The Devil and His Queen

“ So, what's the catch, devil?" I asked. I wasn't exactly in the position to be asking questions or negotiating anything at the moment. He knew it too. With a smirk he leaned over and said,

"No catch, princess. Maybe we can just call it a favor."

I scowled, an hour ago I would have rather died than owe him a favor. Considering that I was now facing that very dilemma, I wasn't so convinced now. My hand slipped and I gasped. His eyes darkened,

"Last chance."

I gritted my teeth, "Fine."

He smiled and grasped my hand, pulling me up from the cliff. I scrabbled for hold on the gravel surface and whirled to face him, my sword already drawn from its sheath. He danced away, hands in the air, 

“Come now princess, I just saved you.”

I growled at him;

“And I should have died before owing you a favor.” 

He laughed lightly, dodging yet another swing from my sword. 

“I intend to collect.”

I heaved a sigh of exasperation as I flung a dagger, masterfully aimed at his heart, and he brushed it away as if I was nothing but a girl playing dress up with weapons far too powerful for me. As if this was a dance that he had committed to memory, he strode up and grasped my arms, effectively pinning my hands back, rendering them useless. I swore at him, jamming my knee between his legs. He let me go with a pained,

“Oomf” 

I rolled over and reached for the dagger I had thrown. He was quicker, and before I could blink or breathe, or even think, he was on top of me again, this time the dagger’s blade resting on my throat. 

“Kill me,” I breathed. 

He laughed derisively, “I intend to call in that favor before I do that.”

I groaned, “What do you want?”

“I want you to take me to the palace. Pretend that I'm some distant prince or long lost cousin, I don’t care. I want to live there.”

“For how long?” I gasped.

 This boy was an outlaw. His blood traced back to the dissenters over a thousand years ago. His kind was strong and cunning, able to twist words and trick minds to their advantage. I would be bringing our sworn enemy into the sacred house. They would never forgive me. I would be shunned. But then again, I had promised him a favor, and a favor I was honor and duty bound to give him. Nevertheless, I would be remiss if I did not try to sway him slightly. Yet just as I opened my mouth to speak, the dagger tip found its way into my skin. I gasped at the sudden pain. 

“Now now princess we both know what a way with words you have. I’ll have my favor or I’ll have your death. Both are equally as appealing to me.”

I shut my mouth, my mind racing. Finally, I nodded slightly, and the dagger's tip was removed from my throat. He helped me to my feet and I scowled at him. 

“I have a name, you know. It’s Elaine.” 

A merry glint appeared in his eye, “I prefer princess.”

If looks could kill he would have died right there, at my feet and she would have not had to worry about keeping her oath. Unfortunately, I had not been gifted with that specific superpower. 

“And what of you,” I asked him, “Do you have a name?” 

A smirk played upon his lips, “I think devil suits me just fine, don’t you?”

***

The reception from my family was exactly what I expected, thank the goddesses it wasn't worse. My mother, the queen swore at the sight of my bloodied and bruised appearance and the devil next to me. 

“Elaine, what have you done?” 

I bowed my head to her, my heart pounding. 

“Forgive me mother, in a moment of weakness I accepted my life in exchange for a favor from me. This is what he asked.”

The queen shifted in her seat, 

“Elaine, do you know who stands beside you?”

I cast a dark look at the boy next to me. He lounged against the wall, as if forgetting that he was amongst enemies. He was entirely unconcerned about the fact that the Queen could choose to kill him, rendering my oath void. In doing so my own life would be forfeit, but that would come as no surprise as it should have been the moment I had so foolishly slipped off that cliff. I realized my mother was still waiting for an answer. 

“No, Mother, I do not.”

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers before answering, 

“Princess Elaine, the boy standing next to you is Prince Everheart, son of the king of the Western Isles.”

I stepped back, reeling. I had brought the son of our worst enemy into the palace. Not only did his blood trace back to rebels, but he was a direct descendent of the rebels that had succeeded. The rebels that had stolen our land and killed our people. My mother turned to him, 

“Prince Everheart, my daughter has foolishly promised you your life here. I will keep that promise. You will not be killed. However, you will live here as my prisoner. It was your choice to come here, and it must be your father’s choice to free you.”

I felt, rather than saw the change in the boy’s demeanor. His trickery had failed him, and he knew it. My mother’s gift with words had bested him when mine couldn’t.

Regardless, He hardly shifted from his lounging position on the wall, and when the guards rushed at him, he raised his hands in the air lazily, signaling his surrender. Despite that, he couldn't help but to keep his attitude, and his lazy grin and snarky words earned him quite a few blows. He took them well, barely flinching, but she did not envy him as he was being dragged away. He cast me an exaggerated look over his shoulder, mouthing the words, 

“See you later, Princess.”

My mother turned to me, ire in her eyes.

“You will also spend the night in the dungeon, and to remind you of your foolishness, three lashes before you go.”

I bowed my head in acceptance as one of the guards came up to dole out my punishment. I wasn't scared, I had received worse punishment before, and my back and forearms already bore the scars of many such ‘reminders of foolishness’. 

***

I winced when I was thrown into the cell, my back bleeding and stinging mercilessly. 

“Ahh the princess comes to stay the night I see.”

“Oh hush, devil.” I retorted. 

A merry laugh came from his cell.

“Even your guards couldn’t manage that.”

He slunk into the dim light, and my heart stopped when I witnessed the bloodied pulp he had been beaten to. I tried to school my face into impassivity, but must have failed because he said, 

“Don’t worry, it’s my own damn fault.”

Regardless, I felt the need to say, 

“I'm sorry… truly. You shouldn’t be treated this way.”

His eyes narrowed, “Are you trying to trick me with words again, princess?”

I allowed a playful smirk to work its way onto my lips, “Why devil, always.”

That night, neither of us slept, but instead leaned against the bars back to bloody back. When the morning came, I was released from my cell, my clothes stiff from blood. 

“Goodbye, princess.” The prince drawled. The guard let out an agitated sound, and pummeled him with the blunt end of his spear through the bars. He groaned and gasped for breath. All I could think to say was, 

“Ach! Devil, I'm sure I’ll be back.” 

The guard shot me a look, threatening to tell my mother that, once again, I’d been fraternizing with the young prince. 

“Hopefully not too soon, I seem to get beat up entirely too often when you're around.” He gasped through gritted teeth.

***

That night, I snuck back down to the dungeons, keys in hand. I ran into one guard, but he gave me no trouble. Most of them liked me better than my mother anyhow. 

“Devil,” I whispered urgently.

“Princess,” he groaned, “I told you not to return too soon.”

“I have the keys; and I shall release you for a favor.”

He chuckled, “Ahh see princess, I know better than to grant a favor to my enemy.”

I smiled in the darkness, “Are we truly still enemies then? Nevertheless, I shall give you the choice to reject my favor, if you so choose.”

Saying that, I unlocked the cell door, and he sprung out swiftly. 

“Well then, out with it.”

“Take me with you,” I pleaded, “I will come as a princess or I will come as a servant, but I cannot remain here any longer.”

We both stood there, and I just when I thought, I could not bear it if he said no, if he took one second longer to say yes, he responded, 

“You shall come as my queen.”

I looked at him in shock, but had no time to ponder or ask any questions, as a guard came rushing down the stairs. The prince disarmed him in a matter of seconds, and in that moment, I realized he had been taking it easy on me when he first met me on the cliff. I had skills, yes, but nowhere near as refined as the man next to me.

He took me by the hand, and led me out of the dungeon. In the distance, I heard my Mother raising hell to find me, but I turned my head towards my future as we rode off into the sunset, the Devil and his Queen.