Chapter 18: The Princess, the Persistent Idiot
Attempt Four: The Stable Dash
Like I said, I was determined—and even more persistent than ever—to get out. So even after my first three attempts failed, I thought of a fourth one. Yes, I'm that good, and no, I wasn't giving up.
The smell of hay, the soft nuzzle of horses—ideal escape ambience. I'd planned to slip past the grooms, cloak myself in a coat, and hail a passing merchant outside the carriage yard. I got as far as the tack room before a guard—who apparently had nothing better to do than memorize the shadows—stopped me with the most polite question anyone had ever used to detain a princess:
"Are you lost, Your Highness?"
"Lost? I was just looking for Vaelory," I told him.
He frowned. "In the stable?"
"She can get sneaky sometimes, but she's not here, so I'll go now," I said.
Attempt four: failed.
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Attempt Five: The Transformation Spell
Transformation spells weren't new to me. I'd used them on some of my suitors before, so using them on myself seemed like a great idea. I transformed to look like one of the guards. I thought this was my best idea yet—but lo and behold, I was caught.
Apparently, my father had told the guards that I would look for any opportunity to escape, and that I might even resort to using spells. Oh, I was going to kill that man.
I liked him—he was a good father... sometimes. But everything that's happened recently made the fact that he was a good father highly debatable.
So every attempt I made failed. But I didn't stop there—I continued, until my father finally put his royal foot down and ensured there was a guard with me at all times, even when I was bathing.
Remember when I said that before? Yeah, I wasn't joking. And remember when I said I was persistent and determined? I take that back.
I give up. How was I going to escape if there were guards at every step of the way? How?
So yeah, it's been two days since then—filled with failed attempts to escape and guards at every turn—and I was tired. I give up. I don't care what anyone says, I give up.
---
That was why I was now in my room, with Vaelory, who sneered at the guard standing watch over me. She didn't like the guards, and neither did I—but we weren't in charge here.
Oh, and did I mention that my father apparently told me to stop behaving childishly and just give in to the fate I'd signed with my own hands?
I laughed at that. One, because he was being absolutely insane, and two, because he said that to me from a very safe distance. If not, I would've picked him up and placed him inside a blender so at least the flesh on his stunted bones could be used for something.
But that was that. All this happened hours ago.
Now, I had to focus on something—anything—but Vaelory kept staring at the door like something was going to come through it. Ever since she found out that I was going to the demon realm, she'd been jumpy and in disbelief.
So yeah, add two days since Vaelory got the message but was still in denial. And when I say disbelief, I mean disbelief—because she refused to believe that I was going to the demon realm, or that I was going to get married to a demon.
Oh, sorry. Not just any demon—the demon king.
"Your Highness, are you sure this is correct? Are you sure you are going to get married to him?" she asked me for the nth time.
I sighed deeply. "Yes, Vaelory, I'm getting married to the demon king. And yes, it's correct."
"But that doesn't make any sense. Why would the demon king want to marry you—a demon?"
Yes, this was also a recurring question of hers.
"Vaelory," I said with a sigh, "the demon king is getting married to me because we apparently sealed our fate—or rather, I sealed my fate—when I said I was in love with him."
"But you didn't know who he was," she argued.
"Apparently, it doesn't matter whether I knew who he was or not. That's not how it works."
"Are you sure something like this exists? This is the first time I'm hearing of anything like that. It makes absolutely no sense to me," she said.
"And you think it does to me?" I asked her, raising an eyebrow.
If anything, I was the most confused person in all of this.
Vaelory nodded. "He asked for two days. He said he'd come get you in two days. Are you allowed to bring a maid?" she asked.
"Vaelory, how many times will you ask this question? He said I can bring a maid or two," I told her.
"Well… none of the maids want to go," she said quietly.
"I'm only taking you with me," I informed her.
She stared at me with wide eyes. "Your Highness… surely you jest. I cannot go with you to the demon realm."
"Do you not care for me enough to go with me?" I asked her.
She gasped. "Why would you think something like that?"
"You want me to go alone. You claim to care for me, but you don't," I told her.
"Your Highness, don't you ever say that," she said as she took my hands in hers. "I care for you a lot."
"But you're abandoning me, just like my father is. You want me to go alone," I said as I started crying.
Oh, don't worry—the tears weren't real. But Vaelory didn't need to know that. If I was going to the demon realm, then she was coming with me, because honestly, even with all her fussing, she was the only true companion I had here.
"Oh, don't cry, Your Highness. It's just… there are stories about the demons."
My ears twitched, and the tears paused as Vaelory dabbed at them with a cloth.
"What stories?" I asked her.