《Demon Queen Wants to Paint》
Chapter 1 – Broken Dream
"Why does this always happen to me?" Rosa grumbled quietly as she noticed the dark storm clouds approaching from across the sea. She was about halfway across the pier at that point, on her way to the lighthouse. People on the beach were gathering their belongings and slowly heading towards the wooden pathways, which led back into the city.
Rosa sighed and adjusted the uncomfortable straps that were eating into her shoulders. A large wooden easel and canvas were hoisted onto her back, weighing down on her petite frame.
"I knew I should have checked the weather forecast¡"
She exhaled and turned to follow the crowd back into the city, when the phone in her shorts pocket vibrated. Curious, she pulled it out of her pocket to check the notification. The phone almost fell from her hands when she read ''E-mail from Studio Goblin''.
Her heart began thundering in her chest and her palms turned uncomfortably sweaty. She tried to unlock her phone with her fingerprint, but the device wouldn''t recognize it through all the sweat. After wiping her hand in the fabric of her white shirt, she tried again. This time it unlocked and she went to her email app right away.
But when she tried to read the email, her trembling finger accidentally tapped an advert sitting right above it. Cursing a few times at the beautiful model in the shampoo ad, she hurriedly closed it and returned to her email app. But instead of opening the message, her finger hovered above it.
"It''s okay, it''s okay," Rosa chanted to herself, looking over the perfectly calm sea as dark clouds crept further and further over the sky. She took a deep breath, and then after a few seconds, slowly exhaled. With a shaky finger, she finally tapped on the message.
"Hello, Rosa. After carefully reviewing your portfolio and taking into account the answers you gave during the interview¡" Rosa quietly read the email, skipping through most of the introduction, until she finally reached the most important sentence, "... it is with great pleasure that we inform you that you''ve been accepted as an intern at Studio Goblin."
Rosa squealed in delight and jumped up, earning a few odd glances from the people who were hurrying off the pier. Her easel painfully hit her back, but she paid no mind to it, instead removing the heavy weight from her shoulder and setting it down against the ledge.
"I did it! I actually did it!"
A wide grin spread on her face, and she wanted to shout to the whole world of her big achievement. Then her face hardened and she looked back down at her phone, her heart squeezing in her chest.
"But, first things first¡" she muttered and opened her ''Contacts'' page. Rosa scrolled through the short list to find the name ''Mother'' while shifting her weight nervously from one leg to another. She hesitated a bit, her heart pounding. Dialing her might have been more challenging than getting this internship, but she shook her head and resolutely pressed the ''Call'' button.
Her hands trembled a little as she waited through the dial beeps. One. Two. Three. Four. At the fifth, her hand faltered and lowered a bit, but the call finally connected.
"Yes?" replied a cold, familiar voice.
"H-hello, Mother," Rosa said nervously, twirling a lock of her hair in her free hand. The sky had been completely taken over by the dark clouds, and there was an eerie quiet in the surrounding area. Most people were already gone, and the few remaining stragglers were on their way out.
"What do you want?" the cold voice spat out, and Rosa could imagine her mother''s face scrunched up in disgust and disappointment. In fact, that was the only expression she could imagine on her face.
"I-I''m just calling to tell you that I got a job at Studio Goblin," Rosa said resolutely, straightening her back and puffing out her chest proudly. There was a pause on the other end of the line and the whole world around Rosa seemed to go still and very quiet. As if the sea was taking a measured breath.
"So?"
A cold raindrop hit Rosa on her forehead, making her flinch.
"I-I¡ It proves that you can make a living by doing art. That you were wrong about me not being able to achieve anything," she said as calmly as she could, but her voice cracked multiple times. A loud scoff resounded from the phone.
"You''ve just proved that we made the right decision by throwing you out as soon as you turned eighteen. Studio Goblin? What kind of company even is that? No respectable person would ever call a business that!" Rosa''s mother mocked. More and more heavy raindrops began falling from the sky, mercilessly pelting her with their intensity.
"If you had begged and apologized for your horrible behavior, I might have thought of accepting you back into the family. If you could have achieved even one fourth of what your younger sister has done, then I wouldn''t have minded meeting with you again. I had hoped that time on your own would have taught you a valuable lesson, but you''re still the same ungrateful, lazy brat leeching off the hard-work of others. If only¡"
Mother continued ranting but Rosa couldn''t hear her anymore as the hand she held her phone with slumped to her side. The rain was coming down hard, soaking Rosa from head to toe.
"I only wanted you to be proud of me just once¡" Rosa whispered and lifted the phone to end the call. But before she could push the red ''End Call'' button, she heard her mother snarl.
"Never call us again. You''re no daughter of mine."
And the call disconnected.
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This was supposed to be a day of celebration¡
The cold rain had already soaked her clothes, forcing her body to shiver as it desperately tried to retain the quickly escaping heat.
"What was even the point?" Rosa complained to the sea, which threw its waves with increasing intensity, as if trying to reach her and pull her into its depths. She sat down on the wet edge that separated the pier from the raging sea, and looked down.
"All that work, and I couldn''t get even a single word of acknowledgement¡"
The sea roiled and a bright flash appeared near the horizon. Hot tears began to stream down her face, but they remained unseen under the heavy raindrops.
"I wish¡ I wish I had been born to parents who loved me no matter what I chose to do," she spoke to the sea quietly, her words drowned out by the loud crashes of the deluge. The fury of the storm emboldened her ¨C it had no fear, nothing holding it back.
Why was I even trying to prove anything to the one person who never cared?
"Even being a demon''s daughter would have been better!" she yelled into the sea, letting her frustration out. A low grumble of thunder resounded through the area. Anger inside Rosa began to boil and she stood up on the ledge and screamed.
"Even a demon would care more!"
Wind pulled on her clothes and hair, but she stood tall and strong.
I will not be taken down by this storm. I''ll get through it just as I have gotten through all the other difficulties in life.
Feeling a bit better after screaming her feelings out, Rosa was about to descend from the ledge when a strong gust of wind threatened to throw her into the sea. She wobbled, unsteadily, but managed to keep her footing. But a strong blast of water suddenly swept underneath her, and her knees buckled under the massive force.
Dumbstruck, she fell backward into the sea, crashing into the dark waters. Rosa flailed, trying to swim to the surface but the sea tossed her mercilessly left and right, not giving her a chance to reach the water''s edge. She began to panic as the oxygen in her lungs was slowly running out.
I can''t just die like this!
She moved her limbs desperately, but the more she flailed, the deeper the sea seemed to pull her into its embrace. Her vision began to blur as her body was desperately crying out for oxygen. Darkness overcame her senses and cold filled her limbs, weighing them down like lead.
***
Rosa woke up with a jolt as if she was struck by a strong electric current. Her lungs felt like they were seized, and she was unable to breathe. Another strong jolt, and her eyes opened for just a moment ¨C not long enough to actually register her surroundings. She still couldn''t breathe.
Why can''t I breathe?
Before she could properly begin to panic, there was another jolt and she was finally able to take a lungful of air. She coughed violently, tears rolling down her cheeks.
A soothing male voice spoke in a language Rosa did not understand. As her coughing fit slowly subsided, she finally opened her eyes. She looked down at herself, unable to comprehend her appearance.
I''m completely naked. Why am I naked?
As Rosa''s eyes adjusted to light, she saw a giant man towering over her. His skin was ash gray, not a color that could be attributed to a living person, he had long, blood red hair and eyes as dark as the night. But what stood out the most were two black horns attached to his head.
Rosa froze completely, unable to fathom what exactly she was seeing. She was in a small room with dark wallpaper and no windows, completely butt naked, in what appeared to be a crib.
The man froze as well, staring at her with unblinking eyes. She screamed. But the scream did not come out quite like she imagined it should. It sounded like a cry of a¡ baby? She stopped, and the man looked at her intensely, waiting for her reaction. But for a moment, she shelved her worries about the giant man, and instead tried to lift her arm.
It was incredibly difficult to do so ¨C it felt like she had no strength in her arms whatsoever. But once she managed to do so, she saw a tiny hand with stubby, little fingers.
No, that can''t be right.
She mustered her strength and lifted her other hand. It was just as small and with the same kind of stubby fingers. She tried to lift her head to look down on her body, but it was so heavy ¨C Rosa couldn''t even do it.
She began squirming, trying to move her body upright, but it was futile. Rosa didn''t have enough strength. As she squirmed, she felt something wriggle between her legs.
No, that couldn''t¡ could it? Please tell me it''s not what I think it is!
Rosa lost it completely and started screeching on top of her little lungs. She had without a doubt been turned into a baby. And into a boy no less.
No, this can''t be happening! It must be a nightmare.
The man looked worried, and bent down to pick Rosa up, not bothering to cover her. His hands were huge and strong, and it felt like they could squish her like a blueberry. Rosa screeched hysterically.
This has to be a nightmare. This can''t be real! I have to wake up.
But the man rocked her in his arm in a soothing motion, and she inadvertently began to calm down ¨C her hysteric cries turning to mild sobs. He said something to her, but she couldn''t understand a word. The giant horns on his head scared her, as did his rough features which made his attempts at a calm expression look forced and awkward.
Who is this man? Did he do this to me somehow? What even is he? A demon of some sort?
As Rosa pondered these questions, she felt that weird squirming in between her legs again.
Wait¡ male parts aren''t supposed to be moving around on their own, are they?
She tried to wiggle it, and felt how the appendage moved at her will. After a bit wriggling and squirming, she understood that it was actually a tail. Although, she didn''t know whether that was better or worse.
Wait. If I have a tail¡ Does that mean¡ Oh God!
Rosa squirmed and with the last bit of the baby strength that she had, she reached to touch the top of her head. It was so difficult ¨C her arms felt so utterly tiny and useless while her head felt bulbous and large. But she did manage to find what she was looking for ¨C or rather what she had hoped not to find. Two tiny little stumps right on top of her head.
The man said something to her again, his expression more confident now. She looked at the large hands holding her and saw how his skin tone nearly matched her own. The man took her curiosity as a good sign, and began speaking to her. She still couldn''t understand a word ¨C the language sounded like nothing she had ever heard before. But from his intonation she could tell that he was excited.
He walked up to a large body sized mirror in the corner of the dark room and pointed towards it with his chin while talking in the meanwhile. With some effort, she turned her head and saw that the baby in the reflection of the mirror had the same blood red tuft of hair as the man. Now she was sure without a doubt ¨C this man was the father of the baby. Rosa began wailing at the top of her lungs again.
Chapter 2 – Demons Daughter
Rosa didn''t know for how long she had cried, but at one point she got so tired that she just fell asleep. She only woke up when horrible hunger pangs gnawed at her stomach. Opening her eyes, she saw the same gloomy room with no windows. But before being able to properly assess her surroundings, her stomach growled with almost painful intensity.
Is this really how babies feel hunger? The feeling is so excruciatingly strong that it is painful. No wonder that babies cry so loudly when they feel hungry.
Despite being an adult mentally, Rosa barely managed to hold herself back from screaming. But before she could begin to worry about it in earnest, a man with a bushy, brown beard appeared in her view, saying something in a calm voice. His voice didn''t suit his appearance at all ¨C it was soft, like a woman''s voice. Rosa thought she saw a smile behind the bushy beard, but it was hard to tell. The man apparently took the fact that she hadn''t begun crying as a good sign and picked her up while carefully holding her head.
Rosa realized she wasn''t naked anymore, instead she was dressed in a soft and warm cotton onesie. Or at least it felt like cotton. As the man held Rosa close, she also understood that she was mistaken. This was not a man, but most definitely a woman as she could feel the large, soft breasts on HER chest.
But how can a woman have such a large beard? A woman having a beard wasn''t impossible, of course, there were illnesses that could cause that as well as hormonal imbalance. But I''ve never actually seen a woman with such a luscious beard.
Much to Rosa''s delight, the bearded woman did not have any horns or tail. She murmured something to Rosa and then produced a glass bottle with a nipple for the cork.
I''m not supposed to eat that, am I? Just suck on the bottle like a baby? Well, I am a baby now and I am hungry, but there''s no way I''m just going to accept it so easily.
As the woman brought the bottle closer to Rosa''s mouth, she considered whether she should just kick it away. But the sweet smell of milk reminded her of how hungry she actually was. And she didn''t exactly have teeth to chew things with. Begrudgingly Rosa latched onto the bottle and drank the milk. It was thicker and creamier than cow''s milk, but also more filling. She quite liked it. The bearded woman nodded in satisfaction as she drank, a smile peeking out from behind the beard.
Rosa was almost done with her bottle, when the door was thrust open with a loud clang and the same Demon Man from before entered. That''s how Rosa decided to call him, for what else is he supposed to be? He is no doubt at the core of her misfortune ¨C pulling her away from her own world for his own nefarious plans.
With her stomach full, Rosa began to worry about her world.
How can I get back? What happened to my body? Am I just dead and have no way of going back? Or perhaps somebody has found me and my body is being kept alive in the hospital ¨C attached to machines and tubes? But even if that is the case how can I get back?
These horrible thoughts overwhelmed her so much that she began crying again. The bearded woman grumbled something towards the Demon Man, who awkwardly scratched his head. Rosa wanted to scream at him to send her back to her world, but her baby tongue and lack of teeth made her completely unable to speak. The bearded woman rocked her in a futile attempt to console her.
After a few minutes Demon Man bent down to pick Rosa up from the woman''s hands. She then realized how much taller Demon Man was than the bearded woman.
Was he actually a Giant Demon Man? No, that''s not quite right.
Looking down at the bearded woman Rosa saw how short she actually was. If she were to break her down proportionally for a drawing, then she would be five heads high. Normally humans were about seven or eight heads high. This woman was a dwarf.
Good gods! I was pulled into some world filled with weird, inhuman races. Do humans even exist here? And what about all the technology? Phones, computers, cars and other daily conveniences? What about movies? What if they don''t even exist in this world?
Rosa frantically looked around the dark room they were in, trying to find any sign of some sort of modern technology. But the room was decorated like some goth''s nursery ¨C dark walls, a dark crib with tacky frills, dark plushies depicting some monsters in the corner of the room, and a dark changing table which no doubt contained everything a baby needed.
She looked up at the ceiling and saw that there was a lamp there. At first she was relieved, thinking it was an electric lamp, but looking at it more carefully, noted it was different.
The dwarf woman noticed her interest, and clapped her hands twice. The light turned off and everything turned dark. Then she clapped once and the light came back. Rosa outstretched her hands towards it, hoping that Demon Man would bring her closer to the lamp so she could inspect it properly.
He asked something to the dwarf woman, who nodded her head and then he brought Rosa closer. It was still high up on the ceiling, but she saw that there were no actual light bulbs on it. Instead there were tiny little glass balls that had some odd liquid moving inside it ¨C almost like a lava lamp only much smaller.
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What is that even? How does it work? Even if it is some sort of technology, it certainly isn''t the same kind as on Earth. Then¡ it''s very unlikely that there is something here like computers or TVs.
The thought was so painful, that Rosa barely managed to hold back her tears. Demon Man smiled and wiggled his finger above her, no doubt hoping that she would grab it.
This is all your fault! You pulled me into this world, didn''t you? Even without any proof, I know it. But I won''t let you get away with it.
Rosa took a deep breath and then began screaming for no other reason than to annoy Demon Man. This was the only thing she could do at the time, being a baby. But as she let her little voice carry loudly through the room, forcing Demon Man to wince in displeasure, she swore an oath to herself.
One day, I''ll find a way to go back home. No matter how long it takes, I''ll keep getting stronger and keep searching. I''ll become an artist that I''ve always dreamed of becoming, even if it takes me a hundred years.
***
Rosa stared at the demon, and the demon stared back. Neither of them said anything or did anything. She ¨C because she couldn''t, he ¨C well, she didn''t know why he was silently staring at her. His expression was incomprehensible to her, neither angry, nor sad, nor excited. But there was something in his face. Curiosity perhaps? Or perhaps something exclusive to demons.
How long are you going to keep staring at me?
The dwarf woman said something, a question judging by the tone of her voice. The demon blinked and finally turned his gaze from Rosa, saying something to the dwarf woman. She nodded and a small smile was peeking out from behind her beard. Then she left the room in a hurry.
Hey, don''t leave me alone with him!
Their awkward staring contest resumed, and Rosa began counting seconds until the dwarf woman''s return. After exactly three minutes, the demon lifted his arm and Rosa flinched, fearing what he might do. Seeing her reaction, he slowly lowered the arm and the excruciating staring contest resumed.
Thankfully, it didn''t take long for the dwarvish woman to return with a baby bath in tow. It was made out of metal or something akin to it, and seemed too large and heavy for such a short woman to be carrying. Much to Rosa''s surprise, she put it down with one hand, as if it weighed nothing at all.
The demon nodded at her, and then pulled the bath closer to Rosa''s crib.
Are they going to wash me? I suppose a bath doesn''t sound so bad.
The dwarf came up to the bath, holding some sort of large marble ball in her hand. Before Rosa could begin to ponder its purpose, water poured out of the ball as if from a tap.
Is that some sort of magic?
Noticing Rosa''s interest, the demon bent down closer to her and said something in his incomprehensible demon speech.
I can''t understand you. And even if I could, I can''t answer you.
The demon waved his hand above Rosa and a little ball of water formed in his palm. Rosa marveled as he moved the water ball above her head, making it bend and turn, inflate and deflate.
That definitely is magic. That''s amazing! He just created water out of thin air. Or are there perhaps some rules that he has to follow to do that?
Much to Rosa''s surprise, the demon chuckled. A large demon man with black horns and horrifying black eyes who no doubt killed puppies for sport ¨C just chuckled. And not in a creepy, evil maniac kind of way, but in a human kind way people laughed when they found something amusing.
No, it must be a ploy to make me forgive him for this forced kidnapping. Not today, you evil demon. I will not fall for your Stockholm Syndrome plan.
Rosa hardened her expression, attempting to glare at the demon, but he had already turned towards the dwarf woman, discussing something with her. The bath had been filled with water and there was a towel and a bar of soap on a little tray on the side of the bath.
The demon approached her, and then began unbuttoning her onesie.
You intend to bathe me? No, no, no. No way I am letting a demon wash me.
Rosa opened her mouth to scream, and the demon instantly stopped, wincing in anticipation of her scream. When the scream didn''t come, he resumed opening the buttons and Rosa opened her mouth once more. He paused again, but didn''t remove his hand entirely. But as soon as he tried to open another button, she let out an earth shattering screech. The demon backed away and appeared annoyed.
The dwarvish woman said something soothingly, and came up to Rosa to finish the task. Ideally, Rosa would have wanted for the man to leave instead of gawking at her naked baby body, but she had a feeling he wouldn''t leave no matter how much she screamed. She''d accept his presence for the time being.
Once undressed, the dwarf gently lifted her while supporting her head and then deposited her into the warm bath water. It was pleasant, but at the same time the bath was filled with water all the way to the brim. Her body floated helplessly in it, and suddenly she remembered how the violent sea waves had dragged her under water.
No¡ I don''t want to go into the water!
Rosa began flailing and screaming as much as her little hands allowed her. She slipped out of the woman''s grip and her head went under water. But before she even realized what had happened, strong arms pulled her out. She coughed up the little amount of water she managed to swallow as the demon cradled her close to his chest, and angrily shouted something at the dwarf.
The woman lifted her arms defensively and muttered something while shaking her head. The demon commanded something at her while pointed at the bath, and the dwarf bowed profusely and then hurried to draw the excess water out the bath using the marble ball.
That was the first time Rosa felt gratitude towards the demon.
Chapter 3 – Saving an Elf
Rosa found it difficult to keep track of the days and months that followed as they were some of the most boring days in her existence. Aside from when she was a human baby probably, but she didn''t have the mental capacity to remember that. However, stuffing an adult mind into a baby''s body was proving to be a great torture device.
There were so many things Rosa wanted to do. Learn more about the surrounding area, find out more about this strange, new world and perhaps figure out if art was a prominent thing here. Walking also would be a nice thing to do.
Unfortunately, she couldn''t even roll over ¨C that''s just how weak her baby body was. The nursery didn''t even have any windows, so she couldn''t even deduce whether it was daytime or nighttime. The only difference was that during the night the lights were turned off. Or at least Rosa assumed so.
So whenever Rosa wasn''t eating or sleeping, the only thing she could do was stare at the gray ceiling, following the swirling patterns from one side of the wall to the next. Slowly she began to resent the room. It was so dark and gloomy, with barely any color in it that wasn''t black or some variation of gray. Sometimes she wondered whether she had just died and was sent to her personal hell.
But there was one thing that convinced her that it wasn''t so. Or rather it was a person. Her dwarf nanny. Whenever the bearded woman came, she would chat with Rosa in a cheerful tone and play some silly baby games. It sounded stupid for an adult to enjoy such things, but after spending day after day staring at the ceiling, even something as mundane as peekaboo became a great source of entertainment.
Of course, what Rosa truly appreciated was her nanny''s talking, because through her she was slowly beginning to understand the language. For example, Rosa understood that her name in this world was Morrigan ¨C a dreadful name in her opinion ¨C from how both the nanny and Demon Man addressed her.
The nanny''s name was Gunna while the Demon Man was called Alphegor. Quite honestly she expected him to have some cliched name like ''Lucifer'' or ''Azazel'', but this was another world, so earthly cliches didn''t apply. Nonetheless, Rosa decided to still refer to him as ''Demon Man'' because calling him by his name would be like acknowledging that he was a person and not a monster.
And I''ll never acknowledge him as a person, much less as my father.
Rosa also learned to understand some simple phrases, like ''Are you hungry?'', ''It is time to sleep'' and ''Let''s change the nappy''. The nappy changing times were by far the most horrible and embarrassing for Rosa. Oddly enough Gunna never showed any disgust, instead chuckling from behind her bushy beard.
But this day turned out to be different for others. Sometime after lunch, Demon Man stepped into the nursery followed by a scrawny, bespectacled man with long, greasy hair.
This is new. He''s never brought anybody but Gunna to this room.
Rosa felt excited, seeing someone who looked human. But after carefully assessing the man, her excitement quickly faded.
He had horrible red marks around his wrists as if he had been painfully bound. And his scrawniness wasn''t something natural, but rather it looked like the result of malnutrition. There was also a dark bruise underneath his eye. But the most unusual thing about him was the extremely long ears.
An elf? But why is he in such a horrible state?
Demon Man pushed the elf towards Rosa, glaring at him in the process. The man glanced fearfully at Demon Man, then came towards her crib with shaky steps. She saw that he was holding what appeared to be a slab of some sort of stone. He glanced at Demon Man again, who glared at him so hard, Rosa thought that the poor elf would just drop dead on the floor.
With shaky hands he brought the stone slab towards Rosa.
Is he giving this as a gift or something? Surely not.
He was holding it and staring at Rosa with pleading eyes as if trying to send some silent message across to her.
What do you want me to do? I''m just a baby.
The only thing she could do was touch the stone slab with her tiny hand. And so she did it, mostly out of curiosity. It felt just like any other rock ¨C cold and smooth.
Relief washed over the elf''s face and he muttered something. The slab began glowing with a bright red light. Demon Man exclaimed in a loud cheer, making Rosa flinch away from the stone while the elf and Gunna looked thoroughly shaken. They regarded her with fear in their eyes. Rosa was not surprised that the elf feared her ¨C after all she was the biological offspring of Demon Man. But the fact that Gunna had the same type of fear in her eyes, actually hurt.
Demon Man was boasting loudly and laughing like a maniac in the meanwhile. She didn''t understand what he was saying, but she heard her name mentioned a few times. Then he turned towards the elf, and Rosa saw a red glint in his dark eyes. Her whole body shivered as she felt murderous intent emanating from him.
He''s going to kill the elf. No, no, no!
Rosa began to squirm frantically trying to think of a way to prevent a murder from happening right in front of her eyes. The elf was still looking at her and didn''t notice how Demon Man lifted his hand.
What can I do? What can I do? I must stop him!
She reached her hand towards the elf hoping to grab him, but he was too far.
Oh, why is this body so weak?!
She saw how Demon Man was about to lunge forward towards the elf, and so Rosa automatically tried to scream ''Don''t''. But due to lack of teeth and her uncontrollable baby tongue, all that came out was a sad little ''do''. Everybody froze and looked at her with wide and shocked eyes. She''s not sure why they were so surprised, but it seemed to have gotten their attention so Rosa repeated the process, mumbling ''do, do, do'' and reaching with her hand towards the elf.
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The elf looked flabbergasted, terrified and astounded at the same time. Rosa worried that the mixture of emotions was going to make the man faint. Demon Man disregarded the elf completely and ran up to Rosa''s crib, lifting her high up in the air with a wide grin on his face.
How can you be so damn happy after almost murdering somebody? Damned demon!
Rosa regarded him with the same look she would give to a fly sitting on a pile of poo. But Demon Man clearly had no understanding as to the meaning of her expression, and proceeded to lift her up and down while happily muttering something.
He then looked at her with expectant gaze and said something. She didn''t understand his words, but had a feeling he probably wanted her to ''talk'' again. But she wouldn''t do that just because he wants it. So Rosa scrunched her nose instead and glared at him.
Gunna suppressed a laugh, hiding it behind her beard. She then said something in a calm voice, and pointed towards the elf. The elf lifted his arms up in defense, and Demon Man glowered at him.
After a moment of consideration, he handed Rosa to the elf. The man took her with shaky hands, but his hold was gentle and he made sure to support Rosa''s head. She didn''t really need the support anymore, as she could at least hold her head, but she appreciated his efforts nonetheless.
Then, just to spite Demon Man, she smiled at the elf and repeated the ''do, do, do'' while sending a mental message to the villain.
Don''t you dare to kill this elf! Or any other person for that matter.
A small smile appeared on the elf''s lips while Demon Man left the nursery with a huff, pouting like a little child.
Serves him right for trying to kill somebody!
The elf looked unsure of what to do with her, but Gunna took Rosa from him and said something in an encouraging albeit a slightly sad tone. The elf nodded absentmindedly in response, but the whole time his eyes were locked on Rosa, as if trying to understand the inner workings of her mind.
***
After a few days of trying to count every single raven''s feather displayed on the wallpaper, something interesting happened. Along with Gunna, the elf from before came to Rosa''s nursery. His look was completely changed ¨C instead of dirty rags he wore nice scholarly tunic and pants which matched his brown eyes with their earthy tones. His hair was washed clean ¨C Rosa could tell that he had dark brown hair. Previously it seemed black from all the grime and dirt. And most importantly, the bruises on his wrists and face were gone; as if healed by magic.
The elf approached Rosa''s crib cautiously, and she saw a nervous bead of sweat rolling down his temples. He asked Gunna something, but it was too quiet for Rosa to hear. The nanny smiled at him and gave him a reassuring pat on the back.
"It''s alright!" She motioned for him to approach Rosa. Rosa just looked curiously at the nervous man, and wondered what he would do. He began rummaging through a bag that he carried with him and then pulled a book out of it. He displayed it before Rosa, so she could see it. The book was thick with a leather spine and dark blue letters on the cover. She could not read what it said. Whatever those letters were, they were nothing she''d seen on Earth before. There was some resemblance to celtic runes, but it was very distant.
The elf pointed at the letters and Rosa assumed that he read the title of the book.
I know you have the best intentions, but you can''t really expect a three month old baby to understand you.
Rosa scrunched her nose in displeasure, and the man flinched. Gunna walked up to him, pulling the book aside. She pointed towards Rosa and said something about telling her his name, and then something else. It was still really difficult to understand anything that didn''t involve the most basic words. But the elf understood the nanny and nodded. He pointed to himself.
"My name is Faenor," he said slowly while enunciating. This Rosa understood without an issue. She smiled at him in response, and the elf visibly relaxed. Then he turned towards Gunna and retrieved the book from her. It looked like he would begin reading, but the nanny interjected again.
Rosa didn''t quite understand what they talked about, it was so fast, but after a bit of back and forth, Gunna lifted her out of the crib and offered for Faenor to hold. He shook his head vigorously, while muttering something rapidly. Rosa puffed out her cheeks.
How rude! He doesn''t want to hold me.
He noticed the change in her expression, and visibly paled. Perhaps he thought that she was about to cry. Faenor extended trembling arms towards Rosa, and finally took her. His hold felt boney, he was much leaner than Gunna and didn''t have the large muscles that Demon Man did. But Rosa wouldn''t complain about something so petty so she just looked at the book he held in his other arm and waited.
Seeing that Rosa wasn''t going to cry, Faenor released a sigh of relief and settled into one of the gloomy chairs. Gunna nodded with satisfaction and began cleaning around the nursery. The elf pointed at the cover again and slowly enunciated the title of the book. Rosa still didn''t understand what it said, but she clearly heard every sound. When somebody spoke fast, she couldn''t even catch those ¨C everything sounded like a jumbled mess.
Faenor looked down at Rosa, and seeing as she was still staring at the book, he opened it. First page showed a picture of a red dragon, but the art style was rather cartoony. Rosa almost squealed with delight.
A picture book? Finally something that isn''t just black and white.
The elf flipped to the next page, and there was an egg laying in a pile of gold. Faenor slowly read the text above the picture, and Rosa tried to listen to his pronunciation and commit it to memory. She heard most of it, but got a little bit distracted by the artwork.
Finally, I can see more colors than just black and gray. How I missed all these beautiful shades of red and gold.
Faenor flipped to the next page and there a little, red dragon emerged from the shell while spewing dramatic, blue flames. Rosa watched and listened carefully, trying to understand the story told in the pages.
When the first book was finished, Faenor put it aside and pulled another book from his case. Rosa was excited to see the art within it. But, unfortunately, as the elf was about to begin reading the title, Demon Man burst into the room without as much as a knock.
Rosa glared at him in annoyance, mentally willing him to go away. But instead he just stomped over and took the book from Faenor''s hand. The elf began shivering out of fear, and he clutched onto her baby form tighter as if she was the only thing that protected him from the demon. Demon Man looked through the pages of the book and scoffed.
He then said something with a disdainful look on his face, and tossed the book on the ground.
How dare you?! I wanted to see that book. I won''t let you get away with this.
She waited for Demon Man to take her from the elf, and then screamed at him. He tried to rock her, shush her, reason with her in a soft voice and she''s pretty sure he threatened her a little bit as well. But she did not relent her screams until Gunna finally took her away.
If you insist on ruining the best time I''ve had since coming to this damned world, then I''ll be sure to make your ears bleed.
Demon Man left looking like a puppy that has been kicked by its owner. But Rosa did not feel sorry for him. In fact, she felt proud for teaching a bit of a lesson in humility. Unfortunately, as Rosa later found out, it would take way more than screaming to keep Demon Man away.
Chapter 4 – Unexpected Visitor
The next morning, Rosa barely managed to open her eyes when Demon Man rushed into the nursery with a slightly concerned Gunna coming in after him. He barked something at her in a slurry of impatient gestures, and she just nodded obediently in response, too tired from trying to catch up to him, to object.
Gunna produced Rosa''s usual bottle of morning milk, and then gingerly picked Rose up to feed her. Rosa was already sick of drinking nothing but milk every day, but it''s not like she was able to eat anything else. Her little baby body probably couldn''t handle anything more serious. Not to mention the lack of usable teeth. So begrudgingly she latched onto the bottle and began drinking while keeping an eye on Demon Man.
He was tapping his foot impatiently and pacing from one side of the room to the next. This annoyed Rosa.
What the hell do you want first thing in the morning?
She noticed that he was holding something in his hands. Something like a case, but Rosa wasn''t sure what exactly it was for. She had a strong suspicion that she''d find out soon enough. And she also suspected that she would not be too thrilled about it.
Her bottle was soon empty, and the moment Gunna was done changing Rosa''s cloth diapers, which Demon Man observed much to her chagrin, he grabbed Rosa. She considered screaming at him again, but then he opened the large case and pulled out a book from it.
So that''s what this is about! You got jealous of Faenor. Petty demon!
Demon Man smiled at Rosa enthusiastically and read the title while Gunna nervously observed the situation as she changed the sheets in Rosa''s crib. Rosa just stared at him with a vacant expression. His eyebrow twitched at her lackluster response, but he managed to keep his smile and opened the book. It had no pictures in it whatsoever. Just text written black on white. Rosa puffed out her cheeks in displeasure.
Demon Man''s eyebrow twitched again, but nonetheless he began to read whatever it was that was written in the book. She understood maybe a total of three words from it, the rest sounding like absolute gibberish. It''s not like Demon Man was reading slowly, he was speeding through the story as if he would gain a medal for it. Once he was done, he plastered a wide smile on his face and looked expectantly at Rosa.
She just stared right back at him, her cheeks puffed out and nose scrunched. This was nothing like the enjoyable reading time she had with Faenor the day before.
What are you even trying to accomplish? I''m not going to like you just because you attempted to read a book for me once.
She imagined that the demon could only be good at something violent or something where he could belittle people all day. Like a lazy CEO of a large company where workers barely have enough to eat while their glorious leader has his own private island.
Demon Man groaned dramatically, his previous smile completely gone. He looked straight into Rosa''s eyes and said slowly, dragging out each word, "What do you want, Morrigan?"
Oh, I actually understood that!
Rosa was so pleased that her knowledge was slowly improving that she inadvertently smiled a little. Perhaps if they all spoke much slower, she could understand their words better. But how could she convey that? Rosa tried to move her little tongue and produce some sort of coherent sound.
"Sow, sow," was all that she managed to draw out, instead of ''slower'' that she wanted to say.
Curse this infuriating baby tongue! How the hell is it moving in every way that I don''t want it to.
But despite her failed attempt at speaking, Demon Man''s eyes were sparkling with delight. He stood up from the chair and laughed in triumph. He said something to Gunna while mentioning Rosa''s demon name Morrigan, and the nanny just laughed awkwardly at him. Then he handed Rosa back to the dwarf woman, and stormed out of the room while loudly speaking with himself.
Why do I have to deal with this lunatic?
***
Several months passed with simple, but a far more enjoyable routine than before. Demon Man came to read his indecipherable stories in the morning, from which Rosa understood ten words in total. And that was on a good day. She never shied away from showing her displeasure to Demon Man who despite her best menacing glares still came to read each morning.
Thankfully Faenor came every afternoon with children''s story books to offset the useless reading done by Demon Man. Rosa learned a great deal from him so she had no doubt that he must be a scholar or teacher of some sort. Thanks to his efforts and patience, she could understand most conversations without much issue.
Gunna started feeding her solid food. Well, calling it solid was a crime against actual food, but it was food other than milk ¨C fruit and vegetable purees, as well as some simple porridges. Their flavor wasn''t the best thing in the world, since they had no sugar, salt or spices in them. But at least it was something different than milk. Rosa especially loved the fruit purees since their natural sweetness made for a wonderful treat.
Her body was also getting stronger ¨C she was able to sit up and was slowly working towards standing. Her legs were awfully weak and wobbly; one would think that demon babies are stronger than human babies, but no. They developed pretty much at the same rate.
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Demon Man and Gunna were delighted the first time they saw her sitting in her crib. Demon Man called her a ''genius baby'' and Gunna agreed with much fervor. Faenor was more reserved with praise, generally saying something only when she actually did something impressive. That didn''t happen very often since there weren''t many impressive things a baby could do.
This day Gunna had decided to put on a puppet show using the toys in Rosa''s nursery. Had it been Demon Man doing this, Rosa would have put up her best annoyed face with an icy glare on top, but since it was Gunna she did her best to pretend to be interested.
It''s alright, Gunna. Stop and go rest. I''ll be fine on my own. Just please stop this¡
The door to the nursery burst open, ending the puppet show much to Rosa''s delight. She was about to give a small smile to Demon Man for saving her, but it wasn''t him who entered. It was a small demon girl. She was no older than six, had black hair tied into two ponytails and a purple goth-lolita style dress. But what stood out the most were her black eyes. Those eyes instantly reminded Rosa of Demon Man.
The demon girl scrunched up her nose at Rosa as if she had just spotted a cockroach crawling on the floor. Some shouting came from the hallway, and the girl quietly closed the door behind herself.
"Don''t you dare to say anything about me being here, slave!" the little brat ordered Gunna, holding her nose so high that Rosa thought her neck would break.
Slave? That''s a rude way to address somebody. Did all demons think themselves better than other races?
But thinking about it carefully, it was certainly odd that a demon would have a dwarf as a nanny. At least none of the fantasy stories Rosa has read ever had a dwarf willingly work for a demon. They were usually enemies ¨C their interactions limited to those on the opposite sides of the battlefield. Not to mention, that Gunna always appeared skittish around Demon Man.
"I wouldn''t dream of going against your wishes, Lady Deziara!" the nanny said in a humble voice, and inclined her head towards the girl. The girl produced a ''hmph'' as if to indicate that Gunna''s answer was subpar, but would suffice for the time being. Rosa, however, had no intention of upkeeping manners, and gave Deziara her best piercing glare.
"Why are you staring at me like that, you stupid baby! Don''t you know who I am?" the girl hissed and pointed her finger at Rosa.
I''ve never met you before in my life. How am I supposed to know who you are?
"Please, calm down, Lady Deziara. She''s just a baby, she cannot understand what you''re saying," Gunna attempted to pacify the brat.
"Don''t talk back to me, slave! I''ll have my father cut off your head!" she screeched, making the nanny flinch at her words.
Was Gunna actually afraid of this little, rude brat? It is time for her to leave.
Rosa took a deep breath and then began wailing on top of her lungs. Her plan was to attract the attention of whoever it was that the brat was trying to avoid.
This will teach her not to burst into other people''s rooms and start ordering them around.
"W-What?! Shhh! Stop crying, stupid baby!" the brat shook her fists angrily at Rosa and stomped her feet, but she just continued screaming. A few moments later, the door swung open again and a demon woman with the largest breasts Rosa had ever seen in her life, entered the room.
Good God! Those can''t be real! Do they have breast implants in this world? Or breast enlargement magic?
"Lady Deziara, there you are! We must get back to your lesson at once!" the demon woman said without so much as sparing a glance in Rosa''s and Gunna''s direction, and dragged the girl away.
"There, there, Lady Morrigan! It''s over now," Gunna pacified Rosa although the dwarf woman looked much more shaken than her.
Was that little brat a daughter of someone important? Whatever! Good riddance!
***
Time passed and Rosa''s new body finally grew strong enough for her to stand on her own. She could even take a few steps before her little legs gave out from exhaustion. It felt very odd walking with a body that had such a disproportionately large head. It constantly weighed her down, making balancing very difficult. Not to mention that her legs felt more like jello rather than actual legs ¨C they were incredibly unstable.
But despite her clumsy walking posture, Demon Man couldn''t have looked any prouder. He came to the nursery more often and stayed there for longer periods of time. His new hobby apparently included coercing Rosa to walk towards him. Much to his dismay, she made a point to always walk away from him.
Sometimes it would turn into a sort of game of ''Avoid the Demon'' where Demon Man would run to the direction where Rosa was walking and Rosa would quickly turn away from him. Usually it ended with her getting exhausted and almost falling face first into the floor, except that Demon Man would always catch her.
You may not be the worst demon father in the world, but I still don''t like you. Rosa thought after Demon Man caught her yet another time, and held her close.
"Most excellent! Now that you are able to walk, we''ll be able to introduce you to the rest of the family," Demon Man said with a satisfied nod, and Rosa noticed how Gunna, who was quietly observing from the other side of the room, paled.
"Don''t you think it is a bit early, Master Alphegor?" the nanny asked, her voice shaky. Rosa noticed a slight tremor in her beard.
Why is Gunna worried? Shouldn''t it be a good thing that I am finally meeting my family? But wait¡ Why am I meeting them only now?
Rosa, of course, had wondered where her biological, most likely demon mother was. She was already seven months old and only Demon Man, Gunna and Faenor came to the nursery. Except for that one time with that bratty girl, but that was an accident.
Many scenarios crossed her mind ¨C starting from her demon mother being divorced from Demon Man (if demons even got married) and ending with her just being dead. But she had no idea. Nobody ever spoke of her mother, and she wasn''t able to form any coherent words yet to ask.
"No, she is ready! Morrigan is exceptionally strong and talented for her age. It''ll be a good opportunity to introduce her as my heir," Demon Man exclaimed confidently, and Gunna had no other choice but to nod in agreement.
Heir? I am his heir? He must have a high social standing to need one. But who would need to declare a baby as their heir? That is very odd.
Chapter 5 – Family Dinner
A few days later Rosa''s room was invaded by a bunch of demon maids. Despite Gunna''s protests, they swarmed around Rosa and began tugging at her from all sides. Rosa was so startled by being surrounded by them, that she couldn''t manage more than just gape in shock as she was quickly undressed and dressed up in a small black and red goth style dress and her short hair tied into two twin-tails with large black hairbands. Once done, they put Rosa in front of the mirror for her to admire their handiwork.
The demon maids looked very proud of themselves, but Rosa just grimaced at her reflection. She looked like some demonic goth doll that people set out on their porch at Halloween.
This is not how you dress up a small child! What is wrong with demons and their sense of style?
Of course, she could not voice her complaints aloud, so she glared at the maids with distaste while they fawned over her, saying how cute and adorable she was. Before they could smother Rosa too much, Demon Man entered the room, forcing them to scatter and scurry away like mice.
"Excellent! You look like a proper princess now!" Demon Man said with a self-satisfied smile and picked Rosa up.
So you''re the one responsible for these horrid clothes! I should have known.
He was wearing a grand black and red suit, and quite honestly he looked like the perfect villain of every fantasy story. Rosa could only sigh in resignation, as he, for the first time since Rosa''s arrival, took her outside the nursery.
There were bulky demon guards stationed by the door who gave a curt nod to Demon Man. They tried to appear stoic and disinterested, but Rosa saw how they occasionally stole glances at her. No doubt they wanted to know who it was that they were guarding this whole time. Rosa hadn''t even known that she was being guarded.
Demon Man must be pretty high up on the food chain to have slaves, servants and even guards.
Rosa looked at everything with keen interest. The interior of the hallways was similar to her nursery ¨C dark and gloomy. There was an occasional painting or a sculpture of a monster, but mostly it was just walls and doors that all looked much the same. After a few minutes of Demon Man turning this way and that, Rosa felt completely lost. She''d always had trouble with directions, usually relying on the GPS.
Demon Man stopped in front of one of the large doors at the end of the hallway, and looked down on Rosa.
"Keep your head high, and don''t show any weakness!" he said sternly. Rosa shifted uncomfortably in his arms, a bad feeling rising at the pit of her stomach.
What? Why would you say that to a baby?
He swung the door open and strode in with his back straight and his head held high. The sight that greeted Rosa was probably the last thing she imagined to see. This was supposed to be her first meeting with her family which she assumed to be a gathering of demons at various ages ¨C grannies, grandpas, aunts, uncles, cousins, little demon babies like her running about.
Instead she, or to be precise Demon Man, was greeted by what can only be described as a harem. Demon women of all possible hair and eye colors in colorful dresses that barely covered anything were sitting around a ginormous dinner table, each with a little miniature version of themselves sitting next to them.
Please, don''t tell me that all of those demon girls are my sisters?!
Seeing Demon Man enter, the women and the girls rose to their feet and gave him deep bows and curtsies. Looking at the demon women Rosa was surprised how their dresses even managed to hold their breasts in place.
It must be done by magic, because there''s no way that little amount of fabric could contain all of¡ that.
"Greetings to the Dark King of the Underworld!" they said with sickeningly sweet smiles as they batted their eyelashes at Demon Man. Each woman tried to pucker their lips and show off their cleavage as much as possible.
He is the Demon King? I knew he must be pretty high up in demon society but the King himself?
Rosa barely contained a disgusted grimace. If it weren''t for the many eyes looking at her right now, then she wouldn''t have bothered to hold back.
But with these concubines or whatever similar title they held, Rosa had to be careful. Unlike Demon Man, they had no reason to like Rosa, in fact, they without a doubt wanted her out of the picture to have him pay attention to them and their daughters. She''s seen enough historical drama to know that. Only one of them, namely Rosa''s biological mother, would be her ally.
Which one is my mother? I don''t really feel¡ a connection to any of them.
"Greetings to everyone in my flower garden! I am happy that you all were able to attend this special occasion," Demon Man said in a deep, loud voice that carried strength and authority Rosa hadn''t heard before. While he could be quite pushy, he never really struck her as an authoritative figure. But here he appeared and spoke like an actual king.
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But you''re calling them your flower garden? Really? I''m yet to see any flowers in this dingy place.
"We wouldn''t dream of missing it, Your Majesty," said a voluptuous demoness with wavy, purple hair that stretched all the way down to her knees. Her starry, dark blue dress left very little to the imagination, and quite honestly Rosa would classify it as some lingerie rather than a dress one wore for a formal occasion.
The girl next to her looked like the oldest child out of all those present in the room, about fifteen or sixteen years old. She was already developing nice curves, and she clearly tried to appear more mature than the other girls in the room.
Why do all demon women have such huge breasts? Or is it just some weird benchmark to enter the King''s harem?
Demon Man nodded and lifted Rosa forward for everyone to see.
"I am proud to introduce my youngest daughter and the daughter of the late Demon Queen Eirwen, as well as the Crown Princess of the Underworld ¨C Morrigan Nachtstern," he announced in a voice that reverberated throughout the room and sent a shiver through Rosa.
All of the women looked straight at Rosa, and she felt like a lamb that was about to be thrown into an enclosure full of crocodiles. Although they wore smiles on their faces, their eyes were filled with malice and hatred and their tails flicked like cat''s before it attacked its prey. Rosa''s breath hitched, her heart began beating faster and she felt her hands turn clammy.
Every single one of them wants to kill me¡
Rosa cursed her luck for being dragged into another world and becoming a daughter of a powerful man. There could be nothing worse than that. She''d no doubt be a target of many assassins and political ploys. They''d try to stab her, poison her, marry her off to some fat old, graying demon with a bunch of money.
Well, maybe not that last one.
Rosa''s little hands began to tremble while thinking of all the horrifying scenarios she''d have to live through. But just as she thought that she''d completely lose her nerve, Demon Man pulled her back and put her in his lap.
"Now, let''s enjoy the feast to honor the Crown Princess. Let her grow strong and prosper!" Demon Man took a cup which looked to be filled with wine and downed it in a single swig. His closeness seemed to repel the grudging looks of the concubines, so Rosa took the opportunity to scuttle even closer to him, hiding herself behind his arms.
"Morrigan looks so much like you, Your Majesty. She''s so beautiful!" said the concubine sitting on the right side of the emperor. She had unusually light skin for a demon and bright pink hair tied into two high ponytails. Unlike most women in the room, who went for a sexy look, this one was clearly pushing towards being cute. Although her clothes were no less revealing.
"You shall address her as ''Her Highness'' or ''Princess Morrigan''," Demon Man growled in response, and the concubine quickly dropped her gaze.
"O-Of course, Your Majesty," she muttered through a forced smile.
"Your Majesty, how old is P-Princess Morrigan?" a demoness with a long, black braid and alluring glasses addressed Demon Man. Rosa noticed that Deziara, the tantrum throwing brat from before, was sitting next to her, biting her lips in frustration and glaring daggers in Rosa''s direction. No doubt, she had recognized the baby who had sold her out.
"She is seven months old," the Demon Man replied coldly and took a bite of meat that was served on his plate. Then he snapped his fingers, and a maid with a trolley came up to him with some sort of porridge on it. She set the bowl in front of Rosa and Demon Man. He took the small spoon that the maid had set next to the bowl, scooped a bit of the porridge and offered it for Rosa to eat. All the eyes in the room once again turned to her, judging her every tiny movement.
"What''s wrong, Morrigan? Are you not hungry?" Demon Man asked and moved the spoon closer to her lips.
Of course, I''m hungry, but I can''t eat with all of these women glaring at me! I thought that being a baby I would be safe and doted on. Isn''t that usually the case?
Nonetheless, Rosa opened her mouth and Demon Man put the porridge in it. It was delicious, sweet and reminded her vaguely of plums.
"You never fed Ferna like this, Your Majesty," the purple-haired demoness closest to Demon Man noted with a tinge of bitterness in her voice. She quickly collected her expression and put on a smile, but her daughter looked like she was about to burst from jealousy, her cheeks puffed out. It was a little bit cute in a way, seeing almost an adult demon revealing her childish side.
"I am the King, not a nanny," Demon Man stated, and the woman flinched back.
He sure is harsh towards women he supposedly takes to bed. Not the atmosphere I expected in a harem. Rosa thought as Demon Man continued to feed her the porridge, while occasionally taking a bite from his own dinner.
"Your Majesty, has Her Highness manifested any powers yet?" the purple-haired demoness asked, trying to divert Demon Man''s attention. But that was definitely not the right question to ask, as the demon glared at her and stopped feeding Rosa. Then he stood up from his seat while holding her close.
He''s about to snap!
"Morrigan has more magical potential than any demon born in the last five thousand years. She''ll become the most powerful demon queen and raise the Demon Realm to heights it has never seen before! And you will all support her as her loyal subjects and sisters," Demon Man boomed, his voice reverberating throughout the room and making the air heavy and thick. The women bent their heads low and the smaller girls clutched onto their mothers in fear.
S-Stop! There''s no need to go this far.
Rosa tugged at his coat in an attempt to pacify him. Demon Man''s icy gaze broke, and he looked down on her. The women in the room gasped for air.
Demon Man regarded them with annoyance, then turned on his heel and left the room. Rosa couldn''t understand how he could be so cold and cruel towards them. She could somewhat understand his overbearing stance towards concubines ¨C they''d slit Rosa''s throat at first opportunity. But what about the girls?
Aren''t they your daughters just like me? Why don''t you show any affection towards them? Is it really all about power?
Then Rosa remembered that Demon Man said that she had more magical potential than any demon born in the last five thousand years. Her stomach churned and she felt her head spin. She didn''t want any magical power or unmatched strength. All Rosa wanted was to return back home and paint in peace.
Chapter 6 – Blending into Shadows
After the disastrous dinner, Rosa spent a lot of time thinking about her situation. Previously, she had always swept all these unpleasant topics to the side since a small, irrationally stupid part of her hoped that this whole situation might have been nothing more than a dream. But it was time to face this new, unpleasant reality and figure out what it was that she needed to do.
First I should probably compile all the things I know about this world.
Rosa wished she could have some pen and paper to write it all down, but obviously her nursery had none of those things. So instead, she decided to organize the information she knew in her head.
- I am the youngest daughter of the Demon King and his designated heir.
- My mother, the Demon Queen, is dead.
- I have magical potential that hasn''t been seen in five thousand years. Apparently.
- Elves and dwarves are treated like slaves by the demons.
Rosa tried hard to think of other important things, but she realized that these were the only things that she knew for certain. The rest was nothing more than her own guesses or assumptions. She didn''t even have a clue whether there were humans in this world.
There must be, but I''ve never seen one or heard anyone talk about them. Even the books that Faenor and Demon Man read never mentioned anything about humans. And I can''t take anything written in these books at face value, since I don''t know what''s fiction and what''s reality.
Rosa''s conclusion was simple ¨C she knew far too little about this world. She needed to learn more. But to do that, she had to acquire two of the most important skills ¨C talking and reading. The thought of trying to understand the weird writing of this world made Rosa cringe. Letters looked difficult, and even after all the books she''d seen, she still hadn''t picked up on a single letter. Rosa guessed that most likely the writing worked much like Japanese or Chinese where a letter could actually represent a whole word.
She probably wouldn''t be able to easily learn the writing on her own, so her best course of action would be to start talking.
"M-Me neim is L-L-" she stuttered in her crib, trying to make her unruly tongue to cooperate. Rosa wasn''t sure whether it was her undeveloped baby body that made it difficult to speak or the new language.
"I a-am Rosa," she said in human language and that turned out better albeit it sounded foreign with her new voice.
I shouldn''t forget my native language. If I find a way back home, then I need to be able to speak it.
And so Rosa continued her talking practice late into the night. Mostly she spoke in English, because whenever she spoke the demon language, she often stuttered and pronounced words wrong. It frustrated her to no end, so after a few failed attempts, she called it a night and went to sleep.
***
Rosa diligently continued her talking practice for the next month, doing it whenever she was sure that nobody was around. It didn''t take long for her to master the unruly baby tongue and speak English without much trouble. But the demon language¡ Well, let''s just say that her pronunciation was not the best.
Why is this language so hard to pronounce? It''s like they mixed German with French and Chinese. My tongue is going to twist in on itself.
It was going so badly that Rosa considered abandoning her efforts altogether.
Who am I going to talk to? Demon Man? The only thing I would tell him is probably a slurry of curses? Talking to Gunna and Faenor could be more productive¡ They probably wouldn''t mind answering some of the questions I had¡
In the end, Rosa sighed and continued practicing. She had to find a way out of this. A way back home where she could return to her art. Having already spent so much time without even sketching anything made Rosa worry that when she did have the chance to draw or paint, all of her skills would be gone.
Perhaps, I could ask Gunna to bring me some pencils or paints or crayons or whatever it is they have in this world. All the more reason to hurry with my practice.
"Me neim is L-L-Roza," she keeps repeating at the swirly-patterned ceiling above her. It was already late into the night, but despite the many attempts the words sounded wrong. They weren''t as smooth as when others spoke, instead her speech reminded her of a jagged, rough stone wall.
I should call it a night today, since I''m not improving anyway. Tomorrow I''ll try to repeat the words Gunna and Faenor say throughout the day.
With this thought, Rosa''s eyelid slowly closed, tiredness beconning her into dreamland. Her breath became steady, her heartbeat ¨C slow. A vague dream of the seaside began to form in her mind, when she heard the light sounds of the nursery door opening and closing.
Who is coming in this late? Gunna? Or Demon Man? Probably decided to watch me sleep or something creepy like that.
Rosa opened one eye to take a look at her late visitor. Her breath hitched as she saw a figure covered in black from head to toe, only their murderous eyes visible through the tiny slits. Their hand was raised high, a dagger in it.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
They''re about to kill me!
Rosa grabbed onto the crib''s railing and with strength she didn''t know her baby body had, dragged herself over the edge. She collided with the floor with a ''thud'', and a pained grunt escaped her lips.
"You actually dodged that? Impressive for a baby, but I guess I should be expecting no less from the Demon King''s daughter," they snarled out in a barely audible voice. It was unclear whether it was male or female, the voice was too gurgled.
The assailant slowly circled around the crib, dagger primed in their hand. Rosa scrambled away from them on all fours, trying to get away as far away as possible.
This can''t be happening! I don''t want to die! I don''t want to die! Somebody help me!
"Hahaha! There''s nowhere to run and nowhere to hide! Even your daddy won''t be able to save you, as you''ll be long dead before he even realizes what is happening," the figure gloated with disgusting glee. They clearly didn''t care about the consequences as long as they completed their mission.
Rosa crawled into the corner and looked straight at the figure. Death. It''s like she was staring it straight in the eyes. Soft, muffled laughter came from underneath the mask.
No, I don''t want to die! I want to live! Please, just let me melt into the shadows and disappear!
The dagger glinted as it was swung down straight at Rosa. She expected to feel pain, but instead of cutting her flesh, the dagger dug into the wooden floorboards.
"Wha-? Where did you go?" the intruder frantically looked around the room, searching for her left and right.
What just happened? Rosa wondered. She still felt herself being in the same corner, but the dagger didn''t hit her. Something wasn''t right. Her vision seemed to be perfect ¨C she was able to see everything in the room, even the places where her vision shouldn''t reach. And she felt incredibly light ¨C as if floating in the air, except in a more solid way.
The attacker then stopped and focused on the corner where Rosa was. Then he laughed hysterically. It echoed through the quiet of the night like thunder during a clear day.
"To think that a baby less than a year old would be able to hide in the shadows. It''s almost a shame to kill you," they cackled in pleasure. "But kill you I shall. I''ve never let anyone escape after all."
The intruder''s blade got surrounded with purple, mist-like substance and then it turned somewhat translucent, ethereal. Like a shadow.
I have to run.
Rosa willed her body to move. She couldn''t feel her body as such, but she felt herself moving along the nursery wall. The feeling was nauseating, but she pushed herself forward.
If I don''t move, I''ll be killed!
This desperate thought propelled her forward as the attacker began stabbing at the wall, following closely behind her.
Faster! Faster!
Rosa got to the door, but she had no form to open them with. However, there was a small crack underneath. She didn''t understand how, but she felt like she could get through it. So she crawled under the door, and slid into the hallway outside, the intruder stabbing into the door right as she slipped out.
Two corpses of Rosa''s guards laid in a puddle of their own blood. Rosa would have screamed if she had a mouth to scream with. But the intruder smashed the door open and launched themselves straight at Rosa.
She frantically moved through the dark shadows of the wall, going as fast as her form allowed her. There was no time to think or try to understand what she was doing, as every few seconds a dagger collided with the wall where she was less than a second ago.
If I stop, I die! I have to run.
Rosa propelled herself forward with all of her might. She could feel her core shake from exhaustion as she was slowly nearing her limit.
If I stop, I die! RUN! She turned a corner and melded into shadows below the staircase, moving down at a speed which her assailant couldn''t match. She slid underneath the first door that she saw. Light footsteps continued to chase after her, keeping close no matter how much she twisted and turned.
I c-can''t do this for much longer¡ But if I stop, I die. Rosa felt her being almost slipping apart from the exertion, but no matter how much it protested, she held onto the power with an iron grip.
"Dammit! This has dragged on too long. I need to end this now," the figure snarled from behind her, and Rosa felt the room instantly turn cold. The change was so sudden that she paused for a second. It was enough. A dagger flew straight at her and she saw a delightful glee in the murderer''s eyes.
I''m going to die! Rosa thought as she desperately tried to move away from the weapon. The dagger hit the wall, and Rosa screamed in agony as it pierced her shoulder. She materialized out of the shadows, tears of pain and agony streaming down her little cheeks.
"Amazing! You dodged a death blow. To think that my most spectacular prey would be a baby. It is horrifying to think what you would be able to do as an adult," the intruder padded heavily as he came closer and closer to her.
Somebody, please¡ Rosa thought, death and cold spreading from her wound and slowly taking over her body.
"HELP!" she allowed herself to scream as loud as her little lungs could. The murderer paused, shocked by her sudden scream, and then went very still. A bloody blade came out from their chest ¨C exactly where their heart should be.
They spat up a bunch of blood that seeped through the mask, coloring their clothes and the floor before them in a thick, crimson color.
"This death is too merciful for you," said the loud and clear voice of Alphegor. He pulled his sword out of the corpse, and threw it to the side like it was nothing more than a bag of trash. Then he ran to Rosa''s side.
"Get a healer! Immediately! I''ll kill you all if they''re not here within three minutes!" his voice boomed menacingly, but his face was distraught with worry and fear as he looked over Rosa''s injury.
"I-I¡" Rosa muttered, tears streaming down her face and she reached her arm towards him. Alphegor grabbed her without hesitation and cradled her close.
"You''ll be fine! You''ll be fine! We''ll get you healed in no time!" he muttered it like a mantra, but his face was panicked. Alphegor moved her clothes aside gently to look at her wound. His hand began to tremble and looked unsure of whether to remove the dagger or not.
"We''re going to get this fixed," he said, a slight tremble in his voice as his grip on her tightened.
Rosa''s vision blurred, she was unable to endure the pain any longer. But before her consciousness faded, she saw a single tear roll down Alphegor''s face.
So demons do have feelings¡
Chapter 7 – The Underworld
Rosa woke up from a sharp pang of pain in her shoulder which slowly subsided into a gentle ache. When she finally gathered herself enough to open her eyes, she found herself cradled in Alphegor''s embrace.
"You''re awake," he exclaimed, relief washing over his face. His features seemed strained ¨C a furrow in his brow, pursed lips forced into a bare smile, slightly scrunched nose and forehead. "Thank the Darkness that you''re alright¡"
Alphegor brought Rosa close and held her so gently as to not put any strain on her injured shoulder. It felt warm and comforting. Safe.
He saved me as soon as I called for help. Did he hear me or did he notice the ruckus caused by the intruder?
As she remembered their murderous eyes, she instinctively clung onto Alphegor''s clothes. She smelled a light stench of blood coming from him, and almost recoiled.
No, he protected me. I am safe with him.
"Rest, child. I shall not leave your side," Alphegor said, and Rosa relaxed. She was so exhausted both physically and mentally that his comforting warmth and closeness lulled her back to sleep.
When Rosa woke up, she was surprised to find herself in a completely unfamiliar room. She sat up to look at the surroundings. Alphegor was sleeping right next to her on the left, while on the right there was a net installed by the bedposts.
Beyond it she saw a huge room ¨C at least four of her nurseries could easily fit inside it. The bed alone was so large it probably wouldn''t even fit inside Rosa''s apartment. The bedsheets were made out of black silk with tasteful golden and red accents while the dark blue curtains were tied to the engraved wooden bed posts.
Two wooden dividers, one with a dark dragon motif on it and one with a mountain landscape, separated the bed from the rest of the room. The art style on them was rather simplistic but tasteful, choosing to remain more as a background element rather than something that caught your attention.
Beyond the dividers Rosa could see that one side of the room appeared more like a study with a desk, bookshelves and some sort of a weird, round apparatus in the corner. The other side of the room was more obscured, she could only peek at a part of a coffee table and what she thought to be a couch.
This must be Alphegor''s private room. Why has he suddenly brought me here? Was it because of the attack?
Rosa looked at the sleeping demon. His face was contorted in a scowl, and his body appeared tense. Much to her discomfort, his upper torso was completely naked, showing well-defined muscles and perfectly smooth skin.
Even if this is your room, couldn''t you wear pajamas or something?
But she shouldn''t be complaining. Some of his genes no doubt had passed to her, so that meant she should be at least somewhat attractive. Or at least more attractive than she had been before.
The silence in the room stretched on and Rosa''s mind flashed back to the horrid eyes of the murderer. His laugh echoed in her ears, and she moved her hand to touch where the dagger had struck her shoulder. There was a small bit of pain coming from it when she pressed down, but no more than from a regular bruise. She pushed her shirt to the side and saw that her skin had a reddish line on it with a bit of blue around it.
I must have been healed with magic. I couldn''t have healed so quickly myself. Or could I? I''m not human anymore, so I suppose I can''t rule out that possibility.
Rosa shook her head at this unpleasant thought. Her body might have been that of a demon, but her soul was definitely human. She had to find a way to her human body before somebody murdered her in this world. No doubt this would not be the last attempt on her life.
Why did I have to become the Demon King''s daughter? If I were to be reborn in another world, couldn''t I be a farmer''s daughter? Or better yet ¨C an artist''s daughter.
Rosa sighed, and her body began trembling despite the room being warm. She didn''t want to accept the unpleasant reality she was living in. She did not want assassins preying on her life or the envious gazes of her half-sisters or demon concubines. She just wanted to go back home ¨C to the little apartment where she kept her painting supplies.
Suddenly Alphegor next to Rosa stirred, making her flinch in surprise. His eyes fluttered open, and his scowl softened.
"You woke up before me, Morrigan? How are you feeling?" he asked as he got up to a sitting position. Moving Rosa''s shirt aside, just like she had before, he looked at her injury and grimaced when he saw the ugly mark. "Those healer''s didn''t do a good enough job. I should cut off their heads."
"No!" Rosa protested before she even realized what she was doing. The demon looked at her in shock while she stared back at him wide-eyed.
Keep calm, keep calm! It''s not like you said any difficult words. While eight month old baby talking is certainly not normal, a simple word like ''no'' shouldn''t get you into trouble.
"Was that a real word I heard?" a wide grin appeared on Alphegor''s face and he lifted Rosa up. "Say that again."
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Rosa pondered for a second whether she should, cold sweat forming on her body.
"No¡" she said with much less confidence, hoping that her repeating the same word won''t make her seem too advanced.
If he figured out that I''m actually a human, then I have no doubt that my head would fly off my shoulders. Demons hate humans, that much I know for certain.
"Amazing! Despite being so small, you''re already saying your first words. Not a single one of your twenty three sisters could do that," Alphegor said, his proud smile revealing longer than normal canines.
I have twenty three sisters? I didn''t see that many girls at that ''family gathering''.
Rosa grimaced, unable to hide her disappointment. Seemed like demon men were much like some human men ¨C unable to keep their hands to themselves.
"Why do you suddenly look so disappointed?"
"No," Rosa babbled in response and turned her head to the side.
"Heh, cheeky little one, aren''t you?" he chuckled and then moved out of the bed with Rosa in his arms.
Alphegor walked past the large divider, and Rosa could take a proper look at the room. The right side was indeed a resting area with a couch, coffee table and a small wine cabinet. What she hadn''t noticed before was that next to the large, round apparatus on the left side of the room, there was a large window. It was the first window she has seen since first coming to this world.
Rosa outstretched her hands towards it, and fidgeted, trying to indicate that she wanted to look outside.
"Want to take a look outside? I suppose there were no windows in your room. I hoped that it would keep assassin''s at bay, but it seems like it was naive to believe that mere lack of windows could achieve that," Alphegor spoke, his expression turning cold. A shiver ran through Rosa''s spine when he said the word ''assassins'', and she was about to move closer to him. Then she realized that he was still mostly naked and abandoned the idea.
Alphegor went up to the window which was currently covered with curtains, and slowly pulled them apart. Rosa was eager to finally see the sun for the first time in eight months, but when the King opened the curtains, all she felt was disappointment.
"Take a good look, Morrigan. This is the Underworld, Demon Kingdom ¨C the strongest kingdom in the whole world. None other can match our might!" he announced proudly and pointed towards the dark, dreary scenery outside.
There was no sky, there was no sun, there were no lush forests, green fields of grass or bright, blue seas. There was stone, darkness, deep endless ravines and fields of lava and fire. Instead of a vibrant garden with bright flowers, there was a murky garden with gray foliage and occasional thorny bush. Shimmering river water was replaced with a river of lava that destroyed everything in its path. The endless sky was absent, and the dark cave ceiling trapped underneath it like a cage. Rosa felt like a part of her had just been crushed.
"It must be a lot to take in at once, but I''m sure you''ll learn more about your kingdom as you grow older. For now you need to focus on healing," Alphegor said, but Rosa could barely hear him.
I truly am in hell. There is no sunlight, no life, not even a gust of wind. It is only darkness and death and suffering.
***
Since that day, all of Rosa''s baby things except for her crib were moved to Alphegor''s room. Much to her chagrin, Rosa had to sleep next to Alphegor every night and she was constantly watched by somebody. Mostly by Alphegor himself.
The demon was reluctant to ever leave Rosa alone, even under the watchful eye of Gunna, and quite honestly she herself felt nervous whenever he was not around. While Rosa liked Gunna and she enjoyed when Faenor read books to her, she was constantly haunted by the visions of the murderous intruder. She looked at every corner, constantly looking out for any moving shadows.
"It''s alright, Lady Morrigan. You are safe," Gunna soothed her during mealtime. But Rosa kept glancing behind the nanny to make sure nobody unknown was lurking behind her.
"To think that somebody would try to murder a child," Faenor appeared disgusted by the notion. He was waiting on the couch as the nanny fed Rosa. "It must be something only demons are able to do."
"Shush, Faenor! You''ll get us into trouble."
"His Majesty," Faenor spat out the words as if they were poison, "is currently away from the castle, and the guards don''t really care what slaves talk about as long as we don''t confront them directly."
"Still ¨C Lady Morrigan can hear you," the nanny glanced at Rosa a bit nervously, but she just cocked her head to the side and poked the floor, feigning interest in its wooden pattern.
"Lady Morrigan is a baby. A smart baby, but a baby nonetheless," Faenor said and pulled out a colorful book with a rainbow on the front cover.
You expect me to smile at that don''t you?
Although currently Rosa was in no mood for stories, she forced herself to smile. It''s better that she acted like nothing had happened ¨C after all a real baby certainly wouldn''t have understood anything.
If I were an actual baby, I''d already be dead. Rosa shuddered as she tried not to show her nervousness.
"See! She''s just as eager for story time as always," Faenor said and picked Rosa up, setting her down on his knee as he always did.
"It would be nice if Lady Morrigan weren''t affected. But even so, there will be more attempts on her life."
"Barbaric. If she''d been born an elf princess, nobody would ever even dare to think of killing her. Or any child for that matter."
"If she were a dwarf princess, then dwarves from all over the world would come to the capital to pay homage to her. And anyone lucky enough to see her would be blessed for life."
But I was born a demon princess, so instead of praise and worship, I get contempt, malice and countless assassination attempts.
Faenor began reading the colorful picture book, but Rosa couldn''t find it in herself to enjoy it. The children''s books had fulfilled their purpose at that point ¨C to teach Rosa the demon language. Her baby body was developing, she could walk, she could talk (to an extent) and she could even blend into shadows in case of an emergency.
In all honesty, Rosa still had no idea how she managed to step into shadows and become a part of them. The whole experience was so jarring and unpleasant that she preferred not to think about it at all. But whether she liked it or not ¨C without this power she most certainly would be dead.
Chapter 8 – World of Doppelta
Three months passed. These were by far the slowest months since Rosa''s first arrival in this new world. She wanted to learn to read, write and most importantly ¨C find a way to escape from this world. But she also realized she couldn''t just get up one morning and ask Alphegor ''Would you please teach me how to write? And while we''re at it, why don''t you explain how I can get back to my human body?''. In an especially bold daydream, she demanded him to send her back.
Naturally, that one was quickly dismissed. Imagine Alphegor''s outrage if he found out that his most precious heir is actually a human from another world. He would no doubt spear her head on a pike himself. After all, the most dangerous being in the Underworld weren''t the secret assassins or the mothers of Rosa''s many half-sisters ¨C it was the Demon King.
And so Rosa decided that the best course of action for the time being was to slowly ease everyone into the fact that she could talk. Of course, she had no patience to wait until she was three years old when most children started speaking coherently. Instead she steadily increased her spoken words day by day. Initially it was one word a day, then two, then three.
Alphegor''s reaction was much as she expected ¨C he grinned like a fool, praised her to be an absolute genius and urged her to speak new words. His lack of suspicion allowed her to add some extra spoken words to her vocabulary. Gunna was also delighted by her progress, gently correcting her if she pronounced something wrong (demon language was hard). Faenor, on the other hand, regarded her suspiciously once her vocabulary clearly expanded beyond what a normal baby could do.
In fact, whenever she would talk while Faenor was around, he would observe her carefully, making Rosa wonder whether she got too impatient.
But I can''t wait for longer. I''ll be killed if I just sit and do nothing. There already might be assassins trying to find a way to get to me.
"It''s time to read again, Lady Morrigan," Faenor said and motioned Rosa closer. She approached him as always, but he regarded her somewhat differently today. She was about to turn to Gunna, to plead to the nanny to play with her instead, but the dwarf had already left Alphegor''s room.
Rosa looked at Faenor and for a second the dark vision of the attacker flashed before her eyes and she took a step back. Seeing her reluctance, Faenor''s expression relaxed and he beckoned her to come with his hands.
"It''s time for your story, Princess Morrigan," the elf spoke with more eloquence than she was used to hearing normally.
It''s alright. It''s just Faenor. Why are you being so paranoid all of a sudden?
Rosa waddled over to him, and he put her in his lap as he usually did. His book choice for the day, however, was far from the usual. Instead of a colorful picture book he was holding a thick volume of some sorts, if the numbering on the spine was any indication.
"I thought it would be useful for you to start learning more about this world, so I''ve picked out a more serious story," Faenor explained and then opened the book. The letters inside were still large, like in a children''s book and there were plenty of drawings, but this was definitely something for older children rather than babies who could barely talk.
"Today let''s start with some knowledge of our world. It is called Doppelta, the name stemming from the fact that it is actually two worlds in one," the elf pointed at the picture which depicted two planets: one ¨C a blue and green with continents different from the ones Rosa was familiar with, and one black and red which looked completely foreign.
Two worlds in one? How is that possible?
She looked over the two planets carefully trying to find some correlation between them, but then she realized that Faenor was observing her with alarming intensity.
"Ball!" Rosa pointed at the blue and green planet and forced herself to smile widely at the elf.
Don''t get nervous. It''s alright. Why would anybody suspect you not being a baby?
"Yes, a ball," Faenor said, disappointment clear in his voice. Nonetheless, he continued. "First we have the overworld, the surface or just the top. This is the world under the sun. It is bountiful and full of plants, animals and life. There''s vast oceans, tall mountains and fertile fields."
I must act like I understand nothing.
"Sun?" Rosa cocked her head to the side.
"It''s a¡ giant ball of light in the sky," Faenor explained, his shoulders slumping lower.
"Sky?"
"It''s like a neverending blue ceiling."
"Wow!" Rosa deliberately over exaggerated her reaction, making the elf slump his shoulders even further down.
"The other world is the underworld, world below the surface or just the underground. This is the world of darkness where the sun never shines. It is without light, so the plants here are sparse and even those that grow here, never gain the green luster of their surface cousins. It is a place of monsters, fire and death."
Great, and I''m the princess here. What does that say about me?
"Princess Morrigan, are you perhaps¨C"
"Lady Morrigan!" Gunna swung the door open, carrying a large tray in her hands. "His Majesty has sent you some of the new fruit harvest to try. It was picked up just this morning."
"You can hardly call that fruit," Faenor grumbled, his already sullen mood dropping even further.
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"Oh, hush! Don''t be such a wet sock," the nanny reprimanded and began peeling the dark blueish peel of something that vaguely resembled an orange. Rosa barely restrained a laugh, instead trying to appear excited about the fruit. "See, Lady Morrigan loves her fruit."
"That''s only because she doesn''t know that better things exist," Faenor said in a voice filled with pity.
Hey, this weird blue citrus might not be the sweetest thing out there, but it isn''t bad. It is certainly better than no fruit at all.
The nanny picked Rosa up and began to give her neatly cleaned pieces of the fruit. The dark blue color wasn''t very appetizing, and the flavor was something between a blueberry and orange. An odd flavor, but not bad once one got used to it.
"You''re in an awfully bad mood today. Did something happen?" the nanny asked as she continued cleaning the fruit. Faenor snapped the book shut and put it down on the coffee table.
"No, I just had hoped¡" the elf gave Rosa a significant look, but she deliberately stared at the blueish wedge in front of her, admiring the glossy surface as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.
"Hoped for what?" the nanny with a raised eyebrow.
"Nothing. It''s not important. I just got impatient. I''ll go down to the library to switch the book. I accidentally took the wrong one," the elf showed the heavy volume to the dwarf woman.
No, don''t take it away! I wanted to learn more about this world.
Rosa did her best not to let her thoughts show.
Be calm. Nobody can know that you''re actually a human from another world. If God forbid this information somehow gets to Alphegor, then I am no doubt done for.
"Oh, Guide to the World of Doppelta. They had that in the demon library? I thought demons would surely denounce anything created by humans," Gunna said and reached for the book. Faenor handed it to her without any resistance.
"Yes, I was surprised as well. I guess it is just too good to be cast aside."
"Indeed. I still remember how much I loved to study from it as a child," Gunna looked through the pages, but her gaze looked distant ¨C lingering in old, bittersweet memories. "You read this to Lady Morrigan?"
"Yes, but I don''t think she is old enough to understand it," Faenor said with a disappointed sigh.
What''s with the dramatic reaction? Did you seriously expect a baby that''s not even a year old to understand it? Well, I do understand it, but I cannot show it. It''s too risky.
"It''s not like she''s old enough to understand everything that''s written in the story books either. It''s the reading process itself that is important. Why don''t you continue reading it?"
Faenor looked a bit surprised at first, but then smiled.
"Yes, you''re right. Even if she doesn''t understand it yet, she might still grow to love this book."
Gunna nodded in agreement as she handed the volume back to Faenor.
"Our little lady is very smart, I''m sure it won''t take long for her to understand," Gunna patted Rosa''s head, and began cleaning more fruit.
***
"Begin Morrigan''s lessons?" Alphegor asked Gunna, after she had suggested that Rosa needs proper lessons to improve.
"Yes, Your Majesty! Lady Morrigan is so advanced that I am sure it would not be too early to begin."
The Demon King looked down at Rosa who was sitting in his lap. She tried to appear unaffected by the conversation, instead pretending to be interested in one of his coat buttons.
Act natural! Act natural! Why did Gunna have to bring it up? I know she has the best intentions, but I don''t want Alphegor to get suspicious.
"Hmm¡ I suppose if it''s Morrigan then it wouldn''t be a problem. She is extremely intelligent after all ¨C just like her father," Alphegor said proudly, his head held high. Then his expression turned to that of contemplation. "Perhaps, it is also time for her to start practicing magic."
"Isn''t it a bit early for magic?" Gunna asked nervously, and Rosa wanted to nod in agreement.
Reading more advanced books was one thing, but learning magic? I''m not ready for that. Whenever I think of magic, I instantly remember that horrible night I got attacked¡
"No. She already took a shadow form once. In fact, it would be more dangerous if she did it again by accident and got stuck," Alphegor noted, and a chill ran down Rosa''s spine.
So I could have gotten stuck in the shadows? That''s a scary thought.
Rosa shook her head ¨C she did not want to do that again. Thinking about blending into shadows again just made her queasy. And if there was a chance she could get stuck, then it was all the more reason not to do it.
"It¡ doesn''t seem like Lady Morrigan wants to learn magic¡" Gunna said in a somber voice, regarding Rosa with eyes filled with pity. Alphegor looked thoughtful, not saying anything for a while.
"How about this, Morrigan? I''ll have a teacher check on you, and then we''ll decide whether it''s too early or not for you to learn?" Alphegor finally spoke and gently stroked Rosa''s hair. The motion was surprisingly soothing, not something she expected to feel from a demon.
Meeting the teacher wouldn''t be the end of the world. I could just pretend to be completely oblivious and the matter will certainly be put aside for time being.
"Okay," Rosa conceded.
"Excellent! I''ll inform Azrael of his new duties this evening," Alphegor announced with a wide grin. Rosa thought nothing of it, until she saw her nanny''s expression. Gunna''s face had gone pale, her eyes ¨C wide and even her beard was trembling a little bit.
"Azrael?" Rosa repeated the name in hopes that somebody would elaborate more on this character.
"Don''t worry, little one! He''s the best magic user in the Underworld. After your father, of course, but I''m not very good at teaching," Alphegor said with a dismissive wave, while Gunna raised her finger slightly.
"I-Is Lord Azrael a wise c-choice? He doesn''t strike me as a person who is ready to deal with children."
"He''s basically still a child himself. I''m sure he''ll find a way to relate to Morrigan."
"A child? Isn''t he over two hundred years old?"
Two hundred years old? How long do demons even live?
"Yes, two hundred and eight if I remember right. Such a small age gap between him and Morrigan. I''m sure they''ll be on equal footing in a century or two."
A century or two? Rosa struggled to keep her expression neutral, while Gunna didn''t bother to hide her shock. Alphegor looked quizzically at the nanny, then realization dawned on his face.
"Oh, that''s right. Dwarves don''t have very long lifespans. Merely eight hundred years if I''m not wrong."
"Yes, that''s right, Master Alphegor," Gunna confirmed with a bow.
Eight hundred years is not very long? Just for how long could demons live? How long will I have to struggle to find a way home?
Chapter 9 – Baby Learning Magic
The next morning, after breakfast, Alphegor wasted no time and ordered Gunna to dress her in clothes appropriate for training. Well, to be exact she found baby clothes that had the least amount of frills and laces so Rosa wouldn''t trip over them. It was refreshing to wear somewhat normal clothes for once, even if Alphegor scrunched up his nose in distaste.
Alphegor picked up Rosa, dressed in plain gray pants and black shirt, and began weaving through the castle corridors. It had been a while since he''d taken her outside of his room ¨C not since the incident. The demons they met on the way instantly bowed at Alphegor''s approach while curiously eyeing Rosa. She did her best to ignore the stares and instead focused on trying to memorize the maze that was the Demon Castle.
But after a few swift turns and going down ornate staircases which ended in open halls that led in every possible direction, Rosa felt like all the corridors melted together, and she completely lost track of where she was.
This must be a tactic to confuse intruders. Who the hell could find anything in this place? Everything looks either gray or black with occasional blood red thrown in for good measure.
As Rosa grumbled at her inability to remember the layout, Alphegor entered a large empty room with only weapon racks and training dummies for decoration. It was completely different from the rest of the castle, as it was more like a large cavern rather than an actual room. The walls were rugged stone with occasional scorch marks here and there as well as a few shallow cavities ¨C as if something had been slammed into them.
In the middle of the dimly lit area, stood a tall, proud demon man. His skin was dark grey, much darker than Alphegor''s and Rosa''s ashy tone, his white hair was cut short while his vivid purple eyes made a stark contrast with the rest of him. He made a little bow as Alphegor approached him.
"Good morning, Your Majesty! It is surprising for you to come to the training grounds yourself," Azrael greeted the Demon King with a tiny, mischievous smile. The demon didn''t even bother to glance at Rosa.
Good. The more you ignore me, the higher the chance that this whole magic training thing will fail.
"Of course. There''s no way I''d entrust you to remain alone with my daughter without making sure that you''ll show her the respect that she''s due," Alphegor said in his kingly voice, his eyes as cold as ice.
"Oh! I didn''t think that the genius you were talking about was your daughter. From what I remember none of them showed any special magical aptitude," Azrael scratched his chin in thought. Alphegor''s eyebrow twitched just for a second and then he smiled pleasantly.
"You haven''t met my youngest yet ¨C Morrigan," he stated proudly and put Rosa down on the floor as if she were the centerpiece of an art gallery.
Azrael looked down at her in disbelief. He looked up at Alphegor, then back down to Rosa with his mouth agape. His hysterical laughter echoed through the room, and bounced from wall to wall making the noise all the more annoying.
"Hahaha! I get it, Your Majesty. You''re just trying to get back at me for accidentally killing that dragon. I''m really sorry about that. I''ll make sure to hold my power back properly next time," Azrael said through laughter, clearing the corner of his eye from tears.
I know that I''m a baby, but even so this is just¡
"Rude," Rosa stated flatly and gave Azrael her best impression of Alphegor''s cold glare. He gaped at her while Alphegor sneered in satisfaction.
"She talks? How old is she? 6 months?"
"Eleven," Rosa replied with a huff. Azrael''s jaw opened even wider.
"E-eleven months? Not even a year old? And she can talk?" the demon gaped, then squatted down and eyed Rosa suspiciously. "Are you sure she isn''t possessed by something? Like a thousand year old elven spy sent here to learn our secrets."
Rosa took a step back, supporting herself against Alphegor''s legs. The Demon King just shook his head and picked her up again.
"You know that demons can''t be possessed."
"Maybe she was exchanged at birth!" Azrael straightened but kept his gaze locked onto Rosa.
"I was present during her birth! Azrael, enough of this. We''re here for you to train her to use magic, not to make up some conspiracy theories," the King said firmly, but the other demon just furrowed his brows.
"Your Majesty, let''s say that your daughter here is a genius. After all, most babies her age just babble without saying proper words. I''ll concede that it is an amazing feat. But magic is a completely different matter. Even I, the most amazing magical prodigy, manifested my innate ability only at age five."
Quite a narcissist this one, isn''t he?
"Clearly you''re no prodigy then. Go on, Morrigan. Show him," the Demon King sneered, and put Rosa in a darker corner of the room. She stared up at him.
You don''t expect me to become a shadow again, do you? The whole point was me not doing magic.
But judging from his expression, it was exactly what he wanted.
"Your Majesty, really. Enough joking around. There''s no way she could do it," Azrael shook his head. His scornful attitude reminded Rosa of her mother who always belittled her, saying that she''d never accomplish anything.
I''ll show him.
Rosa moved closer to the shadowy wall, as far away from light as possible. She tried to recall how it felt to become a shadow, while ignoring the unpleasant memories of the attack.
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"Aww, that''s cute! She''s actually trying," Azrael chuckled. He walked up to Rosa and crouched down next to her, talking in a condescending voice. "Come on, just imagine melting into shadows."
I am a shadow, I am a shadow, I am a shadow!
When Rosa opened her eyes again, her vision had expanded, it was clearer while the heaviness of her body disappeared. She saw a crouched down Azrael gaping at her with a jaw so wide, she feared it might just fall off.
"I told you!" Alphegor cheered and looked so proud that Rosa would have blushed from embarrassment if she could.
"H-H-How?! She''s a baby! Did you somehow do it, Your Majesty?" Azrael jumped up and waved his hands around frantically.
"You have no faith in your abilities anymore, Azrael? Wouldn''t you have felt it, if I had done something?"
"I certainly would have but¡" Azrael ruffled his hair, then stared at the spot on the wall where Rosa was hidden. "She''s a baby."
"Imagine what she''ll be able to do once she''s an adult¡" the Demon King purred with delight, a wide smile on his face. Azrael gasped, and Rosa could see on his face how the cogs in his mind began turning.
Wait¡ What have I done? I was supposed to appear like a powerless baby. She chastised herself, and then quickly scrambled out of the shadow to gain a physical form again. Both demons gasped.
"She got out so easily¡"
"I honestly hadn''t expected that. I thought she would have trouble getting out on her own," Alphegor looked surprised, but then he hummed in satisfaction. "She''s my daughter through and through."
"Your Majesty, may I request that you leave the magical training of your daughter to me?" Azrael said while bowing low, his previous mock completely gone.
"You must also protect her with your life whenever she is with you, and even when she is not. Many will try to hurt her or take her power for themselves."
Azrael suddenly straightened and drew a large circle in the air with his hand. To Rosa''s surprise, blue, glowing lines formed in the air where his fingers had been. He continued drawing an odd pattern in the air ¨C like one of those ominous demon summoning circles in anime.
"I, Azrael Ultimagi, swear an unbreakable oath ¨C from this day forth I shall protect Morrigan Nachtstern. I shall never do her any harm, and do everything in my power to help her develop her abilities."
The circle shrunk down and floated towards Azrael. It went straight towards his chest and then disappeared. The demon opened his shirt and revealed that the circle was now etched on the right side of his chest.
"Very well. Then I have nothing to worry about. I leave Morrigan in your care," Alphegor appeared satisfied, but Rosa noticed that there was a bit of mischievous glint in his eyes.
Had he planned this?
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I''ll make her into the most powerful demon this world has ever seen."
Alphegor nodded and then left the room without another word. Rosa and Azrael both watched as he left, until the door slammed shut. Then they both looked at each other awkwardly.
"So I said¡ but even if you can use magic, you''re still just a baby. How do I teach you anything?" Azrael muttered seemingly more to himself, rather than to Rosa. "Hey, can you understand what I''m saying?"
Rosa nodded slightly. She didn''t want to give him an impression that she was too competent.
Maybe if I refuse to learn anything, he''ll leave me alone. I don''t really want to become the most powerful demon. Or even a demon with a middle level of power. I just want to go home.
"Okay. Normally with my pupils, I push them to their absolute limit the first time to see what they are capable of," Azrael stroked his chin, then looked down at Rosa and smiled awkwardly. "But I don''t think I can do that with you."
Rosa shook her head vigorously in response.
"Yeah, thought so. But I do need to know your limits somehow¡" Azrael looked down at her, then shook his own head. "Nah, His Majesty will put my head on a pike if I make you feel even a little bit uncomfortable."
A moment of silence stretched through the room as Azrael thought. Then he snapped his fingers, making Rosa flinch from the sudden noise.
"I got it. Show me how you become a shadow again," he said.
Well, there''s no harm doing that again since he''s already seen me do it.
She was a bit nervous about doing it again so soon, but nonetheless Rosa waddled over to the wall, touched it and imagined herself becoming a shadow. A second later she once again was one with the darkness.
"Wonderful! Good job. Now could you try moving to¡ let''s say here," Azrael went further down the wall, and slapped a spot a few meters away from Rosa.
I wonder what he''s trying to accomplish.
She willed herself to move closer to him. The feeling was most peculiar, it''s as if she was sliding and gliding, yet at the same time she had no weight. No gravity to pull her down and keep her grounded. Rosa reached Azrael much faster than she thought possible and had to force herself to a stop. The movement caused her to feel nauseous, and she unwittingly materialized out of the wall.
Rosa apparently had moved up the wall while in shadow form, and now the gravity was mercilessly pulling her down to its embrace. She braced for impact, but Azrael swiftly caught her.
"Couldn''t maintain the shadow form any longer?" he asked. Rosa shook her head and pressed her hands to her mouth, nausea still lingering.
"Oh! You''re nauseous. I completely forgot about that. It''s normal to feel that during the first few times when you move as a shadow. It''ll disappear the more you practice," Azrael assured her with a smile, but it did little to make her feel better.
This is worse than the time I was on that yacht out in the open sea. Oh no¡ I can''t¡
Rosa squirmed furiously, trying to break free from Azrael, but the demon held her tight.
"Hey, stop squirming! What''s wrong with you suddenly?"
"Let¡ go¡" Rosa uttered, but it was too late. The queasiness overtook her, and she promptly emptied the contents of her stomach onto Azrael''s shirt. The poor demon was so mortified that he just stood there stiff as a rock while holding Rosa a good distance away from himself. His face looked like it was frozen in time ¨C forever displaying his disgust and horror.
"Sorry¡" Rosa muttered, unsure of how to save the situation. She had tried to get away from him, but he stubbornly held on. In a way, it was his own fault.
"Ghhhhhh¡" was the only sound that came out of Azrael, and his eyes seemed to roll back into his skull.
"Sorry," Rosa said again, a bit louder.
If he hadn''t sworn that oath not to do me harm, then I''m pretty sure I''d already be dead by now.
Azrael stretched out his arms, moving Rosa as far from him as possible, and then began walking. His movements were slow and stiff, it''s clear he did not want any of the¡ mess to spread or drip. Slowly step by step, they moved forward out of the training grounds and through the many castle corridors.
Servants they encountered, stared in horror and scattered out of the way. The walk was long and embarrassing, and Rosa wished she would have never even tried to become a shadow again.
It''s no wonder they call pride a sin. If I wasn''t so prideful, I could have acted stupid and none of this would have happened. Now I''m sure he''ll start searching for loopholes in his oath if only so he wouldn''t be barfed on again.
Chapter 10 – First Birthday
"No, no, no!" Rosa squirmed with all of her one year old might, trying to resist Gunna''s attempts to put on the frilliest black and pink dress Rosa had ever seen in her life.
It was the day when Rosa officially lived in this demonic realm for a whole year. Or in other words ¨C her (second) first birthday.
"Lady Morrigan, please stay still. I understand that you''re nervous, but we have to prepare for the party," The bearded nanny huffed after her twelfth attempt of putting on the dress was swatted away.
I''m sorry, Gunna. Normally I wouldn''t cause you trouble, but today is different. I have to avoid that party at any cost.
"No, no, no!" She flailed her tiny arms, continuing her tantrum.
"Is Morrigan ready?" Alphegor suddenly stormed into the room, wearing the most extravagant black, red and golden suit Rosa had ever seen in her life.
"I''m sorry, Master Alphegor. Morrigan must be awfully nervous. She just doesn''t want to get dressed," Gunna fumbled through her words, her hands trembling at the sight of the Demon King.
"That''s unusual. Morrigan usually isn''t one to cause trouble," Alphegor squinted at the dwarvish woman, then turned to Rosa who had puffed out her cheeks double the usual size.
"Come on, let''s get dressed and go to your party. I have invited the whole Demon Kingdom to celebrate!"
And that''s exactly the problem! I don''t want the whole Demon Kingdom to see me. I already have assassins trying to kill me, no doubt sent over by my gracious ''family''. I don''t want the whole kingdom to send more assassins after me.
"No, no, no!" Rosa shook her head violently, having no intention of complying. Gunna looked absolutely helpless, just holding the unwanted dress in the air. Alphegor chuckled and took the dress from the nanny.
"It''ll be fine, little one. I''ll be with you the whole time," he assured her, and Rosa paused to look at him. But Alphegor used this chance to swiftly pull the dress over her head.
"No!" Rosa gasped with indignation and glared at him. Alphegor just chuckled in response and picked her up.
"Now we just need to do something about your hair. Stay still for a bit while I comb it," he said, and grabbed the comb from the nearby dresser. Rosa winced as the comb neared her hair, being certain that the demon would pull out a good chunk of it. But to her surprise, he started at the tips and then slowly moved his way up. Even Gunna appeared surprised by his gentleness.
"I never thought¡ you would be good at this sort of thing, Master Alphegor," the nanny voiced Rosa''s thoughts.
"You forget that I have twenty-three daughters. Did you seriously think that I had never combed any of their hair?" he replied, but there was none of the usual sharpness in his voice.
"I-I''m honestly not sure¡" Gunna said awkwardly, and then handed Alphegor the hair ribbons that matched Rosa''s horrid dress. For a moment Rosa considered making another scene, but curiosity got the better of her. She had to know ¨C can the Demon King actually tie ribbons in a girl''s hair?
She felt him parting her hair into two, and then gently pulling up half into a tail. After a bit of fiddling the ribbon was tied, and he moved onto the other side. Once that was done too, he moved towards the mirror to show his handiwork ¨C two perfectly tied tiny twintails.
"Wow!" Rosa clapped, genuinely impressed. Many fathers fumbled with making girl''s hair, and yet the big, bad Demon King himself could do it. Alphegor looked at her with a somewhat disgruntled expression, but it quickly changed into a more relaxed one.
"Well, you''re ready now. Let''s go to your party!"
"No," Rosa whined quietly, praying that some unseen force might still rescue her.
***
What the hell is all of this?
Rosa stared in disbelief at the sight before her. For the first time since her birth in this world, Alphegor had brought her outside of the castle. It was still within the castle walls, of course, but she could see how odd the outside was in the Underworld. Endless sky was replaced with darkness. No stars, no moon, no light. The only sources of light were the magical lamps that were set out within regular integrals throughout the yard, some larger to illuminate a larger area and some smaller for individual tables.
There were thousands of demons outside waiting for them to emerge from the castle, and a wave of loud cheers erupted from the crowd the moment the castle doors opened, almost forcing Rosa to cover her ears.
The front yard, well yard wasn''t the right word, it was a ginormous space spanning at least two football fields, had smaller and larger tables set out, as well as some attraction areas. Rosa couldn''t quite tell what those were as they were too far away. There was no shortage of food or drinks, dishes piled almost on top of one another. But even with seemingly never ending amounts of tables, it still wasn''t enough ¨C leaving many demons standing.
Much to Rosa''s horror, she discovered that not all demons were as humanoid as Alphegor''s concubines or Rosa''s half-sisters. Further in the back she could spot demons with bright red skin, large wings, disproportionately large limbs and other odd features. Some even had more animalistic features like fluffy tails or ears or animal-like muzzles.
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"I welcome all of my subjects to the grand celebration of my youngest daughter Morrigan''s first birthday!" Alphegor''s voice boomed through the area, and the crowd once again erupted into cheers. Rosa held onto his coat with trembling hands ¨C she could never handle crowds well, and usually avoided any large gatherings. And yet here she was ¨C in the center of attention of a massive crowd. She began feeling nauseous.
"Feast to your heart''s content, my dear subjects, but remember that is all possible thanks to the little demoness I hold in my arms," a cold warning slipped into the Demon King''s voice, but the crowd still reacted with a loud cheer. Satisfied, Alphegor nodded and began descending down the castle stairs. When he reached the party area, dozens of concubines began swarming around him like wasps around rotten fruit.
"Your Majesty, let me congratulate the Princess on her birthday!"
"I''ve brought a special present for Her Highness, if you''d allow me¡"
"No, Your Majesty, my present is far superior I am sure the Princess would¡"
"Silence," Alphegor said in a quiet, but stern voice, and the buzzing stopped. Rosa still clung to him, wishing to all the holy beings she knew to be anywhere but here. "Morrigan will decide on her own which presents she will accept."
The concubines turned their gazes to Rosa, smiling sweetly while their eyes bore into her like poisonous needles.
Why me?
Rosa turned to Alphegor hoping that he''d at least have the courtesy to listen to her request.
"Hungry¡" she managed to squeak out. Her voice sounded unsteady, but she was only a baby so she could probably still get away with that.
"Then we shall go eat!" Alphegor announced loudly, and the swarm of concubines parted, allowing the King to go to his designated table. Rosa could see their glares as they retreated, and wondered how many of them planned to assassinate her. She shook her head at the unpleasant thought, and instead decided to focus on the food.
The Demon King''s table obviously was the grandest table out of them all. It was surrounded by a dark hedge, effectively hiding them from the other guests. Alabaster statues stood in each corner of the hedge, and the table itself was filled with the best looking foods, drinks and desserts she had ever seen. In fact, it looked so good, Rosa could barely stop herself from salivating.
As they approached the table, she saw that there were already demons sitting by it ¨C four concubines Rosa met in the family gathering before, their daughters including Deziara, Azrael and another older looking male demon. It was the first time Rosa had met a demon who did not look young. He couldn''t quite be called old since he had no gray hair like humans did, but his skin wasn''t as pristine and smooth, and there were small wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.
Rosa looked at Azrael guiltily after Alphegor sat down with her in his lap, but the demon just smiled at her without a hint of malice in his eyes. Unlike the four concubines who didn''t bother to hide their disdain for Azrael. At least their malice wasn''t directed at her.
I guess they can''t glare at me since Alphegor is here.
"Happy birthday, Princess Morrigan. Here''s my gift for you," Azrael pulled an ornate black and gold box from under the table and put it in front of Rosa. "You just have to pull the ribbon for it to open."
"How rude! His Majesty has barely sat down and you''ve already opened your mouth without even greeting him first. As a matter of fact, by what merit are you even allowed to sit at this table?" the concubine with wavy, purple hair said incredulously while waving her black fan as if moving it faster could make Azrael disappear.
"Peace, Vivian. Azrael has sworn an oath to Morrigan so as her first subject, magic teacher and guard, he is allowed a spot at her birthday table," Alphegor explained, seemingly in too good a mood to reprimand the concubine in earnest.
"An oath?" all of the concubines echoed as one, their glares growing in intensity.
"That''s right! So go ahead and open your present, Princess," Azrael nudged the gift closer. Unsure of a better course of action, she reached out and pulled on the golden ribbon. The box opened with a soft pop, revealing a golden necklace with a bright red gem in its core. Another wave of gasps came from the concubines.
"A protection talisman?" Alphegor mused and lifted the talisman by its chain, watching as light reflected on its golden surface.
"Yup, one of the best ones I''ve ever made, Your Majesty. No physical attacks can harm the Princess if she''s wearing it. Doesn''t matter if it''s arrows, fists, swords or hammers. Heck, you could probably drop a mountain on her head and she''d still be fine," Azrael chattered excitedly, and shot a knowing smirk in the direction of concubines.
"Thank you¡" Rosa muttered as Alphegor placed the talisman around her neck. It felt large and heavy at first, but then it shrunk in size as if to fit Rosa specifically. She touched it in awe.
"Yeah, it also adjusts its size to the wearer. Figured that might be useful since the Princess still has a lot of growing to do," Azrael announced proudly.
"That is an unusually thoughtful gift coming from you," said the older demon. "I didn''t think you were capable of that much thought."
"You underestimate me, old Lucius. I can be very thoughtful when I want to be," there was a mischievous spark in Azrael''s eyes, but Lucius just waved it away.
"Young Princess, allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Lucius Dammerung, His Majesty''s right hand man, and also the Prime Minister of the Underworld," Lucius stood up from his seat, and bowed respectfully at Rosa.
Finally, somebody actually introduces themselves to me.
"Hello¡" Rosa replied nervously.
"My, so the rumors are true ¨C you''re already capable of talking. It is most encouraging to have such a capable, young Princess," Lucius said with a small smile, and then produced a box from his coat pocket. "I have also prepared you a gift."
Alphegor took the little box and opened it in Rosa''s stead, quickly breaking the ribbon. Inside was a small bluish green gem.
"An alexandrite?" Alphegor asked with a smile. His pleased expression signaled that this was another good gift.
But what use does a baby have for jewels? Or even if I wasn''t a baby what would I do with them? It''s not like collecting expensive trinkets will help me get home.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Of the highest quality. Her Highness should be able to learn shape-shifting magic from it," Lucius explained proudly, and Rosa could hear Azrael scoff.
Learn magic from a gem? How does that work?
Rosa peered curiously at the crystal, but to her it looked like any normal gem.
"It might be too early for the Princess to learn new magic," Azrael protested somewhat meekly.
"With Morrigan''s capabilities, I''m sure it won''t take long. You''ll make sure of that, won''t you Azrael?" Alphegor smiled at the white-haired demon who swallowed hard, his previous nonchalance gone.
"Of course, Your Majesty. We''ll be training hard," Azrael replied, and shot Rosa a piteous look.
We''re both in trouble, aren''t we?
Chapter 11 – Kings Present
"Your Majesty, we have also prepared gifts for Her Highness," the overly cute, pink concubine said sweetly while her daughter, dressed in equally pink attire, nervously held a pink satchel tied with bright gold ribbon.
That has to be poisoned right? Or cursed? Rosa eyed the satchel suspiciously.
"Put your gifts on the gift table along with the others," Alphegor said dismissively, and Rosa sighed with relief.
"But, Your Majesty, we all worked so hard to pick the perfect present¡" the concubine objected, but Alphegor silenced her with a bored wave of his hand.
"As did every other guest here. Your gifts will be opened later."
The pink demon girl gritted her teeth, and Rosa thought she would fling the satchel across the table. But the girl managed to collect herself and instead exited the hedge surrounded area to probably deposit the gift along with the others. Or throw it in the nearest trash. Two other demon girls followed her, except for Deziara who was fidgeting from side to side, holding something behind her back.
"Father! I wish to g-give a gift to my s-sister now!" she spoke up and slowly edged closer to them. Alphegor appeared a bit annoyed, but didn''t outright dismiss the child.
"And why is that?"
The question clearly caught the girl by surprise and she looked down at her shoes.
"I l-left a bad impression on my sister when we first met. I wanted to remedy that, Father," she stammered. Rosa had a suspicion that her mother was the one who put her up to this, but, on the other hand, she was just a child. There was no need for Rosa to make matters more difficult, she decided to act as an adult.
"I want to s-see my sister''s gift," Rosa said, and Deziara''s mother lit up with a victorious smile while the other concubines glared at her. Deziara also smiled and confidently walked up to Rosa, revealing a teddy bear from behind her back. It was a gentle sandy color with a giant pink ribbon around its neck and cute button eyes.
"Cute," Rosa said before she could stop herself and reached out towards the teddy. This place severely lacked cute things, so the teddy appeared out of place. But it also felt like such a normal, human gift. It reminded her of Earth.
"Well¡ as long as Morrigan likes it," Alphegor sighed, clearly not agreeing with her sentiment. Deziara, on the other hand, blushed from the compliment and quickly retreated back to her mother.
"Thank you," Rosa said, and Deziara nodded demurely.
I know you''re probably only trying to get into Alphegor''s good graces, but I still appreciate the gift.
"Alright, with gifts out of the way. Let''s begin the feast!" Alphegor announced, and all adults around the table picked up their wine glasses while the girls picked up their juice glasses. "May Morrigan live long and grow strong!"
Alphegor''s voice was once again loud and booming, reverberating through the whole area. Cheers erupted from behind the hedge, and Alphegor finished the drink in one swift swig. The concubines and girls took a small sip of their drinks, while Azrael and Lucius also finished their drinks albeit with less gusto than the King.
"Now, tell me, Princess. What would you like to eat?" Azrael moved his chair closer, and bent forward to be as close to Rosa as possible. His smile was radiant, almost blinding.
Gosh, haven''t you ever heard of such a thing as personal space?
Rosa tried not to admire his handsome features.
And why do all demons have to be so good-looking?
"Back off, Azrael. I''ll be the one to feed my daughter!" Alphegor growled, and began piling dish after dish on Rosa''s tiny plate. Rosa helplessly stared as the pile grew larger and larger.
"Your Majesty," Lucius interjected before the pile could topple over. "I don''t think the Princess will be able to eat so much."
"I''m just making sure she has plenty of options to choose from," Alphegor interjected and then pushed the towering plate closer to Rosa. "Go on, choose whatever you want."
Rosa took the small fork placed in front of her and then just stabbed it into the thing closest to her. She couldn''t even quite look at what she had picked up, as all four women at the table were glaring at her, eyes filled with jealousy. When she put the food in her mouth, she recoiled ¨C liver.
I hate liver!
"It seems His Majesty doesn''t know Princess''s tastes too well," Azrael laughed. Alphegor glared at him, and Rosa wondered if she should eat the liver just to avoid the Demon King''s rage. It wouldn''t be directed at her, but she still didn''t want anyone to suffer on her behalf.
She glanced at the liver again, hoping that maybe it would look more appetizing than she remembered. While it had some fancy glaze on it and was cut in a more pleasant round shape, at its core it was still liver.
"I am sure that the Princess was just surprised by its great flavor. Just give her a moment and I''m sure she''ll eat the leviathan liver without any issues," the blonde concubine with a short bob cut smiled pleasantly at Rosa.
Leviathan liver? Rosa resisted the urge to gag, and throw the thing on her fork into the bush.
"I am sure that is the case," Alphegor agreed and looked at her with hopeful eyes. Now she truly was with her back against a metaphorical wall. She swallowed and looked at the unappetizing piece on her fork.
I don''t want to eat this¡
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She slowly brought the liver closer to her lips, imagining that it was just a tough piece of pork.
"What are you two talking about? It''s her birthday! She should be eating desserts, not liver," Azrael exclaimed and put a dark chocolate cupcake in front of her.
Yes, my savior! I owe you one.
Rosa grabbed the cupcake without any hesitation, abandoning the sad liver piece, and took a bite before anybody could object. The flavor was rich but not overly sweet ¨C a perfect chocolate dessert.
"I suppose you''re right in that regard," Alphegor begrudgingly admitted, and then snapped his fingers. A servant appeared right next to him the very next second, making Rosa flinch from their sudden appearance.
"Yes, Your Majesty?" the demon servant asked solemnly.
"Bring the birthday cake!" he ordered with a self-satisfied smirk.
Somehow I have a bad feeling about this.
The servant disappeared after a curt nod. For a moment everything seemed peaceful, but then she heard some low grumbling, like a heavy vehicle driving on a road.
"Let''s go and see it," Alphegor said, picking Rosa up. The others around the table also followed, eyes full of curiosity. As they exited the hedged space, Rosa''s jaw dropped open. On a giant platform with wheels, there stood a cake the size of a small house. Each layer was three times larger than Rosa, and each of the massive layers was decorated with utmost care. Everyone gaped at the giant marvel unable to comprehend the absurdity of its size.
How do you even bake something this big? There''s no oven to fit this thing into. Did they just combine a bunch of smaller cakes into a huge one? Or perhaps only part of it is edible?
"Your Majesty, this cake¡" Lucius pointed at it while desperately trying to keep his expression under control. But Rosa saw his eyelid twitch occasionally.
"Magnificent, isn''t it?" Alphegor laughed proudly. "Big enough so every citizen of the Demon Kingdom could have a slice."
Rosa saw how the Prime Minister was doing mathematics in his head as he looked at the cake from top to bottom, his expression hardening.
"I''m sorry to say this, Your Majesty, but even with a cake of this size, you wouldn''t be able to provide every citizen of the Demon Kingdom with a slice of cake."
That much was obvious ¨C no cake, not even this monstrosity, could provide enough cake for a kingdom. Rosa had no idea how large the Demon Kingdom was, but it had to be at least as large as the country where she had come from.
"But it should be more than enough to provide for all the guests, no?" Alphegor retorted and waved towards the crowds of demons packed into the castle yard. They cheered in response, equally horrified and awestruck by the giant birthday cake.
"Now, then, Morrigan. Why don''t you do the honor of cutting the first slice?" The Demon King looked down at her, and at the same moment a servant appeared with a dull-looking knife in hand. Alphegor took it and then held the handle towards Rosa.
She nervously reached out to the knife, fully expecting to drop it to the ground, but Alphegor kept his hold on it and guided it towards the cake alongside Rosa. There was a warm feeling in her gut as they cut the cake together. It slid smoothly down the soft spongy dessert, and they ended up with a small, neat square piece of rich looking red velvet cake.
The crowd erupted into cheers again, and Rosa couldn''t help but flush. All this fuss because of her birthday.
Nobody on Earth ever cared much for my birthdays. Sure, my parents would set up a celebration when I was younger, and they''d buy me cake, but it was more out of obligation rather than actual care for me. And once I started showing interest in art, those celebrations ended.
Rosa shook her head ¨C there was no guarantee that these parties would continue when she got older. Currently she was just a novelty ¨C an oddly clever baby with a vast magical potential. Once Alphegor realized that she would not become his perfect demon heir, no doubt he would be just as disappointed as Rosa''s mother had been.
"Hey, what''s that?" Alphegor suddenly pointed towards the spot they had just sliced into, breaking Rosa out of her thoughts. Something red glinted deeper inside the cake, but it didn''t match with the rest of it. The color was smoother, shinier. It reminded her of scales.
Rosa looked quizzically up at Alphegor, and saw a mischievous glint in his eyes, his lips curling up in a restrained smile.
Oh, he must have hidden his gift inside the cake. I wonder what it is.
"Present?" Rosa asked him, and the crowd cheered at her guess.
"Young Princess is so smart!"
"She can already speak, it''s amazing!"
"Truly the daughter of our Majestic King!"
The crowd kept praising her, and Alphegor hummed with satisfaction.
"Yes, a present from me to my dearest daughter!" Alphegor announced in his booming voice for everyone to hear. Multiple servants scurried over and began methodically cutting the cake, and placing the slices onto plates, thus slowly digging out the present underneath.
Rosa watched with bated breath as more and more of¡ something was revealed, but she couldn''t understand what it was exactly. It was just red, shimmering and scaly.
Perhaps it was just a container for the present. He probably wouldn''t have wanted to ruin it with cream and icing.
Slowly, more of the present emerged until finally two servants grabbed hold of a giant, red egg and put it in front of Rosa and Alphegor.
"Egg?" Rosa asked.
Certainly an unusual choice of container for a present, but it is pretty.
"Not just any egg! This is the egg of a fire dragon," Alphegor announced proudly. There was a stunned silence for a moment, until Azrael began clapping, rousing the crowd from their stupor. Slowly, they joined into the cheers although it felt much more forced than before.
"Your Majesty, don''t you think a dragon egg is a bit much?" Lucious whispered as he leaned closer to the King. "Couldn''t it cause some repercussions from the dragons?"
"Hahaha! There''s nothing to worry about. I''ll make sure that no dragon dares to step foot into the Demon Kingdom," Alphegor laughed like a madman while Rosa stared at the egg, pale as a sheet.
She didn''t know much about dragons, but from the stories she read before coming to Doppelta and from the ones Faenor read for her, she knew they weren''t exactly friendly. Usually described as vicious beasts guarding hordes of gold, stealing princesses and burning down cities as if it were as natural as breathing.
He just wants that dragon to eat me as soon as it hatches!
"Is this the offspring of that dragon I killed?" Azrael mused loudly as he bent down to inspect the egg closely.
"Indeed, it is. And it''ll be your task to make sure that the hatchling obeys Rosa," Alphegor announced with a smile, and now Azrael looked just as pale as Rosa, despite his dark skin color.
"Wait¡ me?"
"Yes, you. You''re the one who killed the dragon, so it only makes sense that you clean up after your own mess."
How did Azrael''s punishment become my birthday gift?
Rosa glared at the white-haired demon, who just sighed in exasperation.
"I knew you wouldn''t just let that go. I just hoped that swearing an oath to the princess would have been enough to appease you."
"Clearly, you don''t know me very well then, Azrael," Alphegor replied with a smirk, and then retreated back to the celebration table. Rosa just prayed that she wouldn''t have to open any more presents.
Chapter 12 – Aftermath
You have to be kidding me¡
Rosa stared at the giant mountain of gifts with a mixture of awe and fear. Gunna and Faenor, who were together with her, had similar expressions on their faces.
The grand birthday party was over, and all the received gifts and presents had been brought to an empty room near Alphegor''s bedchambers. After passing a thorough inspection by the castle staff. Although only the most obvious dangerous gifts had been disposed of, there could still be some nasty surprises inside.
"Do we have to look through all of them?" Faenor asked, pale as a sheet.
"His Majesty said that we''re to inspect every gift that Lady Morrigan wants to open," the nanny said, and both of them looked down at her.
Excellent, then I can just leave.
Rosa hummed and turned around to leave the room. Gunna instantly panicked and blocked her way.
"Lady Morrigan, how about we look at a few of the gifts? Surely, there should be something you like there?" the dwarf woman said with a smile, but her voice sounded a bit shaky.
Alphegor probably never expected me to not want to open my presents. Gods, how annoying. I''ll open a few just so Gunna and Faenor don''t get into trouble.
With a sigh, Rosa waddled back into the room and inspected the giant pile. Normally, she''d be happy to receive gifts for her birthday, and on Earth she had treasured every gift that she had received even if she wasn''t close with the gifter anymore. But with this many, they had completely lost their appeal. After all, she had no idea whom the gifts were from.
A gift wrapped in dark green wrapping paper and an aquamarine band around it caught Rosa''s attention. She went closer to it, and saw that smile on Gunna''s face grew larger.
"From Gunna?" Rosa asked and pointed at the gift.
"Yes, that one is from me. How did you know? Lady Morrigan is indeed very smart," the nanny praised, and went to open the ribbon tied on the package. It wasn''t really difficult to deduce that it was from her. After all, it was the only gift with a gentle color scheme. Well, this one and one other which Rosa assumed to be from Faenor.
Once the ribbon was undone, Gunna handed the present to Rosa, who swiftly tore the paper off. Inside was a long scarf in a beautiful verdant green color. The color looked so odd in this mostly dark place, but it was so refreshing and vibrant that Rosa instantly hugged the scarf close to her chest.
"Thank you, Gunna," Rosa said, doing her best not to sniffle.
"Aww, it was just something I made in my spare time. I-I never expected you''d like it so much, L-Lady Morrigan," the nanny said and began crying. This broke Rosa, and she too began crying. Gunna then hurriedly picked her up, and both of them wailed for a moment.
"You two are being a bit dramatic," Faenor sighed but he did so after giving them a few minutes to calm down.
"You''re just impatient because you want Lady Morrigan to open your present too," Gunna teased him as she wiped away the tears.
"N-no! I am perfectly capable of waiting!" the elf retorted and crossed his arms over his chest.
But you never denied that you wanted me to open the gift.
Rosa waddled over to the other colorful gift which was in a pale lilac package with a bright violet ribbon.
Rosa tugged at the ribbon and it slipped off effortlessly as did the wrapping. Underneath was an unusual, somewhat shabby looking book.
"Faenor, what kind of a gift is that? Certainly you could have done better!" Gunna pressed her arms against her hips and looked at Faenor incredulously.
"For your information, this book is extremely rare and extremely valuable. I''ve had quite a hard time finding it," Faenor replied with a puff. "It contains information about all of the known magical stones from other worlds."
Magical stones? Like the alexandrite gifted by Lucious. I wonder what exactly they could do.
Rosa reached her hand to touch the stone in the protection talisman Azrael gifted to her. She wondered if it was also magical in nature.
"We can look through it during our next story time," Faenor promised, and Rosa nodded enthusiastically.
"Thank you!" Rosa held the book close, wondering what could be written inside it.
"As long as you like it, Lady Morrigan," the nanny sighed and conceded. "Now which gift shall we open next?"
Oh, right¡ There were other gifts¡
***
A few hours of intensive gift opening later¡ Rosa, Gunna and Faenor had barely made a dent in the giant mount of gifts. They had unpacked clothes both adult sized and child sized, a whole bunch of plushies that depicted one monster or another, shoes of every size and shape imaginable, books of all genres and fabrics of every color. There was even a live bird in one of the presents which had flown away as soon as the box was opened. Rosa was just grateful that the poor little creature had survived.
"Too many¡" Rosa muttered, her little hands tired from unwrapping and ripping all of the paper and packaging.
"We''ll never get through all of those on our own¡" Faenor agreed as he grimaced at the remaining amount of gifts with unhidden disgust.
"Yes, I thought that we could make decent progress today, but there''s far too many gifts," the nanny agreed with a grim nod.
Why do I even need to open all of these gifts on my own? I know that they''re meant for me, but it''s not like the people, or demons, who gifted me these know me. They only gave me these for Alphegor''s sake.
"No more presents," Rosa grumbled to her caretakers, and waddled towards the door. Gunna caught up to her, and picked her up.
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"Yes, that''s enough gifts for one day."
"What if somebody has put another live creature in their gift box," Faenor suddenly said with a pained expression. Rosa''s heart clenched. It was so sad seeing the poor bird trapped in that box. She had wanted to feed it and give it something to drink, but the poor thing was so startled that it flew out of the window before anybody could properly register what had happened.
"But we can''t just sit here opening gifts all day. Lady Morrigan is already tired," Gunna objected but her eyes were downcast, showing that she didn''t want to abandon whatever poor animal may or may not be trapped within the many boxes. Rosa thought for a second.
This is a magical world, isn''t it? Surely there must be a spell or something to make this process quicker. Or perhaps a spell that could find whether there was a live creature inside. And if there was somebody who knew spells¡
"Azrael," Rosa said, startling both of her caretakers out of their glum thoughts. Gunna''s face seemed to lose all color while Faenor looked at Rosa quizzically.
"Who is Azrael?" the elf asked but before his question had fully formed on his lips, a dark shadow appeared before Rosa and out of it rose the aforementioned demon.
"You called, Princess?" he said with a pleasant smile, standing proud and tall above the dwarf woman, who was noticeably trembling. "My, my, I didn''t know you had slaves for caretakers, Princess. I thought your father would surely provide you with someone better."
Rose glared at him, then pointed towards the remaining mountain of gifts.
"Help open," she kept her speech simplistic, and deliberately ignored the fact that he had appeared out of nowhere.
You were expecting some sort of reaction out of me, weren''t you? Sorry, I''m not giving you the satisfaction of that.
"No way! I''m a magic teacher and a guard, not a servant," Azrael rejected her request outright, a smug grin on his face. Gunna''s lip quivered, and it appeared she wanted to say something but couldn''t find the courage to do so.
"Open," Rosa persisted and pointed towards the gifts again.
"Sorry, Princess. I am not obliged to comply with your requests," he teased, his grin wide. He was waiting for Rosa to start crying and throw a tantrum. If she was an actual baby, she would have no doubt done that.
"I tell father," Rosa stated flatly and the temperature in the room got noticeably colder.
"Nice try, kid. But I won''t be intimidated by a baby," Azrael sneered, but Rosa noticed that there was a bead of sweat forming on his forehead.
So despite his nonchalant attitude, he is afraid of the King. That will work in my favor.
"Lady Morrigan, perhaps we could just continue unpacking another day," Gunna finally cut in, finding the courage to speak.
"Help or I call father," Rosa repeated and adopted the icy expression she''d seen the Demon King use.
"Alright then, call your daddy!" Azrael waved his hand dismissively. He no doubt thought that the Demon King wouldn''t just come at the beck and call of his one year old daughter. Honestly, Rosa didn''t think he would come either, and hoped that Azrael would have been more cooperative.
Oh, well¡ It''s worth a shot¡
"Father!" she shouted in a voice that reverberated throughout the hallways of the castle.
How did I do that? It seems similar to the way Alphegor speaks when addressing a large crowd.
Before she could ponder the question any further, another large, dark shadow appeared in front of her, and out from it rose the Demon King himself.
He really did come.
As Alphegor emerged from the shadow, he had the largest, goofiest grin on his face and he instantly bent down and grabbed Rosa into a bear hug.
"My darling daughter called me ''father'' for the first time. I am overjoyed! What do you need, little one?"
Silence stretched for an awkwardly long time as everyone stared at the Demon King in utter disbelief.
M-My darling?
"Your Majesty, are you quite alright?" Azrael broke the silence, smiling somewhat awkwardly as he slowly, step by step, neared the exit.
"Azrael no help," Rosa said before the demon could run away. Alphegor''s expression instantly grew as cold as ice, and the temperature in the room dropped even further. Only this time Rosa was sure that it grew colder for real as she could see Azrael''s breath in the air. Gunna and Faenor began shivering.
"Really now?" Alphegor said in a sweet tone that didn''t match his icy glare.
"I-I just said that I couldn''t do it now since I have to¡" Azrael trailed off as ice crystals began forming around feet. "What I mean to say i-is that I''ll be glad to help!"
"Excellent!" The King smiled pleasantly, and the cold instantly disappeared from the room. "See that it''s done as Morrigan demands. I''ll be finding out all the details later."
"Of course, Your Majesty," Azrael said with a forced smile while shaking off the thick layer of frost that had formed on his feet.
Alphegor patted Rosa on her head once, then handed her to Gunna and disappeared back into the shadows.
"You little brat¡" Azrael muttered quietly. Rosa decided to ignore the comment since she came out victorious this time.
I do feel a bit bad for forcing him to obey me, but it is for a good cause. We must find if there are any more animals trapped in those boxes.
"So, which one we''re starting with?" Azrael grumbled and skulked over to the mountain, grabbing a random gift and throwing it up and down in the air.
"Find animal," Rosa commanded.
"Animal? Why would there be animals here?" Azrael scoffed, but Faenor stepped forward, gathering his courage to speak.
"We previously found a bird inside one of the presents. The Princess is afraid there might be more animals trapped inside."
Azrael regarded the elf like a mosquito that had dared to bite him, then looked at Rosa and sighed.
"I suppose it wouldn''t be nice if they died and their corpses began stinking up the place," his purple eyes lit up and carefully looked over the pile of gifts. He then waved his hands and some of the presents began floating around the room and rearranging themselves.
Wow, he can even make things float. That looks useful. I wonder if I could learn that.
After a minute or two of sorting, one smaller box floated to Azrael''s hands.
"This is the only live creature I could find," he said in a cold voice, and then the box burst into flames.
"Wha-?" Rosa gasped in shock, the creature inside shrieking in pain as it burned alive in a matter of seconds.
"I''m sorry, Princess, but this is not a friendly creature. It is without a doubt that somebody sent this in an attempt to harm you."
"What creature was that?" Faenor dared to ask.
"A soul worm," Azrael said coldly, and then five more boxes floated out of the pile. Their wrappings burned away, revealing five creepy looking objects ¨C a dagger emanating dark aura, a black rose, a bracelet made from teeth, a necklace with a tiny vial that seemed to contain blood and a rattle made out of tiny bones.
What the hell is a soul worm? On second thought, I''d rather not know. And what''s with all these objects? They look like something a witch would use to curse people with.
"All of these are cursed. So I guess it''s a good thing I caught them before the Princess unpacked them," Azrael scoffed, and set all of the objects on fire, burning them until nothing was left.
"W-What would have happened if Lady Morrigan had opened them?" Gunna asked with a trembling voice.
"Hard to say. Probably nothing too horrible since she is the Demon King''s daughter. But it might have been¡ unpleasant."
Rosa shivered at the thought, and decided that she wasn''t going to open any more of the birthday presents anytime soon.
Chapter 13 – Evening with the King
"Today was a busy day wasn''t it, Lady Morrigan?" Gunna chimed as she gently scrubbed Rosa''s arms with a sponge.
"Mhm," Rosa muttered and absentmindedly burst a soap bubble with her tail. She was becoming better at controlling it, but still found no good use for it. It was too weak to hold things with and not very attractive either. Like a rat''s tail with a pointy end.
Her mood was somewhat gloomy since Azrael had found all those cursed objects and the soul worm among her presents. She still didn''t quite understand what exactly the soul worm did, but from the whispering and muttering among Faenor and Gunna she had gathered that it could cripple one''s cognitive ability beyond repair. To think she had almost come in contact with such a horrifying creature.
The bathroom door swung open, and Alphegor strode in, wearing his usual evening garb ¨C a simple black shirt and gray pants. Despite the simplicity of them, the Demon King still managed to look regal and dignified.
"Good evening, Master Alphegor," Gunna greeted him with a bow, and he acknowledged her presence with a curt nod.
"You may go for today."
"But what about Lady Morrigan''s bath?" the nanny asked nervously.
"I''ll finish it myself."
His gaze left no room for questions, so Gunna bowed and quickly excused herself out. Rosa looked at Alphegor quizzically ¨C after Gunna began pouring only the minimum required amount of water in her baths, the King didn''t oversee the process anymore.
Alphegor walked over to the baby bath that was set down next to the large bath, and got down on his knees.
"Is the water warm, Morrigan?" he asked with a somewhat bittersweet smile, and dipped his hand inside the soapy water.
"Warm," Rosa confirmed, and carefully studied his expression. She couldn''t tell what he was thinking, but it seemed like there was a lot on his mind.
Even the Demon King has some worries.
Alphegor absentmindedly grabbed the sponge and began wiping Rosa''s back. He was surprisingly gentle, not daring to press too hard. His eyes seemed to be filled with sadness, and she began feeling bad for him.
I wonder what happened to make him feel so down. Maybe I should lighten the mood a bit.
She thought that but she wasn''t exactly sure how to cheer a demon up. Without any good ideas in her mind, she flicked her tail and sprayed a mixture of soap suds and water on Alphegor''s face. The Demon King froze, but before he could properly process what had happened, she sprayed him again.
Now that''s something not many people can get away with.
"You little rascal," Alphegor growled and mercilessly covered Rosa with the bubbles from head to toe. She was trying to get the bubbles off, but there were too many. Before she could begin to panic, the King unceremoniously dumped warm water over her head, washing the suds away.
"Bully¡" Rosa muttered in her human tongue, not knowing the word in the demon language. The Demon King just laughed and then pulled her out of the water, wrapping her up in a soft towel.
"Time for you to go to bed," Alphegor said, and carried her to the bedroom still wrapped in a towel.
"No sleep," Rosa protested. Ever since she had started sleeping in Alphegor''s room, her bedtime had also become much earlier since she couldn''t just pretend to be asleep until Gunna left. Alphegor was always in his room in the evenings, and never left no matter how long she pretended to be asleep. Mostly he would just be doing some paperwork by his desk until he decided to go to sleep himself.
"Yes, sleep," he objected sternly and put her on the bed. With smooth, gentle motions, he began drying her hair which she didn''t resist.
"Not sleepy."
"Today was a long day. You should rest," the sad note returned to his voice, although Alphegor''s expression remained unreadable as he dressed Rosa in pajamas. "Need to potty first?"
Rosa shook her head furiously. Thankfully, diapers were a thing of the past, but she was still uncomfortable that somebody always insisted to be around when she went to do her business. She understood why they did it, of course, but that didn''t mean she liked it.
"I went!"
"Good girl," Alphegor ruffled her hair, and then grabbed a brush to untangle the mess he just made. Rosa observed as the demon carefully brushed her hair, his face was a cold, unreadable mask. Almost unreadable. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the corners of his lips were slightly downcast, his eyes squinted ever so slightly and his fingers tense around the brush.
"Something wrong?" she ventured to ask, and Alphegor flinched slightly. After a moment he chuckled.
"You''re a sharp little one, you know that Morrigan. Sometimes it feels like you''re an adult already."
Rosa''s heart began beating like crazy.
He doesn''t know that I''m actually an adult does he? Have I been talking too much too soon? Did I get impatient?
"And yet, you are so fragile. Somebody could have seriously injured you today¡" the Demon King sighed, sat down and put Rosa down into his lap. She looked up at him and he wrapped his large hand around her own. Both of her tiny arms completely disappeared within his grasp.
"You are still so small. So weak. So fragile," he spoke somewhat absentmindedly.
No, it doesn''t seem like a thing. I''m just being paranoid. He was just worried about those cursed items.
"I''m strong!" she objected and puffed out her cheeks, trying to appear braver than she actually was.
Alphegor laughed loudly, then fell onto his back and lifted Rosa high above him. It was odd looking down on this powerful, tall demon.
"Of course, you''re strong! And one day you''ll be the strongest demon out there," he announced loudly, then put Rosa onto his chest and bopped her nose with his finger. "And I''ll make sure nobody hurts you until that day comes."
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Rosa looked at Alphegor just laying there. He looked vulnerable ¨C almost human. Despite the horns on his head, and the long tail that laid limp on the bed, he seemed like a¡
"Father?"
"What is it, little one?" Alphegor lifted his head, and looked at her with a gentle smile. Something warm and fuzzy swelled in Rosa''s chest, but she couldn''t understand what it was. She had never felt this feeling before.
"Let''s sleep."
"Good girl!" He ruffled her hair again albeit more gently, and both of them got underneath the silky covers. After a few minutes, they both slept next to each other in complete peace and silence.
***
When Rosa opened her eyes in the morning, Alphegor was already gone and Gunna was dutifully sitting in a chair next to the bed, waiting for Rosa to wake.
"Good morning, Lady Morrigan," the nanny chimed, a bright smile sticking out from behind her beard.
"Morning," Rosa half-mumbled, half-yawned in response.
"Let''s get you ready for the day," Gunna said, and began their morning ritual. Wash face and hands, dress up, comb the hair, eat some porridge with odd but tasty fruit and play. Rosa could have done without the last bit, but she indulged the nanny to keep up her baby appearance.
After an hour, there was a knock on the door, and Gunna visibly flinched at the noise.
"It is time for your magic lesson¡" the nanny said somewhat awkwardly and picked Rosa up. Another impatient knock resounded on the door so Gunna quickened her stride to open it.
"G-Good morning, Master Azrael."
"You''re too slow, slave," Azrael''s eyes looked like dark, angry thunderclouds.
All because Gunna didn''t answer the door the moment you knocked?
"Childish," Rosa muttered at the demon whose gaze snapped to her. It instantly lost some of its ferocity and instead he appeared mildly annoyed instead.
"What''s childish?" he demanded.
"You," Rosa retorted, crossing her tiny arms over her chest. Azrael narrowed his eyes.
"Slaves need to respond instantly."
"Gunna ¨C nanny, not slave."
"She may be your nanny, but she is also a slave."
"You slave," This childish response forced Azrael to take a step back.
"I''m not a slave. I''m the second strongest demon in the Underworld!" he puffed out his chest and lifted his hand up as if posing for a portrait.
"Gunna, what is ''second''?" Rosa asked innocently, and saw how Azrael''s face turned bright red from anger.
It''s a good thing he''s sworn an oath not to do me harm, otherwise I might not get away with this.
"Oh, well¡" the nanny stammered, unsure of how to respond.
"Let''s just go to your lesson," Azrael snarled and snatched Rosa from Gunna''s grasp. His hold was tight, but not tight enough to hurt her. He stomped furiously towards the training room, while Rosa delighted in his sour mood.
"Smile while you can, brat. We''ll see how you''ll manage to keep your breakfast in while walking as a shadow," Azrael snickered.
This is supposed to be an adult demon? He acts no better than a pompous seven year old.
Rosa had no intention of complying with Azrael on that day. In fact, she wanted to get the whole magic training out of the way as quickly as possible in order to read the book Faenor had found for her. It could contain clues on magic that could help her get back to her world or reverse time. Either one seemed like a good solution.
"Alright, squirt. Let''s begin your training. Turn into a shadow," Azrael commanded as soon as they stepped inside the training grounds, putting Rosa unceremoniously down on her bum. But she wasn''t dismayed and instead put her plan into motion.
Instead of complying with his demands, she cocked her head to the side and pretended not to understand him. "Play?"
"What? Where did you get that from? No, we are training. Turn into a shadow," Azrael said somewhat impatiently and pointed at the wall. Rosa just blinked her eyes at him, pretending to not understand a word.
"You know¡ like you did the last time? Shadow? Wall? Turn into a shadow!" he said impatiently while gesturing towards the wall with his hand, as if he were playing some sort of a guessing game. He looked so funny in his desperate attempts that Rosa barely contained a laugh.
"Shadow? What is shadow?"
Azrael groaned and hit his head with his palm, sliding it down his face dramatically.
Pretending to be a fool is more fun than I expected. Should have done this the first time around.
"Alright, alright. I''ll show you, you ¨C repeat!" Azrael went up to the wall and then disappeared into the darkness. After a moment he reemerged.
"You saw that right? Now you do it."
"What''s that?" Rosa pointed at the dummies on the other side of the room, and began waddling over in their direction. Azrael grabbed her before she could get too far.
"No, we aren''t playing with the dummies. You need to train your magic. Turn into a shadow," his eyelid twitched.
"Magic? Show magic!" Rosa cheered, throwing her hands up in fake excitement. Azrael groaned, placed Rosa on the floor and then crouched down while clutching his head in his hands.
That''s what you get for bullying, Gunna. Nobody will call her a slave under my watch.
The door to the training grounds swung open, and Alphegor strode in, followed by a few male demon servants that carried some books and documents in their hands.
"How''s the training going?" the King asked, addressing Azrael who straightened the second door opened.
"Not good, I''m afraid, Your Majesty. Princess Morrigan is just too young to understand what she''s supposed to do," Azrael said calmly.
"What exactly did she not understand?"
"I asked her to become a shadow again, but she wouldn''t do it no matter how many times I repeated the request. Instead she thought we were playing."
"Really? Morrigan, would you mind becoming a shadow again?" Alphegor asked with a sort of satisfied smirk. It''s like he knew that Rosa would do as he requested. Normally, she wouldn''t agree too readily, but she felt like bullying Azrael a little bit.
She went up to the wall, took a deep breath and thought about becoming darkness, about her vision expanding and the heaviness of her body disappearing. Next moment she was a part of the dark wall. The servants next to Alphegor gasped in shock and awe.
"Young Princess is already able to turn into a shadow? That is most amazing, Your Majesty!"
"Of course!" Alphegor said with his chest puffed out proudly as he walked up to the wall. Rosa materialized right into his arms while shooting a knowing smirk at Azrael, who was turning red from anger.
"You little¡ You did understand me!" Azrael pointed angrily at Rosa.
"Azrael rude," Rosa stated simply.
"What? Is this still about that slave?"
"What slave?" Alphegor asked.
"The dwarf woman. Who even cares about some slaves?"
"Morrigan does. Gunna is her nanny so obviously she wouldn''t want her to be belittled," Alphegor paused, then sighed. "I might have overestimated your abilities. Although your magical knowledge is up there with the greatest demons, your manners haven''t evolved past those of a twelve year old."
Alphegor turned on his heel and began walking out of the training grounds.
"But the lesson¡" Azrael called out helplessly from behind.
"I think you need lessons in manners first before you teach my daughter," Alphegor replied, and Rosa stuck out her tongue at Azrael.
That''ll teach you.
Chapter 14 – Basics of Magic
Having successfully ditched Azrael''s magic lessons, Rosa was now comfortably situated next to Faenor in the far corner of the Demon Castle''s library. As was proper for every library within a castle, it was grand, spanning three floors and a space large enough to contain hundreds of thousands of books. All the bookshelves were neatly lined and dusted by maids on a regular basis. Meanwhile, the many librarians cared that no book would ever be out of place.
When they entered, the librarians had regarded Faenor with a bit of disdain, but upon noticing Rosa in his hands, their gazes had completely switched to her. They continued sneaking curious glances at her whenever the opportunity arose.
It should be fine. These are just librarians and maids. They are curious about the youngest Demon King''s daughter.
Rosa tried to calm herself. She knew that Alphegor would come the moment she shouted for him, but the fact that there were so many eyes on her again, made her uncomfortable.
The people who sent me those cursed items couldn''t be among them, right?
"Lady Morrigan?" Faenor broke her out of her thoughts.
"Huh?" She blinked her eyes at him.
"I said we don''t have to worry about being noisy here. The barriers in the library are completely soundproof. Unless somebody crosses the barrier you can be as loud as you want," the elf explained and pointed towards the gentle gray lines stretching around the little reading area Faenor had picked out.
I''m so glad that Faenor always takes his time to explain things to me. Without him, I wouldn''t know half the things I know now about this world.
"Wow!" Rosa clapped her hands, making loud noises on purpose.
"Yes. That way nobody needs to worry about bothering other library guests," Faenor smiled, then continued after a pause. "I wasn''t sure that there would be sound barriers here in the Demon Kingdom, but I''m glad to see that demons have the bare minimum sense of courtesy."
Faenor doesn''t like demons very much. Whenever nobody else is around, he doesn''t bother hiding his thoughts anymore. Then again, I can''t blame him. Alphegor did almost kill him.
"Let''s take a look at the book," Faenor pulled the old book from his bag, and set it down on the table. He then put Rosa in his lap and opened the first page.
"Encyclopedia of Magic," He read the title, then flipped the page again. Rosa''s heart beat as she eagerly watched the slightly faded letters. The book was obviously old and read many times before.
"This is a compendium of magical gems both rare and common," Faenor begins. "It is by no means a full record of all magical gems, and I am sure that many remain hidden. However, I hope that even the little bit of knowledge I was able to collect will help to gain insight into various forms of magic that appear in our world. Arbane Inavaris."
I wonder if this Inavaris guy is a known scholar or one of those researchers everybody denies.
"Doctor Inavaris is well-known, but not exactly in a positive way. He was known as an eccentric obsessed with other worlds and researched gems only to find proof that other worlds existed," Faenor explained as if he could read Rosa''s thoughts, and then looked her in the eyes. An uncomfortable knot formed at the bottom of her stomach.
Other worlds? Why did he look at me when he read that?
"There are many ways to classify gems but by far the most common way is by their magical potential. The scale goes from 1 to 10 with 1 including gems that can do simple magic like changing the color of hair and 10 including gems that can shape the very world around us. Very little is known about these more powerful gems, however it is without a doubt that they exist," Faenor read, and Rosa saw how he was observing her with the corner of his eye.
"Huh?" Rosa tilted her head, pretending to not have understood him.
"Is it still too difficult for you? That''s alright, we can at least look at the drawings," Faenor suddenly smiled and turned the book a few pages ahead. There was a drawing of a white sort of rock there, it looked rather brittle and not very impressive.
I''m not a geologist, so I have no idea what this is. It looks like chalk or something similar to it.
"First entries probably won''t be too interesting to look at, so let''s skip ahead a little? How about we take a look at the gem that was gifted to you," the elf flipped ahead before Rosa could understand what he was doing and he stopped on a page where there was a perfectly drawn replica of Rosa''s birthday present. One picture depicted it as mostly blueish-green, in another ¨C it appeared purple, but in the largest one it was shown transitioning between the two colors.
"My gift?" Rosa pointed at it.
"Yes. It is called an alexandrite. On the magical potential scale it is rated as 8.5, a really powerful gem. Alexandrites contain the ability to change shape."
"Change shape?"
"Yes. With it you could become anything ¨C an elf, a dwarf, a bird, even a human," Faenor said solemnly, and Rosa paused in surprise.
Humans! I can''t believe somebody is finally talking about them. I''ve barely heard anyone mention them before, but they do exist in this world as well.
"What''s a human?" she stuttered, trying to appear wholly ignorant.
"Humans are the most numerous race on the surface. They have very short lives, they can''t see in the dark or hear very well. They can''t fly and their bodies are incredibly weak and susceptible to various illnesses. But despite all that, they are extremely adaptable and are masters of overcoming most difficult odds," Rosa''s stomach churned as the humans in this seemed to be the same as on Earth.
"Huh?" Rosa cocked her head, trying to feign ignorance.
"Yes, I am sure this race must sound very strange to you. But they look much like you and me. Only with round ears and soft skin. They are really quite unremarkable to look at," Faenor said with a smile.
We''re not that bad. Besides, humans are very innovative. If only you could see all the technology we have created.
"I''m sure in time, you''ll learn to use your gem," Faenor said and closed the book shut. "But let''s stop for today. I think I''ve read something more difficult than I''m supposed to."
"Pretty," she forced herself to say in a cheery voice, but she got a feeling that Faenor somehow saw through her ruse.
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But why would he suspect that I''m anything but a normal baby? Does it have something to do with the author of this book and his research about other worlds? Maybe I''m just overthinking it. Everything seems suspicious in this world.
"Yes, we''ll study this book a bit more seriously once you''re ready," the elf said, and Rosa couldn''t help but notice that he didn''t say ''once you''re older''.
***
As they exited the library, Rosa saw a familiar face approaching ¨C Deziara with the same strict-looking, large breasted demoness that she was with the first time. Upon seeing Rosa, the girl furrowed her brows, and her expression turned to that of disgust once she looked at Faenor.
"Why are you always together with slaves?" the seven year old girl grumbled, and pointed an accusatory finger at the elf. "If you''re my sister, you should have proper servants!"
"Princess Deziara, that is not for you to decide. It is the King''s decision to make," the demoness reprimanded her, and gently nudged the girl towards the library. But she stomped her foot angrily on the ground.
"No! Nobody seems to care that there is only one slave with her! What if somebody attacks her?"
Well, there''s actually two guards following me at all times, but they like to stay hidden. And I can''t just explain that ¨C it''d make me really suspicious.
"We must go to my father at once!" Deziara announced loudly, and began purposefully striding forward.
"Princess! We must get to your lesson," the demoness protested, running after the girl.
"No! This is more important than the lesson. I have lessons every day, but this issue has been unresolved for the longest time," Deziara looked at Faenor, then clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Follow, slave!"
With a resigned sigh, the demoness followed Deziara and waved her hand at Faenor, indicating him to follow. Left with no other choice, the elf with Rosa in his arms, followed after the demon child.
Deziara went purposefully with her head held high in imitation of her royal father, and Rosa had to admit that she looked cute.
I bet you just wanted to get away from your lessons, but that''s alright. Maybe you''ll be less resentful of me if I can serve as your excuse to get away. Not like I had anything better to do anyway.
After a bit of turning through the corridors in a pattern unfamiliar to Rosa, they arrived at a set of double doors guarded by two bulky looking demons. Their stern gazes grew to that of confusion once they saw the demon child marching towards them.
"Let me through. I have urgent business with my father!" Deziara announced to them, waving her little hand as if trying to will them aside.
"Nobody is to disturb His Majesty while he works," one of the guards replied but didn''t try to physically block the little princess.
"This is of utmost importance."
"Nobody is allowed inside."
The guard and Deziara stared at each other, neither one daring to blink, but the guard became increasingly more uncomfortable, his fingers flexing and relaxing his hold on the spear he held.
"What''s this ruckus outside?" Alphegor''s familiar voice resounded from behind the door.
"It''s nothing, Your Majesty!" the guard replied, but Deziara stomped her foot and puffed out her cheeks.
"It is very important!" the girl said in a loud voice, no doubt hoping that Alphegor would hear her. Her efforts were rewarded, as the door swung open and the King emerged, looking annoyed.
"What''s going on?"
Everybody but Rosa froze on the spot, and Faenor''s hand began to tremble. Alphegor looked sternly over the scene, but his gaze softened once his eyes met with hers.
"Morrigan? What are you doing here?"
"F-Father, I have something important to discuss," Deziara spoke up, but her voice had lost all of its previous confidence.
"Oh, do tell," the King said, not removing his gaze from Rosa.
"Y-You see! My little sister is always together with s-slaves. Shouldn''t she have proper guards and servants?"
Alphegor rubbed his chin for a moment, then looked at Rosa, a small grin playing on his lips.
"You seem to be quite interested in your little sister, Deziara. Why is that?"
"W-Well¡ I t-thought maybe we could get along. I-I don''t get to play with my other sisters."
She doesn''t? But we have twenty two sisters. Surely, at least one of them would be willing to play with her.
Alphegor''s expression hardened, and he seemed to be deep in thought for a while. Then he walked up to Deziara looking down at the little girl with a scrutinizing gaze.
"Your mother didn''t put you up to this, did she?"
"W-Wha? No! Mother d-doesn''t know I am here," Deziara stumbled over her words, and she looked like she was about to cry.
There is no need to intimidate your child so much. She''s about to burst into tears¡
"Sister, no cry," Rosa protested, instantly drawing Alphegor''s attention to herself.
"Do you like your sister, Morrigan?"
Rosa restrained a frown. It''s not like she liked Deziara. In fact, she was fully convinced that she was a spoiled brat. But the way Alphegor treated his other daughters was rather harsh.
"Yes," she said with as much conviction as she could muster. A wide smile appeared on Deziara''s face while her teacher visibly frowned.
"Most excellent. Lady Asdeus, I trust you wouldn''t mind teaching Morrigan together with Deziara?"
"Wha¨C? Teach Princess Morrigan?" The demoness looked at Rosa with confusion, her black curls falling over her shoulder.
"Yes, I would be most grateful if you started her studies a bit early," Alphegor turned his charm up to a ten, and the teacher almost melted into a puddle under his gaze.
So that''s how he has twenty th- twenty four daughters. Skirt chaser!
"I¨C Of course, Your Majesty! It is no trouble at all."
"Wonderful!" Alphegor''s expression turned back to normal, and he addressed Faenor. "You can entrust Morrigan to Lady Asdeus now. Dismissed."
Faenor didn''t look too pleased with this decision, but nodded and handed Rosa over to Lady Asdeus. She took her somewhat awkwardly, her large chest squishing Rosa from both sides.
How did it end up like this? I''ll get smothered to death at this rate.
"I trust you''ll do everything to keep Morrigan and Deziara safe while they''re under your watch," the King said with a sharp edge to his voice. Lady Asdeus flinched a little, then smiled.
"Yes, of course, Your Majesty! You have nothing to worry about."
Alphegor nodded and walked over to the woman, leaning close. The demoness blushed and wriggled nervously under his face.
I swear if you kiss her, I will fart on your face while you sleep.
But Alphegor gently rustled Rosa''s hair instead and then moved away. He was almost back at his office, when a quiet cough resounded through the hall. Deziara was fidgeting on the spot, her cheeks bright pink, not daring to look him directly in the eyes. He chuckled and then went over to rustle her hair as well.
"Behave, girls," he said, and disappeared behind the heavy doors.
Nobody could describe the expression Deziara had at that moment. Her eyes were wide as saucers and sparkling in delight. Her lips were twisted in a goofy grin, and she held her cheeks with her hands, barely containing a delighted squeal.
"Did you see that, Lady Asdeus? Father patted me! He actually patted me," The girl jumped up and down in joy, waving her hands in the meanwhile.
Was Alphegor really so cold towards his other daughters that a simple pat on the head would warrant such a reaction? Maybe I should push him to pay at least a little bit more attention to them. They are just children after all.
Rosa frowned, hoping that in the future he would be nicer towards her half-sisters. If he showed affection more equally towards them, then it would be less likely for them to get jealous of Rosa and try to murder her.
Chapter 15 – (Re)Introduction to Art
"Time to get back to your lessons," Lady Asdeus said sternly to Deziara, who groaned loudly in response.
"Do we have to?" The girl shook her pigtails from side to side.
"Yes, now let''s get back to it," the demoness grumbled and looked awkwardly down at Rosa, then glared at Faenor. "You, slave! Go get her nanny and send her to ''Study room 13''. I am not changing any diapers."
"Princess Morrigan doesn''t wear diapers anymore, but I''ll fetch the nanny anyway," Faenor replied and then disappeared into the winding corridors before Lady Asdeus could object. The demoness looked at Rosa again, this time with a bit less disgust.
"No diapers? That''s good at least. Now then, let''s go, Princess Deziara. We''ve already lost a lot of time today."
With the constant grumbling and mumbling of Deziara in the background, Lady Asdeus wove through the corridors until they arrived at a place that wasn''t too far away from the library. At least according to Rosa''s sense of direction, which wasn''t the most trustworthy thing.
As they entered the classroom-like space, Rosa''s eyes lit up. Beyond the few desks, the large writing board and shelves lined with books and stationary, she saw something she had wanted to see ever since the first day she came to this world. An easel and canvas propped against a wall with a box next to it, lined to the brim with paints of every color imaginable.
"Now, take the easel, set the canvas on it, and let''s begin," Lady Asdeus instructed, and Deziara complied with a groan. Rosa began fidgeting as she saw her prepare the workspace.
"Can''t we do something fun for a change?" The demon girl tried to bargain, but Lady Asdeus shook her head firmly.
"Art is a crucial part of your education. As a Princess you need to understand how it''s made, how to differentiate good art from bad and also how to do at least a simplistic art piece yourself."
Rosa wanted to nod in agreement with her. More people should try to understand art instead of just dismissing it as a mere hobby, good for nothing else than filling up your spare time.
"But you make it sound so boring¡" the girl groaned. The demoness glowered at her, making the child flinch and pick up the first brush that she came across.
Lady Asdeus then set Rosa down on the floor, a bit away from Deziara, and then set up another easel and canvas for herself, ready to demonstrate her skill. She was about to open her mouth but then remembered that Rosa was also still there, staring longingly at the paints.
"I guess it couldn''t hurt to give you something to do as well¡" the demoness muttered, pulling out a piece of paper from one of the shelves and a little container with colored sticks of some sort. They didn''t look like either crayons or pencils.
Rosa snatched them eagerly, looking over them with unhidden enthusiasm.
"At least someone looks interested," the demoness said, and turned her attention back to Deziara.
Rosa, finally having art supplies at her disposal, couldn''t care less about what was going on around her. She took the orange colored stick out of the container and carefully examined it. It was neither a crayon, nor a pencil, nor a marker, but something completely new. Pressing it against the paper, the color laid down easily, not leaving any white streaks underneath. It wasn''t very vibrant with the first stroke, so Rosa tried to layer it.
With each layer she added, the color got more and more vibrant even without her pushing hard. And the color was uniform. It was almost as if she was drawing on a tablet.
Finally, I am able to draw again. It''s been far too long.
Rosa flipped the page over, and then began putting down one color after another.
First a bit of light green. Just draw it haphazardly on the bottom of the page. Then take some red and color the top of the page gently, just enough to make it light pink. Then use dark blue to separate the two and create vague mountains in the background.
Draw a line that gets increasingly larger coming down from the mountains. And next to the riverbank, make gray rocks in the form of gray circles. Finally add some white clouds by trying to draw with white.
Rosa stopped for a moment, and admired her handiwork. It was messy, and streaky, and certainly looked like something a baby would draw. Her hands couldn''t move the coloring stick as she wanted, so her lines were uneven and jittery. The supposed white clouds looked nothing more than a smudged mess as the stick seemed to serve more as a color blender rather than an actual white color.
But even so Rosa was delighted. Even if her hands couldn''t draw the way they used to, she could do art again. Even if her lines had lost their precision and sharpness, even if she had no idea how to properly use these coloring sticks, it was all a matter of time before she''d be able to create exactly what she wanted.
"Look, Lady Asdeus! Morrigan is more interested in art than I am. Maybe you should teach her instead?" The demon girl ran up to Rosa, and pointed excitedly at her ''drawing''.
"I am sure that in due time, I''ll be teaching her as well, but for now¡" the demoness began, but then she saw Rosa''s drawing and paused. She bent down and picked the page up, examining it carefully. "This is actually pretty impressive for a baby."
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"See? You should totally teach her instead of me," Deziara gave the woman a toothy grin.
"But she is still a baby," Lady Asdeus stated and went over to the little girl''s canvas. "Better show me what you''ve done."
Curious, Rosa moved a little bit so she''d be able to see her sister''s work. Lady Asdeus gasped in shock as soon as she saw it, and Rosa barely contained a snort, instead pretending to cough.
There was a long stickman, or it was probably better to call it a stick woman, drawn onto the canvas. She had a vaguely curly mop for hair with black horns sticking out, overly large glasses on her round face, red lips that went outside of the face borders and a squiggly line for the tail. But the main focus of this piece was no doubt the two giant circles for breasts that filled no less than half of the canvas.
"Princess Deziara!" the demoness nearly shouted in outrage. "That is not what a Princess should be drawing."
"I think it''s pretty accurate," the girl mumbled quietly, and Rosa resisted the urge to nod along.
"We shall begin anew, and you won''t be able to leave until you finish today''s assignment."
"Aww¡"
Lady Asdeus opened her mouth, no doubt to chastise the girl some more, when a barely audible knock resounded on the door.
"Enter," the demoness commanded and the trembling frame of Gunna appeared.
"I was told that Lady Morrigan needs me here."
"Ah, yes. You must be her nanny. I just need you to make sure she doesn''t cause a fuss or make a mess around here."
"Of course. I''ll make sure your lesson continues uninterrupted," Gunna bowed her head low and then scurried over to Rosa while keeping a good distance away from Lady Asdeus. The dwarf woman looked even more nervous now than she did around Alphegor, although the reaction was not as bad as around Azrael.
Maybe I should make some demon craziness chart based on Gunna''s reaction. It''s odd Gunna''s reaction to Alphegor is much milder than to other demons. Is he really more mild-mannered than the others? Or is she just more used to him?
"What have you drawn here, Lady Morrigan?" Gunna asked in barely audible whisper and admired Rosa''s handiwork. The nanny then smiled and gently patted her head. "That is very well done. I never thought you''d like drawing so much. Perhaps we should ask the King for your own drawing supplies.
Rosa was about to nod enthusiastically at the suggestion, but paused.
How would Alphegor react if he knew that I like art? He''s the Demon King and he wants me to be his successor. He would no doubt be even more disappointed than my mother if he found out. No, worse than disappointed¡ he could decide that he has no use for me.
"No," Rosa replied simply as she fiddled with the colorful sticks.
"Are you sure?" The nanny looked a bit dejected. Rosa nodded.
I''ll just draw here. Lady Asdeus probably has no idea what to do with me anyway, so it''ll be a win-win for everybody involved.
"Well, if you''re sure. I suppose you can just draw here," Gunna confirmed and then put another blank page in front of Rosa. "How about I draw some things for you?"
Rosa nodded again, and they spent the rest of time drawing with the colorful sticks. It was an enjoyable time, even with Deziara''s constant complaints and Lady Asdeus''s merciless lectures resounding in the background. It seemed like the rest of the day would be peaceful.
A loud, incessant knock sounded on the door and before anybody had time to react, it was flung open and Azrael appeared in the doorway.
"I am looking for my pupil," he announced, and then squinted as he saw Lady Asdeus. "It''s you. One princess isn''t enough for you? Trying to butter up to His Majesty using his favorite daughter as well?"
The silver-haired demon sneered, and Lady Asdeus just waved her hand dismissively in response.
"You''re one to talk. I''ve heard what you did. Swearing an oath to a baby," the demoness scoffed and threw one of her curls over her shoulder. "Really, Azrael, that has to be a new low even for you."
"I''m just thinking about the future. The current king won''t remain in his throne forever," Azrael went up to Rosa and then picked her up and lifted her high. "But what I have right here is the future queen of the whole Underworld. The demoness who will rule over everything."
Don''t involve me in your schemes.
"That''s a baby. She can''t do anything right now. It''ll be at least two millennia before the King even thinks of passing the throne to anybody and in the meanwhile you''re bound to the whims of that snotty kid," Lady Asdeus smirked.
How rude! I don''t have snot.
"But¡ Morrigan doesn''t have any snot," Deziara carefully looked at Rosa, and then cocked her head in confusion.
At least somebody is on my side.
"Ah¡ That''s not quite what I meant, Princess Deziara. I meant that she is still small and not capable of doing much," the demoness pacified the little girl and then waved for her to continue her work. Deziara groaned loudly yet again, and with deliberate slowness began dragging the brush across the canvas.
"We''ll see about that. In either case, I''ll be taking her with me now. Ta-Ta!" Azrael waved his hand, and before anybody could object zoomed out of the study room.
"Wait¡" Rosa wanted to protest, but Azrael shook his head, not slowing down in the slightest. The poor dwarf nanny ran after them as fast as her stocky legs would allow her, huffing and puffing in the meanwhile.
"No, you owe me one. You barfed on me during our first lesson, then ditched the second lesson completely. I think it''s about time we began working for real."
"Play?" Rosa tried to play dumb, but the demon laughed and mercilessly messed up the two small twin tails Gunna managed to make out of the meager amount of hair she had.
"Nice try, kiddo, but I know that you''re smarter than you''re letting on. Besides, we have some other business to take care of as well."
"Other?" Rosa asked, this time actually confused about what he''s talking about.
"Yeah, we still haven''t dealt with your birthday present from the king, have we?" Azrael pursed his lips, and his eyebrows creased in a deep furrow. Color drained from Rosa''s cheeks as she remembered the giant, red dragon egg.
"Eep," Rosa hiccuped as she felt her heartbeat increase.
"It''s alright. I''m sure we''ll manage¡ somehow," Azrael exhaled, then suddenly stopped and turned to walk in a completely different direction. "How about we swing by the kitchens first and see if they have some raw meat?"
"Eep," Rosa hiccuped again, and took a firm hold of Azrael''s shirt.
Chapter 16 – Birth of a Dragon
Armed with a large chuck of meat, Azrael strode purposefully towards the training room while holding Rosa with his other arm.
Oh, God, Jesus, Buddha, Zeus, Odin and any other gods that might be listening ¨C please, help me survive this in one piece.
Rosa had no doubt that once the little beast hatched, she would be its first choice for a snack. If the egg was any indication of size, then the newborn dragon should be at least twice as big as Rosa. The meat they procured in the kitchen did little to calm Rosa''s nerves. It wouldn''t satisfy a dragon for long. Not if it was at least a little bit like the dragons were described in stories.
"It''ll be alright. Worst case scenario I kill the little beast," Azrael forced a smile.
No, no, no! You can''t do that. If you kill the ''gift'' from Alphegor, then he will no doubt level the whole castle to the ground. Along with everyone in it.
"Father angry," Rosa objected.
"I think he''ll be angrier if I let the thing eat you," the demon retorted, and Rosa nodded.
There''s no winning here. Better get this over with.
They entered the empty training grounds, dragon egg sitting menacingly in the corner, waiting to cause mayhem. Rosa glared at the thing, hoping that the egg simply wouldn''t hatch.
But how would it even hatch? We don''t have to sit on it like hens do, right?
"Hatch how?" Rosa asked and tugged on Azrael''s shirt. The demon seemed to be glaring at the egg with the same intensity Rosa did.
"Hatching a dragon isn''t easy, little Princess. I imagine only a handful of demons would be able to do it. Unfortunately, I just happen to be one of the few who can¡"
Suffering from success?
Azrael was about to put Rosa down, but she held onto his shirt with an iron grip.
Don''t you dare to put me down! I don''t want to be eaten.
"Don''t worry. I swore an oath, remember? I have to protect you no matter what. And you still have my talisman to protect you from physical harm," he said, and Rosa thought back on his oath. She couldn''t remember it clearly ¨C it had happened so fast ¨C but there certainly was something about him protecting her. The question was if the dragon eating her whole could be some weird loophole.
"It''ll be alright. As I said, if the worse comes to worst, I''ll kill it."
Rosa released her grip, and Azrael put her on the ground. Then he stepped in front of her and took a deep breath.
"Here goes nothing¡" he muttered and pointed his hand forward. Angry, blue flames erupted from his hands and engulfed the egg from all sides. Heat instantly filled the room, and Rosa felt herself beginning to sweat.
Azrael continued roasting the egg for a while, sweat rolling down his face, his eyebrows furrowing from concentration.
"Hatch already, you little beast¡" he muttered, his flames wavering a little bit. There was a small cracking noise from the direction of the egg, and Azrael stopped the fire.
Rosa clutched onto his leg, and peered at the red egg. It looked like the flames hadn''t done anything to it, while the ground and even the nearby walls had started to melt. Even with the flames gone, the room still felt blazing hot.
"C''mon! Hatch you infernal thing," the demon muttered, not even blinking as he observed the egg.
Then another, louder crack echoed through the room. Rosa and Azrael both leaned closer, searching for any visible marks on the egg. ''Crack, crack, crack''. There was a tiny, barely noticeable shake. ''Crack, crack, crack'' came from the egg, while Rosa''s heart beat like crazy. Finally a little hole appeared on the top, and some movement could be seen within it.
Can it not get out?
As soon as she thought that, the egg burst open, eggshells and the inner fluid flying everywhere. Rosa clung onto Azrael''s leg as if her life depended on it, trying to understand where the eggshells ended and where the newborn dragon began.
"That''s anticlimactic," Azrael exhaled, unimpressed by the little creature. "It''s a runt."
The little red dragon laid on the floor, each leg going in a different direction. It had large, green eyes, two little nubs for horns and small appendages on its back which probably should have been wings. Not to mention that it was small. In fact, it was smaller than Rosa.
What a waste of real estate. Tiny dragon in a huge package.
Azrael went up to the tiny creature and lifted it up by its tail. The hatchling began thrashing around and mewling piteously, completely helpless.
"This is not a dragon. It''s just an oversized rat," Azrael poked it in its soft belly, and the dragon yelped. It looked so sad and weak that Rosa felt sorry for it.
"Food?" Rosa pulled on the demon''s pants and pointed towards the meat sitting in a bowl some way away.
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"Yeah, I guess we should feed it," Azrael agreed with a sigh and threw the dragon to the ground without a second thought. It yelped and then whimpered, curling up in a small shivering ball.
There''s no need to be so mean towards it.
Rosa went up to the trembling creature, debating whether she was brave enough to actually comfort it. Runt or not, it was still a dragon and she had no doubt that it could bite off her hand, if it decided to do so. But as it continued to whimper and tremble on the hard floor, Rosa made up her mind and went to pat it. It moved away when it saw her approach.
"Shhhh," she soothed it and outstretched her hand. She didn''t move it closer but rather waited for the baby dragon to at least sniff it first. She saw it in a movie once so maybe the logic could be applied to a fantasy world. For a moment, they both just stared at each other, then the hatchling inched a bit closer and sniffed her hand.
"Hey, Princess! Don''t approach it so carelessly," Azrael reprimanded, but Rosa shook her head.
"Stop," she instructed him, but her voice was quiet and calm so as not to scare the dragon. It flinched when it saw Azrael looking at them, but relaxed once the demon remained still.
The hatchling crept closer and closer to Rosa, sniffing the air cautiously. Finally its tiny snout gently nudged against her palm. She shivered from the sensation of its scales, they were still wet from the egg fluid, but at the same time ¨C warm and tough like stone.
"Good dragon," Rosa praised the little creature, and reached out to pat its head. The dragon allowed her to do so, and purred with delight under her touch. She even saw its little tail swish from side to side.
It really is like a dog.
Azrael nodded approvingly at the sight, then slid the bowl of meat closer to Rosa. The meat was neatly chopped into pieces, ready to be eaten.
"Hungry?" Rosa asked, and presented the bowl to the little dragon. It sniffed the bowl cautiously at first, then instinct took over and it began chomping down meat hungrily.
"It has a good appetite at least," Azrael noted, standing next to Rosa. "And he seems obedient, so that''s good. But way more docile than other dragons I''ve seen."
Not going to complain about that. I''d take a docile runt dragon over a regular dragon any day.
"Even so¡ Where are we supposed to put it?" Azrael thought loudly, tapping his foot as he was trying to come up with a solution. "Why don''t you call your daddy over so he can decide?"
Rosa shook her head at that. She''d already called him once that day already and had no intention of making it a regular thing. The novelty of this activity would surely wear off quickly for the King.
"Really? Now when he''s actually needed, you won''t call him? I can''t just keep a dragon in my bedroom," Azrael grumbled.
I''m not keeping him in my bedroom either.
Rosa just pretended to not have understood him, and turned her attention back to the little dragon. It was still scarfing down the meat energetically, its tail swishing from side to side.
"Name?" Rosa pointed at the dragon.
"It does need a name¡ Wait, is it a girl or a boy?" the demon mused, walked over to the little beast and lifted up its tail. The dragon yelped, but Azrael just grinned and released its tail. It looked a bit offended, but realizing there was still meat to be eaten, it returned to munching.
"It''s a boy."
A male dragon. What would be a good name?
"Oh, I know. Let''s call him Blaze," Azrael exclaimed, a spark of childish excitement in his eyes.
Really? You''re a two hundred year old demon and you want to name a dragon Blaze? Are we sure there''s not a twelve year old boy sitting inside that body?
Rosa didn''t bother to hide the disappointment she felt.
"Hey, don''t look at me like that. It''s a good name for a dragon. He is red and can breathe fire."
She shook her head vigorously, and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Fine, fine, Your Highness," he mocked, sticking his tongue out. "Why don''t you come up with a name then?"
A name for a dragon¡ What would be a good name for a dragon?
Her mind wandered back to all the stories and movies she''s seen with dragons in it. One animated movie instantly popped into her mind, and despite the dragon within it being completely different from the one in front of her, she couldn''t help but want to put a little bit of her home into this new world.
"Haku," she said resolutely.
"What? Haku? What kind of a name is that? I''ve never heard a stupider name in my whole life," the demon pouted. "Blaze is a better name."
"No, Haku," she argued and stared Azrael straight in the eyes. He stared back and for a minute they had a staring contest. His purple eyes trying to fight against her silver ones. Her eyes began to water, but she did not dare to blink. Azrael''s eyes began twitching, until he finally blinked and turned around dramatically, throwing his hands up in the air.
"Fine! Have it your way," the demon grumbled. "Just don''t come crying to me if the daddy doesn''t like it."
Rosa smiled victoriously, and went to pat Haku on its head. The hatchling had finished its meal and was cautiously observing Rosa and Azrael both. It mewled happily at her touch, and coiled around her.
"Good Haku."
"Yes, yes, good Haku. Now where do we put him?" Azrael grumbled.
The door to the training grounds swung open, and an angry looking Lucius entered, followed by a few bulky demon guards.
"Azrael, what the hell are you doing? I could feel the heat from your flames all the way from His Majesty''s office¡" the older demon trailed off as he saw the dragon coiled around Rosa. His expression turned to that of panic and he waved at the guards. "Get that thing off Princess at once!"
"No!" Rosa and Azrael yelled at the same time, stopping them in their tracks. Her sudden noise startled Haku, who curled up into a ball by Rosa''s feet and began trembling.
"For Darkness''s sake, at least let me explain the situation first," Azrael sighed, and then hurried to explain to Lucius the whole ordeal with the dragon.
"I apologize for my rash behavior. I had completely forgotten about His Majesty''s¡ present," Lucius eyed the trembling dragon from behind his glasses, then cleared his throat. "Nonetheless you should have informed His Majesty about your actions. He was quite furious that the temperature suddenly rose."
Azrael paled a little bit, then straightened up and leaned closer to the older demon. "What do I do about the dragon though?"
"I''m not sure. His Majesty charged you to deal with it, didn''t he? So deal with it," Lucius said dismissively, then turned to Rosa. "Do you like your present, Princess?"
Rosa thought for a moment as she patted the sleeping dragon. While initially she was terrified of the idea of having a dragon, now that the creature was sleeping peacefully curled up next to her, she was happy. It was like getting a puppy. And she had never had the pleasure of owning a pet before.
"Yes!" Rosa replied, and Lucius nodded with a smile.
"Wonderful. I shall go tell the King the good news then," Lucius bowed towards her politely, then turned on his heel and began striding towards the exit.
"Wait¡ Where do I put the dragon?" Azrael shouted behind him.
"Figure it out!"
Chapter 17 – The Announcement
"Haku, I know you can do it. I believe in you," Rosa urged the dragon as they stood in the far corner of the castle yard, away from prying eyes. Three years had passed before she even had time to realize it. Days were always busy with either lessons keeping her mind busy or her caretakers occupying her at all other times. There was rarely a time she was alone.
In a way, it was pleasant, as Rosa didn''t have to worry about assassins ever catching her while she was alone. And there certainly were a few attempts to take her life. None of them ever got as close to their goal as the first one, and most never really even made it past her regular guards.
But having lived in the Demon Castle for four years, she had realized that she was trapped inside of it. She couldn''t go past the castle walls, Alphegor went absolutely insane if someone even dared to mention the idea. And in a way, she couldn''t blame him. She was merely four years old, and the world beyond the castle walls was nothing like Earth.
She couldn''t walk outside to stroll through a park or nearby forest without worrying about the repercussions. Even if she were to discount the assassins who jumped at the first opportunity to end her, there were plenty of dangers. Giant monsters and power-hungry demons ready to suck her dry of her magical power, according to Gunna and gossipy maids.
But even if all these things seemed rational, Rosa felt like she was suffocating inside the castle. The gray walls looked like they were about to swallow her whole whenever she walked through them. The people inside always tried to butter up to her in one way or another, asking ''How can I help you, Princess'' or ''Do you need anything, Princess?''. But the worst of all was her fear that Alphegor might discover her human soul.
She was afraid to see how his expression would twist in disgust, and how disappointed he would be. She was afraid that he would denounce her just like Mother had. For that reason, she kept her passion for art a secret and only dared to do it during Lady Asdeus''s lessons when the demoness gave the supplies to her.
The dragon, now the size of a large dog, flapped his tiny wings and jumped into the air, trying to take flight. But no matter how hard he tried, Haku just couldn''t stay in the air. While his wings had certainly grown from the sad, little stumps he had been born with, they were still underdeveloped for his age.
"I guess your wings still need to grow a little bit," Rosa gently patted the dragon''s nuzzle, and he let out a soft whine. "It''s alright. You''ll be able to do it one day, I''m sure."
"Princess Morrigan! Where are you? Please, answer me, Princess!" Rosa heard one of her guards shouting somewhere in the distance and she ducked down behind the hedge, pulling Haku down with her.
"Shh, not a peep," she warned the dragon who went completely still.
"Princess Morrigan!" the guard shouted again, this time closer. Sound of boots could be heard somewhere nearby. "Princess Morrigan!"
The shout came from somewhere further away, and Rosa exhaled in relief.
I do not want to go back to the castle right now.
"Found you," Deziara''s face suddenly appeared from behind the bush, and Rosa fell onto her rump from the fright. Haku also jumped up, letting out a small puff of smoke from the fright. "Hahaha!"
"Quiet," Rosa reprimanded her sister, and motioned her to hide as well. The guard that was searching for her, had turned around at the noise and was coming in their direction.
Chuckling, Deziara, went around the hedge to join Rosa in her hiding spot. Nine years old, the demon girl had become more confident than she had been before, although no less of a grumbler and troublemaker. She was the only one of her twenty three sisters that Rosa got along with. Or whom she even saw on a somewhat regular basis.
"Why are you hiding?" Deziara asked, and pulled Rosa up to her feet, brushing off the dust and dirt from her skirt.
"I don''t want to go back to the castle," Rosa explained, peering to see the guards movements. He had once again gone past them, the thought that she could have gone to the far side of the garden probably didn''t occur to him.
"Why not? We don''t have any lessons with Lady Asdeus today," Deziara scrunched her nose when mentioning her teacher''s name. Rosa didn''t hold any grudges against the woman, but that was mostly due to the fact that she ignored Rosa most of the time and allowed her to play with the coloring supplies.
"I just want to¡" Rosa contemplated whether she should get into the philosophical topic of wanting to see more than just the same, gray castle walls with a nine year old when she was in the body of a four year old. The conclusion was a resolute no. With a sigh, she said, "I want to play with Haku."
Deziara smiled and nodded, patting the dragon who effortlessly sunk into her touch. "Yeah, it''s fun playing with Haku. I still can''t believe that Father gifted you a dragon."
Rosa still vividly remembered how Deziara had completely lost the ability to speak once she found out about Haku. It was fair to say that it was due to the dragon that the two sisters had gotten so close, for Deziara would always come to seek Rosa out just to play with him.
"Princess Morrigan!" the guard shouted from somewhere afar, completely off his mark.
"I don''t think he''ll find us," Deziara snickered, and Rosa nodded mischievously in reply.
"You two having fun?" Azrael''s voice resounded from behind, and the two girls whirled around to stare at the white-haired demon, standing menacingly and glowering down at them. But despite the intimidating first impression, Rosa noticed a hint of a smile forming at the corners of his lips.
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"Run!" Rosa called, and attached herself to Haku. The dragon swiftly threw her onto his back, and leapt over the hedge. Deziara also scampered away, running as fast as her legs could carry her, disappearing somewhere amid the bushes.
"Nice try, you little rats," Azrael called out with a loud laugh, and before Rosa could realize what was going on ¨C she and Deziara both were caught by the scruff of their clothes and held up like some trophy fish.
"Unhand me! I order you as the Princess of the Demon Kingdom," Deziara flailed, trying to break free of his grasp.
"Nice try, Your Laziness, but you two are needed in the Main Hall. The King is about to make an announcement," he said and began walking towards the castle with the two of them in tow.
"Father is?" Deziara asked, and Azrael put her on the ground while keeping a firm hold on Rosa.
I wonder what is so important that Alphegor has decided to announce it in the main hall. He''s never done so before.
Rosa wriggled against Azrael''s hold, hoping he''d take the hint and let her down on the ground.
"Nuh-uh. I know you. You''ll slip into the shadows the moment I put you down. I''m not in the mood to chase after your shadow form," the demon huffed, then pointed at the dragon. "Haku, go home."
The dragon drooped his head low, and went to the other side of the yard, where there was a small area just for him, while dragging his feet behind him. Azrael had constructed him a sort of dog dragon house, where the poor beast had to spend most of his time since he was not allowed inside the castle anymore.
"I''ll come by later, Haku," Rosa promised, and the little dragon perked up, his tail wagging ever so slightly.
***
Much to Rosa''s surprise, the main hall had been filled to the brim with demons. Concubines, her sisters, servants and even some more dignified looking demons who she assumed worked directly under Alphegor. There was a quiet murmur going through the hall, as everyone wondered what exactly was the big announcement.
Azrael boldly strode right through the middle of crowd with Rosa in his arms and Deziara trailing behind him. Some gave him an annoyed glare, while others scoffed. He didn''t have the best reputation. In fact, Rosa had never actually seen anybody be friendly with him.
As he finally reached the end of the hall, Rosa saw how Alphegor was standing there, tall and proud, the perfect picture of a demon king. She felt a bit smug about how good he looked, after all he was her father. Nobody else in this room could even stand close to him. And yet when his eyes spotted Rosa, his expression softened a little bit.
"Had some trouble finding them?" Alphegor asked, and reached out to take Rosa. Deziara quickly ran over to stand by his side. Ever since the two girls had gotten closer, Alphegor also had become more affectionate towards Deziara, who always melted into a joyous puddle under his praise.
"They were in the far corner of the garden," Azrael shrugged and bowed, excusing himself to stand beside Lucius.
"You''ve been getting out a lot lately," the King noted. Rosa fiddled with the golden button of his suit, not daring to meet his gaze, so he turned to Deziara. "Any idea why Morrigan is doing that?"
"She said she wanted to play with Haku," the girl responded with a bright smile. Alphegor nodded, accepting her answer, but he without a doubt knew that it wasn''t the real reason why Rosa was hiding. He always had a knack for picking up whenever something was bothering her.
For a moment, they stood there in the front, Alphegor, Rosa and Deziara, waiting for the rest of the crowd to gather. At some point, Deziara''s mother appeared in the front row, and she gave her daughter a small satisfied nod.
Lily had been ecstatic that Alphegor had finally been paying proper attention to their daughter, so her angry glares towards Rosa had grown into those of tolerance, almost gratitude at times. Rosa thought that she probably wouldn''t try to poison her food. Or at least she was the least likely out of all concubines to do so.
After a few minutes, Alphegor spoke up in that booming, kingly voice of his, "Thank you all for coming on such short notice. I have an important announcement."
All the chatter instantly died down, everyone focusing their attention on the King. Rosa felt just as uncomfortable being in front of such a large crowd as she did during her first birthday party. But thankfully, she wasn''t the center of attention this time.
"I''ll be leaving the Demon Castle tomorrow."
Rosa felt like she''d been hit on the head with a hammer. Others seemed equally surprised by this announcement, loud murmurs instantly erupting through the dimly-lit hall.
"Quiet!" Alphegor ordered, and silence returned. "The fallen ones have become far too bold lately, it is necessary that I show them their place."
The demons nodded in agreement, some even cheered at this proclamation while Rosa was left to wonder.
Who are the ''fallen ones''? I''ve never heard of this term before.
"I don''t know how long it''ll take. If things go well, then I''ll return in a month or two. However, you need to be prepared that it could take longer."
Another wave of quiet murmurs went through the room, while Rosa''s heart beat faster and faster in her chest.
A month or two or maybe even longer? But what will happen to me while Alphegor''s gone? The only reason why I''ve been able to live without fear was because I knew he would come the moment I called for him.
"While I am gone, Prime Minister Lucius will be the one to overlook the matters of the Kingdom as well as the Demon Castle itself. I expect you to listen to his words as if they were my own. Is that clear?" These words were not a request but rather an order, his voice low and commanding, and everybody bowed their heads as one.
"Excellent. Dismissed," the King waved his hand, and without any further objections or questions the demons streamed out of the hall. Some of the concubines looked longingly at Alphegor but none dared to approach him. Even Deziara left, urged by her mother. Only Rosa, Lucius and Azrael remained.
"Now this is what I wanted to hear! It''s been a while since I''ve been in a good fight. I''ll get ready right away," Azrael rolled his shoulder, clearly itching to go. But before he could get anywhere, Alphegor spoke up.
"You''re not going anywhere," the King said in a firm voice, and then looked down on Rosa.
"No¡ No. NO! I am NOT a babysitter," Azrael whined.
"You will protect Morrigan," Alphegor said with such ferocity, that shiver ran through Rosa''s spine and Azrael instantly straightened. "You are the only one strong enough to protect her, and your oath will compel you to do so."
"Why don''t you just stay here, and I''ll go and clean up the mess the fallen have made?" Azrael suggested.
"You''ll only create a bigger mess," Lucius interjected. "Babysitting is a fitting job for you."
Azrael opened his mouth to object, but Alphegor glared at him, effectively shutting him up. Rosa''s head was spinning as she was trying to process the fact that for the first time in four years, she''d be left alone without her strongest protector.
Chapter 18 – Goodbye
"Morrigan, don''t be like that," Alphegor whined as Rosa sat in the corner of their room, refusing to look at him.
"Morrigan, come here," He tried to lure Rosa to the bed by waving her favorite chocolate candy (it was a blessing in itself that there was chocolate in the Underworld), but she still stubbornly sat in the corner, her cheeks puffed out.
Alphegor sighed, and crouched down right next to her, trying to look into her eyes.
"I have to do this. It is my duty as a King," he said, and Rosa began to feel guilty about her little tantrum.
I know that you''re a King, but that doesn''t mean I''m okay with you just leaving all of a sudden.
She stubbornly refused to voice her thoughts, instead peering at the corner of the room. Alphegor sighed, and scooped Rosa up into his arms, forcing her to look at him.
"I will be back before you even notice that I''m gone."
"I''ll notice that you''re gone after a few hours," she retorted, not daring to look him straight in the eyes. Instead she chose to focus on his horns. Large and curved, probably one of the most majestic horns she''d seen on a demon. Her own horns resembled his, albeit they were much smaller.
Alphegor laughed at her remark and pinched her cheek. "And here I thought that you were more mature than Azrael. I see that you''re still just a child."
Rosa gasped indignantly, and swatted his hand away.
I may be in the body of a child, but I am still an adult on the inside. And I''m certainly more mature than Azrael, even if he is two hundred years older than me.
"Don''t worry, everything will be alright. Azrael will keep you safe, and you''ll have Deziara, Gunna and Faenor as your company," He reassured Rosa by gently patting her back.
Rosa opened her mouth to say ''Can you stay?'' but realized that she couldn''t ask him that. He was a King. King of the whole Underworld which had many smaller kingdoms within it. And although Rosa had no idea whether he was a benign king who ruled justly or a tyrannical king who forced everyone to obey (although she was willing to bet on the latter), he still had duties to attend. He could not just abandon them just because she needed him as her impenetrable shield.
"You have to come back soon¡" she muttered instead, and Alphegor smiled.
"Of course. I''ll come back as soon as I can," he assured, then a wide grin spread on his face. "And I''ll bring back a bunch of souvenirs from the Fallen Kingdom."
"What is the Fallen Kingdom?" Rosa voiced the question that has been on her mind since his announcement. There was still so much she didn''t know about this world, her worldview severely limited to the Demon Castle and the books contained within its walls. And she couldn''t even access the books she wanted to read as the librarians would always gently push her back into the child''s section whenever she tried to get away.
Alphegor''s face hardened, and she almost regretted asking.
"It''s not a simple thing to explain. The Fallen Kingdom is different from every other kingdom or country in the Underworld," he began slowly. Rosa knew that the Underworld consisted of many different countries, each country usually representing a whole race. For example, from Faenor she learned that there was a Kingdom of Dark Elves and from Gunna she found out about the Duergar Country. Both of these races were basically underground counterparts to their surface dwelling kin, and according to both caretakers ¨C with nasty tempers.
"The Fallen Kingdom doesn''t have a single dominant race like in our Kingdom where demons thrive. Instead it could be called a country of exiles."
"Exiles?"
"Yes. It lies in the very depths of the Underworld, in a place where even the hardiest of demons do not wish to dwell. Over time, all sorts of riffraff began gathering there and building settlements because nobody ever bothered them. However, over the millenia, it has grown large enough to become its own country and now they are eager to conquer their neighbors for resources," Alphegor explained, then ruffled Rosa''s hair. "Sorry, that must have been too difficult for you to understand."
"Do they want to steal from the Demon Kingdom?" she dared to ask. The King seemed a bit surprised by her question but then nodded.
"That''s right. So your daddy will go and kick their butt," Alphegor grinned, and Rosa turned away, her cheeks tinting red.
Really? Daddy? I am embarrassed for you.
Rosa only ever addressed Alphegor as ''Father'', even if he regularly pleaded her to call him ''Daddy'', ''Dad'' or even ''Papa''. She refused to use these sweet nicknames on a demon. They just didn''t suit him. Not to mention that all of Alphegor''s other daughters only referred to him as ''Father''.
"Come on, little one. It''s getting late, and both of us need to rest," he got up from the bed and carried Rosa over to her little bed which was right next to his. She called it ''little'' but on Earth it would easily qualify as a queen sized bed. It just looked little when compared to Alphegor''s large bed.
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He helped her dress into her silky, black nighty, and then gently tucked her under the covers.
"Good night, little one," he said and with a clap of his hands turned off the light. She could see how he too undressed and then slipped into his own bed. For a while, she listened to the silence of the neverending Underworld night. It was unnerving, and her own heart wouldn''t let her calm down and fall asleep. So she silently slid out of her bed, and crawled in next to Alphegor.
"Feeling lonely? I thought you were a big girl who would only sleep in her own bed," the demon chuckled, but pulled her closer to his comforting warmth. Cuddling up to his side, Rosa listened to Alphegor''s steady heartbeat.
"Today is different," she muttered and laid her head on his chest. "You''ll be gone for a long time."
"It''ll be just fine, little one. Soon you''ll learn that a few months is nothing when compared to our long lifetime. We''ll still have a lot of time to spend together," Alphegor stroked her hair, and slowly she drifted off to sleep.
***
In the morning, a huge crowd of demons had gathered outside the Demon Castle walls to bid farewell to their King and brave demon warriors who were to stand by his side in battle. Those closest to him were gathered in the inner yard, standing in neat rows along the main exit road.
All of the concubines were dramatically weeping, although one could tell right away that their tears were fake. She saw Vivian and a few of the other concubines pull out a flask of some liquid, probably water, out of their sleeves and quickly drip it into their eyes. Granted, nobody really believed that their tears were real.
Deziara was also standing among the concubines, right next to her weeping mother. In Lily''s defense, she wasn''t as dramatic or loud as the others. Deziara was completely silent next to her, however there was a steady stream of tears going down her cheeks. She was one of the few demons who cried for real.
"This has got to be the most obnoxious tradition ever," Azrael grumbled as he held Rosa in his arms, Gunna and Faenor standing close behind him.
"It shows their loyalty to the King," Lucius explained, standing right next to them. The older demon seemed pleased by the display, listening with closed eyes as if it were some pleasant music.
"How loyal can they be if their tears are fake?" Azrael spat, looking even more annoyed. Rosa had to agree with him. It would have been better to see Alphegor off silently, rather than listening to this chorus of fake wails.
The King himself slowly descended down the Castle staircase. He was wearing black battle armor with a dark red cape flowing like a river of blood behind him.
He truly does look like the villainous demon king. The people from Studio Goblin would be frothing at their mouth if they saw this.
As he strode through the inner yard, the concubines cried even more intensely, so much so that Azrael clicked his tongue in distaste. Some began waving handkerchiefs at the King, probably hoping that he''d take one of them. But he went past them and instead stopped in front of Rosa.
"I''ll be back soon, little one," he said quietly, and patted her head with his large, gloved hand. Then he gave Azrael an icy glare, his voice turning cold and threatening. "If I see even a hair out of place on her head, then you''ll be losing yours."
"Oh, she''ll be fine. Stop being so dramatic," Azrael replied nonchalantly, but Rosa could feel a little tremor go through his body.
"Stay safe," Rosa whispered a prayer. Alphegor gave her a last appraising look, then turned his back to her and strode out, beyond the castle gates. The demons outside cheered at the sight of him, yelling praises at him and ushering their King to ''annihilate the fallen scum''.
"Let''s go inside," Rosa tugged on Azrael''s sleeve.
"Don''t have to ask me twice," he replied, and they quickly peeled away from the crowd, closely followed by Gunna and Faenor. Rosa glanced back one last time before Azrael slammed the castle door shut, separating them from the noisy crowd. "Finally, some silence."
But as silence stretched around them, Rosa felt her heart grow heavy.
Alphegor will not return for a while¡
She was surprised when a lone tear rolled down her own cheek and fell onto her hand. She was never happy about Alphegor leaving, of course, he was her main protector in this demon infested world. But she never expected that she would be sad to see him leave.
"Oh, please, don''t start the waterworks now," Azrael grumbled, noticing her tears.
"I am not!" Rosa quickly objected, and hurriedly rubbed her eyes. "Something got in my eye."
"Sure," the demon rolled his eyes. Annoyed by his attitude, Rosa wriggled free of his hold. "Hey, where are you going?"
"To do whatever I want," she retorted, and then turned towards Gunna. "Could I have some art supplies brought to my room?"
"Art supplies? Of course, Lady Morrigan. I''d be happy to," the dwarf woman smiled from behind her beard, and then hurried away.
"Why art supplies?" Faenor asked, appearing both perplexed and intrigued at the same time.
"I need to keep myself busy in the evenings somehow, now that Father is gone."
This is a chance to draw and paint without fear of Alphegor discovering my hobby. I always was so careful to do only Lady Asdeus''s lessons, and I deliberately held myself back to appear less skilled than I actually am.
But until he returns, I can just use our room as an art studio. Only Gunna, Faenor and some cleaning maids are allowed inside, so nobody else will discover what I''m doing.
"Why do I get a feeling that you''re up to no good?" Azrael asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You''re the one who is always up to no good," she retorted.
"Exactly. That is why I can sense when somebody else is doing something they shouldn''t."
"I don''t see how trying to keep myself busy is bad. You''re just sad that Father left and don''t want to admit it," Rosa taunted him, in an attempt to divert his attention.
"Why would I be sad about that? With him gone, I am the strongest demon in this whole castle. Nobody can oppose me!" he gloated, lifting his hands up in the air.
"Alright, strongest demon. Don''t you have to go feed Haku?"
Azrael instantly slumped, annoyance clear on his face.
"You do know how to ruin a moment."
Rosa just grinned and ran to her room upstairs, eager to try her hand at drawing, to see just how much her skills have dulled down over the years.
Chapter 19 – Sunshine, Lollipops and Deziara
It was late evening. Alphegor had been gone for two days, giving Rosa some time alone each evening. Gunna initially offered to remain by Rosa''s side until she fell asleep, but she managed to convince the nanny that there was no need. She couldn''t leave without guards noticing anyway. Gunna, being kind and a bit gullible, agreed and now Rosa''s evenings were completely free and unsupervised.
The moment the dwarf woman was gone, Rosa became a shadow and slipped out of the room beneath the crack underneath the door. The two demon guards stationed by the door were none the wiser that she had crept outside. As Rosa learned over the years, you can see somebody''s shadow form only if you were actively looking for it. But the guards wouldn''t have expected Rosa to slip out.
So after creeping her way to the study room, she took some of the art supplies there and made her way back. While Gunna had brought some to her, they were child supplies, charcoal, erasers and the coloring sticks. Rosa wanted to do something with actual paints, so she also needed brushes, a palette and a container for water.
Another neat trick Rosa learned in her magic lessons with Azrael was the ability to turn physical things into shadows as well. It wasn''t really a difficult skill to master, since even that first time she blended into the shadows, she had pulled her clothes along with her without even thinking about it. As long as she held the object in her hands when she became a shadow, she could take it along.
And so after a few sneaky trips to the study room and back, she had everything she needed to make her first masterpiece. Rosa propped the large canvas against Alphegor''s desk. Well, it was the smallest canvas she could find, but it still felt large when compared to her. Then she set out all the supplies and admired her work station. Her heart beat with excitement.
"What should I paint first?" she muttered quietly to herself as her eyes shot from one bright color to the next.
"A waterfall hidden in a deep, lush jungle? Or perhaps the moon illuminating a calm countryside? Or perhaps a whale swimming near the surface of the ocean?" Rosa was brimming with inspiration, her smile growing wider and wider on her face.
"Wait, I know!" She grabbed the yellow and white paint and began mixing it together. She could already see in her mind what she wanted to create. Her brush strokes weren''t as confident as they were before, but Rosa was confident she could create her vision.
She was about to put down her brush, then faltered and put it down, picking up charcoal instead.
"There''s no need to rush. I have plenty of time, so I can take it slow," she muttered to herself in English. The language almost felt foreign on her tongue, however, now was the best time to remember her roots. She hadn''t had any chance to speak it with Alphegor around.
"Baby steps," she said, and began drawing up a sketch of her canvas while quietly talking herself through it in English. The process was difficult as her hands had trouble reaching the top of the canvas, and she wasn''t used to moving around so much in her drawing process. Two hours later, Rosa finished laying down her base and the poor eraser was half its original size.
"That should be enough for today. I better put these away," Rosa muttered and stashed all the supplies in the deep recesses of Alphegor''s wardrobe. Nobody would dare to open it with the King gone, and the maids had no reason to clean already spotless clothes.
***
For the next week, each evening Rosa would continue to secretly work on her painting. She didn''t pay much attention to what was going on during the day, instead constantly thinking of ways of how to improve her work.
If she had her way, she''d be painting all day long, but there was no good excuse to get away from her usual lessons. Not to mention that she did want to spend some time with Haku and Deziara. It helped her mind to rewind and relax.
"Are you alright, Morri?" Deziara asked after Rosa tripped over Haku''s tail for the fifth time that day. While the dragon''s body wasn''t too large, he had an amazingly long tail that swayed behind him like an uncontrollable whip.
"Yes, I''m alright," Rosa wiped the dirt off her skirt absentmindedly as she was pondering the best way to finish the painting.
"You seem¡ weird lately," her sister remarked as she helped to clear off the remaining dust.
"Do I?" Rosa snapped out of her thoughts.
If Deziara has noticed me acting strange, then somebody else must have noticed something too. Have I been careless because Alphegor is not around?
"Yeah. You seem to be bumping into a lot of things."
"Oh¡ I.. I''m just thinking about a lot of¡ stuff¡" Rosa stamerred, her mind not gracing her with an eloquent answer. Deziara arched her eyebrow.
"What does a squirt like you have to think about?" She placed her hands on her hips, and looked down on Rosa in a snobbish, rich-kid kind of way. Then suddenly her bravado dropped, and a wide grin spread on her face. "Oh, I get it. You just really miss Father, don''t you?"
"What? I¡ Yeah," Rosa nodded.
It''s not really true, but not a complete lie either. A safe answer.
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"I knew it! Well, it''s completely normal. I miss him a little bit too," Deziara smiled and ruffled Rosa''s hair, completely messing up Gunna''s neat braid. Rosa pushed her hand away, trying to salvage whatever she could of her hair. "How about you come and eat dinner with me and mother?"
"You and Lady Lily?" Rosa asked, making sure that she heard Deziara correctly.
A child from another woman eating together with a concubine, no, a consort, is completely unheard of. The logical conclusion would be that they''re trying to poison me.
"Yes, come on! It''ll be fun," Deziara began pulling Rosa towards the castle entrance.
"Wait, wait, what about Haku?" she pointed towards the dragon, who looked at them with sad puppy eyes.
"Ah¡ Right¡ He''s not allowed in the castle anymore," the girl slumped.
"It''s alright. You can go eat. I''ll stay with Haku," Rosa tried to wriggle herself out of the situation, but Deziara stubbornly shook her head. Once she had decided on something it was nearly impossible to talk her out of it.
"It''s still time until dinner, so we can play with Haku a bit more and then go," The dragon instantly perked up at these words, circling around both girls.
I need to find an excuse not to go. Even if Lady Lily is the least threatening of all four consorts, I''d still rather not give her such a golden opportunity. But what could I do to change Deziara''s mind?
An idea struck Rosa, but she would have to execute it subtly, otherwise Deziara might feel slighted. It felt a bit silly, trying to be merciful to her older sister''s feelings, but Rosa had grown quite attached to the little firecracker.
Rosa waited for a moment when Haku had distracted Deziara with his tiny wing flaps, and then whispered quietly.
"Azrael."
Nothing happened.
Damn, he usually came right away when I called him, but maybe he can''t hear me unless my voice is loud enough.
"Azrael," she tried again when Haku was being especially rowdy, sniffing Deziara''s armpits thus making the little demon girl giggle and squirm.
This time a dark shadow appeared in front of Rosa, and an annoyed looking Azrael rose out of it. Deziara and Haku both froze the moment they saw the demon, jumping back a step.
"What are you doing here?" the girl pointed an accusatory finger at the demon. He arched his eyebrow, and looked at Rosa as if trying to understand why exactly had she summoned him.
"To check what are you two troublemakers up to, obviously," he replied and bent down to peer at Deziara with a suspicious glance.
"We''re not doing anything. Just playing with Haku which should be what you''re doing."
"My job is not to play with the dragon, it''s to make sure it doesn''t cause another fire in the castle," at this Azrael glared at the little, scaly creature, who lowered its head guiltily.
"Hey, that was an accident! Wasn''t it, Haku?" Deziara protectively patted the dragon''s head, who melted into her embrace and wagged his tail.
"Whatever. If you aren''t planning on sneaking the dragon into the castle, I don''t care what you do," Azrael waved his hand and was about to disappear into the shadows, before Rosa grabbed his pant leg desperately.
The demon looked a bit surprised, while Deziara appeared like Rosa had completely betrayed her.
"Morri, let him go! We don''t need him to join our dinner," the girl protested.
Oh, thank God, that she''s still a child that knows nothing about being subtle. If I''m lucky, Azrael will forbid me from going.
"What dinner?" he asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes.
"That doesn''t concern you. You''re not invited."
"Morrigan," Azrael turned to her for explanation.
"Don''t tell him anything, Morri!"
Caught between a rock and a hard place. What can I even say so as to not make Deziara angry with me but at the same time warn Azrael about the doomsday dinner?
"We''re just going to eat together," Rosa replied, hoping that the demon will catch on.
"Eat together?" Azrael asked, and Rosa could see how his mind slowly pieced together the puzzle she had laid out. "I''ll join too."
"No! It''ll be just me, Morri and mommy," Deziara objected, and stomped her foot angrily on the ground.
"Princess, I think you''re forgetting that Morrigan cannot attend dinner together with you and your ''mommy alone''. If she''s to go, then she needs a caretaker with her," Azrael explained in a surprisingly calm and patient manner.
There''s this sneaky grin on his face. Is he plotting something?
"She has two guards following her at all times!" Deziara objected and pointed towards the two bulky demon men standing some ways away, trying to blend in with the dark garden hedges. Unfortunately, they were so bulky that they stood out like a sore thumb.
"Guards are a completely different matter. She needs an actual supervisor to go with her," Azrael smirked, and pointed at himself with his thumb.
"No!" Rosa and Deziara objected at the same time.
I''m not sure what he is trying to accomplish, but there must be something in it for him if he''s going willingly. Perhaps he wants something from Lady Lily? In either case, it smells like trouble.
"Sorry, but if you want to have dinner together, then I have to come along as well."
For a moment, Rosa considered asking for Gunna or Faenor as her escort. But if something were to happen, neither of them could really do anything.
"Then I''ll just eat on my own like always," Rosa said.
"No! I don''t want to leave you alone when Father is gone. It must be lonely to always be on your own. Besides¡" Deziara''s voice grew more quiet, and she fidgeted a bit awkwardly, her cheeks growing red. "I''ve always wanted to eat together with my sisters¡ But nobody ever wanted to eat with me."
Rosa could feel her heart clench.
This child only ever wanted to get along with her sisters. To spend some time together with them. But all the concubines are so busy trying to appeal themselves and their daughters to Alphegor that they can only ever see each other as enemies.
"Let''s go to that dinner," Rosa choked out.
What''s the worst that could happen? Well, Lady Lily could try poisoning me, but Azrael would stop that from happening, right? He''s bound by the oath.
"Splendid. Let''s hurry up then," Azrael smiled pleasantly and with a shrill whistle ordered Haku to retreat to his house. The dragon huffed out a smoke of displeasure, and then lumbered away.
"I don''t want YOU to come," Deziara protested and made shooing motions at Azrael.
"Sorry, but if you wish to dine with your sister, then I''m coming along," he said with a smile.
He is definitely plotting something.
Chapter 20 – Dinner with Lady Lily
"That''s an¡ interesting set of guests you''ve brought, Deziara," Lady Lily said, when Deziara, Rosa, Azrael and Rosa''s two bulky guards arrived in one of the many dining halls. The huge castle had enough of those for each concubine to host her own party at the same time and a dozen more for good measure.
The demoness was dressed more modestly than Rosa was used to seeing her. Her hair was tied in a simple bun behind her back, while her dark purple dress covered her ample chest. Rosa had never actually seen a concubine or a consort with her chest covered.
I guess without Alphegor around, there''s no need to show off.
"I only wanted to bring Morri, but Azrael came along," Deziara glared at the white-haired demon who flashed a brilliant smile at the concubine.
"As Princess Morrigan''s guardian in His Majesty''s absence, I have to make sure nothing bad happens to her."
"Then as her guardian, you won''t mind standing along with the guards and not interfering with our dinner," Lady Lily replied with an equally sweet smile. Azrael faltered for a second but managed to maintain his nonchalant expression.
"Surely you must understand that I have to taste everything the Princess eats."
"Then go ahead and taste it, and we''ll prepare a fresh, not poisoned dish for the Princess afterwards."
The sparks between the two were almost visible, and both Deziara and Rosa stood aside, neither of them daring to say a word.
"My, my. I was sure that His Majesty''s third concubine would be more gracious towards her daughter''s guests."
"Princess Morrigan is a guest, not you."
"But you must be aware that where the Princess goes, I follow. It was an order from the King himself. You wouldn''t question His Majesty''s orders now, would you?" This seemed to strike a nerve, and Lady Lily''s eye twitched.
"Alright, so be it," the demoness snapped her fingers, and one of the demon maids ran up to her. "Prepare two more seats at the dinner table. One for Princess Morrigan and one for her¡ dog."
Azrael''s smile didn''t falter at the insult. In fact, he looked very pleased with himself.
"So how was your day, dear?" Lady Lily turned towards her daughter, lowering herself to be on an eye level with Deziara.
"It was great! Me and Morri played with Haku a lot. He''s making good progress with his flying practice. I can almost see his wings growing larger by the day."
"That''s wonderful. How were your lessons?" Deziara''s smile fell, and she looked to the side.
"It was¡ alright."
"Did something happen?"
"Nothing really. It''s just so boring. Who cares about the Seven Legendary Demon Lords? It''s nothing more than a myth anyway," the girl protested with a huff. "It''s not really fair that I have to listen to it while Morrigan just gets to do what she wants."
Don''t pull me into this. I''m technically not old enough to understand these things. Although I have to agree that the way Lady Asdeus spoke about the demon lords was more boring than the prattle of my elderly college professor when he spoke about art history.
"Even if it''s boring, you have to pay attention. It is important for a princess to know these things," Lady Lily said, then nudged her daughter towards the table. "Let''s go sit at the table."
Two sets of tableware were already laid down on the long table across from each other. Lady Lily sat Deziara in front of one set, while sitting down on an empty seat next to her. Azrael, in the meanwhile, put Rosa in front of the other set while sitting across from the demoness. The two glared at each other with unhidden hatred.
"Finally I get to eat together with Morri. I only wish Father would be here too," Deziara chimed, happily swaying from side to side.
"I''m sure we could convince him to eat with us once he returns. Wouldn''t you like that too, Morrigan?" Lady Lily smiled at Rosa, and she tried to return the smile, but it came out somewhat forced and awkward.
"Y-Yes. It would be nice."
"I personally like our setup right now," Azrael chimed as he tapped his finger across the table.
"On what merit?" the demoness''s gaze turned icy the moment he spoke up.
"I am the strongest demon right after his Majesty and Princess''s trusted guardian."
"Trusted guardian? Without that oath of yours, the King wouldn''t even let you get close to the Princess."
"Oh, on contraire ¨C he was the one who sought me out to teach magic to the Princess."
Lady Lily arched her eyebrow, watching over Azrael''s features skeptically.
"Why would he want you to teach Princess Morrigan? There are many great magic teachers with far more experience. You''re barely out of your own mother''s womb."
"Because His Majesty clearly understands my worth."
That moment maids arrived with another set of tableware for Lady Lily and Azrael, as well as some appetizers consisting of something akin to garlic bread and fish canapes.
"Try the bread, it''s good," Deziara urged Rosa who saw no reason to deny her. She took the bread and found that it was still warm. The crust was crunchy and crumbly, while the inside was soft with a generous dollop of garlic butter (or something akin to it) inside. The bread had a stronger flavor than regular white bread while the butter with garlic also had pleasant cheesy notes.
"This is delicious," Rosa praised after swallowing the delicious morsel.
This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
"Freshly baked," Lady Lily answered with a satisfied smile, and urged Rosa to continue eating.
"Princess, you should let me eat everything first before you eat it," Azrael reprimanded and pulled the bread she was holding out of her hand.
The more logical part of Rosa said that he was right and that she could have already eaten something poisonous. But the glutton in her reached out and grabbed the bread back from Azrael, stuffing it into her face without any remorse.
"Deziara is eating it too," Rosa objected, pointing at her sister, who was likewise devouring the fresh bread.
"Oh, stop it with the poisoning nonsense already. I wouldn''t poison my best friend''s daughter," Lady Lily glared at Azrael, and breaking a fresh loaf in half, gave one half to Rosa and the other to Deziara.
Best friend''s daughter? She''s not talking about Alphegor, she always refers to him by his title. So does she mean¡
"You were friends with my mo-mom?" Rosa couldn''t say the word ''Mother'' as it instantly made her remember that last, fateful phone call. Nobody had ever talked about her demon mother, so she knew next to nothing about her. She once tried asking Alphegor, but he quickly diverted the topic.
"Oh, yes. My dearest Eirwen ¨C she was a demon like no other. How I wish she could join us at this dinner table at least one more time," There was melancholy in Lady Lily''s eyes Rosa had not expected to see.
Shouldn''t a king''s consort be more hostile towards the late queen?
"Can you tell me more about her?" Rosa ventured to ask. A pained smile spread on the demoness''s lips and she nodded.
"Somebody should tell you and it''s not like this whelp would do her memory justice," Lady Lily glared at Azrael, then turned her attention back to Rosa. "I imagine the King hasn''t really talked about her, has he?"
"No."
"I thought as much. The topic is no doubt too painful for him. There were never two demons better suited for each other than them," she began, and Rosa couldn''t help but narrow her eyes in doubt.
Alphegor? Meant for only one woman? Then why does he have a whole damn harem full of women and twenty-four daughters to boot?
"I understand your doubt, Morrigan, but remember that your father is also the King of the Underworld. He has duties to uphold, treaties to forge and some conflicts are better solved peacefully, by ways of marriage," she explained which earned a confused look from Deziara who had her mouth full with the bread.
"You two will understand it better once you''re older. Just trust me when I say that the King was, no probably still is, mad for Eirwen. That is why he cherishes you so much, Morrigan ¨C you are her precious daughter, somebody she gave her life for."
Wait¡ Gave her life for me? What does that mean? Is that just a nice way of saying she died at childbirth?
"Lady Lily, I think such topics are still too heavy for the Princesses," one of the maids suddenly spoke up, her voice measured and calm. This was the first time Rosa witnessed any maid speak up during a conversation. Usually they remained silent, only muttering among themselves.
"Oh, yes, I think you might be right. How about I tell you something else about her?" Lady Lily repositioned her glasses and gave Rosa a somewhat awkward smile.
Damn, it would have been nice to understand what she meant by Eirwen giving her life for mine, but I guess I can''t push it now.
"What did she look like?" Rosa blurted out the first simple question that came to her mind.
"Eirwen was a real beauty. Her silky white hair stretched almost down to the ground and her silver eyes blazed with strength and passion. Despite her not being as large as any of the concubines, she had such charm that we just couldn''t compare to her."
Not as large? I don''t think any of the concubines are large¡ Wait¡ Is she talking about her breasts? I could have lived without knowing that bit of information.
"Did she know magic?" Deziara suddenly asked.
"Oh, yes. In fact when it came to magic there was nobody stronger than her."
"Not even Father?"
"Not even him. Poor doggy here was perpetually beaten by her," Lady Lily snickered and glanced at the disgruntled Azrael.
"Hey, she was my teacher and we were training, so it doesn''t count," Azrael grumbled.
"Yes, I imagine that''s the only reason why His Majesty tolerates you. You were her only pupil."
"And she would have never found a better one," Azrael grinned, regaining his confidence.
"Oh, don''t be so full of yourself. Your magical prowess is a testament to her skills, not yours."
"We''ll see about that once I''ve properly trained Princess Morrigan," Azrael placed a heavy hand on Rosa''s shoulder.
Don''t use me as a ploy to put yourself on a pedestal.
Rosa shook off his hand, and was about to berate him when the maids came in with trolleys filled with plates. They placed the covered plates in front of everyone, and once they were sure that everything was prepared ¨C removed the lid.
Underneath was a delicate array of succulent meats and roasted vegetables that shone with a translucent glaze. It smelled so divine that Rosa instantly began salivating.
"It is time to eat. Dig in, everyone!" Lady Lily clapped her hands together, and Rosa went for the food right away. Deziara also didn''t hold back and ate with a gusto.
The meat was so soft and juicy it instantly melted onto Rosa''s tongue. The vegetables were cooked to perfection, and the sweet glaze made them taste almost like a dessert than an actual meal. Even Deziara, who Rosa expected to be the kind of child who hated vegetables, ate them with pleasure.
"Lady Lily, would you be willing to bend my ear a little while we eat?" Azrael spoke up softly.
There it is! I knew he wanted something from her.
"You''d bend it even if I wasn''t willing," Lady Lily said, not lifting her gaze from the plate in front of her.
"Perhaps, but I believe my request will be beneficial for both of us."
"Oh, really? I highly doubt it, but go ahead and say your piece. I am a bit curious as to what kind of nonsense you''ve come up with this time."
"It''s not nonsense. In fact, I believe this topic is quite important for our whole kingdom. No, the whole Underworld," Lady Lily arched her brow at this while delicately chewing on a piece of carrot. Azrael took her silence as an incentive to continue. "Don''t you think it''s time we start thinking about the next Demon Queen?"
Lady Lily stopped chewing while Rosa did her best to appear as interested in her meal as Deziara did.
"It''s been only four years. I don''t think such a decision needs to be rushed," she finally replied after swallowing her food.
"Yes, we do have our powerful King to watch over us, however, don''t you think the burden is too heavy for him alone? The Late Queen helped him quite a bit with state affairs. Or so I''ve heard," Azrael smiled pleasantly.
What is he scheming? I highly doubt he cares about Alphegor''s workload.
"I am certain King Alphegor is capable enough to understand whether he needs help or not. Besides he could ask any of us consorts or even concubines for help if he so wished," Lady Lily retorted, and wiped the already clean corner of her mouth with a napkin.
"Can he though?" Azrael asked, and Rosa felt his gaze linger on her.
He can''t ask for help because of me? Is it because Alphegor fears what concubines might do to me?
"But I believe we have a solution right here at this dinner table. After all, you seem to hold the Crown Princess in high regard."
Lady Lily frowned and her gaze drifted towards Rosa as well. She chewed at meat enthusiastically although it had lost all of its previous appeal.
"Why don''t you just think about it? I''d be willing to help you out if you''d need support," Azrael finished, and put a large piece of meat in his mouth, chewing it with a self-satisfied smirk.
Chapter 21 – Window to the Past
Once the dinner with Lady Lily and Deziara was over, Rosa secluded herself to her room, convincing her nanny that she was tired and would go to sleep right away. Gunna wanted to help her dress, but Rosa gently rejected her offer instead urging her to enjoy the free evening.
Azrael wants Lady Lily to become the next Demon Queen? Why would he want that? What does he stand to gain from it? Previously, when speaking to Lady Asdeus, he claimed that he was going to profit if I were to become the Queen. What the hell is he plotting?
Rosa paced around the room, as she tried to understand Azrael''s reasoning, but no matter how much she thought and pondered, she couldn''t understand what was his true goal.
I don''t know enough about demons to draw any conclusions. Their actions seem so contradictory at times.
With a sigh, she decided to end the inner debate for the day, and instead return to things that really mattered. She pulled her art supplies out of Alphegor''s closet, and set everything up.
"Today, I am going to finish this," Rosa told herself, and began mixing paints on her palette and then laying them down on the canvas. This time she worked with the smallest brush, refining the details or fixing any mistakes that might have crept in.
For two hours her focus was only on her painting. Her little hand began to tremble by the end of it, making detailed work even more difficult, but she persisted.
"There¡" she said and took a few steps back. "It is finished."
Gentle orange and yellow tones dominated the painting. It was a cityscape, or to be exact it was the view from her apartment window. As she lived on the seventh floor in a large apartment building, she had a good view of the whole city. Most buildings around weren''t as tall, in fact, the surrounding area had quite a lot of private homes. Due to that, from her window she had a clear view all the way to the sea.
Lush trees were planted along the streets, littering the small city with life and greenery while the sparkling sea in the distance with its setting sun gave a sense of tranquility and peace. Rosa purposely avoided overly bright colors in the painting, instead keeping to gentle pastels.
A tear ran down Rosa''s cheek as she looked at the painting. She never thought that her small apartment was anything special. In fact, she had hoped to move out of it as soon as she got more comfortable at her new job. But now, when she had lived in the Underworld for four years, she wished nothing more but to be back at her tiny apartment, sipping peppermint tea and looking over the city as the sun set.
No, don''t be like that! I will find a way back home. I will see my apartment again and I will work at Studio Goblin.
Rosa wiped away her tears and clapped her hands over her cheeks to bring some vigor back into her body.
My only good quality is my resilience. I won''t be stopped just because I got dragged into another world. No way.
With this newfound determination, Rosa hid her painting and all the supplies in the wardrobe. After cleaning herself up and dressing into her nightie, she crawled into her bed and fell asleep.
***
Next day started like any other. She dressed, she ate in Gunna''s bubbly company (although the nanny herself wasn''t allowed to eat together with her) and went to Azrael''s lesson, escorted by her silent guards.
Azrael, on the other hand, greeted her with a mischievously sweet smile right from the get-go.
"Good morning, Princess! Had a good night''s rest?"
Rosa squinted her eyes at him suspiciously.
He''s plotting something again.
"Yes," Rosa dragged out the word slowly while carefully observing his features.
"Have lots of energy?" he smiled, a picture of innocence. If it weren''t for his black horns. And the tail that kept flicking from side to side just like cat''s who were about to pounce on his prey.
"Yes?" she said with uncertainty.
"Wonderful! Then I believe it is time that you learned something new. Your shadow form is very good, you don''t get queasy anymore and you''re way ahead of your sisters when it comes to speed."
"Something new?" she cocked her head.
Is he talking about what else I could do in shadow form? But what else could there be? Shadow spears? Restraining people with shadows? Snuffing out lights?
"Yes. I was seven when I learned my second ability, but since you have a slightly superior magical potential, I believe you''re ready for yours right now," Azrael explained and then pulled a familiar box from his pocket. It was the gift she had received from Lucius ¨C the alexandrite gem.
Oh, well, that''s not so bad. I thought I''d have to stay in my shadow form until the point of complete exhaustion and keep pushing myself past my limits to unlock some new ability.
"Alright. How¡ How do I learn it?" She took the gem from its box and turned it around in her hands. It shone red and purple, and an occasional glint of emerald appeared as she lifted it closer to the light.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
"You absorb it," Azrael said nonchalantly, a wide grin on his face.
"A-Absorb it?" Rosa stared down at the alexandrite, dumbfounded. She poked it with her finger and it felt exactly like she expected ¨C rock solid. "How?"
"Just accept it into your body."
"Huh?" Rosa stared at Azrael as if he were a lunatic.
You cannot ''accept'' gems into your body. What is this nonsense? Is he just messing with me?
Azrael smirked in a victorious sort of fashion. "You don''t understand it? With your talents I expected you to do it naturally. I succeeded with my first try."
So you''re just gloating. Pompous prick.
Rosa had the urge to just throw the gem in Azrael''s face, but he''d probably stop it with some magic.
"Your explanation sucks," she announced, and this seemed to strike a nerve.
"There is no explanation, Princess. You just absorb the gem."
"How do I absorb it? I am not a slime, I cannot absorb things."
"No, you are a demon and you can absorb magic," Azrael retorted as Rosa glared at him. They stared at each other for a minute, then the demon clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Alright, alright. I''ll try to explain it as your mother explained it to me," He finally relented and crouched down next to her. "You see this gem right? What does it feel like?"
"Like a rock," Rosa said in annoyance.
"Yeah, that might be the problem. Do not think of it as a rock. Think of it as a very hard, dense piece of magic."
How am I supposed to think of something as magic? Isn''t magic just energy? Like electricity.
Rosa tried to imagine the gem being a little battery charged to the brim.
"Did you imagine it?" he asked, his voice quiet and calm.
"I think so?"
"Well, now imagine that you''re taking all that energy into your body. Imagine it flowing from your hands to your limbs and then spreading out through the whole body," Azrael instructed. Rosa nodded, and then imagined how the electricity within her gem battery began entering her body. She felt a sort of a pulse in her hand and recoiled, throwing away the gem.
"Hey, why''d you do that?"
"My fingers got zapped," Rosa exclaimed, cradling her hands close to her body.
Maybe imagining it as electricity wasn''t a good idea. A normal person wouldn''t want electricity in their body.
"Zapped? Is that some made up word of yours?" Azrael went up to pick up the gem, then placed it back into her hands. "Try again and don''t be afraid when you feel the magic flow into you. Close your eyes ¨C that might help you imagine it."
Rosa nodded and closed her eyes. This time she imagined the gem being a piece of ice. She imagined it melting and the water from it flowing into her body. This time the feeling was much more gentle and she could feel how it flowed smoothly, settling down in her every cell. Once she reopened her eyes, the gem in her hands was gone.
"I¡ I absorbed it?" she asked, unsure.
"You did, Princess. Good job," He rustled her hair, an uncharacteristically warm smile on his face. But before she could admire his handsome features, they were distorted by a nasty grin. "I, however, was better."
"If you were better at explaining I would have gotten it right on the first try," she objected.
"Nobody likes a sore loser, Princess."
Rosa puffed out her cheeks, and wondered if there was something around she could throw in his stupid face.
"Alright, alright. Let''s get to our first shape changing lesson then. Hopefully, it''ll go better than the gem absorption. But it will require you to use your imagination," Azrael teased, and then suddenly his shape warped. Few seconds later, Alphegor was standing in his place.
"Wha¨C?" Rosa exclaimed in surprise. For a second, she believed that it was actually Alphegor standing there in front of her, but then Azrael''s signature grin marred his face, and Rosa winced. "Turn back. You''re ruining Father''s image."
"Aww, here I thought you''d be happy to see your daddy again."
"Not when I know that it''s actually you," Rosa grumbled, and Azrael laughed, still looking like Alphegor. The sight was rather distressing, as the Demon King never laughed in such an undignified manner.
Alphegor''s features shifted, slowly morphing and moving. A few moments later a large, white deer stood in his place. Its horns seemed to emit an ethereal glow while its pristine white fur looked to be made out of pure snow.
"You can shapeshift into animals too?" Rosa asked, as she admired the majestic deer. Suddenly Azrael''s grin appeared on the deer as well, and Rosa jumped back in surprise. "Do you have to ruin everything?"
"Just wanted to demonstrate that you can turn into pretty much anything you can imagine," the white deer Azrael said solemnly.
"Can you turn into inanimate objects?"
The deer shifted its stance, deep in thought. Then he shook his head and turned back into his familiar Azrael shape.
"You can, of course. But it''s not very pleasant and I don''t recommend it.
"Why not?"
"Because as living creatures it is natural for us to be moving. Even if our bodies aren''t moving, our heart, our blood and other organs are constantly in motion," Azrael opened his mouth to say some more, but noticing Rosa''s intent gaze, he snickered. "It''s too difficult for a kid like you to understand. Just be content with turning into other beings. If you can, that is."
Rosa shifted uncomfortably and looked down on her hands. Changing shape sounded a bit scary.
I wonder how it actually works? Am I changing my actual body along with all of the molecular structure? Or is it just that I appear different to others and my actual body is the same? But such a question is clearly too advanced for a four year old to ask.
"So I just¡ imagine being somebody else?"
"Yes, just like you imagined absorbing the stone into yourself. Don''t think too much about it the first time ¨C just turn into whatever first thing comes to your mind," Azrael said and crossed his arms over his chest, observing Rosa with interest.
"Okay¡ First thing that comes to my mind¡" she muttered and closed her eyes. For some reason the painting she finished yesterday popped into her mind, and she thought of her tiny apartment. Rosa remembered how she looked in her full-body mirror ¨C how she looked as a human.
Before she could shake the visage away and imagine something else, she heard a whistle from Azrael and opened her eyes. He wasn''t as tall anymore, even if still a bit taller than her, and looked less intimidating than before. As she looked down on her hands, she saw her familiar slender fingers. Pale but most definitely with more color than her demon skin.
"I certainly wasn''t expecting that¡" Azrael drawled, looking surprised.
"What? What do I look like?" she asked, despite knowing perfectly well how she looked.
Dammit, this is not what I wanted, but my old body was the first thing that came into my mind.
"How is this even possible?" Azrael squinted his eyes at her and scratched his chin thoughtfully.
I am in trouble now! Morrigan hasn''t seen any humans before and yet now I have shape-shifted into one. This is really bad.
Chapter 22 – The Exposed Secret
Rosa wondered whether she could quickly shift back to her demon self, but it wasn''t like doing so would undo the damage she had done.
"Would you like to see what you''ve turned into?" Azrael asked, his lips pursed together and his eyebrows furrowed.
"Y-Yes," Rosa asked shakily, praying that Azrael wouldn''t get suspicious of her. He disappeared into the shadows for a few minutes and then reappeared, holding a full-body mirror in hand.
"Come take a look," Rosa walked up to the mirror slowly. Her heart beat like crazy while Azrael observed her every step.
What is he thinking right now? Does he suspect that there''s actually a human in this body? I need to look surprised. If I play it well, he might think it was just a child''s imagination running wild.
Finally reaching the mirror, Rosa looked at her reflection and did her best to feign surprise. Of course, what looked back at her from the mirror was her very familiar human self. Same platinum blonde hair, same pale skin, same blue eyes. It was a stark contrast to the dark-skinned, white-haired demon holding the mirror. In fact, they probably couldn''t have been any more different.
"W-What a strange shape¡" Rosa said with a forced chuckle. "Did I fail?"
"You look different so, no, you shape-shifted correctly," he replied, his signature smile returning to his lips. "I just didn''t expect you to try mimicking your mother?"
"I¡" Rosa gaped at him for a moment, then recalled the conversation she had with Lady Lily.
My demon mother had white hair and the platinum blonde hair I had as a human is pretty close.
"You must have been snooping around the King''s stuff. Little rascal. Not that I blame you ¨C I''d be curious about my mother too. You did get some things wrong, but it''s to be expected on the first try," Azrael laughed, and Rosa exhaled in relief.
"Yes, I only saw her portrait once," she smiled and lied through her teeth.
"That is not enough information to shift, Princess," Azrael pointed his finger up, and smirked. "You need to have a clear image when you transform, not just some vague idea. It''s easier to transform into people you have seen from all angles."
"Really?" Rosa chuckled awkwardly.
"Yes, really. Now change back into your normal shape and let''s try to transform into something else this time," he commanded, and propped the mirror against the nearby wall.
Rosa did not need anymore encouragement. She closed her eyes and imagined her demon child self. But before she could fully open her eyes, she heard a steady clatter of heels resound from the entrance of the training room. Lady Asdeus was walking towards them with a disgruntled Deziara trailing behind her.
"Azrael, you have held up the Princess for far too long. It is time for her lesson now," the voluptuous demoness said, her hand propped against her hip.
"Oh, since when do you care that she''s late?" Azrael snapped back, and made a shooing motion at her.
"Since I''ve decided it is time to begin her studies in earnest. She needs to start learning letters," she said and tapped her foot impatiently.
I already learned how to write and read from Faenor. But I can''t tell her that. Another thing where I need to pretend to be a fool.
Rosa sighed, and Deziara ran up to her grabbing her hand.
"It''s alright, sister. I''ll help you learn," the girl chimed with a smile, her previously glum mood completely forgotten.
"You have your own lessons to follow, Princess Deziara," Lady Asdeus reprimanded. "Come now, children."
Rosa threw a last glance at Azrael who stuck out his tongue at Lady Asdeus''s retreating form. When he noticed Rosa watching him, he just winked at her and motioned her to follow. Rosa nodded, and let Deziara guide her.
***
Lady Asdeus had a giant letter¡ well, it was one of the demon alphabet letters, written on the blackboard in front of her.
How quickly do children begin understanding letters? They probably don''t get it right on the first try.
Rosa glared at the letter, and wondered how she could mess it up in a way that would appear natural for a child. Hopefully, she looked at Deziara, but Lady Asdeus was drilling some math equations into her, forcing the girl to grip painfully at her ponytail.
Alright, let''s just go full-on stupid.
She just drew random squiggly lines, not bothering to make them neat or in any way resemble the letter in front of her.
"Done," she announced with a smile. Lady Asdeus checked over Deziara''s writing one more time then walked over to Rosa''s desk. Her face instantly scrunched up and the corners of her mouth dropped.
"Princess Morrigan, I believe you didn''t understand the task I gave you. It was to draw this exact letter. I''ve seen you draw very nice pictures before," the teacher said, and pushed a stray lock out of her face.
Drat¡ I guess I can''t weasel my way out of this one.
"Oh, I understand it now," Rosa plastered on a smile, and turned the notebook to a fresh page. This time Lady Asdeus remained by her side, watching her every movement.
I''ll go slow and press a bit too hard. Lines always look ugly that way.
She dutifully copied the letter, but it looked unsteady. As if it wasn''t sure of its own existence.
"Wonderful! That''s a great start. Now you need to repeat it fifty more times," Lady Asdeus said with a smile.
Fifty? Are you crazy? Who forces a four-year-old to write a single letter fifty times? I may not be a preschool teacher, but I''m pretty sure that is not a good education method.
Nonetheless, the task was set for her, so she had to obey. Rosa had already seen plenty of times how Lady Asdeus dealt with Deziara when she tried to cut corners. It would always result in needing to do more.
"Okay¡" Rosa mumbled, and began slowly drawing crooked looking letters. It was actually tiring, trying to do each of them wrong but in a different way. After all, no two mistakes were alike so she had to make sure that hers weren''t either. Sometimes she''d make some line deliberately longer, sometimes ¨C shorter. Occasionally she wouldn''t connect the letters right or draw way beyond where a line should end.
"Please, be more careful. Try to copy the letter exactly as shown," the demoness came up to Rosa and with a bright red inkpen crossed out half of the letters. "Do those again."
You want me to do ten letters again? You demon! No wonder Deziara is always complaining about your lessons.
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"Okay¡" Rosa barely managed to contain her displeasure and slowly began tracing the letter again. Her little hand was getting tired, because she had been pushing the inkpen rather hard.
I still have like 15 left to do¡ I wish I could just go at normal speed. I''d be done already.
"Deziara, very well, you can go for today," Lady Asdeus suddenly announced, and the demon girl threw her hands in the air from joy.
"Yay! Finally," she was about to run out of the study room, but then paused and looked at Rosa with a piteous gaze. "What about Morri?"
"She''ll finish her letters and then will be free to go," the demoness announced with the sweetest smile.
"Isn''t she too small to write so many letters?" Deziara asked with an arched eyebrow and inched a bit closer to Rosa.
My true ally. Tell her, sister!
"She is the King''s heir, so she is expected to exceed other children in this Kingdom. Don''t worry, I''ll never make her do anything she isn''t capable of," Lady Asdeus explained, then smiled wickedly and added, "Or perhaps you wanted to review the equations one more time?"
"Nope!" Deziara said resolutely, and was out the door.
No¡ Don''t abandon me here!
"Come on. The sooner you finish, the sooner you can go," the demoness tapped Rosa''s desk with one of her sharp nails. She had no choice but to continue painstakingly writing letters.
After what seemed like forever, Rosa finally drew the last lines and slumped down in her chair.
"I''m done¡" she announced, and looked at her tiny ink stained hands. They were trembling from exertion.
"Let me see," Lady Asdeus took the notebook and carefully assessed her hard work. A wicked smile twisted her features, and Rosa felt an unpleasant chill pass through her. "Most wonderful. Most wonderful indeed¡"
Her smile grew wider, almost manic at that point, and she bent down to show the notebook to Rosa.
"Tell me, how can a four year old child count to fifty so perfectly?"
What? Can''t four year olds count that much? Why did you ask me to do exactly fifty then?
Rosa gaped at Lady Asdeus like fish, her heartbeat increasing steadily.
"I¡ Faenor taught me," she finally managed to say, as she hid her trembling hands in her skirt.
"Oh, yes, he''s taught you many things hasn''t he?" Lady Asdeus circled around Rosa as if she were a lioness closing onto her prey.
Why is she looking at me like that? Something isn''t right.
"Tell me, was the form you shifted into your true human form?" she whispered into Rosa''s ear, and she jumped out of her seat, making the tiny chair fall to the ground with a loud ''crash''.
"Yo-You saw that?" Rosa blurted out in panic.
"Oh, yes. I''ve been waiting for the moment Azrael would decide to finally teach you shape-shifting. I knew it wouldn''t take long with someone as impatient as him," Her heels clattered against the ground as the demoness came closer to Rosa, looking down at her with a victorious grin.
Calm down. Calm down. Just play dumb!
"I tried shifting into my mother¨C"
"Oh, enough with that nonsense, human. I am well aware you''ve come here from another world," the demoness clicked her tongue in annoyance and then lifted Rosa high in the air by her clothes. The fabric painfully dug into her armpits and neck, forcing her to squirm in an attempt for a less painful position.
"Let go! I have no idea what you''re talking about!"
"Elf, come here," Lady Asdeus called out, and the door creaked open slowly. A guilty looking Faenor slipped inside the room, looking down on the ground, his ears hanging low.
"Faenor?" Rosa looked at the elf as she grabbed onto Asdeus''s hand in an attempt to lift herself free.
"I-I''m sorry, Princess¡" he muttered in a barely audible voice.
"Oh, no. You''re not! Do tell me, slave. Does the Princess know how to read?" Lady Asdeus asked with a self-satisfied smile.
"Yes¡"
No, why would you tell her that?
"And does she know how to write?"
"Yes¡"
Rosa''s heart almost stopped in her chest.
Why? Why would he sell me out like that? I saved his life. That''s why I trusted him enough to not hide my ability to read and write.
But thinking back on it, Rosa realized that Faenor had always regarded her quick learning ability with suspicion, and he would often teach her things far too advanced for her age. He even hinted at the existence of other worlds when they studied that magical gem book.
But even if he figured out that I''m from another world, why would he tell that to Asdeus of all people? I thought he hated demons.
"Why?" Rosa asked the elf, who turned his head to the side, not daring to meet her eyes.
"Oh, he was really easy to convince. Just dangle the promise of freedom in front of a slave and they''re ready to do anything for you," the demoness cackled.
"I did my part, so I expect you to do yours, demon!" Faenor spoke up with surprising ferocity, glaring at the demoness. She just smiled sweetly at him.
"Of course. A portal to the surface ¨C as promised," She swirled her hand in a circle, and in the very middle of the study a giant, sparkling hole appeared. Inside the hole Rosa could see a dark and murky forest, filled with dead or dying trees. There was some nasty purple sludge on the ground, and the place looked even gloomier than the Underworld.
"But¡ that is the Dead Bog¡" Faenor''s face went completely pale as he peered into the portal.
"Yes. An appropriate reward for a traitorous little slave like you," Asdeus sneered and then pushed Faenor into the portal. "Enjoy your freedom!"
Faenor fell into the nasty, purple muck. He scrambled to his feet, trying to rush back to the study room, but the portal closed.
"Now that the nasty little parasite is gone, it is time we get to the good part," the demoness shook Rosa mercilessly, forcing her to yelp as the fabric dug even deeper into her skin.
"What do you want from me?" Rosa snarled and flailed, trying to free herself from the demoness.
Maybe I should try turning into somebody else to get free? Like Alphegor?
But before she could concentrate on any specific form, Lady Asdeus dropped her on the floor. She landed on top of her tail, and winced in pain, cradling it close. Thankfully, it didn''t appear broken.
"It''s not what I want, it''s what you will do for me," The demoness put her hands on her hips.
"Why should I do anything for you? I can call Azrael right now, and he''ll turn you into a pile of ash," Rosa snarled even if she wasn''t completely certain about her claim.
He is technically sworn to protect me, isn''t he?
"Oh, go ahead and call him. And the moment you do, I''ll send this little thing to the King," the demoness cackled and a dark, shadowy bird materialized in her hands.
"What is that?"
"Oh, of course, you wouldn''t know what it is, being a human and all. It''s a shadow message. Within a few minutes it can reach the King all the way on the battlefield."
"Why should I care?" Rosa asked, her gaze cold and stern, despite her trembling fingers.
"Why are you still trying to play the fool? But I can spell it out for you if you wish ¨C the message inside contains your nasty little secret," she smirked, then clasped her hand around the shadowy bird and it disappeared. "We both know what the King would do if he found out that his precious Crown Princess actually has a human soul."
Rosa''s heart raced as her mind tried to come up with ways to get herself out of this predicament.
Should I just run? I''m sure she wouldn''t catch me if I turned into a shadow.
But Rosa dismissed the idea. She knew nothing about the dangers outside this castle. If the monsters out there were just as ferocious as Gunna had described, she wouldn''t get far. It would be her very last resort.
"We can work together, you know. I won''t rat you out to the King, while you put in a good word for me," Lady Asdeus smile warped into something demented.
"You just want to get into Alphegor''s bed," Rosa said, and before she could even register what had happened, a loud ''slap'' resounded across the study room and pain spread through her cheek. It wasn''t as painful as she thought, and she realized that Azrael''s pendant must have protected her from harm.
"I will become the next queen of the Demon Kingdom. You should be grateful that I''m giving such a disgusting worm an important role instead of sending you straight to the torture chamber."
Rosa glared at Asdeus defiantly, trying to figure out a solution. But her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears, she could barely think.
"You will be a dutiful crown princess who will grow to love her teacher just like a mother she never had. You will bring me and His Majesty together in a glorious union this world has never seen," she proclaimed, her cheeks red from sickly elation as she firmly held her large chest. "Once His Majesty understands my true worth, he will dismiss all the other concubines and their daughters. And I''ll bear him a true heir to become the next ruler."
She''s absolutely delusional¡
Suddenly Asdeus snapped out of her reverie and glared down at Rosa, "And if you fail to do your part, then I''ll make sure that you receive the harshest of punishments."
"Won''t you be punished too, if the King finds out that you tried to get to him through me?" Rosa snarled.
"Who would believe a word a human says? I''ll be rewarded for finding such a disgusting scum hiding in our midst," Asdeus laughed, and then yanked Rosa painfully up by her arm. "Now go. And don''t think you''ll be able to escape either. I''ll make sure there are extra guards watching you."
Chapter 23 – Suspicion
Rosa quickly ran out of the study, slamming the door behind her. She noticed her guards standing nearby, and her heart raced.
Are these guards perhaps working for Asdeus?
Their gazes went to Rosa, and she flinched.
I¡ I need to get away.
She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her, through the winding corridors of the castle. Glancing over the shoulder, she saw that the guards as always were following her at a brisk pace. Intimidated by their presence Rosa slipped into the closest wall shadow.
She felt much safer and calmer in her shadow form, since she couldn''t hear her thundering heart or feel her trembling hands. Not to mention, that she could zip through the corridor at a speed that the bulky guards couldn''t hope to match on their feet. Within a few minutes she was already inside Alphegor''s room.
Just an hour ago, it was her safe haven. One place where nobody could intrude or hurt her. But now the familiar room looked dark, large and threatening. She breathed heavily through her mouth as her heart pumped blood much faster than needed. As the silence stretched on, she began feeling dizzy. Slowly, with careful steps, she staggered over to her bed and slid down to the floor next to it.
What do I do? I never expected anyone to find out that I''m a human. The demons here hate humans so much that they''ve disposed of everything made by humans. If Alphegor where to find out that I am one¡
Image of Alphegor''s welcoming expression mixed with her Mother''s disapproving one, and Rosa covered her mouth in horror.
No, no, no. Anything but that. He can''t find out. He can''t!
Suddenly Rosa noticed that her familiar bed felt smaller than it should have. She looked down at her hands and saw pearly white skin. She gasped and ran to the mirror that stood by Alphegor''s ornate wardrobe. She saw her horrified, human self gazing at her from the mirror.
"I shifted without even trying?" she muttered and reached out to touch her face in the mirror. When her fingers connected with the cold glass, she recoiled and shook her head vigorously. "No, I cannot take this form in the Demon Castle! I must turn back."
She took a shaky breath, closed her eyes and imagined herself regaining her demon form. Once her eyes opened, a little demon girl looked at her from the mirror. But something wasn''t quite¡ right. It''s like her form lacked some definition.
Did I shift into my demon form instead of just returning to it? Can that even happen? Does it even make sense?
Rosa carefully looked at her horns and saw they were smaller than they should be. As was the tail which was missing its pointed tip and instead looked more like a rat''s tail.
Relax. Breathe in and exhale out. Slowly.
Rosa closed her eyes again, and repeated the exercise. Bit by bit her tense muscles began to relax and her heartbeat calmed. When she opened her eyes again and looked in the mirror, she saw that this time her form was indeed the real her instead of a shifted apparition.
Why did Azrael have to teach me that damn shifting this morning? If I hadn''t accidentally turned into my human form, then none of this would have happened.
Rosa paced around the room, her little tail flicking behind her like a whip. Occasionally it would strike a bedpost or a wall, making her grumble at the ''misplaced'' furniture.
What if Azrael is actually working with Asdeus? He''s always scheming something and since he cannot hurt me directly, he needs to do it in a roundabout way. What if the shape-shifting lesson was just a way for Azrael to force me to reveal myself.
Rosa didn''t want to believe that Azrael would do that, but then again she never expected Faenor to betray her either.
Remembering the elf, instantly put Rosa in an even worse mood. She trusted him because he always was patient with Rosa and taught her so many things about this world that she wouldn''t know otherwise. But this whole time he had known that she was a human from another world, and he traded that knowledge for his freedom.
Even so¡ the place where Asdeus sent him looked deadly. Can he even survive?
Rosa shook her head to wash away the pity she felt for him.
He brought it upon himself. And I need to worry about my own survival instead of somebody else''s.
Mentally exhausted, Rosa slipped out of her clothes and crawled into her bed. But instead of feeling safe and comforting, it felt far too large. She felt exposed and unprotected. It took her a long time until she finally fell into an uneasy sleep.
***
Rosa woke up from a gentle knock on the door.
"Lady Morrigan, are you awake?" resounded Gunna''s familiar and sweet voice. Rosa jolted up, and nervously looked around the room. The lights were still on from yesterday, apparently she had forgotten to turn them off.
"Lady Morrigan?"
"I''m awake now. Come in," Rosa said and slipped out of the bed. The morning air felt surprisingly chilly, and she realized that she only had her undergarments on.
"Good morning, Lady Morrigan!" Gunna chimed happily, but her smile disappeared as soon as she saw Rosa. "High Miners, did you sleep without properly dressing yourself?"
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"I¡ I was very tired yesterday," Rosa mumbled and looked to the side.
Does Gunna also know that I''m a human? Did Faenor tell her?
"You should have called me for help. You know I would have come running," Gunna huffed, pointing at the golden bell standing by Rosa''s bedpost. It was specifically made for high-standing demons to be able to call their slaves at any time. They weren''t needed to summon the demon staff, since demons could hear their name being called no matter how far it was. Just like Alphegor and Azrael came to Rosa, when she called them.
"I will next time," Rosa said awkwardly, and Gunna exhaled with a huff.
"Alright, I''ll hold you to that promise. Now, let''s get you dressed," the nanny went up to Rosa''s smaller dresser and after a minute of rummaging around it, she pulled out a black and white dress with a very puffy underskirt. She was humming the whole time like she usually did, but her every movement was suspicious to Rosa.
She seems to be acting the same as usual. Perhaps, she is not involved in this after all.
"Lift your hands up, Lady Morrigan," the dwarf woman asked and gently pulled the dress over Rosa''s head. Her movements were measured and gentle, moving Rosa''s hair out of the way before it could get snatched against the many buttons on the back.
Once the dress was all buttoned up, Rosa sat down on the little chair by her small table, and Gunna began to slowly and methodically untangle her hair.
"Did you have a difficult time sleeping last night? Your hair is more messy than usual," the nanny gently patted Rosa''s head, as she combed her hair.
"I had a hard time falling asleep¡" Rosa admitted.
I really hope Gunna is not involved¡ But I better not show or tell her anything unnecessary. Just in case she is.
Her thoughts wandered to her painting that was still hidden deep in Alphegor''s wardrobe.
Maybe I should destroy it before anybody finds it and uses it against me¡
The thought was painful ¨C she had worked so hard on that painting and she really liked it. It was a peaceful slice of home. The prize she would obtain if, no, when she found a way back to her world.
"Lady Morrigan!" Gunna waved a hand in front of Rosa''s face.
"Huh?"
"I said that it''s time to eat breakfast. You really must have slept badly. Poor child. I''ll see if perhaps I can find some calming tea in the kitchen to help you fall asleep this evening," Gunna said and then took Rosa''s hand. Her calloused hand was large and warm, and Rosa held onto it tightly.
Please, Gunna. Do not be like Faenor.
They exited the bedroom and then headed right across the hall to Alphegor''s dining room. It was where she and Alphegor would eat breakfast every morning before the King had to go and do whatever it was that he did throughout the day.
A few maids were already dutifully standing in the dining hall, waiting for Rosa to arrive. Their expressions were unreadable, like always, but she couldn''t help but wonder if any of them reported to Asdeus.
Could she bribe an existing maid to sell information to her? But these maids serve Alphegor too. Surely he would make sure that the staff closest to him are completely trustworthy.
Gunna helped Rosa get into her chair right where she always sat across from Alphegor, and then retreated. Gunna was not allowed to eat at the King''s table, so she stood some way apart from the other maids, who never failed to show their disdain towards the dwarf woman.
"This morning we have a fire lizard egg omelet with dread herbs and black tomatoes," the maid who brought breakfast every morning announced and placed the plate in front of Rosa. This omelet was nothing like those on Earth.
Instead of a beautiful sunny color, these eggs were sort of purplish while the herbs were black. The flavor wasn''t too different, but the fact that even food in the Underworld was in dark colors, spoiled Rosa''s mood even further. She poked at one of the perfectly cut pieces of tomato, wondering if it was safe to eat.
Asdeus would have no reason to poison me if she wants to get close to Alphegor, right?
Carefully, she nibbled on the tomato. It tasted the same as always so she dared to put all of it in her mouth. She continued eating slowly, making sure that nothing tasted any different from normal. In fact, it took her twice as long to finish.
"Is everything alright, Your Highness?" one of the maids asked once Rosa had pushed away the plate, indicating that she was done eating.
"Y-Yes. Everything is fine," Rosa replied nervously.
Do the maids suspect me now?
"If the food was not to your liking, you can always request the chef to make something else," the maid clarified, and Rosa relaxed.
Oh, she was talking about the food.
"No, it was tasty," Rosa assured her, and the maid bowed and took the dirty plates.
"Shall we go find Faenor and read some stories now?" Gunna helped Rosa get down from the chair. She almost tripped over her feet when the nanny mentioned Faenor. "Careful now, Lady Morrigan. We wouldn''t want you to get hurt."
So Gunna doesn''t know that Faenor is not here anymore. That means that she has no idea of what transpired yesterday.
"Faenor¡ I don''t think that he''ll read for me anymore."
"Of course, he will! Did you argue with him? We can just find him and apologize if you said something mean," Gunna smiled and began gently pulling Rosa along.
"No, we didn''t argue¡" Rosa paused, wondering how to explain that Faenor wasn''t even in the Underworld anymore.
Maybe it''s better that I pretend not to know anything.
"I am sure that whatever happened we can talk it through," the nanny said, and gently urged Rosa to follow her. With a heavy heart, she went along. Halfway to the library, they ran into an annoyed looking Azrael.
"Oh, Princess! You haven''t happened to see your elf slave today, have you?" he asked, peering behind them as if Faenor could have hid behind their backs.
"No¡" Rosa muttered, not daring to meet his gaze.
So Azrael doesn''t know what happened to Faenor? Perhaps that means that he''s not working with Asdeus. But then again, maybe she just hasn''t told him. Just because they''re working together, doesn''t mean that they''re friends.
"We were looking for him right now, actually," Gunna added, worry creasing her face. "Did something happen?"
"Yes, his slave roommates haven''t seen him since yesterday," Azrael rubbed his temples in annoyance. "Really¡ All this ruckus for a slave."
Azrael turned to leave, then as if remembering something, he stopped and addressed Rosa, "Oh, there will be no magic lessons today. I have to solve this issue first. You can go straight to Lady Asdeus."
And then he was gone, muttering angrily.
"So what would you like to do now, Princess?" Gunna asked, looking somewhat uneasy.
Anything as long as it''s far, far away from Asdeus.
"I''ll go play with Haku," Rosa said, and the nanny nodded and fidgeted uncomfortably. She could already understand that the dwarf wanted to join the search for Faenor. "I can go on my own."
"A-Are you sure, Lady Morrigan?"
"I won''t be alone. I still have my guards with me," Rosa assured although she wished she would be alone.
"Well, alright," the nanny conceded, and with a last nervous glance in Rosa''s direction, left the girl alone. Without a second thought, Rosa slipped into the shadows and ran outside of the castle, before the guards could even realize what happened.
Chapter 24 – Becoming Azrael
The next week was an absolute mess in the Demon Castle. Faenor''s disappearance put even the high-standing demons on edge. Some believed that he was killed by somebody and the whole situation was just blown out of proportion. Others believed that he had managed to escape and were worried that other slaves might follow. Rosa used the confusion to hide and avoid her lessons.
"Princess Morrigan!" one of the guards could be heard yelling somewhere in the distance. She was so used to it by now, it became like a background noise at this point. Hidden inside Haku''s dragon house, Rosa was confident that the guards wouldn''t dare to search for her there. Nobody ever wanted to deal with the finicky dragon.
Haku let out a low whine and nudged Rosa''s hand gently with his snout.
"It''s alright. We can just stay here and play," she said and scratched the scales behind his ear.
It is certainly nicer here than in the castle.
The dragon house had recently been upgraded in size and now it resembled a small stable. Except that everything was made from stone instead of wood. One corner had a large, flat boulder where Haku would usually sleep while an assortment of dragon toys laid in the opposite corner. These changed often and could consist of anything beginning from old furniture and ending with giant balls of frozen blood.
Haku whined again and pointed his head towards the entrance, making those giant cute dragon eyes of his.
"No¡ I don''t want those guards to find us¡" Rosa muttered, and grabbed a broken leg of a chair waving it in the air. Haku jumped from side to side, eager to catch it. Rosa threw it in the air slightly in front of her, and the dragon grabbed it, chewing on the wood viciously. Less than five seconds later it was completely reduced to splinters.
"Runt or no runt, you''re still a mighty beast, Haku," Rosa giggled and threw another piece of wood at him which was likewise annihilated.
"Hiding here again, Princess," Azrael''s voice resounded from the entrance, and Rosa whirled around to see him leaning against the doorframe. "It''s not really fun searching for you if you''re always going to hide here."
Rosa leaned close to Haku, warilly observing the white-haired demon. He sighed and strode closer to her.
"What''s up with you lately, little Princess? You''ve been hiding constantly and even skipping Asdeus''s lessons," Rosa flinched when he mentioned the demoness''s name, and Haku nuzzled against her gently, feeling her distress.
"I just miss Father," Rosa said the same excuse she told everyone who asked her the same question.
"Aha, sure. Do you really think I''ll keep buying that every time? That is not the face of a child who misses her father," Azrael grumbled and poked Rosa''s forehead. She swatted his hand away, not hiding her annoyance.
Azrael could be working together with Asdeus. He is constantly scheming things, and I can never tell what he is actually thinking.
"Yes, it is," she persisted. It wasn''t a complete lie. Part of her wished for nothing more than for Alphegor to return and for things to go back to normal. But another part of her feared his return more than anything else.
"Fine, fine. Keep being stubborn. But you cannot stay here. Come now, we''re going to learn some shape-shifting."
"I don''t wanna," she buried her face in Haku''s neck and the dragon coiled around her like a protective wall.
Haku is my only ally. He probably doesn''t care if I''m a human or elf or demon. As long as I give him scratches.
Azrael groaned, and tried to pry the dragon away from her, "Come on! It is important for you to learn the basics so you don''t accidentally exhaust yourself from shifting."
This caught Rosa''s attention a little bit. Every magic in this world had a limit and a dangerous drawback if used improperly. For example, she knew that her shadow form only worked in shadows (obviously) which made it a really powerful skill to have in the Underworld. But one could get stuck in their shadow form if they didn''t know how to exit from it safely.
I should learn more about shape-shifting. Maybe I''ll figure out why I accidentally transformed into a human and find a way to prevent it.
"Alright, I''ll go," Rosa gently ran her hand over Haku''s back, and the dragon uncoiled.
"If you don''t go¨C Wait, you will?" Azrael looked at her in shock. "I expected you to put up more of a fight."
"Should I argue some more?"
"No, no! Let''s go," Azrael grinned and before she could protest, scooped her up in his arms.
"Hey, I can walk on my own!"
"Enjoy it while you''re still small. I won''t be carrying you around when you''re older," he grinned. "Besides you''re slow."
Rosa puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms.
Do not be caught by his smile. Just because he''s being friendly, doesn''t mean that he is trustworthy.
***
"Now then, let''s continue our shape shifting lesson. We really should have done this a week ago, but the whole missing elf fiasco ruined all my plans," Azrael grumbled. They were both at the training grounds again. Both of Rosa''s guards were standing by the entrance, following her every movement.
Rosa''s expression slumped at the mention of Faenor. After a whole week of searching and investigating, nobody really found out what had happened to him. It was no surprise to her, since she and Asdeus were the only witnesses. Asdeus had no reason to give herself away as the guilty party, while Rosa kept her mouth shut for obvious reasons.
"Hey, don''t be so depressed. We''ll get you a new slave."
"No!" Rosa objected with such ferocity that the demon flinched. She lowered her gaze, and said in a much quieter voice. "I don''t want anymore slaves."
Having one betray me was quite enough.
"Alright, I got you. No more slaves. Let''s just focus on the lesson for now," Azrael scratched the back of his head awkwardly, then took a deep breath. "Tell me what you know about shape-shifting."
Stolen novel; please report.
Rosa pondered the question for a bit.
"It allows me to change into anything I can imagine," she repeated what he had said during their first lesson.
"Yeah, that''s the very short version of it. But tell me what is actually changing? Your body or just your perception of it?" He challenged her with a smile.
Why are you asking this from a four year old? A child that small wouldn''t understand the difference between the two.
So she blinked her eyes at him while cocking her head to the side.
Perhaps he''s trying to gather more evidence for Asdeus that I''m really a human. Maybe she doesn''t have enough yet. But I can''t jump to such assumptions and instead tread carefully.
Azrael''s face fell and it''s like he finally remembered that she is in fact four.
"Right¡ Wrong question¡" the demon scratched his chin, then tried again. "Do you think I really turned into that deer or if it was just an illusion?"
Alright, now this is something a four year old might understand.
Rosa began thinking about the question in earnest, remembering the moment she turned into her human self. It felt completely effortless and while it definitely required some energy from her, it wasn''t a large amount.
"Is it an illusion?" she guessed.
"Wrong! It is very much real," Azrael grinned and then took the form of the same white, ethereal deer. "Come, touch me."
She scrunched her nose at his wording, but obeyed anyway. Touching the snow-like fur, she felt its softness as well as the strong muscles in his legs. He bent down his head, and she touched his white, glowing horns. Those too felt very much real ¨C firm with a peach-like fuzz around it.
"It feels real," Rosa conceded.
"And it is. At least the type of shape-shifting the two of us have," Azrael turned back to his normal self. "There''s also an illusionary type of shifting which is far more common, but Lord Lucius was kind enough to give you the superior kind."
Rosa opened her mouth to ask why it was so easy for her to change shape, but closed it.
It is too advanced of a thing for me to ask. I''ll have to be content with what knowledge Azrael shares on his own.
"Was there something you wanted to ask?" Azrael suddenly crouched down, peering straight into Rosa''s eyes. She held his gaze firmly.
"How do I turn into deer?" she asked. A perfectly reasonable question from a curious kid.
"Very good question actually. I imagine it would be very hard for you to turn into one, and honestly, it''s better that you don''t do it. At least not yet."
"Why not?"
"Because it requires a lot of energy to change into something that is very different from you. The more different it is, the more energy it requires."
So the reason I changed into my human self so easily was because it is similar to my demon self. But there is a significant difference between a child and adult, is there not?
"I imagine it must have taken you some energy to transform last time, but not too much since the shape was still humanoid. Why don''t you try turning into me today? That should be a little bit harder," Azrael urged.
"Turn into you?" Rosa winced.
"Hey, what''s with the grimace? I would think it is a pleasant task to turn into a handsome demon like myself," Azrael tried to put up his most charismatic smile, but it looked so strained and awkward, that Rosa started laughing. He glared at her.
"Okay, okay, I''ll do it," she said, collecting herself.
Good thing he''s nowhere near as charismatic as Alphegor. Otherwise, I might have taken him seriously.
Rosa took a deep breath to calm herself, then closed her eyes. She imagined herself becoming Azrael. She tried to think of every single detail on his body, the clothes, the height, the shade of his skin. Once she thought she had accounted for every detail, she opened her eyes. As she did, Morrigan felt like she had lost a little bit of her energy ¨C as if she had gone on a rather long walk.
Azrael stared at her intently, assessing every detail, "Not bad for a first time, but I think anybody who knew me would instantly be able to tell that you''re not actually me."
He gestured to the same full-body mirror, still propped up against the wall where he had left it last week. Rosa walked up to it, and was surprised to see that it was indeed Azrael staring back at her. Or something similar to him at least.
I shouldn''t really be surprised, but it is still odd to see somebody else in the mirror.
Rosa leaned in closer, and noticed that a few things were definitely not right.
"So what did you do wrong?" Azrael asked, peering into the mirror over her, um, his shoulder. Seeing two Azraels right next to each other was beyond confusing.
"The hair is too short," she pointed out, comparing herself to the real Azrael. "And the horns are too straight. I think the jaw is too small? Like a girl''s."
"Yeah, what else?"
Rosa peered at the mirror, trying to find anything different, but everything else seemed to align.
"That''s it?"
"Are you sure?" He narrowed his eyes, and she stared at both images carefully.
There must be something if he''s asking like that, but I can''t find anything else. The eyes are right both in shape and color, so are the lips and other facial features. The height is also right as well as the clothes he is wearing.
"Yes?" Rosa answered, but there was no confidence in her statement.
"What about this?" Azrael poked Rosa''s cheek with his tail, and she realized that her version of Azrael had no tail.
"Oh."
"Oh. It''s a pretty big deal to forget about a demon''s tail. But I''ll give it a pass. From afar you perhaps wouldn''t be able to tell the difference," Azrael reached out to ruffle her hair, but she stepped back.
"Morri, are you here?!" Deziara suddenly burst into the training room, two of her guards following closely behind her. Her face turned into that of disgust once she saw two Azraels. "Why are there two of you now?"
"Obviously, because this is my long-lost brother," Azrael threw his hand around Rosa, grinning from ear to ear. Rosa, however, had no intention of indulging him, and relaxed herself to shift back into her normal form.
"Morri!" Deziara smiled, and ran up to Rosa, burying her in a hug. "That really scared me! I wouldn''t know what to do with two of those idiots."
"Sorry. I was learning shape-shifting," Rosa replied, enjoying the warm hug.
"Oh, right, you did receive that stone from Lord Lucius. Look at what I can do!" Deziara backed away a few steps and then produced a little ball of fire in her palm.
"Wow!" Rosa clapped, genuinely impressed. She hadn''t expected Deziara to actually be able to do any magic. Even if she was the older sister.
"I bet you''re here on behalf of your teacher," Azrael huffed in annoyance, and Rosa flinched. Deziara''s fireball vanished and her lips pressed together in a thin line.
"She did ask me to find Morri¡" the girl admitted.
No, I don''t want to see that woman again. What if she sends Deziara away early again? Then I''ll be stuck alone with Asdeus.
"Oh, don''t make those giant piteous eyes," Azrael groaned, and ruffled his hair.
"Huh? Me?" Rosa touched her face, and noticed that it was indeed suspended in a semi-scowl.
"You can''t blame her. Lady Asdeus''s lessons are so boring."
"But you have to attend her lessons," Azrael said strictly, but Deziara raised her eyebrow.
"Since when are you so prim and proper? You don''t even listen to Father," the girl accused.
"That''s different. I''m the strongest demon in the Underworld. Besides, I can''t cancel your lessons," he shrugged, and Rosa could feel her heartbeat slowly increase.
Would it be alright if I just slipped away into the shadows? But if I keep hiding too much, then Asdeus can just decide to reveal my secret.
"No, you can''t do that, Princess," Azrael groaned, and Rosa stared at him in confusion. "Looking all sad, like you''re about to cry. I can''t stand it when children or women cry."
"Then do something about it!" Deziara proclaimed, and wrapped her arms around Rosa. "Morri is sad!"
Dammit! I need to get better at controlling my expressions. They can read me like an open book.
"Alright, alright, but only this time!" Azrael conceded, and threw a glance towards the vigilant guards.
"Yay!" Deziara cheered. "What are we going to do?"
"You two haven''t been outside the castle yet, right?" he said in a barely audible whisper.
Chapter 25 – In a Demon City
Rosa couldn''t believe what was happening. Four demon guards laid on the floor unconscious. After hearing Azrael''s suggestion to take the girls on a ''field trip'', both sets of guards had objected and insisted they remain in the castle. The white-haired demon had responded with a wave of his hand after which, the four men slumped to the floor.
"Did you kill them?" Deziara shrieked.
"Of course not. I just put them to sleep. Tomorrow morning, they''ll wake well-rested and completely unaware of our plans," Azrael snickered, then ushered Rosa and Deziara forward. "But let''s hurry, before Asdeus decides to come check."
That was a good enough reason for Rosa to grab Deziara by her hand, and drag the older girl along.
"You want to go, Morri?" she asked somewhat nervously.
"Yes!"
I''ve wanted to see the world outside the castle walls since the first day. I will not let this chance slip by.
"Well¡ I guess if you want to."
"What? Are you scared?" Azrael teased as he led them through the corridors. He appeared to be taking them towards the servant part of the castle. The maids stared at Azrael with surprise which grew into full shock once they noticed the two princesses with him. They quickly scattered out of his way, not daring to object despite the clear want to do so.
He really isn''t liked very much, is he?
Finally, he led them into a room which appeared to be a storage room of some sort. He snapped his fingers, and three dark, shabby looking cloaks floated towards them.
"Put these on," he commanded, throwing the largest cloak around his shoulders.
"What? This dirty thing? No way," Deziara poked the floating cloak, and stuck out her tongue in disgust.
It''s not that bad. A little worn, but some of my clothes in the human world still saw use after ten years. Despite the odd stains.
Rosa took the small cloak and put it on. It was a bit large for her, but at least it hid her fancy gothic dress underneath.
"Well, if you''d rather go and learn¡"
"No!" Deziara snatched the cloak, and begrudgingly put it on, wincing all the while.
"Good. Now then, Princess, your red hair stands out a bit too much. You have to change to a different color now," Azrael noted, and Rosa nodded. She closed her eyes and imagined her hair changing to a different color ¨C something dark and inconspicuous.
She imagined how it felt to dye her hair, how the color seeped into the hair, changing it all the way to its roots. Once she opened her eyes and checked, she saw that it was the same black color as Deziara''s.
"Wow! You actually did it, Morri. That''s amazing. Now we match," Deziara cheered.
"Great choice. Now nobody would ever dare to conclude that you''re anything but sisters."
"We ARE sisters," the older girl protested.
"And now you LOOK like sisters. Come! We can''t dally for long," Azrael pushed one of the shelves aside, revealing a dark passage behind it.
"A secret tunnel! I knew that there had to be one in the castle," Deziara''s eyes sparkled.
"One? Sure, let''s say there''s one," he chuckled.
So there''s definitely more. It would be useful to find more of them. This one is so far from Alphegor''s room that it wouldn''t be very convenient to use.
They stepped inside the tunnel, and Azrael pulled a lever on the side of the wall. The shelf then slowly moved back to its original position. The inside of it was pitch black and a smell of musty dampness came from it. Even with Rosa''s superior night vision, she had trouble seeing where she should step next.
"I can''t see anything!" Deziara complained.
"Wait a bit," Azrael said, then a small flame appeared in his palm. Although it was no larger than a candle flame, it was more than enough for Rosa to see everything around her. Not like there was much to see ¨C just dark, dingy walls and never ending darkness ahead. "This might take a while, so be patient. I don''t want to hear any ''are-we-there-yets''."
"You didn''t say we''d have to walk," Deziara grumbled.
"You can still go back to the lessons."
Deziara muttered something under her breath and began walking. Rosa followed behind her, but then Azrael bent down and picked her up with his free hand.
"Since you''re still small, you get a free ride," Azrael grinned.
"Hey! Why can''t you carry me too?" Deziara protested.
"Because you''re too big. Now less grumbling and more walking."
***
After approximately half an hour of walking and listening to Deziara''s constant complaints about her hurting feet, they finally reached the exit. Azrael pulled the lever and the entrance wall moved to the side, revealing a small room filled with brooms, buckets and other cleaning supplies.
"Where are we?" Deziara covered her nose with the corner of her cloak, and tried to sidestep the giant cobweb in one of the corners.
"I''ll tell you when you''re older," Azrael grinned and maneuvered around the many buckets, opening the door which led out into a dark corridor. However, it was nothing like the castle hallways. The walls were made out of completely different material, something resembling plaster, albeit more gritty and dark brown in color.
There were no fancy chandeliers with the little lava bulbs, instead dim lanterns lined the walls. The floors had an occasional hole in them, and overall the place did not give a sense of comfort.
"Where have you taken us? Do you intend to sell us as slaves?" Deziara muttered, but still latched onto Azrael''s leg, looking nervously from side to side.
"No, this is just a passage we need to get through. Did you really think that we would exit in a place where everything would be as pristine as within the castle?" Azrael smirked as he led both girls into what appeared to be a medieval pub of some sorts. Except that it was completely empty. Nobody was even watching over the space.
"Where is everyone?" Rosa asked, and Azrael just shrugged.
"The owner is probably sleeping in the back, drunk," he said, and left the dingy place behind, coming out into a dark side alley.
Stolen story; please report.
"Is this the city?" Deziara asked, and it looked like this was the last place where she wanted to be.
"It''s part of the city, but not our main destination. I bet you two would love to see the market," Azrael smiled, and Rosa felt a bit of excitement rise in her chest. She had always loved going to the market in the human world. You never knew what you''d find there, and quite often the vendors were willing to give a discount to good customers.
"Is it that place where everybody gathers to buy cheap things? I don''t want to go there," Deziara objected, stomping her foot down on the ground.
No, don''t do this to me. Let''s just go to the market before Azrael brings us to a brothel or casino or some other weird place.
"I suppose you could just wait for us in the pub," the demon replied.
"You''d leave a princess inside that horrid place? What if someone kidnaps me?"
"Nobody would care about some random kid in a pub. If she wouldn''t go yapping around that she''s a princess," Azrael glared, and Deziara covered her mouth.
"I''ll come along," she conceded, and Azrael began walking through the narrow street. It was dirty and completely devoid of any life.
As Azrael kept walking forward, the street grew wider and Rosa saw some small demons huddling against the walls. They wore tattered and dirty rags, their hands, or perhaps, it was better to call them limbs, were long and thin like spider''s legs while their skin looked a sickly shade of purple. Their faces also weren''t completely humanoid, instead being more elongated with long sharp noses.
Seeing them, Deziara clutched onto Azrael''s leg so tightly that he could barely move forward.
"Don''t worry, they''re just imps. They can''t do anything to you," he explained, and ushered the demon girl to move forward.
So these are lesser demons? I''ve heard of them before, but never expected that they''d look so different.
Rosa observed one of them, but they appeared completely disinterested in them, instead chewing on what appeared to be some old, hard piece of bread.
I expected them to be scarier than this. But they just look pitiful.
As they kept walking, some chatter became audible from the street ahead, and Rosa could see many demons walking past the little side alley. As they finally reached the main street, Rosa''s breath hitched in her throat. Before her stood the scene of an underground city.
Gothic style houses made from dark stone stood tightly next to each other with bright lights coming from their windows. They were separated from the streets by sharp, metallic fences while neat lanterns illuminated the cobblestone streets.
Looking further ahead Rosa saw how the street was never perfectly straight, but rather going up and down like on a rollercoaster ride. The most impressive thing without a doubt was the Demon Castle that stretched high up into the darkness, acting almost like a lighthouse in the eternal black of the underground.
Demons of every size, age and shape imaginable were walking through the street, and talking in the meanwhile thus creating a cacophony of loud chattering. There were those that looked more human like the demons in the castle, and there were also those who resembled the sidealley imps, except more lively. Some had leathery wings attached to their backs, while some had two sets of limbs or animal-like features.
"Wow!" Deziara''s gaze darted from one demon to the next, unable to settle on one particular person.
"They''re so¡ different," Rosa noted, trying to note as many features as she could. But no matter how much she looked, she just kept seeing new things ¨C animal tails of every size, varying skin colors, even scales. Cat eyes, fin ears, bug wings. The variety was dizzying.
"Oh, yeah, you two haven''t really seen lesser demons much," Azrael noted with a smirk, and swiftly inserted himself and both girls into the stream of people. He held Deziara''s hand now, keeping her close and out of the way of burlier demons.
"What makes them lesser?" Rosa asked, still scanning the crowd.
"Lesser demons have ancestry that isn''t fully demonic. The more their blood is mixed with other blood, the more different they look. That is doubly so if they have a monster ancestor."
"Monster ancestor? How is that possible? Is their mom a monster or something?" Deziara laughed as if the idea itself was ludicrous. Rosa, on the other hand, paled from the horrible image that formed in her mind.
No, don''t think about that! That is not something I need to think about.
Rosa shook her head, and pointed towards a larger open space that she saw forming further ahead, "Is that the market?"
"Yes, the Grand Linberor Market, the largest market in the whole Demon Kingdom," Azrael announced and both girl''s peered forward trying to see past the growing crowd of demons. After a while, they finally reached a huge square lined with various stalls. The people went this way and that, trying not to bump into each other as they sought out various stalls.
The feeling was very similar to the market in the capital. Vendors were shouting at the customers, who were going from stall to stall, trying to find better deals. Aside from the people themselves and the darkness of the underground, it was basically the same thing.
"So what would you like to look at? Pretty clothes? Jewelry? Food?" Azrael asked, looking over the stalls, before picking a concrete direction where to go.
"I doubt there''s anything good here anyway," Deziara grumbled, peering from behind Azrael.
"Sweets?" Rosa suggested. She hadn''t had those nice chocolate treats Alphegor always got her in a while. Apparently, maids didn''t know where the King got them from as the Castle kitchen didn''t even have chocolate. A horrible mistake in Rosa''s mind.
"You do seem to have a bit of a sweet tooth," Azrael smirked, then turned towards the far side of the market where a smell of sweet pastries and bread wafted through the air. Rosa inhaled the air and hummed. It smelled absolutely delightful even if most smells were unfamiliar to her.
Azrael walked past most stalls, not sparing them a second glance despite the intricate delicacies displayed. Rosa stared at them longingly, wondering if she''ll have to force the demon to stop. But he finally stopped in front of a simple looking stall.
The vendor minding it didn''t shout for attention like others, and the displayed treats looked simple when compared to its neighbors. What did make it stand out was the crowd gathered in front ¨C it was far larger than anywhere else.
Azrael coughed, and the demons in the line who were bickering as to who was there first, looked at him in annoyance. But as soon as they took in his appearance, the lesser demons parted, letting him straight to the front of the line.
"Hello!" He greeted the vendor with a smile.
"Back for some more already?" the vendor, a round woman with horns smaller than even Rosa''s and cat-like eyes and ears, greeted him with a smile. "Oh, I didn''t know you had children already at your tender age."
"They''re my sisters," Azrael replied without missing a beat, and Rosa nodded, playing along with his lie. Deziara scrunched up her nose, and looked at Azrael as if he were insane.
"What a pair of cuties," the woman chuckled. "What would you like to have, dearies?"
"What is that?" Rosa asked, and pointed towards the array of differently colored rolls. She had no idea what to call them as they didn''t look like anything she''d seen on Earth. Their colors varied from white all the way to black with every other color in between. If they weren''t in the food section of the market, she''d be convinced they were paints of some sort.
"This is magic delight," the woman replied, and Rosa cocked her head in confusion.
That explains nothing.
"Oh, I''ve heard of these! They''re supposed to taste like magic," Deziara perked up and excitedly began looking over the treats.
Magic has¡ flavor?
Rosa looked at the rather dull-looking treats, trying to discern what each could taste like, but she knew too little about magic to make any guesses.
"Would you like to taste some samples first?" the woman asked and both girls nodded in response. She pulled out a little tray that had little cubes of various colors set out on it and offered it to them.
Rosa picked out a translucent orange cube and popped it in her mouth, while Deziara picked a dark purple one. The flavor that exploded onto her tongue was like nothing she had experienced before. It was like a hot flame had erupted in her mouth, but not in the sense that it burned. It tingled her tongue and swirled around, warming her whole body. It was sweet, yet spicy while the texture was chewy like a jelly.
"Wow! Mine tastes like shadow magic. It''s sweet, yet a little bit bitter. And I''m pretty sure I can see a little bit better now," Deziara looked high up into the never ending darkness above, as if trying to find something within it.
"Oh, yes, my treat will give your body a little temporary boost. Want to try some more?" The vendor generously handed the plate of samples to Deziara. "Take your time to taste them and then come back to buy the one you liked the most."
"You heard her, squirts. Enjoy!" Azrael smirked and lowered Rosa next to Deziara who was already enjoying her next sample. Both girls continued munching on the odd treats while Azrael returned his attention to the vendor, picking out some for himself.
Rosa couldn''t stop eating one magic cube after another. It was almost like an addicting gacha game ¨C she never knew what she would get next. But whenever a new flavor exploded in her mouth, she felt the very essence of magic hit her tongue.
As she was about to grab her fifth sample, a strong pair of arms grabbed her from behind, instantly muffling her voice and pulling her away from her unsuspecting sister and distracted guardian.
Chapter 26 – Demon in Distress
Rosa opened her eyes to find herself in a small, dirty, empty room. Or perhaps, it was supposed to be a storage shack. It was hard to tell in the complete dark. Her hands were tied with a heavy rope, and her mind was muddled as if she were drunk.
What happened?
Her thoughts were heavy and her vision blurred as she forced herself upright.
I feel like I will barf.
She took a moment to steady herself, and her nausea passed. She took another look around the shack, and saw a heavy metallic door block the way out. Nevermind the key, she wouldn''t even be able to open a door that heavy. Rosa also noticed that the pendant that always hung around her neck was missing.
Azrael will be so mad. But I can''t worry about him now, I need to get out of here.
Rosa tried to turn one with the darkness, but then realized that she was unable to do so. She wriggled in her bonds and tried again. Nothing. She was still in her fleshy form.
Why can''t I turn into a shadow? Did they feed me something? Or is it because of these weird bonds?
At that moment, the heavy metal door swung open with a loud creak, and two cloaked figures walked inside. One was a tall demon man with an ugly, almost pig-like face. He had no hair and his ears also looked like that of a pig. The other was a slender woman with long, thin arms and legs. Her face was somewhat elongated and she had two sets of eyes. Both lesser demons no doubt.
"She''s already awake? You didn''t give her enough serum!" the woman smacked the man on his arm who seemed completely unbothered by the gesture.
"I gave her the whole bottle. The stuff is meant for lesser demons ¨C this one''s a pureblood," he grumbled in response.
"But she''s a child!"
"Pureblood is pureblood. Not like it changes anything now that she''s awake," the man shrugged and lumbered closer to Rosa.
"Stay back!" she hissed at him. The man laughed in response.
"Oh, look! This one is feisty. Most children just cry for their mommy. Then again, you don''t have a mommy to cry after, do you?" the demon nearly doubled over from laughter, an occasional pigly snort escaping from his nose.
"And your daddy is far, far away and can''t help you either," the woman cackled, her laugh resembling that of a hyena.
They think they''re so clever. It''s seriously pathetic. I should just call Azrael and get this thing over with.
Rosa took a breath and was about to call out, when the pig demon closed the distance between them in a single stride, and clamped his large hand over her mouth. She nearly gagged from the nasty smell that came from him.
"Don''t you even think about shouting for your guardian. One wrong move and I''ll snap your head clean off your shoulders," he hissed, and then put a dirty gag in Rosa''s mouth. She tried desperately to spit the nasty thing out, but it was too large.
Gross, gross, gross. I''ll get a stomach ache from this vile thing.
"Let''s just get her to the designated point before we''re found," the spindly woman hissed. The man unceremoniously threw Rosa over his shoulder, and lumbered out of the shack.
Good Gods, would it kill you to take a shower? You smell like you rolled in a cow patty.
They exited into a dark and narrow alleyway, similar to the one where Azrael went through before. The two thugs made sure to avoid any lights, and scurried from one street to the next with surprising agility.
But despite the seemingly horrid situation, Rosa did not feel scared. Alright, it wasn''t fully true. She was scared of the horrid smell the pig demon produced, and feared it might permanently ruin her sense of smell.
I have to get away from these two somehow. If only I could remove the gag and call for Azrael, then the problem would be solved within seconds. But it''s just too large. I''d need my hands to pull it out. But the rope seems to be made from metal. There''s no way I can get it off.
Rosa tried to turn into a shadow again, but it still didn''t work although the nasty smell had completely sobered her up.
There must be something I can do¡ Wait¡
She couldn''t turn into a shadow, but perhaps she could turn into something or somebody else. Maybe the thugs only countered her shadow ability, not her ability to shape-shift. Rosa closed her eyes, and imagined herself turning into Alphegor. She opened them, and saw that nothing had changed.
Alright, so all of my magic is blocked¡ Great. I need to figure out a way to call for Azrael then.
The demons stopped in the middle of a dingy street and then knocked on the wall of a building in a sort of an odd pattern. It was dead silent for a moment, and then a small opening appeared in the wall and grew larger and larger until it formed into a sizable entryway.
The pigly demon slipped inside, nearly knocking Rosa''s head against the entrance, and the spindly woman followed close behind.
"Hey, careful with the merchandise, you oaf! He won''t pay us nearly as much if she''s damaged," the woman snapped.
"Calm down. She''s fine, isn''t she?"
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
"Just make sure she stays fine. Now put on your mask," the woman commanded and secured a white fox mask to her face. The pig demon struggled to pull out his mask from the pocket with one hand, and then fumbled several times before he secured a red wolf mask to his face. It didn''t match his pig-like physique at all.
Taking a last glance at each other to make sure that their masks were secure, the two demons opened the door at the end of a dark corridor, and entered into what could only be described as a palace. A dark red and gold carpet lined the floor, walls had an exquisite purple and gold wallpaper and the chandeliers had jewels hanging down and clattering gently against each other.
A stately demon with a gold mask gently inclined his head towards the two kidnappers.
"Welcome. You''ve come to sell today?" he asked, throwing a short glance towards Rosa.
"Yes. We''re here to meet Phantom," the woman answered.
"Follow me," the demon with the gold mask said, and began walking along the ornate corridor.
Despite being slung over a smelly demon''s shoulder Rosa couldn''t help but be amazed at how rich everything was. There were even paintings on the wall, displayed with utmost care as if in a museum. But something about these paintings struck Rosa the wrong way.
Most of them depicted a person of some sort, usually a child. They were drawn dressed in beautiful clothes that perfectly matched this extravagant place. However, their faces looked tormented, pitiful and often on the verge of tears. Their hair was also disheveled most of the time, and there were bruises and dirt on their skin.
Are these demons ¨C slaves?
"Please, wait for a moment," the demon with the golden mask stopped in front of a large silver and gold door that had a dragon carved on each side. Rosa tried to peer inside the room when the demon slipped inside, but he was so fast, she couldn''t catch anything.
The pig demon shifted his weight from one leg to another, while the woman tapped her foot nervously.
"He better not go back on the deal¡" the man snorted out in a rather loud voice.
"He might if you keep shouting like that!" the woman elbowed him, then glanced at Rosa. "Can''t you remove that nasty thing from her mouth. It ruins the image."
Yes, please, do remove it!
"Do you want Azrael to come and burn this whole place down?"
"I doubt he could enter here. But I suppose it''s better to be safe than sorry. I just wish you could have picked out something a bit better. It might lower her price."
"It''s the girl he cares about, not the damn rag."
The stately demon exited from the room, and kept the door wide open for the kidnappers.
"Phantom will see you now."
The demons shuffled nervously for a bit, then strode inside. Rosa''s eyes went wide from shock. The walls of the room were carved from alabaster and shaped into a painting of a luscious garden. But instead of paint, jewels were used in a variety of colors and patterns. The floors were lined with a carpet that shone just like gold.
And the treasures within the room¡ Rosa wasn''t even sure how to describe them all. There were display cabinets lined at the end wall that had ornate jewelry, vases and what could only be described as mystical artifacts. There were delicately carved statues and even a giant, jewel encrusted harp.
And in the very center of this treasure trove, on a giant gold chair, no, rather it would be better to describe it as a throne, sat a demon of formidable stature who wore a black mask that covered his entire face. His black hair was combed back while his large horns curved to the sides, making him appear even more intimidating.
How can he see anything if his eyes are covered by the mask? Or are the eye slits hidden somehow?
"H-Hello! It is a great honor to meet you, Phantom, sir," the spindly demon mumbled and bowed her head low.
"A very big honor," the pigly demon followed with Rosa still on his shoulder. She was forced to stare at the gold carpet for a moment, before the demon rose again.
"Have you brought her?" Phantom asked in an ice cold voice, his tail flicking once as he tapped the armrest of his throne.
"Yes! We followed your instructions and brought you the Crown princess," the pig demon replied, and lowered Rosa to ground, depositing her in front of the black masked man like an offering.
The moment his hands had let go of her, he shrieked and Rosa looked back to see that one of his ears had a hole in it, blood pouring out of the wound down to the demon''s face.
"She''s worth more than this whole city and you treat her like some common slave? What is that disgusting thing in her mouth?" Phantom''s voice reverberated through the whole room, and some of the treasures began to tremble from its intensity. Both demons fell to the floor, groveling at his feet.
"I am so sorry, Phantom, sir! She was about to call for her guardian. We just grabbed the first thing we had to shut her up," the woman had her head pressed to the floor as she explained. The pigly demon was clutching his ear, also bowing low, but not quite as low as her.
Phantom remained silent for a moment, and Rosa had a feeling he was assessing her condition. But it was hard to tell with the mask covering his face.
"Very well. I''ll forgive you this time," Phantom slowly stood up from his chair and went up to Rosa. He crouched down in front of her, and then pulled the dirty rag out of her mouth, incinerating the nasty cloth right after.
Rosa knew that she should have screamed for Azrael right then and there, but the man''s presence was so overwhelming that she barely had the mind to even breathe.
"Pretty little Princess. Not sure if I want to sell a treasure such as you," his voice purred, and a shiver ran through her spine. She took a deep breath to scream, but her mouth was forced shut and she was unable to open it. "Bad girl! We wouldn''t want to cause a scene by calling your guardian, would we now?"
"Um¡ how about¡ our payment?" the spindly demon woman dared to bring her head up from the carpet, looking at Phantom with eyes filled with greed. He clicked his tongue in annoyance and then snapped his fingers. The stately demon pulled a bag filled with what sounded like coins, and threw it in front of two thieves.
They both lunged towards it, grabbing and trying to push each other out of the way. When the woman finally managed to open the bag, her face fell and she glared at Phantom, "This is less than what we agreed on."
"The state you brought her in, you should be happy that you''re getting paid at all. I''m sure that the necklace you stole from her will more than make up for what''s missing," Phantom said in a cold voice, and then waved his hand at them. "Now begone!"
"Hey, now! We risked our lives to get this little brat. You will pay us the full price!" the pig demon lumbered towards Phantom.
Rosa watched in horror, as he threw a blue fireball at the kidnapper, incinerating him where he stood. A few seconds later, there was nothing left but a tiny pile of ash.
"This is plenty, Your Graciousness! The fool just never understood the true value of money¡ OH, please spare me!" the woman fell to the floor, hitting her head against it as she begged for her life.
"Begone!" Phantom repeated, and before he could even finish the word, the woman had grabbed the bag of coins and scurried out like a cockroach.
"Of course! Thank you!"
"Useless drivel," Phantom spat, then snapped his fingers again. "Clean this up, Bas."
"At once, My Lord," the golden-masked demon bowed, and then produced water from his fingertips. The water swirled around the ash and blood stains that were etched into the carpet, and a few moments later it was completely spotless. As if the pig demon had never even existed in the first place.
"Now then, what shall I do with you, my dearest?" Phantom drawled out in a sweet voice, and removed the mask from his face.
Chapter 27 – Phantom and Lightning
Rosa watched as Phantom removed the mask, revealing a face that was eerily familiar. Rugged yet handsome features with piercing black eyes. He looked so much like Alphegor, Rosa would have claimed them to be twins.
She wanted to ask who he was, but her mouth was still forced shut with magic. Seeing her struggle to speak, Phantom smiled pleasantly and caressed her cheek with a gloved hand.
"It''s amazing. I wouldn''t have believed it unless I''d seen it. A face so similar to Eirwen''s. Truly you are her daughter," he said, then passed his hand through Rosa''s hair which was back to its natural red. "It''s just a shame you have your father''s hair. White hair would have suited you far better."
Cold shiver ran through Rosa''s spine as his eyes seemed to pierce straight into her soul.
What does he want from me?
Suddenly she felt her mouth open, freed of its bonds. This time she did not hesitate, and screamed on top of her lungs, "Azrael!"
Phantom laughed at her, as if it was exactly what he expected to happen.
"Good. This time you didn''t hesitate. Let''s see if that pup is worthy of being your guardian."
The door of the room was smashed open in a violent manner, sending random bits and pieces of wood across the room. Azrael stood there, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his forehead. Phantom nodded in satisfaction, and clapped his hands twice.
"Very good reaction time."
"I''ll be taking her back now," Azrael hissed and strode towards Rosa, electric discharge crackling at his fingertips, his purple eyes glowing.
"Go ahead and try, pup," Phantom cackled. Icy spears materialized behind him and launched themselves at Azrael with blinding speed. Azrael swatted them away as if they were mere flies, and the other demon increased the speed of the barrage.
"Is that the best you have, old man?" Azrael laughed, and launched a crackling orb of lightning towards Phantom. He caught it in his arm as if it were a regular ball, and then squeezed it until it disintegrated into nothing.
"Is that the best you have?" Phantom retorted, and the floor broke open, giant, gnarly vines grabbing Azrael by his limbs. But before they could take proper hold of him, they all burst into hot flames and burned to ash. He grinned victoriously, but then kneeled over and spat up blood onto the golden carpet.
How did that happen? I didn''t see him get him by an attack.
Phantom waved his finger in the air, shaking his head in disapproval.
"First rule of magical combat is not to get caught by any attack. I thought Eirwen would have taught you better."
"W-What did you do?" Azrael asked, clutching at his chest.
"Just a little poisonous trick. Now, don''t just sit there on the floor. Weren''t you going to retrieve the Princess?" Phantom reached forwards, and with a single touch disintegrated the ropes around her hands. He then grabbed her by her wrist, his hand cold and rough.
"Let go!" she snarled and tried to pull free, despite knowing that it was futile.
"See? She needs her guardian. Why aren''t you saving her?" Phantom cackled, watching as Azrael struggled to get to his feet.
"I just needed to take a moment to think," Azrael grinned, despite the trail of blood on his chin.
I need to do something. Azrael clearly is no match for this guy. Second strongest demon, my ass!
Rosa frantically looked around trying to figure out what she could do. Turning into a shadow was out of question, since Phantom was holding her tightly. But there must be something.
An idea popped into Rosa''s mind, but she needed to time it well. She hoped that Azrael would be able to distract Phantom at least a little bit.
"Take this, you old fossil," Azrael roared and launched a blue lightning bolt at Phantom. The demon deflected it sending electric sparks through the room, and retaliated with a blue orb of hot fire. Azrael dodged and then began hurling one lightning bolt after another at Phantom, hitting some of the treasures in the room and instantly melting them into puddles.
"Be careful now. You wouldn''t want to hurt your princess now, would you?"
"I can''t hurt her even if I tried!" Azrael cackled, and continued pelting Phantom with his magic.
"Oh, you''ve sworn an oath?" The demon appeared a bit surprised and Azrael used the opportunity and with a swift hand gesture materialized at a golden spike out of the golden carpet. It got dangerously close to Phantom''s ear so Rosa used the chance and imagined herself becoming Alphegor, growing to his size and gaining his strong features.
"Boo!" Rosa punched Phantom straight in his face who gaped at her in surprise. It didn''t do any damage to him, of course, but in the moment of shock he let go of her hand. She instantly turned into her shadow form and sped straight towards Azrael.
"Bye!" Azrael exclaimed, and the moment Rosa materialized by his leg, grabbed her, forcing both of them back into darkness. When Rosa opened her eyes, she was back in the familiar castle training grounds.
"We-We''re safe?" Rosa asked tentatively and looked around the room, expecting Phantom to crawl out of the ground or wall.
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"Yes. He can''t follow us here," Azrael groaned then collapsed to the floor, blood dripping from his mouth.
"W-We need a healer!" Rosa panicked and was about to rush out of the room, when Azrael grabbed her with his bloody hand.
"It''s fine. It''ll be too troublesome to explain¡ this¡ to¡ Lucius," Azrael fainted, and Rosa ran out of the training grounds, calling out for help.
***
"Out of all irresponsible things you could have done," Lucius waved his finger angrily at Azrael who was laying in bed, not daring to meet the older demon''s gaze. Rosa sat on a little chair next to his bed, Deziara stuck to her side like a barnacle.
"In my defense, I never expected anybody would have the nerve to kidnap the Princess from right under my nose," Azrael shrugged, and took a sip from his medicine bottle. His hand shot to his mouth as he gagged from the foul-smelling concoction.
"The King had forbidden princesses to leave the castle! Is that not reason enough?" Lucius''s voice rose higher. Rosa had never seen him so angry. Lucius always seemed so calm and collected.
"He can''t keep them locked up forever," Azrael muttered, and tried to pour the medicine into the bedside drawer. Rosa slammed the drawer shut, and glared at him. Apparently, the poison Phantom had injected into Azrael through the vines was really dangerous, and if not treated properly could even kill a demon.
"Their bodies haven''t even fully matured yet! No sane person would take children under thirty years of age out of their home," Lucius was basically yelling at this point, but Azrael didn''t seem to care in the slightest, instead looking piteously at Rosa, who motioned for him to drink the medicine.
"You''re treating them like prisoners by keeping them locked up in the Castle."
"Azrael!" Lucius hit the bedside table with his hand, and it instantly disintegrated into a small pile of dust. Both girls stared at Lucius with wide eyes while Azrael still didn''t care in the slightest.
"What''s done is done. I can''t reverse time and the Princess is safe. That''s all that matters," Azrael mumbled and, after pressing his nose shut, downed the medicine in one swift swig. His complexion turned a bit green as soon as he swallowed. "This medicine is already punishment enough."
"Don''t be so mad, Lucius," Rosa muttered, wanting to move past the unpleasant incident. "Azrael did save me."
"Because it is his obligation to do so, Princess! He is bound by his oath," Lucius huffed and then slumped down into a chair, rubbing his temples in the meanwhile.
It''s his obligation to save me¡
The thought that Azrael saved her because of the oath, and not from his free will was not pleasant. Rosa still felt grateful towards him, that''s why she was sitting by his side. But it would have been nicer if he had saved her just because he didn''t want anything bad happening to her.
Deziara''s hand trembled, and Rosa looked at her sister. The girl had been affected by the incident more than Rosa herself. Deziara had not let go of her ever since she had returned to the castle. Day or night, it didn''t matter ¨C Deziara refused to leave Rosa''s side even for a moment.
"What''s wrong?" Rosa asked, and saw large tears welling up in Deziara''s eyes.
"It was my fault¡" Deziara mumbled as her hands trembled. "I was right next to Morri. I should have noticed. As the big sister I should have protected her."
Why is this child feeling guilty? There clearly was nothing she could have done. Except getting kidnapped alongside me.
"No, it''s not your fault. It''s the kidnappers'' fault," Rosa tried to console her, but Deziara shook her head stubbornly.
"The Crown Princess is right. You are just a child. There was nothing you could have done," Lucius put his hand on Deziara''s shoulder. Tears started streaming down her cheeks.
"B-But¡ Morri could have been killed¡"
No, Phantom had absolutely no intention of killing me ¨C that is certain. But I can''t exactly admit that I understood that. What did he even want in the end? And why does he look so much like Alphegor?
"Nah! It was a slave traders hub. They wouldn''t kill her," Azrael waved his hand dismissively. But there was a sort of sharpness in his eyes Rosa couldn''t quite understand.
"How can you be so nonchalant? The Crown Princess almost got sold as a slave!" Lucius snarled, and grasped his head, as if in pain.
"We''d just have to track her down then. It''s not like she was in mortal danger. As soon as she could call for me, I''d go and get her. It''s as simple as that," Azrael slumped back in his bed, wincing in pain as he did.
"Le-Let''s never leave the castle again," Deziara sniffled, and Rosa nodded just to calm the girl down. In reality, she''d like to see more of the capital, but clearly that would have to wait until she''s able to protect herself.
"No, not unless the King allows it. Now excuse me. I have to go and write a detailed report on this whole mess," Lucius stood up and turned to leave, when Azrael perked up in the bed.
"Y-You''re not sending the report straight to His Majesty? Are you, Lucius?" the white-haired demon asked nervously.
"Oh, I would love to do nothing more than tell the King of this mess right now," Lucius growled, but then his shoulders slumped. "But I cannot disturb His Majesty while he''s on the battlefield. He''d be so worried he''d rush straight back to the castle and that could have dire consequences."
Azrael relaxed back into the bed, and Rosa felt herself relax as well. She was not ready for Alphegor to return just yet.
"Don''t you dare to look so relaxed. The moment he returns, it is the first thing I''ll be reporting to him," Lucius warned and then left the room. Rosa looked at Azrael who closed his eyes.
"You two should go. I need some rest after all that yelling."
"Alright. We''ll come back later," Rosa said, getting out of her chair and pulling Deziara along.
"You don''t have to."
"You won''t drink your medicine otherwise," Rosa retorted and left the demon alone in the healing room. Deziara huffed as soon as they were out the door.
"Why do you even care what happens to him? If it wasn''t for his stupid idea to go out, then none of this would have happened," Deziara glared at the door, as if her hatred could go through it and get to Azrael in some way.
"But I did want to go out¡" Rosa admitted, and Deziara relented, wrapping her hand around Rosa''s shoulders.
"Let''s just wait until we''re older, okay?" the girl suggested, and Rosa nodded. She had no real intention to stay cooped up in the castle until adulthood, but she certainly would have to find a way to protect herself before venturing outside again.
I''ll get stronger anyway. In case Asdeus tells Alphegor the truth and I have to flee the castle.
Rosa shivered from the unpleasant scenario. Would Phantom try to capture her again if she left? Or would some other demon do her in before that. She''d rather avoid that scenario if possible.
"Let''s go do something fun okay? We haven''t visited Haku since we returned from the city," Deziara suggested.
"I''m afraid that will have to wait," Asdeus''s sweet voice echoed from behind them, and both girls turned to face her, their eyes wide.
"Lady Asdeus," Deziara uttered, scrunching her nose in displeasure. Rosa adopted a similar face, not caring whether she appeared polite or not. But the demoness was not bothered by their cold attitudes.
"You two have already missed out on so many lessons with all of the recent events. Follow me, we have a lot of catching up to do," she said and smiled at Rosa, staring straight into her eyes.
Don''t think that I''ll go down without a fight!
Chapter 28 – Writing Lessons
Much to Rosa''s surprise the lessons with Asdeus went by without much trouble. She had forced her to write another letter fifty times, but since Rosa didn''t have to try so hard to appear stupid, it was much easier.
The demoness had attempted to send Deziara away, no doubt to make sure that Rosa would do as she wished. But the girl completely refused to leave Rosa''s side, saying she wouldn''t leave her no matter what. And Rosa made no attempts to shake her sister away. As long as Deziara was with her, Asdeus could not do anything to Rosa openly.
"Deziara, you did very well today. You can leave now," Asdeus smiled sweetly at the demon girl.
She''s trying to remain alone with me again.
Rosa looked to her sister, hoping that Deziara was still in her barnacle phase. Much to her relief, the older girl grabbed her chair and pushed it right next to Rosa''s.
"I''ll wait for Morri to finish again!" she said stubbornly and crossed her arms over her chest, showing no intention of moving. Rosa noticed that Asdeus frowned for just a fraction of a second, quickly adopting her neutral expression.
"Alright then. But it might take a while. She''s still slow since she is learning," the demoness accentuated the word slow and looked Rosa straight in the eyes.
"It''s okay. I can help her," Deziara chimed and then went to grab another inkpen for herself. "Let me show you how to draw this letter."
And Deziara proceeded to slowly explain in which order to draw lines and repeated her demonstration several times.
Bless this child. Despite being bratty at times, Deziara is truly kind.
Rosa nodded enthusiastically at Deziara''s explanation, and proceeded to follow her instructions. She drew the letters a bit crooked, but her sister still praised her every time and encouraged her to keep going.
Oh, how I wish I could show her my paintings. I bet she would love those.
But Rosa quickly dismissed the thought. It was far too dangerous.
"Alright, that will be enough for today," Asdeus dismissed both girls once she realized that Deziara truly wouldn''t leave Rosa by herself. As they exited the room, she saw Asdeus glare after her and mentally thanked her sister again for remaining by her side.
"Now we can go play!" Deziara cheered and began dragging Rosa outside, no doubt intending to visit the little dragon again.
"Yes," Rosa agreed and soon both girls were bending over backwards from laughter as Haku was chasing his own tail with a piece of bell attached to it. The noise confused the creature as he kept trying to find the source of the sound, but each time he moved he moved his tail as well, making the bell chime in a completely different place.
Later in the evening both girl''s sat on the bathroom floor, waiting as Gunna filled the bath with water. Deziara always scrunched her nose at the nanny, but acted far more respectfully towards her than the first time they met.
"Pour in lots of water! So we can play in the bath," Deziara commanded, observing the dwarvish woman with a keen eye. Gunna shifted uncomfortably, and then threw a nervous glance at Rosa.
"I¨CI''m afraid that won''t be possible," Gunna began, and Deziara jumped up to her feet and pointed her finger at her.
"Why not? I am the Princess. If I ask for something, it must be fulfilled."
Gunna shifted uncomfortably again, then stopped pouring the water and put the orb to the side of the bath.
"You see, Lady Morrigan is afraid to take a bath in water that is too deep," the nanny explained with a somber expression. Rosa recalled the first time she took a bath in this world, how she had gone under water and how Alphegor had pulled her out then.
She also recalled the harsh, cold waves that dragged her down to the bottom of the sea right before she woke up as Morrigan.
"You''re afraid?" Deziara looked at Rosa sympathetically, all of her previous bravado completely gone. Rosa nodded, ashamed to admit that even something as simple as an overfilled bath scared her.
What would happen if I saw the sea again? Would I have enough courage to swim in it again? Probably not.
"Well, that''s alright then. Make lots of bubbles," Deziara smiled cheekily.
"Of course," Gunna replied with a smile and began foaming up the bubbles from the soap.
After the warm bath, both girls snuggled close to each other in bed. Deziara kept giggling from time to time as she brushed away one of Rosa''s stray locks.
"Your hair is tickling me," she squealed.
"Yours is tickling me too," Rosa objected, and began giggling as well. Deziara wrapped her arms around her, and she huddled closer. In fact, they were so close that Rosa could hear Deziara''s steady heartbeat.
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"This is really nice," the older girl hummed, but her smile faded and a sigh escaped her lips.
"Why are you sad then?"
"I-I just wish I could have done this with our other sisters too."
"Oh¡ Have you ever tried?"
"I have. But whenever I tried talking to them, they would either brush me off or their mothers would do it for them. Despite being sisters we could never really do anything sisterly," Deziara sighed again, then looked down at Rosa and smiled. "But now I can. I am so glad you were born, Morri!"
Deziara brushed Rosa''s hair gently, and slowly her eyes fell shut and steady breaths escaped from the girl.
It is wonderful to have a nice sister.
***
Rosa walked towards the study room, dragging her feet on the ground. It was time for another lesson with Asdeus. But this time, Deziara was not by her side.
After spending every waking and sleeping moment together for more than a week, the novelty of having sister time all the time was wearing off. Deziara wanted to return by her mother''s side, while Rosa craved some time alone.
It''s not like she disliked time together with Deziara, but the girl was quite the chatterbox. Rosa barely had any time to organize her thoughts when Deziara would spring three new suggestions or questions at her. It was tiring to say the least.
That morning the girls agreed to return to their old schedules, occasionally having sleepovers to spend some quality sister time together. So Rosa was walking to Asdeus''s lesson without her cheerful sister to lighten her heavy mood.
It''s alright. Deziara will be there, I made sure to drag out lunch as much as possible, so I should be arriving a bit late. And with my sister around Asdeus won''t dare to do anything.
Gunna''s warm hand gave Rosa a bit of courage, but she knew that the nanny would not stay during the lesson. Slaves in the Demon Castle were not given much leisure so if there was a chance to give them work, the head maid was sure to occupy them.
"Good luck in your lesson, Lady Morrigan," Gunna said with a smile, and opened the door to the study room.
"S-See you later, Gunna," Rosa forced a smile on her lips, trying to hide her anxiousness. She took tentative steps inside the study room and saw Asdeus sitting behind her desk with a notebook in hand. Once she noticed Rosa, she snapped it shut and got up.
"Princess Morrigan. You''re late," she announced as the door shut behind Rosa. Much to her horror, Deziara was nowhere to be seen.
"W-Where is Deziara?"
"I''m afraid her schedule will be slightly different from now. She has shown a good aptitude in magic, so currently she''ll be focusing on improving that. In the meanwhile, I''ll focus on tutoring you, Princess Morrigan," Asdeus purred in a wicked tone, and walked up to Rosa, looking down on her.
"You arranged that, didn''t you?"
"Perhaps. But it is true that Deziara requires more lessons in magic. While I am more than capable of tutoring her myself, this is hardly the right place for it."
"So what do you intend to do with me?" Rosa growled, clenching her little hands into fists.
"Exactly what I promised I would. Tutor you," she replied, and motioned Rosa to sit. Without taking her eyes off the demoness, Rosa went to her tiny table and sat down behind it. Asdeus went up to the shelf that contained all the stationary and pulled out a note and inkpen.
"You''re just going to continue tutoring me?" Rosa asked, staring at the inkpen in disbelief. She observed it carefully, wondering if it was cursed in some way.
"Yes. I don''t know what else you would expect me to do? While His Majesty is not here, all I need is to spend some time with you to keep up appearances in front of others," she said and yawned, then propped a chart with the demon alphabet in front of Rosa. "Write the second letter fifty times."
Again with the fifty times? Oh well, it''s not bad. Just a bit tiring.
Begrudgingly Rosa took the inkpen and began the task. Unlike the first time, she didn''t bother making the letters look bad. Of course, she didn''t write in her neatest handwriting either, instead opting for a quick and messy approach, just to get the task out of the way.
"Done," Rosa announced after approximately ten minutes. Asdeus raised an eyebrow, then walked over to her desk. She glanced over the letters, then pulled out her red inkpen seemingly out of nowhere and crossed out three of them.
"I''m afraid these won''t do. These won''t do at all," her mouth turned into a wide, sick smile. Rosa looked up at her and suddenly her hand wrapped tightly around Rosa''s hand, pressing it against the table. "I''m afraid I''ll have to punish you for your mistakes."
Before Rosa could protest, the demoness pressed her sharp nail against Rosa''s palm. She stared at it for a moment as nothing happened, and then pain began to swell in her palm. It was barely noticeable at first, but quickly grew in intensity. Rosa was about to scream, when Asdeus pressed her other hand over her mouth thus keeping her shut.
"Shhh. It''s alright. We all make mistakes. But in order to learn, there needs to be punishment," she whispered sweetly in Rosa''s ear and then removed her nail. The pain receded almost instantly. Then Asdeus pressed her nail again and Rosa screamed into her hand ¨C the pain was excruciating.
"I''m sure that next time, you''ll try harder," Asdeus pressed her nail the third time, smiling in satisfaction all the while. Rosa whimpered, tears rolling down her cheeks. it hurt far worse than any knife cut she had the misfortune of experiencing before. The demoness released both of her hands and looked at her with great satisfaction.
"H-How dare you?" Rosa growled, cradling her hand although there were no visible injuries. "I-I''m going to¨C"
"You''re not going to do anything!" Asdeus hissed. "If you dare to say so much as a peep about this to anyone, then next time the punishment will be more severe."
"You can''t do this! You won''t get away with¨C"
"Who is going to stop me? If you squeak so much as a word about this to anyone, then you can be sure that His Majesty will find out about the rat in his den," Asdeus conjured up the shadowy bird again, and Rosa slumped down into the chair.
"It seems you understand now. Good. Now go ahead and write ''I will not disobey Lady Asdeus'' a hundred times."
"I don''t know how¨C"
"Don''t lie to me, you filthy cockroach! I know full well that you can write. And remember that for every mistake you make, I''ll make a correction."
Rosa paled and took the inkpen into her trembling hands.
I may know how to write individual letters, but I''m not that great at writing whole sentences yet. And if I make any mistakes¡
Rosa trembled as she remembered the pain from the nail. There was no way Asdeus would tell her how to write it correctly. Praying to all the gods she knew for help, Rosa carefully began writing down letters, making sure they were as perfect as she could manage.
Endure it for now. I''ll figure out something later.
Chapter 29 – Library Raid
Rosa sat in the corner of Alphegor''s room, silent tears rolling down her face. She clutched her right hand as phantom pain still lingered on it despite the skin on it being completely untouched. She had lost count of how many times Asdeus had pressed her nail against Rosa''s skin, but the number was so large that five times in either direction made no more difference.
I need to find a way home as soon as possible¡ I don''t know how long I can endure this.
Rubbing her hand absentmindedly, Rosa wondered how she could find a way back to Earth. She needed to find magic that could either send her back in time or allow her to travel through worlds. Both seemed so far-fetched even in a world where she could turn into a shadow.
But I need to do something. I can''t just let Asdeus keep doing whatever she pleases.
Rosa wiped away her tears, then with a determined nod slipped into her shadow form. She was about to slip under the door like she usually did when sneaking out of her room for art supplies. But Asdeus had warned her that she''ll have more guards watching her. So she turned to the window instead.
Carefully she got on the windowsill, and saw that she was very high up. Alphegor''s bedroom was located near the very top of the Demon Castle.
It shouldn''t matter right? I''m a shadow right now. Shadows can''t fall. Can they?
Her human instincts were screaming at her ¨C urging her to go back. But she knew that her fears were irrational. She couldn''t fall as a shadow. Slowly she glided across the windowsill, going closer to the edge. Few centimeters at a time, she went past the ledge willing herself to stick close to the wall.
I can''t fall. I can''t fall.
She repeated in her mind and slowly glided down the castle wall. Most of the windows were completely dark with only a few rare exceptions still having the lights on. As Rosa got closer to the ground, she also got faster, the natural fear of heights slowly lessening. Until she had finally reached the Castle Grounds.
That wasn''t so bad. Now I have to find the library window, sneak inside, find the book that could have information about traveling to other worlds and then sneak back into my room. Easy.
Rosa knew the inner layout of the Castle pretty well by now, but finding which windows belonged to the library was more difficult. They all looked the same after all.
Library is on the third floor and spans three floors up. It is also located on the opposite side of the Castle, not too far from the Main Hall.
Rosa, still in her shadowy form, dove under the bushes, and circled from behind the Castle while avoiding all the prominent routes. Even with her superior speed in the shadow form, it still took her fifteen minutes to get all the way around the massive building.
But thankfully, any further troubles of locating the library were quickly erased as she saw nine dimly lit windows spanning across three floors in a neat 3x3 pattern.
That must be it. But why are the lights still on? Do they not turn them off during the night?
Rosa crawled up the castle wall again, and then went straight for the closest open window. Looking inside the library she saw that the light inside was much dimmer than during the day and wouldn''t be enough to read comfortably, even with a demon''s improved vision.
Two demon guards, one sitting on the first floor of the library by the entrance and the other on the third floor near the staircase, were looking over the stacks of shelves with heavy eyelids. Their gazes were unfocused, and one of them was steadily dropping his head lower and lower.
So that''s the reason for the light. This shouldn''t be too difficult.
Rosa slipped behind the nearest bookshelf, and then watched for the guards'' reaction. Nothing. Neither of them seemed any wiser about her presence. She slipped a few rows deeper into the library and then began searching through the shelves.
Time magic or teleportation magic is probably what I should be searching for. Or perhaps some book that describes rarer and more powerful types of magic.
She went from shelf to shelf until she found a section named ''Forbidden Magic''. It was small and hidden in the deepest corner of the library, but it still seemed rather accessible for something that''s supposed to be forbidden. Perhaps, what was forbidden for others was just regular literature for demons.
Let''s see what we have here ¨C Monster Fusing Manual, Necromancy for Beginners, Conniving Chaos Conundrums, How Not to Get Summoned by a Human¡ What''s with these titles?
Rosa kept reading through the titles until she finally stumbled onto a few she thought could be useful ¨C Unusual Magic Through the Ages and Magic from Other Worlds. She would have liked to flip through them a bit before grabbing them but was afraid of attracting the attention of the guards.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
She emerged from the shadow, expecting to grab the book right away but realized that she was too short and couldn''t reach it.
Stupid tiny legs!
Rosa closed her eyes and then imagined herself taking on Azrael''s shape. It was a double precaution ¨C if she got caught, nobody would really dare to do much against him even if he was breaking some don''t-enter-the-library-after-ten rule. He was one of the strongest demons around after all.
Opening her eyes, she snatched the two books, but in her haste, she pulled another book with her that fell to the ground with a gentle thump. She grabbed that one too, and then quickly blended into the shadows underneath the shelf.
"Who''s there?" a gruff voice called out, and Rosa heard footsteps approaching.
Time to scram.
Slithering from underneath the shelves, Rosa hurried to the open window and then rushed outside, down the castle wall and then made the trip back to the castle backyard.
I think I''m good. Just need to climb back¡ to my room. Has it always been so high up?
Rosa mentally prepared herself and then started moving up the wall. It was a very odd feeling ¨C with no body that the gravity could pull down she was effortlessly moving higher and higher. It didn''t matter if the surface was completely smooth ¨C she didn''t need any footholds. In a few minutes, she was back in Alphegor''s room with three large books clutched in her tiny hands.
"These felt much lighter when I was in Azrael''s skin," Rosa huffed and heaved the books into her bed. She slid under the covers and pulled the first book into her lap.
"Unusual Magic Through the Ages," Rosa quietly read the title and then began flipping through the weathered pages. The book appeared old as the white paper had already turned yellow, however it appeared to be well cared for. Unfortunately, the contents of it were not very useful to Rosa.
It described odd magic which could be useful only in very specific scenarios and were rarely beneficial to anybody. For example, one chapter described a way how by manipulating the inner structure of a fruit one could turn a sweet fruit into a sour one. And not the other way around. Rosa read that particular chapter twice to make sure it didn''t work both ways.
There were more sinister magics as well, but Rosa didn''t bother to read them. In the end, the book had no mentions of any time magic or magic that could transport a person to another world.
"Onto the next one," she sighed and then dragged the second book in front of her. It was titled Magic from Another World. She was feeling quite hopeful about that one, eagerly flipping it open.
Unlike the first book, this one seemed rather new, some pages refusing to separate from each other and instead huddling together in a cluster Rosa had to hold down to read.
After reading just a few pages, Rosa knew that this book wouldn''t help her. It described, or rather attempted to describe how technology from Earth worked. It spoke about smartphones as if they were some magical tablets with unlimited power. Cars were described as loud beasts used for carrying people and things around.
Computers apparently were far too difficult for them to comprehend and they called them ''oracle machines'' that would grant the user any knowledge they wished for and could even materialize things after a certain amount of time. Rosa wondered whether they were talking about online shopping.
But it is a good sign that they know about the existence of Earth. That means that somebody had gone there and come back to tell others of it.
Rosa pushed the book aside and then eyed the third book that she had grabbed in a hurry. It was smaller in size and there was a tear on the front cover. When she took it in her hands, it felt like the poor thing would just fall apart.
"Let''s see ¨C Rarest Magic," she read the simple title aloud, and her heart skipped a beat. "This is it! This might be the book that I needed."
Rosa carefully opened it, making sure not to pull the fragile pages too hard and began reading through the contents. Her stomach began to churn after just a few pages. It spoke of vile rituals where one could sacrifice part of other beings to enhance themselves, or even outright kill them for magical power.
Rosa was tempted to slam the thing shut, but persevered and read until the end. And she was rewarded. On the very last page there was a short paragraph that spoke about magic that could transport a person to another world.
"Extremely rare and difficult to wield. The only person known to wield this magic is Queen Eirwen. The stone which she obtained the magic from is kept a secret and it is strictly forbidden to be used by anyone but the Queen," Rosa read, and then slowly shut the book.
"So my demon mother could wield it. Perhaps she used it to pull me from the other world into this one¡" Rosa mused, but then shook her head. "No! How ridiculous. What use would a Demon Queen have for a human girl?"
She laughed to herself, but her laughter died down as she began to ponder ¨C how exactly was she brought into this world? It was such a burning question when she just got here, but as years went by the matter lost its urgency.
But how could I find that out? It''s not like I can go and ask Alphegor.
Rosa sighed, and after hiding the books in Alphegor''s desk, returned to the bed to sleep. She didn''t know how late or rather how early in the morning it was, but she decided to get what little sleep she could.
Next morning, Rosa barely managed to get out of bed. Gunna had a hard time waking her up and most of the morning went by in a sleepy haze. She only truly realized what was going on once she was back in the study room, alone with Asdeus.
"Shall we continue our lesson from yesterday, Princess?" the demoness smirked, and Rosa glared at her. Asdeus just laughed and put a fresh notebook and inkpen in front of Rosa.
"What shall I write?" Rosa growled, not bothering to hide her hatred for the woman. She tapped her sharp nail against Rosa''s desk, and she flinched remembering how it felt pressed against her skin.
"You seem to be feeling a bit rebellious today. How about you write ¨C ''I love Lady Asdeus'' a hundred times," the demoness cackled. Rosa had no choice but to grit her teeth and start writing.
I still know so little about this world. If I understood the magic and structure of this world a bit better, perhaps I''d at least know where to search.
Rosa almost jumped out of her seat as a realization hit her. Asdeus gave her an odd glance, and she pretended to be engrossed in her writing.
Faenor''s gift! It was supposed to be a comprehensive encyclopedia of magical gems. It should help me understand exactly what I''m searching for.
Chapter 30 – Elfs Apology
Appearing as calm and collected as possible after a long afternoon in Asdeus''s ''care'', Rosa hurried to find her nanny. She found the dwarf woman cleaning the floors in the hallway in front of Alphegor''s room.
"Gunna!" Rosa called out and hurried to her side.
"Lady Morrigan. What''s the matter?" The nanny put the dirty washcloth into the bucket and wiped her hands in her apron.
"Do you remember the gift Faenor gave on my first birthday?" Rosa asked through ragged breaths. She threw a glance over her shoulders where her two guards stood, appearing disinterested. However, she didn''t trust them one bit and so deliberately kept her wording vague.
Gunna ran her hand through her beard a few times, then she clapped her hands together, "Oh, yes! I remember now. Would you like me to bring it to you?"
"Yes, please. To my room," Rosa replied, and the nanny nodded and hurried away. Meanwhile, Rosa went to wait in her room, away from the guards'' prying eyes. She tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Gunna to come.
After a few minutes the nanny arrived with Faenor''s book in her hands. It looked far larger in the dwarf woman''s hands than it had in the elf''s. Rosa was also relieved to see that the front cover had no writing on it, so the guards or anybody else who happened to see Gunna, would have no idea what was inside it.
"Here it is. Would you like me to read it for you?" Gunna suggested as she placed it on Rosa''s table.
"N-No. I just remembered that it had pretty pictures," she hastily replied and then added, "I just wanted to take a look at it again. Now that Faenor has disappeared."
The nanny nodded solemnly, "I understand. You must miss him. I''ll leave you to it then, Lady Morrigan. Call me with the bell in case you change your mind."
Rosa nodded and watched the dwarf woman leave. She waited for a few minutes until she was completely certain that the nanny was gone, and then opened the book.
I hope this can shed some light on what I need to be searching for.
Rosa was about to turn to the table of contents, when a small folded paper fell out from seemingly nowhere and slid underneath her hand.
"What''s this?" Rosa picked it up, and began unfolding the paper. Once it was fully open, she realized it was a letter. The handwriting was elegant and easy to read, and also somewhat familiar. It was Faenor''s.
For a moment she considered just throwing it out the window. She didn''t want to read any fake well-wishes for her first birthday from a man who betrayed her secret for a vague promise of freedom. But in the end, her curiosity won over and she began reading it.
Dear Princess,
If you are reading this letter then you have opened my first birthday gift to you without me around to read it for you. It''s possible that you have grown up into a magnificent woman now, but more likely than not ¨C I am no longer in the demon castle.
In fact, I have most likely betrayed the trust you''ve shown me and returned back to my homeland. While I do not have any right to beg for forgiveness, I am going to ask for it anyway ¨C forgive me, Princess Morrigan. I have done the most heinous crime against you, and so I shall try to make it up to you, even if just a little.
If you have sought out this book then you are no doubt searching for a way back to your world. It must have shocked you that I knew that you were actually with a human soul, but know that people from other worlds do occasionally come to Doppelta. In fact, most know of their existence, rare as it may be, and it is an especially well known fact among us elves ¨C who strive to learn as much as possible from the otherworldly visitors.
You, however, have been put in a position more difficult than most travelers and so I hope to offer you an escape back to your home which no doubt is a more peaceful place. The magic you seek is called ''Dimensional Travel'' and it can be learned from one of the rarest gems in our world ¨C a purple diamond.
These gemstones are so rare that only two cases have been known to exist, one on the Overworld and one in the Underworld. While the odds seem to be stacked against you, you actually have the best chance of obtaining the Underworld''s purple diamond.
Previous owner of it was your birth mother, the late Demon Queen Eirwen, and after her death many thought that the ability was lost with her. However, it is known among elves that magical gems of such high quality do not disappear with the death of its owner.
It is very likely that the purple diamond was hidden in the Demon Castle''s Royal Treasury, awaiting the day it would be needed. Unfortunately I do not know where the treasury is or the dangers that await those who seek it out, however, you as the Crown Princess are one of the rare people who are allowed to access it.
I pray that you manage to find a safe passage home.
Your friend,
Faenor
As soon as Rosa finished reading the last word, the letter flew out of her hands and then burst into flame, leaving not even a single trace of its existence behind. She blinked a few times, not being able to process the information Faenor left for her.
Stolen novel; please report.
The purple diamond that has dimensional travel ability is in the Royal Treasury. And I am allowed inside it.
Rosa looked up at the dark ceiling, putting her hand on her forehead and exhaling heavily. Faenor had given her the answer she desired served on a silver platter. She wouldn''t have to sneak around at night anymore, trying to search through obscure library books.
"But if you''re my ally then why did you tell Asdeus the truth?" Rosa whispered and then covered her eyes with her palm. She couldn''t fully understand the elf. Was the freedom so precious to him that he''d risk her life for his? He clearly knew that demons finding out about her human soul would bring her horrible repercussions, and yet he had done it anyway.
"Why Faenor?" She wished the elf would be there to answer this question, but Rosa didn''t even know whether he was still alive. The horrid bog Asdeus sent him to had looked far more terrifying than anything she''d seen in the Underworld. She didn''t know the exact dangers it hid, but his survival was no doubt slim.
I still hope he made it out of there alive. Even with what he did, I still do not wish death upon him. And perhaps the knowledge he left me could be my saving grace?
***
Rosa stared in the mirror in annoyance looking at her own version of Azrael as the real Azrael pointed out all the flaws in the transformation.
"You''re lacking a bit of hair volume in the front. I almost look like I''m balding. Also you made the buttons on my suit gray, when they are clearly silver," he prattled, while Rosa listened with her hands crossed over her chest, wishing for the whole lesson to be over sooner.
For two weeks straight Rosa had to transform into Azrael day after day, trying to get his features right down to the last strand on hair. Worst part was, the vain fool kept changing his clothes each and every day, and expected her to get those right too. He claimed it was a good exercise in adaptability.
If you haven''t noticed, I am still a four-year old. You should be celebrating that I am willing to transform into you at all.
"Don''t use my face to glare at me. It doesn''t suit me at all. Better channel that energy to fix my hair," Azrael poked her forehead, and she swatted it away. She closed her eyes and then tried to fix the hair, although at this point she had stared at Azrael''s hair so much that she couldn''t even make any sense of it anymore. Kind of like when you repeat one word so many times that it loses all its meaning.
"There! Is that better?" She opened her eyes and once again glared at the white-haired demon.
"No."
"What now?" Rosa groaned and threw her arms in the air in defeat.
"You''re still scowling," he wiggled his finger in front of her face, and she was tempted to bite it.
I am supposed to be looking for the Royal Treasury, but this guy has been holding me in these stupid shape-shifting lessons for weeks.
It was a blessing in an odd sort of way ¨C Azrael completely denied Asdeus whenever she tried to drag Rosa off to her ''lessons''. He claimed that it was crucial for Rosa to master shape-shifting as soon as possible to avoid any accidents that could seriously impact her health.
Rosa believed that Azrael just loved looking at himself too much. Idiot could probably spend the whole day staring at his reflection. And if that reflection happened to be three-dimensional ¨C all the better. Rosa, on the other hand, had seen Azrael enough times to never want to see his face again.
"Can we do something else for a change?" Rosa complained and shifted back into her demon self. She could now shift back without the need to close her eyes ¨C that is how much she wanted to be out of Azrael''s skin.
"Like what?" Azrael asked with a mischievous grin on his face.
Like go to the Royal Treasury and get the purple diamond so I could get the hell out of this world before everybody finds out that I am actually a human.
But she couldn''t say that, of course. Her glance went to her guards standing by the entrance. She didn''t have to worry about them overhearing anything since Azrael made a soundproof barrier around the training ground after the whole kidnapping incident. So perhaps, Rosa could ask him a series of innocent questions that could lure the desired answer out of Azrael.
"How about¡ you tell me more about the castle?" She tried lamely, not able to come up with a good question on the spot.
"I thought you hated the castle. Judging by how eager you were to get out of it," Azrael winced, no doubt remembering the nasty run-in with Phantom. He still had to drink the nasty medicine once a day to get rid of the last remnants of the poison.
"Yes, and it was horrible. So I''m trying to find fun places within the castle. Do you know any?"
"Fun places?" Azrael scratched his chin in contemplation. "There is a lot of hidden stuff that could be considered fun."
"Like what?" Rosa asked eagerly, hoping that the Royal Treasury might be included in the list.
"Well¡" Azrael drawled, then shook his head. "No, I can''t tell that to a little squirt like you. You need to do some growing up first."
He reached out and ruffled Rosa''s hair, making it stand up in every direction. She grumbled and tried to even it out again.
"I thought you were the fun guy," she tried to entice the demon. Azrael was prone to causing mischief so surely a bit of teasing could get the desired result.
"I am the fun guy!" he announced and proudly put his hand on his hips and raised his nose up high. "Tell me what you want to do, we''ll do it."
That was easy. He really is a kid on the inside.
"How about finding some treasure?" Rosa smirked, but Azrael instantly shook his head.
"Oh, no, no, no! I do not want to get another long lecture from Lucius, just because I am stuck in the Royal Treasury or something."
"The Royal Treasury!" Rosa didn''t even have to fake her excitement, allowing her natural glee to give her voice a higher pitch. Just like a child who has just heard of the most awesome thing in the world.
"No! It is forbidden!" He wagged his finger at her, but the gesture lacked the will behind it.
One more push and Azrael would surely cave in.
"But aren''t I the Princess? Can''t I go anywhere within the castle? Father said that I can," Rosa whimpered, making her best sad puppy-dog eyes.
"No means no. And those large, cute eyes will not make me change my mind," Azrael crossed his arms over his chest, and stared down at her. She continued staring back at him with her large eyes, turning her lower lip out and making it quiver a little, as if she were about to cry.
Azrael looked away, then then glanced back at her. His expression slowly softened, until finally he threw up his arms in defeat, "Fine, fine! Let''s go see the Royal Treasury. But we are only looking! We, namely you, are not going to take anything from it. Do you understand?"
"Yes! Thank you, thank you!" Rosa cheered earnestly. If she had known that convincing Azrael to do her bidding would be so easy, she would have done it right away.
Chapter 31 – To the Royal Treasury
Azrael threw a careful glance at the guards who were standing by the entrance, none the wiser about their nefarious plans. The sound barrier that Azrael created worked perfectly. Rosa did feel a little bit bad for them, since if they got caught, the guards would most likely lose their job.
But it was just their job. For Rosa this could be a question of life and death. She wasn''t worried about Azrael though. The demon had a way of slithering out of any real punishment, only having to deal with some minor inconveniences for his transgressions.
"Now, listen carefully. If we want this to succeed, we cannot get caught. Do you get it?" Azrael warned, and Rosa nodded her head. That would be the ideal scenario, although she had a feeling that it was quite unlikely.
"Good. Now to execute it we''re going to have to be very, very stealthy and go at night, when there''s the least amount of guards and spying eyes."
"Are we going to sneak in as shadows?" she asked, although it was unlikely that there would be no countermeasures against demons in their shadow form. Then anyone who had a shadow form could just do what they wanted in the castle.
"No, that won''t work. We''re going to do it the old-fashioned way," Azrael grinned, and rubbed his hands together like some movie villain.
"Old-fashioned way?" Rosa cocked her head.
"You''ll see when the time comes. We''re going to do it at night. I''ll come to your room once everything is ready. You¨C"
The training room door swung open, and the horrible clatter of heels resounded through the empty space. Rosa could recognize it anywhere, and she did her best not to let her fears show. Azrael''s face also grew cold.
"I see you''ve completed your lesson for the day. I shall be taking the Princess with me now. We''re already falling behind schedule," Asdeus said with a sweet smile. Rosa wanted to turn into a shadow and run away, but managed to restrain herself. The punishment would no doubt be harsher next time.
"Who cares about your stupid schedule? She''s four, she doesn''t need to learn how to write yet. Normal children learn that at seven."
"One could argue that she has no reason to study magic at her age either. Normally four year olds haven''t even awakened their ability at this age," Asdeus retorted and then looked at Rosa with her predatory gaze. "But our Princess here is very special. Besides, you''ve held her up for long enough."
Azrael pressed his lips together in a thin line, but had nothing to say against that.
"Come now, Princess. We have a lot to learn."
With trembling footsteps she followed Asdeus, mentally preparing herself for yet another one of her lessons. The fingers on her hand twitched in anticipation.
I have to endure it for just a little while longer. Soon I''ll be able to go home.
As she exited the training grounds, she threw a last glance back at Azrael and saw how his fists were clenched and he was gritting his teeth. But before she could properly decipher his reaction, Asdeus tapped on her shoulder forcing her to move forward.
***
Rosa was leaning against Alphegor''s wardrobe and looking at her trembling hands. Asdeus made her ''corrections'' thirteen times that day. The skin on her arm was clean and unblemished without any signs of injuries. But she could still imagine the horrid pain Asdeus''s nail brought.
"I have to end this soon. I don''t think I can take it for much longer," she mumbled to herself in English, hoping to find solace in her language. She would have to endure just a little while longer. And then she''ll go back to her tiny apartment.
She''ll draw landscapes of sea, forests and plains filled with life and greenery. She''ll start her job at Studio Goblin and help them create animated movies greater than anybody has ever seen before. And best of all ¨C Asdeus would not be there.
But neither would Deziara. Nor Gunna. Nor Azrael. And definitely not Alphegor.
The thought was surprisingly painful.
"What are you doing?" Azrael''s familiar voice broke Rosa out of her contemplation and she jumped up. The white-haired demon was standing by the window, looking somewhat worried. It''s not an expression she''d seen on him before.
"You scared me!" Rosa accused.
"I''ve been here for a while and you''ve just been staring into nothing," he strode towards her and looked over her body as if inspecting it. "Are you alright?"
What an odd question.
"Yes?"
Azrael opened his mouth to say something, then closed it and adapted his usual casual grin, "You''re ready to see some treasure?"
"Yes!" Rosa nodded.
"Excellent. This will be a great test for your shape-shifting skills," Azrael extended his hand towards Rosa.
"Shape-shifting?" she asked and tentatively took his hand. For a moment they disappeared into darkness, and Rosa found herself and Azrael down in the castle backyard.
"Yes. You see the treasury is protected from most magic, so the only way to get in is to do so by physical means."
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"You don''t want me to shift into a dragon and break in, do you?"
"No, of course not. Brute force won''t help anyway. We must be delicate. And dare I say ¨C this method is only possible because of you, Princess," Azrael grinned, mischief dancing in his eyes.
He''s like a little kid who is about to break into a candy store. God, I hope this actually works. It''s probably the only chance I''m going to have at finding that gem.
"Why me?" Rosa asked and Azrael crouched down into bushes. She followed suit and saw one of the patrol guards making his ground through the backyard.
"Because you''re the King''s heir, obviously. I''ll explain more once we get there. Now sit quietly and observe the guard as he passes by. Take in every detail you can," he whispered and then disappeared into the shadows. Rosa also adopted her shadow form and waited.
Few minutes passed before the demon guard finally strode by the exact bush they were hiding in. Rosa did her best to memorize everything she could about the demon. She''d seen him before in passing, so she was able to focus on more unfamiliar parts of him.
Once the guard had walked away a good distance, Azrael slipped out of his shadow form as did Rosa.
"Did you memorize everything you could?"
She nodded.
"Good. Now we''re going to the first floor of the castle, right before the servant wing starts. Do you know the place I''m talking about?" Azrael whispered, occasionally throwing a glance over the yard.
Rosa nodded in response again. She remembered that particular part of the castle from their excursion to the city. The contrast between the main castle and the servants quarters was so stark, she couldn''t forget it.
"We''re going to go to that spot as shadows. You''ll have to go very fast. And once you''re there, you have to emerge from the shadow disguised as a guard."
"Why can''t I transform into the guard here and then you teleport us back into the castle?" Rosa objected, wondering what were the limits of his ability. She also doubted whether she could do a transformation right after exiting from shadows.
"Because all teleportation magic is monitored within the castle."
"And shadow forms are not? Besides, didn''t you just teleport us downstairs?"
"They''re impossible to track. And nobody cares if somebody teleports outside. Now prepare to go on three," Azrael lifted three of his fingers and began a silent countdown. Rosa wanted to object, but before she could, the countdown was complete, and he was gone.
Damn, Azrael! Give me a moment to respond at least.
Rosa slipped into her shadow form and then sped into the castle, heading through the empty corridors straight towards the servants wing. She saw an occasional guard or maid doing their daily duties, but overall the place was rather empty.
As they neared the designated spot Rosa did her best to concentrate onto the guard persona, trying to recall every detail and imagining herself becoming larger and stronger. She imagined having muscled arms and wearing the classic dark uniform all guards wore. But then she lost control of her shadow form and fell to the floor with a loud crash.
"That wasn''t very graceful," a guard with Azrael''s voice looked down on her, grinning from ear to ear.
"You went too quickly," Rosa rushed to her feet and almost fell over again. The guards'' body felt far too large and heavy. It was difficult to move it ¨C like she was wearing a full body suit.
"You imagined yourself shifting too soon. But it''s alright, I don''t think anybody noticed," the guard Azrael looked around, and after a few moments of silence, he nodded to confirm his words.
"What if somebody had been here?" Rosa grumbled.
"It''s fine. I would have put them to sleep."
Of course you would have¡
"Come, we''re going down now," Azrael motioned towards a narrow, dimly lit corridor, and Rosa followed. The place was almost too narrow for the bulky guard, and Rosa had to walk carefully so as to not accidentally bump into the occasional bucket or mop propped against the wall.
Slowly the corridor began to veer left and down, on an increasingly steeper slope. Rosa began to fear she might slip when the corridor came to an abrupt end. There was no door, no lever, no nothing. Just a dead end.
"What''s this?" Rosa asked the guard Azrael.
"Just watch," he said, and then began stomping his feet. Rosa was about to roll her eyes at him, the gesture looked like one of Deziara''s temper tantrums. But there was a pattern to his stomping that kept repeating over and over.
After a minute, a low rumble came from the wall and it began to part like a slow sliding door. It opened up into a sort of tunnel with a staircase that led further downwards.
"After you, milady," Azrael bowed in a mocking sort of way.
"You go first," Rosa retorted. She had no intention of going into that dark, suspicious place first. If some weird guardian monster would jump at them, then Azrael could take the brunt of it.
"As you wish," Azrael cackled and then proceeded downstairs. Rosa followed shortly after, struggling to fit the guard''s giant foot on the narrow staircase.
"Can''t we turn back now?" she asked.
"No. It is important that we remain in this form until we pass a certain threshold. Once we are downstairs, do not talk. If somebody asks you something, either nod or shake your head. Or better yet say nothing at all."
Rosa was curious to know what exactly awaited them further ahead, but decided to remain silent. She didn''t want anyone to overhear them talking. Not that Azrael would give a straight answer anyway.
Soon Rosa saw a brighter light up ahead and then descended into a chamber of sorts. It had three exits and a large demon guard sat in the very middle of the chamber, his expression completely unreadable. If a mountain would be made into demon form, this is how it would look like.
"What''s up, Chad?" Azrael greeted him with a friendly smile and a wave of his hand. Rosa cringed inwardly as Chad just blinked, not appearing in the least bit interested in having any conversation.
"Your pass?"
"Of course. Here you go, buddy," Azrael pulled something out of his guard uniform and presented it to Chad. Rosa glanced at it, and it appeared to be a piece of paper with a signature on it. Chad looked down at it then just grunted. Rosa couldn''t tell if it was approval or not, but Azrael smiled and proceeded towards one of the corridors.
"Thank you, Chad. Always a pleasure talking with you."
Rosa was about to follow Azrael, when Chad suddenly spoke up, "Your pass?"
She froze mid-step and turned to look at Chad, unsure of what to do. Azrael quickly rushed back and threw one hand around her shoulder.
"Oh, we''re going together. Partners and all that," Azrael chuckled.
Oh, no! There''s no way he''s going to buy that cheap lie. This is as far as we get.
"Okay," Chad replied and then his gaze wandered away from her, looking at the entrance door again as if they didn''t exist anymore.
"You heard the man. Let''s go, partner," Azrael pulled her along into the corridor, a victorious grin spreading on his face. Rosa was about to object to his half-assed methods when she noticed a change in the air. It felt heavy like before a thunderstorm, and then there were lots of odd slashes and burn marks along the floor and walls.
"W-What is this place?" she whispered to Azrael, not noticing that she was clutching his sleeve.
"Welcome to the Dungeon, Princess!"
Chapter 32 – Demon Castle Dungeon
"Dungeon?" Rosa exclaimed, her voice echoing into the long chamber in front of her. Sinister chandeliers, that shone unnatural purple light, hung from the ceiling, casting an eerie glow on the floors below. The walls were covered in slashes, scratches and weird dents, and she could see it split into multiple directions.
Meanwhile the floor showed clear signs of combat ¨C scorch marks, giant footprints, cracks and oddly embedded stones, that Rosa was convinced would activate a deadly trap the moment she stepped on them. Not to mention the occasional dark smear which no doubt was dried blood.
"You didn''t think it would be easy getting to treasure? One must always overcome some obstacle to get there," Azrael grinned victoriously, still disguised as a demon guard.
I knew he agreed too easily. He''s trying to scare me off, isn''t he? A normal four year old would no doubt turn their tail and go back to bed. But I must get that purple diamond. It''s my ticket home.
So she thought, but thinking and doing were two different things. Rosa would have liked nothing more than to return to her bed and forget about this ominous place and its various marks of past victims.
"Let''s go then," she said with as much bravery as she could muster and took a step forward. Azrael instantly pulled her back and a flurry of arrows rushed straight past her nose.
"Be careful. These dungeons are filled with traps," the demon tried to appear scared, but she could see how the corners of his mouth were twitching upwards and how his eyes gleamed with joy.
Damned demon! Fine, if you want to play dirty ¨C let''s play dirty.
"But I''m sure you know how to get through here, right? You''re so strong and agile and amazing, Azrael. I''ve never seen anyone do magic as well as you do, Azrael," she tried to appeal to his ego. In reality, she hasn''t really seen anyone besides Azrael and Phantom do magic aside from some simple levitation maids did to reach far away corners. But there was no need to tell him that.
"Of course, I can! This is a piece of cake for me," he lifted his head high, a proud smile creeping across his lips.
"I bet you could even do it while dragging someone as weak as me around. You''re so amazing, Azrael!" She continued her barrage of compliments, and Azrael scratched his cheek.
Is he getting embarrassed? That''s kind of cute.
"I-I mean, I could, but it''s quite dangerous, Princess. Perhaps we should¨C"
"Really? Show me! I want to see you do it. You always look so powerful when you do magic, Azrael!"
The demon couldn''t take it anymore. Shifting back into his true form, Azrael grinned widely from ear to ear and waved his hand in the air with a flourish.
"Don''t you worry, Princess! You just leave the difficult part to me and enjoy the show. I''ll show you exactly how amazing I am."
Rosa turned back into her child self, doing her best to suppress a grin.
I can''t believe he actually fell for that. Vanity will be your downfall, Azrael.
"Yay!" Rosa cheered in a child-like manner and allowed Azrael to pick her up. He settled her on his left arm, while making sure that he can use his right hand freely.
"Now, hold on tightly, Princess. While I am all-powerful, I do still need my hand to fight in case we encounter something unruly," he warned, and Rosa grabbed onto his shoulders, gripping them tightly.
"Are you sure you can do this?" Rosa asked, glancing further into the dungeon. Surely it must be the most difficult dungeon in the whole Underworld if the Royal Treasury lies at the end of it.
"Yes. Besides, we''re going to take a shortcut."
"Shortcut?"
"Yeah. It''s still dangerous, but it''s made in a way that people who need to access the treasury can do so."
Good to know. So we''re not going to face the worst of it. He should have started with that.
"Show me. I''ll need to be able to do this one day too," Rosa urged, and Azrael nodded.
"Alright, alright. Let''s go then," he replied and then sped straight into the dungeon. Rosa watched in horror as arrows, spikes, fire, lightning, glass and every other possible projectile shot behind them, missing them by less than a few centimeters. It''s like he activated every possible trap on purpose.
Before Rosa could find her voice to complain about it, the ground underneath them disappeared and they fell inside a deep chasm. She screamed while Azrael laughed as if he were on some rollercoaster ride.
"This is my favorite part," Azrael exclaimed while she held onto him for dear life. After what seemed like an eternity, they fell into a giant empty chamber. Rosa feared they might just fall to their death, but Azrael waved his hand and slowed their descent, making them land as softly as a feather.
Grumbling resounded in the chamber, and Rosa saw how a giant serpent-like creature slumbered out of one of the openings in the wall. It was easily the size of a house, with six snake-like heads and short, webbed legs. There was spit trickling down from its six mouths and it hissed furiously at them. If Rosa would have to give it a name, then only one would come to mind ¨C Hydra.
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"Hey there, Levi. How you doing?" Azrael waved at the monster whose demeanor instantly changed. It produced a sort of a whining noise and lowered its six heads to Azrael''s level.
"W-What is that?" Rosa squealed and tried to scramble as far away from it as possible. Unfortunately, Azrael held her tight and she had no choice but to watch the horrible creature come closer and closer with its giant heads.
"How rude. This is Levi. He guards the secret passage to the Royal Treasury in case somebody wanders in here," Azrael explained and patted one of the giant heads. Rosa stared how the six heads fought over attention, each pushing the other out of the way to get some pats. "Would you like to pat him?"
"HUH?" Rosa screeched and much to her dismay, Azrael lowered her to the ground, right next to one of the hydra''s heads. It moved left and right, looking at her from all sides.
Don''t eat me, don''t eat me, don''t eat me!
"This is the Crown Princess Morrigan, Levi. She is your Master''s daughter, so be nice," Azrael grinned as he watched all of the heads turn their attention towards her. The creature got excited at the word ''master'', and began flicking their forked tongues at her one head after the other.
Rosa stood as stiff as rock, trying her best not to scream each time she felt the monster''s cold scales touch her skin and clothes. Her limbs were as tense as a bowstring, as she refused to relax in fear of accidentally touching the monster. After each head seemed to have sniffed her to their satisfaction, they began nudging her hand the same way Haku would when he wanted pats.
"He likes you, Princess. Give each head a pat. Just be sure to pat them an equal number of times. They get jealous easily," Azrael snickered, observing the scene from aside.
I swear you will pay for this!
Mechanically, Rosa reached her head up and somehow forced herself to pat one of the heads. It leaned into her touch, cold and moist scales sending a shiver through her whole body. Looking at the head so close, she wondered whether it would even notice if it accidentally swallowed her. She was so small in comparison.
One after another, she patted the horrid creatures heads until Azrael finally deemed it necessary to end her torture and shooed the heads away.
"That''s enough for first greetings. Here, have a snack," Azrael pulled a pouch that hung by his belt and then fished something from inside it. The hydra perked up and rushed towards him at once. The demon threw some round object at each head that caught it and then laid down on the floor, chewing in satisfaction.
How can something so small satisfy such a large monster? Can it even feel it among those giant teeth?
"What did you give him?" she inquired as Azrael strode to pick her up again.
"I''ll tell you once you''re older."
I don''t think I want to know anymore¡
With Rosa secure in his grip again, Azrael left the hydra and the chamber behind, going towards the door she completely failed to notice before. It was the same texture and color as the cragged walls, the only thing that betrayed its true purpose being the door handle.
He opened the door, and the scene changed completely. Gloomy dungeon was replaced by a pleasant room with neatly polished marble floors, clean walls and quant couches for sitting. It was like one of those waiting rooms in the bank. Only with less people.
At the end of it stood a giant, round door that protruded outwards at least half a meter. It appeared to be made out of steel and had intricate carvings that went in a circular fashion inwards. But despite it being a door, Rosa saw no handle, no keyhole or turning mechanism of any sort.
"Is that the Royal Treasury?" Rosa asked, then raised her eyebrows. "Why is nobody guarding it?"
"There''s no need to guard it. There''s no way of opening it," Azrael shrugged and strode towards it.
"No way to open it? But how do we get inside?" Rosa asked quizzically.
"Only those who are supposed to get inside, can get inside," Azrael kept talking in riddles, and Rosa glared at him.
"Then why did we come this far if we can''t even get inside?"
"We can get inside."
"But you just said¨C"
"Just trust me on this, Princess. We''re going to get inside, no problem," Azrael smiled, and she noticed a dark shadow pass through his eyes. She wondered what that was, but decided not to dwell on it. The demon always had a scheme or two in his mind.
"How exactly?"
"Using these tiny, pretty hands of yours. Granted I''m not 100% sure it will work, but knowing the King, he no doubt has already given you access to all his treasures," he said and approached the giant round not-door. "All you have to do is just touch it."
Does it have a biometric reader or something?
Rosa was a bit angry at how nonchalant Azrael was about the whole situation, but then again this was supposed to be just a fun excursion to kill some time. She''ll have to accept whatever happens and search for a different way to enter, if it doesn''t work out.
Let''s hope it does work.
Rosa reached out her hand and touched the round metallic slab. It felt cold and smooth to her touch, and she felt a small tingle coming from it ¨C as if it was slightly vibrating.
"Did it work?" she asked and glanced from side to side, looking for any change. Azrael was looking too, moving from one side of the door to the next.
"I don''t know. It doesn''t look like it did," he clicked his tongue, but then the door began to rotate slowly. He took a few steps back, and they watched as it began spinning faster and faster. After a moment, it was spinning so fast that the patterns on it blurred completely. And then the door began shrinking, each of the outer rings disappearing until finally it all seemed to roll into a tiny ball. The ball fell to the floor with a heavy ''thud'', rolled to the top of the opening and began glowing with a bright light.
"Wow," they both exclaimed, and Azrael lowered Rosa to the floor. They walked towards the entrance and saw gold glitter in response to the light at the door. When they entered, Rosa felt like her jaw would drop off.
The Treasury was filled to the brim with gold coins, gold bars, jewelry, gems, weapons, armor and everything else that could be considered valuable. And the place itself was huge, about the size of a football field.
But how am I supposed to find anything here?
Rosa looked over the treasures again, trying to find whether there was some sort of a system here. However, everything appeared to be thrown in without any rhyme or reason. There was armor standing on top of a pile of gold coins, swords stocked among gold bars and gems laying everywhere. As if this was all some inconvenient trash pile that was getting in everybody''s way.
"What a mess," Azrael whistled and stepped deeper into the Treasury, carefully avoiding a pile of jewelry.
"How does anyone find anything here?" she exclaimed, barely managing to hide her frustration.
"Locator spells probably. I don''t see any other way," Azrael explained, then lowered Rosa to the floor. "Since we''re already here, want to look around? But remember, we cannot take anything!"
"Yes," Rosa said and kept holding his hand, leaning on him to not accidentally fall into the pile of gold coins.
I have to find that gem somehow. And take it without Azrael noticing.
Chapter 33 – First Flight
Rosa looked from one pile of treasure to the next hoping to recognize a purple glint somewhere among them. Occasionally she would notice a purplish kind of gem, and her heart would start beating like crazy each time. However, they didn''t really look like diamonds. At least, she didn''t think they were diamonds.
I don''t even know what a purple diamond is supposed to look like. That book on gems didn''t have a drawing of it. Could it be mistaken for a different purple gem like amethyst? Aren''t there other gems that could be purple?
The thought made Rosa sick to her stomach. She was so close to her ticket home. It was somewhere within this room, and yet she had no idea what it even looked like. She kept scanning the room frantically, her eyes darting from pile to pile, from one gem to the next. But they were so similar to each other ¨C she couldn''t tell whether the gem was a diamond or a piece of quartz.
"What''s wrong, Princess? Is this a bit much for you?" Azrael bent down to look at her, and she snapped out of her panic.
"Oh¡ I¡ Yes. I just never expected there would be so much treasure," she forced a childish smile on her face.
Stay composed, otherwise Azrael will start suspecting you too.
"It is the Royal Treasury. There is no other place in the world that contains so much gold and jewels," Azrael noted and then nonchalantly grabbed a pile of coins, letting them slip through his fingers and fall back down with a loud clatter. "Currently we''re the richest people in this whole world."
"This is not ours! Didn''t you say not to take anything?" She glared at him, and the demon chuckled in response.
"I have no intention of taking anything. I just wanted the bragging right of having broken into the Royal Treasury."
Aren''t you supposed to be in a high government position? How is this guy even allowed to make any even remotely important decisions?
"Of course," she deadpanned, and resumed her search for the diamond.
"Is there anything in particular you want to see?" Azrael asked, and she froze for a moment.
I can''t just ask him to show me the diamond. That would be way too obvious.
"Are there any magical gems in here?" she asked, trying to appear innocent.
"They are everywhere. There''s four by your feet, another eight in this pile that I can see, another five over there," he pointed from one pile to the next.
Why couldn''t they have organized the treasury? Laid down all gems in one place, arranged by their rarity preferably.
"But they all look the same. How would one know if a gem has a strong ability or not?" She tried to steer the conversation towards the rarer kinds of gems, hoping to get a clue from Azrael.
"One has to study to recognize them, I''m afraid. No quick way of telling gems apart," Azrael said and scooped a few gems into his hand. "For example, among these gems ¨C two have a really rare and strong ability, two are mediocre and four are quite common."
Rosa stared at the gems intensely, but none of them appeared purple. Or like diamonds.
Who knew that telling some fancy rocks apart was so hard?
"What about this one?" Rosa grabbed the closest purple gem and showed it to Azrael.
"That''s a common one. It lets you speed up the growth of surface plants. Mostly useless in the Underworld."
"And this one?"
"That one allows you to manipulate metal."
"This?"
"With that one you could find a person using an object they''ve touched before."
Rosa kept asking again and again, making sure to grab the most promising purple gems that she could find, but none of them had an ability even remotely related to dimensional travel.
"I think that''s enough, Princess. We need to get back before your nanny notices your disappearance," Azrael yawned and stretched out his arms. Rosa was surprised that he was willing to indulge her this long, but she still didn''t want to leave.
If only there was a way to find that gem.
Rosa looked deeper into the treasury but seeing the many gems flickering in the light, she knew that it could take her several weeks of digging through all the treasures before finding the gem. If she could even find it at all. Maybe she had already dismissed it or walked past it.
"Okay, let''s go back," she said with a resigned smile and made her way towards the exit. Azrael followed closely after her, occasionally supporting her when she slipped on a rogue coin or two.
As they exited the treasury, the ball that emanated light into the chamber shut off and rolled to the bottom. It began spinning faster and faster and started expanding outwards adding one layer of metal on top of another. After a few mesmerizing minutes of observing the oddly satisfying process, the door was sealed once more.
"Ready to go?" Azrael asked and crouched down to pick Rosa up.
"Yes," she said solemnly and looked at the treasury door last time.
I couldn''t find it¡ What am I going to do now?
***
At some point during their journey back, Rosa had fallen asleep in Azrael''s arms. She only woke when he was already putting her underneath the sheets.
"Huh?" she said, half-asleep and not fully understanding what was going on around her.
"Sleep, Princess. We''re back in your room," Azrael said sweetly, and she allowed herself to be lulled back to dreamland.
Next time Rosa woke, she did so with a sharp jolt, almost instantly jumping up to her feet.
"Wow, you scared me there, Lady Morrigan! Good morning," Gunna said in her usual cheery voice, and fixed a few strands hanging in front of Rosa''s face. "You were sleeping so softly in the morning that I decided not to bother you. Are you feeling rested now?"
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"I¡ Yes, Gunna. I feel good," Rosa almost asked her the time, but caught herself before then.
Four year olds can''t tell time. Get a grip, Rosa.
"I am happy to hear that. Did you have a hard time falling asleep yesterday?" the nanny asked and began preparing Rosa for the day.
"A little bit," Rosa replied, avoiding direct eye contact.
I went through all that trouble but still couldn''t find the purple diamond. What can I do now? Should I try getting into the Treasury again? But there''s no way I could convince Azrael to do it without arousing suspicion. And I don''t think I could get past those traps on my own, especially if I can''t use my shadow form.
"Then I could prepare some calming tea for you in the evening," Gunna offered, and Rosa nodded absentmindedly. Tea certainly wouldn''t be enough to solve this. After forcing herself to eat some sandwich-like dish with fluffy bread and mild-tasting fish, Rosa was intercepted by Deziara.
"Morri, let''s go play," the girl cheered, her ponytail bouncing from side to side as she ran towards Rosa. While she wasn''t in the mood for any playing, Rosa didn''t have the heart to deny Deziara and allowed the girl to drag her along.
As she predicted, Deziara took her straight to Haku''s enclosure, where the dragon greeted them with great enthusiasm.
It''s actually been a while since I properly played with Haku. I''ve been so worried about Asdeus and her revealing my secret that I''ve completely neglected him.
Haku, however, the ever cheerful dragon, jumped up and down in joy and puffed out smoke, his tail slapping into walls and toys with incredible strength, sending them flying in every direction.
"You''ve grown quite a bit, Haku," Rosa said and patted the dragon on its red, scaly snout. The dragon was actually growing at amazing speed ¨C he was already at almost the same height as Deziara, and his previously stunted wings could easily fill up the whole dragon stable.
"Yes, maybe he''ll be able to fly soon," Deziara affectionately patted Haku''s wings, and the dragon shivered, the touch tickling his sensitive membranes.
"Why don''t we go out for some practice?" Rosa suggested, hoping that by concentrating on Haku she''ll be able to forget her woes, if only for a short while.
Haku jumped up and down impatiently, occasionally scratching at the stone floor beneath him. Rosa was surprised to see that his nails left visible scratch marks in the stone.
He''s becoming stronger by the day. I wonder if it''ll even be safe for me to come to Haku if he keeps growing at this rate. I know he wouldn''t hurt me on purpose, but he''s still young and gets excited too easily.
"I think he''d like that," Deziara agreed and opened the stable doors, allowing the dragon passage outside. He zoomed out like an arrow, forcing Rosa and Deziara to run after him.
Once outside Haku instantly spread out his wings and began flapping them, creating strong gusts that nearly knocked Rosa off her feet.
"Oh, maybe today is finally the day. I feel it in my gut," Deziara claimed and began waving her hands up and down, imitating the motion of wings in flight. "Do it with me, Haku!"
Rosa began waving her hands along with Deziara, and Haku redoubled his efforts. The residual wind was so strong that both girls were forced to back away or risk being knocked over.
"One last push, Haku! Take a big leap and then flap your wings with all your might," she instructed, and the dragon focused his green eyes on her. Rosa was surprised to see understanding in them.
The dragon stopped the intensive flapping, lowered his body and then leapt high into the air. He spread his wings and methodically pushed them down with enough force to propel him upwards. And then he did it again. And again. Until he was steadily rising above the backyard.
"He did it!" Deziara squealed in a high-pitched voice and Rosa cheered alongside her. Haku produced a low growl and spewed out a ball of fire high above the castle. It went up like fireworks and then slowly dissipated into the darkness.
The dragon then made a clumsy turn and began descending towards the girls. They scrambled aside as he landed clumsily and rolled straight into a hedge. The guards watching the girls nervously ran forward when the dragon descended but relaxed once they saw that they were safely out of his way.
"I can''t believe you did it, Haku! You can fly," Deziara ran up to the dragon who was now covered in residual bush, and gave him a hearty scratch under his chin. Rosa followed right after Deziara, and began pulling the loose branches off the dragon, while inspecting him for injuries.
It would be a shame if he injured his wing right after his first flight.
She lifted up his wings, inspecting the membranes for tears, but everything looked intact.
"Well done," Rosa praised and patted the scales on his back.
"Do you know what this means, Morri?" Deziara asked with a starry-eyed expression. Her enthusiasm was so strong, Rosa had to take a step back.
"No?"
"It means we can fly on his back!" the girl announced. Rosa blinked and looked at Haku. While Rosa has read plenty of stories about dragon riders or dragon tamers that conquer their enemies through the bond with their dragon, she never expected to ride on Haku one day.
How would I even stay seated on him? I would no doubt fall off and slip to the ground at the first turn. No, thank you!
"S-Sure," Rosa chuckled nervously. She didn''t want to sour Deziara''s mood with reality at that moment, so she decided to have the conversation when the time came.
"But I think I might be too heavy for Haku to carry in flight. He needs to grow a bit more."
"Yes."
"Hmm¡" Deziara suddenly went close to Rosa and looked her over with a scrutinizing eye.
I have a bad feeling about this¡
"But you might be just the right size," Deziara announced with a wide grin on her face.
"W-What? Me?" Rosa fumbled and took several steps away from the dragon.
"Yes! Don''t you want to fly?"
"No!" Rosa shook her head vigorously. She had always been fearful of heights and thought of those who jumped out of airplanes and climbed mountain to be absolute madmen.
There is no way in hell that I am flying on a juvenile dragon who cannot even land properly yet. Or any dragon for that matter.
"Why not? I bet it''ll be fun," Deziara whined, and Haku''s tail and wings dropped to the ground, his eyes large and pleading.
"Why are you sad, Haku? Don''t tell me you wanted me to fly on your back?"
The dragon perked up instantly, wagging his tail and scuttling close to her.
"No, no, no! I am going to fall," Rosa backed away but Deziara grabbed her hand.
"It''s alright. I''ll catch you if you do. Besides, Haku can''t fly very high yet. Even if you did fall, I doubt you''d get hurt," the girl said nonchalantly and began pulling Rosa towards the dragon. Haku positioned himself low to the ground and Deziara pulled Rosa on his back.
"No, I am pretty sure it would hurt a lot!" Rosa squeaked and put her hands around Haku''s neck in an iron grip. Of course, he was unbothered by it and instead stood up on its feet and unfurled his wings.
"Haku, please! This could end really badly."
"Do it, Haku!"
Ignoring Rosa''s pleas the dragon jumped into the air and began flapping his wings. She screamed as the ground grew further and further away from her. It was nothing like that time she had to get down the castle wall in her shadow form. Being a shadow gave a sense of safety and weightlessness.
But this was completely different. Her hands felt clammy and slippery as she held onto Haku''s neck. Her short legs clutched tight onto his back as she held her body as close to the dragon as possible. And the gravity was definitely eager to pull her down to the ground.
"You''re flying! It''s amazing, Morri!" Deziara cheered from the ground, and Rosa dared to glance her way. It was actually funny looking down on her sister as Haku glided sideways in a gentle arc, making sure to keep his body upright.
"This¡ isn''t so bad¡" Rosa admitted as the dragon circled around the yard a few more times. The soft breeze felt pleasant as it brushed through her hair. It was the closest approximation of wind in the underground. "But how about we end this for today?"
The dragon obliged her and this time, circled down slowly, making sure to loop around the yard several times before finally landing like an airplane that slowly descended on the runway.
"That looked fun!" Deziara cheered.
"It was scary," Rosa said, as she got off the dragon, her legs wobbling like jello as she walked.
"Princesses! Princesses!" a guard ran towards them at full speed, huffing and puffing in the meanwhile. "The King has returned!"
Chapter 34 – Return of the King
"Father is back?" Deziara and Rosa exclaimed at the same time. The older girl nearly jumped from excitement, barely able to contain it. Rosa, however, felt a mixture of emotions wash over her. At first she felt excited about Alphegor''s return, but she quickly tempered this emotion as cautiousness took over.
I''ll have to be very careful with Alphegor around. Asdeus will no doubt force me into her puppet show, so that means I''ll have to act as if I like her. Can I even do that? But if I don''t, then it''s all over for me.
"Yes, Princess! He kept the victory over the fallen as a secret in order to return to the Demon Castle as soon as possible. But soon the whole Demon Kingdom will celebrate his glorious victory," the guard announced, giddy from excitement.
"That is wonderful! Where is he now? We must greet him right away. Isn''t that right, Rosa?" Deziara grabbed onto Rosa''s hand, and she nodded, caught up in her sister''s enthusiasm.
"His Majesty went to his room to wash up first. He has spent more than a month on the battlefield after all. But I am sure that you can meet him as soon as he is done and dressed," the guard replied, and Rosa''s heart stopped at that moment.
Alphegor went to wash up and change clothes? But I¡ I never removed my painting from his wardrobe.
Rosa staggered back, feeling bile rise up from her stomach.
"What''s wrong, Morri? You look very pale suddenly," Deziara turned to her, reaching her hand out to touch Rosa''s face. Rosa stepped back, shaking her head in horror.
"He''ll see¡ He''ll know¡" she uttered, her head spinning and her hands shaking.
He''ll know I''m a human. Maybe he''s already seen the painting. The painting of another world. Nobody else is allowed inside his room. He''ll find out I am human. Maybe he already knows and is on his way here. On his way to¡ kill me.
"Know what? What''s wrong, Morri?" Deziara''s eyes were filled with concern and she took a step closer to Rosa. But before her sister could take a hold of her, Rosa slipped into the shadows and ran.
She headed straight towards the castle gate and slipped through without pausing for a second. The four guards never even noticed her, so she continued rushing forward.
Faster! Faster! Before he realizes that I am gone. Before he comes to kill me.
Rosa couldn''t cry any tears in her shadow form, but she felt her being breaking apart. The cityscape around her blurred as she rushed through as quickly as she could. A small, lone shadow that nobody would notice.
But it felt like everybody knew where she was going. She felt as if a thousand eyes were observing her and telling Alphegor where to find her.
I have to be far away from here. Somewhere where Alphegor cannot find me. Somewhere away from the Demon Kingdom.
She kept rushing from street to street, from building to building until slowly they became more sparse. Large buildings were replaced with smaller houses and streets, until those too dwindled.
Darkness overtook the scenery as the lights from houses grew more and more sparse. Eventually all artificial lights were gone and the only way for Rosa to see anything was from the occasional bioluminescent mushroom or plant. They seemed to be lined some distance from each other as if to indicate a pathway through the unrelenting underground.
But Rosa had no time to ponder their arrangement. Her only goal was to run away as far as possible. Away into the neverending dark ¨C where nobody could ever find her.
***
"Finally I got all the blood off my hands," Alphegor grumbled, stepping outside of the bathroom. He had wanted to see Morrigan straight away, but he didn''t want to scare her with blood and dirt that soiled his whole body after the relentless battle.
I should have razed the whole Fallen Kingdom off the map for making me spend so much time away from Morrigan.
At first, Alphegor hadn''t thought much about leaving Morrigan alone. After all, he left his other daughters alone all the time. Their mothers and the nannies were more than sufficient in taking care of them.
But it had always been different for Morrigan. Right from the start, she didn''t have a mother to rely on, so Alphegor had to step up and fill up a role that should have belonged to Eirwen. And even discounting that, there was something special about that child.
Alphegor wasn''t thinking about her magical potential, although when the elf slave had confirmed her astounding magic while she was still a babe, he had been ecstatic. No, it was about her personality. She had him firmly in her grasp, making him dance to her little whims. In that way, she was very much like her mother.
But even with all that charisma, he had not expected to miss her so dearly while away on the battlefield. He constantly worried whether the concubines were planning to poison her or send any assassins after Morrigan. He worried whether she enjoyed the food she ate or if she could sleep comfortably at night with him gone. The little girl spent three years sleeping next to him before she was comfortable enough in her own bed.
He worried whether Azrael would find a way to circumvent his oath and cause Morrigan any harm. Even if he knew it was impossible to do, he was still worried. And he also wondered whether she missed him at all. Or if she could continue on with her days as if his presence never mattered in the first place.
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How foolish! I am a King. I should not be worried about something so trivial.
And yet he was.
Alphegor sighed at his foolishness and approached his wardrobe to find himself some fresh clothes to wear. He opened the door and picked out the first outfit that he saw, putting it on in a hurry. As he swung the wardrobe door shut, a loud clatter came from inside it ¨C as if something had fallen.
"What was that?"
Alphegor opened the wardrobe again, looking inside it for anything out of place. To his surprise, there were a bunch of painting supplies scattered on the wardrobe floor. He leaned down to take a closer look and saw that small canvas had fallen down within it.
"How did that get here?" he asked aloud, although he already knew the answer. Nobody could enter his chambers besides Morrigan, her nanny and the cleaning maids. The dwarf woman had no business rummaging through his wardrobe, and neither did the maids since his clothes didn''t need to be washed while he was away. So it was no doubt Morrigan who had put these inside his wardrobe.
"Little rascal, what has she been up to?" Alphegor chuckled and picked up the canvas, wondering what kind of a ''masterpiece'' could the little demon produce.
As the gentle pastel colors of an unknown world and rectangular buildings filled his vision, Alphegor nearly dropped the painting. His breath hitched as he took in every single detail of the foreign world. Of Morrigan''s old world.
"She remembers¡ How is that possible?"
He traced his finger over the painting when a loud, panicked knock resounded on his door. Alphegor waved his fingers and the painting disappeared ¨C safely hidden in a pocket dimension.
"What is it?" he growled, irritated at the disturbance.
"Your Majesty! You must come," sounded a panicked voice of one of Morrigan''s guards. He had specifically picked out this demon as her guard as he was one of the strongest and most trustworthy warriors he had at his disposal.
Alphegor went to the door and opened it, giving a merciless glare to the guard. But he appeared unbothered by his anger, his features already filled with panic, his skin completely pale.
"This better be important that you dare to bother me," he warned, but there was an unexplainable heaviness growing in the pit of his stomach. As if he had eaten something poisoned.
"Your Majesty, Princess Morrigan ran away!" the guard blurted out.
"Ran away? What do you mean ''ran away''?" Alphegor smashed his hand into the door frame, destroying it and leaving a giant hole in the nearby wall. The guard flinched back, his face turning even paler.
"M-My colleague told both Princess Deziara and Princess Morrigan about your return, and then Princess Morrigan turned into a shadow and disappeared," the guard stammered, fumbling over his words.
"Then why are you still standing here? Go after her!" Alphegor roared and the guard rushed away, tripping over his feet.
Alphegor smashed into the door frame a second time, completely destroying the adjacent wall.
Why would you suddenly run, Morrigan? Is it because I returned? Because of the memories you regained? Or did you have them from the very beginning?
Alphegor wanted to understand her reasoning, but he knew he had no time to waste. The little girl was incredibly fast in her shadow form. If he were to linger, she could even find herself in one of the neighboring kingdoms.
Alphegor took a breath and then allowed his senses to expand outwards, hoping to feel his link to Morrigan. But instead of her, he got bombarded by Deziara''s loud wails.
That''s right, Deziara was with her. She could give me a clue as to why Morrigan suddenly ran off.
The King let the darkness envelop him and willed himself to reappear in the castle yard. Deziara stopped her crying for a moment, shocked by his appearance. But her eyes quickly filled with tears again and she threw herself at Alphegor.
"F-Father! M-Morri suddenly disappeared," the girl cried and hiccuped, barely able to form a coherent word. He crouched down on one knee and patted her head in a soothing motion.
"Tell me exactly what happened. Down to every last detail," he said, trying to make his voice as calm as possible. Showing his own distress would only make Deziara even more panicked.
"We were just playing with Haku, when a guard came and told us that you have returned," Deziara hiccuped but did her best to explain.
"And then she ran?"
"No," Deziara shook her head. "Morri looked very happy that you were back. I asked where you were and the guard replied that you went to take a bath and change your clothes."
"And then?" Alphegor urged her on, doing his best to keep his hand steady as he stroked his daughter''s hair.
"Then she suddenly looked very pale and she said something weird."
"What did she say?"
"She said ''He''ll know, He''ll see'' and then just disappeared," Deziara finished and a whole new set of giant tears began rolling down her cheeks.
"Thank you, dear! This is very helpful. I''ll find Morrigan and bring her back. Don''t you worry," he gave her a last stroke on the head and then got up.
So Morrigan most likely got scared when she realized that I would see her painting. Is it because she fears my reaction if I were to find out about her human past? If I had known that she remembered her past, I would have reassured her a long time ago.
"Really?" Deziara looked at him with large eyes as she wiped the tears away in the sleeve of her dress.
"Yes, without a doubt," he confirmed as he looked at the castle gate.
I''ll find her no matter what.
"Azrael!" he called and a few seconds later, the white-haired demon emerged from a shadow in front of him.
"You''re back already? That was fast," Azrael smirked, casually raising his hands behind his back.
"Morrigan has run away. Find her at once," Alphegor commanded, and Azrael''s face instantly shifted to a more serious expression.
"Ran away? Why would she do that?" he asked.
"It doesn''t matter why. Your only concern is to get her back safe and sound."
"Tracking her shadow form isn''t easy."
"But it''s not impossible. Alert me as soon as you find her," Alphegor glared and Azrael gave a curt bow.
"At once, Your Majesty," he replied and then slipped into the shadows. But just before he disappeared, Alphegor noticed a barely noticeable smirk on his lips.
Is he somehow involved in this? It would be better if I found Morrigan first, but I can''t take any chances.
"Your King is speaking!" Alphegor suddenly boomed, his voice increased in volume by magic. It reverberated through the whole Demon Castle, causing everyone to stop in their tracks and listen.
"Princess Morrigan is somewhere outside the Demon Castle in her shadow form. Spare no resource and find her! Inform me as soon as you have any clue as to her whereabouts," he ordered, and demons poured out of the castle dispersing to search for the little princess.
Please stay safe, Morrigan. The outside world is too dangerous for a little demon like you.
And with that thought Alphegor slipped into the shadows and sped through Linberor, grasping at any sign of his precious daughter''s whereabouts.
Chapter 35 – Through the Dark of the Underworld
Rosa lost any sense of time as she ran through the seemingly never ending dark of the Underworld. It''d been several hours since she escaped from the Demon Castle, and she was beginning to tire.
I can take a short break now? Can''t I?
She slipped out of her shadow form, cautiously looking around her. The darkness felt all the stronger in her physical form, encroaching Rosa from all sides. As a demon her vision was far better than human''s in the dark. But here, where only odd bioluminescent mushrooms and plants gave some light, even this improved vision was not enough for her to reliably see further than a few meters ahead of her.
Where do I go now?
Rosa felt so small and helpless in the dark. But there was no going back anymore. Her time as Alphegor''s daughter was over. The thought pierced her heart like a shard of glass, and a hot tear rolled down her cheek.
"I wanted to stay with him¡" she muttered as more and more rolled down, dripping onto her dress and hands.
"It felt¡ like he could accept me as I am," she told the darkness her silent hopes as it was the only entity listening to her.
"I wanted to be accepted as I am. But I am not even the same race," she cried, and looked down on her hands. They were human hands ¨C pale and pink, not the ashen pale hands of a demon. She had once again shifted into her human form without even noticing.
I don''t belong here. I have to find a way back home.
Rosa hastily wiped her tears. There was no time to wallow in sorrow. She had to keep moving forward and get away from the Demon Kingdom. It didn''t matter where she went as long as Alphegor could not reach her.
She exhaled slowly in an attempt to calm herself, and then looked around to observe her surroundings. The scenery was still just as quiet and dark as before, with an occasional quiet rustle from a bug or bat.
Where am I even? Is this still the Demon Kingdom? Must be. I can''t be as fast to leave its border within a few hours. Then again I know nothing about the topography of the Underworld. Nobody has ever bothered to show me any maps.
Rosa kept walking through the dark on foot as she felt too tired to switch to her shadow form. She hoped to find some place to rest, but realistically where would she even be able to do that? The Underworld was still so foreign to her.
What would be considered a good shelter in the dark? On the surface, a cave would be a good choice, but what if you''re already underground. A cave within a cave? How would I know that it wouldn''t collapse on top of my head while I slept?
Rosa suddenly stopped gasping as a realization hit her.
What am I going to eat and drink?
She eyed one of the glowing mushrooms suspiciously and bent down to observe it closer. Its little cap shone with a bright blue hue while the stalk appeared more subdued.
I don''t know anything about Underworld mushrooms, but if biology taught me anything, it''s that eating unfamiliar plants and fungi is not a great idea. It could make me hallucinate or give me a stomachache. Or maybe even worse¡
She shook her head and then stepped away from the mushrooms. She didn''t dare to eat it, and so decided to instead search for some settlement. While it could be risky as Alphegor would no doubt order the whole Demon Kingdom to search for her, she could remain safely hidden in her shadow form.
"Yes, it''ll be alright," Rosa tried to calm herself by speaking loudly. For a moment, everything was silent, but after a few seconds a low, rumbling cry resounded somewhere from the darkness as if to answer her.
That did not sound friendly.
She tried to focus her eyes into the darkness, to see any movement within but everything was completely still. Perhaps it was just seismic activity that made the noise. Unwilling to think about the horrid monsters that might be hiding in the dark, Rosa decided to ignore the noise and keep going.
She managed to take exactly three steps, when the low cry resounded again, this time closer. Rosa stopped and her eyes darted around in the darkness trying to make out anything within it. Nothing. She could see nothing, but there definitely was something out there.
Perhaps it would be safer if I continued on as a shadow.
As Rosa was about to slip into her shadow form, she saw a giant maw lunging straight at her. Out of pure instinct, she jumped back avoiding the sharp teeth by less than a centimeter. She could feel the heat that emanated from the creature and a few droplets of its spit landed on her hands and face.
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The creature retreated back into the darkness before she could register its appearance, but Rosa had no intention of sticking around. She slipped into her shadow form and rushed away, vaguely following the mushroom illuminated trail. She heard a bellow from behind her and it echoed through the darkness, bouncing off from unseen walls.
Sorry, I have no intention of becoming anybody''s dinner.
Rosa pushed on, leaving the hungry beast raging in the darkness over his lost meal. She heard its cries for a long while until they finally died down completely. Whether it was because of the distance she covered or because it had simply calmed down ¨C she didn''t know.
But she decided to take no chances and kept moving forward. The further away she was from the Demon Castle, the better. But her strength was starting to wane, she knew she had to find a place to rest soon. Much to her relief, she noticed a few lights flickering somewhere in the distance.
A settlement perhaps? I could take what I need from the shadows and then run. But then I wouldn''t get to rest. Maybe it''s better to change my appearance?
As Rosa got closer to the lights, she saw that there were crude clay and stone buildings erected in what appeared to be a little underground village. There were lamps hung on the side of the houses and occasional posts with a larger lamp on top. Compared to the rich demon capital, the place looked very desolate and decrepit. But even here there was life.
Better shift some distance away from the village so nobody notices me.
Rosa hid behind some large stalagmites growing upwards like odd, sharp stone trees and materialized out of her shadow form. There wasn''t much energy left in her, so she decided to keep her shift familiar and simple. She took her adult human shape but applied some demonic features ¨C gray skin, small horns, pointed ears and a tail.
Ideally she would have liked to take the shape of a lesser demon, as it would certainly draw less attention, but she was afraid to use too much of her energy. Azrael had warned her that using too much energy for a transformation could make her faint and even make her fall into a coma. To create a more ignoble appearance, she imagined herself wearing ragged clothes with a gaunt face, sunken eyes and bony limbs.
After inspecting as much of her new appearance as she could in the dim light, Rosa took a deep breath and then hobbled towards the village. She didn''t know exactly how merciful these demon villagers would be towards strangers, but she hoped that her pathetic appearance would at least earn her a scrap of food and a roof over head for the night.
As she approached the village, Rosa saw some demons chatting on the side of the street. As she had predicted, they were lesser demons ¨C both of them were rather short and stocky. Not quite as short as dwarfs but much shorter than an average pure-blooded demon. They had broad shoulders, short but beefy arms with large hands and long nails.
When they noticed Rosa approaching, both demons stopped their conversation and turned towards her. Their faces were most peculiar ¨C very small, almost beady eyes and large, black noses. In a way they reminded her of moles, the only giveaway of their demonic blood being their tiny horns on the forehead.
"H-Hello," she dared to address them in a shaky voice.
"Hello, stranger. What brings you to our tiny village?" one of the mole demons asked apprehensively, taking half a step in front of their companion. It was the stockier and larger one of the two. Whether they were male or female, Morrigan couldn''t tell, but the other mole demon took a step behind the bulkier one.
"I mean no harm. I am but a weary traveler," Rosa lifted up her arms to deliberately show her skinniness and pale complexion. The mole demons relaxed a little, although the scowl from the larger demon''s face never disappeared.
"A traveler? At this nook of the Underworld? Whatever are you searching for in this hellhole?" they sneered, crossing their arms over their chest displaying their impressive large claws in their full glory.
If I knew something more about these demons, perhaps I could appeal to them. Why is it that nobody ever taught me anything about the Demon Kingdom? Oh right¡ because I am four.
"I suddenly got attacked by a large beast with a giant maw. It attacked so quickly I barely managed to avoid it and get away," She decided to tell some of the truth to give her words some credibility. The smaller mole demon''s eyes widened in shock, and they shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.
"What did the beast look like?" the stockier demon asked with narrowed eyes, but his posture relaxed a little bit.
"I-I didn''t see anything besides its gaping mouth. It disappeared into the dark so fast," she admitted.
The mole demon opened his mouth to say something when their smaller companion spoke up instead, "Dear, other demons don''t have such good night vision as us. They wouldn''t be able to spot the Talpidot in the dark."
The larger mole nodded at his companion, his scowl finally relaxing in a more neutral expression.
"Talpidot? Is that what it was?" Rosa asked, the name completely unfamiliar to her.
"Most likely. They are large, nasty creatures which usually hide in the darkest recesses of the Underworld. It''s not rare to encounter one around here. Unfortunately, it is rare to survive a meeting with one. How''d you get away?" the mole demon asked, leaning a bit closer.
"I just ran. Ran as fast as I could," Rosa replied, determined not to reveal that she could take a shadow form.
"You must be a mighty fine runner then. Or really lucky. What about your stuff?"
"I-I had to abandon it. It was weighing me down," Rosa lied. Both of the mole demons nodded at her explanation.
"Smart. Better to lose your stuff than your life. I suppose you''re looking for a place to rest now," the stockier mole demon said, and Rosa nodded.
"Yes. And some food and water if it''s not too much to ask. I can work to repay it," she offered, hoping that it might entice the demons to help her out.
"Nonsense. You''re already all skin and bones. You''re welcome to rest in our home and eat at our table," the smaller demon said and pointed towards one of the nearby houses with her long claw. "I am Kurmina, and this is my husband Henris."
"It is nice to meet you. I am¡ " Rosa paused for a second, realizing that she couldn''t introduce herself as Morrigan. Her human name was as good of a substitute as any. "I am Rosa."
"Let''s head inside, Rosa, and you tell us every last detail of your encounter with the Talpidot. We''ve been trying to figure out how to get rid of them for ages," Henris grumbled and began waddling towards his house with Kurmina following behind him.
At least I can relax for one day. Hopefully.
Chapter 36 – Chasing a Princess
Rosa opened her eyes and found herself in a cramped space no larger than a broom closet. The bed had been far too small for her half human/half demon transformation, so after making sure that the door could be locked, Rosa assumed her natural child demon form.
Her sleep was restless as the bed was barely any better than solid ground, not to mention that she kept having nightmares. Specifically, she kept seeing Alphegor''s face as it had looked like when he killed the assassin that had attacked her when she was just a baby. Except in her nightmares his blade was embedded in her chest.
She''d stare at him in horror and then he would pull out the blade and say ''You''re no daughter of mine'' in her mother''s cold voice. The nightmare woke her up every time and it kept repeating itself throughout the night. After the third time, Rosa gave up on sleep completely and instead waited for the mole demon couple to wake.
The food they had offered to her last night was just as horrifying as the monster that almost ate her. It was some dark brown sludge that reminded her of mud with bugs and worms swimming in it. Rosa barely contained her expression when it was presented in front of her.
Initially she had thought that her hosts were making fun of her, but after they dug into their own meals with much enthusiasm and vigor, Rosa had no other choice but to force the gruel down her throat. It tasted exactly as it looked, and she prayed that it would not make her lose her already meager stomach contents.
"Are you awake yet?" She heard a gentle tap on her door and Kurmina''s voice behind it.
"Yes, I am," she confirmed and after doing the last check of her transformation for any mistakes, she unlocked the door and stepped out of the little room.
"I am sorry we couldn''t offer you someplace better to sleep. It must have been difficult with your long limbs," Kurmina sighed, looking over Rosa with a gaze that suggested that long arms and legs were a hindrance of some sort.
"It''s quite enough. Don''t worry," Rosa assured her.
I think I wouldn''t have been able to sleep well tonight even in the most comfortable bed in the universe.
"Still, I feel a bit bad. We finally have a guest after such a long time, and that''s the best I can offer? To make up for it, I made a special breakfast this morning," the mole demoness appeared somewhat giddy, clattering her claws together.
"Thank you. I appreciate that," Rosa perked up, hoping to have something more food-like for a meal. The two of them went to the tiny kitchen, Rosa with her head bent down a little bit as the ceiling was too low to accommodate the full height of this form. Henris was already sitting at the table, sipping some sort of a hot drink with what appeared to be a newspaper in hand.
"The world has gone completely mad," he mumbled as he read the paper.
"What''s wrong, dear?" Kurmina asked, as she went to the small stone stove and retrieved a pot from it. She placed it onto the stone table, and then grabbed three clay plates and forks.
"The news, the news, Mina. They made a special edition and delivered it to this forsaken place within a day. But when it comes to sending help to deal with Talpidots then nobody is available for months," Henris clattered his large claws against the table, creating a shrill noise which made Rosa wince. Kurmina didn''t appear bothered, instead busily scooping¡ something onto the plates.
Rosa had no idea what it was. It was dark gray in color and had blueish grains within it and reminded her vaguely of something children would make from soil in the playground, but they happened to find pieces of a shredded plastic toy and used that as an ingredient.
"Well, it must be awfully important if they delivered it all the way here," Kurmina said solemnly and offered the dish to Rosa. She accepted it with a forced smile, looking cautiously at the unappetizing pile of supposed food.
"Important? Bah! One of the royal brats decided to play hide-and-seek and ran away from the castle. Why should we care about it? It''s not like the little pipsqueak could have made it all the way here," Henris crumpled up the newspaper into a ball and threw it on the floor near the stove.
The fork Rosa had been holding fell out of her hands and clattered to the floor at the same time.
"Oh, I-I''m sorry. How clumsy of me," she said in a shaky voice and hurriedly picked up the fork and set it down on the table.
He''s searching for me even here. I can''t stay in Demon Kingdom for long. I must leave right away.
"Are you alright, dear? You look awfully pale all of a sudden," Kurmina looked at Rosa, who got up from the table, slowly inching towards the exit.
"I-I''m alright," she muttered, but she felt paralyzed from fear.
Alphegor must be enraged. What if he has some magic to track me? I need to get out of here as soon as possible.
Kurmina and Henris suddenly gasped and the stockier demon jumped on his feet and snarled at Rosa, "Shape shifter!"
Rosa realized how the previously cramped shack had grown larger, her head no longer pressed down by the ceiling. Her bright red locks flowed over her shoulders indicating that she had reverted back to her original form.
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"I¡ I''m sorry!" she muttered and then slipped into her shadow form, rushing out of the house before Henris or Kurmina could even realize what had happened. Soon she was alone in the dark of the Underworld, running as fast as her shadow form allowed her.
***
Rosa ran through the darkness for as long as her shadow form could take the strain. She didn''t know for how long she ran or how far she had even gone. She saw glimpses of city lights and made sure to stay away from those. She ran through the dark, guided only by her sense of urgency and fear.
But she could not keep up this pace forever. Eventually she tired out and emerged from her shadow form. She hobbled along a lava river, finding the light that it emanated safe and comforting. Unlike the heat coming from it which was excruciating. But Rosa did not want to retreat back into the dark of the Underworld.
How far have I even gone? Am I beyond the Demon Kingdom now?
She looked around, large bags underneath her eyes, as if she could find the answer laying somewhere in the dark. But all she saw was the slow, steady flow of lava and the volcanic ash along its deadly river bank.
Rosa felt utterly exhausted, her stomach rumbled incessantly, her mouth felt so dry that her tongue was beginning to crack and her eyelids were constantly trying to force themselves shut. This horrid feeling was only made worse by the sweltering heat coming from the lava which forced her already dehydrated body to expel even more precious fluids in the form of sweat.
I can''t keep going like this for long. The only way to truly be safe is to be well beyond the Demon Kingdom''s borders. But how do I even know whether I am out of the Demon Kingdom or not? It''s not like there''s signposts in this damned hellhole.
Rosa tried to come up with an answer, but her mind was so exhausted that even pushing her feet to move forward was already an overbearing task. Each step was more difficult than the last, and Rosa wondered whether she would collapse.
As she shook her head and pushed herself forward, she noticed a slight change in the flow of the lava. Instead of slow, smooth flow like Rosa was used to seeing while walking alongside it, there were odd bumps and ripples.
"What''s that?" Rosa said, and stopped to look at the weird formation in the lava. For a while, it bubbled and rippled and then the lava began to expand upwards. She took a few steps back, but was too curious to run away outright.
It''s bound to be dangerous, but I don''t really have the strength in me to run.
The lava formation grew larger and larger, giant globs of it falling onto the ashen soil, creating a plume of smoke as the lava slowly rolled back into the river. As the lava continued pouring down, the creature underneath was finally revealed. Dark glistening scales covered a giant monster which vaguely resembled a salamander.
It rose out the lava river with a giant, flat head pointed towards Rosa. She looked at it both in awe and in fear. The tough scales repelled the lava as if it were water and not molten pieces of rock and fire. In fact, the creature appeared almost cozy in the hot pool.
That''s amazing. A creature that can live inside lava. It would make for such a wonderful and powerful painting.
Unfortunately, the lava salamander (that''s how she decided to call it for the time being) had no interest in posing for any paintings. It locked its large, bright red eyes onto Rosa and began making its way onto the shore.
Oh, shit!
Rosa turned and ran. The creature didn''t appear very fast, however she was already exhausted beyond the point of being able to take her shadow form. Outrunning even a slow creature would not be easy.
She heard it scrambling onto the volcanic shore, its claws digging into the rocks below. Rosa threw a quick glance back and saw that the salamander actually had very long and slender legs. As a whole it looked rather mismatched ¨C giant head and a tail that looked like salamander''s in shape with long and muscular legs.
And the beast didn''t hesitate to use those legs. It began running towards Rosa with astounding speed, narrowing the distance between them in mere seconds. Horrified, she tried to push herself to turn into a shadow, but found no more energy left in her.
Is this how I die? Eaten by a giant monster? I suppose it is better than being tortured by your father.
Rosa ran with all the strength her little body could muster. Even if she knew it to be futile, she would not just await her death. The loud footsteps of the beast got closer and closer, and she could feel the heat radiating from its body. She put every last ounce of her strength in her legs, but they were barely able to hold her weight, buckling under the strain.
Rosa fell and expected to collide with the hard ground, but instead felt firm strong hands catch her. She looked up and saw none other than the familiar white-haired demon.
"Sorry for being late, Princess," Azrael said with a slight smile and lifted Rosa up into his arms. The salamander, shocked by his sudden appearance, stopped and snarled.
"Shut up, you overgrown lizard, and go back to your lava," Azrael shouted and then snapped his finger, producing a loud, thundering sound. The salamander yelped and ran straight back into the lava, disappearing as if it had never even been there to begin with.
"How¨C"
"These guys are easily spooked by loud noises. If you had screamed loud enough, I imagine it would have given up eventually," he said with his signature grin, and ruffled Rosa''s hair. "But you sure do look awful, Princess."
Rosa suddenly realized that Azrael must have been sent by Alphegor to capture her and tried to break free of his grasp.
"Let me go!" she snarled and thrashed around.
It would have been better for that salamander to eat me rather than get dragged back to Alphegor.
"Wow, calm down, Princess!" Azrael tried to keep his hold on her, but in the end set her down. "I am not here to hurt you."
"Alphegor sent you, didn''t he?" she accused and pointed her finger at him. "I''m not going back there to get tortured to death."
"I never had any intention of taking you back," Azrael replied.
"What? But¨C"
"Doesn''t he know that you''re a human? Probably does."
"Probably? Didn''t he tell you to capture me because I am a human."
"Do you really think the King would announce to the whole Kingdom that the daughter he declared as his heir is actually a human?" Azrael grinned, and Rosa paused to think.
No, even if he were to rip me to shreds afterwards that would certainly leave a bad impression on his subjects to have been fooled by a human for so long. The question is¡
"Why are you here then?"
"Oh, that is quite simple. I have come to send you back to the human world," Azrael said and produced a small, translucent gem from his pocket. Looking at it closely Rosa saw how its unblemished and perfect appearance shone with light purple hue.
Chapter 37 – Back Home
Rosa gaped at the purple diamond nestled snugly in Azrael''s palm.
"You snatched it from the Treasury?" She accused him.
"Sure did. I saw you looking for it, but I''m sorry to say that you walked straight past it. I guess you expected it to be more¡ purple," Azrael snickered.
"It is called the purple diamond," Rosa retorted as she examined the gem from every angle, then stared at Azrael when the realization hit her exhausted mind. "You knew that I was a human even back then."
"Oh, I knew way before that."
"Since when?" Rosa gaped at him in shock.
"Hmm¡" Azrael straightened to his full height, and rubbed his chin in contemplation. "I can''t pinpoint it exactly, but it was sometime between your first and second birthday. You were just too advanced to be a normal baby."
"I¡ I wasn''t that advanced¡" she mumbled although she knew it wasn''t true.
"You''re a horrible liar, you know. But it doesn''t matter now. The King has figured out your secret, no doubt due to some terrible blunder on your part," Azrael shrugged and paused, looking at Rosa. She sighed.
"I left a painting of my world in his wardrobe¡" she admitted, too tired to come up with a snarky retort.
"You¨C What?" Azrael gaped, then rubbed the bridge of his nose and finally sighed. "Well, what''s done is done. The good thing is that I got Dimensional Travel right here. Ideally, I would have liked to have some time to practice with it, but we don''t have much of a choice now."
"You''re going to send me back to Earth?"
"I''ll certainly try. Never done dimensional magic before so I can''t guarantee anything."
"Why?" Rosa narrowed her eyes on him, expecting him to tell that it was all a joke and that he would send her straight back to the Demon Castle. "Don''t all demons hate humans?"
"Oh, we do. Without a doubt ¨C always summoning us to do their bidding and then casting us as the bad guys. When I realized that I had sworn an oath to one, I felt my lifespan shorten by like five hundred years," he gasped in mock horror, holding one of his hands to his forehead.
"So why are you helping me?"
"For the same reason. I can''t hurt you or harm you in any way, and to be honest I would feel bad for hurting somebody so helpless. It''s no fun really," Azrael sighed, and Rosa glared at him.
"So you just want to get rid of me?" she snarled.
"Pretty much. You have to admit that being tied to another person, demon or not, is pretty dreadful. And now, when all the perks of the said bond are gone, I am quite eager to annul it," Azrael shrugged and shook his head.
"So your intention was always to just use me," Rosa asked as she glared icy daggers at his persona.
"Yeah. Ideally you would have grown to like me over the years, realizing my awesomeness and then when you were old enough, I''d propose and become the next Demon King," he grinned at his own plan, but his expression quickly fell and he sighed. "So much for that."
"You were trying to groom me! Gross!"
"Groom you?" Azrael cocked his head, unfamiliar with the term.
"It means that you''re basically a pedophile."
"I am not!" he gasped, and shook his head fervently. "Do not make a mistake. I never had any attraction towards you. All I ever wanted was to use you to become the King myself."
"Jerk," Rosa sighed, disappointed and tired from it all. She never wanted to see another demon again. "If you''re here to send me home, then just do it."
"With pleasure," he smirked, and closed his palm around the gem. After a moment, he opened it again and the diamond was gone. He flexed his fingers tentatively as if measuring his newfound power.
"So? Can you do it?" she asked, her voice filled with annoyance.
"I think so? I''m not completely certain. Could you give me your hand?" Azrael outstretched his arm towards Rosa, and she took a step back, regarding it like a poisoned blade.
"Why?"
"If you think of your world while I am trying to open the portal, it will be easier for me to pinpoint the right location. Or do you want to end up on the other side of the planet?" he explained and raised his eyebrow at her. She sighed and gave him her hand.
Then she closed her eyes and thought of her home. Of the small apartment from which she could gaze upon the whole city. The place where she could paint as much as she wanted without anybody ever judging her for it. Hope began to return to her as she thought of returning there.
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"Good. We''re almost there. Imagine the city in more detail. Think of the streets, the buildings and the landmarks," Azrael instructed.
She thought about the small shop which stood on the nearby street corner. About her favorite trail which stretched through the forest, which cast a cool shadow even in the middle of summer. About the quaint, little street with its small houses that lead to the vast, open sea.
"Yes! I got it!" Azrael cheered and Rosa opened her eyes. She saw a portal, similar to the one that Asdeus had conjured before. But instead of the nasty bog, she saw the same sandy beach and the sea she had imagined. She recognized the wooden trails with a large billboard by their side which described proper behavior on the beach and numbers to call in case of emergency.
A smile crossed on Rosa''s lips and she took a step towards the portal, when a loud voice boomed through the whole area. No ¨C the whole Underworld.
"STOP!"
Rosa turned around towards the source of the voice, and across the lava river she saw Alphegor. He was gasping for his breath and there were large bags underneath his eyes.
"Morrigan, don''t!" he called in a desperate plea. Rosa shook her head, and jumped into the portal.
For a moment everything seemed to disappear. She couldn''t see, she couldn''t hear, she couldn''t even feel. But after a moment, she regained her senses and found herself on the familiar beach, gentle moonlight illuminating the world.
Rosa looked around in awe. Despite it being the middle of the night, she could see everything in crisp detail. She saw grains of sand shimmering around her feet. Her small, gray feet. She reached up to her head and felt the firm texture of her horns.
"I am¡ still a demon," she said in horror.
Of course I am still a demon. The spell transported me to Earth, but I went in Morrigan''s body.
But even so a smile rose on her lips. She could easily take her human shape once she regained her strength. The most important thing was that she had returned.
Rosa began to laugh and fell into the soft dunes, letting the sand slip through her fingers. It felt cool and refreshing after the blistering heat Rosa felt from the lava river. But there was no lava here. No demons. No Azrael. No Alphegor.
Her smiled waned as she remember Alphegor''s desperate cry right before she jumped into the portal.
Why did he sound so sad?
Rosa shook her head and decided not to dwell on the matter. She was back on Earth, far away from Doppelta and could resume a normal life again.
***
Thanks to the dark of the night, Rosa was able to safely make a journey back to her apartment without anybody noticing. The inside of the building had also been empty so after taking the elevator she headed straight to her apartment on the seventh floor.
Part of her feared that after four years, the landlord would have long since found a new tenant for the place. But her spare key was still masterfully hidden behind the post box, and she could slip inside without any trouble.
As she closed the door of the apartment, she was surprised to see that everything was exactly as she had left it. Even the canvas of a failed painting stood against the wall, propped up by a pair of shoes. She smiled fondly at it and headed deeper inside.
Everything was quiet, but it wasn''t the same type of quiet as the Underworld. Instead of utter silence aside from creepy scuttling of bugs, Rosa could hear the occasional noise of a car as it passed by. There were also gentle footsteps of her upstairs neighbor and running water from somewhere within the building. It was peaceful, but not truly quiet.
Rosa''s stomach grumbled, adding yet another noise to the quiet of the night, and she went to the kitchen to check the food in her fridge.
Everything must be rotten by now. Maybe I have some pasta in the pantry. That can stay good for years, right?
Much to her surprise, the food in the fridge wasn''t covered in mold. In fact, it looked fresh. She grabbed the carton of milk and smelled it. Her nostrils were instantly assaulted by the putrid smell, and Rosa nearly gagged.
"Okay, that has definitely gone bad," she set the milk aside and opened the vegetable drawer. The cucumbers were oddly squishy and so were the tomatoes, but the carrots and the cabbage still looked pretty good.
That''s odd. Some time has definitely passed since I left, but it doesn''t seem to be long.
Peeved by this oddity, Rosa went back to the main room and grabbed her phone. She tried to unlock it with her finger at first, but the device couldn''t recognize the foreign fingerprint. She clicked her tongue, and then typed in the code instead.
Good thing that I used by birth date as the code. Otherwise I would have long since forgotten it.
She checked the date and saw that it was July 23rd.
Odd. Wasn''t it July when I got pulled into Doppelta? I don''t remember for sure.
Rosa opened her email to check the date when she received the message from Studio Goblin. Much to her surprise, the date was July 7th.
Only two weeks have passed? How is that possible?
But her stomach rumbled incessantly again, forcing her to return to the kitchen, where she decided to take care of more urgent matters. After scarfing down two portions of instant ramen noodles, Rosa, driven by exhaustion, fell into her bed and fell asleep.
She was woken up by the loud notification coming from her phone. Bleary eyed, Rosa got up and almost fell out of the bed in shock.
"I am really back. I am home," she said to herself, and laid back down into her bed. It wasn''t nearly as large or as comfortable as the one in the demon world. But it was certainly better than the one the mole demons offered her.
Thinking about the Underworld, she realized that things would never be the same as before. She''d seen things she had never thought were possible. She had done things no human would ever be able to do. And she wasn''t even a human anymore. Her small form, horns and tail were a strong reminder of that.
That doesn''t matter. I can transform into my human self whenever I need to. It won''t be a problem.
Rosa rolled out of the bed, and went up to the mirror. The disheveled form of Morrigan greeted her ¨C hair sticking in every direction, dress torn and dirty. She discarded her clothes and then took on her human form just as she remembered it.
Perfect! Nobody will be able to tell the difference.
Nodding at her own reflection, Rosa headed into the shower, eager to wash away all the dirt and grime that had piled onto her body over the last few days. It felt absolutely divine, and after a long and steamy wash, she came out feeling squeaky clean.
She picked out a long, blue summer dress with bright colors from her wardrobe and put it on, admiring it. It had been so long since she could wear bright colors. Demon Kingdom had a very gothic sense of fashion so a bright, cheerful dress like this would be impossible to find.
As Rosa admired the dress, her phone began playing the tune of bird chirping which she had set up as her ringtone. Curious, she went over to check it. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw the name on the screen. Mother.
Chapter 38 – Second Chance
Rosa stared at the screen in disbelief. The woman who had declared that Rosa was not her daughter was calling her of her own volition.
For what purpose? Did she have a change of heart? Doesn''t seem very likely.
Rosa reached for her phone with a trembling hand, and after exhaling a breath, answered the call.
"Hello?"
"What took you so long to answer? I''ve been trying to reach you for several days now!" resounded the familiar and yet at the same time foreign voice of her mother. She sounded angry, just like she usually did when speaking with Rosa.
She tried to contact me before? Am I dreaming? Is this some sick joke on Azrael''s part? Will I wake up and find myself in Alphegor''s torture chamber?
Rosa pinched her leg to make sure whether it was real, and the pain indicated that it was.
"Well?" Mother asked, her voice filled with annoyance.
"I¡ I was busy the last few days and didn''t check my phone," she lied, her voice low. She didn''t want to talk to Mother after everything she had said to her. For a moment she considered just ending the call, but Rosa was curious to know what the woman actually wanted.
Mother cleared her throat and said, "I suppose I can''t blame you too much. Your new job must be keeping you busy. How is it going, by the way?"
The question caught her completely unprepared. Her mother never bothered to ask about anything related to art, yet now she was inquiring about her new job at an animation studio. Rosa still clearly remembered how Mother had said that a respectable business would never call themselves ''Studio Goblin''.
Really? Judging a whole company solely based on its name. How petty can one be?
"It''s¡ busy. There''s lots of new things to learn," Rosa replied awkwardly, hoping that Mother would get to the heart of the matter.
"I imagine so, dear. Do tell me more about that company. Your sister told me that it is one of the biggest animation studios in the country," she said excitedly. At the mention of the word ''sister'', Rosa instantly thought of Deziara. She couldn''t even properly recall the features of her human sister. They seemed vague and distorted from the passage of time.
So that''s what this is really about. She learned that Studio Goblin is actually one of the big guys, so now she is inclined to talk to me again.
"Well¡" Rosa began, unsure of what to say. She never really had gone to Studio Goblin. No doubt her internship was terminated by now.
"Actually, don''t tell me over the phone. There is probably too much for you to say. We''ll come visit you over the weekend," Mother said, her voice sounding very foreign from her excitement. Such emotions were never directed at Rosa, only towards her younger sister.
"I don''t know if it''s a good idea¡ I still have much work to do," She tried to talk herself out of the unpleasant visit. It was the last thing she needed right now ¨C to host her family and entertain them while she hadn''t even gotten her bearings after leaving Doppelta.
"Are you too good to meet your family now?" Mother''s voice instantly turned cold and ruthless.
"No, that''s not what I meant¨C"
"Then we are coming! I''ll be expecting you to be a gracious host. See you then," she said and then ended the call, before Rosa could object. She stared at her phone for a few seconds, then sighed and slumped down into her bed.
Great. Now I''ll have to listen to another lengthy lecture of why I am a failure because I have lost my job. Just what I needed right now.
She lifted her phone above her head, and went to her email, expecting to find an angrily worded message from Studio Goblin. On the very top of her received email list, there stood an unopened message from them. She braced herself mentally, and opened it, ready to accept the rejection. Much to her surprise, the letter contained an address, date and time for when she should come to their headquarters. July 25th, 8:00 am.
Rosa gaped. That was tomorrow. She still hadn''t missed her chance ¨C she could still work in Studio Goblin and fulfill her dream. She jumped up out of the bed, and headed straight to her wardrobe. An appropriate outfit was necessary for such an occasion.
***
With the GPS app open in her phone, Rosa went through the busy street checking the nearby buildings for the Studio Goblin sign. She was wearing a tight pencil skirt and a white blouse, trying to adhere to the business-casual style. The clothes felt oddly coarse against her skin, and they restricted her movements so much she was almost tempted to head back home to find something more comfortable.
I never felt like my demon clothes were uncomfortable, even if some of them looked like a goth''s fever dream. The fabrics they use for Princess''s are probably much more sophisticated than what I have bought at clearance in the local store.
Rosa paused as she finally saw a tall building that had Studio Goblin sign above the front entrance in large, green letters. She smiled and headed straight towards it, her low-heels clattering against the paved road. The shoes felt even more uncomfortable than the clothes, not to mention that the constant ''click-clack'' that came from them reminded her of Asdeus.
Rosa shook her head, dismissing the unpleasant thought and entered the building through its glass door. The foyer was neat and lined with posters of their previous animated features. Behind a modern, sand colored desk sat a young woman dressed similarly to Rosa. She had dark brown hair tied neatly into a bun, and appeared very professional.
"Hello," Rosa greeted her somewhat nervously.
"Hello. How may I help you?" she asked with a polite, professional smile.
"I am here for my internship," Rosa replied, and the woman nodded, opening a notebook that stood at the corner of her desk.
"Name?"
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"M-Rosa Smith," she stuttered, nearly calling out her demon name.
Get a grip, Rosa. You''re back on Earth now. You are a human.
So she tried to convince herself, although she knew full well that underneath her human face hid a little demon girl. But there was no time to think about that ¨C she had to focus on the task in front of her.
"Take the elevator to the sixth floor, and go to the cabinet number 665," the woman said and pointed towards the elevator. Rosa nodded in thanks, and headed towards it.
The whole situation felt so odd to her. Just a few days ago she was rushing through the Underworld trying to run away with her life, and yet now she was riding in an elevator at Studio Goblin. She should have felt happy and relieved, but there was a strange heaviness that kept weighing her down.
It''ll pass, Rosa. Focus. You need to make a good first impression.
As the elevator reached the sixth floor, Rosa was greeted by a long, monotone hallway with many doors lining the walls, each with its own number. She searched for room 665 and found it at the very end of the hall. After gathering her nerves for a minute, she exhaled and knocked on it.
"Come in," a feminine voice replied from behind the door. Rosa opened it and peered in. The room inside was rather small and stuffed to the brim with shelves filled with papers. In the middle of the room was a desk behind which sat a tired-looking woman in her thirties. She was rubbing her temples as she stared at the drawing tablet in front of her.
"Hello. I am here for my internship," Rosa said awkwardly, feeling as though she had just interrupted something.
"Internship¡" the woman muttered as she dragged her stylus across the surface of the tablet. Then, as the information finally registered in her brain, her eyes snapped up to look straight at Rosa. "You''re the new intern?"
"Yes," Rosa confirmed, and was shocked when the woman groaned loudly and slammed her stylus onto her desk.
"Ugh! I can''t believe he actually pushed the intern onto me when I am already falling behind schedule. I am going to demand a bonus for this bullshit," she mumbled, and searched for something among the sea of papers on her desk. "What was your name?"
"Rosa Smith," she replied meekly, wondering whether it would be better to just leave.
"I am Penny. Give me a moment," Penny grumbled, digging through the papers. As the search dragged out, and she was unable to find the desired thing, Penny threw up her arms in frustration and slumped back into her chair.
"Is everything alright?"
"Okay, I am going to be brutally honest with you, newbie. I currently don''t have the time to deal with you. There''s a deadline coming up for the concept art I need to submit for the new movie, so that is currently my priority," the woman said as she rubbed the bridge of her nose.
"So what am I supposed to do?"
"I don''t know, to be honest. I''ve never dealt with interns before. Why don''t you just grab that chair over there and come watch me work?" Penny said in a resigned voice and then straightened, taking the stylus in her hand again.
"Alright," Rosa took the chair and positioned it behind Penny, so she could see the screen of her tablet. It appeared that she was working on some sort of dark landscape, but the piece was still in its early stages so Rosa couldn''t tell what exactly it was supposed to be.
Penny returned straight back to work, furiously laying down one color after another, drawing as if it were a speed challenge of some sort. She watched the woman with keen interest admiring how she added one layer of color over the other. First black, then dark blue, then dark brown. Rosa couldn''t understand what exactly she was trying to create.
The scene is certainly dark. Perhaps it takes place during the night? In some forest? Or maybe in a cave? Or perhaps within a dark mansion?
Penny switched the color to dark grayish and began laying down large squares in the middle of the picture. They looked rather awkward and blocky at first, but then she began adding darker gray and black shadows, giving the building more definition. Then using dark blue, she drew in arch-like windows and afterwards began defining a brick-like texture.
It''s a gothic castle similar to the Demon Castle back at home. Wait¡ Why did I just think of Demon Castle as my home? How foolish. I am back home now. This is where I belong.
Rosa shifted in her seat, and continued to observe Penny work. She watched how the woman used various features within her drawing program to multiply the patterns she had created and laid it over the whole castle. She made cracks in the walls, copied them and spread them around giving the castle a more abandoned look.
Demon Castle never had a single crack in the walls. Everything was always new and clean.
The stylus glided towards the windows next, making the glass shattered in places, drawing broken shards laying on the windowsill. Penny even went as far as to draw blood drip down in one of the windows. Rosa shifted uncomfortably, feeling her hold on the transformation slip for a bit.
Is sitting still for long periods of time somehow harder for maintaining the transformation while walking? Or perhaps it is just more difficult on Earth? Less magic here or something akin to that? I wish I could have found out more about how magic truly worked.
Penny nodded to herself, seemingly satisfied with the castle and then turned towards its surroundings. She drew black dead trees with broken branches, scattered around where the castle yard should be. Instead of the dark greenery Rosa had grown accustomed to, dark thorny bushes took their place, clearly intending to turn away anyone who dared to come close.
That''s just too much. Nobody in their right mind would grow so many thorny bushes in their yard. What purpose would they even serve aside from annoying the poor gardener?
As the woman continued adding menacing details throughout the piece, Rosa grew increasingly more uncomfortable in her seat. It seemed very hard against her flesh while her body began feeling heavy.
I wish I could take my smaller form. It is always more comfortable in it.
"What do you think?" Penny asked suddenly, breaking Rosa out of her thoughts She looked at her piece from various angles, as if trying to find something in it.
"Me?" Rosa asked, surprised by her sudden question. They had sat in complete silence for more than an hour.
"Is there somebody else here?"
"I suppose not¡" Rosa muttered, and then took a careful look at the drawing again. While it certainly looked dark and menacing, it also appeared somewhat dull and lifeless. It had the base of the Demon Castle, but none of its magnificence. No grand lanterns to illuminate the outside or the intricate statues of grand dragons or beasts.
"I think it could use a bit more¡ life," Rosa said, and Penny whirled around in her chair, looking her straight in the eyes.
"Okay, I didn''t explain the concept I was going for, my bad. It is supposed to be a demon castle," she said in a condescending voice.
"I understand that. But there are people living there as well, are there not? Shouldn''t there be some lights in the windows? Everything appears very uniform, but I think a real castle would have some more variation. Some taller towers, and some shorter ones. And it wouldn''t be so worn out and broken. This castle just looks abandoned."
Penny looked at Rosa as if she was insane, her eyebrows furrowed into angry grimace, "Ah, why did I even ask? What would a newbie who barely knows how to hold a stylus know about drawing concept art?"
"Let me educate you, intern. The castle of a villain always has to look as decrepit, lifeless and uninviting as possible. People would not live there, in fact, they wouldn''t even go near it. They need to be afraid of monsters that are living there."
"They are not monsters!" Rosa jumped up from her seat, glaring down at Penny. The woman looked at her incredulously, one eyebrow raised. Rosa felt a hot tear stream down her face, and touched it with her hand, shocked at her own emotional outburst.
What is wrong with me? It is just a drawing, not the real Demon Castle.
"I¡ I''m sorry. I''ll be leaving now," Rosa mumbled and rushed out of the tiny office.
"And don''t come back! Newbies who don''t know how to listen to their betters have no business working for Studio Goblin," Penny shouted behind her.
But it wasn''t her rejection that made the tears flow down Rosa''s cheeks. It was the realization that she missed the Demon Castle. And that she would not be able to return to it.
Chapter 39 – Meeting Mother
Rosa felt absolutely horrible. Her head was hurting from the lack of sleep, and her nerves were a complete wreck due to impending visit from Mother.
The whole morning, Rosa spent running herself ragged as she tried to prepare a meal to present to her family. She cooked a pork loin in the oven, hoping to end up with tender meat and some crispy skin on top. Unfortunately, something went wrong with the temperature setting, and she ended up with tough meat and chewy skin.
She also tried to cook up some vegetables in the oven ¨C potato wedges, carrot slices and cauliflower. Those also turned out all wrong. Potatoes turned out a bit burned because she had placed them too high on the oven rack. Meanwhile carrots and cauliflower turned out too hard since those were placed too low.
"This is just horrid¡ I am out of practice," Rosa muttered, and began cutting up some fruit and putting it on the plates. That would have to be her saving grace for the time being.
"This is bound to be a disaster anyway," Rosa sighed and tried to come up with a way to nicely tell her mother that she had been fired from Studio Goblin on her first day. Perhaps, it would have been better if she had missed her internship date. At least then she wouldn''t have to relive the embarrassment of what happened with Penny.
In the end, she would receive a lengthy lecture from Mother about what kind of failure she was and no doubt would be disowned for the second time. Rosa certainly wasn''t looking forward to it, but she also didn''t fear it as much as she thought she should. After being away from Earth for so long, her mother''s opinion had become irrelevant. It could not compare to what she had experienced in Doppelta.
Dinnertime with Alphegor had always been pleasant and fun for her. He''d always eagerly ask for her opinion on the food they ate, paying special attention to the desserts she enjoyed the most. The desserts a princess could receive in the Underworld were truly sublime, and she would have eaten them in spades had the King been a bit more lenient towards her.
But Alphegor cared for her health thus making sure that she would eat a well-rounded diet. It was this attention to detail that made her respect him even more. He also always asked how her day had gone and what she had studied, carefully listening and assessing her answers. Unlike Mother who never wanted to hear a word that she said and only insisted on her own opinion.
The doorbell rang, startling Rosa out of her thoughts and making her accidentally cut her finger. She hastily washed the blood off, and went to open the door. Behind it stood Mother and Rosa''s little sister Violet. The two looked like older and younger versions of each other respectively. Dark brown hair, tied into a neat bun for mother and into a ponytail for Violet. Short, petite physique and dark chocolate eyes which observed everything with unreserved scrutiny.
"Hello. Mother, Violet," Rosa greeted them with a forced smile. Violet looked wholly uninterested in what was going on, instead typing something on her phone.
"Hello, Rosa! It is so good to see you," Mother said cheerfully, but it sounded so fake and over the top, that Rosa nearly cringed.
"It is good to see you too. Come in," Rosa kept her fake smile to the best of her abilities and stepped aside to let them in. The two women stomped inside, not bothering to take off their street shoes, bringing dirt onto the clean apartment floor.
If I had done that in your home, you would have thrown me out instantly.
But Rosa didn''t voice her thoughts aloud. There would be enough conflict later.
"What a quaint little apartment you have. Quite interesting decor," Mother said, trying to sound flattering but Rosa could see the tremor at the corner of her mouth. She didn''t like it.
"Why don''t you sit down at the table and I''ll bring some food. We can talk while we eat," Rosa offered, and hurried to the kitchen without waiting for their reply. She had barely seen her family for a few minutes, but she already wanted them gone.
"This place sucks," Rosa heard Violet''s voice coming from the living room.
"Not so loud, Violet. She might hear you. I am sure Rosa will get a better apartment after she receives her first paycheck."
I can hear you both perfectly fine.
Barely over the threshold when both of them already began nitpicking and judging her every step. Rosa looked down at the failed feast she had prepared. It looked sad and unappetizing, only solidifying the unpleasant feeling growing in Rosa''s chest.
Perhaps, I should just outright say that I lost the job. No doubt they would leave right away then.
Rosa picked up the plates and one by one carried them to the living room table, where Mother and Violet waited. Mother smiled at her pleasantly, but the smile disappeared as soon as she saw the failed vegetables in Rosa''s hands.
"What is that?" she asked, pointing at the plate.
"Potatoes, carrots and cauliflower," Rosa replied dryly and set the plate on the table, retreating back to the kitchen before Mother could say anything more. She returned with the visibly tough piece of meat, and Mother pointed at that too.
"What is that?" the furrow in her eyebrows deepened as did Rosa''s irritation.
"Pork," she replied and hurried to retrieve the fruit. When she returned, she saw Violet poking the piece of meat with a fork and sneering at it as if it were some dead animal she found at the side of the road. Rosa gritted her teeth and put the fruits down on the table with a bit more force than necessary.
"Rosa! There''s no need to hit the table just because you''ve failed to cook up a proper meal. It is most disappointing that you couldn''t host us properly, but I didn''t expect you to fix your ways right away," Mother said, and pushed the plate of vegetables away from herself.
"Should have just ordered a pizza. In fact, can''t we just order some now?" Violet chimed, and Mother''s hard gaze softened.
"Of course, dear. What an excellent idea! Why don''t you find something? Rosa will pay since she is treating us," Mother smiled pleasantly at Rosa who balled her hands into fists.
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It''s okay, they will leave soon enough. Just endure it.
"Of course, Mother," she replied, plastering on a fake smile.
"Excellent. While we wait, let me tell you everything you''ve missed," Mother said, and then went on a lengthy rant bragging about Violet''s studies, Father''s achievements in work (he was too busy to visit, apparently), various gossip regarding relatives Rosa barely knew and every topic that didn''t involve Rosa.
She listened to her Mother''s rant, counting down seconds until the doorbell finally rang and the delivery guy arrived. Rosa instantly ran to the door to answer it, relieved that Mother''s ranting would be over. Unfortunately, she didn''t account for the amount of pizza Violet would order. Six large pizzas each with exuberant amounts of toppings which cost over a hundred dollars.
Why the hell do we need so many pizzas? We could barely finish one of these.
Grumbling, Rosa paid the delivery guy and brought the giant stack into the living room.
"I see you ordered a wide variety for us to choose from. Most thoughtful of you, Violet," Mother praised.
"Yeah, I figured I could take the leftovers to Kyle''s party afterwards."
Why you little! You just used me to buy pizzas for your buddies.
Nonetheless, Rosa swallowed her complaints and instead offered the pizzas to them with a smile.
Just a bit longer.
"So Rosa¡ Tell us about your new workplace," Mother said, and Violet finally seemed to perk up from her phone.
"Yeah, I heard it''s like the biggest animation studio in the country."
"It is pretty big," Rosa replied awkwardly, hoping they would leave it at that, but obviously they both stared at her, expecting more.
"So, tell us more," Violet urged impatiently. "How much do you earn?"
Is this all you care about? Money?
"Well, I¡"
"Violet, she is still an intern. They don''t make much. Tell us about your growth potential. How long until you can take on serious management jobs?" Mother leaned closer, and Rosa could almost feel the heaviness of her expectations weighing her down.
"Management jobs?" Rosa asked.
"Yes! That''s why you joined, isn''t it? Initially you do the small jobs of an artist, but after some time surely you would be able to climb up the ranks and become a manager," Mother said.
"Why would a management position be better than an artist''s position?" Rosa asked, her voice low as she was trying not to show the anger growing within her.
"Isn''t it obvious? Artists never get paid well. It is really nice that this Studio G-Go ¨C oh whatever it''s name was ¨C takes on such sad souls like you and gives them a chance to learn a proper job."
"Proper job? You still think that being an artist is not a proper job?" Rosa growled, her knuckles turning white from how hard she was clenching her fists.
"Rosa, we''ve been through this many times already. Being an artist is nothing more than a childish fantasy. Real people do not earn money that way," Mother waved her hand dismissively, as if the thought itself was offensive.
"But these people clearly make money by creating art," Rosa argued.
"They don''t really make art though. They make animated movies," Violet interjected, her eyes focusing back on the phone''s screen again.
"And how do you make animated movies without drawing it first?"
"Computer graphics, duh," Violet stuck out her tongue, and Rosa felt like she was reaching her boiling point.
"There''s no need to get angry, Rosa. I am sure you are just frustrated that you cannot get the good positions right away. But if you follow the examples of your betters, then surely you will be able to reach a management position in no time at all."
"I do not want the management position," Rosa objected, and Mother looked at her incredulously.
"W-What do you mean? Of course, you do."
"No! I do not. And in fact¡" Rosa paused to think whether she really wanted to make a scene. But looking at Mother''s cynical expression, Rosa decided that there was no need to hide anything. "I don''t even work there anymore."
"What?" Mother shot up to her feet, slamming her hands down on the table.
"I went there and got fired on my first day. Happy?" Rosa got up too while Violet observed the situation with unhidden glee.
"Fired on the first day?" Mother gaped in shock, her mouth opening and closing like that of a fish out of water.
"Yes. I went to their office and watched an artist prepare concept art. She asked for my opinion and I gave it. Turned out it was wrong, so I am now left without an internship."
"Then go back and ask for forgiveness! You finally landed a normal job, and messed it up on the first day. If only you could listen to what the betters tell you!" Mother put her hands on her hips, glaring at Rosa. This is how Rosa was used to seeing her.
"I will not beg or grovel before anybody," Rosa announced, remembering Alphegor''s words. The King had always taught her to remain strong and proud ¨C that was how a demon princess should behave. But she never thought his lessons would linger within her so strongly.
"The audacity! I knew this whole thing was too good to be true. You never listened to a word I said, instead insisting on some childish fantasies. I hoped that maybe my words would have finally sunk in when I heard you got a job in a large company. But now I see that there was no way of fixing something that was born broken."
"And what have you accomplished?" Rosa snarled, looking at her mother with a defiant glare.
"What?" Mother asked, taken aback by the question.
"What have you done in your life that''s so amazing? Before you met Father you worked as a waitress, and after marrying him you quit your job entirely, leeching off his money," Rosa sneered. Something seemed to snap within her mother. She stomped around the table and then slapped Rosa with all her might. It didn''t hurt as much as she expected. In fact, she barely registered the pain ¨C it was nothing compared to what Asdeus had done.
"Feel better now?" Rosa smirked. Mother''s face turned red from anger when she realized that her slap didn''t bring the desired results.
"Violet! We are leaving!" she announced and stomped out of the apartment.
"I knew it''d be like this," Violet mocked, and, after grabbing all of the pizzas, followed after Mother, slamming the door behind her.
Rosa watched them leave and after she was sure they were gone, fell into her bed, drained from the confrontation. She had expected this ending, of course, but that didn''t make it any less awful. Much to her surprise, she didn''t feel sad about it. A little angry and certainly disappointed, but Mother''s words didn''t hurt her the way they had before.
"At least they won''t bother me anymore," Rosa muttered and looked over at the dinner table where vegetables and meat, she worked so hard to make, lay untouched.
Seems like I''ll be eating meat and vegetables for quite a while.
She got up from the bed, ready to clean away the table and the remnants of the unpleasant encounter, when she heard some kind of shouting coming from the hallway. At first she paid no mind to it ¨C her neighbors weren''t exactly quiet and it wasn''t rare to hear a whole family argument unfold. But the voices grew louder and more¡ familiar.
There was a woman''s voice, which definitely was her mother''s. Rosa pondered whether a poor neighbor had bumped into her, and now was getting a vocal beating of a lifetime. Curious, she went closer to the door and pressed her ear against it, trying to make out what she was shouting about.
"This is an outrage! I shall call the police this instant," Mother bellowed on top of her lungs.
"Calm down, crazy human. I was merely curious about the device," responded a cheeky, familiar voice speaking in the demon language. Rosa opened the door in a hurry and rushed into the hallway to make sure whether her mind had started playing tricks on her. Rosa froze on the spot as she saw Alphegor standing in the hallway.
Chapter 40 – Birth of Morrigan
Rosa stared in disbelief at the scene in front of her. Azrael stood with Violet''s phone in hand, poking and prodding it. Violet stood trembling behind Mother, her eyes filled with fear, while Mother pointed a finger at Azrael, yelling at him to return the phone. But the most shocking part was Alphegor who stood a few meters away from the scene, tapping his foot impatiently.
Azrael and Alphegor both had no demonic features, but their clothes still stood out like a sore thumb when compared to Mother and Violet. Azrael wore some odd skin-tight leather clothes while Alphegor had one of his fancy suits on. Both of them looked like they didn''t belong.
How are they here? Why are they here? How is this possible?
Rosa stumbled back a step, and Mother took notice of her.
"Rosa! Don''t you just stand there! Call the police immediately," she commanded, as Violet trembled behind her. Azrael''s and Alphegor''s attention went to her, and Rosa froze. Azrael clearly recognized her ¨C he had seen her human form before, but the demon made no attempts to point it out.
"Azrael, I tire of this. We must find Morrigan, not squabble with humans. Return the toy to the child," Alphegor commanded, speaking in the demon language, and with a pout Azrael threw the phone back at Violet. The girl lunged forward and caught it as if her life depended on it.
"Alright, alright. Let''s search for her," Azrael said, and gave Rosa a knowing smirk.
Alphegor doesn''t recognize me in this form. If I just stay quiet, then he will leave and never find me.
But seeing Alphegor made her heart ache. While his demeanor was still majestic and strong, she noticed some signs that indicated that he was actually in distress. Like the occasional nervous twitch of his finger or how his eyes went from one place to another, never staying anywhere for long ¨C always searching.
"You cannot assault people like this! Rosa, for God''s sake stop standing there like a mute and call the police," Mother yelled, taking a step towards her.
"I don''t think that''s necessary," Rosa said quietly, but the moment her mouth opened Alphegor''s eyes snapped to her.
"Morrigan?" he exclaimed and took two steps forward, his eyes wide from disbelief. "Is that you?"
"I-I¡" she stuttered, not sure what to do. Her body filled with panic, and she wondered whether running would do her any good. And then a tear rolled down Alphegor''s cheek.
"My daughter. I''ve found you," he uttered and rushed towards her. Before she realized what was happening, Alphegor had pulled her into a hug, holding her close to his body. His familiar warmth engulfed her like a safe blanket.
"F-Father?" she uttered in the demon tongue. Her body trembled, her mind reeled as she was unable to process the situation.
It feels like he is relieved, no, even happy to have found me. Shouldn''t he be mad? Shouldn''t he drag me back and throw me into the castle dungeons? And yet he is hugging me, holding me just as gently as when I was a baby.
"Rosa, what is going on? Why are you hugging this stranger?" Mother yelled somewhere in the background, but Rosa didn''t care for it. Her attention was wholly on Alphegor.
"I am so sorry, my child. I am sorry for not noticing that you had memories of your past life. If I had known, I would have explained everything to you straight away," he said, and pulled back from the hug to look at her properly. "So this is what you looked like as a human? A bit similar to your mother now when I take a look at you properly."
"You knew?" Rosa asked in shock, her hands trembling as Alphegor held them in his.
"Of course I knew. I am your father," he said in a gentle voice, and patted her head so carefully and tenderly as if she could break if he pressed any harder. The dam inside Rosa broke, and tears began streaming down her face like a waterfall. Alphegor pulled her back into a hug, gently rubbing her back in the meanwhile.
"Outrageous. Associating with men like these. Are there no lows to which you won''t fall?" Mother said, daring to take a few steps closer to Rosa and Alphegor. But the King turned his head and glared at the woman, stopping her dead in her tracks.
"Get out of here before I lose my patience, human," he commanded in the demon language, and Mother shrunk back. She did not know the meaning of his words, but the ferocity behind them could be understood without question. She looked to Violet to say something to her, but the girl had already run downstairs.
"Violet? Violet, wait for me," she called and hurried after her.
"Why don''t we take this someplace cozier?" Azrael suggested, snickering at Mother''s swift retreat.
"Come inside, Father," Rosa pointed towards her small apartment, wiping the tears from her eyes. Alphegor nodded with a small smile, and with his hand on her shoulder went inside. His large hand felt warm and comforting, and it gave her a sense of peace she hadn''t felt since he left for the battle.
Azrael followed right after them, closing the door behind him. Before she could properly tell them to relax, he threw off his shoes and sprawled all over her bed as if he owned the place.
"Finally, I can relax," the demon sunk deep into the pillows without a single shred of shame. Alphegor pulled out one of the chairs by the table and urged Rosa to sit in it. She followed his instruction absentmindedly, unable to process the ongoing events.
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Once she was seated, Alphegor pulled out another chair for himself and sat down. His demonic features appeared again as did Azrael''s, signifying how two of the most powerful demons in the Underworld were crammed into Rosa''s tiny apartment. She would have laughed if she could. But there was a heavy knot in her stomach and she couldn''t bring herself to look at Alphegor.
"Don''t use Morrigan''s bed as you please," Alphegor waved his hand and Azrael levitated up in the air. The demon appeared surprised but didn''t resist, instead resigning himself to Alphegor''s will. The King levitated Azrael to the kitchen, slammed the door shut and then drew a square in the air in front of the room. His fingers shimmered as he did so indicating the presence of magic.
"I want to have a private talk with my daughter," Alphegor said and looked at Rosa, his tail flicking nervously from side to side. "Would you be willing to hear me out?"
Rosa nodded demurely, still not daring to meet his eye. She twiddled her thumbs nervously as she tried to come up with something to say.
I ran away assuming that he would kill me because I am a human. But turns out he knew all along. I''ve made such a mess for nothing. What can I even say? Sorry? How could that ever be enough?
Alphegor sighed, looking a bit tired and unsure. Perhaps he too was contemplating what to say. His eyes landed on the food on the table.
"Do you mind if we eat while we''re at it? I''ve just realized it''s been a while since I''ve had a proper meal," Alphegor asked in a soft voice.
"I don''t mind, but perhaps I can order some food for you. These dishes that I''ve made didn''t turn out quite like I wanted them to," Rosa muttered and was about to clear the plates away. Much to her surprise, Alphegor grabbed them before she could and piled the empty plate in front of him with a mountain of vegetables and meat.
"There is no way I am missing out on my daughter''s cooking!" He announced, and without a second thought began shoveling everything down his throat. Rosa watched in horror how in a matter of minutes most of the plate was already empty.
"Father, surely, I can offer you something better," she said helplessly. But Alphegor just smiled widely.
"What are you talking about? A meal cooked by my daughter is the most delicious meal in this world," he exclaimed and then reached out to pat her head. Rosa could feel her heart swell with joy, and tears of happiness streamed down her face. Alphegor seemed surprised for a moment and then smiled.
"Thank you," she muttered and then noticed how the world had grown larger around her. She''d turned back into her demon child form without even thinking about it.
"There''s no need to thank me," he said and then sighed, slowing down his eating pace. "In reality this whole mess is my fault. If I had been more attentive and noticed that you had retained your memories."
"Father, could you please explain? How exactly do you know that I am a human."
"You are not a human anymore, Morrigan. You are a demon through and through. But you were a human in your past life. I think it''s better if I explain exactly how you were born," Alphegor took a deep breath while Rosa watched him intently.
"You see, Morrigan, demons are born differently than other living beings. Normally when a female becomes pregnant, a soul attaches itself to the child while still in its mother''s womb."
Rosa nodded at this. She had read and heard many arguments where people tried to determine at what point does a child still within the confines of their mother''s body become a person. Some claimed it was only after the child was born. Rosa believed that if the child could move then surely it was already alive.
"But it''s different for demons. Demon mothers grow an empty vessel within themselves and they give birth to the empty vessel," Alphegor said, staring at his fork as if recalling some memory in its reflection.
"An empty vessel?"
"Yes. Their heart beats but there is no soul. The parents must attach a soul to the vessel for the child to be truly born."
"So you attached my soul to this body?" Rosa asked, flicking her demon tail.
"Not quite. I tried to ¨C performed the ritual I always had for when my daughters were born. It always worked flawlessly, but with you ¨C I couldn''t. Something went wrong," Alphegor''s eyes were dark and downcast, memory clearly painful to him. "I couldn''t find a soul suitable for your body. The heartbeat within the vessel was beginning to weaken, it couldn''t keep working without a soul."
"So your mother, Eirwen, took the matters into her own hands. Despite her exhaustion from giving birth, she used all of the magic she had to find a soul. And she found you ¨C a human soul from a different world. I was shocked at first, but Eirwen said that you called for her," Azrael explained and his hands began to tremble.
I called for her? Was it when I was struggling in the sea? I don''t remember much from that moment. It''s such an unpleasant memory¡
"So she pulled my soul into this body when I died at sea," Rosa said somberly.
"Yes. She used the last bit of her strength to do it ¨C gave her life for yours. Eirwen could hold you only once before her life slipped away," Alphegor said and hid his face behind his large palm. "The last words she said to me were ''Protect Morrigan''."
Rosa''s chest grew tight and her eyes welled with tears. Her demon mother, despite knowing her for but a brief moment, gave her life for hers. She sacrificed herself for a human when Rosa''s human mother would denounce her simply for the things that she liked.
Rosa, no, Morrigan, got up from the chair, walked up to her father and put her small hand on his shoulder.
"I am sorry for doubting you, Father. I am so sorry for running away," she said, and Alphegor looked at her.
"I never blamed you for it, Morrigan. There is nothing to apologize for," he said with a bittersweet smile as he put his large hand over Morrigan''s. Then his smile vanished and Morrigan could see fear flash in his eyes. "If you wish to remain in the human world, I will not stop you. But I wish for you to return home."
She paused to think.
Do I want to go back to Doppelta? I came back to Earth in order to lead a peaceful life. But what would I do next if I remained here? My dream job in Studio Goblin is lost. But even if it weren''t, I don''t think I would enjoy working in such a setting ¨C crammed into a tiny room in front of a computer and forced to hit the deadlines without any care for quality.
My mother, father and sister don''t even care for me. They never had and never will. Even if I were to get a ''normal'' job like Mother wishes, she would still find some fault in me. She would never be happy with what I do.
Morrigan looked at Alphegor, and thought of her time together with him. How he always attended to her needs, listened to her and cared for her. He named her his heir, but at the same time the way he has been teaching has been patient and he never outright demanded things from her.
Even if this role seemed like a burden too heavy for her to bear, Morrigan was sure that Alphegor would guide her and support her through it. He would make sure that she is ready for it, instead of forcing it upon her prematurely.
"I wish to go home with you, Father," she replied with a smile. Alphegor''s expression beamed with happiness and he scooped her up into a smothering hug.
"That''s my girl! I knew you''d come through," he said as he wrapped his hands around Morrigan. She smiled as her whole being filled with warmth and peace. To think that she would find happiness in the arms of her demon father.
Chapter 41 – Epilogue
"Why does this always happen to me?" Morrigan grumbled as she noticed the dark storm clouds approaching from across the sea. She, her father and Azrael were standing on the sandy beach and streams of people hurried past them, eager to avoid the storm.
But even if the weather was turning dark and gloomy, Morrigan''s heart was beating with excitement.
To think that I would be getting excited about returning back to the Underworld, where the sun doesn''t even shine. But I want to see everyone again ¨C Deziara, Gunna and Haku. I want to go back to my and my father''s room and enjoy a peaceful evening talking to him.
"Why does what happen?" Alphegor asked, looking at her, shifted into her human form to avoid scaring humans. The King looked unbothered by the approaching storm. In fact, his strong stature made it look demure in comparison. Morrigan''s chest swelled with pride.
This is my father. He truly is my father.
"The thunderstorms. There was one right before I went to Doppelta and there is one here now," she explained pointing at the thunderclouds looming towards from across the horizon. "I hoped to see the sun after a long time without it."
"Silly Princess," Azrael shook his head and snickered, crossing his arms over his chest as if challenging the storm head on. "We are demons. We don''t need the sun."
"I never thought the day would come that I would agree with Azrael, but he is right. We do not need the sun like the surface dwellers. We are creatures of darkness, we thrive in it, grow with it, embody it," the King said standing tall and proud.
"I do miss it a little bit," she admitted, and Alphegor''s features softened.
"We can go to the surface of Doppelta and look at it there," he said.
"Really? Demons are not forbidden from going to the surface?" Morrigan cocked her head curiously to the side.
"Oh, the surface dwellers certainly won''t be happy about seeing us, but what can they do? They don''t even know proper magic," Azrael smirked, and kicked a stray rock laying in the sand, sending it flying across the vast beach until it fell into the sea with a loud splash.
"It is not outright forbidden. Besides, you can shapeshift, so it shouldn''t be a problem if you change your appearance just like you have now," he explained. She nodded, relieved that she would not have to spend her whole life underground like a mole. Or those mole demons. Even if they did seem like nice enough people.
Suddenly the phone in her pocket vibrated, notifying her of a new message. Curious, she opened it and saw an email from Studio Goblin titled ''Regarding Internship''.
What''s this about?
Morrigan tapped on the message and checked its contents. It turned out to be a lengthy apology letter where one of the people from the Human Resources Department explained how there was a mistake with her internship. Oddly enough the letter was worded in such a roundabout fashion that in the end the whole incident turned out to be her fault entirely. But since they were ''generous and understanding towards newcomers'', they would look past it and allow her to return.
Morrigan scoffed at the message, and was about to put it back into her pocket when she realized that it would be utterly useless in the Underworld.
"What''s the matter?" Alphegor asked, looking at her intently.
"It''s not important, Father. I just realized that this won''t work in the Underworld," she smiled and tossed the phone as far as she could into the sand. Which wasn''t very far, but Azrael, picking up on Morrigan''s thoughts, snapped his fingers and the device burst into flames, leaving a pile of molten goop behind.
The waves in the sea grew larger by the minute, and Morrigan observed how the waves churned the water, creating white foam. The strength of it scared her as this grand element had taken her life once. Fear filled her being, but she couldn''t bring herself to truly hate it.
She twirled around, looking at Alphegor who looked at her quizzically, sensing the unease growing within her.
"Before we go back to Doppelta. Can I ask you something, Father?" she said and a low rumble of a far away thunderstrike resounded across the beach.
"Of course, little one. Ask anything," Alphegor replied, taking a step closer to her. The dark clouds steadily covered the sky, slowly turning the already murky day into something akin to late evening.
"I am not sure I can be called little," she chuckled awkwardly, rustling her foot in and out of sand. "After all, I was twenty four years old as a human."
Much to her surprise, Alphegor laughed at this, "Do you know how old I am?"
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Morrigan paused and tried to recall any mentions of Alphegor''s age. But no matter how much she racked through her memory, she couldn''t recall it. In fact, she doesn''t even remember him celebrating his birthday once although she got a grand party every year.
"No. You never told me."
"If you''re as old as me, you stop caring about age. I only celebrate my birthday once every ten years, mostly out of obligation to my subjects," he said. "Would you like to guess how old I am?"
I know Azrael is over two hundred years old, and that is considered very young for a demon. So Alphegor is definitely older than that. He also once mentioned that dwarves live up to eight hundred years which also isn''t a lot for a demon.
"Two thousand and three hundred?" Morrigan guessed, and Alphegor chuckled while Azrael roared with laughter. She looked from one of them to another, blush creeping into her cheeks.
"I am eight thousand seven hundred and thirty seven years old," the King said and Morrigan stumbled over her own foot, nearly falling into the sand. Alphegor caught her at the last moment. She shot him an apologetic glance, but he just steadied her on her feet, smiling all the while.
"I never expected you to be that old," she exclaimed and began inspecting her father''s face for any signs of aging. The wind began picking up its pace, making both Alphegor''s and Morrigan''s hair sway along with it. She saw how his red hair was still bright in its color, not a single gray hair in sight. He did not look a day over thirty.
"I am not even the oldest demon out there. Lucius is already over ten thousand years old. So you see Morrigan, even if I were to add your human years to your age, you would still be just a child in my eyes," Alphegor said with a smile.
Morrigan opened her mouth to object, but then closed it. Would she also live to be that old one day? The thought seemed completely ludicrous. Even people who lived to eighty years seemed old, and yet right now she was standing in front of a man who had lived that much a hundred times over.
It''s scary. How much would I have to live through in the thousands of years ahead of me?
"Isn''t it hard to live that long?" Morrigan asked.
"Sometimes, little one. Times change, people change and sometimes it is hard to change with it. Sometimes you wish that things would freeze at one point in time and remain there," he said, and another thunderstrike rumbled, this time closer.
Morrigan wondered whether she would be able to take on the challenges the future held for her. It scared her. She was the daughter of the Demon King now. His heir. Somebody bound to become the next Demon Queen.
Can I really undertake such a huge responsibility? The only thing I''ve ever been good at is art. I''ve never wanted the power to rule over others.
Alphegor went up to her, and set his hand on her shoulder, "Don''t worry. No matter what happens in the future, I''ll be there to protect you, help you and guide you."
She smiled at him and then remembered the question that had been burning within her for a while. Morrigan looked down into the sand.
"Father, did you see the painting in the wardrobe?" she asked, staring at the sand by her feet, despite knowing the answer.
"Hmm¡" Alphegor pondered, then waved his hand in the air, and like magic ¨C her painting appeared out of nowhere. He held it in his arms smiling from ear to ear.
"How did you do that?" she asked, staring at the painting, looking exactly as she remembered ¨C a perfect copy of the sunset view from her apartment windows. She thought back how she had spent many evenings working on the details to get it just right. There was also a bit of a somber feeling to the painting as it was done while Alphegor was away and she had to spend her evenings alone.
"A little pocket dimension trick I''m sure you will learn in time as well. I figured it''s better if I don''t leave this masterpiece behind," he said and gave the painting an appraising look.
"Do you like it?" Morrigan dared to ask, twiddling her thumbs in the meanwhile. She was afraid to know the answer, but at the same time she needed to know it to move on properly.
"Of course. My daughter is an artist at age four. I couldn''t be more proud ¨C it looks exactly like the view from your apartment window," Alphegor exclaimed and held the painting up like a trophy.
"So you don''t mind if I continue painting?" she asked tentatively, a gust of wind caressing her cheek, signaling the approaching storm.
"No. In fact, I''d love to request a portrait of myself. Could you do that?"
Morrigan couldn''t believe the words she heard. All her life she had been seeking recognition and acknowledgement of her parents, but instead all she received was hatred and disapproval. When she was reborn as a demon, she believed that her dream of being an artist would become unobtainable. Just a memory that would grow dimmer and dimmer by each passing year. But she couldn''t have been more wrong.
This strong, menacing and unyielding demon king accepted her the way she was. He appreciated her company, enjoyed the silly little things she did for him, scolded her when she did something wrong and praised her when she did things right.
"Thank you, father. I will get straight to it as soon as we get back home," she replied and turned back to her demon self. The humans had long since vacated the beach, the three of them being the last ones left there.
"You heard her, Azrael. Time to go home," Alphegor announced and reached out to take Morrigan''s hand. She took it without hesitation and smiled.
I can''t wait to see everyone again. I''ll be able to show Deziara my true painting skills ¨C I''m sure she''d like that. And Gunna would too. She''d probably cry from happiness if she saw me painting. Gunna had always encouraged art by offering me painting supplies.
"Well¡ about that¡" Azrael cleared his throat, and Morrigan felt the first drops of rain begin to fall from the sky.
"Hurry up, Azrael. I do not want to get soaked by this horrid surface weather," Alphegor glared at the white-haired demon, who took a step back.
"I kind of, sort of, might not have enough energy to do that¡" he drew out every word as slowly as possible and a loud thunderstrike filled the area once he was done. Rain began to fall heavily, soaking them all in a matter of seconds.
"What?" Morrigan and Alphegor both shouted, while Azrael just chuckled sheepishly as the rain continued soaking them all the way through their clothes.
Chapter 42 – Pretty, Pretty Azrael
Wet and soaking, Morrigan, Alphegor and Azrael stumbled into her small studio apartment, dripping water onto the parquet floor. Small puddles formed underneath them, making the floor slippery.
"I am not a fan of this Overworld weather," Azrael took off his jacket and squeezed the water out of it right onto the floor.
"Hey! Go do that in the sink," Morrigan grumbled as she hurried to the bathroom to find some towels and a rag. There were some neatly stacked on the washing machine, she must have forgotten to put them in place after washing. She grabbed them and hurried out to the hallway.
Much to her surprise, Alphegor stood completely dry despite being soaked just a few moments before.
"I assume you don''t need this," she chuckled awkwardly and handed the towel to Azrael who began wiping off the excess water. Morrigan threw the rag onto the water puddle, allowing the cloth to soak up the moisture.
"Let me help you," the King smiled and knelt down beside Morrigan, hovering his hand above the wet rag. Within a few moments, it became dry along with the floor around it. Then Alphegor put his hand on her head. A pleasant warmth spread from it down her body and she felt the cold and wetness dry out and disappear. Half a minute later, she was completely dry.
"Thank you, Father," Morrigan chimed, and Alphegor scooped her up in his arms, carrying her into the apartment.
"Hey! What about me?" Azrael called from behind.
"If I recall, Eirwen offered to teach you how to properly apply fire spells to smaller outputs for drying and similar tasks. But you just wanted more power," the King retorted.
"Fine, but I am not staying in these wet clothes," The demon began taking off his clothes. As he removed his shirt, Morrigan saw the round mark on his chest ¨C the oath he had sworn to her. However, when he began to take off his pants, she quickly hid her face in Alphegor''s chest.
"Do you have no manners, Azrael? You are in the presence of a princess!" Alphegor growled and put his hand over Morrigan''s eyes.
Thank you! I have no desire to see Azrael naked.
"Where am I supposed to go? This place is so small!" Azrael complained, and the King glared at him. The white-haired demon shrunk back a little and went to the bathroom where he proceeded to undress.
"Princess, do you have any clothes I could wear?"
"Oh, for the love of all that is dark," the King groaned and sat down on one of the chairs, carefully placing Morrigan in his lap.
"No. I don''t wear men''s clothes," Morrigan called back, but an idea popped into her mind. She slid out of her father''s lap, who observed her curiously. She winked at him and began rummaging through the closet. "Wait, actually I might have something suitable for you."
"Really? Bring it over," Azrael yelled from the bathroom, and Morrigan snickered as she pulled out one of her long summer dresses. The fabric was stretchy and light, so it should fit even somebody with a larger build than hers. Seeing what the girl had in mind, the King smiled and put one of his legs over the other, watching the scene with amusement.
She went to the bathroom entrance and stuck her hand with the dress draped on it inside while making sure not to look. Azrael took it, no doubt not understanding the foreign fabric at first, but after a moment Morrigan heard him gasp.
"This is a dress!" he spat in outrage. Morrigan and Alphegor both laughed.
"Well, you asked for clothes. This is the only thing I can offer."
"Nuh-uh! I am not putting this on. I''ll just walk around naked," The bathroom door opened, and Morrigan hurried to cover her eyes. But before Azrael could properly exit, Alphegor lunged forward pushing the young demon back into the bathroom.
"You will wear this or you will sit out on the street naked," the King snarled.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Azrael squeaked, and Alphegor retreated from the bathroom. Morrigan almost felt bad for him as she could hear him whimpering in the bathroom. Almost.
After a few minutes, the bathroom door opened again, and Azrael came out wearing a flowery white dress that seemed to stretch to its absolute limits. Morrigan stifled a laugh, while Alphegor didn''t bother to hide his sneer. For the first time, she saw something akin to a blush spread on his face.
"It suits you," the King teased, and Morrigan lost her composure, letting out a hearty laugh. Azrael glared at her at first, but as she continued laughing, his expression softened and he chuckled.
"What doesn''t suit me?" Azrael moved his hips like Morrigan had seen concubines do so many times when trying to catch Alphegor''s attention, and she laughed even harder. In fact, her cheeks and stomach began hurting from all the laughter.
"Enough, enough," Morrigan held her stomach in laughter, trying to regain her composure.
"Your Majesty, look at my giant breasts!" Azrael''s voice turned eerily feminine, no doubt a work of some magic, and Morrigan snorted, completely unable to control herself. Seeing her laugh, Alphegor and Azrael laughed too. They enjoyed the light atmosphere for a moment, and then Morrigan began to think.
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"Once we go back to Doppelta, I''ll have to properly learn to become a worthy Crown Princess," she said, thinking about all of her sisters who would no doubt give anything to take her place and their mothers who did everything in their power to catch Alphegor''s attention.
"Yes, that is inevitable," Alphegor said solemnly.
"What if¡ " she began, looked at her father nervously, then continued with her gaze glued to the floor. "What if I don''t want to be the Crown Princess?"
Azrael roared with laughter, the fabric of the white dress barely holding together under the strain. After a moment, he calmed down and said, "Why would you not want to be a queen? You get to rule over everybody and do whatever you want!"
"No, you have a responsibility over people, to take care of them and solve issues that could threaten their lives," Morrigan objected, but Azrael waved his hand dismissively.
"That''s why you have the ministers who does all that stuff for you. You just tell them what you want to do and voila! It gets done," Azrael sat down on the bed, and crossed one of his legs over the other, revealing more skin than Morrigan had wanted to see. Alphegor and Morrigan sighed in unison and shook their heads.
"Father, are you sure he is over two hundred years old? Many humans my age understand that things are not so simple," she asked the King.
"I''m afraid Azrael has stopped aging past the age of 20," Alphegor replied, then turned his attention to Morrigan. "I understand your concerns, Morrigan. It is no simple matter I am asking of you. However, with magic as strong as yours there is nobody better suited to rule."
"But I¨C" she began, ready to reject the idea, but Alphegor raised his hand to silence her.
"Before you deny this role completely, give it some time. It is not something you have to learn today or tomorrow. You''ll have hundreds of years to understand it," he explained. Morrigan nodded.
If there is no rush, then I suppose it won''t hurt for me to at least try. Perhaps I''ll come to like ruling in time. Although I doubt it¡
"I''ll give it a try, Father," she said.
"Good girl," Alphegor smiled and ruffled her hair gently.
"Hey, if she doesn''t want to rule, could I maybe get a shot?" Azrael perked up, looking hopefully at Alphegor.
"I''d sooner let the Underworld freeze over!"
***
Morrigan stared at her bed, looking at it from one side to the next, assessing it from every possible angle. It was just a regular single bed. Bed meant for one person. A sleeping place that was made to accommodate the body of a single individual.
Then Morrigan looked at Alphegor and Azrael who were sitting at the table, one flipping through her childhood photo album while the other was messing around with her laptop, going from one program to the next and amusing himself with their features. Azrael was dressed back into his clothes which Morrigan had put in the dryer. Meanwhile, Alphegor had been learning everything about Morrigan''s life as a human.
However, the issue was not within the activities they were doing. Even if Morrigan wanted to pull her laptop away from Azrael and hide childhood pictures from her doting father. The problem was their size. They were two large demons. Fully grown male adults. Morrigan looked back at the bed again and groaned.
Where are we all supposed to sleep tonight? I don''t think Alphegor could even fit on my bed.
"Is there a problem, Morrigan?" Alphegor asked as he continued sifting through the photos with a smile on his face.
"Uh¡ I''m just trying to figure out where we are going to sleep tonight," she explained, and he tore his eyes away from the photos (although he didn''t seem to want to) and looked at her.
"Surely there must be a space in this large mansion where we could sleep. I saw so many rooms on the way up here," Alphegor said, clearly unaware of the issue.
"Haha¡ Actually, only these few rooms over here belong to me. Well, not really. I am paying rent to live here but it still belongs to somebody else. All those rooms that you saw in the hallway belong to other people," she said. Alphegor blinked his eyes in disbelief and even Azrael paused his tinkering with the laptop to look at her.
"Wait¡ this tiny space is your whole living space? Just these three rooms?" Azrael asked in disbelief, motioning with his hand to emphasize the smallness of the apartment.
"Yes. I''m not really rich or anything. I can''t afford a bigger place," Morrigan huffed and sat down in her bed.
"No, Morrigan. You can afford to buy anything your heart desires now. In fact, let''s purchase this whole building right now," Alphegor stood up, walking towards the exit, no doubt to make said purchase. She quickly jumped up to her feet and ran after him, grabbing him by his hand.
"No, Father! It''s not that simple. Each apartment belongs to a different person, you can''t just go and buy the whole building all at once. And even if you could, the current tenants would have thirty days to move their belongings to a new home," she explained, and the King scowled.
"How convoluted. The human ruler is most inefficient."
"Humans don''t really have a single ruler for a country anymore. Well, not in most countries at least. The country is usually led by a group of people who change at least once every eight years."
"Every eight years? What can one even do in eight years?" Azrael barked out a laugh, and then returned his attention to the laptop, losing his interest in the topic.
"Wouldn''t that just create problems every time the ruling group changed? Normally each ruler brings a set of big changes with their reign," Alphegor questioned, rubbing his chin in contemplation.
"Oh, it certainly does create problems. But enough about that, we need to figure out where we could sleep tonight," Morrigan said and pointed towards the small bed to accentuate the issue. Alphegor nodded in agreement.
"Are you sure there isn''t a place we could buy?" the King asked. She was about to say ''no'', but then she realized that there was a place they could buy.
"Oh, we could stay in a hotel!" she said the word ''hotel'' in English as she didn''t know the demon word for it.
Do they even have hotels in the Underworld? Probably not.
"A hotel?"
"Yes, it''s like an inn. People can stay there overnight if they pay money."
"Are we going to see more of the human world? That''s fun! Can I take this along?" Azrael beamed and lifted the laptop up, the opened internet browser window playing a video of cats. "It has moving pictures!"
Morrigan sighed. Taking two demons to the hotel would surely result in trouble, but she didn''t have much of a choice.
I''ll just deal with the problems once they arise.
Chapter 43 – Hotel Trouble
I knew there would be trouble, but I didn''t expect it to happen before we even reached the hotel.
Morrigan walked through the streets, shifting into her human form with Alphegor and Azrael walking next to her. Of course, that didn''t sound like it would be an issue. However, it was Saturday evening which meant that the city streets were filled with people looking to relax and unwind after a hard week at work.
And all of their eyes were glued to the two charismatic men next to her. One ¨C cold and unapproachable, almost like a god walking on Earth, while the other ¨C charismatic and grinning from ear to ear, looking ready to cause trouble.
"Seems like humans can recognize a good-looking demon when they see one," he said and winked at a pair of girls passing by. They giggled and stopped dead in their tracks, watching Azrael and muttering among themselves. Probably wondering whether they had the courage to approach him. But one look at Alphegor made them take a step back.
"They don''t know that you''re a demon! And stop winking at every girl you see. You''re drawing too much attention," Morrigan grumbled.
"You heard her," Alphegor growled, and Azrael clicked his tongue in displeasure.
"Can''t even have a little bit of fun."
"I thought you hated humans," Morrigan grumbled, remembering her conversation with him before Azrael opened the portal to Earth.
"It''s actually my first time seeing humans besides you, Princess. I can''t help but be curious," Azrael shrugged as he looked from one shop window to the next, eagerly taking in the new environment. "Not to mention that they look nothing like humans in Doppelta."
"You''re two hundred years old and you haven''t seen humans before? How do you know that they look different then?" Morrigan exclaimed, shocked by the fact.
"From books, of course," Azrael explained. "While the overall look is similar, the clothes humans wear in this world are really weird."
"Humans are prohibited from entering the Underworld, and usually demons do not wish to go to the surface," Alphegor added.
"Really? But¡ Why don''t demons take humans as slaves if they take elves and dwarves who live on the surface?" Morrigan asked although the topic of slaves always made her feel uncomfortable. If she had any say, she''d probably release all of them, but Morrigan also understood that the matter was probably more complex than that.
"It''s a dark topic best left for another time. Is that large building over there not the hotel you were talking about?" Alphegor pointed towards the beautiful four-story building with large windows and many balconies that had lush greenery growing on them. This was one of the best hotels in the city and would cost Morrigan a lot of money just for a single night.
But I''ll be going back to Doppelta soon so it doesn''t matter. Human money wouldn''t do me any good anyway. They''re just pieces of paper after all.
"That looks much nicer than the house you live in," Azrael pointed out and Morrigan shot him an annoyed look.
"Because this is supposed to be a luxurious place," she objected and grabbed Alphegor''s hand pulling him ahead. "Let''s go inside, Father."
The foyer was neat and tidy with an elaborate rug at the entrance and small palm trees growing in giant pots. There was a TV which was playing a music channel and even a coffee machine labeled as free to use.
"How may I help you?" said a friendly-looking woman, approaching the group with keen interest.
"We''d like to rent three¨C" Morrigan lifted her hand up showing three fingers but Alphegor raised his hand and interrupted her.
"Two."
"We''d like to rent two rooms for a night or two," she corrected. The attendant looked at Morrigan, looking like her young human self, and then at Alphegor, and a small smirk appeared on her face. It was there for just a few moments, and then she regained the polite professional expression.
She just thought of something indecent didn''t she? Gross! He is my father. I know we don''t look like parent and daughter with our current appearances, but still. Get your mind out of the gutter, lady!
"Of course. What sorts of rooms would you like? We have regular rooms without a balcony, premium rooms with a balcony and VIP rooms that have a sauna in them," the woman said.
"What did she say?" Azrael asked as he sipped on a cup of coffee with a large dollop of cream on top. "This stuff is good, by the way."
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"How did you¨C? Nevermind. She asked what kinds of rooms we''d like ¨C regular, premium with balcony or VIP with sauna?" she translated into the demon language.
"What''s a sauna? I want to try that!" Azrael exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement that only a young child could have.
"How much is the room with a sauna?" Morrigan asked the attendant sheepishly.
"It''s five hundred euros per night," she replied with a smile, and Morrigan barely managed to contain her shock.
Five hundred a night? That''s more than I pay for my apartment for a month!
"We''ll take two premium rooms," she said, and the attendant nodded, retreating behind the counter.
"Did you get the room with the sawna thing or whatever you call it?" Azrael pestered.
"No! That is too expensive. I got us premium rooms. Those should be comfortable enough."
"But I wanted the sawna!" he whined, tugging on Morrigan''s sleeve. But Alphegor glared at him and the demon quickly retreated.
"Be grateful that Morrigan is paying for your room. She could have just as easily left you behind," the King growled.
That''s a great idea! Shame I didn''t think of that earlier.
"Tch¡ Fine," Azrael returned to sipping his coffee, delighted by the drink.
"Here''s the keys to your room. I''ll just need your name," the attendant said with a pen in hand.
"It''s¡" she paused for a moment, wondering which name to give, and then smiled. "It''s Morrigan."
"Unusual name. Are you a foreigner? I heard you speaking a different language," the woman added conversationally.
"Yes. We''re foreigners," Morrigan confirmed, and it felt good for her to admit that. It solidified that she belonged in Doppelta, not here.
***
After teaching Azrael how to unlock and lock the door to his hotel room, Morrigan and Alphegor retreated to their own room. It was large with two queen-sized beds, a giant TV mounted on the wall and many potted plants placed strategically around the room.
"What a long day," Morrigan groaned and jumped straight into the large bed. It was soft and comfortable, and she could smell a faint hint of detergent coming from it. Her eyelids felt heavy and her body seemed to sink into the soft blanket. A few moments later she had reverted back to her demon form.
"You must be tired, little one," Alphegor mused, gently caressing her head. The proximity of his presence only made her relax more, forcing her eyes closer.
"Mhm," she mumbled, barely awake at that point. Alphegor said something else, but she couldn''t hear it. Instead, she vaguely remembered him tucking her into the bed and wishing her good night.
Morrigan woke up from loud music blasting from somewhere outside. She opened her eyes groggily and saw that it was definitely still nighttime.
"What is with that loud music so late into the night?" she grumbled and felt Alphegor move next to her. She was a bit surprised to see him sleeping in the same bed but didn''t really mind. In fact, it was comforting to remain close to him.
"That infernal noise! Whoever dares to wake my daughter when she needs to rest will pay dearly," Alphegor''s eyes grew as cold as ice, and he swiftly rose out of bed.
"Father, wait. I''ll come too. You don''t know human language," she said and quickly shifted into her human form.
"Very well. We shall punish the miscreant who dared to create such a racket," the King hid his demonic features and put on clothes in two blinks of an eye. He strode purposefully towards the exit and Morrigan followed.
I just hope he doesn''t try to murder whatever sorry fool decided to blast music so late. I''m surprised the hotel staff haven''t interfered.
They followed the source of music outside, and saw a group of people dancing by the outside pool, splashing water, hollering and being all sorts of annoying. Morrigan wasn''t sure how to even approach the group.
I doubt anybody here would listen to what I say.
"Silence!" Alphegor commanded in the demon tongue, and the whole group of people stopped. All of them looked at him wide-eyed, each freezing in spot and blinking like deers caught in headlights. Almost all.
"Oh, Your Majesty, Princess! You have come to enjoy human fun too? These drinks are great and the music! I''ve never heard such great music before," Azrael cackled and giggled, clearly drunk beyond any reason.
"Azrael! Is this your doing?" Alphegor asked, and Morrigan felt the air grow noticeably chillier. The gathered crowd began to slowly disperse, no doubt their survival instinct kicking in and urging them to move to safety.
"Yeah! Listen to this," Azrael went up to a nearby table that had a phone set on it and a giant pair of loudspeakers set next to it. He quickly tapped something on the phone and turned on club music so loud and with bass so low that it reverberated through the whole area and made Morrigan''s knees buckle and shake.
"This little device is amazing! Not only does it have this magical internet thing, you can also connect it to this weird box using wires and it produces this amazing sound!"
"Turn. It. Off!" she yelled, pressing her ears shut before the dreadful noise could damage her hearing.
"What?! I can''t hear you, Princess! It''s too loud," Azrael yelled back, moving his hands up in the air along with the rhythm of the music.
Alphegor went up to the table, grabbed the phone and smashed it into the ground, turning it into a pile of scrap.
"My phone!" one of the partygoers whined, but seeing Alphegor''s cold glare he just slumped and retreated back into the hotel.
"Aww, why did you have to go and do that?" Azrael whined. Morrigan could see that her father was about to unleash some horrifying magic onto the drunken fool, so she went up to Azrael and grabbed his hand.
"Enough for one night. It''s time to sleep," she commanded and began dragging him along.
"But I¡" he whined, but she shook her head.
"If you want to live, then do as I say," Morrigan snarled and pulled him faster. Azrael didn''t seem to get her hint but was too drunk to object.
I swear there are only some many times I can save you from Father''s rage. I''m afraid we''re about to reach the limit soon.
Chapter 44 – Shopping
"I am bored!" Azrael whined for like the hundredth time, laying on Morrigan''s hotel bed and switching channels on the TV in an attempt to find something interesting to watch. Initially, he was ecstatic about it ¨C watching it hours on end. But as he quickly discovered, television was filled with nothing more than ads with occasional snippets of movies and shows in between.
"Maybe there would be no need for you to be bored if you just opened the portal back to Doppelta," Morrigan complained and snatched the remote from his hands to turn off the TV.
"It''s too early. I haven''t recovered enough magic energy yet," he objected and buried his face in the soft bed covers.
"You seem energetic enough to me," Morrigan grumbled and poked his shoulder.
"You clearly have not trained your magical abilities enough if one spell can leave you completely useless for almost a week," Alphegor said as he took a sip of the wine that was inside the fridge.
"Hey, opening dimensional portals require a lot of magic and the magic on this planet is nearly non-existent. Princess, don''t you find it stifling?" Azrael objected, sitting up in the bed and shooing her hand away.
"Not really? I''ve spent more than twenty years here after all."
"There is less magic here, but the little bit that I feel is very pure and strong. It should have rejuvenated you a few days ago," Alphegor reprimanded, but Azrael turned his gaze away.
"Not everyone has had thousands of years to perfect their magic," he grumbled. Morrigan chuckled.
"How about we go for a walk around the city?" she suggested. In reality, the confines of the small hotel room was bothering her, but she had hoped that Azrael would have recovered his energy by now. However, if it would take a few more days until they can get home, she''d rather do something other than just stare at the TV.
"Yes! Let''s go!" Azrael jumped up instantly, running for the door like a dog who was about to go for a walk.
"Calm down, Azrael. Morrigan said we''ll go for a walk, not a sprint," the King drank the last bits of his wine and then got up. "If you do the same thing you did with humans the first night we got to this hotel, then I shall tie you to a lamp post until you have recovered."
"I''ll be good, I promise!" Azrael snapped his fingers, and his demonic features disappeared. Morrigan also took on her human form while Alphegor''s horns and tail seamlessly disappeared into thin air as if they were never there to begin with.
"Why don''t we first go to a shop? I feel like having a treat," Morrigan suggested and skipped out of the hotel room with Alphegor and Azrael following close behind.
***
This was a huge mistake!
Morrigan watched in horror as Azrael pushed the cart filled to the brim with snacks, fruits and whatever else the cheeky demon managed to get his hands on. Even Alphegor''s threats had done nothing to dissuade him from acting like a madman, so they had largely given up and instead took a shopping basket for their own use.
"I am not paying for all that," Morrigan muttered as Azrael added ten cans of corn and eight cans of beans to his cart.
"Obviously not. He''ll be putting everything he took back in its place once we are done," Alphegor scoffed.
"What would you like to try?" Morrigan asked with a smile, trying to distract herself from the lunatic in front of her.
"I am not sure. All these things are completely unfamiliar to me. What do you recommend?" Alphegor smiled at her. She stopped and pondered what would be one thing that a demon wouldn''t have tried.
While things in the Underworld are quite different, when it comes to foodstuff there has always been something that was rather close. There''s savory pies, salads, meats, fruits and even desserts, so I can''t say that I ever missed something.
Morrigan looked over the shelves of the stores, inspecting their contents and wondering what would be something truly interesting. Finally, her eyes landed upon the freezers on the far side on the store.
"I know! Follow me," she exclaimed and headed straight to the freezers. Unsurprisingly, Azrael was already rummaging through them and piling tubs of ice-cream into his cart.
"What is this cold stuff? Is it edible?" he skeptically poked one of the tubs.
"Yes, it is. I think we better take some smaller ones so we can try various flavors," Morrigan said and then put a few ice-cream cones, popsicles and ice-cream sandwiches into the shopping basket that Alphegor was holding.
"Are these desserts of some sort?" the King asked and took a chocolate ice-cream cone to inspect it closer.
"Yes! I am sure you will like it, Father," Morrigan said, remembering how the King enjoyed his desserts during mealtimes.
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"If you say so, then I am sure it is true," Alphegor said resolutely and placed the treat back into the basket.
"Really? This cold thing? I bet it tastes no different than ice," Azrael scoffed but did nothing to remove the tubs from his cart.
"We''ll see about that!"
Morrigan and Alphegor went to the cash register to pay for the ice-cream while Azrael was ordered to go back into the store and stack everything he took back into shelves. She didn''t trust him to do the task properly, but hoped that he would at least put frozen stuff back into the freezer and the other things in the general vicinity of where they were before. Store staff would surely handle the rest.
"These human inventions are most unusual. They don''t use any magic and yet they do things that defy all logic," Alphegor said as he intently stared how the cashier scanned each product one by one. The young woman, a student by the looks of it, was blushing under his intent gaze, not knowing where to look.
"Human devices run on electricity," Morrigan explained and paid for the treats before the poor cashier could melt into a puddle like one of Alphegor''s concubines.
"Electricity, you say? Most fascinating. So humans in this world are able to use electric magic," the King pondered.
"No, not at all. We harvest electric energy in various ways and store it in special facilities, power lines and batteries," she explained, rather proud of human ingenuity.
"Harvest electricity? Can you do that too, Morrigan?" The King looked rather excited at the prospect.
"Me? Not really. It''s something done by large groups of people rather than just one person."
"I wonder if I could do that in the Underworld too," the King scratched his chin. Morrigan chuckled nervously, wondering how to explain that it would require either a large body of flowing water, large plains with strong winds or sunlight. All things that the Underworld did not have.
"Hey, don''t leave me behind!" Azrael ran towards them while a disgruntled looking shop worker chased after him.
"What did you do?" Morrigan asked as she sped up her pace.
"I just dumped everything inside one of the icy boxes. I''m not sure what the guy is saying, but he doesn''t sound very happy about it," Azrael chuckled and began running full speed as if it were a game.
I''m sorry, Mister-shop-worker! I promise not to bring this lunatic here again.
***
With the store far behind them and with ice-creams in their tow, Morrigan, Alphegor and Azrael strolled through a local park. Since it was the middle of workday, it was fairly empty with the exception of a few elderly people and mothers with baby strollers. Morrigan looked up at the deep blue sky admiring how vibrant it was ¨C almost blinding.
"I never thought the sky could be so¡ vast. It feels like it is never ending," Azrael said, also admiring it.
"It is never ending. There are millions upon billions of stars and galaxies out there and we could see them as nothing more than dots," Morrigan said, wishing that it would be nighttime and she could see the infinite galaxy.
"I''ve heard about stars but I have never actually seen them. How come I can''t see them now?" Azrael asked, and squinted his eyes, trying to discern something in the vast blue.
"Because it''s daytime. The sun is so bright and so close that all the faraway stars just disappear," she explained. Azrael turned towards the sun, about to stare straight at it, but Morrigan managed to grab his hand and pull him away.
"Hey, why are you pulling me?" he grumbled and pulled himself free of her grasp.
"Morrigan is kind enough to prevent you from going blind. Never stare directly at the sun," the King scoffed, then eyed the treats he was holding in a bag. "Where could we enjoy these?"
"Why don''t we just sit at the table over there?" Morrigan pointed at one of the many picnic tables littered through the park and he nodded.
"I want the yellow one," Azrael pointed towards the lemon ice-cream cone, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
He truly is just a kid. It''s almost kind of cute.
Morrigan chuckled and nodded, fishing the lemon ice-cream out of the bag and handing it to the demon. Then she took the chocolate ice-cream cone and gave it to Alphegor.
"I think you''ll enjoy this one, Father. It''s chocolate flavored," she explained.
"Humans in this world have chocolate too? That is reassuring," the King said and took the cone. Morrigan grabbed a strawberry flavored ice-cream sandwich and quickly tore off the wrapping. Azrael and Alphegor stared at the plastic packaging, unsure of what to do.
"This isn''t edible, is it?" Azrael asked and pulled at the wrapping.
"No, it''s just a package," she replied and quickly tore open Alphegor''s and Azrael''s ice-cream. They took out the treat and looked over them.
"It is as cold as ice," Alphegor noted and then took a small bite out of the treat. Azrael didn''t hold back and instead took a solid chunk out of the ice-cream.
"Ahh! Too cold!" he whined and swallowed the giant chunk. Morrigan watched in horror how the demon grabbed his head, and began howling from pain. "W-What? Is this poison? My head!"
"No! You swallowed it before it had a chance to melt. It gave you a brain freeze."
"Brain freeze?" Alphegor asked as he continued to eat his ice-cream slowly, savoring every bite.
"Yes. I don''t really understand the science behind it, but if you eat too much ice-cream, or anything cold really, too fast, then it''ll make your head hurt."
"Oh, it stopped," Azrael cheered, and then continued scarfing down the rest of his ice-cream, occasionally whining and grunting from the pain.
He must be a masochist. Nobody would intentionally hurt themselves like this.
As they continued eating the treats, the sun began to set and dusk settled over the park. Keen to see the stars again, Morrigan suggested that they stay outside until nighttime, and both demons agreed. Azrael ran around like a little kid while Morrigan told her father about various things in the human world that Doppelta did not have.
"I have to admit that the human world has its charms. Especially during the night," Alphegor said, and looked up at the vast night sky. Millions of tiny stars shone there, signifying the vastness of the cosmos around them.
"Father, is there a night sky like this in the Doppelta too?" she asked as she stared at the full moon.
"No," the King said, and Morrigan dropped her gaze. "It is far more magnificent than this."
"Really?" she asked and looked at him. Alphegor nodded and smiled at her.
"Really. I''ll show it to you one day."
"Speaking of Doppelta," Azrael suddenly appeared before them, hair filled with stray leaves and tiny twigs. "I am ready to create a portal back."
Chapter 45 – Return to Doppelta
Morrigan stood in front of the large Demon Castle ¨C its magnificent walls stretching high up into the darkness of the Underworld while the light from its windows brought life to an otherwise desolate-looking place. Alphegor, her father, held her tiny hand and carefully assessed the structure from its foundation all the way up to its peaks. Seeing that everything was just as it should be, Morrigan gave a curt nod.
Behind them sat a tired and dejected Azrael, his eyes downcast and sunken. His magic reserves were completely exhausted after creating the portal back to Doppelta. While he had already complained that the portal required a lot of energy, Morrigan had not expected that her usually energetic magic teacher would be so drained.
"Finally! We''re back," Alphegor announced in his loud booming voice, sending the message to all castle inhabitants. In a few moments, the whole castle seemed to rouse, excited chattering coming from the windows as the demons came to look at their King.
"We''re back," Morrigan confirmed with a smile and admired the castle. It was dark, it was gloomy, but it still felt like the building was welcoming her back as more and more castle lights sprung to life.
"I''m going to rest in my room," Azrael announced, and was about to turn into a shadow, when Alphegor turned towards him and glared, stopping him dead in his tracks.
"I don''t think so," the King announced and with a wave of his hand dark tendrils grabbed Azrael and tightened around him, making him unable to move a muscle. "You tried to get rid of Morrigan and your oath to her."
Azrael chuckled awkwardly and a bead of sweat rolled down his face, "She looked a bit miserable here in the Underworld, so I figured it might be better if she lived with her own kind."
"She is with her own kind!" Alphegor snarled, and the dark tendrils began to sink into the ground, dragging Azrael along with them.
"I''m sorry, I''m sorry! I was wrong!" Azrael squirmed and wriggled, trying to break free of his bonds. He looked so miserable, that Rosa started feeling bad for him and tugged Alphegor on his sleeve.
"Please, don''t be too harsh on him, Father. I know he wanted to get rid of me, but he didn''t cause me any harm in the end," she said, and the tendrils slowed down a little. "He has also helped me many times in the past."
"Your Majesty, you have finally returned," Lucius materialized out of a shadow right next to them and greeted Alphegor with a deep bow.
"Nice to see you, Lucius," the King gave him a curt nod. The Prime Minister straightened, and Morrigan saw how his eyes darted from Alphegor to her and finally to Azrael.
"Your Majesty, I am glad to see you return, but may I inquire about the current situation and the reason you were gone for so long?" Lucius asked with his head slightly inclined, to show reverence towards Alphegor.
"So long? I was merely gone for a week Lucius," the King laughed, but Morrigan understood what the old demon was talking about. When she returned to Earth, only two weeks had passed although in Doppelta she had already celebrated her fourth birthday.
"No, Father," she shook her head and pulled on his sleeve for him to bend down. He obliged, and she whispered in his ear. "Only two weeks passed on Earth during the whole time I spent in Doppelta. That means that while we were on Earth approximately two years would have passed here."
The King appeared startled at first, but then he nodded solemnly and straightened.
"Your Majesty?" Lucius inquired nervously.
"I apologize for the wait, Lucius. Give a short report on the most important events."
"At once, Your Majesty," Lucius opened his mouth but then a loud cry resounded from the Demon Castle entrance. Morrigan looked towards it and saw Deziara running towards them at full speed. She had grown taller, beginning to resemble a teenager.
"Father, Morri!" She called from across the yard as tears fell down from her face in a steady stream.
"Deziara," Morrigan called and ran towards her sister. The two girls collided into a bear hug, at which point Deziara began crying even louder.
"Where did you disappear for so long? I thought I would never see you again," she said through tears and then looked down at Morrigan. "But¡ You haven''t grown at all. What happened?"
"I shall explain everything later," Alphegor went up to both girls and placed a hand on Deziara''s head.
"Father¡" A new set of tears erupted as Deziara launched herself at Alphegor, who hugged her while gently rubbing her back.
"I told you, I''d bring Morrigan back," he said, and Deziara nodded as she hiccuped and sobbed into his chest.
It''s nice to see him care for Deziara at least. Perhaps, he''ll be nicer towards our other sisters too.
"Yes! I am so happy you have returned," Deziara hiccuped while Alphegor pulled a napkin from within his coat pocket and wiped away her tears.
"I''m sorry, sister," Morrigan muttered, taking hold of Deziara''s hand. But the girl shook her head and pulled her into another hug.
"As long as you are back, it is alright," she said. More and more demons came running out of the castle, and Morrigan recognized her other sisters and concubines among them. The younger girls were bolder and came up to Rosa and Alphegor, greeting them excitedly.
Meanwhile, older girls and concubines looked more reserved. They were staring at Alphegor, trying to catch his attention by waving their hands or smiling at him. But the King greeted the younger girls who came up to Morrigan first.
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"It''s nice to see you back, younger sister!"
"We missed you and Father both."
"Let''s celebrate your return."
Morrigan was pleasantly surprised that other half-sisters besides Deziara would miss her. Their mothers might have put them up to this, but their reactions seemed genuine.
For now, I shall accept their greetings. No need to be suspicious of everyone the moment I get back.
"Lady Morrigan!" came a voice from behind the gathered crowd of demons. Morrigan tried to peer over it to find the source, but everyone was so much taller than her.
"Gunna?" she called out, and the demons slowly parted, allowing Morrigan through. Surely enough, there stood her loyal nanny, her eyes red and tired, her stocky hands trembling while her beard and hair looked somewhat disheveled and messy.
"Lady Morrigan!" the dwarf woman exclaimed and opened her hands wide for a hug. Without any hesitation, Morrigan ran up to her nanny and threw her arms around her. She felt thinner than she remembered.
"Gunna, have you lost some weight?"
"Oh dear child, I was so worried about you that I could barely sleep. I feared I might never see you again," Gunna said, tears flowing down into her beard.
"I''m sorry, Gunna. I didn''t think it would make you so worried¡"
"It''s not your fault, Lady Morrigan. As long as you are back safe and sound, that is all that matters," the dwarf woman said and ran her large, gentle hand over Morrigan''s hair. The girl nodded, barely able to hold back her own tears.
I never should have run away. To think that Gunna would be so worried about me as to lose weight.
"I''m still sorry, Gunna," Morrigan said and noticed a distinct murmur coming from the nearby demoness. Peeking over her shoulder she saw concubines and some of her older sister''s sneering or even laughing quietly.
Are they making fun of me because I am so attached to Gunna? Fine, let them. We''ll see what Father will say about that.
"Aren''t you all forgetting somebody?" Azrael whined, still snugly contained within Alphegor''s dark tendrils.
"I think I heard a doggy bark," Lady Lily said as she approached the group, smiling at Morrigan. Unlike other concubines who just gave her the obligatory, polite smile, Lady Lily appeared genuinely happy to see Morrigan.
"It''s nice to see you again, Lady Lily," Morrigan greeted her with a small curtsy, and the demoness curtsied in return.
"Indeed it is, child. Deziara missed you dearly. Talked about your every day, hoping that you and His Majesty would return," Lady Lily said and affectionately patted Deziara who had joined to stand next to her mother.
"Mom! You''re not supposed to tell her that," the demon girl blushed and pulled on her mother''s hand in mock anger.
"Sorry, sorry. I am not so young anymore. Must have slipped my memory," Lady Lily chuckled, and both girls laughed alongside her.
"Princess Morrigan! You have returned," a voice called out from behind the crowd. A cold shiver ran through Morrigan''s spine, and she took a step back.
Asdeus¡ Will she try to act as if she had missed me greatly to get on Alphegor''s good side? There''s no way I am letting her get away with that.
The demons parted to let the demoness through, her signature heels clattering against the stone walkway as she hurried toward Morrigan. Fake tears were streaming down her face, and her face almost convinced Morrigan that she had missed her. Almost.
Morrigan deliberately took a few steps back, glaring at Asdeus. The demoness'' gaze remained a perfect mask of worry, but Alphegor had already picked up on Morrigan''s distress and in a few swift strides closed the distance between them.
"What''s wrong, Morrigan?" he asked, his eyes darting from Morrigan to Asdeus, analyzing and trying to understand what was happening. Asdeus, however, had no intention of letting her speak and rushed forward, making her act even more dramatic.
"I am so relieved to see you both return safely! I was so worried when I heard that Princess Morrigan had disappeared that I could barely sleep," she cried, reaching one of her hands towards Morrigan. But Morrigan quickly ducked behind her father''s leg, safely out of reach.
Haven''t slept? Yeah, right. Gunna is the one who couldn''t sleep. You look like you had the best sleep in the world ¨C your skin is almost glowing.
"Lies!" Morrigan muttered and saw how Asdeus''s mask slipped just for a split second, glaring at the girl.
"What do you mean, Morrigan?" Alphegor asked as he put his hand around her shoulders, protecting her from the demoness.
"Your Majesty¨C"
"Silence!" Alphegor commanded, and Asdeus took several steps back, her previous facade completely broken.
Time for retribution!
"Father, Asdeus tortured me!" Morrigan announced loud enough for the whole Underworld to hear. The gathered crowd of demons gasped as one and began muttering among themselves. The demoness stared around herself helplessly, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.
"I-I would never!" she tried to defend herself, waving her hands in the air, "I¡ Princess Morrigan is¡ She''s not¡"
"Silence!" Alphegor ordered and the whole gathering of demons instantly quieted, looking at their King. His eyes had turned red in anger, there was a storm brewing within him.
It doesn''t matter what Asdeus says now. Even if she were to scream that I am a human, nobody would believe it. It would seem like nothing more than a desperate attempt to save herself.
"Explain how did she torture you, Morrigan?" Alphegor asked, his eyes never moving away from Asdeus. The demoness stepped back, looking like she was about to cry, for real this time.
"Your Majesty¡ I¡"
"If you do not let Morrigan speak, then I shall pull out your tongue where you stand," Alphegor''s eyes were filled with rage, and Asdeus froze on the spot, her mouth half open.
"Father, she would cut on my skin with her nail each time I wrote a letter wrong. She''d force me to write a single character multiple times and for each wrong one she would use some magic to make me feel pain," Morrigan said, and the surrounding demons gasped again.
"She tortured the Princess?"
"What are those barbaric teaching methods?"
"Had she been doing that to my child as well?"
The glares intensified, and Asdeus'' hand began to shake.
"No, it''s not true¡ I would never do that to a demon child. She is¡ " Asdeus tried to salvage the situation, but there was nobody in the crowd who would believe her. Even the concubines who had always treated Morrigan with animosity looked shocked.
"What else did she do, Morrigan?" Alphegor''s voice sounded like a low rumble, and Morrigan felt the ground beneath shake. The other demons noticed it too, looking around in confusion for the source.
What is going on? Who¡ Wait¡ Is Father doing that?
Morrigan looked into Alphegor''s face, and then jumped back. The anger that contorted his expression could not be described in words. It was like he was the god of rage, his fists clenched so hard that blood began dripping from his hands while his gaze was solely focused on Asdeus.
Alphegor took a step closer to her, and Asdeus shook her head, tears streaming down her eyes. She fell as she stumbled back, but the woman did not fall onto the ground. A portal opened behind her and she fell straight into it.
"You''ll pay for this, cockroach!" Asdeus yelled at Morrigan as the portal closed behind her.
"Find her at once!" Alphegor ordered, and a dozen demon guards rushed out of the Demon Castle yard to search for Asdeus.
Chapter 46 – Princess Affairs
When Morrigan awoke and found herself back in her bed¡ªher actual bed in the Underworld¡ªshe nearly cried in joy. She hadn''t been gone for longer than a week, but it felt like much more than that. Alphegor was sleeping soundly next to her, his usually tense face relaxed. As Morrigan got up to sit, he began to rouse from his slumber.
"Good morning, Morrigan," he smiled and ruffled her hair.
"Good morning, Father," she chimed back, allowing her hair to be messed up.
"It''ll be a long day today. Are you ready?" the King said and sat up, brushing rogue strands of hair away from his face. Morrigan admired the sight of disheveled Alphegor and not the perfect kingly person he used in public. This part of him was something only she got to see.
"As ready as I''ll ever be," Morrigan said and jumped out of bed, ready to face the challenges ahead. Alphegor nodded at her and got up as well.
"Good. There will be quite a mess to clean up after two years of absence."
"What about Azrael? Hasn''t he learned his lesson by now?" Morrigan asked, pointing towards the window. They both walked up to it and stared down at the castle yard where Azrael slept, still cocooned in the dark tendrils.
"He doesn''t seem particularly bothered," Alphegor chuckled, and one of the tendrils moved, slapping the sleeping demon awake. Azrael yelped, then looked around himself, and began struggling against his bonds.
"Let me go already!" he yelled looking up to Alphegor and Morrigan.
"I''ll release him in a few hours," the King chuckled and walked away from the window. Morrigan glanced down one more time and then turned to leave.
I suppose a few hours won''t hurt him.
***
Alphegor strode into his office, carrying Morrigan in his arms. Lucius was already in the office, sifting through piles of documents and rearranging them in a particular order. Next to him stood Viana, carefully observing his work, as well as three more Morrigan''s sisters. Viana was Alphegor''s first-born daughter and was already forty-three years old. It might sound like a lot but in reality, demons were officially recognized as adults only once they were forty years old.
Viana took a lot of her traits from her mother, the first consort Lady Viviana. Her wavy, purple hair, red eyes, and impressive curves all came from her. Their personalities were also similar, both being incredibly charming and slick with their words. There was a good reason Lady Viviana was the first consort.
The other three girls were the daughters of other concubines. They were Rosalie, the third eldest daughter, Miriam, the fourth eldest daughter, and finally Celiana, fifth eldest daughter. All of them turned to look at Morrigan and Alphegor as soon as they entered.
What Morrigan couldn''t understand was why they were inside Alphegor''s office. Nobody was allowed inside without the King''s permission, except for Lucius. Morrigan looked towards her father for an answer, but his furrowed eyebrows indicated that he was just as confused about this as she was.
"Good morning, Your Majesty, Princess Morrigan!" Lucius greeted with a short bow.
"Good morning, Father!" Viana curtsied with a brilliant smile, and her sisters followed. But it was not lost on Morrigan that they had not acknowledged her presence.
"Why are they in my office?" Alphegor growled, and the girls bowed their heads.
"Your Majesty, allow me to explain," Lucius interjected, but the atmosphere in the room grew so tense that Morrigan could almost feel it restrain her breath.
"Everyone leave!" Alphegor commanded.
"Father, I''d like to¨C" Viana tried to pacify the King, but he was having none of it.
"Do not make me repeat myself," Alphegor glared at her, and Viana along with the others escaped from the room. But as they passed by Morrigan, they glared at her, malice oozing from their gaze.
This can''t be good¡
As soon as the door was closed, Alphegor turned towards the door and drew a circle in the air with his hands. It shimmered in the air for a moment and then hit the door, burning a circular symbol into the wood. A few seconds later it began to fade until the door returned to its previous, untouched state.
"Speak, Lucius! I know you wouldn''t let anyone into my office unless there was a good reason for it," Alphegor said and set Morrigan down on the floor. She decided that it would be better to sit down and went to the small sofa, getting up into its soft cushions.
"It''s a long and complicated story, Your Majesty. I think it''s best if we all sat down," Lucius sighed and motioned towards the sofa where Morrigan was sitting. Alphegor gave him an appraising look and then sat down next to her. Lucius nodded and then took a seat across from them.
"I''ll start from the moment where you chased Princess Morrigan," the old demon began and gave the girl an appraising look. Morrigan sank deeper into the cushion, feeling the quiet accusation in his voice.
"Do not blame Morrigan for what happened. It was my negligence as a parent that led to her running away," Alphegor wrapped his hand around Morrigan as if to shield her from Lucius. The old demon looked surprised at first, but then smiled and nodded.
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"To think that you would actually grow into an admirable father figure. Love does work in mysterious ways," Lucius chuckled, at which Alphegor mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath.
"Get back to the matter at hand."
"Of course," Lucius'' expression returned to his stern mask, and he cleared his throat. "After you and the Princess disappeared, people within the castle grew more and more anxious by the day. Initially, I was able to reassure them by saying that you''d soon return together with the Princess, but then the fact that you had gone missing spread outside the castle."
"So people began to panic," Alphegor rubbed his chin and a deep crease formed on his forehead.
"Yes. Rumors went completely out of control, I suspect a party who opposes your rule aggravated the situation. Within a few weeks demons were rioting outside of Demon Castle, demanding your return," Lucius said, then his gaze dropped.
"Let me guess ¨C nobles intervened," Alphegor growled.
"Yes, Your Majesty. They began suggesting that the Demon Kingdom required a new ruler. I did my best to object to their advances, assuring them that I could manage state affairs in your absence."
"But then they claimed that you were trying to claim power for yourself," Alphegor stated, then slumped back into the sofa. "I see what happened now."
Morrigan blinked her eyes, trying to understand the implication they were talking about. She had no knowledge about politics so whatever conclusion Alphegor had come to, she couldn''t deduct with her meager knowledge.
"I don''t understand. What does that have to do with Viana and my other sisters being here?" she spoke up, looking from Lucius to her father. The old demon sighed.
"It means that your elder sisters are now trying to acquire the position of Crown Princess," he said and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Looking at his face carefully, Morrigan noted that some additional wrinkles have appeared during their absence.
"How? Isn''t Father the only one who can name the next heir?" she asked, looking up at Alphegor.
"Normally, yes. But due to our prolonged absence, your sisters could gather support from nobles who in turn pushed towards the selection of a new Crown Princess," the King explained.
"Yes. They were moving things along at lightning speed. Normally such matters would take years, but a few dukes were pushing towards the election of a new Crown Princess," Lucius explained.
"Who? I should free their heads from their shoulders for treason," Alphegor growled, and Morrigan saw her father''s eyes gain that horrifying red color.
"Your Majesty, please be lenient. Finding a replacement for them now would be quite difficult. Especially with the Festival approaching within the next decade."
"The Festival?" Morrigan asked as she tried to rack her memory for an answer. She knew of many festivals on Earth, but hasn''t heard about any taking place in the Underworld.
"Yes, it is a grand celebration that happens once every twenty years. I completely forgot that it is approaching. Is that reason why the girls were here?" Alphegor addressed Lucius who nodded.
"That and they were also helping me with managing the state affairs in your absence. Of course, I''ve kept their sphere of influence to a complete minimum."
"Good. That means it''s not too late for Morrigan to make up for lost ground. I could completely shut down the matter entirely, but that might not sit well with the nobles and I''d rather not have a civil war on my hands," Alphegor said nonchalantly, as if he was talking about an annoying chore. Morrigan paled at the mention of war.
As a human she had lived in a completely peaceful country that hadn''t been in a war for many centuries. But she had seen enough news to know how devastating it was, especially on civilians who arguably had nothing to do with it in the first place.
"Father, we can''t have a civil war," she grabbed onto his sleeve and pleaded. Alphegor smiled and gently patted her head.
"Do not worry, little one. I believe we have returned just in time to solve the situation peacefully."
"What should we do with the princesses? Allow them to continue their work?" Lucius asked.
"I have returned so there is absolutely no reason for them to be doing that anymore. However, they may continue with their preparations for the Festival," Alphegor announced.
"But the nobles? Won''t they object if the princesses are suddenly cut off from state affairs?"
"I''m not so old that I need other people managing state matters for me. I''ll put the nobles in their place at the soonest opportunity. Now, Lucius, give me a report of all events that require my immediate attention," Alphegor strode towards his work desk, leaving Morrigan alone on the sofa.
"What about Princess Morrigan?" Lucius asked, throwing her a look filled with pity.
"Not today, Lucius. She''s been through a lot and needs to rest," Alphegor said, then snapped his fingers. "Azrael!"
The circle on the door lit up again and then disintegrated into shimmering dust. A few moments later a disheveled and a very annoyed Azrael arose from a shadow in the ground.
"I''ve barely managed to go to the bathroom when you''ve already summoned me. I already learned from my mistake, alright? No need for more punishment," the white-haired demon grumbled, but kept his head lowered before Alphegor.
"We''re going to intensify Morrigan''s magic lessons," the King said sternly, and Morrigan shivered. While Alphegor was very demanding of others, he was always lenient towards her and never pushed her to do anything. If he was asking Azrael to intensify the lessons, then it was probably because there was no better choice.
It''s about time I actually learned some proper magic. There is no reason to appear incompetent anymore. In fact, this is a perfect opportunity for me to learn some actually cool magic.
"I''m ready, Father," she said resolutely, balling her little hands into fists. Alphegor nodded approvingly, looking pleased with her answer.
"Alright, now that is something I can understand. I''m on it, Your Majesty," Azrael said, his previously demure attitude gone. "Within a few months time, this little girl will know more magic than all of your other daughters combined."
"Do not overdo it, Azrael. Teach her what she needs to know instead of just stuffing her full of magic that you deem to be ''cool''," Lucius grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest in a disapproving sort of manner.
"Don''t worry about it, old Lucius! When have I not been a good magic teacher?"
Morrigan could think of a few instances, but decided to remain quiet for Azrael''s sake.
He has suffered enough punishment for one day. Not to mention that Father needs to cool down a little. I get a feeling that one more thing could send him into a rage.
"Focus on strengthening her independence. Her ability to protect herself should be your top priority," Alphegor noted and then walked up to Morrigan, kneeling down beside her. "Do not hold back anymore. Give your lessons everything you got and trust me to take care of any problems that arise afterwards."
He said the last sentence in a barely audible voice, and Morrigan nodded.
"I won''t let you down, Father!"
"You wouldn''t be able to do that even if you tried," he chuckled and pulled her into a hug.
Chapter 47 – Burning with Fire
Morrigan stared at the long row of magical gems in front of her, rubbing her chin as her eyes darted from one to the next. They were of every shape and color, a collection Alphegor had ordered to be brought out from the Royal Treasury. A troublesome task that was once again hoisted onto Azrael in addition to his previous punishment.
"How am I to choose just one?" she looked at Azrael who was leaning against the nearby wall, his eyes closed and his body lax.
"It doesn''t matter. You''ll be able to learn them all in time. Just pick the one you want to learn today," the demon replied, not bothering to open his eyes.
"It does matter. It might take a while for me to properly master this magic so it needs to be something useful. Something more important than other magics," Morrigan lifted a blue gem closest to her. "I don''t even know what most of these do. Like what is this one?"
Azrael opened one of his eyes briefly, then closed it again, "That one is a sapphire. It contains water magic."
"Water manipulation or water creation?"
"It''s sapphire, a level 9 gem. Of course, it contains both," he grumbled. Morrigan put down the gem and walked over to Azrael.
No, definitely not water. Bathtime alone is a challenge. Dealing with water magic would force me to constantly relive the day I died.
"Will you stop sulking already and help me pick a gem like a magic teacher should?"
"Nah," he replied curtly. Morrigan walked up to him and jabbed a finger into his side. Unfortunately, the demon didn''t even flinch, completely ignoring her attempts to rouse him.
"You know that if I hadn''t asked Father, your punishment would have been much worse."
"I know¡"
"So help me out already! I don''t know much about magic," she tugged on his sleeve, and Azrael finally opened his eyes and looked at her. His gaze was somber and tired, and she wondered what could have made this usually cheerful demon so downcast. "Did something happen?"
He looked at her for a long while, then ruffled her hair, his signature grin returning to his face. "Alright, let''s get down to business!"
Odd. I wonder what put him in such a mood. I doubt it was related to the punishment. He got through rather lightly ¨C as always.
"There was no need to mess up my hair," Morrigan grumbled and watched as Azrael strode to the long line of gems that were laid out on the training grounds. He picked up three and then returned to her side. She wanted to ask what exactly had put him in such a bad mood in the first place but decided against it.
It''ll make him sulk again. I''ll ask him some other time.
"I believe the best choice now would be to learn some offensive magic."
"Offensive magic? I don''t want to fight anybody," Morrigan objected, shaking her head and taking a step away from the gems. "Why can''t I have some paint magic or color magic or something like that?"
"Because paint magic isn''t going to save you when an assassin attacks. Many demons will surely want to remove you from the picture. Previously, you were the only candidate and a young child at that, so the amount of attempts on your life was rather tame."
So there is some sort of paint magic? I''m going to have to look more into that when I have the opportunity.
"No, whatever you are plotting in that little brain of yours ¨C stop. Things are going to get serious now. If you want to survive, then you need to learn how to defend yourself," Azrael said and presented the gems to Morrigan.
Giving other princesses the chance to become the heir must have really riled up some nobles. No doubt they will do everything in their power to remove me as soon as possible.
Morrigan took a deep breath and steeled herself.
Azrael is right. I need to be able to protect myself, instead of just relying on my father and him all the time. They cannot be by my side all the time.
"What are these gems?" Morrigan asked, and Azrael''s expression softened.
"The red one here is fire opal. Can you guess what magic it contains?" he snickered, and Morrigan laughed in response.
"Oh, I don''t know. Perhaps ¨C rock?" she joked.
"That''s right. How''d you know?" Azrael played along, then pointed to the blue gem that had golden streaks running through it.
"This one is a lapis lazuli ¨C it contains electric magic. The clear one is an antarcticite and of course, it contains ice magic."
Morrigan carefully looked over the gems, trying to imagine how it would feel to use each type of magic. And which could be best used offensively.
Ice magic seems rather useful. I could easily stop any attackers in their tracks, create icy walls to block attacks and¡ pierce them with ice. Not sure if I want to put people on an ice skewer. Also, how''d I even remove all that ice afterward? Does it come with a convenient unthaw switch? Probably not.
The gruesome scene made Morrigan shiver, so she shifted her focus to the lapis lazuli.
With electricity, I could just electrocute enemies and leave them paralyzed. But how would I control it? Isn''t it really difficult to predict where electricity will go? What if I accidentally electrocute a friend? I''d rather not.
Finally, she looked at the smooth fire opal.
Fire magic seems destructive but would certainly be very effective offensively. But it has the same problem as electricity ¨C how to properly control it? It''s probably easier to handle than electricity but I''m not sure.
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"Oh, and before you choose, remember that whichever magic you choose, you will also gain a certain resistance to the corresponding element. So if you were to choose antarcticite then you''d be more resistant to cold weather and ice attacks in general."
"Resistance you say?" Morrigan pondered and remembered the unbearing heat she had felt near the lava river. Those were hardly a rarity in the Underworld, and Morrigan was never particularly fond of hot weather, even as a human.
Having made her decision, she reached for the fire opal and engulfed it in her palms. She imagined its power seeping into her body, the gem slowly being absorbed. A few moments later, she felt the stone disappear and a warm tingle passed through her.
"Good choice. Can never go wrong with fire," Azrael noted and put down the other two gems. Morrigan nodded and took a deep breath.
"Alright, so how do I do this? Do I just imagine launching a fireball or something?" she asked.
"Pretty much," Azrael shrugged and leaned against the wall, watching over Morrigan. She took a deep breath, outstretched her hand and then imagined a fireball flying at the dummies on the other side of the training grounds.
But instead of a small fireball like she hoped, a giant sphere of fire grew in front of her.
"Wha¨C" she panicked and tried to stop the magic, but the ball just kept growing and growing.
"Princess, stop!" Azrael yelled.
"I can''t!" she screamed back. The fireball was growing so big and it was threatening to swallow her and Azrael, so she tried to mentally shove it away from herself. The flaming monstrosity moved towards the poor training dummy and then exploded. Azrael lunged towards Morrigan and wrapped his body around her.
A moment later a wall of fire erupted around them. She feared that Azrael would take the brunt of the hit, but noticed a shimmering forcefield around them that protected them from the raging flames. They remained in that position for about half a minute until the fire began to disperse.
Azrael stood up, uncovering Morrigan and allowing her to take a proper look around the training grounds. Everything in the room that was made out of wood ¨C dummies, shields, training swords and benches ¨C was burned to a pile of ash. The floor and walls were covered in black soot, and even the door was singed. Only the magical gems lay on the floor unscathed. Even Morrigan''s guards laid limp on the ground.
"Oh no! Did I kill them?" Morrigan gasped and ran up to the guards, searching for any vital signs.
"No. They''re fine. But it seems like they exhausted their magic reserves in order to guard against your fireball," Azrael said, carefully stepping over ash. "This will be hard to explain."
Morrigan heard shouts coming from the hallway beyond the training grounds, and less than a minute later a bunch of demons, mostly maids and servants, ran inside.
"Nothing to see here, folks! Return to your duties," Azrael waved his hands, trying to get the demons to move, but they stood stubbornly in their place, muttering among themselves and looking at Morrigan with shocked eyes.
"Morri! Morri! Are you alright?" Deziara came running through the hallway, unceremoniously pushing the servants aside and running up to Morrigan. "I heard a loud noise. What happened?"
"It''s alright, Deziara. Nothing happened, really," she replied, forcing herself to smile in front of the gathered crowd. In reality, her heart was beating like crazy, as she tried to comprehend what destructive power she just acquired.
What would have happened if I wasn''t within the confines of the training grounds? What if somebody who couldn''t defend themselves would have been hit by that?
"What happened to the guards? Did somebody attack you?" Deziara looked over the training grounds, searching for any assailants.
"Nobody attacked us. There is nothing to see. Everything is under control," Azrael shouted and began to physically push the crowd away. But people were resisting, not willing to move and more demons ran through the halls, joining the already gathered mass. Among them were some of Morrigan''s sisters as well as curious concubines.
"What happened to the guards?"
"It must have been an attack. The whole training grounds have been destroyed."
"Is the castle not safe anymore?"
"Isn''t it clear what happened?" a feminine voice spoke up, and everyone turned to look at Viana who was walking towards the scene with her head held high and a faint smile on her lips. "My little sister lost control of her power."
The crowd gasped and then turned to Morrigan. Their gazes were piercing and judgemental, and she felt the urge to turn and run.
No, if I run, then it''s all over. I have to stand tall and show them that it was intentional.
"I''m afraid my eldest sister has jumped to conclusions. I did not lose control, I was merely testing the limits of my power," Morrigan replied, crossing her hands over her chest in a challenge. Viana was about to open her mouth again when all of the gathered demons bowed their heads. Alphegor was approaching, his eyebrows furrowed in a deep scowl.
"What''s with the racket? What happened?" the King asked, and glanced over the whole scene. When his eyes met with Morrigan''s, she grinned sheepishly at him.
"Father, it appears Morrigan had a training accident," Viana said with her head bowed. Much to her dismay, the King just roared with laughter and let out a loud whistle.
"Look at that power! At age four, when most demon children haven''t even manifested their abilities yet!" Alphegor went up to Morrigan and picked her up in his arms. "You''ll be a demon to fear one day!"
Morrigan noticed how Viana bit into her lower lip while the gathered demons relaxed.
"But what if Morrigan doesn''t learn to control it? It could be really dangerous," Viana said, but Alphegor just waved his hand dismissively.
"Nonsense, she''ll have it mastered in no time at all. Won''t you, Morrigan?" he announced, and Morrigan could feel cold sweat form on her palms.
"Of course," she replied with as much vigor as she could, although Morrigan had no idea how she could ever control that fire. It felt like it had a mind of its own.
"Wonderful! Now, clean this up. Azrael, gather the gems and come to my office afterward," Alphegor ordered and strode away, holding Morrigan in his arms. As they retreated, Viana glared at her with such intensity that Morrigan felt she might drop dead. Servants also didn''t appear too pleased, seeing a large clean up ahead of them.
After they reached Alphegor''s office, the King put her down on the sofa and then drew the same spell to block overhearing from outside and waited. Unlike in front of the crowd, he appeared far more serious and thoughtful.
"Did I¡ mess up?" Morrigan asked, peering at him. Alphegor seemed to snap out of his thoughts and turned to her.
"No, this is not your fault. It''s just not quite what I expected. I need to hear Azrael''s thoughts on this."
A few long minutes later, there was a knock on the door, "It''s Azrael."
"Come in," Alphegor ordered. The white-haired demon came in, his expression just as serious as Alphegor''s.
"So ¨C what happened?"
"It seems like the Princess has a natural affinity with fire magic. That and her naturally huge magical potential created a rather explosive effect," Azrael sighed and ruffled his hair.
"Do you think she could learn to control it?" Alphegor asked.
"Yeah, but how long it''ll take and how easy it''ll be depends purely on her," he said and looked at Morrigan.
"I''ll¡ do my best?" Morrigan gave them a crooked smile and a thumbs up.
"Change the training place to the dungeons. We can''t have another incident like this happen where everybody would see it," the King said and Azrael nodded.
"Wait, the dungeons? Is that really necessary?" she asked, remembering the dark, trap-riddled place.
"It''s only a temporary measure. I promise to find you a better training spot soon," Alphegor said, then knelt by her side and looked her straight in the eyes. "I know this is much for me to ask, but you must gain control of this power as soon as possible. Your life may depend on it."
Morrigan nodded at him, and Alphegor gave her a quick hug and stood up.
"Now get to it, there''s no time to lose."
Chapter 48 – Lavabee Honey Cake
A giant explosion rumbled through the dark dungeon room, leaving yet another crater in the middle of the already massacred space.
"Why? I was imagining a tiny candlelight," Morrigan threw her arms up in frustration, her face covered in sweat and soot. No matter how hard she tried to control her flames and make them small, her mind always wandered back to the fainted guards and the judgmental stares of the Demon Castle inhabitants.
"That sure didn''t look like a candlelight," Azrael said, sitting behind a tall stone wall that separated him from the place of carnage. He had a drink in one of his hands and a book in another, looking quite relaxed.
"You could try and teach me something for a change," she glared at him, considering whether he should become her next target.
"I can''t teach you anything until you learn some basic control," he replied nonchalantly and took another sip of his drink.
"But how can I learn any control if you won''t even give me any tips," she retorted and felt the strongest sense of deja vu. It was the same when she had to absorb a magical gem for the first time. Azrael refused to explain anything and she was left to boil in her own incompetence.
Why does he expect me to understand everything right away?
"How did my mom teach you to control fire?" she prodded.
"She didn''t have to. I was a natural," the demon grinned victoriously, and now she really wanted to burn him to cinders.
"Then how come you couldn''t dry yourself off before?" Morrigan snickered.
"I have no use for servant magic. It''s their job to dry stuff, not mine," Azrael retorted, completely unphased by her attempted jab.
"Such a helpful teacher you are. I should get you replaced."
"Hey, now. No need to get hasty," Azrael closed his book and got up from his chair. "I can tell you what your problem is, but knowing that will hardly solve it."
"Knowing the problem makes it half a problem," Morrigan retorted, confident that even the smallest bit of information could help tip the scales in her favor.
"You are too emotional," Azrael said and poked her forehead.
"Huh?" she stared up at him dumbfounded.
"As I said ¨C you are too emotional. You get riled up really easily and that in turn messes with your mind and your ability to control magic."
"But I''ve never had any trouble with shadow walking or shape-shifting," she objected.
"That''s because those don''t have any levels of power that require control. You either can shift or you can''t. But with fire, the results will vary greatly depending on your mental state," Azrael said then outstretched his hand towards her. "Enough for today. You need to cool down."
"I can do it!" Morrigan protested.
"No. I can see that you''re still riled up. Let''s try again tomorrow," he pushed his hand closer to her, and begrudgingly Morrigan took it. The demon teleported them in front of Alphegor''s and Morrigan''s chambers, surprising Gunna who was polishing one of the vases by the door.
"Lady Morrigan, you''re back already," the dwarf nanny bowed to Azrael, who gave her a curt wave and then disappeared into darkness.
"Yeah. Practice was cut short today¡" Morrigan said, her eyes downcast. Gunna instantly picked up on her sour mood and walked up to her.
"Why don''t we have some nice tea and cake? I hear they baked some fresh lavabee honey cake."
"Lavabee honey cake?" Morrigan tilted her head quizzically. She had heard of lavabees before. Apparently, these rather large insects lived close to lava lakes and rivers and somehow managed to turn the hot goop into actual edible honey. But it was a rare delicacy and Morrigan hadn''t yet had a chance to taste it.
"Yes. Would you like to try it? It was supposed to be served to His Majesty after dinner, but I''m sure he wouldn''t mind if you took a slice for yourself early."
"I would!" Morrigan nodded, and she felt herself getting giddy at the prospect of a nice dessert. Gunna hurried away to the kitchens while Morrigan retreated into her living room and waited.
After a while, the nanny returned pushing a little cart that had the slice of the aforementioned cake. It had many thin layers in between each sat a nice helping of orangeish cream. Over the top, there was a drizzle of what Morrigan assumed to be the lavabee honey. It was slightly translucent, just like normal honey, but its color was rich and resembled hot magma.
"Here you go, Lady Morrigan. Enjoy!" Gunna said, putting the cake and a cup of tea on the coffee table. Morrigan eagerly grabbed the little dessert spoon, eager to dig in, but then realized that there was only one slice.
"What about you, Gunna?"
"I appreciate your concern, but I could not partake in a dessert that is meant for the King," the nanny refused with a smile and instead motioned her to eat.
"But¡"
"No buts. You need this dessert more than I do," the nanny said and sat down on the sofa next to Morrigan. "Tell me what weighs on your heart so heavily, child? You''ve only just returned home a few days ago and yet your mood is already so sullen."
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Morrigan sighed and then stared at the teacup in front of her. She took a moment to gather her thoughts and then spoke up.
"It''s just that when my father found me, he reassured me that I''d have all the time in the world to learn how to be a proper princess and heir. And yet the moment I came back, there was this political strife in front of me. I don''t blame Father. I understand that even if he is a king, he cannot just do whatever he wishes. He cannot just force people to accept me and disregard other princesses."
Morrigan sighed and thought of all the rumors that were circulating through the Demon Castle, and by extension ¨C the whole Underworld. How maids and servants muttered among themselves that the eldest daughter should be the next Queen instead of the youngest. How Morrigan''s power was too unstable and dangerous. How it would destroy the Demon Kingdom.
I never wanted any part of this, and yet once again I am the center of attention.
Gunna''s warm hand touched Morrigan''s shoulder and she was brought out of her thoughts.
"I understand that the burden you bear is great ¨C but do not forget that you are who you are and nobody can change that."
"But I can always improve. I can learn things, I can gain control over my weaknesses," she said resolutely.
"Or you could show to others that your weaknesses are actually your strengths," the nanny smiled, then pushed the cake towards Morrigan. "Eat it, child. You''ll feel better."
Morrigan stared at Gunna for a moment, then turned her gaze towards the cake.
Turn my weakness into strength. How would I even do that? I didn''t know that Gunna liked to talk in riddles.
The sweet smell of the dessert made her stomach grumble, so she grabbed the spoon and took a bite of cake. Once its flavor reached her tongue, her taste buds exploded with a mixture of sweetness from what tasted like condensed milk cream, the cake layers which were less sweet and more neutral in flavor, and the explosiveness of the lavabee honey.
The honey was like a bit of magic on her tongue ¨C just like those sweets she once tasted in Linberor market. It was hot and spicy, but at the same mild and not all harsh like a pepper would be. As she swallowed the first bite, the warmth of it spread down her throat and then went through her whole body.
"Gunna! This is amazing," Morrigan cheered and took a sip of her favorite peppermint tea which helped to soften the spiciness and cleanse her palate.
"I knew you''d like it, Lady Morrigan. Lavabee honey is said to taste like warmth and often is given to people who are having a hard time," the nanny explained and urged her to have some more. Morrigan took the spare spoon that stood on the cart and scooped a piece of cake onto it.
"You taste it!"
"Lady Morrigan, I already said that I¨C"
"Princess''s orders. Eat it or suffer punishment. Silent treatment for ten minutes," Morrigan puffed out her cheeks and held the spoon towards the nanny. Gunna sighed and then took the offered bite of cake. Her eyes lit up as she ate it, regaining the vigor that the nanny seemed to have lost over the years Morrigan was missing.
"It is indeed delicious. Thank you. What a kind child you are!"
"Food always tastes better when shared with others," Morrigan smiled and then took another bite of the cake. "I just wish my troubles with fire magic would dissolve as easily as this cake in my mouth."
"If you''re having trouble with fire magic, why not request an expert? Surely Master Alphegor would spare no resource for your sake," the nanny said.
He probably would find me a teacher if I just asked, but that could bring a different set of problems. The teacher would have to be trustworthy, and the training would still have to be done in some hidden place to avoid rumors. Also, Azrael will sulk if I get another magic teacher. Even if their specialty is just fire magic.
"An expert in fire magic, you say¡" Morrigan drawled as she munched on the cake. "Wait¡ I know an expert! I have to go now. Thank you, Gunna!"
She turned into a shadow and without hesitation sped down the castle wall to the yard.
"Lady Morrigan, wait! What about your cake?" The nanny called after her, but Morrigan was too excited to turn back.
***
Morrigan rushed into the dragon stables, which were a good chunk bigger than before, and saw Haku curled up in a corner, chewing on a piece of wood somewhat apathetically.
The dragon had grown considerably since the last time she saw him ¨C he was a good deal bigger than a horse. For her, it felt like no more than a few weeks, but she realized that the dragon had not seen her for two whole years.
How will he react? Will he be angry that I left him alone for so long? Will he hate me?
"Hey, Haku," she spoke up softly so as to not startle the not-so-little dragon. He didn''t react, instead continuing to chew on the wood.
Has he perhaps¡ forgotten me?
"It''s been a while, Haku. It''s me. Morrigan," she said and slowly approached him. But the dragon didn''t acknowledge her presence, acting as if there was nobody else there. Morrigan inched closer and closer to him while talking soothingly.
"How have you been? Has everyone been treating you well?"
When she was about a few meters away from him, the dragon suddenly moved his tail in a sweeping motion, and she heard chains clatter. She paused and looked over Haku''s limbs ¨C they were bound by chains.
"Haku, what have they done to you?" she exclaimed and rushed to his side, throwing caution out of the window. The stable opened then and one of the patrol guards came in. When he saw Morrigan crouched down near Haku, pulling at the chains, the guard rushed forward.
"Your Highness, get away from there! That dragon is incredibly dangerous!"
At his voice, Haku jumped up to his feet and snarled viciously, his mouth filling with hot flames. The guard stopped, his eyes darting from the dragon to Morrigan who was still tugging at the chains.
"How dare you chain up Haku? Where are the keys?" Morrigan demanded.
"Your Highness, get away from there!" The guard stepped close, reaching his hand out. Haku roared, and Morrigan saw how he was preparing to spew fire at the demon. She jumped out in front of him defensively.
"No, Haku! I know what they did to you is horrible, but if you hurt somebody then it''ll only make things worse."
Haku blinked as if he had finally noticed her. The flames in his mouth died down, but his gaze remained sharp.
"That''s right, Haku. Good dragon," she purred at him. Then she looked back at the guard. "Bring me the key to his shackles at once or you''ll become his dinner!"
The guard paled and pulled the key out of his pocket. Morrigan went up to him and took it.
"Princess, please understand. This dragon went completely berserk after you disappeared."
"Well, clearly you don''t know how to treat a dragon properly," she huffed and went up to Haku. He watched her suspiciously but didn''t object to her closeness. After a few minutes, his chains were removed. Haku tentatively lifted his limbs, then looked at Morrigan.
"Isn''t that better?" she said with a smile. But Haku roared in response, and his mouth filled with hot flames again.
Oh no¡ Is he mad after all?
"Run, Princess!"
Chapter 49 – Underworld Fireworks
Haku''s mouth opened wider and fire streamed out of it in a steady current¡ above his head. Morrigan watched as the fire turned into little motes of flame that gently flowed down and then dissipated in the air. Before she could realize what was going on, Haku leapt up to her and licked her face enthusiastically. His tongue was a bit rough, but not as rough as a cat''s tongue. It forked a little at the tip and resembled a snake''s tongue.
"Yes, I missed you too, Haku," she giggled and gave him a hearty scratch under the chin. Haku purred with delight, leaning into her touch. His tail wagged from side to side, sending the chewed-up pieces of wood flying all over the stable.
"Why don''t we go out for a flight? I bet it''s been a while since you''ve done that."
The dragon jumped up and down and then grabbed Morrigan by her scruff. She was a bit surprised by the sudden maneuver but relaxed as Haku gingerly set her down on his back. Sitting on top of him, she realized just how much larger he was than before. Her little body didn''t cover his whole back anymore, leaving a large enough space for another fully grown demon to fit.
"You''ve really grown, Haku. It''s a shame I''ve remained the same," Morrigan said, regretting her escape from home even more.
I was so paranoid and foolish. I should have just believed in my father. He never had given me any reason not to trust him.
As Haku leapt forward, rushing out of the stable, Morrigan''s breath hitched and she began sliding backward. She frantically tried to hold onto him, but his scales were smooth, and she didn''t have anything to grab onto. Thankfully, she reached the part where his wings grew out of his back and stopped.
"I think we''re going to have to build you a saddle. Let''s take it slow this time," She gently patted Haku''s neck, and the dragon nodded in response, one of his green eyes looking at her. Morrigan was always amazed by how intelligent the dragon seemed, but he appeared to have matured even more while she was away.
Haku slowed his pace to a trot, and Morrigan found a nook under his wings on which to support her legs. Then she wrapped her hands around him as best as she could and nodded, "Ready when you are!"
The dragon got a running start and began flapping his wings, slowly gaining altitude. Morrigan glanced down and saw how the ground grew further and further away. But she wasn''t scared. The steady beating of Haku''s wings and the warmth that radiated through his scales calmed her.
"I truly missed you, Haku. I promise that no matter where I go, you''ll come with me," she said quietly. Morrigan was sure that her scaled friend wouldn''t even be able to hear her, but a low hum escaped from him. She smiled and they rose higher and higher, going over the peaks of the Demon Castle.
Darkness engulfed them from all sides, and Morrigan felt saddened that Haku wasn''t able to fly in the sky like a dragon really should.
"You know, while I was gone I went to a place where you could fly endlessly up and not worry about hitting anything. A place where there are no limits."
Haku didn''t make any noise but she could feel that he was wholly focused on her. Taking it as a good sign, she continued, "I''m really sorry that I left you alone here for so long. I''m sure it was horrible for you as even Azrael who was supposed to care for you was away looking for me."
The dragon let out a small puff of smoke that mercilessly hit Morrigan''s nostrils.
"I deserved that. I know this will sound like nothing more than an excuse, but I was really scared at the time. I thought my father wouldn''t acknowledge me and would abandon me, just like I was once abandoned before. But it wasn''t true and now I just feel foolish about it."
Haku huffed as his mouth lit up with flames. They traveled slowly out of his mouth like little flower petals and swirled around them as they flew.
"That is amazing, Haku! How did you do that?" She watched as the fire danced around them in awe. "If I could control fire as well as you, then all those nasty rumors about me being dangerous and unfit to be Crown Princess would stop. Or least calm down a little."
The dragon cried out cheerfully and then looked at her intently. She looked into his eyes trying to understand what he was trying to convey. There was a nagging sensation in her mind ¨C like a gentle tingle.
"You''ll teach me?"
What surprised her wasn''t his willingness to do so ¨C she had expected as much. No, it was the fact that she understood him in a weird, almost telepathic sort of way.
Is this a draconic ability or mine?
***
"Princess Morrigan has gone insane."
"What do you mean insane? She''s merely four years old. Children her age do a lot of strange things."
"You haven''t heard?"
"Heard what?"
"She is studying fire magic from that dragon of hers."
"What? Surely, you jest. The dragon is her pet ¨C she''s probably just playing with it."
"No, I''ve seen it with my own eyes. She goes to the castle backyard every day and talks with the dragon."
"That is a bit odd, but she''s still just a child¡"
Morrigan couldn''t listen to the maids yapping anymore and decided to emerge from behind the bookshelves where she had been reading a book about fire magic. Once the maids saw her, their faces went as pale as sheets.
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"What a nice day it is," Morrigan said to them and looked them directly in the eyes. Both of them trembled and bowed their heads low. "It''d be a perfect day to have a nice long chat with Father. I wonder what topics he would be interested in. Perhaps the code of conduct that servants of the castle need to adhere to. I am not very familiar with it."
"My apologies, Your Highness! It will not happen again."
"Please, be merciful."
Morrigan snickered. It felt nice to put the rumor-weaving maids into their place.
"Get back to work," Morrigan commanded coldly, and the maids scurried away.
I have no time to deal with them anyway. Haku is waiting for me.
She turned into her shadow form and hurried to the dragon stables. The dragon was already pacing near the entrance, expecting her arrival. They''d been training together for about two weeks, and Morrigan had managed to learn so much from Haku. Turned out that despite the inability to speak, dragons were quite capable teachers.
As Morrigan realized with her time together with Haku, fire magic required emotional control over everything else. She needed to feel how strong the flame needed to be, so if her emotions were out of control due to stress, then it was impossible to control. However, time together with Haku was very therapeutic and helped her to better understand herself as well as him. It also helped that Haku could easily take control of any rogue flames.
"Hey, Haku," she greeted him and wrapped her hands around him in a hug. His tail swished around, hitting against the wall with such ferocity, it felt like the stable would collapse. But since the structure was made out of solid stone, it held firm.
"Ready for some fire practice?" She called out and the dragon leapt up and down in joy. She chuckled and motioned him to bend down. Haku laid down on the ground and put his front paw in a manner that would make it easy for Morrigan to use as a ladder to climb on his back. She nodded at him in thanks and then got into the small saddle that she requested Azrael to get for her.
The saddle was specifically made to account for her size as well as to make flight as secure for her as possible. It included a safety harness around her waist, so that in case she lost her grip, she wouldn''t be falling to her death. Morrigan checked that the harness was secure and then gently tapped on Haku''s neck with her hand, signaling him to move.
The dragon obliged and they strode out of the stable, ready to fly once again. Much to Morrigan''s surprise, she saw Deziara walking through the backyard, waving her hand at them.
"Let''s go and see what she has to say," Morrigan said, but Haku was already eagerly running towards the girl. Apparently, the only reason he survived at all was because Deziara had taken it upon herself to care for it. She couldn''t convince Lucius and Viana to remove Haku''s chains, but at least she kept him fed and entertained as best as she could.
And it showed ¨C Haku always greeted her with great enthusiasm.
"Hello, sister!" Morrigan waved at her cheerfully, but her hands slumped as she noticed a rather serious expression on Deziara''s face. "Is something the matter?"
"Morri, I think it''s best if you skip your practice for today," she said, and affectionately scratched under Haku''s chin.
"Why?"
"Apparently Viana caught wind of your practice with Haku and decided to make a spectacle out of you. She organized a tea party and invited all the most prominent noble demonesses. I heard she even invited Father, although I doubt he''d show up," Deziara explained.
"What do I care for their tea parties?"
"She''s organizing it in the castle yard. See the tables over there," Deziara pointed to the far side of the backyard. While it was a good way away from the stables, her practicing fire magic with Haku would certainly be visible to everybody.
That little¡ she''s trying to make a fool of me in front of all the prominent people. No doubt she intends to remove me from the Crown Princess''s position. But I won''t back off. In fact, I''ll use this to my advantage.
"Let her have her fancy party. I''ll give them a show they''ll never forget," Morrigan announced and patted Haku affectionately. He responded with an approving roar, sensing her intentions.
"Are you sure about this, Morri?" Deziara looked at them with concern.
"I am! Be sure to watch, sister," Morrigan announced.
"If you''re so confident about it, then I''ll trust you. You''ve become far bolder since you''ve returned. I like it," Deziara chuckled, and Morrigan nodded in return. She urged Haku on and took off, flying above the castle.
They began the same way as always, Haku shot fire out of his mouth in various intensities and Morrigan tried to mimic the size of his fireballs. Hers were almost always larger than his, but the fact that she could control their size was already a testament to her improvement.
Once the basic fireball exercise was done, Haku began to fly more frantically, increasing and decreasing his speed randomly, gaining and lowering altitude, and overall making it more difficult for Morrigan. While he did that, she did her best to keep a steady stream of fire coming. Occasionally she would lose her focus and the fire would either disappear or become too strong, but it didn''t take long for her to regain control.
Just as they finished this exercise to Morrigan''s satisfaction, she saw a group of demonesses coming out of the castle, Viana leading them.
"No fire now, Haku. Let''s observe for a while," she said and pushed on his right shoulder indicating to him the direction she wanted to go. Haku obeyed, gently swerving to the right, away from the Demon Castle lights. This way it should be harder for anybody to spot them from the ground. Not impossible, but they''d have to look really hard to notice.
Morrigan and Haku kept gliding in circles around the castle, observing the situation below each time they flew over the tea party. Then Morrigan noticed how Viana was looking up at them and pointing with her finger. The demonesses at the party also looked up.
"How kind of my eldest sister to set up the stage for us! Haku, let''s give them a show they''ll never forget," Morrigan said, and Haku rumbled in reply. He began spewing fire from his mouth and then made circles around the guests, making them visible to everybody. She could hear the gasps of the noble demonesses even from the high above.
Alphegor then exited from the castle, heading towards the tea party. As he noticed them flying above, the King stopped and smiled. Seeing this gave Morrigan courage to continue, so she took a deep breath and then lifted her hands up. She thought of how she felt when she first saw fireworks on Earth. How they filled her with wonder and joy. She never had a chance to show her father any fireworks ¨C their time on Earth was rather short. But she could try to create something similar.
Morrigan channeled the happy thoughts into her fire magic and the two wisps of fire shot from her arms. At the same time, Haku made the fire that circled around them disappear, turning everyone''s focus on the wisps. It climbed higher and then exploded in every direction, blooming in the eternal dark like a giant fire flower. Then Morrigan shot two more wisps and then more and more.
One fire flower appeared after the next and disappeared into the darkness. Morrigan saw how each time a flower bloomed, the demonesses gasped in awe. After she felt like her control of the fire was waning, Morrigan signaled Haku to descend and the dragon landed right in front of the King.
"Father, I didn''t think you''d come to watch my magic practice," she said loudly enough for the demonesses to hear.
"I wouldn''t dream of missing it," he said and took her in his arms. "Well done, Morrigan!"
"To think that a child so young could control fire with such precision."
"And while riding on a dragon''s back no less."
"Imagine what she''ll be able to do once she''s older."
Morrigan was thoroughly enjoying the praise of the noble demonesses, all of whom smiled at her. All except one. Her eldest sister Viana.
Chapter 50 – Art vs Duty
Is the shadow under the bowl a bit too light? I think I need to make it a bit darker for contrast. And what about the light reflecting from the table''s surface? I think I need to make it more prominent on the bottom of the vase.
Morrigan stared intently at the still-life composition in front of her, doing her best to recreate it as faithfully as possible. She took dark blue paint and dabbed a little bit of white and then yellow in it, creating a lighter and slightly warmer tone. Then she took a brush with wide bristles and ever so slightly dabbed onto the painting, trying to create a bounce light on the vase.
She then looked at the dark blue vase in front of her, trying to understand whether the color she picked was the correct one. After comparing multiple times, she nodded in satisfaction, having ascertained the tone to be right.
"Let''s move on the flowers next," Morrigan said resolutely to herself, turning to the red and orange paints. A bright orange lava flower sat in the vase ¨C one of the most beautiful flowers in the Underworld in her opinion. In shape it resembled a lily, however the petals'' colors went from bright red in the center to yellow at the edges. It would be a challenge to properly recreate the color transition.
Morrigan hummed as she dabbed a round, soft brush into red paint and painted the basis of the flower onto the canvas. It was nothing more than a shape, merely a guide for her to continue applying colors onto. She took a smaller brush and then began to slowly transition from red to orange, making it as smooth as possible to mimic the real flower.
"Here you are, Princess!" Azrael stormed into Morrigan''s little art studio which was a repurposed storage room, appearing annoyed. "Aren''t you forgetting something?"
"Nope," she called back, cleaned her brush in the water jar, and moved on to the yellow.
"Why, you little!" Azrael growled and stomped up to her. She had grown considerably over the past six years, now being ten years old, but Azrael still towered over her whenever he got close. Her red hair had grown longer as had her horns, and she was also beginning to lose her childish features, beginning to look like a teenager. "Because of you, I received an earful from Weisedun. Do you know how annoying that guy is?"
"I am well aware," she replied, taking the smallest brush and dipping it into white paint to create reflections of light on the flower.
"Then why do you do this to me? Why do you avoid his lessons? The old man won''t ever give me room to breathe at this rate," Azrael continued complaining. Morrigan''s brush stopped moving, a heavy sigh escaping from her lips.
Never would she have thought that studying would become the bane of her existence in the Underworld. While she wasn''t exactly an honor student with perfect grades back on Earth, she never had trouble with her studies.
Here in the Demon Kingdom, it was completely different. As the next heir she had to know far more than others thus her teachers were especially strict towards her. Things like history, math and languages weren''t bad. The history of Doppelta was actually interesting, and Morrigan wouldn''t mind learning it earnestly if the teacher actually bothered to change her tone at least once during the lesson.
Math, while not the most interesting subject, wasn''t very difficult. In fact, it was much simpler than the difficult mathematical formulas she had to learn during high school. Languages was by far the most interesting subject as it not only helped her strengthen her knowledge of the demon language but also gave her insight into other languages like elvish and dwarfish.
But the lesson that she absolutely dreaded was politics. It was the first lesson that she had to learn as the Crown Princess. The first time, she approached it with an open if a bit worried mindset. She thought she was ready to tackle the task of becoming the next heir. However, once the teacher began recounting one noble demon house after the next, she lost it.
There were so many names to remember and so many things to know about them. It all quickly turned into a jumbled mess in her head. The Weisedun warned that it was only the first step and they would not be able to move with their lessons until she memorized it all.
"Morrigan," Azrael poked her cheek gently, a slight smile finally creeping on his lips. "You know you can''t just skip it."
"But I just can''t remember all those names! Duke of this, count of that, viscount of over there. Shouldn''t I be studying geography first instead so I could at least know what place those barons are ruling over," she grumbled, swishing her brush in the water to get it clean. As it was done, she took the red paint and mixed it with black, to create shadows in her flower.
"Well, normally children start with geography, but you''re the Crown Princess, so you have to be better than others," Azrael shrugged.
"Do you remember all those names and places then?" Morrigan asked, her voice filled with annoyance. But it wasn''t Azrael she was annoyed at, but rather her inability to remember what was expected of her. It was her first true task as a Crown Princess and yet she was failing it miserably.
"Of course, I do. I am the head of House Ultimagi after all. If I didn''t know that much, I would have never risen to this high a station," Azrael straightened and his chest visibly rose up from all the ego that was inflating it. Morrigan sighed. "But I guess it is too much for a little girl like you."
Her eyebrow twitched and her eyes narrowed at the white-haired demon who grinned with satisfaction.
So you want to challenge me? So be it.
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"Fine, I''ll get to that lesson and learn all those names. How long did it take you to remember them all?" she asked, and carefully applied the dark painting, creating a popping contrast between each individual flower petal.
"Well, I could name all the duchies within a week, and within a month I could name every house down to the last baron," Azrael''s purple eyes seemed to glow as his smile clearly issued a challenge towards her.
"Then I shall learn them faster," Morrigan retorted, pointing the dirty brush at his face. The demon appeared unbothered, radiating confidence.
"Oh, really? Well, you''ve already lost three days due to your little painting escapades. Can you really do it?" he teased, looking down at her from above.
"Just you watch me," she spat and then drew the last dark line on the bottom of the flower. The piece was complete. Perfect recreation of the vase and flower in front of her.
"Is this done?" Azrael asked, leaning in to inspect the painting.
"Yes. What do you think?"
Azrael looked at the painting, then at the vase, and then nodded, "Yeah, I can''t see a difference. You''ve really improved over the years. I reckon with your artistic sense, you''ll soon become the best shape-shifter this world will never notice."
***
I said I could do it, but this is impossible!
Morrigan scribbled down all the names of the nobles that her politics teacher Lord Weisedun was calling, but she was barely able to keep up with the demon. Even if he showed the location of the house on the three-dimensional map of the Underworld, and then explained what exactly the region specialized in and the general type of populace in it, Morrigan quickly got lost in the sea of information.
"This is the territory of Countess Shallren whose house has been ruling over it for more than fifteen thousand years. As it is part of the Demon Kingdom, then the main populace there are also demons, mostly succubi and incubi or those with inborn ability to charm others," Lord Weisedun, a tall and thin demon with dark gray skin and red horns, illuminated the specific area on the map with a red light.
Morrigan looked at the spot on the map, but she had no idea where that actually was. Three-dimensional maps that demons used to chart the Underworld were something that completely blew Morrigan''s mind the first time she saw it. Every cavern and turn in the giant underground tunnel was neatly documented and reproduced into something that resembled a hologram of an anthill. Only much larger and more complex.
There was only one thing that she understood in this map ¨C it was the location of the Demon Castle. Sitting in the very heart of the Underworld, Linberor was located in the largest cavern that existed underground, so it was much easier to discern from other places. The lava river that flowed near the capital was also a good indicator of its placement.
But aside from this iconic place, every underground labyrinth looked just like the other. The only conclusion she could draw from the one Lord Weisedun was pointing to was that it was comparatively close to the capital.
"Alright, moving on to the next house," the demon then lit up a completely different area way across the map, and Morrigan groaned inwardly as she tried to quickly finish writing about the previously mentioned Countess Shallren. But Lord Weisedun moved on so quickly that she barely managed to scribble down the name and location.
"Could you please slow down?" Morrigan spoke, trying to keep her frustration concealed.
"Princess, I am afraid that this is of utmost importance. If you do not learn the noble houses as soon as possible, then we won''t be able to learn more serious topics," the demon appeared insulted by her interruption, pointedly glaring down at her.
"But what is the point of just listing all of the houses if I can''t remember even one of them? You should go slower so I could at least write them down," Morrigan glared back at the man, and he took a step back in shock, covering his mouth with his hand like an insulted lady.
"Princess Morrigan! Are you doubting my teaching methods?"
Yes! They suck!
But of course, she couldn''t say that. Even if she was the Crown Princess, she couldn''t just waltz around insulting everybody she didn''t like. A little voice in her mind suggested complaining to her father.
No, Morrigan. You are better than that. You can''t run to Father because of every little thing that you don''t like.
"No, I would never," Morrigan plastered on a polite smile, something that she was getting better at, and held the inkpen in her hand, showing her willingness to learn.
Lord Weisedun nodded in approval and then turned back to his map, "Then let us continue. I will not repeat myself, so be sure to listen carefully, Princess Morrigan."
"Of course," she confirmed but groaned inwardly.
This isn''t going to work. He could list all those names a hundred times and I still wouldn''t be able to remember even one-third of them. I need to find a way to learn these effectively.
As Lord Weisedun continued pointing out various places on the map and listing one noble house after another, Morrigan kept pondering on what she could do to solve her problem as she hurriedly scribbled the names.
Perhaps the reason why I am having trouble remembering all these names is because they are of demon origin. Even if I''ve learned demon language for ten years now, their names still sound very foreign. What could I do to remember something foreign?
Morrigan began to doodle at the side of her notebook as her focus moved away from the lanky demon, who continued his lecture without any care. One line joined with the next, forming an oval shape, then some hair appeared on top and then Morrigan scribbled in some vague facial features.
I got it! What if I were to request portraits or at least drawings of the nobles I am supposed to remember? Surely it would be easier if I could put faces to the names I''m supposed to remember. Not to mention that then I would be able to study the art that they have in the Demon Kingdom. It''s a win-win!
"Princess Morrigan, are you listening?" Lord Weisedun tapped on Morrigan''s desk, his face filled with annoyance.
"Would it be possible for me to see the portraits of the heads of the houses?" she asked, excited by her own idea.
"Portraits? Whatever for?" the demon asked,his features softening.
"So I would be able to recognize them when I meet them. It would be embarrassing if I messed up their names upon meeting them, wouldn''t it?" Morrigan said with a smile. She really didn''t care how the most likely pompous demon nobles looked. But the art ¨C now that was an exciting prospect.
"Oh! I commend your intentions, Princess Morrigan, but I''m afraid it would be quite troublesome to look through all the portraits one by one. It would take a long time to gather them and even longer to properly look through them."
"But¡"
"Do not worry. You shall meet the nobles and receive proper introductions when the time is due," Lord Weisedun said and returned to his speed run of listing all noble houses.
Fine, if you won''t cooperate, I know somebody who will.
Chapter 51 – Sea of Portraits
"Princess, I think this might be too much," Azrael grumbled as he heaved another five portraits into the ballroom. It was one of the smaller rooms meant for minor occasions and parties hosted by concubines, but still large enough to fit about fifty people inside. Currently, the room was lined with portraits that were stacked on top of each other like some construction materials.
"I never expected that there would be so many," Morrigan paled as she looked over them, wondering where she would even begin. While she had known that there were a lot of nobles which meant a lot of portraits, she never expected such a ridiculous amount.
"What are they all even ruling over? A single lava droplet within some tiny lava river?" Morrigan complained although she knew full well that the Demon Kingdom was larger than even the largest country on Earth in terms of size.
"No, there is a hierarchy. Dukes rule over marquises, marquises rule over counts, counts rule over viscounts, and so on and so forth until we get to the tiniest baron ruling some far-off village at the edge of the Demon Kingdom," Azrael explained as he put down the last stack of portraits on a spare spot on the floor.
"Yes, yes, I get it. But is it really necessary for me to remember all of this?" Morrigan grumbled and pointed at the neverending pile of portraits.
"No, you only need to remember the names. Not sure why you decided to make your task more difficult by remembering their faces," Azrael retorted and wiped the dust off his hand. Some of the portraits hadn''t been touched in decades, making the ballroom smell of dust and old wood.
"There''s no way I can just mechanically recite that giant list of names. It''ll be much easier if I can remember their faces," she retorted, and Azrael sneered.
"Well, good luck. You have two days to go through all of these if you want to beat me," the white-haired demon smirked and promptly left Morrigan alone with the portraits. She looked over them all again and sighed.
This will be a long day.
***
Three hours later a tentative knock sounded on the ballroom door, bringing Morrigan out of her contemplation.
"Come in?" she called and rubbed her tired eyes.
"How are you doing, Lady Morrigan?" Gunna came into the room carrying a tray with what appeared to be sandwiches and tea. The nanny was smiling as she approached Morrigan, being careful to sidestep any portraits that had managed to slide out of place. At this point, Morrigan was almost as tall as the dwarf woman, albeit much more petite.
"This is wonderful, Gunna!" Morrigan replied excitedly and took a sandwich from the tray, biting into it with much gusto. "Although these are all supposed to be accurate representations of each demon noble, the variation in art style and techniques used is astounding!"
"Art style?" Gunna asked, setting down the tray on the floor, and picking up the teacup to offer it to Morrigan. The girl scarfed down the sandwich, surprised by how hungry she actually felt, and then drank the warm tea with it.
"Yes, Gunna! Look at this portrait for example," Morrigan pulled forward the one behind her which portrayed a blonde demoness with nearly black skin. "It clearly portrays all the important features of this person, clearly showing her characteristics and enhancing her most attractive features. But when you look closely you see that it is done with simple colors and using a minimal amount of shadows."
Morrigan then carefully put the portrait aside and pulled another one forward, this time with a bulky demon man that had pale blue skin and horns that curved like those of a ram. "This portrait however focuses on every little detail. Every pore, every crevice, every single hair on his head is drawn in perfect detail."
She then pulled the portraits so they would stand next to each other, holding each one upright with her hands. "Gunna, which one do you think is better?"
The nanny looked from one portrait to the next, stroking her beard in contemplation. She squinted her eyes, trying to discern something in one portrait, then the next. In the end, she shrugged, "I don''t know, Lady Morrigan. They both look nice in my opinion."
"Exactly, Gunna! Despite these two artists using such different techniques and styles, both pieces came out looking stunning, capturing the person in question perfectly. In fact, I''d say that these two went above and beyond. I can already imagine how these two people would act if I were to meet them."
Morrigan''s eyes were filled with excitement, and Gunna smiled at the girl, offering her another sandwich. She put the portraits down and then took it, eating it just as hastily as the first one.
"So I see your idea of learning noble names by looking at their portrait is going well," the nanny noted, and Morrigan''s expression fell.
"Actually the name-learning thing isn''t going as well as I had hoped," she admitted, and took the third sandwich from Gunna, biting into it and chewing it with deliberate slowness.
"Why not?" the nanny asked, offering tea for Morrigan to drink again. She took the tea, sipped it and sighed.
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"Well, it started well enough. I looked at the portrait, looked at the name and thought I had it memorized. So I moved on to the next one. The art style was different, so compared the two. And then I looked at another one, and another one. And completely forgot about the names," Morrigan sighed, looking down into the teacup.
"Hmm¡ perhaps we can find a different approach for you to learn," Gunna said and gently stroked Morrigan''s shoulder. Her warm hand calmed Morrigan a little bit, but the problem still remained.
"Morri! Morri! Are you in there?" Deziara''s voice came from the entrance, the girl obstructed by a mountain of paintings.
"Yes, I''m here!" she called back, and Deziara''s cheery expression appeared from behind the pile. The girl was now seventeen and looked more like an adult than a child. Her black hair cascaded over her shoulders while her black eyes observed everything with the same sharpness as her father''s. Morrigan thought that her sister had grown into quite the beauty.
"What''s with all these portraits, Morri?" Deziara asked as she looked from one picture to the next. "Who are all these demons?"
"Leaders of every noble house in the Demon Kingdom. I am supposed to learn their names as soon as possible," Morrigan changed her voice to match the strict tone of Lord Weisedun, and Deziara chuckled.
"Ah, yes. I had to do that a few years ago. I don''t know how he expects anybody to just remember a giant list of names right off the bat. It''s ridiculous," Deziara sighed, and then her eyes landed on the sandwich tray Gunna was holding. "Do you mind if I take one?"
"Of course not. Enjoy, Lady Deziara," Gunna offered the tray to the girl, and she gratefully took a sandwich. Over the years Deziara had grown to like Morrigan''s nanny despite her being a slave, something Morrigan was really grateful for. She probably wouldn''t be able to remain on good terms with her sister if she kept belittling the dwarf woman each time they met. Like unfortunately most of the Demon Castle inhabitants did.
"I know right? How did you learn?" Morrigan asked, hoping to find inspiration from her sister.
"My mom helped me. She''s a very good teacher!" Deziara announced proudly then poked the nearest pile of portraits with her free hand. "Are these helping?"
"No. I keep getting distracted by the artwork and completely forget I need to learn their names," Morrigan admitted, and Deziara chuckled.
"Figures. Each time you see a painting you basically become glued to it for hours."
Morrigan pouted, although she knew her sister was correct.
"I just hoped that tying an annoying task with something I enjoyed would help."
"How about I help you? I''ve learned all their names," Deziara offered and took a large bite of the sandwich, munching on it with contentment. "This is really good, Gunna!"
"Thank you, Lady Deziara," the nanny bowed her head. "Would you like me to bring you some tea?"
"Yes, that would be fantastic. Something light please."
"As you wish," Gunna smiled and hurried out of the room, leaving the tray of sandwiches on the floor. Deziara immediately took another one.
"You''d really help me?" Morrigan stared at her sister with hopeful eyes. "It will probably take some time for me to memorize them."
"What are sisters for if not to help one another?" Deziara nodded, and Morrigan gave her a quick side hug, being careful to not knock the food out of her hands.
"Why don''t I help you out as well?" a feminine voice said and shortly after Viana emerged from behind a portrait stack near the entrance.
"Did your mother never teach you that eavesdropping is rude?" Deziara grumbled and took a deliberate bite out of her sandwich.
"Did your mother never teach you that yelling your conversation for the whole castle to hear is rude?" Viana retorted, a pleasant smile on her lips. Her red eyes, however, were cold and scanned the room, quickly assessing the situation. "Little Morrigan, making trouble again?"
"I am not! I''m learning," Morrigan objected, crossing her hands over her chest. Viana always seemed to know how to get under her skin.
Viana arched her eyebrow and looked at the portraits as if they were piles of dragon dung, waving her hand in front of her nose to clear away the dust that was floating around in the room. "Since when is dragging old, dusty pictures through the castle considered learning?"
"That''s none of your business, Viana! Go annoy somebody else," Deziara snarled, making a shooing motion with her hand.
"How cold. I just came to check on what could have made my sweet little sisters so distraught and yet they are trying to shoo me away as if I were some dog," Viana waved her hand in the air dramatically and then walked up to the closest pile of portraits and assessed it. "My, isn''t this Baron Merkov?"
"You just came here to poke fun," Deziara grumbled and Morrigan nodded along with her, both younger sisters glaring at the eldest.
"Me? I would never. That is such a crude thing to do," a smile appeared on Viana''s lips as she strode closer towards them, looking from one portrait to the next. "It seems like you have collected the portraits of all of the leaders of noble houses."
"So what if I have?"
Just go away already. You''re beginning to remind me of Asdeus.
Although the horrid demoness had disappeared without a trace and hadn''t been seen since the day Morrigan returned to Doppelta, she often worried that Asdeus might just reappear. It wasn''t logical ¨C she knew that. Demon Castle had increased its security twice over and screening of any new employees was so meticulous that even the most talented shape-shifter couldn''t hope to get in.
But the fact that Asdeus was still out there somewhere, no doubt plotting her next move, scared Morrigan. She was sure that the demoness would not remain hidden in the shadows forever.
"My, my, my the prodigal Crown Princess is having trouble remembering a few names. How shocking!" Viana laughed gleefully and walked up to Morrigan, standing just a few centimeters away from them, looking down with her penetrating red gaze. "I wonder what Father is going to say?"
"Father doesn''t care about such petty things!" Deziara protested.
"Oh, no, of course not. But what is he supposed to say to his people when his heir can''t even do such a basic thing as remember a few names?" Viana sneered, then turned on her heel. "I do hope you manage to sort this out, my dearest youngest sister."
"She will! Just watch!" Deziara yelled after her, but Morrigan began to ponder.
What can Father do if I actually fail my tasks as Crown Princess? He cannot have an incompetent heir, no matter how much he loves me.
Chapter 52 – Father-Daughter Time
Chapter 11 ¨C Father-Daughter Time
With heavy steps Morrigan slumbered towards her room, each next step on the staircase seeming more difficult than the last. After the whole fiasco with Viana, Deziara was doubly eager to teach Morrigan all the names of the nobles. She even tried using portraits, going from one image to the next, calling each of them and describing their houses a bit.
Deziara''s efforts certainly had helped Morrigan memorize a lot of the names, but she was still far from remembering the whole list. By the end of the day, she could recall around 50% of larger houses and around 30% of smaller ones, and even that was done with great effort.
I never thought I would be so bad at remembering names. I never noticed such issues on Earth. But then again, I never had to remember such an extensive list of names. The sheer quantity of it is smothering.
Morrigan slowly pulled the door of her and Alphegor''s shared room open, and slumped inside, sighing loudly.
"What''s wrong, Morrigan?" Alphegor turned from his study desk, carefully looking over her. As the years went by, their living arrangements had also changed. The single bedroom was remade into a living room where one side looked like a study with all of the documents and books Alphegor needed and the other side looked like an art studio with shelves filled with art supplies and unfinished paintings.
On each side of this living area there was a door that led to Alphegor''s bedroom and Morrigan''s bedroom respectively, as well as their private bathrooms further in. All of these could only be entered through the main living room, making it almost into an apartment of sorts. An idea the King no doubt adapted from the human world.
"Father! You''re already back? Usually, you come back later," Morrigan chuckled nervously and straightened, trying to hide her sour mood.
"I came back sooner to spend some time with you. I''ve been so busy lately, I feel like I''ve neglected you," the King said and got up. Morrigan hurried towards him to give him a hug, which he returned without hesitation. Over the years, she had grown incredibly attached to Alphegor and thanked her demon mother Eirwen for pulling her from Earth to Doppelta. It had truly been a blessing.
"It''s alright. I know you have many things to take care of," she replied as she enjoyed the safety of his presence. Ever since their return from Earth, no, it was better to say that since Alphegor went to the battlefield, he''s been busy dealing with the Fallen Kingdom. From what Morrigan understood, they remained just as pushy, despite having their forces promptly beaten by Alphegor.
In fact, they used their defeat to plead with the neighboring Duergar Country for help, and the two have formed a sort of tentative partnership. Morrigan didn''t fully understand the ramifications of that ¨C after all, her politics teacher insisted that noble names are far more important than understanding the current state of things. But one thing she did understand was that it created a lot of work for Alphegor.
"Yes. The accursed Fallen Kingdom keeps stirring up trouble. Perhaps I should just wipe them out and be done with it. Then I wouldn''t have to deal with all this paperwork and could spend more time with my daughters," Alphegor growled and glared at the stack of documents on his desk. Morrigan feared they might just burst into flame from intensity alone.
"I''m sure it''ll all settle down soon, Father. Why don''t we just rest for the evening?" she suggested and pulled him towards the sofa. He didn''t resist and just sank into the soft cushions, resting his head against the headrest. Morrigan sat down next to him, resting her head on his arm.
"I see you had a hard day as well. What troubles your mind, little one?" Alphegor said and gently caressed her hair. She leaned into his touch, letting the warmth of his hand wash away her worries.
"I just can''t remember the names of all the nobles. Azrael said that he had all the big noble houses memorized in a week. I can''t even recall half of them," she said. "Not to mention that Lord Weisedun keeps calling them so fast that I barely have time to register them, much less remember where they are and what their main strength is."
"Ah, yes, Weisedun has always been rather stubborn in his ways. Shall I find you a different teacher?" Alphegor asked, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
"No. Then it''ll feel like I''ve lost. If Azrael could do it, then so can I," Morrigan sat up straight, determined to follow through on her words. Even if she had no idea how to do it.
Perhaps it is time to pull out some old cramming techniques I used in school. It''ll only work short-term but then I''ll at least get Weisedun off my back and be able to move onto actually important things.
"The only reason why he learned the names so quickly was because your mother taught him. She was a phenomenal teacher," Alphegor said with a bittersweet smile.
That''s unfair. Azrael got to spend so much time with Mom, but I didn''t even get a chance to meet her. How I wish I could have spent even a little bit of time with her.
"Mom taught a lot of things to Azrael. They seem to have been really close," she noted somewhat bitterly. "Why is that?"
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"Azrael lost his mother early to humans and your mother felt really sorry for the boy. He had great potential but nobody to teach him. So she took pity on him and decided to accept him as her pupil."
"She sounds very kind," Morrigan noted, feeling a bit of pride for her demon mother. And also a bit sorry for having to put up with him. He was a pain in the butt even as an adult demon. Imagining him as a child made Morrigan shiver.
Then again, it might be that he never grew up and remained a child mentally.
"Oh, yes. Eirwen was very kind. In fact, many demons called her weak due to this kindness, claiming that it was unbecoming for a demon," Alphegor explained, and Morrigan huddled closer to him, looking up into his eyes.
"Is it a weakness to be kind?" she asked. There were still many things she didn''t understand about demons. While Morrigan was certain they were not the kind of villains fantasy stories made them out to be, they did have some cultural oddities she was still getting used to.
For example, the horns of a demon were their most precious thing. They were almost sacred and touching other demons'' horns unless they were a lover or a close family member was forbidden and could even be punished. Morrigan once had touched Deziara''s horns while combing her hair, intrigued by their unusual texture. Her sister was startled by it, but since they were family the incident was quickly forgiven.
"It can be your weakness and it can be your strength. Be kind where it is necessary, but do not be a fool by giving kindness to those who would spit on it," the King instructed, and she nodded dutifully. "Now then, enough of this heavy talk. I have some exciting news for you."
"Exciting news?"
"Remember about the Nachtstern Festival?" the King said, and Morrigan noticed a glint of mischief in his eyes.
"Nachtstern? I do recall a lot of talk about a festival, but I didn''t know you created a whole festival for our family," Morrigan chuckled, imagining Alphegor going around and ordering servants to make the grandest feast and attractions the Demon Kingdom had ever seen. Usually, it happened during her birthdays.
"No, not me. It was one of our first ancestors ¨C Morax Nachtstern, the founder of the Demon Kingdom and the very first Demon King. He created the festival to celebrate Underworld''s triumph over the Overworld," the King explained and Morrigan could see that he felt proud.
"Underworld''s triumph over Overworld? But aren''t they almost completely separate from one another?" she asked. "How and why would they even go to war?"
"They are separate now but it wasn''t always that way. Once, hundreds of thousands of years ago, the inhabitants of the Overworld ruled over the whole of Doppelta. They looted the Underworld for its treasures, enslaved the demons and other underground races to their will and wreaked havoc on the underground ecosystem."
Morrigan felt taken aback by the sentence. Not the bit about humans wreaking havoc ¨C that she was certain they were quite capable of in any world they lived in. No, what shocked her was the fact that Alphegor said that the Underworld had an ecosystem.
But there is literally nothing here? It''s just darkness and lava and monsters.
"I see doubt in your eyes? What is it, Morrigan?" Alphegor looked at her, somewhat bemused.
"No, about the ecosystem bit. When I¡ when I ran away I didn''t see much of an ecosystem," she mumbled, still ashamed to remember the fact that she had run back to Earth like a fool, despite Alphegor showing nothing but affection towards her.
"Well, if you''re going to zoom past it in your shadow form without looking, of course, you wouldn''t see much," he noted, and Morrigan blushed. But the King didn''t appear mad and gently patted her head. "There is more in the darkness than you might think. But that is a topic for another time. I''d like to explain more about the Nachtstern Festival."
"Yes, please do," she nodded and smiled.
The Festival sounds like fun. When was the last time I even went on one? Sometime when I was just a small human child. I wonder what the demon festivals are like?
"As I was saying, during the Nachtstern Festival we celebrate the Underworld''s victory over the Overworld. Initially, it was more like an honorary day meant to celebrate the Royal family, but over time it evolved into something that celebrated the Underworld as a whole. The length of the celebration also increased from one day to five."
"Wow, that sounds interesting. How come I haven''t seen it yet?" she pondered aloud.
"Oh, it happens only once every twenty years. Having such a grand festival more often than that would be excessive," the King explained, and Morrigan began imagining all the possibilities of demonic grandeur. Her mind went back to those delicious magic sweets she tasted in Linberor Market all those years ago.
I wonder if there will be more things like that at the Festival. I would love to eat those sweets again. Never had a chance to eat anything like it since.
Morrigan had once tried bringing up the matter to Alphegor, but once he learned that Azrael had taken her out of the Castle, the King looked like he was ready to murder him. Again. She already had lost count of how many times she had to ask Alphegor to spare him.
"I''d love to attend it, but doesn''t it take place outside of the castle?" she asked.
"It does. And we''ll be going together. It is customary for the King and Queen to announce the beginning of the Nachtstern Festival," he ruffled her hair, and Morrigan''s eyes lit up.
A chance to go outside the Castle and together with Father no less. I won''t have to fear any kidnappers or monsters or anything.
"I can''t wait! Can you tell me what sort of things you can see there?" Morrigan''s eyes sparkled in anticipation, but Alphegor''s mood seemed to drop.
"I can, but there is one issue," his expression became stern as if he loathed to voice the words aloud.
"What issue?"
"The Festival will have attendees not just from Demon Kingdom but from other Underworld countries as well."
"But that''s great, isn''t it? That''s how we establish friendly relationships."
"Yes, but this means the Fallen Kingdom will be attending as well. And you as Crown Princess will have to meet them directly," Alphegor growled, the thought repulsive to him.
"Wait? As Crown Princess?" Morrigan felt as if she was struck by lightning.
Chapter 53 – Preparations
Morrigan held her back straight and her head high, taking careful, measured steps across the ballroom. There was a heavy stack of books on her head, threatening to topple over at the smallest mistake. Her teeth were clenched and every muscle felt like a tight wire, stiff and unwilling to move the way she wanted.
"Princess Morrigan, please relax. You look like you are made out of stone," Lady Lily said, carefully observing her every step from the side.
"I feel that if I relax all the books on my head will fall," Morrigan said through gritted teeth, afraid that even the movement of her mouth could shatter the fragile balance she was keeping.
"If you keep your gait proper and straight, then they will not fall. Please relax your muscles," Lady Lily urged. Morrigan exhaled, a drop of sweat rolling down the side of her face, and slowly relaxed her muscles.
She started with her hands, trying to make their movements more natural and fluid. Then she relaxed her shoulders, allowing them to lower ever so slightly. And finally, she relaxed her legs, attempting longer, less shaky steps. The stack of books on her head wobbled. Morrigan panicked, stopping and the stack tipped over completely and fell to the floor. Lady Lily sighed, and Morrigan slumped.
"This is impossible! Why would I ever need to walk so straight to hold up a stack of books on my head?" she complained and began picking up books.
"It''s not the books that are important, it''s the ability to walk without losing your balance," Lady Lily explained and helped Morrigan pick up the books. "Although such etiquette lessons are still too early for a small child like yourself. What was His Majesty thinking ¨C promising those fallen scum to bring you along?"
"I''m sure there''s a good reason," Morrigan chuckled awkwardly.
Father no doubt just wanted to brag about his prodigal daughter, which I suppose is fine, but why do it in front of a foreign delegation?
"The reasons don''t matter when a child as small as yourself is involved," Lady Lily grumbled, then sighed in resignation. "But it''s not like he will change his mind now. Don''t worry, child. I''ll do everything in my power to prepare you for the occasion."
"Thank you, Lady Lily. I really appreciate it," Morrigan replied, putting the last fallen book on top of the stack.
"Morri! Mom! How are you doing?" Deziara skipped into the room, smiling from ear to ear. However, seeing the books stacked on the floor, her smile faded. "Not too well, I guess."
"I don''t how you do it so easily Deziara. The only way I keep the books from falling is if I move as rigid as a¡" Morrigan was about to say ''robot'', but stopped herself at the last moment.
"That is a problem. I wonder why it is more difficult for Morri than it was for me. I learned pretty quickly," Deziara said, and Morrigan felt her pride being broken to pieces. She knew her sister didn''t mean anything bad by it, but it hurt nonetheless.
"It might have something to do with her body," Lady Lily said, glancing over Morrigan thoughtfully.
"My body? Is there something wrong with it?"
"No. There''s nothing wrong with it. It''s just too small. You need to grow taller ¨C keeping balance should be easier then," Lady Lily soothed then took the stack of books and set it aside.
"How do I grow taller in one month?" Morrigan chuckled nervously.
"Maybe you could transform into a taller version of yourself?" Deziara offered excitement radiating from her.
"Oh! I could do that!" Morrigan said and was about to transform when Lady Lily put a hand on her shoulder.
"No. You won''t be able to meet the delegation in your shifted form. Let''s move on to a different lesson. We''ll practice walking again if we have time," the demoness said. Morrigan slumped, her mind reeling at all the possibilities that could go wrong when meeting the people from the Fallen Kingdom. Without a doubt they would be critical of her every move.
That means that one mistake could instantly make me into a laughingstock, which in turn would enrage Alphegor and plunge the Demon Kingdom into a never-ending war with its neighbors. No pressure.
"Are you thinking of some ridiculous scenario again?" Deziara poked Morrigan''s forehead, forcing her out of her thoughts.
"No¡"
"You totally were. Whatever you were thinking I am sure you were vastly exaggerating. It''ll be just fine ¨C Father will be together with you after all," Deziara said with a smile.
"Deziara is right. You are just ten years old. Nobody is expecting you to have perfect manners," Lady Lily said, then paused, appearing thoughtful. "But let''s learn as much as we can."
"Yes!" Morrigan nodded, internally praying that she''d be able to learn just enough manners and etiquette that the fallen wouldn''t have a reason to belittle her.
***
Morrigan sat hidden under Haku''s wing in the recesses of the giant dragon stable. The building had been reconstructed at least three times since the dragon''s birth to accommodate his ever-growing size. However, at the rate Haku was growing, the stable would need another renovation in less than a year.
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"You''re getting really big, Haku," Morrigan said as she brushed his glistening, red scales, making sure to get rid of any dirt and debris. The dragon hummed with delight occasionally shifting this way and that to better scratch an itchy spot on his body.
"Sometimes I wish I could grow bigger more quickly," she sighed, thinking back on everything she had gone through in the past few weeks to prepare for the Festival. Countless lessons in table manners where she memorized which one of the dozen table utensils she had to use for each dish, how to properly eat each dish (most of the time it involved taking ridiculously small bites), and how to signal the waiter for whatever needs might arise at the table.
Why do I need to use some vague signals to call the waiter? Would it really kill somebody if I just called them over?
Haku lifted his head up and looked at her, concern apparent on his draconic features. Or at least they were apparent to her. Morrigan could always tell what he was feeling, although Deziara claimed that she saw absolutely no change in the dragon''s demeanor.
"I''m alright, Haku. I just wish there would be less of the delegation and etiquette nonsense and more of festival fun," Morrigan huffed. Her politics lessons also hadn''t really stopped due to the approaching celebration. In fact, Lord Weisedun doubled the speed at which he spoke the names, making it sound like a weird rap of sorts.
But her mind was so full with etiquette and manners and proper ways of speaking, that there just wasn''t enough space in her head to learn anything more.
The dragon crooned and gently nudged her arm, encouraging her to continue brushing. She giggled and obliged. The time she spent with Haku seemed like the only peaceful time she could get during the day. That and whatever little time she had together with her father during the evenings.
"It''s a shame you can''t come to the Festival. I bet it would be fun for you to look at something new. Otherwise all you see is this stable and castle yard," she said, wondering whether the dragon felt trapped like she often did.
Haku shook his head and blew his breath at her, messing up her hair and forcing her to giggle. She grabbed his maw and gently shook his head, earning a puff of smoke in her face. Morrigan waved away the smoke and then put her forehead against Haku''s, enjoying the closeness of her friend.
As they enjoyed the moment, the stable door opened, and Deziara peeked in, her black hair flowing down the side of her face. The girl smiled when she saw Morrigan and ran up to her cheerfully, "There you are, Morri! Mom has been looking for you ¨C said it was time for the lessons again."
Morrigan groaned and slumped over Haku''s neck. The dragon stiffened, gingerly lowering his head so as to not drop her to the floor. Deziara''s smile also waned and she walked up to the pair.
"My mom isn''t that strict," Deziara said, trying to catch Morrigan''s eye, but the younger girl kept her face pressed into Haku''s scales.
"It''s not about your mom. It''s about this etiquette thing as a whole. I''ve been learning every waking moment, but it feels like I haven''t learned anything at all," she complained while scratching under Haku''s chin.
"That''s not true and you know it. You''ve learned more things in these few weeks than some of our older sisters have in years," Deziara pulled Morrigan off the dragon, setting her straight on her feet.
"But it''s not enough. One mistake could cause a war," she said, waving her hands helplessly. Haku must have thought it was a game and began to gently nip at her fingers. Morrigan giggled and began to boop the dragon''s noise while trying to avoid his mouth. Deziara laughed at the sight and before long, joined the silly game.
"You know Father wouldn''t allow that," Deziara said and grabbed Haku''s maw, forcing it shut. The dragon shook his head and freed himself without any issues.
I''m not so sure about that. Sometimes it feels like Father wouldn''t mind going to war and just wiping the Fallen Kingdom from existence.
"But I still don''t want to make a fool of myself. I have to be a good example as a Crown Princess," she said and her hands slumped to her sides.
"It doesn''t matter how perfect you are, if they want to find something to fault you for ¨C they will," Deziara pointed her finger at Morrigan.
"Great, so it doesn''t matter what I do," the girl said and sat down on the rough stone floor wrapping her hands around her knees. Haku whined and put his head next to her in an attempt to cheer her up.
"No, wait¡ " Deziara waved her hands as if it could erase the words she had just said. "No, it does matter, but you shouldn''t stress over it just because you are not perfect."
Morrigan didn''t answer, instead staring at the pile of straw on the floor.
"This isn''t like you, Morri. The last time you acted this way, you ran away and disappeared for two years. You better not be planning to do that again," Deziara warned and poked her forehead.
"No, I won''t run away again!" she shook her head fervently.
"If you do, I''ll chase you down myself and then tie you to Haku''s back," the girl warned, and the dragon whipped his tail back and forth in approval.
"I promise I won''t. I just wish I had more time. There''s barely two weeks left until the Festival."
"I know, I know¡" Deziara said and sat down next to Morrigan. "I am worried too, you know. While most eyes will be on you and Viana, of course, people will be looking at all the princesses. All of us have to be a good example."
Morrigan nodded, realizing that Deziara must have been worried about the delegation as well. The whole Kingdom was probably worried about the fallen coming at the time of their biggest celebration. Some might be angry, some might be worried, and some might even be scared.
"I just wish there was something we could do to help everything pass by peacefully. Us talking politely and curtsying at every guest isn''t really going to ease the ongoing tension," Morrigan said.
"Well, it is a festival so there shouldn''t be any reason for there to be tension," Deziara said, then winced. "But then again it is the Fallen Kingdom we are talking about. Nobody really likes them."
"Exactly. And I doubt they like us either. I have to do something truly extraordinary if I want them to consider signing a peace treaty afterwards," Morrigan said.
"Your whole being is extraordinary. Whatever you show them, Morri, they will surely love it. Even if they are fallen," Deziara said with a smile and patted her on the back.
"Whatever I show them¡" Morrigan could feel an idea forming in her mind.
"Yeah. Just show them what you are good at and surely they will forget and forgive any mistakes you could make."
"That''s it, Deziara!" Morrigan jumped up to her feet, startling both Deziara and Haku.
"What is it?"
"I''ll just show them what I''m good at. Thank you, sister! I need to go and prepare now," Morrigan said and rushed towards the exit.
"Wait! Prepare? Prepare what exactly?" Deziara called after her.
"You''ll see!" she yelled back, her heart swelling with excitement. Deziara shouted something at her, but Morrigan was already in her shadow form, rushing inside the Demon Castle.
Chapter 54 – Arrival of the Fallen Delegation
Morrigan rose from her bed a bit after seven, which was more than an hour earlier than usual. Her heart was beating fast and she felt nervous jitters all over her body. Like little pinpricks, they didn''t allow her to remain still and forced her out of the comforts of the bed. It was the day when the foreign delegations would arrive.
The preparation time for the Festival flew by in what felt like an instant. Between her lessons with Lady Lily, Azrael and Lord Weisedun, as well as her own individual learning time which she dedicated purely to honing her artistic abilities, she basically had no free time left.
Morrigan got out of bed and ran out of her room, through the living room, and knocked on Alphegor''s bedroom door.
"Come in, little one," he replied, and Morrigan swung the heavy door open. The King was already up from his bed, browsing through his wardrobe.
"Good morning, Father!"
"Good morning, Morrigan. Couldn''t sleep anymore?" He turned towards her and smiled.
"No. I feel so nervous. My mind is just going through a thousand scenarios where things go horribly wrong," she said, and peered into his wardrobe, wondering which outfit her father was going to wear. He pointed to a grand red one, and Morrigan shook her head. It was a wonderful suit, but a bit too fancy for welcoming a delegation. Alphegor nodded in agreement.
"And what''s the worst-case scenario?" He pointed at a more demure black and gold suit. It certainly would look great on Alphegor, but this would be more suited for a smaller party or a dinner in a more relaxed environment. She shook her head.
"Worst case scenario is ¨C that I accidentally lose control of my powers and set the Prime Minister on fire," she said. By Prime Minister, she thought of the one coming from the Fallen Kingdom, not Lucius. She had no idea what kind of person they were, but they must be really important to have been sent to represent the whole country in the stead of their King. Although Morrigan believed that the King was just too cautious to come himself.
"Worst case? That is the best-case scenario," Alphegor laughed, and she couldn''t help but laugh along.
"Father! We need to establish a peaceful relationship," she elbowed him lightly, and Alphegor wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
"They could peacefully surrender to us," he whispered, and she laughed. For the most part Alphegor was trying to find peaceful solutions, however if things were not to go his way, then he wouldn''t be against using force.
I need to make sure that the relationship between demons and the fallen remains friendly. Or at the very least civil.
Alphegor pointed at a dark royal purple suit with golden embellishments. It was neither too grand nor too simple. It would display Alphegor as the King that he was, but at the same time wouldn''t make him look overly pompous.
"That''s the one," she approved. "Shall I call for the servants?"
"Yes, I think it''s time to get ready. Go call for Gunna and wear that dress you showed me the other day. That alone should knock them off their feet," Alphegor smirked, and Morrigan blushed, remembering how he had praised her as the most beautiful demon in the whole Doppelta, gushing over her and nearly calling over an artist to have her painted.
"It''s just a dress, Father," she muttered and inched towards the door.
"It''s not the dress that mattered but rather the wearer. In my opinion, you look good in anything, but that particular dress is quite well matched," Alphegor hummed with satisfaction, and Morrigan made her escape before he went to another flurry of praises. Last time, he kept talking about how nice she looked throughout the whole dinner.
Morrigan called out the name of Alphegor''s butler and then returned to her room to ring the bell that would summon Gunna. Less than ten minutes later, the dwarf nanny was in her room with three maids alongside her.
"It''s time to get ready! Today is an important day," she addressed the demon maids and Gunna, and all of them nodded, their faces stern as if preparing for war.
"Do not worry, Lady Morrigan. We shall make sure that nobody will be able to turn their eyes away from you," Gunna said, and the maids nodded along with her. Usually, the demonesses didn''t treat the nanny very nicely, but at times like these they all had a scary sense of unity.
***
After two hours of intensive preparations ¨C washing, skin care, dressing, hairstyling, and make-up, Morrigan was finally ready. Her long red hair glistened like rubies, her skin shone with health and the elegant, black dress with red embellishments that matched her eyes fit her body like a glove.
Say what you will about demon personality, but their tailors are amazing. The level of detail on this dress would make every designer on Earth green with jealousy. Not to mention that it is actually comfortable.
Morrigan exited the bathroom, Gunna and maids looking proudly over the fruits of their labor. It didn''t matter who was a demon and who was a dwarf ¨C the sense of camaraderie was undeniable.
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"Ready to go, Princess?" Azrael perked up from the living room sofa where he had been waiting for her. He was assigned as Morrigan''s official escort, a position he was more than eager to accept. Morrigan had no doubts that he was cooking up some schemes involving the fallen delegation.
"Ready!" she said resolutely and looked at him. Azrael was wearing a fancy white and dark purple suit which matched with his hair and eyes. Much to her dismay, she was forced to admit that he looked rather handsome. If only that mischievous glint in his eyes didn''t give away his true intentions.
"Excellent! Let''s show those fallen scum who is boss," he got up from the sofa and extended an elbow towards her.
"You cannot call them scum from this point on. Got it? I don''t want the whole thing to fall apart just because you couldn''t contain your tongue," she reprimanded him and took a firm hold of his hand. Despite her strong tone, her hands were trembling from nervousness.
Azrael probably felt it but was kind enough not to comment on it. Perhaps, he was planning to poke fun at her later when the big event was over. But at that moment, he led Morrigan through the castle, where maids and servants bowed their heads as they passed. After a while, they reached the main entrance hall where all the princesses, concubines and other high-standing demons were gathered in groups.
The delegation from the Fallen Kingdom wasn''t the only one who''d be arriving, so would the delegations from the other kingdoms. And since it was impossible and also unnecessary for the King to greet them all, each group would be greeted by at least one member of the royal family.
As Morrigan went downstairs she saw Deziara and Lady Lily standing with the Commerce Minister. She gave them a small wave and Deziara waved back, while Lady Lily smiled in greeting. Some of Morrigan''s other sisters also waved at her, although the majority acted like Viana, who was pointedly ignoring her existence.
And I''ll have to spend the whole Festival in her company. Great!
Much to Morrigan''s chagrin, Azrael was leading her straight to Viana, who was dressed in an elegant dark red dress. She, Viana, Azrael, Lucius and Alphegor would greet the main delegation from the Fallen Kingdom.
"Good morning, Princess Morrigan, Azrael," Lucius greeted them with a nod of his head.
"Good morning, Azrael," Viana greeted and curtsied ever so slightly.
"Is His Majesty not here yet?" Azrael asked, appearing rather bored.
"I have not yet seen Father today," she replied, twirling a lock of her purple hair in her fingers.
"Do you know, Princess?" Azrael turned to Morrigan, who was taking in a deep breath in an attempt to calm her nerves a little.
"He should be here soon. I imagine he''s still getting ready," she replied somewhat absentmindedly and looked up the staircase in hopes of seeing Alphegor.
"Are you perhaps scared, little sister? You look somewhat nervous," Viana smirked, and Morrigan opened her mouth to retort, when the head butler who was standing dutifully by the entrance, spoke up.
"Delegation from the Duergar Country has arrived!"
Deziara, Lady Lily and the Commerce Minister all perked up and walked towards the entrance. Morrigan followed her sister with her gaze, wishing her good luck in her mind and praying for her success. Deziara managed to give her one last smile before the entrance door was shut again.
"So it begins¡" Azrael noted. About every five to ten minutes after that the head butler called out the arriving delegations, and the assigned groups went out to greet them. When only three groups remained, Morrigan''s nerves felt as tight as bowstrings. Alphegor hadn''t arrived yet.
Just as the second to last group was about to leave, Alphegor came downstairs looking as regal as Morrigan had ever seen him. His hair was neatly slicked back and his dark purple suit with its gold ornaments complimented the magnificent crown on his head. It wove around his horns and had sharp points, almost looking like a weapon.
"Good day to you, Father," Viana curtsied gracefully with a smile.
"Is everyone ready?" he asked, the stern kingly persona turned on.
"Of course, Father," Viana replied.
"Sure," Azrael said nonchalantly.
"Morrigan?" Alphegor arched an eyebrow when she didn''t reply. It might''ve looked demanding, but she saw the hint of concern in his eyes. She exhaled and nodded.
"I am ready, Father!"
He allowed a small smile to pass his lips and then stood in front of them ¨C strong and tall. Unyielding like a mountain. A few more tense minutes passed until finally they were the last group that remained in the room. The head butler returned, and Morrigan felt herself go stiff as he opened his mouth and announced, "The delegation from the Fallen Kingdom has arrived!"
Alphegor strode forward, his gait confident and smooth. Viana flowed after him gracefully like a river, Lucius extending his hand to her. Morrigan took a deep breath and then felt Azrael poke her in the side. She was about to glare at him, but then saw that he was offering his elbow to her in support. She smiled sheepishly at him and took it.
Azrael''s hand and the sight of her father''s strong back brought her courage and she walked forward, allowing Azrael to lead her. As she exited the castle, she saw a carriage ride toward the castle entrance. The carriages in the Underworld were a little bit different than the ones Morrigan had seen in history movies and books. They had no windows, their tires resembled tank tracks and they were pulled by what looked like giant badgers. As if the miniature version wasn''t nasty enough.
Four more simplistic-looking carriages followed the main one and around two dozen armored guards rode along their sides. Morrigan tried to catch a glimpse of their features, curious to see exactly what the fallen looked like. But their armor hid everything from sight. Finally, the main carriage stopped by the staircase and Morrigan along with the others observed the guests.
"Announcing the arrival of the Prime Minister of the Fallen Kingdom ¨C Allocen Heinspiel, his wife Valeria Heinspiel and daughter Annabell Heinspiel," the head butler announced. The coachman hurried to open the carriage door and Morrigan finally saw the first fallen in her life.
First came out a thin and tall man with pale skin, white hair and sky-blue eyes. After him followed a short and thin woman with platinum blonde hair tied in a neat bun and bright green eyes. After them, a timid little girl scurried out, hiding within the confines of her mother''s skirt.
Their appearance wouldn''t be anything special, however all three of them had magnificent black, feathery wings coming out of their backs.
They have wings?!
Chapter 55 – Awkward Dinner
As Alphegor descended downstairs to greet the Fallen Delegation, Morrigan couldn''t help but stare at their wings.
What wouldn''t I give up for the ability to fly? Why couldn''t demons have wings? All we have are these scrawny, useless tails.
"Don''t stare at them so much," Azrael whispered in her ear, and Morrigan blinked.
"But they have wings! Nobody told me that," she protested quietly but tried her best to look somewhere else. She decided to inspect their servants instead. None of them had any wings, and they appeared to be from various races. There were dwarves as well as their blue-skinned counterpart duergar. There were some demons, elves, and drow as well as a few races Morrigan didn''t recognize.
But one servant stood out among the rest. A young elven boy, approximately Morrigan''s age judging from his build. His hair shone like a golden sun while his eyes were like bright red rubies. It reminded her of her father''s eye color, when his bloodlust took over. But despite his eerie eye color she couldn''t help but be mesmerized.
Elves must have some superior attractiveness gene. I mean pure-blooded demons are usually attractive, but this boy is on a whole different level. It''s a shame that he''s probably a slave. This whole slavery thing needs to be forbidden.
"Welcome to the Demon Castle!" Alphegor announced in his booming voice, but his expression showed no sort of welcome whatsoever. In fact, he was nearly glaring at the Prime Minister.
"It is good to be here, Your Majesty King Alphegor," Minister Heinspiel replied, his expression just as stiff as Alphegor''s. The tension in the air was so thick that Morrigan could basically feel it on her skin. "This is my wife Valeria and daughter Annabell."
"Pleasure to meet you," Alphegor replied dryly, then turned towards Viana, his expression relaxing. "This is my eldest daughter, Viana."
"It is a pleasure to greet you, Prime Minister," Viana curtsied in a perfectly elegant manner, smiling politely.
"And this is my youngest daughter, Morrigan," a proud smile bloomed on Alphegor''s face, and Morrigan curtsied to the best of her abilities. It wasn''t as graceful as her sister''s, but she believed to have done a good enough job.
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Morrigan said, trying to smile at the fallen man.
"So this is the famed Crown Princess of the Demon Kingdom. To think that you would assign your youngest child as heir. It is rather unheard of," Prime Minister Heinspiel replied, his face becoming an unreadable mask. Morrigan couldn''t tell whether he was making fun of her (which she thought was the most likely scenario) or whether he was curious.
"Morrigan is the daughter of the late Queen Eirwen, so it is her birthright," Lucius intervened, noticing how Alphegor''s glare had intensified.
"Is that so? Pardon me. I didn''t know," Heinspiel apologized.
"Now you do. Let us proceed inside. We can talk more at the dinner table," Alphegor commanded and without waiting for the guest''s reply, turned and walked back up the stairs. Morrigan thought it was rather rude, but perhaps a king was allowed to act this way. At least she hoped so.
Azrael led Morrigan back up the stairs and they headed towards the main dining hall, with the Fallen Delegation following silently behind them. Not a single word was uttered along the way, and Morrigan felt like she would suffocate from the excruciating silence.
Shouldn''t somebody be talking about something? Anything? The weather at least? Perhaps their journey on the way here? Should I speak up first?
Morrigan looked towards Azrael for answers, but he shook his head.
Even Azrael won''t talk? What has the world come to?
Thankfully the excruciatingly silent walk was soon over as they reached the main dining hall. A table inside was long enough to accommodate about a hundred people but only the very end of it had the dishes set out for the dinner. The rest of it had little Underworld flowers arranged in dark vases. The Underworld didn''t have a wide variety of flowers and their colors weren''t nearly as vibrant as the ones Morrigan had seen on Earth.
However, the maids had done their best to accentuate the larger flowers, using more demure buds of contrasting colors to bring out their vibrancy. The dark gray and silver tablecloth also helped to bring out their beauty.
The rest of the dining hall was also decorated with matching flowers as well as some sculptures and banners with the Demon Kingdom symbol on it. Namely, it was a wingless dragon with large horns and a crown just like Alphegor''s on its head. Apparently, it was the shape that the first Nachtstern King liked to take in battle.
Morrigan and the other demons went to sit on the right side of the table while the maids guided the guests to the left. Alphegor, of course, sat at the end of the table with the Prime Minister on his left and Morrigan on his right. She felt rather uncomfortable being seated right across from such an important person.
No, Morrigan. You''re an important person too. You''re the Crown Princess so don''t act like a meek, little sheep.
So she straightened her back and put on the polite business smile she had been practicing with Lady Lily for the past month. The Prime Minister''s expression didn''t change, remaining an unreadable mask as the maids brought a wet washcloth for him and everyone else to wipe their hands. He, however, rejected the maid.
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"I would like to be served by my own servants, if I may," he announced and the already tense air grew even thicker.
"As you wish," Alphegor replied, but Morrigan heard the dissatisfied note in his voice. The little elf boy went up to the maid and retrieved the washcloth from her. He inspected it carefully, then handed it to the Prime Minister.
Such a grim fate for a child. I''ve seen plenty of slaves around the Demon Castle, but at least none of them are children. Then again, it could be different outside the castle walls.
"So tell us Prime Minister Heinspiel, how was your journey to the Demon Kingdom?" Viana spoke up, putting on her most charismatic facade.
"It was a long and difficult journey. We all are quite tired and would love nothing more than to retreat to our chambers and rest," he replied.
"But surely you must be hungry as well. A good meal after a long journey will help you rest better afterward," Morrigan spoke, trying to ease the tension.
"The food in the Demon Castle is sublime," Viana added and gave Morrigan a knowing look.
I guess we''re having a temporary truce now, sis? That is fine by me.
"Yes, I do hope your cooks can live up to the expectations," the Minister''s wife spoke up, her voice a little friendlier than her husband''s. But only a little.
"They make wonderful meals for us daily. The desserts are especially tasty," Morrigan chimed, hoping to catch the attention of the little fallen girl. Just as she expected the child perked up, suddenly looking far more interested in the conversation.
"There will be dessert?" she spoke up with a shaky voice. Heinspiel''s face relaxed a little bit, and he looked fondly at the girl.
"Yes. No meal would be complete without one," Morrigan smiled, and the girl nodded shyly, her cheeks flushing a bit.
"I have to note, Your Majesty, that both of your daughters are eloquent speakers. I am surprised to see such an outspoken little child," Mrs. Heinspiel spoke, putting a gentle hand on her daughter''s shoulder. "Usually children are really withdrawn at such a young age."
Really? I remember Deziara being pretty loud when she was about ten years old. Perhaps, fallen children are quieter.
"Of course! Morrigan has been an extraordinary child ever since birth," Alphegor bragged. Viana''s expression turned a bit sour when he failed to mention her.
Oh no. I can''t have Viana get mad at me now. I''d rather work with her through this Festival than against her. I''ll try to turn the tide a little bit.
"I''ve learned a lot from my big sister," Morrigan smiled and looked at Viana. She appeared a bit surprised at first, but quickly collected herself and smiled back at Morrigan.
"I''d do anything for my little sister."
"How sweet! I wish our little darling could have a sibling. You would love one more child, wouldn''t you?" Mrs. Heinspiel gave a knowing look to her husband, who tried to ignore it, sweat forming on his forehead.
"Annabell has already so much to do. Looking over a little sister would surely be too much," Minister Heinspiel chuckled awkwardly.
"Children are a treasure, Prime Minister. I have twenty-four daughters, each one more beautiful than the next," Alphegor appeared more proud than a golden peacock flaunting his feathers, a wide grin spreading across his features.
"How do you manage so many daughters, if I may ask?" The Prime Minister leaned closer to Alphegor and whispered so quietly that even Morrigan who was sitting closest to them could barely hear. "Sometimes I''m having trouble dealing with just one."
"Let me tell you," Alphegor lowered his voice and also leaned closer. The two men then became engrossed in their conversation completely unbothered by everybody else. The atmosphere in the room relaxed and a pleasant chatter could be heard across the table.
Seeing this Morrigan relaxed as well and focused on her table manners instead. Alphegor would occasionally brag about one of her or her sister''s achievements, so she had to keep up her good appearance. Soon the main dish arrived ¨C a small leg of some sort of a bird on a bed of vegetables glazed with a dark sauce. Morrigan tried to remember which tools to properly use in this exact case.
Was it the small fork with a knife or the medium fork? Normally I''d go for the medium one, but the bird is so small that the medium fork feels like overkill.
Morrigan felt a gentle tap against her foot and looked at Viana who was sitting next to her. She slowly took the small fork and a knife, and then delicately cut the meat from the bone. She then set the utensils on the napkin above the plate, took the medium fork and proceeded to eat.
She''s showing me what I''m supposed to do?
Morrigan smiled at her and proceeded to repeat her sister''s actions. As she was done cutting up the bird and was about to begin eating, she noticed how Alphegor and the Heinspiel couple were looking at her, giving her the same look one would give when they saw a cute kitten.
"Your daughters truly do get along. How sweet!" Mrs. Heinspiel noted. "Honey, we definitely need another daughter."
The Prime Minister nearly choked on the wine he was drinking, and everyone chuckled merrily at the sight.
"Enough about that, dear. Your Majesty, why don''t you tell us more about the upcoming festivities?" Heinspiel suggested and then gestured to the elven boy behind him. The boy ran over to one of the diplomats sitting at the table and took an ornate box from him. "We have brought a gift as a gesture of goodwill."
Some of the previous tension appeared in the room again. The elven boy approached Alphegor with the box. What surprised Morrigan was how he firmly looked the King in the eye. Most demons usually lowered their gaze before him, and yet this young child looked at him head on without fear.
"What is in the box?" The King asked, not reaching to open it.
"It contains a rare magical gem ¨C Burmese Ruby," Prime Minister Heinspiel announced proudly. The demon side of the table appeared shocked, while the fallen side looked awfully smug. Morrigan wished she could ask Azrael what it meant, but he was sitting two seats away from her. She looked at Viana, hoping that her sister was still in a helpful mood.
Viana leaned closer to Morrigan and whispered, "Burmese Ruby is said to possess the ability to adapt to the user''s abilities. The only place where they have been found is in the Fallen Kingdom. That''s the reason why they managed to gain such power."
Adapt to the user''s abilities? What does that even mean?
But there was no time to ask Viana more as Prime Minister Heinspiel spoke up again, "If I understand correctly, there will be a competition during the Festival."
"Of course. It is a custom after all," Alphegor replied and took the box from the elven boy. He opened it, and his lips pressed into a thin line. Then he turned the box towards Morrigan and other demons showing a bright red gemstone that sat cradled in soft protective fabric.
"We would love to offer this gemstone as a prize for the competition winner," Heinspiel smiled.
Oh, I understand. It is not really a gift. No doubt the fallen intend to win the competition and take the gemstone back. So much for a gesture of goodwill.
Chapter 56 – Late Evening Talks
In the evening, when Morrigan was finally freed from the dinner table, she turned into a shadow and sneaked through the busy castle hallways. They were brimming with demons, drow and duergar as well as other races. Not wanting to be escorted by Azrael and her two guards through the whole castle, she excused herself and went for the easy approach ¨C sliding through the shadows.
Morrigan wasted no time and headed straight to Lady Lily''s room, materializing out of the shadow as soon as she reached the door. The two guards by the door appeared startled at first, but they recognized Morrigan and greeted her with a bow.
"Good day, Your Highness. Have you come to meet Lady Lily or Princess Deziara?" one of the guards asked.
"I''ve come to see Lady Lily. Is she back yet?"
"Yes, she and Princess Deziara came back a while ago. I shall announce that you wish to meet them," the guard said and knocked on the door.
"What is it? I do not wish to meet anyone today," resounded the elegant yet tired voice of Lady Lily.
"It is Princess Morrigan, my lady," the guard said. Before Lady Lily had the chance to respond the door swung open and Deziara pulled Morrigan in, shutting the door behind herself.
"Morri! How did it go?" Deziara chirped, hopping around her in excitement.
"Deziara, give your sister some room to breathe," Lady Lily called out, an ice pack pressed against her head.
"I see it was rough on your end," Morrigan noted, and the demoness sighed in response.
"It wouldn''t be so bad if this little one wouldn''t be so excited about every new thing she saw."
"But mom! There were so many new people. The duergar were a little bit similar to Gunna, but much gruffer and they looked annoyed at every little thing."
"That''s because you kept pestering them about every little thing. I swear, all the training you went through was completely useless," Lady Lily sighed again, then looked at Morrigan hopefully. "Tell me it went better on your end, child."
"Yes, tell us everything! I saw the fallen from afar but I couldn''t believe my eyes. Do they really have wings?" Deziara pulled Morrigan to the sofa across from her mother and sat right next to her.
"Yes, they do! They are so large and big and fluffy," Morrigan gushed, completely infected by Deziara''s enthusiasm.
"Did they let you touch them?"
"What? I never asked. That would be inappropriate."
Deziara puffed out her cheeks, while Lady Lily nodded in approval.
"At least one of you girls has a good head on her shoulders. Tell me how the dinner went."
"It was really tense at first, but Viana and I managed to get some light conversation going."
"What? Viana? Really? Are you sure you''re talking about the same Viana," Deziara scowled in disbelief.
"Viana has her priorities set straight. She knows we cannot show any discord in front of our enemies," Lady Lily noted.
Enemies. I never thought of them as such. The fallen seemed like normal people just like demons. It was rather heartwarming to see the Prime Minister and his wife gush over their daughter.
"Yeah, I was also surprised. She even showed me how to properly cut up the birds they served at dinner. Anyway, once the tension was broken the conversation got really light and even cheerful, I would say. But¡"
"But?" Deziara leaned closer, and Lady Lily narrowed her eyes.
"They brought this Burmese Ruby gem as a gift and asked for it to become the prize of the competition that will happen during the festival."
"So it is no gift at all," Deziara scowled, and both Morrigan and Lady Lily nodded at her conclusion.
"It''s a rather rude thing that they did, but I understand why they did it. No doubt they wish one of their own to win the competition and improve their reputation in the Underworld," the demoness said, then put a finger to her lips in contemplation. "But a Burmese Ruby of all things. That is a really valuable prize."
"How does it work exactly? Viana said it adapts to its user," Morrigan asked.
"That means that the gem gives the user the ability that is most suited for them. For example, if a lesser demon who works in the mines were to absorb a Burmese Ruby it might grant the ability to locate ores more easily."
"That doesn''t sound very impressive," Deziara scoffed.
"Indeed. But if for example one of you girls were to absorb it, it might give you the ability to control the shadows themselves."
"Control the shadows?" Both girls leaned forward, their eyes shining with interest. Moving as a shadow like Morrigan did was already considered a superior and rare ability. But controlling shadows in the Underworld where there was no sun, meant that you were nearly invincible. Only Alphegor possessed this ability.
"Yes. Of course, that is not a given. Nobody knows what ability a Burmese Ruby grants to the user, only that it will be beneficial to them."
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"We must get that Ruby, Morri!" Deziara jumped up to her feet, brimming with excitement.
"Wouldn''t it be a bit difficult? The competition includes many tasks and you have to be good at them all to be victorious," Morrigan said. The Nachtstern Festival Competition happened over the course of five days and was the main attraction that garnered the attention of the whole Underworld. Apparently, it was a great way for demons and other races to search for employment as those who managed to excel even during one of the tasks would be sought out afterwards.
"It is worth a shot. And everyone is allowed to enter ¨C even us princesses," Deziara hummed, and Morrigan saw how the cogs in her head were turning.
There''s no stopping her now, but isn''t the competition too dangerous? I''m pretty sure the tasks include monster subjugation or something similar.
"It wouldn''t hurt to try. Why don''t both of you girls enter?" Lady Lily smiled, the tiniest hint of mischief in her eyes.
"Wait? Me too? Am I not too small?" Morrigan protested. The thought that she could enter the competition never even crossed her mind. "Shouldn''t someone like Azrael be competing and representing the Demon Kingdom?"
"He can''t compete. He''s the host of the Competition. Everyone thought it would be unfair if he competed," Lady Lily objected. "And everyone is allowed to compete, even children."
"Isn''t there a chance that I''ll get hurt?" Morrigan asked.
"No, everything is carefully monitored. You''ll be just fine. And in case something does go wrong, Azrael and your father will be right there ¨C watching the whole thing."
"Morri, you should totally compete. I know for sure that you''d win the magic task and talent showcase in a heartbeat. Nothing can compete with your beautiful paintings," Deziara urged.
The thought of showing off my art is exciting, but, still, I''m not too fond of the idea of wrangling monsters. What if they bring out something like that hydra that lives in the dungeon? Just thinking about that thing makes me shiver.
"But I can''t wrangle any monsters and I don''t know that much magic yet," she objected.
"What do you mean? You got Haku soundly under your control and you mastered fire magic in just a few weeks. Not to mention all the other magic you''ve mastered over the years," Deziara praised.
Morrigan had learned levitation and how to create force fields by absorbing labradorite and quartz gems respectively, but those were just two abilities. Compared to adults who had hundreds of spells in their repertoire, her measly array of magic was nothing.
"Controlling Haku is one thing but controlling some random Underworld monster is completely different," she objected, but Deziara was not about to budge.
"Morri, please! You have a better chance of winning this than I do. You got to try," Deziara took hold of both Morrigan''s hands and employed her best impression of puppy dog eyes. Morrigan tried her best to not look her sister in the eyes, but she could not resist for long.
"Alright, fine! But if anything happens, it is your fault," she grumbled as Deziara pulled her into a tight hug.
"I love you, Morri! You''re the best sister a demon could ask for."
"Alright, Deziara, that''s enough. I think it''s best if we all rest for today. We need to gather our strength before the big day," Lady Lily said, although the smile on her lips didn''t match her words.
"Aw, but I want to talk more about what we could do to win the competition," Deziara whined.
"Tomorrow, girls. Today we rest," she shook her head and stood up, gently placing one hand on Deziara''s head and the other on Morrigan''s. "Besides I''m sure both of you will do just fine."
Both girls nodded and smiled in response. Then Morrigan unlatched herself from her sister and waved both women goodnight. As she exited the room, she let out a sigh, worried about the daunting task ahead of her.
Participating in the competition will be tough. But I have to admit that the Burmese Ruby is a very tempting prize. I wonder what sort of ability would it grant to me. Would it be shadow manipulation?
Morrigan was about to turn into a shadow and speed off to her room when she saw a flicker of gold pass through the end of the hallway.
"Princess Morrigan, shall I escort you back to your room?" one of the guards asked and appeared to be ready to follow her.
"No, that won''t be necessary. I''ll get there myself," she assured, glancing at the hallway ahead.
"With all due respect Princess Morrigan, there are a lot of strangers in the castle. We cannot allow you to go by yourself," the guard insisted.
"I''ll just turn into a shadow and go straight to my room. That wouldn''t be an issue then, right?" She smiled at the guard, who thought for a moment and then nodded.
"Alright. If you go straight to your room as a shadow, then you should be safe."
"Thank you for thinking of me. Have a nice evening," Morrigan said and melted into the shadows. But instead of heading straight to her room, she zoomed into the hallway where she saw the golden flicker before. It was empty so she rushed to the next cross-section and to the left saw the same golden flicker heading upstairs.
Morrigan followed it and saw that it was the golden-haired elf boy sneaking his way upstairs. Well, he was trying to sneak, but it was rather too obvious to anyone watching. He pretended to be nonchalant when somebody was walking towards him, but it appeared rather stiff. Luckily for him, the guests weren''t interested in a scrawny elven boy and the servants were just too busy to pay any attention to him.
Where is he going? This way leads upstairs to where the royal family lives. Is he lost? Doesn''t seem so.
Curious, Morrigan continued tailing him as he went higher and higher up the castle. He was actually sneakier than she initially thought, using servants as a sort of shield to hide himself from the tired guards or sneaking past them when they were distracted by something else. The fact that guards usually weren''t wary of slaves also contributed to his success.
He''s actually getting pretty close to my room. What the hell is he plotting? I can''t just let him do as he pleases.
Morrigan materialized out of the shadow, appearing right before the elven boy. He jumped back in surprise and glared at her.
"Where do you think you are going?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at him. She had a suspicion that the fallen had sent him to do something nefarious, but at the same time Morrigan didn''t feel threatened by a poor slave kid.
"None of your business," he snapped back and was about to brush past her, but Morrigan stood her ground.
"I''m afraid it is my business. This is a private place. You''re not supposed to be here."
"What are you going to do? Call your daddy?" the boy mocked and stuck out his tongue at her.
What a little brat! Perhaps I need to put him in his place. To show how much stronger I am. Surely that will scare him away.
"I could but I don''t need to call him to stop you from going further," she smirked and produced a fireball in her palm in an attempt to scare him off. Much to her dismay, the boy just scoffed.
"What? Are you going to light a candle with that? Good luck," he laughed and tried to walk past her again. This time she produced a force field across the hallway, its shimmering presence stopping the elf in his tracks.
"If you know what''s good for you, you will leave. This is my last warning."
The elven boy examined the forcefield and extended his hands towards it. He touched the shimmering wall and pushed against it.
"Not a bad forcefield for a girl," he scoffed and then plunged his hand at it, shattering the forcefield into pieces. Morrigan watched in horror as it disappeared completely and the boy zoomed past her with a self-satisfied grin on his face.
Chapter 57 – The Elven Boy
The boy got rid of Morrigan''s forcefield so swiftly that she didn''t even register what he did to destroy it. She whirled around and then seized him with her levitation ability. It was rather tough levitating a moving, resisting person, but it was enough to stop the boy from reaching any further.
"Will you stop that? I am not just going let you waltz into my room!" she grumbled, sweat forming on her forehead as she tried to keep hold of the levitation spell. But the boy redoubled his efforts, and Morrigan was forced to drop him.
"Your room? Why would I want to sneak into your room," he retorted.
So he doesn''t know these are the King''s living quarters? But what else could he be searching for? The Royal Treasury? Could the fallen have sent him to steal some magic gemstones?
"If gems are what you''re looking for then you won''t find any in this room."
The elven boy paused, narrowing his eyes at her as if to assess whether she was telling the truth. After a while, it appeared he came to an entirely wrong conclusion and sprinted towards the door.
That suicidal little maniac. He''s going to get himself killed.
Morrigan turned into a shadow and bolted towards him. However, before she could reach him, the elf lifted his hand and created a glowing orb of light. The glow coming from it was so strong that Morrigan couldn''t remain in her shadow form and materialized. The feeling was so abrupt, that she felt nauseous for a moment.
"Wha¡ What did you do?" she gasped, trying to catch her breath.
"Just created a bit of sunlight," the boy smirked and ran straight into the hallway that led to Morrigan''s room. She hurried after him, shielding her eyes from the bright light he still held in his hand. There were currently no guards at the door as it was the exact moment when they changed shifts.
How did he time his arrival so perfectly with the time the guards change shifts? The fallen must have ordered him to do so and given him the necessary information to succeed. But how did they find out? In either case, I have to stop him before he does something foolish and gets himself killed. He''s just a child after all.
"Stealing whatever you were ordered to steal will not buy your freedom," Morrigan called, her voice filled with bitterness as she remembered Faenor. The elf had traded knowledge of Morrigan''s true identity for his freedom, but Asdeus had sent him straight into the Dead Bog. Most likely, he never made it out alive. The boy stopped and looked at Morrigan with intense hatred.
"So what? Am I supposed to just accept being a slave? Just enjoy being puppeteered by the likes of you for the rest of my life. No way!" he spat.
"So instead you choose to throw away your life on a foolish errand nobody will ever appreciate you for. You know if somebody besides me catches you here, you''re as good as dead."
"I''d rather die trying than not have tried at all."
Morrigan opened her mouth to speak when she heard familiar footsteps resound through the hallway. The elf didn''t seem to have noticed and kept glaring viciously at her.
Oh no! If Father catches him here then he really is as good as dead.
She lunged towards him and then took a firm hold of his hand. He stared at her in shock and was about to shake her off when Alphegor appeared from around the corner. The King stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the scene before him. The elf visibly paled, sweat trickling down his forehead.
"Morrigan? What''s going on?" Alphegor asked, glaring icy daggers at the boy.
"I''m just showing him around the castle, Father," she replied with a smile. Morrigan knew that Alphegor could probably see through her lie, but she also knew that he wouldn''t press the matter if she insisted that everything was fine. Probably.
"Showing a slave from the Fallen Kingdom around the castle?" Alphegor arched his eyebrow. Morrigan crossed her arms over her chest.
"Slaves are people too. And this boy is just around my age. When''s the last time I actually had a chance to talk to my peers?" she retorted, and Alphegor actually looked a bit guilty for a moment.
"Well¡ You have many sisters to talk to."
"That''s different. I want friends, not just sisters."
"Does it have to be a boy?" Alphegor narrowed his eyes, glaring at the poor elf again.
Oh, please don''t tell me he''s going to be like one of those dads who never lets his daughters date anybody. I''m not even old enough for that yet.
"It doesn''t matter if it''s a boy or a girl. Now I will escort him back to his room as it has gotten rather late. Well, shall we talk more tomorrow¡ err¡ " Morrigan realized she didn''t even know the boy''s name, and turned to him for help.
"G-Galandir," he stammered, his eyes glued to the menacing king before him.
"Yes, I was just about to say Galandir. I shall return to my room in just a moment, Father," Morrigan said and began pulling Galandir through the corridors. She felt a sort of menacing aura coming from behind but decided to ignore it and march on. As she led the boy ahead by his hand, she felt him shiver slightly.
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"I warned you," she sighed. As if coming out of trance, he yanked his hand free and glared at her.
"Don''t expect me to thank you," he snarled and then bounded downstairs without looking back.
"I wasn''t¡" she muttered, and then turned into a shadow, speeding back to her room.
I swear, a little bit of gratitude wouldn''t kill him. But it''s fine. At least I won''t have to witness child murder this evening.
As Morrigan materialized into the shared living room, Alphegor was pacing around it and mumbling something to himself.
"Are you alright, Father?" she said, cocking her head to the side.
Perhaps, there was trouble with the fallen after the dinner. Or maybe he is thinking about the competition. Was there a complication?
"Oh, Morrigan. You''re back. That was fast," His bad mood evaporated and he pulled her into a hug. She giggled as his long hair tickled her face.
"Yes, I just showed Galandir the way back to his room," she said. She felt a bit bad about lying, but there was no real need to escort him back. If he managed to successfully locate her room without ever visiting the castle before, then his own guest room should pose no issues. Or the slave quarters that were probably assigned to him for the time being.
"Morrigan, you are still very young. You don''t have to hurry with your choice. In fact, it is alright for you not to choose anybody for a hundred years. No, two hundred years," Alphegor held her tiny shoulders and looked at her with unyielding seriousness.
Oh, no! He really is the overprotective sort. This will be tough once I am older.
"Do not worry, Father. You''re the only one I need!" she said, and Alphegor hugged her again.
"That''s right! I''m so glad you understand, Morrigan!" He patted her hair, and she couldn''t help but smile. After a while, Morrigan broke free of his embrace.
"Father, can I ask you something?"
"Of course. Anything," Alphegor said, and sat down on the couch, his king persona disappearing into the cushions as his expression and stature relaxed.
"I was wondering about the competition that happens during the Festival. Deziara and Lady Lily suggested that I participate," she said somewhat timidly.
"I don''t see why not. Do you not want to?"
"I''m just a bit worried. Isn''t it dangerous?"
"No. It was made to be a fun experience for watchers and participants alike. While some tasks might seem more dangerous than others, there are demons on site that will be monitoring everything. Azrael is one of them."
Morrigan relaxed and sat down on the sofa across from her father.
If Azrael is there as a security measure, then I should be fine. His oath will compel him to protect me in the worst case scenario.
"That''s reassuring. Can you tell me more about it?" she asked.
"What do you want to know? I can tell you about the way the competition went the last time, but the tasks themselves change every time."
"Aren''t you the one determining the tasks?"
"No, it''s the Culture Minister''s job to do that. He''s done a marvelous job every single time, so I entrusted him with it. Although he is rather old. I might need to find a replacement for him by the time the next Festival comes."
"So you don''t know what is going to happen this year?" Morrigan leaned forward.
"I do like to experience some surprises once in a while. But I can still recount what happened during previous Festivals," Alphegor smiled. She thought about it for a moment and then shook her head.
"No. I think I would rather leave it as a surprise. If you say it''s not dangerous, Father, then I''ll trust you and do my best when the competition arrives."
Alphegor nodded approvingly, "I believe you should be able to win if you''re careful and apply your knowledge correctly. You have all the tools you need. You just have to use them properly."
"I shall, Father!" Morrigan said resolutely, getting both nervous and excited.
***
Morrigan woke up with a fuzzy feeling running through her stomach. Despite it being early morning, she could already hear busy rustling and chattering both within the castle and outside its windows. The Festival was here. She rang the bell by her bedside to summon Gunna and other maids.
I have to look my absolute best today. Father is going to give the opening speech and while I won''t have to speak, I will have to stand alongside him.
The thought of standing in front of a giant crowd made her nervous, so she took a deep breath and exhaled to calm her nerves. She repeated the breathing exercise until she heard a soft knock on the door.
"Lady Morrigan, it is Gunna. May I come in?"
"Come in," she replied. The nanny had a big smile on her face as she carried the traditional Festival dress worn by nobles and royalty. It resembled a Japanese kimono a little bit, except that the fabric wasn''t as thick and restrictive. And of course, it was mostly black with a muted red dragon motif weaving through it. Homage to the first Nactstern King.
"Are you ready for the Festival?" the dwarf woman asked, her eyes shining with excitement.
"As ready as I''ll ever be," Morrigan replied with as much conviction as she could muster.
"Good. You have nothing to worry about. Your main task is to enjoy yourself," the nanny hummed as she began to untangle Morrigan''s bed head.
"And not make a fool of myself in front of foreign diplomats. Also not to fail the competition to an extent that would make demons look down on me. Also, try not to cause a war."
"Please, do not worry. A crown princess you may be, but remember that you are first and foremost a child. Nobody expects a child to solve international problems. That is the King''s job. Your job is to support him and enjoy yourself," Gunna gently stroked her head, and the warmth from her hand helped Morrigan to relax.
"Yes. I''ll try to do my best," she said firmly. Gunna hummed and began combing Morrigan''s hair.
A moment later another knock sounded on the door, louder and stronger than before, "Morrigan, I am coming in!"
Alphegor strode inside, wearing the light underrobe meant for the Festival. There would be another layer on top ¨C an extravagant red robe with a black dragon motif. Morrigan was sure that nobody would be able to match the King in terms of looks.
"How are you feeling today, Morrigan?" he asked and took the hairbrush from Gunna, who silently moved aside with a bowed head.
"Nervous, excited, worried, anxious and curious," she grinned, and the King laughed.
"I understand. It is your first Festival so it''s only natural that you are nervous. But remember no matter what happens, I''ll be right there beside you," Alphegor said as he combed Morrigan''s hair.
"It is Deziara''s first festival too. She must also be feeling nervous. Perhaps you could go reassure her as well," Morrigan spoke up, and Alphegor nodded.
"Yes, I was considering that. I shall go do that while you get ready," Alphegor said, the hair brush gently flowing through Morrigan''s hair. "And remember you are the Crown Princess! The highest standing person in this Kingdom besides myself. Keep your head high and your spirits even higher."
Chapter 58 – Competition Sign-Ups
The crowd filled with demons, drow, duergar and other Underworld races cheered as Alphegor raised his hand towards them in greeting. Morrigan stood a little bit behind him, on his right, while Viana stood on his left. All of her sisters stood on the large stage, each one dressed in similar kimono-styled attire with a dragon motif. However, each one wore a different color.
Viana''s robe was dark blue with gold, while Deziara''s who stood right next to Morrigan wore a purple robe with a black dragon. Morrigan was surprised that the tailors managed to find a different yet suiting color for each princess without any repetition among them.
"The princesses look so amazing!"
"Nobody could ever match our beautiful princesses."
"Is the crown princess really the smallest one?"
"She looks a lot like Queen Eirwen."
The crowd was chattering excitedly, their eyes darting from one princess to the next, often lingering on Morrigan. She did her best to hold her head high and retain the polite, serene smile that she had been practicing together with Lady Lily. Her hands felt clammy as she held them together in front of her, thankfully hidden under the long sleeves of her black attire.
Just remain calm, Morrigan. All you have to do now is remain pretty and smile.
"People of the Demon Kingdom and dear guests. It is with great honor that I announce the start of our dearly beloved Nachtstern Festival. As the descendant of the first Nacthstern King, I promise that the glory of the Underworld shall never fall!" Alphegor called out in his booming voice and the crowd went absolutely wild, cheering and hollering.
Morrigan glanced at the surroundings, her breath hitching as she saw people everywhere. They were in the center of Linberor Market Square, the same place Azrael had snuck her and Deziara out when they were small. All of the stalls had been cleared away to make place for the grand stage, illuminated by floating orbs and decorated to resemble the giant body of a dragon with crystalline scales that reflected the light, bringing as much attention to the stage as possible.
The surrounding square also had strings of bright lanterns going over the houses, held up by some sort of invisible magic. Meanwhile, the nearby streets were adorned with wingless dragon decorations, as well as anything that would give homage to demons and the royal family.
"This time just like during every Festival before now, each and every one of you will be able to enter the glorious and noble Nachtstern Festival Competition. This year in addition to the usual monetary prize, as well as a favor from your King, you''ll be competing for this," Alphegor pulled out a box from within his robes and opened it, showing the Burmese Ruby to the crowd. "As a show of goodwill, our guests from the Fallen Kingdom have given this Burmese Ruby as a prize to the winner of the Competition."
The crowd gasped, and people began muttering among themselves.
"A Burmese Ruby? Isn''t that the rare gem that grants you any power you wish?"
"I heard it can grant any wish?"
"Why would the fallen give us such a gift?"
"Who cares? I want that ruby!"
Cautiousness quickly grew into excitement, and then one after the next, people began shouting that they wanted to participate.
Is it alright if all of these people participate? How would the logistics of that work? But then again, this is not the first time the Festival has happened. Surely there must be measures to contain the amount of participants.
"Since the prize pool is larger this year, then the entrance fee has also been increased. But fret not for every noble who holds the title of Marquess or higher in the Demon Kingdom and every delegation from our foreign visitors is allowed one free entry," Alphegor explained, and the crowd replied with an approving sort of muttering. Some appeared annoyed, as they most likely couldn''t afford the price.
"Now then to start off the sign-ups and encourage new participants to join, I shall announce that three of my daughters will also be joining the Competition this time," Alphegor said, a confident smile appearing on his lips, and the demons in the crowd went wild again.
"Princesses will participate?"
"Does that mean we might get a chance to meet and talk to them if we join?"
"That is a prize in its own right!"
Morrigan tried to remain calm, but she felt a heavy knot form in her stomach.
I wonder if they''d still be excited if they knew that I was the one participating. Watching a child compete probably wouldn''t be very fun.
"The first one to participate is my eldest daughter ¨C Viana!" Alphegor said and the crowd gave an excited cheer as she stepped forward and smiled at them.
"Next is my second youngest ¨C Deziara," the King continued, and the ovation continued as she confidently walked forward, appearing ready to take on the world.
"And finally the Crown Princess ¨C Morrigan!" Alphegor''s smile grew just a little bit larger, and Morrigan stepped forward. She put as much grace as she could in each step and then nodded her head slightly at the crowd, just as Lady Lily had instructed her to do.
There was dead silence for a moment, and Morrigan''s heart clenched. But then a roar of applause and cheers followed.
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"The Crown Princess is participating despite being so young."
"Our princess is so smart!"
"Now I want to participate even more!"
The crowd, mostly demons, praised the princesses for a while longer until finally all three of them bowed their heads and stepped back to stand behind Alphegor.
"Now I shall ask for our foreign visitors to present their champions to us so we could all take a look at them. Let''s begin with the Drow Kingdom!" Alphegor continued, and a smaller portion of the crowd cheered. One part of it was a bit rowdier than the rest, and Morrigan looked at them to see the drow delegation cheering.
She took the chance to carefully observe the drow. Largely they looked much like elves ¨C with beautiful, slender features and long pointed ears. But their skin clearly had not seen daylight, ranging from light gray to grayish blue and even to deep, dark purple. They also had a certain air of arrogance around them although it wasn''t as pronounced as with some pureblooded demons Morrigan had met.
A tall, but muscular drow man with dark blue skin and black hair came out of their ranks and went up to the stage, bowing before Alphegor. He looked physically strong and his gaze was sharp and focused.
I do not want to meet that guy face to face. I feel like he would have no qualms about putting a sword through my chest.
After the drow, Alphegor summoned the duergar champion who looked just like a dwarf, except he had no hair and his skin was dark gray. He was even shorter than Gunna, making his walk somewhat wobbly like one of those short-legged cats or dachshunds. Morrigan couldn''t even spot the duergar delegation as they were no doubt hidden by the taller people in the crowd.
She also didn''t see the delegation of deep gnomes, who were even shorter than the duergar and much more fragile-looking to boot. Some snickering could have been heard from the crowd as the trembling deep gnome champion knelt before Alphegor.
These guys don''t really belong here. Others will eat them alive. Even I look more menacing than them.
"Next ¨C would the vampire delegation please present their champion?" Alphegor announced, and Morrigan barely managed to keep her cool.
How did I miss the fact that vampires have a whole country of their own? I had heard of them being mentioned before, but to think they had their own territory. I knew that studying geography would be more important than politics.
A seductive woman with long white hair and bright red eyes stepped confidently onto the stage and curtsied before Alphegor while giving him the most charismatic smile. A shiver ran through Morrigan''s spine and she noticed a similar reaction from Viana and Deziara, who scrunched up their noses at the vampire woman.
"I''ll be sure to prove my strength to you, Your Majesty," she purred and seductively walked off the stage, every man in the crowd following her retreating form. Everyone besides Alphegor who thankfully didn''t appear to be smitten by her charms.
If Father were to gain interest in vampires¡ The horror. I have to make sure that woman doesn''t get near him.
She gave a knowing look to Deziara, who appeared to have thought about the same thing. Looking at Viana, who was mercilessly glaring at the vampire woman, it was clear that she was also not thrilled.
Looking at the group of vampires together, Morrigan realized how eerie they actually were. All of them had skin as white as paper and bright red eyes. Demons also could manifest such features, however when there was a whole group of people with those bloodthirsty eyes, Morrigan couldn''t help but feel unnerved.
"And now infernals, please present your champion," Alphegor said, and Morrigan perked up. She had never seen an infernal before. They were supposed to be people made out of fire and magma and despite seeing the many renditions of them in books, she could never fully imagine a live person like that.
Morrigan also didn''t notice anyone matching that description in the crowd, but that didn''t surprise her as the huge amount of people could easily hide individuals. Not to mention that the assortment of demons in the crowd was so varied that it was hard to tell apart who was a lesser demon and who was a member of a different race entirely.
At one point the crowd shifted, and Morrigan saw a flame peak above some heads. It moved closer and closer, and she discerned a humanoid shape with flame burning instead of hair and eyes glowing like the inside of a burning furnace. She watched in awe as the infernal came onto the stage, looking just like books had described him.
It''s like fire has become alive. Amazing! I wonder if there are other races like this guy only for other elements. Would a water elemental be made entirely of water? But then again humans are already 70% water, so perhaps they look somewhat like jellyfish. Those are 95% water. I bet it would be fun to paint a jellyfish person with all the reflections and transparency.
While Morrigan''s thoughts wandered to her next painting possibilities, the infernal bowed before Alphegor and muttered something in a barely audible voice. It sounded very gruff and was hard to understand, reminding her of an angry fire crackling. Alphegor nodded in response to the infernal and then asked for the fallen to present their champion.
Their Prime Minister appeared rather smug, sitting along with other fallen while his wife looked somewhat uncertain.
I wonder who the fallen champion will be. The ability to fly will surely give them a great advantage in physical tasks.
Everyone watched and waited for their champion, but for the longest time, it seemed like nobody was coming. Then suddenly, Galandir clambered onto the stage and bowed before Alphegor.
"I am here to represent the Fallen Kingdom, Your Majesty," the boy said, and there was an echo of gasps in the crowd, followed by confused mutterings.
"That boy is not a fallen. He is not even from the Underworld."
"Why he looks no older than the Crown Princess!"
"How shameless! They''re sending a child to fight their battles. Only the fallen would resort to something so disgraceful."
But Heinspiel didn''t appear even a little bothered by these mutterings. In fact, his smile widened as he listened to the accusations.
"Explain yourself, child. How can you represent the fallen when you are not a fallen yourself?" the King asked, his stern voice silencing the crowd in an instant.
"While I am not fallen myself, I serve the fallen. And as Your Majesty is well aware the Fallen Kingdom is home to many races. My masters just wish to show our Kingdom''s open-mindedness to other people," the boy replied, his voice steady and composed.
Just let it slide, Father. It''s not such a big deal. Certainly, it''s scummy that they send a slave to a competition that is supposed to be a prestigious event. But it''s not the boy''s fault.
Alphegor squinted his eyes at the boy, then for a moment his eyes locked with Morrigan''s. The King must have sensed her thoughts somehow, or perhaps he saw it in her face, as his expression relaxed.
"I shall allow it. It would be a shame if the Crown Princess were the only child participating, wouldn''t it?" Alphegor announced, and the crowd cheered. Their attention returned to Morrigan who smiled, trying to keep her composure under their watchful gazes.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Galandir bowed and then quickly disappeared into the crowd.
I wonder what the fallen are really plotting by signing up Galandir, who is a slave, to the competition. Surely it wasn''t just because they wanted to annoy Alphegor and the demons a little bit. Isn''t their goal to keep their ruby to themselves? Do they believe that Galandir can win?
Chapter 59 – Festival Fun
Chapter 18 ¨C Festival Fun
"Father, please! I want to go. You promised me that I would be able to go," Morrigan held onto Alphegor''s sleeve while he did his best to avoid her gaze.
"Morrigan, you know that we cannot take a stroll through the Festival. Our presence alone carries a lot of weight," he objected, gently trying to free his sleeve from her grasp. But Morrigan wrapped her hands around his waist and looked up at him with large, teary eyes.
"Please, please, please! I have never been to a festival so large," she continued. While there certainly were festivals on Earth she had experienced, it was never on such a scale and never together with her family. "And we should take Deziara and perhaps some of my other sisters with us!"
"No, that is completely out of the question. While I wish for all of my daughters to experience the festival, it will be from a safe distance guarded from all potential dangers. Or have you forgotten what happened when you left the castle under Azrael''s watch," Alphegor scowled, but Morrigan was not deterred.
"That is different! This time I''d be together with you, Father. And there is no safer place than next to you," she said and then added in a hurry. "We could always just transform."
The King paused, considering the idea. Morrigan took it as a good sign and continued her onslaught.
"Please, Father! I really want to see it."
"Hmm¡ If we were to go transformed then our transformation has to be good enough not to arouse suspicion of even the most skilled mages. One slip up and they could sense who we really are," Alphegor said.
"Azrael said that my transformation skills are excellent. And if somebody does notice us, then you could quickly silence them, couldn''t you, Father? You''re the strongest demon in the world after all!"
"Do not think that flattery would work on me," Alphegor growled, and Morrigan released her hold on him. He then cleared his throat and continued. "But if you are confident about your transformation abilities, then I suppose we could go out for a little bit."
"I love you!" She cheered, but the King narrowed his eyes at her, making her pause.
"But it will come at a price."
"Price?"
What price could I possibly pay him? Perhaps he wants me to do something? Or promise that I won''t do something ¨C like never leave the castle? I wouldn''t want to promise that, but if that''s what it takes to go to the Festival¡
Alphegor bent down and then tapped on his cheek with a smile. Morrigan giggled and pecked his cheek. He hummed with satisfaction and then his form began to change. A minute later he had changed into a shorter demon with darker skin and black, short hair. His horns had also become much shorter, making him look more like a lesser demon.
Morrigan began her transformation as well, adopting the same dark skin tone and black hair as him. She changed her hair into short curls and made her horns barely visible.
"Will this do?" she asked, and Alphegor nodded.
"Very good. And remember ¨C you are not allowed to leave my side," He held up his finger in warning.
"I wouldn''t dream of it!"
***
Morrigan looked in awe at the various stalls lining the streets. Foods, clothes, toys, trinkets of every size and shape. Her eyes eagerly darted from one stall to the next, unable to decide what she wanted to try out first. Disguised Alphegor meanwhile was cautiously scanning the surroundings, seemingly more concerned about the density of the crowd rather than the Festival''s colorful offerings.
"Father, look at all these things! It''s amazing," Morrigan cheered and walked up to the stall that had an array of colored potion bottles set out on the table. Alphegor quickly pulled her away, glaring at the stall owner who instinctually flinched back.
"Some of these things have no business being at a Festival," the King grumbled. "Perhaps, I should impose stricter policies on vendors."
"None of that work stuff now! We are here to enjoy ourselves," Morrigan reprimanded and dragged her father deeper into the festive crowd. As she scanned the stalls, she noticed some demons lining up in front of what looked like a game. There were little metallic rods set out in a triangular pattern while the player tossed an orange ring.
But the demons playing didn''t hold onto the ring for long, instead throwing it before even properly lining up the shot.
"Father, what is that?" Morrigan asked and pointed at the game stall.
"Looks like a game of magma ring toss. If you manage to land a ring on the rod, you get a prize," he explained, looking rather bored by it.
"Can I try?"
"Absolutely not!"
"What? Why?" she whined, tugging on his sleeve.
"Those are magma rings. You will burn your fingers."
"Wait¡ you mean like real magma?" Morrigan shuddered, remembering the heat she experienced near the lava river.
Although, I am resistant to fire now. Perhaps the magma rings wouldn''t even burn me if their temperatures weren''t too extreme.
"Yes. It starts off cool but quickly heats up so the player doesn''t have a lot of time to take aim. It''s borderline illegal," Alphegor huffed.
"But I am resistant to fire. Could I at least try? Look, they have all sorts of prizes," Morrigan said, pointing at the shelf lined with various prizes clearly meant for children.
"I can buy thousands of such prizes and then a hundred thousand more on top of that," Alphegor said and tried to drag Morrigan away.
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"But it''s the experience of how you got it that matters! Please, Father," Morrigan whined, and some of the demons passing by chuckled at their display. Alphegor rubbed his temples and sighed.
"Alright, but I''ll be playing. I don''t want you burning your fingers," he said and strode up to the booth. Morrigan wanted to protest at first but then paused to think about it.
Wouldn''t it be fun to see Father play a game? How often does one see a king fumble at a silly carnival game? I cannot let this chance slip by.
Morrigan ran to stand by his side, as they waited for their turn at the game. Alphegor tapped his foot impatiently as one after another the demons failed to land the magma ring on the rods. Most just dropped it after a few seconds while a few more resilient individuals were fast enough to toss it, but not lucky enough to actually land it on the targets.
"Would you like to give your daughter a try, sir?" the cheeky, red-skinned demon man behind the counter said. He clearly felt some sort of satisfaction from watching all the people fail, children walking away from the stall sullen or even crying.
That nasty guy needs to be taught a lesson.
"I''ll give it a try," Alphegor said and threw a silver coin at the demon. He caught it swiftly in the air without missing a beat and then slid three magma rings towards him.
"You win a prize for each ring that you manage to land on the rods. Doesn''t matter which one. And if you somehow manage to land all three then you get to choose from the special prize pool."
"Special prize pool?" Morrigan asked, leaning on the counter.
"Yes. Some of the rarest treasures the Demon Kingdom has ever seen can be found among them. Just feast your eyes," the vendor said and pulled out a large transparent case. Inside it sat three objects ¨C a potion that sparkled like a nebula, a pinkish gem, and a tube of paint from the looks of it.
"What are those?" Morrigan asked, not seeing any value in any one of them. Except the paint perhaps.
"This is a Potion of Farsight. Drink and you''ll be able to see any faraway place you wish. Next is a Pink Tourmaline ¨C said to give its user the ability to charm their enemies. And finally ¨C a tube of golden magic paint."
"Magic paint? How is it magic?" Morrigan''s eyes lit up and she reached out her hand towards the case. The vendor pulled it back and then hid it below the counter.
"If you want to see what it does, then you''ll have to try it out for yourself!" The demonic vendor teased. Morrigan looked at her Father with pleading eyes, but his gaze was already focused on the metallic rods.
He took the first magma ring and it instantly began glowing like a hot raging flame. However, the King wasn''t bothered in the slightest, instead aiming it and tossing it straight onto the closest rod. The vendor blinked in disbelief and raised his finger to say something. But Alphegor already grabbed the second ring and without hesitation threw it onto the second rod.
"How?" the man uttered, his mouth agape in shock. Then Alphegor took the last ring and just as seamlessly threw it onto the last rod.
"Magic paint, please!" Alphegor slapped his hand down on the counter, a victorious smile on his face.
"You cheated!" the demon protested, but the King glared so hard that even in his rather soft-looking disguise, the vendor took a step back.
"Are you implying that the game is impossible to win?" Alphegor glowered. Morrigan could almost see the dark, menacing aura coming out of him.
"N-no! Of course not. Go ahead and take your prize," the vendor shakily retrieved the case and unlocked it with a wave of his hand. Morrigan instantly grabbed the paint and clutched it close to her chest.
"Thank you, Father! You''re the best!" she cheered.
"Of course I am! Let''s go see what other things this Festival has to offer," Alphegor outstretched his hand towards Morrigan, and she grabbed onto it, clutching the magic paint in the other hand.
Hand in hand they strode through the crowd, enjoying the festive atmosphere and admiring all the hard work people had put into the stalls, be it merchandise, food or games. They bought two crepes ¨C one with a savory, meaty filling and the other with a sweet, creamy filling ¨C which they both shared.
The day went on and Morrigan was beginning to feel tired when she noticed a demon child run by with a face that was painted to resemble a dragon. She watched him with awe and then saw a few more children with painted faces weave through the crowd.
"Excuse me, where did you get that face paint?" Morrigan asked one of the children passing by.
"A lady in the stall over there is coloring the faces of anybody who asks," the child pointed towards one of the stalls, and then continued on his way.
"Father, can I?" she looked pleadingly at Alphegor, who chuckled in response.
"Sure. We still have a bit of time."
Morrigan ran towards the stall and saw how a rather lanky woman with unusual pink hair swept on one side was painting a red dragon on a little demon girl''s face. She went up to them and watched in awe, how she smoothly and precisely drew lines on the child''s face, turning her skin into a canvas.
The woman didn''t even notice Morrigan at first, that''s how engrossed she was in her work. After a moment, she caught her watching, but chuckled at her enthusiasm, "Want to have your face painted next?"
Morrigan continued staring at her brush strokes, not even daring to reply, lest she missed something. The artist took it as an agreement and continued working on her current client. Less than ten minutes later, the demon girl''s face had been turned to look like a marvelous dragon. The woman gave the girl a mirror, and she cheered at her reflection.
"Thank you so much," she called out and then sprinted away towards her parents, who smiled at the girl.
"So you''re next? What color would you like?" the artist asked, pointing to the trays of paint she had laid out on a table next to her.
"Could I do the painting?" Morrigan asked as she admired the bright colors. The woman looked a bit shocked for a moment, but quickly regained her composure and smiled.
"We''d have to find someone who''d be willing to have you paint on them."
Oh, you''re hoping that nobody would be crazy enough to allow a child to draw on them. You''re out of luck!
Morrigan turned towards her father who took a cautious step back.
"Father! Please!" she put her hands together and looked at him with the saddest eyes she could muster. Alphegor sighed and with a resigned look on his face, sat down on the small stool where the girl had sat before.
"Looks like I have no choice."
The vendor laughed, then pulled out a clean apron and put it on Morrigan, "Always nice to see children be interested in art. There are too few artists in the Demon Kingdom."
"Do I need to set a base layer paint first?" Morrigan asked, eagerly looking over the paints and brushes.
"Oh, not a beginner? Now I am curious as to what your little hands will create. Please, put this clear base coat first. It''ll protect the skin from harm and also allow the paint to remain vibrant and unsmudged."
Morrigan nodded and took the large soft brush. Alphegor closed his eyes and she began to gently cover his face with the base layer, making sure not to miss a single spot.
"Very good! Now you can choose a base color and start painting on your father''s face."
Morrigan took the black color, setting it as a base, then used gray to set up highlights, not even listening to the artist''s instructions anymore. Once the basics were laid down to her satisfaction, she took the gold color and began drawing in scales.
Alphegor sat unflinching the whole time, while the artist watched Morrigan''s work. After about twenty minutes, she announced, "I''m done!"
Alphegor opened his eyes, while the artist whistled in amazement. She handed the mirror to Alphegor who looked at his face in amazement. The black and golden colors contrasted each other, bringing out Alphegor''s shifted facial features and making him look like a dragonoid being rather than a demon.
"You''ve got real talent on your hands. I suggest you invest in educating your daughter in art. She''d go far."
Morrigan''s shoulders slumped at this proclamation.
But I can never be an artist¡ My duty is to become the next queen. I can''t abandon that just to frolic around and draw pretty pictures.
Chapter 60 – Test of Speed
"Welcome all contestants and our wonderful audience to the Nachtstern Festival Competition!" Azrael announced in a magically amplified voice that echoed through the whole Underworld. "Each time we have an astounding number of competitors, but this year you all have beaten the record ¨C 1387 people have decided to participate. No doubt spurred on by the chance to see our lovely princesses closer!"
He pointed towards Morrigan, Deziara and Viana who stood close together, lined up along with other contestants in front of a pathway near the lava river. Cheers and applause resounded from the audience who were standing behind a special zone across from the lava river, just like people would in an auto rally.
Morrigan felt a bit overwhelmed being in the middle of such a huge crowd, but thankfully she and her sisters were placed among the honorary participants from other races and demon nobles. Of course, the three of them still stood out even among the cream of demon society, but at least the nobles had enough decorum not to openly bother them.
She carefully looked over the competitors standing closest to her. All of them exuded confidence, even the deep gnome. What Morrigan was surprised to see was the fire burning inside the elven boy''s eyes. The infernal next to him scoffed, clearly not thinking much of the boy, but he just looked head-on with an unyielding gaze. She had to wonder where he got all that confidence from.
"Our competition this year will begin with a Test of Speed. Some of you probably knew this was coming. After all, our contestants have to prove their physical prowess first. Now here are the rules, children. Listen closely, because if you break them ¨C it''s game over!" Azrael said enthusiastically, narrating from the raised podium where all VIPs sat. Including the Demon King himself whose gaze lingered on his three competing daughters.
Look at the bright side, Morrigan. Since you are here in the competition, you do not need to deal with the fallen delegation directly. Also isn''t Azrael enjoying this a bit too much?
"Rule number one ¨C do not attack other contestants. You may use magic to hinder their path or slow them down, but physical harm is strictly forbidden. There are rule enforcers watching everyone along the path, and if somebody disobeys this rule they will be fed to Princess Morrigan''s dragon," Azrael warned and then snapped his fingers.
Haku appeared from behind the podium, forcing a few people standing closest to it to scamper away. He looked around curiously at first and then wagged his tail enthusiastically when he noticed Morrigan among the participants.
"Be good, Haku!" she called at him and waved. The dragon nodded and laid down next to the podium. Participants from other races seemed particularly unnerved by Haku, as did the lesser demons.
Hopefully, that will be enough to deter people from hurting others. However, I imagine some will still try it if they believe that there is nobody who could catch them during the act.
"Rule number two ¨C no shortcuts! You can fly, glide, slide or even dig to move forward, but it has to follow the designated path. The moment you try to take a shortcut, you are disqualified. Although you won''t be fed to the dragon for that," Azrael laughed at his own joke, although the audience seemed rather unamused by it.
"Rule number three ¨C no piggybacking on others! You have to cross that finish line with your own feet and if I see that you are using others to move forward in any way, then you''ll be buried in the hot sand and left to cook there for three days. Let me tell you ¨C it''s not an enjoyable experience, folks. Tried it firsthand myself," Azrael warned and then continued. "The first four hundred participants to cross the finish line will be able to continue competing tomorrow. Now ¨C are there any questions?"
A few hands shot up among the participants, but the white-haired demon completely ignored them, clapping his hands together loudly.
"Good, now prepare to run! On my signal."
Morrigan exhaled and stared at the craggy track ahead of her. If the competition were purely about running, then she would no doubt lose. She was younger and physically weaker than others. But there was no rule against using magic.
"Three, two, one ¨C GO!" Azrael yelled and all the participants shot forward, trying to get ahead of each other.
Morrigan instantly turned into a shadow and sped forward, moving along the shadowy cracks in the ground. She saw how Deziara ran forward, swiftly avoiding collisions with other participants by either jumping over them or weaving out of their way. Her sister possessed special speed-enhancing magic, a gift Alphegor gave her on her fifteenth birthday. Deziara had been so ecstatic that she had trained hard with it and had mastered it within a few months.
Viana didn''t have any speed-enhancing abilities, however, she had earth manipulation magic on her side. She moved the earth from underneath her feet propelling herself forward, and throwing the nearby contestants out of her way.
Morrigan slid over the crags Viana created with ease, speeding forward along with the group of fastest runners. She wasn''t first, but rather sticking close to the front runner''s shadows and using them as leverage points to move forward. Thanks to the proximity of the lava river, the area was rather well lit out so Morrigan couldn''t just thoughtlessly rush forward. But there were still enough shadows for her to work with.
As she and other contestants approached the first turn along the track, she noticed the elven boy Galandir pulling ahead of the competition by flying on some sort of transparent, golden wings. The audience was not thrilled by this development in the slightest, booing at him angrily.
"Overworlder!"
"Cheater!"
"Disqualify him!"
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These people are so judgemental. There are plenty of other people flying and you''re not judging them. Although he does feel a bit overpowered for someone of his age. I''d like to have some golden wings too. I wonder if it''s some sort of magic or an innate ability.
Resigned to her fate, Morrigan continued, occasionally checking on both of her sisters. Suddenly the track ahead of them erupted, hot lava spewing up in columns from random spots on the ground. The lava went so high up in the air that flying over it would most certainly make you lose too much time.
"Oh, did I forget to mention ¨C this is an obstacle course. So watch your step," Azrael cackled.
You son of¡ You should have mentioned that before. I''ll give him such an earful for this later.
The runners paused, looking at the lava pouring out like hot geysers, unsure of which path to take. First one to take initiative was the duergar champion who had kept up with the leading group by riding on a stone golem of sorts. He erected a tough rock shield around himself and headed straight for the field.
A hot burst of lava hit his shield, but the duergar didn''t appear bothered, his golem marching on with his shield intact. Seeing this, several other participants moved into the lava field using their own shields for protection. Viana was one of them, using earth and soil to block incoming bursts of lava.
"If you''re worried about your safety ¨C let me tell you something. Those worries are absolutely warranted. If you don''t know how to avoid or block lava, then better stop before you turn into a piece of charcoal," Azrael sounded absolutely delighted, narrating from the safety of the podium.
Isn''t this supposed to be a safe, fun competition? Where did that bit go? I''m pretty sure getting hit by a burst of lava is deadly, even for a demon.
Deziara was about to run ahead through the lava field, when a hot stream erupted in front of her, forcing her to step back.
"Deziara, are you alright?" Morrigan asked, emerging from the shadow. Deziara breathed heavily but looked unhurt.
"Yeah. I am fine. Who came up with this thing? I thought this was supposed to be completely safe," Deziara huffed angrily, watching how more and more participants risked taking their chances. "How are we supposed to get through?"
Running through as a shadow is probably too risky. Lava would illuminate the area and force me out of my shadow form. While I am resistant to fire, I''d probably still get burned if I come in direct contact with lava. I could try using a forcefield, but I am not sure if it can withstand the force. The fact that Galandir managed to break it fairly easily, makes it unlikely.
An idea struck Morrigan''s mind. She outstretched her hand towards the lava field, feeling for the hot fire sleeping underneath. Within a few seconds, it was clear to her, where exactly the lava moved and where it would erupt next.
"Follow me! I know where to go," Morrigan announced and ran into the lava field.
"Morri, wait! We could get seriously hurt," Deziara pulled her back by her hand.
"Trust me. I know what I''m doing," she grinned, and Deziara relaxed. She looked at how the flaming pillars rose up from the ground, then at Morrigan who was a picture of confidence. Finally, Deziara relaxed and allowed herself to be led into the flaming field.
Morrigan walked slowly with her right hand extended forward. She grasped onto the hot tendrils of lava with her magic, trying to feel for their location underground. It was moving and shifting, converging together to escape outward with incredible force. Morrigan led her sister away from the hot spots, instead moving over the places where lava felt most stagnant.
"Princess Morrigan knows where to go. Follow her!" one of the participating demons yelled and rushed to follow them. Some other demons joined in the slowly moving column, and Morrigan noticed that the elven boy and the deep gnome champion also followed her lead.
I didn''t think they would follow me. I better make sure to lead them to the least dangerous areas which can accommodate a larger number of people.
As Morrigan slowly moved forward, feeling the lava flow with her fire magic, the infernal champion reached the lava field, having fallen behind the frontrunner group. He didn''t even pause at the threatening lava eruptions, instead marching straight through them. Morrigan and Deziara watched as they got hit by a flurry of lava, only to keep walking as if it were a gentle summer shower.
"Morrigan, he will catch up to us in no time. Is there any way we could move forward faster?" Deziara urged.
"Not if you don''t want to be cooked. I don''t think I could stop one of those lava streams with my magic since it''s not just pure fire," Morrigan explained.
"Don''t rush. You''ll be endangering not just your lives but the lives of all these people too," Galandir called flying a little bit above them. Morrigan nodded and continued her way slowly and carefully.
He''s just trying to save his own skin. Not that I blame him. I don''t really want anyone to get charred to a crisp.
"Well, would you look at that! Thanks to our lovely Princess Morrigan''s efforts a whole bunch of participants managed to get over the lava field unscathed. Seems awfully close to piggybacking, but I''ll let it slide since the Princess doesn''t mind. But this strategy has lost them a lot of time. Will they be able to catch up to the frontrunners?" Azrael continued his magic-enhanced commentary, while the audience cheered, chanting Morrigan''s name.
Yes, we will!
As soon as they were out of the lava field, Morrigan turned into a shadow and zipped forward. Deziara and Galandir did the same, resuming their previous speeds. Viana along with the duergar and infernal champion were far ahead of them, but since this particular part of the tracks was further away from the lava river, Morrigan had more shadowy places to work with, rapidly catching up to them.
"Uh-oh! It seems our frontrunners have reached our second obstacle ¨C the Underworld mountain. I hope you''re good at climbing because going around means you''re going off the track. And that''s a no-no," Azrael laughed sadistically, to which the audience responded with disapproving muttering.
As Morrigan moved forward, she saw what really looked like a mountain ahead of the track. It was incredibly steep, and often participants would slide off it, forcing them to start anew. Viana was creating little footholds on the mountain, just large enough for her to grab onto. The duergar was having a bit of trouble as his golem kept sliding off, being too large to effectively climb.
Now''s my chance! I''ll regain the ground I''ve lost.
Once Morrigan reached the mountain, she moved straight up, neither the height nor the steepness being a real problem for her. The elven boy was moving at the same speed as her, flying over the hurdle without any issues. A few other contestants who could fly or levitate followed closely behind them.
"Alright, folks, our frontrunners have changed. I know most of you can''t see it, but let me tell you that Princess Morrigan is currently in the lead. Her shadow form is terrifyingly fast. Trust me ¨C I had to chase her once or twice," Azrael said.
"And you''ve never managed to catch her," Alphegor added.
"It''s hard to catch something you can''t touch, Your Majesty."
"Morrigan is far too clever to be caught by you," the King responded and the audience laughed.
"Perhaps, but will she and the other contestant be clever enough to get over our third and final obstacle? Stay tuned, folks!"
Chapter 61 – Fastest in the Underworld
Speeding over the craggy track, Morrigan could see the last obstacle in front of her. She was among the fastest runners while both of her sisters only just had gotten over the giant mountain obstacle.
I wonder what is the last obstacle¡ªhopefully, something where I can remain in my shadow form.
"And here our dear contestants are finally approaching the last hurdle! Can you guess what it is? Well, let me tell you ¨C it is the Lake of Balance," Azrael announced, his enthusiasm having grown twofold since the start of the race.
Lake of Balance? Oh, please don''t tell me there''s more lava involved.
As Morrigan got closer she saw a large basin that appeared to be filled with some shimmering liquid. Above the lake, there was a similar shimmering mist, which sparkled like stars in the night sky.
"Pretty, isn''t it? But think twice about touching the shimmering water and mist, because the moment you do, it''ll teleport you straight back to the shore. So wings won''t work, digging won''t work and unfortunately for our leading princess, shadows also won''t work since it also produces light," Azrael cackled.
Really? I swear, he must have been the one to have come up with these sadistic obstacles.
As Morrigan reached the shore of the lake, she saw many wooden beams laid over the top of the water. They weren''t very wide and provided no shadows in which Morrigan could hide, as the water illuminated the bottom of the beam as well.
No worries, I did a lot of balancing exercises with Lady Lily and I am smaller than most participants. It shouldn''t be too hard for me to cross.
Morrigan and other frontrunners each chose their own beam and began a slow balancing act over the lake. She steadily put one foot in front of the other and kept her hands to the sides to help her balance. Her tail also helped her by providing extra balance, thus she could confidently keep marching forward. A few demon nobles saw her pulling ahead and sped up their pace to match her.
But they couldn''t keep up with her for long and soon fell into the shimmering water. A few seconds later, they were back on the lakeshore, drenched from head to toe. Morrigan looked back and saw that Deziara and Viana had also reached the lake, and had begun to cross it.
Deziara made it over the mountain. Great. Now I can keep moving forward without worries.
Morrigan also noticed that the elven boy was closely behind her, his small stature also making it easier for him to cross. She kept walking forward, making sure to utilize all of Lady Lily''s lessons ¨C straight head, straight back, uniform steps, calm breaths.
"Princess Morrigan is going to win!" The crowd began to chant her name, and before she even knew it she was across the lake. Morrigan swiftly turned into a shadow again and headed straight for the finish line. There were less than five hundred meters left ¨C she could already see the golden ribbon stretched across the finish line.
I can do it! I can win!
Morrigan''s heart swelled with excitement, and she rushed forward as quickly as she could without looking back.
"Dear audience, please watch closely, because our dearest little princess is approaching the finish line! If you blink, you''ll miss it!" Azrael cheered, and the crowd erupted alongside him.
Morrigan pushed herself to move faster and faster. The finish line was just a few meters away. Suddenly bright light exploded right in front of her, and she felt herself being ripped from her shadow form and materializing onto the craggy track.
"Sorry, but I''ll be taking this victory," Galandir announced and crossed over the finish line, breaking the golden ribbon in the process. Morrigan quickly scrambled onto her feet and ran across the last remaining meters to the finish, ending up in second place.
The crowd booed angrily at Galandir, calling him a cheater and demanding his disqualification.
"Settle down, folks! The slave won fair and square. I said that harming others is prohibited, but he never caused Princess Morrigan any harm. He merely forced her out of her shadow form," Azrael argued against the crowd, which became only more agitated.
Suddenly Alphegor stood up from his seat on the podium, and the crowd instantly settled down.
"Princess Morrigan, do you believe the actions of this boy to be fair?" he spoke up in his booming voice.
I can''t say that I liked being forced out of my shadow form, but I''m not petty enough to hold a grudge over it. Better settle this peacefully.
"While I regret not taking first place in this race, I believe that Galandir''s actions were fair. He knew my weakness and took advantage of it, however, at the same time it has not done me any harm," she said, trying to sound gracious.
There was a quiet muttering among the spectators at first, but then they slowly began to clap and cheer. Deziara approached the finish line, ending up in third place, and right after her came the infernal and vampire champions.
The crowd cheered as more and more people crossed the finish line, and soon it seemed like the matter regarding Galandir was forgotten.
***
"Demons, duergar, drow, vampires and other guests, the Test of Speed is officially complete!" Azrael cheered for the whole Underworld to hear, and the audience responded with thunderous applause.
"Our four hundredth participant just crossed the finish line which means that unfortunately everyone else is still left on the track ¨C your time of glory is over. But do not despair, you can always try again at the next festival. But for now, let''s move on to our winners!"
The crowd cheered so loud that Morrigan wanted to cover her ears from the noise. Deziara, who was standing next to her, among the other winning contestants, was basking in the spotlight, waving at the crowd. She waved with extra enthusiasm at the podium where Alphegor sat who responded with a satisfied nod.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
"Now, I won''t name each winner since then we''ll be stuck here until tomorrow, but I will note that all of our princesses and the champions of the foreign delegation have successfully passed the Test of Speed," Azrael said, then added after a brief pause. "The winner of today''s task was the champion of the fallen delegation, Galandir."
The cheers disappeared and silence settled over the scene like a heavy blanket. Galandir, who stood in the very center of the winners, shifted uncomfortably as everyone stared at him. Morrigan could already imagine all the hateful things that were itching to escape from their mouths.
He''s supposed to be the winner yet everyone looks at him as if he were a murderer. I can''t say that I like him too much, since he tried to steal something from us. But I cannot let this silence go on and fester into something unsavory. Perhaps, I could ease the tension at least a little bit.
Morrigan began to applaud at Galandir, each clap of her hands echoing loudly through the area like a bell. The scrutinizing gazes shifted to her, however, she kept applauding in hopes that somebody would join in. Alphegor stood up from his seat on the podium and began applauding as well. The moment everyone saw the King''s action, they quickly followed suit, easing the tension in the air.
Thank you, Father!
Morrigan smiled at him, and Alphegor nodded at her, ending the applause and sitting down.
"Most excellent! Now with today''s task over I suggest you all head back to the Linberor City Square as many delectable treats have been cooked up by chefs from all over the Underworld. Trust me when I say that if you were waiting for a good day to treat yourself ¨C this is that day!" Azrael announced and the crowd slowly began moving back towards the city.
"I wonder what kind of dishes are they cooking up in the square," Morrigan said, excited by the prospect of trying new foods.
"It doesn''t matter to us. We have to attend dinner with foreign delegations and their champions," Viana said sharply. Some curious contestants, mostly demons, were beginning to approach the princesses. However, their private guards quickly surrounded them, creating a protective wall.
"What? I never heard of such a thing," Deziara protested, glaring at Viana. Some people were looking curiously at the ongoing ruckus, so Morrigan pulled on her sister''s sleeve. Deziara looked around and quickly shrunk back, realizing all the eyes that were glued to them.
"You should have listened carefully. Father talked about that this morning," Viana retorted and then strode off with her two guards in tow.
I think I remember something like that. But I was so nervous about the competition in the morning that most of what he said just went over my head.
Morrigan sighed and gently pulled on Deziara''s sleeve, "We better get going. Maybe we can enjoy the food next time."
"But next time it will be something completely different," Deziara whined.
"I know. But we don''t have much of a choice," Morrigan whispered, and her sister finally relented. Both girls headed towards the Demon Castle, their moods dejected despite being winners.
***
If this goes on for much longer I am going to die of boredom!
The diplomats from various delegations were currently discussing the matters of establishing a friendly relationship. In theory, it seemed like a good topic ¨C Morrigan firmly believed that the Underworld nations should live together peacefully. However, over time, it became a bragging contest of sorts.
Demons were great at doing this, drow were excellent at doing that, duergar were unmatched in this field, the fallen had the best whatever material in whatever you call it place. While she was certainly no expert politician, she was certain that trying to outbrag each other certainly wasn''t a solid way of establishing a friendly relationship.
"You''re beginning to slouch again," Viana reprimanded, and Morrigan quickly straightened in her seat. This was the other thing that irked her ¨C whenever she or Deziara did something wrong, Viana took it upon herself to correct them. Each time she did it, Morrigan had the urge to singe a few hairs off her head.
Miss Bossypants could lay off our backs for once. It''s not my fault that this place is so boring.
Morrigan restrained a sigh and looked at her empty dinner plate. While the meal offered was certainly delicious, it wasn''t nearly enough to satisfy her appetite after spending so much energy during the race. The guests weren''t shy about asking for seconds, however, when she had tried to do that, Viana had reprimanded her once again and Morrigan was forced to concede.
Looking around the table, she noticed how essentially everyone, who wasn''t involved in the "diplomatic" discussion, appeared rather bored. Azrael being the most extreme example ¨C completely slumped in his chair and openly yawning.
Geez, you could at least try to appear civil.
Their eyes suddenly met, and Azrael stuck out his tongue and rolled his eyes back, mimicking being dead. Morrigan glared at him and motioned for him to straighten. He just shook his head in response and slouched down even more. She motioned him to straighten again, and suddenly Azrael perked up. A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes and he opened his mouth to speak.
Oh, no! He''s plotting something again.
"Your Majesty, if I may be as rude as to interrupt," Alphegor glared at Azrael, who continued speaking. "I couldn''t help but notice that our precious princesses looked tired after the whole race. Wouldn''t it be better if they retreated early?"
I''m sorry I doubted you, Azrael. Thank you!
Alphegor shot a suspicious glance at Morrigan, when the vampire champion spoke up, her voice as sweet as honey.
"I believe Lord Azrael is right. All participants performed most admirably, I think it would be fair for those who are tired to retreat and rest."
A wave of quiet nods resounded in the dining hall. Alphegor carefully looked over everyone, then finally nodded, "Very well. All participants of the competition may retreat to rest."
"I shall remain, Father. I do not feel tired at all," Viana smiled sweetly at Alphegor. Morrigan had the urge to remain just to prove that she wasn''t tired in the slightest, but before she could say anything Deziara had grabbed onto her hand and was dragging her away from the table.
"Thank you, Father! We shall take this opportunity to go rest," she said, giving Alphegor a quick curtsy and then resumed dragging Morrigan away. With the urgency she was pulling her, it felt like there was something Deziara wanted from her.
"What is it, Deziara?" Morrigan asked Deziara as soon as they left the dining hall.
"This is our chance to go see all the food being sold at the market square!" Deziara cheered excitedly.
"Wait¡ You mean go to the market square by ourselves?" Morrigan asked in shock.
"Not by ourselves. We have our guards with us," Deziara said pointing at their guards, who looked at both of them nervously.
"This doesn''t sound like you. Remember what happened the last time we went to the market by ourselves," Morrigan said, remembering the horrible kidnapping incident.
"Admittedly, it was Azrael who gave me the idea. But this is different. We are older, we are stronger and it''s a festival. Who''d try to kidnap us at a festival? Besides, we can easily disguise ourselves," Deziara said excitedly.
"Princesses, please reconsider. His Majesty has not permitted you to leave," one of the guards spoke up.
"Are you saying that you wouldn''t be able to protect us?" Deziara retorted.
"No! Of course, we would. We''d protect you with our lives," they all replied in unison.
"See, there''s no issue. Let''s go, Morri!" Deziara grabbed Morrigan''s hand and began dragging her towards the castle exit.
There''s no changing her mind now. I''ll have to be extra vigilant. If there''s something even a little bit suspicious I am instantly calling Azrael.
Chapter 62 – Old Woes
"Look at all these foods," Deziara, disguised in simpler clothes and with a blonde wig, strode through Linberor Market Square. Delicious smells, both savory and sweet, were mixing up in the air, attracting new hungry mouths from far beyond the square borders.
"I''m still not fond of this idea," Morrigan noted, transformed into a white-skinned blonde version of Azrael. The four demon guards followed behind them through the crowd, wearing commoners'' clothes and staying some distance away to not arouse any undue attention.
"This time everything will be fine. I know lots of magic now, so I can protect you, Morri," Deziara cheered and pulled Morrigan along.
"No, you are supposed to call me ''Father''. I hope that you will be on your best behavior, young lady," Morrigan reprimanded, lowering her voice for it to sound more masculine. Her sister just laughed.
"Of course, Father. When have I ever let you down?"
"Let''s just be quick. I don''t want to stay out here longer than necessary."
"It''s not like I''m not worried, but we have taken precautions. Who would recognize us like this? And we have our guards with us this time," Deziara consoled, but Morrigan still felt anxious.
Odd that Deziara is so eager to get outside. Perhaps as she is getting older, she too is feeling more entrapped by the castle. Well, nothing bad happened yesterday when I was out with Father. It should be fine today as well.
"Look! What''s that? It looks so pretty," Deziara pulled Morrigan''s arm to a stall that was filled with an assortment of fruit on sticks. But they weren''t the regular Underworld fruit that Morrigan had grown used to the last ten years. There were strawberries, grapes, oranges and kiwis.
"Interested to try some Overworld fruit, young lady? I promise you ¨C they are delicious," the stall owner, an elderly-looking duergar man, picked up one of the colorful fruit sticks and waved it at them. Looking around carefully it was clear that nobody else came to the stall, and it appeared that most of the fruit remained unsold.
"Overworld fruit? Who''d want to try those?! Let Overworlders eat them," Deziara was about to turn on her heel and leave when Morrigan grabbed her by her hand and pulled her back.
"Don''t be so quick to judge," Morrigan said in her best impression of a man''s voice. It wasn''t very successful, but it would pass for somebody who had a bad cold.
I need to get some magic that helps me change my voice too. Otherwise, my transformations aren''t completely convincing.
"Trust me, young miss, you will not regret it. These fruits were picked from the Gardens of Eldarar," the duergar picked up another stick of fruit and offered one to Morrigan and one to Deziara. Morrigan didn''t hesitate to take hers, and her sister reluctantly followed.
"Just try it," Morrigan urged and then took a bite of the large strawberry. It was just as she remembered, sweet and a little tangy and most definitely delicious. Deziara eyed hers suspiciously until she finally relented and took a careful nibble of her strawberry.
"W-What? This is delicious," she called out and began enthusiastically munching on the berry, all previous suspicion completely forgotten.
"Told you, miss," the vendor smiled and then yelled out loudly. "Come try some Overworld fruit. Look how much this young demon lady and her father are enjoying them."
People who were previously walking past the stall suddenly turned and looked curiously at them. Seeing the gusto with which Deziara was eating, some demons approached the vendor and asked for the fruity sticks. They were just as reluctant as Deziara but after trying it, began eating earnestly. Within ten minutes people were pushing each other out of the way to get to the front of the line faster.
"How much for the fruit? We never paid," Morrigan shouted over the crowd.
"On the house. You two helped me out," the duergar laughed, passing three sticks to eager demon customers.
"Thank you very much!" Deziara smiled, licking the last bits of fruit juice off the stick. "Now, come! We still have so many foods to try out!"
Both girls continued exploring the market, looking for the most appetizing and unusual foods. They came across something that reminded Morrigan of takoyaki, except this one was apparently filled with kraken flesh instead of the octopus. She was reluctant to try it at first, but since Deziara swore that krakens are supposedly delicious, Morrigan gave it a shot. The flavor was pretty much the same as takoyaki.
I guess a kraken is a giant octopus in the end. I wonder how many people can one kraken feed. It could probably keep a restaurant stocked for weeks.
Happy with the savory snack, the sisters decided to seek out something more filling next.
"I''m still hungry. That race really worked up my appetite," Deziara said cheerfully, looking from stall to stall, like a hunter searching for its next prey.
"I know what you mean. Despite already having dinner and two snacks, I feel like I could still eat a whole horse."
"A horse? Where''d you get a horse in the Underworld?" Deziara asked suspiciously.
"I¡ Nevermind, it''s just something I read in a book," Morrigan corrected herself.
Have to be careful with what I say. Things that were normal to say on Earth, do not make a lot of sense in the Underworld. I don''t want Deziara to start thinking of me as some weirdo.
"In either case, you can''t call that small dish we had in the castle a dinner. It feels like the portions are getting smaller by the day," Deziara huffed.
"It does! Maybe we should have a word with the chef," Morrigan said.
"Oh, I''d love to give them a piece of my mind. I want a proper meal. Princesses aren''t even allowed to ask for seconds. The moment I tried, Viana glared at me."A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"You too?" Morrigan chirped up, and both sisters laughed. Suddenly a pleasantly familiar smell tickled Morrigan''s nose. "Do you smell that?"
"You''re going to have to be more specific. There''s lots of things I can smell," Deziara chuckled. Morrigan grabbed her by the hand and began pulling her along, following the pleasant smell. Before long both girls were standing in front of a stall that looked to be lined with rather plain-looking pies.
"What''s this?" Deziara asked the vendor, a chubby demon woman with a motherly smile on her face.
"These are cheese and meat pies. Fresh out of the oven," she said and pointed towards a large round bread oven behind her.
How did she get that thing over here? It''s huge!
"They look rather simple. Why don''t we try something else?" Deziara said and tried to pull Morrigan away. But she stood and stared at the pie. It didn''t look like anything special, but the smell reminded her strongly of something. She just couldn''t recall what.
"Why don''t we give it a try?" Morrigan said. Deziara looked suspiciously at her for a moment, then relented.
"Alright. Last time you insisted, we tasted something really good. I trust your sense of taste," she said.
"Two pies coming right up," the vendor smiled, and put paper wrappings around the two pastries, making them easier to carry. Morrigan paid and then each girl took one of the pies. She could still feel the warmth of the pie from behind the wrapping, it spreading through her fingers.
Morrigan thanked the demon woman and bit into the pie. The flavor that exploded in her mouth could only be called one thing ¨C bliss. Meat and cheese mixed with tomato sauce. It tasted just like a pizza.
"Wow, this is good! You have a knack for finding the tasty stuff," Deziara ate her pie with gusto, savoring each bite.
"Told you!" she replied and continued enjoying her pizza pie.
***
"That was great. I finally feel full," Deziara said, wiping the last bits of the creamy dessert they just ate off her mouth.
"I wish we could eat like this every day," Morrigan nodded vigorously, her stomach filled to the point of bursting.
The guards who were following them also looked satisfied, having bought their treats and eating them in shifts, so at least two guards were watching the transformed girls at all times.
"Me too. Unfortunately, tomorrow we''ll have to return to the tiny portions. I really don''t want to return to the castle when I think about that," Deziara groaned.
"We should be going back now. Somebody might notice our absence if we stay out any longer."
"I know, I know. But I still want to look around a bit. Maybe there''s something fun around here," Deziara said and began scanning the market with her gaze. "Oh, look over there. That looks interesting!"
Deziara ran towards a dark booth in front of which sat an elderly demon woman with white hair. This was the first time Morrigan had seen a demon that looked elderly. Demons looked young throughout most of their lives, only truly showing signs of aging once they lived for over ten thousand years.
"What is this?" Morrigan asked, looking at the odd stack of cards in front of the elderly demoness.
"Fortune telling, young ones. Give me your coin and I shall tell you your future," the woman croaked in a hoarse voice.
"Fortune telling? That sounds fun! Let''s try it," Deziara cheered and set down a coin on the table.
"Alright, alright, but quickly," Morrigan said impatiently, an uneasy gnawing appearing in the pit of her stomach.
There''s no way fortune-telling is real. Not even in this world. Who could ever predict the future? Not to mention that this demon woman is giving me the creeps.
"Give me your hand, young lady," the elderly woman wheezed.
"Is that really necessary?" Deziara scrunched up her nose in displeasure, looking up and down at the woman with a barely hidden disgust.
"It is if you want your fortune told," the woman replied and reached her spindly, wrinkly arms towards Deziara. The girl sighed, then placed her right hand in the old woman''s. She closed her eyes solemnly and began humming to herself. She hummed for a minute or two, then finally snapped her eyes open.
"You will suffer great hardship because of a close family member. However, if you abandon them, then you''ll gain great prosperity," the old demoness cackled. Deziara instantly snatched her hand away.
"What kind of fortune is that? You just made that up," she accused.
"No, child. I only say the truth of what the future holds. But the truth is not always pleasant. Father, wouldn''t you like to have your future told as well?" the woman reached out her hand towards the disguised Morrigan.
"N-No, thank you," Morrigan replied in a lowered voice, taking a step back.
"It''s alright. This one is for free since your daughter didn''t appear satisfied with her fortune."
"It couldn''t hurt, right? I''m curious to see what she''ll say about you," Deziara said, but there wasn''t a lot of conviction in her voice.
"No, I really am not interested. Let''s just go home," Morrigan said and took Deziara''s arm, trying to pull her away.
"Do not think that I will let you escape!" the woman suddenly lunged forward, grabbing onto Morrigan''s hand. She tried to free herself, but before she could, she felt herself and Deziara being teleported away.
The next moment, Morrigan and Deziara found themselves in a large empty room filled with dust and cobwebs. There were only two candles for light which gave the place an eerie and foreboding feel.
"What just happened?!" Deziara exclaimed, looking around the place in shock.
"Father, Azrael!" Morrigan instantly called upon their protectors, however she could feel that the call didn''t reach them. The old woman began cackling and laughing while her shape morphed and twisted. The wrinkly skin smoothed out and messy white hair turned into black locks.
"I''m afraid they can''t hear you. I had this whole place warded just for this occasion," Asdeus laughed, removing the dirty rags and revealing an elegant black dress.
"Asdeus! Father will put your head on a pike!" Deziara roared, anger and fear contorting her features.
"The King will have no idea this ever happened," Asdeus said sweetly and laughed again, her voice echoing against the walls.
"Oh, yes he will! Do not think you can keep us here for long. The moment he finds out we''re gone he will turn this whole kingdom upside down to find us. Right, Morri?" Deziara turned towards Morrigan, only to find her reverted back to her demon self, her hands trembling.
"I don''t think ''Morri'' has enough courage to say anything. Afraid of your retribution, lamb?" Asdeus stepped closer, her heels clattering against the wooden floor.
"Morri, snap out of it. She''s just one demoness. Even without Father, we can take her on," Deziara said resolutely, then threw a fireball at the demoness. A watery shield appeared in front of Asdeus, and with a hiss fireball turned into hot vapor and dissipated in the air.
"How naughty, Deziara. Throwing fireballs at your teacher. I''m afraid that won''t do at all," Asdeus moved her hand up and suddenly Deziara''s body went completely stiff.
"W-What is happening?" the girl managed to say.
"The reason why you remained safe for so long was because I needed the time to master a forbidden bit of magic. With this mastered, not even your dearest daddy could oppose me," the demoness moved her hand down with a sharp motion, and Deziara fell to her knees and then lowered her head to the floor in a bowing motion. "Now that''s better. How pleasant it will be once the King bows at my feet."
Morrigan took a shaky step back, but then suddenly felt her body tense up and move forward against her will.
"And where do you think you''re going? You''re the whole reason we''re in this mess, human! It''s time to pay your dues," Asdeus snapped, and did the same motion as before with her left hand, forcing Morrigan on the floor just like Deziara.
"Human? Morri, what is she talking about?"
Chapter 63 – Puppeteer
"You didn''t know? Well, of course you wouldn''t. Surely the little cockroach would guard her nasty secret as well as she could," Asdeus cackled.
"Shut up!" Morrigan snarled, trying to break free of the invisible bonds.
"No, I don''t think I will. Deziara is your sister, isn''t she? She should have the right to know who you truly are," Asdeus walked up to Deziara and then with a flick of her wrist forced the girl upright. "You see that little maggot on the floor over there. That is a human."
"What are you talking about? She''s clearly a demon," Deziara objected.
"Oh, but that''s just a shell. Underneath hides a nasty, little human. What shame you must feel, having a relation to such a disgusting creature," the demoness laughed maniacally. Deziara''s face was filled with shock and disbelief.
"Morri, she''s lying, isn''t she?" the girl pleaded, and Morrigan''s heart clenched.
Would Deziara even accept me as a sister anymore if she knew of my past? But I can''t lie to her either. That would only make matters worse.
"I was a human before I was reborn as a demon. My mother Eirwen pulled my soul into the body of her child. While I couldn''t accept it at first, I have come to understand that I am a demon now, not a human," Morrigan said, then felt her head slam against the floor below.
"Dirty, little liar! You will always be a human and nothing more than a human. Your kind should be happy to lick the dirt of demon''s shoes and you have the gall to argue against me!"
"Morri!"
Morrigan winced as the pain radiated from her cheek.
I need to break free of these invisible bonds and at least get Deziara out of here. I doubt Asdeus would be interested in chasing her.
"Let us go!" Deziara shouted, but then was promptly forced onto the ground, her legs and arms painfully scraped against the floorboards.
"Leave Deziara out of this! It''s me you bear your grudge against, isn''t it?"
"Oh, still trying to look noble? Then again maybe your disgusting human self has developed a twisted sisterly feeling towards Deziara. I wonder how you would react if something were to happen to her? Would you scream for her?" Asdeus twirled her finger, and Morrigan saw how Deziara''s arm slowly began to twist. Deziara screamed in pain, desperately trying to regain control over her body.
Something snapped inside Morrigan as she saw her sister scream. Unbearable heat and anger rose within her like a smoldering fire. It became hotter and hotter, until it felt like it would burn Morrigan from within. She directed this heat towards Asdeus, and a flaming blue fireball appeared and flew towards the demoness as quickly as a bullet. She managed to erect a protective force field at the last second, but the impact was so strong that Asdeus was knocked off her feet.
The invisible strings holding Morrigan disappeared and she took the opportunity to rush towards stupefied Deziara. As soon as she had grabbed onto Deziara''s hand, Morrigan imagined herself turning into a shadow and dragging Deziara along with her. She had never actually tried taking live people with her in her shadow form, Azrael had warned that it could quickly eat away at her magic reserves. The sensation was odd ¨C she still had the wide vision and freedom of movement, but she felt much heavier and more restricted.
"You''re not getting anywhere," Asdeus snarled, getting up from the floor. But Morrigan didn''t wait for her to recover, instead slipping underneath the door and out of what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse from the outside. The surrounding area was dark with similar warehouses populating the area.
Morrigan rushed some distance away, then materialized out of her shadow form. Much to her relief, Deziara was right next to her, panting heavily.
"Father!" Morrigan yelled just as fuming Asdeus ran out of the warehouse. The moment the demoness heard her shout, she stopped dead in her tracks, anger contorting her features.
"We''ll meet again, cockroach!" Asdeus spat, creating a portal in front of her with a wave of her hand. Just as two dark shadows appeared in front of both girls, the demoness and her portal disappeared.
"Morrigan, Deziara, what is going on?" the King called out, looking around the area, his eyebrows twisted in an angry scowl. "How did you two get so far away from Demon Castle?"
Deziara''s eyes filled with tears, and she launched herself at Alphegor, wrapping her hands around him. Alphegor looked at Morrigan for answers, his expression both angry and worried.
"It was Asdeus¡" Morrigan said and slumped to the ground, her legs giving out underneath her.
***
"I cannot believe you two would sneak out of the castle without even telling anybody!" Alphegor roared at the two girls who were sitting on the sofa in the living room, both of their heads hanging low.
"And you four ¨C just allowing princesses to leave as they please? Have I not made it clear that they are not to go out without my explicit permission?" The King turned towards the guards who were kneeling on the ground with their heads pressed against the floor.
"We are so sorry, Your Majesty!" they all said in unison.
"Fired! All of you! Get out of my sight before I decide to turn your heads into the castle gate decoration," Alphegor yelled, and the demons crawled away keeping their heads as low to the floor as possible.
"We thank you for your merciful decision," they muttered as they retreated.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
"Father, isn''t that a bit excessive? We kind of forced them to go along with it," Morrigan objected, but seeing the icy glare on Alphegor''s face, she quickly sunk back into the cushions.
"Their job is to protect you! A job they have FAILED," Alphegor raged. "And I thought you two would have known better by now after that whole excursion with Azrael."
"Father, do not be mad at Morrigan. It was I who pushed the idea," Deziara spoke up in a shaky voice.
"Then it''ll be you who will suffer the punishment. What was going through your head? Do you not understand the dangers that lurk outside the castle? Do you not know how many would seek to harm you for just being my daughters?" Alphegor rubbed the bridge of his nose, then slumped down on the sofa across from them. "Tell me exactly what happened?"
Morrigan looked at Deziara, hoping she would explain, but the girl was staring into her tightened fist, doing her best not to cry. With a shaky voice, Morrigan spoke up, "Everything was fine at first. We disguised ourselves and strolled through the market, enjoying the foods that were offered."
"Deziara was disguised too?"
"Y-Yes, Father. I wore a wig and simple clothing."
"Go on, then."
"So once we had eaten, we saw this fortune teller. She offered to read our fortunes and Deziara went to have hers read first," Morrigan said, trying to leave out the part where Deziara was the one who wanted to check out the fortune teller. No doubt it would make the King even angrier.
"And this fortune teller turned out to be Asdeus, correct?"
"Yes, she pulled us into a portal. It took us to some sort of warehouse where we couldn''t summon you," Morrigan continued.
"Anti-magic wards?" Alphegor pondered.
"No. We could still use magic. Asdeus did this weird thing where she could control our bodies and force them to move as she wished."
"Wait¡ she could control your bodies?" Alphegor''s face suddenly went pale.
"Yes. We were unable to move."
"Then how did you break free?"
"Asdeus hurt Deziara so I felt this surge of anger inside me. I was able to launch a blue fireball at her. While she was disoriented, I dragged Deziara into the shadows with me and escaped."
"Well done, Morrigan," Alphegor said, a small smile flickering on his face for a second. Then it was replaced with an angry scowl again. "So which one of you girls was the one who wanted to see the fortune teller?"
Alphegor''s gaze was cold, sending a shiver through Morrigan''s spine. She had never seen her father this angry.
"I-It was me!" Morrigan tried to take the blame. But the King narrowed his eyes at her, and she quickly lowered her head.
"It was me," Deziara admitted, large tears streaming down her face.
"You realize that it was a near miracle that you two escaped," Alphegor stood up again, his figure menacing. "Body control is something only the strongest of demons are able to break out of and even then it is not a guarantee. If Asdeus really has this ability, then the problem is far larger than I initially thought."
"She said that she remained hidden to train this ability," Morrigan added, and Alphegor''s face turned grim.
"So she probably hasn''t mastered it fully. To think that you two got this close to being captured by her," Alphegor slumped down onto the sofa again, holding his head with both of his hands.
"But it all turned out okay?" Morrigan said, trying to lighten the mood. Heavy silence fell over them, and she lowered her head, looking at her shoes. After what felt like an eternity, Alphegor spoke up again.
"Deziara, as you''re the older sister you will be the one to be punished. You''re forbidden from participating in the competition."
Deziara opened her mouth to object, but seeing the King''s unyielding expression, she lowered her head again and nodded.
"Father, that''s not fair. We are both at fault!" Morrigan jumped to her feet in objection.
"So you are. Do not think that you''ll go unpunished. You will remain in the competition, but I am taking away that magic paint of yours," he announced, and Morrigan felt her being shattered to pieces.
No! If I was withdrawn from the competition, I wouldn''t have objected. But I really want to see what that paint does.
"But Father¡"
"No buts! I am already being lenient with you two. If it was anybody else, they''d be confined to their room for months. Your only saving grace is that you actually managed to get yourself out of this mess," Alphegor said with finality, and Morrigan begrudgingly nodded.
There''s no way I''m just going to give up on my magic paint. Maybe there''s a way I could track where Father hides it.
Alphegor must have sensed her intentions because suddenly the magic paint appeared in front of Morrigan.
"This will remain in my pocket dimension, so don''t even think of sneaking around to get it," Alphegor growled, and the paint disappeared. Morrigan''s eyes filled with hot tears and her heart clenched with desperation.
"Father, you dummy!" Morrigan yelled as her emotions took over her sense of reason. She jumped to her feet and then ran to her room, slamming the door shut.
She heard a heavy sigh come from her father from behind the door. She sat down on the floor next to it, tears rolling down her cheeks. She knew she had no right to act this way ¨C his punishment was just. But the thought that she wouldn''t be able to use the magic paint was so painful. Morrigan was really looking forward to trying it out.
"F-Father, there is something I wanted to talk about¡" Deziara spoke up in a barely audible voice. "It''s about something Asdeus said."
Morrigan''s heartbeat quickened as she realized which topic her sister would bring up.
"What did she say?"
"She¡ she said that Morrigan is a human," Deziara stammered out, and Morrigan''s heart began thundering so loud that she could hear it resounding in her ears.
"What did Morrigan say?" Alphegor''s voice became cold and unreadable.
"She said that she used to be human, but that she isn''t one anymore. I don''t understand. Morrigan is my sister, isn''t she?"
"Do not worry, child. Morrigan is without a doubt my daughter and your sister. However, her birth is a bit unusual from that of a normal demon. I could tell you her story if you wish. But regardless of whether you hear it out or not, you must swear to never tell anyone about it for it could put your sister in even bigger danger," Alphegor said in a barely audible voice. "That includes your mother as well."
"I¡ I want to hear it. If that''s alright¡" Deziara muttered after a long pause. Alphegor nodded and then retold the story of Morrigan''s birth. How he had been unable to find a soul for his and Eirwen''s child. How Eirwen had taken over the grueling ritual despite her exhaustion. How she had pulled Rosa''s dying soul into Morrigan''s body. And how Morrigan remembered her past life.
"So Morrigan''s soul comes from a human from a different world while normally a demon child is imbued with a demon soul from the Underdark."
After the story was complete, an eerie silence stretched on. Morrigan''s thoughts wandered to what she knew of the Underdark ¨C the deepest sanctuary hidden somewhere in the Underworld where all souls of demons go after death. It was like an afterlife place for demons. Her heart hammered as she wondered whether Deziara would be able to accept Morrigan ¨C a demon who hadn''t come from this sacred place.
"I- I need to think about this. I still love Morri to bits, but I need some time," Deziara finally said and left the room, closing the door behind herself. Morrigan wrapped her hands around herself and sat like that for a long time, slowly unraveling all the things that happened during that day.
Chapter 64 – Monster Run
It was the second day of the competition and the third day of the Nachtstern Festival, however, the cheerful atmosphere didn''t reach Morrigan. She was still meekly sitting in her room with her eyes downcast as Gunna did her best to get her ready for the second task.
"What is weighing you down so heavily so early in the morning?" the nanny asked as she tied Morrigan''s hair into a ponytail. Apparently, that day''s competition would involve a lot of moving, so it was important to style her hair in a way that wouldn''t hinder her.
"I-I just had a bit of an argument with Father. And I think Deziara might be mad at me as well," Morrigan sighed.
"Then you just have to talk to them and set things straight, don''t you?" Gunna chirped, finishing up on Morrigan''s ponytail.
"But it was Father''s fault. And I don''t think I can make up with Deziara by just talking to her."
"There, there, no need to be so pessimistic. Just go talk to them and everything will be alright. You''re a family after all."
A knock resounded on Morrigan''s door, and it slowly opened, Alphegor peeking from behind the door. It was a bit silly seeing the King peeking timidly from behind the door with a guilty look on his face. Morrigan deliberately ignored him, looking the other way.
"Good morning, Morrigan. May we talk?" he asked, slowly shuffling into the room.
"Lady Morrigan was just speaking of you, Master Alphegor," the dwarf nanny said, earning a look of betrayal from Morrigan. Alphegor, on the other hand, visibly perked up.
"Wonderful! If you would give us a moment then, Gunna."
"Of course, Master Alphegor," she said with a gracious bow and waddled out of the room with a self-satisfied smile on her face. An awkward silence stretched on as Morrigan pointedly ignored her father.
"Morrigan, I wanted to apologize for yesterday. I overreacted," the King admitted, sitting down on the bed next to her.
"I was really looking forward to trying those out," she pouts, puffing out her cheeks. Her heart clenched as she remembered how the magic paint was hidden into the recesses of Alphegor''s pocket dimension.
"I know," Alphegor replied, then adapted a sterner expression. "And how do you think I felt when I suddenly heard you screaming for me from the city outskirts? When you were supposed to be within the safety of the Demon Castle?"
Morrigan stared awkwardly at her thumbs, knowing full well that her father must have been beside himself.
"I''m sorry. I hoped that nothing would happen if me and Deziara went out disguised like we did on the first day of the Festival."
"That is different and you know it," he retorted. Morrigan hung her head shamefully, and Alphegor sighed.
"You must promise me that you will not leave the castle again without my explicit permission," the King said sternly. "No matter who tries to coerce you to sneak out, be it Azrael or Deziara or anybody else."
But that means that I would have to spend another twenty years cooped up in the castle. Even Deziara is getting sick of it and she''s never even seen anything besides Demon Castle.
"Morrigan," Alphegor''s tone turned cold as the silence stretched on. She looked at him and finally sighed.
"I promise. But then you have to promise to take me out sometimes," she countered. Alphegor appeared a bit surprised at first but then smiled.
"Alright, it''s a deal. Everything''s good then," he outstretched his arms inviting her for a hug, but Morrigan crossed her arms over her chest.
"There''s one more thing."
"One more thing? What exactly?" Alphegor narrowed his eyes.
"You must allow Deziara to compete. She was really looking forward to it," Morrigan pleaded.
Even if Deziara doesn''t see me as a sister anymore, I still want to do something nice for her.
"It was Deziara''s¨C"
"I know, I know. But please overlook it. She was merely craving a bit of freedom," Morrigan interrupted Alphegor before he could finish. The two stared at each other for a while until the King finally relented.
"Alright, alright. She can compete. But she''ll be confined to her room for a week once the Festival is finished."
Morrigan wanted to object to that as well, but the stern look in Alphegor''s eyes indicated that he would not budge anymore. She nodded with eyes downcast.
"Good, now come. We must tell your sister that she can compete today," the King stood up and outstretched his hand towards her. Morrigan felt nervous about going to see Deziara, but after taking a deep breath she stood up and took Alphegor''s hand.
As Alphegor and Morrigan got closer to Lady Lily''s and Deziara''s room, Morrigan got more and more nervous.
What will Deziara say once she sees me? Did she tell Lady Lily about me? Will she treat me just like Viana and our other older sisters do? Will things be awkward between us now?Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
"It''ll be alright, little one," Alphegor said and squeezed her hand. She looked at him for a bit in surprise, then nodded, praying that her father was right.
Once they had reached Lady Lily''s room, the guards outside their door instantly straightened, looking nervous.
"Your Majesty, shall I inform Lady Lily of your arrival?" the guard asked.
"I''ve come to see my daughter, not Lady Lily," the King explained.
"I shall inform her at once," the guard replied stiffly and then called through the door. "Princess Deziara, His Majesty is here to see you."
There was a moment of silence and then the door slowly opened, Deziara emerging from it, looking depressed and tired. When she noticed that Morrigan was there too, she flinched, but then opened the door fully, allowing them to enter. Her reaction made Morrigan''s stomach churn, and she couldn''t force herself to look at Deziara anymore.
As they entered, they saw Lady Lily standing by the sofa and greeting Alphegor with a bow.
"Good morning, Your Majesty, Princess Morrigan. What has brought you here so early in the morning?" she asked politely.
"Deziara you may take part in the competition if you wish," the King announced, and the girl instantly perked up.
"Really?"
"Yes. Morrigan spoke on your behalf so I''ve decided to be lenient with my punishment. You will still have to spend one week confined in your room once the Festival is over."
Deziara''s face dropped for a moment, but then she nodded in understanding.
"That is fair. If it wasn''t for Morri, then we never would have made it back¡"
"I swear this girl is nothing but trouble," Lady Lily huffed, dropping the polite facade. She walked up to Morrigan who was still clutching Alphegor''s hand, and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for getting her out of there safely."
"Of course, she''s my sister," Morrigan replied with a strained smile.
If she still thinks of me as her sister, that is.
"Morrigan," Deziara spoke, looking at her with unusual seriousness. "I have thought a lot about yesterday. It really confused me at first and quite frankly I couldn''t even believe it ¨C it seemed so far-fetched. However, I realized that in the end, it doesn''t matter. You are my sister no matter what."
Morrigan''s eyes filled with tears, heavy weight being lifted off her shoulders. Deziara began crying too and before long, both girls were hugging and crying.
"Not sure what those two are on about, but I''m glad all is well that ends well," Lady Lily sighed, looking at the scene before her with a smile.
"Indeed. Now then girls. Time to dry your tears. You two have a competition to win," Alphegor announced.
"Yes, Father," they both replied in unison.
***
"Welcome one and all to the second day of the Nachtstern Festival Competition! Today we''re all gathered in the Linberor Market Square to observe our dearest contestants face the second daunting task," Azrael announced, standing on the very stage where Alphegor gave his opening speech. Massive crowd of demons and other Underworld races were gathered in front of the square filling it to the absolute brim, with many onlookers watching from balconies or even rooftops.
Alphegor and other VIPs were comfortably seated on a podium that had a clear view of the stage which had a giant white piece of cloth hanging from the back.
"You all must be wondering ¨C where are all the contestants? They are nowhere in sight," Azrael teased, then stepped to the side of the stage and pointed toward the white cloth. "Do not worry my friends, they are right here!"
Suddenly a bright blue crystal positioned in front of the stage lit up and directed its light onto the cloth. A misty image began to form ¨C unclear at first, but slowly it gained more focus and sharpness. After a while, the crowd cheered as they saw all four hundred contestants standing in the old Linberor Market Square.
"I bet some have fond memories of this place. While the old city has lost some of its charm over the millenia, it has certainly not lost its value. For today it will serve as grounds for our second task ¨C the infamous monster run!"
Wait¡ did he just say monster run?
Morrigan along with the other contestants heard Azrael''s voice come from the blue crystal which was hovering above the Old City of Linberor, illuminating it with its light. Morrigan''s face paled as she stood among the rest of the contestants. She was huddled close to Viana and Deziara, who had a similarly horrified look on their faces. However, Viana hid it a bit better.
"He doesn''t mean actual monsters, does he?" Deziara whispered to Morrigan, and she could hear similar questions pop up from other contestants.
"I know what you''re wondering ¨C will you really let the contestants, especially our wonderful princesses, be chased by an actual monster? The answer to that is ¨C of course not. The King would have my head for it," Azrael laughed, and the King responded with an affirmative nod. Morrigan and all the participants around her visibly relaxed.
"But do not think that just because it''s not a real monster, it''ll be an easy task to win. Listen carefully, dear contestants, for here are the rules," Azrael called, and everyone noticeably perked up.
"Rule number one ¨C do not take off the armband provided to you. It serves as an indicator to the monster that you are one of the targets. I know it sounds tempting, but we can see your every move. The moment your armband comes off is the moment you lose," he called out sternly. Morrigan looked at the metallic band wrapped around her left arm. There was a tiny stone embedded in it, no doubt the indicator Azrael mentioned. She did get a tiny urge to remove it, but then shook her head, steeling her resolve.
It''s not a real monster anyway. There is nothing to fear. All I have to do is outrun it. Surely it won''t be much of a problem in my shadow form. The light from the crystal does leave me less space for movement, but there are still plenty of shadows where I could hide.
"Second rule ¨C no stealth abilities. Anything that makes you invisible or hides you in the environment or fools the senses is forbidden. That includes your shadow ability too, Princess Morrigan. I''m afraid it just wouldn''t be fun if you just hid in some corner as a shadow while others got chased around," Azrael snickered, and Morrigan grumbled.
I''ll sneak into his room later and cover his bed in ice while he is sleeping.
"And the final rule is simple. Do not leave the confines of the Old City. Everything is clearly marked so no amount of whining that you ''didn''t know'' will save you," Azrael said sternly. "Are the rules clear?"
"Yes!" the participants called back at him.
"Great! The last fifty left uncaught by the monster can advance to the next task tomorrow. You may now unleash the beast," Azrael bellowed and a loud bell rang from the Old City cathedral.
Morrigan looked as the large wooden doors were slowly pulled open by two bulky demon overwatchers. As they opened, she and all the others saw something black moving within. Two red eyes gleamed open as the giant black monsters awoke from the sounds of the bell.
Is this supposed to be a magical construct? It looks very much real to me.
Mesmerized and terrified she watched as it took one step after another out of the cathedral, its footsteps making the surrounding area tremble. As it emerged outside, she noticed how its form wasn''t fully defined. There was a crystalline quality to it, as it shimmered and warped out of place as the monster moved.
"What are you doing, Morri? Run!" Deziara pulled her out of her contemplation and she realized that the monster was staring right at her while the other contestants were already scattering in every possible direction.
Oh, shit!
Chapter 65 – Avoiding the Landwyrm
Morrigan looked at the two crystalline eyes from the magical construct in horror. They were honed right on her, ready to capture her the moment she made any movement. Sweat began pooling on her forehead as she tried to think of how to escape from the beast.
The urge to just hide in the safety of shadows was unbearable. As a shadow, the monster would not be able to touch her or even see her for that matter. But if she did become a shadow, then it would be over. She would forfeit the competition and also the right to win that enticing Burmese Ruby.
"Not today," she whispered and the beast lunged for her. Morrigan erected a forcefield in front of her, protecting herself from the monster. It was stupefied by the forcefield for only a moment, destroying it with its giant paw as if it was made out of paper.
But that was enough time for Morrigan to put some distance between herself and the monster. Other participants fell into its line of vision, and it began chasing whoever was unlucky enough to be the closest. Among the chaos, Morrigan slipped into one of the narrow side streets, keeping as close to the walls as possible.
"Now dear participants who haven''t been caught yet, the magical construct chasing you is based on a landwyrm. It is one of the dragon subspecies that possesses no wings and prefers to live in the Underworld. For the record, the first Demon King liked to take landwyrm''s shape in battle," Azrael explained as if he was telling a story in front of a class instead of announcing it to poor people being chased by the monstrosity.
"Now while you might think that because it is a construct, it is less ferocious, I''m sad to say that it''s not true. I worked very hard to make sure that it is as close to landwyrm in both build and behavior as possible," he cackled as he watched how the beast caught one participant after the next.
At one moment, when Morrigan dared to glance back she saw how the construct''s giant maw closed around one of the contestants. It appeared like he would be eaten however when the beast''s jaw opened again, the caught demon appeared completely unscathed aside from the armband which lay shattered on the ground. As the monster lunged for its next victim, the demon fell on his knees, no doubt scarred for life by such an experience.
Construct or not, I do not want to get caught by that thing. I need to move into places where it cannot follow.
So Morrigan moved deeper and deeper into the Old City, moving from one narrow side street to the next. Occasionally she would hear the landwyrm raging somewhere behind her or bump into another contestant who was also trying to find a hiding spot. However, despite the large number of buildings in the city, their doors and windows were marked with a shimmering red light, indicating that entry was forbidden.
What''s the point of all these buildings if I can''t even hide in them?
Morrigan continued running through the streets, trying to keep ahead of the monster whose snarls and growls always seemed to follow closely behind her. She ducked among the tiniest of buildings, hoping the lack of space would restrict the landwyrm. Unfortunately, it proved to be incredibly agile, often jumping over rooftops and landing in areas that seemed far too small to accommodate its size. But it always managed to squeeze in ¨C like some oversized cat in a tiny box.
Just as Morrigan thought she had put some good distance between herself and the construct, she heard how its sharp claws clattered on the rooftops nearby.
It is hunting us from above now? I need to hide somewhere and fast.
She darted into the closest side street and ran through it, avoiding the many scattered crates and barrels. The clattering followed her, so she ran faster, desperately searching for hiding places. The narrow street led into a larger street, and Morrigan saw a large building with dark pillars by its entrance from across the street. Much to her surprise, its entry was not marked, so she made a beeline to it.
Just as she closed the large entrance door behind herself, she heard some screams from outside.
Seems like a few more people got caught. I wonder if that thing will follow me inside. I guess if the entrance wasn''t blocked off, then it probably will. Maybe there''s some corner where I could lay low for a while.
Morrigan turned to head deeper inside but was surprised as she realized that she had stumbled into what appeared to be a museum¡ªor had been a museum? A thick layer of dust settled over every surface and most of the furniture was either broken or half-rotting.
Intrigued by her findings, Morrigan hurried inside one of the open rooms. It was mostly empty with large cobwebs sitting in the corners. However, there were also a few broken sculptures inside. She walked up to them and admired the handiwork on the smooth black stone. One sculpture depicted a demon woman carrying a torch, but sadly half of her body had been broken off.
Another one portrayed a demon man with ram-like horns and a large build of a warrior. Unfortunately, one of his legs was missing and his left arm lay shattered on the floor.
"What a shame! I bet these looked beautiful when they were whole," Morrigan muttered, gently pressing her fingers against the cold stone of the sculpture. Suddenly she heard a clatter from the main hall as the landwyrm made its way into the museum.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
Oh no! It''s found its way inside.
Morrigan hurried to the adjacent room, using the connecting doors instead of running back to the main hall. However, just as she made her way into the next room, the construct crashed into the sculpture room, destroying the last remains of the exhibit.
"Did you have to break that, you uncultured worm!" she called out angrily to the construct, as she ducked out of the empty room, back into the main hall. Morrigan tried to run for the exit, but the landwyrm cut her off, snarling and hissing at her. She ducked under the staircase and then ran to the exhibit rooms across the hall, hoping to find a window that she could use as an exit.
This room was filled with old paintings, some weathered and muddled from neglect while others simply were torn by some bored hooligans.
I swear, some people have no appreciation for the finer things in life.
She longingly looked at the paintings, when landwyrm''s maw appeared at the entrance. Morrigan grabbed a large broken table with her levitation magic, straining a little bit under its weight, and tossed it straight at the construct. Its head was forced back, and she took the opportunity to climb out of the broken window.
The window turned out to be rather high up so in her hurry to get away from the beast, she fell painfully down to the ground. Morrigan feared she might have broken or sprained something during her fall, but after carefully inspecting both of her legs, she concluded that aside from a few minor scrapes she didn''t suffer any serious injuries.
Now to get as far away from here as possible.
Morrigan dove into the nearest alleyway, and it wasn''t a second too soon as the snarling form of the landwyrm appeared right where she had fallen before. A few demons that had been hiding in the alleyway scampered to their feet as they heard the beast rage, running as fast as their legs could carry them. But before they and Morrigan could make it out, a stone wall was erected before them.
"Sorry, lads. Better you than I," resounded the gruff voice of the duergar champion.
That dirty little cheater! When did he even get there?
The construct ran straight into the alleyway, heading towards Morrigan and the demons with jaws wide open. She grabbed a few rogue boxes that littered the alleyway and flung them at the beast using her levitation magic, in an attempt to stop it. Unfortunately, it just swatted the heavy boxes away like they were mere twigs.
"We''re done for!" one of the demons screeched, pressing close against the wall. But Morrigan refused to give up. She levitated the remaining boxes and formed a way for herself to climb up to the rooftop. Then she erected a forcefield in front of the beast to buy herself a little bit of time. Landwyrm collided with the forcefield, dazed by the shimmering wall for a moment. But then it destroyed it just like it had the first time.
I really need to train more with my forcefield ability. It is far too weak in its current state.
But it had bought Morrigan enough time to get up to the roof. One of the demons that was stuck in the alleyway with her was trying to follow her up to the roof, but the construct closed its jaws around him before he could reach it. Then it went for the remaining two demons in the alleyway before making its way up to the roof.
Morrigan ran as fast as she could across the shingles, the clatter of her feet resounding across the area. She paused a bit as she reached the edge of the roof, unsure of where to go next.
I wonder if I could use my forcefield as a bridge of sorts.
She created a shimmering forcefield bridge from one rooftop to the next and tested it with her foot before fully committing her steps. It held her weight just fine, so she sprinted across to the next roof. Landwyrm ran after her, occasionally jumping into a nearby sidestreet to eliminate a poor participant who happened to be hiding nearby.
"My, oh my, do you see that dear audience? Our little princess is leading the monster according to her whims. Truly the daughter of our powerful King!" Azrael announced, and the crowd responded with a loud cheer.
I am just trying not to get caught!
Morrigan screamed inwardly as the beast got closer and closer to her with each rooftop she crossed. Her feet were beginning to tire, and she knew if she didn''t end the chase soon, she''d get eliminated.
I need to lead it to an area where there are other people it could focus on. But where would most people go?
As she surveyed the area over the rooftops, she realized that the most obvious choice was the starting point. The beast was very unlikely to wander back to the place it emerged from, instead chasing participants into the depths of the Old City. No doubt many realized that and went back as soon as they felt safe to do so.
Morrigan changed her running trajectory, focusing on getting back to the Cathedral in the center. It seemed like her plan worked well, as the landwyrm got distracted more often before resuming its chase after her.
I wonder if it''s just inclined to chase after the easiest prey. Unsuspecting hiding people are easier to catch than I am, but once they are caught then it switches back to me. I should try getting off the rooftops, but how can I do that without breaking my neck?
The landwyrm jumped down into an alleyway again, and a scream resounded in the area as yet another person got caught.
"And with this catch dear participants, everybody else remaining uncaught officially moves onto the next task. But don''t think the competition ends here, the one who remains as the last uncaught person will gain a boon in the next task. And trust me when I tell you that it could be what decides your victory or defeat," Azrael announced smugly.
You really couldn''t have told us that at the start while explaining the rules. Does there have to be a surprise each time?
Morrigan had no intention of running herself ragged to obtain the first place. But if the boon could help her win in the next task, she should try to obtain it. She began to search for a place where she could descend back onto the ground ¨C a stack of boxes, a staircase or anything that could serve as the middle ground. She even considered levitating herself to the ground, but self-levitation was very difficult. If she wasn''t careful she could easily lose control and injure herself.
Landwyrm''s heavy form became too much for the old roof, and it began to crumble under its weight. The shingles under Morrigan''s feet began to cave in and she fell, desperately trying to keep hold of something. The monster fell into the half-decaying building, flailing and thrashing about all the while. Its heavy tail tore through the supporting beams like matchsticks, forcing the roof to come tumbling down.
Morrigan couldn''t grab hold of anything and fell straight down along with the heavy debris.
Chapter 66 – Uncatchable Princess
The audience watched with horror as the buildings collapsed in on the raging construct and Morrigan. Lady Lily had gone deadly pale as she watched the projection at the screen from the podium. She turned towards the King to call to him for help, but he was nowhere to be seen.
"Now, dear audience, before you panic, let me assure you that our dearest Crown Princess is alright," Azrael spoke up and pointed at the screen. Everyone focused their gazes on it, watching the debris for any movements. The landwyrm wriggled its way from beneath it and continued chasing the participants, some of whom had also stopped to observe the situation.
"Where''s the Princess?" Somebody from the crowd asked.
"She is right here," Alphegor''s amplified voice resounded through the area, and everyone turned their gazes toward the podium. Morrigan was standing right next to the King, unharmed and uninjured aside from the bruise she got when she fell from the museum window.
"As you can all see Princess Morrigan is unharmed. But since it is clear that the landwyrm would have caught her had His Majesty not pulled her to safety, then I declare that her participation ends here, earning the fiftieth place," Azrael announced. The crowd cheered and applauded for Morrigan, which she accepted with a courteous nod. Then everyone returned their attention to the projection in front of them.
"I''m sorry, Father," she said, lowering her head in front of Alphegor.
"Keep your head up. You have successfully completed the task," Alphegor said sternly, and she straightened out. He nodded and pointed towards the empty chair next to him. It was supposed to be the place where a queen sits so Morrigan wondered whether it was alright for her to take it. But from the intense stare her father gave her she realized that she didn''t have much of a choice and sat down.
"I shall have all the old buildings reconstructed. This is far too dangerous," the King muttered in annoyance, loud enough for only Morrigan to hear. She chuckled and decided not to dwell on the matter. She had completed the task. Even if she didn''t obtain the boon, it didn''t mean she still couldn''t win. So Morrigan decided to relax and watch the other contestants.
The landwyrm construct didn''t appear to be fazed by the incident in the slightest. It kept chasing whatever poor participants happened to be closest to it, mercilessly closing its jaws around them. One after another, their armbands shattered into pieces, leaving them trembling and horrified until the beast was well out of their sight.
Much to Morrigan''s delight, Deziara was still in the competition, weaving and running out of landwyrm''s reach whenever it got even remotely close to her. Her speed magic, which was trained to nearly its maximum potential, gave Deziara an unbeatable edge over other contestants who were forced to fight the landwyrm back with less reliant methods.
The duergar who had previously trapped Morrigan in the alleyway was flinging a barrage of rocks onto the construct in an attempt to stop it. However, the beast deflected the rocks with its paw quickly closing the distance between them. Seeing this, the duergar erected a thick shell around himself, encasing himself in stone. But this didn''t hold the monster back for long either. It scratched at the shell with its razor-sharp claws and before long, the duergar was dug out like a rabbit out of its den.
Monster''s jaws closed around it and the arm brace shattered to pieces, leaving a cursing, angry duergar behind.
"Duergar champion, would you please refrain your tongue? This is supposed to be a family-friendly event," Azrael called out, but the smile on his lips indicated that he in fact found the duergar''s outrage amusing.
I''m not even sure what some of those words mean. Nobody ever bothered to teach me something like that. Perhaps, I could ask Azrael.
However, the stern gaze from her Father clearly said that finding out the meaning of such words was the last thing she needed to do. Morrigan returned her gaze towards the projection and decided to ask Azrael next time they''d have a magic lesson.
The landwyrm construct continued rampaging through the area, chasing the remaining contestants with even more ferocity. Those who were previously able to hide from it due to their size were picked off one by one. Deep gnome champion was one of them as he would often bury himself in a larger flowerpot or in a spare piece of soil to mask himself and the bracelet.
But the beast was done playing games. It found the deep gnome cowering inside a flower bed and dug it out as if it were an earthworm. Thrown out of his hiding spot, the deep gnome tried to scamper away as quickly as his stumpy legs would allow him. Alas the beast had him in his jaws before he managed to even take three steps. When the monster retreated, the gnome was curled up on the ground with a thumb in his mouth.
Maybe it''s a good thing I never ended up in the construct''s mouth. Seems like many participants will require some therapy after that experience. Do they even have therapists in the Underworld? I don''t even know the demon word for ''therapist''.
Next one to fall was the infernal champion, who despite his best attempts to scare off the beast with powerful fireballs, was unable to truly damage its formidable hide. At least they took the loss far more gracefully, merely shrugging and walking to the Cathedral where the rest of the caught participants were gathered.
Finally, only three contestants remained scattered in the Old City ¨C Deziara, Galandir and the vampire champion who was fluttering about in her small and speedy bat form. Morrigan wasn''t surprised to see her sister remain among the last three and neither was she surprised about the vampire. But Galandir was unexpected.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
I didn''t even notice him at any point. Did he fly? No, I surely would have noticed him at some point then. So how did he avoid the landwyrm for so long? Did he hide? Or perhaps outrun it? Or a mix of both? I wish I would have focused on his movements a bit earlier.
The landwyrm attempted to chase down Deziara first, heading to the side street where she was hiding between some houses. But as soon as she sensed its approach, Deziara swiftly ran out of her hiding spot, forcing the beast to give chase. Morrigan feared that it might catch up to her, but her sister always kept a little bit ahead of the monster no matter how long it chased her.
She''s trying to lead it somewhere? Perhaps to lure it towards other participants.
Deziara suddenly turned into one of the side streets and the spooked vampire champion in her bat form tried to flutter over the rooftops. Deziara jumped up on the same roof, and then swiftly overtook her, leaving her in the monster''s path. Landwyrm closed its mouth around the tiny bat, making it completely disappear for a moment. Before anyone even realized what happened, the tiny bat fluttered out of its mouth and landed on the ground.
The vampire woman transformed back to her humanoid shape, breathing heavily as she did. She glared at Deziara, who kept leaping from rooftop to rooftop, leading the beast behind herself to no doubt find the elven boy. For a while Deziara was chased by the beast much like Morrigan had been before, but after it became clear that she would not be able to find the sneaky boy, she sped up leaving the landwyrm far in the dust.
It chased her for a while, then gave up seeing as it wasn''t going to catch up anyway. The landwyrm took a sharp turn to the direction of the cathedral and after a few minutes, Galandir surfaced from one of the side streets on his shimmering wings. He tried to fly up out of the construct''s reach, however as it turned out ¨C landwyrma are rather good jumpers. With a strong push from its legs, it was high up in the air and Galandir was between its teeth.
The beast landed with a loud thud and then opened its mouth to release Galandir. The boy slid to the ground covered with drool. He tried to get the nasty sludge off himself, but it hung unto him like glue. Morrigan laughed as she watched him, trying to desperately get it off by wiping his legs against the cobblestones.
"Demons and guests, we have our winner for the Monster Run ¨C Princess Deziara!" Azrael announced, and the crowd erupted with cheers. Morrigan applauded enthusiastically and cheered for her sister, while Alphegor and Lady Lily were trying to show some restraint. Although she had no doubt that they wanted to applaud just as loudly as others.
"I knew that monster wouldn''t be able to catch me!" Deziara called out, and Lady Lily sighed heavily for her daughter''s lack of proper decorum. Thankfully, the crowd was too caught up in her victory to really care, instead chanting her name over and over.
"With this victory, Princess Deziara has secured herself a special boon to use in tomorrow''s task. As for what it is ¨C I''m afraid that will remain a secret until tomorrow," Azrael said cheekily and everyone groaned. "Now, now. Good things come to those who wait. Let''s better give a loud applause to all contestants continuing to the next task. Coincidentally all three princesses and almost all of our foreign champions continue on."
The delegations cheered as did the demons who roared with enthusiasm, many of them directing their cheers towards Morrigan. She felt a bit unnerved by their attention but managed to keep her composure and waved at them.
***
"Really, you two. I was supposed to be getting drunk on magma ale out in the town but instead, I am stuck babysitting. Why''d you have to sneak out like that yesterday?" Azrael grumbled, kicking a piece of chewed-up wood away from himself. Meanwhile Deziara and Morrigan were hard at work, foaming up Haku''s body to get hardened lava pieces off him.
Apparently, after the Test of Speed, the little dragon took it upon himself to go for a little walk along the lava river, occasionally submerging in the hot lava. Morrigan was happy to hear that her friend got his own bit of freedom and fun during the Festival. But apparently, he had really scared the festival goers, as they had gone to complain about the dragon to the Demon Castle guards. Haku had refused to go with them, so in the end Azrael had to be the one to bring him back to the stables.
"We just wanted to try some food and have some fun like Haku over here," Morrigan said and scrubbed away a piece of hardened magma with a rough brush. It crumbled away after she applied some force but left Haku''s scales intact. It was quite possible that at this point his scales had become nearly impenetrable.
"And almost get caught by Asdeus again. Yes, that sounds like fun," Azrael scoffed.
"But we didn''t ¨C that''s all that matters. Besides, nobody could have predicted that she would appear in the Festival and be equipped with that weird body control magic to boot," Morrigan grumbled.
"Can we not talk about such glum topics? In the end, everything was fine. Let''s better focus on something else," Deziara interjected, her expression dark.
"Like your absolute victory today?" Morrigan cheered and Haku wagged his tail, sending foam flying all over the stables. Azrael jumped out of the way of a rogue cluster of bubbles and waved another away with a gust of wind magic.
"Yeah! Wasn''t I amazing?" Deziara cheered and lifted her foamy brush high in the air, but Morrigan sensed that the gesture was a bit forced. It appeared that the incident was still eating away at her.
"While the other princess nearly got crushed by deadly debris. Do you have to endanger your life every single day? Can it not be every other day? Or like twice a week?" the white-haired demon grumbled. "You know every time you are in danger, this oath claws at me like knives urging me to go to your rescue. It''s not a very pleasant feeling."
"Aww, Azrael is too shy to admit that he cares for you, Morri," Deziara sneered.
"It''s alright to be honest with your feelings," Morrigan added, playing along with the joke. Azrael walked up to her, swiftly covered her in foam from head to toe and poked at her forehead.
"I am serious, you little menace! Even if the oath urges me to protect you, it cannot magically save you on its own."
"It''s not like I wanted for those things to happen¡"
"Yeah! Don''t blame Morri for them!"
"I wouldn''t if she didn''t have a knack for finding trouble. At least try not to have an incident tomorrow," Azrael groaned.
As if I could control what is going to happen. But I do hope nothing bad happens tomorrow.
Chapter 67 – Magic Maze
"Welcome dear audience to the third and probably the most awaited day of the Nachtstern Festival Competition. As most of you probably know, the theme of the third day is magic. But what you don''t know is the exact details of today''s task. Most of you are probably curious, why are we gathered in the Demon Castle gardens today?" Azrael announced from his place in the podiums, which were erected across the Demon Castle wall.
Majority of the audience were gathered in front of the podium, curiously stretching their necks and trying to see past the giant wall of hedge that stood before them. Morrigan and the other contestants stood on the other side of the hedged-off area which spanned through the majority of the Demon Castle gardens.
How did they even get this ready overnight? There wasn''t even a single sign of activity in the backyard yesterday when I was coming back from the stables. Is there a convenient magic that lets you grow giant hedges overnight? I know there is magic that allows you to teleport things to another place but could it teleport something as large as this?
"Well, let me tell you, dear audience. This year we decided to put a spin on our regular magic test. This year we have a magic maze ¨C that giant wall of bush in front of you all is part of the maze," Azrael snapped his fingers and a giant projection appeared on the Demon Castle wall. Morrigan couldn''t see it from where she stood, but judging from the audience''s applause it must have been impressive.
"In this maze, our participants will have to display their magic skills to try to get past the many, many obstacles within. Their goal is to find a special gem that will teleport them to the winner''s circle right here in front of us. The first ten people to find the gem and teleport here ¨C win!"
The crowd cheered in response, clearly eager to get the show started. Azrael smiled mischievously and then pointed dramatically in the direction of the contestants.
"Now the rules! There''s only one rule today ¨C do not kill anyone. Other than that ¨C go wild," Azrael snickered, and Morrigan could feel bloodlust rising from some of the other contestants.
Is this alright? The only rule is not to kill. But that still allows you to hurt other participants¡
She looked at Deziara, hoping her sister would share her worries, but she had a giant smile on her face.
Not you too, Deziara.
"Before anyone objects that I forgot, I shall explain Princess Deziara''s boon. At any time during the maze, she has the right to call for me and I shall go and clear an obstacle in her stead. But this boon can only be used once, so keep that in mind, Princess," Azrael explained quickly. "Now with the boring stuff out of the way, would the contestants please go and pull a number out of the bag."
A demon woman came up to them, carrying a bag with what sounded like stones. She offered it to them, and everyone took their turns pulling out their stone. When it was Morrigan''s turn, she stuck her hand in the bag and pulled a smooth stone with a clear ''7'' written on it.
"Those, my dear contestants, are your entry points. Each number corresponds to a different entry point. Do not worry, the maze was designed so you all have equal chances of finding the gems from any entrance."
Morrigan looked at the giant hedge in front of her and saw numbers flickering above the many entrances. She watched as Deziara headed for entrance 1 and then proceeded to go to her own starting point. Much to her dismay, that was exactly where Viana was going too.
"Best of luck to you, youngest sister," she said with a smile, but Morrigan felt the sting of hatred coming from her words.
I hope she doesn''t decide to attack me. She probably wouldn''t since there are so many people watching. Or perhaps she just wouldn''t do it directly. I''ll have to be careful.
As Morrigan stood in front of the giant entrance, she saw the vampire champion approach the same entrance as well. Besides them two more demons, nobles judging by how they were dressed, joined them, looking awfully smug and satisfied with themselves.
"It is a pleasure to be in your presence, Your Highnesses," they bowed towards her and Viana, although Morrigan got the feeling that the greeting was meant more for Viana than for her. Her sister returned their greeting with a smile, and they took it as a sign to start buttering up to her, singing praises to her power and intelligence.
"So quick to jump at the first opportunity thrown at them," the vampire lady tutted and gave Morrigan a knowing smile. She decided to ignore the vampire for now and instead peered into the maze ahead. Tall bushy walls stretched high up, no doubt with the intention that nobody would be able to look over the edge.
I wonder if it would be possible to just burn through the hedge and move forward that way. Or perhaps somebody who can fly could just fly and scour the maze from the top. Heck, somebody could just climb up. But I doubt it would be that easy ¨C no doubt that there''s some magic set on it to prevent all those things from happening.
"All of our contestants are in places. Excellent! I wish all of you good luck. Start!" Azrael bellowed and contestants rushed into the maze. Viana ran straight inside with the two demon nobles following right after her. Morrigan expected them to separate at the first cross-section but was surprised to see that they all went together.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
"It appears your elder sister decided to use underlings to help herself get further into the maze. Why don''t we work together as well?" the vampire woman offered, smiling sweetly at her all the while.
"Why? We are supposed to be competing against each other," Morrigan replied and hurried inside the maze. The vampire kept pace with her, not being put off by her rejection in the slightest.
"Because nobody said that we each have to find an individual stone. We can both find the same stone and teleport to the winner''s circle. And by working together we have a larger array of spells which could help us overcome different obstacles."
As much as I hate to admit it ¨C she is right. I don''t have a wide variety of spells in my arsenal yet and I can''t be sure that I could solve every problem I encounter here. Perhaps it is beneficial to stick together with this woman, at least for the time being.
"Alright, we can work together," Morrigan conceded.
"Excellent! I knew Your Highness would make the wisest choice," the vampire woman said. "By the way, my name is Larissa."
"Pleasure to meet you, Larissa. I am Morrigan Nachtstern," she replied formally, trying to make it clear that she had no intentions of being chummy with this woman.
The two of them continued in the opposite direction of where Viana went, following the path deeper into the maze. But they didn''t get far before the ground in front of them shifted, and nasty-looking thorny vines grew out of it, blocking their path. They grew so densely that there would be no way of climbing through it. And crawling over them would likely result in many bruises from the sharp thorns.
"I''ll just burn it," Morrigan announced and threw a fireball at the growth. It easily caught flames and burned to ash in a matter of seconds, leaving a purple looking smoke behind itself. What surprised Morrigan was the fact that the hedge which at one point was connected to the nasty plant, was completely untouched by the flame.
So it is protected by magic. I knew it!
Morrigan was about to walk up to the hedge to inspect it more closely when Larissa blocked her path.
"Your Highness, the fumes from the plant are a strong paralytic. You should not inhale them," she warned.
"Paralytic?"
"Yes. It was without a doubt Demongas Bramble. The real danger of the plant is the toxin within thorns. If one were to poke their finger on it or inhale the fumes from the plant, they''d be left paralyzed for several weeks."
Morrigan took a step back from the smoke and covered her mouth. Few more steps and she would have surely inhaled it.
"Do not worry, Your Highness. I''ll take care of this," Larissa said and waved her hands around in a fluid motion. The wind rose up and began to flow around the paralytic cloud, moving it higher and higher up.
That''s amazing! She is able to control the flow of air so perfectly that all of the gas is being contained without anything leaking out. Then again I probably could have just passed through as a shadow and it wouldn''t have done me any harm.
Morrigan nodded gratefully at Larissa and both women proceeded. Once they had passed the area, the vampire woman moved the cloud back to its original place.
"We wouldn''t want to give our foes a free open route now would we?" she explained with a smile.
I wouldn''t mind keeping the poisonous cloud up above so nobody would get paralyzed.
Morrigan and Larissa continue through the maze, memorizing which paths they had already taken. They used one of the Demon Castle spires as a guideline to know the approximate location, moving towards it when possible, in order to avoid circling back to the entrance. Although the vampire woman was doing most of the navigating since Morrigan''s sense of direction had not improved much over the years.
At one point, a pitfall trap appeared before them, but it wasn''t a real obstacle for either of them, one slipping past it as a shadow and the other ¨C just flying over it in her bat form. However, despite the lack of danger, Morrigan felt they weren''t getting anywhere. The Demon Castle spire still appeared at the same distance as before, despite them desperately trying to move closer to it.
"Something isn''t right," Morrigan said, coming out of her shadow form. "It''s like we are stuck in the same place."
Larissa also came out of her bat form, and nodded at her, "Yes, I was also thinking that. We''ve likely been caught in an illusion."
"Illusion?" Morrigan asked and poked at the hedge wall. It felt real to her.
"Yes, and a very powerful one at that. More likely than not, we''ve been circling around the same area for a while," Larissa explained, examining the hedge carefully.
"How do we break out of the illusion?"
"There are several ways. One would be to find the caster and either incapacitate them or force them to end the illusion."
This is no doubt Azrael''s doing so we probably won''t be able to end the illusion that way.
"And what are the other ways?"
"We could try to block our senses and try to find our way out of the illusion blind. This however could take a long time," Larissa explained, and Morrigan furrowed her brows. "Or we could find an anchor."
"An anchor?"
"Yes. Something that exists outside of the illusion. If we can hear something or see something outside the illusion then our senses could latch onto the real thing and dispel the rest."
"Shouldn''t the castle spire be outside the illusion," Morrigan asked.
"Most likely the spire that we see is the one created by illusion, not the real one," Larissa explained. They paused to think.
What could be something outside the illusion we could latch onto? Perhaps I could call out to Deziara and then I could latch onto her voice as the real thing. But her entry point was rather far away so it''s unlikely that she would be nearby.
"Should we just try calling somebody and hope that they respond?" Morrigan suggested.
"We could certainly try."
"Hello! Could somebody answer us?" Morrigan called out.
"Is somebody nearby?" Larissa also called.
For a while there was nothing but silence, and both women called out again. Nobody seemed to answer them or if they did, Morrigan certainly couldn''t hear them. Then just as Morrigan opened her mouth to call out again, a low growl resounded through the area.
Chapter 68 – Guardian of the Maze
"Well, that''s not¡ ideal," Larissa muttered, having clearly heard the threatening growl.
"No. This is perfect!" Morrigan cheered and called out again. "We are here! Where are you?"
"Your Highness, I understand that you are confident in your magical abilities but calling out to a monster like that is dangerous," the vampire woman objected. A louder growl reverberated through the area.
"Haku is not a monster!" Morrigan retorted and then closed her eyes.
I cannot trust anything except for Haku''s call. I need to follow it if I want to leave the illusion.
"Haku, I am here! Help me out of the illusion," Morrigan called, and the dragon called back. Larissa seemed apprehensive to follow at first but eventually went after Morrigan. Haku continued calling out to her, and she followed his calls until eventually, Larissa spoke up again.
"I believe we have left the illusion now," the vampire woman said, and Morrigan opened her eyes. Before her was a rather unusual scene. Haku was sitting in the middle of a large clearing with a giant red egg in front of him. There were a bunch of other participants in the clearing, most of them huddled in a corner as far away from Haku as possible.
"Dear audience, as you can see here, our Crown Princess along with several other participants has reached one of the major checkpoints in the maze. Pass a checkpoint and you can be sure that you are getting closer to the gem. Unfortunately, if you cannot pass it then you either have to look for a different checkpoint or give up altogether," Azrael announced in his amplified voice.
I should have expected something like this. But Haku is one of the checkpoints? I wonder who decided to do that?
"How are you doing, Haku?" Morrigan called out to her friend, who instantly dropped his stern dragon facade and wagged his tail happily. "Azrael set you up as a guard dog in here? How rude!"
"Princess, do not think that just because this is your pet, you''ll be able to get a free pass. You still have to complete the task," Azrael warned her, but she just strode up to Haku and reached her hand up towards him. The dragon lowered his head, allowing her to scratch the scales under his chin. It was evident that the dragon had no intention of blocking her way.
"What is the task?" she asked curiously.
If I can complete it, I should do so to appeal to the public. If I just walked past Haku, then it probably wouldn''t leave a good impression.
"You must open the dragon egg either by hatching it or breaking it," Azrael instructed, and the participants in the clearing began muttering among themselves.
Oh, it''s like that time Azrael hatched Haku. I doubt this is a real dragon egg, probably just a magical contraption that was made to react to certain conditions.
"No problem," Morrigan smiled and extended her arms towards the egg. Hot flames came out of her hands and surrounded it, heating the egg up from all sides. She knew that the temperature required to hatch a dragon egg was really extreme, but she doubted it be would be required for the competition as well. As Morrigan recalled there were only a few people who could produce temperatures high enough to hatch a dragon egg. She wasn''t even sure if she could do it, despite her high affinity with fire magic.
But before Morrigan had to push her fire magic to the limits, a crack came from the egg and it came apart. Inside there was a piece of fire salamander meat, one of Haku''s favorite treats. The dragon eagerly took it and swallowed it with great satisfaction.
"Enjoy, Haku! I''m going to continue now," she gave him one last pat on his neck and then ran towards the exit behind him. Larissa followed her, making sure to sidestep Haku. Other contestants, however, were too slow, and by the time they realized that the dragon was distracted, Haku had once again blocked their way.
"You have a truly ferocious pet, Your Highness," the vampire woman commented.
"Haku isn''t ferocious. He is actually a big softie," Morrigan retorted.
"He certainly didn''t appear that way¡"
"He''s just shy with strangers, that is all. How do we best continue through the maze? We have reached the spire that we followed before," Morrigan said and pointed towards the tower they used as a guidance point.
"According to what Azrael said, we shouldn''t be able to circle back to the beginning. Perhaps, I could try looking from above, although I have a feeling that there''d be magic to block that sort of thing," Larissa said and turned into her bat form. She flew up carefully, watching the surroundings for any traps. However, at one point it seemed like she was unable to fly any higher.
"Seems like there''s a magic seal that prevents anyone from getting above the hedge," she explained once she had turned back into her vampire form.
"How about we follow either the right or the left wall? I heard that this strategy is guaranteed to lead one out of the maze. Besides we don''t have to worry about circling back to one of the entry points now."
"But we are not really looking for an exit, are we? We need to find the gem."
"This way we''ll at least know we''re not wandering the same path over and over."
"It would certainly be a safer approach. But we''ll have to move fast because this method will take more time."A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Morrigan nodded and took her shadow form while Larissa returned to her bat form. She flew surprisingly fast for such a small creature, but Morrigan had no trouble keeping up with her. At one point, they passed through a trap that shot a flurry of arrows in both directions, but in their alternate forms, it didn''t pose a challenge. Larissa just flew as high as the magical barrier allowed her, and naturally, Morrigan was not bothered by regular arrows in her shadow form.
As they continued their way through the maze, the girl heard some sort of bickering ahead. Moving closer, it was clear that there was some sort of scuffle going on among the participants.
"Ignore it. We''ll have fewer competitors to worry about," Larissa called in her bat form, zooming ahead.
I hope that nobody is trying to hurt anybody else. This is supposed to be a fun event after all.
"Why is a scum like you participating in this honorable competition anyway?" Morrigan heard a male voice sneer from somewhere very close.
"Yeah! Slaves like you should be polishing our boots!"
"No, he''s an Overworlder! Scum like him are only good for cleaning the stables and toilets!"
This doesn''t sound good at all. They are most likely bullying the elven boy from the Fallen Kingdom.
"Princess, let''s go ahead!" Larissa urged, sensing her hesitation.
"You dare to glare at me, you scum! Take this!" There was an audible thump and a pained groan. Morrigan couldn''t endure it any longer and materialized out of her shadow form, heading straight for the source of the racket.
"What is going on here?" she called out and saw how one young demon noble held Galandir restrained while the other one was beating him like a punching bag.
They are doing this in the middle of an event? Really? How petty must you be to do such a thing? To a child no less.
"Princess Morrigan!" both nobles instantly straightened, dropping the beaten-up elf to the ground. "It is a most pleasant surprise to encounter you here in the maze!"
Pleasant, my ass. There''s nothing pleasant about this. I wish I could just send these bullies to Haku and have them chased around by him for a bit. That would certainly teach them a lesson. But the whole Underworld is watching so I need to handle it in a way a princess should. Damned politics!
"What is going on here?" Morrigan repeated the question, crossing the arms over her chest and glaring at the two nobles. They didn''t appear bothered by her hard stance and instead smiled pleasantly at her.
"We were just taking care of the scum. There''s no need for you to worry about that, Princess," the taller and lankier of the nobles said, his eyes glinting as if some golden opportunity had just fallen in his lap.
"Indeed. The slave will not bother you any further. In fact, why don''t you allow us to accompany you? We will help you overcome any trials and safely deliver you to the gem and the winner''s circle. We only ask that you remember our favor in the future," the noble smiled, slowly inching closer to Morrigan.
"He never bothered me in the first place. What bothers me is that two fully grown demons decide to gang up and beat up a child in what is supposed to be a fun event," Morrigan channeled the ferocity she had seen in her father when he was scolding to his subjects. The nobles flinched back for a moment, but they quickly recovered their smiles.
"This child, Your Highness, is an Overworlder. It is a mistake for him to participate in this prestigious event," one of them sneered at Galandir, who was trying to sit up, clutching his injured chest.
Have they broken his ribs? That means they weren''t even holding back. If I had any say in this, I''d just send them to prison for a couple of months. Or perhaps years, since demons have such a long lifespan.
Morrigan wanted to go check on Galandir''s condition, but she knew that the nobles had to be dealt with first.
"This elven boy is the representative of the Fallen Kingdom and should be treated as such," Larissa tried to intervene.
"Shut your mouth, vampire! Your lowly kind has no right to talk to us," one of the nobles spat.
"Are you telling me that my father, The King of Demon Kingdom, made a mistake by accepting these two as champions?" Morrigan said in a low, threatening voice. The nobles'' faces dropped at the mention of the King.
"N-No! We would never question His Majesty''s judgment!"
"But you just clearly said that it was a mistake to let Galandir participate," Morrigan pressed, taking a step towards them.
"No, we didn''t say that!"
"So you''re claiming that I, the Crown Princess, just made that up?"
"We apologize, Your Highness," the two nobles bowed their heads, their teeth clenched together in anger.
Doesn''t feel nice to be pushed around by a little kid, does it?
"Leave! And do not make the mistake of thinking that you can decide who deserves and who doesn''t deserve to participate in the competition," Morrigan ordered, and the two nobles begrudgingly skulked away.
"You might have just turned them and their whole families against you," Larissa said, watching the two nobles leave. But Morrigan didn''t care for them and instead ran up to Galandir.
"Hey, are you alright?"
"I-I don''t need your help!" he snarled, trying to get up to his feet. But the pain proved too much and he fell back down to the ground, groaning and clutching his ribs.
"You clearly do," Morrigan retorted and crouched down next to him, trying to remember what was the correct procedure in case somebody had broken ribs. But before she could come up with anything useful, Galandir pressed his hand against his chest. The spot began to glow with warm light but then dimmed again as the elven boy nearly screamed from the pain.
"What happened?" Morrigan asked, wondering if the movement had moved the rib and it had punctured some of his organs.
"Healing magic. He''s trying to fix his rib, but the process is incredibly painful. It''s best if you give up, boy. No sane person would be able to endure that sort of pain. Just wait here until the healers arrive," Larissa said. But Galandir glared at her and instead focused back on his rib.
Sweat formed on his forehead and he bit into his lip, making it bleed. The light glowed for a while, then it proved too much for him and he removed his hand from the wound.
"Dammit! If only I hadn''t exhausted my magic to get past that dragon, I could have shown those assholes and healed myself without any issues," he muttered in a barely audible whisper.
So he doesn''t have enough magic to heal himself. I could channel some of my magic into him, but it would no doubt cause a horrible stir among demon people. After all, you''re only supposed to give your magic to those whom you deem to be your equal. Stupid rules.
"Larissa, do you perhaps have a spell that could mask us from the view for a short while?" Morrigan asked hopefully, as she didn''t want to leave the elf boy to just writhe in pain.
"I do have a spell that allows me to create mist. But why exactly, Your Highness?" the vampire woman asked with her eyebrow raised.
"Because I''m going to give Galandir some of my magic," she announced resolutely.
Volume 1 edits live
Hello, everyone!
Thank you all for sticking around and reading Demon Queen Wants to Paint. It has been an amazing journey and quite honestly all of my expectation have been blown out of water. If this spring somebody would have told me that I''d have a story with 3000 followers and have enough Patreon supporters for writing to become a full-time occupation, I''d call them crazy. But lo and behold ¨C here were are! And it wouldn''t be possible without you, so thank you all for your support.
However, as I am still very much learning the craft of writing, some mistakes are bound to arise. Many of you complained about the second half of Volume 1 and I completely understand your complaints. They are very valid ¨C I strayed from the path from what I promised. But do not think that your words fell onto deaf ears. I have heard you and have worked hard to fix my mistakes. Today I can proudly announce that Volume 1 has gone through full round of dev and line edits. What does this mean? What has changed?This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Here''s the breakdown of changes made:
* Grammar and typo fixes in all of Volume 1
* Order of events where changed in Chapter 12 ¨C Aftermath. Overall event remain the same, just the way Morrigan approached the present opening was changed.
* Morrigan''s internal monologue was changed in many chapters. I''d like to think she''s a bit smarter and proactive now.
* Chapter 22 ¨C The Exposed Secret and subsequent chapters have completely changed Asdeus'' behavior. Instead of her outright antagonizing Morrigan, she tries to appeal to her as an ally.
* Chapter 28 ¨C Writing Lessons. While Asdeus still resorts to hurting Morrigan, she claims that it''s normal punishment for demon children.
* The rest of the events unfold the same way aside from some minor internal monologue changes.
Once again, thank you all for sticking around and reading Demon Queen Wants to Paint. I hope you''ll continue reading it in the future and enjoy reading Volume 2 as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Chapter 69– Riddles of the Sphinx
"Are you insane? I don''t want your demon father to come and murder me!" Galandir protested.
"I am going to agree with the boy. It is not the best move a princess could make, not to mention that it could leave you exhausted for the trials still hidden in the maze," Larissa objected.
"Oh, hush. It''s a little bit of mana to help him recover. Just create that mist for us real quick," Morrigan dismissed their complaints.
Father might not like the idea of me giving my mana to others, but I am certain he''s not going to flip out over something like that. It''s the other demons that worry me. I do not want to fuel any unsavory rumors since my position as Crown Princess isn''t all that stable.
"As you wish, Your Highness," the vampire agreed with a sigh and after a moment dense fog settled over the nearby area.
"I already said that I don''t want your help!" Galandir hissed like an angry kitten.
"Just settle down and let me help you already," she said and took his left hand. He tried to pull it away at first, but she held it firm and began to channel her magic into him. Azrael had taught her how to do that a few years ago so she could power any appliances that required magic for activation. Like that water magic ball Gunna used to fill up the bath.
"Slowly! You''re channeling too much too fast," the boy protested, and Morrigan reduced the magic flow to a small trickle. Galandir scowled at her for a moment, then put his right hand back onto his injured rib. The healing light glowed and his grip on her hands tightened. He squeezed so hard that Morrigan winced from the pain, but she refused to let go and continued gently trickling her magic into him. After a few minutes, Galandir''s grip loosened.
"I am done now," he announced, pushing Morrigan''s hands away.
"You''re healed now?" she asked, looking over him in amazement. He got up from the ground and moved his torso left and right, then bent down and straightened back up to demonstrate the results.
That''s amazing! To think that there''s magic that can heal a broken rib. I mean I knew healing magic existed but seeing it firsthand is a different thing entirely.
"We should get going. We''ve already lost a lot of time on this," Larissa said, loosening the density of the fog but not dismissing it entirely.
"I will guide you to the next checkpoint," Galandir suddenly said, looking straight at Morrigan with a hardened expression.
"You know the way to the next checkpoint?"
"I used wind magic to scour the layout of the maze," he explained briskly and then began walking, not waiting for Morrigan''s reply.
"Wait, how does that work?" she asked, catching up to him.
"I''m not telling you. Follow me if you wish to win," was all the boy said.
He could use a lesson in manners, but I guess this is his way of saying thank you. Well, I''m not passing on the opportunity of finding the checkpoint easily, instead of wandering around like a fool.
"Hey, vampire! Keep up the fog. It''ll make things harder for others," Galandir commanded.
"I would have done so even if you didn''t ask," Larissa replied, annoyed at the boy.
***
They continue through the dungeon at a brisk pace but without altering their forms. Apparently, it would be too difficult for Galandir to pinpoint their location if they moved too quickly. This prompted Morrigan to begin asking questions about how exactly he managed to navigate using wind magic, but the boy just ignored her and kept walking.
He probably doesn''t want to reveal it so we can''t duplicate the method. I wonder how he even does it? Is he just ''feeling'' the maze out with his wind magic just like I had done with the lava? But that''s different. Lava was already there to begin with but there are no concentrated pockets of wind magic here. Perhaps he can feel the general layout? Or maybe he can find the larger areas. I need to ask Azrael to teach me wind magic later.
As they kept walking through the maze, it was clear that they were effectively avoiding any traps or obstacles since they hadn''t encountered a single one yet. Morrigan was beginning to wonder if they would even be able to find the gem at this rate when Galandir stopped.
"There is a large clearing up ahead which I think is the second checkpoint. Some large creature is in there so be ready," he warned. Morrigan and Larissa both hardened their expression, tightening their focus. They peeked over the side of the hedge to see the monster lurking in the clearing.
The moment Morrigan saw the creature she felt like she had been transported to Egypt. A large monster with a lion''s body was laying in the middle of the clearing. It had large eagle-like wings on its back, but the most unusual feature was without a doubt its head. It was the head of a beautiful woman with distinct egyptian features and raven black hair. Sphinx was looking in their direction, its expression unreadable.
"What the hell is that thing?" Larissa whispered and took a step back.
"I-I don''t know¡ a chimera of sorts?" Galandir guessed.
"Isn''t that a sphinx?" Morrigan asked, but her companions just cocked their heads in confusion.
"A sphinx? I have never heard of such a creature before and trust me when I tell you that I have encountered all sorts of beasts in my time," Larissa said, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
Just as she said that, a scream resounded from the clearing as another group of contestants reached it. Morrigan peeked out from behind the hedge and saw that it was Viana''s group, one of her demon noble companions fallen to the ground in shock.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
"Dear audience, it seems that two of our groups have reached the second checkpoint. I bet many of you are wondering ¨C what is this unusual creature?" Azrael''s amplified voice resounded through the area, startling everyone.
"That guy is starting to get on my nerves," Galandir noted, looking annoyed.
"How do you think I feel after having to deal with him for ten years?" Morrigan retorted.
"My condolences," the elf boy said solemnly, and Morrigan accepted it with a nod.
"Well, this is none other than the mighty Sphinx, master of riddles. If you wish to get past it then you must answer its riddle or perish," Azrael announced dramatically, then chuckled. "Do not worry, it is merely a magical construct, much like the landwyrm from yesterday."
"If it is a construct, then there''s no harm in just killing it, is there?" the infernal hero strode into the clearing, holding a large fireball in each hand. "There''s no need to hold back since this isn''t anyone''s pet."
A shiver ran through Morrigan as she imagined what could have happened to Haku if he were to clash with the infernal. While the dragon was certainly strong, he was still a juvenile and probably wouldn''t be able to overpower a seasoned warrior with a vast magical arsenal.
"You''re welcome to try," Azrael cackled in response. The infernal champion didn''t wait any longer and unleashed a barrage of fireballs at the sphinx. The construct covered its face with its wings, fireballs hitting the feathers and then sizzling out without doing any damage whatsoever.
"What?" the infernal called out in shock.
"Oh, did I forget to mention? Sphinx is completely unaffected by magical attacks," the demon cackled, and Morrigan could already imagine the delighted smug expression on his face.
"Is that so? If magic doesn''t work, then I''ll have to beat it physically," the duergar warrior came out of the maze and charged straight at the sphinx, brandishing a giant stone axe. However, the construct swatted the axe away with its paw, sending it flying across the clearing. The axe lodged itself in the hedge while its owner looked after it flabbergasted.
"I''m afraid it is also pretty tough physically," Azrael laughed.
"So how are we supposed to get past him?" Viana complained, having watched the whole scene unfold from the sidelines.
"You answer the sphinx''s riddle," Morrigan said, walking out into the clearing and approaching the sphinx. It looked at her, its wise gaze seemingly boring straight into her soul.
This creature¡ It doesn''t have the same mindless stare that the landwyrm construct did. And it looks solid without that crystalline obstruction that the landwyrm had. Could it be actually alive? But why would Azrael lie about it being a construct then?
"Ping-pong! Somebody has been listening well. To proceed you must answer the sphinx''s riddle. A group is allowed to pass through together, but then you must receive the riddle together as well," Azrael explained, and Morrigan stopped in her tracks, looking back at Larissa and Galandir. They came out of the maze as well and joined her side.
In the meanwhile, Viana wasted no time and instead approached the sphinx first.
"Tell me your riddle!" she commanded, and the sphinx turned its gaze towards her. It stared at Viana for a while, then finally spoke in a beastly sort of voice. It felt like it was a woman''s voice and yet at the same time not. Like two creatures were talking in unison at the same time.
"To be me you must not know me, But with me comes true bliss, To unlearn me is to learn another, And without me, you will better know your place."
Everyone stared at the creature, flabbergasted by its words. They didn''t seem to make any sense, and even the usually collected Viana had her elegant mask fall for a second.
"That makes no sense," the demon noble by Viana''s side called out. The sphinx turned its gaze toward him, and he took a step back, intimidated by its unyielding gaze.
"We will take some time to think on the riddle," Viana replied and retreated back from the sphinx. It nodded ever so slightly at her and sat down, waiting for another to approach.
"Alright, tell me your riddle, beast!" the duergar called out and the infernal walked up to stand by his side.
"I shall join you. Two heads are better than one," he announced in a gruff voice. The duergar nodded and looked at the sphinx.
"To keep this, You must first give it to another," it said.
"That makes no sense either!" the duergar complained, stomping his foot angrily against the ground.
"Sphinx, would you kindly tell us your riddle?" Morrigan finally approached it together with Galandir and Larissa. The creature once again stared her in the eyes, as if it were able to analyze her mind.
"Tree without roots, Bread without taste, Live together but not freely, Home but needs no place."
It seems nonsensical at first, but if I know anything about these sorts of riddles then it''s that they usually have a rather simple solution. It should be a common thing, or concept that is well known to everyone. Like the riddle, where it walks on four legs in the morning, two during the day, and three in the evening, signifies a human and their lifetime. I just need to piece together what the riddle is trying to represent.
"It must be some sort of a large creature," Larissa whispered to Morrigan and Galandir. "A tree without roots could signify its tree-like appearance. The bread without taste could mean that its flesh has no flavor and the live together part could mean that it has multiple heads. The last part could signify that it could live anywhere no matter the environment."
"That does make sense, but I do not know of any multi-headed plant-like creature that could live anywhere," the elven boy protested.
"No, it is not a creature," Morrigan said, shaking her head. "Or at least I don''t think it is. The answer should be simple, something everyone would know."
"How do you know that?" Galandir narrowed his eyes, looking over her suspiciously. "Did your demon friend tip you off?"
"What? No! I just have read about riddles before," Morrigan replied. "They are meant to confuse but the answers are usually simple."
"Do enlighten what the answer is if it''s so simple."
"I¡ don''t know that¡"
"Let''s think about it carefully. If the thing that creature is referring to is something everybody knows about we should be able to figure it out," Larissa said.
As they were thinking, Deziara ran into the clearing, but abruptly stopped when she saw the sphinx.
"What the¨C" she exclaimed but stopped herself mid-sentence before saying anything rude. "What is that thing?"
"It''s a sphinx. You answer its riddle to get further," Morrigan explained.
"A riddle? Alright. How hard could it be?" Deziara stood in front of the sphinx. "Tell me your riddle."
"I speak without mouth and hear without ears, I have no body but I come alive with the wind," the sphinx said after assessing Deziara for a moment.
"There is no bloody wind in the Underworld," Deziara shot back at the creature, but it did not react to her complaints. She stared at it for a while, then her shoulders slumped. "I had hoped to save this for later, but I guess I have no choice. Azrael, I''d like to use my boon now."
Azrael appeared in the middle of the clearing, looking smug and satisfied.
"Our Princess has decided to use her boon. A wise choice. Dearest sphinx, the answer to Princess Deziara''s riddle is ''echo''."
Everyone looked at Azrael dumbfoundedly as the sphinx nodded solemnly at the answer and then moved aside, revealing an exit behind itself.
"You may proceed now," Azrael said to Deziara, who nodded and then ran further into the maze.
"Good luck with your riddles, dear participants. I suggest you think hard," the white-haired demon said and then disappeared just as quickly as he had appeared.
Why does this guy always have to make things difficult?
Chapter 70 – Working Together
The riddles of the sphinx left a lot of participants stumped, as they muttered among themselves trying to figure out the answer.
"What could be a tree with no roots?" Larissa mused.
"Most likely it isn''t a tree at all," Morrigan said.
"Something plant-like perhaps? Or maybe something made from a tree," Galandir added.
"Alright, so let''s assume that is something made out of wood. But how could it also be a bread with no taste?"
"It''s probably edible then but doesn''t have a flavor."
"A wooden thing that is edible? Perhaps the thing itself is not edible. Perhaps it can merely hold edible things. Or drinkable things. Like a water jug, perhaps," Larissa explained her train of thought.
"Those would usually be made from glass or metal, wouldn''t they? Although it wouldn''t be impossible for it to be made from wood. Alright, if we assume it''s a dish of some sort how does that tie in with the second part?"
"Live together but not freely. Perhaps it may be a chest that holds some treasure. Treasure usually is plundered from various places so that could be interpreted as not living together freely."
As Larissa and Galandir continued their discussion, Morrigan''s thoughts wandered in a completely different direction.
I still think they are taking the things from the riddle too literally. The answer to Deziara''s riddle was echo, so perhaps our riddle could also allude to something seemingly obvious. But what could it be?
Morrigan began thinking of her sister and wondering how far had Deziara already gotten while everyone here was busy trying to decipher these riddles. Part of her felt happy, because even if she didn''t win, Deziara would most definitely find that gem.
"Wait¡ I got it!" Morrigan exclaimed, startling Larissa and Galandir out of their discussion.
"You got it?" the elven boy narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Morrigan grabbed their hands and then dragged them towards the sphinx.
"We know the answer to your riddle."
"State your answer," the beast said solemnly, her eyes focusing on Morrigan.
"Tree without roots, bread without taste, live together but not freely, home but need no place. It is family!"
"You''re correct," the sphinx nodded and moved aside to let Morrigan pass.
"That answer makes no sense," Galandir pouted as they continued running forward.
"No, it does. A tree without root would symbolize a family tree¨C"
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. As long as we got past, that''s all that matters," the boy interrupted Morrigan.
How rude! This guy could at least not interrupt others while they are speaking.
However, Morrigan said nothing as he was the one guiding them through the maze. It was a relationship of mutual gain, so she would put up with him for the time being. After all, Galandir''s skill allowed them to navigate through the maze with ease.
"We won''t be able to avoid obstacles going forward. Seems like they have been laid out in a way that you have to pass by at least three of them," Galandir said after slowing down his pace.
"Can you find the gem?" Larissa asked, but the boy shook his head.
"I can only get a general sense of the maze. I can''t find something that small."
"Well, if there are obstacles in the way, then the gem has to be hidden somewhere behind them," Morrigan concluded and the other two nodded.
"Alright, let''s take the path with the fewest obstacles," Galandir said, and they continued forward at a fast pace.
Soon enough they ran into a part of the maze where the hedge wall was replaced with menacing-looking dragon statues. They stood along the whole path, their red eyes glowing with eerie light ¨C as if they were watching.
"Something tells me that just running past them wouldn''t be a smart idea," Morrigan noted, looking over the creepy statues. Larissa took a small lock of her white hair and cut it off with her nail as if it were a knife. Then she took the small lock and threw it in front of the statues. A red beam of light came out of it, covering the whole area in front of it. Once the light disappeared, Larissa''s hair had also disappeared from existence.
"I thought this contest was supposed to be a fun event!" Morrigan complained, wondering what exactly had happened to the hair.
"And it is a fun event! The statues in front of you are completely harmless. They merely teleport you to a random location in the maze," Azrael cackled with delight.
Being sent to a random location isn''t the worst thing that could happen. It might actually get us closer to the gem. But knowing my luck, it''d just teleport us back to the beginning.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
"We need to disable these or find a way to block the teleporting light," Larissa noted. She snipped off a few more strands of her hair and threw them at various locations ¨C above the statue, close to the ground, and in between the gaps between statues. However, no matter where she threw it, the statue activated and teleported it away somewhere.
"Let me try something," Morrigan said and pulled out her own strand of hair. She then sent it into the maze while creating a forcefield around it. However, as soon as the red light hit the hair, it was teleported away.
"So the forcefield is a bust. Perhaps we need to block it physically?" Galandir said and created a wall of ice in front of the statue. However, the red beam appeared and a moment later, the icy wall was gone.
I wonder where that ice wall got teleported to? Would be funny if it blocked Viana''s way to the gem. But how does Galandir know so much magic? I doubt that the fallen would hand their magical gem to somebody who they consider to be a slave. Who is he really?
"Seems like it''ll teleport away anything that comes into its range. But there definitely must be a way to circumvent it," Larissa pondered, looking over the statues. Morrigan dared to take a step closer to it, and she noticed how its eyes sparkled a little as she did. She stepped back and the sparkle disappeared.
"Could it be that it will teleport away anything it sees?" she guessed.
"Sees?" Galandir wondered.
"I''m going to take a risk," Morrigan said and slipped into the shadows. Before either of the companions could object she positioned herself in front of the statue. Nothing happened. Statues'' eyes remained dull.
"It worked?" Galandir exclaimed.
"So it did. Unfortunately, it means that the Princess will continue on without us," Larissa said with a twinge of regret in her voice. Morrigan went out of the statue''s range and materialized again.
"I could take one of you along with me in the shadow form, but two is too much," she said, looking from Larissa to Galandir. The elf boy glared at Larissa, but she just chuckled light-heartedly.
"No need to get prickly, boy. You two go ahead. It''d be shameful for an adult to take advantage of children," she said and then transformed into her bat form. Before anyone could object, Larissa was already out of sight.
"At least that vampire has honor," Galandir noted, then turned towards Morrigan. "Let''s not waste anymore time."
"I feel bad for just leaving her behind. I could have made two trips," she said.
"By the time you did, other contestants could already reach the end," the boy said, and Morrigan nodded. She took his hand and turned it into her shadow form, pulling Galandir along with her.
The feeling was rather unusual and heavy. Deziara had also given Morrigan a sense of heaviness, but she was a familiar presence so melting into a single shadow hadn''t bothered her. Galandir felt foreign and he had a bright presence that made it difficult for Morrigan to maintain her shadow form.
As she passed by each statue, the heaviness seemed to grow and her hold on the shadow form began to slip. Morrigan pushed herself to move faster, hurrying to get past the last statue. As soon as they were out of its range, she instantly materialized out of it, breathing heavily from exertion.
"That was¡ so weird¡" Galandir noted, looking as if he had seen something he hadn''t wanted to.
"I am not doing that again," she replied.
"Agreed."
After a brief pause, they continued through the maze in silence. Turned out that Larissa had been the one to keep the conversation going before. With her gone, Morrigan wasn''t sure what to talk about. On the other hand, it didn''t appear like the elven boy was interested in making conversation, instead focusing on finding the path ahead.
"We''re close to the second obstacle, although I think this one won''t be much of an issue," the boy spoke. As they turned the corner, Morrigan saw that the maze floor was replaced with a long, deep pit. At the bottom of it, there was some water and some odd dark plants upon which sat some disturbing-looking toads. They were oversized and their gazes seemed to follow them.
"What are those?" Morrigan asked, pointing at the toads.
"I don''t know and quite frankly, I don''t want to find out. Let''s just fly over them," he said, and a pair of translucent golden wings sprouted from his back. Morrigan turned into her shadow form and was about to go over the pit by crawling along the side of its wall. However, as soon as her shadow approached the edge of the pit, the toads jumped towards her, sticking their large tongues out towards her.
"Here dear audience we have a rare treat from our Underworld fauna ¨C the famous or rather infamous shadow-catcher toads. Afraid somebody will break into your house while hidden in the shadow form? Do not worry, for these toads will catch them without any issues and paralyze the intruder with the use of their special venom," Azrael announced, mimicking the voice of salesmen in ads.
I never should have given him access to my laptop. To think that he would be so influenced by things he got to see only for a few days.
"Oh, and these toads will attack anything that moves. So do not make the mistake of thinking that you are safe," the demon cackled, and Morrigan materialized out of her shadow form.
"Great. Thank you, Azrael!" she called out in annoyance.
"You''re welcome, Princess!"
"I''m surprised the King hasn''t disposed of him yet," Galandir whispered.
"Oh, trust me. He has tried. I just made the foolish mistake of stopping him," she sighed and rubbed her temples trying to think of a way to get across the pit.
I could try levitating myself across it, but it is very likely that I''ll drop myself. Levitation isn''t very effective on moving objects and living beings. Perhaps if I were to make a makeshift platform from the ground or those plants in the pit¡
Before Morrigan could ponder any further, Galandir hoisted her up into his arms, holding her like a princess. Well, she was a princess but it was still awkward.
"Not sure what you''re thinking about, but this will be much faster. You got me over the last obstacle, so I''ll get you over this one," he said and took off. Morrigan was surprised to see that such a scrawny boy had enough strength to lift her and fly as if he weren''t completely unhindered.
"Do you even eat? You weigh nothing," he said as they were about halfway across the pit. The toads were chasing them from below, shooting their slimy tongues at them. However, they were too high for them ¨C even with their long tongues.
"Can''t say the same thing about you. You were really heavy to carry in shadow form," Morrigan grumbled.
"Should I drop you?"
"Sorry."
It didn''t take long for them to get across the pit and continue their way through the maze. After a while, Galandir slowed down again and then stopped completely.
"Is something wrong?" Morrigan asked, looking at the concerned boy.
"There''s something weird about the next obstacle¡ it''s just a large empty space," he said, his eyebrows furrowed.
"It''s probably a trap of some sort, isn''t it?"
"It could be. Wait¡ I think there is something small in the middle of it?"
Curious, Morrigan peered around the corner to see exactly what Galandir was talking about. In the middle of the maze, there stood a thin, long pedestal upon which sat a small gem encased in glass.
Chapter 71 – Breaking the Glass
"Is that the gem?" Morrigan said, looking at the gem sitting on the pedestal. But she didn''t dare to rush towards it as the surrounding empty space around it looked like a prime place to put out traps.
"Without a doubt. We should approach it cautiously," Galandir said and conjured a small ball of ice in his palm, rolling it across towards the pedestal. Much to their relief, nothing happened, but their steps were slow and measured, looking around carefully each time to make sure that no hidden traps or monsters would suddenly jump at them.
At this measured pace, they slowly reached the pedestal and took a careful look at it. The gem inside it was a beautiful translucent blue ¨C without a doubt, this was the one they were supposed to find. Morrigan''s heart swelled with excitement as he thought that they''d be the first to reach the winner''s circle.
"We actually found it," she uttered, and Galandir nodded in response, his hands inching closer toward the glass casing. He grasped the casing firmly and pulled¡ And then pulled again, and again, and again ¨C without any result.
"It''s not coming off," he huffed, desperately trying to remove the glass.
"Let me help," Morrigan said and also took hold of it. They both pulled at it with as much strength as their little hands could muster, but it wouldn''t budge.
"Of course, they couldn''t have made it easy¡" the elf boy said in annoyance, glowering at the pedestal.
"This is supposed to be a magic maze, so perhaps we have to open it with magic," Morrigan guessed.
"But that''s what you had to do with the dragon egg, would they really make you do the same thing twice?"
"I don''t know, but it''s worth a shot," Morrigan motioned Galandir to step back, and the boy obliged. She took several steps back as well and then launched a steady stream of fire toward the glass casing.
If it''s not triggered by magic, then perhaps I can just melt the casing.
"Doesn''t look like it''s doing anything," Galandir commented. "I don''t think it''s going to pop open magically."
"Then I''ll just melt it into a puddle!" Morrigan said and increased the heat of her flames, channeling more magic into it. Flames turned from bright orange to purple to finally blue, signifying the power within them. The surrounding temperature was steadily rising, however the casing didn''t show any signs of giving up.
"Cut it off, you''re more likely to set us both on fire at this point," Galandir grumbled, and Morrigan stopped her flames. She walked up to the casing, hoping that it would be at least a little bit deformed, but much to her dismay it remained completely unscathed.
"What is this thing made out of?" she muttered in annoyance.
"Magic resistant glass no doubt. There must be a trick to opening it," he said and then pointed at the pedestal. "Look at that."
Letters had appeared right underneath the glass, stretching around the whole length of it.
"If you wish to open me, you must show me true magic first," Morrigan read the writing, then frowned. "How are my flames not true magic?"
"Maybe it just needs a different kind of magic? Let me try," the boy said and motioned for her to step back. She did so and watched how he encased the whole pedestal in a thick layer of ice.
"How does that help? Now it''ll be only harder to get to it," she grumbled.
"Oh, shush! Melt the ice, maybe it will have triggered something," he retorted. Morrigan used her flames again, this time to a much more modest degree, and melted away the ice. As she did so, a little sparkle emanated from the glass casing, however, it disappeared as soon as the ice had melted.
"Did you see that?" she asked, looking at Galandir. The boy nodded, and peered at the glass as if trying to understand its structure.
"It seemed to react when your fire melted my ice."
"Let''s do that again!"
Galandir encased the glass in ice again, and Morrigan melted it, making the glass shimmer ever so slightly at the interaction. However, as they repeated the sequence, increasing the strength of their magic each time, it was clear that their efforts were not enough to trigger the glass to open.
"I think it needs more," Morrigan said.
"Should I make the ice layer even thicker?" the blonde boy asked, his eyebrows furrowed in contemplation.
"I don''t think it''ll change much. It has a limited surface area. We should try to make the stream of magic continuous."
"Surface area?" the boy cocked his head quizzically.
"It means that no matter how much ice you pile on top, only a small amount of it will ever touch the casing."
"Okay, but it won''t be easy to have fire and ice touch the case at the same time. If you hit my ice too soon, then it''ll melt before even touching the glass."
"Can you create something more akin to snow? Make it snow down on the glass steadily and then I''ll make it melt?" Morrigan suggested.
"I can. Just make sure you don''t make fire too hot," Galandir warned, and then held up his arms, creating a gentle stream of snow that fell upon the case. The initial layer was too thick and quickly covered the glass, but he adjusted it to a more moderate pace.
Morrigan lifted one hand and imagined a gentle candlelight. A tiny warm flame swirling around the glass. Enough to melt the snowflakes that had fallen on top of it, but not enough to affect the still falling flakes. But the ring of fire she created around the pedestal was too strong and melted the snow long before it reached the glass.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
"You need to lower the heat. Imagine something calm and serene," Galandir said.
"I''m trying¡" she said, remembering how she had learned to control flames from Haku. The peace she imagined from flying on his back. However, the fact that the dragon was forced to fly in the dark Underworld scenery marred the image, giving fuel to her flames.
"That''s better, but the flame is still too strong."
"I''m having trouble imagining something peaceful¡" she admitted, pressing her eyes shut and trying to think of her time together with Father and Deziara. They were happy memories, but the constant dark of the Underworld weighed heavily on these images, like a dark prison.
"Think of your fire as a gentle morning sunlight. Wait¡ you''ve never seen the sun have you?" Galandir said, trying to come up with a different image.
Gentle morning sunlight? I''ve almost forgotten how it feels. How it wakes up the world, dries the dew from the grass, and warms up the day after the cold night. Slowly but surely.
Morrigan''s breath steadied and the ring of flame became a mere gentle flicker. It only melted the snow closest to it, making the glass shimmer with increasing intensity.
"Oh, you''re doing it! Keep it up!" Galandir encouraged. Morrigan kept her focus by thinking about the warm Overworld sun, and after a few minutes of careful control, the glass case was glowing until it finally disappeared.
"We did it!" Morrigan cheered and pulled Galandir into a quick hug. The boy appeared stupefied by the gesture, however, she was too happy to care and instead ran to retrieve the prize. "Come, let''s go to the winner''s circle."
"Sure," he said lamely and put his hand on the gem. It shimmered and a moment later both of them were standing in front of the podium with an audience exploding in cheers.
"And the winners of today''s task are Princess Morrigan and the champion from the Fallen Kingdom ¨C Galandir! Give them a big round of applause," Azrael announced, and another wave of cheers erupted from the crowd. Morrigan saw how Alphegor was applauding with a proud smile on his face.
She felt her own heart swell with pride and waved at the King and then at the audience, who began chanting her name. But they only chanted her name. She looked to Galandir, however the boy had already disappeared somewhere, leaving Morrigan to claim all the glory for herself.
***
You have got to be kidding me. I spent the whole morning and better part of the day trying to get through that maze and now I have to attend a ball. Who thought this would be a relaxing way to spend the evening?
Morrigan fumed inwardly as the demon maids were working their hardest to get her ready for the evening ball. Apparently, it was a celebration meant for the ten victorious participants of the competition. She understood that it was probably a grand opportunity for many people as the King himself was attending along with the representatives of the foreign delegations.
But she already had enough dealing with diplomats and nobles. The only thing Morrigan wanted to do was to sink into a bubble bath and rest her tired body. Instead, she had to accept the quick rub-down the maids did and wear the special gown prepared for the winners. These outfits were apparently magical in nature and would adjust their size according to the wearer''s body.
It was beautiful in Morrigan''s opinion ¨C a white dress with gold and black accents. However, the skirt of the dress was far too puffy for Morrigan''s liking and the many frills felt like they would crawl up her nose. She had managed to remove such clothing for her own wardrobe (after many arguments), but her particular taste was not accounted for in these dresses.
Once Morrigan was dressed, her guards escorted her to a large ballroom on the first floor of the castle, where winners, diplomats and nobles alike were already chatting and mingling happily. Among them, she spotted Viana along with the two nobles who decided to team up with her, Deziara, Larissa, the infernal champion, and the deep gnome champion.
How did the deep gnome make it so far? I was sure that the drow and duergar would have a better chance of getting to the end. I guess you can''t judge a book by its size.
As Morrigan entered the ballroom, trying to keep her head high and her gait straight, she saw her father and Lucius enter from the other side of the ballroom. Their eyes met briefly, and a flicker of a smile passed on Alphegor''s lips.
"Dear contestants who have made it to the last part of the competition, I am most delighted to see you here in the ancient halls of Demon Castle! I hope you will enjoy this special evening of the Nachtstern Festival. We are honored to host you in the Demon Castle and we wish you the best of luck in tomorrow''s task. Please, relax, eat, drink and dance to your heart''s content for this evening is meant for you!" Lucius announced and everyone erupted in thunderous applause.
Wait, did Lucius just say dance? That''s not mandatory, is it? I haven''t had much time for any dance lessons. The only dance I know is waltz and I''m pretty sure they don''t have it here in the Underworld.
As if somebody had heard her thoughts, musicians began playing a rather energetic tune using the violin, something akin to drums and saxophone. While it was not the first time Morrigan had heard demon music, it always felt odd and mismatched to her ears. Some of the braver guests went to the large open space at the end of the hall. Demon men and women came together and began dancing under the fast rhythm of music, weaving and moving their bodies like agile cats.
I definitely cannot dance like that. Better lay low and head towards the food table.
Morrigan sneaked her way through the ballroom, using her small size to avoid unwanted attention when suddenly black feathers blocked her path. She barely prevented a collision with the fallen girl Annabell who appeared shocked by her sudden appearance.
"I''m sorry for almost bumping into you. I didn''t notice you," Morrigan curtsied, hoping that this mistake would not cause an international incident.
"Oh, n-no! Don''t apologize! I-I was trying to find you," she spoke up in a meek voice. Her parents were nowhere near, but Morrigan saw their black wings somewhere on the other side of the hall, where diplomats were gathered together in a dense cluster.
"Oh, really? Was there something you wanted?" she asked, and the girl flinched. Morrigan wondered whether she was too direct, and was thinking of how to soften her words when Annabell spoke up.
"Yes, I just wanted to tell you how amazing you were during the competition today!" she blurted out, her cheeks twinged red from embarrassment. Morrigan blinked, stupefied by her sudden enthusiasm.
"I¡ Well¡ Thank you," she stammered awkwardly.
"Would you please t-tell me how you got the courage to do all those things?" Annabell asked, her eyes sparkling with barely contained excitement. "You are not much older than I am and yet you can do such brave things."
It was Morrigan''s turn to blush, and she wondered how to best answer. Her mind was drawing a blank.
"I just tried to do my best. Most of it was done out of instinct," she replied somewhat awkwardly.
"Really? That makes it even more amazing! The way you faced that landwyrm the other day was nothing short of amazing. I could never do something like that. It looked so scary!"
"It was scary. The only thing I thought of was that I didn''t want to get caught by it. So I just ran from it as fast as I could."
"That''s so amazing! And today when you opened the glass case with magic ¨C that looked so amazing!"
"It wasn''t just me. Galandir also helped," Morrigan chuckled, and Annabell cocked her head in confusion.
"Who is Galandir?"
"The champion from your kingdom," she replied, somewhat stupefied by her question.
"Oh, you mean Slave 13. It was only natural that he would do as you ask, he is a slave after all."
Slave 13? This girl doesn''t even know Galandir''s name? But if they care so little for him, then why would they name him their champion? This is getting weirder and weirder.
Chapter 72 – Dance with a King
It turned out that Annabell was not the shy girl Morrigan initially thought her to be. Once she became entranced in conversation, she kept going. And going. And going. Initially, the fallen girl was raining praise at Morrigan, then the topic switched to the competition in general, and later Annabell was explaining the difference between her pet arachnoids ¨C a sort of spider monster.
"They have the cutest little, black eyes and they look at you so intelligently. Truly arachnoids are the most amazing creatures on Doppelta," she gushed, completely unaware of how the corner of Morrigan''s lips was beginning to twitch.
Somebody, please save me! I don''t think I can endure any more ''lessons'' on arachnoid physiology.
Deziara''s familiar form passed through Morrigan''s peripheral vision, and she turned towards her, hoping to find salvation in her sister. However, before she could truly catch her, Deziara disappeared somewhere in the crowd.
So much for that escape route. Just how much longer do I have to listen about spiders? They''ll be showing up in my nightmares at this point.
"And did you know that their pincers secrete a special type of venom that can¡" Annabell carried on undisturbed, then suddenly the whole hall went silent, their gazes turning towards the far side of the ballroom where Alphegor was standing. Morrigan gently poked the girl, who looked around dumbfounded at first, then blushed and quickly shrunk back, muttering a quick apology.
"Dear contestants! I want to congratulate you all for getting this far in the competition. I wish you all luck in tomorrow''s performance and invite you all to dance to your heart''s content. As a reward for your hard work, you may request a dance from anyone within this hall," the King announced with a smile.
Morrigan felt cold sweat form on her hands as the attendants'' eyes went from Viana to Deziara to her. As the Demon King''s daughter, they were the most desired prize in the ballroom. One of the quicker demon noblemen was already bowing before Viana and asking her for a dance, while a few more were approaching Deziara and Morrigan.
No, no, no, I can''t let all these important people see me fumble on the dance floor. I need to find a way to not dance. Would it be all alright if I just pretended to be tired and left? It''s not exactly a lie. That probably isn''t the best solution, but it''s better than becoming a complete fool in front of everyone.
Another demon nobleman was bowing in front of Deziara, to which she responded with an elegant nod and extended her hand for him to take. While she could be brusque and even tomboyish at times, Deziara was still a princess and had proper etiquette drilled into her. She already had plenty of dancing lessons, so something like this wouldn''t be a problem for her.
As one of the demon noblemen approached Morrigan, she realized that her time was short. She needed to act or become a laughing stock. From the other side of the room, she saw her father looking, no, rather glaring, at the approaching nobleman, who was completely unaware of the death stare directed at him. That''s when an idea crossed her mind.
Morrigan decisively strode through the ballroom, ignoring those who wished to approach her for a dance. She headed straight towards Alphegor and then curtsied in front of him.
"Your Majesty, would you please dance with me?" she said with a smile. The King stared at her for a moment and then smiled, extending his hand towards her. As she took his hand, she saw how he was doing his best to keep a calm expression although the corners of his lips were twitching upwards from happiness.
"Of course," he announced loudly as he put his arm on her waist and held her right hand firmly. Those who had previously tried to approach Morrigan instantly shrunk back. It was doubtful that any of them would have enough nerve to ask her for a dance after she danced with the Demon King himself.
"Father¡ I can''t dance¡" she whispered so only Alphegor could hear.
"Do not worry. I''ll take care of it," he smiled at her, completely unperturbed by the fact. "You could have just told me you were tired, but I am glad you''ve decided to dance with me."
"I was thinking of doing that, but I figured it would be more impressive if I asked for you to dance," she whispered.
"Right you are, little one," Alphegor chuckled, and the song began to play. The King instantly took a firm lead in the dance, guiding Morrigan by not only using his hands but also sort of magic. It felt like she had become an extension of her father as he twisted and turned in perfect rhythm with the music. The whole ballroom was looking at them with awe, nobody daring to dance with them taking the center stage.
Despite Morrigan not knowing the dance, she actually enjoyed it. Alphegor guided her without any issues, not allowing her to make any mistakes, instead taking absolute control of the situation. Once the song came to an end she found herself breathing heavily, but it was a pleasant sort of tiredness.
"Thank you so much for the dance, Father!" She gave her father a deep curtsy.
"It was my pleasure," he replied with a smile. As soon as Morrigan moved away from the King, Viana strode toward him with resolute determination, her previous partner completely forgotten.
"Father, may I request a dance as well?" she said boldly, and gave a sharp look to Morrigan.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
"Of course, you may," Alphegor replied and took Viana''s hand. She appeared a bit surprised at first, but then a shy smile appeared on her face. This smile seemed different from the ones Morrigan was used to seeing. Those were just polite smiles that she wore to please people around here. But this smile, this one was genuine. And Morrigan thought it made her look beautiful.
However, she wasn''t about to remain in the ballroom and wait for somebody to muster the courage to ask her for a dance. Instead, she headed straight to the open door which led out into the gardens. Some people were already gathered outside, taking a breath of fresh air from the night festivities. Morrigan didn''t want to remain among them and instead headed deeper inside the gardens.
Nobody will mind if I disappear now right? I went there, I socialized and I danced with Father. Surely that''s enough.
Haku''s familiar growl resounded from somewhere nearby and Morrigan headed towards it. She was worried that perhaps some of the guests might have gone too close to the dragon and agitated him. But as she got closer, she realized those were not angry growls, but rather growls Haku made when he was curious about something.
I wonder what has caught his interest.
"Good dragon! Look at your beautiful scales," Morrigan heard Galandir speak and peeked from behind one of the bushes to observe the scene. The elven boy had climbed (or perhaps flown) inside Haku''s enclosure around his stables and had his hand extended towards the dragon. Haku looked a bit apprehensive but made no move to stop the boy from approaching.
"That''s impressive. Haku usually doesn''t like strangers approaching him," Morrigan said before momentarily turning into a shadow to get through the surrounding fence. Galandir flinched back and glared at her.
"Shouldn''t you be twirling around on the dance floor like a good princess?"
"Shouldn''t you be doing the same?" she retorted and went up to scratch the scales under Haku''s chin. The dragon purred happily, leaning into her touch.
"I can''t believe it. He actually is your pet dragon."
"Why wouldn''t he be? You thought Azrael was lying?"
"Yeah."
"I¡ I honestly can''t blame you for that. But Haku is my dragon through and through. I''ve watched him hatch," Morrigan said proudly and patted Haku''s neck.
"So he''s never actually seen the blue skies," Galandir said, looking at Haku with eyes filled with sadness.
"No," Morrigan admitted, her gaze falling down to the dark ground beneath her feet.
"Poor guy. You said his name was Haku?" Galandir moved closer to Haku, taking slow and careful steps. He held his arm out in front of him, reaching towards the dragon. Haku appeared a bit unnerved at first, but Morrigan patted his neck, soothing him. "I bet you''d love to fly freely, wouldn''t you? To soar in a sky with no limits."
Galandir''s expression was gentle as he looked at the dragon, who lowered his head and cautiously sniffed at the boy. He inched closer and closer until finally, his snout touched the elven boy''s hand. Morrigan could see the excitement glittering in his eyes, a wide, boyish grin spreading on Galandir''s face.
"Haku gets to fly often here," Morrigan argued weakly, but there was no strength behind her voice.
"It''s not the same and you know it, otherworlder," Galandir retorted and rubbed the scales on Haku''s snout. The dragon snorted but didn''t seem to mind the gesture, continuing a thorough inspection of the elven boy. Morrigan, on the other hand, was frozen in place, barely able to keep a calm expression.
"Otherworlder? Is this how you refer to people in the Underworld?" she retorted, trying to keep her composure, despite her racing heart.
"Don''t play dumb. You know how the sun feels, you''ve seen it before and not for a mere brief moment. The flame you created perfectly mimicked the morning sunlight. A true Underworld Princess wouldn''t be able to do that," he said nonchalantly, looking for the spot underneath Haku''s chin which Morrigan scratched before. As soon as he found it, Haku purred with delight, accepting Galandir as a new friend.
"You¡" she uttered, unsure of what to say. It felt like the whole incident with Asdeus and Faenor was repeating itself again. For a moment, she wondered whether she should just call for Azrael and nip the problem in its bud. But seeing Haku lowering his head to the ground ¨C an invitation to play ¨C and Galandir smiling back at him with a wide childish grin, dispelled such thoughts.
"It must be hard. You''ve been trapped in the Underworld for longer than I," he said and looked her straight in the eyes, his eyes portraying pain and suffering a child of such age shouldn''t have lived through.
"I''m not trapped," she retorted, feeling a bit offended by his pity.
"I suppose deluding yourself into thinking that must make it easier. But don''t you want to feel the warm rays of the sun again?"
"The Underworld has given me something more than just the sun. It gave me a family."
"The Underworld took away my family," Galandir said, and Morrigan flinched back. His eyes were filled with hatred and sadness, and she realized that the boy would no doubt seek revenge for those he had lost.
"I''m sorry¡" she stammered, unable to keep his gaze any longer.
"If you are truly sorry, then make a change."
"What?"
"You''re the Crown Princess now, aren''t you? The next ruler of the Demon Kingdom. If there''s anybody who can make a change and anybody who understands that changes need to be made, then it is you, otherworlder," the elven boy said, then turned towards Haku. "And I suggest you start by freeing your dragon."
"I''m not just going to release Haku!" she objected and clung onto her draconic friend, who sensing her distress, covered her protectively with his wing.
"This dragon is ready to give his life for you and yet you are denying him his birthright ¨C his freedom. You know he''ll never thrive in the Underworld. He will slowly wither away and become a husk of what he could be," Galandir said, then turned to leave.
"Wait, you can''t¨C"
"I have no intention of exposing you, Princess. I''m not foolish enough to believe it would ever do me any favors," he said dismissively and then flew out of Haku''s enclosure, heading towards the castle.
Haku jumped up and down excitedly, wanting to follow the boy, while Morrigan just stared at his retreating form, dumbfounded. She looked at Haku, who was spreading his wings, ready to take off and fly.
"Would you really be happier if you were free? Away from me?" she asked the dragon, who jumped up in the air and began circling around the Demon Castle. It took him no time at all to do a full lap around the castle, and she realized that the Underworld indeed might be too small for this magnificent creature.
Chapter 73 – Talent of the Underworld
The fifth day of the Festival came with a new wave of excitement as it was the last and most important day. Morrigan donned a new beautiful kimono-style dress. Its black color made a stark contrast to Morrigan''s ashen skin while the lava flower motif complemented her red hair.
She sat on a special podium made specifically for the last remaining contestants, Deziara sitting on her right while Viana sat on her right. The podium was positioned on the right front side of the stage that had been used the previous days while a crowd of enthusiastic watchers were excitedly chattering among themselves and occasionally stealing glances in their direction.
"Dear audience, we have reached the final day of our wonderful festival and also the last day of the competition. And how better to end it than with a wonderful performance where everyone has a chance to show off their talents!" Azrael strode across the stage, talking in his amplified voice and looking exactly like the big show hosts Morrigan had seen on TV.
I wonder if he has seen some of those popular talent shows. I don''t really remember what he was watching while we were on Earth.
"Of course, we need to determine a winner, and to do that I have gathered a council of judges," Azrael said and then pointed towards a different podium that was set up on the other side of the stage, right across from the participants. "Among our judges, we have representatives of our foreign delegations, our King''s four beautiful consorts and none other than His Majesty himself."
That has got to be the most biased group of judges I have ever seen. Viviana and Lady Lily are there too, it''s quite obvious they are voting for their daughters while Father will probably vote for me. The representatives will no doubt vote for their champions. Although the winner is likely to be a demon since the remaining two consorts will vote for one of us princesses.
The audience however didn''t seem to have any issues with the judges and greeted them with applause. Or more likely was that nobody dared to show their disdain since the King was one of the judges. Would anyone even dare to oppose his vote and vote for somebody else? Consorts could probably get away with it but what about the diplomats? Morrigan prayed that her father wouldn''t try to intimidate them.
"Now, let''s get this started!" Azrael cheered and shot sparks of lightning from his fingertips into the air, making the crowd go wild. "We''ll begin with the participant who finished last in the maze and then move our way up to the winners. So would our lovely vampire Larissa kindly take the stage?"
Azrael retreated from the stage with a flourish and Larissa gracefully strode to take his place. The men in the crowd couldn''t take their eyes off her, staring unabashedly at her beautiful form which was even more accentuated by the long black dress she wore.
"If I may request some music," she said, addressing the group of demon musicians who sat on the side of the stage. They nodded, no doubt already well aware of what she wanted them to play, and began. A melodious tune began playing with the violin taking the lead among instruments, and Larissa began to dance.
As soon as she began moving, Morrigan became entranced. She moved so fluidly, so perfectly along with the music that was playing that it felt that Larissa had become the music itself. She embodied it perfectly as her body twisted and turned in the delicate and beautiful balance. But all too soon, the song came to an end and she stopped, her piercing red eyes looking at the audience.
There was a moment before everyone realized that it was over and then the crowd erupted into cheers. Men were especially enthusiastic, and Morrigan noticed that even her father was applauding, his gaze glued to Larissa.
"Father is liking this a bit too much," Deziara grumbled.
"Her dance was very good," Viana said, but it was clear that she didn''t want to admit that.
"We need to keep her away from Father. She''s too good," Morrigan said and both of her sisters agreed with a firm nod. A vampire concubine was the last thing they needed in the Demon Castle.
Larissa left the stage, escorted by thunderous applause. The next participant was the infernal champion whose fiery form attracted everyone''s attention in a different sort of way. Morrigan looked at him with deep curiosity and wondered what sort of talent he would display.
The infernal snapped his fingers and a little infernal child ran onto the stage holding a large box in his hand. The boy put it in front of the champion and then with a bow and with what Morrigan assumed to be a smile left the stage. The infernal broke the lid open and then turned the box, showing its contents to the audience. It was sand.
"Why is he showing us sand?"
"Is he going to do something with it?"
"This is disappointing."
The audience muttered in dissatisfaction, but the infernal didn''t appear to put be off their reaction. Instead, he jammed his hand deep inside the box and then kept it buried in the sand for a while. When he finally pulled it out, the sand within had formed into what looked like molten glass. He shook his hand and then the glob fell down from it onto the infernal''s other hand.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
And then he began molding the molten glass with his hand as if it were modeling clay. First, he formed an elongated body with what looked like a tail. Then he grabbed more sand from the box and melted it, putting the resulting blob on the figurine''s head. Then he formed the wings, the legs and finally used his fingernails to perfect the little details on the dragon.
As he revealed the fragile little dragon statue to the judges and the audience, everyone began clapping. It wasn''t the same sort of applause that Larissa got, but it still was a good reaction. Morrigan was applauding most enthusiastically of them all.
"What are you so happy about? He''s your competitor," Viana grumbled.
"But that is amazing! He just made a dragon sculpture out of glass in such a short amount of time. That must have taken a lot of practice before he managed to perfect it," Morrigan gushed, her eyes glued to the little glass statuette.
"Oh, please. He''s an infernal ¨C melting sand into glass is no big deal for them. Their whole country survives from the glasswork," Viana retorted, not looking impressed in the slightest.
You really can''t appreciate the finer things in life. I still think it was really impressive. Not sure if he beat Larissa''s dance, but it certainly is a close call. Unfortunately, I don''t think the majority of the crowd understands such complexities.
The next one to perform was the little deep gnome champion. He was holding an instrument which resembled bagpipes and looked really eager to play. However, as soon as he began blowing the instrument the whole gathered crowd, Morrigan included, covered their ears at the loud, screeching sound. It sounded like somebody grabbed a metallic pot and was grating the bottom of it with a fork and then added a trumpet into the mix.
"That is quite enough," Alphegor''s voice boomed over the grating noise, making the deep gnome jump up in surprise and stare at the King with fear.
"Let us move on to the next performance," Azrael said awkwardly, shooing the deep gnome away from the stage, who ran off, his cheeks red from embarrassment. Morrigan expected the deep gnome diplomat to get mad at this, but instead, he looked relieved.
Even the diplomat didn''t like it, so this is not something that deep gnomes would enjoy. But why send him to represent your race if you knew he couldn''t perform well? Did they expect him to do something else?
But the question remained unanswered as the next participants took their turns on the stage. The demon nobles Viana had gone with in the maze both performed some sort of sword dance, displaying various sword techniques Morrigan knew nothing about. The audience appeared impressed enough by their display, so she had to accept that they did well enough.
Then it was Viana''s turn to show her talent. The audience seemed to be leaning forward as they watched her walk onto the stage with her violet hair flowing behind her like a veil. One of the demon servants brought her a violin which she hoisted ontohere shoulder and then began playing without hesitation.
The song Viana performed was a well-known and loved tune that Morrigan had heard before. It was often played during large official parties and was associated with royalty and their strong rule. But despite Viana''s play being completely perfect without a single missed note, Morrigan couldn''t force herself to get moved by it. It was like the song was mechanically played by a robot rather than a live person.
Once Viana''s song was done, the demons in the crowd went wild, cheering and praising their princess. Lady Viviana appeared especially satisfied, applauding at her daughter without reserve.
"Was I the only one who thought that something was missing?" Deziara whispered, leaning close to Morrigan.
"I don''t think her heart was in it," Morrigan nodded in agreement.
"So odd. It was perfect and yet I couldn''t bring myself to like it."
"Maybe it''s just because we know how Viana really is," Morrigan shrugged.
"Maybe. Well, it''s my turn next, so wish me luck," Deziara said and stood up from her seat.
"Good luck," Morrigan called and watched her walk towards the stage, meeting Viana halfway through. Viana appeared very smug and satisfied with her performance, giving Morrigan a condescending look as she sat down in her place.
"That is how one is supposed to perform," she said. Morrigan decided not to reply and instead concentrated on Deziara. She had a good feeling about what she''d do, it was a well-known fact that Deziara was an incredible dancer. But would her dance outperform Larissa''s? The vampire woman had the mature allure that Deziara still lacked.
However, as soon as the music began playing and Deziara''s body sprung into motion, Morrigan''s doubts disappeared. Her fluid and agile movements exuded such confidence and strength that it felt that her body was the one that created the music rather than just moving along with its rhythm. Not to mention that some of Deziara''s moves were nearly acrobatic in nature, as she moved her body in such angles that a normal demon definitely could not achieve.
Once her dance was over, the ovation from the crowd was no less than they were for Larissa. But the strongest praise of all was the proud smile on Alphegor''s face as he applauded for Deziara. Her cheeks flushed a bit, and she curtsied for the audience, soaking in their cheers. Even Viana, who had not applauded for anyone before, clapped for Deziara. But only a few times.
"You did great!" Morrigan said as Deziara returned to her seat.
"Hehe, now we won''t need to worry about that vampire woman," she snickered.
"Indeed, you did well," Viana admitted and both of the younger sisters stared at her in disbelief. "Close your mouths, you two. It is unsightly for a princess!"
The girls laughed happily and then turned their attention back to the stage where it was Galandir''s time to perform.
I wonder what he could even do to impress the audience. As a young boy, he wouldn''t have had the time to hone any talents like others did. Even I have an advantage over him since I''ve had time to hone my art skills in the human world. I just hope he doesn''t fail like the gnome.
It was clear that nobody was expecting much from him, a large portion of the audience chattering among themselves instead of paying attention to him.
"Could you amplify my voice?" he asked Azrael.
"Sure thing, buddy," Azrael said and waved his hand. Judging by his snicker, the demon also wasn''t expecting much from the boy. But then Galandir began singing and the whole crowd went completely silent.
Chapter 74 – Kings Portrait
The moment Galandir began singing, the crowd went completely quiet, surprised by what they heard. A voice so pure, melodious and beautiful that it contrasted with everything that the Underworld was. Like warm sunshine after a long winter. Morrigan couldn''t understand the words he was singing as they were in the elven language. However, the emotion and the meaning behind them were clear.
It was a song about freedom and his yearning for it. His voice was filled with the deepest sadness, overtaking Morrigan''s senses completely as she felt her very soul be touched by his performance. However, the sadness was not the only thing she could feel ¨C there was also unyielding strength and determination.
The words Galandir had told her the other night only strengthened his song, and she felt a strong resolve form within herself. A strong desire to change things ¨C to make them better. As this desire formed within her, Galandir''s song came to a close, leaving complete silence behind.
He didn''t bow or smile at the audience like the other contestants had. Instead he just left the stage without a word and went back to his seat. Nobody applauded. Nobody said anything. Only when Azrael spoke did the crowd wake from their trance.
"A-Alright, let''s move on to our last contestant then ¨C Princess Morrigan!"
It took a moment for Morrigan to realize that it was her turn to perform. She wanted to applaud Galandir for his song, but the boy had already disappeared from the stage. The audience turned their attention to her and cheered, encouraging her to take the stage. Morrigan put on her polite mask and got up, walking towards the stage with measured steps. Her heart began to beat fast as she once again found herself at the center of everyone''s attention.
It''s alright, just take a deep breath and relax. You''ll do just fine.
As Morrigan stepped onto the stage, the gazes from the audience seemed to pierce into her like arrows. It felt like she could barely breathe under the pressure.
I can do this, just be calm.
"I-I''d like to request my supplies," she announced, trying to keep the shaky smile on her lips. Gunna emerged from behind the stage, first bringing out an easel with a canvas already set upon it and then bringing Morrigan all the paints, brushes, water and palette.
"You can do it, Lady Morrigan," the dwarf nanny whispered as she handed her supplies. There was an intrigued sort of muttering in the crowd.
"Is she going to paint?"
"She''s a child. It''s normal for children to enjoy painting."
"But shouldn''t a princess show something a bit more impressive?"
Morrigan did her best to ignore the comments, but she felt herself be constrained by them. She began doubting whether it was a good idea to show her artistic talent for the whole Underworld to see. Demons weren''t big enthusiasts for art, so perhaps it was a mistake.
She turned to look at the audience and saw her father sitting in front of everyone. His eyes were sparkling with excitement as he watched her every move. He wanted to see her paint, and this knowledge settled Morrigan''s nervous heart. She looked towards the contestant podium and saw how Deziara had the same sort of excitement in her eyes.
It doesn''t matter what all of these people think ¨C as long as Father and Deziara and other people who are close to me support me, I can do this.
"And now I''d like to request for His Majesty to come and pose for me," she said with a smile looking her father straight in the eyes. Without a moment''s hesitation, the King stood up and strode onto the stage.
"I shall oblige your request," he announced and snapped his fingers. A dark throne with red upholstery, the same one that usually sat in the throne room, appeared onto the stage and Alphegor sat down on it, looking as kingly as one ever could. The crowd had gone quiet and Morrigan couldn''t tell whether it was a good kind of silence or judgemental kind of silence.
There''s no need to worry about them. Just do what you do best, Morrigan.
The easel was positioned in a way that the audience could see everything that she was doing. Morrigan, however, had her eyes only on her father. She took a deep breath and then began.
First, I''ll begin with the background. The black dragon ornament makes for a really nice, black background so I can just paint the whole canvas black.
She took a large brush, applied a generous amount of black paint on the palette and then painted the whole canvas black with large, generous strokes. Then, she mixed the black color on the palette with white, creating a dark gray color and using that as a base for the throne.
Alright, now to set up the basic form for father. He''s wearing the deep purple robes that are customary to the Nachtstern Festival, so that will make it easier to give the whole painting a ''royal'' feel.
She took purple color and mixed it with a bit of black, making it richer and then painted the basic contours of her father''s body and outfit. Afterwards she used light gray for his skin and rich red for his hair.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
That is a good base, now it is time to start defining shadows.
"That is cute," she heard somebody whisper in the crowd.
"My children also like drawing. It seems that royal children are not so different from normal children."
"Shouldn''t a princess be a bit better than normal children?"
But their words couldn''t bother her anymore as Morrigan was already in her own world. She began by defining the background ¨C adding more shadows to the dragon ornament, accentuating the scales and defining the shape of the throne, making it appear three-dimensional rather than just a plain shape.
Okay, this is shaping up nicely, now to the main part. I need to make sure that Father is painted in the best way possible.
She looked past the canvas, taking in every detail of her father''s appearance. She measured how the colors of his robes appeared in the strong stage lights. She took in how the features of his face interacted with each other, making a single whole. She admired the strength that he exuded by merely sitting on a throne.
Her hands seemed to move on their own accord as she mixed one color after the next, matching the tones, creating deeper shadows and slowly bringing the painting to life. The fabric of her father''s attire became more detailed, the face on the canvas reflected the same one that sat in front of her and the strands of hair gave volume and life-like beauty of the portrait.
The audience had gone completely quiet, watching Morrigan''s every movement without daring to blink. They felt that if they would blink, they''d miss what the Princess was doing.
Now it''s time for the best part ¨C lights!
Morrigan put a generous dollop of white paint on the palette and then began applying light to the various elements in the painting. First the scales for the ornament in the background, but not too much as to not bring too much attention to it. Then the almost metallic reflection of the throne, the shine of Alphegor''s hair and finally the reflection in his eyes, that looked upon Morrigan as she painted.
Finally, Morrigan took the smallest brush and began applying the final touches to the painting ¨C the darkest of shadows, the golden dragon motif of Alphegor''s kimono. She defined his facial features even further and added the ridges on his horns. Once that was done, she gave the painting one last look and nodded with satisfaction.
"It is complete!" She announced and stepped aside to show her masterpiece to the audience. They stared at it in amazement, taking in the details she worked so hard on.
"I-It looks just like the king¡"
"I can''t believe that the little princess could create something like this."
"But would His Majesty accept it? He''s rejected every single portrait that has been made for him before."
Wait¡ what?!
The last comment threw Morrigan off and she looked to her father for explanation. But before the King could get up to look at the painting, Azrael appeared on the stage.
"Demons, demonesses and guests, you''ve seen it first hand ¨C the artistic talent that Princess Morrigan possesses. The question is ¨C will it finally be the one portrait that our King accepts? We all know that no artist has ever been up to His Majesty''s standards," Azrael said, and Morrigan felt cold sweat form on her forehead.
I''ve never heard of this! Father even asked me to paint him once so I couldn''t even imagine that he would have rejected artists before. But he has always praised my paintings, so it''ll be alright. Right?
Alphegor got up from the throne and strode towards the painting, his gaze stern. She almost began feeling nauseous but then noticed a small smile appear on his lips. As he finally looked upon the painting, the smile only grew wider and wider turning into the same fatherly smile she was so familiar with.
"Those previous artists clearly had no idea what they were doing. This is what a portrait should look like," the King announced, and the crowd went completely wild, cheering, applauding and hollering at the top of their lungs.
"You heard it from the demon''s mouth himself, folks! The King has accepted the Princess''s painting!" Azrael cheered as well, and everyone began chanting Morrigan''s name. The sudden positive change made her flush from embarrassment.
"Thank you¡" she muttered and after a quick curtsy, returned back to the contestants podium. Deziara was already expecting her, her eyes brimming with excitement.
"Morri, when did you get this good? I knew you could paint well, but this is something else entirely!"
"I practiced drawing Father a lot. In the evenings when he''d work, I''d sketch him and then try to paint that the next day," Morrigan explained. Creating a painting so quickly was only possible once you already knew exactly what you were painting. If she had painted somebody besides her father, then the result would be vastly different.
"That practice clearly paid off. That''s the best painting I''ve seen in a long while," Deziara said and gave Morrigan a quick side hug.
"Alright, settle down everyone. All of our participants have shown us their talents so now it is time for us, or rather the judges, to determine the winner!" Azrael announced, taking the center stage.
Everyone turned their gazes towards the judges, Alphegor having rejoined them. Although the King''s gaze was still glued to the portrait that stood in the center of the stage. Morrigan wondered whether she should have taken it with her when she left the stage, but it was too late to do that now.
"To determine the winner, we''re going to do something simple ¨C a vote. Each judge will vote for their favorite performance and the one who gets the most votes wins the Competition earning themselves a boon from the King, the Burmese Ruby, and a nice stack of gold," Azrael explained, then turned towards the judges. "Now, let''s begin with our delegation representatives.
"I vote for Larissa," announced the vampire diplomat.
"Princess Deziara," said the duergar diplomat, although it clearly pained him that their champion hadn''t made it to the last task.
"Princess Morrigan," said the drow representative and Morrigan''s heart fluttered with excitement at the mention of her name.
"Princess Morrigan," the deep gnome diplomat agreed. Apparently, they were too embarrassed to support the performance of their champion.
"Lionell," the infernal representative said curtly, and it took a while for Morrigan to realize that he was talking about the infernal champion as she had never pinned down his name.
"Wonderful answer from our wonderful judges, but before we go any further, I''m afraid we''re going to have to take a little break. We''ve been enjoying the show for a while now and I''m sure my dearest audience could use a break. We''ll resume our vote after a twenty-minute break."
Everyone groaned in disappointment, but it was undeniable that the competition had gone on for quite a while. Begrudgingly Morrigan, Deziara and other participants got up from their seats, and went to get some refreshments.
Chapter 75 – Winner
After the break, everyone eagerly returned to watch the conclusion of the competition. Some people never bothered to leave, worrying that they would miss something. Morrigan was on pins and needles the whole time, doing math in her head and wondering if there was any chance for her or Deziara to win. Part of her just wanted to win, another part wanted Deziara to succeed and there was a little bit of her that hoped that Galandir would win as his performance had truly touched her heart.
"Is everyone ready to continue the vote?" Azrael took command of the competition again, and the crowd responded with a loud cheer.
Azrael would really make a great showman. It''s a shame there''s no TV in the Underworld. Although¡ there are these projection crystals so perhaps something akin to TV could be created through magic. I''d need to understand it more to make any actual conclusions.
"Alright, Prime Minister Heinspiel, I believe it is your turn to vote," the white-haired demon said.
"I vote for the fallen champion, of course," he answered curtly. Morrigan wished that he would have voted for Galandir because he believed in his talent, but obviously, it was only because he was representing the Fallen Kingdom. After all, he didn''t even bother to call his name.
"Wonderful, now it''s time for our lovely consorts to cast their vote!"
"I''m voting for my daughter, although I do wish I could cast a vote for Princess Morrigan as well," Lady Lily said forlornly.
"I''m afraid it''s one vote for the judge, Lady Lily. But I do understand your sentiment," Azrael chuckled and turned his gaze to the third consort, Henrietta. She was a demoness with short blonde hair and blue eyes, a real beauty. However, Morrigan rarely ever encountered her as she was very withdrawn and rarely left her room.
"I vote for Princess Morrigan," she said briskly, not even sparing Azrael a glance. This surprised Morrigan a bit, but then again Lady Henrietta''s daughter hadn''t entered so it was clear she would have chosen one of the princesses.
"I vote for Princess Deziara," Lady Julia said, still sporting her usually cute pink attire, standing out from among the crowd of demons like a sore thumb. Morrigan would find her refreshing if her reactions weren''t so over the top all the time.
"Obviously Princess Viana''s performance was the best one," Lady Viviane announced with a twinge of sorrow in her voice. No doubt she had expected her daughter to receive more votes, and looking at Viana it was clear that she was less than pleased by this development.
"That leaves with one final vote. Your Majesty, would you please do us the honor of announcing the winner?" Azrael said, and Alphegor got up from his seat and went back up to the stage. Morrigan''s heart beat like crazy as it was clear who her father would vote for.
"I believe you all are already aware who is the winner of this Nachtstern Competition. The youngest participant of all, who has proved her physical prowess, magical aptitude, and her wit. It is my daughter ¨C Princess Morrigan," Alphegor said with a warm smile and reached his hand towards Morrigan. Her cheeks flushed red as the crowd cheered and chanted her name.
She took a moment to take a deep breath and then walked towards the stage. The feeling was exhilarating ¨C people cheered at her and not just because she was the Demon King''s daughter, but because she''s actually shown them something worthwhile. Something that they liked.
As Morrigan stood before Alphegor, he put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Congratulations, my daughter. You have accomplished something most demons could only dream of. With this victory, I grant you any boon you wish and the Burmese Ruby."
Alphegor produced the box that contained the ruby and presented it to Morrigan. She opened the box and looked at the red gem in awe. It glistened with a radiant light, unblemished and utterly perfect. But as she admired it, she noticed something with a corner of her eye.
While the crowd was focusing on her and the King, a few fallen had grabbed struggling Galandir and were dragging him away through the crowd, who paid no mind to them.
They''re going to punish him because he didn''t win. But they wouldn''t be too harsh towards a child, would they?
Morrigan tried to calm herself down with that thought, but deep inside she knew that he''d no doubt be beaten half to death. They didn''t care about some slave boy unless he would prove himself useful to them. And since he hadn''t¡
I can''t let them drag him away!
"Thank you, Father! But I am afraid I''d never have gotten this far if I didn''t have the help of Galandir, the champion of the Fallen Kingdom," Morrigan spoke loudly and the crowd grew quiet, their gazes slowly turning towards the struggling boy. The two fallen that were dragging him away paused, dumbfounded by the sudden attention.
"Let go of me!" Galandir snarled and wriggled out of their grasp. Hushed murmurs went through the audience as they observed the scene before them.
I feel like I''m digging my own grave here, but I won''t let a child just be dragged away and beaten if I can help it.
"I believe that Galandir''s valiant efforts should be rewarded as he not only reached the final task of the Competition but also performed a beautiful song which I believe deserved far more votes than it got. But since he is a child and a slave, nobody here has recognized his effort," she said and noticed how her father''s eyes narrowed a bit.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
Father doesn''t look pleased with this. I am probably overstepping my boundaries here, but what is the point of being a Crown Princess if I can''t do even this much?
"I also believe that it is unfair to grant a boon to me since I may ask my father, the King, for help at any time, while others will never have such a chance. So I''d like to give this boon to Galandir instead," she finished, trying to keep a serene expression. However, it proved to be increasingly more difficult as more and more demons looked at her with distaste.
"Are you sure about this, Princess Morrigan?" Alphegor asked, and the tone of his voice indicated that the answer should be ''no''.
Oh, dear. Father is mad at me. Maybe I¡
She looked at Galandir and all of her doubts disappeared as she saw the boy looking at her with what looked like hope. Previously, his eyes always looked dark as if there was no joy left in his life. But now there was a spark of life.
I''ll just have to accept whatever punishment he gives me later.
"Yes, I am absolutely sure!" she said resolutely. Muttering increased in intensity, but Galandir didn''t intend to wait for anyone to step forth and object. He strode onto the stage and bowed in front of Morrigan.
"Thank you for your graciousness, Your Highness. I will accept the kindness you have bestowed upon me," There was no mock in the boy''s voice, his words were sincere. Alphegor''s fist clenched and a flash of red went through his eyes. However, once his eyes went back to Morrigan, his expression relaxed, resigned to her whims.
"Very well, elf. Tell me what you wish to ask of me," the King said, and the crowd went quiet, listening intently.
"I wish to be free," he said resolutely and Prime Minister Heinspiel jumped up from his seat.
"That is not something you can grant him! He is our slave!" the fallen man called in anger, and the rest of the fallen called out in agreement.
"I said that I shall grant any boon and I will fulfill my word," Alphegor looked at Minister Heinspiel with a gaze so cold that nobody dared to even squeak. Minister tried to hold the King''s gaze at first but was unable to do so for long and lowered his gaze before long. "How much do you want to have for the boy?"
"Three million gold," the minister stated, and everyone gasped. With that much gold, one could feed the whole of the Demon Kingdom for a year. Morrigan couldn''t comprehend the outrageous sum and her heart sank as she realized that her father would never pay that amount for a slave. Nobody would.
"Very well," Alphegor replied coldly, and Minister Heinspiel fell back into his seat. Clearly, he had called the outrageous sum just to dissuade the King. But Alphegor was not somebody to be taken lightly. He turned towards Azrael and said, "Inform Lucius of this and take the boy to the castle."
"At once, Your Majesty," Azrael said and grabbed Galandir by the scruff. "Let''s go, boy!"
A moment later, they both disappeared into the shadows, leaving Morrigan and Alphegor alone on the stage. The crowd resumed their cheers, celebrating and congratulating her on her victory. However, she felt a distinct coldness coming from her father, giving her an unpleasant sense of dread. And it only grew stronger once she saw the hatred with which the Prime Minister Heinspiel was looking at her.
***
"Everything is ready for the grand finale, Your Majesty," one of the servants whispered to Alphegor, who nodded approvingly. Morrigan sat to his right, while Viana sat on his left in a grand podium that was erected in front of the stage after the Competition concluded.
Morrigan couldn''t help but feel amazed at the speed at which demons always managed to set things up. Within twenty minutes, a dozen demons could transform the whole market square into what reminded Morrigan of an opera. The stage also had a completely different background now ¨C with dark castle walls and bushes for decorations instead of the black dragon.
Apparently, it was a tradition that each Nachtstern Festival ended with a play that portrayed the historical events of the past ¨C the reason why it existed in the first place. Morrigan was eager to learn exactly what happened between the Overworld and Underworld to make their inhabitants hate each other so much.
All the magic lights that were in the area turned off, leaving only the lights that were illuminating the stage. Two figures strode onto the stage, one dressed in all black and the other in all white.
"Dear Underworlders, you all know our wonderful world of Doppelta, but do all of you know how it came to be?" the narrator spoke in a deep, masculine voice, something Morrigan would compare to an audiobook narrator. His tone was friendly and indicated that the story was meant for the younger inhabitants of the Underworld.
"For not always has Underworld and Overworld been separate, once it existed as one," the narrator said, and the two figures on the stage came together in a hug. "The passages between the two were open and races of the Underworld could be found in Overworld and the Overworld races could be found in the Underworld. It was a wonderful time of peace and mutual understanding."
The flurry of actors of different races appeared on the stage, dancing, and weaving together while a wonderful melody played in the background. Black and white figures stood at the center of it all, holding each other in a tight embrace.
"But one day everything changed¡" All the actors ran off the stage while the hugging figures retreated to the very back. "A young human man, seeking to become a ''hero'' came to the Underworld in an attempt to become stronger."
A man in armor strode onto the stage and Morrigan''s pulse quickened as she believed that it was an actual human. However, looking at his features more carefully she realized that it was actually an elf, his ears hidden underneath the metal helmet. To this day, she had not yet met even a single human in Doppelta.
"Of course, he was not the first to seek his fortune and fame, there were many before him. However, this man went beyond where any person should venture ¨C he descended into the deepest recesses of the Underworld," the stage went dark, only one lone torchlight being held by the elf.
"There he met the king of all dragons ¨C the almighty ancient landwyrm. It warned the human to turn back, but he didn''t listen and the two clashed in a battle. However, the landwyrm was already old and weak, so the human warrior defeated him," the narrator said while a smaller version of a landwyrm construct grappled with the elf on the stage. After a while, the red light shone onto the scene and the landwyrm fell onto the ground and then disappeared into smoke. Once the smoke cleared a pile of gems stood in its place.
"As the ancient landwyrm died, the magical gems that he had collected over his long life emerged from his body. The human took them all and rushed back home, telling everyone of the treasure he had discovered," the narrator continued and the scene rapidly changed, the dark background switching for bright green trees and lightning turning nearly blinding from its brightest.
"Once the other humans learned of the Underworld treasures, they began to venture into it more and more often, each one seeking to slay the beast with magic within them and obtain their power for themselves."
Chapter 76 – Tale Older than Time
"More and more humans came to the Underworld, killing one Underworld creature after another in hopes that one of them would bring them the same riches the first human warrior got from the landwyrm. When they got only one or maybe two magic gems per monster, their greed only grew and they began slaughtering any beast they found," the narrator said, as the actors on the stage recreated the scene, magical monster constructs littering the stage.
Morrigan noticed that the black and white figures in the back were slowly separating from one another, going from a deep hug to merely holding hands.
"The inhabitants of the Underworld began to notice how it became harder and harder to find monsters to hunt and how magical gems that were previously in abundant supply, began to dwindle. They searched for the cause and soon discovered it to be humans," the narrator continued, his voice turning slightly grim.
"The demons went to the humans and asked them to stop, hoping to solve the matter peacefully at first. But humans had discovered a power they never held in their hands before and became arrogant and greedy. They rejected the demons and continued to kill the monsters of the Underworld."
"But the demons weren''t willing to accept it so they took up arms and fought against humans. They were stronger, and soon it became near impossible for humans to venture Underground. For a short while it felt like the peace had been restored in the Underworld," the narrator said, the scene changed to happy looking demons and other Underworld races. The black and white figures were barely touching fingers, their heads turned away from each other.
"While the demons were celebrating, humans were hard at work, trying to come up with a solution to overcome the magically more powerful demons. And one day they discovered the secret of the demonkind," the narrator said, and the music became melancholic, with heavy drum beats playing in the background.
He must be talking about the fact that demon children are born without souls. I guess they wouldn''t announce that with so many guests of other races around.
"They created magic that could summon demons and bind them to their will, giving up their own souls as payments," the tone of the narrator''s voice indicated how worthless the payment actually was. On the stage the same human warrior from before had a demon woman locked in chains.
"With this newfound power, humans continued to pillage the Underworld until there was nothing left. But their greed knew no bounds and they began to look to their neighbors in Overworld for more. They conquered the elves, the dwarves, and all other Overworld races, taking everything to themselves."
"Meanwhile the people of the Underworld suffered. Stronger demons were forced to fight their wars while weaker ones were used for hard labor. Demon, drow and duergar alike died from starvation and exhaustion," The narrator''s voice was low and full of sorrow, while actors on the stage portrayed the misery demons had felt. The black and white figures in the back were also clashing against each other in battle.
"But one day, a young demon, who was enslaved by the same demon warrior who first invaded the Deep, learned how to break free of his chains. He killed the warrior and began teaching the demons to free themselves of human contract. A bloody war began between humans and demons."
The scene on the stage showed demons and humans clashing with swords while magic swirled around the air, making it both beautiful and gruesome at the same.
"A war dragged on for many centuries. Demons grew weary and exhausted, while humans could continue without remorse, one generation replaced by the next. The young demon, now the King, understood that the war could not drag on for much longer. And so he gathered all of the strongest demon mages and closed all entrances to the Underworld," the narrator said, and the black and white figures took center stage ahead. Only this time they were separated by a giant wall.
"Since that day the Overworld and Underworld became separate and this world became known as Doppelta ¨C the Dual World. The Underworld has continued to live in peace under the first Demon King''s rule and to this day we honor the king that freed our world. We honor the First King Nachtstern!"
All actors came onto the stage and bowed, and the crowd followed suit, turning their gazes to Alphegor and then bowing before him. Even the concubines and all of Morrigan''s sisters rose to their feet and bowed, so Morrigan hurried to follow their lead. It felt a bit odd, bowing to their Father like that but she understood that it was her duty.
"Praise King Nachtstern!" the crowd began to chant.
"Praise King Nachtstern!" the concubines and Morrigan''s sister repeated.
"Praise King Nachtstern!" she repeated too, but there was a sort of unpleasant nagging at the back of her mind.
I understand why the demons hate humans so much but is this really all that there is to this tale? It felt rather¡ one-sided, painting humans as the absolute bad guys.
***
After the play, the people were shooed away from the Market Square to prepare the grand evening feast. Apparently, all of the best food and drinks were brought out for celebration and everyone could have their fill, even the poor who were already eagerly lining up on the side streets, waiting for the preparations to finish.
But the royal family would not partake in this feast, and instead, there was a different one prepared in the Demon Castle where all of the notable demons and representatives from Underworld countries came together to mingle. It was considered the grandest event and anyone who was somebody even remotely important was set to attend.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Morrigan, however, wished that she wouldn''t have to attend and groaned as the maids were once again set upon the task of dolling her up for the occasion. The fact that she had won the Competition made her into the main attraction of the show, so she expected to have a very long and exhausting evening ahead of her.
"Gunna, perhaps I could just slip away to my room and pretend to be sick?" she asked her dwarf nanny who was busy preparing her a fresh new hairstyle for the night.
"I wish I could allow you to do so. It is too much for a small child," Gunna sighed, gently patting Morrigan''s head, comforting warmth radiating from her palm. She enjoyed the soothing sensation, letting her worries fade if only for a moment. After a moment, the nanny continued, "But do not worry. You will not be alone. Master Alphegor will always be there to support you."
"He looked a bit angry at me before," Morrigan noted, remembering the cold gaze he cast upon them after she begged him to free Galandir. She did not regret her decision, although three million gold was definitely an infuriating amount.
Slavery as such just shouldn''t exist, especially when it comes to children. They should be growing and learning, instead of doing hard labor.
"Even so, he wouldn''t just leave you alone during such an important event," Gunna said, and the demon maids nodded in agreement as they kept fixing her dress. "Not to mention that your sister will be there too."
Deziara being there is definitely a relief, but Viana¡ I feel like she''ll be eager to make even more trouble for me than others. Perhaps, I should make a point of avoiding her if possible. Just to be safe.
"There, all done," Gunna announced, patting down Morrigan''s shoulders. "Now everyone will be too stunned by your beauty to say anything."
The maids once again nodded vigorously in agreement, their eyes shining with pride at the hard work. Morrigan looked in the mirror and saw how her long hair had been styled into a high ponytail with elegant locks weaving down her shoulders. Meanwhile, her dark red dress with gold accents truly made her look like the princess of the Underworld.
"Wish me luck," she said with a sigh and left the dressing room, going into the adjacent waiting room. Azrael was sprawled on one of the couches there, looking bored.
"Oh, finally! I thought you''d never come," he grumbled and got up from his seat.
"It takes time for a lady to get ready," she replied, mimicking what she had once heard Viana say.
"Where''s the lady you''re talking about? I only see a kid that I need to babysit," he said.
"How interesting, because I also only see a kid," she retorted, and they both stared at each other for a while. Slowly Morrigan felt her lips curl upwards as did Azrael''s and they both broke out in laughter.
"If somebody tries to ask me to dance, please stop them," Morrigan said as she walked up to Azrael and took hold of his extended elbow.
"Don''t worry, this isn''t technically a ball. It''s supposed to be a feast. There will be music playing and there''s a small space for dancing, but you can reject anyone without any repercussions tonight," he explained and began leading her out of the waiting room.
"Wait, before we go out there, I wanted to ask. Where''d you put Galandir?" She pulled on him and stopped him from walking any further.
"In the prison, of course. Where else?" he shrugged, completely unperturbed by his words. Morrigan gaped at him in shock.
"Prison?! Isn''t he supposed to be free?" she snapped at him, anger bubbling inside her. Azrael laughed in a mocking sort of fashion.
"The King paid three million gold for that pipsqueak, and you expect he''d just be allowed to march free? Although by the look on your face, it seems like you fully expected us to open a portal to the Overworld and send him on his way with a gift basket in tow."
The last bit seemed a bit over the top, but Morrigan had indeed hoped that Galandir would be able to return home, wherever it may be.
"But why imprison him? He didn''t commit any crimes," she objected.
"Oh, but he did, even if you tried to hide it. But we''ll deal with that tomorrow. Today we still have work to do," Azrael said and resumed walking again. Morrigan followed him numbly as the sense of dread she had before grew stronger.
Father probably knew what Galandir tried to do that night when I stopped him but decided to ignore at the time it because of me. Could it be that he''ll have to suffer punishment for that now? Oh, dear¡ That could be even worse than whatever punishment the fallen wanted to inflict upon him.
She remembered how the fallen were dragging the elven boy away in the middle of a big celebration without any care for keeping appearances. It was clear that he would have gotten more than just a stern lecture. Morrigan took solace in that thought and began thinking of ways of how to convince her father to overlook Galandir''s transgression or at least soften whatever punishment he deemed to be right.
Before long Azrael and Morrigan reached the grand ballroom, which was already buzzing with excited chatter. The whole place was lined with smaller and larger tables which had all manner of foods set upon them. Many were already happily enjoying the decadent dishes.
Waiters hurried left and right, bringing food and drinks to the guests while they sat at the table and enjoyed chatting with others. The atmosphere was more relaxed than yesterday, although as soon as Morrigan entered the room, the chatter stopped and all eyes fell upon her.
"Dear guests, I am proud to present the winner of the Nachtstern Festival Competition ¨C Princess Morrigan," Azrael announced in his amplified voice, and everyone applauded. Morrigan did a small curtsy and plastered on her best polite smile.
"Princess Morrigan, would you please join our table?" a burly demon with twisting horns addressed her, and she recognized him as Duke Ramhorn from the painting she had studied before.
Seems like looking through those demon noble portraits was not a waste of time after all.
"My son was most impressed by your display and he wanted to discuss more about the topic," the demon continued and pointed toward his son, a scrawny-looking demon who most certainly did not look interested in the topic.
"No, Princess Morrigan, you should join our table. My son was absolutely blown away by your magic, and would love to learn more about it," a corpulent demoness called out, despite sitting three tables away.
"No, Princess Morrigan, you should sit at our table. Our house has specialized in magic for generations. I am sure there is much we could discuss," another demon called out, and soon a whole swarm followed after them.
Oh, dear God. If you exist in this world, please grant me strength to endure this night.
Chapter 77 – Debt of Lifetime
As a human, Morrigan believed that she could never come to hate any gathering where lots of food was involved. Especially if the food was good. And the one made by Demon Castle chefs was most certainly top quality both in terms of presentation and in terms of taste. Even something with an unappetizing name, like salamander liver pat¨¦e on volcano-baked bread turned out to be a delicious treat. However, the Nachtstern Festival feast was most certainly now on the list of gatherings Morrigan resented.
The whole evening she was being ping-ponged from one table to the next, forced to listen to demons and demonesses brag about their sons and suggesting that she get to know them better. Some of these sons showed no interest in Morrigan since they were still children themselves and had no idea that their parents were buttering them up for marriage.
But many of these suitors were much older demons and were eager to charm Morrigan in their favor. The only thing she could feel for them was disgust. While technically she had the mentality of an adult human, nobody here knew that. To them, she was just a child. And yet they had the gall to try to groom her into their good graces.
Azrael watched the whole charade with much amusement although whether he was amused at Morrigan''s misery or the knowledge that the demons were flirting with somebody who was a human before was unknown. Morrigan guessed that it was probably both. A few times she tried to coax him into helping her, but he had no intention of doing that, instead leading her from one table to the next with a wide smile.
By the time she finally reached the royal table where Alphegor sat together with his four consorts and their daughters, Morrigan was too tired to pay any proper attention anymore. All congratulations and cheers melted into a jumbled mess as she mechanically recited her ''thank yous'' and tried to keep her ever heavier eyelids open. Before she realized what had happened, she found herself in her own bed.
"Huh? How did I end up here?" she said groggily and looked at the clock on the wall. Its shorter dial was pointed at nine, meaning that she had already slept in.
Oh, God! Galandir! I need to get dressed quickly and try to get him out of prison before Father decides to punish him.
Morrigan didn''t bother to call for the maids and instead put on the first dress she found in her wardrobe. She quickly combed her hair and was about to rush out when she noticed the Burmese Ruby standing on the nightstand next to her bed. It felt wrong to leave the treasure she worked so hard to win there, so she quickly snatched it and put it in the hidden pocket of her dress.
Now I need to go to Father and have a serious talk with him.
She left the room in a hurry, only stopping to ask the guards about the King''s whereabouts. Apparently, there were some documents to take care of, so he had gone to his office. That made things easier for her as it meant that nobody would interrupt them.
She turned into a shadow and without a second thought headed straight to Alphegor''s office, not paying any mind to the guards and just slipping inside from underneath the door. The King was busy scribbling something, his brows furrowed in a scowl.
"Morrigan, I''d appreciate it if you could at least knock before barging into my office," he said, his voice filled with irritation. However, it appeared that this irritation was directed more at the paper in front of him rather than her.
"Good morning. There''s something I wish to discuss with you Father," she said after materializing out of her shadow form. As she did, she was startled by another figure in the room, a sleek demon with dark skin and vivid blue eyes. Most of his body was covered and his attire vaguely resembled that of a ninja.
"Leave us, Melanos," the King commanded, and before she could even properly blink, the demon was gone.
"Who was that?" she asked.
"Our spymaster. What is it that you wanted, Morrigan? I am very busy at the moment. There was an incident yesterday that needs to be dealt with," the King grumbled, looking rather tired.
"An incident?"
"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," he replied briskly as he continued writing. Morrigan felt a bit annoyed that he wouldn''t share exactly what troubled him but decided to brush it aside for the time being. There were more important matters to deal with.
"Father, I wish to know why you imprisoned that elven boy," she said, and Alphegor''s hand stopped for a moment. His scowl deepened, and then he resumed writing at double the speed.
"That was merely a temporary measure to ensure that he doesn''t get any ideas in his head and escape," he said.
"And why couldn''t he just leave? Didn''t he ask you to grant him freedom?" she retorted.
"And so I have. He has been freed of the fallen and is no longer a slave," he explained. His voice was so cold that Morrigan could barely recognize her father. It felt like she was talking to a ruthless king. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
"Then why is he imprisoned?"
"Because he owes us a debt that needs to be repaid," the King explained, still not bothering to look up from his document.
"Three million gold is an insane amount. It''ll take him centuries to repay that if he works a simple servant''s job," she objected, stepping closer to her father''s desk.
"Then it''s a good thing that elves live so long. He''ll spend a few centuries repaying his debt and then will be free to go," Alphegor said matter-of-factly.
"How can you even say that?! He is just a child," Morrigan raised her voice, frustrated by his cold and heartless response.
"He came to steal from us," Alphegor finally looked up, eyes as cold as daggers piercing into Morrigan. She was taken aback by his statement. Not because he had known. She had long since learned that the King knew everything that was going on in his Kingdom and especially his own home. She was shocked by his demeanor as he had never talked to her with such cold anger.
"He was most likely ordered to do that by the fallen," she protested.
"Yes, Melanos got as much from him. But the boy was stubborn. We had to use a truth potion for him to admit it," Alphegor retorted. "Turns out his whole goal was to get your blood."
"My blood?" Morrigan paled. Why would Galandir need her blood?
"Yes. He was supposed to give it to his fallen master, although he had no knowledge of what they would use it for," Alphegor said through gritted teeth. "I cannot let someone like him just walk freely. He might still decide to turn on you in an attempt to please his masters."
"He wouldn''t do that. He just wishes to be free. Let me talk to him. I''m sure he''d be willing to explain himself then."
"No. It is too dangerous. The boy is skilled in magic and clever to boot. He might attempt to use you to gain leverage over me," Alphegor said.
"So what is going to happen to him? Is he just going to rot in prison for the rest of his life," Morrigan felt anger growing inside her from this injustice.
"No, he''ll be working in the dungeons to repay his debt. Once he''s done with that, he''s free to go just as I promised. As long as it is outside the Demon Kingdom borders."
"The dungeons?!" Morrigan exclaimed. The horrifying place never failed to foul her mood since the only purpose of the dungeons was to make any unwanted guests suffer. Those few times she''d been down there, she felt like a bit of her happiness was permanently drained out of her. Not to mention, that anybody unlucky enough to work in the dungeons always looked like they had lost all hope in life.
"Father, you can''t be serious! That is no place for a child," she raised her voice out of her frustration. Alphegor rose up from his seat, looking down at her.
"Morrigan, enough! I understand that it is your human past that is compelling you to say this, but it is time for you to learn the ways of the Underworld. If you remain soft towards those who wish to harm you, you''ll get stabbed in the back and killed," he said sternly, and Morrigan took a step back. She felt as if he had slapped her across the face. A twinge of regret passed through Alphegor''s face as hot tears filled Morrigan''s eyes.
"So my human past is a mistake after all," she said bitterly, and slipped into the shadows, unable to face her father anymore.
"Morrigan, wait¡ I didn''t mean that¡ " he called after her, but she didn''t stop and instead headed straight back to her room. As soon as she was back, she fell into her bed, letting hot tears stream down her face.
I only wanted Galandir to be free again. That child was no doubt taken away from his home by the fallen and forced to do their bidding. But now, I''ve condemned him to an even worse fate. And Father seems to be unwilling to feel compassion for anyone who isn''t a demon.
She understood that largely her father had mentioned her human nature out of anger. However, the fact he wished for her to change that, hurt. Morrigan had always believed that Alphegor would accept her the way she was no matter what happened. That was the reason she gave up her life on Earth and returned to Doppelta. But it appeared that even here there were expectations that she had to meet.
"Alright, Morrigan! Enough moping. I need to do something about the elven boy. I can''t just let him rot in the dungeons for hundreds of years," she slapped her cheeks to get rid of unpleasant feelings within her. Those would be addressed at another time.
Father certainly isn''t going to change his mind. At least not anytime soon. And talking to him right now wouldn''t lead to anything productive. I could try asking Azrael to bring me to the prison so I could at least talk to Galandir. But Azrael is largely a wild card ¨C I can never know whether he''ll be in a mood to cooperate.
As Morrigan was thinking of the best course of action, a knock sounded on the door.
"Lady Morrigan, are you awake yet?" Gunna''s friendly voice came from behind the door.
"Yes, come in," she called back, wiping away any residual tears from her cheeks.
"My, you''re already dressed! Couldn''t wait to get up this morning?" the nanny said cheerfully, waddling over to Morrigan''s side.
"Something like that," she replied awkwardly.
"That''s wonderful. Today is a sacred day in the Underworld ¨C time for rest and peace. It''s a great day for contemplation and time with your family," the nanny explained. "It means you''ll be able to rest a bit. Sadly tomorrow, it will be necessary to send the guests from foreign countries back so there will be an event to attend before their departure."
"Oh, joy¡" Morrigan muttered, imagining yet another stuffy party. Hopefully, this one would be on a smaller scale.
"That is a worry for tomorrow. Today you may rest alongside everyone else," Gunna said.
"Yes, rest would be nice¡" she said absentmindedly when an idea crossed her mind. "Is this a day when the whole Kingdom is resting?"
"That''s right. Most businesses are closed today and it''s a time when even Demon Castle servants get to relax a little," the nanny explained.
"Even the guards?"
"Yes, I believe a large number of guards have also gone to rest with their families. Only the bare necessary minimum is kept," Gunna explained.
Bare minimum. That means there won''t be as many guards watching over the prison. Perhaps, a certain little princess could sneak in.
Chapter 78 – Prison Break
As the silent day after the Festival continued, Morrigan used the opportunity to sneak into the prison. She had never actually been there since obviously, a princess had no business going to the prison. However, from her trips down into the dungeon, she knew that its entrance was located right across from the dungeon entrance, guarded by Chad. The stoic guard never once tried to stop her from going into the dungeons, however, it certainly would be different if she tried going into the prison.
Sneaking in as a shadow wasn''t an option since the place prevented anyone from using their shadow form. Nonetheless, Morrigan already had figured out a solution to this problem and knew how she''d get past Chad without any issues. She would turn into Alphegor. After all, the King could go wherever he pleased.
With this plan in mind, she turned into a shadow and quickly zoomed into the part of the castle where the main living space intersected with the servant''s quarters. The castle felt deserted with only one or two guards snoozing away at their posts. Morrigan probably could have sneaked past them in her physical form ¨C that''s just how lax they were.
Once Morrigan reached the narrow corridor that led down into the prison and dungeons, she shape-shifted into her father. It was an easy task since Alphegor was the person whom she could mimic perfectly down to the last strand of his hair. Nobody would be able to tell the difference between her transformation into Alphegor and the real King.
The main problem is my voice. I have yet to learn magic that would allow me to change my voice. That should be the next thing on my learning list.
As Morrigan descended down the corridor, her pulse quickened and she began doubting herself. While she believed that Galandir certainly should not be in prison, she began doubting whether sneaking inside was the best course of action. What would she do once she got him out? Did she even want to free him right away or would it be better to just talk to him and have him admit that the fallen forced him to sneak around the castle? Could she use his confession to free him afterward? Or would that anger her father even further?
The more she thought about it, the more she doubted herself. Before long, she had already reached the dead end and began stomping her feet against the ground in a pattern now well-known to her. After a minute, the wall began to shift and move out of the way, and she proceeded down to come face-to-face with Chad.
The stoic demon guard didn''t show any emotion at her appearance, instead just barely inclining his head in acknowledgment. Morrigan didn''t say anything either and instead just strode past him while her heart hammered in her chest like crazy.
"Wait," Chad spoke up, and Morrigan stopped. It felt like her heart would leap out of her mouth.
Is he onto me? No way, the transformation is perfect. Could it be that Father always says something to him before going further?
"Keys to the prison, Your Majesty," the demon said, and Morrigan exhaled in relief. She turned around and took the keys without a word, trying not to show how shaky her hands actually were. Then she hurried into the prison, praying that her behavior had not seemed weird to Chad.
But as she went through the dimly lit corridor and realized that nobody came running after her, her breathing relaxed and her heart calmed down. She reached a barred door, where two guards who were equally as stoic as Chad (if that were even possible) stood. As they saw her approach, they bowed their heads but said nothing.
With as much confidence as she could muster, she took the key Chad had given to her and inserted it into the keyhole. A wave of purplish energy glittered across the bars, and the door sprung open. It was difficult to retain a calm expression in front of the guards, and Morrigan felt her hands become clammy with sweat. But somehow she managed to retrieve the key without dropping it to the floor.
As soon as her foot crossed the threshold, it felt like the world had transformed. Moans and groans of pain and misery echoed around the large hall which had large metallic doors spanning on both sides as far as she could see. There was barely any light in the prison, only occasional torchlight on the verge of going out provided a miniscule amount of lighting. The stench within was also horrid ¨C a mixture of sweat, vomit and other unpleasant body odors wafted through the air, forcing Morrigan to cover her mouth and nose with her hands.
What a horrid stench! And they sent a child down here? The thought that anybody would have to spend more than a day in this place is just horrifying. Better to find Galandir quickly and get out.
But as she looked at the identical metal doors, she realized that she had no way of knowing where the elven boy was locked away. There was only a tiny hole at the top of the door and it was covered with a metallic lid.
I can''t just go from cell to cell, checking each inhabitant one by one. But how else am I supposed to find him? Calling out his name in a clearly girlish voice would certainly alert the guards.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
With a sigh, Morrigan went up to the first cell and slid the metallic lid aside. Inside there sat a scrawny demon man, all skin and bone, his hair long and tangled up and dirty. The man looked up when the hole opened, perhaps, expecting his next meal to be brought to him. But when he saw Alphegor''s face, the prisoner instantly dropped to the floor and began groveling and muttering ''Sorry, spare me, don''t kill me'' over and over again.
Her heart clenched at the sight, but she reminded herself that the people here were criminals and had no doubt been thrown inside their cells for a good reason. Thieves, rapists and even murderers no doubt spent their days here, reflecting on the crimes they had committed. Well, aside from Galandir. He was just an unlucky child.
Morrigan closed the lid and then went from cell to cell checking each inhabitant one by one. The guards who were positioned at every ten cell doors never questioned her behavior and merely bowed in greeting. It seemed like Alphegor was not a rare visitor here.
Morrigan got to approximately the thirtieth cell when the prisoner she saw inside caused her to pause. The demoness inside seemed somewhat familiar but it took her a moment to realize that it was the same spindly demon that had kidnapped her all those years ago. One of her arms was completely cut off and there was a horrid scar running down the left side of her face. When the demoness gathered enough strength to look at Morrigan, she basically smashed her head against the floor and apologized with double the vigor of other prisoners.
I should have felt some sort of satisfaction that she got punished, but somehow the only thing I could feel was pity. At least I can rest easy that she won''t be sending more children to Phantom.
Morrigan''s mood got darker and darker with each cell she checked and just as she thought that she would never be able to find Galandir, she finally saw him. He was in a much better state than other prisoners, but he by no means looked happy. Once he saw Alphegor''s face appear in the small opening, he just turned his back against her.
Well, it''s good to see that he hasn''t been hurt. But how do I even speak to him? I can''t just turn into myself with guards around.
She gently tapped the metallic door in hopes of attracting the elf''s attention, but all she heard was a ''hmph'' as he huddled deeper into the corner.
Oh, why does this boy always make it so hard to help him?
"Your Majesty, shall I open the door?" one of the guards asked, breaking Morrigan out of her thoughts. She was about to say ''yes'', but caught herself before she opened her mouth. Instead, she nodded firmly as she had seen her father do before. The guard unlocked the door without question.
"Will you be taking the boy with you, Your Majesty? He''s tough, but I don''t think he''ll endure it here for long," the guard asked.
Obviously not. This place is just horrible. But thank you for asking, kind guard. I shall take advantage of this opportunity.
Morrigan nodded solemnly again and the guard strode inside the cell and pulled Galandir out. He was rather rough with the boy, and Galandir was resisting with all his might.
"The boy is very stubborn, Your Majesty. Shall I help you escort him?" the guard asked, trying to contain the flailing elven boy.
"Let me go, you overgrown monkey!"
Morrigan shook her head and grabbed Galandir''s arm, pulling him away from the guard. He was doing everything in his power to resist, and it was difficult for her to keep a steady hold on him. She bent down and whispered in his ear.
"I am trying to help you."
Galandir instantly stopped flailing and looked at her with a shocked expression, no doubt trying to process how the Demon King managed to sound like his daughter. The guard however took it as a sign that she''s got everything under control and returned to his post.
Morrigan didn''t give Galandir the chance to change his mind and began pulling him along. The walk through the prison felt long as the guards watched them leave and the prisoners wailed miserably behind them. But once they finally reached the entrance, Morrigan felt relieved. The smell and the noise disappeared right away. She looked at the door and hurried out of the prison, only stopping to return the key to Chad.
"What exactly are you doing?" Galandir whispered once they were out of the hidden pathway. Morrigan''s eyes darted nervously around the castle corridor, wondering what she was supposed to do next.
I should have actually thought of what to do with Galandir once I got him out of prison. But I couldn''t ask him anything without arousing the guard''s suspicion.
"I don''t know," she admitted and turned back to her normal self, still holding onto his hand.
"What do you mean you don''t know? Did you drag me out of prison without even knowing the reason why? Are you stupid?" he snarled.
"Should we go back?" she countered, and the elven boy shook his head. "For now, let''s go somewhere where people won''t bother us. I believe I can convince my father to spare you or at least lessen your punishment if you just give us more information."
"Oh, I see how it is. This was the King''s plan to get me to speak. Forget it!" Galandir tried to pull his hand free stubbornly, but Morrigan held it firm.
"Listen! I never intended you to be thrown into dungeons. I''ve been there, I know how awful that place is. But the fact that you tried to steal from us before is working against you. You need to explain exactly what it was that the fallen wanted. But this isn''t the place."
Galandir scowled at Morrigan but didn''t resist her anymore.
I don''t like doing this, but I think I''ll have to move around like a shadow with Galandir in tow.
Morrigan slipped into the shadows dragging the boy along with her, feeling his bright presence like a heavy rock on her form. She couldn''t move as fast as usual and began to tire pretty soon, however, after some time she managed to reach her destination ¨C the dragon stables.
As soon as she was inside, they materialized together with Galandir who had a disgusted sort of expression on his face.
"That is too suffocating," he grumbled.
"It was the only way for me to get you through the castle unnoticed. Now, let''s talk!"
Chapter 79 – Under the Eye of the Dragon
Haku was elated to have visitors and without a second thought began jumping around Morrigan and Galandir in joy, his tail whipping around and sending his chewed-up toys flying. Morrigan had to dodge a few random toys as she tried to calm the dragon down.
"Yes, I am happy to see you too, Haku," she cooed, gently rubbing at his snout.
"Still keeping him locked up, I see," Galandir noted bitterly, looking around the stables. It was by no means a small structure as it could easily fit four double-decker buses inside it. However, there was certainly not enough space for a dragon to feel free. And Morrigan knew that before long, it would be impossible to make the stable any larger. What would happen to Haku then?
"He''s too young to leave," she argued weakly, pressing herself against Haku. He picked up on her sad mood and nudged her gently in an attempt to cheer her up. "I''m alright, Haku. You don''t have to worry about me."
Galandir sighed and picked up a large, half-chewed wicker ball that was lying in the corner and threw it. Haku bounced after it happily and caught it, chewing on it mercilessly and making the material crack underneath his teeth.
"Anyway, Haku is not the reason we are here. I need you to talk," Morrigan changed the subject, not wanting to dwell on Haku''s lack of freedom at the moment.
"Talk about what?" the elven boy looked to the side, deliberately avoiding her gaze.
"You know what!"
"You''re just going to tell your daddy and make everything worse again," he retorted, and Morrigan felt a heavy pang of guilt in her chest. She really had made everything worse in a way. Instead of being a fallen slave, he essentially became a demon slave, confined to dungeons no less.
No, you don''t know what would have happened if you had let them drag Galandir away. Perhaps, they wouldn''t have even allowed him to live.
"I''m sorry that you got sent to the prison, but tell me would you really have wanted to accept whatever punishment the fallen deemed right for you?" she said seriously, and his expression got grim. Haku sensed the heavy mood and gently padded over to the elven boy, throwing the wicker ball in front of him. He smiled bitterly and threw it again, watching how the dragon bound after it.
"They would have killed me," he stated.
"Y-You don''t know that¡" Morrigan objected, but mostly because she didn''t want to accept the fact that there was somebody wicked enough to kill a child when he didn''t fulfill the impossible task they had set out for him.
"No, I do. They wanted to kill me on that night when I failed to get your blood, but allowed me to live ''temporarily'' to serve as their champion and retrieve the Burmese Ruby," he said, and Morrigan gasped in shock.
"Why''d you need my blood?" she asked, not daring to meet his eye. The fact that someone wanted her blood, made her stomach churn.
"I already told your spymaster everything I know, which is close to nothing," Galandir explained. "My guess is to open the Royal Treasury. As far as the fallen know, there are only two people in the whole world who can open it ¨C the Demon King and his direct heir. And guess who is the easier target," the elven boy said.
"Me."
"Without a doubt."
"But what do they want from the Royal Treasury? The magical gems? The gold?" she asked him, although she knew that there wouldn''t be an answer that would make it all alright.
"My guess is that they wanted it all. Gems to strengthen the warriors, gold to strengthen their kingdom, and use whatever else they could for their gain," Galandir shrugged, and once again retrieved the wicker ball, which was barely holding together, and threw it for Haku to catch.
Morrigan paused trying to process the information. The fallen had always bitterly opposed the Demon Kingdom, but to go as far as to steal something right from the Royal Treasury. It must have been a rather desperate move. Or perhaps, they were just sure that they could get away with it. But what gave them the confidence?
"How''d you know the layout of the castle so well?" she asked, as she remembered how flawlessly Galandir had navigated through the castle corridors which had taken Morrigan a long time to learn properly.
The elven boy went silent for a moment, contemplating something. He narrowed his eyes on her as if trying to determine whether he should trust her or not. But as Haku nudged him with the wicker ball, he took a deep breath and said, "A demon woman provided the information about the castle layout."
"A demon woman? Who?" Morrigan''s mind reeled as she thought which demon would sell out their own Kingdom to their enemies. All demons didn''t like other races, and thinking that demons would betray their own for fallen who they actively hate was unthinkable.
"I don''t know who she is. I only caught a glimpse of her once. Black-haired demoness with red horns and glasses," he said, and Morrigan felt her blood run cold. There was a demoness who fit that description perfectly.
"Asdeus," she muttered, clenching her fists. "To think that she''d stoop so low."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
"So you know her?" he asked curiously.
"She used to be my teacher when I was four years old, but she tried to use me for her own gain and made my life in the Underworld miserable. Because of her actions, I ran away back to Earth thinking that my father would hate me if he found out that I was a human. But that wasn''t true," she explained through gritted teeth, remembering the unpleasant memories.
"Wait¡ so the Demon King knows that you used to be a human?" the boy''s mouth gaped in shock.
"Of course he does. He''s my father. Although I didn''t realize it back then."
"That is¡ That is actually rather shocking. I didn''t think the Demon King would accept a child with a human past. With the way how much demons hate humans," the boy said.
"He is much kinder than many people think. And I am sure he will be sympathetic toward your situation if we explain everything you just told me to him," Morrigan said and grabbed Galandir by the arm, preparing to melt into the shadows and head straight to the King''s office.
"Wait, wait, wait. Just because he was sympathetic toward you, doesn''t mean he''ll be that way toward me. You are still his flesh and blood, but I am not even a demon. Heck, I am not even from the Underworld. You might as well have dragged a human in front of him and asked him to spare it," Galandir pulled his hand back and hid behind Haku, who looked content to act as his shield.
"Explaining yourself will certainly not make matters any worse. Besides, I do not believe that the fallen will have given up just because you failed their expectations. It would be foolish to base their whole plan on the success of a child," Morrigan gently pushed past Haku and took Galandir''s hand again. The boy looked visibly uncomfortable.
"But what if he¨C"
"It''ll be alright. Trust me on this," she reassured and began to gently pull him along. He didn''t resist anymore, instead allowing her to lead him toward the door. But before they could reach it, Haku began snarling viciously, the pupils in his eye dilating to cat-like sharpness.
"We''ll come back later, Haku," she tried to console the dragon, but he only snarled more viciously.
"I don''t think he''s snarling at us. Listen," the elf said and pointed towards the door. Morrigan tried to hear whatever it was Galandir was talking about but couldn''t hear anything. At least not at first. After a few tense moments, she noticed something resembling a whisper from outside the stables. Haku''s growls intensified and Morrigan had a feeling of dread growing in her stomach, so she did the only logical thing.
"Father! Azrael!" she called on the top of her lungs, in an attempt to summon them. But the only thing that happened was that laughter came from behind the stable door.
"Clever Princess," said a man''s voice and the stable door was flung open. Inside strode a tall, white-haired fallen with vivid green eyes. His facial features reminded Morrigan of Mrs. Heinspiel to a degree that he definitely must be related to her in some way. However, she never noticed this man among the guests.
"Who are you?" Morrigan asked, sticking close to Haku, who looked like he was ready to attack the man at any moment.
"It doesn''t matter who I am. What matters is that you''re coming with me," he said and strode toward her. Haku launched a warning fireball at him, but the fallen man blocked it with his wing, the fire harmlessly dissolving against the tough feathers. He then raised his hand and some sort of shimmering powder came from his palm, floating toward Haku, Morrigan and Galandir.
Before the dust could reach them, Galandir waved his hand, summoning his wind magic and blowing the particles back at its producer. They blinked out of existence before reaching him, and the man looked at the elven boy in annoyance.
"You dare to oppose me, slave! You should bring the Princess to me," the fallen man commanded, but Galandir shook his head, despite the fact that his features were marred with fear.
Think, Morrigan. You need to somehow summon Father or Azrael, but it seems like they have somehow blocked the summoning ability just like Asdeus had. But if it''s the same type of hindering ability, it means it has a limit. If I slip into the shadows and reach outside that limit, I should be able to call for help.
But before Morrigan could turn into a shadow, the fallen man threw an ice spear straight at Galandir. She produced a wall of fire, melting the incoming ice attack. This, in turn, triggered Haku, who leapt at the fallen with full intent of biting into his flesh. The man dodged the dragon''s attack and directed his ice spears at him instead. Thankfully, Haku''s scales had no problem deflecting them.
"Quite a powerful dragon you have here, Princess. We could find a good use for him. Men, secure the dragon. I''ll deal with the Princess," the fallen ordered, and two dozen men dressed in black clothes from head to toe poured into the stables. Morrigan''s breath hitched as she recognized their outfit as the same one as the assassin that was sent to kill her when she was a baby.
This is really bad. I need to get Father or Azrael as soon as possible.
However, as the dark figures and the fallen man got closer, Morrigan couldn''t help but feel weak and defenseless. Her hands trembled, but she knew that there was no time to cower in fear. She looked around frantically, hoping to come upon a solution somewhere in the stables. However, all she saw were just broken scraps of Haku''s toys.
"Princess, we need to get out of here," Galandir called out frantically as he began flinging ice spears at the black figures. But it was obvious that he was fatigued from his stay in the prison, as he had trouble conjuring his magic and began breathing heavily.
The masked figures deflected the icy attacks without any issues. The fallen man jumped towards Morrigan, using his wings for balance, but Haku blocked his way, furiously flapping his wings and swinging his tail left and right to keep the attackers away.
"Focus on the dragon first," the fallen commanded, and two men charged at Haku, pulling out the shortsword that sat at their hip. In an attempt to protect him, Morrigan launched a fireball at them, forcing the two men to stop their assault and fall back.
Galandir threw more of his ice at the fallen man and he growled at Galandir in anger. "Enough of you, slave. You''ve gotten in my way far too many times."
The man pulled a vial with some sort of a red liquid inside. He held it in his hand and then grinned triumphantly. "This is where you die."
Galandir suddenly clutched onto his chest and fell down on his knees, gasping for breath.
"What are you doing to him?" Morrigan called out.
"What I should have done a long time ago," he cackled, and she watched helplessly as Galandir fell down on the floor, convulsing in pain.
He''s killing him. He is killing him! No, no, no!
"FATHER!" She screamed, the anger and fear she was feeling taking over her and growing in intensity. She channeled this energy into a fireball, but instead of shooting the flaming orb at her enemies, she shot it straight up. It burned through the ceiling, blazing like a sun and illuminating everything in the area.
"Oh shit¡" the fallen man said as he watched the fireball go high up, reaching the Demon Castle''s highest peaks.
Chapter 80 – Blood Spilt and Blood Taken
"Our time has been cut short, it seems," the fallen man snarled as he looked at Morrigan who was clutching onto Galandir laying on the floor. All she had to do was hold out until the guards or ideally her father came to her rescue. "Forget the dragon and the boy ¨C get Princess''s blood!"
Morrigan paled as all of the dark figures turned their attention to her. Before she could even realize what was going on, a barrage of various spells was flung her way. Haku stepped in front of her, spreading his wings and protecting her from the majority of spells. Morrigan erected her forcefield, trying to protect herself and Galandir from any spells that got through.
"Haku, are you alright?" she called out. The dragon growled in confirmation, his scales undamaged. Same couldn''t be said about her forcefield, which had been destroyed in some places. Another barrage of spells was launched straight at her but the dragon blocked them. This time it proved too much for Haku and he fell limp on the floor.
"Haku!" she called out and her concentration on the forcefield slipped. The fallen man took the opportunity and broke through it, grabbing Morrigan by her neck. She grabbed onto his hands, struggling to free herself, but the pressure on her neck was increasing and she felt like it would snap at any moment. Instinct took over and she allowed angry blue flames to come out of her palms and burn the man.
He howled in pain and dropped her, but as he did, his nails painfully scratched against her neck drawing blood. She coughed and sputtered as she tried to regain her breath.
"I got what we needed. Retreat," he commanded and the black men tried to leave the stables. However, before any of them even had the chance to register what had happened, the Demon King had appeared inside the stables and cut down most of the intruders in a single swift attack.
His red eyes bore into the fallen intruder and dark tendrils wrapped around him, capturing him in an instant. Morrigan looked at the scene in horror ¨C Haku lying limp on the floor, her father with a bloody sword in hand standing above a pile of corpses, Galandir lying motionless on the floor.
"Morrigan! Are you alright?" Alphegor ran up to her checking for injuries and saw the deep scratch mark on her neck. His face contorted with rage and fury, and she saw how his red eyes almost began to glow from his anger. "Whoever did this is going to pay!"
"Galandir and Haku need help!" Morrigan said frantically, not caring about the cut on her neck. But it was merely a scratch when compared to what happened to her friend.
"The elf? Why is he here?" Alphegor growled.
"I got¡ him out, Father," Morrigan explained, clutching at her injury and feeling the blood seep through her fingers. Seeing that, the King''s expression turned to that of worry.
"We''re going to get that healed right away," Alphegor said.
"Nevermind that scratch, I can barely feel it. That fallen did something to Galandir! And to Haku as well. You need to help them first," Morrigan pleaded, and the King relented a bit.
"Azrael!" he tried to call for the mage, but nothing happened.
"That won''t work. They did something to the stables to prevent summoning," she explained.
"Those annoying pests. Messing with magic in my own home," Alphegor growled.
"Your Majesty. Your orders," Melanos suddenly appeared out of seemingly nowhere, making Morrigan flinch in surprise.
"Get Azrael here to take care of the dragon. Take the elf to healers immediately and summon one to come here and take care of Morrigan," he commanded.
"At once," Melanos bowed and then disappeared just as quickly with Galandir in tow. Merely half a minute after the spymaster had gone, the whole castle seemed to come to life and guards rushed into the stables.
"Your Majesty, what¨C" the guards looked around the gruesome scene in horror.
"You lot are too slow. Rally the guards, strengthen the defenses in the castle. Remove the ward placed upon the stables. Investigate for any stray magic," Alphegor commanded.
The guards nodded, each one taking on a different task with most of them turning their attention to intruders. They began hauling away the bodies, while Alphegor pulled the fallen man closer, glowering at him with intense red gaze. Meanwhile Morrigan focused on her dragon who still lay limp on the ground.
"Haku, are you alright?!" she called out desperately, inspecting him for any injuries. There were a few gashes on his tender wing membranes, however, his scales looked largely unharmed. But lack of reaction from the dragon, made hot tears well up into her eyes.
"He''s been knocked out cold, but he''ll be fine. He''s still breathing," Alphegor explained, pointing at his chest that rose each time Haku took a breath. Morrigan relaxed a little and then looked at the man who attacked her. Despite being captured he didn''t appear very fazed by it. He almost appeared satisfied.
"Speak. Why did you attack my daughter?" Alphegor demanded, but the fallen man just laughed.
"As if I''d tell you anything," he cackled.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
"Fine then. I''ll guess we''ll do it the hard way," Alphegor eyes glinted with malice and the dark tendrils pulled the fallen man into the darkness. Morrigan''s stomach churned ¨C she knew that her father would use any methods necessary to get the information out of him. And she doubted that he''ll be as nice to him as to Galandir.
But I suppose it has to be done. We cannot let this kind of attack just slide.
Azrael finally appeared in the stables as well, his eyes opening in shock as he saw the limp dragon on the floor and the corpses of the intruders. "What in the name of darkness happened here?"
"Take care of the dragon, then check for any stray magic or magical interference. The enemy launched an attack right in the middle of my home," Alphegor raged, his eyes glowing red.
"The enemy? Who?" Azrael asked, perplexed.
"The fallen. They''re the ones behind this attack," Morrigan said, and Alphegor alongside Azrael looked at her with grave expressions.
"You''re going to explain everything that just happened. Including the reason why is the elven boy outside his prison cell," Alphegor growled, and Morrigan shrunk back, hiding behind Haku.
I am in deep trouble now.
***
Morrigan sat on the couch in Alphegor''s office while Alphegor and a very confused-looking Lucius sat on the couch across from them.
"Your Majesty, what exactly is going on? Why is Princess Morrigan covered in blood? And what was that blue fireball earlier? And I also received a report that the elven slave was out of prison and now being tended to by our healers," the older demon asked, his gaze darting from one person to the next.
"Is Galandir alright?" Morrigan asked, her voice filled with worry. She feared that the fallen might have killed him with whatever strange magic he used.
"He''s alright, merely unconscious. May I have an explanation now?" Lucius asked, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Morrigan will explain everything. From the beginning," Alphegor commanded, tapping his finger impatiently against his knee. She took a deep breath, mustering the courage to speak.
"I snuck into the prison to get Galandir out of there," she admitted with her head hung low.
"W-What?!" Lucius sputtered in shock, then looked helplessly at Alphegor, who looked mildly annoyed. "You snuck into the prison to get a slave out of there but¡"
"Seems my daughter has developed a bit of a soft spot for the boy," the King noted bitterly.
"But even so¡ sneaking into prison¡ Princess Morrigan, I had always thought you were more mindful than that. If people were to find out¡ " Lucius''s face paled in horror, and Morrigan feared that her action might have added a new wrinkle to his complexion.
"Yes, that would instantly ruin their public opinion of you and make them rally against you as the Crown Princess," Alphegor explained, and Morrigan realized just how bad that would be. More assassination attempts, a possible uprising, or maybe even worse.
"Even so, the way you treated Galandir was unfair. Putting a child in prison to later have him work in the dungeons is absurd!" She protested, looking her father straight in the eyes.
"So I should just let him go free?" He challenged her.
"That is what he asked of you. And you promised to fulfill his request," Morrigan objected, not wavering under his intense stare.
"Three million gold is not a small amount."
"You promised him freedom."
The two stared at each other stubbornly, not willing to budge. After a long, tense minute, Lucius spoke up.
"Let the boy repay his debt through hard work once he wakes up," the older man suggested.
"What?" Morrigan looked at him incredulously. "Have a child work in the dungeons?"
"The boy already agreed to repay his debt when I interrogated him," Alphegor said. "And so he shall work to repay it."
"Father, sending a child¡" Morrigan objected, but Alphegor held his hand.
"I understand your concern. I shall not send him to the dungeons. He''ll work as a servant in the Demon Castle instead. However, he will not be able to leave the castle as I do not trust him to simply not run away at the first opportunity."
"That is a very wise resolution, Your Majesty," Lucius agreed.
"Alright, I''ll consider this matter settled. Morrigan, tell us what happened once you left the prison," Alphegor said, not allowing her to raise any objections. She huffed a bit in annoyance, but since there was no time to spare, she continued her explanation.
"According to Galandir, the fallen were planning to get my blood right from the beginning to get into the Royal Treasury. Or at least he thinks so, they never explicitly told him. The one who scratched my neck was a fallen and he looked a lot like Mrs. Heinspiel," Morrigan said. Alphegor''s and Lucius''s expressions turned grave at this.
"Now when I think about it, there certainly was a resemblance. But you say that he was the one who injured your neck? It must have been their son. But they claimed that he remained in the Fallen Kingdom," Alphegor growled.
"Your Majesty, did this intruder manage to get Princess''s blood?" Lucius asked, his face turning pale. Morrigan thought back on the attack and remembered how he definitely had some of her blood on his hand. He even ordered them to retreat. She nodded. Alpegor''s expression grew dark and the room grew silent as the King got up from his seat and began pacing around the office.
"But he''s captured, so it doesn''t really matter right?" Morrigan said hopefully. "Whatever he wanted to do with my blood, he can''t do it while captured."
"I need to make sure of something," Alphegor growled. Morrigan noticed how Lucius''s eyebrows had twisted into a deep, concerned scowl.
"Your Majesty, what if he actually managed to¡" the older demon asked, his voice sounding as if all hope was lost.
"We have no choice then. We''re going to have to negotiate with them," Alphegor said and clenched his hands into tight fists.
"Negotiate? Why would we negotiate with intruders?" Morrigan looked at her Father in confusion. She then looked at Lucius for explanation but the demon would not meet her gaze head on.
Something else is going on here. They shouldn''t be so worried about the attacker being captured. It feels like I am missing some crucial bit of information.
"Lucius, summon the fallen Prime Minister. Tell him that it''s time to negotiate," Alphegor ordered.
"At once, Your Majesty," Lucius said and left the room in a hurry.
"Father, what is going on?" Morrigan grabbed onto her father''s sleeve, hoping to receive some answers.
"It is possible that the the fallen who attacked you managed to teleport your blood to his allies," Alphegor said grimly, and Morrigan could see that this fact scared him. It scared him, the almighty Demon King, whose power is unrivaled in the Underworld. And even if Morrigan didn''t understand why, she knew that if he was scared then she should be too.
Chapter 81 – Rat in the House
Alphegor strode through the hallway with heavy steps, his piercing gaze cursing seemingly everyone who dared to cross his path. Lucius followed after him, holding Morrigan''s hand, and they in turn had the dozen best demon warriors following after them, fully equipped and ready for combat. She didn''t fully understand why their reaction was so grim.
After all, the intruder has been captured and was probably being ''interrogated'' for any information by the spymaster. It was only a matter of time before they found out exactly what the fallen wanted to accomplish with that stunt. And yet simply because of a possibility that the fallen might have somehow given her blood to his allies, Alphegor acted so¡ nervously.
Morrigan also couldn''t understand why Alphegor had decided to talk with the fallen Prime Minister. Not like she supported wanton murder, but this seemed like the case where the King would just slaughter the enemies. And yet, he was being overly cautious.
But Morrigan was relieved that Galandir was fine at the very least and won''t be forced to work in the dungeons. He''ll live along with the other servants and slowly work off his debt. It''s not an ideal scenario and it''ll certainly take him a long time to be free again. But at least he''ll be doing honest work and won''t be beaten for it.
Or at least so she told herself. Morrigan knew that members of other races weren''t treated particularly well in the Demon Castle. But she''s never seen a demon actually harming slaves. Then again, such matters probably would be done out of her sight. Who''d deliberately beat up slaves in front of the Crown Princess?
Soon they reached one of the main audience chambers where another dozen demon warriors stood by, armed to the teeth. Across from them stood half a dozen warriors from the Fallen Kingdom as indicated by the dark blue coat of arms on their armor which portrayed two crossed wings.
The guards parted, two of them opening the door for Alphegor. Behind him, Morrigan saw the Heinspiel family sitting nervously on the guest sofa. Annabell was clutching onto her mother whose eyes were darting from one demon guard to the next. Clearly they had no idea as to what was going on. The Prime Minister also looked nervous, however it was clear from his gaze that he knew exactly why the situation was the way it was.
I feel sorry for Annabell. She has no idea what is going on. She is just suffering on account of what her father likely had plotted. If the worst comes to worst, I should beg Father to spare her and her mother. Although I am not sure if he''ll listen this time.
"Your Majesty, for what purpose have you summoned us here?" the Prime Minister said nervously, trying to appear oblivious. However, in his haste he had completely forgotten good manners. This fact did not go unnoticed and the demon guards tensed, their hands inching towards the swords at their hip.
"Last time I checked I am the King in this castle. You will show me due respect before asking me questions," the King''s voice turned the air heavy, making it hard to breathe. It seemed to affect the fallen the most as they clutched at their chest and gasped for breath. Annabell grabbed onto her mother in fear.
"We apologize. We did not want to antagonize Your Majesty," Prime Minister said with a deep bow, even managing to force out a smile. His wife also got up, pulling Annabell along with her and bowing before the Demon King. Alphegor lifted the pressure off the room and strode towards the sofa opposite of the fallen, sitting down with a flourish. Morrigan quickly followed him, sticking close to his side.
"So tell me a good reason why I should not raise an army and wipe the Fallen Kingdom off the map of the Underworld right this instant," Alphegor said in an icy cold voice and wrapped his hand protectively around Morrigan. Prime Minister Heinspiel emitted a sort of hiccuped squeak, sweat profusely pouring from his forehead while his little daughter was barely holding back tears.
"There is no need to resort to such actions. I am sure we can come to a peaceful agreement," Heinspiel said in a trembling voice. Alphegor glared at him and then snapped his fingers. A dark shadow appeared in the middle of the room and out of it rose the dark tendrils that were firmly holding Morrigan''s attacker.
Mrs. Heinspiel gasped while Annabell outstretched her arm towards the captured fallen, "Big brother!"
"So he is your son?" Alphegor growled, his eyes turning red from anger. The Prime Minister flinched back. It is likely that he wanted to keep that detail hidden, but there was no hiding it now. Although in Morrigan''s opinion their son resembled his parents so much that there was no doubt about who he was. Heinspiel''s eyes darted from Alphegor to his son and then he bowed deeply before the King.
"He is my son, Theobold Heinspiel, the next Prime Minister of the Fallen Kingdom," the fallen said, keeping his head low. "Please, spare his life."
"Spare his life," Mrs. Heinspiel bowed even lower and so did Annabell, although it was clear that the girl had no understanding as to why her big brother was bound like that. The sight must be horrifying for her, and Morrigan felt sorry for the girl.
"He had the impudence to attack my daughter and injure her in my own home," Alphegor snarled. The air in the room grew colder and the magic lights grew dimmer. Demon warriors drew their swords and pointed them towards the fallen, ready to strike. The fallen warriors also drew their swords, prepared to defend their lieges even when the odds were not in their favor.
"I did what I had to protect my country. It was rather obvious after the Festival that no peace would come between our countries unless given the right push," Theobold snarled through his restraints.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"Silence, you impudent worm!" Alphegor growled and the dark tendrils wrapped around Theobold''s mouth, preventing him from speaking.
"Please, be merciful," Mrs. Heinspiel was bowing so low that her forehead was touching the ground. Meanwhile Annabell was crying and trembling, her little eyes darting from Alphegor to her captured brother.
"Call your King here if you wish this worm to survive," Alphegor said with menacing glare.
"If we could arrange for a neutral meeting place, I am sure His Majesty would¨C" Heinspiel began, but Alphegor cut him off.
"We will negotiate here or you will receive your son in pieces," he growled mercilessly and stood up, pulling Morrigan along with him. She looked back and saw how the dark tendrils with Theobold in tow sank back into the darkness while Annabell cried on the top of her lungs.
As soon as they were out of the audience chamber, Morrigan tugged on her father''s arm.
"I don''t understand. Why do you want to negotiate with their King? Can''t Melanos get the information from Theobold?" she asked, although she had a nasty suspicion in her mind already.
"It''s a bit difficult to explain, but essentially the fallen can¡" Lucius began, but the King glared at him, cutting the older demon off.
"I''ll explain it to her. For now, secure the castle. Triple the amount of guards for each concubine and princess. Monitor fallen''s every movement. I want to know everything that they do," Alphegor commanded.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the warriors responded. Before Morrigan could ask anything further, she felt herself being dragged into darkness and then realized that her father had teleported them back to their room.
"Father, what exactly¨C" she looked up at him, but felt herself being pulled into a hug.
"It''ll be alright, Morrigan. I''ll protect you," he whispered, and she felt his hands tremble.
Protect me? But I am not in danger? Is it because Father believes that they have my blood that he''s so worried? But what can the fallen do with my blood that would make Father this afraid?
"Of course, Father," she said and wrapped her tiny arms around the King, gently stroking his back in a calming motion.
"Look at me! Soothed by my own child. It seems that I have grown old," Alphegor said with a bitter smile and let go of Morrigan.
"Father, what is it exactly that the fallen can do with my blood? That''s what you''re worried about isn''t it?" she asked.
The King sighed, then said, "It has to do with the way fallen were born. You see the fallen are a counterpart to a race called angels."
There are angels in this world? Overworld races are still a mystery to me. Nobody really talks about them much, and the books that have any mention of humans have been removed from the library.
"The angels are a race that has the innate ability to cure those whose blood they possess. With just a single drop they''d be able to determine what ails the person and would be able to heal them even from the deadliest of diseases. People would willingly give their blood to the angels and angels in turn would cure them. Humans, who are especially prone to illnesses, began worshiping them like gods."
"However, not every angel was satisfied with that. Some became greedy and demanded more and more payment from people. When the demands became too high and people refused to pay them, they became resentful. They began experimenting with the blood they received, trying to find a way to use it for their own gain," the King said, then put a hand on Morrigan''s shoulder. It felt heavy and tired, and she could feel the seriousness behind his words.
"These resentful angels succeeded in twisting their magical gift into something completely different. Instead of curing ailments, they learned how to inflict them. Their feathers changed to reflect that and their angel brethren, enraged and embarrassed, banished them to the Underworld. These angels became known as the fallen and over the millennium, the ability that required diligent refinement and study, became their innate ability. Now any pureblooded fallen may bring death upon anyone whose blood they possess."
Morrigan felt a shiver go through her body as the heavy realization hit her mind.
"They can kill me with just that one drop of blood?" Morrigan asked, and the King nodded, clutching onto her shoulder.
"But if they have taken your blood, I shall retrieve it. We also have a bargaining chip on our side. Their King will not be able to just throw away the life of the Prime Minister''s son."
Alphegor straightened and looked outside the window with determination. Then he called for Azrael, who appeared within a minute, his expression serious.
"Your Majesty, the dragon is fine, merely weakened from magic attacks," he informed the King.
"Good. Prepare yourself for a possible battle. It is possible the fallen have gotten their hands on Morrigan''s blood," the King explained.
"So that''s why the oath has been clawing at me so insistently this whole time. I couldn''t understand it since she''s supposed to be safe," Azrael said, clutching at his chest, over the place where the oath had been placed. Alphegor nodded.
"You have to try and find out whether they truly have acquired Morrigan''s blood," the King commanded. "Although the fact that the oath is acting up is a bad sign."
"I will do my best," Azrael said without hesitation.
"Maybe I can help somehow?" Morrigan asked, feeling utterly helpless and useless in the situation.
"Absolutely out of the question!" Alphegor said.
"You''ll only get in the way," Azrael exclaimed at the same time.
"But¨C" she muttered, feeling fear gnawing at her chest. If somebody could kill her with just a drop of her blood, then she had to get it back.
"Morrigan,"¨CAlphegor knelt down in front of her and looked her straight in the eyes¨C "this is not something you are able to do. Please, trust us to resolve this. I promise that nothing bad will happen to you."
She nodded at her father, who gently caressed her hair. It was comforting to know that Alphegor would protect her no matter what. The King got up on his feet and looked at Azrael.
"Go now. I wish I could go with you, but I must remain by Morrigan''s side. You''re the only one I can trust with this task," Alphegor said and put his hand on Azrael''s shoulder. The white-haired demon looked almost touched by the trust the King gave him. He nodded firmly and then disappeared into the shadows.
Chapter 82 – Elusive Magic
The next morning Morrigan and Alphegor both sat at their breakfast table poking at their food. Neither of them had slept very well, Morrigan catching a few winks towards the morning while Alphegor diligently watched over her, not having slept a wink all night. Neither of them had the appetite to eat, their mind constantly going back to Azrael. The demon had left on his mission last night, taking along some of the most skilled spies, to find out whether the fallen truly had Morrigan''s blood. And if they did ¨C attempt to retrieve it.
The only small consolation came in the form of Haku''s recovery. According to the doctor, the dragon had been merely exhausted from enduring so many magical attacks and would recover in due time. This knowledge brought some peace to Morrigan, although it didn''t lessen the heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"Lady Morrigan, Master Alphegor, you should eat something," Gunna was the only one brave enough to speak up, the other maids staring gloomily at the floor. Due to the large number of guards who had witnessed the whole exchange, it was impossible to keep the matter hidden from the castle staff. So, in the morning, the whole Demon Castle knew what exactly had happened.
"I''m not hungry¡" Morrigan mumbled, setting down the fork on the table.
"Even if you''re not, you should eat. It''ll make you feel better," the nanny insisted, and Morrigan gave in, cutting herself a small piece of bacon from a creature unknown to her and putting it in her mouth. The meat was delicious and tender and as soon as she had swallowed it, Morrigan realized how hungry she actually was. Seeing his daughter eat, the King also forced himself to eat.
"Morrigan!" The door to the dining room burst open, and Deziara ran inside with Lady Lilly following closely behind her. The girl instantly pulled Morrigan into a tight hug, tears streaming down her face. "I can''t believe the fallen would stoop so low as to attack you in our home."
"On a day when even attacking your enemy is sacrilege. The fallen should be banished from the Underworld," Lady Lily huffed angrily, placing a comforting hand on Morrigan''s shoulder. She buried herself in her older sister''s embrace, enjoying her comforting warmth.
"Trust me, I''ll do it as soon as the opportunity arises," Alphegor growled, clenching his hands into fists.
"No matter what happens ¨C we must not give them what they want," Lady Lily said.
"But we shouldn''t go to war," Morrigan said, remembering the horrible scenes from the war documentaries she''d seen. It only ever brought misery and suffering, especially to common people and soldiers. The Underworld would become a living hell and that was the last thing Morrigan wanted.
"We''ll do whatever needs to be done," Alphegor said sternly. "If the fallen refuse to cooperate, then war might be the only option we have."
This is not good, it seems like one tiny thing will be enough for Father to just go into an all out war with the fallen. I cannot let that happen.
Just as she thought this a second wave of shocked gasps broke into the dining room, this time with less force. Few more of Morrigan''s sisters had come to complain about the fallen. She was surprised to see how angry they seemed about the fact that the fallen had attacked her as most of the time, they didn''t really care much for Morrigan. Except of course, of how to best take her position.
"Enough with your clucking. You are princesses, not maids spreading rumors in the kitchens," Viana walked into the dining room.
"Why are you here?" Deziara narrowed her eyes while still clutching onto Morrigan''s hand.
"Why do you think I have come? You believe I''d just stay mute in the middle of this crisis, just sipping tea in my bedroom?" she retorted.
"Well¡ yes," Deziara admitted, and Morrigan had to admit that she was kind of expecting the same thing.
"Clearly you do not understand the gravity of the situation then. This is not some personal slight towards Morrigan alone. This is an attack against the Demon Kingdom as a whole," Viana explained and walked towards Morrigan. Their other sisters parted to let her through and even Deziara released Morrigan''s hand that she had been clutching.
"Viana is right. We need to take this matter seriously," Alphegor nodded grimly.
"Father, if the Fallen King agrees to come and negotiate for the life of his subject, I''d like to participate in the negotiations," she said resolutely. Alphegor arched his eyebrow at that, and then all other princesses also began begging to be allowed to participate in the negotiations as well. Morrigan could see her father''s irritation rise with each second, no doubt aggravated by his poor night''s sleep.
"Quiet! This is not some party to show off your dresses and jewelry," he barked and all of his daughters simmered down, looking guiltily at the floor. "Morrigan will attend, and I''ll allow Viana to come too."
"Why Viana? Why not me?" Rosalie, the third eldest daughter, spoke up, her cheeks puffing out in a pout. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
"Because Viana knows how to behave herself properly," Alphegor retorted, and she skulked back. He was right, and she knew it. All of the princesses knew. Despite them being much older than Morrigan, all of them with the exception of Viana acted rather childish. Even when they''re trying to spite Morrigan, in the end it was no better than some school bullying. Not that they have many chances to bully Morrigan since she is together with Alphegor or Azrael most of the time.
As the princesses pouted and grumbled, suddenly another person ¨C one of the royal messengers ran into the dining room, huffing and puffing. "Your Majesty, I have a message from the fallen Prime Minister."
"Speak," Alphegor commanded.
"He says that the Fallen King will arrive in Linberor in three days," the messenger said, his face pale. If there was any semblance of cheer left in the room, then now it was completely gone. The princesses suddenly didn''t look very eager to participate in the meeting anymore.
"Good. That means we have time to prepare for the worst case scenario," Alphegor said and after throwing a short glance at Morrigan, disappeared into the shadows.
Worst case scenario. He means war, doesn''t he?
***
Two more days remained until the Fallen King would arrive at the Demon Castle. Everyone was busy preparing for his arrival, one meeting of nobles happening right after the next. Alphegor was so busy with all those that Morrigan barely ever saw him during the day. She asked to attend at least a few of those meetings, but was completely shot down. Apparently it was no place for children.
You''re going to allow me to meet the Fallen King but not with the demon nobles. That just isn''t fair. Viana is allowed to attend.
With the tension high and having nothing better to do, Morrigan had hoped to maybe distract herself with some magic lessons. Only to remember that Azrael was away on a mission and unable to teach her anything. So in the end she had nothing better to do than to pace around her room and stare at her many paintings, both finished and unfinished. Also she wasn''t allowed to leave her room until the whole matter with the fallen was settled.
She looked at the half-finished sketch of Haku she had done some time ago. Perhaps it was time to finish it. But at the same time she felt far too nervous to actually draw or paint anything properly. Morrigan never could manage to draw anything nice while she was stressing out, so it was best to leave it for some other time.
But what do I do then? There aren''t many ways to entertain yourself in the confines of your room aside from painting and reading. And I''m pretty sure I''ve already read everything that is in this room. Aside from Father''s documents.
Morrigan went to her bedroom, hoping to find something to do there and noticed the ruby sitting on her nightstand next to her bed. The treasure she had worked so hard to win was completely forgotten due the recent events.
Since I have nothing better to do I might as well absorb it and see what ability it will give me. What if it gave something like ¨C forcing your enemy to obey your every command. Now that would be useful. I could force the fallen to return my maybe stolen blood, go back to their kingdom and never attack us again.
Yeah, as if anything that convenient could ever happen.
Morrigan sighed and picked up the Burmese Ruby. It shone with brilliant red light, and she could feel the power within it resonating with her touch. As if it wanted to know more about her. To understand her from deep within and adapt to her needs. It was almost creepy in a way, but incredibly fascinating at the same time. What could have happened for this stone to give the user whatever ability suited them most.
Magic. There''s no other explanation. If it even can be considered as an explanation. I still know so very little about magic and how it works, it''s embarrassing. Azrael never bothers to explain the theoretical stuff. As long as I can shoot fireballs or change to look like him, he''s content.
Morrigan shook her head, trying not to think about Azrael at the moment. He was away on a mission and thinking about him would only make her nervous about the Fallen King arriving in two days. No matter how hard she thought about it the result could either be bad or worse. Best case scenario ¨C they do not have Morrigan''s blood (unlikely), Father returns their prisoner and then they only resume their attacks the next day. Worst case scenario ¨C a bloody battle begins right in the center of Demon Castle, plunging two kingdoms into instant war.
Morrigan had considered various solutions that could help to avoid that. She even thought about arranged marriage since that was how apparently her father had solved a lot of political issues in the Demon Kingdom. But she quickly dismissed that thought. She didn''t want to marry with some fallen prince or demand one of her sisters to do it. Besides there was no guarantee the Fallen King would even consider that beneficial.
Oh, enough thinking about all that. Better absorb that ruby and see what kind of ability it will give me. Maybe it really could be something useful for this situation.
Morrigan closed her hand over the ruby and imagined its power flowing into her like a steady stream of water. But as its power started going into her, she noticed that it felt different from other times when she absorbed gems. Instead of a cool stream of magic spreading through the body, this felt almost electrifying. Not in a painful way, but rather in a tingly sort of way. The energy also flowed much slower, so she had to concentrate on keeping the flow of magic within her body to be steady.
After several minutes, the gem had finally disappeared from her hand, its energy fully ingrained in her body. She smiled, happy that she had finally absorbed it, but then paused, looking down on her now empty hand.
"But what ability did I get?" she said to herself, blinking down at her hand. Morrigan knew that there was some new power within her, but there was no mysterious message in her head that would tell her exactly what it was. It only told her that there was something there.
Alright, let''s try doing various things then. Maybe something will click.
She extended her hand forward and imagined dark tendrils appearing from the shadows and grabbing the clock on the wall. Nothing happened. She imagined creating a spark of lighting coming from her fingertips. Nothing. A giant icicle appearing from the ground. Nothing.
It''s supposed to be an ability suited for me so maybe it has something to do with painting and art.
Morrigan imagined a sculpture rising out from the ground and becoming her protective golem. No. She imagined paint coming from her fingertips and swirling around her. No. She even imagined a giant paintbrush appearing in thin air. Still no. No matter how many times she tried, Morrigan could not figure out what ability she obtained from the ruby.
Chapter 83 – Value of Life
Two long days went and passed far too slowly for Morrigan''s liking. The whole time she was sitting in her room and trying to figure out what ability had the ruby given her. But no matter what she tried to do it never resulted in anything. She would have loved to get some advice from her father or Azrael, but she never got the chance to meet either of them.
Alphegor didn''t even return to his room to sleep, so she had to wonder where did the King even sleep. Azrael apparently had returned to the Demon Castle late last night, but unfortunately nobody had told her exactly what were the results of his mission. Although judging by the fact that there were more soldiers pouring into the Demon Castle, it couldn''t have been good.
I suppose it is safe to assume that the Fallen King truly has my blood. But how did that fallen, what was his name again? Theobold. Yeah, I think that''s what it was. How did he manage to send my blood to the King in that short span of time between when he injured me and Father arrived and captured him? Oh, who am I kidding. It was magic, of course. It''s like anyone can do anything in this world as long as they wish for it hard enough.
"Lady Morrigan, your father summons you to the grand conference hall," Gunna came into the living room, appearing nervous, no, even shaken.
"Is everything alright, Gunna?" Morrigan asked her.
"I¡ Well, the Fallen King has arrived," she said. Morrigan gasped and ran to her window. Looking down from the high tower she saw unfamiliar white carriages, about twenty of them parked within the castle yard and more than a hundred soldiers with unfamiliar coats of arms standing opposite of the Demon Castle soldiers. She could sense the tension going on between the two sides even from up in her room. It was like all of them were ready to grab their weapons at a moment''s notice and attack.
Oh, no. Whatever happens, it cannot turn into a fight. That would plunge the Demon Castle in a bloody battle and from here it would no doubt spread throughout the country. No, this has to end peacefully.
Morrigan took a deep breath, exhaled and hurried out of her room to the conference hall. Her heart was racing and her hands trembled, not out of fear for her own life, but out of fear for her family and her kingdom. It was ironic in a way ¨C once she wished for nothing more than to return back to Earth and forget about the Demon Kingdom.
But now she wished to protect it. She wanted to protect her family and its many inhabitants. To protect their beautiful traditions like the Nachtstern Festival and allow them to continue their daily lives in peace. And she would do everything in her power in order to achieve this peace.
***
When Morrigan arrived at the entrance of the conference hall she saw her father, Viana and a bunch of demon ministers, including Lucius, standing by the door, surrounded by what appeared to be a small army. When Morrigan arrived all of their gazes fell and only the King met her eyes. From his looks alone, she could already tell that the situation was bad.
"The Fallen King is already inside. Let''s go," he said simply, and Morrigan nodded. Her hands trembled and she tried to squeeze them together to prevent that from showing. However, as the doors were opened and she saw the fallen sitting at the table, her hands only began to tremble harder.
"Keep your head up, Morrigan," Viana whispered in her ear, and gently touched her hand. Morrigan flinched at first, but then Viana took her hand and held it firmly. Her skin was soft but her grip was strong, preventing Morrigan from shaking any further. "Do not show them any weakness. Remember that you are the Crown Princess of the Demon Kingdom."
Morrigan looked at her sister in shock. She never expected for her to show such support. It gave her the strength she needed, so Morrigan straightened and dutifully followed after their father, trying to show as much confidence and grace as Viana.
Before long all of the representatives from the Demon Kingdom and the Fallen Kingdom were seated around a long round table, guards from both countries standing near walls, armed to the teeth and ready to jump into action at any moment. Morrigan sat between her father and Lucius, while Viana was sitting on Alphegor''s right. Right across from them sat the Fallen King and Prime Minister Heinspiel.
Morrigan took a moment to carefully assess the Fallen King. Just like all the demons, he looked really young with long blonde hair cascading down his back and his sky blue eyes analyzing everything with measured coldness. In a way, he seemed almost angelic. Almost. The dark wings on his back gave no doubt about who he really was ¨C a fallen.
"It is most wonderful that you have invited me to you, King Alphegor. I am sure that today we''ll finally be able to find peace between our two countries," the Fallen King said with the sweetest of smiles. However, it was not a friendly smile, and Morrigan could feel how powerful and dangerous the man really was.
"There will be no peace until my daughter''s blood is returned, King Uriel," Alphegor growled in return, not bothering to keep up any pleasant appearances. It appeared that Azrael had confirmed that the Fallen King indeed had it.
"Whatever are you talking about? How could I have your daughter''s blood when I was on the other side of the Underworld?" Uriel shrugged nonchalantly. Alphegor glared at him and suddenly a dark shadow arose at the end of the conference table and within it was Theobold, looking limp, his gaze completely apathetic to the surroundings. Heinspiel noticeably flinched at the sight, his face growing pale.
Even Morrigan felt a bit uncomfortable. It was clear that he had been tortured for information. She already knew her father would do that, but seeing someone who had actually been tortured was not pleasant, even if he didn''t have any visible injuries on him. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
"No need to play this charade. This worm already admitted that he teleported the little bit of blood he got from Morrigan to you," Alphegor snarled. Silence took over the room as all eyes fell on the Fallen King. Then he smiled and looked at Morrigan. A shudder ran down her spine, but she did her best to not look away. Because that would be a sign of weakness, something he could take advantage of.
"Well, since you''ve already confirmed it, I suppose there''s no reason to hide this," the Fallen King put his hand inside his white robes and pulled out a little vial. At the very bottom of it sat a little red dot. It was so small, so meaningless. But everyone in the room knew exactly what it was. The tendrils on Theobold tightened and he groaned, making Uriel drop his smile.
"It appears we both have something that the other wants back. Let''s make this easy. I shall return this scum back to you in exchange for Morrigan''s blood," Alphegor said.
"But do you really believe that would be a fair exchange? Do you believe the heir of the Demon Kingdom is worth the same as a Prime Minister''s son?" Uriel said, while Heinspiel turned a shade paler at his words.
"Nothing in this world is worth as much as my daughter''s life," Alphegor growled, and Morrigan furrowed her eyebrows. While she really appreciated that her father cared for her this much, this was not the right time to show how much he cared about her. It would have been better, if he had said something along the lines of ''I have 23 more daughters that can take her place''.
"Then I believe it would be fair for the Fallen Kingdom to receive some extra recompense along with the return of our Prime Minister''s son," Uriel said, beginning the true negotiations. "As you are probably well aware, the Fallen Kingdom has been suffering from poverty for a long time now. Our citizens are dying of starvation every day while the demons frolic and cheer, organizing festivals and eating to their heart''s content. These are things my citizens could only dream of."
For a king of a supposedly starving nation, he sure doesn''t look like he is starving. And the clothes he is wearing are so extravagant, far more so than what Father is wearing right now.
"The vast land that the Demon Kingdom possesses is filled with riches and resources our lands do not have. I merely wish to improve the lives of my citizens, many of whom have already suffered under the injustice of others," he continued. Despite the supposedly tragic story he was telling, Uriel''s smile never wavered.
"So what is that you want?" Alphegor asked, no doubt trying to forego any more sad stories the Fallen King was trying to tell.
"I do not ask for much. It would be a mere sliver of the wealth Demon Kingdom possesses. 300 million gold, 5 thousand magic gems of various grades, and the Duchy of Lendmar," he said nonchalantly. This time Morrigan did lose control of her expression for a moment as did many other demons in the room. The gall of this guy!
That is not a mere sliver! It''s an outrageous sum. Not to mention the territory of Lendmar Duchy. It certainly isn''t the richest duchy in the Demon Kingdom, but in terms of size, there is no place larger. Not to mention that it houses no small portion of demon citizens. What would happen to them if we just handed the Duchy over to the fallen?
"Outrageous. Your greed surpasses even that of humans," Alphegor said. Uriel just chuckled in response.
"Greed? No, this is no greed. It is merely what the Fallen Kingdom deserves. Especially after the destruction you brought upon our country a few years ago."
"I was merely cleaning out a rat infestation from my Kingdom," Alphegor retorted, and despite Uriel''s smile, the tension in the room grew very heavy.
"Of course. And I am merely looking out for my citizens. Or are you saying that your daughter''s life isn''t quite worth the price I am asking," the Fallen King said. Alphegor slammed his fist into the table, making it crack and creak underneath the force.
"As I already said, there is nothing worth more to me than my daughter''s life," he growled, his eyes turning a murderous shade of red.
"Then I am sure the price I am asking is not an issue."
There was a tense silence in the room. Morrigan knew that this was the time for her to speak up, however, her mouth felt dry and she couldn''t bring herself to open it. But she had to. At the rate this conversation was going the Demon Kingdom would remain as the losing side as Alphegor wasn''t willing to risk Morrigan''s life, even if they were supposed to be on equal negotiation grounds.
"I believe what you are demanding is outrageous," Morrigan spoke up, and the demon ministers nodded eagerly at her statement. "One life should not be worth more than another life. Or are you saying that the life of your subject does not matter to you?"
Heinspiel looked at his son, who was still trapped within Alphegor''s dark tendrils, mostly unresponsive to the conversation that was going on. The other fallen looked at their King too, and Uriel grew a bit more tense.
"One life is not equal to another. The life of a King cannot compare to the life of a peasant. Same as the Prime Minister''s son cannot be compared to the next queen of the Demon Kingdom," Uriel said with a smirk.
"Who says I''m going to be the next queen? I might be the Crown Princess now, but do not forget that I have 23 older sisters. Any one of them can easily take my place. Like my eldest sister Viana here ¨C she was the Crown Princess before me. Why can she not be one again?" Morrigan said.
"Even if you are not to be queen, you are still a princess of higher rank than a mere fallen noble," Uriel retorted.
"So you''re saying that your subject''s life is worthless to you?" Morrigan pressed the attack, hoping that the already tense fallen ministers would speak out against their King.
"That is enough!" King Uriel said, and Morrigan suddenly felt as if somebody had gripped their hand around her heart. She gasped, barely managing to remain upright. "You will know your place, pup!"
"Release your magic at once!" Alphegor jumped to his feet, his eyes glowing bright red.
"Not a step further or the princess will be stuffed out like a candle," Uriel snarled. "You will meet your demands or the Princess will die."
Morrigan clawed at her chest, tears rolling down her eyes from the pain. She was completely powerless before this invisible force. Seeing that Alphegor took a step back, raising his arms up to show surrender.
No¡ No. We cannot give in to their demands. We cannot just give up part of our kingdom to the fallen. The demon people would surely be enslaved. If only there was some way to counter their magic.
Suddenly a bright light entered the conference room, illuminating everything just like the sun. Morrigan recognized this magic ¨C it was one of Galandir''s spells. As soon as the light orb reached the Fallen King, the pain within Morrigan''s chest disappeared.
Chapter 84 – Peace Treaty
Bright light shone brilliantly in the conference room, forcing demons and fallen alike to shield their eyes. The suffocating hold on Morrigan was broken, as if cut off by a knife and she looked around in shock. Galandir was standing by the entrance his hand outstretched as he concentrated on the light. He was breathing heavily and sweat was running down his forehead from the strain while Azrael supported him with his hand.
"Y-You will not harm her," the elven boy exhaled. "I will not let you do to her what you have done to me."
King Uriel jumped up to his feet in outrage and pointed at Galandir, "Kill the slave!"
The fallen warriors unsheathed their weapons at once and were about to jump towards the boy, however Azrael conjured a fireball making them all falter for a moment.
"You have to go through me to attack the boy," he snickered.
"Father, the magic holding me is gone!" Morrigan called out, and Alphegor reacted without hesitation. He unsheathed his sword and with a swift movement lunged towards the Fallen King. Uriel jumped out of his way and erected a forcefield blocking his attack.
"What are you doing, fools? Get rid of the boy! Get rid of that light!" Uriel bellowed, and now the demon soldiers had their weapons ready for an attack. Morrigan watched the scene in horror. Few more moments and the whole room would erupt into a bloody battle. She had to get her blood back as quickly as possible.
It appears that the fallen blood magic does not work in light. Theobold must have failed to kill Galandir because I had conjured that bright fireball. And now Uriel can''t harm me because Galandir created this light.
I have to get my blood back before somebody gets to Galandir or he runs out of magic. It doesn''t look like he has fully recovered yet.
So Morrigan called upon her fire, the one power that never failed her. She couldn''t just straight up attack the Fallen King since that would trigger a battle that she was so desperate to avoid. So instead of flinging flashy fireballs, she concentrated on the vial within his hand. She imagined it getting hotter and hotter, invisible embers burning at the glass.
"What the¨C" Uriel suddenly exclaimed and dropped the vial, his hand unable to withstand the heat coming from it. Morrigan didn''t hesitate and engulfed the flask in bright blue flame, instantly destroying it and the contents within. A few seconds later, nothing remained, just a scorch mark on the pristine conference table. Everyone stared at the spot in shock, the chaos in the room coming to a halt.
"Good job," Galandir said weakly and collapsed. Before the boy could hit the floor, Azrael caught him and flung him over his shoulder.
"Good job, kiddo. Now with this matter settled, I''m going to take him back to the medical ward. He still needs some rest," Azrael said with a toothy smile and disappeared with a nonchalant wave of his hand.
King Uriel''s face filled with rage as he stared at the scorched mark. Then his eyes locked onto Morrigan, his fist clenching with fury. Morrigan feared he might just attack her openly, but before he could go forward with the attack, she was pulled into the safety of Alphegor''s embrace, his sword pointed towards Uriel.
"I believe you have lost your trump card, King Uriel. All because you didn''t value the pawns you were given. Had you valued that elven slave more, perhaps he wouldn''t have turned against you," Alphegor said triumphantly. Uriel''s face turned red with anger, however, he sat back down in his seat, motioning the fallen soldiers to sheathe their weapons.
They hesitated for a moment, but then slowly backed away. There was nothing the fallen could do anymore. Without Morrigan''s blood as their leverage, the fallen were completely at the Demon King''s mercy. Then suddenly Uriel began laughing hysterically. His ministers looked at him incredulously, wondering if their King had gone mad.
"Alright, you''ve beaten me, Alphegor. Once again, I am at your mercy. So tell me what horrors will you enact upon my Kingdom now. More gold? More magic gems? More slaves? Will you take everything from us, leaving fallen people to starve and suffer?" he said, almost maniacally.
"You will give us whatever we deem to be the right price. It was YOU who ordered the attack on my daughter in my own home. It is only fair that YOU pay for what you have done," Alphegor said, his gaze merciless and cold.
"What choice did I have? You demons keep rampaging and pillaging us without mercy. My people are dying while yours prosper and thrive," Uriel spat.
"Oh, don''t start with this pity nonsense again. You don''t appear to be starving to me," the Demon King retorted.
"What do you know about me? Or about the Fallen Kingdom? Have you seen the devastation across our lands? Of course not, because you were the one who brought it there in the first place hundreds of years ago. Our land is already poor, being in the deepest recesses of the Underworld. But even what little we had, you took away from us," Uriel pointed his finger at Alphegor, who just narrowed his eyes at him.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
"So to fix that you decide to raid my kingdom. Attacking my people and stealing from them."
"It was either that or we die," Uriel said bitterly.
"No, it is your people dying. Your soldiers are dying for your arrogance. I never saw you on the battlefield. You were too cowardly to even attend a festival. Instead you send your Prime Minister. Not to mention that instead of sending a proper champion like everyone else did, you send a slave," Alphegor said.
"Why should we honor some old demon tradition? All you ever did for us is spit on our face."
"It is not a demon tradition, it is a tradition of the whole Underworld. But you are too big of a fool to see that, being cocooned in your bubble of misery and pity."
So the two kings continued bickering among themselves, both of them clearly using the occasion to vent some piled up frustrations. Ministers from both sides initially vehemently supported their own king with enthusiastic nods and even clapping occasionally. But as the argument dragged out and became more nonsensical in nature, they started looking annoyed.
"What do you know about raising children? You had five nannies for each of your daughters. I couldn''t afford so many servants so my two sons were raised purely by me and my wife!" Uriel shouted.
"As if you''ve ever even changed a nappy in your lifetime. Best case scenario you looked over your wife''s shoulder as she did. I remained by Morrigan''s side constantly for the first four years of her life. Until you decided to invade my lands, and I was forced to leave her alone!"
"That''s enough!" Morrigan spoke up, her irritation at seeing two kings squabble like children, reaching its boiling point. Two of them looked at her in shock while the ministers as well as guards from both sides sighed in relief. "If you two keep squabbling like this, we will never come to any conclusion."
"What conclusion could there be? You demons will just take whatever you want again," Uriel said, crossing his arms over his chest. Morrigan had to suppress a laugh ¨C he looked just like a pouting kid.
"Let''s just look at this objectively and lay down the facts," Morrigan said. "The Fallen Kingdom is suffering. There''s not enough food, not enough resources, is that correct?"
"That is correct. Large portion of our population struggles to earn enough money to buy food," the Fallen King confirmed.
"So your people are suffering and in order to fix that, you attack the Demon Kingdom in hopes of gaining some wealth from us," she continued, and Alphegor nodded in confirmation.
"That is correct. This kind of pillaging has been going on for centuries, but six years ago, the fallen army itself led the raids, instead of it being some small groups assembled by the citizens."
"You attack us and then expect us to not retaliate. That''s not very logical, is it? Would a dragon spare a snake attacking it just because it felt sorry for it?" Morrigan asked.
"We are not snakes!" King Uriel said, looking offended.
"It was just an example. I''m not saying you are snakes. My point is that you cannot just expect us to not fight back. Even if we know you are suffering, we cannot just let you attack us," Morrigan said. King Uriel remained silent, however some of the fallen ministers begrudgingly nodded.
"So when you attack us, we fight back and then it starts this whole cycle of hatred that cannot be broken. However, this cannot go on. After all we are all people of the Underworld. Instead of working against each other we should be working together," she continued, and the Fallen King sneered.
"Pretty words coming from someone in a position of power. Where are you even going with this, little princess?"
"Alright, I''ll just cut to the chase. Instead of our two countries arguing and fighting, we should sign a peace treaty," she said resolutely. A wave of murmurs passed through the room as everyone considered the option.
"Peace treaty? What use would a peace treaty be?" King Uriel scoffed.
"It''s to establish a friendly relationship between our countries. Wasn''t that the whole point of the Nachstern Festival ¨C to unite the races of the Underworld? It''s not that we demons want to keep fighting. Isn''t that right, Father?" She threw a glance at her father, who coughed, looking away awkwardly.
"Right."
"Alright, let''s say we sign your peace treaty. How would the fallen people even benefit? It''s not like it would solve our issues," Uriel narrowed his eyes at Morrigan.
"First, it is not our job to fix the problems of YOUR kingdom. That is your own job. If you wish to improve the conditions of your citizens then you should have come seeking aid instead of pillaging our villages," Morrigan retorted.
"Establishing trade routes and allowing fallen citizens to search for jobs in the Demon Kingdom could be a significant boost to your economy," Viana chimed in. Morrigan looked at her and the two sisters smiled at each other.
"Why would you want to do that?" One of the demon ministers slammed his fist down on the table in anger. But Alphegor glared at him, forcing the man to flinch back.
"Because then the fighting would stop. The people near the Fallen Kingdom border wouldn''t have to suffer anymore. Not to mention that the fallen have access to valuable Burmese Rubies that don''t exist anywhere else in Doppelta. Trading for those could prove invaluable to us," Viana said.
Thank you, Viana! I''m not quite as knowledgeable in these things yet, so your support is invaluable.
Uriel scratched his chin in contemplation and after a moment looked at Alphegor.
"Would you really return Theobold to us and sign a peace treaty?" he asked suspiciously.
"You heard my daughters. I have no use for fallen prisoners. It''s just another useless mouth to feed. But those rubies of yours, I''d be willing to trade for," the Demon King said.
For a while tense silence descended the room as the Fallen King contemplated this information. Morrigan feared that her words might have been useless after all and more battles would follow between their kingdoms. But finally Uriel sighed and nodded.
"Very well. I shall sign this peace treaty. For the sake of my people!"
Chapter 85 – Uncertain Future
Morrigan woke up, in her bed in the Demon Castle. Gunna was snoozing on a chair next to the bed, and judging from how her shoulders sagged, it appeared that she''d been there for a long time.
How long did I sleep? My body feels so stiff.
She slowly slid out of her bed, while rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Despite how much she slept, the mental exhaustion still lingered. When it was time to forge the magical contract for the two kings to sign, things got¡ heated. There were long debates on what to add in the contract, how to properly phrase things and also how to avoid any loopholes.
At that point every minister got involved and argued on every single point of the contract, saying how it could be misinterpreted in that way or there was this possible loophole in this clause. It was a nightmare and it took no less than six hours (with a short 20 minute break in the middle) for the whole thing to be written. And then it took another hour to convince both kings to sign it.
As Morrigan clambered out of the bed, Gunna began to stir and her eyes soon opened. The nanny looked confused for a moment, but she saw Morrigan and instantly pulled her into a deep hug.
"Oh, poor child. I heard everything that happened to you. It is just awful what those fallen have done. You know I''m never quick to judge the races as a whole, but in this case, all the demons were right. The fallen truly are scum ¨C attacking such a young child and using her life for political gain," the dwarfish woman huffed, her eyebrows scrunched up in anger. This was probably the angriest Morrigan had ever seen her nanny.
"It''s alright, Gunna. It''s over now. The peace treaty is signed with a binding magical contract which cannot be broken," she replied.
"Even so, it is absolutely barbaric. Good thing about that magical contract. With it we don''t worry, since there isn''t a single case of magical contract being broken," Gunna said encouragingly.
Not even a single case? With the civilization in this world being so old, far older than the one on Earth, if nobody has discovered how to break a magical contract until now, then what are the chances of it ever happening? Plain impossible. That puts my mind at ease.
"This matter is now settled, Lady Morrigan. How about we forget all about that unpleasant event and instead get ready for the day ahead? Today it is scheduled that the whole royal family is going to eat breakfast together," Gunna chimed. Morrigan barely managed to suppress a groan. Seeing all the concubines and her sisters was the last thing she wanted right now. But it''s not like she had a choice, so she nodded and allowed Gunna to get her ready.
***
This is the worst.
All of the concubines and princesses were gathered at the large dining table in the main hall, chattering and happily enjoying their meal. However, their gazes would constantly travel to Morrigan, occasionally hidden sneers appearing on the corners of their lips. Nobody dared to say anything openly, but what they were thinking was clear ¨C Morrigan had made a mess of things again.
After all, the fallen had taken her blood and used it as leverage against the Demon Kingdom. It didn''t matter that it was taken forcibly or that she helped with solving the issue. She could have single-handedly saved the world, but if she made a mistake while doing it these women would latch onto it. They would still sneer and point their fingers at her behind her back. Rosalie, Miriam and a few other of the oldest princesses as well as their mothers looked awfully satisfied with this outcome. It was clear that this was a golden opportunity for them. A chance to claim the title of the Crown Princess for themselves.
Viana, however, didn''t appear pleased in the slightest. Her expression was glum while her mother chattered happily with the other concubines, her spirits as high as they could be. Morrigan looked at her eldest sister who looked back at her. She looked forlorn and even somewhat guilty and soon lowered her gaze to the still full-plate in front of her.
"I''m glad that was resolved nicely, wasn''t it?" Deziara said, looking hopefully at Alphegor and Morrigan, trying to cheer them up. But the king looked rather glum, no doubt already dreading all the paperwork he would have to go through to make the peace treaty with the fallen actually long-lasting and sustainable.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
"Yes," he replied in an absent-minded sort of manner.
"I have to say, Your Majesty, this is truly a golden opportunity. A peace treaty with the fallen. We should cherish and strengthen it further," Lady Viviane said, the wine clearly getting to her head already. "Imagine if we were to connect our kingdom through the sacred vows of marriage? We could gain an effective spy on the inside and rule the Fallen Kingdom from within. We should send out strongest princess to¨C"
"Silence," Alphegor growled, and the whole room went deadly silent as he glared at Viviane.
"It''s alright, Father. There is no reason to get angry. It was merely a joke," Morrigan said. Not that she felt sorry for Lady Viviane, but the look of horror Viana had when her mother spoke up. Morrigan would hate for her to get punished along with it. After all, it felt like they were finally starting to understand each other, if only a little bit. "It was most pleasant having breakfast with you, but I am afraid I have to excuse myself. I want to check on Haku''s well-being."
She walked out of the dinning hall with her head held high, however as soon as the doors closed behind her, she melted into shadows and rushed to the dragon stables outside. Much to her relief she found Haku chomping on a large piece of meat, unscathed and uninjured.
"Haku, you''re alright!" she said and went to hug her dragon friend. He quickly swallowed the meat he was eating and cooed at her. He flicked his tongue in an attempt to lick her, but she dodged him.
"No licks. You stink like meat," she wagged her finger, and he whined. Morrigan scratched the scales underneath his chin, and Haku wagged his tail in satisfaction.
"I''m really glad you''re okay," she whispered, pressing her forehead against her friend.
"Dragons are not so easy to injure or kill," Galandir suddenly spoke, and Morrigan jumped back in shock. The boy was carrying a bucket of water, which he poured out into Haku''s water bowl.
"Can you just walk around like that? Are you okay?" she asked. It wasn''t like she wasn''t happy to see the boy walking around freely. But it felt a bit odd, knowing that just a few days ago he was still imprisoned. Even if her sneaking him out of the prison felt like a lifetime ago.
"Of course I can. I am not a slave anymore!" he retorted, setting the bucket down.
"You''re not?"
"Why are you so surprised? You''re the one who demanded my freedom in the first place. I''ve been assigned to care for Haku by that annoying white-haired friend of yours," the elven boy explained and went up to the dragon, patting his shoulder affectionately. Haku blew a puff of smoke at the boy as if to confirm his words.
"Really? That''s great! I mean¡ you''re not really free to return to the Overworld but¨C" she stammered, wondering whether the boy was bitter by this outcome.
"Maybe I am not free to go there yet, but in retrospect, this actually might be better. It''s not like I have a home to return to, and who would even want to deal with some orphan kid? It is not too far-fetched to say that the fallen might try to send somebody after me for revenge. After all, I foiled all their plans," Galandir said, then sighed.
"I do miss the sun and the sky and the wind, but I''ll be safer here. I have a job, warm food to eat every day, a safe place to sleep, and a giant debt to repay."
The boy chuckled, and Morrigan saw how there was a bit of hope in his eyes. If previously they seemed resigned to his grim fate, then now they shone with new determination. A warm feeling bloomed inside her chest. She had done something good. She had managed to save this child and that thought gave her strength and also hope. Hope that perhaps one day she could free more slaves. Or perhaps end slavery as a whole, even if the path to doing that would no doubt be long and hard-one.
"It truly is a huge debt. I hope Azrael pays well for being a dragon keeper," Morrigan chuckled, but the smile on Galandir''s face vanished.
"It pays well enough, but that is not the kind of debt I was talking about," he said, looking her in the eyes. She cocked her head in confusion when the door swung open and Azrael came into the stables, whistling without a care in the world.
"Hello, squirts. Up to no good again?" he snickered.
"We were just talking. Besides you''re the one who is always up to no good," Morrigan retorted.
"Oh, I certainly used to be the biggest troublemaker around these parts, but I''m afraid at this point you have taken that title from me," the mage grinned and pointed at Morrigan, who crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance. She didn''t cause that much trouble. Did she? Maybe a little, but she certainly wasn''t as bad as Azrael.
"What do you want?" she grumbled.
"It''s like you forget what my job is around these parts. It''s to teach you magic. With this whole fallen debacle over ¨C we need to return to your lessons. Bring that Burmese Ruby and let''s see what ability it gives you."
"About that ¨C I already absorbed the ruby," Morrigan admitted sheepishly.
"Oh, good. Saves us some time. What ability did you get?" the demon asked, a bit of excitement flickering in his eyes. "No, actually, nevermind. Just show me."
"Well, there''s a bit of a problem¡" she stammered.
"What problem?" Azrael raised his eyebrow, and Galandir also cocked his head curiously, having listened to the conversation intently.
"I have no idea what ability it gave me!"
Chapter 86 – Epilogue
"Perhaps you can make the flowers bloom from your fingertips," Deziara guessed while sitting on Haku''s front paw. The dragon was lying on the ground at the back of the Demon Castle, observing Morrigan trying to create flowers from her fingertips. She furrowed her brows in concentration, but after several minutes it became clear that nothing would happen.
"No, it''s not flowers," Morrigan groaned. It had been three weeks since she absorbed the Burmese Ruby into her body, and yet she still had no idea what ability she had. "Why isn''t there a way to just find out what abilities you have? Like a list of sorts? Or like a system in a video game? That would make things way easier."
"System in a video game? What''s that? Is that one of those human things?" Deziara asked curiously.
"I''ve never heard of the term video game," Galandir added. Since the elven boy was assigned to take care of Haku, the dragon stables were the place where he hung out most often. And since Morrigan and Deziara always came to visit Haku, they slowly formed a friend group of sorts.
"I doubt humans have them in this world. It is a rather complicated thing to make. You''d need to have plastic and microchips and all sorts of other complicated stuff I do not think this world has," Morrigan said.
"Aww, bummer! The stuff from your old world sounds so interesting, Morri. I wish I could have seen it too. Just like Azrael and Father," Deziara pouted.
"Azrael could open a portal to Earth, but if you were to spend just one day on Earth more than a hundred days would pass on Doppelta," she said.
"Yeah, we can''t leave for that long, especially not now when all of our sisters are eager to take your place as Crown Princess," Deziara grumbled. "I swear, they''re some hyenas, not people. Their sister gets attacked and they turn the matter on its head and call her incompetent. Greedy leeches only want power. Even Viana has more tact than them."
"Let''s not talk about that. I honestly don''t even want to think about all the things I''ll have to do to keep the title."
"Why do you even want to keep it?" Galandir asked, poking at the ground beneath him with a stick.
"Isn''t it obvious it''s because¡" Morrigan paused as she thought about the answer.
But why do I want to keep the title of Crown Princess? Wouldn''t it all be much easier if I just gave it up to Viana and lived as a simple princess? I know Father really wants me to inherit the throne, but is it what I want?
"It''s because Morri has the biggest magical potential since Father was born. No other demon can even compare to what she can do," Deziara announced proudly, standing up to her feet. Haku growled in agreement and produced a tiny flaming crown above Morrigan''s head.
"Oh, he''s exaggerating. You and Viana can do magic too," she retorted and waved the flaming crown away from her head.
"No, I''m really not. You could shadow step when you were just a baby and you learned how to shape-shift at age four. Age four! That is insane. Even Azrael, who is supposed to be a magical prodigy, could only do it when he was twenty and nowhere near the same level as you. Mom told me so," the girl objected.
"Maybe demons just aren''t that great at magic. I mean, I could light step when I was a baby too," Galandir said, clearly unimpressed.
"Light step?" both girls asked curiously.
"Yeah, it works the same as shadow step except in the light. Not very useful here in the Underworld," the elven boy scoffed.
"No, I refuse to believe that elves are better at magic than demons. It is well known that Underworld races have stronger magic because Underworld is where the magic is born. We breathe it in with each breath. Everything you have in Overworld is just magical residue," Deziara scoffed.
"I wonder if that''s how it really is. I wish I could go to the Overworld and compare," Morrigan said thinking about the green forests, blue sky, and the warm glow of the sun. How would she love to paint just a simple nature scenery with a meadow full of flowers!
"Yeah, like that''s ever going to happen. I''m pretty sure Daddy won''t let you out of his sight now," Galandir scoffed, and Morrigan''s shoulders sagged.
"Don''t worry, Morri. You''ll be able to go wherever you want once you''re an adult," Deziara cheered, but Morrigan''s shoulder''s sagged. She''d have to wait until she was forty years old for that to happen, and even when she reached adulthood there was no guarantee that Alphegor would just let her go in and out the Demon Castle whenever she wanted.
"For a princess you sure lack any sense of tact," Galandir scoffed.
"What?" Deziara grumbled. "What did I say wrong?"
"Nevermind that. Let''s just try to figure out what is this ability that I got from that accursed ruby," Morrigan mumbled, the unpleasant heaviness once again settling over her heart.
"Oh, perhaps you can create light now. That would certainly be ironic for a demon princess," the elven boy suggested.
"It''s worth a shot," Morrigan sighed. She imagined creating a ball of light above her palm. However, all she got was a gentle, flickering fireball. It shone rather brightly and illuminated a large portion of the surrounding area. But it was without a doubt her fire magic and not some new light magic ability.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
Haku seemed mesmerized by the fireball and touched it with his claw. It disappeared just like a soap bubble. The dragon growled and lowered his head, begging to play.
"It''s no new magic, but it seems that Haku likes it," Morrigan giggled and created a yard full of magic fire lights. The dragon chased after them and popped them one after the other. Soon Galandir joined in the game, popping the fire with his stick; it was so gentle that it merely charred the end of it a little bit. Deziara also joined and after her followed Morrigan.
Soon the yard was swirling with little gentle fireballs while the four of them ran around and played.
***
Morrigan returned back to her room rather late, having spent the whole day together with Deziara, Haku and Galandir. She had a lot of fun with them, but unfortunately, they still couldn''t figure out exactly what ability she had acquired from the Burmese Ruby.
When Morrigan entered her room, she saw Alphegor sitting at his work desk and diligently writing something on a piece of paper. He stopped the moment he saw her enter the room.
"Welcome back, little one," he smiled and got up from his seat. He opened his arms, inviting her for a hug and she obliged, burying herself in his embrace. "Have a nice day?"
"Yeah, it was fun. Unfortunately, we couldn''t figure out what ability I got," she sighed into his chest and he gently patted her head.
"I''m sure we''ll figure it out soon," he said and released her.
"Is there really no way of finding it out? Some magic artifact or something?" she groaned and sat down on the sofa, sinking into its soft and comfortable cushion. Some of her tiredness seemed to melt away.
"There are rituals that could tell us. However, they require you to spill your blood, so those would be the absolute last resort. Actually, I would rather not find out what ability you got at all, rather than do one of those rituals," Alphegor said sternly, and Morrigan sank deeper into the cushion.
"But it is supposed to be an ability suited for me. Shouldn''t I just know what it is?" she grumbled.
"I''m afraid magic is not that simple. Some abilities can be sensed. I imagine you can sense to an extent where you can slip into shadows and where you cannot," he said, sitting down next to her.
"Now when you mention it, then yes. I don''t really want to become a shadow in a place that is well-lighted, but in dark places, it feels as natural as breathing," she said thoughtfully. "I am supposed to concentrate on something to feel this new ability?"
"It is possible that could help you discover it. However, the majority of abilities are undetectable until put into use," he said and then placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don''t worry. I''m sure you''ll discover it in time. There''s no need to rush."
"I suppose you''re right," Morrigan said and then her eyes landed on her father''s portrait. It hung in their living room, having become the grand centerpiece. Alphegor was very proud of it and often looked at it with a big satisfied smile on his face. "It''s been a while since I''ve painted anything. I think I''ll do that to distract myself."
"Sure. I still have some work I need to finish," he hummed and then returned to his desk. Morrigan went to change her clothes first. She put on a simple black dress with short sleeves and then put an apron over it. It was already covered in various colorful splotches, proof of her previous work.
Gunna had wanted to replace it with a new one since the color didn''t exactly wash out from the cloth. But Morrigan insisted on keeping it. She felt like it had a nice character. A clean apron felt like it was inexperienced. Unready for the task ahead.
Once she was dressed, Morrigan prepared her private painting corner. She propped up a canvas and set out her colors, looking over them thoughtfully and pondering what to draw.
"Father, is there something you''d like me to paint?" she asked as she measured the small canvas in front of her, wondering what she could fit in there.
"You''ve already given me the best portrait I''ve seen in nearly ten thousand years," he said proudly, looking at the portrait.
"You haven''t even lived for so long," she chuckled.
"But I am sure that I will not see a better one. Unless it is painted by you, of course."
She shook her head with a smile and then turned her attention to the colors before her. Her eyes fell upon the vibrant green color. She thought of the green grass and lush trees.
It''s been such a long time since I''ve actually experienced any real greenery. And who knows if I''ll ever even touch the grass again. No, don''t think about it. Those gloomy thoughts won''t do you any good. Just focus on the happy feelings.
So Morrigan picked up the green paint and the paintbrush and began painting. She did her best to remember the scenery from Earth. A calm meadow far away from the city. A warm breeze blowing and rustling the long soft grass. She imagined the small flowers growing through the grass, gentle white and pink buds reaching out towards the sun. And she imagined a forest somewhere far away in the distance, a small line compared to the vast blue sky above.
With a satisfied hum, Morrigan began putting down colors on the canvas before her. Just like the image in her head, the scenery slowly came to life. With each of her brush strokes, it felt like the picture became more real, more complete. But there was something odd as well. She was feeling tired. And not just a little bit tired, but really, really tired.
It must be because of all the running I did before.
So she dismissed her tiredness and continued painting. She could almost feel the soft grass beneath her feet. She could smell its freshness.
Oh, the smell of grass. How I have missed it. There''s nothing like it in the Underworld.
"Morrigan!" Alphegor suddenly called out to her. Her eyes snapped away from the painting.
"What is it, Father?" she turned her head to look at him, and then gasped in shock, dropping her paintbrush to the floor. Or to be precise, dropping it into the grass. The soft green grass that was growing on the living room floor.
"Look at what you''ve done!" The King exclaimed, his voice filled with wonder, a giant grin growing on his face.
"I-I did this?" she asked dumbfoundedly and then bent down to touch the grass. It felt exactly like she expected it to feel like. She plucked one strand of it and brought it to her nose. It smelt wonderfully fresh. It was without a doubt real grass.
"This is amazing, Morrigan! I''ve never seen such an ability before in my life. Your painting just turned into reality. Do you realize how powerful that is?" he gushed, his eyes sparkling with excitement she had never seen before. Morrigan staggered, exhaustion taking over her body. Her father quickly ran up to her and caught her.
"It seems to take a lot of energy from me¡" she muttered. She felt so exhausted, but at the same time so elated at this discovery.
"It''s alright. I''m sure that in time, you''ll learn how to manage the energy consumption better," Alphegor said and lifted her up in his arms. She leaned into his embrace, allowing her eyes to close. The last thing she heard him say was, "With this, you''ll become a ruler far more powerful than I could ever hope to be."
Chapter 87 – Wonder of Creation
It was a typical morning in the largest kingdom in the Underworld ¨C the Demon Kingdom. The sun didn''t shine. How could it? After all, it was a world set below the surface. The wind wasn''t blowing. Because once again, there was no wind in the Underworld. And there were no blue rivers or vast oceans where one could cool down their body or quench their thirst.
Instead, darkness spread everywhere, like a thick blanket covering every nook and cranny. Lava rivers flowed like an ever-present reminder of doom and death, while vegetation died due to a lack of sunlight. But even in this dark place, there was life. And there was also happiness.
In the very center of the Underworld stood a tall, black castle. The light from its windows shone like beacons in the vast dark, illuminating the city around it. At the foot of the castle there was a yard filled with dark hedgy bushes with an occasional pathway that was illuminated by a magical orb light. In the middle of this yard stood four figures.
First was a demon girl in her late teens. Her eyes, hair and horns were just as black as the darkness around her, but she wore a warm smile on her face that seemed to repel the gloom away. Second was a young elven boy with hair that shone like sunlight and eyes as red as rubies. His eyes spoke of the suffering he had endured but also of hope for a better future. Third was a dragon with shimmering red scales and eyes green as lush meadow grass. It wagged its tail in excitement while looking at the final figure.
The final figure was a little demon girl about the same age as the elven boy. Her hair flowed like fire down her shoulders while her silver eyes were focused on the canvas in front of her. She held a brush in her hand and was painting meticulously, paying attention to every small detail on the canvas. Her brushstrokes were measured and precise. Nothing that she painted was out of place.
However, as the painting on the canvas neared completion, her eyebrows began to furrow and sweat started beading on her forehead. All three figures watching her, including the dragon, also tensed as they noticed her strain. But the girl kept painting. Her hand began to tremble, but she persevered until the very last brushstroke when she collapsed.
"Morri!" Deziara called out in shock as she watched her sister collapse. However, Haku had already sensed that she was nearing her limits and had jumped forward to cushion her fall.
"Thank you, Haku," she said weakly, her body slumped over the dragon''s neck. He gently shuffled his body underneath hers, propping her up on his back.
"Are you alright?" Deziara ran up to her, making sure that Morrigan was secure on Haku''s back and wouldn''t slide off.
"Yeah, I''m alright. It just takes a lot of energy," she said with a smile.
"T-This is incredible. You really can create stuff you paint," Galandir said walking up to the round fountain which stood in the middle of the Demon Castle yard. The middle of it was made to look like a dragon, Haku specifically, and it was spewing out water which then fell down, creating a gentle mist around it.
Deziara turned to look at the fountain and exclaimed in admiration. She ran up to it and reached out her hands to feel the little water droplets fall. Haku also walked up to it, making sure to move slowly so as to not drop Morrigan. He sniffed at the falling water and then sneezed as it got inside his nostrils. His tail began wagging enthusiastically and the only reason the dragon didn''t jump around the fountain was out of consideration for Morrigan.
"It''s astounding that you even created water for it. I wonder if it''ll run out at some point," the elf wondered, examining it left and right.
"I believe it''s reusing the same water it is spewing, but since some of it is going over the edges, we''ll probably need to refill it occasionally," Morrigan said, finally gathering enough strength to look at her creation properly. It was just the same way she had envisioned and drawn on the canvas, down to the very last detail, albeit a bit smaller.
She was still in awe of the power she acquired through the Burmese Ruby. Anything she could paint on a canvas, she could turn into reality. Of course, such an ability didn''t come without any drawbacks. Each time she attempted to create something it would drain nearly all of her magical energy, making her unable to create anything else or use any magic for that matter until she recovered.
It''s been a month since she acquired this ability and yet she had only used it four times, including the fountain she had just created. First time, she turned the floor in her and Alphegor''s living room into grass. Her father was beyond elated about this ability. The servants who had to scrape all the grass off and replace it with a new floor were not.
The second time she used it to create a simple rubber ball. It didn''t have nearly as much energy to create and made a great toy for Haku, who loved chasing it around. Granted it only survived for about three days, before being torn to shreds. Then she tried to create an oak tree in the yard, but apparently, that proved to be too much as she fainted and in the end the tree wasn''t complete. It was much shorter than she had drawn and didn''t have any leaves. Azrael guessed that she didn''t have enough magical energy to create it.
However, this fountain seemed barely within her capabilities.
"How did you come up with something like this? I''ve never seen such an unusual thing before in my life. It''s like a bath, only too shallow and too cold to actually bathe in," Deziara said as she watched the water droplets fall.
"There''s no fountains in the Underworld?" Galandir asked.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
"No, not really. The closest thing we have to something like this is a volcanic eruption," Deziara explained, and Morrigan realized that she had once again created something that did not exist in the Underworld. Everyone was really surprised by the rubber ball as well since rubber as such didn''t exist in Doppelta.
"If anybody asks, you gave the idea for it," she said to the elven boy who nodded absentmindedly while dipping his hand into the fountain.
"But this is great! You could paint and create those wonderful human things that you''ve told me about. Like smart pone and lap topper," the black-haired girl cheered.
"You really should have started with those," Azrael spoke up, suddenly appearing next to the fountain.
"When did you get here?" Deziara hissed at him, taking a step back.
"I sensed a large amount of magic gathering in the castle yard and came to check it out. This is pretty neat, Princess. But a laptop and smartphone would indeed be a much better choice," Azrael hummed.
"I don''t know if I can create them in a working condition. Perhaps it would be no better than a plastic brick. And if by some miracle I am able to create a working laptop, you wouldn''t be able to watch any of your videos either way," Morrigan said.
"Huh? Why not?" Azrael gaped at her in shock.
"Because there is no Wi-Fi in the Underworld," she replied blandly.
"What is this¡ waifai?" Deziara cocked her head curiously.
"It''s like an invisible network that allows computers and phones to connect to the Internet," she said, but then realized how useless that explanation was for people who have no idea what radio waves or Internet or even electronic devices are.
"What is enternet?" Galandir asked.
"It is special human magic that allows them to find whatever they want on laptops and smartphones. Music, books, live performances, and long-distance communication are all possible because of it," Azrael said sagely and both Deziara and Galandir looked impressed.
"It is not magic at all. It''s just too difficult to explain. Can we return to this some other time?" Morrigan said, exhaustion taking over her body.
"Yeah, you seem rather tired. I''ll help you get back to your room," Deziara went up to Morrigan, helping her get off Haku.
"Come, Haku. We''ll have to return now," the elven boy tapped on the dragon''s shoulder. Both of them returned to the stables.
"Here, let me help," Azrael suddenly went up to Morrigan and lifted her up in his arms, princess-style.
"Hey, I''ll get back to my room with Deziara''s help," she protested and tried to squirm out of his grasp.
"Oh, shush. That''ll take forever. Besides, there''s no need to get embarrassed now. I used to carry you all the time when you were small."
"But I am not small anymore," she objected.
"You still look small to me," Azrael grinned and began walking.
"Take proper care of her now, Azrael. I''m going to show this fountain to Mom," Deziara said excitedly and in a matter of seconds disappeared within the castle. Morrigan grumbled, being left alone with the demon, but at the same time, she was just too exhausted to resist.
Before long, they had gone up to the highest floor of the Demon Castle where all the royals lived. Morrigan and Alphegor''s room was at the very top. Azrael knocked on the door before entering.
"Who is there?" Alphegor asked from behind the door.
"It''s Azrael, Your Majesty. I have brought your princess back," he said with a self-satisfied smile, while Morrigan pouted. The door opened, and Alphegor''s face filled with worry as he saw her weakened state.
"What happened?" the King asked and hurriedly took Morrigan in his own arms.
"It''s nothing serious, Father. I merely exhausted all my magic while creating a fountain," she said awkwardly.
"But it was successful this time. I believe the Princess has found her upper limit for the ability," Azrael explained, and Alphegor''s expression relaxed.
"That is good. It means you won''t be exhausting yourself to this point in the future," Alphegor looked sternly at Morrigan, who blushed and looked away from her father''s strict gaze.
"I''ll make sure that she stays within her limits," the white-haired demon said with a smirk.
"Good. You''re dismissed," Alphegor said. Azrael gave a quick bow before disappearing into the shadows. The King then closed the door and brought Morrigan into their shared living room.
Her side of the room had turned even more colorful and messy than before. Morrigan had been busy thinking about what sorts of things she could create and how to properly create them. She had a feeling that she needed to fundamentally understand the thing to properly create it. So she was sketching many mundane objects from every possible angle to better understand them.
Alphegor carefully set Morrigan down on the sofa and she instantly sunk into the cushion, letting her body relax and recover. He put his hand on her forehead, and she felt a bit of magic flow into her body. It was like a breath of crisp, fresh air and she instantly felt much better.
"Thank you, Father. I''m sorry for pushing myself so hard. I''ll be more careful next time," she said, sitting up on the sofa.
"It''s alright. I understand your curiosity about this new ability. It is certainly worth developing it and strengthening it further. What did you create?" he asked, and she pointed towards the window.
"A fountain. I think you can see it from here," she replied rather proudly. Alphegor went up the window and looked down. For a minute he disappeared, probably having gone to take a closer look at her creation. Then he returned with a satisfied smile on his face.
"That is a very nice creation," he hummed with satisfaction.
"I know right!" she cheered in response.
"But you''ll have to be careful with what you create. You cannot start creating things from Earth or even the Overworld," Alphegor said sternly.
"Huh? Why not?" Morrigan felt shocked, after all, she had been looking forward to recreating things from Earth.
"Because somebody could realize that those things are not from this world. People from other worlds exist in Doppelta so somebody could figure out that you were a human before. And if that were to happen, I could not let you remain as Crown Princess," Alphegor explained. Morrigan''s shoulders slumped, and she nodded.
"I understand, Father. I won''t create things from Earth," she said dejectedly and quietly wondered whether it really be such a bad thing to lose her title.
"Good girl!" he patted her head, but Morrigan felt no relief from the gesture.
If only I could create some things to make stay in this castle more bearable. Because I feel like I am suffocating from the neverending dark.
Chapter 88 – Suffocating
Five years passed in what felt like a blink of an eye. Morrigan continued practicing hard with her art magic, learning how to control and use this incredible power properly. She learned her limit and how to effectively create things she wanted. However, after Alphegor forbade her to create anything from the Overworld or Earth, she felt like there was nothing she wanted to create.
Sure, she could make new fancy furniture, unique dresses and attires, and even plants which now filled her bedroom. She could even create her own favorite desserts without actually having to cook them. Her only limit was the size and complexity of the object. As long as it wasn''t a living being and she stayed within her magic reserves, she could create it. As long as she could paint it, of course.
It all seemed so great in theory. And in practice, the whole Demon Kingdom was now at her feet. Nobles sent her invitations to parties or begged for her to invite them to the Demon Castle. They sent her extravagant gifts and showered her with praise. So this power helped her solidify her rather weak hold on the Crown Princess title. But some tried to reverse this power on its head and claimed that nobody should have the ability to create anything they wished.
Morrigan guessed that there would have already been an uprising if it weren''t for Viana. She was the one majority of nobles pushed towards the Crown Princess seat. She, however, had made a public statement that she''d be training to become the next Prime Minister instead and would support Morrigan''s claim to the throne. And since no other princess had as strong of standing as her, nobles had to take a step back and wait until a candidate as equally promising as Viana would rise to the challenge.
So for the time being Morrigan could relax and not worry about political matters. The problem was that she could not leave the Demon Castle. Not even to look around Linberor. The security in the castle was watertight and there was no way for her to slip out without notice. As such, her spirits slowly waned and her desire to use paint magic diminished.
"Morrigan, pay attention!" Viana tapped angrily on the desk, bringing Morrigan out of her thoughts.
"Huh?" she looked up at her eldest sister. Viana had taken it upon herself to teach Morrigan politics, so that meant that she didn''t have to learn from Lord Weisedun anymore. That was both a blessing and curse at the same time. Blessing because Viana''s teaching methods were far better. Curse because Viana demanded absolute perfection from her. Not a single mistake was tolerated.
"Focus. You''ve been staring blankly into space for the last minute. Do you even remember the topic we''re talking about right now?" she sighed and rubbed at her temples.
"External politics?" she replied somewhat sheepishly, realizing that hadn''t heard a word Viana said.
"No! I was explaining the ruling system in the Duergar Country. How their ruler is elected rather than born into the position. I swear, lately you''ve been acting like¡ like a shell rather than a person," Viana said, but rather than looking angry, she appeared concerned. "Is there something wrong?"
"No. Nothing really is wrong," Morrigan replied. It felt like she was lying, although she actually wasn''t. Nothing bad had happened lately. She was steadily learning more magic, her relationships with most of her sisters had improved, and she gained a better understanding of the Demon Kingdom each day. Nobody had tried to attack her either. And yet at the same time, it felt like she had been stagnating.
"If there was nothing wrong, then you wouldn''t be so sullen all the time. Is this about your dragon?" Viana took a chair and sat down across from Morrigan, looking her in the eyes.
"No¡ I mean, maybe," she replied. Haku had also become somewhat depressed lately. He didn''t want to play as much anymore, and even flying around the castle did little to cheer him up. Azrael sometimes even took him for a flight beyond the castle borders and that cheered him somewhat. But most of the time, the dragon was glum. Morrigan wondered whether he was mimicking her mood.
"Yes, that is an issue. He''s getting bigger and bigger, so the territory around the Demon Castle is becoming too small for him," Viana said thoughtfully.
"It''s becoming too small for me too¡" Morrigan muttered in a barely audible voice.
"You know that Father has forbidden you to leave¨C"
"¨C to protect me. I know, I know. But it feels like I am suffocating in this castle. Day after day all I see are the same dark walls and the same dark halls with the same familiar faces and same word exchanges. It feels like if it goes on for much longer, I am going to go insane," she rambled, then fell silent as she saw the increasingly concerned look on Viana''s face.
"But, Morrigan, you can ask for anything your heart desires. You can create anything your heart desires," Viana said.
Not anything. The things I truly want to create, I am not allowed to create.
"I know. But it still feels like I haven''t seen anything. All the places and people you teach me about ¨C I haven''t seen or met any of them. People from the other Underworld races, I''ve only seen at the Nachtstern Festival and that was five years ago," she said with a heavy sigh and looked down at the familiar dark floorboards. "I just want to see what lies beyond these castle walls."Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
Viana gazed at her sister for a while then put a gentle hand on her shoulder, "If you really feel so badly within the castle, then I''ll talk to Father. Convince him to take you outside."
"But I''ve begged him so many times already. He always says no."
"Then we just need to give him a good reason to say yes," a small smile appeared on Viana''s lips, and Morrigan looked up at her.
"A reason for Father to say yes? It''d have to be something that makes the danger of me venturing outside worth it. And don''t think anything is worth it in Father''s eyes. Not after what happened with the fallen," she said dejectedly.
"This isn''t like you, little sister. Besides, there is a good reason for Father to say yes. Even he cannot outright forget about traditions," Viana smiled, and Morrigan cocked her head at Viana curiously.
"Tradition? What tradition?"
"There is one which I am pretty sure he hasn''t told you about. No, I am 100% certain he hasn''t told you about it and has forbidden anyone from mentioning it," Viana said.
"What tradition?" Morrigan tugged at Viana''s hand impatiently.
"The Crown Princess Tour," Viana said with a smile.
"That sounds¡ amazing! A tour? So I''d have to travel around the Demon Kingdom? How come I''ve never heard of this before?" Morrigan''s eyes sparkled from excitement.
"And as I said ¨C Father has forbidden everyone from speaking about it. Not me, of course, but I imagine he didn''t think I''d tell you about it willingly."
"So explain it to me. What is this Crown Princess Tour?"
"In order for the Crown Princess to solidify her place as the heir and also to help her learn about her Kingdom and the Underworld as a whole, she is sent to travel the Underworld. This is done while the heir is still a child, making them more involved in the process of ruling the country," Viana explained.
"As a child? Is there a certain age when it''s done?" Morrigan asked, her heart thundering from excitement.
"Yes. It is usually done at age sixteen," the demoness replied. Morrigan''s excitement waned a bit as she realized that Viana must have gone through this tour, fully expecting to become a queen one day.
"I''m sorry¡" she muttered.
"What are you apologizing for? It''s not exactly your fault. Besides, I can''t say that I like the spotlight too much. I prefer working from behind the scenes," Viana calmed her, then smiled. "Now, enough moping. We need to figure out a way to confront Father about this and get him to say yes."
Morrigan nodded enthusiastically and the two girls continued talking through various scenarios of how their conversation with the Demon King might go.
***
"Absolutely not!" Alphegor said sternly from behind his work desk while Viana and Morrigan stood in front of it. They told him a long speech, listing all the positives and negatives of why Morrigan should go on the tour and what could be done to alleviate any possible dangers that she could encounter along the way. Lucius was eyeing the whole scene with curiosity, his inkpen never stopping as he worked.
"See? I told you he would say no," Morrigan said to Viana, her shoulder slumping.
"Of course, I would say no. The whole point of you staying within the Demon Castle is for you to remain safe. And yet now you dare to suggest going on a tour around the Demon Kingdom," Alphegor growled and glared in Viana''s direction. But the older girl had grown impervious to his glares as they had lost their previous sharpness once she announced that she would support Morrigan''s claim to the throne.
"Father, you cannot keep her locked up in the castle like a prisoner for the rest of her life. Besides, if Morrigan does not go on this Tour as every previous Demon King and Queen has, nobody will acknowledge her as the Crown Princess," Viana explained matter-of-factly.
"We''ll come up with a new tradition. Something she can do from within the castle," Alphegor retorted.
"With all due respect, Your Majesty, but any replacement tradition would not be accepted by the people," Lucius interjected, and the King glared in his direction forcing the older demon to look down and continue working on the document in front of him.
"Father, please! I cannot stay locked up in this castle any longer¡ I-If this goes on, then soon I feel like I won''t even want to paint anymore," Morrigan said. Alphegor''s breath hitched at this declaration and the anger in his features was replaced with sadness. He looked for a moment, thinking, but then shook his head.
"I understand that, Morrigan, but this is not just some trivial walk around the city. This is¨C"
"You don''t even let me walk around the city," Morrigan said in a voice louder than she intended. Her eyes began to fill with hot tears and she looked away, trying to wipe them away.
"Father, please at least consider it," Viana said and placed a reassuring hand on Morrigan''s shoulder. She never thought there would be a day when Viana would be speaking on her behalf against her father. And yet here they were.
Alphegor sighed loudly and then slumped down into his chair.
"I-I will consider it¡ But I do not make any promises yet," he conceded, and Morrigan looked up at him with hopeful eyes.
"Really? Thank you, Father! You won''t regret this," she said and skimped out of her father''s office, nearly jumping up for joy. Viana gave Alphegor a quick curtsy and followed her.
"I haven''t made any promises yet!" he shouted behind them.
"Perhaps not. But whenever you have said ''I''ll think about it'' in the past, it always meant yes," Morrigan whispered to Viana, who nodded affirmatively at this.
"I heard that!" Alphegor shouted behind them.
"I love you too, Father!" Morrigan shouted back at him, and the King had no other choice but to admit defeat.
"I must be getting old, Lucius. I can''t beat these girls, especially when they work together," Morrigan heard her father say.
"But it is heart-warming to see them work together," Lucius hummed happily.
"That is true¡ Perhaps if I were to send Viana with Morrigan¨C"
Those were the last words Morrigan heard her say, as she happily took hold of Viana''s hand. Her sister seemed surprised at first but then smiled back as the two of them retreated from the Demon King''s office. Victorious.
Chapter 89 – Gathering the Crew
Several months passed. On the outside it seemed like everything within the Demon Castle was the same way as before. However, an ember had been ignited and it was sizzling and growing with intensity each day. Each evening without fail Morrigan would talk to Alphegor about the Crown Princess Tour. She would ask him questions about it, trying to figure out more.
She could have asked Viana all those things, however by asking her father about the tour, Morrigan believed that she could subconsciously make him more amiable to the idea of her going. Initially, Alphegor wouldn''t even hear of it and didn''t answer anything relating to it.
But as time went on and Morrigan persisted with her questions, the King relented and slowly began telling her more and more things about the tour.
"So tell me, Father? What places did you go to when you went on this tour?" she asked during dinner which they always ate together. Sometimes some other concubines and princesses would join, Lady Lily, Lady Viviane, Viana and Deziara being the most common attendants. However, quite often they ate together ¨C just to the two of them.
"My tour¡ it was so long ago. I can hardly remember it," Alphegor said thoughtfully while cutting the meat on his plate.
"But you must remember something at least," Morrigan said. She knew that demons in fact had a rather good memory. They could remember something that happened several thousand years ago in vivid detail. It only made sense. If they forgot things at the same rate humans did, then they wouldn''t be able to remember most of their lives.
"I do remember that it was a very enjoyable time," he said somewhat reluctantly. Morrigan scooted closer to him with her chair, looking up at him with an expectant gaze. He sighed, and it was clear that Morrigan had won this battle. "I traveled all over the Underworld together with people who were closest to me."
"Who did you travel with?" she asked.
"Lucius was there with me, as well as several demons who currently take important positions in my court. And my younger brother as well," he said through pursed lips. The image of Phantom appeared in Morrigan''s mind and she wondered whether he could have been that brother.
"I never knew I had an uncle," she said with a chuckle.
"He''s been dead for a long time now."
So maybe the Phantom isn''t related to Alphegor after all. There are people on Earth who look a lot like each other although they are not even related. It could be that.
"Oh. Well, can you tell me what places you visited?" Morrigan asked.
"There were many places we visited. The main reason why the tour exists is so the heir could learn about the Underworld. Both the good and the bad, so it takes us through various places."
"Who decides what places get visited? Or are the places set by tradition?"
"Some places must be visited as per tradition, however, most are chosen by the current ruler," Alphegor explained.
"So if I were to go, you''d decide where I am going," she said with a wide smile.
"You are not going," Alphegor said with a huff.
"But you promised that you''ll think about it!" she whined.
"And I have thought about it. It is far too dangerous," she grumbled, but the words weren''t said with the same ferocity as before.
"But you allowed Viana to go," she objected.
"Viana was¡" he faltered, and Morrigan used her chance to continue her assault.
"Was Viana better than me?"
"No, of course not. Your magic is unparalleled," Alphegor said.
Good thing that Viana isn''t here to hear this. While it is probably true, I bet she would feel hurt.
"So what''s the problem? I''ve learned lots of new spells over the years. I am much stronger now."
"Viana wasn''t actively targeted by anyone. You are."
"I can protect myself now. Besides, Azrael can come along," she objected, and then an idea popped into her head. "Why don''t I take Haku along?"
"Haku? The dragon?" Alphegor raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. He''s been feeling rather depressed lately, so I''m sure he''d be happy to come. And a giant dragon would be a great deterrent to any would-be attackers," she explained. The King paused and pondered the idea for a moment.
"Traveling with a dragon could be troublesome, but it certainly would deter any lowly scum from attacking you," he muttered more to himself.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
"Exactly!"
"I still haven''t decided if I will allow you to go," he growled.
"Of course, Father. I was just thinking out loud," she said with a brilliant smile. By this point, it was clear that he would let her go. It was only left to determine at what cost.
***
"Gunna, what do you think? Who should come along with me? Apparently, I''m allowed to choose whichever five people I want," Morrigan sat on the sofa of her living room with a pencil and notebook in hand.
"I don''t know, Lady Morrigan. It is entirely up to you," the dwarf nanny said with a smile as she bustled about, cleaning up the living room.
"Do you want to come?" she asked.
"Oh, no! I wouldn''t dare to be so presumptuous. It is supposed to be a journey where you establish yourself among your people. Taking a slave along wouldn''t leave a good impression," the nanny chuckled, and Morrigan''s smile disappeared.
"Slavery shouldn''t exist at all," Morrigan mumbled. She quite often forgot that Gunna was in fact a slave. After all, it was only her race that differentiated her from the other maids in the Demon Castle. But the maids got paid for their work, they had families to return to at the end of the day and they were allowed to quit if they wished to do so.
But Gunna didn''t earn any money. Sure, she always had clean and comfortable clothes to wear and warm food to eat. But she couldn''t return to her family like the maids could. She didn''t even have a place to call home.
"Oh, there you go feeling all sorry for me again," Gunna chuckled and walked up to Morrigan. "I am happy where I am, child. There is no bigger honor in this world than to see you grow strong and prosper. I wouldn''t leave your side even if somebody was beating me with a stick to do so."
Morrigan threw arms around the nanny, burying her into a hug. She was taller than Gunna at this point but that didn''t mean that her presence was any less comforting. After all, she was the closest thing Morrigan had to a mother.
"You really should want to have your own life, Gunna. Instead of just watching me grow," Morrigan muttered.
"Oh, shush. I like raising you and even if you are a princess you cannot take this joy away from me," Gunna said jovially, and Morrigan nodded, releasing the nanny from the hug.
"Are you sure you don''t want to come along?" she asked.
"I am sure. I''ve never been one for traveling," the nanny waved her hand dismissively and returned back to cleaning. Morrigan sat back down on the sofa and began tapping the opened notebook with the pencil.
"Alright, I''m definitely going to need Azrael along. There are no arguments about it. Father wouldn''t let me go otherwise," she said and wrote down Azrael''s name in the notebook.
"Most certainly. He is one of the strongest mages in the Demon Kingdom," the nanny nodded in agreement.
"Hm¡ Father is the strongest in the Underworld, but I don''t think he can come along," she pondered.
"No, the current ruler is not allowed to come. The tour is supposed to symbolize the heir''s independence from the previous ruler, after all," Gunna explained.
"Yeah, that makes sense. Besides, he''s really busy. I doubt he can just abandon all his duties to tag along," she said with a glum expression. But it didn''t stay on for long as she refocused on her task.
"Alright, so I am going to take Deziara. No doubt about that. I know that she''s also been itching to see the world outside these walls," Morrigan said and resolutely wrote down her sister''s name.
"Lady Deziara would certainly support you no matter what," Gunna nodded as she wiped Alphegor''s desk clean.
"Next ¨C I''d like Viana to come along. She''d give me good advice no doubt and she''s already been on the tour before," Morrigan said, then added after a moment of contemplation. "But since she has gone before it could also create an odd situation. Some people might take it the wrong way and believe that she actually does want to regain the Crown Princess''s position."
"I believe that wouldn''t be an issue, Lady Morrigan. Instead of taking her along as your sister, take her along as the next Prime Minister. It would only signify her support for your claim," Gunna said.
"Really? I guess that makes sense. You understand these things rather well, Gunna," she looked at her nanny with admiration.
"You tend to pick up a thing or two after serving the royalty for so long," she chuckled.
"Okay, then I''ll write Viana down for now and talk it out with Father later. That means I have two more people I could take along," Morrigan said as she pondered who else to take.
"Didn''t you want to take Haku along as well?" the nanny asked.
"I did, but most really wouldn''t count Haku as a person. Doesn''t he have his own special spot in all of this? Like a familiar? Or a protective beast?"
"I am not sure. You''d have to ask Master Alphegor."
"I''ll write him down just in case. That leaves me with one more spot," Morrigan said after scribbling down ''Haku'' in the notebook.
"Perhaps another one of your sisters?" Gunna suggested. She thought about it. It made sense to take another sister along. However, while Morrigan was on semi-decent terms with most of them, she wasn''t really close with the rest of her sisters like she was with Deziara and Viana. It was also likely that they would refuse to support her on this tour instead hoping to go on their own.
"No, I think I have a better candidate," Morrigan said and wrote down ''Galandir'' in the notebook. In reality, it was never a question of whether she wanted him to come. Of course, she did. He was her one true friend. Perhaps her only friend if one were to discount her sisters and Haku.
The problem was that Alphegor hated him. It was likely that the King would have long since thrown him back in the prison if Morrigan didn''t defend him. In her father''s defense, Galandir was rather conceited, doing largely whatever he wanted to do. After fulfilling his duties, of course.
"Is it that elven friend of yours? I should have known," Gunna turned to look at Morrigan. She had a knowing look on her face, and was grinning happily. Like a mother would when her daughter had just come home to tell her that she likes a boy for the first time.
"Gunna, it is not like that. I''ve told you a hundred times already. Galandir is a friend. A friend. There is nothing romantic going on between us," Morrigan grumbled. And she wasn''t lying. While Galandir had grown up considerably, now being a bit taller than Morrigan, he was still a child. And having been an adult human before, she felt no attraction towards children even if they were her age.
"Well, alright, if you say so. By the way, Lady Morrigan, have you decided on the theme for your birthday party yet?" the nanny asked.
"My birthday¡" Morrigan blinked as the information slowly sank into her mind. "I completely forgot about it!"
Chapter 90 – Birthday to Remember
The big day had finally arrived. Morrigan was officially sixteen years old and it was time to celebrate this memorable occasion. Unfortunately, she was too nervous to actually feel happy about it.
All of the prominent nobles from the big demon houses will be attending my birthday today. That means that there is no room for any errors. I have to look perfect, act with grace and speak with wisdom. One mistake could easily threaten my already weak position and send this country into civil war.
"Lady Morrigan, are you perhaps thinking of something silly again?" Gunna asked while styling her hair into beautiful curls using special magical hair gel. The maids were holding beautiful hair ornaments in the shapes of Underworld flowers, which were then used to pin and secure Morrigan''s hair.
"No¡ Maybe?" she said nervously while straightening out the front of her gown for the tenth time. It was really beautiful ¨C the strong black color used for the base with gold ornaments running all throughout with a layer of red on her skirt and waist. It all came together beautifully and looking at the mirror she felt like a real Underworld princess. But despite her pretty reflection, she still felt nervous about the day ahead.
"Please, do not worry. It is your birthday. Everything today is made for you and there''s nothing that you can do wrong," Gunna said and the demon maids nodded in agreement as they worked on the various places on her gown, making sure it looked absolutely perfect.
"But¨C"
"There are no buts. Today is for you, Lady Morrigan. Happy birthday!" the nanny said as she finished doing her hair. She noticed that there was a beautiful golden rose hair clip which went wonderfully well together with her dress.
"Is that a golden rose?" Morrigan asked in surprise. She had heard of these flowers before, but they were incredibly rare, even in the Overworld which was the thriving place for all sorts of flowers and plants.
"Indeed it is," Gunna confirmed.
"Where did you get that?"
"I grew it myself, of course. It was a bit difficult in the conditions that exist in the Underworld, but I managed," the nanny said proudly. Morrigan threw her arms around her, despite the protests of the maids, doing her best not to cry.
"Thank you, Gunna. I really love it. I''ll make sure to preserve it once the party is over," she said, taking a few steps back. The maids instantly began smoothing out the crevices in her dress, grumbling in the meanwhile.
"I''d be honored if you did. I believe there''s a spell that could help achieve that, but you''d have to ask your teacher," the nanny said.
"I will. Thank you," Morrigan said and then took a deep breath. "But now, I have to go."
With somewhat shaky steps, she left her room and went into the living room where Alphegor was already waiting for her. A smile beamed on his face as he saw her emerge from her room.
"Morrigan, you look absolutely stunning!" he said proudly. She did a little twirl, showing off her gown from all angles and her father clapped. "Truly, I have never seen a more beautiful demoness in my life. Perhaps, only your mother."
"I wish she could have seen me now," Morrigan said a bit somberly.
"Me too, little one. But even if she cannot be with us today, remember that she loved you," Alphegor said and then beckoned her to come over. She obliged, and the King pulled her into a hug. "Happy birthday, Morrigan!"
"Thank you, Father," she said, enjoying the warmth that came from his body. After a moment they separated, and Alphegor pulled something out of his pocket.
"Would you turn around for me? I''d like to put on my gift," he said. Morrigan nodded and pulled her hair to the side to allow her father access to her neck. She felt his hand go around her and then something cold touch her exposed skin. Looking down she saw a beautiful necklace with a smoothly polished red stone in it. It matched perfectly both with her hair and her dress.
"Thank you, Father!"
"Don''t be so quick to thank me. Open it," Alphegor said with a smile as he finished securing the necklace. Curious, Morrigan took the pendant in her hands and looked for an opening mechanism. There was a barely noticeable button on the back. After pressing it, the locket sprang open revealing two pictures. One was a miniature version of the portrait Morrigan had drawn for Alphegor. The other was a portrait of a beautiful demoness with long white hair and clear silver eyes.
"Is that¡ mom?" she asked, tracing her fingers over the picture.
"Yes. It is difficult for me to talk about her since her loss always brings me pain. However, I believe you deserve a piece of your mother with you at all times," he said softly. Morrigan''s eyes welled with tears as she looked at the picture, the facial features of her mother being so similar to her own.
"Thank you," she said through a sob and once again hugged her father.
"Of course. But this is not all," Alphegor said, his smile turning smug.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
"Not all?" Morrigan looked at him curiously, while wiping away her tears. Good thing that makeup in the Underworld was waterproof.
"Yes. This necklace also serves as a magical conduit. If you pour your magic into it, you''ll be able to talk to me no matter where you are," Alphegor said and pointed to a red cufflink he was wearing.
"So I''ll be able to talk to you during my travels!" she said cheerfully. Alphegor nodded, although there was a sad hint behind his smile. He still hadn''t fully accepted the fact that she''d be leaving soon.
"Yes. But we''ll talk about that some other day. Now it is time to go to the ballroom. The guests are already waiting for you," Alphegor said and extended his hand towards Morrigan. She took it and a moment later they had both teleported just outside the ballroom. The music was already playing and there was a cheerful chatter of voices coming from the inside.
"Are you ready?" Alphegor asked, looking down at her with a smile.
"As ready as I''ll ever be," she said, her heart beating fast from both nervousness and excitement. Alphegor chuckled and instructed the guard to announce their arrival.
"His Majesty, King Alphegor Nachtstern, and Her Highness, Princess Morrigan Nachtstern," the guard announced. Morrigan held onto her father''s elbow as he led her into the grand ballroom. It instantly erupted into applause and cheers, all eyes going to Morrigan.
Just keep your head up and smile, Morrigan. It''ll be over before you know it.
***
The evening was long, but oddly enough it was not as unpleasant as Morrigan had expected. While nobles certainly did their best to attract her and also Alphegor''s attention throughout the evening, most were tactful enough to say their congratulations and return to their own circle of friends and acquaintances. And under the King''s watchful gaze nobody dared to start anything unpleasant.
She was presented with many gifts, which the servants promptly took away to be opened at a later time. However, Morrigan hardly ever took the time to open each gift by herself anymore. She opened the ones from her sisters and the most important people, but the rest were left for servants to open. Anything that could be used right away, like food, was used, and what couldn''t be used was stashed in the Royal Treasury.
After all the greetings and congratulations were out of the way, there was a feast, which was followed by a lot of dancing. Thankfully, Morrigan had learned how to properly dance so it wasn''t the issue anymore. It was tiring, dancing with one demon noble after the next, but it wasn''t a bad way to pass time. Thankfully, she was still too young by demon standards for there to be any talk of marriage.
Once the dancing was over, it was time for cake. It wasn''t a huge cake like on her first birthday, but rather each piece was a small cake on its own. A little black piece with a golden chocolate leaf on top, matching Morrigan''s dress. It appeared rather plain at first, but once you cut into the cake you saw various decadent layers of soft sponge and beautiful fillings. This year fire magic sweets were incorporated into the filling giving the cake a slightly spicy flavor.
With the main festivities out of the way, the party carried on. But Morrigan was tired and instead decided to take a breather in the gardens. The ballroom was connected to them and some of the guests were already resting on the benches set outside. They greeted her as she passed by and she returned the greetings with a slight bow of her head, a gesture she''d adopted from Alphegor.
Once she felt like she was far enough away from it all she sat down on the bench located on the far side of the garden and sighed. Her feet were aching and she wanted to just go back to her bed and rest. But since she was the birthday girl, she''d have to stay up until the very end.
"Is the Princess not going to attend her own birthday?" a smooth male voice spoke from behind. She turned her head and saw Galandir approach with a pleasant smile on his face. His boyish features were slowly beginning to disappear over the years, and he was at the stage where he was beginning to resemble an adult. His short, blonde hair had grown out while his body accumulated a bit more muscle mass. He had been very scrawny before.
"Just taking a short break," she replied with a smile and gestured to him to sit down next to her.
"You look really beautiful tonight," he said, sitting down next to her. Normally servants wouldn''t be allowed to sit next to nobles. But Galandir didn''t really obey the rules much and Morrigan didn''t feel like enforcing them on her friend either way.
"Thank you! Gunna worked hard," Morrigan replied graciously.
"Really? I praise your appearance and you give credit to Gunna," the boy laughed.
"Of course. Do you know how long it took her to make this hairstyle?" she retorted, pointing at her long curls.
"Let me guess ¨C it was a long time," he said cheekily.
"You bet it was!" she confirmed and laughed.
"Would the birthday girl like to get her present?" Galandir asked.
"You got me a present?" she asked curiously. The elven boy had never gotten her one before and she didn''t blame him. After all, she had a whole room full of presents, and Galandir needed every coin he earned to repay his debt and go free.
"I did. But it might be a bit different from others," he said and got up, extending his hand towards her. "And you''ll have to come with me to see it since I can''t really move it."
Morrigan regarded his hand suspiciously, but then relented and placed her hand in his. He pulled her up to her feet gently and then guided her away from the garden. She knew the route he was taking very well. It was without a doubt the way to Haku''s stables.
"Is Haku involved in this gift?" she asked.
"Perhaps," Galandir replied with a smirk. She wanted to ask more about it, but the boy shook his head indicating that he would not reveal anything more. So they continued on in silence until they finally reached the dragon stable. The place was absolutely enormous, taking up a giant chunk of the castle''s backyard. The enclosure around it was just as large, and Haku was already excitedly waiting for them outside.
"Hey, Haku!" Morrigan greeted him and the large dragon cooed, releasing a well-controlled stream of fire. It turned into little fire flowers that floated all around Morrigan in a beautiful harmony.
"Thank you, Haku!" she said as she admired the beautiful fire flowers. The large dragon wagged his tail happily, creating a strong gust of wind that scattered the fire flowers all around the backyard. Morrigan giggled at the display, watching the fire flowers float down to the ground and then disappear.
"Alright, alright. My turn now," Galandir said impatiently, waving away a stray fire flower that was flying near his hair. Haku produced a gurgling sound that was as close to laughter as a dragon could get. The elf took Morrigan''s hand and led her inside the stables.
The place was completely pitch black, all lights were completely turned off. Even Morrigan with her enhanced night vision couldn''t see further than a few meters ahead.
"What''s going on?" she asked a bit nervously.
"You''ll see," Galandir replied and closed the door behind them, plunging everything into complete darkness.
Chapter 91 – Garden of Magic
Everything was completely dark. Morrigan could barely see the shape of objects closest to her.
"Why is it so dark in here?" she asked somewhat nervously.
"You''ll see," Galandir replied, then took her hand and guided her through the darkness. She had no idea how he could see anything in the darkness, so it was likely that the elf was relying on some other sense to guide him. They walked for about a minute until the boy stopped. The bright light appeared in the middle of the stables, and Morrigan had no choice but to shield her eyes from it.
"Tada!" Galandir announced proudly while she was still waiting for her eyes to adjust to the light. But as they did an incredible scene appeared before her. Instead of just regular dragon stables that she was so used to seeing, there was lush grass growing on the far side of it. And it wasn''t just grass.
In fact, it was filled with various plants and flowers which undoubtedly came from the Overworld. There were delicate rose bushes, lilies and irises growing alongside the far wall of the stable. Along the sides grew large, red strawberries and raspberries.
"H-How did you manage to do this? Just a few days ago there was nothing here," she gaped in shock and walked up to one of the rose bushes. She touched its petals to make sure they were real. It felt real, so she carefully sniffed at the flower and it had a delicate aromatic smell that she would associate with a rose. Morrigan even poked at one of the thorns and that too felt sharp and very much real.
"Oh, this little garden has been here for a while. I''ve brought some soil here, and slowly planted some grass from the backyard here. You know ¨C the one you created with your paint magic and the servants had to scrape away from the floor. Haku really loved it when it grew lusher," Galandir said with a chuckle. Looking down at the grass, Morrigan saw that there were indeed some draconic pawprints in it.
"Okay, I understand the grass then, but where''d you get all these roses and strawberries," Morrigan asked went to pick one of the strawberries. It looked beautiful, red and ripe. She couldn''t resist the temptation and took a bite. A sweet, tangy taste exploded on her tongue and she nearly melted from the bliss of it. "This is so good! It''s been such a long time since I''ve had a strawberry."
"I got the idea from Gunna actually. She was looking for a way to grow roses in the Underworld. I helped her out since I can actually create light that perfectly mimics sunlight which plants need. So I got the idea that I could expand on this little garden and asked her if she could get me some seedlings," he said and then suddenly his face fell. Morrigan cocked her head curiously as she continued munching on the strawberry.
"How did you get them? How did Gunna get them?" she wondered. Her nanny didn''t really have any real pull in the Demon Castle and neither did Galandir. How could they have acquired them from the Overworld? Galandir''s face fell even further as if he were remembering something traumatic.
"It was¡ It was your magic teacher that helped," he admitted with a heavy sigh, his face turning pale.
"Azrael helped willingly?" she raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, no! It definitely wasn''t willingly. I had to pay quite the price," the elf boy looked to the side, his face losing all its color completely.
"Wait, what did he do?" she asked. Knowing Azrael, he wouldn''t do anyone a favor unless he got something worthwhile out of it. But what could Galandir even offer that Azrael didn''t have or couldn''t acquire on his own?
"Some things are better left unsaid. But enough about that. The point is that I got the seedlings and grew them here using my light magic," he said proudly, pointing at the small but beautiful garden.
"But that still doesn''t explain how you grew it so fast. I come to visit Haku often and I never saw a single plant here," Morrigan said with a raised eyebrow.
"A simple masking spell. As long as you didn''t cross that threshold over there, you''d never be able to see this," he explained and pointed towards the place where the grass ended. Curious, Morrigan walked beyond the threshold. As soon as she had crossed it, the garden disappeared from sight.
"That''s amazing! I need to learn magic like this," she noted.
"It''s rather simple magic. I''m surprised you don''t know it already," the elf boy noted.
"In my defense, my magic teacher is eager to teach me flashy spells. Forcing him to teach him anything that he deems ''boring'' is nearly impossible," Morrigan groaned, remembering the time when she had begged him to teach her to create wards that would prevent eavesdropping. He knew the magic well, but apparently teaching it was boring.
"I-I''m honestly not surprised. He does seem like that kind of guy," Galandir sighed but then waved with his hand as if to ward away any unpleasant thoughts. "But enough about him. Enjoy your sixteenth birthday, Morrigan"
"Thank you, Galandir! This is¡ This is just great. With the light and the plants, it feels like I am in the Overworld," she said and took a deep breath, smelling the fresh scent of grass and flowers and berries.
"Oh, right I forgot the most important thing," Galandir said and snapped his fingers. Little flower petals began falling down from the ceiling, slowly descending like snow. She reached out her hand and caught one of the pink petals, watching how it shimmered with magic.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
"I couldn''t get any cherry blossom trees to grow in the Underworld, so this is the best I could do," he said sheepishly.
"That''s beautiful," she said, watching the shimmering petals fall onto the beautiful garden and feeling the wind caress her hair. Then she turned to Galandir and smiled. "Thank you. Truly. It is a wonderful gift."
"Wait¡ why are you crying then?" the boy panicked, running up to her.
"I''m not¨C" she was about to object, but then felt a warm teardrop roll down her cheeks. "Oh¡ I am crying. How silly of me! I''m not really sad. In fact, I am happy. I just never realized how much I missed all of this."
"Don''t cry, you silly princess! Smell the flowers, eat berries," Galandir said and pulled out a napkin from his pocket. "Just don''t cry."
"Sorry. But I truly am happy. I''ll just eat more strawberries now," she replied sheepishly and turned to get more strawberries. But Galandir beat her to it and presented a bunch of the red delicious berries for her.
"Seems like I made the right choice by getting those seedlings," Azrael suddenly appeared right next to Morrigan. She jumped up from the shock of his sudden appearance, clutching at her chest.
"Azrael! Do you always have to appear out of thin air like that?" she grumbled at him, but the white-haired demon just shrugged.
"It''s more fun that way," he said and plucked one of the raspberries out of Galandir''s hand, popping it into his mouth. "These are pretty good."
"Hey, these are for Morrigan, not you," the elf boy growled, pulling the berries a safe distance away from the demon.
"It was really difficult to get those saplings you know," Azrael said pitifully.
"Was it really?" Morrigan asked, raising her eyebrow at him.
"Yes, it was! Would I ever lie to you?"
"Yes," she stated flatly, and Azrael pretended to be wounded, making a dramatic circle around them. She couldn''t help but chuckle at his shenanigans.
"In either case, I came here because I couldn''t find you in the ballroom. I have also prepared a gift for you," he said and then pulled out a gem out of his pocket.
"A magic gem. What does this one contain?" she asked, taking the colorful gem from his hand. It was a translucent black color, and for a moment she wondered whether it was a diamond. But looking more closely at the structure of the gem she realized it was actually quartz.
"Shadow teleportation," Azrael said proudly.
"Teleportation?!" Morrigan exclaimed, looking at the little stone in her hands. Suddenly it seemed all the more precious.
"No. Shadow teleportation. There''s a difference," Azrael said sagely.
"What''s the difference and how does it involve shadows?" she raised her eyebrow at him suspiciously.
"The difference is simple. This version of teleportation magic allows you to teleport only through shadows. It''s how I''ve been teleporting around this whole time," the white-haired demon explained.
"Why did you give me the inferior version then?" Morrigan grumbled.
"So you don''t get any silly ideas like teleporting to Overworld or someplace like that," he said, crossing his hand over his chest. Morrigan shrunk back a bit. "Also this version uses less magic energy."
"I wouldn''t do that," she said, but couldn''t meet his eye.
"If you wouldn''t do that, then I would be quite sure that the real Princess Morrigan had been replaced with someone else," Azrael retorted with a smirk, and even Galandir nodded his head at that.
"Not you too, Galandir," she huffed, and after taking two strawberries out of his hands, walked out of the stables. "I''m going back to the ballroom."
"I think you made her mad," she heard the elf whisper to Azrael as she left.
"It''s alright. She doesn''t hold a grudge," the demon said nonchalantly.
***
The birthday festivities finished when it was already close to morning. Morrigan was absolutely exhausted from all the dancing and socializing she had to do, but even so, it had been mostly fun. Being the center of attention didn''t bother her as much as it did before, although there were moments where she wished could escape from some conversations.
The next day, she woke up way past noon, and even then, she didn''t feel fully rested.
"Good morning, Lady Morrigan," Gunna chirped happily, as she helped Morrigan get out of bed. She was barely computing her own actions, just moving automatically with what Gunna told her to do.
"Morning, Gunna," she yawned sleepily.
"Did you see young Galandir''s gift yesterday?" the nanny asked curiously.
"Oh, yes. It was really great. Did you help him, Gunna?" she asked.
"Oh, just a little bit. The boy is far more talented at growing things than I am. But even so, I was surprised to see that you could grow something like strawberries or roses in the Underworld. I was sure that they would wither and die without proper sunlight," the nanny said.
"His magic apparently can mimic the sun perfectly," she replied sleepily.
"It must be some really powerful magic indeed. Creating light is not a big deal, even I, who has never been trained in magic, can do it. But recreating sunlight is a completely different thing. That boy never fails to surprise me," she continued, but this once again made Morrigan think of Galandir''s origin.
He had claimed that he grew up in Overworld together with his mother. They lived in a small community of elves where he learned all the various magics that he could use. Then one day, the fallen attacked his village, killing his mother and taking him along as a slave.
The tale had raised many questions, but she held off from asking them on account that the boy must have been quite traumatized by these events. But Morrigan always wondered why someone would just randomly attack a small elf settlement and take only one boy with them as a slave. If their goal was to get more slaves it would have made more sense for them to capture able-bodied adults. But they had only taken him.
Either he is not telling me something or there is something weird going on.
"Lady Morrigan," Gunna gently shook Morrigan''s shoulder and she looked at the nanny.
"I''m sorry, I was thinking about something. Did you say something, Gunna?" she asked.
"Yes. Master Alphegor has summoned you to his office. I believe he is ready to approve your journey officially."
Chapter 92 – Departing
"We can still cancel this. You do not have to go," Alphegor said, watching as Morrigan was filling up her handbag with some of the most necessary things she''d need for the journey.
"Father, we already made the official announcement. I can''t back out now," she chuckled. The announcement of her tour was made approximately three weeks after her sixteenth birthday. Alphegor had made sure that only the bare minimum of people received the news, making everything as quiet and downplayed as possible. But of course, it still spread through the Underworld like wildfire.
A few days later, she was getting letters from every prominent house and even from commoners to go and visit their estate or town or business. She couldn''t even read through all the letters, that''s how many she received. Instead, her maids were tasked with reading through them first to narrow down the list, and only the most important letters got to Morrigan.
Granted there was still a large amount of letters she had to go through and she even had to cancel some of her lessons in order to properly look through them. However, it wasn''t all bad. Some of the locations demons had suggested were truly interesting and Morrigan actually submitted them to her Father to get his approval for visiting them. Most got denied, however, there were a lucky few who got through King''s scrutiny.
"Alright, but if you feel that you want to come home you can just visit the sacred sites," Alphegor bargained.
"But that''s only four places. No, Father, I want to see as much of the Demon Kingdom as possible," she shook her head and continued packing her bag.
"Okay, if you are adamant about seeing it all, then at least leave that elf here in the castle," he grumbled, not bothering to hide his distaste for Galandir. The King really couldn''t stand the elven boy, perhaps even more so than Azrael. Morrigan found it a bit odd.
Perhaps it was merely due to the fact that she had insisted on freeing him from slavery. But she also had a feeling that Alphegor thought that she had some sort of attraction towards the boy. In her opinion, it was completely preposterous. After all, he knew that she had been an adult woman once. She could not feel any romantic attraction towards a child.
"But he is Haku''s official caretaker. It would be difficult for me to take care of Haku on my own. He''s too big," she replied.
"Then have Azrael do it," Alphegor retorted.
"You know Azrael barely ever paid attention to Haku. He would just push the job onto somebody else," Morrigan said, and the King sighed. He''d been defeated.
"I really wish you wouldn''t go. I''ll worry every single moment you are away," he said and looked at Morrigan with sad eyes. Her heart clenched at the sight, but she knew that this was just another type of attack from her father.
"You can talk to me at any time using the pendant. Each evening I''ll tell you everything that I''ve seen during my journey," she said and touched the pendant that hung around her neck.
"You better do. I''ll turn the whole Kingdom upside down if you miss even one evening," Alphegor said.
"I won''t. I promise," she said and went up to her father, giving him a hug. Alphegor softened up and returned the gesture.
"Just please stay safe. Don''t stray away from Azrael and keep your eyes open at all times. You can never know where the enemy might strike," he muttered.
"Of course. If the worst comes to worst, I''m going to summon you," she said and looked up at him. The King smiled and patted her gently on the head.
"Do not hesitate to call me. Even if you''re not fully sure if it''s something dangerous ¨C call me," he said. She nodded and the two hugged once more before Morrigan returned to sorting her bag.
***
The time of the departure finally arrived. The whole castle was abuzz as maids and servants were running around, preparing the last things necessary for the departure. Unfortunately for Morrigan, the tour would not be quite as she imagined. Naturally she expected to to travel through the dark Demon Kingdom, going from place to place using one or maybe two carriages pulled by those giant badgers.
But the reality was a bit different. She was the Crown Princess, and Morrigan often forgot how important of a person she was in this life. She could not just travel light in just two carriages. No, instead there were ten of them. She, Viana, Deziara and Azrael each got their own personal carriage. Then the maids and servants got two carriages.
As it turned out Galandir wasn''t the only servant coming along. Three maids were coming, each attending to their own princess, and then four more male servants excluding Galandir who were tasked with taking care of any less personal necessities.
Then there were two sleeping carriages for the guards that were coming along. Actually, the guards would be accompanying the entourage on their own dog-mole hybrid mounts. These creatures were rather aggressive and vicious, however, they were the most reliable mounts in the Underworld, being the fastest and having no trouble navigating in the dark. As long as one could control them that is.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
And then there were two supply wagons which were loaded full to the brim. Morrigan had no idea why they needed so many things. After all, they didn''t need food to last them the whole journey ¨C only enough until they reached their next destination. But apparently, there were lots of other things loaded in the wagon, many of them in case of any accidents or unusual situations.
Looking at the whole entourage from the top Demon Castle entrance staircase, it looked more like a parade. All the carriages were covered with golden and silver embellishments and had the proud landwyrm, the symbol of the Demon Kingdom, painted on all doors.
"This is a bit much," she mumbled, slowly walking downstairs to the carriages.
"This is the bare minimum necessary," Alphegor retorted. "In fact, I believe we should add twenty more guards."
"No, Father! It''ll turn into a small army at that point," Morrigan grumbled.
"Three of my daughters are going. A small army is not enough. Perhaps I should add forty more guards. No, perhaps a hundred," he said thoughtfully.
"No, Father! Twenty guards is quite enough. We won''t be able to find a place to stay with so many people coming along," she protested.
"They can camp outside," he objected.
"No, Father. Enough. I am not a helpless girl," she said and conjured a fireball in her hand. Alphegor stopped and sighed heavily.
"When did you grow so big and strong?" He looked at her with almost tearful eyes. Morrigan groaned.
"Father! You are acting like an old man now. I am merely sixteen. Not even halfway to adulthood by demon standards," she said.
"I wish you could just stay a little girl forever," he said, and there was a sad note in his voice. Even the long lifespan of a demon wasn''t enough for the King.
"It''s alright. I''ll still be a little girl for a while longer," she said.
"But you''re leaving now, aren''t you?" he retorted, and Morrigan could have sworn that he was pouting. The Demon King. Pouting. Now that was a sight you could not see every day.
"I''ll be back before you even notice that I''m gone," she said and hugged him tightly.
"I''ll notice that you''re gone the moment that you leave," he said and returned the hug, holding her close for a long time.
"Me too! I also want a hug!" Deziara''s cheerful voice appeared from the top of the stairs and she leapt down, eagerly running towards Alphegor.
"Of course," Alphegor chuckled, releasing Morrigan from his hold, and instead hugging Deziara. She buried her face into his chest, grinning all the while.
"I''ll miss you, Father," she said.
"I''ll miss you too," he replied and released her.
"Really, you two. Acting as if we will never see each other again. We will be back in less than half a year," Viana huffed, gracefully descending the stairs. However, all of her haughtiness disappeared the moment she saw Alphegor open his arms, beckoning her into a hug as well.
She flushed bright red as there were many onlookers observing the sight. But after a short mental battle, she caved in and also hugged Alphegor.
"I''ll miss you as well. Take care of your little sisters," he said.
"I will, Father," she muttered, still flushed red from embarrassment.
"I never knew that Viana could be so cute," Deziara snickered.
"Shush, you! Get into the carriage. We have a long journey ahead," Viana commanded, but her voice didn''t carry the same strength it usually had, with her cheeks still being mildly flushed.
"Yes, yes, of course," Deziara chuckled and retreated into the front carriage. For the part of their journey, the sisters had decided to travel in the same carriage.
"Don''t linger, Morrigan," Viana said, following Deziara. She nodded and then looked at her Father again.
"Stay safe," he said, his gaze sad.
"I will," she nodded and hugged him one more time. Then she ran to the first carriage unable to look at him any longer. She felt that if she stayed any longer she would begin crying. Or even worse ¨C change her mind and stay in the Demon Castle. After all, the dangers of the Underworld were real and far worse than anything she had ever seen on Earth.
But I can''t stay cooped up here any longer. I need to see the world outside. I need to know what hides in this world. What people live here? I want to see the wondrous places of the Underworld. And I want to paint them.
Her heart filled with hope again as she entered the carriage where Deziara and Viana were already sitting. She sat down next to Deziara and nodded.
"I am ready," she announced to them.
"Don''t worry, baby sister. We''ll be with you all the way," Viana said and then looked outside the window, a small smile gracing her lips.
"Thank you both for coming along," Morrigan said.
"You couldn''t have held me back even if you tried," Deziara retorted and pulled Morrigan into a side hug. The two girls giggled, their hearts racing with anticipation.
"Oh, it seems like we are ready to depart. Your dragon is coming," Viana said and pointed outside. Morrigan and Deziara both peeked out and saw Haku running towards the entourage. The servants and guards near the carriages panicked, worried that Haku would just send everything flying in every direction.
However, as soon as reached the closest carriage he jumped up and spread his wings, gracefully gliding over it. Everyone sighed in relief as he landed right next to the first carriage without damaging anything.
"Hi, Haku. Hi, Galandir," Morrigan waved at her dragon and Galandir who was comfortably seated on his back.
"Morning, Your Highnesses," the elf boy chuckled and patted Haku affectionately on the neck. "Sorry about that. He is really excited about going."
"I''m happy to see that, Haku," Morrigan reached her hand out of the carriage window, and the dragon nuzzled against it. He had grown so big that felt like he could destroy the carriage with a single swipe of his tail. But looking into his green eyes, she saw that it was still her old friend. And that wouldn''t change no matter how big he got.
"Just make sure he doesn''t damage any of the carriages," Viana grumbled.
"That''s why I''m here, Your Highness," Galandir said dutifully and gently tapped on Haku''s shoulder, signaling him to move away from the carriages.
As soon as he did, the coachman of their carriage blew on a horn, announcing the official start of the tour. The demons who had come to see them off cheered and waved as it slowly began moving forward.
Finally, the day is here. Soon I''ll be able to see the whole Underworld.
Chapter 93 – Outskirts of Linberor
As it turned out, the first day of the trip was nothing more than a big celebration. As Morrigan found out soon after leaving the Demon Castle gates, the city was eager to see her off on the journey. The main street through which they rode was lined with demons as far as the eye could see. They cheered as the princesses passed by them, wishing them good luck and even offering them gifts.
"Shouldn''t we accept those?" Morrigan asked as she saw a little demon girl stand on the side of the street while clutching a lone fire flower in her hands.
"Our wagons are already full. We cannot start accepting whatever offerings commoners have deemed worthy to give us. If you want to return their goodwill, then just smile and wave," Viana instructed, hunkering deeper into the carriage and ignoring the shouts from the outside.
"You can be really heartless sometimes," Deziara grumbled.
"I am being practical. There are just too many people out of there. Besides, not all of them are here to wish us well on our journey. Some are eager to get rid of us. Especially you, Morrigan," Viana said grimly. Morrigan nodded and looked outside the carriage window. They were fast approaching the place where the little demon girl was standing.
Seeing the carriage come closer, the girl took a shaky step forward and held out the flower as high as she could. There was no chance for Morrigan to reach it from so far away, but she took hold of the flower with her levitation magic and had it float to her. The girl watched in awe as Morrigan took the flower and smiled down on her.
The expression of glee and embarrassment on the girl''s face was absolutely worth it. She nervously ran back to her mother, who chuckled happily at the sight while the demons who saw the gesture cheered even louder.
"Have a safe journey, Your Highness!"
"May the darkness watch over you, Princess Morrigan!"
"A hundred cheers for the beautiful princesses!"
"That was a nice thing to do, Morri," Deziara said with a smile.
"Don''t come crying to me when it comes back later to bite you," Viana scoffed.
"Oh, sure, the flower will turn into an angry monster and eat us all," the black-haired girl teased. But Viana didn''t reply to her taunt, instead solemnly looking out to the crowded Linberor streets.
The ride during the first day was slow and it took them several hours until they left the capital. Morrigan felt mentally exhausted by the time the busy crowds were finally out of their sight. The whole time she had smiled and waved at the people who had come to see them off. The muscles on her face felt like they were cramping up from the forced position.
"Please, don''t tell me it will be like that everywhere we go," Deziara groaned.
"No, it won''t. At least not when we arrive initially. Our traveling routes are not public aside from the four sacred places we have to visit. But once people realize who we are, the crowd will gather quickly," Viana explained.
"Oh, no¡" Morrigan groaned, imagining how everyone would swarm to them the moment they arrived. Would they even be able to see anything at that rate?
"What? Did you expect a fun sightseeing trip? We are princesses. Duty always comes first," she said sternly. Both Morrigan and Deziara sighed and began to silently peer at the retreating cityscape.
The houses on the streets were becoming more sparse and the streets themselves became rockier and harder to traverse. It wasn''t a real problem for the giant badgers, but Morrigan felt her whole body shake constantly. Initially, she just found it mildly discomforting, but after some time it became almost irritating. Thankfully, the first day was planned to be rather short in terms of travel, and after two more hours of traveling, the entourage arrived at their first stop ¨C a luxurious inn on the outskirts of Linberor.
Once the carriage stopped, Deziara leapt out of the carriage in one fell swoop, completely tired of sitting in one place for so long. Morrigan followed after her, trying to keep some semblance of decorum, but she also felt herself rushing out of the stuffy carriage. Viana was the only one to exit the carriage as a proper princess, waiting while one of the guards would help her step out.
"You two need to learn some patience," the eldest princess scoffed.
"How is the journey so far, princesses?" Azrael came up to them snickering all the while.
"It was great. We got to see the whole capital," Morrigan retorted with a smile on her face. She didn''t want to give him the satisfaction of showing how uncomfortable the journey actually had been for her.
Maybe I should create a motorcycle with my paint magic? That should be a more comfortable way of moving around the Underworld. If only Father hadn''t forbidden me from creating things from Earth¡If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
"The whole capital? Sweet, naive, little princess. That was merely the main street," Azrael retorted with a grin. Then he suddenly jumped to the side as Haku landed right where he was standing a moment ago. "Hey, watch where you''re landing!"
"Sorry. Haku saw Morrigan and couldn''t contain himself," Galandir said mischievously, while Haku sniffed at Morrigan and Deziara who gave hearty scratches under his chin. Viana rolled her eyes and retreated from the scene entirely, ordering the servants to take the luggage she needed for the night inside the inn.
"Oh, really? And you didn''t see me standing here?" Azrael grumbled at the elven boy.
"I can''t see past Haku''s head very well. He''s rather large," Galandir shrugged, swiftly jumping out of the saddles and landing on the ground with a flourish.
"I can''t believe that I''m actually paying you to take care of this monster," the white-haired demon retorted.
"Calm down, Azrael. I''m pretty sure Haku wouldn''t have actually landed on your head," Morrigan said, barely containing a smile.
"I''ll get you back for this, you little miscreants," Azrael huffed and snapped his fingers, signaling his own servants to move.
"Where will you and Haku stay?" Deziara asked, looking over at the inn. It certainly looked impressive. A giant mansion with black marble walls and a white roof that appeared to radiate light that lit up the nearby area. It looked like it could easily have the whole royal family inside it along with all the servants each person needed.
However, it did not look large enough to house a dragon. The adjacent stables were large, clearly meant to accommodate many mounts. But not large dragons.
"That''s a good question¡" Galandir scratched his chin thoughtfully, looking around the surrounding area. "I suppose that empty space behind the inn is as good as any."
"We should probably talk with the innkeeper. He could suggest a good place for Haku to spend the night," Morrigan said. As if called, a large demon dressed in fine clothes that did not quite suit him came out of the inn.
"Welcome, welcome, dear princesses!" the man said and bowed low before them, his curled horns nearly touching the ground. Morrigan worried that he''d just tip with how top-heavy he looked, but he straightened out without much issues. "Welcome to The Jewel in The Dark. I am the owner of this wonderful inn ¨C the name is Horace."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Horace," Morrigan said, putting on her perfect princess persona, and inclining her head ever so slightly towards him. According to what Viana said earlier the owner of this inn was not a noble, so she was warned against curtsying before him like she normally would.
Morrigan didn''t really like this kind of selective etiquette but decided that it wouldn''t be wise to cause a scene over something so minor so early in the journey. After all, Viana had already decided that meeting this man was above her station and that she wouldn''t engage with him. But as the star of this tour, Morrigan had to show proper courtesy.
"Oh, trust me, Princess. The pleasure is all mine. When I heard that you''d be coming to rest at MY inn. Boy, I bragged to all my buddies and they went green with envy. That''ll teach them after all those times they told me that opening an inn on the outskirts of the city would never work," Horace prattled on. Morrigan did her best to keep up her smile while from the corner of her eye, she saw that Deziara was slowly retreating from the scene.
Even you, Deziara!
"May I ask a question?" Morrigan said before Horace could continue his rant in earnest.
"Of course, Princess Morrigan. Anything you need, I can provide for you," he said smugly.
"Where could my dragon stay for the night?" she asked, pointing at Haku, who was clawing at something in the soil while Galandir curiously looked over him. Horace visibly paled as if he had only just noticed the dragon. Despite him being right next to them this whole time.
"The dragon you say?" he gulped audibly and sweat formed on his forehead. "D-Does he like to burn stuff?"
"On occasion, but I''ll ask him to hold back for the night," she smiled at him brightly. The demon paled even further, and Morrigan swore that she could see his knees begin to tremble.
"I suppose he could stay in the gardens. If he is careful¡" Horace replied although it was clear that he did not want Haku anywhere near his gardens.
"Wonderful! Do not worry, he''ll be under careful watch of Galandir at all times," Morrigan tried to appease the innkeeper.
"Is that the elven slave next to the dragon?" Horace raised his eyebrow, his knees still shaking.
"He''s not a slave. Galandir is a¡ dragon keeper. So treat him with respect," she warned him, and the innkeeper nodded shakilly. It was likely that he had changed his mind about her visit being something to be happy about.
"Of course. I shall go¡ prepare the garden for the dragon," the innkeeper said in a hurry and disappeared back inside before anyone could object.
"Dragon keeper? I like that title. Can I call myself that officially now?" Galandir snickered.
"Sure. Just make sure Haku doesn''t destroy too much stuff," Morrigan said, looking at the giant hole the dragon had already dug on the side of the road.
"I promise that at least half of it will be left intact. Let''s go, Haku. We''ll go check out your place for the night," the boy motioned the dragon to follow. Haku nuzzled against Morrigan''s side affectionately, then padded after him dutifully, his long tail swaying from side to side, making people scurry out of his way.
Morrigan also signaled to bring her luggage inside when she noticed a pair of eyes peek at her from behind the building. She stepped closer, curious to see what it was, but then the eyes disappeared into the darkness.
What was that? Is somebody watching us?
Curious, Morrigan walked over to where she saw the eyes, however when she reached the place, there was nobody there or anywhere nearby for that matter.
"Is something the matter, Your Highness?" One of the maids called out to her.
"No. I guess it was just my imagination," Morrigan said and hurried inside. But there was an unpleasant sort of nagging at the back of her mind. This would be her first night outside of the Demon Castle. But could she really expect everything to go well and without any incidents? This was not Earth. One couldn''t just go on a trip and expect nothing to go wrong. Even trips on Earth often went wrong with luggage being lost and things being poorly timed.
I''ll have to keep up my guard. Asdeus is still somewhere out there. Not to mention that something bad always seems to happen whenever I leave the Demon Castle.
Chapter 94 – First Night Away from Home
The dinner time at the inn was quite different from what Morrigan had expected. She didn''t really know what she expected. Perhaps a simple dinner where each group would be seated at different tables like in a restaurant. Perhaps something more akin to what she was used to at the castle with everyone enjoying a meal at a single long table. What she knew for sure was that she wasn''t expecting this.
Once she, Deziara and Viana stepped into the ''dining hall'' all of their noses scrunched up at the same time. Demons were hollering, laughing and chugging one glass after the next of what Morrigan assumed to be some cheap alcohol. Viana''s expression completely darkened when one of the drunks started singing a ear-screeching tune on the top of their lungs.
"I will eat in my room," she said and left before anyone could object.
"Wow, this place looks like fun!" Azrael exclaimed and jumped straight into the drunken fray, grabbing the first cup of liquor that he saw.
"Blessed darkness, it''s the princesses," one demon from the crowd called, and the whole cheer instantly stopped, their eyes locking on them. Morrigan and Deziara paled.
I don''t really want to appear as stuck up, but this is just¡ so different from what I''m used to. I thought this was supposed to be a fancy inn, not some roadside tavern.
For a solid minute, everyone just stared at them while they stared back. The only one who appeared unbothered was, of course, Azrael who was already scarfing down some sort of meat. At times like these, it was hard to believe that he was actually a noble, with how he acted. As this stare-down continued, the servants and guards behind the princesses began to fidget a little.
"Good evening to all of you fine demons! I hope you all enjoy your well-deserved meals and time of leisure. My servants and guards will join you on this fine evening if you don''t mind," Morrigan said, channeling her etiquette lessons into her words. She hoped to divert the attention away from herself so she and Deziara would be able to slip away to their rooms just like Viana had.
"Of course, Your Highness! We''ll treat your people as our own," one of the drunken demons said, and others cheered in agreement.
"Wonderful. Now if you three would be so kind as to bring our meals to our rooms, the rest of your evening would be free," Morrigan said to the three demon maids closest to her. They nodded eagerly, their eyes sparkling at the promise of free time. Meanwhile, the guards poured into the dining room and joined in the cheer, successfully turning the attention away from Morrigan and Deziara.
They did not waste their time and quickly went up to the second floor, to their assigned rooms.
"I was worried we''d actually have to eat there," Deziara sighed in relief as they reached the second floor. "Sneaky Viana just leaving us out of there for the wolves."
"I''m sure it wouldn''t be so bad," Morrigan chuckled awkwardly, although she also didn''t relish the idea of eating there. She never enjoyed rowdy gatherings, not even when she was a human.
"Did you see what was happening there? It was like a room full of Azraels," Deziara exclaimed, and Morrigan shivered at the thought. One Azrael was bad enough.
"Yeah¡ I don''t think anyone will mind much if we eat in our rooms," she said. Just as she said that the innkeeper appeared from out of one of the rooms, a giant smile on his face.
"Princesses! Have you eaten yet? I''ve prepared a feast for you downstairs. Our regulars have already started eating and you should definitely join," Horace said excitedly. Morrigan wondered whether he had already ''prepared'' the garden for Haku, although judging from his cheerful expression, the matter must have been settled peacefully. Or maybe he just accepted the unfortunate consequences.
"Oh, I feel so tired after the journey today, so I shall retreat to my room and rest there," Deziara said in an overly exaggerated manner and disappeared into her room.
You sneaky little¡ You''re no different from Viana.
Morrigan grumbled internally at her sister but managed to plaster on a smile for the innkeeper. She wondered whether he''d accept the same excuse, but he spoke up before she could.
"That''s a real shame. I asked the cook to work extra hard on today''s dishes and she seemed so excited for your Highnesses to try them," Horace had a sad downcast expression, like a puppy that had just been kicked by its owner.
Oh, no¡ Please, don''t make that face. I''d still eat her cooking even if I was eating it in my room.
But his expression was so pitiful that in the end, she couldn''t reject him. Five minutes later she was in the middle of the fray with Azrael singing loudly to her right, while Galandir sat on her right.
"So where''d your sisters go?" the elven boy asked curiously.
"Don''t ask," Morrigan grumbled as she ate the stew that was presented to her. At least the food was good.
***The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
Morrigan tossed and turned in the bed, unable to fall asleep. She couldn''t understand why her eyes wouldn''t stay shut no matter how hard she tried to keep them that way. Her belly was full, her body was tired and her mind wanted to sleep and unwind after the long day. The bed was also comfortable enough, although nowhere near as large as her own bed. But she couldn''t expect any place to match the Demon Castle.
For a moment she considered calling her father for the second time that evening. She had already contacted him once through the pendant that he had gifted to her. But that was together with her sisters, all of them taking turns talking about the things they saw that day. Lady Lily had also joined the conversation from the other end. Perhaps what she needed was some one-on-one time with her Father.
But Morrigan dismissed the thought. It was already late and the King no doubt was tired from his daily duties. He needed to rest as much as the next demon.
"Oh, I know! I''ll go take a look at how Haku is doing," she muttered to herself and quickly got dressed. Morrigan considered just slipping through the window in her shadow form. But she was not in the Demon Castle anymore. Going alone could be dangerous.
It''s best if I go together with the guards.
Morrigan left the room and saw two demon guards standing vigilantly by her door, carefully observing every movement around. They startled a bit when they came out of the room.
"I''d like to go see Haku. Would you accompany me?" she asked the guards. They looked at her with a stupefied expression and then it looked like their eyes got glazy with tears.
"Our Princess finally deems us worthy to come along with her," one of the guards said.
"She is finally growing up," the other guard nodded in agreement, wiping away a tear from the corner of his eye.
"What do you mean? I always¨C" Morrigan trailed off and she thought back to all those times she''s decided to go anywhere. She''d turn into her shadow form and leave the poor guards behind, often making them play catch-up through the whole Demon Castle. "I''m sorry."
At that point it looked like the guards would really start to cry, that''s how touched they were.
"Do not worry, Princess Morrigan! We will accompany you wherever you go," one of the guards said.
"And protect you no matter what," the other one added. At that point, she realized that she didn''t even know their names, although these two particular guards had been assigned to her for years.
Would it be too rude of me to ask their names?
"Thank you. Would you remind me of your names?" she asked quietly, a bit embarrassed about her lack of knowledge. It was quite unsightly for a princess, in her opinion. But the guards didn''t look offended in the slightest, quite the opposite they appeared pleased about her interest.
"Of course. My name is Seon, Your Highness."
"And I am Jin."
"Thank you for always protecting me. I''d like to go see Haku now," she said with a smile. Both of her guards smiled back widely.
"Of course. We''ll make sure that nobody disturbs you."
She nodded and with the reassurance of their presence descended downstairs the dark inn. Little lights were shining on the stair railings, so nobody would accidentally tumble down in the middle of the night. Morrigan believed it looked rather picturesque and pretty.
Once she was outside, she saw that her dragon friend still wasn''t sleeping, but rather trying to get something from Galandir, who was looking rather annoyed at the dragon.
"Is everything alright?" Morrigan asked, looking curiously at the scene before her.
"Oh, this rascal just won''t go to sleep," Galandir grumbled, desperately trying to keep the dragon away from whatever it was that he held behind his back. "And he keeps asking for more snacks when he''s already eaten extra today. You realize that if you eat all the snacks now, you won''t have any later!"
"Haku," Morrigan said in a low, warning tone, and the dragon turned his attention to her. "You''re supposed to be a good dragon on this journey. Do you remember?"
Haku lowered his head guiltily. It actually took a lot of convincing for Lucius to allow Haku to come along on the journey. Alphegor never seemed bothered by the fact, but the older demon always worried about the little details that the King overlooked. For example, the issue of where a giant dragon would sleep during their journey or whether he could injure somebody by accident.
It was only due to Morrigan''s incessant begging and later a full-on demonstration of what a good and obedient boy Haku was that Lucius relented and allowed the dragon to come. And only under the condition that he wouldn''t cause any trouble. At the first sign of it, Azrael would have to teleport the dragon back to the Demon Castle.
"You know that if you cause trouble Azrael will teleport you back," Morrigan said sternly with her hands on her hips. Haku shook his head, indicating his unwillingness to go back. She walked up to her friend and gently caressed his snout. "I don''t want you to leave either, Haku. So be good and go to sleep. I''ll stay with you until you do."
The dragon perked up at this and gave her an affectionate nudge. Then he curled up on the ground, keeping Morrigan in the middle, making it feel like she was in a warm bundle. She sat down on his front paw which was now large enough to serve as her chair and gently patted his scales to calm him.
"Leave it to Princess Morrigan to tame a wild beast," Galandir snorted, watching the scene with a smile.
"Haku is not a wild beast. He''s a sweetheart. And I know you know that, Galandir," she chuckled.
"I don''t know. He might listen to me at times, but this dragon has quite the character."
"He wouldn''t be a true dragon if he just obeyed everyone like a dog," she chuckled and relaxed against Haku''s side. Her eyes began to droop from the comfortable warmth of her friend, and she felt herself slowly falling asleep. But just as her eyes were about to close, she noticed someone staring at her from behind the corner.
Haku growled menacingly, both Seon and Jin unsheathed her weapons and rushed towards the strange figure while Galandir conjured an orb of light which instantly illuminated the whole area. Morrigan managed to catch a glimpse of a large, likely male figure before it disappeared into the darkness.
"What was that?" she asked dumbfounded.
"It appears that someone is stalking us," Galandir said bitterly.
"Do not worry, Your Highness. We''ll make sure that you are safe. Leave everything to us. We will bring this topic up with the guards and make sure that the stalker is caught," Seon said confidently. Morrigan nodded at him but she had a feeling that the matter would not be settled so easily.
As soon as I leave the castle, trouble always follows. I''ll have to keep my guard up at all times.
Chapter 95 – Traveling Woes
Despite their ominous visitor last evening, the night went by without any incidents. Except for the fact that Morrigan wasn''t able to fully relax in the end even with her guards'' vigil doubled. She managed to get maybe a few hours of sleep at best before the loud innkeeper decided to do them a ''favor'' and wake them all up for breakfast.
Thanks to the demon maid''s hard efforts, the bags underneath Morrigan''s eyes were neatly masked, but sadly looking good didn''t translate into feeling good. She didn''t even bother humoring the innkeeper by descending downstairs for breakfast, instead opting to eat in her room. Horace looked sad and miserable at this rejection but Morrigan was too tired to really care about it.
After breakfast, they didn''t waste time hanging around the inn and instead quickly packed up their things to continue their journey further. According to the schedule written by Lucius, they would have to travel rather swiftly for the next three or four days to reach their first destination ¨C Glittering Cave of Magic.
The place itself sounded wondrous. According to Viana it was the place where one could see magic in nature, how it came out from large crystals. From her descriptions alone, Morrigan was itching to paint the place. She wondered what beautiful colors filled the cave. Or if they perhaps reflected on each other''s crystalline surfaces.
Unfortunately, it was located in a rather remote location since the high concentration of magic in the area made prolonged stay in its vicinity increasingly unpleasant. Some demons used the location for magical training since their magical reserves got restored much faster there.
However, since there were no demon settlements close to the Glittering Cave, it meant that at least one night the group would have to spend outside. Morrigan shuddered at the thought. She felt like something bad was bound to sneak up on them in the darkness of the Underworld. Like that giant Talpidot monster, she encountered after running away from Demon Castle. One misstep and she could have become its dinner.
"Morrigan, are you excited to see a completely new demon city?" Deziara cheered in the carriage. It appeared that she had no inkling of the troubles that occurred yesterday evening.
"It is a village, not a city," Viana corrected her, appearing rather bored.
"Oh, whatever. The point is that there is something new to see," Deziara''s enthusiasm was not deterred, instead she peeked outside the carriage window. "I wonder how long we''ll have to travel to get there."
"Lucius has written here that it''ll take a whole day of travel," Morrigan said as she read through the schedule that the demon Prime Minister had prepared for them. He had written down everything they might be to be wary about during the journey and at which points it would be crucial to travel with haste and at which point it would be alright to take a lighter pace.
"Whole day? In the carriage?" Deziara groaned. "But we already spent most of yesterday in the carriage."
"No, we rode the carriage only for three hours yesterday. Today we''ll be traveling for at least ten hours," Viana explained. While her expression remained largely neutral, Morrigan noticed her finger twitch.
Ten hours in this vehicle that constantly shakes. Even with a car that drove smoothly such a long journey would be very tiring. I hope demon bodies are more resilient to travel than human bodies.
"Ten hours?! Trapped in this box? Are you kidding me? I''ll die of boredom. Can''t we teleport there?" Deziara whined.
"Azrael could. Perhaps even Morrigan. But the rest of us don''t have enough magic reserves to teleport to such long distances," Viana explained, then added after a brief pause. "Also such a way of travel is unsustainable in the long run. It just requires too much magic energy."
Deziara groaned and slumped into her seat, all of her royal grace disappearing. Morrigan chuckled awkwardly, doing her best not to show her displeasure. This was going to be a long, long day.
***
The entourage has been on the road for six hours. Viana and Deziara both had retreated to their own carriages as the long road put them in a sour mood and caused a lot of bickering. Morrigan changed her sitting position every ten minutes or so but no matter how many different poses she tried, she could never seem to find one that would be comfortable for long.
And it wasn''t like the seats in the carriage were uncomfortable or hard. In fact, they were very soft, clearly made to make traveling as comfortable as possible. But the constant shaking and rattling seemed to outweigh any benefits the soft cushions provided. Even laying down didn''t work as then Morrigan felt like her brain was being scrambled from all the shaking.
The underworld is in dire need of normal roads because this is just atrocious. How is anyone supposed to travel anywhere like this? There has to be a more comfortable way to travel. Aside from teleportation, of course.
Just as she thought of this, Morrigan heard a distinct sound of wings somewhere nearby. She looked out of the carriage and saw Haku, flying above the retinue clearly enjoying the exercise. She gazed fondly at the dragon for a moment and then an idea popped into her head.
"Haku! Fly a bit lower," she called out to the dragon. He obeyed, descending closer to the carriage and making the giant badgers snarl in displeasure at his proximity. Morrigan melted into the darkness and then teleported right into Haku''s saddles. The dragon cooed happily and picked up altitude again.Stolen novel; please report.
"Princess Morrigan! Please return to your carriage so we can watch over you properly," one of her guards, she couldn''t tell which one exactly from so high up, called out to her from below.
"I''ll travel on Haku''s back for a while," she called back and positioned herself in a more stable manner to avoid falling off by accident. While the saddle was nowhere nearly as soft as the cushions of the carriage, Haku''s flight was completely smooth. Not a single shake.
I should have done this from the beginning. This is much better than traveling by carriage.
"Hey, Morri! Not fair. I also want to fly on Haku''s back," Deziara grumbled, looking out from her carriage window.
"I''ll switch with you after a while," Morrigan called back, and then turned her gaze to the dark of the Underworld. Although when looking at it from Haku''s back it didn''t appear so dark anymore. There were still small lights coming from bioluminescent plants and fungi and even an occasional small animal. They glittered like tiny stars in the darkness providing a path forward.
Even so, Morrigan wasn''t sure how the coachmen knew where they were supposed to be going. Every direction looked completely the same to Morrigan. But on the other hand she was never known for her navigating skills.
***
After a few hours, Morrigan couldn''t endure flying on Haku''s back anymore. Her thighs felt raw and her leg muscles were burning from her constantly clamping down on the dragon''s sides. She never expected riding to be so difficult. Deziara, unaware of this, was more than eager to take her place when she and Haku descended to the ground.
"You''re never going to get me off," Deziara cheered once Haku took flight again.
"We''ll see about that," Morrigan muttered and slowly walked back to her carriage, making sure that her thighs wouldn''t brush together. Much to her surprise, Viana was sitting there.
"Let me guess. Your legs hurt and your thighs feel raw," Viana snorted.
"Yeah. How''d you know?" Morrigan asked.
"When I had my tour, I also had the idea of riding a mount instead of sitting in the carriage all the time. Unfortunately, it is not quite as easy as our guards make it out to be," she said and pointed outside. Looking at the guards riding their beastly mounts, Morrigan realized just how much more difficult this whole journey must be for them.
"I''m amazed they are able to endure it," Morrigan said.
"They''re trained for it. But I do have to admit that it must take quite a lot of endurance to make the whole journey riding a mount. This is just the beginning after all. It''ll only get harder from now on," Viana warned, and Morrigan gently rubbed at her pained thigh.
"Is there a way to make it easier?" Morrigan asked. A small mischievous smirk appeared on Viana''s face for just a moment. And then she just disappeared. Or at least it looked like she had disappeared. In reality, Morrigan noticed a small shadow lingering in the place where she sat. Then she reappeared once again.
"I''m surprised you didn''t think of this first with how often you like to take shadow form. I cannot retain it for longer than an hour, but as far as I know ¨C you do not have such a short limit."
Morrigan wanted to facepalm herself. How had she not thought of it before?
"Thank you," Morrigan told her sister and then slipped into her shadow form. The rattling and shaking did not bother her anymore for she had no body that could be shaken. The softness of the cushions also didn''t matter. She felt the same way she always did when she took the shadow form ¨C weightless and untouchable. Even the pain of her raw thighs became just a minor pang at the back of her mind.
"Enjoy your rest, little sister," Viana said and then left the carriage, going back to her own.
Thank you, Viana.
***
"Princess, Princess! Where are you?" Morrigan woke up from her guards'' worried calls. It appeared that at some point she had fallen asleep in her shadow form.
How odd. I didn''t think it was possible to sleep in the shadow form since I had no physical body. Maybe I am just resting my mind? Either way, I''m not going to complain.
Morrigan materialized out of her shadow form, much to the relief of her guards, and winced when the pain in her thighs returned.
I''ll need to get some ointment on that.
"Wonderful. I never expected you to be in your shadow form. We have reached our destination," Jin informed her and opened the carriage door. She gratefully took his hand and looked at the¡ Well, it certainly looked like a village.
The place could be easily compared to the mole demon village she had been to before. The houses were simple and small, and the demons walking on the streets were clearly not pure-blooded. Most of them had reptilian features ¨C scales covering some parts of their body, claws and Morrigan could have sworn that she saw one demon have a forked tongue. They didn''t have the signature sharp, pointed tail of pure-blooded demons and instead had something akin to a lizard''s tail while their horns were relatively small.
The entourage from the royal palace looked completely out of place with their fancy carriages, immaculate clothes and a clearly pure-blooded demeanor. The fact that Haku was sitting among the carriages like some overgrown guard dog only made the difference larger.
"Excuse me, but may we ask who you might be?" one of the lizard demons nervously asked while others observed from a safe distance. Jin stepped forward to answer.
"This is the Royal Entourage accompanying Princess Morrigan on her tour around the Underworld," he stated firmly. All the demons around them gasped and muttered among themselves nervously.
"The Princess? Why is she here?"
"What is this tour?"
"Wasn''t there a princess on a tour here once? Some twenty years ago?"
"We merely need shelter for the night," Morrigan said with a smile, trying to lessen the tension. But it seemed to have the opposite effect as the lizard demons grew even more tense. The demon from before stepped closer, bowing his head and not daring to meet Morrigan''s gaze.
"I''m sorry, but we are poor folk. We do not have a place where to house so many people," he said, the s''s in his speech dragging out longer than usual. Morrigan looked around the village and realized that he wasn''t lying. Her retinue had more demons in it then there were people in the village. Even if they were to spread out and each sleep in a different place, there still wouldn''t be enough space for everyone.
Chapter 96 – Difficult Nights
Morrigan helplessly looked around the village, wondering what to do for the night. There wouldn''t be enough space for everyone to sleep within this small village. Desperate for a solution, Morrigan looked to Viana for help.
"Viana, you had to pass through this village too when you were on your tour, right?" she asked.
"Yeah. This is the only settlement in the area," she replied.
"So what did you do?"
"The only logical thing one can do. I stayed to sleep in the village elder''s house while everyone else slept outside," she replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Of course, I''d be happy to house you¡ But I''m afraid I only have enough space for one guest," the lizard demon who was dressed slightly better than the rest said, and Morrigan realized that he must be the village elder. He didn''t appear very old, but then again nobody in the Underworld did.
"Wonderful. Get my bags inside," Viana snapped her fingers and was about to go to the largest house in the area.
"Wait, wait, wait. Morri is the Crown Princess, so she''ll sleep with the village elder. We''ll have to go with other demons," Deziara protested.
"I''ll be happy to host you, Princess Viana," one of the female lizard demons spoke up and pointed towards her house. It was small and unimpressive, but one could tell that it was well-kept with a simple garden of Underworld plants in the back.
"Wonderful. I shall grant you this honor," Viana replied without missing a beat, her servants already grabbing her luggage from the carriage.
She''s acting as if she''s doing that lizard demon a favor. I doubt they''re happy about suddenly having to host a bunch of royals in their house. Although maybe they are. Their expressions are a bit difficult to read.
"Princess Deziara, I would love to host you in my home," another lizard demon volunteer pointed to his house. It was the second largest house in the village after the village elder''s house, and Deziara took him up on the offer without any hesitation.
"With that settled, Princess Morrigan, if you were so kind to follow me," the village elder said.
"Wait," she lifted her hand and turned towards the servants and the guards. "Where will all of you sleep?"
"Do not worry about us, Your Highness," one of the guards spoke up. "We''ll be sleeping in the carriages and tents."
"Is that so? Are you alright with that?" she wondered.
"It''s the only option we have. Please do not worry," the guards assured her. Morrigan reluctantly nodded her head and followed the village elder to his house. In reality, calling it a house was rather generous. There were no windows, only holes in the walls to let the air flow through it. The entrance door barely held in its hinges and the furniture inside seemed to be made by hand rather than by a professional carpenter.
"Dear, you would please make a special meal for tonight. We have Princess Morrigan as our guest," the village elder called, no rather yelled, to his wife. A shuffling of steps could be heard from somewhere and a rather annoyed looking lizard demon stomped out from one of the rooms, huffing and puffing.
"What are you yelling about? How many times have I told you to talk to me only if we''re in the same room," she grumbled angrily but then froze when she saw Morrigan with her two demon servants by her side. Her eyes nearly popped out of her sockets from shock.
"Dear, this is Her Royal Highness, Princess Morrigan. We''ll be hosting her here for tonight," he said with a smile, but Morrigan noticed how his eye was twitching in annoyance. The woman stared for a few more moments and then adopted a friendly smile.
"Of course! Of course! I''ll begin working on dinner straight away," she said and scrambled away. Likely to the kitchen. A shiver ran through Morrigan''s spine. She had this bad feeling about the food that the lizard demoness was about to prepare.
"Princess Morrigan, if the food is not to your liking, we can always prepare something from the food we have brought along," one of the maids whispered in her ear.
"Just save a portion for me just in case," Morrigan whispered, and the maid nodded decisively.
***
It turned out to be a good thing that Morrigan asked the maid to account for her portion as well. What the lizard demon served up turned out to be not much better than what she had received from the mole demons all those years ago. Sure, it wasn''t mud with bugs in it. It was raw meat covered in bugs instead. The village elder ate it with such gusto that Morrigan instantly lost whatever appetite she had left.
She couldn''t flat out reject the food they had so graciously prepared for her so instead she teleported it away to Haku while they weren''t looking. Morrigan had no doubt that her dragon friend disposed of it without any issues. Bugs and all.
The bed the village elder gave Morrigan wasn''t much better than the meal. It looked like a simple wooden frame was nailed together and then a piece of a makeshift mattress was thrown on top of it. The demon maids were quick to remove any improper bedding and replace it with the one they had packed along, but that didn''t make it anymore comfortable. Just less dirty.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Once she had said goodnight to her host, Morrigan slipped outside the room and went to the campsite the guards and servants had made just outside the village.
"Princess Morrigan, have you come for your meal? I''m afraid it''s nothing fancy but it should be better than¡ the meal the village elder served," the demon maid said awkwardly and offered Morrigan a bowl of stew. Viana and Deziara were already sitting by a makeshift table, eating their own stew. Deziara didn''t seem to mind it, while Viana was clearly in a very bad mood.
"I had already forgotten how horrid this place is," Viana grumbled, slowly eating the stew. It was certainly an odd sight to see the prim and proper Viana sit at a makeshift table and eat a simple stew. Sure, Morrigan and Deziara were princesses too, but they had always been more adventurous and outgoing. More accepting of simpler things.
"Do they really eat raw meat every day?" Deziara shuddered in horror. Haku brought his head up at the mention of the word meat, his tongue sticking out. "No, Haku we don''t have any more meat. You already ate it all."
The dragon''s enthusiasm waned and he lowered his head back to the ground.
"No. Raw meat is a big delicacy for lizard demons. On normal days they mostly eat grubs and vegetables they manage to grow on their own," one of the demon servants explained, and all three princesses shuddered.
"Please, tell me we won''t have to visit many of these villages," Deziara said, looking at Viana hopeful.
"Oh, don''t worry. Most of the time, we''ll have to camp outside," Viana''s face paled.
"That actually sounds better," Morrigan said thoughtfully.
"Oh really. We''ll see what you say about that in a few days, little sister," Viana smiled, but her smile seemed cold and sinister so Morrigan couldn''t help but shudder.
***
The night had been horrible. The bed was hard and uncomfortable, and Morrigan could hear the village elder and his wife whisper something to each other for a long time. At least several hours. It wasn''t a loud noise, but the fact that they weren''t asleep yet made Morrigan nervous for some reason. Also for her safety, her two guards were stationed inside her room, instead of outside. So their constant vigilant gazes made falling asleep even more difficult. At least she didn''t have to worry about anyone sneaking up on her during the night.
By the time morning arrived, she had slept maybe a few hours at best. Her back and shoulders ached from sleeping on the hard, uncomfortable mattress and her eyelids were constantly trying to force themselves shut. But they had to continue on their way.
Deziara and Viana didn''t look any better than Morrigan and for the first half of the day, the three sisters didn''t talk as they rode in the same carriage. Instead, they half-dozed as they watched the dark scenery pass by. Only after lunch did they begin moving around ¨C Viana and Morrigan taking their shadow forms to make the journey more manageable. Deziara rode on Haku''s back. Apparently sitting in the saddle for a long time didn''t bother her as much as did Morrigan.
The whole day was spent on the road once again and by the time it was evening, Morrigan was completely exhausted. Two nights of bad sleep made her feel that even sleeping on the hard ground would be good. Unfortunately, it appeared that she might get her wish as there was no village to stop by that night.
"Wait, are we going to stay here for the night?" Morrigan asked Seon, who was pitching up what looked like a tent in a dark clearing.
"I''m afraid so, Your Highness. There are no villages on the way to the Glittering Cave. The magic concentration in the air here is already high enough to be uncomfortable for those who remain here for longer periods of time," he explained.
"So I''ll be sleeping in there?" she asked, pointing at the tent.
"Yes. But do not worry, the maids have brought plenty of bedding to put over the hard ground," Seon assured her with a smile. Morrigan paled. When she had just moved into her apartment, she didn''t have a bed right away and was forced to sleep on the hardwood floor with nothing but a thin mattress topper as a cushion. It was hard. Extremely so.
And this place had nothing but stone underneath. No grass or moss or anything that could make sleeping more comfortable.
This is supposed to be a magical world. Couldn''t traveling be somehow made more comfortable? Where are my magic cushions and pillows and sleeping bags? Or a tent whose inside is bigger than the outside.
An idea popped into her head.
"Somebody bring me my painting supplies!" she called out.
"You''re going to paint now?" Viana asked incredulously.
"You can thank me later," Morrigan said with a mischievous smirk, then called out to Galandir. "Give me some stronger light."
"Of course," he said and conjured up a light ball right above her. She nodded in satisfaction and then got to work as soon as the maids brought her all the necessary supplies. Morrigan was working fast because these objects didn''t require much precision. The most basic kind would do. As she worked she could feel her magic draining away. She pushed it to the point where she would have enough energy to go into her shadow form and then stopped.
"Ta-da!" Morrigan announced as she pointed at the mountain of neatly folded bundles. The demons blinked in confusion, not understanding what she had just created.
"What is that, Morri?" Deziara asked curiously.
"Sleeping bags!" She announced and took one of the bags from the pile. She opened it and pulled out the neatly compressed sleeping bag. It instantly unfurled itself and revealed its true form. "These should be much more comfortable to sleep in than just regular blankets. I made sure to think of them as being filled with the softest material."
Viana and Deziara each took a sleeping bag and unpacked it. They touched the soft fabric, clearly surprised by its thickness.
"Where have you seen such a thing?" Viana asked, looking at Morrigan suspiciously.
Crap. This is why Father told me not to make anything from the human world.
"I just thought of it myself. I wanted to make a small bed that we could sleep anywhere, so I figured I could combine the bed with the blanket and pillow and then stuff it into the tiny bag," she said.
"Our Princess certainly is ingenious," Azrael laughed and grabbed one of the sleeping bags. Then he walked up to Morrigan and put his hand on her shoulder. "Everyone, grab one bag for yourself. There should be enough for everybody."
While he was saying that he also simultaneously spoke into her mind.
Princess, please be careful with what you create. These kinds of objects do not exist in Doppelta.
Yeah, I''ll be careful. But you can''t deny that we needed this.
Hey, don''t you know I love these human things? I just don''t think other demons will appreciate them as much as I do.
Chapter 97 – Glittering Cave of Magic
While the sleeping bags had not made sleeping on the ground as comfortable as sleeping in the bed (a normal bed, not whatever the lizard demons claimed to be a bed), it certainly made it more bearable. The servants and guards were especially happy about them, claiming that they were more comfortable than their regular beds. Morrigan was sure that they were merely exaggerating. Or at least she hoped so.
Another bonus feature of the sleeping bags was the fact that once they were rolled up, they didn''t take up too much space. So even with the limited space they had remaining in the supply wagons, they still managed to squeeze all the sleeping bags inside.
As their journey continued, Morrigan felt that with each kilometer that they got closer to the Glittering Cave, the magic in there was getting¡ thicker. More pronounced. Almost tangible. She couldn''t explain it well in words, but it was clear for everyone that they were getting near the place where magic of this world originated.
The surrounding area also became more ethereal. There were no demon settlements on their way, however, the amount of life steadily increased. There were more and more bioluminescent plants and they were becoming bigger and bigger. Most of the Underworld had some sorts of bioluminescent plants but most were no bigger than a blueberry bush. However, here they were plants the size of small trees.
"It''s so beautiful here," Deziara said, looking at the magical forest in awe. Viana nodded in agreement, a rare satisfied smile appearing on her lips.
"Look at all of these beautiful flowers," Morrigan said enthusiastically with a sketch pad in hand. She was sketching as many plants as she could, trying to capture as many details as she could. The constant shaking of the carriage made it difficult to make detailed sketches, but that didn''t stop her.
"Princess Morrigan, we are approaching the Glittering Cave of Magic," one of the guards called out, and Morrigan peeked her head out of the carriage window. Somewhere further away into the glittering dark, she saw it¡ªa colorful light which constantly shimmered with a different light. If she didn''t know any better she would have said that it was a way up to be the Overworld.
But as they got closer, she saw how the cave was made out of large crystalline structures of various colors. At the edges, there were just a few crystals embedded into the wall of the cave, but gradually the number of crystals increased. The entrance itself was completely made out of crystal which shone with pleasant warm light. And each of those crystals produced magic.
"Your Majesty, we are proud to greet you in this sacred place," the demon guard who was stationed by the cave entrance said as all the princesses got out of the carriage. The air was so thick with magic, Morrigan found it difficult to breathe. Her whole body was overflowing with magic and she had this urge to release the energy.
"I thought nobody could live in this place?" Morrigan whispered to Viana.
"The guards don''t live here. They change every few days," she replied.
"That must be so tiring. Traveling all the way here, guarding the place and then going all the way back to the capital," Morrigan contemplated.
"Oh, they don''t travel here. There is a portal here which leads to the Demon Castle Dungeons," Viana explained and both Morrigan and Deziara gaped at her in shock.
"You''re telling me there was a convenient portal underneath our home this whole time and we didn''t use it?!" Deziara said incredulously.
"The journey itself is just as important as the sacred places themselves," Viana explained. "If we had taken a shortcut, then nobody would take Morrigan seriously as Crown Princess."
Of course not. Because being a Crown Princess means camping on hard rock and shaking in a carriage all day. That will surely help me manage the country better.
"Princesses cannot handle the journey?" Azrael mocked.
"I can," Morrigan said resolutely.
"So can I!" Deziara added. Haku growled too as if to say that he could endure the journey too. Although for the dragon this had been the most fun time of his life. The same cannot be said about the creatures that he chased after in the dark.
"You are not a princess, you overgrown lizard," Azrael grumbled, and Haku blew a puff of smoke in his face.
"Haku is also a part of the royal family. So if he''s not a princess, then he surely can be a prince," Morrigan teased.
"First prince in over nine thousand years and it''s not even a demon. Imagine His Majesty''s face when hears it," Azrael snickered.
"It is a well-known fact that Father cannot have any actual demon sons," Viana sighed.
"Really? Why not?" Morrigan asked, wondering if it was a curse or genetic inhibition of some sort or perhaps part of demon physiology.
"Because he''s got no luck. Mom said that Father really, really wanted a son. That''s why he has so many daughters, you know. He just kept trying for more kids until he''d get one," Deziara snickered.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
"Really? It all comes down to luck?" Morrigan snickered at the thought. How unlucky one had to be to have twenty-four daughters and not a single son?
"Yeah, it''s hilarious really," Azrael cackled with delight, then turned to face the cave. "Anyhow, let''s go inside the cave. There''s a ritual you''ll have to go through, Princess. Everyone else will stay outside."
"They don''t get to come inside?" Morrigan asked, looking at her sisters and Galandir who were standing by the dragon. She had expected that maybe the elven boy wouldn''t be let inside since he was a servant. But to hear that her sisters also weren''t allowed to enter.
"It''s alright, little sis. There are plenty of wonders to see outside as well," Viana said and motioned her to go inside.
"Yeah, don''t worry about us, Morri. Head on in and do what you need to do," Deziara said with a smile. She nodded and followed Azrael into the Glittering Cave.
"Hey, why do you want to come inside?" Morrigan threw an accusatory look at Azrael who strode inside the cave like he owned the place.
"Do you know what you''re supposed to do for the ritual?" he asked with a triumphant smirk.
"No, because you never taught me," she retorted.
"There''s nothing really to teach," he shrugged, and Morrigan restrained her urge to roll her eyes at him.
They walked to the crystalline cave for a while, going deeper inside it. The glow from the walls was so bright that Morrigan had to shield her from it. She felt vulnerable in a place like this ¨C a place with no shadows. She couldn''t turn into a shadow here and shadow teleportation was also impossible. Not to mention that the magic in the air only got thicker the further they got it.
"Hmm. Something''s a bit odd," Azrael suddenly said.
"What is odd?" Morrigan asked.
"At this point, your eldest sister was already down on the ground, unable to handle the strong pressure from the magic in the cave, but you seem just mildly uncomfortable," he noted, observing Morrigan''s features.
"Down on the ground?" Morrigan gaped at him in shock.
"Maybe you can just handle the magic better because of naturally larger magic reserves," Azrael muttered.
"Wait, wait. If Viana couldn''t handle the magic here, how did she complete the ritual?" Morrigan asked.
"She didn''t. Through sheer force of will she managed to reach the ritual ground, but the magic was just too overwhelming for her and she fainted. I expected you to be showing more discomfort by now, but your reaction is rather lackluster," he explained.
"She didn''t?" Morrigan repeated like a fish. Was this another reason why Alphegor was so quick to give Morrigan the Crown Princess title?
"Anyhow, let''s hurry. The magic will eventually overwhelm you too. We need to be quick," Azrael commanded, and they hurried deeper inside.
After several minutes they reached the deepest part of the cave. It was glittering with even more radiant light than outside, each wall being a different, brilliant gem color. The magic was seeping out from the crystals in the wall like a shimmering mist and swirling on the ceiling of the room, where it slowly spun around in a circular motion like a cloud.
"Wow, that is beautiful," Morrigan noted, her eyes narrowed from the bright light.
"No, something isn''t right," Azrael said, scanning the cave from one wall to the next as if searching for something.
"What isn''t right?" she asked nervously.
"The magic isn''t supposed to go to the ceiling like that. It''s supposed to be filling this whole chamber. Why is it going up?" Azrael pondered, his eyebrow furrowed. He waved his hand a second gust of wind towards the ceiling, disturbing the slowly swirling magic cloud. It slowly parted and revealed a strange dark orb sitting in the middle of the ceiling.
"What is that?" Morrigan asked, but she had a strong suspicion that it was the cause of Azrael''s alarm.
"I have no clue. I''ve never seen such a thing before," he replied, and Morrigan could tell that he was getting increasingly more nervous.
"If it''s not supposed to be here, then we should remove it, no?" she suggested.
"Let me take a look at it first. Make sure that it''s safe to move," the demon mage said and levitated up to the ceiling to take a closer look at the black thing. He observed it from all angles before carefully extending his finger towards it. But he pulled away right at the last moment, never really touching it.
"This thing is siphoning the magic away from this cave," he exclaimed in outrage.
"Siphoning? Do you mean like draining it away? How? To where?" she asked.
"It''s acting like a portal of sorts but letting only the magic in this area pass through. As to where it may go, I have no idea. I know only one thing. It needs to be destroyed," Azrael conjured an intense blue flame above his palm and mercilessly threw it at the black sphere. It exploded with such angry ferocity that Morrigan had to conjure a forcefield to protect herself from sparks flying away from the explosion.
It took a moment for the smoke cloud to clear, but then it revealed the orb yet again ¨C completely undamaged. Morrigan couldn''t believe it. She knew that the blue flames Azrael conjured were the most destructive spell. She herself could conjure blue flames and knew that even a small flame could easily burn through stone and rock.
"How is that possible?" Azrael growled and began hurling one magic spell at it after another. Lighting, ice, fire, you name it, he tried it all. But the black orb still remained perfectly unblemished, sucking in magic like a hungry vacuum.
"Maybe it''s resistant to magic. Try a physical attack," Morrigan suggested.
"Oh, good idea. I think I had a spear lying around in my pocket dimension," he said and snapped his fingers. An ornate spear with an incredibly sharp end appeared in his hand and he flung it at the sphere. However, the spear shattered into a thousand pieces at impact, raining down on the cave floor like metallic rain.
"That was made from the strongest metal alloy in the Underworld!" he exclaimed, and then levitated up to the orb and tried desperately to pull it out. However, as soon as he touched the orb, an electric discharge hit his hand and jumped back before sustaining any serious injuries. "This is really bad. If we can''t remove that orb from here, then we won''t be able to perform the ritual. The cave needs to be filled with magic for it to work."
Morrigan started a sinister orb, wondering if there was something she could do.
It cannot be destroyed with magic or with physical force. But there isn''t such a thing as indestructible right? There must be a way to remove it.
And then an idea popped into Morrigan''s mind.
Chapter 98 – Repainting the Indestructible
"Gather all of my painting supplies right. I want every possible color available," Morrigan commanded as soon as she exited the glittering cave. Everyone outside was startled at her sudden command, still unaware of the trouble going on inside.
"Morrigan, have you completed the ritual already? It couldn''t have been that fast," Viana narrowed her eyes. "I know that the inside of it would make for a beautiful painting, but we cannot waste time on that. The ritual takes precedence and it won''t take long for those with weak magical aptitude to start feeling overwhelmed by the magic."
"No, there¡" Morrigan wanted to explain the situation but realized that all the guards and servants were listening as well. If she were to reveal that some weird, indestructible orb was placed inside the cave, it could cause panic. Or worse, the word could spread outside and throughout the Demon Kingdom. No, she could not allow that to happen.
"Azrael said that he needs some time to prepare the ritual properly, so I figured I might start on the painting while he does," Morrigan chuckled. The servants and guards visibly relaxed and began searching for her painting supplies. Viana, however, didn''t buy it and arched her eyebrow suspiciously.
"I''ll explain later. In a place where we can put on some privacy wards," Morrigan said to her. Viana''s expression hardened as she realized that the matter must be quite serious.
"Alright. Do you¡ need help?" she asked, trying to keep her question vague.
"No? I''m not sure if I''m being honest. For now, I''ll try to handle the matters myself. I think I know a solution," Morrigan explained, and Viana nodded in understanding. "Where''s Deziara? And Haku? And Galandir?"
"Those three decided to take a stroll through the surrounding area. Saw a glowing lizard or something like that and decided to chase after it," the older princess said dismissively.
"Isn''t that dangerous?"
"No, it should be fine. There''s nothing living here that could outmatch Haku."
Morrigan nodded, although she wasn''t completely convinced by that statement. This was the Underworld after all. You could never know what dangers lurk in the darkness. But for now, she had other matters to worry about. The servants had brought the easel, canvas and the paints which were neatly packed in a bag of her own creation. Her father hadn''t been too happy about it since it had a more Earth-like design, but the materials could easily be attributed to the things accessible in the Underworld, so she got a pass. Barely.
With painting supplies secure, Morrigan went back inside the cave. She heard loud thumps and crashes coming from within it, as Azrael no doubt was trying to destroy the orb. But judging how his groans of frustration were growing increasingly louder, it wasn''t going very well.
"Will. You. Break!" Azrael shouted, plunging the black orb into blue flames. He kept the flames going for a solid minute before releasing them, looking hopefully beyond the smoke cloud. Unfortunately, the orb still sat there. Completely unblemished. "Oh, come on! What is this thing made out of?"
"Let me try something," Morrigan spoke up, watching with concern how sweat was dripping down his chin. He must have exhausted a fair bit of his magic in an attempt to destroy it.
"I''ve already tried everything ¨C breaking it, burning it, freezing it, turning it into goo, stabbing it, moving it. Heck, I even tried to cut it out from the cave wall around it, but these crystals have such a high concentration of magic within them that they are indestructible. The damned orb must be made out of something similar," Azrael muttered while he glared at the orb ¨C as if that could just make it disappear.
"So it is basically protected against everything?" she asked.
"Yeah. The creator of this thing must have warded it against all possible physical and magical damage. Must have taken ages to create and tons of money as well. I remember the time I created that protection amulet for you. It only protected against physical harm and yet it took so much effort to create. Just imagining trying to cover every single type of magic and how long it would take makes me shudder," he said.
"So the creator of the orb would have to account for every single type of magic?"
"Yes. One by one. One would think that I''d know at least one spell this thing isn''t warded against, but the creator must have been very thorough," Azrael pondered, then blinked as he finally noticed that Morrigan had hauled all of her painting supplies along with her. "That''s it! Paint magic! This ability is completely unique to you. He couldn''t have accounted for it."
"Yes, that''s what I was thinking too. I''m not sure how to use it on already existing objects. I once tried to alter one of the bushes in the Demon Castle yard by trying to turn it into a rose bush from the Overworld."
"Did it work?"
"No. I ran out of magic. It drained far more energy than when I just tried to create things. But this orb is relatively small so maybe it could work," Morrigan looked at the orb with a worried expression.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
"Hm¡ it is likely that it used more magic because you weren''t just creating a new thing. You were destroying the old thing before creating something new, so my guess is that it would require double the energy," Azrael scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Give it a try. There is lots of magic in the air here, even with that thing siphoning some of it away. And if you start running low I''ll supply you with my own magic."
"But¡ there''s another problem¡" Morrigan said as she began setting up the easel.
"What?" the demon''s eyebrows furrowed deeper. Such a serious expression really didn''t suit Azrael at all.
"The cave itself¡ it''ll be very difficult to capture and paint," she said nervously, looking at the crystal walls. It was unlike anything Morrigan had seen before. They produced light, but at the same time, you could see their structure. They were translucent but at the same time, each crystalline wall had a distinct color. It was very difficult to describe. And likely even harder to capture in a painting.
"Can you not do it?" Azrael asked.
"I probably can. But it''ll take time and effort," she replied and laid down her paints on the cave floor, so she could clearly see them.
"Time is not on our side, Princess. At the latest we have to leave this place before tomorrow evening," he warned.
"I''ll do my best then," she said resolutely and picked up her brush, ready to take on her biggest challenge as an artist yet.
There was a problem right away as she had a hard time choosing which color to choose as a base. Initially she felt like leaving it completely white and then add colors by moving from one crystalline structure to the next. But as she looked carefully at the cavern, she realized that she should leave the white color for the highlights.
Then she contemplated making the base light blue. However, the cave didn''t have the cold feel that the blue color usually portrayed. Instead, it felt warm and welcoming, aside from the sinister black orb sucking the magic away. So then she thought of switching to light pink. But that color didn''t feel right either.
There were certainly pinks among the crystal wall structures, but it wasn''t the dominating color. In reality, there wasn''t a single color that would dominate more than the other colors. So Morrigan thought of reaching for the neutral gray. However, the cavern was very bright, and shadows as such didn''t exist within its walls.
"Princess, are you alright? You''ve been staring at that wall for about five minutes now," Azrael asked, looking rather concerned.
"I''m just trying to figure out which color to use as a base," she replied, still wondering which color to pick.
"Does it matter? Don''t you normally paint over the base color?" he asked.
"Base color is the most important one, it''s the one that defines the image at its core," Morrigan retorted, and Azrael raised his hands defensively.
"Alright, alright. Just pick it up faster. If it takes you so long to just pick the base color, then at this rate we''ll be here for days," he said. Morrigan sighed, feeling the pressure of the situation. She needed to act fast, but at the same time, she needed to be precise if she wanted the magic to work.
Through the years she had already tested to what level of accuracy she needed to paint to get the desired result from her magic. As it turned out the paint magic required a rather high level of precision so anything more stylized ended up as just a two dimensional rendition of the thing that she drew rather than the actual thing.
After a few more minutes of contemplation Morrigan finally settled on a light purple color ¨C something that was neither too cold, nor too warm. Also she had a feeling that purple was the representative color of magic. She didn''t know why exactly, but it felt right.
With the base color set down, Morrigan began working on the cave walls. As it turned out, the job of painting it was even more difficult than she anticipated as crystals were not only of different colors but also had precise straight edges. She couldn''t just draw the colors change willy-nilly. Instead, she had to carefully observe where and how each crystal met. How their color interacted with each other. For example, at the very entrance, there was a large blue crystal with a yellow one next to it.
However, at the place where these two crystals met, their colors jumbled together, creating a green tone. Or rather a slow green transition, making the task only more difficult. But Morrigan didn''t feel dismayed. In fact, she felt excited. She wanted to see how each color interacted with the other. She saw some places where three colors met, creating something completely new and wondrous.
Another challenge was that the colors on the cave walls did not interact with each other like her paint would. While her blue and yellow would certainly create a green color, it would be a different tone of green, for every color in the cave was pure, unmuted and seemingly untouched by darkness. They were very bright. But at the same time they weren''t obnoxious.
At some point, Azrael spoke to her, saying something in a vaguely worried tone. But Morrigan paid him no mind. She was in the zone. She took one color after the next and painted. She mixed colors and then carefully compared them to crystals to make sure that the one she created was the same.
"Morrigan!" Azrael called, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Huh?" she blinked her eyes slowly, only now realizing how dry and tired they felt. Hunger and thirst began gnawing at her as did her other, forgotten bodily function.
"You''ve been here for five hours. I think it''s time for a break," Azrael said. She slowly put the paintbrush down and then looked at her painting as a whole. It was barely halfway complete.
"I can still keep going. Just need a short five minute break," she said and ran outside the cave, feeling nature call to her more incessantly. Azrael called something after her but she was already gone.
After taking her of her needs and dodging curious questions from the servants and Viana, Morrigan went back into the cave.
"Princess, it''ll be nightfall soon. You''ll need to rest," he said sternly.
"Yeah, of course," she said dismissively and picked up the brush again. There was no time for rest. It was time to paint.
For a while, the demon left her alone, allowing her to continue her process. However, after another three hours, he flung her over his shoulder and dragged her out of the cave by force. Morrigan initially protested his brutish behavior, but before they could even fully leave the cave, she already felt herself dozing off, her tired body screaming for rest. Before long, she was cradled up in her sleeping bag with her guards diligently watching over her.
What the poor Azrael didn''t notice was Morrigan getting up merely four hours later and going back inside the cave. Nobody would be able to stop her from finishing this painting anymore.
Chapter 99 – Ritual of the Heir
By the time morning came and Azrael realized that Morrigan was already long since gone from the sleeping place, she was finished with the painting. Her fingers, dress and even her face were smeared with paint, but there was a wide satisfied grin on her face as she looked at the finished piece in front of her ¨C a perfect replica of crystal cavern in front of her including the magically swirling mist on the ceiling and the sinister black orb.
"You actually did, Princess," Azrael stared at the painting in amazement.
"It''s pretty good isn''t it?" Morrigan said proudly, admiring her work. It was certainly one of the best paintings she has painted up until now. The crystals and their intersecting colors and highlights gave her quite a lot of trouble, but in the end, she managed to capture at least some of its ethereal beauty. If only it wasn''t for that disgusting black orb that marred the whole scene.
"It is. I believe your magic should have no problem recognizing. All that''s left to do is destroy the orb," Azrael said and glared at the thing.
"Yeah. I have an idea of how to do it, but I''m not sure if it''s going to work," Morrigan said.
"Do your best. I''ll be ready to supply you with more magic in case you run low," he said. Morrigan nodded and then picked up her brush again. The biggest concern was not if her paint magic would trigger, since it felt like the painting was already waiting for her input. Like it knew that it had to be changed. No, the biggest concern was running out of magic.
Even with her large reserves, this kind of creation just required too much energy. So she had come up with a plan. Instead of trying to ''erase'' the orb by simply continuing the scenery in the painting, she''d try to adapt to its shape. She''d try to change the black thing, into the same crystal structure as the rest of the cave. It wouldn''t be an easy task knowing how unusual the interaction between colors was in the cave. But Morrigan believed she could do it.
First, she took a clear white color and covered the orb with it. Instantly, she could feel a huge chunk of her magic being drained away. But she didn''t stop. She then took the light purple color and applied it over the white, even more magic draining from her body. She took a deep breath and felt how the magical air from the cave was rejuvenating her with each breath. Like it wanted for this obstructive thing to be removed.
So she continued her work, carefully and slowly. Each brush stroke took away more and more of her magic, but with each breath, the magic cave helped her recover some of it. It was a slow and tedious process, Azrael watching over it all the while. When she was beginning to tire, he''d put his hand on her shoulder and supply her with some of his own magic.
The few remaining brushstrokes were by far the most difficult. The dark orb was clearly trying to resist her magic ¨C trying to keep its sinister purpose. But Morrigan did not stop. With Azrael''s help, she managed to add the finishing touches to the cave. When she did, a wave of magical energy burst through the room, instantly recharging some of her lost magic.
"Did it work?" she asked, looking at the crystal-clear orb hanging on the ceiling. The magical mist was no longer swirling around it, instead it was coming out of it. Azrael levitated himself up to the ceiling to observe the orb from all sides. He then extended his hand to touch it and grinned.
"Yeah, most certainly did. This orb is the same as the rest of the cave now," Azrael confirmed.
"That''s a relief," she sighed and sat down on the cave floor, tired from standing on her feet for so long.
"Yeah, now we can move on to the ritual," the white-haired demon snickered, and Morrigan had to suppress a groan. She had completely forgotten about that.
"Can''t I rest a bit first?" she asked hopefully.
"Only as long as it makes me carry out your painting supplies from the cave. I''m afraid we cannot linger here any longer. Some of your servants might already be feeling queasy from too much magic," Azrael explained and without any hesitation, packed her supplies away into the bag, took the easel with the painting and carried them outside.
Morrigan sighed, but decided to enjoy the peaceful moment while it lasted. The magic mist in the air was becoming thicker with each passing moment, filling the chamber with its gentle glow. It was becoming a bit difficult to breathe with how thick it was. But at the same time, it was quickly restoring the depleted magic reserves.
"Alright, Princess. Time for you to perform the ritual," Azrael said once he returned to the cave several minutes later. Morrigan slowly got up to her feet preparing herself for the task ahead. She had no idea what it would be. Apparently, it was a secret only the monarch, their heir and the Court magician knew.
"What do I have to do?" she asked resolutely, preparing a magical spell that would drain her barely recovered magic reserves again. Or perhaps some sort of performative dance. Or perhaps reciting some ancient words.
"It is quite simple. You stand in the middle of the cavern, right below that shiny orb that you painted," he instructed.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
"Okay," she said, taking the necessary position. "What next?"
"That''s it," the demon grinned.
"That''s it?" she blinked at him in disbelief.
"Yeah. That''s it. You just keep standing there for two hours," Azrael said.
"But I''ve already been in this cave for much longer than that," she protested.
"However, then we had this nasty little thing siphoning the magic away. You need to immerse yourself in the magic of the cave completely in order to prove yourself worthy," he said mysteriously while grinning like a child who just stole candy from a store. Morrigan couldn''t help but sigh at him.
"Prove myself worthy? To whom?"
"The Spirit of Magic, of course," he said.
"Spirit of Magic? Really, Azrael? That''s the best you could come up with," she said, unimpressed. He just shrugged with a smile.
"You''ll see for yourself. Good luck, Princess. See you in two hours," Azrael waved his hand and then left the cave, not a care in the world. Morrigan groaned. She was hungry, she was tired and she would have to spend two hours in this cave doing nothing. Great.
She sat down in the middle of the cavern and waited. Waited. Waited. Waited. She had no idea how much time had passed but each time she breathed in, the air seemed to grow thicker and thicker. At first, she thought she was merely imagining it. But when she lifted her hand, she saw, no, felt, the mist in her hand. She could lift it. It was very airy and soft just like cotton candy, but at the same, it felt like little pop rocks that were constantly popping against her hand. Was this how pure magic felt?
Morrigan played around with the magic mist for a bit, amusing herself with its unusual feel. But as the time dragged on, she grew increasingly more sluggish. Her head was beginning to droop and her mind was becoming muddled. Just as she thought she was going to pass out, a figure appeared before her in the mist.
"Oh, finally! I thought I''d have to stay here forever," she called out, thinking it was Azrael who had come back to get her.
"Do not worry, child. You''ll be able to leave this place soon enough," a unfamiliar, sort of ethereal voice spoke up and the shape in the mist solidified, taking the form of a woman. Her edges were blurred and none of her features had a distinct shape. Instead it felt she was constantly changing, her body sparkling just like the mist around them.
"Who are you?" Morrigan asked, jumping up to her feet.
"Do not be alarmed. I am merely the guardian of this place," the woman chuckled, her laughter echoing through the chamber like a thousand tiny bells.
"How can I know that? Maybe you''re the one who put that weird black orb in this place," Morrigan narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her. The woman''s laughter died down, and the chamber felt like it had become colder all of a sudden.
"Those who dared to tarnish this sacred place will suffer a punishment most severe. However, now is not the time to think about such unpleasantries. You removed their filth from this place and for that I am in your debt, Princess Morrigan. It is with great pleasure that I give you the mark of magic," the woman said and before Morrigan could protest touched her forehead. Her touch felt both hot and cold, painful and soothing at the same time. Morrigan wasn''t sure how to react to it.
"Mark of magic?" She asked when the woman finally withdrew her hand. She reached up and touched the spot on her forehead. Her skin felt the same as before but at the same time it really felt like there was a lasting mark there.
"Yes. I believe that you are worthy of it. It should help you use your magic more efficiently. I wish you good luck in your travel, Morrigan Nachtstern," the woman said and then just as suddenly as she had appeared she disappeared.
"Wait¡" Morrigan wanted to ask her about who or what exactly she was. But she was already gone so all she could do was sigh.
I suppose this means that the ritual is complete.
Morrigan threw a last glance at the beautiful cavern and then left, contemplating exactly what this Spirit of Magic was. Seems like there were still many things that she did not know about the Underworld.
***
When Morrigan finally left the cave, it almost felt like she was emerging from the other world. Viana, Deziara, Galandir and Azrael were all sitting near the cave entrance, waiting for her to come out. Haku was sitting some way away from the group, but judging from the piteous gaze he had, it was clear that the dragon had wanted to wait by the cave entrance too.
"How''d it go? Did you complete the ritual?" Deziara asked nervously, running up to Morrigan.
"I think so," she replied and touched the place on her forehead where the Spirit of Magic had touched her. Azrael noticed the gesture and nodded in approval.
"It seems that she has," he said and then turned to face the servants, all of whom were looking rather tired. "Alright, folks. Time to pack up and move."
"Wait, how do you know? You were here with us the whole time," Deziara accused.
"Magic, obviously," he replied with a chuckle.
"That is not how magic works," Galandir said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Azrael. Deziara and Galandir both began arguing with him about what magic can and can''t do. In the meantime, Viana used the opportunity to talk to Morrigan in peace.
"You saw it then? The spirit, I mean," Viana asked somewhat nervously.
"I did," Morrigan confirmed. Her older sister smiled.
"I''m glad. You''re already closer to becoming a queen than I ever was," Viana said with a bittersweet sort of smile.
"It''s not really fair," Morrigan said.
"What isn''t?"
"The whole thing is purely based on your magical endurance, isn''t it?" Morrigan asked.
"Yes," Viana confirmed, slightly confused by her question.
"But is that all that matters for a ruler? Just how strong their magic is?" she wondered. Viana opened her mouth to answer, but then paused and closed it again.
"I don''t know, little sister. I honestly don''t know," she replied.
Chapter 100 – Town of the Imps
"That cave was so amazing, Father. I''ve never seen a place more beautiful before," Morrigan said to her father, as she held her hand on the red pendant. She was currently in her carriage with some privacy wards set up so nobody would listen in on her conversation. It was unlikely that anybody would do that, but better safe than sorry.
"Ah, yes. One of the places in the Underworld where magic is born. There truly is nothing quite like it in this world," Alphegor said through the pendant. Morrigan was surprised by how crisp and clear his voice sounded. Phones usually distorted one''s voice at least to some degree. But this pendant had no such distortions, instead sounding like Alphegor was right in the same carriage as Morrigan. "Did you meet the Spirit of Magic?"
"Yes. She was very odd¡" she replied, recalling the unusual woman and her ethereal form.
"Creatures made from pure magical essence usually are odd. They do not function quite like us. They don''t need to eat, they don''t need to sleep. As long as there is magic around them they live on for eons. So they''ve seen things we can''t even dream of," Alphegor explained.
"And I thought demons had a long lifespan," Morrigan chuckled.
"Compared to magic spirits our lifespan is merely a drop in a bucket," Alphegor chuckled as well.
"But¡" Morrigan paused, wondering whether she should tell her father about the black orb she saw. It could make him worried and he could force her to return home. But hiding things from him wouldn''t be wise. He would find out sooner or later and the trouble would only be bigger then. Not to mention that Morrigan wanted to be honest with her father. "There was something strange in it."
"Something strange?"
"Yeah. There was this weird black orb embedded in the ceiling of the cave and it was siphoning the magic away to someplace. At least, that''s what Azrael said," she admitted, there was a short pause before Alphegor spoke again.
"I assume he destroyed it."
"No. He couldn''t. Magic attacks, physical attacks, even moving it from the place didn''t work. No matter how hard he tried the orb remained undamaged and unmovable."
"Is it still there?" Alphegor''s voice sounded worried. "No, then the spirit would have never appeared if the magic was being drained out of the cave."
"No. I managed to change it with my paint magic," she said excitedly.
"Change it with paint magic?" He sounded surprised.
"Yes. First I drew the cave itself with the orb as it was and then I painted over the orb, changing it into the same crystal structure that the rest of the cave was made from. It took a lot more energy than normally, but I managed to do it," she said proudly.
"That is wonderful! I didn''t know you could do that," he said.
"Neither did I. But I am glad that I tried, otherwise I never would have learned," she said and added after a moment. "And I get to keep the painting I made of the cave. It is truly spectacular. Deziara said we should make a museum with my art in it."
"A museum¡ Maybe I can get it done by the time you return," the King muttered.
"Really? Perhaps restore the museum in the Old City?"
"I''ll see what I can do."
"Thank you, Father."
"Of course, little one. But be careful as you move forward. I have a feeling that this black orb won''t be the only strange thing you encounter on your travels," he said, and Morrigan was relieved to hear he didn''t want her to come back.
"Of course. I''ll talk to you again tomorrow evening," she said. But before she released the magic flow from the pendant, she heard a dissatisfied grumble come from the other side. Morrigan got a feeling that her father would definitely look into this matter.
***
Another two nights the group spent sleeping in the wilderness of the Underworld. Despite the less than comfortable conditions, Morrigan actually slept rather well. Either she was getting used to sleeping in weird places or the exhaustion of using magic in the cave forced her body to sleep better. Another contributing factor might have been Haku''s closeness.
Instead of just sleeping on the ground, or huddled in groups like the servants and guards did, Morrigan decided to sleep huddled up to her dragon. His scales might have been hard and not the most pleasant sleeping material, however, she couldn''t feel it through the sleeping bag. Instead, she felt his warmth by her side. The fact that she was sleeping next to Haku also made her feel safe because she knew that if somebody attacked them, he would be the first to notice.
But since they were still relatively close to the cave, in a magic-filled environment, there weren''t many creatures that crossed their way. In fact, they didn''t meet a single demon until they finally reached a small imp town by the name of Hagmarg. The surprise came from both parties as they stared at each other.
Morrigan, her sisters and everyone else stared at the town populated with little winged imps. They were more monster than humanoid with their small bodies, large noses and bald scalds. Imps barely wore any clothing, covering only the bare necessary minimum. Also it was difficult to tell which imp was male and which was female, only differentiating factor being the scrap of cloth around females'' chests.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
Imps in turn looked at the arriving royal entourage with amazement. Although they were travel-worn and could certainly use a good bath, they were still a good deal cleaner than the imps. The only thing that kept the little demons on edge was Haku. They looked at the dragon with fearful eyes while he regarded them with some disdain.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome, dear guests, to Hagmarg," one of the imps fluttered up to them and spoke in a squeaky voice. It was odd watching him flutter up and down as he talked. Morrigan couldn''t help but think that it must be exhausting, beating those little wings to stay afloat all the time. But looking around she saw that all imps were doing it, with a rare few exceptions.
"It is a pleasure to come here. I hope you have a place in your town where me and my retinue could rest for the night," Morrigan said to the imp.
"Of course, of course. We have many good inns, yes. While we cannot put all of you in the same inn, there should be a bed for each one of your good demons," he said, rubbing his hands together, then flew a bit closer to Morrigan and whisperer. "But please do tell us ¨C are you perhaps our honorable Crown Princess?"
"That is right," she confirmed and the imp flew high up and did a loop before flying back down to her level, laughing excitedly. Or at least Morrigan thought that''s what imp laughter sounded like. It reminded her more of creepy cackling, but she decided to keep an open mind.
"Wonderful, oh what a wonderful day it is for us! We shall make a feast and celebrate. Everyone, the Crown Princess has come to grace us with her presence," the imp turned and with an amplified voice announced to the whole city. It wasn''t as strong as Alphegor''s or Morrigan''s voice amplification magic, but every imp in the city seemed to have heard him. Windows opened and doors unlocked as imps from all corners came out and began bustling around Morrigan and her retinue.
"Order, order! Keep a distance from the princess," the guards created a sort of perimeter around Morrigan, trying to keep the excited imps at bay.
"The magnificent Princess has graced us with her presence!"
"Everyone prepare the feast for the Princess!"
"May the darkness bless the Princess!"
The imps hustled and bustled around Morrigan excitedly, ignoring her guards completely, by fluttering around them. It was quite the mayhem as the demon guards began chasing some of the more daring imps around.
I need to calm them down before this gets out of hand.
"Kind imps, I would like to rest and clean myself after the long journey. After I have done that I shall come and enjoy the feast together with you," she announced in a loud, clear voice. The imps paused and stared at her for a moment, then erupted into cheers.
"We shall start preparations right away, dear Princess!" The imp that approached her first announced and then every imp rushed each in every direction, while some began dragging the servants along with them. The only one they didn''t touch was Haku, who growled angrily at any imp that dared to flutter too close to him.
"Is there a place where my dragon could rest for the night?" she asked while pointing at Haku. The imp appeared a bit scared of the dragon, but it was hard to tell. With their sharp teeth, she couldn''t read their expressions very well.
"Of course, of course. If the dragon were to follow us," the imp pointed to some location, eyeing Haku suspiciously. However, Haku growled angrily at him, releasing a dissatisfied plume of smoke.
"Wow, Haku! Calm down, buddy," Galandir patted the dragon on his side in an attempt to appease him. Haku drew back a little bit but Morrigan could still sense his displeasure.
"It''s alright, Haku. We''re staying here only for a day," she said to her friend. Haku whined at her miserably. She could feel that he was anxious but she couldn''t understand why.
I better be careful. Haku wouldn''t act this way for no reason.
"Follow them for now. I promise everything will be alright," she said to him, while gently caressing his nozzle. He cooed at her and then together with Galandir reluctantly followed after the imp.
As soon as they were out of sight, a swarm of imp women swarmed around each of the princesses, leading them to a different inn. Morrigan had wanted to speak to her sisters, but they were separated so fast, she couldn''t say a word. Azrael, however, took none of the imps'' advances and followed Morrigan, swatting any protesting imps away like flies.
"I''m coming with you, Princess," he said nonchalantly.
"No, no, no! Men cannot come where the Princess is going," the imp women protested.
"Shut it, you little vermin. You have no right to command me," Azrael growled at them, his purple eyes lighting up from magic.
"Calm down, Azrael. They''re not doing anything bad," Morrigan said.
"Not yet," Azrael grumbled and followed along the Morrigan and imp women into the inn.
"But really, how do you think this is going to work? I want to take a bath," Morrigan grumbled.
"I''m also going to take a bath," a wide grin grew on Azrael''s face, and she stopped dead in her tracks.
"No. You. Are. Not!" she glared at Azrael. He didn''t appear bothered by it, merely swinging his hand behind his head.
"I''m joking, I''m joking. I''ll just wait outside until you''re done," he said, and in turn, glared at the little imp woman. They grumbled at him the whole time but none of them dared to speak up against Azrael anymore.
"Don''t you have anything better to do than listening in on how I bathe?" she grumbled.
"Nope," he grinned, and she barely restrained the urge to launch a fireball in his face. Instead of relaxing, she''d have Azrael sitting by the door all the time. Great. She''d have skipped the bath altogether but she felt dirty and sweaty. Bath was absolutely necessary.
"Please, relax, dear Princess. We shall take care of everything," the imp women cooed as they led Morrigan inside the luxurious bathroom. She had expected some metallic tub at best but instead was greeted by a beautiful white, tiled bathroom with a giant bathtub that could be compared to a small pool. There were flower petals floating in the water and the scent in the air was also distinctly floral.
"Wow, this is quite fancy," she noted. The imp woman wasted no time undressing her and pushing her towards the bathtub, leaving Morrigan''s protesting maids behind.
"Of course. Only the best for our dearest Princess," they cooed, motioning Morrigan to get into the water. She was a bit apprehensive at first, still not being fully comfortable with larger bodies of water. But as she dipped her toe in the blissfully warm water, her fear disappeared and she stepped into the bath. It felt absolutely heavenly for her tired body.
"That''s right, dearest Princess. You relax and enjoy your bath," the imps cackled. Morrigan thought it was strange, but the bath was so relaxing and comforting that she didn''t pay any attention to it.
"Princess, are you alright?" came Azrael''s worried voice.
"I am fine," Morrigan replied in a daze. Her eyelids felt so, so heavy and everything around her was so warm and comfortable. She didn''t want to think about Azrael at that moment. She just wanted to relax.
"Princess!" Azrael''s voice sounded more worried, but she ignored it. It was time for some much deserved relaxation.
Chapter 101 – Peeping Azrael
Morrigan was not responding to him anymore. He had called out to her multiple times from outside the bathing room, but her reply was merely a sleepy-sounding ''I am fine''. Azrael had a bad feeling about this. Imps had the innate ability to put people in a daze, confusing their minds and talking them into giving them their possessions.
While he had thoroughly investigated this particular town before the journey and found no suspicious activities in the past, it didn''t mean that the imps wouldn''t try anything. Especially on the Crown Princess. They could take her hostage, demand a ransom or even worse.
I am so stupid. I never should have left her alone. Her maids are also unresponsive. Something must have happened.
There was a small voice in the back of his mind, it sounded a lot like Lady Eirwen''s voice, which told him that just barging into a bathing room where women were undoubtedly naked wasn''t the most chivalrous thing to do. Especially if Morrigan was there. If King heard of it, then he would no doubt put his head on a pike.
Maybe it is alright¡
"Princess!" he called out again, in hopes that she''ll reply and dispel his suspicions. But instead of Morrigan, an imp answered his call.
"The dearest princess is alright. Please, do not bother her while she is relaxing," the imp said, and Azrael heard a cackling sound from somewhere deeper inside the bathing room.
"No, that''s it. I am going in!" he said resolutely. Azrael kicked down the door and ran inside. The room exploded into screams as the demon maids began swearing at him and throwing wet rags in his direction. The imp woman also snarled angrily, swarming around him and preventing him from seeing Morrigan.
"Why is a man entering a woman''s bath? Out! Out!" The imps growled angrily.
"Lord Azrael, this is too much even for you!" The demon maids sounded just as angry as imps.
"Why isn''t the princess answering?!" Azrael growled, trying to scatter the imps away from his view.
"Because¡ I am trying to relax!" resounded a furious shout from somewhere behind the cluster of imps. They scattered and what Azrael saw was a very angry-looking Morrigan, wrapped up in a towel with a bright blue fireball in her hand. "Get. Out!"
Without a second she flung it at Azrael. He erected a forcefield to protect himself from it, but once it collided he was surprised by its strength. He had to supply the forcefield with more magic to withstand her attack. While blue flames were certainly strong, it still shouldn''t take this much energy to block it.
"Answer a guy when he calls," he grinned and turned on his heel to leave.
"Get out!" Morrigan growled and flung another fireball at him. He blocked it again, this time the fireball being a bit weaker. But if the Princess had thrown it at anyone besides him and the King, they wouldn''t be able to just block. No, likely the damage would be permanent.
It seems like Morrigan has gotten stronger because she received the mark from the Spirit of Magic. How strong is she going to be by the end of this journey? At this rate, she''ll even surpass Alphegor.
***
Morrigan was fuming. For the first time since the start of this journey, she could finally enjoy a nice, relaxing bath. But the Azrael just decided to burst, daring to act all worried about her, and ruin it all.
Lecherous pervert. I bet he just wanted to catch a glimpse of me naked, so he just made up some story about being worried about me and came waltzing in. I''ll never forgive him for this.
Although Morrigan had to admit that imps'' odd cackling had put her on edge a little bit. It felt like they didn''t mean any harm, but Haku''s behavior did worry her a little bit. The dragon had a really good danger sense, so just ignoring it outright would be foolish.
"Does the Princess feel relaxed now?" one of the imp women asked, fluttering uncomfortably close to Morrigan. One of her maids gently pushed the imp further away, scrunching her nose at the little demon.
"Yes, thank you. The bath was amazing," Morrigan confirmed.
"Wonderful, wonderful. The feast shall be ready soon and we''ll sing in honor of the great Crown Princess," the imp woman said and then fluttered out of Morrigan''s room for the night. It was decently sized with a rather normal bed. Simple but at the same time elegant and cozy. It would certainly qualify as a three-star hotel on Earth.
"I don''t like those imps," one of the maids said suspiciously. "You should be wary of them, Your Highness. Imps are known for playing tricks on other demons."
"Yes, it feels like they are plotting something," the other maids agreed while bustling around Morrigan''s attire for the night. Since it was supposed to be a feast, a slightly more elegant dress was found for the occasion. Not one of the big gowns she''d wear in a castle but something a bit nicer than her regular travel clothes.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
"I''m sure it''ll be alright," Morrigan said, but then added after a moment. "However, being cautious certainly wouldn''t hurt, so keep your eyes open."
A short while after the maids were done dressing her, the imp women returned and beckoned her to follow them. As she went downstairs to the inn she was staying at, she saw Azrael standing by the entrance, no doubt waiting for her. She glared at him while he smiled back pleasantly and waved.
"Ready to go, Princess?" he asked as if nothing had happened.
"Yes," she grumbled in reply, still glaring at him.
"Now, there''s no need to glare so viciously at me. Your pretty face might forever get stuck with that unsavory expression. And what would your dearest father say then?" he cackled.
"I wonder what he would say if he heard that you broke into the bathroom while I was washing up," she retorted with a satisfied smile. Azrael chuckled awkwardly, a bead of sweat flowing down his forehead.
"There, there. There''s no need to mention that to him, is there?" he chuckled awkwardly.
"I think I should. After all, such behavior is completely unacceptable for the Court Mage, isn''t it?"
"Oh, please. You know he''d lop off my head the moment hears about it," Azrael whined, staring at Morrigan with giant piteous eyes. She did not know how it worked on her, must have been a magic of some sort, but eventually she sighed.
"Then don''t do that again! Ever!" she warned him.
"But what if¨C"
"No, what ifs, buts, or other hypotheticals. Just don''t do it," she cut him off. Azrael''s shoulder slumped and he nodded.
"Fine, I won''t," he finally relented. Morrigan narrowed her eyes at him and stared for a moment. "I really won''t, okay? It''s not like I wanted to see you naked. Come on, there''s nothing even to see there!"
Azrael said and pointed at her rather small chest. Morrigan''s cheeks flushed and a blue fireball appeared in her hands. Without a second thought, she threw it at Azrael. "Go to hell!"
"Your Highness, please control yourself. I understand your outrage, but such behavior could be taken out of context and turned into some unsavory rumors," one of the maids whispered in her ear.
"I''m sorry. Let''s just go and eat," she said with a sigh, and without looking at Azrael anymore, walked out of the inn.
She was surprised to see that the whole main street had been transformed. Tables had been brought out, and tons of food piled on top of them, while ribbons and bioluminescent flowers were strategically placed in the darkest spots. Morrigan had to admit that it was beautiful for merely a few hours of work.
"Come, Princess, come! Your friends are already waiting for you at the table," the imps beckoned and Morrigan followed them. Just as they had told Viana and Deziara were already sitting at the table, chatting among themselves. Both of them looked fresh and much, much happier than before.
"Morrigan, come sit with us. The food here is great," Deziara called, her plate already filled. She nodded happily and took a seat next to her, while Viana remained on Deziara''s right.
"You two look well rested," she noted with a chuckle.
"Yes. I do not know what imps use in their baths, but it certainly hit the right spot, so to speak," Viana said with a faint smile.
"We use water heated at a volcanic spring near our town. It is our specialty, and is great at rejuvenating tired demons," one of the imp women said proudly as she brought more plates of food to the table.
"Coincidentally, these dishes are also cooked in the same type of spring, enhancing their flavor," another imp said.
"So this must be a highly sought out place by demons, isn''t it?" Deziara asked and the imps paused.
"Sadly not. Other demons do not trust us imps very much. They think we would steal from them," one of the imps admitted, her lips curling downward. But it was only there for a minute and she quickly regained her toothy smile. "But you are here now and you can enjoy how wonderful our town is."
Morrigan felt bad for the little imps, so she started putting food on her plate as well. "Yes, thank you for the wonderful meal. And the wonderful bath."
"Please, eat, eat. Later we shall sing and dance," the imps said and returned to work, bringing out more plates of food to them and the guards who were also slowly joining the dinner table. The maids and servants resisted joining at first, but once Morrigan invited them, they joined as well, and soon happy chatter and merriment could be heard all throughout the town.
Before long, Galandir joined them as well, boldly taking a seat next to Morrigan. Normally that was where Azrael sat, but he didn''t dare this time, instead opting to take a seat next to Viana.
"How''s Haku?" Morrigan asked as he dug into the food in front of him without any hesitation.
"Nervous. Not sure why. I tried to understand whether it''s the imps themselves that he doesn''t like or something else. I couldn''t quite tell. I think it''s this place specifically that''s making him agitated, not the imps. Although I''m not sure," he said in between the bites.
"The imps said that there are some volcanic springs near the city, maybe that''s it?" she guessed.
"Maybe. Let''s just stay vigilant," he said, and Morrigan nodded.
However, as the evening went on, everything continued peacefully. After the feast, the imps arranged for music and began singing and dancing for their guests. Well, Morrigan wasn''t sure if it could be called dancing exactly. The imps were fluttering about, doing all sorts of weird and acrobatic maneuvers. It seemed silly at first, but after a while, she realized how coordinated their movements were with the music.
Not a single step was out of place, not a single flutter of wings mismatched. It all went together with music, creating a beautiful performance. Morrigan, no, all of her retinue couldn''t believe the display of the little imps. And once their performance was done, they played music that everyone could dance to and enjoy.
Morrigan danced with her guards, with Galandir, with her sisters, and even Azrael. It was one of the most fun times she had experienced in the Doppelta so far. And all thanks to those little, hard-working imps.
I want to repay them for all the hard work they''ve done. So I''ll create something for them in return.
Her mind made up, Morrigan requested her maids to bring her painting supplies and got to work.
Chapter 102 – Royal Flower
Morrigan''s brush glided effortlessly across the canvas for she knew what she was going to paint before she even began. She saw it clearly¡ªsomething that would suit this small town with its deceptively sinister inhabitants. Blue color dominated her canvas and she slowly felt her magic drain. But this creation wasn''t anything as grand or difficult as painting the Glittering Cave. Just a memento that perhaps could help these imps attract more tourists.
"It is beautiful¡" one of the imps said as slowly but surely a blue crystal flower bloomed in the center of the main street. Its crystal petals were translucent and emitted faint blue light just like the small bioluminescent flowers that adorned the dark corners of the city. It wasn''t large, however it instantly drew the eye of everyone in the square.
The flower stood on a small stand at the bottom of which there was a writing "Gift from Princess Morrigan Nachtstern for the hospitality Hagmarg Town has shown her".
"Is this for us?" one of the imps asked as she admired the beautiful glassy sculpture. Morrigan nodded with a smile and then turned the canvas around for everyone to see the exact same flower drawn on it.
"It''s a token of my gratitude for the good time shown to me and everyone else accompanying me," Morrigan explained. The imps clustered around the blue crystal flower, pushing each other out of the way to take a closer look. But all of them kept a safe distance from the fragile flower in fear of breaking it.
"It is the most beautiful gift we have ever received," one of the imps cried out, and then suddenly all of the imps were crying, the loud wails echoing in the Underworld night.
"Great, now they''re all crying," Azrael said in annoyance.
"That is so beautiful! Morrigan, can you make something like that for me too? Only a miniature version. Like a little pendant or maybe earrings?" Deziara said excitedly.
"To think you''d make something like this for imps, but haven''t even made anything for your sisters," Viana said, crossing her hands over her chest.
"I''ll make something for you two as well," Morrigan chuckled heartily. Their festivities continued for a while longer, until finally, Viana announced that it was time for them to go rest to get ready for tomorrow''s journey.
***
Morrigan was back in her room about to undress for the night when a gentle knock resounded on her door. She sighed, not really wanting to deal with anything else that day but reluctantly called, "Come in."
A female imp fluttered inside her room, appearing somewhat nervous, eyes constantly darting from one corner of the room to the next as if expecting something to jump out of the shadows at any moment.
"What is it?" Morrigan asked the imp, wondering if something bad had happened for her to be so nervous. The imp gave another look around the room, fluttered closer to Morrigan, and then whispered in a barely audible voice.
"The Princess should leave Hagmarg immediately."
"Leave? Why?" Morrigan cocked her head in confusion. It was the last thing she wanted to do right now. The bed was right there and she just wanted to lay down on it and sleep.
"You will be ambushed in the middle of the night," the imp whispered fearfully.
"What? Ambushed? Explain yourself!" Morrigan conjured a fireball and glared at the imp. She fluttered back and bowed her head profusely.
"I am sorry. A few days ago some strange demons came and said that a princess would come to visit us in a few days. They gave us money and said that we should make you feel as relaxed as possible," she explained.
"So the feast and everything was just a ploy to get us to relax?" Morrigan snarled.
"No! I mean¡ yes. We didn''t want to take part in it, but these demons promised us lots of money. Our town is poor and since we are always eager to entertain guests, we agreed. But after that beautiful flower you created for us, I realize that it is wrong to allow them to attack you. We do not know exactly what they intend to do, only that it will happen once you''re asleep," the imp explained.
"Azrael!" Morrigan summoned the demon mage and after a few moments, a very sleepy and slightly drunk Azrael appeared from a shadow.
"What? I hope you have a good reason for summoning me when I was about to go to sleep," he grumbled at her.
"Go tell everyone one by one that we are leaving. Make sure that everything remains quiet and that everyone leaves in small groups. Have them gather some distance away from the city with Haku and Galandir scouting ahead," Morrigan instructed.
"Wait, wait¡ Leave? Now?" he blinked with bleary eyes.
"Yes! There''s an ambush waiting for us," she said to him, then turned back to the imp. "Tell us everything you know about these demons. What do they look like? What exactly are they planning?"
At the mention of the word ''ambush'' all of Azrael''s confusion disappeared and his focus instantly sharpened. His eyes went straight to the imp, boring into her with menacing intensity.
"They never told us what they''re going to do. Only that they''re going to do it at night and that we should stay out of their way then," the imp said fearfully.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"What do they look like then?" Azrael demanded.
"Like you two?" the imp said, although she didn''t sound very confident in her words.
"What do you mean like us? Me and the princess here look quite different. Were they male? Female? Any distinguishing features?" the white-haired demon demanded, making the imp tremble in fear.
"I-I don''t know. All you pure-blooded demons look the same to us. I never really took notice of their hair or eyes or anything like it," she squealed out.
"Bah! Useless. I''m going to get everyone ready to leave. Princess, be very careful. I suggest you move around in your shadow form," Azrael said and then disappeared into the dark.
"You can go now¡ uhh¡ I never got your name," Morrigan said, looking at the still-trembling imp.
"I am Reimi, Your Highness," she said.
"Thank you for warning me, Reimi. Let''s just hope that whoever decides to ambush us doesn''t catch us leaving," Morrigan grumbled.
"I could warn other demons too," Reimi offered.
"No. Azrael will take care of that. He can move around unnoticed. Just go and carry on as if everything was normal," Morrigan said, and the imp nodded shakily, turning to leave. "Wait, are you imps going to be alright? Won''t they attack you if we leave?"
"Do not worry about us, Princess. We imps know how to take care of ourselves," Reimi grinned, her sharp teeth showing. "I wish you a good journey."
With that note, Reimi left and Morrigan was left alone. She looked longingly at the bed and sighed. It was time to get moving. She quickly packed away her things and summoned her guards. Seon took her things and went to the wagon. Meanwhile she turned into her shadow form and together with Jin, sneaked their way to the town.
It was completely silent and very dark, most of the lights being extinguished. Morrigan assumed it was part of the attacker''s plan to remain unseen. However, now it worked in their favor as they could slip out unnoticed. She and Jin moved fast with him running full speed and her following right next to him in her shadow form. Before long Morrigan could see her dragon companion with a few of the carriages already gathered around him.
Haku cooed happily when Morrigan appeared, nuzzling up to her affectionately.
"It''s alright, Haku. Nothing has happened to me," she pacified her worried friend.
"What''s exactly going on, Princess?" Galandir asked, his eyes occasionally darting into the darkness behind her.
"Apparently, somebody is looking to ambush us tonight," she whispered to him so as not to worry the servants. However, in the silence of the night, her whisper might as well have been music played in a loudspeaker. Everyone heard her and gasped. "It''s alright. We''ll get out of here in one piece."
"Who?" the elven boy asked, the air around him growing chilly as he tapped into his ice magic, ready to strike at any moment if necessary.
"I don''t know. The imps said they were pureblooded demons but that doesn''t really narrow it down," she sighed. If only there was something else they could distinguish these attackers with, then Morrigan could just report it to her father and have them captured within a few days. But with no features to go by¡
"The imps? How do you know they''re not leading us into an ambush right now," Galandir narrowed his eyes and the air grew even colder. The guards also grew tense, their hands poised on their weapons.
"I-I don''t know. She seemed sincere¡" Morrigan said weakly, realizing this oversight. Then again, Azrael hadn''t said anything against it either. Surely if it was truly dangerous he wouldn''t have just followed her orders blindly.
However, he was drunk and not thinking straight, so maybe I shouldn''t put too much faith in Azrael.
"You realize that this blind belief in others might end you up in big trouble," Galandir grumbled.
"I don''t want to doubt everyone I meet either," she retorted, then sighed. "But you''re right. I should have been more careful. For now, all we can do is wait for everyone else to arrive and keep an eye out for anything suspicious."
"Good thing we have Haku. He should be able to tell if anyone approaches," Galandir said and patted the dragon on his leg. Haku cooed and overall seemed much calmer than everyone else. Much calmer than he was in the town at least.
Slowly but surely, one carriage after the next, the whole of Morrigan''s retinue joined her. Everyone was on edge each time somebody new came, but when they turned out to be their traveling companions, they relaxed. Approximately an hour passed until everyone arrived. Everyone except for Deziara and Azrael.
"Did you see Deziara at any point?" Morrigan asked Viana once she arrived, dressed up as one of the maids.
"No, we were staying in different inns. Where''s the mage?" she asked in return.
"I don''t know."
Another hour passed without any sign of Deziara and Azrael appearing. Morrigan''s eyelids were heavy, she was so, so tired. Everyone else also appeared tired, even the sturdy guards slowly beginning to lose their focus. The only one who remained vigilant was Haku, who was constantly scanning the dark. At one point he growled and pointed towards something in the darkness with his snout.
Morrigan looked in the direction he pointed, excited that Deziara and Azrael had finally arrived. However, it wasn''t them that appeared in the dark. Instead, a small light floated there, coming closer and closer until finally it stopped before Morrigan.
"It''s a message," Viana said, coming closer to look at the light. Morrigan extended her fingers towards it and opened the magical message. The light expanded outwards until it formed words in the dark of the Underworld.
"Do not wait for us. We will meet you in the next city. ~ Azrael and Deziara"
"Wait for us in the next city?" Morrigan echoed the message and then it disappeared into the darkness, leaving not a single trace behind. Her heart began to beat like crazy as she realized that something must have happened to them. "W-We need to go back and help them."
"Stop!" Viana said sharply, grabbing Morrigan by her shoulder.
"Let go. The enemy must have gotten to them. We have to have help!"
"Calm down. If they sent a message that means they are alright," Viana objected.
"If they were alright, they would have joined us here a long time ago," Morrigan said, her breath hitching in her throat. If anything would happen to Deziara and Azrael, it would be her fault. She was the one who decided it''d be best for them to leave one by one. Perhaps it would have been better to stay together and fight them head-on.
"Calm down, you are nothing thinking straight," Galandir put a hand on her shoulder and spoke in a soothing voice. "Think of who we are talking about here. It''s Deziara and Azrael. Azrael is one of the strongest mages in the whole Demon Kingdom. And Deziara, well, she could outrun anything. Nobody is faster than her. If they''ve sent a message to meet them in the next city, then we should listen to them and go."
"The elf is right. Trust in your sister at least, if you don''t trust, Azrael," Viana said, and Morrigan reluctantly nodded.
"Alright, but I''m going to inform Father of this," Morrigan said.
"Of course. I would have gotten angry if you didn''t."
Chapter 103 – Deziara
"Princess. Wake up. Wake up, Princess," somebody was shaking Deziara, trying to wake her up. She groaned. She didn''t want to get up. The day had been so tiring and this was the first real bed she had slept in for days. It was soft and comfortable, so her body completely refused to move.
"Wake up, Deziara!" something shook her violently, and she got up, just to smack the asshole who dared to bother her rest.
"You better have a good reason for waking me up," she snarled and blinked her eyes. The room was dark aside from a small flame flickering in Azrael''s hand. When she realized that it was Azrael that had woken her up, she glared at him.
First, this asshole dares to barge into Morrigan''s bath and now he''s sneaking into my room at night. I think it''s about time somebody taught him that just because Father isn''t around, it doesn''t mean that he can get away with everything.
"We are about to be ambushed by the enemy if we don''t escape," the white-haired demon said in a hushed voice.
"Enemy? Who?" Her focus instantly sharpened, and she slid out of the bed. Azrael snapped his fingers and before she even realized it, she was already wearing her travel clothes. That''s convenient. She''d have to learn that bit of magic someday.
"We don''t know who it is exactly, only that they''ll strike soon. Everyone else has already gone ahead to meet outside the town," he explained.
"Hey, why am I the last one?" she grumbled.
"I came to you first, but you wouldn''t wake up so I decided to deal with more cooperative demons first," Azrael grumbled. She raised her finger to object but then lowered it. Mom had always told her that it was impossible to wake her up in the mornings. But it''s not like she could help it ¨C it was just the way her body worked. It refused to wake up until she had gotten all of the necessary beauty sleep.
"What about my maids?"
"They''ve gone ahead along with your carriage and a few carts. We''re the last ones left. Hurry up and pack your stuff, so we can leave," Azrael said and began picking up some of Deziara''s belongings. She rushed to help him, picking up her clothes and throwing them into the bag. This should have been the maid''s job, but she supposed there was no helping it now.
As they hurried to get all of her things, they suddenly heard something. It wasn''t a loud noise and it was likely that under normal circumstances, they wouldn''t have heard it at all. But in this dead quiet of the night, they unmistakably heard one of the floorboards squeak outside.
All of the maids and guards have already left and the imps don''t walk, they only flutter. Does this mean that it is one of the attackers?
"Shit¡ They''re already here. We have to go," Azrael said and put all of the stuff he managed to get into the bag in his pocket dimension. Deziara looked frantically around the room. They couldn''t leave through the door now unless they wanted a direct confrontation with the enemy. It was possible that only a small group was coming to ambush them. But more likely than not, they have come prepared and brought enough people to counter their large number of guards.
"Take my hand," Azrael said, extending his hand towards her. She regarded it as if it were an ugly toad for moments, but then begrudgingly took it. However, before Azrael could teleport them to safety a strong force erupted inside Deziara''s room, blinding both of them completely and cutting off Azrael''s ability to shadow teleport.
Deziara let go of his hand and staggered backward, shielding her sensitive eyes from the blinding light. Something smashed the door and ran straight for Azrael, knocking him over before he had the time to get his bearings. Stunned, she saw that it was a sort of a stone golem, its enormous weight instantly knocking out the white-haired demon.
Oh, dear¡ This isn''t good.
With Azrael unconscious, the golem turned towards her, readying to strike. But Deziara didn''t wait around for him to attack her, instead she launched a fireball in his direction.
"Hahaha, foolish Princess, as if a little flame could hurt my magnificent creation," resounded a gruff, male voice and a short, figure clad in all black appeared from the hallway. His face was covered, but even so, Deziara could see that he had a large beard poking out from underneath the mask. That and his dark blue skin suggested that it was a duergar. Why would a duergar attack them?
"I wasn''t aiming for the golem," she retorted and at that moment the golem crashed through the floor, the fire having burned through its footing.
"Why you little¡ Get her!" the duergar commanded and more figures dressed in black poured in from the hallway. Deziara didn''t wait for them to come and catch her. Instead, she activated her speed magic and zipped towards the mage. Then she activated strength magic, something she had learned just a few years ago, and hoisted Azrael up onto her shoulder as if he weighed no more than a feather.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
The attackers stared in disbelief at her strength but didn''t linger for long, instead lunging towards her. But they were too slow. Far too slow. Deziara had already run up to the window and jumped out. Thankfully, this was just the second floor, so the landing didn''t hurt her much. Unfortunately, this was also where the stone golem had fallen through, and the construct now smashed through the wall to run after her.
But they wouldn''t catch her. Nobody could catch her because when it came to speed, Deziara was unbeatable. Not even Morrigan in her shadow form could keep up with her anymore. Even Azrael''s weight couldn''t hold her back much thanks to the strength magic she had learned.
Her mother had been completely against it ¨C strength magic was something used by guards and soldiers, not princesses. But after that time when she and Morrigan had been taken away by Asdeus, Deziara knew she needed that strength to fight. Not just to protect herself, but to protect her precious little sister. And when Morrigan announced that she was going to go on a tour around the Underworld, Deziara redoubled her training efforts.
After all, she couldn''t do strong fire magic like Morrigan or Azrael that burned through everything it touched. She couldn''t control shadows like her father could and neither should bend the earth to her will like Viana could. She had tried so many elemental magics but had very little affinity with them. No matter how hard she practiced, she could never compare to something Morrigan could do in her sleep.
But when it came to magic that enhanced physical speed and strength, Deziara was unmatched. It was what she was good at and so she honed it, perfected it despite the fact that it was unladylike and not something a princess should do. She even has been working to learn proper swordsmanship like her father, but unfortunately, she does not yet have a sword of her own.
"What are you gawking at, you fools? Get her! We need to catch at least one of these princesses," the duergar roared, and suddenly the whole town came to life, and figures dressed in black from head to toe appeared from every possible corner. Deziara cursed under her breath and then ran, doing her best to avoid the enemies.
Another thing Deziara was good at was dodging. Even if the enemies ran straight at her and seemingly had her surrounded, she could still avoid them either by jumping over them or quickly turning and changing her direction. If she weren''t carrying Azrael, then she would have been long gone already, but she needed the fool to wake up and tell her where Morrigan and the others had gone.
What Deziara noticed as she evaded the seemingly unending horde of attackers was the fact they weren''t all duergar. Some were really tall and dark skinned, signifying that they were likely drow. Some were tall and had light skin ¨C elves. There were even some deep gnomes among the bunch, rushing from beneath their comrades'' feet, attempting to block Deziara''s way. But she avoided them all, gracefully like a dancer, and before long ¨C left them in her dust.
I just hope I''m going in the right direction. And I hope Morrigan didn''t get caught up in all this. Gosh, this is such a mess. Father will definitely force us to come back home after hearing about this.
***
"Wake up, Azrael!" Deziara growled, trying to shake the unconscious demon awake. Nothing. She''d been worried about him, but it looked like he was just sleeping. There was even some drool coming out of his mouth.
You leave me no choice, Azrael. I didn''t want to do this, but¡ Okay, never mind. I''ve always wanted to do this.
Deziara grinned and then slapped him on his cheek. He sputtered awake in shock, jumping to his feet and looking around the dark in confusion.
"Wha? What happened? Where are we? Have we been captured?" he growled, and conjured up a blue fireball in his hand.
"Oh, put that out before they find us!" she growled, and Azrael put out the flames, looking down at her ruefully.
"Did you have to slap me awake?"
"You wouldn''t wake up otherwise," Deziara shrugged, a small smile appearing on her lips. Azrael growled, then clutched at his head.
"It feels like I''ve been hit by a cliff," he groaned.
"You were hit by a stone golem, so I suppose it''s similar enough," Deziara shrugged. "Anyway, forget about that. We need to reunite with Morri before these guys catch us. I''ve gotten a good distance away from them, but they were rather persistent."
"Forget about this, she says. It really hurt, you know," Azrael snapped his fingers and a potion bottle appeared in his hands. He uncorked the bottle and swiftly drank the liquid. "Okay, that''s better. But you are right that we can''t linger around here. Oh, damn."
"What? Do you sense them coming?" Deziara asked worriedly and looked around, her muscles tensing.
"No, Princess Morrigan must be waiting for us. I need to send her a message," Azrael said and then began writing glowing letters into the space in front of him with his finger.
"Can''t we just go to her?" Deziara asked.
"We could, but the problem is that you''ve taken us in the opposite direction of where we need to go and I can''t pinpoint her location. The pendant the King gave her blocks any tracking magic," He finished his short message, and the letters converged together and turned into a little glowing light. Azrael blew on it and it sped away, quickly disappearing into the dark of the Underworld.
"Oops¡" Deziara smiled guiltily. But what could she do? It''s not like she has ever traveled through the Underworld before. Not to mention, that her goal was to escape from the attackers rather than find the right direction.
"It''s alright. We''ll just teleport to the next town and wait for Morrigan there," Azrael shrugged.
"Wait, it''s that easy?" She asked in shock.
"Yeah, pretty much. Teleporting one more person along with me is not that difficult. Although it would have been too much if we were any further away. I''m not exactly in top condition right now," Azrael said, and Deziara remembered how much he had to drink. For someone who is supposed to be their ultimate protector on this journey, he sure was unreliable.
"Alright, let''s go then. I''m tired and want to sleep. Also, we need to figure out a way to convince Father to let us continue on the journey," Deziara said.
"Are you crazy? If the King finds out, then it is clear that all of us are going back," Azrael laughed and before Deziara could say a word, he put his hand on her shoulder and both of them disappeared into the darkness.
Chapter 104 – Counts Mansion
The next few days were some of the most stressful days in Morrigan''s life. Even more stressful than the time when Alphegor left Demon Castle and she ran away back to Earth. They were some way away from their next stopping point, but Deziara and Azrael were still missing. He had sent them a message saying that they''d meet up in the next town, but Morrigan was still really worried. She wished Azrael would send them another message saying that they were alright and unharmed.
"They''ll be fine," Galandir soothed Morrigan, gently caressing her shoulder. She was currently flying on Haku''s back with Galandir sitting right behind her. It was a rather tight fit, but the elven boy had insisted on it since she hadn''t slept much for the past few nights. He feared she might lose her grip and fall off the dragon''s back by accident. Which was a very real possibility in her current state.
"I really hope so," she muttered, nervously looking into the darkness ahead as if Deziara could come out of it at any moment. Morrigan knew it was a silly notion, but she still looked anyway.
"Hey, your sister is the fastest demon in the whole Underworld. You''ve seen her run, I''ve seen her run. There''s no way they could have caught her. And Azrael¡ Well, if they catch him ¨C good luck to them putting up with him," the elf said, and Morrigan chuckled at that.
"Yeah, I know that but I still worry," she said.
"It''s only natural, but you might be worrying too much. You''ve barely slept these past few days. Sometimes I have to wonder how are you still standing," Galandir said and as if on cue, Morrigan''s hand slipped off the saddle. She didn''t fall anywhere, since the elven boy took a firm hold of her. But his point stood.
"Sorry," she said and then sighed. "But this isn''t just about Deziara. It''s also about this journey as a whole. I''m not sure if we''ll be able to continue it."
"What do you mean? We''re still moving forward," the elven boy asked. Morrigan paused for a brief moment, wondering if she should be recounting to him what her Father had told her. For the time being, nobody except Viana knew that the King was on the verge of either sending an army after her or dragging her back home. In fact, without Viana, the army would already have started their march, but she managed to convince him to wait for the time being, at least until they reunited with Deziara.
Morrigan nodded, having made up her mind. There was no reason to hide stuff from Galandir, he was her most trusted friend who even knew about her human past. Not to mention that he''d find out sooner or later anyway.
"Only because we need to reunite with Deziara and Azrael," she said and then lowered her voice to whisper. Not that anyone could hear them while they were flying on the dragon''s back. But it just felt safer that way. "Father wants us to return home."
"Can''t say I''m surprised. He is very overprotective. Too overprotective if you ask me," the elven boy said.
"But how am I supposed to continue my tour then?" she asked miserably. "I know that it''s dangerous and there are enemies lurking around everywhere, but I still want to see those places."
"Probably would be safer to just get rid of them first," he shrugged.
"Since when have you become so bloodthirsty? I thought you didn''t like violence," Morrigan wished she could look at the expression he had now, but unfortunately, they were both stuck in place.
"Scum who attack others for no other reason than for just being born into a favorable position do not deserve mercy," he growled, and she saw his grip on the saddle tighten. Was he angry? Morrigan opened her mouth to ask but then noticed light somewhere in the distance.
"Oh, are we finally there?" she asked excitedly, her heart beating in her chest. She prayed to all the gods that she knew that Deziara would already be there, safe and sound. And Azrael too, but she wasn''t that worried about him.
"Princess, we''re approaching Count Etheles'' estate," Seon, one of Morrigan''s guards, called from below.
"Haku! Let''s pick up the speed. I want to see if Deziara is alright," she gently nudged Haku''s side, signalling him to pick up speed. Haku obliged and flew ahead of the retinue, quickly closing the distance between them and the light. In less than ten minutes they were already in front of a large, glamorous mansion illuminated with brilliant, but tasteful lights throughout the whole territory.
The place was enormous, much larger than some of the villages Morrigan had to stop at before, and it consisted of many buildings and a beautiful garden that had not only Underworld flowers but also some plants from the Overworld. She couldn''t help but gasp at their beauty.
"Wow, that''s really beautiful. Never expected to see such an elaborate garden in the Underworld," Galandir said. Morrigan nodded and then noticed a figure coming out from the estate. She couldn''t quite see it at first, but as they flew closer Morrigan began to recognize it. Her eyes filled with tears of happiness.
"Deziara!" she shouted and before anyone could stop her teleported herself onto the ground next to her sister and pulled her into a deep hug.
"Morri!" Deziara called back, returning the hug.
"You''re alright. I''m so glad that you''re alright," Morrigan said and took a step back to look over Deziara for any wounds. But she looked completely unharmed. Better than unharmed even. She looked clean and well-rested which Morrigan could not say about herself.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
"Yeah, I''m alright," Deziara confirmed with a nod, and then Azrael also appeared within the mansion along with another demon, clearly a pure-blooded one. He had short blonde hair and almost a regal disposition.
"Welcome, Princess Morrigan. It is a pleasure to welcome you to my mansion. I am Count Etheles," the blond demon bowed with graceful flourish, and Morrigan switched to her princess persona. She curtsied before him and put on a charming smile.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Count Etheles. I am Morrigan Nachtstern. Thank you for hosting my sister in your home until my arrival," she said.
"It was my pleasure, truly. I assume your retinue will soon follow," he said, looking over her shoulder to see Haku, trying to dislodge something from beneath his wing.
"Yes, we flew ahead since I wanted to make sure that my sister is alright," Morrigan admitted.
"Hey, what about me? Don''t you care if I''m alright or not?" Azrael whined.
"Are you alright?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, although he looked just as clean and well-rested as Deziara.
"Yes," replied with a smile. "Thank you for asking."
"What exactly happened?" Morrigan asked.
"Why don''t we discuss this over some tea and pastries? I am sure you are tired from your journey," Count Etheles offered with a smile, and Morrigan nodded. He struck her as a pleasant and well-mannered sort of man. But then she threw a glance at Haku and Galdnir, the age-old problem of whether there was space for her dragon rising up again.
"About the dragon¡" She began and Count Etheles looked at Haku. Unlike most people who saw the dragon for the first time and usually feared it, the demon noble looked rather curious.
"I''ll have my servants prepare food and water for him as well as a suitable place to sleep. I assume the elf next to the dragon is in charge of him," Count Etheles said.
"Yes, with him around Haku will remain calm," Morrigan replied and the demon hummed in satisfaction.
"Most excellent. Consider him taken care of. Now if you would follow me inside," he motioned and Morrigan followed him along with Deziara and Azrael. He led them into a beautiful light room that had lovely gentle flower motifs running through the walls and the table setup. They gave more life to the room while at the same time not being completely in one''s face.
Morrigan found the decor very pleasing albeit unusual in the Underworld. Most demons went for either dark colors or distinctly vibrant tones. However, here everything was either light or a gentle pastel color. It made her feel as if she was in the Overworld, that''s how pleasantly light it was.
"Please, make yourself at home. I''m honored to host Princesses here," Count Etheles said and sat down at the end of the table. Morrigan took a seat to his right, while Deziara was on the left with Azrael sitting next to her. Servants meanwhile brought out some washbasins for them to clean their hands.
"So tell me what happened to you? Why did you decide to go ahead?" Morrigan said and threw a glance at Count Etheles. Was it alright for her to talk about such matters in front of him?
"Don''t worry about the Count, Princess. He is one of the King''s closest allies and already well aware of your travel route," Azrael assured her, and the Count bowed his head in Morrigan''s direction.
"I assure you that my allegiance lies with you, His Majesty and the Demon Kingdom. I am ready to swear an oath to prove my sincerity," he said, looking Morrigan straight in the eyes. It wasn''t often that nobles managed to hold her gaze for too long and the sincerity in his blue eyes seemed genuine to her.
"There''s no need to go that far. If Azrael says you''re trustworthy, then I believe him," Morrigan said, although judging from the look Deziara was giving him, Azrael''s word wasn''t really worth much. Still, if Count Etheles weren''t trustworthy, Alphegor never would have allowed her to stay in his mansion in the first place.
"I''m honored that you would trust my word, Princess Morrigan," he gave her a short bow with his head, and she smiled. Somehow she felt comfortable in his presence. Maybe it was the aesthetic of his mansion that made her feel more at ease.
"Okay, so short version is ¨C Princess Deziara slept in, we got ambushed, and then escaped," Azrael said with a shrug, and Morrigan glared at him.
"I could deduce that much without you telling me. Deziara, please explain what happened," Morrigan asked, and noticed a nervous sweat form on Azrael''s forehead. Deziara on the other hand was grinning with unhidden delight.
"Our big bad mage is just too embarrassed to admit what happened," she snickered, and Azrael flushed. Morrigan couldn''t believe it ¨C Azrael actually flushed from embarrassment.
"Nothing really happened. What matters is that everyone is safe and sound," he was clearly trying to avoid the topic, but Morrigan only wanted to know more. Just as she opened her mouth to demand answers, one of Count Etheles'' servants came in and announced that the rest of Morrigan''s retinue had finally caught up. Viana, along with several guards and a few servants came into the dining room and greeted Count Etheles.
Once the greetings were out of the way, and Viana was sitting next to Morrigan, the topic returned to what had happened. Azrael tried to squirm out of it, but Viana insisted on Deziara telling everything that happened down to the very last detail. As it turned out the reason why he was so embarrassed about it was because one of the enemy''s golem had knocked him out right from the start and Deziara was forced to carry him away.
"That''s amazing, Deziara! They had no chance of capturing you from the start," Morrigan fawned over her sister, while Azrael was trying to become a puddle. She wasn''t sure if it was her imagination or if he was really making his features more droopy with shape-shifting magic. No, it was definitely the latter option ¨C Azrael was so dramatic.
"Of course not. I''ve trained hard," Deziara stated proudly.
"It is a good thing you escape but this still is a worrying development. To think that they would try to attack us directly. Discreet attacks I expected, those happened during my tour as well. But this is direct assault," Viana said, her eyebrows furrowed.
"And to think that it would happen within my territory. It appears that I have been too lax," Count Etheles frowned. "But this problem shall be remedied. His Majesty should be arriving soon, and then we can decide on a further course of action."
"His Majesty? Father is coming here?" Morrigan gasped in horror.
"Of course. You think I wouldn''t have told the King about this?" Azrael frowned.
"No, of course. I told him what happened myself, but I never expected him to come personally."
"It is only natural for a father to come to the rescue of his daughters," Count Etheles said with a smile, and Morrigan tried to suppress a frown. With her father here it was basically guaranteed that her tour around the Underworld would come to an end. As if on cue, some of Count Etheles''s servants scrambled into the room but before they could make a proper announcement Alphegor strode into the dining room. And he looked angry. Really angry.
Chapter 105 – Royal Argument
"Hello, Father," Morrigan said awkwardly while Deziara and Viana jumped to their feet and greeted Alphegor with a curtsy.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. I am most honored to have you come to my mansion," Count Etheles stepped out from his seat and bowed deeply before the King. Alphegor raised his hand, showing that it was alright from him to relax.
"I would like to say that it is a pleasure to be here today, but sadly the circumstances for my visit are less than pleasant," Alphegor''s voice rumbled as he threw a dissatisfied glance at his daughters.
Oh, he is really mad. By the looks of it, he is ready to drag us back home right this instant.
"I understand, Your Majesty. But I believe any conversation we might have would be better at the table," Count Etheles smiled and motioned towards the various dishes, many of which looked like the most delectable desserts Morrigan had ever seen. The King took a look at them and then nodded, sitting down next to Viana. Everyone else sat down after him and for an awfully long minute, nobody said anything while the servants brought the plates and utensils out from the kitchen.
Finally, Azrael spoke, breaking the silence, "So¡ what brings you here, Your Majesty?"
Alphegor glared at the mage, who sunk back in his seat and began fiddling with his thumbs, not daring to meet the King''s gaze anymore.
"Oh, I believe you know what brings me here," he said and looked at Morrigan. She shrunk back in her seat as well, although she did not know why his anger was directed at her. It''s not like she had wanted to get ambushed. Or for Deziara and Azrael to almost get caught. He should blame those mystery assailants for deciding to attack on what''s supposed to be a tour for her to establish a better relationship with the people of the Demon Kingdom.
Granted things in the Underworld rarely go as planned. And even things that do go as planned seem to have some sinister edge to them.
"Father, I believe¡ª" Viana started, but Alphegor raised his hand and she instantly went silent, her gaze downcast.
"I believe it is time for you to return home. This has become way too dangerous," Alphegor growled, tapping his finger against the surface of the table.
"But Father, isn''t this much to be expected?" Morrigan said, remembering all those times she had been preached to that going outside the castle was dangerous. It almost felt like she was Rapunzel trapped in a tower. Granted her tower was a grand Demon Castle the size of a small town.
"A rogue bandit or occasional monster, I would understand. These are regular occurrences in the Underworld. But a whole organized ambush against the three princesses. This is an outrage!" Alphegor slammed his fist against the table so hard that all of the dishes bounced up for half a second. Good thing that the servants hadn''t yet brought out any drinks.
"It''s not like we wanted to get attacked," Morrigan muttered angrily, and Alphegor''s expression softened for a second. But only for a second.
"Whether you wanted it or not, it has happened and it is without a doubt that they''re going to try again. Not to even mention what had happened in the Glittering Cave of Magic. Until the guilty parties are found and apprehended, the tour is canceled," Alphegor announced sternly.
"But that could take years. What will people think of me if I go home now?" Morrigan called out.
"They''ll think that the Crown Princess is making the right decision by thinking about her safety," Alphegor said, and everyone in the room raised an eyebrow, even Count Etheles.
"Since when do demons value the caution of their ruler? I thought it was all about displaying strength and perseverance," Morrigan said, remembering how often everyone praised her for her magical aptitude and strength. Without that, nobody would even give her any time of day, and she would have long since lost her position as the Crown Princess. After all, lack of strength was the reason why Viana couldn''t remain as Crown Princess.
"Princess is right. If she just goes back home now, she''ll never be accepted as a ruler," Azrael said. "After all, there hasn''t been a single ruler who wouldn''t have completed the tour."
Alphegor glared at Azrael, but this time the white-haired demon managed to hold his gaze. At least for half a minute, before he shrank back again, overwhelmed by Alphegor''s murderous aura.
"I will not let my daughter frolic around the Underworld while there are enemies actively trying to catch her," he said sternly, and for a moment everyone flinched expecting him to smash the table again. Thankfully, he managed to hold back, and everyone relaxed.
"But Father, isn''t this also an opportunity?" Morrigan objected, the gears in her mind whirling as she was trying to come up with convincing arguments.
"How is this an opportunity?" he growled, narrowing his eyes at her.
"It''s an opportunity to capture the enemy. Or at least figure out who they are," she said, hoping that a more pragmatic aspect would convince the King to change his mind. Unfortunately, his expression only darkened further.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"You intend to chase after them now?"
"No, no, not chase after them. We could continue my tour, perhaps using a new route so the enemy wouldn''t be able to predict our movements and ambush us. But if they do happen to cross our way, Azrael could defeat them and perhaps have some of them interrogated," Morrigan said.
"How can Azrael capture anyone? They knocked him out right away," Deziara chuckled, but then quickly clamped hands over her mouth as she realized her mistake. Morrigan and Viana both glared at her, and she mouthed a silent ''sorry'' at them.
"I was drunk, tired and caught by surprise. That will not happen again," the mage grumbled, angrily stabbing his fork into the piece of steak in front of him.
"No, Azrael cannot deal with a large swarm of enemies. He is just one demon," Alphegor shook his head.
"I never said he has to do it alone. We have many guards for that, don''t we? They''d help," Morrigan tried.
"Enough, Morrigan! I understand that you wish to travel and see the Underworld, but risking your safety for it is foolishness," Alphegor said while slicing the steak in front of him with such ferocity, that it seemed like he was cutting into the enemies.
"If I cannot continue the tour then you have find a new heir," Morrigan said in a cold voice, and then the whole dining hall went silent, even servants stopping their mid-step as everyone stared at her in shock.
"What do you mean by that, Morrigan?" Alphegor narrowed his eyes.
"Azrael said it, didn''t he? All the previous rulers went on the tour and completed it. If I don''t complete it, then I can''t become a ruler. The nobles already look down on me because I am the youngest of all your daughters. The people of the Demon Kingdom do not even know me because I am constantly cooped up in that castle. What do you think will happen once they hear that I didn''t complete the tour?" she narrowed her eyes at her Father.
"They''ll understand if we explain that it is far too dangerous for you to continue," Alphegor objected, but there wasn''t as much conviction in his voice anymore.
"No, they won''t! People don''t care about those kinds of details. They''ll see the headline of the newspaper ''Princess Morrigan Fails to Complete the Tour'' and what will they think? I guarantee that they will not think of me as somebody to look up to. They won''t want me to remain as a Crown Princess," Morrigan snapped, remembering how easily people blew things out of proportion.
On Earth she saw it all the time in the news articles that latched onto every little thing that celebrities did and then somehow managed to turn a seemingly mundane event into some ground-shaking news. Same as with things on the Internet ¨C somebody took something out of context, and suddenly an author who was working hard to write their novel had been accused of using AI. Although he only used them to correct grammatical errors.
But it didn''t matter to the people on the Internet. For them, the author was a fraud who extorted them of their money. Even when there was no evidence to support that, many turned away from buying his books simply because somebody was accusing them of using AI.
Morrigan knew that demons weren''t that much different from humans. They latched onto your every word and tried to turn your very own words against you. That she had learned from her confrontations with her sisters and concubines. Naturally, it was all quickly smoothed over by Alphegor. But he wouldn''t be able to smooth over something this big. The whole kingdom would find out and there would be no hiding the fact.
"The people do not get to choose the heir. I do," Alphegor said in a cold voice.
"So you''re going to plunge the kingdom into civil war?" Morrigan spat back. Both of them were staring at each other, neither one daring to look away from the other. They knew both of them were speaking the truth. Continuing the journey was without a doubt dangerous. But backing out of it now wasn''t an option either.
There has to be a middle ground somewhere. Something that would allow Father to let me continue this journey, but at the same time make it safe enough that the enemy either wouldn''t dare to attack or their attack simply couldn''t be successful. But then again, we already have Haku and Azrael. What else could we do to strengthen our retinue?
"If His Majesty would allow me to suggest a solution," Count Etheles suddenly spoke, appearing unbothered by the cold atmosphere in the room. Morrigan almost expected the King to shoot him down, but instead, he nodded his head, his demeanor losing some of its edge.
It appears that Father respects Count Etheles. I suppose he must be trustworthy then since usually he isn''t one to listen to nobles.
"If Your Majesty is worried about Princess''s safety, then I am willing to offer my elite knights to protect her," he said pleasantly. Alphegor raised his eyebrow, appearing slightly surprised. Was it such a big deal that the Count would lend his knights? But she would not lose this opportunity!
"And we should completely change our travel route so it couldn''t be predicted so easily. Obviously we would still have to visit the remaining three sacred places, but perhaps we could change the order in which they are visited," Morrigan said.
"We could also try to mask ourselves before entering any unsafe settlements. Change the carriage. Arrive at a different time. Try to integrate with the locals. It should be especially easy for Morrigan and Azrael, and they''re the ones who stand out the most in the first place," Viana noted, continuing the assault on the King.
"And we''ll be on the lookout for anything and everything suspicious. Haku is really good at telling when something isn''t right. He was growling the whole time we were in that Imp Town," Deziara added.
Alphegor looked first at Count Etheles, then Viana, Deziara, and finally Morrigan. His gaze was firm and stern, but slowly, bit by bit, it softened until he finally sighed.
"Alright, you may continue on your journey," he conceded, and Morrigan cheered. "But you have to do all of those things you listed before and fulfill one more condition."
"What condition?" Morrigan asked with an arched eyebrow.
"Melanos will also go along with you," Alphegor said, and Morrigan winced. She didn''t meet with the demon spymaster often, but whenever she saw him her hair seemed to stand on end. There was something about his stoic and cold disposition that really unnerved me. But if that''s what it took to convince her father.
"Alright, I agree," Morrigan said resolutely.
"Most excellent. With this matter settled we can finally indulge in our meal," Count Etheles said with a smile. Somehow she got a feeling that it was largely due to his support that her father agreed for her to continue the journey. How influential really was this demon to sway the Demon King himself?
Chapter 106 – Cold Nights
For the first time in what felt like forever, Morrigan finally could get some good night''s rest. She wasn''t worried about enemies ambushing them during the night, or about Deziara or any of her companions being in danger or anything else. All of that could be attributed to the simple fact that Alphegor was sleeping in the room next to hers.
While her father''s arrival in Count Etheles''s mansion initially made her fear that the whole tour would come to an end, everything turned out alright thanks to the support of the Count and her companions. While the King wasn''t pleased with her continuing the dangerous tour, he understood that it was necessary. Not just to secure her position as Crown Princess, but also to let her explore the world that she craved to see for so long.
And to paint every beautiful scenery that I come across.
"Good morning, Father," Morrigan chirped happily, as she met him on her way down to the dining hall.
"It appears that you have slept well," Alphegor said, a faint smile on his lips. She had the impression that he was trying to appear more tough, but her bubbly attitude was probably too infectious for him to retain the stern facade.
"Of course. With you in the room next to mine, I had nothing to fear at night," Morrigan said. "Also the fact that the beds were actual beds helped."
"Are you sure you wish to continue the journey?" he asked, offering her his elbow to grab onto. She took hold of it and nodded.
"Yes, I''m sure. This is something that I have to do. I can feel it in my blood. Not completing this journey feels wrong somehow," Morrigan explained her feelings. Alphegor nodded in understanding.
"But if anything happens, then do not be afraid to call upon me. You have the medallion, so we can get in touch at any time," he said. Morrigan smiled and hugged him as soon as the two had descended the staircase.
"Thank you, Father. For supporting me and trusting me to continue," she said as he returned the hug.
"Do not be afraid to rely on the people around you. Not just your sisters, Azrael and Haku. Use your guards, use Count Etheles''s knights, use Melanos. These demons are here to serve you and protect you. Do not forget that," Alphegor said sternly as she separated from the hug. She nodded, taking his words to heart. It was true that so far she had only relied on herself, Deziara, Azrael and perhaps Viana.
She had to learn how to best use the people around her according to their strengths. It sounded somewhat harsh, however, it was their job. Guards were there to protect her, while servants and maids were there to complete menial tasks so she didn''t have to worry about them. Perhaps, she was struggling with this concept, because as a human she could only depend on herself. If she truly was to become Alphegor''s heir, then she''d have to change this mindset.
"I''ll do my best, Father," she replied resolutely. "But if the worst comes to worst, I''ll call you."
"No," he said, making her blink in surprise. "You will call me as soon as anything feels out of order. Even if it''s just a mushroom that seems slightly larger than the rest. Even if it''s an odd shadow moving in some corner."
"Father, the Underworld is filled with shadows," Morrigan retorted.
"Exactly. And you can''t trust a single one of them. You have to call me as soon as something is wrong. Or perhaps it would be better if I were just together with you," Alphegor scratched his chin in contemplation.
"Who is going to manage the state affairs then?" Morrigan narrowed her eyes at him.
"Lucius can handle it for a while. He''s already done it once," he said dismissively.
"Please don''t do this to Lucius. Last time, you had to exile and remove titles from many noble families for treason, not to mention all the paperwork that had piled up over two years," she reminded him, and the King flinched.
"I suppose the country cannot remain without its King for too long," he relented, and Morrigan chuckled. There were some things even the Demon King feared ¨C like paperwork.
***
Morrigan and her retinue departed from Count Etheles''s mansion well-fed and well-rested. She could still taste the various delectable desserts that the Count had offered to them and wondered when would she have the chance to eat something so delicious again. Her stomach felt so full from all the deserts she had eaten. Unfortunately, it was likely that for a while she''d have to survive off the rations they had taken along with them and whatever food they''d get from whatever village they''d stop at.
"Where are we going to go next? Our initial route had us stop at a town named Ragnar, which is supposed to be filled with incubi and succubi," Morrigan said, frowning. In a way, she was relieved that their route was changed. While the incubi and succubi didn''t use other demons for sustenance, they were still rather¡ energetic. Of course, they wouldn''t try to do anything to somebody from the royal family and a child no less. But she''d still rather avoid them.
"Yeah, we are definitely not going there. You can never really trust a succubus and if there was a place willing to work together with our mysterious enemy, then it would no doubt be them. No, we''re going to head into the frozen parts of the Underworld," Azrael said. He was riding in the carriage together with all three demon princesses who were carefully listening to him.
"Frozen parts? So you mean to go to the Garden of Frozen Memories next?" Viana asked.
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Garden of Frozen Memories. The place sounds almost ominous, but at the same time, I really want to see what it looks like. Viana said that she didn''t really enjoy her visit there ¨C she had felt too exposed. But I''m still curious to see it. There must be some sort of unusual magic going on there if it is deemed as sacred.
"Yeah. We''ll have to go deeper into the cold region than we initially anticipated to avoid the original route. But on the bright side we''ll be able to see the Fire-Ice Sea on our way to the garden," Azrael said with a satisfied smirk.
"Fire-Ice Sea?" All three girls perked up, looking at him in hopes of answers.
"No, I won''t tell you anything. It''s best to keep it a surprise," the mage said with a smirk and then disappeared, likely teleporting back to his own carriage.
"Viana, you must know something about it," Deziara looked at her older sister hopefully.
"I''ve heard of it, but I''ve never actually been there. Supposedly, it''s the place in the Underworld where the Overworld is the closest. In fact, it is so close that the sea from above is flowing down into the Underworld and mixing together with one of the lava rivers nearby," Viana said.
"I''m having a hard time imagining how it would look," Deziara frowned. "Like a lamp where lava floats around in the water in globs, perhaps?"
"But lava would instantly cool down when it touched the water," Morrigan said, remembering the videos on the internet where some crazy people were grabbing lava with a pick and dunking it into a bucket of water. The water would instantly start boiling, but at the same time, the lava would lose its red color and become black. "Perhaps the lava would just harden and fall to the bottom."
"That sounds more likely. In either case, we should see it soon enough," Viana said, and Morrigan nodded. Perhaps it would be something worth painting.
Unfortunately, the soon enough in Viana''s statement meant several more days of travel and camping outside. It appeared that their plan of changing routes meant that they''d be sleeping outdoors more often since the initial route focused on their comfort and staying in the cities as often as possible.
"This is the worst," Morrigan grumbled on the third night of camping outside. The temperature was getting noticeably cooler and at the same time also more damp. Azrael said it meant they were getting close to the Fire-Ice Sea, but that didn''t make Morrigan much happier. After all, they''d still have to camp outside before getting there.
"I think my hair is starting to frizz," Deziara grumbled, looking at the tips of her hair.
"Probably from all the moisture in the air. This is probably one of the dampest places in the Underworld since it''s not yet cold enough for the moisture to freeze, but at the same time we''re further away from lava river zones that keep the moisture rather low," Viana explained.
"So how do I fix this?" Deziara whined, pointing at her hair.
"I''m afraid there''s not much you can do. Unless you know some hair de-frizzing magic," Viana retorted and forlornly looked at her own hair. It still looked beautiful, but there were some places where it didn''t appear as smooth as before. Morrigan looked down at her and almost jumped in fright as something appeared somewhere in the background.
At first, she worried it might have been a monster or a spy sent to tail them. Then she realized that it was indeed a spy, except it was their own spy ¨C Melanos. While the grim demon made sure to remain somewhere in the background, his presence was really unsettling. Morrigan couldn''t quite understand it but she guessed it was due to the fact that Melanos also acted as an executioner of sorts. Or perhaps it was because he never spoke aside from responding to orders.
"I just want to sleep in a proper bed. It is getting too cold to sleep outside," Morrigan complained, trying to distract herself from the spymaster.
"Should we get you some more heating pads?" Three of the maids instantly perked up and ran to the carriage, beginning to rummage through it.
"No. I mean yes, but¡ " she stuttered as the maids brought out the heating pads and began stuffing them inside Morrigan''s sleeping bag. "I don''t think I''ll fit inside the bag if you overstuff it like that."
"Then we''ll put them on the outside," the maids were not deterred and began making a nest of sorts on Haku''s front paw which Morrigan used for sleeping. It was kind of amazing that the maids were not deterred by the dragon, who looked at them in confusion but did not mind their bustling. But there was clearly a limit as to what you could do with a few extra blankets and heating pads.
"How come you''re not bothered by this Azrael?" Morrigan accused Azrael, looking rather fresh for somebody who had to sleep outside for three nights.
"I just teleport to the closest town for the night and sleep there," he shrugged, completely unperturbed.
"Wait, what? You''ve been sleeping indoors every night?" Deziara accused him. "And you never took anyone else along?"
"Teleporting other people or opening a portal requires quite a lot of magic. I use shadow teleporting which uses a minimal amount of magic, if I only teleport myself," Azrael said.
"And what if somewhere were to attack us at night?" Morrigan grumbled.
"It''s okay. I have wards set up all around the camp. If somebody would come, I''d know," he said with a shrug and then disappeared. Morrigan growled as he disappeared, wanting to give him a piece of her mind. But it''s not like she knew where he teleported to. The downside of shadow teleportation was you had to know the place you wanted to get to, in order to teleport there. And since Morrigan knew so little about the Underworld, she had no way of following the demon.
"I''ll ask Father to lower his salary," Deziara frowned.
"Yeah, me too," Morrigan added.
"I will as well," Viana nodded, and the three sisters all looked onto their sleeping arrangements for the night and sighed.
"What got you three in such a sour mood?" Galandir asked as he was passing by, carrying a large chunk of meat for Haku.
"We''re just tired from sleeping outside," Morrigan whined.
"Sleeping on Haku isn''t that bad," Galandir retorted. He had been sleeping in between Haku''s wings, securing his sleeping bag with some ropes to prevent himself from falling over in case the dragon decided to move.
"Until he decides to move," Viana grumbled and glared at the dragon, who looked to the side apologetically.
"Hey, don''t blame him. I bet it''s hard for him to remain still with four people sleeping on top the whole night," Morrigan defended her friend.
"Yeah, I know. Quite honestly, I am not sure how I managed this journey before without a convenient dragon bed. It certainly is a major upgrade from sleeping on the ground," Viana admitted and gently patted Haku''s scales. Morrigan smiled at the sight.
Previously her eldest sister had shown no interest in the dragon whatsoever, mostly avoiding him. But since they started this journey, Viana had grown closer to him, occasionally even flying on his back when she got too tired from sitting in the carriage.
"Every princess should have their own dragon friend," Morrigan smiled and also patted Haku who growled in approval.
Chapter 107 – Fire-Ice Sea
As Morrigan''s journey through the Underworld continued, the scene was undergoing a change she never had expected to see. The air which had always felt the same comfortable temperature to her was becoming increasingly colder. Soon the servants got warmer clothes out, however, everyone was still shivering. Everyone besides Morrigan.
"Look at all those icicles ¨C how they reflect the bioluminescent plants and glow as if there was a light inside them," she said to Deziara who was currently shivering inside Morrigan''s carriage. There was a little fire hovering above her palms which she used to get warm, but even so the girl was still shivering.
"I don''t get it, Morri. How are you okay with all this cold? The fire isn''t even helping," Deziara said, dramatically chattering her teeth.
"Oh, you''re exaggerating. It''s not that cold, probably just a few degrees below zero," Morrigan retorted, continuing to admire the scenery. It was noticeably lighter here as the cave walls were covered with a thin layer of ice. The badgers had to be a bit more careful as they pulled the carriages, but since Underworld carriages used something similar to tank tracks, they were able to traverse basically any terrain.
"Below zero?" Deziara cocked her head quizzically. Nobody really measured the temperature in the Underworld.
Do thermometers even exist on Doppelta?
"It basically means it''s just at that point when water begins to freeze," she explained.
"Certain point when water begins to freeze. How''d you know that? Is that something you used to do¡ before?" Deziara said cautiously, not daring to mention the word ''Earth'' loudly. She wasn''t usually so cautious, but since Melanos joined their group, both Morrigan and Deziara were more on edge. You never know where exactly the spymaster was hiding. It was possible that the demon already knew about Morrigan''s past with how close he was to the King, but it was better to operate on the assumption that he didn''t.
"You can measure it with certain instruments," she explained.
"Like a ruler?"
"Something like that only for temperature instead of length. Maybe I could create one with my paint magic," Morrigan mused.
"Oh, you totally should. It sounds like a useful thing to know," Deziara said and glanced outside. "Isn''t it getting lighter?"
Morrigan had been looking outside the whole time and she too noticed the change. She could see further and further away and the details became more and more clear. This certainly could not be a result of just bioluminescent plants and ice, there had to be more to it.
"Your Highnesses, we have arrived at the Fire-Ice Sea," Seon said as he rode up next to Morrigan''s carriage with his gnarly mount. The mole dogs didn''t appear happy about the terrain change, some of them occasionally slipping on the ice or hissing at the increasingly brighter light.
"Oh, finally!" Morrigan exclaimed and jumped out of the carriage as soon as it stopped. Deziara followed her, but her pace was much slower as she was huddled into a ball, trying to keep as warm as possible. Other demons looked equally miserable and the only other person who appeared just as comfortable as Morrigan was Galandir. Both of them eagerly ran ahead of the retinue to admire the incredible sight before them.
Water fell down from an opening above, creating a shimmering waterfall. Below water formed a giant lake, the furthest edges of which were frozen. However, that was only half of the whole scene. From the other side came a river of lava which flowed into the huge basin and then met with seawater that fell from above. In the middle, where water and lava met there was a dark wall.
At first, Morrigan couldn''t understand ¨C why would somebody build a wall to separate the lava and water? It must have been incredibly difficult, seeing how far the Fire-Ice Sea stretched on. But then she realized that the black wall was actually obsidian which formed when lava cooled from the cold water. The sight was breathtaking ¨C she had never seen anything like it, neither in this life nor the last one.
"I need to paint this," Morrigan announced for everyone to hear, her hands already itching to hold a brush. The maids didn''t waste any time, quickly retrieving painting supplies from the supply wagon and presenting everything Morrigan needed in front of her. It appeared that they were getting used to quickly finding them, seeing how often she painted during this journey.
"Excellent! Now while our princess is busy with that, we''re all going to stay here and warm up," Azrael grumbled and made his way to the side of the sea filled with lava, delighting in its warmth. Most of the demons followed him, only a few dutiful guards and knights remaining close to Morrigan as she painted. Haku even went as far as to dive into lava, reveling in its heat.
For a while everything near Morrigan was silent as she slowly applied the base colors to the painting. Only the distant growls of Haku and the muttering of her traveling companions reminded her that she wasn''t alone.
"To think that the Overworld is so close," Galandir spoke up, breaking her out of the reverie. She looked away from her painting, wondering how the boy felt. His hand reached out towards the light that was filtering in from above while his expression seemed to be filled with anguish.
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"You want to go back?" she asked quietly, and he sighed.
"I do. I miss the sun, the trees, the flowers, the warm breeze caressing my face. The Underworld¡ it''s¡" he paused, and then looked at Morrigan, his features softening a little. "I used to really, really, really hate the Underworld. The darkness, the people, the way of life here. How slavery is just a normal thing and nobody will bat an eye about it even when a kid like me was enslaved."
Morrigan''s heart ached as she recalled how Galandir used to be the fallen slave, bound to do their bidding and dirty deeds. Forcing him to enter a competition, no child had a chance of winning, and then attempting to kill him when he failed. But how did he feel living together with demons? She had asked him multiple times, but he never gave her a straight answer before.
"But I don''t hate it anymore," he said, and Morrigan looked at him in surprise.
"You don''t?"
"No. Living in the Demon Castle is so much better than it was living with the fallen. I am free to roam around most of the castle. The food is tasty and I even get desserts from time to time. I have a comfortable enough bed to sleep in and I don''t have to fear that this day might be my last," he said with a bittersweet sort of smile. "Living in the Demon Castle made me realize that the Underworld isn''t inherently a bad place. It''s just different."
"But you still want to return home right?" Morrigan asked.
"Of course I do," he said, his fist clenched as he looked at the waterfall. "But¡ Do I even have a home there anymore?"
"What do you mean?" she asked, although she already had a nagging suspicion that she knew what he was about to say.
"My village where I grew up was destroyed. My parents are dead and my friends, if they are still alive, have most likely long since run away to live in a safer location," he explained. Morrigan put down her brush and walked up to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. He flinched initially, then relaxed.
"Perhaps, they have. Perhaps, they haven''t. But I believe that you still should go and see it. I know I never would have been able to accept my life here in the Underworld without going back first," she said. Galandir nodded, then asked, not averting his gaze from the waterfall.
"Wasn''t it painful to go back?"
She removed her hand and recalled how she met her human mother and sister, her time in ''Studio Goblin'' and how overall miserable she felt there.
"It was. But at the same time, it was necessary. I realized that there was nothing there for me. And once my father came to get me ¨C I couldn''t have been any happier. That was the first time in my life, I actually felt loved," Morrigan said with a smile. Galandir finally turned to look at her, and then smiled too.
"You''re right¡" he said, looking down into his hand. "I have to go back."
"But hey, if you don''t like it there, we''ll always need a dragon keeper," Morrigan said with a chuckle.
"Haven''t you¨C" he began, but then broke off mid-sentence. "Ah, you know what. Nevermind. Now is not the right time for that. Go back to your painting."
He gently poked her side and she poked back, giggling at the tickling sensation. Before long, her brush was in her hand again and her gaze was focused on the scene before her, recreating its beauty on the canvas. What she did not notice was how Galandir was gazing at her the whole time.
But Morrigan''s brush did not stop. She was inspired not only by the beautiful scenery but also by Galandir''s emotions. So when the scene appeared complete yet she continued adding colors, the elven boy furrowed his brows in confusion.
"I don''t see such a bright red color there," he frowned.
"Oh, no, it''s not there. But I''m creating something new," she said, and the boy''s frown deepened.
"Should you be wasting your magic like this? Also, this looks pretty big, whatever it may be. Won''t you run out of magic at this rate?"
"Don''t worry. Even if it looks big, I''m pretty sure it won''t require a lot of magic. After all, it is just a bit of light I''m trying to create," she snickered and continued laying down various colors. Galandir watched her skeptically at first, but as he realized what she was trying to portray, he also smiled.
"Clever. That certainly won''t require a lot of magic."
After a short while, her painting was complete and a beautiful rainbow bloomed in front of the waterfall, making the demon gasp in shock.
"What the hell is that?" Deziara called out, making Viana frown at her lack of manners. The servants looked somewhat worried while the guards reached for their weapons and scanned their surroundings for any possible threats.
"Calm down everyone. I drew that. It''s called a rainbow," she said, then hurriedly added. "It''s a phenomenon from the Overworld which happens when small droplets of water intersect with light. Galandir described it to me."
Gasps of shock turned into awe as everyone looked at the rainbow, probably seeing it for the first time in their lives. Morrigan wondered if they''d ever see a rainbow again. But then she looked at her painting and smiled.
Yes, they''ll be able to look at my painting as much as they want. And I can always create another rainbow if need be. After all, it barely cost me any magic to create.
Haku also noticed the rainbow and his eyes glittered with marvel. He took flight and went straight for the rainbow, his jaws wide open as if he were ready to eat it. Of course, nothing really happened as the dragon passed straight through the rainbow. He appeared confused at first and attempted to eat it a few more times, before giving up and instead amusing himself by diving in and out of the waterfall.
"I''m glad Haku is having fun," Morrigan said.
"Yes. This trip was exactly what he needed," the elven boy confirmed and then scratched his chin in contemplation. "Will that rainbow disappear?"
Morrigan blinked as she looked at the canvas and then at the rainbow. Normally any rainbow would disappear after a while, but what about magically created ones?
"Probably not," she chuckled guiltily.
"Oh well. It looks better this way. The first and probably only rainbow in the Underworld," he chuckled, admiring the beautiful scene before him.
Chapter 108 – Ice Demons
As a human, Morrigan had lived through some pretty cold weather. After all, the winter in the place where she had lived could be quite harsh, temperatures sometimes getting as low as -30 degrees Celsius. However, that was nothing when compared to the harshness of the cold of the furthest corner of the Underworld. Morrigan had created a small thermometer using her paint magic and it showed that the current temperature outside was -37 degrees.
All three princesses and Azrael were huddled together in the same carriage, dressed in thick layers of clothes while several fireballs burned within the carriage, trying to keep the cold at bay.
"Why is it so damn cold?" Morrigan complained, huddling closer to Viana who made no move to push her away. No, she even went as far as to put her arm around Morrigan''s shoulder while Morrigan wrapped hers around her waist. Meanwhile, Azrael and Deziara were huddled together, any dislike they had for each other completely forgotten.
"We have reached the coldest point in the whole Underworld, the domain of ice demons," Viana explained through chattering teeth. "Apparently, it gets so cold because this place is close to the surface, to a place called the Northern Ice Fields. Supposedly that is the coldest place in the Doppelta where ice never melts."
"O-oh joy! And we''re right below that," Deziara said, her teeth chattering all the while.
"I can''t believe there are actually demons living in this place," Morrigan said.
"They''re ice demons. They''re been living here for millennia and are adapted to this cold," Azrael said and then blew his nose in a handkerchief. Apparently, the mage had caught a mild cold during the nasty weather.
"How could you adapt to this? What do they even eat? Ice?" Morrigan grumbled.
"They import most of their food from elsewhere. This place is rich with both regular and magic gems, so those are their main sources of income," Viana explained.
"Poor delivery demons," Morrigan sighed, and the carriage came to a halt. They had arrived, but nobody hurried to leave the warm confines of the carriage. After all, it had been heated up from the body warmth and the fire. The outside would surely not be like that.
"Princess Morrigan, we have arrived," Seon called from outside the carriage and then opened the door. A wave of cold air hit them like a tsunami and they huddled even closer. Seon looked no warmer than them, his nose and cheeks had turned red from the cold.
"T-Thank you, S-Seon," Morrigan chattered, and slowly clambered to her feet, pulling Viana along with her. Two of them got out of the carriage still stuck together like glue, while Deziara and Azrael followed after them, quickly huddling next to them for warmth. It was a bit of a ridiculous sight, four of them standing very close to each other.
"Welcome to our humble city of Alterion!" Said a noble-looking demon man with a bright smile on his lips. His skin was light blue, his hair was a white as snow while his deep blue eyes reminded Morrigan of deep ocean water. His whole being seemed to be made out of cold, yet at the same time he was no different from other pure-blooded demons. "I am Duke Jokull Snowden and this is my son Boreas Snowden."
"It is my utmost pleasure to greet Crown Princess Morrigan, Princess Viana and Princess Deziara," said the young demon standing next to the Duke. He was very similar to his father, the main difference being that his hair was short rather than long and his eyes were deep purple. Also, Morrigan couldn''t help but notice how handsome both of the ice demon men were.
Not quite as good-looking as Father or Galandir, but it certainly is a sight for sore eyes. Makes me feel a bit warmer in this cold.
"Thank you for receiving us on such a short notice," Morrigan said, untangling herself from Viana and curtsying before the Duke and his son. Boreas walked up to her, took her hand and then planted a kiss on her gloved hand. Morrigan was taken aback by the bold gesture, usually it was only done when a bachelor was interested in a young lady.
Viana didn''t fail to notice that, frowning a bit at the sight, but still keeping up proper etiquette and curtsying, "It is a pleasure to visit the famous Duke of Alterion. Your reputation precedes you even in the capital."
Famous? Famous for what? I certainly knew of his name, but what exactly did he do?
"Oh, my glory days are long past me. Soon my son will take up my mantle," the Duke said, and Boreas walked up to Viana and reached out to kiss her hand too. And when Deziara curtsied, doing her best to suppress the shivers from the cold, he did the same thing.
Maybe this is how things are done in this part of the Underworld? Although judging by the way how Viana is glaring, probably not.
"If only this boy would settle down and find himself a wife already. Or at least a fiancee," the Duke laughed boisterously. Morrigan would have frowned at the insinuation, but she was just too cold to care. Suddenly Haku appeared right beside her, radiating warmth as if he were a little oven. The Duke and his son both took a step back from the dragon.
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"My apologies, Your Highness. It appears Haku wanted to come to you," Galandir said with a smile on his face while sitting on top of the dragon. He didn''t appear bothered by the cold in the slightest, probably having the highest tolerance out of them all, no doubt a resistance he gained from his ice magic. Then again, Azrael knew ice magic too, but he was barely able to stand the cold. Maybe it was all thanks to Haku.
"It''s alright. Is there a place where Haku could stay?" Morrigan asked the Duke. He shifted uncomfortably in his position.
"We''ll figure something out. Does it¡ he like to burn things?"
"All the time," Galandir replied with a sort of satisfied smile.
No, why would you say that? The Duke will leave us out in the cold at this rate.
"Do not worry, Galandir, the dragon keeper, will keep him contained. Won''t you?" Morrigan said and threw a glare in the elven boy''s direction. He sighed and then reluctantly nodded.
"I''ll do my best," he said unenthusiastically.
"Wonderful. Now please follow me inside. I am sure you must be freezing by now," the Duke said and beckoned them to follow. They all picked up their pace, eager to get out of the cold. However, as they made their way from the main entrance road to the icy mansion (which looked like something straight out of Wisney movie), Morrigan noticed how beautiful the icy garden in front of the mansion was.
There were trees with icicles dangling down from their branches like some Christmas decorations. Other trees, that had long thin branches dangling down like a willow, had icy balls of various colors set up in the branches. And there were ice sculptures ¨C so many of them. Ice demons, ice dragons, ice flowers, ice birds, ice beasts, you name it. All of them were carved out to perfection, their semi-transparent form shimmering in the magic lights that were set up especially to illuminate the masterpieces.
"I need to paint that," Morrigan muttered under her breath.
"Not now. My fingers will freeze over if I stay out in this cold any longer," Viana hissed back. Morrigan nodded absentmindedly but didn''t take away her eyes from the sculptures until they were finally inside the mansion. She would definitely find some time to paint that garden. That winter wonderland had to be memorialized.
But her thoughts changed as soon as they entered the mansion. Everything looked like it was made out of ice. The floor, the staircase, the walls, even the chandeliers. It truly was like she had stepped into an icy castle from the Wisney movie. She didn''t even know how quickly the temperature had shifted from icy cold to pleasantly warm or how her maids quickly peeled away the layers of clothes she was wearing.
"This is beautiful," she said, taking in every single detail of the mansion.
"Thank you! Everything here is made from crystals found in Alterion mines. Not only is it an abundant and beautiful material in these parts but it is also great at keeping the cold outside and warmth ¨C inside," the Duke explained, his servants removing his outer clothing. Soon everyone was dressed down to a point where they didn''t look like walking balloons anymore. "But we can discuss all of that later. My son will escort you to your room, Princess Morrigan, and after resting for a moment we may talk over dinner."
Boreas extended his elbow towards Morrigan and she looked at it dubiously. Was it all right for her to take it? Normally only her Father or Azrael who was Morrigan''s officially appointed escort were allowed to do that. Perhaps he did not know, but how could she tell them that without coming off as rude?
"I''m sorry, but only Azrael is allowed to escort my youngest sister. She is not yet of age and thus cannot be escorted by young unwed demons," Viana pointed out.
"My apologies. I was not aware. Shall I at least escort you to your room, Princess Viana? If my memory serves me right, you''ve already come of age," Boreas said with a brilliant smile, completely unperturbed by Viana''s cold attitude.
Wow, he sure is persistent. Is Duke Snowden trying to wed his son to one of the princesses? Perhaps that was the reason why his mansion wasn''t initially chosen to be a part of the tour.
"Very well," Viana said, her lips pursed together. She probably didn''t want to agree, but it would be considered rude to deny the request of your host. But it wasn''t such a big deal. Not like anyone could win over Viana''s icy heart. Morrigan had never seen her eldest sister be swayed by men. It was usually the men who were very ready to cut off their heads for her sake. Not that she cared.
But as the charismatic Boreas led Viana up the staircase, Morrigan noticed that the two of them actually looked kind of good together. Her purple hair seemed to match with his eyes and both of them were extremely attractive.
I wonder if I could convince them to pose for me together. It would make for such a great painting. But there''s no way Viana would agree to that. She hasn''t let me make a portrait for her yet, so there''s no way she''d agree to pose together with somebody, especially with somebody who is essentially a stranger. Oh well, I''ll have to make do with the scenery.
Brimming with inspiration Morrigan allowed the servants of Alteria mansion to lead her to her room where instead of resting she instantly went to draw some sketches of the view outside her window. She only stopped once her maids told her it was time for dinner.
"I have to say, I was so pleasantly surprised to hear that His Majesty changed his mind and allowed you to come to our mansion. I understand that he initially wanted to avoid this place because of the cold, no?" Duke Snowden said over dinner. They were serving some wonderfully warm broth which instantly warmed up Morrigan''s cold body.
"That is correct. However, since our destination is the Garden of Frozen Memories, Father came to the conclusion that it would be safest to go there together with someone who knew the area well," Morrigan said the line she had rehearsed together with Alphegor last evening. After all, the fact that there was somebody out to get Morrigan, forcing her to change the whole route of the tour, should not become public knowledge. The fact that Count Etheles knew it was already risky enough. Even if the King seemed to trust the man.
"Of course. It is a dangerous place, so I am glad that you have come to the decision of having an escort. My son will accompany you there and make sure that you and everyone in your retinue remain safe and sound," Duke Snowden said with a beaming smile.
"I really appreciate it," Morrigan replied, suppressing the urge to groan.
Great, now I''ll have to fight off his advances to court me constantly. It should be illegal to do that to a minor. And I don''t care that I am technically an adult if you add my human years on top of my demon years. They don''t know that. Scheming nobles.
Chapter 109 – Garden of Frozen Memories
How did it turn out like this?
Morrigan barely suppressed a groan as she took careful steps on the icy ground. Boreas was walking to her right, occasionally extending his hand towards Morrigan to help her get over some more slippery parts. She pointedly ignored his offers for help instead gingerly continuing her way forward.
Meanwhile on her right walked Galandir who was constantly glaring at Boreas with unhidden malice. Unlike the noble, he''d grab her hand whenever she was about to slip and only let go once she asked him to do so. Each time that happened, Boreas would glare at the boy. It was likely that he would have complained about the elf''s behavior if it wasn''t for Haku, who was diligently padding right behind them and staring at the ice demon suspiciously.
After Haku came Viana, Deziara, Azrael, half a dozen of the best demon guards, a few of Count Etheles''s knights, and half a dozen ice demon guards. And Melanos was also somewhere nearby although his exact whereabouts were a mystery. No servants or maids were allowed to come to the Garden of Frozen Memories since it was sacred. Even guards would have to remain outside the garden as only those with royal blood or descendants of house Snowden were allowed to enter.
Apparently, the Snowden family had been tasked with upkeeping and guarding the place, although the Duke admitted that they didn''t go to the Garden very often. According to him, it wasn''t a pleasant place to visit which made Morrigan a bit nervous.
I just hope everything goes smoothly this time around. That black orb that was embedded in the Glittering Cave still gives me the creeps.
Just as she thought that, her leg slipped again and Galandir once again caught her, almost tumbling down along with her. Thankfully, Haku caught him by his jacket and stabilized the boy and Morrigan both.
"You really don''t have to catch me every time," Morrigan blushed, embarrassed by her own clumsiness. She would have liked to just travel in her shadow form but apparently, it was forbidden to use shadow form in this sacred place. Typical. Whenever you needed shadow form the most ¨C it was forbidden.
Maybe I should just shape-shift into a penguin and slide on the ice? Do penguins even exist in this world? I don''t know. But it certainly would make things easier.
"If I didn''t, then you''d be already covered in bruises," he retorted smugly.
"And if it weren''t for Haku, you''d be covered in bruises too," he grumbled.
"Princess Morrigan, if you would allow me, I could hold your hand. I am accustomed to walking on this terrain and would not slip," Boreas said with the most charming smile. Unfortunately, for him, Morrigan''s image of him has already been marred by his ulterior motives so it did little to soften her disposition towards him.
"Why don''t you go and help out my sisters? They seem to be struggling too," Morrigan retorted and looked back. It was actually Viana who was struggling, taking the tiniest, most careful steps while trying to remain graceful. Deziara had no issues with the ice as instead of walking on it she was content sliding on its surface with all the grace of a figure skater.
Boreas looked behind him, doing his best to avoid Haku, and his eyes met with Viana''s. At that moment, she slipped on the ice and Morrigan winced fully expecting her to collide with her ground. But before she could, Boreas had already rushed forward and caught her.
"Are you alright, Your Highness?" he asked Viana.
"I am fine," she replied coldly and with his help, slowly rose to her feet.
"Allow me to help," he said, holding out his hand to her.
"I am alright," she said stubbornly, turning her head away from him. But then she looked down at the slippery ice. Viana clearly had some internal struggle as she no doubt wondered how she was likely to retain most of her dignity.
"I would hate for Your Highness to get hurt. Ice is no joke. The only reason I am able to walk on it so confidently is because I''ve lived here all my life," he said and offered his hand to her again. She looked at it and then reluctantly took it without a word.
"Great! Now he''s finally gone," Galandir smiled victoriously.
"Yeah, and we can both keep sliding forward like ducks on ice. Maybe I should ask for his help after all?" Morrigan snickered, taking slow and measured steps forward.
"Why would ducks go on ice?" the elven boy cocked his head.
"Oh, nevermind. Let''s just get this over with," Morrigan sighed, praying that they would arrive at their destination sooner rather than later.
***
After about an hour of a very slippery trek in the cold of Alterion, the group finally reached the entrance to the Garden of Frozen Memories. Morrigan wasn''t sure what she had imagined when she first heard of the name but it certainly was not this.
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First of all, the place was very light, or better to say it was well-illuminated, unlike the rest of the Underworld. There were these long icy pillars that stretched from the cave floor all the way to the top and they emitted a blueish kind of light. Second, there were flowers, bushes and trees everywhere growing the same way one would imagine a normal garden to look like. The key difference was that every leaf, every branch and every petal was made out of ice.
"I HAVE to paint this," Morrigan gaped at the unearthly beauty before her.
"I will not stand here for hours waiting for you to paint this frozen place. It''s enough that I''m waiting for you to complete the ritual," Viana grumbled, shivering like a leaf in the wind.
"Then I''ll come back and paint it afterward," Morrigan said as she admired the frozen rose bushes growing closest to the entrance.
"Only if we have the time. For now, we need to go in and complete the ritual. Lord Boreas, if you were so kind as to lead us to ¡ª achoo! ¡ª Damn cold. To lead us to the ritual site," Azrael said, blowing his nose in the handkerchief.
"Of course, that is the reason I am here," he said gracefully.
"You stay here, elf boy. Make sure the dragon doesn''t burn this place to the ground," Azrael pointed a finger at Galandir and grumbled.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," Galandir scoffed and sat down on Haku''s front paw. The dragon whined forlornly at the garden ¨C it was clear that he wanted nothing more than to run around in it and play with all the icy plants. However, if he did then the end result would be clear ¨C the sacred place would be reduced to melted puddles in a matter of minutes.
"I''m sorry, Haku, but this place is really important. We''ll find someplace else for you to play at later," Morrigan gently rubbed at the dragon''s snout. He calmed down understanding the meaning of her words and dutifully laid down his head on the icy ground. After a few seconds, the ice around him began to melt and soon Haku was sleeping in a muddy sort of puddle.
I''ll wash him when I come back. Or rather when we leave this icy place. I haven''t really had much time to interact with Haku aside from riding on his back occasionally. Galandir has been taking care of him all on his own. There are just too many things going on with this tour and then those mysterious attackers and that weird black orb.
Morrigan shook her head and focused on the task at hand. She followed Boreas into the Garden of Frozen Memories, accompanied by both of her sisters and Azrael. Nobody else was allowed to go in further, however the fact that this time Viana and Deziara could both come along put Morrigan''s mind at ease. The fact that the road wasn''t slippery anymore also helped. Somehow the pathway within the garden had shifted from ice to what appeared to be snow.
But it can''t snow in the Underworld, just like it can''t rain. How did it appear here then?
"Please, do not get frightened, Your Highness, when you notice some reflections and images appearing in these pillars. The magic in this area is very sensitive to its surroundings so it quickly absorbs the thoughts, feelings and most importantly memories of those who come here," Boreas explained as he pointed toward one of the closest icy pillars.
As if on cue, the light within it shifted and Morrigan saw herself and all of her retinue as they rode into the Snowden mansion territory. Except that she most definitely saw it from Boreas''s perspective.
"Yes, as you see here, the pillar was quick to absorb one of my memories. It''s a bit eerie, but completely harmless. The image will disappear after a while," he said with an awkward sort of chuckle.
"Can it show any of our memories?" Deziara asked, peering suspiciously at the pillar. As if to answer her, its image shifted to change the garden behind Demon Castle with Haku and Morrigan playing somewhere further away. The princess winced at the image.
"Yeah, any memory. Although the pillars like to focus on the strongest memories. Something that is either really fresh or something that is really emotional," he explained, and Morrigan could feel cold sweat forming on her forehead. If she thought of the wrong thing, she could¡
No, do not think about it. Think about flying on Haku''s back and eating dinner with Father. Harmless things. Harmless things.
Two pillars shifted, one displayed Morrigan flying on Haku''s back and shooting fireworks high above the Demon Castle, and the other ¨C Alphegor smiling at her while they ate dinner.
"Oh, look! It''s Father. Hi!" Deziara giggled and waved at the image.
"You just had to remember this specific incident, didn''t you?" Viana grumbled, no doubt recalling the time when she was still trying to take Morrigan''s place as Crown Princess. Thankfully, that was in the past.
"But those are some nice fire- fire flowers, aren''t they?" Morrigan fumbled a bit as she almost said ''fireworks''.
Oh, no. My mind is wandering where it shouldn''t again. Think of Deziara dancing and your time in the magic maze and being chased by that landwyrm construct.
As they kept walking, the images in pillars kept shifting as Morrigan tried to deliberately control her thoughts. It was exhausting and she wanted to leave the place as soon as possible. Or at least go to an area where there weren''t so many of these mind-reading pillars around.
"It''s alright to relax a little. The more you try not to think about certain things, the more pillars seem to pick up. They react really strongly to emotions," Boreas explained.
"Oh, look, here''s the moment when I spilled tea on Viana''s dress," Deziara snorted and pointed toward one of the pillars.
"That was you?!" Viana growled. Then the image in the pillar changed to a vision of Alphegor rubbing at his temples while a pile of origami sat on his work desk. Morrigan looked curiously at the image and noticed Viana''s cheeks blushing.
"Did you¨C?" Morrigan looked at her sister and snickered.
"I was very little at the time. No older than nine," she said, not daring to meet their eyes.
That''s cute. It''s odd to imagine that Viana was a child just like anyone else. Turning his documents into origami animals. Although, I''m pretty sure it''s not called origami in this world.
Then as they continued deeper into the garden where icy flowers hung down from the ceiling, the images in the pillars suddenly stopped.
"That''s odd. They should be getting more frequent as we go in deeper," Boreas said, narrowing his eyes at the icy pillar.
"Dammit! Not this shit again," Azrael swore and pointed towards something deeper into the garden. Morrigan looked at where he pointed and her heart sank. It was yet another black orb sitting in the middle of the serene garden like a black stain on a pure, white dress.
Chapter 110 – Cleaning the Stain
"W-What is that? It most certainly wasn''t here when I last visited a few weeks ago," Boreas pointed at the black orb sitting embedded in the ground while Azrael was angrily stomping and kicking it.
"We are not sure exactly what it is, but it sucks the magic out of the area and moves it to a different place," Morrigan explained.
"A different place? Where exactly?" Boreas asked.
"We don''t know that. But there was one exactly like this one in the first sacred site that I visited," Morrigan explained, narrowing her eyes at the orb.
"This cannot be a coincidence," Deziara stated.
"Most certainly not. I wouldn''t be surprised to find one of these orbs in each sacred place we visit," Viana said glumly.
"But who would do such a thing? Every demon knows that trespassing on the sacred grounds is forbidden. Not to mention that most demons cannot even withstand the high concentration of magic in the area," Boreas said, walking up closer to the orb which still looked as pristine as before Azrael began stomping on it. The mage apparently overdid it, now having walked aside and trying to contain his coughing fit.
I don''t think Azrael will be able to help me this time around with how sick he is. Let''s just hope I have enough magic in me to repaint this thing on my own.
"That''s what we want to know," Viana said, turning towards Boreas. "Don''t you have guards watching this place at all times?"
"We do, that is why this is all the more confusing to me," the icy demon tousled his hair.
"We''ll have to figure out who did it later. The first priority is to get rid of it," Morrigan grumbled.
"Allow me, Princess. It will be an easy task," Boreas said before she could say anything and conjured a giant icy spear in the air, launching it mercilessly at the black orb. Morrigan quickly erected a protective forcefield around them and watched how the spear crashed into the orb and shattered into a thousand pieces, sending sharp shards of ice flying in every direction.
"Wha¨C?" he blinked at the undamaged orb stupidly.
"It cannot be destroyed by any regular means. No magic, no physical attacks can leave a scratch on it. Even moving it is impossible," Morrigan explained.
"Then we can''t get rid of it?" He blinked and stared down at his hand.
"Morri can get rid of it! Azrael, you should¨C," Deziara looked at the mage who a blowing his nose into a handkerchief for the twentieth time and shook her head. "You know what ¨C I''ll go get your painting supplies myself."
"Painting supplies?" Boreas looked as Deziara zipped away through the garden.
"Just watch the future Queen at work," Viana said somewhat smugly as if she was talking about herself. Morrigan flushed a bit, not expecting such words from her oldest sister. Boreas, on the other hand, looked more confused than ever. In a few minutes, Deziara was already back carrying everything Morrigan would need for her painting.
"Thank you, Deziara," Morrigan smiled at her sister and set up the canvas in the snow. She took a moment to assess the scenery in front of her. Everything around them was either white or some shade of light blue ¨C complete opposite of the colorful Glittering Cave. Looking at the paints that she had it was clear that she''ll have to use purely cold colors this time.
"Do you have enough magic to do it?" Deziara asked, eyeing the scenery and the canvas as if to measure exactly how much energy it would take to repaint the orb.
"There is more magic in this area than in normal places, but I''m not sure¡ Azrael had to supplement me with his magic last time," she replied as she unscrewed the lid of light blue paint. She would use it as a base color.
"Do not worry, Princess. If you run out of magic, I will ¨C achhooo! ¨C," Azrael spoke up but was instantly defeated by his cold. Everyone looked at the mage with piteous eyes.
"Use your magic to keep yourself warm. Besides I don''t want you sneezing on Morri and making her catch whatever it is that you have," Deziara huffed, then pointed to herself proudly. "I will supply Morrigan with magic."
"Your magic reserves aren''t that high, Deziara. I''ll also supply you with my magic if need be," Viana said.
"I do not understand why Princess Morrigan would require more magic. I thought that aside from the King there was nobody else in the kingdom with such large magic reserves," Boreas said.
"Without a doubt! And I am close third," Azrael said, blowing his nose yet again.
"My ability is a bit demanding in terms of magic," Morrigan said sheepishly and began laying down the light blue color on the canvas in large broad strokes. With a base color set, she once again assessed the scenery, thinking of how to best paint the scenery.
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A greyish rock cliff in the background encloses this place from the rest of the Underworld. Even though the stone''s grey is rather light, it''ll serve as my strongest contrast point.
So she took the grey color, added a bit of white and covered the top of the canvas with it. It looked a bit dark in her eyes, but she decided to lighten the color once she would add highlights. Next, she turned her attention to the trees. They weren''t very tall, no more than two meters high and they grew across from each other, forming a short alleyway of sorts.
Their bark was very light with a grayish hue to them and they had gentle purple spots on them which she had completely missed on her initial inspection. They reminded her of small birch trees if they were made completely of ice. She took the white paint and added a little bit of black in it, creating a vaguely grey color, and then used it to paint the basic shape of the trees.
Once that was done, she turned towards the ice flower bushes which in their shape vaguely resemble peony. Their leaves were a light greyish blue, while the flowers themselves were completely white. Sweat trickled down Morrigan''s forehead and she mixed color trying to find the perfect match for the leaves. After painting the base color for bushes she moved off the flowers which were hanging down the stony cliff on their long vines.
It looked absolutely beautiful, but once again the white color overwhelmingly dominated everything. After having laid down a basic form for everything excluding the dark orb, Morrigan realized that she could barely even tell what was going on her canvas. The colors were so light, they were basically indistinguishable. Even the grey cliff looked much lighter than she had initially thought.
"Morri, is it supposed to be that way?" Deziara asked nervously, taking advantage of the fact that Morrigan had stopped painting.
"No¡" she admitted, staring at the painting.
I don''t think keeping colors as similar to reality as possible is going to work here. I need to accentuate shadows, exaggerate them even, if I want the whiteness of this place to stand out. Let me try on this cliff.
Morrigan took the grey color and drew shadows under brushes and in places where cliffside had crevices. They stood out like a sore thumb at first, so she took a soft brush and smoothened the transition between colors. A smile appeared on her face.
That''s it. I need more effective shadows and smooth transitions, then the lighter elements on the canvas instantly begin to pop.
"I think she''s got it now," Viana said as Morrigan took the brush and began applying shadow to the trees, then the bushes and finally to the flowers. She wasn''t afraid of using dark colors anymore, instead using them to her advantage to make the lighter parts pop even more.
Most difficult part was certainly the light flowers. There was very little shadow within them so she had to use a really small brush to draw the tiny details. But at the same time, whenever she completed a flower, her heart sang at its beauty. She couldn''t believe she was able to recreate that.
"Now for the pillars," Morrigan muttered and looked at the four icy pillars that surrounded the black orb. They weren''t that difficult to create ¨C as long as you knew how to paint ice, these pillars wouldn''t be a problem. The problem was of course the disgusting black orb, ruining the whole scene.
It feels wrong to paint in it, but if I don''t do that the magic won''t work. Or will it? It''s not like I ever had a chance to try but it feels like if the rest of the scenery is there then the magic should be able to recognize it right?
Morrigan faltered for a bit, but then took a light blue color and began painting in the place where the orb should be. Instead, gentle petals appeared on the canvas with firm leaves underneath ¨C an icy blue lotus bulb, not yet fully blooming but already open a little at the top. She felt her magic activating, being put to work as she drew each petal and she smiled. It was working.
She was very careful with the lotus flower, making sure that it was as close in shape to the orb as possible but had none of its sinister nature. She made it brighter blue than the rest of the flowers in the garden, so it would stand out as its centerpiece. But as she added the final line to the lotus flower and took a step back, fully expecting the black orb to be gone, she realized that it was not gone. And she also wasn''t as exhausted as she usually was after using her power.
"It didn''t work?" Deziara cocked her head to the side and frowned.
"That''s odd. I definitely felt the magic activating but it used up far less magic than usual," Morrigan said looking at the canvas and then back at the scene, wondering if she had missed something. Maybe she should have drawn the black orb first for the magic to activate. She gritted her teeth. Obviously painting the black orb over the lotus wouldn''t be an issue, but some of her magic was already used up. Even if Viana and Deziara supplied her with their magic, it would likely not be enough.
"I think I know what is missing in your painting, Princess Morrigan," Boreas suddenly spoke up from behind. All three princesses turned their heads to look at him. He walked up to the painting and pointed at the pillars. "These pillars are empty. Usually, they display memories of those within the garden but due to the proximity of that magic siphoning orb, they are unable to do that."
"That must be it!" Morrigan exclaimed and was about to jump into painting, before pausing again. "Whatever memories I paint in these pillars will likely remain here forever. I believe that they have to be memories that the pillars would actually display. May I ask each of you to tell me one of your memories?"
Deziara and Viana looked at each other hesitantly and then nodded. Boreas looked apprehensive at first, but after a moment of thought, he also nodded.
"Azrael, tell me one of your memories," Morrigan asked the demon who was currently rolled into a ball behind them with a fire constantly swirling around him. Oddly enough the snow around him hadn''t melted at all.
"Azrael''s memories? No way! He''ll just think of something lewd," Deziara objected.
"She''s right. Your memory should be the last one," Viana said. "And it''s better if it''s a really strong memory. Something pillars would latch onto. If the memory is too weak then it might not work."
"I believe it would be wiser for Lord Azrael to contribute one of his memories after all. We have just met, thus I imagine it would be hard for you to paint my memories," Boreas said, and the girl nodded in agreement and looked dubiously at Azrael. Would it really be alright to display one of his memories?
I hope doesn''t think of some bloody battle or that time he killed Haku''s parents. After all, if that rainbow is anything to go by then these memories will remain here for eternity.
Chapter 111 – Eternal Memories
"So does anyone have an idea what memory they could showcase in the icy pillar?" Morrigan asked after several minutes of intense silence.
"I do!" Azrael said with a toothy grin. "How about that time you burned down the training grounds? That was fun! The whole Demon Castle came running to see what had happened."
"No!" All three princesses spoke up at the same time glaring at the mage.
"Burned down the training grounds?" Boreas looked at Morrigan in surprise, and she flushed in embarrassment.
"It happened when I first learned fire magic at age four. I couldn''t quite control it at first," she admitted, and inwardly cursed Azrael for his big mouth and lack of tact. It wasn''t like they were alone.
"You learned fire magic at age four?!" the ice demon exclaimed in shock and took several steps back.
Oh, right. I forgot that normal demon children don''t even learn magic that early. Perhaps, I shouldn''t have mentioned my age.
"Morri is unrivaled when it comes to magic. She awakened her innate ability as a baby," Deziara said smugly.
"I''ve heard of rumors like that, but I thought they were vastly exaggerated," Boreas clasped at his head, trying to come to terms with the information.
"Anything related to my little sister''s magic abilities is most definitely not exaggerated. No, it is far more likely that it is downplayed," Viana said, and Morrigan noticed that she also looked somewhat smug.
"I apologize, Your Highness. I feel like I haven''t been respectful enough towards you before due to your age. I''ll correct my behavior," the ice demon said and bowed. Viana and Deziara nodded in approval, while Morrigan shook her head.
"Please, let us not make it too stuffy. I''d prefer if we remained on friendlier terms, Lord Boreas," Morrigan said.
"Whatever you wish, Your Highness," he bowed again, and it was clear that her request had fallen on deaf ears.
Perhaps, he won''t be as bold with his attempts to court me now. That''d be a great weight off my shoulders.
"Let''s return to the problem at hand," Morrigan said, and Deziara perked up.
"I think I got a good memory that could work," the black-haired princess said, and everyone turned their attention to her. "How about the time I danced on stage during the Nachstern Festival? Even if I didn''t win, I''ll never forget how everyone looked at me, especially Father and you two."
"That is a great memory! I think that''ll work perfectly," Morrigan said and picked up the brush. It should be no problem for her to recreate the scene since she was there when it happened. And since the memory had to be displayed within the ice, she didn''t have to make the details too precise ¨C they just had to be clear enough to understand what was going on.
So Morrigan drew the dark dragon stage, Deziara twirling in the middle of the stage and a crowd of onlookers watching her. With each brush stroke, she could feel magic drain from her, so she smiled.
"I think it''s working. My magic is being used up," Morrigan said and after a bit more work on the scene within the pillar, she stepped aside and showed it to others.
"That is pretty accurate," Viana confirmed.
"It looks wonderful. I wish I could have experienced it with my own two eyes. Alas, I had to stay at home and manage the region while Father went to the Festival," Boreas said as he admired the scene within the pillar.
"This is great, Morri! Now we just need to fill three more memories," Deziara cheered.
"I got one," Azrael spoke up and then loudly blew his nose. Princesses looked at him skeptically, waiting for what nonsense would he spout this time.
"How about that time I fought that demon that¨C"
"NO!" All of them yelled, not allowing him to finish the sentence.
"So picky¡" he pouted and went back to blowing his nose.
"I think you might have better luck drawing one of Lord Boreas''s memories," Viana scoffed at the mage.
"Maybe he''ll come up with something," Morrigan said with a chuckle, even if she had very little hope of that happening.
"I believe I have a strong memory you should be able to draw," Viana said.
"What is it?" Morrigan looked at her sister hopefully.
"It was when I danced with my father during the ball of the Nachtstern Festival," she said, and Morrigan instantly remembered that moment. She had looked so happy then ¨C in fact, that was the happiest Morrigan had ever seen her sister.
"That''s a great one!" Deziara confirmed.
"Yes. Painting it shouldn''t be an issue," Morrigan said and got back to work, her brush drawing confident strokes in the icy pillar. She could easily remember her father''s grand attire and Viana''s beautiful dress as well as the bright light that shone through the ballroom. But most important of all was, of course, her sister''s beautiful smile.
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Each next brushstroke was becoming more difficult than the last, magic demanding more and more energy from her each time. But she still had some magic to spare ¨C she could still go on. Morrigan had to go on and destroy the black orb that stained this place.
"How about this?" Morrigan said, revealing the second finished memory within the icy pillar.
"I- Was I really smiling like that?" Viana asked in surprise, her cheeks flushing a bit.
"You absolutely were. You always get this happy, sappy smile on your face whether Father praises you. It''s really cute," Deziara teased.
"That is a truly beautiful smile, Princess Viana," Boreas said, admiring the painting with unhidden interest.
"Okay, that one is done. We need two more memories," Viana said sternly, pointedly looking away from the painting.
"I got one," Azrael spoke up again.
"Do I even dare to ask what it is?" Morrigan didn''t even turn toward her teacher this time.
"I promise you''ll like this one," he whined, and she looked at him skeptically.
"Well, what it is?"
"How about that time you burned¨C" he began, but once again was cut off by a resounding ''no''.
I really will have to draw one of Lord Boreas'' memories at this rate, but how do I paint something I''ve never seen before. It might take a lot of attempts to get it right and I am steadily losing my magic reserves. Even a single wasted brushstroke could be the difference between finishing the piece or not.
"I think it''s time for you to draw your memory, Morrigan," Viana said while glaring in Azrael''s direction.
What strong memory could I display? Something I''d be willing to be displayed here for eternity.
Then she smiled and nodded to herself. She knew exactly what she would draw ¨C the first time she discovered her paint magic ability. How the floor of her living room had turned into grass and how proud Alphegor had been at that discovery. It was no doubt what defined her as a demon ¨C magic that worked together with her desire to paint. Magic that would erase the black orb from existence.
But as she painted, she felt her magic reserves running out. Deziara noticed her struggles and without hesitation ran up to her and placed her hand on Morrigan''s shoulder. Steady stream of magic flowed in her body, and she continued painting using Deziara''s magic as her own.
"There. Done," Morrigan said, breathing a bit heavily. Deziara however looked more tired than her, barely able to stay upright.
"That ability eats magic so fast ¨C it''s ridiculous," she exclaimed but still smiled at the third finished memory.
"May I inquire about the significance of this moment?" Boreas asked.
"It was the moment I discovered my paint magic," Morrigan explained, and everyone nodded in acknowledgment. There was no doubt this memory would be strong enough.
They all admired the three finished memories for a while then turned towards Azrael. Morrigan had little hope that he could actually give her a memory she could work with, but she would try to get something out of him. To her surprise the mage got out of his cocooned position and walked up to her, his gaze serious.
"I believe I have a memory that would fit here perfectly. After all, currently, it displays the happiest memories of members of the royal family. But one crucial demon is missing," he said and reached down to touch her medallion. It sprang open, and Morrigan saw images of her father and mother inside.
"You mean¡ Mom?" Morrigan asked, then frowned. "But I can''t draw her, I''ve never actually met her."
Azrael shook his head and smiled, then put his hands firmly on her shoulders and turned her towards the painting.
"Do not worry, Morrigan. I''ll help you," he whispered and then she felt herself being taken from the canvas in front of her and instead fell into memories. Azrael was projecting them into her mind with his magic.
"I do not understand, how can you love somebody you haven''t even met yet? That thing inside you is just a hollow shell. There''s no soul in there," Azrael said and looked at the beautiful Demon Queen, her long white hair flowing all the way down to the floor while she sat in a soft cushioned chair. Her belly was noticeably swollen.
"Because it will be my child. My precious child. It doesn''t matter what kind of soul they''ll get ¨C they''ll be my child. That can never be changed," she nodded solemnly.
"What if they were a human in their past life?" Azrael cackled.
"Then I''ll love them all the more," she said without faltering for a moment, making Azrael lose his smile.
"Are you serious? You shouldn''t be so ready to accept a human child, teacher," Azrael frowned.
"Aww. Don''t be such a grump ¨C imagine all the wonderful things they would have seen in the Overworld. I would love to listen to their stories. Oh, and how wonderful would it be if they came from another world entirely? The things they''ve seen and experienced!" Queen Eirwen said with a childlike glee.
"You''re crazy!" Azrael turned away from her and was about to walk away when a strong tug of magic pulled him back and he found himself in the Queen''s embrace.
"There, there. There''s no need to get jealous, Azie. I''ll love you both equally. You can be her big protective brother," she giggled.
"Who''d want to do that? Guard your own kid," he retorted and squirmed out of her embrace, being careful not to push against her belly. While his face was scrunched up in disgust, the tips of his ears were red and there was an undeniable feeling of happiness in his chest.
"Morrigan, are you alright?" Deziara asked while she, Viana and Boreas looked worried. She blinked her eyes and realized that tears were dripping down her cheeks.
"I am alright," Morrigan smiled and wiped away the tears. "Thank you, Azrael. I''m going to need every bit of your energy to finish painting this."
"I''m out!" Deziara lifted her hands up in defeat.
"Do not worry, little sister. I have plenty of magic to spare," Viana said and put a hand on her shoulder, channeling her magic into Morrigan''s body. Azrael also kept his hand on her shoulder, and she began working on the memory still fresh in her mind.
Through Azrael I was able to meet my demon mother, if only once. She seemed like such a wonderful person ¨C how I wish I could have spent more time together with her. However, now she''ll live on forever in the Garden of Frozen Memories and in my paintings.
Despite the massive amount of magic each brushstroke took, Morrigan forged on, painting without hesitation or pause. Sometime during the process Viana ran out of magic, but Azrael kept her supplied even if she could see his own strength faltering. But it was enough ¨C she managed to finish the painting!
"I can''t believe my eyes," Boreas gasped as the black orb in the middle of the garden changed into a beautiful blue lotus. Four memories appeared within the icy pillars: Deziara dancing on stage, Viana dancing with the Demon King, Morrigan standing in the grass and painting, and finally, Azrael being hugged by the Demon Queen.
It is perfect!
Chapter 112 – Ring of Frozen Memories
Azrael went over to the lotus and touched it carefully, assessing it from every angle. After a while, he gave an approving thumbs up, "The black orb is completely gone. Good job, Princess."
"That is marvelous! To think that you are able to just not create things with your magic but completely erase things from existence," Boreas said in awe and looked at Morrigan, his eyes sparkling with admiration.
"It came out nicer than I expected," she said with a smile but felt strength completely leave her body as her legs collapsed from beneath her. The ice demon, however, rushed towards her and caught her before she fell to the ground.
"Morrigan, are you alright?!" Deziara and Viana called out and went over to their sister, their strength also mostly exhausted.
"It just took a lot of magic to create that," she chuckled weakly as Boreas lifted her up in his arms.
"I believe that the ritual will have to wait until tomorrow. The Princess is too exhausted," he said sternly, and everyone nodded in agreement. As they left the icy garden, Morrigan looked over Boreas'' shoulder and saw how the beautiful icy pillars kept playing with their memories, never wavering, never changing. The only memories that would remain unchanging within this garden.
"Morrigan! Are you alright? What happened?!" Galandir panicked as soon as he saw the group approaching. The elven boy glared at the ice demon, his fists clenching at his side.
"You should address her with her proper title, slave!" Boreas snarled at Galandir, but the elf held his ground and it looked like he wanted to snatch Morrigan away from him, reaching out his arm and trying to assess from which angle best to take her.
"Galandir isn''t a slave. He''s a servant of Demon Castle," Morrigan said weakly and then reached out her hand towards Seon, her demon guard. He ran up to Boreas and took her in his arms, leaving the two boys glaring at each other.
Men. Seriously. I am not even an adult yet and they are already treating me like a potential wife. I have no energy to deal with their antics right now.
***
The next day, walking back to the Garden of Frozen Memories proved to be even more of a challenge than before. Mainly due to a certain elf and ice demon refusing to take even a single step forward without Morrigan, their rivalry apparently reaching new heights.
"Princess Morrigan, please be careful. This patch over here is especially slippery," Boreas said and gently pulled her closer to himself.
"Morrigan, that place is even more slippery, you should come over here," Galandir said, glaring at the ice demon. How he had the nerve to speak so rudely towards a demon noble, Morrigan had no idea. If he weren''t considered an irreplaceable servant, then it was likely that Boreas would demand his execution. Not that Morrigan would ever allow such a thing to happen. But she had to admit that the elven boy was becoming a bit too bold.
"Enough, you two!" Morrigan shook her arms free of them both and glared at each of them in turn. They looked at her with the piteous eyes of a kicked puppy, but her patience had run out. "Our goal today is to complete the ritual, not squabble over who will hold my hand!"
"But Princess, you may slip!" Boreas objected.
"So be it! I''ll take that over all this squabbling," Morrigan said and kept walking forward by herself. She slipped on the ice almost instantly but managed to stabilize herself at the last moment, glaring at both boys who were already jumping forward to save her.
I swear I''d just melt all this ice if it was allowed, but apparently, that could wake up some unsavory monsters who only come during the warm season. Viana and Deziara taking a ride on Haku''s back ¨C that''s what I wanted to do.
Morrigan threw an envious gaze towards her sisters who were happily sharing the saddle on Haku''s back, looking quite comfortable. All because they managed to wake up earlier than her. Morrigan had just been too tired to wake up early that day. But there was no point in complaining anymore, so she kept waddling forward with Galandir and Boreas walking dejectedly behind her, flinching every time Morrigan slipped on ice.
After lots of slipping, they had once again arrived at the Garden of Frozen Memories. The blue lotus along with the icy pillars of their memories seemed to welcome them, and Morrigan felt that magic in the air had become much thicker than it had been the day before.
"Everything appears to be in perfect condition for the ritual. Lord Boreas, if you were so kind as to take the lead," Azrael said and blew his nose. His cold had gotten even worse after yesterday and his eyes and nose were red and a bit swollen. Morrigan even felt a bit bad for the mage. He did provide her with a wonderful memory yesterday. But sadly there was no magic to cure the common cold.
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"Of course. Everyone else, please step back," the ice demon commanded and everyone obediently gave him some space. He motioned Morrigan to stand by the lotus flower so she obeyed. Then Boreas went up to each icy pillar in turn, touching it and muttering something Morrigan could not quite hear. After he had gone up to each pillar a ball of light appeared in his hands. There were images flashing within it, but they were changing so quickly that it was impossible to tell exactly what they were.
"What is that?" Morrigan asked as Boreas slowly approached her, cradling the flashing ball as gingerly as a child. He looked nervous as he held it, then he offered it to her.
"You''ll understand once you see¡ Please, remain strong, Your Highness," Boreas said, cold sweat dripping from his forehead. Morrigan looked down at the ball and then reached out to take it.
When she took the ball in her hands, nothing really happened. At least not at first. She looked into it, hoping to maybe understand at least one of the images within it, but then blackness enveloped her. Boreas, all of her companions and the garden around her disappeared and the ball suddenly got so heavy that Morrigan couldn''t hold it anymore and dropped it to the ground. It rolled some distance away from her and then began expanding.
It grew larger and larger, slowly taking a black serpentine shape. After a while it had formed into a giant black landwyrm with red eyes looking down at her, saliva dripping down his maw. Morrigan took several steps back, nearly falling over from fright.
Where did this monster come from suddenly? Where is everyone? Are they safe?
The giant landwyrm at least five times the size of the construct Azrael made for the festival lunged forward, trying to swallow Morrigan whole. She instantly slipped into the darkness, avoiding its attack with ease.
"Oh. You already can melt into darkness at such a young age. Impressive. But that will not save you from my fireballs," the landwyrm said in a rough, booming voice, and his maw began glowing as fire formed within. Morrigan rushed as far into the dark void surrounding them, but the fire caught up to her in what felt like no time at all forcing her out of her shadow form.
She conjured a forcefield in an attempt to stop it, but it just burned through it and kept going. She barely managed to dodge it at the last second. Before she had the time to get her bearings another fireball flew straight at her. On instinct, she conjured her own fireball, making it hot as she could, its flames turning bright blue. It collided with the landwyrm''s fireball and then kept going straight towards the monster.
"Ha! My fire is stronger!" she called out victoriously as the fireball hit the landwyrm. However, much to her surprise it was completely unaffected by it.
Right¡ Dragons are extremely resistant to magic attacks and landwyrm is also a type of dragon.
"Hahaha! A blue flame at age sixteen ¨C spectacular!" The landwyrm laughed, its laughter echoing through Morrigan''s bone. Then it suddenly began to shrink until the massive monster was gone and its place stood¡ Alphegor? No, it wasn''t him as this demon''s hair was completely black. But the similarity was uncanny.
"Who are you and why do you look so much like my father?" She conjured another blue fireball in her hand, ready to hurl it at any moment.
"Odd, why would I look like my great-grandson?" he said with a confident smirk and walked over to Morrigan. She took a few shaky steps back until the demon was standing right in front of her, assessing her from head to toe.
"Great-grandson? But then would make you¨C"
"The first Demon King. Aye, that''d be me. And look at this little pumpkin," the King grinned and mercilessly squished Morrigan''s cheeks. She tried to squirm free, but his hold was firm. "What else can you do?"
Morrigan stared at him dumbfounded for a moment, but as his eyes sparkled with excitement similar to Alphegor, she decided to show him more of her magic. She concentrated on changing her shape, turning to look like the demon in front of her. Despite the transformation, he did not let go of her, instead turning her head this way and that as if to assess the precision of the transformation.
"Shape-shifting magic. Truly amazing. Alphegor has chosen a good heir, even if she has a human past," the King said, and Morrigan finally broke free.
"How do you know that? What even is this place? Aren''t you dead?" she asked, turning back to her own self. Her heart was pounding that this demon-ghost or whatever he was instantly could tell that she was a human before.
"This is the Garden of Frozen Memories. Every memory that you have is laid bare here. It''s not a problem for me to access those memories. As for your last question ¨C yes and no," he said with a smirk.
"What does that mean?" she narrowed her eyes at him.
"It means that my body is most certainly dead, however, my spirit lives on in this garden and can be summoned if necessary. It is a task I have undertaken ¨C measure whether my successors are worthy of taking the crown," the King explained then smirked.
"Worthy? So you attacked me before just to test me?"
"Yeah, you were never in any danger. And you passed with flying colors," he smiled and then outstretched his hand towards her. She looked at it and he opened his palm revealing a small black ring. She took it from his hand and looked at it from every angle ¨C it looked like any other ring, except with a subtle scaled pattern on it.
"What is this?" she asked.
"Proof that I, First Demon King, approve of you as the next Demon Queen. It''s possible that you''ll change not just the Underworld, but Doppelta as a whole," he said with a smile and then snapped his fingers. The scene instantly disappeared and Morrigan found herself standing between the four ice pillars.
"Your Highness, is everything alright?" Boreas asked, his expression contorted with worry. She blinked and looked around, seeing how Deziara and Viana looked equally worried. Azrael, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear in satisfaction.
"Well done, Princess," Azrael said and applauded. Morrigan opened her palm in which she previously held the light ball. Instead, she saw the black ring that the First Demon King had bestowed upon her.
"Everything''s alright," she nodded and smiled down at the ring. Without hesitation she took and put it on the index finger of her right hand. "Everything is just as it should be."
Chapter 113 – Goodbye, Snowden
Morrigan longingly looked back at the Snowden mansion, wondering if she''ll ever be able to return to it in order to paint its beautiful interior and garden. In the end, she never did get a chance to paint it since the fact that they had to spend two days in the Garden of Frozen Memories instead of one, already put them behind schedule. Which they were already falling behind on due to how slowly they moved through the icy terrain.
Servants were working hard, hauling the belongings back to the carriage along with some of the supplies that the Snowdens had decided to give them to help them get to their destination which apparently was far, far away. Like two duchies away kind of far. Worst of all, most of that time they''d have to spend somewhere outside the comforts of civilization to lessen the risk of enemy attacks.
"Can''t we stay for one more night?" Morrigan quietly whined to Viana who was overseeing the process of things getting loaded into carriages, making sure that nothing would be missing.
"You know we can''t, little sister. We''re already behind schedule," she said and then lowered her voice to a barely audible whisper. "Besides, do you really want to deal with Snowden Junior some more? I''m afraid Galandir will drill a hole in his skull if he keeps staring at him so much."
Both girls threw a glance at the elf who was sitting on Haku''s back and unabashedly glaring at Boreas who was busy commanding the servants to bring out this thing or that thing which could be used for the journey. Honestly, at the rate they were going, they''d run out of space in their supply wagons.
"Still ¨C it feels like I owe them. Without the help of Boreas, I would have never gotten the Ring of Frozen Memories," Morrigan said as she looked down upon the black ring on her index finger. It was somewhat unassuming with a pattern of scales running through its length. But anyone who had any dealings with magic could instantly tell that held powerful magic within. To be exact, it stored the magic from the surrounding area and kept it within itself until the user would need it.
Apparently, Alphegor also held such a ring which was given to him by the first Demon King as well. Morrigan had to wonder ¨C how did the spirit of a dead king manage to get these rings? Was there a convenient jeweler in the spirit world or wherever it was where the First King''s spirit resided? Or were these the rings he held while he was alive? If so ¨C shouldn''t he run out of them at some point?
"You know that was his duty. Not to mention that our local mage could have done that too," Viana said and pointed towards Azrael, who was still busy snooting and blowing his nose into a tissue. "Or maybe not¡"
"Probably not¡"
"Still it is their duty to assist you. You should not feel indebted to them," Viana said, but Morrigan was already itching towards her carriage where her paint supplies were stashed away.
"Just a quick little token of thanks," she looked at Viana with pleading eyes.
"We really need to get going."
"It''ll be quick. I''ll be done before they are done packing, I promise," Morrigan persisted. Viana stared at her and Morrigan pleadingly stared back.
"Oh, alright, fine. But make it quick and don''t use too much of your magic," the eldest princess finally relented.
"Of course," Morrigan said and zoomed off to the carriage, quickly retrieving everything she needed.
"Is there something I can help you with, Princess?" Boreas walked up to her as she set up the canvas close to the garden entrance.
"No, I am alright. Currently I just need to focus," she replied and without hesitation began laying down the base colors of the icy garden on her canvas. In reality, she didn''t know whether she really could finish the piece before all of the things were packed away. But she really wanted to paint the garden and had already made many sketches of it during the short snippets of free time that she had.
Not to mention that she really did want to leave a gift for the Snowden mansion. It was thanks to Boreas'' suggestion that Morrigan figured out how to remove the black orb in the first place. It felt only right that she returned the kindness shown to her. Also, the painting of their garden would make for a great addition to the art gallery which according to Alphegor was already being worked on tirelessly by the best demon architects.
After having painted the Garden of Frozen Memories with its overwhelming presence of white color, the Snowden mansion garden felt easy for Morrigan. Since most things were made out of ice, instead of just pure white substance ¨C the light icy blue dominated the scene. Not to mention that some icy sculptures were illuminated with colored lights ¨C for example, the sculpture of a dragon was illuminated with a yellow light making its scales appear to be made out of gold.
She wasted no time and worked fast, keeping her coloring to a more simplistic style while still trying to maintain the essence of the garden. It was a bit tricky, however, she enjoyed the variation in style. While failing here was not what she wanted, it certainly would not be the end of the world if she did. There was no reason for her to worry about perfection.
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As the carriages got filled with more and more things, Morrigan''s painting was also steadily coming to life. In fact, she was already beginning to add her little ''gift'' to it. The magic was beginning to drain away from her, and she smiled, happy to know that despite the more simplistic painting style that she chose, the magic still recognized her efforts.
Once she was done there was a collective murmur of amazed ''wows'' and everyone stopped dead in their tracks to look at the newest addition adorning the Snowden mansion garden ¨C a grand Christmas tree. It had drained a significant amount of her magic, however, she felt like she had enough magic reserves in her to create another such tree.
My proficiency with magic must be increasing since I seem to require less magic now to create things with my paint magic. That and I also feel like my magic reserves have increased even further now. Is it because of the Mark of Magic that I received in the Glittering Cave? Or is the ring subtly supplementing me with magic?
"Your Highness, may I inquire as to what this wonderful tree you''ve created?" Duke Snowden asked, not removing his eyes from the Christmas tree for even a second. Morrigan had drawn it to be slightly different from the traditional version of the Christmas tree. First of all, instead of painting a regular evergreen spruce she painted a blue spruce as it blended in with the icy garden much better.
Second, instead of drawing baubles and Christmas lights, she drew miniature versions of sculptures found in the garden and used those as ornaments. As for the lights, she used the magic lava lights in alternating colors of blue and yellow. They dimmed occasionally and then came back to life just like actual Christmas lights would.
"It is a¡" she stammered trying to come up with a name for it.
"It is a spruce, Your Grace. Very popular during the winter season in the Overworld. I''ve told Princess Morrigan about this tradition," Galandir quickly explained to the ice demon, while keeping his head bowed. Morrigan was surprised that he was actually adhering to the rules of decorum.
"Yes, that''s right. I am just fascinated by the plants growing in the Overworld. And the decorations I added, because I thought they would look nice in your garden. Like a centerpiece to show off all the beauty found in it," Morrigan added, chuckling a bit awkwardly.
"It truly is a marvel to look at. Thank you so much, Princess Morrigan. All the other noblemen will surely turn green from envy when they find out about it," Duke Snowden seemed delighted beyond belief, seemingly not caring about the origins of the tree.
"I concur. This tree is just as beautiful as the plants found in the Garden of Frozen Memories," Boreas said, admiring the tree with a smile. "It truly is a shame that you must leave so soon."
"I must continue my journey. Not to mention that most of my companions can''t handle the cold very well," Morrigan said and pointed towards Azrael who was already getting inside his carriage with three fireballs floating around him for warmth.
"Perhaps, you''d like my son to accompany you during this journey?" Duke Snowden said, a calculating grin appearing on his face. Morrigan did her best not to wince at the suggestion. Spending the whole journey watching Boreas and Galandir bicker and fight over her attention. No, thank you!
"Please, do not feel bothered by my account. I already have many servants and guards with me. I couldn''t possibly pull your son away from his home when you are most likely in dire need of his help," Morrigan said politely, hoping that the Duke would not pursue the matter any further.
"Oh, it''s not like this journey will take forever. You''ve already gone to two out of four sacred sites so it is already halfway done. I''m sure I can survive without my son''s help for a few months," Duke Snowden did not relent.
"But the first half was the shorter part of the journey. The rest of it might take much longer, not to mention that there are many unpredictable things along the way," Morrigan did not give in easily.
"Do not worry, Princess Morrigan. My father has plenty of help so even if I''m gone for half a year, he should be able to manage," the young ice demon chimed with a smile.
Two against one isn''t fair. I need something to rebuke him with.
As if on cue, Viana appeared by Morrigan''s side, "I''m sorry to say this, Duke Snowden but the size of our retinue is already as large as we can manage. Our pace is already slow so adding another carriage might slow things down even further. Not to mention that it might set our guards and knights on edge as they''d have to worry about guarding even more people then."
You tell them, sis!
"We can always send our own guards along," Duke Snowden said, but judging from his expression he already knew he was fighting a losing battle.
"As I said, our retinue is already big as it is. Any larger and it''ll turn into a marching army. We wouldn''t want to intimidate local demon people. Not to mention that we''ll be camping outside for most of the journey," Viana rebuked without any issue.
"Camping outside? Do Your Highnesses sleep on the ground?" Boreas looked absolutely shocked, clearly his noble persona couldn''t even phantom such a fact.
"No, we sleep on the dragon. But I''m afraid that might not be a viable option for you," Morrigan said and pointed toward Haku, who was busy trying to get something from Galandir. Boreas visibly paled and then forced a smile on his face.
"Yes. I believe it might be for the best for you to continue the journey on your own. You''ve managed quite well so far," Boreas relented while his father sighed in disappointment.
"Regrettable. I do hope that you come to visit us again soon, Your Highness," Duke Snowden said.
"Of course. And I hope you visit us sometime in the capital," Morrigan said and curtsied for the Duke along with her sister. He and his son bowed for them and after saying their goodbyes, Morrigan got into her carriage. As the carriage slowly left the territory of the beautiful mansion she saw how the Christmas tree she created shone in the dark of the Underworld like a beautiful beacon of hope ¨C its lights ever-changing.
Chapter 114 – Lost in the Dark
The shaking of the carriage was slowly beginning to subside as they left the uneven frozen landscape behind. Much to Viana''s delight it was also becoming warmed and warmer. She despised the cold. Her limbs turned stiff, her nose became runny and her cheeks got so cold that it almost felt like they burned. It was very difficult to maintain a proper image of a princess, and she found herself slipping up a few times which frustrated her to no end.
And Lord Boreas along with his pushy father were by far the worst thing in the north. Viana had heard from Lucius that both of them were rather ambitious, trying to find a way to marry one of the princesses. But she never expected him to be so bold with his advances. Initially, Viana was worried that the young and naive Morrigan might actually fall for his charms. But thankfully her worries turned out to be unwarranted as her little sister seemed even more annoyed by the situation than her.
Quite honestly, Viana didn''t yet fully understand her little sister. At times, she appeared very childlike, which, of course, was normal for her age. But at other times, she seemed far more mature than she should be for her age. Perhaps it was a side effect of her ever-growing power.
Viana glanced outside the carriage and saw how dark the outside was. It was getting darker as well and soon they would reach some of the darkest recesses of the Underworld where very few bioluminescent plants grew. It would be hard to navigate, however, it would be well worth the effort as their next destination was certainly one of the most beautiful places in the Underworld. She chuckled as she imagined Morrigan begging to paint the place.
But her smile quickly disappeared as she remembered the black orb in the Garden of Frozen Memories. It was almost a certainty at this point that there would be one in the next sacred site as well. But who keeps planting them there? How''d they get past the guards unnoticed? And where are they siphoning the magic to? All these questions filled Viana with worry.
***
"Why is it so dark?" Morrigan complained as she tried to discern something, anything in the darkness outside the carriage. But even with her enhanced night vision, she could not discern anything. She had no idea how the coachmen even knew where to go. Probably some navigation magic or something like that. "It''s like the darkness has gotten thicker somehow. Is that even possible?"
"It is. Taking your shadow form and doing shadow teleportation should be much easier in this area," Azrael said while flipping the page of a book. The demon had recovered from his cold and was back to his annoying, cocky self. And for some reason, he came to Morrigan''s carriage more often these days which in turn made her sisters stick to their own carriages.
"But what''s the point of shadow form if I can''t see where I am going?" Morrigan retorted and sat back down, giving up on trying to understand what was going on in the dark.
"Oh, we''re not even in the darkest part yet," Azrael chuckled.
"We''re not? Please, tell me that we''re at least close to our destination," she looked at him with pleading eyes.
"Nope. We still have to stop by one of the towns on our way to restock," he replied nonchalantly, and Morrigan groaned.
"I''m going to paint searchlights and stick them to the top of the carriages so I can see something as we move forward," she grumbled, although she was well aware that she could not paint something so obviously foreign.
"Searchlights? I''m not sure what those are, but you know that you can''t."
"I know. But I''m pretty sure those could illuminate even the darkest parts of the Underworld to make it look like daylight."
"There are lights that bright?" Azrael put his book down, looking rather interested.
"Yeah. Nothing in the Underworld has come even close to it. Except for Galandir''s¡" Morrigan trailed off as a realization. "I am so stupid! Galandir could have illuminated our path this whole time."
Morrigan was about to call for her elven friend when Azrael pulled her back into her seat.
"What?" She glared at him.
"Do you really think it''s a good idea for us to create a miniature sun in the Underworld and then travel around with it? Trust me if the option was viable we would have already used the boy," Azrael explained, and Morrigan slumped back down in her seat.
"But what if we get lost in the dark?"
"We won''t. Trust me. Our coachmen are the best when it comes to navigating in the dark," Azrael said with a toothy smile and returned back to his book.
"I really hope so. But if we get lost then we are losing Galandir''s magic to illuminate the path," Morrigan grumbled.
"Sure. But that won''t be necessary because we won''t get lost," he said confidently.
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I get a bad feeling about this. Our mysterious enemies are no doubt working hard to find us again. They must know that we are trying to reach the sacred sites. What if they set out a trap for us or some sort of magic? I wish we could just use Galandir''s light magic. A lot of magic in the Underworld depends on the presence of darkness after all.
***
"My sincerest apologies, Your Highness, but it appears we are lost," the head coachman said, bowing his head low to the ground while his subordinates were basically groveling before Morrigan.
"How''d this happen?" she exclaimed, glaring at Azrael who had assured her that they would not get lost.
"I''m sincerely sorry Your Highness, but our navigation magic isn''t working as it should. It is very hard for us to tell apart which is the right path and the complete darkness is making it even more difficult," he bowed multiple times.
"If there is something interfering with your navigation magic sense then you should have informed us right away," Viana growled, looking as angry as a fire-breathing dragon. The coachmen flinched at her voice.
"W-We believed that if we worked together we would be able to find the right path, however, we overestimated our ability. I am sincerely sorry, Your Highnesses," the coachman nearly hit his forehead against the ground. Morrigan sighed, her shoulders sagging.
"Enough. Groveling and apologizing isn''t going to put us on the right path. We need to figure out where we are," she said, and the coachmen relaxed.
"Do not think for a second that you are off the hook. As soon as we find the nearest city, you will receive your punishment," Viana growled, and they once again bowed their heads profusely.
"So how do you navigate in the Underworld without navigation magic?" Morrigan asked, but the silence stretched on as nobody answered. Finally, Azrael spoke up.
"The same way as anywhere else, I am afraid," he said somewhat nonchalantly. "Or perhaps we can just teleport to a familiar location and leave everyone who can''t follow behind."
"Out of the question! None of the servants here know such powerful magic. We cannot just leave them here," Morrigan glared and the mage, who lifted his hands up in defense.
"I was merely joking. No need to get so angry, Princess."
"Well, first things first. We need light. Galandir could you please create a bright light to illuminate the surrounding area. Not too strong at the start," she turned towards the elf who was quietly listening to the conversation up until now.
"Of course," he nodded.
"Princess, please reconsider. It would be a beacon that the whole Underworld would see," Azrael warned.
"But we are lost. We can''t see anything past our noses in darkness this thick. Even our night vision doesn''t help. We need to see where we are!" Morrigan retorted, and Viana nodded reluctantly.
"While it could attract some unsavory attention, I agree with Morrigan. We do not know where we are. We need light to find our path," she said, and Deziara also nodded along enthusiastically. Most of the servants and guards also nodded along.
"I am making the light," Galandir announced and produced a small but bright ball of light that instantly illuminated a large portion of the surrounding area. All the demons had to shield their eyes from the brightness and it took them a while to adjust to the light. But soon they began looking at the surrounding area ¨C a rather wide area with nothing in it.
"Well, that''s not really helpful¡" Morrigan mumbled, staring at the few small stalactites which were the only discerning thing in the area.
"We''ll have to keep moving forward and hope to come upon some sort of a landmark or a town," Viana sighed.
"How long can you keep the light?" Morrigan asked the elven boy.
"Don''t worry, it doesn''t take a lot of magic to create light. I can keep this up all day if need be," he smiled at her, and she sighed in relief. They would certainly need that light for quite a while.
Everyone returned to their carriages and mounts, except for Morrigan who decided to remain on Haku''s back alongside Galandir. She just wanted to keep an eye out for any potential danger or hopefully a town where they could find their way forward.
"It''s going to be alright. We''ll find our way," the elven boy calmed her, and Haku cooed along with him, attempting to calm Morrigan as well.
"Getting lost is not really what worries me. We''ve got plenty of supplies and a few days lost is not a big deal. Worst case scenario Azrael could create a portal, even if that would take a few days," Morrigan said. Apparently, creating portals was a rather difficult and magically heavy process, that''s why they didn''t use it to move their retinue. It''d leave Azrael completely devoid of magic which would mean that their strongest mage would not be able to defend them if somebody attacked them.
"What are you worried about then?" he asked.
"I''m worried that somebody is leading us into a trap. Our coachmen suddenly being unable to navigate through the dark when they had no trouble leading Viana through her tour? That is odd. Somebody must be messing with their magic," she explained, her brows furrowed.
"But this route is different from Viana''s route is it not? Perhaps, that is what threw them off," Galandir wondered.
"It could be that, but I have this strong suspicion that it is not the case," she clenched her hands on the saddle as she scanned the scenery ahead, expecting something to jump out at them at any moment.
"If somebody attacks, then we''ll defeat them. We have all the demon guards, elite knights from Count Etheles, and the strongest mage in the whole Underworld with us," he reassured her.
"Azrael is not the strongest mage."
"I was talking about you," he smiled mischievously.
"Me? I''m not that strong yet. Father is definitely stronger than I am."
"But can he create anything when he paints it?"
"No. But why would he need to? His dark tendrils are enough to destroy anything."
"Oh, yeah, destroy. But you know destroying is easy. Launch a fireball and it''s gone. The real power comes from creation, not from destruction."
Morrigan didn''t reply, pondering over his words. He was right in a way, but if their enemy decides to attack then her paint magic would not save them. Unless she created something that could help them prepare for an attack.
"Could you keep watch ahead? I think I need to go and paint something," she said, the cogs in her brain already whirling at the possibilities.
"Of course. I''ll be your eyes whenever you need me," he nodded and smiled.
Chapter 115 – Underworld Farm
"Princess Morrigan, we are approaching a town," Jin, Morrigan''s bodyguard, called out. She jerked at the sudden noise, groggily opening her eyes. It took her considerable effort to get herself upright and respond to the guard.
"Tell Galandir to stop the light magic."
"At once, Your Highness!" he replied, and she could hear him hurry ahead on his mount.
This town is likely where our hidden enemy wanted to lead us. There''ll no doubt be some sort of a trap there. But would they try to ambush or attack us head-on? There are too many unknowns. Let''s just hope I won''t have to use that.
Before long the retinue rode into a small town filled with demons that appeared to have some traits from infernals. Some had blazing hair, some had some limbs that looked like infernals limbs, some had fire on the tips of their tails. But they were still more demon than infernal.
"What is this place?" Morrigan asked Azrael who was carefully looking over the buildings.
"If I''m not wrong this is the Agnicaris Town, meaning that we are rather close to the border of Infernal Country," the mage replied.
"Is that bad?" Deziara asked nervously.
"No, that is actually not far from where we need to go," Viana replied, looking perplexed.
"That''s great, isn''t it? We get to rest and can peacefully continue our journey," Deziara said cheerfully.
"I''m afraid it is not so simple. You see, these demons are not known for loving royalty," Azrael said awkwardly, and Morrigan noticed that the stares they received from locals were less than friendly. Unlike in other places, where they were quickly surrounded by locals and greeted with ovation, everyone kept their distance.
"They don''t need to like us. They just need to sell us what we need. Let''s resupply, rest here for the night, and then leave," Morrigan said, and everyone nodded in agreement. If she could, she''d leave the town right away, but after getting lost, everyone felt a noticeable mental strain. The guards and the servants alike needed some time to relax properly.
"Galandir," she called out to her elven friend who was on his way to search for a place for Haku to stay. The dragon looked rather disgruntled. Not quite as badly as in the imp village, but something was definitely irking him.
"What is it?" He turned towards her.
"Could you do a little favor for me?"
"Of course. Why do you even bother asking?" He chuckled.
"Take this and place it some distance away from the town. Not too far, but not right next to it either," Morrigan said and placed a large oval disk in Galandir''s hand. He turned it carefully, trying to understand what it was.
"Um¡ sure. What is this?" he asked curiously.
"A backup plan. Just make sure you place it with this round eye pointing upwards," Morrigan pointed towards the little glass marble in the middle.
"Sure. Consider it done. I''ll take Haku and have it done in no time."
"No. Leave Haku with me. He''s too conspicuous," she shook her head and went towards her dragon friend, who happily scuttled closer to her. Galandir just nodded and then disappeared from sight.
"Hey, where is the elf boy going?" Azrael asked curiously, taking a half step after Galandir.
"Just on a little errand of mine. Don''t worry about it. Let''s find a place for Haku to stay," she said dismissively. The mage stared at her suspiciously for a moment, but then shrugged and kept walking.
"Now¡ªwhere could I leave a dragon in this town?" Morrigan wondered, looking around the town, when she noticed many curious, no, rather awestruck gazes coming from some of the local demons. For a moment she wondered whether Azrael had just been messing with her when he said that these demons don''t like royalty. But then she realized that they weren''t looking at her, they were looking at Haku.
That''s right, these people are fire people and Haku is a fire dragon. They must be fascinated with him to some extent. But I wonder if their fascination outweighs their fear. If it does then I could use it to our advantage.
"Excuse me, could anybody help us?" Morrigan called out, but everyone who was previously looking at Haku looked away, completely ignoring her.
"What are you doing, Morri?" Deziara asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Watch," she whispered to her sister and then spoke up loudly again. "I need to find a place for my dragon to rest for the night."
Everyone in the nearby vicinity turned their heads towards Morrigan again, their eyes sparkling with excitement. Some of them began inching closer, but one younger demon woman with a flickering yellow flame for hair rushed towards them.
"I got a place just perfect for him," she said eagerly and looked ready to lead them somewhere. However, when nobody made any move to follow her, the girl faltered and flushed from embarrassment.
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"I''m sorry. Y-You probably don''t trust me, do you? I''m sorry. I just saw a fire dragon and got so excited. My Pa got this large farm on the edge of the town with lots of open areas. It''d be a perfect place for a dragon," she chattered excitedly, but then her shoulders slumped. "But that''s up to you, of course."
"I believe Haku would love to stay at your farm, but could you introduce yourself to us first?" Morrigan said with a smile. It hadn''t escaped her that the gazes around her had grown tense. Many must have expected some sort of a reaction from her or somebody from her retinue. But they continued on with their business, not minding the excited girl at all.
"O-of course! My name is Ugunda, a simple farmer''s daughter. But I know lots about taking care of Underworld creatures!" she said, and after a brief pause continued excitedly. "We''ve got all sorts of creatures on our farm. Even a bearbull!"
I do not know what this bearbull thing is, but if the name is any indication of its appearance, I''d rather not meet it face to face.
"You believe your father would allow Haku to rest on your farm?"
"Absolutely! It''s a fire dragon and we are fire demons! We respect dragons above all other creatures," Uganda explained, and Morrigan even noticed some confirming nods in the crowd. It appeared that the demons had gotten a bit more relaxed around them, although nobody dared to join their conversation.
"Lead the way then. I''m sure Haku would love to stay at your farm," Morrigan said, pointing at her dragon.
"His name is Haku? That''s such a cool name for a dragon. Follow me!" The girl wasted no time and began running ahead, waiting for Morrigan and Haku to follow. After relaying instructions to a guard to wait for Galandir and later direct him to the farm, and taking a few of elite guards with her just in case, they followed the girl with flaming hair.
She eyed the guards suspiciously at first, but that was short-lived as soon she bombarded Morrigan with various questions about dragons. For example, how big was Haku when he hatched? Has he always been red? When did he first start spewing fire? How old was he? Can his fireball melt rocks? And so on and so forth. She did her best to answer the questions at first, but soon there were so many that Morrigan began picking and answering the easiest ones.
The fire demons they passed by on the street watched the dragon with the same awe. Some more curious ones even tried to approach Haku, but were met with a prompt rejection in the form of a growl. It quickly sent them running and looking for cover, but naturally, he didn''t do anything with Morrigan watching over him. Besides Haku''s growls, she could deduce that he didn''t really perceive them as a threat.
"There it is! My Pa''s farm," Ugunda announced, pointing at the structure standing at the edge of town. Morrigan couldn''t quite understand what she was looking at first. There were a few simple buildings standing at the front of the whole thing, the lights in their windows looking somewhat demure. But behind them stood a large territory filled with light and wonder.
The most memorable of it all was the large field filled with glowing, orange bulbs. They stretched as far as the eye could see, looking like little candlelights, laid down in thousands next to each other. On the other side of the houses were vast plains illuminated by gentle magic lights which faithfully followed animals that grazed there. Morrigan couldn''t exactly tell what kind of animals those were since they were so far away, but she saw that each one had a magic light following it.
"Amazing, isn''t it?" Uganda said smugly.
"It is amazing!" Morrigan nodded in agreement, and she saw how Haku was already hungrily eyeing one of the grazing animals, no doubt perceiving it as a possible play partner. Or at least she hoped he perceived them as a possible play partner. "Haku, be good."
The dragon lowered its head guiltily and exhaled a puff of smoke. Morrigan patted his scales and they continued towards the farm. The closer they got, the more magical it seemed. It had not only those bulbous light plants but also a plethora of more regular-looking plants ¨C like small trees with blue oranges which Morrigan had eaten plenty of times before. But there were also Underworld vegetables and fruits.
"Do you grow everything here?" Morrigan asked in awe, as they passed through the front gate. There were demons in the fields tending both to animals and to crops, although most of them stopped when they saw a giant red dragon come into the yard.
"Yeah! The land here is especially fertile. We get lots of water flowing from the frozen parts of the Underworld, not to mention that this is the only place in the Underworld where fire bulbs grow," the girl said and pointed toward the glowing pods. They had a sweet scent that seemed familiar to Morrigan.
"Firebulbs are those glowy things? What are they used for?" she asked.
"For making sugar of course," the girl said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Morrigan had to resist the urge to slap herself on the forehead. She should have known. Gunna had told her that sugar in the Underworld is made from a bulbous plant but she never imagined that this bulbous plant would also glow.
"That''s amazing. No wonder that you have so much of it here," Morrigan hummed.
"Yup. Our little region has to supply the whole Underworld with sugar after all. Thankfully, it''s easy to grow in the right conditions."
"Ugunda, what is going on here?!" A horrified-looking demon stepped out of the house, his eyes darting from Ugunda, to Morrigan and then finally to Haku where they stopped. "Is that a¡"
"A fire dragon! And this is Her Royal Highness, Crown Princess Morrigan! Her dragon needs a place to stay for the night and I figured he could stay on our farm since we have so much free space," she said with a wide grin.
"Honey, what is going ¨C" a demon woman with flaming hair identical to Ugunda''s ran outside with a ladle in hand which she dropped to the ground the moment she saw the dragon. For a long, awkward moment, both parents just stared in horror and disbelief, trying to process the information. Morrigan waited for them to say something, but when she realized that they wouldn''t, she spoke up instead.
"Of course, we wouldn''t want to intrude. If it''s too much of bother, we could ¨C"
"NO!" Both of them instantly objected, taking a hurried step worried, catching themselves at the very last moment. Morrigan stared at the worriedly for a second, before the demon man cleared his throat and bowed.
"I apologize for our rudeness, Your Highness. We were just too shocked to see our daughter bring a member of the royal family and a fire dragon into our home. We''d be honored to host you and your dragon here," he said politely, and his words felt sincere to Morrigan. She didn''t feel any displeasure coming from them. In fact, she saw how excitedly Ugunda''s mother''s eyes were sparkling at Haku.
"Me as well?" she asked, just to make sure.
"You and your whole retinue if need be," the mother added, finally tearing her eyes away from Haku.
"I am Melinda and this is my husband Gunther. We are humble farmers but if you allow us the honor to gaze upon this mighty creature, then we''d be forever in your depth, Your Majesty!"
Morrigan smiled as she saw how fondly they gazed at Haku, and how Haku seemed likewise intrigued by them. She trusted his judgment more than her own, so she decided that instead of heading back to the city, she''d remain here.
"Thank you for your kind offer. I''d love to learn more about what you do here!"
Chapter 116 – Firebulbs
"This place is amazing!" Galandir exclaimed in wonder, looking eagerly over the many plants that grew in the many neat rows made into the soil. The farmer demon family was giving Morrigan and her whole retinue a tour around the land.
"Thank you kindly. We work hard to grow these vegetables, but not many appreciate our efforts," Melinda said with a bittersweet smile.
"Really? But people all over the Underworld eat your vegetables, do they not? Like the blue citrus over there is a common guest on my plate in the palace," Morrigan said.
"Oh, yes, everyone is eager to eat it, but nobody is eager to grow it. Farming in the Underworld is difficult and tricky business, but all everyone says is that we should have taken up a more demon-like profession," the fire demoness said with a downcast glance.
"But growing food is an honorable profession. Without farmers like you, nobody would have anything to eat," Morrigan said. She couldn''t quite understand this demon mentality of being so negligent towards food.
"Many demons believe that they could easily survive by just eating the meat of the wild monster they hunt," Viana said with a sigh. "Fools clearly have no inkling of a well-rounded diet. Not to mention that if all of us hunted for our food every day, then we''d run out of things to hunt pretty quickly."
"Oh, it''s so reassuring to hear that our future generation understands the importance of farming," Gunther said and smiled at Morrigan and Viana. "I pray that Your Highnesses will remember us when you take over your father."
"That is still some time away," Morrigan chuckled awkwardly, not wanting to start any political discussions right now. "What about the animals that you grow here? What do you use them for?"
So their tour continued as they over what could mostly be described as cattle. Underworld versions of sheep, goats, chickens and cows. This means that they looked mostly like the regular versions of these animals only scarier ¨C like, for example, the cows had sharp canine teeth while goats had three sets of horns. And as it turned out the bearbull was not much scarier than a regular bull ¨C it was just hairier.
"And this is our most recently built fire-proof stable. We built them for salamanders which we are planning to raise on our farms, however, they are currently empty. We''d be more than happy to allow your wondrous dragon to remain here for a night. Or two. Or as long as you like really," Melinda said, as her eyes scanned over Haku with unhidden interest.
"Thank you so much for your kindness," Morrigan said, wondering whether the demons would attempt to do anything Haku secretly. But she quickly dismissed her worries ¨C Haku could take care of himself.
"It''s no trouble at all. You may leave your dragon keeper here, my husband will show him everything he needs. Meanwhile, why don''t we head inside and I''ll show you your rooms?" The fire demoness beckoned them to follow and they obliged.
"Am I glad that you found this place, Morrigan. Everywhere we looked in the city, all the demons were scowling at us. Well, me and Viana and Azrael. They didn''t seem to mind the servants and the guards," Deziara whispered.
"I have to apologize for that. Many demons here believe that we''d be better off living as part of the Infernal Kingdom due to many of us having infernal ancestry," Melinda explained. "What they forget is that we are still mostly demons rather than infernal."
"So you wouldn''t want to be a part of the Infernal Kingdom?" Viana asked carefully.
"No. Infernals care less for farming than even demons since they can survive from inorganic matter like specific minerals and lava. We cannot, even with the infernal blood in our veins. We need actual food," the demoness shook her head disapprovingly. "But don''t worry ¨C nobody will really do anything bad to you. They are just a bunch of grumps, is all."
I really hope that nobody in this city has decided to work together with our enemy. But just in case something does happen, we''ll be ready. The guards are already on high alert even if they don''t show that.
As Morrigan and her sisters followed Melinda inside the farmhouse, Melanos appeared next to them, nearly making Morrigan scream out in shock. The sudden appearance of the spymaster still startled her every time since the demon looked as sinister as they came. She always had to remind herself that Melanos was in fact a friend, not a foe. Somehow her subconscious had a lot of trouble accepting it, apparently.
"Your Highness, there is suspicious activity going on in the city," Melanos whispered quietly to Morrigan.
"Are the guards aware?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Good. Keep an eye out. Inform me if something changes," she whispered to him. The spymaster inclined his head towards her and then disappeared back into the shadows.
"Is everything alright, Your Highness?" Melinda asked a bit nervously, no doubt being put off by the spymaster''s sudden appearance.
"Just one of my guards reporting their progress with gathering supplies," she replied with a smile. The demoness nodded and led them to the second floor of their house. It was surprisingly spacious for such a small house and had plenty of guest rooms that the princesses could use. Melinda showed them all the guest bedrooms, so they each could choose whichever one they preferred the most. Morrigan''s eyes were already set on one particular bedroom ¨C with a view that overlooked most of the town.
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"I''ll let you all get comfy and get started on the dinner. It should be ready in about an hour or so," Melinda said and with a bow, left princesses on their own.
"What did Melanos say?" Viana asked as soon as they were alone.
"Suspicious activity in the town. I believe it''s likely that we''ll get ambushed tonight," Morrigan said, and Deziara audibly gasped.
"Again?"
"When else? This is a perfect chance for them. They somehow managed to confuse our coachmen which I wish we could replace right now, but with demons this hostile towards us, we cannot risk it. It is possible that they would have ambushed us somewhere in the dark but¡"
"But since I had Galandir shine light around us, we would have seen them coming right away," Morrigan finished.
"Yes. So we likely avoided the worst thing that they were planning. However, we ended up in a rather unfriendly city where we are unlikely to receive aid from locals. More likely than not, they are gathering their forces to overpower us with numbers," Viana said.
"But¡ that''s really, really bad. What do we do?" Deziara whined.
"We should teleport away from here. We cannot remain," Viana said firmly.
"Then we''d have to leave most of the servants and guards behind," Morrigan retorted.
"They''re after you and after us, not after the guards or the servants," Viana pointed out.
"So they''re just going to leave them alone?" Morrigan objected, and her eldest sister fell silent.
"So we cannot leave and we cannot stay. What do we do?" Deziara asked, looking from one sister to the other.
"We''re going to wait for the opportune moment," Morrigan said with a mischievous smile. Both the older sisters looked at each other nervously. They both knew from this expression that Morrigan was without a doubt plotting something.
***
The night was nerve-wracking. Silence seemed heavier than normal and darkness seemed to be stronger even for this already dark part of the Underworld. The inhabitants of Agnicaris Town could feel it, but they merely dismissed it due to the presence of royals. But Morrigan along with the rest of her retinue knew that among the shadows something was coming.
Guards were standing vigilantly around and near the farm, observing every little movement in the dark. Some of the Count Etheles'' elite knights were patrolling around the city, watching out for any suspicious behaviour although to the locals they appeared as the most suspicious entities themselves.
Everyone seemed to be waiting for something but nobody knew what exactly. It was the quiet before the storm, even when nobody knew what storm was coming for them ¨C hurricane, snowstorm or something completely different entirely. Morrigan stared out of the window of her bedroom, looking over the firebulbs in the farm, waiting for the mysterious enemy to appear. The little switch in her hands was the only thing that seemed to keep her grounded.
"Your Highness," Melanos suddenly appeared behind her, kneeling on the ground.
"Report," she turned towards him, her expression icy cold.
"The town is surrounded from all sides. Nobody has entered the town and the enemy is using the dark to hide their presence," the spymaster said, and Morrigan''s heart sank. She knew there would be numerous enemies, but the thought that they would be able to completely surround the town terrified Morrigan.
"Is there no way to slip past them?"
"None. Their numbers vastly outnumber our own and I believe there are more joining their ranks as we speak."
"Any idea as to who they might be affiliated with?"
"It is difficult to say ¨C there are representatives of many races there, even some demons. They might be affiliated with the Fallen Kingdom, however it is unlikely since we have been keeping a close eye on them ever since signing the peace treaty."
"But who else could gather so many people from different races to work under them?" Morrigan asked, a bit of frustration seeping into her voice.
"I believe our safest bet is to assume that it is another demon," Melanos said, his voice sharp and cold. "However, currently we need to worry about your escape. You and your sisters need to return to the Demon Castle."
"And leave everyone else behind?"
"It is your life that matters, not that of servants. You should shadow teleport right away while Lord Azrael takes care of your sisters," Melanos said, but Morrigan shook her head stubbornly.
"No, we are not running. If I run right now, then this tour is well and truly over, but we haven''t even gone to the third sacred place yet. No, it is time we learned who our mysterious enemy is," Morrigan said resolutely and looked down at her pendant. She touched it and channeled her magic inside.
"Hello, Morrigan. Couldn''t sleep?" resounded the sleepy voice of the Demon King.
"Father, I need your help," she said resolutely.
"Of course, little one. What do you need?"
"Could you teleport to where I am right now?" she asked.
"Of course. Just channel a bit more of your magic into the pendant and I should be able to follow your magic to the right location," the King replied. Morrigan did as he said, channeling her magic inside the pendant. After a few tense, silent minutes, a dark shadow appeared on the floor, and out from it rose Alphegor, dressed in full battle armor.
"Your Majesty!" Melanos bowed before the King who was scanning the fields outside the window as if he could sense the enemy.
"Don''t worry, Morrigan. I''ll take care of those bastards real quickly," Alphegor said with an evil sort of grin appearing on his face.
"No, Father! If you just slaughter them all, we won''t know who is sending people after us. Not to mention that the fighting could involve innocent people. We should attempt to keep things peaceful," she said.
"That''ll be more difficult¡" the King growled, looking rather annoyed at the prospect of holding his power back..
"It''s alright ¨C I have a plan!" she said resolutely and showed Alphegor a little switch that she had been holding in her hands the whole evening. The King looked at it quizzically, then looked into his daughter''s eyes and smiled. He trusted Morrigan.
Chapter 117 – Mastermind
"Princess Viana! We are under attack! You must get to safety," one the guards called out, rousing Viana out of her thoughts. She and everyone else already knew that this would happen. But even so, the moment was nerve-wracking. If it had been up to her, then she would have teleported back to the Demon Castle, had the demon soldiers deal with the enemy and then resume the Princess Tour afterwards.
But it was up to Morrigan to decide their course of action. She had warned her little sister repeatedly against the possible dangers, but the little demon seemed to have something up her sleeve. Perhaps, she just intended to take the enemies head-on ¨C with her power it wouldn''t actually be such a bad idea. Morrigan could easily defeat a whole army with her fire magic alone.
But they were in a farmhouse right now, which wasn''t the best place for a destructive magic battle. There were many crops growing in the fields, and losing those would be quite a devastating blow to the local economy. However, there was nothing to be done about it now, so the best thing Viana could do was support her little, stubborn sister.
"Get everyone ready! Where is Morrigan?" Viana asked the guard.
"She and Lord Azrael are currently engaged with the enemy," he replied nervously.
"Already? Quickly ¨C lead me to them!" Viana said and followed the guard through the farmhouse. She expected to hear a lot of noise from the battle, but everything was quiet. Eerily so. The guard led her outside where she saw two sides standing at a stalemate.
Or to be precise, their attackers were forced into a stalemate as angry blue flames hovered in the air, ready to fly at them at a moment''s notice. Haku the dragon was growling, his mouth filled with flames while an army of intruders stood beyond the farm borders, nobody daring to engage.
"Bring out your leader!" Morrigan bellowed, not a single shred of fear in her face.
"W-We have the whole city surrounded, Princess Morrigan. Cooperate or¨C"
"I said to bring out your leader, you worm! Or do you have trouble with your hearing?" the demon girl cut him off without hesitation. Viana''s breath hitched as she looked at her little sister. Such power exuded from her, something she had not seen in her before. At that moment Morrigan without a doubt stood with the same strength as the Demon King. Unyielding and unforgiving ¨C like the strongest hellflame.
"W-We have this place¨C" the cloaked soldier tried to speak again, but one of the blue flames flew at him striking the ground right in front of him. He yelped and jumped back, no doubt feeling the heat of Morrigan''s flames.
"Bring out your leader!" She demanded, and the soldier ran away, his tail literally tucked in between his legs. The opposing army of enemies, all of whom wore masks to cover their faces, looked at Morrigan, who stood tall and proud, not at all bothered by the overwhelming numbers in front of her.
After several tense minutes, a large drow with dark blue skin, white hair and red eyes stepped out in front of the mass. Unlike the rest of the soldiers, his face was exposed and he was sneering down at Morrigan.
"So the little princess hopes to intimidate with her display of magic. How cute!" the drow snickered. "Gather your wits, you fools. She is just one little girl. We''re going to capture her and put an end to this little charade!"
He laughed, his soldiers laughing along with him, finally gathering their courage. But much to their surprise, Morrigan also laughed alongside them.
"How cute! He thinks he''s going to capture me. Me! The Crown Princess of Demon Kingdom," she retorted, the amount of blue flames hovering above increasing twofold, forcing the enemy to take a step back. The drow however did not seem intimidated.
"Oh, yes. Flaunt your blue flame, but how long would you be able to keep attacking us? Those flames of yours consume a lot of magic, but our numbers are limitless. We''ll keep coming until you have no magic left. So be reasonable. The people of this town needn''t suffer ¨C just come with us peacefully and they get to continue their peaceful lives."
"You really think I''m just going to give myself up? What do you even want with me?" Morrigan retorts, and Haku lets out an angry growl from behind her, forcing the enemy soldiers in the first rows to take a step back.
"You''ll find out if you come with us," the drow said with a sickly sort of smile.
"Fine, don''t tell me. I''ll have my father find out for me," Morrigan said with a smile.
"Nice try, little princess. But your father won''t save you now," the drow said, filled with confidence. "I don''t know if you remember, but we have this place surrounded. You do not stand a chance."
"Oh, yes, that''s all you''ve been yappering. Big numbers, surrounded, yadda, yadda. But are you sure about that? Because if my eyes are not deceiving me, there seems to be something coming from right over there," Morrigan said and pointed towards the outskirts of the city. Everyone turned their heads to look. Initially, Viana could see nothing, but then she noticed light emanating from the outskirts.
"Nice bluff. But light from your little elven friend isn''t enough to scare us," the drow retorted. But just as he said that screams came from the direction of the light and the enemy soldiers grew visibly tense.
"Is it me you''re talking about? Because I am right here. Not there," Galandir spoke up, appearing right next to the dragon, smiling smugly from ear to ear. Viana felt confused. She had thought that the light coming from the outskirts was indeed something Galandir had done. Morrigan had sent him there before, however there was no way he could be attacking the soldiers garrisoned outside the city from here.
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The screams suddenly grew louder, as did the light and Viana heard a steady clatter of weapons from far away, and a loud voice echoing throughout the whole Underworld. She could recognize this strong voice anywhere.
"We give no quarter! No mercy towards those who came to capture my daughter," Alphegor''s voice boomed over the town like thunder, sending deep trembles down into Viana''s core. Had he come here with a whole army in tow?
"Is that¡?" The drow suddenly looked much paler.
"Sir! The Demon King has come together with a whole army!" One of the soldiers suddenly screamed. Panic rose among the enemy ranks which Morrigan instantly took advantage of.
"Capture the drow!" She yelled out and before anyone had any time to react, Azrael was already next to the drow, thick dark vines wrapped around him. The soldiers scattered in every direction, running for their lives. The blue flames rained down after them while Haku began chasing against the panicked soldiers who ran as quickly as their feet allowed them.
Before long all of the enemies had run away, leaving Morrigan and her retinue standing undamaged and unbothered. Viana looked at the little sister in awe. Not only had she sent her enemies running, but she had done so without causing any bloodshed or damage to the surrounding area.
***
"I can''t believe that actually worked!" Morrigan said with a deep sigh, melting down onto the couch next to her father. Her plan waged heavily on intimidating the enemy and luckily for her ¨C it had worked.
Their numbers had been overwhelming ¨C several thousand drow, duergar, demons and even vampires. They had been separated into battalions of sorts, each one led by one general like the drow that Azrael captured.
"I can''t believe you could be so reckless!" Viana grumbled, wagging an angry finger. "Several thousand enemies and you act as if you were dealing with merely a few children!"
"But that was quite a plan! I couldn''t believe my eyes when I saw the phantom army you created," Alphegor roared in laughter, affectionately patting Morrigan''s hair.
"Phantom army?" Deziara cocked her head curiously.
"I anticipated that we might get attacked soon, so I created a little something to help us out," Morrigan said and pulled the disk that she had given to Galandir before. The King had retrieved it once he had captured the remaining generals and a large number of soldiers which had already been transported to the Demon Castle dungeons.
"What''s that?" Deziara asked. Morrigan pulled a little switch out of her dress pocket and pressed the little button. At the same moment, the room became filled with demon soldiers, all wearing the Demon Kingdom coat of arms, swords held in their hands.
Viana and Deziara tried to avoid the mass of soldiers, only to realize that they all just went through them. Deziara waved her hand through one demon only to watch as it passed through.
"Wha¨C?" Viana exclaimed as Morrigan pressed the button again and the soldiers disappeared.
"It''s something I created with my paint magic. A phantom demon army. Whenever I press the button, the image comes out of this device and shows demon soldiers. I hoped to scare our enemy away with this by making them believe that our numbers are larger than they actually are," Morrigan shrugged her shoulders.
"You can create things like this?" Viana asked in genuine shock.
"It took a lot of tinkering to get the thing right. Initially, it would show the projection right away and some soldiers were half-solid," Morrigan said.
"Half-solid?" Deziara asked in horror.
"Yeah. They were like slimes, sort of. It was gross," Morrigan shuddered as she remembered how the slimy soldiers had filled her carriage. It was only thanks to Azrael''s magic that she was able to continue her experiments in peace. "It took like seven attempts to make the projection work like I wanted it."
"Projection? So it works like a projection crystal only it is showing what you want it to show?" Viana asked.
"Yeah, pretty much," Morrigan nodded.
"Your Highness, I am sorry to interrupt this conversation, but I believe it is crucial that His Majesty returns to the Demon Castle as soon as possible," Melanos suddenly spoke up. Everyone was surprised by his sudden words, and had it been somebody else, the King no doubt would have gotten mad. But if the spymaster spoke then it must have been for a good reason.
"Why do you believe that?" Alphegor said.
"I believe the ploy to capture the princess was only half of the enemy''s plan. It is too simple and too predictable for that to have been it. I believe it was more like a distraction," Melanos said grimly.
Now when he mentions it ¨C he''s right. Their plan was basically just to overwhelm me with numbers and capture me. But there are so many ways that plan could have been foiled. My magical power alone is something they should have considered a lot more. Could it really have been just a distraction?
"Yeah, it is likely. But if they wanted to distract me from something then it is likely they have already succeeded. Nonetheless, I shall return to the capital," Alphegor said and rose up from his seat. "Stay safe, my daughters!"
And within the next moment, the King had disappeared into the shadows. Everyone looked at each other awkwardly, unsure of what to say or do next.
"Anybody want any cookies?" Melinda suddenly spoke up, her daughter shivering like a leaf right next to her while Gunther looked like he was about to pass out.
"I''m so sorry you had to see all that," Morrigan apologized to the fire demons.
"No, no! It''s not like you wanted to get¡ attacked," Melinda stammered out, and Morrigan couldn''t help but frown.
If only it wouldn''t involve civilians. If any real fighting would have broken out then how many people would have suffered. But at least we''ve captured the general so perhaps, we''ll be one step closer to understanding who it is that is trying to capture me so badly.
"I believe it''s time we continued on our journey. Viana, have our supplies been restocked?" Morrigan asked her still dumbfounded sister. She blinked slowly, then she shook her head as if coming out of a trance.
"Yes. We have everything we need," the eldest princess replied.
"Then let''s keep going before we cause any more trouble," she said, doing her best to suppress a yawn.
"Won''t you rest for the night?" Melinda asked.
"As much as I''d like to ¨C we do not have any time to waste. We need to disappear before our enemy realizes where we have gone," Morrigan said, and everyone nodded in agreement. Part of her wished to go home and leave this whole mess behind.
But I am not going to give up now. I will complete this tour and prove myself worthy. And also find out who is out to get me.
Chapter 118 – Darkness
Tired and weary, Morrigan''s retinue continued their journey into the darkest parts of the Underworld. Galandir constantly used his light magic to illuminate the way, but the deeper they went, the dimmer his light seemed to become¡ªwhether it was from exhaustion, the strength of darkness, or perhaps a mix of both, Morrigan did not know.
"How much longer until the next sacred site?" she asked Viana wearilly, who looked equally tired from the journey. Deziara was already half-dozing on Morrigan''s shoulder, unable to keep her heavy eyelids open.
"I believe we are quite close now, judging by how thick the darkness is," Viana replied.
"How can darkness get thicker? It makes no sense," Morrigan retorted. Darkness was merely the absence of light. It couldn''t be thicker or thinner like a liquid. Yet she could not deny that the dark in this part of the Underworld was much more prevalent than anywhere else. Perhaps it was merely an illusion due to the lack of bioluminescent plants and fungi. Or perhaps she just couldn''t see them in the overwhelming dark.
"It really doesn''t. And it''s exhausting too. Aren''t we supposed to thrive in the dark? This is clearly too much," Deziara mumbled sleepily.
"I can stay in the shadow form for longer," Viana replied. "Granted I do still feel exhausted."
The three sisters sighed and slumped in their seats, unperturbed by the constant rattling of the carriage. By this point they had grown used to it, as unpleasant as it was. Just as they did that a shadow appeared in the carriage and Azrael materialized out of it, all smiles and unwelcome cheer.
"Princesses! I come bearing¨C Hey! Why the long faces?" The mage looks from Morrigan to Deziara and finally to Viana.
"I just want a bath," Deziara muttered.
"I just want a bed," Viana added.
"I just want not to rattle in a carriage for one day," Morrigan sighed.
"You all have been warned that the journey would be exhausting," Azrael snickered.
"You''re one to talk. You just teleport to a city each night and rest in the lap of luxury," Morrigan grumbled.
"It''s not all fun and games for me either. For the past few nights, I had to teleport all the way back to Demon Castle to interrogate the captured soldiers," Azrael grumbled.
"Any luck?" Morrigan perked up a bit. She was hoping that one of them might have broken and finally given them the name of their mysterious leader.
"We finally managed to break a few of them, but the sad thing is that they don''t know who the mastermind is," Azrael shook his head.
"Then you didn''t break them at all," Viana grumbled, and Morrigan couldn''t help but shudder. Talking of breaking people was making her feel uncomfortable although she knew that in cases like these, there was no other way. They needed the information.
"Oh, no, they''re completely broken alright. Used the strongest truth potion on them. They named all the other generals and the whole composition of their army as well as their whole little plan of capturing us," Azrael explained. "They had used some illusion magic to confuse our coachmen and make them lose their way in the dark, then the scouts followed us until they deduced which town we were most likely to end up at."
"And then gather their forces and strike," Morrigan finished, her head low.
"Yeah. The bastards had gone all out too ¨C using the best mages they had to create portals large enough for an army to pass through. Basically, their attack forces had no mages left, only physical attackers which is absolute foolishness if you ask me."
"Their whole plan was rather foolish. Are you sure it wasn''t a diversion?" Viana asked.
"It could have been, but if that''s the case then their diversion worked because we haven''t found anything out of place," Azrael shrugged. Everyone''s mood turned even more glum and heavy silence overtook the carriage.
"Oh right, I completely forgot why I came here in the first place," Azrael suddenly perked up.
"Why did you come?" Morrigan asked.
"We have reached our destination!" The mage cheered, and all three princesses perked up. As if on cue, the carriage stopped, and Seon opened the carriage door.
"Your Highnesses, we have arrived," the guard said, but Morrigan was barely able to see his face despite the fact that there were lamps lighting the inside of the carriage and that he was holding one in his hand.
"Why is everything so dark?" Deziara grumbled, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"We''re officially in the darkest part of the Underworld. Getting any sort of illumination is rather difficult here," Azrael replied and jumped out of the carriage, a fireball in hand. Unfortunately, his fireball did little to illuminate the surroundings and Morrigan couldn''t see anything that was further than a few meters away.
"I believe some stronger light is in order," Galandir''s voice resounded in the darkness, and with a snap of his fingers, a bright light ball appeared above the retinue, illuminating everyone. Much to Morrigan''s horror, she saw that they were dangerously close to a chasm.
"Wow, that was a close one," Azrael whistled, looking into it.
"Do not worry, Your Highnesses. These moles are excellent at navigating in the dark. They would never just fall into a chasm," Seon said and patted one of the carriage-pulling moles who angrily snarled at the demon. Nonetheless, it did calm Morrigan a little bit. If you didn''t rely on your vision to navigate then surely this darkness wasn''t an obstacle for the moles.
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Then again how much do they care about us? The only emotion I''ve ever seen from these beasts is anger. One would think that a dragon would be harder to reason with but Haku is positively charming when compared to them.
Morrigan took a look at Haku, who was curiously sniffing at the chasm, not daring to step too close.
"So where is this next sacred site?" Deziara asked, looking around the place. Nothing in particular stood out ¨C it was craggy and filled with stalagmites and stalactites much like the rest of the Underworld.
"Right there," Azrael said and pointed at the chasm. Morrigan blinked a few times and narrowed her eyes, trying to see into the dark ¨C Galandir''s light didn''t quite reach beyondit.
"It''ll be difficult getting over the chasm. I imagine our only way over is on Haku''s back," Morrigan noted.
"Oh no. The sacred site is not beyond the chasm," Viana shook her head, her complexion looking rather pale.
"Not beyond the chasm¡ You don''t mean?" Morrigan paled and looked at the threatening hole in the dark.
"Yes, the next sacred site is within the chasm!" Azrael announced cheerfully, laughing like a maniac.
"This guy is insane. I vote we throw him in first," Galandir said, looking at Azrael with disdain.
"I agree!" Deziara quickly added.
"Me too," Morrigan nodded.
"Same," even Viana joined in with a solemn nod to which Azrael appeared to look completely shocked.
"I can''t believe you would treat me so coldly," he appeared to be offended but obviously nobody bought his charade. Instead, Morrigan slowly approached the chasm, trying to peer into it. The elf followed behind her, his hand outstretched, ready to catch her in case she would fall.
"All I see is darkness," she grumbled, retreating from the edge. "How are we supposed to get down there? And how deep even is it?"
"There''s a narrow ledge that leads down. As for how deep it is¡ Nobody really has measured. But it''ll take a while to get to the bottom. And I''m afraid flying on Haku is a no-go. The dragon is far too large to fit in there," Azrael announced, appearing rather satisfied. Morrigan had the strongest urge to just throw a fireball in his face.
"Why are you happy about it?" Deziara voiced Morrigan''s exact thoughts and punched Azrael in the shoulder without holding back. The mage groaned although it was clear that most of the impact must have been absorbed by some sort of magic.
"Well, it''s only fair that the future queen has to go through a bit of hardship," the mage shrugged.
"And plummet to her death?" Deziara grumbled. Viana visibly shuddered and stepped further away from the chasm.
"I''m sorry, Morrigan, but I don''t think I''ll be able to accompany you this time. Going down there once was¡ quite enough for me," Viana said, wrapping her arms protectively around herself. If Viana with her mastery of earth magic had trouble climbing down then what chance did Morrigan stand?
"Wait¡ I''ll just go down as a shadow," Morrigan announced, shrugging nonchalantly, but a smile appeared on Azrael''s face.
"Princess, did you forget already?" He snickered, and now Morrigan couldn''t hold back and threw a fireball at the smug mage who promptly blocked it with a wide grin.
"Shadow form is not allowed," Viana said with a sigh, and Azrael laughed. Morrigan flung a few more fireballs at him in anger.
"Oh, and you''re only allowed to take one person along this time. The magic down there is rather sensitive," Azrael said.
"You are so coming with me," Morrigan growled at the white-haired demon who just shrugged.
"Obviously. Who else but me could handle such a journey?" he said triumphantly. "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure you don''t die."
"How about I go with Morrigan instead?" Galandir spoke up and bright light wings sprouted from his back. There was a confident smirk on his face, and Azrael''s smile disappeared.
"Wait¡ wait¡ wait¡ the princess needs her mage," Azrael objected weakly.
"Oh? Do I?" Morrigan snickered. "Is the mage required as part of the ritual?"
"Yes!" Azrael said.
"No, he is not. All you have to do is submerge in the waters below," Viana interjected and smiled triumphantly.
"Why do you have to betray me like this?" the mage whined at Viana.
"It''s enough that you made me endure that horrible climb down. I''m not making my little sister do it when the elf boy over here can just fly her down," Viana said, crossing her hands over her chest.
"But the elf in a place sacred for demons is¡ you know¡ bad. Don''t you all agree?" Azrael turned to the many servants and guards who were watching the whole exchange with mild amusement.
"It''s fine as long as Galandir doesn''t go inside the sacred water," Viana retorted.
"If our next Prime Minister believes it to be fine, then who are we to object?" Seon bowed his head towards Viana and the rest of the guards and servants nodded approvingly.
"He''s merely taking Her Highness to the sacred place."
"Why should Her Highness risk her life and climb the ledge when she can be flown down safely?"
"It would be foolish for Her Highness to risk her life."
"So it''s decided. I''m going together with Galandir," Morrigan announced with a smile. Everyone nodded in approval except for Azrael who began sulking.
His own fault for trying to torture me. I know he wouldn''t actually let me fall and die, but I''d much rather just fly down instead of scraping my hands on rough stone. Besides, I might need my hands to paint¡
"Could you all pack up my painting supplies and lower them into the chasm?" Morrigan addressed the servants. They nodded obediently and began gathering everything from the wagons.
"Why painting supplies?" Deziara cocked her head curiously.
"You believe there will be another one of those black orbs down there?" Viana asked.
"I''d be surprised if there wasn''t one," she replied with a heavy sigh. This meant she''d have to expend a lot of magical energy once again. Viana suddenly grabbed her by the sleeve and pulled her aside, whispering into her ear.
"If there indeed is another black orb there, then no matter what happens you mustn''t let Galandir supply you with magic!"
"I¡ Of course not," Morrigan replied awkwardly. She almost forgot about the rule that only those of equal social standing could supply each other with magic. While Galandir wasn''t technically a slave, he was still considered a servant and way below Morrigan''s station. Not to mention that he wasn''t even a demon. What Viana did not know was that she had already given her magical energy to Galandir once.
"If worst comes to worst, then send him back up and we''ll have Azrael supply you with magic," Viana said, and both sisters looked at the moping mage who was drawing circles in the dirt.
"I don''t think he''ll be willing to give me any magic," Morrigan said.
"Oh, don''t mind that useless fool. We''ll convince him. Just don''t take any magic from Galandir. Got it?" Viana warned. Morrigan nodded dutifully.
"Can we go now?" Galandir spoke up, looking over them curiously.
"Yes, let''s go!" Morrigan announced, walking up to her elven friend. Without hesitation, he put his arms underneath her legs and back and lifted her up ¨C princess style.
"Wasn''t there a less embarrassing way to do this?" she muttered, her cheeks flushing red.
"Nope! Just relax and enjoy the ride down, Your Highness," the blonde elf smiled cheekily and flapped his wings, taking off the ground. The feeling was a bit odd since Galandir did not fly as smoothly as Haku. However, his firm grip on her alleviated any worries of falling.
"You''re still as light as a feather!" he announced and then flew straight into the dark chasm.
Chapter 119 – Chasm of Whispering Stars
Slowly and carefully Galandir flew down into the black chasm, his ball of light being the only thing splitting the darkness apart.
"Are we sure there is a bottom to this thing?" the elven boy asked, peering down.
"I really am not sure," Morrigan replied, trying to discern anything in the darkness below. But her enhanced night vision did nothing to help her. "Fly slowly so we don''t bump into anything."
"Aye, aye, Captain," Galandir smirked, and she rolled her eyes. She understood that he was trying to ease her tension, no doubt feeling how her hands were trembling ever so slightly. She felt nervous each time she visited a sacred site but the feeling was stronger this time.
Maybe it''s because of the dark. It''s just so unnerving being unable to see anything. Or maybe it''s the fact that I''m expecting to see yet another black orb at the bottom. I mean¡ªI don''t know who would willingly crawl down here, but there must be a reason there were black orbs at previous sights.
They kept descending deeper and deeper into the chasm, but it felt like there was no bottom to the hole they were flying into. The only noise Morrigan could hear was the flap of Galandir''s wings and their nervous breaths.
"Are you not getting too tired?" she asked him.
"No, I can fly for much longer but I''m really starting to feel as if there is no bottom," he replied nervously.
"I know what you mean. To think that Azrael wanted me to climb down here. He truly is a sadist," Morrigan grumbled.
"I heard that!" resounded Azrael''s annoyed voice from the top. Apparently, their voices had been echoing right out of the chasm for everyone to hear. That wasn''t really pleasant, since they had been talking a lot during their descent. To think that everyone had been hearing their every word.
"Good! Then you can hear when I tell you that we still have not reached the bottom," Morrigan called out.
"You really are a sadist. If they still haven''t flown down how much longer would climbing take," Morrigan heard Deziara''s voice and then a distinct grunt coming from Azrael. Her sister must have slugged him again which brought a smile to her lips.
"Ow! Well, demons can''t really fly so what choice do we have?" Azrael argued and Deziara replied something, but their voices became too muffled and distant for Morrigan to hear.
"Something changed¡" Galandir said, slowing down his descent.
"Deziara, can you hear me?" Morrigan called out. They listened for a moment but the answer never came. Either they couldn''t hear it or there never was one in the first place.
"Seems like we''re nearing the bottom," she said once it was clear that nobody would answer.
"So it seems."
Suddenly the elf flapped his wings furiously, flying upwards. Morrigan looked down and saw how they had almost landed inside the water. Or no¡ it wasn''t water but some sort of odd dark liquid that was shimmering ever so slightly in the darkness.
"What is that?" Galandir asked.
"I have no clue. Can you try and find a ledge?" she asked, and the boy nodded. He flew to the side and soon enough they found a rocky shore on which to land on.
"This doesn''t seem right. Like I am not a demon, but even I can tell that this place should be something¡ more," he said, looking around in the darkness. But all they saw was the slightly shimmering river and the dark cliff edges.
"Yeah, you''re probably right. I bet it''s that black orb again. It must be messing with the magic in the area."
"You keep mentioning this "black orb" but what is it exactly?" the elf cocked his head to the side.
"We don''t exactly know, but there has been one at every sacred site and it seems to suck the magic out of the area and transport it to someplace else," she explained as much as she knew.
"I bet it''s the same guys who are after you that put those things there."
"But how did they manage to sneak past the guards unnoticed? And how did they create those black orbs? They are basically indestructible. If not for my paint magic, then there would be no way to get rid of them," she grumbled.
"Good questions, but sadly I do not have answers," the elf shook his head. "In either case, what are we supposed to do now?"
Morrigan looked around them, in hopes of finding an answer but of course, it wasn''t just conveniently written on the cliff. They couldn''t hear the people from up above anymore, so asking for help from Azrael was not possible.
"I''m supposed to submerge myself in that liquid for the ritual, but I don''t think it''s going to do what it is supposed to do in its current state," she frowned, looking at the barely shimmering liquid.
"Then we have to find the orb and get rid of it?" Galandir asked.
"Yeah. But I need our painting supplies for that. Do you think they''re going to get lowered soon? We haven''t moved away too far from our starting point have we?"
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"I tried to fly straight down, but in this dark, it is quite hard to tell."
"Let''s wait around here for a bit and if they don''t come down, then we''ll walk around the shoreline here and search for it," Morrigan said and the elf boy nodded in return. They both sat down on the hard rock and waited, looking into the shimmering liquid in silence. After a few minutes, Galandir spoke up.
"You know this is kind of insane if you think about it."
"What is insane?" she raised her eyebrow at the sudden pronouncement.
"An elf taking a demon princess down into one of the Underworld''s sacred places," he explained with a chuckle.
"Oh, I think there are some crazier things in this world," she smirked.
"Like what?"
"Oh, I don''t know. Like people being reborn from another world. That is pretty crazy if you ask me," she chuckled.
"Yeah, that is pretty crazy. Pretty cool too. Say, could you¨C" Galandir didn''t get to finish his sentence as they suddenly heard some scraping and noticed a bag being lowered not too far from where they sat.
"My painting supplies!" Morrigan called out and ran up to them and checked the contents inside. Everything was in place. She smiled and tugged on the rope indicating that she had received the package. "This should tell them that we have reached the bottom safely."
"Yeah. So now we just search for that black orb thingy¡ in this absolute darkness," he said, and both of them looked into the darkness around them. Galandir''s light orb did a good job illuminating the surroundings, but the cliff itself was dark as was the liquid, its shimmer being the real differentiating thing in the whole scenery.
"I think we should go in a direction where it feels like there is less magic. If that makes sense," Morrigan said and concentrated on her surroundings. The magic in the air didn''t feel thick like it did in the Glittering Cave or Frozen Garden. In fact, it felt normal.
"It all feels the same to me," the elven boy said.
"Yeah¡" Morrigan admitted and sighed. "I guess we''ll have to find it by sight."
"Don''t worry, we''ll find it," Galandir said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She nodded, feeling relieved to have her friend alongside her. His presence was much more comforting than that of Azrael who no doubt would make light of the whole situation.
"We will," she nodded and reached out to take her painting supplies. Galandir however, grabbed them before her and flung them over his shoulder.
"A princess should not be carrying heavy weights. Let me handle this," he said with a smile.
"Thank you."
They continued through along the dark shore, carefully watching their steps so as to not fall into the shimmering liquid. Initially, Galandir wanted to walk closer to the edge, but Morrigan insisted on switching positions. If she were to accidentally fall in, then it wouldn''t be such a big deal, but if he were to fall in then who knows what might happen. What if the shimmering liquid killed everyone who wasn''t a demon? Nobody exactly explained the dangers hiding within these sacred sites.
They kept carefully scanning the surroundings, Galandir increasing the intensity of his light, however as they kept walking further and further, they were unable to find anything out of place. It didn''t help that the river of shimmering liquid seemed to stretch on and on without any end in sight.
"I don''t think we''ll have any luck finding the black orb this way," Morrigan said after they had searched for about half an hour.
"Yeah, it doesn''t seem likely. How long is this river anyway?" Galandir asked.
"No idea. Azrael never bothers to tell me anything," Morrigan said rather loudly, hoping that perhaps the demon could somehow still hear them.
"How has he still not been fired yet? Demon King doesn''t seem like the kind of guy to handle incompetence. I''ve seen him fire staff over the smallest things sometimes," Galandir said, and Morrigan chuckled awkwardly. Her father indeed demanded perfection from his employees, but then again with the amount of gold they got paid, it was a reasonable demand.
"Well, my mother, the late Demon Queen, took him under her wing¡ªI suspect that is the reason why Father is so lenient with Azrael."
"So he had a soft spot for your mother just like he has for you. That makes sense. Without you, I''m pretty sure the Demon King would have long since sent me to the dungeons," Galandir snickered.
"You really do like to push his buttons sometimes," Morrigan grumbled, remembering all those times when he had acted friendly and casual around her in front of the King. Everyone else was required to refer to her by her title, except for her sisters, but here he was ¨C just calling her by her name. She understood why he did it ¨C they were friends, but he could at least adhere to etiquette when the King was around.
"I don''t mind putting you on a pedestal, but I am not going to grovel in front of anyone anymore," he said stubbornly, no doubt remembering his time together with the fallen.
"I swear sometimes I wonder if you''re some elf noble yourself with how proud you are," Morrigan chuckled, trying to dispel the unpleasantness.
"What if I were?" The elven boy suddenly stopped and Morrigan had to turn around to look at him. His expression was serious for a moment, then he grinned and waved dismissively with his hand. "Yeah, as if that were possible."
And then he kept walking forward, not looking at Morrigan anymore. She got the distinct feeling that he wasn''t completely joking.
"Who are your parents, Galandir? You never told me," she caught up to him and asked.
"It doesn''t really matter anymore. They''re both dead," he replied bitterly, and she dropped the topic.
I shouldn''t have asked. He''s always been sensitive when it came to his past and where he had come from. I should have known that it would bring out some unpleasant memories.
For a while, they walked in silence, until Galandir suddenly stopped and peered into the river.
"What is it?" Morrigan asked curiously.
"Is it me or is the shimmering more intense here?" the boy asked.
"Is it?" Morrigan asked, looking carefully at the liquid. The shimmering was still rather weak, but it was indeed a bit stronger than before. Although the difference was miniscule.
"Let me try something real quick," the elf said and took Morrigan''s hand. Then the light ball he had created disappeared and everything went completely dark.
"I can''t see anything," Morrigan grumbled, not daring to move.
"Wait a moment. I don''t think I''ll be able to see it, but your demon eyesight should be able to adjust," he replied. For a moment, they stood there until finally Morrigan was able to discern the shimmering liquid among the darkness. It stretched on rather far, and she was clearly able to tell apart the river from the surrounding darkness. As she gazed at it, she realized that the shimmering was more intense in the direction they were going in and less intense in the other direction.
"You''re right! We''ve been walking the wrong way. The shimmering is weaker on the other side and I bet it''s because the orb is draining away the magic," Morrigan exclaimed.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let''s go!" Galandir said triumphantly, then added. "But you''ll have to lead me because I can''t see anything."
"Don''t worry. You''re in safe hands with me," Morrigan replied and began to guide Galandir along the shore of the river slowly. He squeezed her hand tighter and carefully they made their way forward ¨C to the place where the shimmering grew weaker.
Chapter 120 – Light in the Dark
Carefully, step by step, Morrigan and Galandir navigated through the dark, led only by the increasingly dim shimmering of the dark river. Although she had grown up in a world where darkness ruled everything, it was so strong here and even she was starting to feel unnerved. The only thing that helped Morrigan to keep going was Galandir''s warm hand.
"Talk about dark. It''s like we''re walking through an abyss," the elven boy said.
"It might not be that far from the truth," she replied, keeping her eyes locked on the river. "This is supposed to be the darkest part of the Underworld."
"That means it''ll only get brighter from now on."
"After we find the black orb and after I repaint it into something and after I complete the ritual," she grumbled, inwardly cursing whoever dared to plant these nasty black orbs everywhere. As if she didn''t have enough on her plate already.
"Don''t worry. You did it twice already. You can do it again," Galandir said reassuringly. Morrigan didn''t reply. First, she received a lot of help from Azrael and then she received help from her sisters and Azrael again. This time she was on her own since she wasn''t allowed to take any magic energy from Galandir.
"Wait, stop! The shimmering is getting stronger again," she suddenly said looking back, where the shimmering seemed dimmer.
"Then it must be close!"
"I think I found it! Can you create a light?" Morrigan said, tugging on his hand. The elf snapped instantly conjuring up a bright orb of light that illuminated the area. After her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw how in the middle of the river sat the sinister black orb sucking up all the shimmers from the water in a circular pattern.
"Is that it? It''s so hard to see," Galandir squinted his eyes.
"Yes! Most certainly. We must have missed it the first time we passed by because it blends in with that black liquid. It''s time to get rid of it," Morrigan smiled and took the painting supplies from Galandir. She set up the canvas, pulled out her paints, and then paused, her mouth opening in horror.
"What''s wrong?" the elven boy asked, his eyebrow creasing with worry.
"But how do I even paint this? Everything here is black," she squeaked. The black orb was basically indistinguishable from the liquid already.
"It is quite dark, but there are still differences in tones. The cliffs look more like brownish black, while the liquid is more blue-black with the little white shimmers in it," Galandir said with a smile, pointing at the various elements. Morrigan looked at them, then calmed down, taking a deep breath.
If I could handle a nearly completely white landscape, then I can handle a nearly black one too. There are always subtle differences to cling to.
Morrigan took the largest brush and without hesitation painted the whole canvas black. One could argue that she could have left it there and it wouldn''t be much different from the scenery in front of her. But she began to add subtle hints of other colors to the black, slowly adding distinguishing features. Black brown for the rocky cliff which stretched far above them. Purplish black for the shore they stood on.
Then it came to the tricky shimmering liquid. Initially, Morrigan wanted to do as Galandir suggested ¨C adding tiny little splashes of white to it with more dots the further away from the black orb the liquid was. But then she noticed that the shimmering wasn''t exactly all white. There were subtle hints of light blue, yellow, purple and even red. She added the tiniest specs of color into the river.
"Is this alright I wonder?" she asked her friend, who had been carefully watching the progress the whole time.
"I think it''s as close to reality as one could ever get. So how do you ''repaint'' that black thing again?"
"Well, the first time I just made it look like part of the original scenery. The second time, I remade into a flower and I also had to paint a part of the scenery that had been erased because of the orb interfering with magic. I imagine this time I have to do something similar," she explained.
"But how can you repaint it to the way it was before if you don''t know how it looked before?" Galandir asked, then instantly covered his mouth. "Sorry¡ I didn''t mean to put any more pressure on you. We''ll figure something out."
Morrigan looked down, wondering the same question. If she had seen this place at least once before, then it wouldn''t have been an issue. But the only thing that seemed to dominate was darkness. She looked at her paintbrush, then at paints. Nervously she picked up the blue color, thinking of tipping her brush into it, but she had no idea what she was supposed to do.
I can''t just remake it into a regular river with normal water, then it wouldn''t be a sacred site anymore. Not to mention that I wouldn''t even have enough magic in me to do such a drastic change. I need to restore it to the way it was.
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"I don''t know¡ I have no idea what to paint¡ Perhaps if I called Azrael down here. Damn, I think I''ll have to go up and then climb back down with him. I don''t know what to do without him," Morrigan was nearly hyper-ventilated, the pressure weighing down on her shoulders like a heavy rock.
I have to fix this. I am the next Queen. If I don''t fix this then nobody will be able to do it¡ I¡
"Morrigan!" Galandir gently shook her shoulder, and she looked at him, surprised by her own panic. When their eyes met, the elven boy smiled. "It''s alright. I don''t think there''s any need to go back up."
"W-What? But I have no idea how to fix this," Morrigan said, looking helplessly at him.
"Oh, I think you do. Do you remember what they call this place?" he asked. She paused for a moment, racking her memory for an answer.
"Chasm of Whispering Stars?" she replied.
"So wouldn''t it be safe to assume that this shimmering liquid is supposed to look like a starry night sky?" the elf smiled. "For a normal demon who has never been outside the Underworld, it would be something they had never seen before. But for you¡"
Morrigan gasped, and firmly grasped the paintbrush. She knew what she needed to do. Without hesitation she took blue and purple paint and began laying them down on canvas. While the memory was rather distant, she knew without a doubt how a starry sky looked. All she had to do was turn into a starry river.
As she continued laying down colors, her magic began to steadily drain and she smiled victoriously, "It''s working!"
"I knew you could do it! Don''t forget that the liquid would probably reflect some of its light onto the walls as well," Galandir pointed out. Morrigan nodded and kept adding more color to her painting. What had previously been nothing more than a splotch of darkness was slowly turning into a collage of light and color. Her magic began to drain faster and faster. Each ''star'' she added into the river took a considerable chunk of her magic. She began panting.
"Is something wrong, Morrigan?" the elf asked, noticing her slow movements.
"I am beginning to run out of magic. It''s okay, I''ll use the reserves within the ring," she replied and tapped into the magic within the Ring of Frozen Memories. It allowed her to keep going, but each brush stroke took more of her strength. It was like the black orb was fighting against her ¨C trying to remain where it was planted like a parasite.
"I will finish this," Morrigan said through ragged breaths, looking at her painting. Only one spot remained unpainted ¨C the distinct black orb in the middle of the river. She began to blend the colors within it, trying to turn into the part of the starry river, and nearly collapsed. Galandir instantly rushed to her side, propping her up.
"Morrigan!"
"I¡ I''m nearly out of magic¡" she admitted, breathing heavily.
"Then I''ll give you mine!" He said without hesitation.
"No! You cannot!" She called out.
"Why not?" He raised his eyebrow and then his expression grew cold. "Is it because of that rule that those of different social standing cannot exchange magic?"
"N-No¡ Well, yes. You know how serious demons are about these rules. If someone were to find out¡" she mumbled although she knew how pathetic her excuses sounded.
"Since when do you care about that?" Galandir raised his eyebrow. "Or have you become so entrenched with demon morals that somebody like me is beneath you?"
"No! Of course not. You know that''s not true," she growled and firmly took his hand. "Give me that magic, but not a word of this to anyone!"
"Who do you take me for? You know I''ll always be on your side," his expression softened considerably, and she could feel him channel his magic into her. It felt different from when someone from her family or Azrael did it. Their magic felt much like hers ¨C dark, smooth and cold. Galandir''s magic felt bright, and strong, almost burning her from within. It was like taking a sip of freshly opened soda ¨C it burned your throat and nose and made you hiccup. But it was by no means unpleasant.
Morrigan returned her attention to the painting while Galandir continued to channel his magic into her. Each brushstroke was difficult and his light orb was beginning to dim until finally it went out completely. But just as it did, Morrigan managed to add the last ''star'' where the black orb was. Their surroundings began to transform.
The shimmering within the dark liquid began to intensify, growing brighter and brighter until just like in Morrigan''s painting, the river looked like a flowing night sky. The black orb was nowhere to be seen, erased from existence.
"It''s actually not that dark here after all," Galandir chuckled, sitting down on the shore, panting from exhaustion. "But wow, you ate through all my magic like it was nothing."
"Sorry. Paint magic is quite demanding," she grinned sheepishly, rather exhausted herself.
"But look at this place ¨C it''s so beautiful. To think I''d see something like this in the Underworld," he smiled warmly. Morrigan sat down next to him and for a while, the two of them enjoyed watching the river of stars.
"I missed the stars," Morrigan said after a moment.
"Yes, I missed them too. During this trip you showed me a lot of things I miss from my home," he said with a somber smile.
"It''s okay. You''ll be able to go back home one day. I''ll help you with your debt," she said with a smile.
"But then I''ll have to leave you," he looked her deep in the eyes and her smile disappeared. He had become part of her everyday life. She knew he''d leave one day, but at the same time, she had never really thought about the ramifications of that.
"We can meet again sometime, I''m sure," she chuckled awkwardly.
"A demon princess meeting some elf from the Overworld? In what weird world would that happen?" Galandir asked bitterly.
"It''s okay! I''ll force Azrael to teleport me to Overworld. He''ll have no choice but to comply since I have so much dirt on him," she replied cheerfully. Morrigan knew that her words were nothing more than a pretty lie. She knew that she would not be allowed to get away with that.
"You¡" he began but then closed his mouth and smiled. "Yeah! You do that."
Both nodded in agreement, but at the same time, they both knew ¨C once Galandir left the Underworld, they would likely never meet again.
Chapter 121 – Ritual of the Stars
Morrigan looked at the starry river and took a deep breath. It was time for her to do the ritual. She removed her boots and her jacket, leaving only her black and red dress. Carefully, she stepped towards the water, when Galandir spoke up.
"Maybe you should take off the ring and pendant as well. If this place is as sensitive to magic as Azrael says, then you should be careful. Those two items have plenty of magic in them."
Morrigan looked down at the ring and pendant. Her father''s gift already felt like part of her, while the ring felt like part of her ancestry. She was reluctant to take either of them off. But what he said made absolute sense ¡ª especially when no more than two people could come down here. The river itself must be extremely sensitive and it already had to live through whatever that nasty orb had done to it.
She slowly took off the pendant and the ring, cradling them in her palm for a while. Then she turned towards Galandir and extended them towards him, "Take care of these. They are really important to me."
"Of course. Who do you take me for?" he nodded and smiled, carefully taking both pieces of jewelry. "Although if the Demon King suddenly decides to contact you, I am not answering that."
Morrigan chuckled imagining the scenario and how her father would likely instantly teleport right into this chasm if instead of her answering it were Galandir.
"Wish me luck," she took a deep breath, looking at the shimmering river.
"Good luck, and don''t worry. If something happens, I''ll be right here," he said reassuringly, and Morrigan nodded. Ever so slowly she dipped her toe into the water. It felt cool and somewhat tingly, almost like carbonated water. She proceeded to lower her leg into the water, taking one step after another into the water.
As she got deeper into the river, the tingly feeling got stronger¡ªnow it almost felt like she was inside a cool jacuzzi. She shuddered from the feeling and glanced at Galandir who was waiting on the shore. When he noticed her looking, the boy quickly erased the worried expression and smiled at her.
Heh, he acts brave and cool but it appears he''s more worried than I am. I bet Galandir''s just trying to make me feel better. It''s good that I came with him rather than Azrael.
Morrigan smiled back at him, gathered her courage and continued walking. The water reached her stomach, then her shoulders until finally it was all the way to her chin. The tingle around her now felt almost as if she was surrounded in a blanket of star magic. She did not know how she drew that comparison but it was just how it felt like. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her head underneath.
She finally submerged.
Took her long enough.
This one is quite nervous.
Morrigan nearly rose above the surface again, barely managing to contain herself from the shock. Where were these voices coming from?
We come from here.
And there.
And everywhere.
Open your eyes.
She shook her head. It felt wrong to open her eyes in this place. The liquid was pushing against her whole body, buzzing like a swarm of bees.
Open your eyes, little queen.
Open them.
You must see.
See what you saved.
She paused for a moment, thinking over the words of the voices until Morrigan finally gathered her courage and slowly opened her eyes. Much to her surprise, the liquid did not tingle her eyes. Instead, she gazed into the world of stars. Billion, no, trillions of them were shining, shimmering and swirling around her. It was like she was floating in space.
What is this?!
Thousands of little, bell-like giggles responded to her thought and the stars converged, forming an impromptu galaxy with her at the center.
This is the beginning.
And the end.
The past.
The present.
And the future.
Morrigan furrowed her eyebrows at this.
That makes no sense.
The voices around her giggled again.
It may not make sense to you.
But it is the truth.
You do not need to accept it.
For it to be so.
The stars expanded outwards, spreading all around Morrigan and forming several smaller galaxies. She watched the beautiful sight in awe and then remembered that she needed to breathe.
Do not leave yet.
You may breathe here.
But do not leave.
The statement didn''t make sense, but then again, nothing seemed to make sense here, so Morrigan breathed in. Much to her surprise, water did not rush inside her. Inside the air sort felt tingly as it passed through her nose into her lungs and then out again.
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"What am I supposed to do here?" she asked the voices.
You must become one with this world.
One of us.
One of everyone.
"H-How do I do that?" Morrigan asked, deciding that there was no point in questioning the logic of this place. Outer space where you can breathe and talk within a river had no logical explanation. It was just magic.
You stay with us.
You become us.
Become part of the world.
"So I just have to stay here?" she asked.
That''s right.
You must.
It is your duty.
"How long?"
Until we are one.
Until you are all.
Until all is you.
Morrigan furrowed her eyebrows again. It made no sense. So she accepted that she might have to remain here for a while and decided to enjoy the beautiful sight around her, watching how the stars converged and split apart again. It was almost like a dance where stars were the main dancers and galaxies they formed were the various dances.
She did not know how long she watched the stars, the time didn''t seem to make sense in this place either. But after some time the voices spoke again.
The little king wishes to come after you.
He believes you are drowning.
He must not come.
"Wait, father is here?"
No. Not the Demon King.
The King of Light.
King of Skies.
"King of Light? Are you referring to Galandir? He must be worried that remained in here for too long," she said, looking worriedly up to where the shore was. But a strong pull stopped her from turning her head.
You must not leave.
You must stay.
He cannot come.
"But I need to reassure him that I am fine."
You must not leave.
If you leave you cannot become us.
You cannot become all.
All cannot become you.
"Gods, you sure are insistent. Can I at least send a fireball as a signal?"
You must not use magic.
The world will break.
Everyone will break.
"But if Galandir cannot come, then I have to tell him somehow that I am fine."
There was silence for a moment as if the stars were contemplating what to do. The bell-like giggles appeared again.
You are connected.
Speak to him.
Tell him to not come.
"Connected? How?"
Connected through magic.
Connected through the mind.
Connected through the heart.
Morrigan sighed at the cryptic messages and imagined that she was talking to Galandir. Perhaps she could send him a telepathic message or something that the stars could take to him.
Do not come. I am fine. Do not come. I am fine. I shall return soon.
She thought this over and over and imagined sending this message to Galandir. After a while the stars converged around Morrigan, making her the center of a large galaxy again.
Very good.
The little king understood.
He shall wait.
We shall all wait.
Morrigan nodded and waited. She had no idea what she was waiting for, but the stars just kept dancing around her. She didn''t know how long she waited and watched. She didn''t feel thirst, nor hunger, nor tiredness. But she did feel something. Like somehow her being was getting fuller. More complete. Stronger even. After what felt like an eternity and also a few moments at the same time, the stars chimed with delight.
You are ready now.
You are all.
And all is you.
The strength is now within you, Queen of the Underworld.
Queen of the Underworld.
Queen of the Underworld.
Morrigan felt herself being lifted up, higher and higher, as the stars kept chanting ''Queen of the Underworld''. Initially, she felt light as a feather, but then she passed through some sort of barrier and her body became as heavy as lead. She could barely lift her hand.
"Morrigan, are you alright?" she heard Galandir''s worried voice and felt herself being lifted up. For some reason, she barely had the strength to even open her eyes.
"I-I''m fine. I just feel so tired," she muttered, resting her head on her chest.
"I thought you died down there. I was going to go after you, but then I heard you speak into my mind. Telling me not to come," he muttered in a hurry.
"Oh, so it did work," she smiled with satisfaction. "That''s kind of cool."
"Cool? Do you have any idea how worried I was? And you just tell me not to come!" the elf growled at her in annoyance.
"Sorry. But I had to wait. It had to be done. To become one. To become all," she muttered.
"What are you even saying?" He raised his eyebrow.
"I think I spent too much time down there. I''m starting to talk like them," Morrigan shook her head trying to break out of the trance-like state. Hunger and thirst slowly took over her body. "Can we go back up? I''m hungry."
"I got some food here. Your servants were kind enough to pack some along with your painting supplies," Galandir said and put Morrigan down. She rummaged through the bag and gave her a sandwich and a half-empty water bottle. "Sorry, there isn''t more. But I kind of got hungry too."
"That''s alright. How long was I there?" she asked, taking a big bite out of the sandwich.
"It''s hard to tell time down here, but I suspect it was at least a day," he replied.
"A whole day?!" she nearly choked on the food.
"Yeah. Why do you think I was so worried?" he grumbled and pinched her cheek.
"Sorry, sorry! I just couldn''t tell how much time passed down there at all. It feels like an eternity and a second at the same time."
"What even was down there?"
"Stars. Millions and billions of them. And they spoke to me," she said, taking an eager sip of water.
"They spoke?"
"Yeah. It was so weird. They said many weird things," she said and then paused, looking over the elven boy. The stars had called Galandir the King of Light but why? Could it be that her elven friend was descended from some Overworld royalty?
"What weird things?" He raised his eyebrow.
"Uh¡ It''s hard to explain. And largely it made no sense. Let''s just get out of here," Morrigan said, stuffing the last bits of the sandwich in her mouth.
"Don''t mind if we do," Galandir nodded, tying the painting supply bag to the rope and pulling on it. After about half a minute, somebody began pulling it upwards. "Oh, and let me return these. I am happy to announce that the Demon King did not call."
The elf returned Morrigan''s jewelry to her and she quickly put them on. "Thank you for keeping these safe.
"Of course." He nodded, materialized his wings and took Morrigan into his arms again. "Now, let''s get out of here."
But he didn''t take flight right away, instead pausing and looking back at the river.
"What''s wrong?" Morrigan asked.
"I thought I heard someone say ''Your time will come''," he said, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion. "You know what¡ªnever mind that. I''m tired of these mind messages."
He flapped his wings and flew up upwards. Morrigan looked down at the shimmering river wondering if what her friend had heard was a message from the stars. But what does it mean?
Why can''t they just tell things straight? Always with the riddles.
Chapter 122 – Speaking Minds
"Morri! You''re finally back!" Deziara greeted Morrigan with giant tears in her eyes, gluing herself to her as soon as Galandir had put her down on the ground. "What took you so long?"
"I told you she was fine," Viana rolled her eyes, but nonetheless carefully examined Morrigan head to toe. "You do seem quite worn out."
"It took a lot of magic energy to repaint that black orb," she said sheepishly.
"But you did it! We saw. The whole chasm instantly changed!" Deziara cheered and pointed towards the now not-so-black chasm. It now glittered with the starlight from below and now the chasm looked more like a tear in the ground which led to outer space. The sight was mesmerizing.
"We expected you to return soon after the scenery changed, but we waited and waited and you didn''t come," Viana muttered.
"Ritual took quite some time," Morrigan scratched her head awkwardly.
"I knew you''d return to us safe and sound," a deep, rumbling voice that she did not recognize suddenly spoke.
"Who said that?" Morrigan whirled around, frantically looking for the source.
"I didn''t hear anything," Deziara raised her eyebrow.
"Neither did I," said Galandir.
"It is me. Do not be alarmed, Morrigan," Haku stepped forward, looking into her eyes.
"Haku!" Morrigan exclaimed in shock, walking up to her scaly friend. "I can hear your thoughts?"
"Yes. I''m not sure what happened down there, but as soon as you returned, I felt that I could communicate with you," he nuzzled against her affectionately.
"You can hear Haku talking?" Deziara exclaimed. "Wait¡ Haku can talk?"
"Of course, he can. Did you take him for some common beast incapable of coherent thought?" Galandir threw an accusatory glance at the black-haired princess, who raised her hands up in the defense.
"No, of course not. But it is quite surprising, nonetheless. How come you can understand him now, Morri?" she asked.
"I don''t think it''s understanding, but rather¡ hearing his thoughts," she looked at Haku, who nodded his head in response.
"Yes. I cannot speak with my mouth, but I can think just like you or Deziara. But it is very pleasant that you are able to hear me now," the dragon rumbled in her mind, his tail wagging excitedly, forcing servants and guards to take a few steps back.
"So our Crown Princess has acquired Telepathy from the stars. I guess it makes sense why she was down there for so long," Azrael suddenly spoke up, still looking rather sullen.
"Telepathy?" Viana looked at the mage quizzically. "The stars give different abilities?"
"Apparently. Not like we have a large data pool to compare with. I did expect something flashier for our little firecracker," Azrael scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"You''re the one who always wants the flashy abilities," Morrigan retorted. "But if I have Telepathy now, then how come I''m not hearing everyone''s thoughts?"
"Because you''re still a newbie. Train and likely you''ll be able to hear anyone''s thoughts unless they are deliberately protecting themselves against such things. I believe that at the start you''ll only hear the thoughts of those who want them to be heard ¨C like our dragon friend over here," the mage explained.
"That''s interesting," Deziara smiled, then looked at Morrigan and smirked. "Azrael is a big sulky baby!"
Morrigan sputtered at the blatant insult that nobody else heard. Azrael raised his eyebrow suspiciously.
"You said something to her didn''t you?" he pointed an accusatory finger at Deziara.
"Nope, why would I?" she snickered. "Now I can tell you what I want without worrying about the consequences! This is the best."
"Is there a way for me to answer?" Morrigan asked the mage.
"If you concentrate on the person then you should be able to convey your thoughts to them. The link should go both ways," he explained.
"Now we''ll be able to talk behind Azrael''s back," Morrigan told Deziara.
"Yes, this is great! Secret sister communication!"
The two of them smiled at each other, at which Azrael growled in dissatisfaction.
"For the plotting princess to get telepathy out of all abilities. This will surely bring more trouble," Azrael grumbled and headed towards the carriages. "Let''s get going. We''ve spent too much time in this dark already."
"Who is the bigger troublemaker out of us two?" Morrigan tried to send this thought to Deziara, Viana and Galandir. Galandir and Deziara snickered and even Viana had a small smile on her lips.
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"Quite a nifty ability. This will be very useful, especially whenever I''ll need to relay you any information without others knowing," Viana responded in Morrigan''s mind.
"Perfect communication between the Queen and her Prime Minister," Viana responded as they all slowly made their way to the carriage. This trip was about to get much more interesting.
***
"How much longer?" Morrigan whined directly into Azrael''s mind, who had hoped to take refuge in his own carriage.
"Princess, this is an invasion of privacy!" he grumbled in response, although his thoughts didn''t sound as clear as when she was standing next to him. Apparently, the further away Morrigan was from the one she wanted to convey her thoughts to, the worse she heard them. It made sense in a way since Azrael and Father could also use Telepathy to an extent, but only when they were touching the person.
This was a bit of disappointment since she couldn''t just directly talk to her father back home, but she understood the limitation. It was already an overpowered ability, being able to speak to someone at such a great distance would have been too much.
"No, it''s not. It''s not like I can hear your inner thoughts or anything like that. Only the stuff you want to convey to me," she retorted in her mind.
"But I can still hear you whether I want it or not!" Azrael complained.
"You''re just jealous that you can''t do it," she retorted. There was no response, but she could already imagine his frustration. After a moment of silence, she sent a mental message again. "I''m tired. How much longer?"
"Ugh! Fine! Let''s make a detour. There''s a pretty nice place close by," Azrael finally caved in.
"Yes!" Morrigan cheered aloud, startling Deziara and Viana who were sitting in the same carriage.
"What''s up?" Deziara asked.
"I managed to convince Azrael for us to make a stop at a supposedly nice place close by," she said.
"I''d like to say that we''ve already wasted enough time, but¡" Viana sighed. "Everyone''s tired. We need to rest from traveling and the closest town is still ways away."
"But what nice place is Azrael talking about?" Morrigan asked curiously.
"I suspect he''s speaking of Lava Resort," the eldest princess responded, and she seemed rather satisfied with the idea of going there.
"Lava Resort?" Morrigan and Deziara asked at the same time.
"Yes, it''s quite a popular vacation spot. It wasn''t in our plan, but quite honestly, we all could use a few day''s rest. The servants and guards are also tired," Viana said.
"If the place is so great and popular, why wasn''t it included?" Deziara frowned.
"Because the moment we arrive the whole Kingdom will know where we are," Viana explained.
"Isn''t that kind of bad?" Morrigan asked.
"I believe it should be fine. The majority of enemy forces have been either captured or scattered. Father is working hard to apprehend any stragglers, so this should have been a heavy hit for their forces. If they do something, then it''ll be much more subtle," Viana said.
"Haku should be able to sense any trouble," Deziara chimed. Morrigan didn''t feel quite comfortable with the idea, but they couldn''t just keep traveling through the wilderness all the time. Proper rest was required.
"Let''s go then!" she announced, and both of her sisters nodded happily.
Merely half a day passed before they reached the famous Lava Resort. Morrigan could instantly see that the ''Lava'' in the name was not given merely due to the closeness of a lava river. As their retinue pulled up to the resort, she saw how a bunch of demons were literally swimming in the lava pool nearby.
"How are they doing that?" she asked in shock. Haku was already eager to jump into the lava, Galandir barely able to hold back the excited dragon.
"Welcome to the Lava Resort," an attendant said as she emerged from the grand-looking front building. However, she stopped mid-sentence once she saw their new guests. The demon woman instantly bowed her head. "Your Highness! I never imagined you''d visit our humble resort."
"The journey has been long. Both me and everyone in my retinue require some rest. I hope you''ll be able to accommodate us," Morrigan said with a polite smile.
"She''s scared of me," Haku said, cocking his head, then looking at the demons who were staring at the Morrigan with eyes as wide as saucers. "And they are scared as well. Am I that scary?"
"They''re just not used to seeing dragons. I''m sure they''ll calm down once they see that you are harmless," Morrigan tried to soothe her friend.
"O-Of course¡ A-Although we do not have special accommodations for dragons," the demon woman stammered.
"I''ll happily just sleep in the lava pool. That seems cozy," the dragon said, eyeing the lava excitedly. The pool-goers went pale and slowly began to head to shore.
"Haku will be alright staying in lava. There''s no need for special accommodations. Don''t worry. He won''t hurt anyone. My dragon keeper will keep him in check," Morrigan said, pointing towards Galandir. The attendant relaxed, if only a little.
"O-Oh¡ Well¡ In that case, follow me inside," the demoness said, nervously tucking her brown hair behind the long ear. Everyone headed inside, quite excited at the prospect of a proper bath and place to rest. The interior of the resort was clearly meant to please, as everything was decorated with Underworld flowers as fake lava rivers flowed through the walls and ceiling. Deeper into the hallways Morrigan noticed bioluminescent plants hanging and lighting out the darkness.
The soft armchairs and couches which were placed around the place strategically, made everything feel cozy and homely, making Morrigan think of home. She could see how this place got so popular.
"Y-Your Highness!" The demon man behind the counter looked just as startled as the attendant, but she gave him a significant glare which made him gather his wits. "Welcome to our humble resort! It is an honor to host you here."
"It is a pleasure to be here. We''d like to remain for a few days and then continue our journey," Morrigan informed him solemnly.
"O-Of course! We''ll have the best rooms prepared for you and all your companions as well as our special relaxation program," the demon man stammered.
"Special relaxation program?" Deziara perked up.
"It is our luxury course which includes all the services available at our resort ¨C 7-course dinner, magma spa, magic massage, lava pool among other things," the receptionist seemed to regain some of his confidence. "I''m sure that even you would be satisfied with it."
I''d be satisfied with a simple bed and bath in a lukewarm wooden tub, but I certainly won''t say no to a luxury resort.
"Please, lead us to our rooms then," Morrigan asked, a smile creeping on her lips already. Looking at her sisters, they looked just as excited to finally get some proper. If nobody decides to interrupt them again. She chose to believe her older sister''s judgment ¨C Viana was hardly ever wrong. But then again who knew what their enemy was plotting at this very moment while they were looking forward to relaxing?
Chapter 123 – Lava Resort
This is heaven!
Morrigan nearly melted into the warm, bubbling water, floral notes rising from the steam. She along with both of her sisters were relaxing in what could only be described as Underworld jacuzzi. It wasn''t a real jacuzzi, but rather a natural hot water spring coming out from the craggy rocks. The owners of the resort had transformed what was once a barren rock with water coming between into a wonderful, bubbly hot spring.
"Why couldn''t we visit more places like this?" Deziara sighed, sinking deeper into the water.
"Our original route had a few places like this, although I have to admit that this is one of the nicest hot spring baths I have been to," Viana said, her eyes closed in relaxation.
"If we catch the asshole who decided to ruin our travel path, I''m going to dip him in boiling magma," Morrigan grumbled, inwardly cursing their ever-present enemy.
"Watch your language, Morrigan," Viana reprimanded, but it didn''t come across earnestly.
"You are starting to sound like Father," Deziara giggled.
"I guess I''m doing something right as an heir then," she retorted and the three princesses giggled. Comfortable silence followed as they let the exhaustion leave their bodies. They remained there for quite a while, the resort staff coming to get them out of the water before it would begin to overheat them. Morrigan would have remained for longer since the heat didn''t bother her. But she decided to go together with her sisters.
Once the bath was done and the three of them were dressed in comfortable robes, they retreated to Morrigan''s luxury room where the staff served them dinner. It was an exquisite five course meal which featured all of the local produce, including a fruity dessert. Apparently the fruits used were sourced from the very farm they had stayed at before.
"Finally, I feel like a demon again," Deziara said while savoring the multi-layered dessert of fruits and sweet creams.
"Tell me about it," Morrigan nodded in agreement, her dessert bowl already empty. She wondered whether it would be alright to ask for seconds. Surely they wouldn''t deny the Crown Princess, would they?
"We certainly needed this," Viana agreed, and protectively pulled her dessert closer, noticing that Morrigan was eyeing it greedily. She gave Viana her best puppy dog impression, but the eldest princess did not cave. Morrigan sighed and was about to call the staff to bring her another dessert when she felt a slight tingling come from her pendant.
"Father is trying to contact me," she informed her sisters, who nodded in understanding and went quiet. Morrigan touched the pendant and channeled a bit of magic inside, allowing it to connect her with Alphegor.
"Hello, Morrigan!" resounded the King''s voice.
"Hi, Father!" she replied.
"Father, hi! I am here too," Deziara said cheerfully.
"Greetings. I am together with my sisters as well," Viana added, scuttling closer to Morrigan.
"All three of my traveling daughters are together. You must have grown quite close," the King hummed in satisfaction.
"Of course! If the three of us are together, then nothing can beat us," Deziara cheered.
"That puts my heart at ease. I was worried that all of my daughters would remain hostile towards each other but seeing you being so friendly is really reassuring," he said.
"How are things back at home?" Morrigan asked curiously. There was a moment of silence, and she could feel the pleasant mood drop.
"There are some troubles, but nothing I wouldn''t be able to deal with. The construction of the art gallery is almost complete," he replied, quickly changing the subject. But the heavy note did not go unnoticed.
Something serious must have happened, but he doesn''t want to tell us. Either he is sure that he''ll be able to quietly deal with it or he just doesn''t want to worry us while we are traveling. Should I push him for answers?
"It''ll be the grandest thing the Demon Kingdom has ever seen! All of Morrigan''s paintings are really beautiful, not to mention that the demons will finally be able to see the sacred sites. Every demon knows they are important, but nobody actually knows what they look like," Deziara cheered.
"Yes, it will surely be a big boost towards improving the morale of our people. Especially if we allow the general public to come and view the art gallery, instead of just allowing the nobles in," Viana hummed solemnly.
"Won''t the nobles complain?" Morrigan asked, then added. "They usually want to keep all the fancy things for themselves."
"I believe there''s a way to remedy that," Viana said.
"How?"
"We allow the nobles to purchase some of your paintings. For a very high price, of course. It''ll be a good way to increase our funds and also appease the nobles by letting them brag that they have a painting made by the future Queen herself," Viana smiled, and there was a calculating glint in her eyes.
Good thing that we''re on the same side now. I''m afraid to think what would happen if I''d actually have to compete against Viana. I have my art skills and my magic, but when it comes to cunning schemes and planning then she definitely has me beat.
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"I see our future Prime Minister has everything figured out already. I''ll be able to let you handle it then," Alphegor said with a chuckle. "Where are you right now?"
"We''re at Lava Resort, resting. This place is just great ¨C warm baths, large rooms, and great food. I can''t wait to fall into my bed," Deziara replied with a wide smile.
"The servants also get to rest finally. This was much needed," Viana added.
"And Haku is having a blast in the lava pool. He hasn''t left it since we arrived," Morrigan chuckled.
"That elf boy is still around?" Alphegor grumbled.
"Yes, Father. He''s been very helpful on our journey, so please don''t hate him so much," Morrigan said.
"Hate is a strong word. I''d have burned him alive if I truly hated him," the King retorted, and Morrigan couldn''t argue there. "In any case, I am glad to see that you are doing fine. Feel free to relax in the resort for a few days. After interrogating the attackers it is clear that they do not have the manpower to attack you right now. Of course, you should still remain alert and contact me if anything seems out of place."
That is odd. He seems so sure that nothing bad will happen here. I got a bad feeling that something is going on in the capital.
"Maybe we should just hurry to the last sacred site and then go home," Morrigan asked.
"No, no, there''s no need. Enjoy your journey. In either case, it was nice to hear that you are doing fine. I''ll talk to you girls tomorrow," Alphegor said and the connection ended. Morrigan stared at the pendant suspiciously.
"Something doesn''t feel right¡" she muttered.
"Yeah, Father would have surely wanted you to return home as quickly as possible," Deziara nodded.
"I concur. It almost felt like he doesn''t want us to return," Viana nodded, her eyebrows furrowing.
"Something must have happened," Morrigan said and got up from the seat.
"Perhaps Azrael would know," Viana guessed.
"Azrael''s now dead drunk. I saw him being dragged to his room by a few guards," Deziara shook her head.
"Then I guess we''ll have to wait until tomorrow when he sobers up."
***
Breakfast at the Lava Resort was very much to Morrigan''s taste. After getting the best sleep she''d had since starting the journey, she was greeted with mountains of waffles, pancakes and muffins of various sorts. Clearly, the kitchen staff had gone all out to please the royalty, and Morrigan had no issues with that.
She invited all the servants and the guards to the giant dining table which had been prepared for them. They were hesitant at first, but the still-steaming food quickly won them over and before long everyone was merrilly eating and chatting. Not to mention that since all servants were at the table, Morrigan could eat together with Galandir. Sadly it was not something they could do together very often.
There was, however, one person who was not enjoying the bountiful breakfast in the slightest.
"Will you all quiet down?" Azrael grumbled, clutching his head with his hand.
"Shouldn''t have drank so much yesterday," Deziara retorted, taking a large bite out of her glowfruit muffin. The muffin lit up with gentle blue light when she took a bite then slowly returned back to normal.
"But it was the first evening when I wasn''t forced to teleport back to the capital," he mumbled. "I had to celebrate."
"All celebration should be done in moderation," Viana chastised, cutting a small piece of her savory pancake and putting it in her mouth. She was probably still the only one who still remembered any table manners. Morrigan did try her best to follow her example, but when there was so much delicious food in front of you, it was hard to take only small bites.
"As if you''d understand. You don''t even drink," Azrael glared at all three princesses in turn. "You don''t even know how nice it is."
"We are underage," Morrigan retorted, pointing towards herself and Deziara.
"Alcohol is highly overrated. Wine is a fine drink, but only in small quantities. As soon as you drink enough for it to influence your ability to think, you should stop," Viana shook her head.
"But that''s when it gets fun," Azrael giggled maniacally, and all three princesses sighed.
"Hey, when you two take charge, make sure to remove him from his position," Galandir whispered.
"That''ll be the first thing I''ll do," Morrigan nodded.
"As it should be," Viana nodded.
"But you should ask him about the¡" Deziara paused, aware of all the ears around them, then looked at Morrigan.
"You should ask him about the situation in the capital," She sent the message directly into Morrigan''s mind.
"What?" Galandir stared at both of them in turn, not following the conversation.
"It doesn''t concern you," Viana said sharply.
"There, there. No need to get sharp," Morrigan pacified the two, then sent a message into her elven friend''s mind.
"We think that something bad might be going on in the capital. I''ll try to ask Azrael, but I need to be sure to be alone with him."
"Why don''t you just ask him through your Telepathy? He''s close enough, isn''t he?" Galandir replied in her mind.
How did I not think of that?
She sighed at her lack of wit and decided to blame it on the early morning hours. And she wasn''t quite used to the fact that she could just speak into somebody''s mind. It just seemed too convenient.
"Azrael, I need to ask you something."
The mage sputtered on the coffee he was drinking and then glared at Morrigan.
"I am eating. Leave me be," he grumbled and turned his back towards her.
"It is important."
"Leave me be. Your voice hurts my head," Azrael rubbed at his temples. The nearby guards looked at him oddly and scuttled some distance away from him. Deziara snickered at the display.
"Who are you talking to, Azrael?" she teased him.
"You know who, you little¡ little¡" the white-haired demon grumbled, but then just waved with his hand.
"One question."
"Be quick. Your voice in my head seriously hurts," the mage finally relented, while his forehead scrunched up unpleasantly.
"What is going on in the capital?"
Azrael paused, and Morrigan could see from his expression that a hundred thoughts were going through his mind. But he wasn''t sending any of them to her, instead choosing to remain silent.
"Nothing," was the only thing she received. Then he got up from the table and left while complaining loudly, "You lot are insufferable. How is somebody with a hangover supposed to eat here? I''m going to my room."
"What did he say?" Deziara, Viana and Galandir all asked in her mind at the same time.
"Nothing."
All three of them furrowed their brows and watched as the mage left. Something was definitely going on. Morrigan decided then that she''d definitely find out exactly what before they left the resort.
Chapter 124 – Bringing the Heat
Three days passed in an unexpected, relaxing bliss. Morrigan had wanted to remain for only two days maximum in the Lava Resort, however, at the insistence of her sisters and the Demon King himself, they remained for longer. While it certainly did wonders for her tired body, her mind grew increasingly uneasy. It felt like something big was going on but she was so far away from home and had no way of knowing.
Morrigan tried to get information out of Azrael, but after that first morning, the demon was completely unreadable and refused to tell her anything. Or to be precise he claimed that everything was perfectly fine with that dopey grin of his. The more she and her sisters tried to get something out of him, the more he clammed up. By the end of the third day, even Viana was convinced that everything was perfectly fine.
"But what about the weird way Father is acting?" Morrigan grumbled to Viana, as they were preparing to resume their journey. The packing process was slow, everyone was hesitant to leave the heavenly or perhaps it''s better to call it the hellish resort. All the servants and guards looked well-rested, their skin nearly glowing, satisfied smiles plastered on their blissful faces.
"Maybe he''s just more relaxed now that most of the enemy forces have been captured?" the eldest princess guessed.
"Do you really believe that? The mastermind still remains hidden," Morrigan narrowed her eyes. Viana sighed.
"Okay, let''s say that something is going on in the capital. Tell me ¨C how are we supposed to influence that?" Viana said. "Sure, we are the princesses, but do you really think that Father wouldn''t be able to deal with whatever threat on his own?"
"I guess¡ But I still worry," Morrigan grumbled.
"That''s only natural, little sister. But put more trust in Father. He''s been the King for thousands of years. It''ll take more than a little scheme to take him down," the eldest princess pacified.
"Yeah¡ you''re right¡" Morrigan conceded, then after clenching her fist angrily. "I still wish Azrael would tell us what''s going on."
"Maybe he''s under Father''s orders not to tell us anything?"
"That''s possible, but he''s never been one to obey orders."
"He obeys them when it''s important. As much as I hate to admit that the mage is not as useless and careless as he seems. Now, enough conspiracies. We need to continue our journey," Viana said. Morrigan nodded, calming down a little. But the nagging never really left her.
***
Resuming the journey was¡ difficult. Nobody wanted to return to the rattling carriages, especially when it was estimated that it would take them about a week to get to the next sacred site. Everyone was moving at a snail''s pace ¨C even the usually energetic badgers who pulled the carriages seemed unenthusiastic to continue. Apparently, the Lava Resort had a special cleaning program for these beasts as well.
If there were a way to leave a review, then this place would certainly get full five stars. But this was the Underworld, so there would be no leaving of reviews. Instead, there would be rattling in carriages.
The Underworld needs a better mode of transportation because this is just ridiculous. The more I travel in these, the worse they seem to get. Maybe I could somehow implement a metro system of sorts. With carts or something that runs on magic. But then again the Underworld is so huge ¨C is that even feasible? Something to think about in the future.
But even if she managed to implement something like that, it wouldn''t influence this trip at all. So the best she could do was take her shadow form and wait as the time passed as they continued on through the Underworld.
The scenery began to change as they kept going ¡ª it became considerably lighter as more and more lava rivers or lakes appeared. The temperature also got higher, and Morrigan noticed how her sisters got increasingly more uncomfortable. The moles mount and badgers also were getting more sluggish. And it only got worse. In approximately three days, most of the retinue reached their limit.
"Azrael, what is going on? It is way too hot here for others to continue," Morrigan said looking at her companions. Both of her sisters were sweating buckets despite the fact that they were holding a ball of ice which Galandir and Azrael conjured to keep everyone cool. The guards and servants weren''t doing much better.
The exceptions were Morrigan, Azrael, and Haku as well as a few guards who knew fire magic and thus had resistance to it. However, it was clear that their magical prowess contributed to this resistance. While Morrigan, Azrael, and Haku felt completely fine and fresh since their fire resistance was incredibly high, the guards were starting to feel uncomfortable.
"We''re currently reaching the hottest point in the Underworld, so those without fire resistance will find it difficult to continue," he hummed.
"Difficult? The temperature is much higher than last time. Why is that?" Viana said, doing her best to remain dignified despite the sweat trickling down her face. Servants were doing their best to fan her, but the heat was too unbearable for that to be of much help.
"Seismic activity must be stronger now than it was when you went on your tour. So it is hotter," he explained with a smile.
"But we still have four more days left to travel until we get to the sacred site. They can''t endure that," Morrigan growled.
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"Yeah, probably not. We''re not even at the hottest point yet," Azrael hummed and scratched his chin. Morrigan rolled her eyes at him. The course of action is clear.
"Those who don''t have fire resistance will return to the resort and wait for us there," Morrigan announced.
"Wow, wow, Princess! We can''t do that. You''d be left without any servants and with only a handful of guards," the mage shook his head, and many dissatisfied calls resounded with him.
"That''s right, it''s far too dangerous. We''re going with you," Galandir said firmly.
"You can''t endure the heat," Morrigan retorted.
"I can cool myself down, no problem!" the elven boy objected and coated his clothes in a layer of ice.
"For how long can you keep that up? You''d have to keep your magic going the whole time," she argued.
"I have large magic reserves," he said stubbornly.
"And what about when you sleep? And don''t say you''ll stay awake because you can''t remain awake for four days."
Galandir flinched back. He had no retorts here.
"As much as I''d like to keep going together with Morri, I don''t think it is possible. Look at all of us. We''re barely holding it. At this rate we''d be nothing but a burden," Deziara said. She looked completely miserable, basically melted into a puddle. There was no way she could go any further.
"That''s right. It''s an order. Those without fire resistance are to return to the Lava Resort," Morrigan said in a loud voice to make sure that everyone heard.
"Princess, we can¨C" Azrael began, but she glared at him.
"I said it''s an order. Last time I checked Crown Princess ranked higher than court mage," she stared him down. He looked shocked, then he nodded, appearing almost hurt that she would actually exert her authority on him.
"So be it. Don''t blame me if the daddy gets mad at you," the mage shrugged.
"More like he''ll be thankful that I didn''t drag his daughters and subjects through literal fiery hell. Now, let''s regroup!"
The retinue was split into two groups. One group of seven carriages and those who had little or no fire resistance were to return to the resort. Morrigan''s group consisted of three carriages, Azrael, Haku, five demon guards, and three of Count Etheles''s elite guards. Two of the guards would have to take over two coachmen as only one of them had a fire resistance high enough to continue.
The groups were about to go their separate ways when Morrigan heard Galandir speak into her mind.
"Please, be careful. Don''t let anyone capture or hurt you," he said. She could sense genuine worry in him and saw how he was looking at her like a sad puppy abandoned by its owner.
"I''m going to be fine. If things get really bad, I can always call Father," she replied.
"Even so ¡ª watch yourself."
"I will. Take care of my sisters. Make sure that nothing bad happens to them. You''re the strongest mage among them after all."
"Of course. You can count on me."
She waved at him and the rest of the group and then set out to continue their way. Haku cooed sadly after the elf and Deziara, not wanting to separate from them,
"Don''t worry. We''ll reunite with them as soon as we are done with our business at the sacred site," she said to him.
"I still do not like to be apart. The enemy lurks and I cannot protect them if something happens."
This did bring a pang of worry to Morrigan. While the other group was more numerous than their group, her small group was much stronger. She and Azrael were already a considerable force of magic not many would be able to stop. Add Haku on top of that and they already could take down a small army. The other group had no such obvious powerhouses.
She knew that Galandir was strong, but the exact extent of his powers was unknown to her. There had never really been a need for him to go all out.
"Go with them, Haku," Morrigan spoke into her dragon''s mind.
"A-Are you sure?" Haku seemed apprehensive.
"Yes. We''re going to be fine. Not like many would be able to follow us into this heat. Meanwhile, they will be more exposed ¡ª waiting for us to return. It won''t take long for the news to travel around the kingdom that they are at the resort."
Haku looked at Morrigan, then nodded. He took flight and went towards the other group.
"Hey, where are you going, you overgrown lizard?" Azrael bellowed, about to chase after him.
"He''ll guard the others," Morrigan said and headed towards the carriage. The mage blinked for a moment then followed after her.
"You figured out that they''d be in more danger than us."
"Yeah. Hopefully, this will level the playing field."
"A giant fire-breathing dragon? Nope, why would that deter anybody?" Azrael shrugged, then his face grew serious. "I did cast a few wards on Viana and Deziara. If something happens, then I''ll know."
"Let''s hurry and get our business done, so we can reunite again."
They got inside the carriage and the grueling journey continued. The further they got, the hotter it got and soon Morrigan and Azrael were also feeling the heat. They were sweating quite considerably, while the poor guards and mounts could only endure thanks to the ice magic. Two days later they too couldn''t endure it anymore.
"What do we do?" Morrigan asked the mage, who helplessly looked at the guards who were drowning in sweat. No matter how much water they drank it never seemed enough.
"We''re going have to continue alone," Azrael replied and began constructing a portal.
"Lord Azrael, you cannot use portal magic. It''ll leave you without magic reserves for days," Seon, one of the guards who managed to hold on, objected.
"You guys feel like dying?" he retorted as he finished the portal. "Besides this is a small portal. Carriages will have to be abandoned, but I believe that''s a sacrifice we''ll have to make."
"But we cannot leave you two alone," Seon objected and the other guards agreed.
"You''re no use to us like this anyway. No shut up and get it. The longer you dally, the more magic the portals expends," the mage commanded. Morrigan nodded and signaled the guards to go through. Reluctantly they obeyed and the portal closed as soon as the last guard had stepped through.
"A dragon to fly on would be quite convenient right now," Azrael grumbled.
"Then why don''t you turn into one?" Morrigan snickered and changed her form. Slowly her body wrapped and grew until she looked exactly like Haku. Only smaller.
"Now when you mention it," Azrael grinned and also changed his shape. His dragon form was bigger and black. The two of them nodded at each other and took flight. And then they promptly changed back and took the supplies they would need from the carriages.