My Demon, My Love... - A Slave's Redemption

Azlyn heard a familiar voice call out. She immediately wanted to relax upon hearing his voice. However, she knew that this situation had gotten out of hand. Reve had already had to cover for their relationship once. He may not be able to get away with doing it again. Not to mention, Deirdre would not be as easy to buy off as Duvessa was. Duvessa was shallow and could be easily manipulated. Deirdre was fierce, brilliant, and if she had her eye on something then she was going to get it.

“Prince Reve! It is so good to see you! Why don’t you join me? This slave has a lot to be punished for.” Deirdre cooed, sweetly.

“Why are you beating my slave?!” Reve demanded, trying to maintain his composure.

“Oh, I will let her explain. It is so much more fun when they are forced to give the speech.” Deirdre chuckled as she yanked Azlyn’s hair. “Give the speech slave. Explain to the prince why we should torture you to death, together.”

Deirdre looked back up at Reve and gave him a wink before licking her lips, seductively.

“Master, it is my duty to inform you that I have been discovered breaking several of the rules of the realm. Because of this I require punishment as atonement for my mistakes. Would you like me to add up my totals?” Azlyn rattled off like she had so many times before. Though this time it took everything in her not to cry as she knew there was little that Reve could do to help her out of this situation.

“Of course, we would. That is half the fun of the speech.” Deirdre instructed.

“I was using your personal shower as well as the shower products within it. Had I been given the opportunity to use a towel to dry off, then I admit that I would have. All three charges could be considered as defiling of property; minimum of thirty lashes.”

“She also defiled my eyes with her disgusting nudity. I am calling that inadvertent harm to a demon. So, I feel that should add another fifteen lashes onto her score.” Deirdre included.

“Of course, madam, I should have considered that sooner. The new running total is forty-five lashes. I also not only touched but bled on your beautiful carpet. This is also defiling property on two counts. Bringing my minimum running total to sixty-five.”

“You have also harmed the prince’s eyes as he has also had to look at your disgusting filthy body. Another fifteen lashes.” Deirdre reminded her.

“Eighty lashes.” Azlyn corrected herself.

“You also do not know where your personal whip is and refused to answer my questions.”

“I could never forget that, miss. Losing my whip is worth ten lashes, as well as, disobeying an order. This brings the total number of whips against me to one hundred lashes.”

“Excellent! Now finish! The end of this is the best part!” Deirdre encouraged, excitedly.

“As a slave with a whip total of one hundred lashes. It is my duty to inform you…” Azlyn paused to clear her throat. “…it is the recommendation of your King and Council that you end my life. It is not likely that I will recover well from one hundred lashes, making this punishment a waste of your time and effort. I am willful and disobedient which has no place in this realm. The king recommends snapping my neck as it makes less mess and takes little effort. After you have finished, please leave my body outside of your front door, so that I may be collected and properly disposed of. Any remains left within the residence will be the responsibility of the property owner. Thank you for your cooperation. Sincerely, King and Council.”

Deirdre giggled in delight. Reve held back the urge to vomit as the anger inside of him bubbled up.

“See we are completely within our rights to torture her to death! We could use it as foreplay.” Deirdre spoke in a sultry voice.

Reve looked at Deirdre as if deeply disturbed by what she was saying. He could hardly believe that she had really become that demented. He had always known her to be cruel to slaves, but this had turned into a sick obsession for her. Reve knew that he needed to diffuse the situation before it got any more out of hand, though admittedly, his anger was making it hard to maintain composure.

“I would like to take this one offense at a time if you don’t mind.” Reve finally managed to say through a clenched jaw.

“Ah! Why are you dragging this out?!” Deirdre whined.

“I have every right to discuss the charges brought against my slave. I am a member of the royal family; how dare you question my authority in this matter!” Reve bellowed causing Deirdre to immediately back down.

“Now, first charge?” Reve asked.

“Bathing in your personal shower, your highness.” Deirdre responded.

“Well, as I have given her permission to shower in my shower for her safety, there is no offense here, so minus ten from the total.” Reve informed her without hesitation.

“Total: ninety lashes.” Azlyn kept score.

Azlyn breathed a sigh of relief that she had, at the very least, dropped below one hundred lashes. On the other hand, she could hardly believe that Reve admitted to allowing her to shower in his bathroom. Especially, openly admitting to being concerned to her safety. Deirdre was dangerous and absolutely despised humans; who knows what she would do with that information.

“Next charge, please.” Reve continued.

“Using your bathing products and was intending to use one of your towels.”

“Once again, if I have given her permission to use my shower then I am not bothered by her using my bathing products. I can easily procure more when they run out, so this is not something that concerns me. As far as the towel is concerned, she did not use it and if she had I would not have been bothered by that either. So, we can minus both of those from the total score.”

“Total: seventy lashes.”

“Excellent. Now we are getting somewhere.” Reve affirmed.

Deirdre was growing confused. It almost seemed as though Reve was attempting to help this slave get out of her punishments.

“She also touched your rug and bled on it!” Deirdre accused, growing desperate.

“I have every reason to believe that the only reason that Azlyn touched or bled on my carpet is because of your assault against her. I cannot in good conscience punish a slave for damage that you caused, Deirdre. Minus those from the total as well.”

“Total: fifty lashes.”

“What are you doing?! Why are you helping her?!” Deirdre cried out.

“What were the other charges again? Oh yes, inadvertent harm to both of our eyes. Well, I am not at all bothered by her nudity. I actually find it quite pleasant, if I am to be honest. You have only been forced to look at her nudity because you are attacking her, so once again this is your fault and I will not punish her for it. I believe this removes thirty more lashes from her total.”

“Total: twenty lashes.”

Azlyn could not believe that Reve had just admitted to being attracted to her. How could he tell something like that to Deirdre without any concern? She was vindictive and there was no way that she could be trusted not to tell everyone in the realm their secret.

Deirdre stood there with her mouth hanging open. She could hardly believe that she was standing before a prince of the demon realm, listening to him defend a filthy human.

“Ah, yes, the final twenty lashes. Well, I obviously cannot punish her for not having her whip as I am the one who had it. I assumed that I would be the only one punishing my personal slave. That is, until I walked into this scene.”

“Total: ten lashes.”

“Well, considering that you’ve clearly given her, at least, five lashes already; not to mention, the other damage inflicted, plus this was all done WITHOUT my permission to MY slave. I do not see much reason to even bother disputing the final charge, seems to me that she’s suffered enough punishment. However, I would like to know exactly what order she disobeyed from you?”

“I saw that disgusting excuse for a mark on her shoulder. I demanded to know who had committed such an unspeakable act and she refused to tell me who the demon responsible is. If you want to be angry about someone laying hands on your personal slave, that is the demon that you should be punishing!” Deirdre argued.

“Well, I have a very simple explanation as to why she refused to answer your question.” Reve began to explain. “I am aware of her mark and I also know who gave it to her. I, personally, have forbade her from telling anyone who marked her. So, since she was following the orders of a superior demon, you were the one in the wrong for beating her without cause.”

With that revelation, Reve’s demeanor immediately changed from calm and collected to angry and violent. He, suddenly, rushed towards Deirdre. Before Azlyn even knew what happened she could hear the sounds of a body being slammed against the bookshelf, knocking several books to the floor.

Azlyn looked over and could see that Reve had pinned Deirdre against the shelving. His primal-self had come out in defense of Azlyn and he was beginning to beat Deirdre against the shelf, slamming her body against it, over and over again. He felt no mercy and he did not care as she cried out for him to stop. Nor did it bother him when she began to bleed, as her face broke open against the bookshelf.

“Reve, stop!” Azlyn cried, unable to bear witness to what was happening.

It did not matter, Reve could not hear Azlyn. He was caught up in an, almost, uncontrollable rage. His horns had extended and curled back around the sides of his face, similar to that of a ram’s. His skin had tensed and hardened as it stretched across his bulgingly muscular frame.

“Reve, you have to stop! You don’t want to kill her!” Azlyn pled.

Azlyn reached out to touch Reve’s arm. She hoped that this would stop him and snap him back to reality. As her hand made contact with his skin, Reve immediately froze. He slowly turned his face to look at Azlyn. She could see the hatred burning in his eyes until he registered who he was looking at. Upon realizing that Azlyn was the one who was touching him Reve softened and the look in his eyes became one of love and caring.

Reve released his hold on Deirdre and she fell to the floor. She started crying as she crumbled into a heap on the ground.

“Deirdre, you are out of the running to marry any members of the royal family. You will be returned to your estate first thing tomorrow. You are under a royal order from, not only myself, but the king and queen of this realm to not discuss what has happened here with anyone!” Reve commanded, staring down at Deirdre with disgust.

“Yes, my prince.” Deirdre answered before spitting her thick, black blood onto the floor.

“You have damaged royal property and disrespected a prince of this realm. It would do you well to remember, the next time that you want to beat a slave, the only reason that this was not worse for you is because of Azlyn’s pleas for mercy.” Reve lectured Deirdre.

“Yes, my prince. Of course, sire.” Deirdre responded, refusing to meet Reve’s gaze.

“Now, collect yourself and get out of my sight.” Reve instructed.

Reve then walked over to the door and went into the hall. He looked around for a moment until he came across a guard; after which he proceeded to wave them over to the room. He directed the guard inside.

“Take Lady Deirdre to her quarters, immediately. See that she stays in there until she is sent home in the morning. The only beings that I want her to have access with, other than you, is her personal slave and a physician.” Reve directed the guard.

The guard reached down and helped Deirdre to her feet. Then he allowed her to lean on him to steady herself as they began to exit.

“Deirdre, there will be a doctor along shortly to tend to your wounds. Remember all that I have told you.” Reve asserted.

“Majesty.” Was all that Deirdre said in return before she disappeared down the hall.

Reve closed the door to his room and quickly locked it behind him. He turned to Azlyn and saw the fear in her eyes. This bothered him greatly; he never wanted Azlyn to be afraid of him.

“I am so sorry, Azlyn! I did not mean for you to see me like that. As soon as I came in here and saw her abusing you, it took everything inside of me not to snap her neck. I never meant to scare you. It’s just that I would do anything and everything that it takes to protect you! You have to understand that.” Reve begged as he attempted to justify his actions.

Azlyn’s eyes softened at his words.

“I am not afraid of you, Reve. I know that you would never hurt me.” Azlyn assured him.

Reve let out a sigh of relief.

“I am fearful because I was just attacked, and I thought that I would die. I am shaken to the core.”

“Oh, Azlyn! I am so sorry that I was not able to get here sooner! I felt your fear and your pain. I did everything in my power to get here is fast as I could. I would never have let her kill you! Never!”

“My back hurts.” Azlyn quickly changed the subject, not wanting to discuss her death any further; she feared what she might say next.

“Come here. Rest on the bed. I will tend to your wounds.” Reve bid.

Azlyn lay down on the bed; careful to remain on her side. Reve rushed to the bathroom and collected the items necessary to clean Azlyn’s injuries. He returned moments later and carefully began to assess her wounds.

Azlyn flinched a few times from the pain, but for the most part, Reve was very gentle. He wiped away the blood and then disinfected the wounds. In the meantime, he kept attempting to make small talk with Azlyn. She was not feeling very social and did not respond to most of what he said to her.

After he finished caring for her back; he leaned forward and gently kissed her shoulders where no injuries were present. She flinched at his touch and this hurt his pride.

“Azlyn, will you please talk to me?!” Reve begged.

“I do not know what you want me to talk about, master.” Azlyn answered, coldly.

“Come on, Az. Don’t be like that. Talk to me. Tell me what is bothering you.”

“I do not think that it is best for me to speak freely at this moment in time, sire.”

“What do you mean? Please. I need you to tell me what is going through your mind. Maybe I could help you work through it.”

“Fine. If you are really certain that you want to talk about this, then I will talk.” Azlyn warned.

“I do want to talk about this. I don’t think that it’s healthy that you keep it inside.”

“Healthy?! How is any of this healthy? This relationship is sick!” Azlyn blurted out, unintentionally.

“What?!” Reve could hardly believe what he had just heard. It was if someone had just punched him the gut.

“You heard me. I am nothing to you. I am just a pet that you play with when it amuses you. You have no intentions of ever having a serious relationship with me. You talk of not marrying another, right now. However, you make no mention of marrying me either. I will always just be your slave and your sex toy; nothing more. Because of this, I am made to suffer.” Azlyn vented, furiously.

“Azlyn, how could you talk like this? You know my feelings for you.”

“Do I, Reve? Do I really? Dalair, at least, married Penelope. It may have still ended in her demise, but he risked everything for their happiness while they had it. Here I am, in danger every moment, even from those who do not know about our relationship.” Azlyn could not contain her frustration. “I still live and act as a slave; I do not ask for special treatment! The only thing that anyone has to be angry with me about is that I dare to be involved with you! I will likely die because of this pairing and I will have nothing more than a mark to show for it! Not a wife, not a girlfriend, only a mate in secret; a slave who dared to love beyond her station!”

“Azlyn, I did not know that you felt this way. I thought that you were happy the way that things are.”

“Happy?! How could I be happy like this? I could understand why you think that this life is great. You are a prince! I am no more than a mere slave! This is not what I dreamed of when I imagined my knight saving me from this life!”

“I’m sorry, Azlyn. I just do not know what more that I can offer you. I love you with all of my heart, but as you just said, I am a prince. I have certain responsibilities to my realm.”

“Yes, you do. You are very right in that sense.” Azlyn paused for a moment before continuing. “I think we both just need to take a step back and decide where I fit into those responsibilities. Maybe it would prove beneficial to each of us if we rethought this relationship some. Maybe we tried to force something that was never meant to exist.” Azlyn could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.

“Az…what are you saying?”

“I don’t know. I just…”

Azlyn could not even finish her sentence. She was so hurt and so confused. She wanted to believe that Reve loved her, but it was not always easy to keep herself convinced of such. She was often the one who had to suffer for their love and Reve seemed to only be responsible for cleaning up afterwards. She jumped out of bed and began throwing on the first articles of clothing that she could find.

“Az, what are you doing?”

“I just…I just have to get out of this room.”

“Alright. I will go with you. We can find an empty room, or we can even leave the castle, if you’d like.”

“No…no. I just want to be by myself for a bit. I just need time to think. I need to clear my head. I will be back later. I just have to be on my own for a while.” Azlyn babbled.

“But, Azlyn, I really think that…” Reve pled.

Nonetheless, Reve’s pleas fell on deaf ears. Azlyn quickly opened the door and headed off down the hall. Reve sat on his bed completely stunned. He could not quite figure out what had just happened. One minute he was saving Azlyn’s life from a demoness. The next, she was accusing him of treating her like a slave. He was so unsure what to think and it hurt him greatly that Azlyn felt that he thought so little of her.

“Azlyn…”