Playing with Fire ( Redemption Saga Story)

Chapter 2

I know this Cursed is Prince Raoul and not the King. I know this because of his black and white coloration, but also because he wears three gold earrings, pierced in a row up his left ear. I've never actually seen his Cursed form before, but I remember his earrings when I'd seen him in his human form once in the city center of Hyland with his father.

"I would like for you to explain this situation," the Cursed growls, his red eyes fixed on the Stog buck and not me. "Perhaps I can help you settle your differences. What is your name, Stog?"

"Your majesty, I am Grogan, my herd numbers ten, and this human woman threatened me with an axe," the buck begins with a snarl of disdain in my direction.

"How scary that must have been for you," the Prince smirks mockingly, his snake-like mouth curling at the corners. He chuckles. "Why would she threaten you anyway?"

"She was meddling," Grogan defends, he glares at me. "I was only taking my new wife into the herd. This human seems to have a problem with quite a normal custom among my people."

The Prince growls and I notice his red eyes dart at the fawn and then back at Grogan. "Your wife? This little doe is still mottled with baby spots. How can she be your wife?"

"That is why I threatened, your majesty, she was screaming that he was going to hurt her," I blurt out. I can't believe I just spoke to a Cursed without first being spoken to. It is forbidden to do so. I keep my head down.

The Prince nods. "Ah, I see then, you, a mere forest woman, have stupidly taken it upon yourself to be a champion for the weak? What is your name?"

"Yana, your majesty," I say, bowing my head. I want to lash out at him for saying such a thing, but he's a Cursed, and lashing out at him would prove his words to be true.

Good, let him think I'm stupid. If he doesn't know I'm cunning as a white fox, he may not bother with me further than this.

"She looks young, yes, but she's ripe. That's what her people tell me. And besides that, the Stog do not follow the rules of the humans, we have our own way of doing things and we won't be mocked by some stupid human girl--" Grogan shouts, rising to his feet defiantly.

"Quiet, Stog, and bow to your royalty!" The Prince hisses, smoke seeping from his mouth. "Or your next word shall be your last."

The buck drops once again down, but his fists remain clenched in anger.

"I only ask, your majesty, that you place this doeling child in my protection. As you yourself can see, she is much too young to be his wife." I surprise myself with my plea, I'm brave, but I hadn't known myself brave enough to morally confront a Cursed.

"This Stog unfortunately has a point, his people have their customs, and my father, King Erik, has instructed us to allow them to continue living out their customs. I can't intervene. And besides," The Prince laughs cruelly. "What can you give me?" He stares directly at me, scrutinizing me with sick fascination. "I have no need for an axe, and I suppose you're not hiding the keys to the kingdom of Erlund under that ragged skirt of yours, are you?"

I swallow. Oh, dear. This isn't something I was planning to step into. I certainly didn't wake up this morning thinking I'd save the innocence of a Stog fawn and owe the Cursed Prince Raoul anything for it. In fact, I would have liked to go my entire life without ever being noticed by him.

A shiver goes up my spine as I think of his implications and in the pit of my soul, I am filled with hatred for him. Because of Prince Raoul and his kind, I no longer believe in the healing power of goodness, my father and brother were good men and now are involved and possibly dead in a war they don't want to fight, and my people live in fear of stepping out their doors because King Erik has a terrible temper. Because of the Cursed, there are no laws that forbid the marriage of a child to an older person.

"I don't have anything to give you," I answer him, narrowing my eyes and staring directly at his monster gaze. "That hasn't already been taken. I was simply hoping we weren't right about you."

Gods, now I've done it.

"Meaning?" The Cursed prince seems more amused than offended.

"That you are incapable of any kind of goodness," I say, expecting any moment to either get my head lopped off or my entire body incinerated.

"Believe it or not this is not the worst thing I've seen in my days on Axus. It's horrible yes, but if I were to stop for every single—" he begins.

"If you were capable of any amount of goodness, prince, I swear to the God of Light I'd—I'd kiss you!" I say the words without thinking.

What? What did I just say?

Prince Raoul cocks his head and lowers it to my level. "I'm shocked but listening."

Grogan snickers to himself and rolls his eyes angrily at me. "And she'll suck your prick too, I bet. Because she'll be a whore in order to steal from me what is mine."

Prince Raoul laughs at Grogan's statement, but then he turns deadpan to me. "Really?"

I nod. My stomach turns. I'm sure I'll kill myself after kissing him, but for some reason, I've had it.

I'll do whatever it takes to save this child. I can't stand seeing another's innocence taken by the heartlessness of the world I live in.

I'm already damaged. Others need not be if I have the ability to make a difference!

"I can't believe this shit!" Grogan growls, rising and walking over toward the fawn. He grabs her by the hair, so she yells in pain. "I'm taking my wife. You can always threaten death to a woman to make her do what you want, your majesty, every male knows it's the best way."

"You're wrong. That is something I don't do," the Prince snaps, and with a swoop of his thick claws, he knocks Grogan to the ground. The fawn pulls from Grogan's grasp and runs over to me, wrapping her small arms around my waist and holding onto me as if her life depends upon it. "Now, scum, go back to your herd before I kill you."

Grogan scrambles to his feet. "Human whore," he seethes at me, "I won't forget this."

I know he won't. Stog are notorious for holding grudges, and I watch him hurry away and note the direction in which he goes.

"I expect you to make good on your word promptly, but not now," the Prince says, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "I understand you're probably freezing, and you need to get the fawn bundled up and warmed by a fire. Where do you live, Yana?"

"I live--I live," I'm stuttering now. I can't believe I just... My face heats. "I live in the cabin near the Black River, it's old and small. It's got a yellow door. It's not far from Winter Pass."

"Wonderful," the Prince says. "Are you married, Yana?"

"I--I'm not," I say, knowing if I lie the city is small enough that he'll figure out the truth.

"Even better," Prince Raoul growls suggestively. He raises his wings. "We shall cross paths again soon, Yana."