A Demon's Angel

~1~

I sprinted through the snow, the cold slowly freezing my feet but my pain was numbed as the adrenaline rushed through my body. I panted heavily as my hands clinged on to my dress. A loud growl was heard from behind me followed by multiple barks and howls. I looked back to see yellow eyes following me as grey blurs whooshed past the trees in front of me. I started sprinting with barely any energy left at all. My legs were practically begging me to stop but my head was screaming at me to keep running.

I automatically came to a stop as I reached a drop. Small rocks tumbled down the steep drop. I looked behind me seeing there was no way around or anyway to go. Multiple wolves erupted from the trees and slowly approached me, slowly cornering me. They all took slow steps towards me with their teeth snarling. One pounced, biting my left ankle. I fell to the ground with a pained yelp. As my blood stained the snow, my vision blurred.

Right as another one jumped, my face came in contact with the snow waiting for impact. Instead I heard bodies being tackled to the ground. I looked and saw some blurred figure throwing the wolves against the trees, grabbing their necks and tossing them farther away from me. The stranger roared loudly at the wild animals. They cowered back and into the darkness. The stranger turned around, his strangely colored eyes landed upon my injured body. A familiar voice rang in my ears.

"Nari?" My body was weightlessly picked up and carried closely to a warm chest. I let my exhaustion take charge of my body as my heavy eyelids demanded my mind to become unconscious.

3 hours before

"Nari! Nari!" My mother's voice was heard from outside my room and soon after she burst into my room with a graceful hand gesture for all the maids working on my make up to be dismissed.

"Darling, The Byuns are here! You know the one who-"

"Whose parents requested an arranged marriage, I know mother, I know." I sat down at my white vanity.

I picked up my diamond necklace, attempting to put it on myself. My mother clicked her tongue, her heels making a soft sound against the carpet as she approached my vanity.

"Sweetheart, you need to consider all these princes who are all willing to marry you now, those royal families are not patient, you know," she took the necklace out of my hands and stared at it carefully. "Is this that horrid thing your aunt gave you? I tell you she has no taste in jewelry at a-"

"Mom," I interrupted her insult. She sighed and put it down on the smooth white surface. Both her hands reached behind her neck and took off her own necklace.

"Wear this," she latched the two ends together on the back of my neck. "You look gorgeous. You look like your grandmother when she was young. Such a wonderful woman who was already arranged to be married at the age of 15," she fixed my side bang that had fallen in front of my face as I stared down at my gloved hands.

I stood up and pushed my chest outwards confidently.

"I'm 17, mom. Not 30. I'm not ready to be married. I've told you this before whether you or father have listened or not."

"It doesn't matter, you have a duty to this kingdom. You have a duty to this family, Nari. You need to start considering tha-"

There was a light knock at the door. My mother twisted her head harshly that her hair whipped in front of her face.

Hoseok peeked his head between the two doors, scanning the room only to notice me and my mother were here.

"Your majesties," he bowed respectfully.

"Hoseok," my mother straightened her posture and hair, "What is it?"

"Pardon me, your majesties, but the king is requesting to see the queen and princess immediately."