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

After several weeks of planning, everything was ready to go for the big wedding. Umay had met with Andvari and he had agreed to help. They had set on a date that Andvari was available and Umay’s parents were not present at the estate. They knew that Umay’s parents would support Azlyn and Reve’s decision to wed, however, they did not want to have to put Lord and Lady Vivek in a position where they would have to lie to the king and queen on their behalf. Once the discovery that Reve had disappeared was made, it was very likely that the entire kingdom would be searched as they sought to return him to the castle. They did not want anyone implicated that did not have to be.

Reve and Kane had gathered the proper paperwork. After which, they hunted down the perfect rings which took quite a bit of time. Reve did not care about his ring, he just wanted something nice. On the other hand, he had put great deal of thought into the ring that he wanted for Azlyn. He wanted her to have only the very best. After all that she had been through, she deserved the most beautiful and expensive ring that he could possibly find. Though he knew that she would not be able to wear it until they got to the human realm, it was still important to him as she would get to see it on their wedding day.

Azlyn and Umay had been able to find Azlyn the perfect wedding dress. They had picked several dresses out of a catalog and Umay ordered them to try on in Azlyn’s size. When they were delivered to the castle, Umay insisted on trying them on with the privacy of her servants. This allowed Azlyn to try on all of the dresses without disruption, finally picking the one that she would wear down the aisle to marry her prince.

They had even, successfully, presented Umay and Vondra as the future brides of Reve and Kane. The king and queen had embraced this news with great joy. Though this had only caused Queen Mara to spend more of her energy and resources monitoring Azlyn. She was hoping to spare Umay the same heartache that she had known her entire marriage. She wanted to ensure that Reve was no longer involved in a relationship with Azlyn behind Umay’s back. This had made things quite difficult for Azlyn and Reve to spend time together. They tried not to let this bother them, though, as they knew that they would soon be wed.

Everything seemed like it was going perfectly. They were mere days away from their wedding and Azlyn could not have been more excited. She was walking down the halls of the castle on an errand for Reve; when suddenly she felt a hand grab her arm and she was yanked into a nearby closet.

Just as Azlyn was about to scream for help, her assailant revealed himself to her. Reve removed his hand from her mouth and gave her a sly smile. Her panic quickly subsided as her fear was replaced by joy.

“Reve, what are you doing?” Azlyn whispered, returning his smile.

“I have missed you so much.” Reve replied in a hushed voiced.

Before Azlyn could say another word; Reve reached out and placed his hands on either side of her face, pulling her into his kiss. He embraced her for so long and so passionately that by the time he released her she had barely a breath left.

“Wow.” Azlyn panted.

“I need to be with you. I cannot wait any longer.” Reve insisted.

“Reve, it is only a few more days.” Azlyn teased.

“I cannot wait. I need you.” Reve said as he began trailing kisses down her neck.

“We can’t just do this here.” Azlyn protested despite her own growing desire.

“Meet me in the woods just outside the garden. Make it look as though you have business in the stables then sneak, as carefully as possible, behind the stables and slip into the woods. I will follow shortly after and fetch my horse. I will make it obvious that I am riding off alone, so hopefully no one will suspect my intentions.” Reve instructed.

“Are you certain that it is a good idea to take this risk?” Azlyn hesitated.

“I miss you, Az. I need you.” Reve pled, pulling her into another passionate embrace.

“Alright.” Azlyn sighed, happily giving in.

“I am so glad to hear you say that. Head to the stables now. I’ll meet you in twenty to thirty minutes.” Reve responded, excitedly.

“Okay. See you soon, my love.” Azlyn promised with one last kiss.

Azlyn then slowly opened the door of the closet and carefully slipped out into the hallway. The hall appeared deserted, so she decided to carry on as if everything was normal. She wandered off towards the stables; beginning to feel more confident in Reve’s plan.

Upon arriving at the stables, Azlyn found Blaz grooming a beautiful chestnut-colored horse. She decided to slip out past him, given that he was busy. Not to mention, she had not spoken to him since she had seen Lorelei kissing Reve in the gardens and she did not feel like explaining herself now. She knew that Blaz would be judgmental about her choices and tell her that she was foolish for continuing to trust Reve; she did not want to hear it.

In moments, Azlyn was safely away from the stables and had slipped into the trees, moving further into the dense forest. She wandered, carefully, towards the trail and stood hiding amongst the trees; waiting for Reve to come for her.

Several minutes later, Azlyn could hear the sound of hooves beating against the dirt path, headed in her direction. She did not want to risk revealing herself to anyone, so she crouched down as low as she could and peeked out from amongst the brush. She was relieved to see that it was Reve’s horse that was trotting towards her. She ran to him and he reached out his hand to help pull her up onto the horse behind him.

They took off deeper into the woods as quickly as possible. They did not want to risk that someone would stumble upon them. They knew that the queen’s spies could be anywhere. They needed to put some distance between themselves and the castle.

After more than an hour of riding deep into the forest that surrounded the back end of the palace grounds. They came upon an empty and quiet little meadow. Reve tied up his horse and then helped Azlyn down into the long, soft grass. Wildflowers graced the ground around them and Azlyn immediately began gathering as many as she could get her hands on.

Reve watched Azlyn, smiling, as she wandered towards the middle of the meadow. He wondered how she could still seem so innocent despite everything that she had been through. He felt his horns begin to extend and knew that he could not control himself any longer. He walked up behind Azlyn and scooped her up into his arms. He spun her around for a moment before laying her down amongst the flowers.

“You are so absolutely perfect in every way.” Reve cooed as he stared down at her.

“You make me happier than I ever thought even existed.” Azlyn replied, reaching up her hand and placing it on Reve’s cheek.

“I cannot wait for things to be like this with you all the time.”

“Me either.”

Suddenly, Azlyn was overwhelmed by the scent of Reve’s pheromones. She smiled up at him coyly and playfully bit her lip. Reve’s breath began to grow heavier as he pressed his groin into hers. Azlyn moved her hand from his cheek and reached up to his, abruptly, elongated horns; she used them to pull him into her and began to kiss him wildly.

It was mere moments before they were tearing off each other’s clothes. Longing for the touch of the other against their bare flesh. Both crying out in pleasure as their bodies connected. Each needing the other more than, even, they had realized.

They remained in ecstasy, embraced in each other’s arms over the next several hours. Neither of them wanted to part as they knew when they returned they would have to go back to hiding their love. The sun had begun to fall below the horizon and they knew if they were not back before night then there would be questions.

Reluctantly, they gathered their clothes and began to ride back towards the castle. Reve dropped Azlyn off close to where he had picked her up in the woods. He then headed out for a quick ride around the castle grounds, so they would not arrive at the same time.

Azlyn found her way back to the stables and carefully slipped inside, hoping that she would not be noticed. To her dismay, Blaz was standing in the middle of the stables when she entered. He looked up from the tool in his hand and shook his head at her.

“So, I hear that you are getting married.” Blaz mentioned, casually.

“How did you find out about that?” Azlyn questioned, skeptical of his motives.

“Nissa told me.” Blaz admitted.

“She was not supposed to talk to anyone about that.” Azlyn seethed.

Azlyn was irritated with Nissa for blabbing to Blaz about the wedding. Azlyn had told her in the utmost confidence and Nissa had sworn that she would not tell anyone. Azlyn immediately felt less guilty about her decision not to tell Nissa about their plans to escape to the human realm yet. She could not risk her telling too many people.

“I cannot believe that you weren’t going to tell me. That is kind of a big deal. I like to know when important things happen to my friends.” Blaz scolded.

“I was not sure how you would feel about it. I did not want you making something bad out of something that makes me so happy.” Azlyn admitted.

“Azlyn, if you are sure that this what you really want, then of course I am happy for you. I just have to remind you, one last time, of the risks of the decision that you are making. You will always be a slave, no matter what you swear to each other behind closed doors. Not to mention, they could, and very well may, kill you for this.” Blaz warned.

“I know, Blaz. I have thought this all through. I promise.” Azlyn assured him.

Azlyn wished that she could tell Blaz of their plans to leave. Maybe then he would realize that she is not just rushing into this without a plan. She wanted him to know that Reve loved her enough to give up his royal titles and, even, his horns for her. That ought to prove how serious their relationship was. However, she decided that now was not the time.

“Well, as long as you are certain, then…I support you.” Blaz offered as he began to fidget with the tool in his hand again.

“Thank you, Blaz. You are a good friend.” Azlyn reached forward and squeezed his shoulder.

They exchanged a quick smile as Azlyn realized that she needed to get away from the stables before Reve arrived.

“I am sorry to cut this short, but I need to go. I will talk to you again soon.” Azlyn apologized as she, swiftly, exited.

Azlyn turned and began to head back towards the castle. Right as she was about to reach the door that led back inside the castle, a procession of several guards came pouring out of the entryway towards her. Before she could react, they had Azlyn surrounded.

“I beg your pardon; may I know what is happening here?” Azlyn asked, her fear rising, rapidly.

Suddenly, the group parted slightly in front of her. Queen Mara stepped into the circle followed by her servant, demoness, Winda.

“Queen Mara,” Azlyn said with a bow. “I am sorry, your majesty. I do not understand the meaning of any of this.”

“Slave, known as Azlyn, you are hereby charged with crimes against the royal crown and this kingdom. Therefore, by the authority given me by the King and Council, I am placing you under arrest.” Queen Mara announced with a snide smile.

Mara nodded her head and one of the guards nearest Azlyn stepped forward. He grabbed her by both of her arms, pulling them behind her back and forced her to her knees.

“Please, your highness, may I know the charges against me?” Azlyn begged looking up at Mara.

“Fraternizing with a demon. Human-demon relationships are not acceptable, especially, not between a human and a member of the royal family.” Mara stated, unsympathetic.

“I have not been with Prince Reve since he declared his love for Lady Umay.” Azlyn attempted to convince her.

“That is a lie! We know that you were with him this very day. Fornicating, appallingly, in a meadow out in the forest.” Mara declared.

“But, your majesty, I…” Azlyn began.

“Do not try to lie about your actions. My faithful servant, Winda, followed you and saw everything. There is no way out of this for you.” Mara informed her.

“Your highness, please…I beg of you…” Azlyn pled.

“Do not waste your energy on me. You have corrupted and defiled my son for the last time. I will not take pity on you. Save your pleas for someone who cares to listen to them.” Mara hissed.

Mara looked down at Azlyn and smiled at the fear in her eyes. She had been hoping for this moment for so long and now she would make Azlyn pay. Not only would she suffer for her relationship with Reve; she would pay for Mara’s loneliness over the years. Mara would spare Umay the same fate that she had endured. Soon, no one would know or care what happened to this salacious, little slave.

“Take this filth to the dungeon. She will never see the light of day again.” Mara commanded with a wave of her hand before turning and walking away without a second glance.

All Azlyn could do was go along, helplessly. Any attempt at resistance would have been met with her immediate death. She was in complete shock as the guards dragged her towards the dungeons. She could hardly believe that this was happening. She was mere days away from her wedding and weeks away from escaping this realm forever. Right as she had allowed herself to believe in her own happily ever after, everything would be ripped away from her.

Worst of all, Reve may never know what happened to her. Azlyn realized that Mara would never admit to him that she had arrested Azlyn. Most likely, Mara would feign any knowledge of what had become of her. Reve may end up believing that Azlyn had chosen to leave him. The thought that Reve could end up hurt distressed her more than the idea of rotting in a cell for the rest of her life.

The guards opened up the cell door and tossed Azlyn inside as roughly as they could. They laughed as they slammed the door shut and locked it tight. Azlyn was left in complete darkness, all alone. There was no window in the cell; not a single opening anywhere. The only light came from a crack underneath the heavy, wooden door where the guards would slide a tray of garbage through for her to nibble at.

Azlyn could not maintain her composure any longer. She collapsed onto the cold, stone floor and pulled her knees up to her chest. She lay there, holding herself, and allowed the tears to fall; screaming into the shadows though she knew that no one who cared would hear.

Meanwhile, Reve had returned from his ride and was feeling quite content. He could not believe that in just a few, short, days he would be marrying the woman of his dreams. He wanted to shout his love from the rooftops and it took everything within him to keep from doing so.

However, Reve was suddenly struck by an overwhelming blend of fear and despair. He realized that something was not right. Azlyn was in distress and he needed to get to her.

Reve headed straight to Umay’s quarters, expecting that Azlyn would be there. He knocked on the door with a sense of urgency. He needed to see Azlyn and know that she was alright, at least, physically. Truda opened the door and Reve offered her a quick greeting before pushing past her, into the room. His slight concern quickly escalated into panic upon the realization the Azlyn was not in the room.

“Where is Azlyn?” Reve asked, alarmed.

“We have not seen her all day.” Umay replied.

“She never came back here?” Reve questioned.

“Not that either of us are aware of.” Umay answered, sensing the alarm in Reve’s voice.

“Maybe she returned to your quarters instead.” Truda offered.

“Maybe, though I do not know why she would. She had told me that she was going to come here.” Reve responded, beginning to pace.

“Well, maybe she was just held up. Though, just to be sure, why don’t you go and check your room. I will stay here in case she returns. Truda will go with you, that way if you find her, she can return here and let me know that Azlyn is safe.” Umay recommended.

“Alright.” Reve agreed, trying to steady himself.

“Reve try not to worry. I am sure that she is fine.” Umay assured him.

“Yeah.” Reve stated, absentmindedly.

Without another word, Reve swung open the door to the bedroom and headed down the hall. Truda had to run after him in order to catch up. He was a demon on a mission and he would not stop until he knew where Azlyn was. Her fear had subsided into deep sadness; Reve needed to get to her and hold her, something was not right.

Once they arrived at his room, Reve threw open the door with so much force that he almost ripped it off of its hinges. He rushed inside and began searching for Azlyn. He checked in the closet and the bathroom, but she was nowhere to be found.

“She isn’t here.” Reve said with despair. “Truda, I need you to go to the kitchen and find a slave there named Nissa. Ask her if she has seen Azlyn in the last hour or so. Tell her that it is imperative that we find her. Afterwards, return here, I want someone in this room if Azlyn shows up.”

“Yes, sire.” Truda answered with a bow before running out of the room and towards the kitchen.

Reve’s mind began to race, and he could barely breath. He could feel his muscles bulging, his clothing straining to contain them. His nostrils flared, and his jaw clenched; his horns began to elongate, extending at will.

“I will find you, Azlyn. I promise.” Reve growled before running back towards the stables.

Reve had to find out if Blaz had seen Azlyn after they returned from their ride. If he had, then this would, at least, give Reve a place to start.

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