The metals weighed me down, heavy and a symbol of all the burdens I had done for the Kingdom. I glared futilely at the shackles and hobbles on my wrists and ankles, unable to even try to slip out of them considering how tight they were. Didn't mean I didn't try, as evidenced by the red welts left upon my skin.
The foul words my parents would say if they saw it would be glorious, and I had to stifle the giggle that threatened to come out of my throat. Serves them right to just sell me off like that! They just wanted to save their own skin, finding ways to placate the demons after the decisive loss we had in the last battle. The citizens would see it as us taking the responsibility too.
I... I rubbed my eyes a little bit. A sense of tiredness cloaking around my body. Thinking about these would just send me into a spiral of despair. I leaned against the carriage's side, looking through the window as various trees passed by. Green, brown, and yellow mixing with one another, with the autumn showing their hand as they painted the leaves gold. Wonderful to look at, calming the little waves making their way inside me.
This was one of the better roads, as evidenced with the smooth ride we were having so far. And yet I wished it would be bumpier, to give me signs that this wasn't a surrender. That giving me away wasn't the best choice to pick, and yet they were just so desperate for it--just to grab the few pieces of peace existing upon this world. After all, a princess was still a great leverage for the demon kingdom to have.
Should I do something drastic? I stared towards the window, upon how easy it would be if I just unlocked the latch... My hand lifted, about to grasp the lock. It would be dangerous, especially with all the restraints upon me. But before I could really pick one way or another, the carriage jerked into a halt, and I had to hold onto the sides to prevent myself from being thrown around. The sound of clopping hooves were also stopped, and the silence was deafening. A sign of how many soldiers had followed behind, ready to 'protect' her in case anything untoward happened.
But the most important part was how my time was running out.
"Ah, an entourage that stretched upon miles... truly, if you are meeting any of my other compatriots, you would have been seen as an army, poised to break the little truce we are having." A smooth voice was talking, sweet and melodious, and yet it was somehow loud enough she could hear it clearly. As if she was right next to me. Whispering intimately against my ear...
I shuddered and shook my head, trying to push away the imagery. Her voice was now small and faint, still away from the carriage but it was becoming louder, closer. The demon was walking towards me, and I had no choice but to submit--or maybe...?
My head turned towards the window, still locked, but I could get through it, then run into the forest. The forest looked thick, and despite the sun still high upon the sky, still dark and oppressive beneath its foliage. I licked my lips, wondering if this would be possible. It would be a betrayal, becoming a traitor against humanity if I unlatched the window and ran there, no matter how it ended up.
A hand lifted up, slowly grasping the latch's handle. Ready to turn it and allow me a bid of freedom. The melodious voice was coming closer too, her voice becoming clearer and making me a little dizzy just from hearing it... I couldn't hear her footsteps though. But that didn't matter.
And yet, just before I could have tried it, the door was unlocked, and I could hear someone stepping in. Turning around, hiding my hand, I glared towards the--
My breath caught as I looked upon her. Beauty couldn't be used to describe her, despite her pair of horns and wings, and possibly some other inhuman characteristics. No, they showed she wasn't a human, but in such a way they elevated her instead. Fuzz seemed to stick in my mind with every breath, and words slipped away, going into the fog as I looked at her. I was paralyzed, my body slowly relaxing down as she stared at me.
"You have quite the body, princess." She whispered, intimate and feeling as if she was pressing against my ear. I felt as if she was caressing me, despite our distance. A shudder passed through my body, a welcome heat forming within my stomach as I inhaled her scent--a warm spice, one that made my cheeks flush. "Mmhmm, seems we can continue on then. The Queen will be *
pleased*
."
And with that, she backed out of the carriage once more, leaving me alone and finally allowing me to have my mind back. I shuddered slightly upon my seat, the sense of violation churning uncomfortably inside my stomach.
"Come on, follow me little Princess." She motioned outside, and with reluctance, I did what she asked of me. I would need to find a way to escape later on. For now there were just too many eyes looking towards me, including the demon. Her spaded tail definitely didn't escape my notice, especially when it was swaying to and fro, making my head follow its movement.
I stared. Left. Right. Left. Right...
It felt so natural to bob along its way, to follow its lead on which side I should be moving towards. The tail was smooth and black, the spade-like end surprisingly looking like it was thick and not sharp at all. For a brief moment, as I wet my dry lips, I wondered how it would taste on top of my tongue. How it would feel, to have the demon looking down upon me as the tail was placed within my mouth.
No sound entered my ears, my attention narrowing down onto one little point. My body was walking, following her faithfully like a dog with its owner. I nearly tripped when the ground below me turned into steps, but with unwavering focus, I followed the tail still. Until I heard a single snap.
It wasn't loud, but it was as if the fog inside my mind was dispelled. A sudden explosion of clarity that made me jump within the carriage I was now in. It was far more luxurious than the one I was in previously, the insides covered with soft fabric, the feeling heavenly against my skin. I sunk slightly onto the seats too, and relaxation spread through my limbs and body.
Tension loosened all across my body as I breathed, incidentally bringing the same scent from before back into my lungs. Spice, warmth and earthiness curling around me. It was enough to turn my brain fuzzy once more, ears not listening to anything she might be saying. She wasn't telling it to me, and so I had no need to focus. Just breathe, relax and close my eyes.
I didn't know how long I was like that, my mind tranquil and blank and empty. Her scent brought up warmth within me, a familiar kind of warmth I had always ignored beforehand. My legs squirmed slightly, my thighs pressing against one another in my seeking of frictions. I wanted to get something more, but I wouldn't be able to with little movements.
Another snap of fingers, and once more, I was awakened back to the present. Still warm and bothered, but I gripped the seat below me tightly. Realisation was churning uncomfortably within my stomach, my head had been doused with cold water. Slowly but certainly, I pushed away all the unimportant feelings. Instead I focused upon her, trying to ignore the way her Charm surely was pulling me into a different line of thoughts. "Stop that." I growled a little bit, frowning at her.
She merely chuckled, lounging around on the opposite side. Incidentally showing more of her skin and body, turning my cheeks red. I looked away, even if I accidentally saw a little bit of the demon's nipple.
That allowed me to see how fast the carriage was moving--wait. Was this even a carriage in the first place? I leaned closer to the window, noticing that we weren't looking through a forest anymore. No, what I could see was an expanse of green beneath me as we flew through the sky. "T-that's impossible?!"
"We are a little more advanced than the humans, thanks to our closeness to magic and a few creatures." She chuckled, turning her body to sit properly now. I didn't really focus on her too much, instead looking at wonder towards the view outside. We were moving fast, and the little peek to the front allowed me to see some sort of drake flowing through the air, pulling the carriage behind it. "You'll see more once you have met the Queen."
And with that, I sat back. The excitement all drained away as I remembered the promise between our two countries. "Is she..." My voice shook for a moment before I closed my mouth, shook my head a little before finally talking again. "Is she a good leader?" I tried to ask, because I had to know--as there was no more way to escape.
We were miles up in the air, despite me not feeling any sort of coldness at all, or any sort of turbulence from the air. But that didn't matter, as I focused my attention towards her, the demon who had been sent to bring me to the Demon Queen...
"She's the strongest, and so she leads." She amusedly said, but before I could ask her something more, she continued. "But she understands how to rule, that's how we managed to constantly be a few steps ahead of you." A smirk spread then, and I could see the sharp teeth inside.
The few things I knew about demons were seemingly crumbling as I stayed inside the room. Those talks about how demons were ruthless towards everyone else, at how much they would torture and kidnap humans for whatever nefarious purposes they wished.
And yet, this demon was merely smiling, relaxing. Maybe because I was supposed to be given to the Queen? I rubbed my face slightly, which caused me to finally notice something--that the restraints I was on, weren't there anymore. No more chains between my wrists, nor was there any hobble on my feet. I stared, head flicking between hands and feet.
"The Queen won't be happy to see you restrained like that--well, if it's someone else doing it instead of her, anyway." She chuckled as my cheeks reddened. Slowly, she sidled closer. Much akin to serpent moving, she seemed to flow smoothly from one side to another, until she was pressing her body against mine. Her lips were next to my ear as she pulled my whole body flush against hers.
Warm.
As if she was a blanket of safety against all the evils of the world, her hands went around my body. Touching my skin, and being much closer than anyone else I was ever with. I shivered slightly, despite the warm air within the carriage. Her body heat was enough to chase away any chills if there was one though.
