The
Demon Prince
By
Ariana Tempest
He
stood high atop a sheer cliff which broke away into a deep rugged raven far far
below, one of SZandor’s highest points above sea level, a secluded island one
part dense and thick with forestry, and the other part lush farmland that is
not simply accessible, yet wholly accessible by a single mode of transport, a
boat or any sea going vessels. The island is largely inhabited. Beautiful, and
harsh in equal measures. Secluded, away from the prying eyes of the world, just
as he wanted. Just the way he felt. The Demon Prince…as he is known. The strong
winds pulled at his cloak and hair, as if dragging the very essence from his
soul. Around him the clap of thunder and howls of the wind persisted. The
heavens beat down on him, pelting him, stinging like a viper’s bite. He stood.
Firm and proud against God’s elements of distruction. His clothes wiped against
him, outlining a magnificent piece of manhood in total sublimation. Dark and
compelling, his eyes shooting daggers into the heavens, his mouth moving yet no
words can be heard. His faithful familiar paused under a dense thicket,
buffered from the booming from above.
He
was feared by all, yet revered by all who inhabited the island and beyond. His
lonely self-imposed exile was noted. No one dared approach him. Many whispered
of his dark bold rugged handsomeness with the same breathe they feared his
wrath. It was whispered that he was a wizard, and dabbled in the dark arts,
they were afraid that he would enchant them, and damn their souls for all
eternity. If they had thought about stepping into his realm, his ever present
familiar will bewitch them with her fierce nature, and fiercer strange
gold-flecked eyes.
A
crystal garde hung around his neck, and every so often his eyes gleamed frenetically,
the crystal glowed brighter, bluer. And reflected in his eyes. Whenever the
skies ripped with shards of light or the water claimed the land from the
torrential downpours he was right in the eye of it, arms out to the skies, his entreated
epiphanies lost to the forces. The people genuinely believed that everything
unpleasant that had ever befallen them was his hand in malice. Thus he was
often referred to as the Demon Prince.
A
young woman was making her way, braving the elements in search of something so
much more. The fog thick, Serena faltered she wasn’t sure if she could go on a
moment more. Her feet were sore, Her arms pulled from grasping trees to shove
out of her invisible path. She came up against something hard, something unresponsive.
Her fingers skirted along the ridges and decided it must be stone. It was hard
and cold. Maybe some sort of shelter she
thought optimistically. Her fingers moved until she struck a wooden panel then
an opening appeared. Please please holy spirit, let this be what I think it is.
She fell in. Lying sprawled on the floor, the heat licked at her like a tongue
sweep. She spied a flame burning in the hearth. This will do, she thought, for
a little while anyway. Curling up on the floor where she lay, she gratefully
fell asleep, exhaustion overcoming her.
Serena
awoke with a start sensing she was not alone. She was spread out on a soft bed,
the smell of pine pricked her nostrils. She imitated a statue, as something moved
against her leg; it was small, furry and growled low in it’s throat. She
squeezed her eyes tight, mentally willing it to go away. Hot breath scorched
her hand; she jumped up and raced for the door, pulled it wide open and ran bang
into a very large body filling the space where the door was. She screamed loudly
in fright then her world went black. She was sure she had fainted for the first
time in her life.
She
came to lying on the self same big soft bed in a large room. Beautiful Old World
furnishings embellished the room from wall to floor to ceilings.
There!
It came again that low grumble. It definitely wasn’t her stomach, even
though she was very hungry. Her knees
drawn up to her chin, she held on dearly.
“It’s
just Oden”, said a deep voice “She thought you were a mouse” She looked up
toward where the voice had come from, the man was in shadows “A very big mouse.
He is just a harmless kitty” he added scratching the “kitty” behind its ear.
“Come?”
His hand beckoned, the shadow slowly moving away from him to reveal the man. Serena
looked. And looked, and looked again. He was singularly the most beautiful man
she had ever clapped eyes on. Tall. Strong. Muscular with no ouch of spare fat.
He was simply “well made”. He must be a God. His eyes were still shadowed, so
the true color not evident. Mesmerized she stepped forward, oddly curious to
see the rest of him, but he only took her hand and sank it into the luxuriant
fur behind the cat’s ear. The cat purred softly “No one has gotten close enough
to touch her like this before. No one had gotten to the front door of my abode.
Hmmmm. What makes you so different, I wonder.”
She
snatched her hand back. Her eyes searched for the windows. It must be evening she thought everything was in shadows and
blurred.
“I
will leave you to your supper” He confirmed her suspicions. “You do look quite worn
out. You may turn in early. I may answer
all your questions that I see reflected in your eyes come tomorrow. Have a good
night. Oden!” He commanded, “your
dinner is awaiting you too, my lady” What questions was he referring to, she
didn’t have any, she just wanted to leave this place. That man and his cat made
her nervous. Once she had had a good night’s rest…first. I wonder what the colour of his eyes would be, she mused.
Before
Serena knew it, fingers of light were slowing crawling towards the bed refreshing
the whole room with its earthy warmth. She stretched her muscles feeling
invigorated.
Shadows
moved near the window. Drat! The man again. Did he come back after she was
asleep to stand guard, so that she did not escape? He moved closer. The cat -
want for a better term - was still splayed where it was the previous night, as
if it never moved.
“Oden
made sure that you didn’t get lost wandering the hallways. ” Once again giving
answers to her unspoken questions. Not that she would’ve moved an inch with
that ferocious looking cat looking on. Although she would’ve been hard-pressed
to ignore her body’s needs should she require the privy. She supposed she
would’ve had to howl for attention. “No howling. Just stating your needs, Oden
would’ve shown you.” Oden snorted as if to say “as if” and Serena wasn’t too
sure about that. “She is simply fascinated by you. Probably because she has
never seen another human up close. And a woman at that.” The way he said “woman’
brought goosebumps along her arms. The big tabby sat, Serena could see her clearly
now in the light of day. Kitty wasn’t the word to use. She was anything but.
She looked like a fully grown leopard, yet not quite. Burnished brown with a
lighter shade spotted in between like a leopard’s. Her ruby red eyes with the
streaky gold looked on knowingly, assessing.
Though
Serena was naturally an animal lover, she was afraid to pet it, so much for
approaching it. It looked ferocious, and gave her a wicked smile, and licked
it’s lips.
“What
kind is she?” she ventured tentatively
“A
bobbin” he said “she was given to me by a fellow traveller, he forgot to
mention where he got her. But she much prefers to be the only female in my life”
He finished with mild laughter taking her aback even more. Mmmmm…funny guy. She warmed to him a little. Just. His laughter was
so light and bantering, it hit just the right note. Her spine soften and
relaxed, then stiffened once more when she watched him watching her with a
predatory gleam.
Oden
bared her teeth in an off colour smile, “No need to be nervous. She won’t
bother you again” was all he said.
He
brought in the food. The delicious aromas wafted up from the tray as he set it
down on a low table. Serena ate with flourish, she was famished. Her eyes followed
the tall stranger as he moved around the room. He was fairly tall, his long
shaggy hair punctuated at his shoulders. His hair was damp and curly, as if he
had walked in the rain. Sensing her gaze, he turned piercing her with the eyes
of coolest blue steel that could be mistaken for quicksilver. He looked every
inch the rumors purported she shifted uncomfortably beneath his gaze. He looked
daunting. Regal. Was that humor around
his mouth, or tension?
“Ah…so
you have finally realized who I am. People think I am unaware of the nick names
I am being saddled with. What is it now? The Demon Prince? Ha!” He lifted his
eyebrow inquiringly. She flushed diverting her eyes to her food.
“Why
do you seek me?” he asked gently.
“I
needed shelter from the storm”.
“Why
are you here?” he persisted, disbelieving.
“I
told you. I was passing through. I needed shelter,” she said sharply.
He
grunted, as if accepting her words.
“I
thank you much for your generosity but I must be on my way.” She reached for
her shoes donning them. Lucien’s lips lifted in an amused smile, it had been a long
time since he had met a woman with spirit. It was in every inch of her frame,
it breathed from her. What was she hiding? Her eyes refused to meet his. She
was afraid of him too, yet there was a sense of pride and admiration there too.
Many people were too afraid to confront him for various reasons and none of
them plausible. It was refreshing. It made him feel alive. This feeling she had
for him. Yes. He can feel her temperature rise. Her tongue darted out to wet
her lips. Her cheeks flamed beautifully. He missed having company. He didn’t
want to let her go – as yet. He was alone for so long in these mountains, that
he could’ve been mistaken for a part of the countryside. Her essence was
strong. She attracted him like none other. His eyes glowed with interest. She
had a hidden streak of stubbornness, and beauty combined. She amused him. Serena felt like the mouse to his cat. She felt
cornered, yet not overpowered. He had not moved an inch. Was he toying with
her.
“Wait!”
“Sorry.
I must rush off like this. Got a long way to go before nightfall.” She skirted
him to reach for the door.
“It
is much too dangerous beyond this castle for a woman alone,” he said authoritatively,
“Yet
I must go forth,” she countered, pulling the door open.
“No.”
he pounced, like a cat. With a flick of his wrist the door slammed shut.
“How….What…is
it true?“ she backed away staring at him with eyes wide and fearful. She
strengthen he spine, “What do you mean no? You can’t mean to keep me here? Against
my will. I will not be your
prisoner. I must reach the end of the wood.” She didn’t care now whether the
myth was true, she had a mission, and she meant to see it through, even if it
meant going through him.
“Not
only is it foolish to pursue this course. But there is nothing on the other
side of the wood but vast open plains. Nothing lives or grows there. Only much
turbulence from the geysers” he disregarded her moment’s fear and hesitation to
his magic. Her acceptance of what he was was instant, and comforting, he didn’t
like hysterical women.
“That’s
impossible. Surely you jest” sounding panicked backing toward the wall.
“I
never – Lady, I have been there many times. If I say nothing grows there. My
word is good”, he veritably roared.
She
saw the truth in his eyes, “Oh God No!” she muffled against her tight fist as
she collapsed on a heap on the floor, the tears that threatened, spilled over
in abandonment. “It was all for naught. The end will come swiftly now. It is
only a matter of time.”
“What
do you speak of, woman?”
“It’s
no use. It makes no difference anymore,” she softly ejected
Rough
hands reached out and pulled her close until her sobs subsided, then held her
away. “Tell me!”
She
nodded slowly; her pain palpable as she related the events that brought her
here.
“I
need to seek a flower. A flower not found anywhere else. It has reddish black
leaves and blooms once a year with small white flowers.”
“Why
do you need such a flower?”
“It
provides healing properties once the flowers are harvested.”
“Are
you a healer?”
“No”
she put in “no. I am just a simple woman who tends to the house for my father. I
have someone at home who is very ill with the Midas Touch.”
“The
Midas Touch?”
“It
is the yellow fever that draws the blood from the body leaving the body, a
husk. People are dying with this disease. It takes but a few weeks to run it’s
course and the people are gone….” she said desolately
“How
is it that you have not contracted it?” He looked searchingly into her eyes.
“I
do not know.” She said shaking her head for emphasis “That is why I volunteered
for this quest. The attending healer had run out of her usual supply, there was
too great a number of people falling ill.”
“Is
it your father, Serena?”
“Yes.
But how… ”
“How
did I know? I am the Demon Prince remember?”
She
staggered back a pace, she had
forgotten. “Your father doesn’t have the Midas Touch. But an illness of the
heart.”
As
he was talking he sketched a circle in the air. “How….”
“The
Demon Prince…remember” The mist cleared and Serena could see her father
prancing around the yard of their house, he was calling for her in an excited
voice. His eyes were alive with mischief and love. Then the vision dissipated.
“What
foolery is this? My father is lying on his death bed” she said forcefully, “you
dare play with my feelings. Showing me not that is true. You are a demon. I did not give you leave
to address me so. How could you…”
“Serena!
Serena! You are blinded by falsehood. He is alive and well. There was a loss in
your house a year ago.” He said quickly.
“My
Mother,” she said barely above a whisper.
“Your
father’s whole world was shattered in that moment, he withdrew into himself, he
was in the deepest darkest despair and he was helpless to help himself.”
“He
loved my mother much”
“I
gathered that. He also had a daughter who was grieving too. Who needed him.”
“I
don’t know what to say.” She fell backwards onto the bed “Then I am lost. I
don’t know how to help him if this is true.”
“You
still doubt my words. No matter, come. I will show you what is to be done.” Nudging
her off the bed Lucien steered her into the garden.
What
she saw stunned her. There were hundreds of white flowers everywhere covering
trees and barks and arbors. They all had one thing in common. Long reddish
black stalks.
“These
are known as argosis nepharelia. Yes, they do bloom once a year. In addition to
curing the Midas touch, they clear the mind of bad antibodies that cloud a
man’s perception from reality. It is good for many things” He said as he began
to pluck the white flowers and place them in a basket at his feet. Serena was
trying to understand what he was saying, but failed. All she knew was he said
that the flowers will help cure her father. That he does not have the Midas
Touch. What is it about them that is making them immune to the disease that is
taking so many? “The leaves of this plant are especially beneficial. You need
to crush them and make a hot tea. The taste can sometimes be sharp – douse it
with some sugar. And get your father to drink it.”
“Tea?”
she said more confused than ever “You want me to give him tea?”
“Of
course that will be the best way” He looked up from his gathering to see her
confusion. “I will come with you to administer it?” She nodded her agreement,
when he smiled at her.
“Who
are you?”
“I
am just a man who knows too much” he remarked flippantly.
“No!
Really? Why did you help my father?” she asked earnestly
“Ah!”
He said shaking a finger under her nose “The rumors, are they true?”
“Rumors
be damned. I can understand now how they can be bandied about.”
“Don’t
give me more credit than I deserve. I will help whom I choose.” He walked away
Serena was stung by his abrupt manner. Obviously the rumors about the Demon Prince
were greatly exaggerated. The fear that was rising in her at their first
encounter slowly transformed to respect and admiration, and something quite
different.
“I
ask only one thing.” His voice clearly resounded in the companionable silence as
they worked.
“What
is it?”
“That
I have one night with you.” The feelings of insecurity returned, he was the
devil indeed.
“For
my father – Anything,” she bravely injected, appalled at his suggestion yet
unwilling to consider the alternative.
“Come
then…we must hurry before despair becomes death.” She flew to his side; he held
on to her and chanted a few words. She gripped the basket tightly as a
whirlwind lifted up and whipped at her hair and skirts. The garde on his chest
was glowing and throbbing, arcs of light darted out and around them gathering
into shimmering dust that swirled about them like a million fireflies until
they were outside her father’s house.
She
opened the door and went in; her father still lay where she had left him so
many days ago, looking more frail and listless. The healer had come and gone,
the dirty dishes proof to that. She placed a pot of water over the still crackling
coals, she fan the coals into a fire throwing more wood over it. When she heard
the gurgle of the water and the hissing steam of the pot lid, she added the crushed
leaves to the pot as the stranger had indicated. She could feel his presence in
the room, he moved silently about.
He
was in her father’s room, stuffing more pillows under his head he crossed over to
the windows and flung them wide open to let the light reach the darkest
corners. He moved around the room muttering something in a language she didn’t
understand. The blue light glowed once again at his throat, he stopped when he
heard a step. She brought the cooled tea on the tray, and held it while he
stirred in the sugar. “Thank you, Serena. You made it exactly as I would” he
said encouragingly. He went over to the bed and sat down beside her father;
held onto the back of his head and forced the liquid between his lips. Her
father gagged, his eyes now open in shock. “usually the smell is enough from
the tea, I felt he needed to restore his strength. He was fighting the stranger
now trying to tip the contents of the cup onto the floor but the stranger’s
strength held him in check.
Fleetingly,
Serena feared for his health. She had allowed a perfect stranger into their
home and to administer god knows what to her father her only kin in this world.
She was afraid that this might not work. It could make her father worst. What
had she done! “Stop! What are you doing to him? I should not have…”
As
if sensing her turbulent and uncertain emotions, he smiled to reassure her, and
handed her the empty cup.
“Calm
down,” he gently ordered her his eyes kind and forgiving, “Give him a few
hours. He should be fine.” He clamped his hand onto her arm to steer her away
from her father’s bedside, ”He will
be fine.”
He
walked her out to the yard. She grew apprehensive about leaving her father
alone wandering what the potion is doing to him, she looked up at him and his
stance had not changed. She let out a breath and walked around pacing back and
forth worrying nonetheless.
“Have
you lived here long?” he asked trying to divert her thoughts.
“Yes
all my life. What about you?”
“Me?”
“How
do you know so much about healing?”
“I
come from a long line of druids” he finally said.
“Druids!
As in Wizards?”
“Not
really.” He was looking at her as if he expected her to run away and shut the
door on his face. “Druids are mostly healers and are deeply religious people. I
am a half-breed. Born of a druid and a witch we are called “the other ones”. We
can heal, perform sorcery and look into the future.” Lucien didn’t know why he
was revealing so much, but he instinctively felt he needed to share a
closeness. A bond. To keep her close. He instinctively felt she could be trusted.
He felt her from the first, that she was important to him. That this was the
moment, the beginning of something. The druids part of him is very acute in
their perceptions, they could have the eyes of the seer if they so choose. “But
we cannot predict our own futures,” he said as an after thought. “I am the
fortunate few.”
“Why
is that?”
“Many
who are born out of such unions are born with defects.”
“Defects?
What does that mean?” growing curiouser and curiouser.
“It
simply means that they are born with imperfections. Many loose their minds and
perish because there was no healthy balance between the parents” he tried to
explain, they are usually raised by one or the other parent, the darker side
usually beckons.”
“Then
you are indeed fortunate,” she reiterated.
“You
are not afraid” he said matter-factly,“ after all that I have said, you are not
the slightest bit nervous by my presence.”
“Was
it your intention to scare me? I also have a gift to sense people. Call it a
sixth sense.”
He
was pleased with the turnaround. “When we are mated, there is one other thing
that we “others” can give to our mates.” He was looking right at her then.
His
eyes on hers, her lips pressed together, waiting
“And
that is….?”
“The
gift of youth and longevity” he finished.
“What!
You have the secret of being forever young?” She laughed spontaneously “Every woman’s’
dream? Surely you jest? How is that possible?”
“I
do not jest, my lady?”
“Clearly…”
she murmured
“I
– “he looked shocked but continued “I will leave that for another time.”
Her
father, standing at the door of the house, interrupted them. “Father?” She
turned in his direction. His eyes looked lucid and clear, a tiny smiled kicked
up the corner of his lips. His eyes were filling with tears…of joy “My baby
girl,” he sighed and opened his arms wide as she flew into them.
‘I
am so sorry my child. Can you ever forgive me?” he whispered into her hair “So
sorry for leaving you alone to face the world. I was so lost…”
“Shhhh!
I know father. I miss her too.”
“You
look so like her, daughter” He held her face in her hand “I will not leave you
again – “
“Father?
It was not I who cured you but the goodness of this wonderful man.” She held
out her hand toward the young man who came forward.
“Then
I have much to thank you for young man” Her father enfolded him an affectionate
hug. “My home is your home, son.” Lucien flushed uncomfortably at the display
of affection. “I am going to get us some mead to toast to our good health.
Please come in children!” He looked from one to the other, and said as a after
thought “Whenever you are ready.”
He
scuttled away in a spry and robust manner.
They
looked at each other and burst into laughter “The old reprobate!”
“I
like your father” he said
She
replied with, “me too.”
“Serena?”
he started, ‘I will not hold you to that promise.’ She looked up then,
searching his face. She knew what he meant by that. “You are so beautiful……I
couldn’t resist…..I didn’t want to let you go then…..just a moment more. I
didn’t want you to be afraid of me either. I didn’t want you to turn me away
either.
“So
you strong-armed me, instead” she admonished
“Do
you regret it?” he counteracted
“Not
just yet ”she admitted.
“Does
that mean there will be more times,” his eyes never leaving her face.
She
nodded, “after I saw you – I couldn’t believe that those rumors were true. You
are nothing like that at all, are you?”
“Not
completely true. But I won’t say which parts, just now” He leaned forward in
expectation and she shyly looked on.
“See!
It is always good for things to come to their natural conclusion…don’t you
think?” he whispered near her ears. She blushed prettily but didn’t say
anything.
“Serena
do you understand now how “the others” gift their mates with youth and
longevity?” He winked suggestively. She blushed harder, finally getting his
meaning.
“I wish one more thing from you.”
“Granted!”
he said as if waving a magic wand.
“Who
might my savior be?”
He held his hand to his
heart, “How remiss of me….carrying on a “grand conversation with a lady and not
introducing myself. Lucien, lady mine, at your “most eager service.
“Lucien.”
She breathed softly, “It suits you” Serena kissed him on the cheek and thanked
him. “As my father said you are most welcome here.” She shyly looked up at him, a
fervent interest burgeoning in the depths of her eyes.
He
took her face in his hands, and slanted his lips across hers. The fit was
perfect. He kissed her deeply as if he never meant to stop, he felt her smile
and acceptance as her arms circled his waist, he drew the breathe from her….and
gave it back to her. His arms stole around her in a tight clinch. When he moved
back they looked at each other - awed, and laughed into each other’s eyes. Yes
this was a promising start.
The
End.
NB:
The contents, the characters, the names and scientific facts are all fictitious.
Terms
Garde
- Talisman
