Jolien got up from the little bed and she looked around. This was never her room but it didn't feel back. Just that there was no one around beside herself.
She stood up to roll the blanket that she had laid on then she heard her name.
It was the weirdest scenario but he was there.
Not in her mind this time, she could see him physically and he looked different. It was the Shadow Demon. His hands were usually like smoke lurking in the dark, thus time they were real, alive.
She looked up to his face but she couldn't see anything as usual. Just blue eyes that were hanging on what was supposed to be his face and they were watching her every move.
"What do you want?" She didn't know how those words came about but that's what she had always wanted to ask him.
'What does he want from me?'
"You are quite bold today unlike the other times where you would be scared"
If he had a face then she was sure that he was smirking right now.
"You think you can run from me because you have left the Palace"
She knew better than that. She knew that she couldn't run from the smoky figure. He was in her mind after all. But she kept mute.
In an instant he was in front of her, his shadow covering her up and showing how tall he appeared. His blue eyes were magnetic like they would pull her into them but just for once she refused to look away.
Jolien wanted to see the unfathomable, maybe then she would understand how to deal with the creature.
He leaned down to her face. His scary nature above her. The chill of the place seemed to worsen, it increased that she felt her body was shaking but she tried to maintain her resolve and stare into his eyes for God knows how long.
And just when she thought she couldn't stand it any more. He said,
"I want you" she blinked.
"You alone"
He tilted her head to the side, she tried to fight him off but he was too strong for her. Pushing her hair aside, her neck appeared before him.
'What's he trying to do?'
Before she could make a move, his ghostly lips drew to what seemed like a smirk and he opened his mouth and she thought that she would only see smoke but there were teeth there and a tongue too. But that was the least of her concerns, cause he bared his teeth at her.
They seemed to elongate and soon he was heading for her neck. She felt his teeth graze her flesh before she screamed.
"No!!!"
Her eyes opened and she was awake in a jolt. Her hands were shaking, her heart racing like it was on a marathon. She was covered in her own sweat.
"Joe" She snapped her head to see who it was and almost screamed but she realised that it was Zay. He was beside her. Her beating heart seemed to lessen. She touched her neck again and again to see if there was any mark.
"Did you hurt your neck?" Zay asked, she shook her head.
"I had a dream," she breathed.
"Ohh" he moved closer.
"That's why you will always be a princess… dreams scare you"
Jolien would have punched him in the face. It was only the feeling from the dream that was stopping her. After she was sure that there was no mark. She sighed in relief.
"You can go back to sleep," she told Zay.
There was no need for her to sleep if she was going to see that monster again. She looked around, the servants were still asleep.
"No… you need the sleep more than me… if you are worried about the dream then I can comfort you"
She raised a brow.
"It's still midnight, you can't stay awake till morning" he urged.
She obliged and leaned into his arms while he said some comforting words that seemed pretty nice and just like that she felt her eyelids get heavy, it usually took a while for her to get comfortable or even sleep but right now. She was very comfortable and soon she was asleep.
Zay noticed her even breathing, that meant that she was asleep, an eerie smile crossed his lips.
♡♡♡
Jolien woke up to the creaking sound of the carriage as it moved. She stretched her hands, a smile on her face. She has never had such a good sleep in a long time.
Looking around, she saw Zay, his eyes were closed and she thought that he might be sleeping again. She rolled her eyes.
'He sure sleeps a lot for a Lord' she thought.
Standing up, she searched for something she could eat in the huge boxes that were lined up but there was nothing. Her stomach grumbled as she stared at the pile of gold bars and jewelleries.
'What do they need this for?... when the stomach is more important'
She wanted to slap her brother awake but he helped her sleep so she would just leave him for now.
She looked out of the window and there in the valley, she could see a small town that was surrounded by mountains.
'What is that?'
"We are almost there, Your Majesty," the footman said.
Jolien didn't if he read her mind but at least he told her on time.
They were at the town of Atlantis. She was meant to marry the Prince but that would be for her mother to decide. As for now she came here to have fun and not perform duties.
"We are there" it was Zay
His voice was raspy from sleep.
"Yes… sleepy head" she said.
Zay walked to one of the boxes and pulled out a few clothes. He turned to Joe, tossing a cloth to her. It looked more like a rag than a cloth.
"What's this for?" She asked, holding the gown with the tip of her fingers.
"A disguise… so we can get in safely, Princess" Zay said.
Jolien clenched her fists. Maybe next time he would call her so that she might as well remove his tooth.
She wore the dirty gown on top of her clothes quickly.