My Demon, My Love...: Changes of Heart

Azlyn had landed in the demon realm very ungracefully, barely able to stop herself from faceplanting into the grass. She knew that there were probably more dignified ways to arrive through a portal, but she had not been given the chance to master any of them.

She stood up and brushed the dirt off her clothes before scanning her surroundings. Everything looked as it had before, not much had changed in two years. She began to think about all that had happened that fateful day; everything they had gone through to make it to this portal. Everything that they went through once they had arrived. She shuddered at the memories.

Azlyn looked around, slowly, attempting to assess her situation. She knew that she needed to find a way back to the castle without being discovered; the last thing that she wanted was to get thrown back into slavery now. She noticed the path before her that she and Reve had fought their way down the last time that she was here. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, before beginning to march down the pathway. Though, she was suddenly stopped short as she heard someone calling out to her.

“Princess Azlyn! Please wait!”

The voice was strangely familiar, however, Azlyn could not immediately place it. She turned around in circles, scanning the horizon for the source of the sound.

“Who are you? Show yourself!” Azlyn demanded.

A hooded figure emerged from the bushes wearing a long cloak. He slowly lowered his hood, revealing his face.

“Eistein?” Azlyn gasped.

“At your service, your highness.” Eistein responded with a bow.

“But…what…how?” Azlyn stammered searching for her words. “How did you know that I was going to be here?”

Eistein closed his eyes and held them tightly for a moment. When he opened them again; his eyes were void of color and glowed brightly, just as the Mystics’ eyes had before.

“I am a Mystic now.” Eistein smiled, answering her question before she asked it. “We have seen your arrival here, today, for quite some time. We are offering our assistance in returning you to the castle; bringing you to Prince Reve.”

“What? Why are you helping me?”

“Because we need Prince Reve to save us. And for that…we need you to save him.”

“What do you mean?”

Eistein shook his head, slowly.

“All will be revealed in time.”

Eistein then gestured for Azlyn to follow him. He led her down the same path that she had run down during her escape. She remembered the moment that she had blinded the guard who had tackled her onto the path. It had been a moment of desperation, but not one that she regretted.

As they walked further, she recalled a memory that made her heart cry out. As she recognized the spot where Reve had fallen, dropping her as he did so. This had been the very last time that Reve had held her in his arms. The very last time that she felt his soothing touch. Oh, how she longed, desperately, to be wrapped in his warmth again.

Meanwhile, across the kingdom, locked inside his palace room; Reve felt a sudden shift in energy. He sensed that something had changed. He felt…different, somehow.

“Azlyn?” Reve whispered, half expecting a response.

Of course, no response would come. Azlyn was not there. Reve shook off the thought; he could not be feeling Azlyn’s emotions, she was in the human realm. The veil between the realms prevented their bond from coming through.

But, little did Reve know, that Azlyn was much closer than he believed. As she was currently making her way through the town that they had last visited together before being chased down by the royal guards.

Azlyn and Eistein were slowly traveling towards the downtown sector of the small town. They intended to use the same cellar portal as before, which would take them to the lair of the Mystics, deep in the heart of the Forest of Perpetual Darkness.

“Eistein? Can I ask you a question?” Azlyn inquired.

“Of course, mi’lady. You can ask me anything that you wish.” Eistein replied with a smile. "I shall answer if I am able."

Azlyn looked at Eistein’s eyes, which he had changed back, so they appeared to be normal.

“Are you actually blind? Or can you see when you…uh…when you…wear…your normal eyes, I guess?” Azlyn was not quite sure how to phrase the question, it seemed an odd thing to ask.

“Oh, I am very blind.” Eistein informed Azlyn without hesistation. “These eyes are merely a mask. They hide my true eyes, so that I may move about the rest of demonkind and appear normal. This can be very important, especially, in these trying times.”

Azlyn wondered exactly what Eistein meant by that. Surely, things were not that much worse than they had been two years ago. After all, two years was not really an awful lot of time. As she thought on this, Azlyn began looking out the window of the vehicle that they were traveling in. She tried to distract herself from the fact that she was being driven around by a blind demon.

This proved to be fairly easy, as her eyes fell upon the town around them. What had once been a bustling and vibrant village was now in shambles. The formerly idyllic streets were now empty, and the buildings had fallen into disrepair. Trash littered the roadways as if the entire town had given up caring.

“What happened here?!” Azlyn exclaimed in surprise.

“King Gedeon has happened…everywhere.” Eistein answered, solemnly.

“What are you talking about? How did Gedeon cause all of this damage?”

“He has no knowledge of the responsibilities of state and the little that he does know, he does not appear to care about. He has concerned himself only with debauchery since taking the crown from the late-King Chesed.”

“Where is Queen Mara? Why does she not do something?”

“The Queen Dowager Mara has not been seen in public for quite some time. It is said that she is held up in the castle, merely, basking in her wealth. Though, this is merely gossip. The current Queen inherited her duties, so Queen Dowager Mara finds herself in the lap of luxury. I would not doubt that she probably has little care for what is going on throughout the kingdom.”

“Who is the Queen now?”

“A selfish demoness who goes by Queen Adaliah.”

“Lady Adaliah?!” Azlyn exclaimed, eyes wide.

“Yes, I take it that you know her?”

“Unfortunately.” Azlyn sighed.

Azlyn had been lucky enough to only come across Lady Adaliah once during her time at the castle. However, that happened to fall in the middle of one of the worst days of Azlyn’s life; the day when she had mistakenly believed that Reve had chosen Lady Lorelei over her. Azlyn had run inside the palace in a daze; she bumped into three noble demonesses. She had then proceeded, in her despair, to allow Lady Adaliah, Lady Keres, and Lady Iniko to beat her within an inch of her life. If it had not been for Umay coming to her rescue, who knows what may have become of her.

“Well, she is Queen Adaliah now. She takes what she wants, when she wants it, damn anyone in her way.”

“Doesn’t sound that different from Queen Mara.” Azlyn huffed.

“Oh, but it is different, Princess. Queen Adaliah is worse, much worse. Queen Dowager Mara may have been known for her cruelty, but Queen Adaliah is a new kind of brutality, that knows-no-bounds.” Eistein explained. “Similar to late-King Chesed and Queen Dowager Mara; King Gedeon and Queen Adaliah have a loveless marriage. Although, there is one major difference, Queen Dowager Mara, always desperately craved the King’s love and strove to earn it. Queen Adaliah is not bothered by the state of her marriage, at all. She does not care that King Gedeon sleeps with anything that he can get his hands on. She is too concerned with herself to care for anyone else.”

Azlyn simply nodded her understanding. She did not know if Eistein could perceive her response. At the moment, she did not care. She was far too consumed in her own thoughts to consider Eistein. So much had changed during her time away, it was a lot to take in.

A short time later, they arrived at the parking lot nearest the cellar. Eistein parked the car and left the keys tucked up, just inside the wheel-well, barely hidden from view.

“Aren’t you worried that someone will steal it?” Azlyn questioned.

“We leave it here for the use of other Mystics in the area. However, if someone were desperate enough to steal it, then they are desperate enough to have it.” Eistein shrugged.

“That is a good way to look at things, I suppose.” Azlyn noted.

“Thank you, mi’ lady. I hope that it is a lesson you will remember.” Eistein hinted.

They made their way towards the cellar. Eistein igniting the lantern and opening the wall, much as he did before. They wandered down the dark hallway and through the portal, following the path that led to the hidden lair of the Mystics.

“Not that I am ungrateful for your help…” Azlyn began. “I cannot deny being a little confused. I thought you said you were bringing me to the castle.”

“I am. We have a portal in the area, that will allow you to arrive much closer to the palace, much faster than any other route will take you. It will also be much safer, as you should, probably, not be seen traveling throughout the kingdom.” Eistein explained before pausing to switch topics. “You will need your energy for the trials ahead of you. We have arranged a meal for you and, if you’d like, you may sleep here for a time, as well. Whenever you are ready, we will continue on our journey.”

“Thank you so much, Eistein! I appreciate everything that you and the other Mystics are doing.” Azlyn assured him.

"The honor is ours, mi'lady."

Eistein directed Azlyn to a chamber, where a lavish meal awaited her. She sat down at the table where she was greeted by a number of meats accompanied by potatoes. Dishes of assorted vegetables and a tower of fruit graced the table as well. Azlyn indulged herself; eating her fill.

After her meal, Azlyn decided she would allow herself the chance to rest before continuing onward. She hoped to get a few hours’ sleep, but her mind was plagued with a million thoughts. She tossed and turned, unable to quell her nerves. As much as she needed the sleep, she could not relax, not until she saw Hunter again. She continued to lay there for a time, hoping that she could convince herself to shut her eyes, but she was unsuccessful. She needed Reve; she needed him to tell her that everything would be okay. If she could get to Reve, then she was certain that they could save Hunter. She trusted in him.

Eventually, Azlyn pushed herself off of the bed. She felt stiff and sore as she forced her body to move. She had not remembered the portal being as hard on her the first time; even though her landing had been much worse. She wondered if the difference could have been that the first time through, she carried an actual, living demoness inside of her. This time she had relied on two-year-old blood, pumping through a bracelet.

Azlyn searched the cave for Eistein; she was certain that she would find him in the large cavern around the bonfire with the other Mystics. The caves were vast and winding; she wandered around, endlessly, beginning to worry that she would never find her way out of here. She turned one corner and walked down the hallway, coming to a dead end. She spun around and walked in the other direction, which split into a fork. She contemplated whether to go left or right, when she heard someone walking up behind her.

“Princess Azlyn? Do you need some assistance? Are you lost?”

Azlyn turned around to face whomever had approached. She was pleasantly surprised to see the sight of another familiar face.

“Akil, isn’t it?”

“Yes, mi’ lady. I am honored that you remember me after all of this time.” Akil responded with a light bow.

“But of course.” Azlyn replied with a smile. “In answer to your question, yes, I am lost. I am looking for Eistein.”

“Ah, yes, Eistein is in the Great Cavern with the rest of the Mystics, likely watching life’s events in the Eternal Flames.” Akil explained.

“Could you take me to him? I am ready to leave for the portal to the castle now. I do not think that I can bring myself to wait any longer.” Azlyn informed him.

“Yes, your majesty. Of course.”

Akil led them down the path to the right and down several hallways. Finally, they came to the large chamber with the glowing bonfire, that Azlyn remembered from her first visit. Before Azlyn or Akil had a chance to announce their presence, Eistein spoke to them, causing her to jump in surprise.

“Are you ready to go, Princess Azlyn?”

“I am. Though, if you wouldn’t mind. I have just a question or two, that I would like answered first.”

There had been a question that had tugged at the back of her mind, silently begging to be answered, for almost two years now.

“The night that Reve and I stayed with you. You required that we lay together, you went to great pains to make certain that happened. Was that to ensure that I would be pregnant? Did you know that my bracelet would be taken? Or that Reve and I would be separated?”

The Mystics stayed silent for a moment as they considered their response.

“We knew that it was one of the possibilities.” One of the Mystics finally answered.

“We often receive several outcomes when reviewing a person’s future actions.” Another Mystic clarified.

“We needed to ensure, that no matter which path you ended up on, you would be safe.” Eistein added.

“Why is my safety so important?”

“Did Eistein not tell you?” The fourth and final Mystic chimed in. “We need you to save Prince Reve, so that he may save us all.”

“What does that mean?” Azlyn demanded.

“We cannot tell you more. We have said enough. Your choices must be your own in the end.” One of the Mystics stated, firmly.

“Eistein will lead you to the portal. After that, you will be on your own.”

“But know, when the time comes, we will be there.” The Mystics finished.

Azlyn sighed, she knew that there was no use in pressing the issue any further. The Mystics had made it clear years ago that they would not stray from their mysterious ways and half-answers to her questions. She folded her arms across her chest, huffing in defeat, and watched as Eistein approached.

“Let us be on our way, Princess.”

Azlyn nodded as she followed Eistein back into the labyrinth of the cave. Knowing, in her heart, that despite their lack of information; the Mystics were leading her into something big, something much bigger than herself and Reve.

Eistein led Azlyn through the portal and they arrived in what, appeared to be, a large storage room in the back of an old store. Azlyn wondered if it was wise to have suddenly appeared in some random store, surely there would be questions from those who worked there or from the patrons within. Though she tried her best to trust in Eistein.

Fortunately, her fears were immediately quieted as the clerk behind the counter greeted them with a grunt and nod, barely taking his eyes from the book in his hands. The store was empty; the items on the shelves covered in a thick layer of dust. It was clear to Azlyn that no one had ventured in there for quite some time.

“What is this place? Why is it so empty?” Azlyn inquired.

“The Mystics have owned this store for decades. It was derelict when we procured it and we have discouraged interest in it by providing services that are not sought after by many.” Eistein explained.

“What kind of services?”

“Rare and unusual items only used by those interested in the occult.”

“I did not think that demonkind was usually involved in such things.”

“They are not. Hence why this store is left empty ninety percent of the time.”

“What about him?” Azlyn asked, nodding towards the demon behind the counter.

“He is involved with our order. It is his sworn duty to protect this portal and those who would seek to utilize it. As well as, on rare occasion, assist the odd customer who may venture within this store.”

Azlyn considered all that she had just learned as she followed Eistein out onto the street. As the sunlight hit her eyes, she looked up and found the castle was much closer than she had anticipated.

“Stay near. If anyone approaches, I will do the talking. Remember to behave as if you are my slave.” Eistein instructed.

Eistein tossed his tattered, old cape over Azlyn’s shoulders, hiding the clothing that she wore. It would have been highly unusual for a slave to be dressed as nicely as she was, and that would have raised suspicion.

Azlyn did as Eistein told her to. Falling back into the old routines of slavery quite easily. She kept her head bowed and her eyes low, being sure to stay a few steps behind Eistein at all times. They slowly made their way through the streets of the capital; being sure to stick to the back streets and the shadows in the hopes of drawing the least attention possible.

Azlyn found herself, unconsciously, holding her breath as they walked. She was worried that their devices would be discovered before they could reach the castle grounds. If anyone became suspicious of them, then everything that she was working for would be for nothing. Even worse, this would mean that she had failed in her mission to rescue Hunter.

Azlyn took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, in an attempt to calm herself. She needed to remain level-headed if she was going to survive what was to come. As nervous as this made her, this was the easy part.

Once they reached the outskirts of the castle grounds, Eistein paused in his advance. He turned towards Azlyn and slowly lowered his hood.

“I am afraid that this is where I must leave you, Princess.” Eistein sighed.

Azlyn knew that this was coming but found herself less prepared for it than she thought that she would be. She reminded herself not to panic. She would be with Reve soon and he would make everything alright again.

“Thank you for all of your help, Eistein. I will be forever grateful to you and the other Mystics.”

“Think nothing of it, Princess. We are indebted to you as the savior of our realm. We are yours and Prince Reve’s humble servants from now until the end of time. If you ever require our assistance, do not hesitate to seek us out. We have sworn our allegiance to you.” Eistein assured.

“I could not ask for more loyal and trustworthy associates than yourselves. Farewell, Eistein, I hope to see you again soon.”

“Do not worry, Princess, you will.” Eistein nodded before turning and walking away.