Dark crown

Meeting The Devil Himself

Two guards gripped Mae's arms tighter than she would have liked. Just a few moments ago she was running through the black wood sure that she would run into another nightmarish creature but instead she ran into an Amwraithian soldier which was worse. She fought against their grip kicking and thrashing but she had been cursed with a small body and nothing held avail.

"Please just let me go I won't say anything," Mae pleaded to which neither of the guards responded. She knew where they were taking her to the devil himself the king of Amwraithia. Mae had only heard rumors that he was more brutal than his father and any demon combined, Mae could only pray that he didn't rip her throat out like the rest of his victims.

The guards dragged her around a corner down a wine red hallway which may as well have been made of floor to ceiling windows. The tall cherry wood doors seemed to grow taller and taller as Mae neared them. Tears began to run down her face she tried to stop the guards and herself but her bare feet only slipped and slid on the marble floors below. "Please," she begged again.

The guards still didn't respond they only stood there nodding to another guard who stood at the door, he nodded back and opened the large doors. Mae was dragged into the throne room the guards still holding her with that grip of death. Mae refused to look at the monster who sat upon the throne so she looked down at the floor wishing it would swallow her whole. The room was silent nobody breathed or spoke until there was a loud laugh coming from the throne.

"Why do you refuse to look at me?" The king asked. Mae didn't respond she only kept staring at the ground silently willing it to come up anytime now. "Look at me," he said. She still refused shutting her eyes to stop the tears from falling. "You heard his majesty," another voice sounded, an older man "Look at him." Then quick footsteps sounded and a stiff hand grabbed Mae's chin and brought her face up to face the king.

The old man's hand was the only thing keeping Mae's jaw from dropping the king was completely different than she had imagined. He only looked to be eighteen and still had the flawless skin of a child. "Lord Henderson," the young king said. The old man whipped his head around his hand still gripping Mae's chin. "You can let her go now." The old man nodded giving Mae an extra look of disgust before he let go. "You can go to," the king shooed away the two guards who let Mae go without warning sending her stumbling to the ground. She quickly stood facing the boy king giving him the most composed look she could muster. Mae had to admit he was quite beautiful from his tan Amwrathian skin to the dark curls that stood atop his head, but that didn't change the blood lust in his eyes."You're scared," the boy king said grinning.

"I am not," Mae tried to stand up higher but failed miserably. The fact was she was terrified. "Then why are you shaking?" Mae looked at the king debating what to say next. She was about to object again but instead she thought of what her father used to say. "What is your name?" She asked. The king studied her for a moment then said, "Aries." He studied her again with the most beautiful pairs of eyes she had ever seen. "Why did you ask?"

"My father always told me that naming a monster took away some of it's power."

"Your father sounds like a wise man."

"He is," Mae said "But that's enough about him. Why am I here? Why haven't you killed me yet?" Aries leaned on his knees and studied her again. Mae didn't shy away from his gaze instead she stood tall and faced him hoping that she didn't look as transparent as she felt. "You're not dead, my dear, because you interest me."

"I interest you?"

"There's something you're hiding," he looked her up and down then sat back in his throne. "Go and clean up mud puddles are not invited to dinner."