Sarah Anderson, Irene and Demon Lord, Throne Room.
Erik had just left.
With a heavy sigh, I took my knees to my chest and pressed my cheek on top of them; I reverently rubbed my fingers along the silken mattress covering my body. Feeling the warmth of the silk slightly touching my skin soothed my troubled heart and busy mind but, not for long.
He made me promise.
***************** begin of Flashback ******************
Our voices rose above the sacred silence. The arguing came right through the walls as loud as a TV show. I wanted to cry as rage-filled my belly. I felt my ears getting hot. I glared at him then spat out:"W-What?! N-No! I-I will not condone it!" I shouted, voicing my frustration on the situation. "I-I can't believe you! Are you seriously asking me that, Erik?! HOW DARE YOU?" I snapped.
"Please understand what I'm--"
I crossed my arms, trying to control my already trembling hands. "NO! I can't possibly! What you're asking is--... is--... --nonsense!"
"Princess--" Erik tried to approach and I immediately yanked away from his hand.
"Don't you 'princess' me mister!" I roared.
Words left him; with a stupefied expression, he stared into my bright hazel eyes fired-up with anger and frustration.
My heart instantly fell silent, just seeing his eyes desperately searching mine... waiting. I turned my back on him, with a knot in my throat. I felt awful for saying those words. Where was I thinking? There was no logic to our argument but, I was so pissed about what he was asking that I ended up losing control over things.
Erik didn't let our little argument push him away or affect him whatsoever; having changed his approach in his mind, he stepped towards me again. Once close enough to me, he let his fingers tips ran across my forearm and upper-arm, caressing superficially my skin. His warmth swept into my being and comforted my inner self, no words really needed, his touch was enough to conquer that.
I observed attentively his fingers' movement-up on my arm. "What... are you doing?" I asked puzzled. "W-We're in the middle of an argument--" I kept my foot on the ground, despite knowing I was only being stubborn.
Then, he brushed my hair back from my shoulder and moved in so close that I could feel his lean body pressed up against me. His fingers entwined with mine as a tender brush of lips teased my neck.
An electric chill ran up-and-down my spine; I bit my lip to stop a pleasurable moan from coming off my mouth.
"I know how much of a strong woman you are but, I hope you can understand why I am asking you this." He whispered. Another hand slid around my waist and pulled me close to his pine-scented body. "I almost lost you once... I can't lose you twice." Erik nuzzled his face on my shoulder and hugged me tightly. "I'm so lost without you. I am soulless, a drifter without a home, a solitary bird in a flight to nowhere. I'm all these things, and I'm nothing at all. This, princess, is my life without you. My heart longs for you to show me how to live again. So, don't leave me."
"I..." I mumbled, not knowing what else to say.
"Please... please promise me you will stay out of this. Let me handle it." He begged.
I gulped down, swallowing the saliva slowly to relax my nerves. I didn't want to get crossed off, that was for certain but, I didn't want to sit around doing nothing, either. What should I do?
Erik spun me around; I looked at him directly in the eyes and they said everything I didn't want to acknowledge. So, I looked away; I couldn't bear it. "Princess, please..." Erik grabbed my chin, turning my face in his direction again.
I gazed up; eyes tearing. "I-I have to do something, I can't just sit around with my arms crossed-- this is all my fault if I would have been stronger m-maybe--"
Erik hushed me. "This is not your fault. Nothing is your fault princess." He reassured me with a soft kiss on my forehead. "I'll fix everything, we'll be in the Human World in no time."
"Promise?"
Erik brushed my cheek with his thumb. "Of course."
"T-Then... for you... I'll promise to stand by."
Erik kindly smiled, relieved to hear those words coming out of my mouth. He drew closer and I felt my heart skip a beat; I closed my eyes in anticipation. Then I heard him speak, in a tone no more than a whisper."That's my princess."
***************** end of Flashback ******************
My face frowned in response to that scene hovering in my head like an annoying tick. "Ugh--!" I circled my legs with a firm grip of both my arms and hid my face away. I felt so conflicted with myself. After my mouth uttered those bittersweet words, it was bonded to me like stick mud because there was no bigger fraud than a promise not kept.
I'm sorry Erik... But it was a promise I couldn't really keep.
I think I... was lost. This was such a bad idea! Where was I anyway? I looked around myself. The throne room... I realized.
"How dare she try to turn them against me! Doesn't she know who she is dealing with?!"
"Ah-!" I jolted up surprised and ran behind a nearby pillar away from the voice. Its tone frightened every bone and every fiber in my body, putting me into an imminent alert. The hairs on my arms stood to attention, as a militia of chills march down my spine. I peeked behind the pillar to see a large demon, covered in royal clothes, but buff enough to be a military commander, sitting across the room on a chair carved of fine oak, crested with several jewels and decorative metals forming an elegant coat of arms. There was also a woman, I couldn't see her clearly as her form was bathed by shadows; the night had fallen pretty fast.
"Please Maesmer, calm yourself. Everything isn't lost... at least, not yet."
I let out an audible gasp at the call of that name.
The eyes of the royal man shifted in my direction as if he had caught a glimpse of my figure peeking.
I immediately turned away to hide once again. Also covered my mouth in an attempt to control my breathing.
"CALM?! How can I be calm?! How can you be so CALM?! If she succeeds, everything will be ruined--"
The man's gaze remained glued to that side of the room, inspecting the area very keenly, as the succubus continued to ramble over and over, oblivious that he had caught up with something.
I daren't to move, I daren't to even breathe, I was frozen on the spot. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest... duh-duh, duh-duh. My breathing was getting deeper and deeper by the second. At this rate, I was going to get caught and sent to the catacombs for the rest of my human life.
"-- We have to do something if this reaches Erik's ears-- My Lord, are you listening?"
"I'm not the one who is bound to lose something. I am the most powerful demon that exists in the Abyssal plains. I can have all the lands that my dark heart desires. I take what I want, when I want." His gaze didn't even flicker off the spot he had his aim locked on. His rage practically emanated from his body as he calmly spoke to her."If my 'son' is to find out, then, you're the one who loses."
"M-My lord, you don't really mean..." I saw the confidence Irene once had shatter in her eyes as she stared at the Demon Lord at his words. I could see the struggle in her face, she was not expecting that from him, at all.
"Find a way to prevent my son to find out the truth and maintain this marriage alive. And, if you succeed... that's excellent new's for you, for both of us and for your precious little land. But, if you don't..." The man rose from his throne and, nonchalantly, walked up to her. At last, he ceased his walking to stand beside her. "Let me just say," Then, he leaned in and whispered slowly in her ear with an evil grimace spread across his face. "I win either way."
Irene's eyes widened and a lone tear rolled down her cheek.
"Keep that in mind, my dear Maesmer~" Those were his last words before vanishing into thin air.
After partially seeing that authoritarian man vanish, I circled around the pillar to see that she had remained in the room. Irene had fallen and was on her knees, all curled over herself; what a sad vision of her, she seemed to be crying. Was she doing all of this for the sake of her land? For the sake of her possible subjects? For her dearest ones? I pitied her for a brief second. No. She was too selfish for that. I was sure of that. She only cared for herself and her own sick desires. I wouldn't fall for that stuck-up-act!
"They will pay. Every. Single. One. Of. Them."
Uh? I peeked once again. Irene was still on the ground, motionless. Silence reigned. Did she just speak? I recoiled to my position, convinced that I was hearing things.
"This is not the end." Irene looked up, her face closed in a grimace, her skin pale and clammy.
There it is again! I thought to myself. She did speak! When I went to look again to the spot where she was kneeling, she wasn't there anymore. As soon as I acknowledged her absence, I instantly left my hiding place. I scratched the back of my neck confused. "Where did she went?"
"Right here darling~ Did you missed me? I know I did~" A sarcastic, melodious voice hovered right behind me.
I didn't have time to react as I was sent flying across the hall with a single kick; as my back hit the marble column, it broke in half. My body fell and I hit the floor on my stomach. "Ugh--!" I tried to get up but didn't have the strength to do it. I rolled to the side, coughing blood. It hurt way too much to breathe; I lifted my shirt to find purple welts scattered across my thorax and abdomen. I wondered if some ribs were cracked or displaced. "Ngh... darn it..." I tilted my head to the side and, then, saw Irene coming my way.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance." She hissed.
My eyes widened in pure fear, she was a walking-threat. I had to get up. NOW!
"But don't worry, I won't miss my shot this time~"
My body was struggling so hard to recover, to repair the damage from before still, I was unable to make any movements. The human body wasn't meant to take this much atrocity.
"Are you in pain?" She was taking her time to reach me, it was like she was savoring the moment. "It would come as no surprise."
Somehow, I managed to get onto fours. My arms and legs were trembling like jelly but, I had to try anyway. I was no match for her; fool of me to ever think I was.
"Where are you going, sweet Sarah? Don't go just yet, the fun is only getting started~"
Fortunately, I got up. I was dragging myself through the room, supporting my body weight on the wall; every step felt like small pieces of glass stirring and tearing up my innards.
"Sarah. There is no point in running." Irene said, not far behind me.
I didn't dare to look back, just pressed forward despite the pain that throbbed throughout my body, deeply and intensively, and not in a good way. "I-I don't want to die... I-I don't want to die... p-please G-God..." I pleaded to the only I could remember, and hoped that my prayers would reach Him and be listened to.
"You're in the Abyssal plain, God has no word down here!" Irene shouted as she made me trip.
I scream and collapse on the floor immediately thereafter. I was knock out cold right after hitting on the marble floor with my head. When regained consciousness, I was facing the ceiling and being dragged across the floor by the ankle. "Wha-- Ngh--!" A sharp, piercing pain lanced through my head; I didn't notice at first or, at least, not until I looked down at hand and noticed a red liquid slipping between my fingers onto my palms. My vision wasn't very clear at the moment but, I was pretty sure that sticky fluid was blood. I must have hit hard with my head last fall...
"You are fussing too much. Are you awake already?"
I didn't respond; everything was too fuzzy. My eyesight was still blurred, with some dark spots.
"Oh well, that will be your last time waking."
My head fell to the side; I felt weak and numb, now I was sure I couldn't turn the situation around.
"I think this is enough." Irene stopped; my legs fell down and it hurt like hell. I rose my head slightly up only to see that they were broken.
I cursed at myself.
Irene shrugged mindlessly. "I had to make sure you wouldn't run again~" Irene turned her back and burst into a loud harsh cackle of laughter.
"J-Just end me already..." I cried out in pain.
"In a minute, darling~" Slipping her hands beneath my armpits, Irene pulled me to a nearby pillar and 'helped' me sit up, leaning against it. "Now, how should I do this? A blow to a head? Hm, no... too easy. Drowning? Also no... too quick. Burning by fire? Uh-uh. I'm not very much fond of fire. What is it the most painful death? Bleeding out?"
It was then that I remembered. Before leaving the room, I had packed a knife and had it placed beneath my jeans. That was not for throwing but, for killing up close. If I could just reach it, maybe I could turn the tables. My hand slowly slid through the jean's fabric, pulling it up while keeping my attention on her. I frowned confused. Why wasn't I feeling the knife handle already? The knife wasn't that small at all.
"Are you looking for this?" Irene held the knife, wangling it with some neat hand-movements.
Goddammit.