Ducan's p.o.v

"Ducan." Ose called loudly outside my chambers.

"Enter." I ordered calmly.

He walked in with a labored breath and gave a low bow.

"It's about your bride." He said.

I snapped my finger getting rid of the files in my hand, then sat upright on my bed.

"Are you tired of watching her?" I asked seriously.

He was ordered by me to watch over her whenever he had time, but he got strangely attached to her easily, not that I cared. His loyalty to me was still unquestionable.

"Huh," he muttered under his breath.

"What about her?" I asked not paying attention to his response.

"You need to go and claim her now." He said loudly.

I huffed in a mocking way then stood up and moved to my huge desk ignoring him.

"Ducan don't ignore me! You really should go and claim her. She's at a marriageable age and she grew up well for a bride. Also, her mother hates and hits her." He said.

"We have more pressing matters to attend to, you know? Like killing all heroes that search for our kingdom's entrance." I pointed out.

"Those aren't true heroes, we both know that, they are fools that think they can walk past the gates without the holy sword and defeat you." He answered.

I picked up a glass of holy water and took a sip from it calmly.

"Still they are like insects that need to be stepped on." I said honestly.

"I know Ducan, but I'm talking about your bride!" He exclaimed.

"Humans are bound to hit and hate each other, even our kind grow up in that way." I answered seriously then took another sip.

I took holy water three times a day to train my body from its toxicity. Holy water was like poison to my kind but a small dosage everyday became tolerant, after a few years I got used to it that I drank two to three cups per day.

"You don't understand Great Maou." He whispered.

I turned and faced him with a raised brow.

His snake scales were showing on his skin as he tried to calm himself. Ose was a python demon and unlike his father, he refused to take a bride or concubine for himself. He and I weren't so different when it came to that, we both had our own reasons why we wanted nothing to do with females.

These past few years he was practicing on how to maintain his human form. I found it rather odd but chose not to ask him anything. After all he had his reasons. But whenever he got upset his scales began to show and then his fangs and tongue appeared as that of a snake. It wasn't long until he was back to his original form. That's the human built with all the features of a python.

"Then make me understand." I demanded.

"His young brother wants to take her powers for himself." He answered loudly.

I carefully put the cup on the desk then cleared my throat.

"What did you just say?" I asked with emphasis.

"The mother married the girl's uncle and now they have a son together, but the son is crazy, he wants his own blood sister as a concubine." He answered, annoying me.

"Ose, blood ties have nothing to do with our beliefs. Here we accept such so I'm not interested in that part, what I want to hear is about her powers." I said strongly.

"Yes Great Maou, the brother wants her powers for himself so he could become stronger." He answered.

"Summon the ancient witch." I ordered seriously.

"Right away, Great Maou." He answered with a smile then rushed out of my chambers.

"Demon king." The lost souls called outside my windows. They were souls I didn't suck but forced out of their bodies leaving them to wonder and later be lost in the void of the endless pit.

"Speak." I ordered.

"Your right hand might be lusting for your human bride." One of them whispered as I smirked.

I wasn't dumb not to know that he was attached to her.

"Then I'll let him taste her too after I fully have my way with her. She's of no use to me, remember? What I want is power and my life prolonged." I answered honestly.

"What if he betrays you?" It asked as I chuckled softly.

"Ose can never choose a human over me and our kingdom. He knows and heard first hand what they are capable of doing." I answered as the spirit laughed, its laughter echoing in my chambers.

"You are foolish." It whispered.

I calmly faced it and raised my hand.

"How about I attach you to my lifespan to prolong it?" I asked.

It screamed in a shrill voice then vanished in fear.

"Weak." I whispered then walked to the door and opened it before Ose could knock.

Unlike the humans, us demons had heightened senses and good hearing. So it wasn't hard to predict a few things before they happened, the only thing we did was act too relaxed and pretend not to see shit when in truth we saw most things.

"Great Maou, the ancient witch awaits you in the throne hall." He reported with a bow.

"Lead the way." I answered then followed behind as he walked to the throne hall.

Immediately I walked in, the ancient witch gave a bow to show respect.

"Hail the Great Maou." She whispered.

I went to my throne and sat down comfortably.

"I want to go and claim my bride in human territory." I said.

She laughed then nodded and threw the bones on the ground chanting some words.

There were only three of us in the hall and that came as a relief because the advisers and generals were usually negative about me going to human territory.

When the door appeared, I stood up from my throne.

"Ose gather everyone here. When I come back with her, the wedding should immediately commence." I said seriously as he frowned.

"Great Maou, did you not say she would be your concubine? Don't you think making the human your bride is a little too much?" He asked.

I smirked then nodded.

"I did until you got too attached to her. I have decided to make her the empress and queen of the demon realm and kingdom. She will bear my children and that is my final decision." I answered.

He was about to say something when I waved my hand to warn him off.

"Hail the Great Maou." He whispered then bowed.

I walked to the door and looked at the ancient witch seriously.

"Make sure he goes through with my command." I said then walked past the door's entrance.

Eleanor's p.o.v

"Holy water, check. Holy oil, check. Dagger dipped in holy water check and a golden holy hair pin blessed and dipped into holy water, perfect." I whispered to myself happily.

I was kneeling down looking at my things which were wrapped in a silk cloth in the wardrobe.

"Eleanor." My mother called loudly then rushed into my room.

It came as a surprise that she was calling me by my name. Since Zara was born she refrained from calling me by my name for some reason. The only time she did that was when she was very angry with me.

"Yes mother." I answered while I stood up and shut the door of my wardrobe.

"Change your clothes right now and put on your best robe." She said in a cracked voice.

I calmly looked at her trembling hands then at her face.

It was only once that I had seen my mother this scared in my entire life and that was the day the demon king visited our village.

"Is he here?" I asked in a low tone.

"Yes." She answered with tears forming in her eyes.

"Calm down mother, I trained all my life for this. Remember I have a holy dagger which is as good as the holy sword. I will kill that monster before it lays its hands on me." I whispered softly.

"That's my daughter." She said proudly then quickly rushed to my wardrobe and opened it.

As she went through my gowns and dresses, I stripped off my outer robe and remained with the inner ones. I then pulled off the string tied to my hair letting it drop to my shoulders.

"Here, put this yellow one on." She immediately instructed me.

I nodded and took the yellow silk robe, putting it on. It was my best robe because it was very expensive and beautiful, a gift given to me by my step father on my coming of age ceremony. It had golden rings on my chest and white fur around my neck and wrist. It truly was beautiful with art golden symbols on its back.

"Sit down and let me fix your hair." She ordered.

I quickly went to my things and picked up the golden hair pin then handed it to her.

"Use this." I said then quickly sat down.

I sat in silence as she quickly began to fix my hair.

"Where is the monster?" I asked seriously.

"He should be here any second. He was spotted by some villagers approaching our village. They came here to report in time." She answered, then quickly moved and looked at me.

"You are very pretty because you have my beautiful features, but I still think that we need to add a little bit of powder and make-up on your face." She said then rushed out of the room.

I took that chance to stand up and grab my robe which was on the floor.

I ripped out two pieces of cloth and raised my gown tying one to my thigh.

I glanced at the door for a second to make sure no one was watching me, before proceeding to grab my wrapped cloth with my things in it from the wardrobe carrying it to the bed.

I took out the dagger and wrapped it in the remaining piece of cloth I had, then lifted my gown again and tucked the dagger under the tied cloth around my thigh.

I glanced at the entrance again, then picked up the holy water and tucked it in the inner cloth wrapped around my breast.

"Here, sit down." My mother said as she came in with a small clay bowl in her hand.

I sat down and closed my eyes while she fixed my face.

"Mother, now that I'm thinking about that day, I have been curious about something. Where did that handsome lord with white hair and red eyes go?' I asked seriously.

I remembered that he was heading for our village but I didn't know what kind of business he had, moreover he was nowhere to be seen when the demon king appeared.

When she stopped fixing my face I opened my eyes to find her looking at me with a terrified expression.

"Dear did you not know?" She asked loudly.

"Know what?" I asked.

"That lord was....'

"Wife. He is here" My step father called loudly.

"Let's go." She said at the top of her voice.

I grabbed the oil bottle in my hand and walked out of my room with her.

Immediately we went out, everyone looked at us. When my eyes went to the monster standing at the center, I felt repulsed. He was exactly as I saw him that very day.

His dark red hair was long and his eyes were completely black. On his head near his forehead were two big horns that stuck out. His robes looked expensive but were covered in dark smoke.

"I believe this land has never lacked rain when you need it and no one has ever died due to diseases since that day." He said in a deep voice then looked at my mother who was standing next to me trembling.

"I fulfilled my end of the deal, you should now fulfill yours." He said.

My mother looked at me for a minute then took a step back.

I slowly walked forward to where he was and stood in front of him trying so hard to compose myself.

"My bride." He said as he extended his hand towards me.

"My Lord." I whispered then bowed low.

He took a step forward and leaned in to touch my face when I moved my hand in the gown and pulled out the dagger, quickly unwrapping it and stabbing him in his chest.

He stood upright as I did too. I was expecting him to cry out or scream in pain, but he only looked at it in silence then at me.

I quickly opened the bottle of holy oil and poured it on him.

"Die you disgusting monster!" I yelled at the top of my voice with a rapid beating heart as everyone gasped loudly.

I watched in shock and fear as his horns grew larger and his claws grew longer .

I was about to move when a hard slap across my cheek sent me flying to where my mother was.

I groaned in pain when I hit the ground. I felt dizzy and the scent of blood filled my nose.

I was about to stand up when I fell down to my knees weakly.

"Eleanor." My mother called then rushed to where I was, kneeling down and holding my hand tightly.

"Step aside." Different male voices I have never heard before commanded at once.

My mother quickly stood up while I blinked a few times to get rid of my dizziness.

"Please have mercy on her, she is just a child." My mother screamed when I was grabbed by my hair.

I bit my lower lip to swallow my scream as my scalp burned in heat and pain.

"Because of her misconduct, this village will go back to how it used to be. Rain will never fall again and diseases will strike you down." He said as a large wind began to blow.

I had no strength left and as much as I wanted to fight or keep awake I couldn't. My eyes got heavy and the last thing I heard was my mother calling out my name.