Demon Prince's Forsaken Bride

Wandering aimlessly, Lareina ended up walking to the eastern chambers again.

She had not known the way to that hidden dungeon as her head was covered when she had walked in but when Azrael appeared and dragged her out, she had remembered the entire way.

Lareina followed her memory and appeared at the same place where she had seen that inhuman cage. Inhaling a deep breath, she stepped inside. The place was silent and the people who were howling and crying when she had last come here were asleep in the cage.

Lareina walked slowly but the sound of her footsteps awakened one person.

The young general.

With little light in the room, she could not study his expression but his tone contained relief, ''Princess, have you made up your… cough cough…'' he broke into a violent coughing fit, ''mind…? Are you willing to leave with us?"

Lareina lowered her head.

''We have made all arrangements… My brothers are gathering their energy and we were just waiting for you…'' the man continued in a weak voice, ''We were worried that the demon prince would imprison you somewhere but it's a relief… it is a relief you can be here.. We can leave today…?"

''I am not here because I want to leave,'' Lareina spoke softly.

The man fell silent for a while before he stuttered, ''B-But, here…''

Lareina approached the cage and let the pungent odor sink into her senses, awakening her to her reality, ''I was worried your loyalty would hold you back and you would delay your plans while waiting for me so I came to find you here to tell you of this. I am not leaving.''

''But… Princess, this place…''

''This place has been my reality since the day I came here. The human realm would trade me again to some other place. Here, at least, the demons do not make a business out of me,'' Lareina's voice was soft, ''I cannot help you escape, general but I would pray that you make it out of this place.''

Towards the end, she had a small smile on her face. After all these years, she had not thought somebody would care enough to look for her or think of her.

The man remained silent, not saying a word.

''It seems Princess is determined,'' the man spoke feebly after a long time, ''Back then, I had been too naive to think that it was a matter of pride for you to come here to ensure peace between the two realms. The war still happened, the commoners still suffered and you are suffering too."

''The war is over now. Have you thought of what you and your friends want to do?"

"Some of us have families and some don't but we will all go back to our hometowns and work in our farms.''

…

The next day, it was past noon when Lareina was awakened by the sound of a loud 'crash' outside her room.

''Who is it?"

''My Lady, that is the fourth prince. It seems like he has tormented someone again. He seems to be in a good mood,'' Rosie remarked in a whisper, ''Shall I go talk to him?"

''No need,'' Lareina stepped out of the bed, ''Let him be.''

The fourth prince was wilful and the King's favorite son. It was a wonder what he would do to Rosie if she went to stop him.

After a bath, Lareina sat for lunch and Rosie stood by her side, serving the food, ''My Lady, the kitchen has been preparing all these delicacies after they saw His Highness's token with me. Humph! Now they know their place.''

''Sit with me,'' Lareina smiled a little at the girl's excitement.

The girl waved her hand, ''The food of the human realm is too precious for me to eat…'' she trailed off and suddenly her eyes widened as if she was reminded of something.

''What is it?"

 ''My Lady, just like yesterday, another batch of the prisoners of war were again paraded about in the hunting grounds today.''

Lareina's movements ceased.

''I was there when you were asleep. The King wanted to summon you again but His Highness said you'd be a drag and slow them down. His Highness protected you from it…''

Or maybe he really believed she would be a drag and go beg him to not torment those men just as he had told her yesterday.

''You said you were there,'' Lareina looked at Rosie, ''Were those just ordinary soldiers or was there a general amongst them?"

If they intended to do this routine in batches, then it only meant that the general and his friends whom she met yesterday were one of the multiple batches of the prisoners of war. Did they manage to escape?

''My Lady, the general you are talking about…'' Even Rosie had heard of the rumors but seeing Lareina's expectant look, she honestly answered, ''All of them seemed to be ordinary soldiers, from what I surmised from the crowd's reaction.''

Lareina relaxed in her seat, letting out a sigh of relief.

That meant they had probably succeeded in their plans to escape after she left that place.

Rosie spoke up, ''My Lady, what do you want to do after lunch?"

Lareina snapped out of her reverie and looked at the girl who was fiddling with her clothes, visibly uneasy, ''Is there something else?"

Rosie bit her bottom lips and nodded, her face marred with hesitation.

…

The days in the demon realm were brighter than the pitch black nights but they were still gloomy and dark.

The garden was a little far from where Lareina resided so it took them a few turns to reach there.

The place was as hauntingly beautiful as Lareina remembered it to be, bathed in twilight where black trees with glowing veins towered over silvery ash grass and patches of crimson moss. Blood-red roses bloomed on thorny vines, dark pools of still water reflected everything but the sky, while eerie pathways of crushed gemstone dust wound through the garden, leading to a bone-white fountain. The air was heavy with magic.

Lareina had just stepped inside the garden when she spotted a figure standing at a little distance.