The Secret Queen

Chapter One

"Zero! Zero! Where are you?" A sudden cough fit hit me causing me to fall to the snow covered ground. Strange, the snow felt colder to me than usual. Maybe it's like this because I am alone right now. Zero promised he would be here though. He promised we would celebrate my sixth birthday together. 

"Oh Fae!" A voice cut through the silence. "Fae you shouldn't be out here if you are sick!"

I felt a smile creep upon my lips. "I know Zero. I just had to come see you though! You promised you would be here so we could celebrate my birthday." I don't even have to look at him to know he disapproves of me being here while I am sick. Even though Zero is a couple months older than me, he acts so much more mature than I do.

With a loud sigh Zero asked, "What shall we do then princess? Would you like it if I pushed you on the swing like I usually do?" Without even waiting for my response, Zero's small warm hand reached down and pulled me up. I didn't care about the fact that I was cold or the fact that I was sick. I only cared that I was here at the park with my best friend.

Zero pushed me on the swing for what felt like hours, but he didn't complain. We told jokes that only us children found funny and we laughed. But then, all of a sudden I wasn't myself. I mean I was but not in my body. I watched as men came out of a large vehicle. All of them in my nation's army suits. All of them with the large dark fairy wings my people had sprouting from their backs. I watched as Zero tried to keep them away. I heard them telling him to hand me over. 'It is time. You are now the heir to the throne Princess." I watched as they tore Zero away from me. I heard my usually soft and quite voice scream and cry for zero to not let them take me away into the unknown world I was about to experience.

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Bolting up and out of the covers, I clung to the pillows around me. "That nightmare. Always the same fucking nightmare. Why can I not forget about that awful day?" Almost as soon as I finished asking I felt the bed shift. "Demon. Everything is alright sweetheart." 

My five foot tall hell hound raised his head and had a soft fiery glow as if he were about to go into battle. "Are you sure Fae? Did you have the nightmare again?" I heard softly in my head.

I put my hand on top of his fluffy head. "Yes Demon and yes. I did have the nightmare again, but I will be alright ok? Go back to sleep. We have a long day ahead of use." 

"Alright. If you say so. If you need a pillow or something to cuddle up toI am here for you." The soft glow that erupted from his eyes and body dimmed as he lay his head down to fall back into his peaceful slumber. Unlike him though, I got up and went to the bathroom.

Once in the bathroom I saw how much the nightmare truly affected me. My red eyes were filled with fear. My dark black hair was tangled and knotted. I didn't even know that straight hair could get this tangled. My wings though. They got the worst of it. The bright red and black the usually were, was now dull and had no luster to it whatsoever. "I guess this is what happens when your nightmares are memories from the past."

Looking at myself I decided that I would draw myself a bath. "Hopefully this will help me calm down and hopefully I will be able to get these horrible knots out." I pulled open the curtain and turned the faucet on so that the water would turn hot before putting the plug in. Once the water was warm enough I put in the plug, took my clothes off, and hoped in. As I hoped in the water splashed around and Demon came running in.

"A bath to calm the nerves? Would you like me to to warm it more so that you may get the most out of it?" As he finished asking small red flames leaped out of his mouth and into the bath tub.

"Thank you my dear Demon." I hugged him. "Thank you for always being here for me when I need you. We have been together so long that we practically read each other's minds."

A small chuckle erupted in my mind. "We can read each others minds weirdo. Though I know we have been together long, it has been very pleasant. Not many can say the have had a hell hound since birth as well. The connection we have with each other is stronger than any mage could try to replicate."

"That is very true my dear fluffy one. You have always been there for me. Your fire kept me warm while I was sick all those many times as a child." I hugged Demon tightly, feeling is soft fur cling to his body as I soaked him in water from my bath.

"Hey! Don't get m-" In the middle of Demon's sentence three loud knocks echoed within my room and into the bathroom.

"Your royal highness, Miss Fae Blackthorn. I do hope you are up. You must begin getting ready for your first day of class at Regional High School."

After waiting a few seconds after Roger, my royal time keeper, left I whispered softly to Demon. "This is going to be the most boring day of my life, and I've had to sit through diplomatic discussions!"

"It wont be to bad Fae. I'll at least be on campus with you. We may not be together all day but our bond will keep us linked."

My smile returned to my dace. "Maybe it wont be so bad then," I said as I grabbed my towel and headed for my closet.