The Hell Princess Diaries

Chapter 1 - edited

Being a princess is never easy. Being the princess of Hell is a little harder. As the crowned princess of Hell, I am always being watched and guarded as if I were still an infant that didn't know how to walk. Today is the day before my 18th birthday and the castle is swarming with demons and fairies that are setting up for the grand celebration.

I was supposed to be in my room getting fitted for the gown that my father picked out. My very overprotective father. He picked out a gown that falls onto the floor, with long sleeves and a collar that hides half of my neck. The only skin that shows is the little opening for when I have to show my wings to all of the guest at the party. My maids were able to convince him to approve lace sleeves and collar and a fitted bodice, not that I even have much to show. The only thing I was able to pick was the color. But even that was a battle. I only had three options. Black, gray, or white. I choose the black bodice because it matched my wings and eyes, and a grey bottom.

Instead of being where I was supposed to be, I was in my favorite part of the palace grounds, the library. Only two people knew about my secret place in the library. My father and my hellhound bodyguard, Ransom. He is my best friend, we were born on the same day, and have been inseparable since we met at age one. Ransom taught me how to shoot an arrow straight to the center of a target, and how to disarm an opponent twice my size. Which wasn't that big considering how small I am. I had a novel on my lap but I wasn't really reading. I was imagining what it would be like as a normal human girl. To be free of responsibility and be free of all the rules and restrictions.

Ransom was the one to interrupt my daydreaming by running through the library and landing on the chair next to mine, while in wolf form. I was so startled that I fell onto the floor. I knew Ransom would be laughing at me right that moment if he were in human form but he just jumped onto the floor next to me and nuzzled my hand. I felt myself blush scarlet with embarrassment. When I was back on my chair, Ransom changed back to his human form.

Like every time I saw him, my breath caught. He was a very good looking guy. He had the dark hair the contrasted with his pale blue eyes, and the perfect skin tone that always looked like he was kissed by the sun. You would have never guessed that as a kid he was scrawny, with messy, frizzy hair. Now he looks like a god.

"Didn't mean to frighten you, Liv." He said with a smirk on those perfect lips. He deep voice was like music to my ears.

I tilted my head, "Really? You could have fooled me with the hundred times you've done that to me." I say back, words dripping sarcasm. Ransom just laughs at my still pink cheeks.

"Trust me, I could have scared you a lot worse than that. That was just my excitement at being in your gracious presence." My heart skipped a beat at the possible chance of my feeling being mutual. But it was quickly forgotten since I knew Ransom was just teasing me.

"Well you need to reign in that excitement of yours before you give me a heart attack." I couldn't help but smile back, his smile is infectious.

"Well if you were where you were supposed to be an hour ago, you wouldn't have had a heart attack, now would you?" He says with a raised eyebrow and knowing grin.

"Oh, so that's why you've tracked me down? So I can be put into that miserable looking dress and be stuck with pins in my side." I say, with mock disbelief and betray. "And too think that I thought we were friends."

"Well Liv, as much as I would love to say no, the truth is yes. So let's get a move on and I promise I will bring you a bag of ice for you wounds." He lifts me up over his shoulders. Even though I knew I wasn't huge, I was shocked by his strength. "And when you are done with your fitting, I will take you out to the gardens and we can treat you like the boy you are deep down inside. How does shooting and sword fights sound to you?"

I clapped my hands in mock enthusiasm before going limp on his shoulder. Ransom just laughed at me. He finally put me down when we reached the double doors to my bedroom, knowing very well that I would have ran away of possible. He stares at me for awhile and looks as if he wants to say something, but then decides against it and opens my door for me.

"The faster you get this done, the more time I have to poke you with a sword." Ransom winks as me and grins.

"Fine, but when this is all over with, I will use my skills against you and knock that sword right out of your arrogant hands." I shoot back at him, and I see the amusement sparkle in his eyes.

"We'll see about that in a few hours princess." He walks back the way he came to go help out with setting things up. But he turns back around and calls out, "You won't be so cocky when I have you pressed up against the wall with a knife to your neck and you surrender to me." He winks again and starts jogging down the hall.

Before he gets go far I call out to him, "We'll see who surrenders when I have you gasping for air, with you pinned on the ground." I hear his laughter as I enter my room, dungeon really, and face the maids that will scold me for being late and for yelling in the hall. Man, I wish I could be a normal girl and yell whenever I wanted to.

**chapter one: edited on February 2, 2017**