NaNoWriMo - November 2014

The end feels icky but... Demon bound to a Princess!

There were rumours about the egyptian princess. Murmurs that would spread like wildfire through the masses wherever she went. It wasn't the fact that she was adopted, no, that was common knowledge. But this rumour put people on edge, made them take a step back from her to avoid too much proximity. And as time went, the rumour spread and grew until the King thought her life might be in danger.

"You are to protect her at any cost." He stated, his eyes trained on mine.

"You bind a demon to your daughter to protect her, isn't that considered counter-productive?" I leaned down and moved as close to him as the barrier would allow.

He frowned and took a step back when the barrier that separated us shifted at my proximity. "It is not. You are bound to her through my commands." His face returned stern and he continued with the binding process.

I could feel my essence draining, could feel it flowing out of me and searching for the one whose blood was painted on the floor. It didn't take long for the recoil to come crashing back into me with such a force that I was thrown back against the barrier. As I crashed down to the floor, stunned momentarily by the essence and barrier, her face appeared in my mind. The one I was now bound to. Something about her face seemed familiar. But no memories held her features. Not even a passing face in the background of any moment of my life.

I shook my head and brought my gaze back to the King who stood frozen before me. "I take it this is your first bind." I grumbled and scrambled to get back to my feet. My large form making it difficult to stand without grazing the barrier, which would send shocks coursing through me.

"It is..." speaking seemed to free him from his stupor and curiosity replaced the fear that was present moments ago. "May I ask what just happened?" Curious and yet, he sounded so nervous.

"Free me from this forsaken cage and I might." I grumbled, kicking at the barrier which sent another, bigger shock through me this time.

He nodded a quick agreement before he turned his back to me and started the ritual to drop the barrier. I kept my eyes on his back, waiting for the moment the barrier would be down. For a King, he had less knowledge than an apprentice.

He was removing the protective barrier without having ordered me not to kill him.He was removing the previously mentioned barrier, with his back to me.The barrier began to decay around me, and I smirked in anticipation. He would make a lovely first meal.

The barrier was down to about ankle height when the main door burst open, "Father!" yelled a high-pitched female voice. We both turned to look at her; the King dropped the process and the barrier stopped retreating less than an inch above ground. I growled at him, at her, at the barrier, at the fact that her interruption meant I was still caged and hungry.

"Leave!" I yelled. She jumped and turned in my direction, finally noticing me and I relished in the fear that appeared instantly on her face. The King also turned to face me, confused for a moment before his face showed clarity. "Ah, yes, yes, dear. Please leave." he confirmed, ushering her back through the door.

She let herself be led out but as soon as her father turned around to come back in, she slipped back inside and closed the door behind her, locking us three inside. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She was a plain human, however, just like the vision in my mind, there was something about her that I couldn't quite pinpoint. Finally I felt the weight of the barrier drop and I stretched out, my mind back on the task at hand. If she was here, then she would simply have to witness her 'protector' killing her 'father'.

The King turned around to face me once again but before he did, I picked him up and walked over to the window. I loved the fact that ninety percent of the binds happened in high places. The King had thus effectively given me a perfect opportunity by summoning and binding me from the highest tower of his castle.

He screamed and thrashed in my grip but I made no move to free him before I reached the window which opened with a flick of my hand. I put him down on his feet but didn't release his grip. "What are you doing with me?" he questioned, his voice thick with fear.

"You woke me and binded me without offering a sacrificial meal. I need to eat." I growled into his ear.

"STOP!" her yell was so sharp that it made me cringe and turn to look at her. "Please. Stop. Don't kill him. I... I'll bring you a sacrifice. Please." She made to turn toward the toward, hesitated, turned back to me. "Five minutes. I beg of you." and without awaiting my agreement, she whipped open the door and fled down the corridor.

"Seems like the princess is smarter than the King. You have raised yourself a fine, heiress." I whisper-growled into the trembling man's ear.

I did not release him and the waiting was done in utter silence after that. Five minutes passed and she didn't return. I placed the King on the edge of the windowsill and gave her a free extra five. Her time was almost up when I finally began to hear her footsteps which were effectively accompanied by a heavier set.

My lips pulled up in what should have been a smile, but the fear the King and the Princess were exuding were giving me a hard time keeping myself under a mostly-all-human form. With a sigh I pushed the King off the sill and he fell to his knees beside me. He looked up at me just as the last of my human appearance dropped. "Like what you see, old man?" I asked him, grinning from ear to ear.

"He's in that room there," her voice echoed through the door and moments later she was standing in the doorframe with a guard at her side. Was this an attempt at a trap... on me?

The man's eyes first fell on the King who was still on his knees. I studied the man, my head automatically tilting to the side as I wondered what her plan was or if she really meant a guard as a sacrifice. And finally the features I longed to see finally appeared on the man's face. His eyes must have found the extra feet by his kneeling King. He must have then followed the height at which these feet linked to legs and a body, only to finally land his eyes on a grinning monstrosity. "Well, hello there mr...? I'm sorry, do you have a name?" I asked and started foward. With my words, his fear grew and he quickly pulled a dagger from his belt but the Princess reached on, placed a hand on his wrist and gently took the blade with her free hand. Without looking at me, she turned to face the door and clicked it shut.

"Oh, you want to witness this?" I asked, my attention focusing on her for a moment.

"I do." she replied, barely audibly.

"What... what is going on here, Princess Abayomi?" the man stuttered and his eyes slid from her to me.

"If you are to protect me, I want to know how to feed you right." she answered me, effectively avoiding and adding questions to the guard. "This man was found guilty of theft recently. Guards get special treatment down in the dungeons---"

A simple finger on her lips cut off her speech. Hopefully, it would cut off all her chit-chat for the time being. And with that, I proceeded to feast.