Princess of the Damned (12 page)

“
If you are just a woman then we wouldn’t be in this mess…” He suddenly noticed that her hair was a light color of chestnut. “What happened to your hair?”

She ran her fingers through it. “I dyed it. My platinum hair is too easily spotted.”

“
Is it permanent?”

She shook her head. “It will wash away with hot water.”

“
That’s good. I’ve always loved your hair.”

Her face fluttered again.

He placed a hand on her forehead and it felt hot. “No wonder you’re acting strange, you have a fever! How wrong of me to assume you were acting like other women. Get in bed, we’ll stay here until your fever goes down and then we’ll depart for the border. It’s not exactly paradise on earth, but it’s much safer than you staying here.”

She protested when he gave her a little push toward the bed. “No, I want to leave now. I don’t want the risk of anyone finding out I’m still alive.”

“
Alright, I will get dressed. Where is General Malin?”

“
He said he had to prepare everything for departure. He asked to give him a few hours to get his sanity back. He is still in shock.”

It would have
been nice if it was really a fever.

Nala watched the changing scenery as the carriage followed the trail of the soldiers. She leaned toward the window of the carriage and rested her head on her elbow.

She didn’t know what was wrong with her lately. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that she was attracted to Sayan, but why him and why now? The more she thought about it, the more she felt irritated.

Sayan was riding down from the front of the line. He turned around and followed her carriage’s pace.

“
Do you need to stop for rest?” He asked.

She withdrew from the window. “Don’t worry about me, I don’t get tired.”

“
What about your fever, has it gone down?”

“
Yes,” If she had it to begin with.

“
Come closer to the window and let me check your forehead.”

“
I honestly don’t want to see your face right now…”

“
Must I jump into the carriage?”

She didn’t want that. She stuck her head out of the window so he could feel her forehead. She retreated back inside as soon as she could.

The train of soldiers came to a stop.

“
What is going on up there?” Sayan pondered.

“
Sayan, don’t go up there.” She caught his hand through the opening of the window. “I don’t have a good feeling at all.”

“
I have my duty.” He reminded her.

“
If you must go, let me come with you. Have my senses ever steered you wrong?”

“
Come.” he approved.

Nala opened the door of the carriage and he pulled her onto his horse. He gave the horse a kick on the sides and guides it to the front of the line. The soldiers retreated frantically, stepping over one another.

“
Beast! Beast!” The soldiers cried out.

Sayan raced to the front of the line. There was indeed a beast. It was a huge, canine-like beast with long black fur and fierce golden eyes. There was a silver collar on its neck with strange engravings. The horse was frightened. It threw off its riders, and fled away. Sayan guarded Nala’s head with his right hand as they tumbled onto the ground.

“
Are you alright?” Sayan asked once they came to a full stop. She nodded.

More screams came from the soldiers. The beast had a man in its jaws and three men under its front and back legs. Its claws tore into their armor, as though it was made of paper. The General Malin followed behind with his sword, but the beast was quick to dodge. Sayan could barely see the transition from one place to another.

“
What is that thing?!” Sayan said as he unsheathed his heavy blade from his back.

Nala held him back by his forearm. “Don’t go, you’ll die!”

“
Those are my men out there!”

Sayan pulled away from her and charged at the beast. The blade indented the ground, but the beast was not under it. The beast turned around and aimed its fangs toward him. Sayan used the blade to block the attack. The width of the blade was forced into the beast’s mouth. The momentum of the beast’s speed sent him back first onto the ground. The beast pressed forward while Sayan tried to keep it from reaching his face.

The beast pressed a paw on his chest. Its claws pierced him and forced him to choke out blood.

“
Sayan!” Nala screamed out.

“
My Prince!”

Sayan let out a low angry growl from the back of his throat and kicked the beast forward. The beast landed on its paws. It hunched down and growled back at him. General Malin and a few other brave soldiers charged at the beast. It roared at them. The intensity of the volume was deafening, sending them rolling onto the ground while covering their ears.

The beast’s golden eyes set on Sayan. It had found its target.

The beast jumped at Sayan and he swung his blade. A handful of black fur scattered into the air. The beast turned around and attacked again. Sayan ducked to the ground and swung his blade upward. The blade cut down the length of beast’s neck. The collar on its neck severed and fell onto the ground.

It turned away from him and ran toward Nala.

“
Damn it!” Sayan cursed as he chased after the beast. “Get out of the way, Nala!”

The beast stood an arm’s length from Nala and quietly stared at her. When Sayan swung his blade at it, the beast jumped and fled away.

Sayan pulled her toward him and held her tight in his arms. “Thank the gods! I thought it was going to attack you.”

“
Please keep your distance from me!” She pushed him back. He bent forward, holding to the pain on his chest. The blood had soaked through the lower part of his armor. “I’m sorry…I forgot…”

Sayan stared at her
while she bandaged his wounds. Her eyes were on her hands, on the corners of the tent, on every other object around them but his eyes. She was acting strange and it irritated him.

He caught her hand and she pulled away immediately.

So he wasn’t just imagining it. She pulled away as if his touch repulsed her. He lifted her chin and forced her to look at him. She jerked away. Nala had never acted like this before.

Sayan pulled her toward him in a fluid motion and kissed her. He just wanted to test his theory, but found the taste of her lips surprisingly sweet. She flinched and pushed and jerked away. Her pale green eyes were shocked.

“
So that’s it, isn’t it?” He folded his arms in front of his chest. “You are attracted to me. Is that why you have been acting strange toward me?”

“
So what if I am?” It was like she was half admitting it. “I warn you Sayan, keep a distance from me.”

“
Why?”

“
What do you mean why? A man and a woman keep their distance, that’s why!”

“
Didn’t I tell you before that I will never see you as a woman?”

She was speechless as though she was hurt by his words.

“
Don’t let something so trivial change anything between us,” he added. “Get out! I will have someone finish the rest!”

She threw the clean bandages in her hand into the hot water basin and rushed out of the tent. She brushed by General Malin as he was coming in. The general eyes’ followed her out and then turned around to face Sayan.

“
Your lady looks upset.” General Malin pointed out. “May I ask why?”

“
Stay out of my personal affairs.”

“
You did say there is nothing romantic about the two of you, correct?”

“
And there will never be.” Sayan quickly changed the subject. “How many men did we lose today?”

“
I was relieved that it was less than a hundred. It was a good thing you chased the beast away. That weapon is truly a force of its own.”

Sayan ran his fingers down the length of the blade on his side. It had saved him a countless number of times. “It should be about time I returned it to Nala now.”

“
This weapon belonged to the girl…I mean, the lady?”

“
She asked me to hold on to it for her the night she left. This blade and I had been through so much in the past eight years.”

“
Why would a girl like her have weapon like this? And how old was she eight years ago, ten?”

“
She may not look it, but she is already in her thirties.”

The general laughed. “Surely, you jest.” Then he thought about it. “If that is true, then I feel less ashamed of myself.”

“
Why would you feel ashamed?”

“
I was feeling guilty for having an erection every time I see her.”

“…
what?”

The General scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly. “She is a stunningly beautiful woman, after all. You can’t blame a man for having fantasies.”

“
I am
not
comfortable hearing this at all. And what is that racket outside?”

“
Intruders! Intruders!”

A bloodied soldier ran into the tent and collapsed. There was a cloaked figure behind him. The height suggested that it was a woman. Behind her were four handsome young men and behind them were the spears of his soldiers.

“
I hope you realize that this is a military camp!” The General Malin shouted at them. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

The cloaked figured walked over the corpse and came to Sayan’s side. She inspected him with her eyes as though he was merchandise and smiled when she was pleased. She pulled back her hood to reveal her face - a beautiful girl with silver eyes and raven black hair.

“
I am impressed, Dark Prince.” Her soft hand glided down the side of his neck. “No human has ever survived a direct attack from a Condemned Divine Beast, but you are no ordinary human, are you?” Her other hand caressed his face. “You are very handsome, too.”

“
Who are you and what do you want?” Sayan asked calmly.

“
Since you have that demoness by your side, there is no need to explain any further, is there? You know more about us than you think.”

“
Demoness?” Sayan looked down at her.

“
Don’t tell me you don’t know what she is. What a twist. The wench lied to you the whole time, didn’t she?” The girl chuckled. “It is a secret, or at least it was supposed to be. If you must know, I will tell you all about us in…great detail.”

The woman was openly flirting with him. “Why did you come here?”

“
I want to strike a bargain with you, my prince.”

“
Bargain?”

“
I am Lilan, Queen of the Demons, and I am the only one who can help you get what you really want. I have the wealth, I have the influence, and I have the power to give you what your heart truly desires.”

“
And what it is that my heart truly desire, Your Majesty?”

“
Phasia”

He clenched his fists at the word.

“
I can give you Phasia. I can even restore it to its former glory and I can do it within a year. You will be a King – a true King – and you will be at my side as my lover.”

“
Are you short of a lover?”

“
Heavens, no!” She giggled. “I have had many lovers. Living as long as I do, it would be an anomaly if I did not. Even that demoness by your side must have had a string of lovers in her past.”

That cannot be possible. “Why are you making a bargain with me?”

Her hands slid down to his chest. “It is because I want you and no other reason. This body, this face, this aura, I want it all. It is how it has always been. I do not have the time to bother with the thing you humans call love. I am not patient enough for feelings to develop. I go after what I want, and that is it. Everything has a price and your price is Phasia. Am I wrong, my prince?”

“
I would be a liar if I denied that.”

“
Do we have a deal?”

“
You want this body and nothing more?”

She tip toed and placed a kiss on his lips. “Yes,” she replied. “Why don’t we seal the deal tonight?”

“
Trading this body for a nation, I say that is more than fair.”

“
So you do see it my way…” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Send your dogs out, I want some privacy now.”

“
You heard Her Majesty.” Sayan said to his men. The General and the soldiers reluctantly retreated. “You can do what you promised within a year?” He needed confirmation.

“
Maybe even sooner,” She smiled mischievously. “That all depends on how well you please me.”

The fireflies were
the only thing that kept her company.

Nala stared at her reflection on the surface of the water. The moon had a twin in the water, surrounded by luminous stars, just as she was being surrounded by the stars of the earth. A little one landed on her nose for a short moment and then flew away.