Demon Prince's Forsaken Bride

The creatures were like dogs but the kind that reached up to a human adult's waist. The demonic hounds relentlessly ran with the humans in their clutches and wherever they went, a trail of crimson was left behind.

None of these creatures approached Lareina whose entire body had gone pale, her breathing was unsteady and a sheen of sweat covered her forehead. It was undoubtedly the presence of a bigger threat that kept them away from her. Azrael had stepped back from her body, but he still stood behind her, looking on at the scene emotionlessly.

A hound crossed by Lareina again and blood splattered on the white dress she had donned. When she looked down, a severed hand rested at her feet.

Lareina's stomach churned, her legs trembling. Why? What were they doing? The war was long over… Why did this brutality not end?

She wanted to cover her eyes and run away aimlessly. She wanted to leave here at any cost.

But at this time, a gentle voice resounded in the air, causing the crowd to fall silent.

''The war has taken so many of our closest kins away from us. If not for the Second Prince's victory in this long deadly war, who would know how much we would suffer?" The beautiful demoness looked at Azrael with unfiltered adoration.

The crowd was filled with cheers for the second prince right away. They chanted Azrael's name like he was their god.

''But Lady Moira, isn't it befitting to see these filthy beings being reduced to what they are?" The crown prince said before tearing a piece of meat in his mouth.

Moira curtsied to the crown prince elegantly and her eyes sparkled with heroic brilliance, ''They deserve a thousand deaths for what they have inflicted on our realm. Don't you agree with me, Lady Lareina?"

The demoness looked her straight in the eyes. The crowd was cheering for the woman, her strength and her vigor.

The demons undoubtedly admired their prince's lover who was standing in a halo today, speaking out of the injustices that they have suffered in the hands of the human realm.

While, she, the human bride of their valorous second prince, was visibly the object of disdain as she stood there shaking and lost, watching her clansmen being dragged about like worthless rags.

The King laughed at Moira's words, ''Since she has married the second, she has become a part of us demons. On that basis…'' he turned to Lareina, ''Why don't you show your sincerity, human princess?"

A hound passed by Amara and whether on purpose or not, a severed head was shoved onto her dress. The head whipped against her knee before rolling down. She staggered a few steps, her vision going blurry at the onslaught of emotions.

''Father, I have an idea,'' The unruly young fourth prince chimed in, excitement crossing his features, ''We can have her play the game that I have come to like recently. Let her shoot these filthy things while they are being tossed around by our dogs.''

The King's laughter boomed in the grounds, accompanied by the cheers of the demons.

The fourth prince stood and pointed at Lareina, ''You have to aim at the dead ones but if you fail to aim, you would have to kill the one who is breathing.''

The sound of laughter magnified even further as the demon brought a bow and arrows to Lareina.

The demonic hounds had not been holding back on their strength in handling the prisoners of wars. Some of the severely injured humans had lost their lives the moment the sharp fangs of the hounds had pierced through their bodies. While there were others who seemed lifeless, but were holding onto their last breath. It was impossible to tell who was alive and who was dead in the blood and chaos. With moving targets, even if she figured it out, she was unskilled in archery.

And if she failed to shoot a dead person, they wanted her to kill one who was breathing.

Lareina closed her eyes, unable to rid herself of the overwhelming stench of blood.

The King's solemn voice sounded, ''It seems like you are dissatisfied with the arrangements. How about…?"

"She would do it.''

Lareina's eyes snapped open in disbelief, her head whipping to look at the man who was standing behind her.

But he did not look at her even once as he grabbed the longbow and passed it to her.

''Brother, it is unfair if you help her…'' The fourth prince trailed off when Azrael looked at him, his gaze impassive and unfeeling, ''She doesn't seem to possess any skills so you can lend her hand,'' he added in a meek voice.

''Hold it,'' Lareina felt the huge body of the man towering over hers from behind.

She did not move. She had not dared to look into the eyes of the humans held in the clutches of the beasts but she had felt gazes upon her. It scared her to think that there might be faces she recognized in them.

''If you don't shoot one now, you'd have to kill them all,'' Azrael whispered by her ear, in a voice that was drowned in the mayhem, ''I don't care about their lives or deaths but when that happens, Lareina, remember to point your finger at yourself rather despising me more.''

"Help me…'' a weak whisper flitted past her mouth and she slowly held the longbow, her eyes fighting the urge to remain open, ''please.'' 

He cupped her palm that remained on the longbow and grabbed an arrow, positioning it between her fingers. With a swift movement, the arrow left her sight. And the weight behind her disappeared as Azrael stepped back.

Lareina's eyes instinctively closed.

When the sounds of cheers died down, she opened her eyes and saw a body lying in the distance. The arrow was pierced in his back but the person's neck seemed to be half separated by the body, showing that he was already dead before he was shot.

The sight of small chunks of flesh falling from his severed head and the blood dripping from the arrow wound made Lareina shake. Her grip on the longbow loosened and it landed on the ground with a 'thud'.

Her body quivered as she retreated, step by step. Her head spinned and the world turned black.

Everything seemed like an illusion. And as she sunk into unconsciousness, the last thing she thought she heard was Azrael's concerned voice calling her name.