“Before the age of 12, all Demons must learn the words and numbers. This decree ensures that every Demon must have the opportunity to be tutored by those more knowledgeable than them. Only with this shall we ensure the greatness of our country in the centuries to come, for it is the young that will lead this country when we grow old and frail.”
̶ The Second Decree of Dralarag, Demonlord Koran Kreshorok, 10th year of his reign
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The Sun’s rays are in my eyes. I have slept for so long; I feel refreshed, ready to take on a new day. My room is beautiful; I get out of my bed sheets and plant myself in front of the large mirror. The maidens should be here by now; they always knew when I woke up. I need help with this jumbling mess on my head. And these dresses cannot be properly tightened without help.
“Milady.”
An unfamiliar voice echoes through my room. I turn around, searching for its source. My gaze stops at the doors.
A woman with flowing red hair and dark skin is standing in my room, dressed in a simple black maiden’s dress, curtsying slightly in my direction. I have never seen this woman before. She stands up, revealing a small smile and completely red eyes.
How could I have forgotten it already? I got married to a Demon yesterday. This is going to be my life from now on. He wasn’t there when I woke up, it made me think it was all a bad dream. But now I am cruelly reminded of the reality that has fallen upon me.
Demons are a part of my life now. That still doesn’t explain what this woman is doing here.
“Who are you and what are you doing in my room?”
“Milady, you can call me Tiana. Lord Cerolus has appointed me as your personal servant. I will be taking care of you from now on. Milord has asked that I start replacing your previous maidens today; he considered it wise for me to start as soon as possible.”
So he already plans to replace everyone I know with Demons? Will he even let me see my family now?
The guards outside my room are standing still. They look unperturbed by the Demon inside my room.
“Milady, Lord Renald has already been informed of this and has agreed to the arrangement.”
So that is why they aren’t moving; they must’ve been told already.
“Fine, start with my hair then.” The Demon woman bows, and moves behind me, talking the brush in her hair. Her moves are as elegant as my maidens’ were before. Before long, the mess on my head is gone, and the long brown hair I pride myself in is here again.
I get up and start changing into my dress. I shiver at the thought of a Demon seeing my bare skin, but I have to dismiss those thoughts.
The work goes silently, I unwilling to speak, and I assume she is not to speak unless spoken to, the introduction being one of the few exceptions. Not that different from my maidens before.
After a few minutes, I am dressed and presentable. Which is great, because I see a familiar face at the door.
“Magdalene!”
“My dear sister, you have finally woken up. You have always slept until late, always being late to breakfast.”
I run towards my sister, my hug almost chocking her. I have not been able to speak with her last night, the wedding taking so much energy from me.
“I have missed you.”
“I have missed you too, Sophia.”
I look into her blue eyes, the one thing we have in common, the thing we took after Mother. There are tears on her face. She is happy to see me after all this time. And now I am going away. It breaks my heart to see her like this. It breaks my heart that I will see my sister only for one day after 4 years, and then we will part ways again.
“Come, we have to get you something to eat.”
I follow her outside my room, towards the dining hall. There are guards all around us, some even walking behind us.
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“Who is that, Sophia?” She points at the Demon trailing us. I wouldn’t have noticed her if she didn’t point it out, her steps are silent.
“Apparently, my husband has already appointed a new maiden for me.”
“She looks so different than him, and that servant of his yesterday. She almost looks like us.” Now that I think about it, it does look like it. She doesn’t have horns or a tail, she is as tall as me, and she even has normal feet. With fingers! If it weren’t for the bright red eyes or the coal like skin, she would look like us.
She is still silent; maybe I can ask her some questions, to get some answers?
The doors to the dining room have opened before us, revealing a lavish breakfast that has been served. Ronald, Gavin and John are at the table; my father seems to not be present.
“Where is Father?”
“Apparently the nobles have already started complaining about something, and he had to go.” Ronald answers offhandedly, stuffing himself with some pie. “It is great to see you outside that bloody dress, Sophia. Red never suited you.”
Oh right, my white dress got soaked in blood at the wedding. I can still feel the warmth on my skin, but how? I have already taken a bath before bed, all the blood furiously scrubbed away. No, it’s not the warmth of the blood, it’s that same feeling I had when I drank it. Just what has happened to me? Maybe the Demon has some answer I need.
“And him?” There is a small silence in the otherwise busy room; everyone stopping at the thought of the Demon.
“Master Cerolus has been inspecting the carriages himself milady, ensuring that we will be safe on our journey home. He has sent me to inform you that your possessions have already been accounted for, and that we are to begin travel after your breakfast.” The horned servant appears from nowhere once again, staggering everyone in the room. “I will take my leave now, if you need anything, ask Tiana.” He bows, and walks away, melding with the few shadows in the room, before he completely disappears.
So this meal will be my last meal at my home? Will this be the last time I see my family?
“Come here, sister, and eat.” They know that too, but are trying to stay calm, sadness visible on their faces, as I walk to the table, taking my last meal in the Palace of Frital.
We eat silently, no one daring to start the conversation, afraid that we will all start sobbing uncontrollably should we do so. The meat is bland, unappealing, or is that because of all the sadness in the room?
My younger brother breaks the silence. “Sister, why do you have to go? Make that Demon go without you! When are we going to see you again? This is unfair, that we have to watch you go away, and can do nothing about it! Please, stay with us.”
I start crying; all the feelings come out, everything I’ve been suppressing pouring onto the surface.
“I am going to miss all of you.”
Everyone is silent; we just hug each other, sobbing, cursing the Demon for everything he has done so far, for everything he will do in the future, and for taking me away.
Time passes slowly in the dining room, nobody willing to let go.
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“It is time. We have to get moving, or we will not be able to stay at Nerim for the night.” I turn around to look at Kozzok; his face has gotten old these past few years. I remember when he came to me as a small child, asking to serve ‘the great Kreshorok family’, a small child with black hair, two little stubs on his head. A child from a minor Shadow spawn, his fate uncertain. I took him in, I made him my servant, I gave him a purpose.
He bows before me, leaving to fetch my new wife.
The Human cities look different, the air here different, the Humans different. There is nothing like home.
I turn towards the convoy. The Firemanes are fed, the Imps rested, the luggage packed, the carriages inspected for faults and sabotages.
“Demos har nos.” We ride home.