How I Became the Fairy Bride of the Demon King

Chapter 6: The Choosing Ceremony and a Duel

When we exited the infirmary, the priests and guards stood behind the door; the lamia who brought Raoul was absent. Some looked guilty, as if they were eavesdropping. I tightened my grip on my satchel's strap while Raoul placed his hand on my shoulder. (FYI: He's three feet taller than me.)

Don't worry, he told me telepathically. No one can hear or see anything inside my barriers.

"Now that you're finished," the Head Priest began in the awkward silence. "We can start finding her a compatible-" He didn't finish as Raoul cut him off.

"That won't be necessary."

"Demon Lord Raoul-" the Head Priest began before Raoul cut him off again.

"She's nineteen."

The jaws of every demon before us hit the floor at that statement.

The Head Priest was the first to regain his composer. He groaned and smacked his forehead; "This is going to be a hassle."

"Sheesh," Jonas began. "I know you told us that you're a pariah among your people, girl. But who knew they hated you that much?"

"What's the problem?" I asked. "As I told Raoul, I got my title when I was sixteen and I'll be twenty by the end of the year."

"That's not the issue," the center priest said. "We weren't expecting fairies younger than a century to arrive. Many of the younger demons won't hesitate to take advantage of you."

"Meaning?"

"You're as good as dead the instant you step one foot outside this temple," Raoul explained.

"He's right," Christian agreed. "Without someone to act as your guardian, it'd be better to just send you back to Elfame."

"She has the Belladonna title," Raoul told them dryly.

Everyone groaned and facepalmed. However, I sensed they did that to mask their fear. Fear of what, I don't know.

"How did you survive three years in Elfame with the Belladonna title?" the priest on the left demanded.

"Our queen forbade any mistreatment directed at me. And there isn't a fairy that would dare disobey her for anything."

They nodded in understanding.

"So if you can't send me back and I can't stay here, what's going to happen?"

"For now," the Head Priest began with a sigh. "We will house you here until we find you a temporary guardian."

"Why not Raoul?" I asked, pointing at Raoul with my thumb. "He was my foster father back in Elfame."

Apparently, he didn't tell anyone that because they all dropped their jaws to the floor again.

"Uh, well, um," Jonas began awkwardly. "That explains a lot."

"Explains what?" Both Raoul and I asked at the same time.

"Nothing, nothing," he and the others replied hastily, avoiding eye contact.

"Actually, that might work," the Head Priest said, rubbing his beard. "If Demon Lord Raoul was your guardian, no demon worth his weight in gold would dare mess with you."

I looked up at Raoul. "Really? I don't mean to be rude and I know being a demon lord is a big deal, but are you really that big a deal when compared to other demon lords?"

"Lord Raoul is the reining tournament champion," Christian answered. "Seven years in a row."

Raoul flushed at the praise and turned his head away as he replied nonchalantly; "It's not my fault I keep getting matched up with weaklings."