To Bewitch a Devil

Neera fearfully pulled her hand from him, her whole body shaking. He was taking her to the hall, no, she couldn’t go with him.

Freya would ask for her head on a platter. No matter what, she would not go to the hall, even if it meant getting on the bad side of the Duke.

Fredrick frowned when she pulled away from him.

“I cannot go with you, Your Grace,” Neera spoke, her voice trembling.

Fredrick could not believe his eyes. Did she just refuse his order?

The dukes were leaving the next day. She could hide. The king needed her, so even if she ran away, he would protect her.

Without waiting for him to respond, Neera turned around and ran away in a flash.

“Get her! Don’t let her escape!” Fredrick ordered his guards and they chased after the girl. Neera’s heart banged against her chest as she ran as fast as her legs could carry.

.....

She could hear the guards’ footsteps behind her and they were almost close.

She did not even know where she was running to, she just ran forward.

Suddenly, she hit her leg against a stone and fell to the ground, rolling a few times before she came to a stop.

Neera tried to stand up but her legs were cramped and she fell back to the ground. In seconds the two guards had come up on her and they lifted her from the ground.

Dragging her by her arms, they carried her to Lord Fredrick.

Fredrick looked at the girl, “how dare you try to run from me?” He asked, annoyance in his voice.

Neera was staring at her feet, her eyes blurred. She felt something drop from her head to the floor but she could not make out what it was.

“Bring her.” Lord Fredrick ordered and the guards carried Neera to the hall.

Neera shut her eyes as she was carried into the hall. She did not want to think.

Of what the king would do to her...

Of what Freya would do to her...

The Princesses who would now be out the get her...

The dukes...

Everyone...

“Look at what I found!” Lord Fredrick announced as he entered the hall, with his guards dragging Neera behind him.

The hall was noisy as they were laughing and drinking but when they heard Fredrick’s voice, they all turned to him.

“The girl who looks like the queen!”

Fredrick announced and the guards let Neera go.

Her head was still bowed and she felt another drop fall to her dress. Now she looked at it, she saw it was blood. She must have injured her head when she fell to the ground.

Total silence ensued in the hall as everyone turned to the girl. Zavian who was laughing with one of the Dukes froze at Fredrick’s voice and turned to him.

Behind him was Neera. She was standing with her head bowed, and he could see a small bruise on her face which dripped with blood.

Zavian’s hands tightened on his table as he stared at her, anger taking over him.

Fredrick walked to the girl and lifted her face so everyone could see.

“I heard the rumors but I did not know they were true. And she’s human!”

He exclaimed and there were murmurings amongst the guests and dukes.

Zavian was quiet as he just stared forward, his face blank and no emotions on it.

“Your Majesty, what do you have to say about this?”

Fredrick asked, pushing Zavian to a corner.

“We asked for the girl and you said she was not in the Castle, I found her close to the Royal Kitchen.”

He continued and the crowd gasped and the murmurings increased.

Zavian’s throat tightened as he stared straight at them not saying a word. He looked at Fredrick stone-cold and thought of a thousand ways to rip out his heart.

He never said she was not in the castle, why was he trying to create a scene?

Freya gritted her teeth as she watched the scene unfold. This girl was trouble, she knew it! From the first day she came into the Castle, she had always caused trouble. She had asked her to stay in her room and wait till the Dukes left, what took her out of her room?

Why was she found in the royal kitchen?

She warned Zavian. Send this slave girl away and put this behind you! But he did not listen, now look!

The slave girl was about to shred his kingdom in peices all while looking innocent at it.

This was it! She was going to slice her neck!

Freya stood up from her chair but before she could say a word, Axel spoke.

“oh forgive my manners; Your Majesty;”

He said, bowing before the King; Everyone turned to him in surprise as they watched him walk to the girl.

“It was I who requested that she bring something to me from the royal kitchen. I found her in the fields dehusking grains and I brought her in to work for me for my remaining stay here.

She’s a lowly human and a slave girl, I did not see a reason to inform the Dukes, please forgive my manners.”

Axel spoke and bowed his head.

Fredrick was speechless. He had tried to push the King to a corner and cause disruption between the Dukes but Axel had soiled his plans.

He could not think that Axel was working with the King because he was a Prince of another kingdom and his sister was among the Princesses. There was no reason on his part to side with the king. And mentioning that, would turn Lord Duke Henry against him, and he did not want that.

“Oh, I did not know that. I see. ”

Fredrick replied with a chuckle.

Axel walked to Neera and took her hand;

“That said, I would like to take this lowly slave out of here. You all should continue your feast.”

With that, he bowed and turned around, leaving with the girl.