To Bewitch a Devil

138 Will you be my queen?

Her gaze went back to the King. Zavian was approaching the princesses, and he was going directly for Princess Kitana.

So she and Penelope didn’t win the bet then... but why would he choose Princess Kitana, after all she did to her? Neera felt a pang of sadness overwhelm her. Her life was about to become a living hell.

Princess Kitana smiled. Finally, it was her turn to be Queen. More than any Princess, she deserved it, even more than the dead Delilah herself. After five centuries and more, Kitana had waited, and victory had finally come as a reward for her patience.

She held her head high as he reached her, but what happened next was too shocking and sudden for anyone to anticipate.

Zavian moved past Kitana and headed straight for Neera. Neera, frozen with shock, shook her head at him in plea.

No, no, no, this cannot be happening!

Zavian held her hand and brought her out before the crowd. “Neera, will you be my queen?”

There were two seconds of silence, then what was once a quiet hall was thrown into chaos. The Dukes and Knights seated in front chairs rose to their feet furiously.

“What kind of insult is this?” Kitana’s father spoke.

.....

“She is a witch!” Another Duke joined. “She wears the image of Delilah only to bewitch our King. She deserves to be burned alive!”

Neera stepped back, all eyes burning with hatred, and all towards her.

“This is preposterous!” Frederick exclaimed. He stepped before the entire crowd and addressed them. “She was the reason a Duke lost his arm! Humans are meant to serve us, and not rule us!”

The noise amplified, and Neera, overwhelmed with the chaos and Zavian still standing solidly by his decision, ran out of the hall. The angry eyes followed her, and she didn’t stop running out.

She ran and ran, heading towards the maids’ quarters, hoping to hide away somewhere until the entire affair died down. This was a nightmare come alive.

She was about to barge into the maids’ quarters when a firm grip pulled her back. Before she could make out who it was, a slap landed on her face, making her lose her balance and fall to the floor.

“You good for nothing, low life maid!”, the hate burned in the person’s voice.

Neera looked up, holding a hand to her throbbing cheek. Freya loomed over her, and Neera saw her claws elongate.

“You will not be the ruin of my brother,” Freya advanced towards her.

Neera crawled away on the floor, fear pounding in her heart. Freya was going to murder her. She saw it in her eyes, the red pooling in them.

“Please”, Neera begged. “Please, I beg of you, I am sorry.”

But Freya was not listening. With a raised hand, Freya slashed down on her. Neera blocked it with her arm, but she felt the pain shoot through her as her claws dug deep into her skin. She screamed.

Neera was not fast enough for an ancient demon, so she just stayed at her mercy. Freya aimed for her neck this time. She closed her eyes, waiting for death to swoop her with that one strike, but instead, it was a screech she heard.

Her eyes flew open. Axel was before her, and he had Freya’s hand in his grasp.

“Leave her alone!” Axel yelled. “It is your brother to blame, not her!”

“She is the cause of all this!” Freya snarled, fangs protruding from her mouth. “I should have ended her when I had the chance! Come to think of it, it is my fault! All this wouldn’t have happened because of me!”

“You don’t own her life!” Axel said. “She doesn’t belong to you.”

“She is a human maid,” Freya seethed. “Her life means nothing. You would let go of me, and let me finish her.”

Axel didn’t let go. He looked at Neera, eyes shifting between the two women, and he stared at Neera’s bleeding arm. Zavian had only put her at risk. What was he thinking doing that in front of everyone?

“I will take her as far away as possible”, Axel said to Freya. “The King won’t have to know. We will leave immediately and you will never see her again, I promise.”

Freya’s eyes narrowed. “Do you know how many times that has never worked for her?”

“I am the son of a Duke”, Axel reminded her. He let go of her arm and stood before Neera. “I will hide her and get her out of here.”

Freya cast a disdainful look over at Neera. She walked up close to Axel and said in a low tone, “If she is back in here, I am going to burn her alive. Remember this.”

With one last glare at Neera, Freya headed back to the hall. When it was just the two of them left, Axel knelt in front of her and examined the cut. It was deep, and it was still bleeding. He looked at his jacket; it was too thick to serve as gauze. He spotted the curtain at the window, a thinner fabric that was good enough temporarily.

So he pulled it down, ripped it, and used it to wrap around Neera’s wound. Neera clenched her teeth as he did so, her tear ducts setting to work.

“I didn’t know...”, She confessed as he tightened the gauze, tears gathering in her eyes. She winced, and Axel put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I didn’t know the King would do that.”

“I know, but we do not have much time. We have to leave now when everything is chaotic. People are leaving the castle. Now is the best time to go,” Axel said. He helped her up, and Neera looked towards the doors of the maids’ quarters.

“My things...”

“It doesn’t matter,” Axel said.

“Pen...”, Neera whispered. What will she tell her? “Pen, you have to tell her I left.”

Axel nodded, but she wasn’t sure if he heard her. His eyes were surveying the area, looking back and front; left and right to make sure they were not seen by anyone.