To Bewitch a Devil

“Neera!” Zavian shouted when he saw her, and he ran to where she lay.

His heart banged against his chest as he turned her over, checking her pulse. When he saw she was still alive, he heaved a sigh of relief. Shaking her violently, he called her name, but there was no response. Her body was burning, she was running a fever and she looked pale.

Zavian panicked as he lifted her from the ground, and screamed at his guards;

“Guards! Someone! Call the royal physician. Now!”

He ordered and quickly carried her into his room, and placed her on the bed.

Looking around her body, he saw that she was not physically injured, so what happened?

Zavian wondered as he stared at the girl, who was looking lifeless on the bed. In minutes, there was a knock on the door and he quickly ordered the person to come in.

The royal physician walked into the room, carrying his medicine bag.

.....

“Check her, immediately! I found her lying on the ground, unconscious.” Zavian ordered anxiously as he stood up from the bed, letting the physician to check her.

The middle aged man sat beside Neera and checked her pulse. “She’s still breathing, thankfully, but she’s running a fever.” He explained in a calm manner.

Zavian who was madly worried nearly lashed out on the physican, it was obvious she was running a fever, why was he telling him that? He had called him to make her wake up not tell the him the obvious!

“Do what you need to do! anything! Just make her wake up!”

He ordered, pacing about the room, as he brushed his fingers through his hair.

The physician checked her palm and veins then he stood up and checked her head for any injuries, when he saw she was fine, he turned to Zavian;

“I think she had fainted from serious stress, she needs to wear loose clothing, to allow blood to flow to her heart. She should be up within a few hours. I’ll bring some supplements she would need to take to recover quickly. In the meantime, she shouldn’t do very tedious jobs, she has a low pulse. If she continues to do more tedious jobs, episodes like this would become more frequent.”

Zavian stood there as he watched the physician speak, his eyes looking at the girl on the bed. He had relieved her from most of her duties, so what was causing her stress?

Was she still going to work in the kitchens whenever he left?

Zavian wondered but his thoughts were cut short when the physician spoke;

“I would love to take my leave now.” He said and bowed briefly before walking out.

Zavian looked at the girl, and quickly sent the guards to bring some maids to come change her clothes to something loose.

He excused them, and remained outside and they went in and changed her dress. She did not have a very loose gown, so one of them rushed and brought a sleeping dress from the royal tailor.

After they finished changing her clothes, they informed the king and left. Zavian stood outside the room for minutes, before he walked in to check on Neera.

She was lying on the edge of the bed and her eyes were still shut. Sitting down beside her, he sighed and took her hand and squeezed it softly.

He had been ridden with fear when he saw her on the ground. The thought that she was dead was something that was all too familiar. It took him back to that night...

That night he had watched his father rip out Lilah’s heart. The night he couldn’t do anything but watch the love of his life disappear into ashes.

He had been so cold and afraid. He was scared that he was going to let his happen again, that she would slip away in front of him.

Zavian raised his hand to her face and caressed her pale skin.

“Please... don’t die.” He spoke tenderly, his throat tightening in pain.

After some minutes, he stood up and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

...

The next morning, Neera woke up with a banging head and she struggled to open her eyes.

When they were finally open, her eyes widened when she realised where she was.

What was she doing in the king’s room?

She asked herself as she tried to remember the events that led up to that moment. She remembered feeling weak as she walked to her room and then she could not remember anything else.

Did she pass out?

Neera wondered as she turned to the side and she nearly jumped when she saw who was lying beside her.

Zavian was sleeping soundly. His face was turned to her and his eyes were closed.

Neera nearly fainted for the second time, as she stared at him. First, she was kissing him, now she was sleeping on the same bed with him. Neera’s heart raced as she stared at his face.

His hair was ruffled as they lay sprayed on the pillow. He was sleeping so comfortably, as though oblivious of the fact that she was there.

Neera wanted to look away from him and find the easiest means to leave the room, but she found herself getting drawn to him.

Her eyes lingered on his face and she traced his features with her eyes. He looked calm and peaceful, like an angel. She blinked when she realised she was staring too much, and then she pulled her eyes away from him.

Now she understood why some of the maids longed for the king. She had thought it was something so vile that even with a knife to her neck, she wouldn’t dream of it. But now she was staying with him, she realised how incredibly hard it was not to fall this demon.

He was a perfect man in all sense of it, and if not that she knew what her role was, she would have fallen helplessly for him.

But she knew what she was, and it was incredibly stupid to fall in love with someone whom had a knife stretched to your neck and would slit your throat at any given second.