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"ɪ'ᴍ ʀᴜɴɴɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ'ᴍ ᴀꜰʀᴀɪᴅ.
ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪ ᴋɴᴏᴡ'ꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ."
ᴊᴀᴄQᴜɪᴇ
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"What a beautiful drawing."
I jump at the sweet voice and whip around to see the Demon Queen peering past the tree trunk and looming over me, her emerald green eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"My Queen," I splutter and stumble around as I try to stand up but Queen Oriana places a firm hand on my shoulder and pushes me back down as she herself sits down beside me.
"Do you like drawing, Lady (Y/n)?" she asks casually as she pats down her dress.
Trying not to make myself look more like a fool, I answer her, "I only draw when I'm bored, my Queen."
"But do you like it?"
"Not really," I answer as I twirl the pencil around my fingers. "It's a skill I just happen to have and rarely use so I don't really love it."
"Understandable."
Jade green eyes shine with great interest; interest in me. But why?
Queen Oriana, a powerful Demon who stands by the one who rules over the entire Demon race, a mother to the future heir to the Demon throne. Yet her past is a complete mystery to all. None have questioned it since the Demon King made it very clear that her past did not matter. What mattered is what she would sacrifice for her people and her sons.
"Zeldris has gone missing again," the Demon Queen sighs as she starts to fiddle with her hands.
I begin to ask, "Did he have training with—"
"Cusack?" Queen Oriana finishes the question for me. "He did. Outside of training, my youngest son absolutely adores Cusack but the moment he enters those training rooms—"
She shakes her head, sighing again. And her sigh sounds so tired I nearly wince.
"My eldest son strives to be the best Demon warrior," she goes on, "the most powerful, whereas my youngest son fights equally well but I know deep inside that he wishes to put down the sword that has been placed in his hands by his father."
I say nothing to this. What am I meant to say? Rarely have I spoken with this enchanting Demon and she's now suddenly come out of nowhere, pouring out her feelings about her sons.
"You don't wish to marry my son," Queen Oriana states rather than asks.
"No," I whisper because I know the mother of my best friend won't betray my secrets. "No, I don't, my Queen."
"Hmm," she murmurs as she leans back against the tree trunk. "And what do you do in your free time, darling (Y/n)?"
Darling (Y/n)?
"Training, reading. Not much, my Queen."
Don't say too much. Appear humble and modest. Don't show her everything.
"You're hurting right now, aren't you?"
I slowly turn to the Demon Queen to see a sympathetic expression on her face, a face so much like my best friend's.
"My Queen?" I whisper.
"Whispers, rumours, you must try and ignore them, (Y/n)," she advises.
"I do—"
Queen Oriana loudly tuts and waves a finger in front of me. "Lies will not get past me. Don't forget that I've raised boys."
Blushing fiercely, I stammer, "Ap—Apologies, my Qu-Queen."
She waves her hand before saying, "You try to not act like it, but what people say strikes you at your hearts. A warrior you may be on the battlefield, but once you are stripped of your armour and weapons, you leave yourself vulnerable to the verbal attacks of our race."
"Are you saying I'm weak?" I grit out before I can stop myself.
"Not at all, darling (Y/n)."
"Then what's the point—"
"My husband and the rest of the Demon court may call you (Y/n) of the Dark Shadows," Queen Oriana murmurs softly, "but you are far from sinister or sombre."
I accidentally swallow my gasp when she catches a teardrop from my eyelashes.
"That is what I show you, my Queen," I breathe.
"Oh darling (Y/n)," the Demon Queen whispers. "If you're hiding now, does that mean one day you'll show your true shadows?"
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Every time I trip or stumble on my feet, Lenora always leaps toward me to catch me and stop me from crashing to the ground. At the start, I was grateful for it, but now I'm starting to feel just like a ticking bomb that's going to go off any second.
This time, I quickly pull myself back with my magic so that my maid doesn't have to dive into action again.
"I'm fine," I reassure her and she stops when she sees that I really am alright.
"Have you always been this clumsy, my lady?" she asks me.
I stick out my tongue at her. "Get lost."
Lenora giggles at this playful response and continues to walk down the long corridor with me following her. Right now, the two of us are heading to the ballroom where I'll be training Lenora and the rest of the Demon maids.
This morning, I woke up without the youngest son of the Demon King by my side and I had to keep reminding myself that he won't be here the whole day since he'll be at the Kingdom of Liones, hopefully obtaining my best friend's body. Gosh, that sounds so morbid.
"Don't worry, my lady," Lenora brings me out of my conflicted thoughts. "Prince Zeldris will be back before you know it."
I grunt at this while rubbing the back of my neck, my hand sliding over the new material.
"And what do you think of the outfits that Prince Zeldris left behind for you, (Y/n)?" Lenora asks.
"Nice way of saying 'sorry' for leaving me behind," I say and jerk a thumb at my chest, grinning.
Lenora returns the grin and nods. "Indeed. And what about the outfit you wear right now?"
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(𝗬/𝗻)'𝘀 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗳𝗶𝘁
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗔𝗔𝟮𝟵.
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"Absolutely love it," I growl delightedly as we reach the ballroom.
Before either of us can touch the massive wooden doors, they open by themselves and Juno is standing at the entrance herself.
"Hello, Lady (Y/n)," she greets and bows her head lightly.
"Hello, Juro," I tease and Juno immediately shoots me a sharp glare. "Easy now, Juno."
"Ladies," Lenora says loudly as she gracefully claps both of her hands together. "Enough chatter and present yourselves before (Y/n) of the Dark Shadows."
I just manage to stop myself from wincing at the name and instead force a large smile on my face while the Demon maids stand in a horizontal line so that I can see each one of their faces.
"Well, hello," I say politely and wave at all of them.
"Hello, (Y/n) of the Dark Shadows," they all say at the same time.
This time, I can't suppress a shiver. "Please," I say, raising a hand. "Just (Y/n) will be fine."
"Yes, Lady (Y/n)," they respond.
"You all know why you're here today, right?" I ask.
The girls nod their heads. "Yes, Lady (Y/n)."
"We're here today so that I can train you guys to become the next Ten Commandments," I state and instantly there are shocked cries and gasps that fill up the ballroom.
Unable to hold back, I desperately clutch my stomach as I roar in laughter at this reaction. I then hear Lenora beside me clicking her tongue in disapproval.
"Really, my lady?" she says.
As I hiccup and wipe away a tear, I say, "Sorry, I was only joking."
But I would be lying if I said the idea wasn't enticing or tempting.
Returning to my firm posture, I say sternly, "But I am here to train you today."
"But train us for what exactly?" Juno questions and a few others nod their heads in agreement. "We already have the Red, Grey and Albion Demons protecting us."
"And what were to happen if they all magically disappeared?" I demand. "The Boar Sin of Gluttony has the ability to transport beings to other locations so I wouldn't be surprised if she tried to do this with some of the Demon warriors that stand right outside these castle walls."
I really shouldn't be telling them this, but these Demons are only young girls. They should be able to defend themselves.
"If that is the case," one of the girls says timidly, "then please teach us everything you know, Lady (Y/n)."
"Yes, Lady (Y/n)," another one speaks up and then several others start to call out their wish to train.
"Do each one of you truly wish to train with me?" I ask firmly. "If not, step forward."
None of them does so.
"With that out of the way—" I shoot my students an insane grin. "Who's ready to kick some ass?"
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"The name my parents gave me was Anairo," Lenora whispers and I nearly drop all of the swords I am carrying in my arms.
"Say what?" I splutter. "Really?"
My maid nods and then shyly looks over at me. "But it's a name I wish to forget."
"Then so be it," I say as I quickly put away the swords and start dragging her out of the empty ballroom.
Now that training is finally over and all of the girls have headed back to their dorms, I want to spend some time with my friend.
But the moment we reach my bedroom, my legs suddenly give out and I fall onto the soft blankets of my bed. Lenora lets out a little, panicked squeal at this and rushes to help me up.
"Oops," I say, rubbing the back of my head sheepishly as Lenora pushes me back to lie down.
"You overdid it today," she berates.
I smile at her and then let out a yawn. "Yeah, probably. I think I'll go to sleep."
"Of course, my lady." Lenora places a soft kiss on my forehead and pulls the covers over me.
"Night, Len," I mumble, my tired eyes shutting.
"Goodnight, darling (Y/n)."
After not hearing my father for hours, I hear him suck in a sharp breath. Holy sh—
My eyes snap open as I shoot up in the bed.
Believe me when I say I see Prince Zeldris like a son.
I am much older than you think, my lady.
My parents sold me to the Demon King.
I have always been so fond of you and I always will, my lady.
Oh darling (Y/n).
Anairo.
Oriana.
Never have I felt so much energy and magic course through my veins as my power erupts and shakes the ground beneath us. My dark shadows dart all over the room and destroy everything it touches and then suddenly stops as it floats around the one being who always watched over me when I was a child.
Steadying myself, I breathe out, "Queen Oriana."
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