Dance with the Demon

Chapter 7

Kogas' POV:

I couldn't sleep that night. My thoughts kept wondering to my Night Fairy and her pale skin, black hair and those big blue orbs of sadness. What was she so sad about? It kept me awake all night. I followed her advice and showed up at the back of the crowd at noon at the front of the palace. I was leaning in the shade of a tree as a figure emerged from the balcony and I nearly choked on my own saliva. It was a young woman. Her skin pale and her hair black like coal, her big blue orbs searching the crowd till she found me and her face grazed a big smile. My Night Fairy was standing in front of this entire crowd looking at everyone with a gentle smile.

"Welcome," she said in a gentle voice. "I'm very flattered by the number of people that came to see me and ask for my hand. But as the tradition of my House says, the male has to prove his worth by granting one wish to his bestowed. And I decided that is going to be the way I chose my mate from all of you," as she said her eyes wandered to me for a split second before she continued and everyone kept their breath still to not overhear her request.

"My hand will go to the first male who will give me the Moon," she said and a wave of chatter spread through the crowd. I already knew her request but I was in the same position everyone else was. Her request was impossible. Instead of thinking about the Moon I thought about her sad expression. What made her so sad in the first place? I just couldn't understand.....

.....

I spent the whole day in the back garden at the very same tree where I was yesterday. The front yard was busy with lunatics who were thinking up battle strategies to get her the Moon that she desires, but I was no fool. I waited till the sun set and the stars shone from between the thin clouds. And as I suspected, she emerged from the castle and kneeled down to the dark roses I saw her by last night. Her beauty was still godlike, but her expression worried me. What made her heart so heavy?

I stepped to her and she raised her eyes to my face. Her expression immediately changed into a happy one, but she won't fool me.

"My Lady," I bowed my head to her and she did the same.

"Young Prince, it's very nice to see you again." If I didn't see the expression she had before I would have never thought something was wrong.

"May I ask a question?" I said and she nodded her head at me.

"Did your parents force you to take a husband?" it was the most logical thing to me. Thinking you have to marry a stranger when you don't even want to marry yet, I knew the feeling as well.

Her smile faded and she shook no just gently, making her locks fly around her face.

"Then what's wrong?" I wanted to be of some help to her. It pained me to see her angelic face sad.

"Today at the meeting....I was....looking for someone. But he didn't show up," she said, her fingers playing with a petal of one dark rose. I blinked. She waited for someone? Does that mean she's in love with someone already? I frowned.

"He doesn't deserve you," I mumbled quietly, just for myself really, but she picked it up and jerked her head to meet my gaze. I blushed a little bit as I talked my mind.

"He doesn't. If I was him, I would have been in the front row waiting for you. I deserve you. Just wait and see. I'll bring you the Moon and make you forget about him!"

Before I knew it my mouth spilled all that without my permission and I blushed even more. She watched me and just started laughing. Her smile made my embarrassment vanish, my face serious.

"I mean it," I said to her and she nodded to me.

"Ok. I'm counting on it. But eating humans won't do," she looked straight at me and my back straightened.

"You know about that?"

"My handmaiden is a former demon slayer. She told me about wolves when I asked her about you yesterday," she admitted, a slight blush brushing her cheeks.

"If you wish it, the Wolf demon tribe will hunt animals from now on, that's a word from the Leader of the pack."

She smiled at me and stood up. Then she came closer and she startled me by giving me a hug.

"Thank you Koga. I will always remember your kindness."

...

That night I slept like a baby. The feeling of her hug kept me warm all night, the smile that was on her face was a part of my most beautiful dreams. And that's when I decided. I would follow my fathers' orders and marry the Lady of the Fox demon house. But not because he ordered it, but because my heart say saying so. And it was the best decision I ever made.