Demonic Temptation

Chapter 4

Over the next couple of weeks I fell into a rhythm. During the days I would be with Unif, helping with what I could do. He had become a fast friend like Yinsy and Xan had. I had never felt so happy before. I was looked at with respect and as an equal. At night when Xan had patrol, Yinsy would join me in my room and she would teach me more about their culture. Last night she even helped me make a Scayra.

She had jumped on the chance and I actually liked the way it looked when I put it on this morning. I had worn a pair of red pants with embroidery of a winged beast coming up the sides of my legs, the ankle boots I wore my first day, and a black blouse that hung off one shoulder. She pinned my hair to stay over one side of my shoulder.

She showed me how to wear it, knotted at my right hip. The ends went down to my knee. "I've got to go help prepare for tomorrow's celebration." She told me. Tomorrow was the Winter Celebration. Everyone wore white and silver. The only color a person could wear was their Scayra. A giant tree would be put up in the square, where everyone would make their own ornament to hang on the tree. I had made mine the other day out a beautiful pink metal. It was a ball, with metal swirls and a charm of a sword hanging in it.

My outfit for the celebration was a long white dress that hugged me. Now that I had gained some weight from proper eating, my breasts had filled out more than I thought as well as my backside. The dress was long sleeve and the skirt flowed when I moved. The neckline was a little low but it suited the dress. My shoes were simple silver flats since heels and I didn't agree.

Gifts were also given out during the celebration. I had made some money working with Unif and I used it to buy presents for Yinsy, Xan, Unif, and King Azia. I bought one for King Azia because if it wasn't for him, I don't think I would ever be this happy. I left my room to go help Unif.

He smiled when he saw my Scayra. "Morning girly." I smiled, "Morning old man." He chuckled and shook his head. We began working. "Are you looking forward to tomorrow?" He asked me curiously. I nodded, "I am. It's first party I've been to." "Doesn't Tomayo celebrate things?" He asked me. I nodded, "They do, but in order to celebrate, you would first have to be invited. My parents kicked me out at the age of sixteen, seeing me as a disgrace because I had no desire to look for a husband. I wasn't even invited to my sister's wedding." "What's a wedding?" He asked me.

"It's what we call the celebration of a marriage. It's like mating but friends and family are there to see you make vows and exchange rings and other stuff." I explained to him. "Humans are weird." He said while shaking his head. "It should just be between the two." I nodded, "I much like the mating traditions." Even if I never have one. Yinsy told me about how the humans here choose their mates and follow the traditions which I found to be romantic.

He nodded and we fell into silence as we worked. Tessa yipped happily, making me look up. King Azia was crouched down, scratching Tessa under her chin. He looked amazing in his dark pants, and black shirt. His long black hair was pulled back. He was made of sinuey muscle and sin. Unif nudged me with a smirk and my face felt like it was on fire.

I averted my eyes down to the sword I was polishing. Unif chuckled softly and I glared at him. Out of the corner of my eye I watched King Azia talk with some of the guards, smiling. That smile stole my breath. What is he doing to me? I moved my eyes back to the sword. When he walked away I felt like I could breathe again. "How long have you been wanting the King?" Unif asked with a smirk. My face was a flame again.

I scoffed,"I don't know what you're talking about." "Back in the human lands, did you ever have someone?" He asked me curiously. I shook my head, "Never. I got the looks, but no one wanted to come near me. I'm an educated woman who works, many find that as a reason to avoid me." He nodded, "If anyone understands that it would be him. The world's most powerful demon, and everyone is too scared to get close. He's one of the best rulers we've ever had, ensuring there is no such thing as poverty, and that peace is kept in our lands, but it takes great power and brains. Everyone is scared of him."

I thought about all the times I was around him. He seemed lonely, and it hurt me. I thought back to the girl in the street feeling so alone that I had once been. No one should feel like that.

After I helped Unif I went for a walk with Tessa around the garden. I didn't know the names of any of the flowers, but they were all beautiful and smelled so amazing. The scents alone made this place so much better than Tomayo. As I explored the garden I thought back to what Unif said about the King. It was hard to believe that a man so beautiful could not have had at least one lover in his life.

You could easily feel power radiating from him from across a large room, but he was so kind. At least that's all he's shown me. I would hate to see how he treats someone that's on his bad side. I stopped walking when I saw the girl from the coast. She was sitting on a bench, admiring a flower in her hand. She must've felt me looking at her because she looked up at me. She no longer looked angry. Just sad. I sat next to her, "What's wrong?"

"I miss my family." She whispered. "The King let me write to them, but they only wrote back once, telling me to never write again." Her tears fell, "I guess they really aren't family if they want nothing to do with me huh?" She then sneered, "They didn't even fight for me. When I was taken they didn't seem to notice." She then looked at me, "How did your family take it?" I shrugged, "Don't know. They kicked me out when I was sixteen. I put up a fight when the King came, probably would've killed him had I gotten close enough with my sword, but I'm glad I lost that fight."

She was silent for a moment, "It's not so bad being here. I've even made a few friends." I nodded, "Are you going to the celebration?" She nodded, "I worked in the kitchen to earn some money to buy presents for my friends." I smiled softly, "I worked with the blacksmith." "What is this?" She asked curiously admiring my Scayra. I explained to her about their customs on mating and her eyes sparkled at the information.

"Will you help me make one?" She asked taking my hand. I smiled and nodded, "Yeah." She smiled and looked up at the sky and we fell into silence.

"Have you thought about changing into a demon?" I asked her softly. She nodded, "It scares me." I nodded, "I feel the same. Have any of the others thought about it?" She nodded, "Tilliana, from Bisin, she actually changed. She has beautiful silver and white scales, and silver hair." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "I'm Yren by the way." I smiled, "I'm Raven." 

I then took her to my room where I still had some silk from when I made my Scayra. We worked for a couple hours. "You just now need to have someone spell it so it never stains." I told her. She hugged me, "Thank you." She then left my room. I smiled to myself, happy the others have started to open up and stop being scared. Tomorrow will be a good day, I told myself.