Chapter 12: Misconceptions

    ¡°There, there,¡± I caressed Lord Cerolus¡¯ son on his hair, as he cried and shied away from the world around him in my lap. Angry words were spoken behind the doors, and then the Lord lost his temper. I was still shaken up by the dread coming off from the room. I wasn¡¯t even sure if he did it on purpose.


    We had rarely seen him frustrated like this, and those days most of us would just keep our heads down and move quickly, trying to avoid him at all costs. If someone was called personally, they¡¯d go to bed immediately after leaving his quarters, with no questions asked among us.


    ¡®And to think this was only frustration. What would happen should he get furious?¡¯


    Then the Mistress left the room in tears, understandably so, and he followed after her, casting only a sidelong glance at me shivering in the corner, while the child had curled up in my hug. And then they were gone.


    Which brought me to comforting the child as he wept, while sitting down on the cold hard floor of a hallway. I heard steps behind me and turned to see Phil standing above me, half in cheer but with a slightly solemn look on his face. His grimace was odd, something he didn¡¯t show at times. He was a simple man, in my mind, and I liked him for it.


    He leant on the wall I sat against and watched me, not uttering a word. I had no idea what he was thinking. He didn¡¯t seem to have many things on his mind, but was extremely focused on the ideas that he did get. Most of those these days appeared to be towards me, something I was flattered by. Or at least I thought as much.


    ¡°Hey, kid! Hands off! The lady¡¯s mine,¡± he said jokingly, dissolving any seriousness in the air. I punched his leg, but was forced to smile. Those offhand comments of his I was perplexed about. It was annoying at times to be compared to his property in a way. On the other hand, there was a great deal of affection in those at times. It even made him charming, the jesting jealousy he presented.


    ¡°See, made you smile,¡± he responded simply, then crouched down to eye level. ¡°I missed you.¡±


    I think he wanted to kiss me. But he didn¡¯t. I wanted him to kiss me, and I wanted to kiss him. But I didn¡¯t. So we stood there, not kissing, and just gazed at each other. And time seemed to pass like that. The Lord and the Mistress were gone somewhere, while the Lord¡¯s child was silent in my lap. And Phil was gazing at me.


    I stroked his chin, the coarse stubble scratching my fingers, and he closed his eyes for a moment. I backed off, unwilling to let someone see us like this. Lord Cerolus was adamant about not letting relations go into our hours. So I decided to shift my attention elsewhere.


    I looked at the child in my lap. ¡®He is¡­ odd.¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t discern what he was. He skin was weird to begin with. Smooth soft skin surrounded the various patches of rougher scales, both of those red like Lord¡¯s. He reminded me of Salamanders in a way. ¡®Is this how Drakkar look like?¡¯


    He lifted his head off of its burial site in my lap and looked at me, sharp slit eyes with a familiar crimson swirl about them. If there were many doubts about whether he actually was the Lord¡¯s child, I was certain the eyes would cast off any arguments.


    He started mumbling, then inspected me in silence. And after that he mumbled some more. I couldn¡¯t understand any of it. I knew Lyndarian, but this wasn¡¯t it. In fact, it was so far from it, there was little reason to think he was even speaking a comprehensible language.


    ¡°Calm down, calm down,¡± I tried to somehow get my efforts through, but he didn¡¯t seem to want to stop talking. The lavagates were open, and there wasn¡¯t stopping him.


    He eventually figured out I could not speak whatever he used, and stopped. Then he started slurring words slowly. ¡°Dad-dy¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Daddy is there,¡± I pointed to the hallway he had run along, then got up. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s see him.¡± I presented an arm for him to take, and he seemed conflicted.


    ¡°Tail?¡± he asked me, which was a perplexing question to get from a child. I looked towards Phil, who seemed to take his time with everything, just watching me idly.


    ¡°I think he wants to grab your tail.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t have one,¡± I pointed out the obvious fact. In fact, most of the Demons did not possess tails. I personally have maybe met a dozen that had one, and they were mostly stumps that could wag a bit like a Cerberus¡¯. To have a long slithering tail like Lord Cerolus did was as rare as belonging to a noble family, at least in my mind. The two didn¡¯t seem to have any link, of course.


    ¡°You have a wonderful tail, if you ask me,¡± Phil quipped from my side, then leant in to reach for my bottom. I had to swat him away. It wouldn¡¯t have been appropriate.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    I turned back to the child. ¡°No tail,¡± I swung an arm behind me, grazing only air where a tail would be if I had one. Then I outstretched my arm again, and he took it, his expression changing from inquisitive curiousness to a slight disappointment, and we made way for the Lord¡¯s room. I hated to admit it, but this was beyond my current abilities and knowledge.


    We joined Hiratun in front of Lord Cerolus¡¯ chambers and I knocked once on the large doors, the sound echoing through the hall. I could hear murmurs inside the room, but nothing coherent caught my ears. The four of us stood in silence, waiting for any answer to come through.


    Jumbled steps preceded the doors being opened in front of us, and I took a step back. If he were still in a sour mood, neither of us want to be near him. Hiratun, however, didn¡¯t seem bothered, just staying stoically against the wall.


    Lord Cerolus walked out with a rather cheerful disposition, worlds away from how I¡¯ve seen him last. ¡®Had the matter become resolved that easily?¡¯


    He appeared somewhat bothered to see us in front of his room, so I took initiative to explain my actions. ¡°Lord Cerolus¡­ I¡­ don¡¯t know Draker.¡±


    He did have me learn the language of Humans before his wedding, something I was thoroughly encouraged, and highly paid, for. But that didn¡¯t cover the language of the Drakkar as well. ¡°It would take me some time, if you wish, to learn it.¡±


    He looked at me quizzically. ¡°What are you talking about? Why would you need to learn Draker?¡±


    I stood straight, but was lost. Whatever I seem to be doing here, it seems wrong and I¡¯m making mistakes one after another. ¡°For the¡­ child?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know Draker either,¡± the Lord laughed then started walking. The child immediately grabbed hold of the tail that swung widely behind, the picture looking amusing in the least. I stood for a moment, pondering my actions, then caught up with them, as Hiratun made slow steps behind us. At points I wondered what Hiratun and Phil even did the entire day.


    ¡°I beg your pardon, my Lord, and apologise for making a foolish mistake based on my assumptions,¡± I lowered my head while I spoke, looking at the floor in front of me.


    He only glanced at me. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Tiana. You took care of him despite not knowing the language. Or what he is apparently,¡± Lord Cerolus stroked his chin in thought.


    ¡°He¡¯s Nazjari. And a Demon, I guess,¡± he added, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I ever heard of those before.¡±


    ¡®The child is part Nazjari? But don¡¯t they all have long slithering bodies and no legs? And those weird snakes on their head?¡¯ I shuffled through my knowledge of Nazjari, trying to find resemblances between what I¡¯ve read or heard about and the child in front of me. There was very little to support any claim that the child was more Nazjari than Drakkar, but if Lord Cerolus said it, it would have to be the truth.


    I looked over the child again as we walked, only seeing the ways he was similar to the person guiding him. His own tail hung loosely behind his back, scraping against the stone floor at times, far larger compared to his body than the tails of Demons I¡¯ve seen, more akin to a tail an animal like a Triforce would possess. I dismissed the thought of comparing the Lord¡¯s child to an animal, or at least a body part of his.


    The red skin was strikingly similar between the two of them, and the long hair was practically the same save for the child¡¯s lack of hair on the sides of his head.


    ¡°He looks a lot like you, my Lord.¡±


    Lord Cerolus stopped briefly, then looked at the child who smiled back at him. ¡°Indeed. He really does.¡±


    He turned to me. ¡°In any case, I¡¯ll be teaching the child Dral. I don¡¯t do much these days anyway. You, however, are going to tend to my wife and my unborn child.


    ¡°This castle is going to get busier.¡±


    I stopped in place, looking as the figures of a father and his child disappeared behind a corner, and sighed. ¡®So that¡¯s why he was so happy.¡¯


    I went back to the Lord¡¯s chambers, awaiting orders as I always did. At one moment, I questioned what would I have to do if I were working for another noble, and cast a silent prayer to the Gods for letting me be in Lord Cerolus¡¯ household. It was by far the place that felt safest.


    -----------------------------


    I lay down in my bed after the Sun had set. It had turned out my tasks for the day were quite lax due to the Lord coming back today, and the Mistress kept to herself mostly. It was somewhat odder than usual, she being less talkative and spending more time in idle thought. I supposed that this entire day must¡¯ve been somewhat disorienting to go through.


    I heard the doors of my small room open and steps that failed to be gentle inch towards my bed. Soon enough, Phil¡¯s large hands were holding me across the waist, and his warm breath was against my cheek.


    ¡°You awake?¡± he whispered, but the tone of his voice would probably be loud enough to wake me up if I were asleep in the first place. I could already deduce his intentions now.


    ¡°Yeah. I was just thinking,¡± I sprawled across the bed and turned to Phil¡¯s face devoid of a helmet he wore on duty. A small whiff of air was enough to make me turn the other way. ¡°And you, you reek.¡±


    I showed him away and he tried to go back with a pleading look in his eyes. ¡°Not going to happen. Go get cleaned, then we can talk.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve been riding most of the past three days! And I haven¡¯t seen you in a week and a half if not more. Come on, Tia,¡± he tried to squirm his way back in but I decided to have none of it today.


    ¡°And for even thinking you can come in my bed stinking like a Hellboar, you¡¯re not getting anything tonight.¡±


    ¡°So, what am I supposed to do now?¡± he asked, getting out of my bed and putting his shirt on. I didn¡¯t even notice him taking it off in the first place.


    ¡°Don¡¯t care, just do it elsewhere.¡±


    He looked at me, then turned back, ¡°fine, I¡¯ll go wash¡­¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t come back,¡± I added as he left the room.


    I then tried to get to sleep, one small thought at a time.

 Volume II, Chapter 13: Bitten

    I woke up earlier than usual, before the crack of dawn, the small window inside my current room allowing only a little light through. I liked it being dimmer than wholly bright, it made everything look more enchanting and unusual than normal. I felt fatigued, as if I had not slept much, or rather at all. I tried to remember what led to my current disposition, and my mind worked up an answer.


    I had missed Phil, and I practically chased him off last night. ''Granted, he reeked,'' I tried to reassure myself, but a tinge of regret and guilt remained still.


    I threw away the covers and got up to open the small window cover ajar and let fresher air inside. The morning brisk air flared my nose and removed any tiredness that remained from sleep. I contemplated my options.


    Mistress would not require any of my services until later when she wakes up, and I had little to do in the meantime. This left more time to think about Phil, to my chagrin, as the guilt and need I was going through mounted up as minutes passed. I considered making it up for him somehow but lacked a specific idea, so I racked my mind. And then a specific conversation we had a while ago came to mind.


    Disgust passed through me and I had to shudder at the thought of doing what I had planned, but I steeled myself in doing so or at least trying.


    I got out of my humble abode next to Mistress'' vast chambers. I had been spending most of my nights here, which was mostly without much point considering the entire decision of me being here rested on the fact Mistress would be spending her time in her own chambers, which was far from the situation at hand. I looked towards Lord Cerolus'' room, noticing that Phil was missing, which lead to my plan allowing to go as intended.


    I waved the standing guards, receiving the usual nod in return, and went the other way. The hallways at this time of day, or night as it may very well be, were eerie, as the sounds of my footsteps were the only thing that could be heard echoing against the walls. Every slow step allowed me ample time to figure out how to proceed and steel myself on continuing with my intentions, as wrong as they seemed once. They were still wrong in my mind, but weighing it against any others left me with a good sense of progress. ''I''ll do this now, and maybe I won''t get to do it again.''


    Small doors stood before me, and I knew who to expect if I were to open them and let myself in. ''If there was a moment to rethink all of this, it would be this one.''


    I didn''t knock, which would have ruined any chance of this going as intended, opening the doors softly and carefully to not disturb the small room''s only occupant instead. The room was devoid of much light, but the sounds in it were more than distinguishable. Phil was not a particularly heavy sleeper, but he did snore and today was no exception to that.


    I brightened up the room a bit, allowing myself to see properly, or somewhat better in the least. He was sprawled across the bed, soft breaths interrupted by a bout of snoring. The lack of obvious stench made me smile. My plan was based on the assumption he would actually clean himself properly, so I was relieved to learn he had actually done so. He was stubborn at times.


    There was not much room left on the small bed, considering his body took most of the available space, so I had to content myself with sitting on an edge. Watching him sleep peacefully made me chuckle. He was an idiot at times, but I didn''t hold that against him. I lifted the flimsy cover he used and brushed a finger across his naked abdomen, slowly going over the elegant musculature that showed. I had been caught looking at him at times, and he would just grin innocently, leaving me to doubt myself.


    My strokes had little effect on his sleeping but he did make a pleasured sigh. That only helped elevate my mood and bolstered my resolve in acting on what I intended.


    I lifted his cover fully, leaving him bare in the room with only shorts on his groin. I slowly undid the rope that held them affixed to his hips, and gently lowered them down towards his knees. I tried to not look while I was doing that, somehow afraid of what I would see. I knew fully well that it was irrational and that I would have to look eventually, but that didn''t stop me from keeping my eyes closed until the last moment.


    Finishing up the task, I opened my eyes, staring directly at Phil''s crotch. His member lay there, lazily hanging next to his left thigh. There was no going back now, what was done was done, and I could just go forwards.


    I took it in one hand, gently, as if frightened it would pounce on me at any time. It rested in my palm and I gave it a brief squeeze. The few visible veins running along it were pulsing, Phil''s member slowly straightening up. I ran my hand along its length, tightening my grip, albeit barely, in fear of him waking up or me squeezing too hard for comfort.


    My thoughts kept running between calling myself an idiot, calling Nerephil an idiot, and consistently insulting both of us for what I was doing. In the meantime, I had started stroking his member with more vigour, something I was surprised by. When everything was considered, it wasn''t as distasteful or gross as I thought, but I knew this was the easier part of my machination. The harder one was about to take place soon. I chuckled as I realised the meaning of my words.


    Phil let out a slow, stifled moan, and I backed off, my hands almost throwing his rod away. I watched his face for a while to see if he had awoken, but I couldn''t discern whether he was sleeping or just pretending to sleep. Soon enough, his head turned away and another short snore followed through, so I sighed in relief.


    ''Why am I afraid of him waking up?'' I considered this line of thought briefly, and the only answer I could come up with was shame. I thought I would be ashamed if he were to see this. Which was impractical since I was actually doing that to him at right that moment. So feeling ashamed in that regard was a fruitless endeavour I could, and should, shrug off completely.


    Looking down again towards his engorged crotch, I poked the large head that faced me, and the entire thing swivelled shortly, which was amusing. Stopping myself from prodding uselessly, I steeled myself to go back to the task at hand, now with more resolve to get it over with quicker. My contemplations were taking too much time as they were, and nothing had actually happened of note. So I had to cast off any worries I had and get right into it.


    I stroked it for a bit more, eliciting another short grunt from Phil, which somehow made me prouder than I should have been. I stared at his member for a brief time then, and couldn''t help but lick my lips slowly, whether in preparation or actual consideration that I might somehow enjoy this demeaning course of action.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    I leant down, slowly sticking my tongue out. I licked the top of his member. I retreated immediately, then something, some instinct I probably should not possess, made me try and spread the taste around my mouth. It was salty, but not really anything else. This surprised me, but I didn''t know why. ''Did I actually have any expectations?''


    Phil''s erected member stared at me, and I stared back. Then I decided that whatever I decided to do beforehand, I might as well follow through with, if for nothing but trying it out for the first time. Somehow in all that, the feeling of shame and dread got replaced by an uncanny amount of thrill and elation. I couldn''t believe that I was actually looking forward to doing this.


    I dismissed all of those idle thoughts and leant in again, slowly but surely putting his member in my mouth. I couldn''t say I didn''t enjoy the prospect somewhat, even if that enjoyment was buried beneath various other emotions. I stroked the part I couldn''t engulf and slowly manoeuvred what I did have in my mouth. I was somewhat lost on what exactly to do, realising that I haven''t laid the plan out as much as I thought.


    Phil, on the other hand, was apparently obliviously asleep. It was still uncertain whether I would have preferred him awake, but silently hoped I would manage to wake him up by doing what I was doing. ''He better be grateful.''


    Up until now, everything had been going more or less according to what I had imagined, so I continued with my plan, trying to pleasure the sleeping man I was leaning over.


    At an instant, I could hear the doors behind creaked and I could feel the gust of wind from it being shoved open. So I closed my mouth.


    <hr>


    I was startled by a sudden outcry somewhere nearby, snatched away from my dreams. I looked around. Sophia had her back turned to me, and I could hear her soft breaths as she slept, seemingly unfazed by the aberration of sound that had just happened. Briefly considering the situation, I stayed in my bed.


    This castle was in the middle of nowhere when everything was considered. If we were under attack, someone would know. Rikkir didn''t make a single mental nudge towards me this whole time, even though he was already well awake. I was almost certain that whatever happened, I had no need to worry about it, so I tried to get back to sleep.


    I reached over and hugged Sophia''s small frame, savouring the smell of her hair and her warm body against mine. The comfort of the bed did its work and in moments I was well on my way back to a dream.


    Frantic knocking on the door made any further efforts futile. The knocking turned into what sounded like slamming an entire fist against the doors, so I got up, already annoyed. I hadn''t managed to get to the doors before they burst open. Hiratun came through, grabbing my hand, then pulling me away with him.


    Any drowsiness I had was lifted when I had realised I was being pulled by someone. I snatched my hand away. "What do you think you''re doing?"


    I looked into his face. Hiratun I knew was usually silent and calm. But he was terrible under pressure. Right now, he was somewhere between shock and crying, mumbling incoherently.


    "Nerephil... he''s... Tiana has... Nerephil... please... help..."


    I shook him to try and make him regain his senses, but it did little to stop him from shivering, so I gave up. "Hiratun, calm down. What''s wrong, tell me," the last sentence came out more as a demand than a question as I had intended.


    Hiratun mumbled again, "Lord... please help... Nerephil is... follow..."


    I dismissed attempts to make sense of all of this, "alright, just go."


    Hiratun sprung into a sprint and I followed. We passed no one along the way, and I had noticed that it was barely dawn.


    We stopped in front of a small room that guards used to sleep in at times, a group of people blocking my way. I just shoved them away and let myself pass through.


    I made a single step inside the room which was now already illuminated by torches held up by whoever was near. Nerephil was on the bed, screaming as much as he could clawing at his stomach, while Tiana was holding a cloth to his crotch. She looked straight at me in shock, "I tried to... but the doors opened..."


    "Tiana, what did you exactly do?" I shouted, and the murmur around me managed to die out.


    She slowly lifted the heavy cloth from Nerephil''s crotch, and I had to look away briefly, and instinctively caught my own groin in some irrational moment of empathy and dread.


    "I... I bit it..."


    I gaped at the sight, Nerephil''s cock covered in red blood with a large gash along the middle that kept spewing out blood vigorously. I shuddered again.


    "You know Light magic... you were near... I told Hiratun... can you help?" Tiana seemed to be in more panic than Nerephil was.


    I gulped, then cleared everyone around me away. I leant over Nerephil, shoving him back down into the bed.


    "Calm down. Easy," I tried to stay calm myself and those words had little effect.


    I grabbed the nearest bedsheet, wrung it, then pushed it into Nerephil''s mouth. "Shut up."


    He tried to protest but his screams were muffled.


    "Calm down. Bite on it. Hard," I said, then spread my palm across his bleeding crotch, "This will hurt."


    I pushed as much light magic as I could muster, trying to remember any advice I came across when I learnt to heal. Blasts of light irradiated the fresh wound. Then I forced the wound to close.


    Nerephil screamed, and Tiana regained some of her senses enough to grab hold of his outstretched hand. She was mumbling "sorry" repeatedly as I tried to focus on helping him out.


    Coursing what magical energy I could mix, I let it loose and seared the wound to stop the remaining bleeding, trying to stabilise the newly remade flesh. Nerephil cried out again. I wished no one to go through what he was going, and thanked the Gods this can be remedied.


    I stopped blasting the wound with magic, moving my palm away from my handiwork. Everyone present focused on Nerephil''s crotch.


    It was bruised, burnt, and somewhat disfigured. Most of the top had lost colour, but I had high hopes. I tried to put on a smile and speak clearly towards the still shocked guard on the bed. He was still trying to scream, but his breaths became ragged and he lost air, now just managing to heave heavily in vain.


    "Calm down," I told him softly, removing the soaked sheets from his mouth, then pointed towards his crotch, "it is going to be fine."


    Nerephil looked at me in shock, then towards his legs, then back to me in awe, and finally teared up. He bawled for a while, then hugged me, mumbling a "thank you" in my chest. I patted him on the head, and just let him cry it out. I didn''t know what else to do at that moment.


    To someone else, it might be weird to hug a naked man while I was only in my pants myself, but I paid it no mind.


    Nerephil calmed down over time and let go of me, then shied away from me upon realising what he had done, which made me laugh. I got up, cleaned my hands from the blood, then looked towards Tiana, who was standing nearby deathly silent. "Take him to the physician. You''re excused for the morning."


    I turned back towards Nerephil who figured it was high time to cover his newly remade crotch from people''s eyes. "And you, you''re excused until I hear otherwise. Good luck," I added, then left for my room.


    I dispersed the crowd again, this time making sure they left, then went back to my room. I washed my hands then slipped back into the bed.


    Sophia woke up slightly. "What''s going on?"


    "It''s nothing," I responded, then kissed her on the cheek, "go back to sleep."


    I tried my best to forget everything that went on just now, and just return to some semblance of normalcy, where my guards didn''t have their dicks bitten.

 Volume II, Chapter 14: Initiative

    I woke up alone, shifting aimlessly around the sheets until I had finally decided to leave the silken comfort. Cerolus had left what looked to be hours ago, and his side of the bed had already lost the warmth of his body. I stretched briefly, the usual feeling of nausea that had accompanied me during the recent mornings completely absent, so I had attributed this day towards being better than previous ones already.


    Still, some doubts and uncertainties remained, and I couldn''t help but think about what had transpired yesterday. I had felt betrayed but had managed to finally convince myself that it was all in my head, completely unrelated to the situation at hand. Cerolus had taken the time to reassure me that nothing would change between us, and I was inclined to believe him. ''After all, there is no reason for me not to trust him.''


    I had reminisced about everything that happened since we had met, from the initial dreadful introductions up until the present day. I couldn''t think of a moment where he had done something to harm me, apart from yesterday, but I dismissed that particularity as a simple unfortunate moment of overreaction.


    My thought then fell on the child he had brought. He told me I didn''t have to concern myself with his child, but I had my own doubts about that, and was uncertain what his reaction would be if I had shown actual hostility towards it. But I didn''t have a reason to be like that or conjure such thoughts in the first place. I had barely been properly introduced to the child at that, and it was too early to make assumptions.


    I caressed my stomach that had already started to grow, albeit almost unnoticeably so. The only reason I knew of it was the fact my dresses were less comfortable to wear, which was indeed a sad moment for all involved. ''Except the tailors, perhaps. They''d get money from it.''


    I chuckled at the realisation that I had gone from contemplating Cerolus'' son to thinking about which dress to make, all that while still sitting on my bed. I looked around the empty room and sighed slowly, preparing myself for another day of not doing anything. ''Per physician''s orders.''


    Still, something was off, but I couldn''t tell exactly what. I had called for Tiana, hoping the doors would magically open with her on the other side, as she seemingly had the ability to perform such an act. I got away from the bed and made the arduous few steps towards the dressing table, looking at myself in the mirror that was atop it.


    Tiana had not come in still and I frowned, calling her again and waiting for a few more moments, before getting too impatient. Then I decided to see who was actually in front of my room at this time.


    I pulled the large doors towards me and peeked out, glancing around to spot the person of interest. But there was none. Or rather, it was not her.


    "Hiratun," I spoke slowly to the guard, one of the two Cerolus assigned as my personal watch. I hadn''t had a clue about what could possibly happen for me to require a guard in the first place, but let the matter go. ''Actually, I hadn''t even asked in the first place. Maybe I should, if nothing to sate some curiosity about that.''


    "Yes, Milady?" Hiratun was actually the chattier of the two, which said lots considering we''ve spoken barely a sentence between us in Dral in a month.


    "Where''s Tiana?" I inquired, knowing full well that the man could not know everything. But I could hope he knew something I didn''t.


    "Tiana is... currently away at the moment, and cannot be on your service, Milady. Would you like to stay here while I call for someone?" Hiratun answered in what was possibly the longest string of words he made in front of me. I wasn''t sure whether to laugh or cry at the fact.


    I knew some of the people that worked here. It was only natural for me to at least learn the basics about them, if not speak to them. I was raised properly, I could say that much about myself if asked. None of the people were like Tiana, and I had just realised how dependent I was on her. Thus I decided to change the said fact, starting with today. Small steps, as Cerolus would probably say.


    I considered someone, before glancing towards Hiratun again. A thought occurred in a spur of the moment and I had decided to go along, if nothing but for some humour today. The days have been gloomy as is, and Cerolus already away somewhere doing his own work without me didn''t instil much joy.


    "No," I responded, then grinned at him, "you''ll do."


    Hiratun had heard me and cast a confusing look towards me, seemingly unaware of the implications. I opened the doors fully, and he stared at the inside of the room. "Well? Come on, we don''t have all day."


    He stood still with his jaw slightly open, trying to make sentences. "But, but... that is the Lord''s room. We''re not supposed to..." he glanced back at me, "and you''re the Lady. No, it wouldn''t be proper."


    I went towards him, put my hands around his arm and pulled him inside. "Oh come on, Hiratun. What''s so bad about it? Besides, how are you supposed to watch over us if you can''t enter the room?"


    My question seemed to elicit a change in his worldview as he contemplated, before willingly moving inside and looking around, apparently not knowing how to proceed. All of that was thoroughly amusing to my mind.


    I went to a dress I had picked out to wear for today, then went behind a curtain to change myself, Hiratun''s pacing around the room not stopping throughout all that. I had realised I picked a dress that had laces on its back, which made this process funnier than I initially thought.


    I stepped in front of the curtain half-dressed and stood in front of the mirror. "I need you to tie it, Hiratun."


    He gulped audibly, then hesitantly moved behind my back, as if afraid I was going to eat him. "Hiratun?" I asked in what sounded like impatience, but was purely humorous and jolly in my mind.


    He fumbled with the lace, before managing to somehow tie it well enough to not unravel itself, all the while keeping as much distance he could from me.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "I don''t bite, you know," I said, and he whimpered a bit. I didn''t know why, and I didn''t ask. Maybe I should have. "So, how are you with hair?"


    "I know nothing about that, Milady," he managed to compose himself, or accept his fate, either of which would get us somewhere this morning, to my delight.


    I sighed, "Well, nothing to be done about that," then sat down, taking the hairbrush in hand.


    "Would you like to try?" I offered, but Hiratun backed away and shook his head, leaving behind a resounding rejection. ''Isn''t he supposed to follow orders?'' I contemplated briefly before leaving the matter, for now, a part of me mischievously plotting to force him to do my hair in the future. It could be a neat sight to see, and I could imagine the look on Cerolus'' face if he were to go in on the scene, the sight of Hiratun clumsily brushing my hair in my mind causing me to chuckle.


    I slowly started brushing what I could manage, hoping to at least somewhat wrangle the mess and make it presentable. Although, no one actually came here at all, so I had to wonder if my efforts were ultimately futile and just a waste of time I''ve got used to partake every morning. I wondered if I should try and disregard my hair for a day, just to see how Cerolus would react, if anything.


    "Do you know where Tiana is?" I asked since the silence was getting to me already and I was uncomfortable with Hiratun standing idly behind me. He didn''t usually do much of anything but this time I actually called for him to not do anything, which made me feel slightly sorry for the man.


    Hiratun fidgeted for a bit. "I don''t think I am the right person to tell you, Milady."


    "Did something happen?" Various scenarios went on in my mind, each more ridiculous than the previous one. "Is she alright? Did she get hurt?!"


    "Nonono, Milady, she''s all right, she''s healthy and well," Hiratun countered hastily, "she just has the morning off duty. Lord Cerolus has relieved her for today."


    "I wonder what it''s about..." I thought out loud while trying to focus on my hair, managing to eke out some semblance of elegance from the tangled weave. "There, done.


    "How do I look?" I asked him, trying to keep any conversation going, but Hiratun didn''t seem to be prone to idle chit-chat I enjoyed. Or perhaps he did and was just uncomfortable.


    "Exquisite, Milady," Hiratun answered briskly and turned to leave the room.


    "Wait, I want to see your hair, too," I said, then hastily removed his helmet before he could react. Even with the size difference, it wasn''t a hard action to do quickly.


    His hair burst out below the helmet, dishevelled and going in all directions. I took a good look at his face, for the first time noticing his gentle features. I laughed, "Good, at least someone else has the same hair troubles I do."


    He looked at me quizzically for a moment, then produced a slight smile on his otherwise confused face.


    "For what it''s worth, I think it suits you," I said, "but let us go for now. Breakfast awaits, and I think I have thought of something to pass the time."


    Granted, it would be against advice I was given, but I was convinced said advice was nonsense.


    I was adamant on doing some magical training today, and there was little in the way of stopping me. ''Besides, Cerolus doesn''t know anything about it, and what he doesn''t know, can''t hurt him. I''ll be fine.''


    Hiratun and I left towards the dining room, since my plan relied on me getting some food first. I was starving.


    <hr>


    There was so much blood. Hours after trying to clean myself from the mess, I could still taste it in my mouth. Sour and metallic, like licking a blade.


    I ran away immediately after Lord Cerolus left us, hiding from everyone present. As shameful as everyone knowing what I was doing was, it was nothing compared to what actually happened there. I hid in my room, managing a quick change of clothes and throwing the previous set to burn. I didn''t need it, especially as a reminder of everything that transpired.


    Phil was covered by a sheet, then hoisted up by the men that were present and carried away. I had assumed they were taking him somewhere he could rest and get looked at by the physician. I cast my prayers hoping everything would turn out alright. I had wished for none of this and hoped that everything wrong would be mended by someone better than me.


    I had managed to make my way towards Lord Cerolus'' office per his request, completely abandoning the duties I usually performed in the mornings. I had hoped Mistress wouldn''t hold it against me, but had more pressing matters on my mind.


    I knocked gently on the doors to his office, and entered only when I heard the calm ''enter'' from the other side. I gulped and steeled myself, trying to muster strength and calmness, and wonderfully failing at it.


    Lord Cerolus sat at his table, idly scrolling through the books spread around him. He looked up and smiled when he saw me. It wasn''t an ominous smile, or a happy one at that. The best I could describe it would be reassuring. I felt a bit better by the smile alone.


    He gestured towards the chair was opposite his and I sat sheepishly, trying to make myself look smaller in his eyes.


    "So, let''s start from the beginning. Tell me what happened for me to see you bloodied atop a man''s bitten cock," he put the matter bluntly as if rehearsing or reading from a book. His words were cold and calculating, but there was no initial judgement or disgust.


    I sat in silence, contemplating on where to begin, and decided to start from the previous night.


    I told him all about what was going through my mind when I was walking towards the room Phil had been in, every detail that went through my head, as if it would somehow spare me of some horrible fate or undo all that happened. Halfway through, I found myself both calmer and fidgeting. Talking to someone about it and having myself heard helped me realise what I had done and what could happen next, which didn''t reassure me in the slightest.


    "...So, when Hiratun opened the doors, I panicked," I said and looked away from Lord Cerolus, trying to avoid whatever thoughts he had.


    "And that panic resulted in all of that?" he asked, and I simply nodded.


    "Then you called for me because..." he left the question open, and I realised it was my cue to step in and answer, hesitantly at first, but I had to go on.


    "You were the only person I knew could perform healing that was close by. I wanted to call for a physician, but thought he would take too long. I have to apologise for letting you witness all that, Milord," I lowered my head and avoided his eyes as I spoke, knowing full well it would accomplish nothing, but I took some solace in the fact he couldn''t see my eyes.


    Lord Cerolus got completely silent and I got concerned. Surely, if he had to think so long, I was in trouble. I had attempted to say more, but when I raised my head up to speak he silenced me with a spread palm in front of him and a quick ''shush''. So we sat in silence as moments passed.


    Then, he chuckled. I was confused, and failed to see the humour in all that. But his chuckle continued on to become full-blown laughter, which didn''t sate my curiosity or alleviate my confusion. He laughed for a while before returning to his composed self, transitioning between moods seamlessly.


    "You can go."


    I was stupefied, and kept staring at him. "That''s it?" I managed to let out, completely ignoring what he had just said and just digging my own hole deeper.


    "Umm, I don''t see what more to do," Lord Cerolus started slowly, leaning towards me as he spoke, his hands waving around. "You haven''t attacked the man, although I must admit, if there was a surprise attack, this would be it.


    "I was quick enough to stop the immediate bleeding, which was fortunate, and the rest is up to him and the physician. I can''t tell what will come out of all this, but you shouldn''t receive punishment. At least not from me.


    So, you''re free to go," he finished and waved at the door.


    I stood up, still shaken by everything that had taken place, and made my way out of his room.


    "Also, relax more when you try doing that again. There''s no reason to be so fidgety," he added behind me as I was about to close the door, and when I glanced back he winked at me. I could only hope for the floor beneath me to swallow me and end all this madness.

 Volume II, Chapter 15: Morning Blues

    "Where are we going, Milady?" Hiratun asked behind my back as we made way towards the magical training room. Cerolus had it changed a bit, so there were fewer gems inside. When I asked him about it, he briskly answered about safety and me not needing any gems for now.


    "To the training room, of course," I answered nonchalantly, already anticipating reforming my usual routine. Doing nothing but reading formal documents was excruciatingly dull. With Cerolus back, I could assume he will take over that duty again, which made me free to do whatever I wanted.


    And what I wanted right now was to cast a few basic spells.


    "But shouldn''t you be resting from training magic. The physician said..." Hiratun was doubtful, and it was showing, contrary to his regularly reserved behaviour.


    "I don''t care what the physician said," I responded quickly. Truthfully, I did care about what he said, but I paid it very little mind. ''I''m sure nothing wrong will happen if I train just a little, right?''


    "But..." Hiratun tried to dissuade me again.


    "No ''buts'', Hiratun. Now, are you going to help me or not?" I asked, and we were standing in front of the room, I poised to get in, while Hiratun just stood and stared.


    He sighed. "Of course, Milady."


    We entered the room, the charred target welcoming us with its drawn smirk. I made some adjustments to it over time, adding a small cushion with a face drawn on it. I used some of the beautifying products to do so, which was regrettable, but it made the target appear a bit more human. Or hittable, as I have found it easier to focus fire on it.


    "Now, what''s the next thing I''m supposed to be learning..." I mumbled into my chin as I tried to remember at which point I have stopped and had to look it up in a note Cerolus had scribbled up beforehand. Fire Burst was only a basic technique, which I had only recently managed to get a grip of. I could hit the target. Most of the time.


    Cerolus had shown me that magic with immolating your own body, but it seemed way beyond my capabilities, something he attested as well. Thus, I was stuck with something barely above the Burst in complexity. I had found what I was looking for and took the nearby tome out. "All right, I guess it''s the Flame Orb now."


    The tome contained detailed descriptions of how a spell would be performed. ''In theory. And it is entirely in written Dral.''


    "A Basic Flame Orb is one of the basic Primordial Orb spells, used mainly as a way of training one''s ability to control their inner magical channels and exude energy through the palm," I started reading the paragraph before me, while Hiratun stood on the side. "To start, channel energy into your palms and focus on a single point in front of you..."


    I glanced at Hiratun, "Can you do this?"


    "I can perform it, Milady," he answered, still standing still, "and I can launch it at a target."


    I have briskly read over the description and went to practical uses of the spell. It mentioned mostly being used for training, but could double for target practice when one could have the Orb stay in place.


    "All right," I mumbled, then glanced towards the target, and then back to Hiratun again. "Show me."


    "But Milady..." he had already started another protest, which I silenced quickly.


    "Just do it, Hiratun. You said you are going to help, no?"


    Hiratun sighed again, then went towards the centre of the room. I watched him as he took off his gauntlets, then started taking the chest plate off. I didn''t think much of it, thinking he''d need it off to practice.


    Then started taking off the shirt he had on him. "What are you doing?" I asked, and shied away.


    "But you said you wanted me to show it to you. The best way to do so is to follow the energy along my body as it moves," Hiratun stated bluntly then pulled the shirt off, revealing a bare sculpted chest. I didn''t actually know how appropriate this was. The only man I had seen naked was Cerolus, so he was the only comparison I could do. But it didn''t occur to me to compare them. I didn''t feel the need to do so anyway.


    I focused on my training, completely forgetting about anything else at the moment. "Well then, show me, I guess."


    Hiratun stood still, arms held out in front with palms exposed. I watched him intently, trying to sense any difference in his composure. I could feel no such thing, though, but kept my senses sharp should anything happen. In an instant, a small ball appeared in front of him, just above his spread palms. It floated lazily, spreading warmth around. Hiratun kept silent with his eyes closed while I gazed at the ball. But in a moment he opened his eyes, then turned and flung at the target. The ball darted across the room and hit the mark, but lacked any power behind it to cause anything but smoke.


    Hiratun turned to me with a slight smile. "Done, Milady. Would you like me to guide you through it?"


    I had learnt almost nothing from that, except maybe for what I should strive to do. But I had no actual means or knowledge in achieving it. I stood next to him, stretching my arms in front of me and taking a stance similar to his. "Alright, talk to me."


    <hr>


    I was finally done with the whole dick biting thing. Nerephil has been put in a bed, and I''ve called for Asclepias, thus I had nothing else to do regarding the incident.


    It was still early in the morning, so I had ample time to decide on what I should be doing today. I had briefly thought of seeing what Sophia was up to, but in the end decided against it. When we went to bed, she was still hesitant about something, as if she needed something to do. I figured it would be better to let her do things on her own accord for now.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    I still wasn''t certain about what would come out of her interacting with Korthonas. They haven''t even been properly introduced face to face, but I couldn''t exactly hold either of them responsible for that. Sophia is so much different from us, and I still have little clue on what is going through her mind at times.


    My idle thoughts caused me to pace across my office mindlessly, and I have stopped once I''d caught myself in a moment of clarity. ''For now, I''ll just stay hopeful and take things as they go regarding the two of them.''


    I left my messy office table to sort through it another day, leaving the room. I''d found a goal for today. ''I''m going to spend the day peacefully, with my son and wife.''


    I went to Korthonas'' room. The humble room above my own would be just a temporary solution until I see where all of this leads us to. Eventually, Korthonas would have a room made for him next to Sophia''s. There was plenty of space in this castle, but I thought having him near would be the best.


    I opened the small doors without knocking and peeked inside. He was still sleeping. I couldn''t remember how much kids actually slept throughout the day, but was fairly certain it was less than what time Korthonas spent in the bed. Perhaps he was just exhausted by the journey and all that happened yesterday.


    An idea sprung into my mind, and I crept towards the bed, trying to make my steps as gentle and silent as possible. I slowly lowered myself on the bedsheets next to him, trying not to disturb his sleep for as long as possible. I propped myself up on my left arm and just watched him sleep, one soft breath after another. Soon enough I had caught myself scratching one of his arms gently, my fingertips and nails slowly going across his soft skin. I remembered doing this a long time ago, simply enjoying the moments I had with my family back then. I sighed. ''How time passes.''


    After some time, Korthonas shifted, then opened his eyes, looking around. I lowered my head to his ear and whispered, "Good morning, Korthonas."


    He turned his head towards me, then chuckled innocently. I brushed his silken hair and pecked him on the forehead.


    I leapt up, invigorated. "Come on. Let''s get you dressed up."


    Korthonas rubbed his eyes, then slowly leant up. I extended a hand, and he took it gingerly, still groggy from sleep. Eventually, he managed to wake up fully.


    I almost pulled him out of the room, and into the makeshift closet I''ve requested be made for him where his belongings would be stored. The cases were overturned and clothes neatly packed on piles. I''d already had it sorted out, and one of the girls would be taking care of him, like Tiana does for Sophia. I still didn''t know who that would be, or if it would be a single person, so for now, I''d have Lilianna take care of it.


    She was already waiting nearby when we walked in, and was already on her way towards me.


    "Lilianna," I only had to say her name, and she would already start talking about everything that needed to be done.


    "Master Cerolus," she curtsied, then turned towards my son, "Young Master Korthonas. It will be a pleasure to serve you, Young Master."


    Korthonas glanced at her, then turned to me, "Daddy, what is she saying?"


    I put my hand on his shoulder, then crouched down to be at eye-level and smiled. "This lady is going to take care of you. I''ll be here until you learn the language properly."


    I went back up, and Korthonas straddled my leg. I didn''t bother to do anything about it, but turned to speak to Lilianna instead.


    "Get him some decent clothes," I said briskly, to which she would always nod. "What about tailoring for him?"


    "I''ve already called for the tailor to come today. He is already requested for Milady''s dresses, but I am certain it shouldn''t take long," Lilianna started explaining while moving around the room, browsing through the stuff Medusa had sent.


    "Great. Put some clothes on him, then we will get some breakfast. Has Sophia woken up yet?" I inquired, as it was already rather late in the morning. She had been taking things slower, with having a child and all. She had already started to look the part, but it only made her more beautiful.


    "She had already had breakfast, Master," Lilianna said quickly, then returned to finding Korthonas'' clothes for the day.


    "Eh... that''s fine I guess," I wondered what she was going to do, but had decided to pay in little mind. She''d probably just go and read, or do something to occupy her time. I''d join her after the breakfast, anyway. "Let''s just leave her be for now. One step at a time."


    Lilianna stood up, pieces of cloth in tow, "There!"


    She presented her findings to Korthonas, a simple blue shirt and more ornate shorts. With all Nazjar having tails, I''d have assumed the shirts would be more ornate than the clothing they never made use of, but they''d manage to impress. ''Must''ve been Medusa''s work,'' I smirked.


    Korthonas looked at the clothes, then back at me.


    "Well, do you like them?" I asked. There was little choice here, and clothes more proper for a Demon, and more importantly, red, would have to wait a while. I personally didn''t like the blue colours. ''Except maybe in the eyes. No, I definitely like blue eyes.''


    He nodded, then got away from me for the brief time it took Lilianna to dress him properly. The blue was awfully contrasting with his red skin, but it wouls seem the other option was jade green, which wouldn''t have fared any better. I questioned Medusa''s colour choices at this point, but could do nothing about that.


    "Alright, let''s get you some food," I started leaving the room, and could feel a firm grip on my tail as I went.


    I mulled over some plans, and decided I''d need to send a letter or two today. Some plans would have to be set in motion.


    <hr>


    "I can''t do it," I sighed and relaxed my hands. I had been trying to make a ball of energy, but was met with no success at all.


    I could provide a burst of flame, but couldn''t make it linger nor shape it into the ball that I want. Hiratun spent his time watching and trying to explain what I should be doing, but it made little sense in my mind.


    Fire was always something I considered quick and fleeting, and the mere concept of holding it tight and shut eluded me.


    I gave up for the day, turning to Hiratun. "Let''s just leave it here for now."


    "As you wish, Milady," he said, then went about strapping on his armour again.


    I cleaned the sweat that had gathered on my face and wiped my hands, then tried to put the room in order I had found it in. ''If I am to do this behind someone''s back, I might as well do it properly,'' I figured.


    We left the room, then slowly made our way to the Gardens. The only physical exertion I was allowed was breathing and walking, it would seem, so I''d have to take everything easy.


    I turned on my heels back towards the helmeted Hiratun, and looked up to him, trying to look into the eyes under the helmet. "Not a word about this to Cerolus. Please," I added, somehow hoping that made it seem less of a threat.


    "Of course, Milady," he answered briefly, as he would always do, and we resumed walking again. I might have even noticed a slight smile on his face as he was saying it that time.