Quinn was in her bedroom sitting on the chair in front of her dressing mirror as she combed her hair when she saw something in the mirror. She stopped combing her hair and focused on the image in the mirror.
She gasped and quickly stood up, turning around to see if what she saw was real. It was real. Vincent, the demon King she had called to ask for help one year ago when her kingdom was at war, was standing in the middle of her bedroom.
He was wearing white robes and a small crown on his head. As a demon, you would think that he would be wearing black. He looked even more handsome than the last time she saw him. He looked around her room before focusing his attention on her.
"You! What are you doing here?!" She asked in shock as he walked slowly to her, staring at her.
"I am here for my debt." He said as he walked closer to her. She stepped back, but realized that she was right against the dressing mirror as he stopped in front of her, studying her.
"What debt?"
"Did you forget about how I helped you against your enemy, Princess Quinn? I told you that there would be a price to pay."
"Yes, I remember that, but does that price require you to stand so close to me?"
He let out a deep chuckle, "In a way, it does." He stepped back to give her more space. "The price is for you to give your heart and your love to me."
She looked at him in surprise, "You mean, be your wife?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"You don't need to know. We had a deal, and you gave me your word to pay the price."
"Yes, I did, but that was before I knew that it would be giving up my chance to choose who I want to love."
He didn't say anything as he observed her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She opened them as she breathed out. "Fine, I gave you my word. You completed your end of the deal, and now, I will complete mine. I agree to be your wife, but as for giving you my love, I can't guarantee that I can because love can't be forced."
"That is enough for me. Now, let us go." He started walking back to the center of the room.
"Wait, I need to say goodbye to my family and pack my things." He stopped and turned around to face her.
"Alright, you can do that. Where are they now?"
"They are in the throne room." Quinn said as she walked past him to the door and opened it just as one of her maids was about to open it.
The maid, Gail stared at Vincent who was following Quinn, then looked at Quinn and back at him in surprise. "My Lady, who-"
"I will explain later. I need to meet father and mother first." She cut her off, trying to go to her family quickly before the demon King took her away.
"Yes, my Lady." Gail bowed, and Quinn rushed past her with Vincent walking calmly behind her.
She made her way into the throne room. Her father was sitting on his throne with her mother on her own throne. Alexander was standing and was talking to them as four guards guarded the door to the room.
After she walked into the room, one of the guards yelled, "Stop, intruder!"
She turned around and saw that the guard had his sword out and was pointing it at Vincent's neck. Hunter, Anna and Alexander have stopped their discussion to see what was going on.
Vincent glanced at him with a calm expression before shifting his eyes to Quinn's. "He's not an intruder. Let him in."
The guard glanced at her then back at Vincent before lowering his sword and putting it back in its sheath.
She turned around and continued forward to stand beside Alexander in front of the King and Queen. Vincent followed her and came to stand on her other side.
"Who is this, Quinn? Why did you let him in?" Hunter asked as Anna looked at Vincent carefully. She stood up and walked closer to him.
"I remember you. You are that demon. The demon King."
Hunter looked confused as he glanced at Anna then at Vincent and Quinn. "Quinn, why is a demon in my palace?"
"He is the demon King that helped us against the Seather people. The one that helped us win the war."
"Oh, is he?" Hunter addressed Vincent, "Welcome to our kingdom, Demon King. We appreciate the help you have given us."
Quinn and Anna have told Hunter and Alexander about how Quinn called the demon and asked for his help last year. Hunter didn't support the idea, but was happy that their kingdom was saved. Alexander was indifferent, glad that they were not dead.
They had all witnessed Vincent's power. Even the Seather soldiers outside the room fell dead with only a wave of his hand. Sadly, that was after they managed to kill Lance. His body was on the room's floor on that day and that was why Quinn didn't see him after she came back there with Vincent.
He nodded, "Yes, and I am here to collect my debt."
"Your debt?" Hunter asked, looking more confused.
"We had a deal, I save your kingdom, and the Princess gives me her love."
"But the Princess is already betrothed to a Prince in the neighboring kingdom." Hunter said and his face turned angry as he turned to face Quinn.
"Why did you agree to this when you knew you were betrothed?"
"I didn't know that was the price to pay, and he was our only hope on that day or our kingdom would have perished and all of us would have died with it."
"Do not blame her, she was trying to save us." Anna said as she glanced at Quinn.
"But we cannot break the betrothal, and I cannot let her love a demon when she's a human."
"She has to come with me because she agreed to pay the price when she used the stone to call me."
"And I will. I gave you my word that I will go with you." Quinn said to Vincent as Hunter stared at them in astonishment.
"You can't just leave, Quinn." Alexander said as he looked at her.