The Way To Dawn: Apocryphal

The Demon and the Maiden

Chapter Two: The Demon and the Maiden

In an old fashion dungeon cell with a modern toilet in the corner, Titania patiently waited on the wooden bench for her captor's return. She sits with closed eyes, as if to be in a meditative state before the sound of the cell's lock was undone and the door opened.

"Come with me," Derexen said.

"So soon?" she joked. "I was already feeling the touch of Stockholm syndrome and was ready to profess my love to you." Derexen said nothing before moving through the series of cells in his dungeon. She jumped up to follow. "Nothing for that either? Forever joyless, I suppose," she muttered. "You really don't laugh, do ya'?"

"There's no room for such ephemeral joys in my life. A series of selfish moments to please one's self can eventually lead to that person going off course and losing their way. Sometimes for good."

"I guess," she said with an awkward expression before smirking again. "You know that cell is very impractical in our times. If I wanted to escape, I could have."

"You must think very little of me. If you were to use any magical means to escape, the unseen magic rites placed on that cell would have caused a neutron star effect and your purpose would cease to exist."

"Youch. You're a dangerous man. But I did say never take your eye off the enemy, didn't I?"

"Meaning?"

"You walking ahead of me, not looking my way. I could do something underhanded, or do you just trust me to uphold my word?"

"If you see an opportunity to take my life, I suppose you should take it and not look back."

Titania nervously smiled. Why am I admiring his edgy danger? she thought. Maybe it's his confidence. Titania innocently chuckled, causing Derexen to vaguely glance at her. Or maybe I really am experiencing Stockholm syndrome.

Once they reached the stairwell at the end of the path, Derexen and Titania move to the higher floors to enter his conference room. Derexen's conference room had a large mahogany table with a red table cloth stretched across it. High above the series of black marble pillars lined on both sides of the room were four windows on each side, covered by shades to keep excessive sunlight out the room.

Around the table are seven tall black chairs with different roman numerals carved in red on the head of each. There are three chairs to the right and three to the left. The first roman numeral chair was placed at the head of the table, in front of a black marble throne that also had the same roman numeral.

The throne had a few steps leading down to the table. Behind the throne chair was a large red flag with a black boarder, draped across the wall. On the flag was black spread wings with a man's hand reaching up, holding the world. The left wing has the word Government in castellar font and the right wing reads Law in the same font.

As they entered, Derexen pointed to his right, not looking in the direction he pointed. "Grab yourself a guest chair." He moved to the head of the table while Titania grabbed a wooden brown chair from the corner of the room.

She looked around and placed her chair at the end of the table before sitting. "I see you're rebuilding your staff." Derexen sat at the head chair and stared at her. "You seem to be rebuilding them slower than before."

"Titania of the distant skies, tell me why you are here." He noticed she seemed a bit giddy. "What is wrong with you?"

"I wanted to say it before, but I'm loving the moniker you've added to my name. It's very nice since the name Titania comes with much power, pride, and unyielding purpose."