Sweet Castle

The three trials

Fuyu had explained to the girl that during her stay at the castle, she would have to pass at least three types of tests. The first would be a test of grace, the second would be a test of cunning, and the third would be a test of trust. But throughout her stay, Fuyu explained that she must remain from letting the demon king touch her long twilight colored hair. And that she must keep it hidden until her wedding day.

The warning was odd and left a curious feeling in the girl's head. Why was she not allowed to touch her hair? Or more importantly, why must she keep it hidden for so long?

The young maiden did as she was told and while waiting in her room, she gathered her hair into a braid and wrapped it inside of a bonnet. She gazed at her image in the mirror of her vanity when a small knock was heard at the door.

The door opened and another demon, similar in looks to Fuyu appeared. He was taller with well groomed black hair. He wore a white suit and had two small white horns on his head. He carried with him the same trait as Fuyu, ruby eyes. With a bow he stepped to the side. "Milady, the king awaits you in the ball room. He has invited you to dance with him for the night."

The girl stood up and exited the room, thanking him for informing her. Fuyu's words seemed to echo in her mind. 'The first will be a test of grace.' It seemed that the first test would be a dance.

Thankfully, due to her being excluded in the village, she had plenty of time to dance on her own. She would often hide away in her home and dance to the sound of the village festivals. She had taught herself many things but had never had the chance to dance with someone else. The thought both terrified and excited her.

She arrived shortly after in the ballroom, met by the demon king himself. He was taller than she was by at least two feet. He had fluffy white hair and large bull-like black horns. His eyes were not red like the others. His were a dark black, hiding white iris' within them.

Unlike the stories of demons and ghosts from times of old, his eyes were not completely black. The same as how humans could have green or blue eyes, his were just simply a deep black. He seemed hardly demonic at all. But like his followers, he had a dark suit beneath a dark coat. The collar had white fur around it. And on his neck, he had a piece of jewelry that seemed to resemble the Egyptian symbol for life.

The girl approached the demon king and gave a respectable curtsey, the king responding with the appropriate action. The girl closed her eyes as she addressed him. "My king, you requested a dance with me, did you not?"

The demon stood back up to full height and took the girl's hand, giving it a soft kiss as he handed her a flower with the other hand. "Yes, I have. I heard that you have learned to dance quite well. And I would like to share this night with you."

She took the flower and held it close to her. No one had ever offered her such a gift before. She was not sure if it was a test or if he truly meant her this kindness. She set the flower in a vase that was sitting on a nearby table, the demon king lead her to the middle of the room and held his arms open for her.

"My king, I have never danced with another person before. How do you know I will not step on your feet?" She asked as she took to his arms, the music starting up quietly. He smiled and responded with a chuckle. "How do you know I will not step on yours?"

With that said, the king pulled his company closer and began to dance to an almost music box styled waltz. The two were light on their feet, dancing elegantly across the ballroom floor. Spinning, dipping, sidestepping, and gliding, the two danced gracefully along to the music.

By the final note, the king had stopped and held the girl as he waited for the sound to cease it's echo through the room. The girl was amazed. She hadn't stepped on the king at all. She had passed the test and shown that she can indeed be graceful. She gazed up at the demon as he looked down to her. "What is your name, my king?"