Grimilde had finished dining, along with Derek. She didn't have much of an appetite, but she needed to regain her energy if she was to continue the journey. She didn't want to be a burden to anyone.
"If you need anything, I'm in the next room." The man's deep voice now seemed less weighed down by guilt. Their conversation hadn't been particularly long, and they had weathered many silences together, but Grimilde had managed to explain herself, and Derek had confronted his fear of having disappointed her. It wasn't easy to admit out loud, but Derek and Iza depended on her, as if she were their family. They were eternally grateful, deeply bound to her.
"Thank you, Derek." The Queen bid him goodnight, and shortly after, the princess entered the room. She stood by the door, remaining silent.
"Darling? Have you eaten?" the blonde asked, motioning for the young woman to get into bed with her.
Snow White didn't answer right away, anchored to the door she had closed, without turning around. "Ilde... there is something wrong with me."
Her trembling voice, ragged breath, and the shivers that ran down Grimilde's spine put her on high alert.
"My love, come here." After years of experience, the Nordic woman knew a partial possession when she saw one. In fact, as soon as Snow White turned around, she saw a black mark on her forehead: a demonic brand.
Snow White moved slowly toward the bed, then took a seat near Grimilde.
"Can you tell me what happened?" she asked hesitantly, hoping the presence wasn't strong enough to manipulate Snow White's body.
"I don't know... I was lost... I was scared..." The young woman's eyes turned red again, but from tears, while the mark on her forehead seemed to pulse. Grimilde was weak, but perhaps she could fix the situation before the possession was complete. She brought a hand to Snow White's forehead and grasped her wrist with the other:
"Tell me what it said to you." She tried to use what little energy she had left to control the demonic trace and sever it from Snow White. She had to keep her anchored to the present.
"A voice... it was horrific... it kept saying things..."
"What things?"
"I..." Snow White brought a hand to her face, wiping her tears. She looked away from the Queen, too embittered to look her in the eye. "It said... that I don't really love you!" Her voice cracked, and her heart began beating far too rapidly to be natural.
Grimilde noticed the symbol's instability, but when she heard the princess's words, she paused for a moment. "We love each other, Snow White. You mustn't listen to its words."
The Queen grew frightened when she saw the change in the princess's face: her eyes had grown even redder, with purple capillaries radiating from her pupils.
"What if it's dependency?"
"Listen to me carefully... I want you to gather your courage and try to fight this presence... I know it's scary, but I am with you. Alright?" Grimilde gently cupped the princess's face, stroking her cheeks. A bead of sweat fell from her forehead, staining the sheets: it was truly exhausting maintaining the focus needed to fight the demon, but she knew she was stronger than it. The earthquake had most likely managed to dislodge the vessel that had remained dormant until then... it was a theory Grimilde had already considered, but without the tribe's support, she had no idea what to do to save the continent.
"I love you... right? It's not dependency... how could it be? My father is dead but..." Snow White continued to whisper disjointed thoughts: she was losing control.
"I cannot deny that I grew close to you in a moment of great fragility, but I did it because I cared about you... then I fell madly in love. I love you with all that I am. Do not forget that." She whispered it in her ear, hugging her tightly. The princess fell silent and grabbed Grimilde's clothes, clinging to her. The symbol had grown weaker; it was no longer pulsing.
"Without you, I don't know how I would have gone on. I had Rachel and Mariella, but... you... you are everything to me..." she sobbed, pulling back slightly from the Queen to look her in the face. "Perhaps it's partly true... I depend on you."
"But isn't that love too?" Grimilde asked, smiling at her sweetly: "Receiving support from the one you love, being able to count on that person. Being vulnerable with them... all of this is love."
The Queen breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the mark vanish and the princess's eyes finally return to normal. They were as beautiful and deep as she remembered them. "You're safe now."
Snow White nodded weakly: she felt drained of all energy and collapsed. She lay down next to Grimilde, letting herself be held in her arms. Finally, a comforting quiet enveloped them, and they were able to breathe more easily.
"Are you in pain?" the princess whispered, breaking the silence.
"Bearable... the medicine is working." Grimilde stroked Snow White's dark hair, happy to have her in her arms. The pain could be ignored for the time being.
"I should have fought back... I don't understand—"
"Demons are insidious... they can force you to think and do things that aren't yours."
"Thank you, Ilde." The young woman pressed a kiss to her neck, letting herself drift off to sleep in the arms of the only person who made her feel completely safe. Grimilde watched her serene face and sighed: who knows what could have happened if she hadn't had the strength to help her... either way, she was out of danger, though she couldn't say the same for the citizens of the Kingdom of Arran.
Half an hour later, someone knocked on the door, and Adelina entered. "I don't mean to disturb you..." she whispered, noticing Snow White sleeping with the Queen watching over her. "How is she?"
"She's fine." She smiled at her friend, realizing she had likely also noticed something strange about the princess. Adelina breathed a sigh of relief and apologized once more for having disturbed the two women. She left the room to reassure the others as well.
"What happened?"
"I don't know, but Grimilde took care of it."
The group had grown very worried when Adelina reported the princess's strange behavior. Scarlet had immediately thought it was a demon, but she didn't understand how it was possible to find one just across the border of Arran. The Archmage had looked into it over the past few months and knew the presence of demons on the continent was scarce, a situation that had remained unchanged for centuries... until that year. Scarlet was convinced Grimilde was hiding something and was determined to find out what. The Order was founded with the goal of dealing with the continent's threats, and this would determine future relations with Arran.
"A lesser demon. Queen Grimilde seems to draw them like a flame draws moths..." Scarlet commented in a hushed voice, shifting her gaze toward the woman's room. At that point, Iza lost her temper and grabbed her by the collar, pulling her close. A mug fell from the wooden table, rolling on the floor, while the rest of those present jumped at the sudden motion. Scarlett did nothing to break free.
"What are you insinuating? I suggest you pay attention to what you say about my queen when you are in my presence!"