A Shadow's Tale (21 page)

‘Don't come any closer!' he warned. The demons didn't move, staring at me. I gritted my teeth. They were testing their dominance over me. Okay, so I had decided to take my father's place, but this was really not the time to bring that up. I broke eye contact with them, lowering my gaze, admitting that they were stronger than me. In pretty much every sense, they were. Three on two. More specifically three trained warriors against one warrior and a half-trained Kraferr. Not great odds. Vrael pulled an arrow from his quiver, nocking it onto his bow. I kept an eye on that. It didn't bode well, especially not at this range. If he had his bow out, I would rather be on the other side of the lake to him. Vrael's natural talent with a bow had been honed over years and turned his muscles into steel. From this range, his arrow could easily go straight through me. Shaeman and Amarath pulled out their own weapons, Shaeman his throwing stars and Amarath her sword. I drew my dagger, but placed it on the ground, signalling to them that I was not a threat to them. I was never unarmed while I had my magic, but it was the symbolism
of the act that counted. I dropped slowly to one knee, fisting a hand over my heart in a manner that felt right for the situation, even though I had no idea why. I glanced up at them before getting back to my feet. Vrael was scowling, an expression I had rarely seen on his face before. He was always so calm, so rational. To see a look of such open hatred and anger on his face was terrifying. He raised his bow in warning, pulling back the string.

‘What are you doing here?' Shaeman demanded.

‘Training. I was helping Bart with his teleportation,' I answered calmly, trying not to think of the drawn weapons on front of me. If I thought about them, I'd break down. I was sure of it.

‘Leave, now,' Vrael ordered. I raised my head so as to stand tall. With hindsight, I would realise just how stupid a move this was at that stage.

‘This isn't clan territory. We have a right to train here as long as we don't attract attention to the clan, which we haven't.' Vrael's arrow buried itself in my shoulder. I didn't react, as hard as it was not to flinch. Hoping my voice didn't shake, I spoke again. ‘Have you got that out of your system now?' Vrael didn't answer, taking another arrow from his quiver. I raised an eyebrow, but I didn't want to start a full on fight. Touching Bart's shoulder, I turned my back on them and started to walk away from the three demons, my three siblings. I steeled my mind, trying to escape the emotions that wanted to run riot through my mind. The hurt of being rejected by my own family, the denial that Vrael had hurt me of his own free will, the disbelief of their coldness. I reached up to my shoulder, pulling the arrow from my flesh and throwing it to the ground. Once we were out of sight of the other demons, Bart turned to me, laying a hand on my injured shoulder. I felt the skin crawling as if swarmed by insects as it healed over beneath his hand.

‘Thanks,' I said, flopping down against a tree. He watched me for a moment before sitting down.

‘What are you going to do now?' he asked. I turned to look at him. Time to let loose the news.

‘I'm going to Aspheri, the demon's dimension, to take over Karthragan's place.' For a moment, he said nothing, but then he nodded.

‘You're going to finish the prophecy.' He looked at me with a sadness in his eyes that I could feel, but couldn't find the cause of. ‘I wish you good luck with that.'

I smiled at him a little sadly before kissing him on the forehead. ‘Kraferric way of saying goodbye,' I murmured, echoing the words he had spoken to me the night I died. Before he could answer, I teleported away, back to my cave where the demoness was waiting for me, to take me to Aspheri.

We appeared in a chamber I recognised to be the throne room of Aspheri. It seemed like a very long time since I had stood there as a scared child. Now I had returned as a woman, ready to take over from my father. A group of black robed demons had gathered in the chamber as a welcoming party, a group I guessed to be the Council. They stood in two lines with a passage down the centre so I could walk past them towards the black throne. I glanced down at my oversized, baggy clothes and thought of my unkempt hair. Next in line to the throne. Yeah, more like a scrap picked up off the street which, I realised after a moment's thought, I was. I faltered for a moment, realising how monumental a decision this was. Was I really ready to take on ruling a dimension? I looked at the expectant faces of the council and remembered that I wouldn't be alone. Squaring my shoulders, I stepped along the line, walking towards the throne. The demons bowed, one hand fisted over their main hearts as I passed them. When I eventually read the books on demonic decorum, I learnt that the salute was one of utmost respect to the receiver, showing you the location of their primary heart before it became normal for it to sit in the left hand side of the chest. Case in point for the phrase: ‘old habits die hard'. It felt strange, this new behaviour. They were treating me with respect, not hatred or fear. I turned to face them again, taking a moment to look at the council before I sat on the throne. Applause rang through the room. The eldest member of the council stepped forwards with some sort of delicate crown cradled in his battle scarred hands and spoke in demonic.

‘There will be an official coronation soon, but to set things in motion…' He lifted the piece so I could get a good look at it. It was a piece of craftsmanship I would have thought beyond the
demons I had seen here before. Delicate strands of a silvery white metal had been intricately wound together in a circle, dipping into a point that would come down to rest between my eyebrows. A trio of black gemstones had been worked into the design around the point, gleaming red in the torchlight. The council member bowed slightly to me before placing the circlet on my head. It was lighter than I had expected, but it fitted perfectly. I reached up a hand to touch it, barely able to believe that I had just been crowned as a ruler. The metal was warm to the touch, the design intricate beneath my fingers. A smile crept over my face as I thanked him and the council as a whole in the demonic language that every demon knew instinctively from the cradle, the language I would be speaking for years to come. The council erupted in cheers.

‘All hail Shadow, Princess of Darkness!'

Several hours passed before I was left on my own again. Well, I say left on my own. For the next however many years I would rule over this dimension, I would never be completely alone. Aleth was still at my side. I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the tiredness of the last few days. A lot had happened since the prophecy and I was still getting used to the idea that I actually had a life of my own to live as I pleased again. And there was still a lot more I had to do just to begin my life here in Aspheri.

I stood opposite a trainer in a hall designed for arms practise, breathing heavily. I wielded two elaborate short swords. Over the last three days, I had undergone rigorous testing to determine my levels of competence in battle, from magic to hand-to-hand to weapons. I had never been drilled so hard, not even with Amarath! I had been assured that it was simply to know whether or not I required further training. For the moment, I had been able to hold my own against the trainers. I had retained a high degree of control over my magic in this incarnation, thank the
goddess, as that could have been a very big problem. I wiped the sweat from my brow, rolling my sore shoulders. This trainer wasn't mincing his blows against a young girl. Every strike from his two-handed sword that I blocked had reverberated through my arms and spine. He bowed respectfully to me as we finished the final bout of sparring.

‘I apologise, Princess, for the rough play…'

‘Don't,' I interrupted. ‘It's what you're supposed to do.'

‘Well, you may rest assured that although you could perhaps be a little finer in your swordplay, you are a proficient fighter. You require little more training.' He bowed once more before leaving the training hall. I carefully sheathed my swords, trying to ignore the symphony of aches running through my body.

‘My Lady?' asked a timid voice. I smiled slightly to myself. Aleth, the demoness who had come to Earth to find me and who was now my lady's maid, had never really gotten over her shyness around me. I could understand the sentiment, although I was sorry that she felt the need to be nervous around me. ‘My Lady, you must prepare yourself for your coronation. It is getting late…'

‘Thank you, Aleth,' I said, turning to face her. ‘Perhaps you could help me? I don't really know my way around the temple, or a wardrobe for that matter.'

The demoness's face lit up in a smile as she nodded enthusiastically. I knew that she enjoyed picking out things for me to wear, that she felt proud when I sat with the council, dressed by her care. I allowed her to lead me from the training hall along a further maze of corridors I was sure I was never going to remember the layout of, towards my personal quarters.

My quarters were comprised of three rooms: a bedroom, a bathroom and a receiving/living room kind of thing. Aleth ushered me through to the bathroom where I was delighted to see that the pond-like indentation in the floor had been filled with hot water. She took charge, now in her element, telling me
to strip off and get clean while she rooted through the mounds of clothes, some made especially for me, others left by previous female rulers. I gladly wriggled out of the skin-tight clothes I wore while training, slipping into the water and ducking my head under to get my long hair wet. The pool was deep enough in the centre for me to stand on the bottom and be completely submerged, but I stayed on the outer edge, where the water reached my midriff while I was standing. I picked up a bottle of soap, lathering myself up before ducking back underwater. I held my breath, enjoying the serene, silent realm below the surface before I had to come up for air. Aleth had found a mass of black fabric, which I guessed was what I was going to be wearing, but first she had me climb out of the pool so she could dry me off with magic.

Clicking her tongue, she dashed around, fetching this and that before handing me the first garment to put on: a pair of skin-tight trousers. She then helped me struggle into a dress, lacing up the back of it as tightly as she could. After that came a sort of corset-style bodice that forced me to stand up straight. I glanced at the silver glass propped up on the wall. I couldn't believe my eyes. The sleeves of the dress hugged my arms like a second skin, leaving only my shoulders bare. The bodice emphasised my curves to a degree I didn't think was possible, ending just above my hips to taper into a central point. The skirt was slit up one side to the hip, showing my black clad leg. Around my waist went an intricate belt holding a double-handed sword I would be required to carry at all ceremonies as well as a dagger concealed under my skirt. I pulled on a pair of heeled, knee-length boots, wondering how on earth I was going to walk in them. Aleth then clasped a light cloak around my shoulders, finishing off the outfit. I stared at myself in the mirror. I looked like some strange warrior queen. At the time, it seemed alien, but it would grow to be the norm. Aleth fussed around me, brushing my hair until it fell in a soft curtain down my back. I stared into my own violet
eyes, trying to prepare myself to do this, to seal my new status as a princess.

The coronation was being held in the town so that everyone could see. I was escorted by several heavily armed soldiers down through the main street, at the end of which stood the council. A hush fell over the crowd as I walked past them. I sneaked several discreet glances as my soon-to-be subjects, noting with a hint of amusement that they had all preferred their more human appearances. I vaguely wondered why: was it because of me or because they enjoyed having opposable thumbs? The council stood in a semi circle, in the centre of which I knelt. The eldest member of the council lifted the circlet so that everyone could see it. I bowed my head, listening to him intone in demonic the proper rites and blessings that accompanied the coronation of a new ruler. The static feeling of magic flowed through the air, binding me to the dimension as its ruler as well as its servant. I held my breath as he lowered the circlet onto my head and bade me to rise. I did so as gracefully as I could, allowing myself to be turned around to face my people.

‘Look well upon our princess's face, for it is the last time we will during her reign!'

I sat on the throne only an hour or so after the coronation, listening to the last of dozens of ambassadors who had come to present their congratulations upon my ‘ascension' to the throne. I inclined my head in Graceful Gratitude as instructed by Aleth. He had no sooner left when Aleth stepped forwards from her place concealed behind the banner of the dimension that hung behind the throne.

‘Oh, you're a goddess, I swear,' I said as I noticed the cup of tea in her hands. She blushed slightly, stepping forwards onto the raised dais the throne sat on. I tugged on the knot of the black ribbon that held a mask over my face. I glanced down at it The
black face stared back at me. It was one of the laws of the dimension. The face of a female ruler may not be seen by anyone other than their lady's maid and their husband if they are married. It was supposed to protect me from unwelcome suitors and guard my appearance of innocence yet still tough enough to charge into battle at the head of their army. This particular mask had been made to measure for me. The black face covered mine completely with only one eyehole for my right eye. A concealed slit allowed my voice to be heard clearly. It disgusted me to have to wear it, but it went with the position. Aleth passed me the cup of tea, taking the mask from my hands and putting it on a small table beside me. I took a sip of the strong, sweet tea. It invigorated me again as the warmth spread in a pool in my stomach. I leant my head back against the throne. One of the good things about the mask was that I was free to look bored without anyone realising. I carefully set the delicate cup down on the table.

‘So, Aleth, what's next today?' Aleth started braiding my hair back as she replied.

‘You will be introduced to your guard units, after which a meal will be laid out in your private chambers. The rest of the evening will be yours, although I recommend that you try to sleep.'

‘Okay, will do.' Aleth tied off the plait, picking up the mask and securing it back over my face. I touched her handiwork, glad of the tight weave that kept my hair from getting too tangled and being near impossible to brush. A foot soldier stepped into the throne room, his eyes averted until he realised that I was masked. He bowed low, announcing the arrival of my guard unit. I inclined my head in acceptance, shifting on the throne into a more comfortable position. I guessed that I had a long wait ahead of me before being left alone, so might as well sit it out as comfortable as possible. A group of five demons filed through the door, lining up in front of me. I will admit that I was interested by the uniforms chosen. I already knew that my guard was to be
composed of the most elite of the dimension's warriors. To put not-too-fine a point on it, these guys were
fine
. They wore the traditional male dress of the dimension, also known as nothing but a pair of loose trousers and a cloak. They carried long broadswords across their backs, a shorter sword on their hip and an expression of ‘tangle with me and your great grandchildren will feel the blow I will deal you'. These were people that not even the bravest of demons tangled with. The most suicidal perhaps, but not the bravest, nor even the stupidest. I ran an admiring eye over their musculature, similar to humans, but divine in mass. These were lean, mean fighting machines. I listened distractedly as the captain, Nergal, introduced them to me: Aym, Vetis, Ose and Furfur. I did manage to commit their names to memory, but telling who was who was another kettle of fish altogether.

‘And finally, my Lady, the guards who will remain at your sides at all time: Phantom and Wraith.' I couldn't stop a look of delight flash across my face as Wraith sat at the end of the line, tongue lolling and tail wagging. Phantom was another wolf, who I guessed was the same as Wraith was, graced with a human intelligence. He, however, sat ramrod straight with an expression of seriousness on his canine face.

‘Thank you, Captain Nergal,' I said, inclining my head to him. He bowed gracefully in return. All of the guards except my new wolf companions filed out of the room. Wraith and Phantom took up positions on either side of me, lying down like sphinxes on the dais. I rubbed the silky fur on Wraith's head, smiling slightly to myself. Maybe ruling wasn't going to be so hard after all.

* * *

I take that last statement back. Three years on, I knew that ruling a dimension was not as easy as it first looked. For a start, the
council argued with each other about the most trivial of things until I told them to shut up and made the decision for them. There were ambassadors constantly clamouring for my attention, invitations to dine with heads of state, my people needing my attention to solve their problems. The list was never-ending. If it hadn't been for Aleth, I would have gone crazy within the first few weeks. She schooled me in the appropriate ways to evade the ambassadors, how to behave at important events and dinners and taught me to limit the things I was taking on. She was always there every few hours with a cup of tea or a piece of helpful advice. She even had an indoor garden created for me, where I could go and no one was allowed to disturb me unless whatever the problem was vitally important and could only be solved by me. My guard was, thankfully, understanding of the fact that I was having difficulty adjusting to the new lifestyle required of me. If they had to follow me when I would rather be alone, they shadowed me as discreetly as possible. It wasn't ideal, but it was as close to it as I was going to get.