The Kingdom of Silentdew

4.1 Demon Damaris

Damaris pt.1

You know those fairytales stories about the princess being locked away in a tower, and her true love saves her? Have you ever thought about why the princess is there? You see I got scared one day when three men grabbed me, and tried to pull me into the woods near my father's kingdom. When I screamed I, somehow, opened the ground causing the men to fall into fire, and I covered myself in a protective ring of fire. I tried telling my parents what happened, but they didn't listen. They kept saying this was for my own protection. Granted I was called devil's daughter, Lilith, hell's demon, along with a lot more, but I knew they were only scared of me.
Before my parents left me, they told me why I can do what I did. Apparently my father is a whore who broke the heart of a fae. He played with her heart only to cut her ears, and he left her there. As he told me this horrid act I could see pride in his eyes as his mouth sounded of regret. The day after they left the woman that supposedly cursed me showed up. At first I was worried about her being there, but after she explained she's an actual goddess that was sent to test my father for what's to come. She swore to me I was never cursed, however she did curse my father from never having children again. For that I will forever be grateful. She taught me about my ancestors, the power they all had, but when humans came the power was locked away.
While she taught me of the power I had, she would share with me what she's been through. She was called many names Mother Nature, Demeter, Terra, but her actual name is Kefira.
As I grew older I could control all the elements. What surprised us the most was, I could also overpower animals. Everything was going so well until she walked into the kitchen this morning.
"You'll be free soon, and you'll be taking over my role in this world." She softly smiles at me.
"What do you mean? You'll be back right?" I stood as I started to get worried.
"I've been teaching you how to be the balance for this world, and once your power is full I will be sent back to empyrean. Where I can relax, and watch over your wonderful work." She rests her hand on my shoulder.
"So you'll die?" I query.
"A goddess never dies, Love. I will still be able to come see you, help you, and anger you just as I do now." She laughs as I roll my eyes at her.
Since there is nothing I can do but wait, we spent our day reading different scrolls on creatures. Kefira told me when I first got locked away the creatures got tired of running, so they all came together overpowering all kingdoms. My only hope is that my kingdom still stands, but I know my parents are gone. Just by the way they treated me I just knew they'd do something wrong.
"Y/n." Kefira calls to me as she stares out the window.
As I stand next to her I watch smoke clouds come from an area in the woods. A bird flies over the trees, so I overtake it to get a better look. Flying through the camp I see many creatures, and humans. I'm drawn to a large tent in the middle of this rather large group, and as I land at the tent's opening I hear talking inside.
"We'll scope it out for now, but it looks like it's in ruin." I hear a deep voice that makes my body shiver.
"I did see smoke coming out of the tower this morning, so maybe someone is in the tower." Another voice says.
I can only assume they mean my tower, so I fly around to get more information. Sadly nothing important, so I let the bird have its body back. Once back in my body I'm in my bed with Kefira staring out of the window. I can feel the air difference, and I just know everything will change.
"Is this what you meant, but I don't understand how they found me?" I thought aloud as I walked toward Kefira.
She sighs. "I helped them a little. Please don't be upset, but your mate is in that group." She tells me.
"Why didn't you just tell me?" I sit on the window sill.
"I thought you'd get scared and run away, and we all would be in trouble." She softly takes my hand. "I know it can be overwhelming, but your mate is...very interesting." She smirks like she just told a joke.
"I don't think I saw him when I was flying around." I look towards the camp.
The sun started to set as I got distracted from the music in the distance. As I listened I didn't notice a group of men coming out of the trees closest to the tower. Once I noticed them I used wind to close all the curtains, and watch them from the side of the window. They started walking toward the opening of the wall that surrounds the tower, and I did the only thing I could think of. I form a fire wall around the whole tower, causing them all to jump back. They try to find an opening, but it only causes me to push it out more.
I watch a man walk toward the group, and talk to them. He points up at the window, and the group leaves. Who is this man, and why do I want to meet him? When the others are back in the woods he looks right at me, and I'm so surprised the fire goes out. He looks at the burnt ground for a moment, then back at me before walking to the door. Cursing myself for taking all the boards down.
I take a deep breath to gather myself to go down the stairs. As I got closer to the bottom I could see his shadow moving around. I slowly walked to the kitchen doorway, and could actually see him. The fire from the fireplace showed the scars on his dark skin, and his eyepatch. The poor man was so much bigger than my small kitchen it made him hunch over, and almost hit his head on one of the beams. I couldn't help the giggle that slipped when he almost hit another one. His head snapped to me before I could move.
"H...hello." I stutter out.
He just watches me as I come into the kitchen completely. I fiddled with my fingers before walking to the cupboard, grabbing the bowl of berries, and placing them on the table.
"Would you like anything? I made it all myself." I give him a small smile as he steps toward me.
"Why aren't you running?" He questions.
"Because I know why you are here." He smirks at my answer.
"Oh really? Why?" He steps closer, caging me to the cupboard.
I lost my thoughts when I looked along his arms to his chest, but I snapped my eyes up when I realized I've been staring. His smirk turns smug when I lock eyes with him.
"What is your name?" I ask innocently.
"Damaris, and yours?" He leans his face closer almost to my neck.
"(Y/n) (L/n)."
Once I say my last name his whole body tenses up, and he slowly brings his face to mine, staring harshly at me.
"You're the princess?" He steps back when I nod. "Of course you are.." He chuckles to himself. "Oh I love how my life turns out. First I lose my family to a tyrant of a human, I am tortured by him, even lost my eye, because he thought I glared at him! Once I actually get a piece of mind, and find my mate, she's his fucking daughter!" His voice gets louder as his rant goes on, and at this point my cheeks are like I dunk my head in water.
He begins to stumble around as he rants, so I slide towards the staircase. I'm almost halfway up when I hear his deep growl. I ran the rest of the way up the stairs. I dive on my bed, trying to hide inside the canopy, but I start to shake when I hear his heavy footsteps coming up the last of the steps. He swings the door open only to stop once he looks around.
"Have...they? Firefly, come out, I'm not going to hurt you." He asks.
I don't answer, I just stay in my shaking, huddled ball on my bed. He slowly walks toward the bed, stopping at the edge, and looks at me like he's figuring something out.
"Did they lock you in here?" When I don't answer he sighs deeply. "Answer me please."
"Just leave." I say while in my ball at the corner of my bed.
He turns around, surprising me when he sits on the bed. We sit in silence for a great moment, and he just stays there. I slowly move towards him until I'm sitting close to his back.
"I was fourteen when these men tried to take me into the woods, to do Gods only knows, but I somehow opened the ground that had a fire pit at the bottom. I covered myself in a ring of fire that didn't go away until I saw my mother. My parents locked me here, and I haven't seen them since." I just feel he should know.
" They told everyone you were taken by a Fae, and caused the war against the creatures. Granted, for years we were poisoned to make our power and strength to weaken, but when they said a fae would take a child just tipped the scale." He looks down.
"I knew they did something wrong when the war started." I pause. "Damaris I'm so sorry for what my family has done, and I completely understand if you want to reject me." I could feel my heart stop a couple beats just for saying that.
His head snapped to mine.
"You are mine, and I won't leave you here."
I jumped onto his lap before I could stop myself. I rub my nose in his neck as his hands rests on my hips. I lazily throw my arms around his shoulder as he nuzzles his face in my hair. I move my hand up to the back of his neck into his short hair, and lean back to look at him. As I go to kiss him an arrow comes through the window hitting the door, but Damaris has me under him before I could blink. He keeps me under him as I shake, hiding my face in his chest. We slowly pull apart as he looks around, and leans me against the bed frame.
"Stay here." He gently orders as he looks out the corner of the curtain.
I can actually see his body relax when he turns to me.
"Those are my guards. I don't know why that shot." He kisses my forehead before he stomps to the door. "I'll be back." He calls over his shoulder.
I can't believe my parents would do such a thing. How am I supposed to be mates with a man my father has caused so much pain? He said he wouldn't leave me here, but who knows if that's actually true. Parents are supposed to stay with you, but we all know how that turns out. I move to the window as Damaris storms to the group of guards I suppose.