Cursed Blessed Union

“God and the Fates that guide our world, I beseech you come and endow this union with your blessings…”

As I stood in front of thousands while draped in silk and lace,and adorned with gold and diamonds,listening to the priest begin the marriage ceremony, I couldn’t help but pray for an act of God to stop this wedding.

“Our kingdom has weathered many hardships, and, if not for our King’s guidance, we would have perished long ago..”

Though my family lived more than a week’s journey from the capital, tales of the demon king still floated through our streets and taverns. The tyrant who despised humans and refused to show mercy even to the smallest of children. People spoke of entire families being slaughtered in response to a single member’s defiance. Others shuddered as they described crossing through villages that had been targeted by the king’s army and seeing no signs of life.

“Though unusual it is for a demon and a human to be bound in this manner, this woman has proven her value to our King and his people…”

Demons tended to stay closer to the capital city and rarely ventured to the countryside, so I had assumed that I would never even lay eyes on the king, let alone be wed to him. And if not for the actions of a group of foolish men who consumed too much ale, I most likely would have remained in my village until my death.

One evening three months ago, I stumbled across a sight that still haunts my dreams to this day. My family has an extra space in our bookshop that can be rented out by others in the village for meetings, lessons, or pastime activities. That night my parents were traveling to the city to procure more goods to sell, so I carried out the evening deliveries. In my rush to complete the task, I must have left the main door to the shop unlocked, for as I stepped over the threshold, I heard a high pitched scream followed by a young voice pleading for someone to stop. Sliding along the wall, I peered into the room and had to bite down onto my hand to suppress my gasp.

Seated in the middle of the room was a demon child, no older than a human toddler, skin littered with cuts and limbs drenched in blood. Looming over him were three villagers, chuckling as they wiped off their knives and blades on their shirts.

“As strong as he may be, our King acknowledges the value in having a trusted companion by his side…”

I still have trouble recalling what happened after that moment. The next event in my memory is of the king’s brother arriving in our village, claiming that, in an effort to show their gratitude for saving the life of the child and the others that they found when raiding the men’s homes, the king’s council had decided that to form a union between the humans and demons by through my marriage to the king.

“Do you, Tanwen of the Shadowrend, promise to devote your life and fealty to our King? Do you commit yourself to standing by his side and taking his burdens on as your own? Do you swear to put his needs and the needs of the kingdom above your own? Will you help form the anchors of peace and assist in ending war in the kingdom by modeling a harmonious union between humans and demons.”

I never wished to marry, let alone become royalty. My world may have been small, but it provided safety, comfort, and freedom: no one would ever bother a village that few knew existed. No one would demand that I take on more roles in the running of the village if my attention was dedicated to maintaining the shop. No one would question why I remained unwed if the only options were drunkards and lechers.

The idea of signing my life over to someone that my wedding day is the first time that I am permitted to even lay eyes on him makes me feel ill. However, the danger that my family faces if I reject the king is too great for me to even consider refuting the priest’s questions.

So I stared at the crowd and told the biggest lie of my life.

“I do.”

What followed my statement of approval was an evening of wine, dancing, and nausea; while I may have agreed to wed the demon, I feared what the night would bring when we were finally alone. Periodically I would turn towards the throne, hoping to catch my new husband’s gaze and possibly gather some clues as to how he feels about today’s events. However, for the entirety of the evening, the king appeared to be in deep thought, his dark eyes narrowed and unfocused and his brow furrowed. If not for the occasional nod and brief responses to offers of congratulations and best wishes, I would assume that he had drifted off to sleep with his eyes open.

Eventually, as all things do, the wedding celebrations came to an end, and I was left alone with my husband for the very first time. My heart began to race as my mind formed various predictions about what would happen next. Would the Demon King’s revulsion of humans win out over the promise of unity we just made and my wedding night will soon become my last night? Or would he use me to his liking and toss me into a cell where I would not be a burden on him yet he could still keep true to his vow to his people?

I gasped as a feather light touch grazed my elbow, sending a strange jolt of energy down the length of my arm. Sliding my arm across my chest, I cradled the limb to my torso and turned to observe the source of the contact; my stomach dropping as I noticed the king now standing at my side, his hand hovering in the space that my arm just occupied.

“Apologies,” he murmured, his voice surprisingly soft as he shifted his gaze from my face to a spot near my feet. “Today has been rather taxing, so I wanted to inquire about your current condition.”

“Oh. Yes, it was a bit tiring, and I am grateful that I no longer have to occupy a stage and pretend that I am not uncomfortable with thousands watching my every move.” My mouth moved faster than my mind, and once I processed what I had said, my eyes widened in shock. Not even married for one night and I had already managed to insult my husband. My hand tugged at the fabric of my dress, trying to loosen the tension in my chest as I tried to think of a way to soothe any anger I may have caused.

“N--not that I mean any disrespect, my king,” I started to apologize, bowing my head down in deference to the ruler, hoping that showing remorse for my words would inspire him to show mercy on me and my people. “It is just that I have never seen such a large gathering of people and am unfamiliar with the ways of the court, so I…”

A calloused yet delicate hand cupped my chin and gently pulled upwards until my eyes fell upon his ruby gaze; a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “I have led others in battle and rule for decades now; yet, I found myself struggling to forgo the urge to make myself scarce during today’s festivities. If you would not disapprove of my company, I would be pleased to escort you to your chambers to rest.”

His hand left my face and drifted down to my side where it hovered near mine. close enough for our fingers to brush against one another, but far enough that I would be forced to make the next move. In my mind I could hear my mother pleading with me to go forth with caution. But, as I stared down at the demon king’s hand, waiting for me to accept what he was offering, my heart was urging me to trust fate.

Slowly I reach out and thread my fingers through his.

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As I stand here, staring out over the kingdom while encased in my husband’s embrace, a part of me finally feels hope for the events that await us in the future. After over a year of participating in discussions and debates amongst both the king and his court, I have finally convinced Aeron to meet with the human rebel groups in an effort to come to a ceasefire agreement.

Many of his advisors are outraged by this decision. “Compromise is not the demon way.” Aeron’s advisor cried out when he heard the news. “Compromise is equal to surrender! No one who is winning would be willing to sacrifice their gains in order to ‘compromise.’”

Eventually the king managed to silence the objectors. However, silence does not guarantee compliance.

“Are you certain that you do not desire to join us in this first session with the human delegation,” Aeron asks quietly, his breath warming my cool skin as he rests his chin on my shoulder. “You are the one who fought valiantly to ensure this day would come after all.”

“As much as I would like to join you, I don’t think my presence at these talks would help. Not only would I aggravate your council members, but there is also a chance the rebels would see me as a traitor to humankind. So it is best that I stay here.”

Aeron’s grip on me tightened as he softly growled. “They would be fools if they could not see your strength and value to all beings in the kingdom.”

I turn my head and brush my lips against his cheek. “You see my value and respect my ideas. That and your love is more than enough for me.”

A sharp inhale was all the warning that I received before my husband swept me off my feet and carried me off to our bedchambers.

Hours later found me once again on our balcony, wondering how the peace talks were proceeding. I knew that there would be a strong resistance against the proposal that Aeron and I crafted, but I had full faith in my husband’s ability to inspire those who serve him.

Suddenly, all of the air leaves my lungs as I feel a sharp, hot pain in the lower part of my chest. Glancing down, my blood froze at the sight of a blade protruding from below my sternum. I let out a small gasp, followed by a rush of blood climbing up my throat and spilling out of my mouth.

“With you out of the way,” a raspy voice sounds from behind me, but my limbs no longer want to respond to my brain’s request to turn around and face my killer. “Our King can finally return to what he once was and bring our kingdom back to glory.”