The Devil's Kingdom

Him: An Enigma

Sitting infront of the mirror, I was combing my wet hair strands. My hands are moving holding the wooden comb through my hairs but my mind was somewhere else.

It's past midnight. After finishing my regular swording practice, I took a fresh bath and now I'm here drying & untangling my hairs.

I wasn't used to stay awake this late at night before coming here. And now I'm almost so addicted to this quiet of the night.

" Have you already waken up or are you yet to sleep? "

I almost jumped out of the short chair I'm sitting in from that sudden voice that spoke to me out of nowhere.

I hurriedly turn back only to find Jungkook standing behind me crossing his arms above his chest.

Why is he here at this time?

I sigh as I get up from my seat keeping the comb on the wooden chest and walk to him.

" Has anyone had not taught the Prince of Asterin to not to invade inside anyone's room without asking for their permission? " I ask him sternly.

" Anyone's room?! " he asks looking offended.

" We might be married for everyone but I have given you no right to walk inside my chamber anytime as per your wish! " I say stating the truth.

A cocky smile forms on his lips as he leans his face closer to me in a flash. I instinctively arch back away from him. I didn't wanted to even budge from my place. I didn't wanted to give him the satisfaction of overwhelming me. But I just did. And that reflected when his smile grows a little more.

" And hadn't anyone has given this simple knowledge to the Princess of Riveryn that anyone could go & come to their own chamber, anytime they want? Without needing anyone's permission? Hmm?! "

What?
This!
Is!

HIS ROOM!?

I was caught so off guard from the realization. But more than anything I felt pure embarrassment. I was living in his room from weeks and I don't have any idea about it. There's not even a single hint present inside this room that would reflect that this room belongs to him.

But if this room really belongs to him, then why he never comes to sleep here during night time. And there's no way, he was coming daily & I don't have any idea. I stay awake almost all night & I had never seen him coming & leaving anytime. Never even once.

" That can't be! " I say. " You never once had come to sleep here since I was here. And you don't have a single belonging of yours inside this room! "

" It's because I don't have any. My clothes were kept inside my office. And, about sleep.. " he takes steps closing that little gap left between us. And my feet automatically starts moving back.

He kept coming & I kept moving back. Until my calf hits the chair kept infront of the mirror & I loose my balance. I flap my arms like a bird to keep my balance but in vain.

And when I thought I'm going to fall down surely, Jungkook catches one of my arm. Thank God, he saved me. But it was his fault only, in the first place.

His eyebrows comes together as he feels something on my hands. I did too. Some sticky viscous liquid.

He lifts up my one hand he's holding. I could see crimson fluid all over my hand. Blood? How did I haven't noticed this before?

I look up at Jungkook to tell him to leave my hand but looking at the expression on his face I forgot my words.

Anxiety creeps me as I couldn't identify the reason of that unreadable expression he holds sometimes. That I couldn't decipher.

I want to know. I want to know what he hides behind that expression. I want to know this man. I want to know his intentions for marrying me.

Every single person of Asterin who stood in my wedding, my eyes saw each one of their hearts burning charcoal dark. They were devils with black hearts & that made my thoughts about them very clear.

But even that day, when this man was standing there holding a cold poker face like all of them, I still couldn't read him. And even now I couldn't know what kind of human he actually is.

I close my eyes being disappointed with myself. I had decided I won't put my mind in it. I will avoid it. I will run as far as I can go away from this, but it catches me everytime.

I feel him pulling me with him somewhere. As I open my eyes, I see him dragging me towards the pond present on the other half of the room.

He bends down and pulls me down too. He's strong. So strong. I can simply say that by feeling the calluses in his hand that's holding mine. They're the proof of his hardwork.

Mine is mostly bruised. And I'm guessing, few of had must've opened while I'm combing my hairs carelessly & started bleeding.

He dips my hand in the cold water. The pond wasn't that deep. My fingers brushes with the pebbles lying beneath the water.

He then suddenly jerks out my hand out from the pond & sees it carefully. But he didn't asks me a single question about how got those awful bruises on my hand. He acts like he knows everything that I had been doing from the moment I'd stepped my foot in this palace.

And I'm starting to realize it too. But the thing that's bothering me is why isn't he interrogating me? Why isn't he trying to stop me? When he knows well, even I myself had warned him clearly in words that I'll be the destruction of his father & his court's members.

And he must be well aware that if I had the powers, I had already destroyed Asterin's royal court by now.

Then why?

" I'll send some medicines, use it in your hands! " he says & I notice how he said hands and not just a hand.

I didn't answered to him.

He gets up and turns to walk. Standing like that he says " And you asked me why i don't sleep here, right? "

I now feel embarrassed for asking him that question. I never thought he will take that in other way. I wanted to faint there faking but then again that will only make him stay here more.

Don't move. Don't move.

Hold still till he walks out. Then you can fall or faint as much you want.

" I don't sleep here because there's nothing here that could satisfy my desires! Nothing that makes me want to come here! " he says before he walks out.

I wanted to vanish from there. I wanted to get my belongings out of that room right now.

***