Demons Heart

Chapter 7

"We'll be going to the local village today." I tell all the suitors as they're all dressed in their coats as autumn has brought the cold today. I see Remy talking with Brent and clap my hands together to get his attention.

He looks at me as I give a smile. I then lead them outside, to a bunch to a bunch of horse carriages as all of them get in one. I take the one up front as we head into the village.

The ride isn't long once we reach the end of my driveway as we then park them with the guards that came with us, while a few of the guards stay with us as we walk around town.

It isn't very big as Wendire is a small village among the nation of Cleyan, yet even I am excited to see it without hiding who I am.

We reach one of the first stops as it's our local orphanage. We enter as a bunch of kids comes out, sticking us with papers. "I'm sorry about that, the kids saw you coming in on the carriages and towards us." They run off as she scolds them. "That's okay." I laugh as I take them off, as does everyone else.

"I'm Maggie and I'll show you all around as our last stop will be to see the children." I nod my head with a smile as she leads us around, showing us their rooms, the kitchen and living area.

"It's all quite nice." I tell her even though I know it's only adequate and could do with more supplies. I give myself a mental reminder to donate to the orphanage once I become queen.

"Thank you, we do try our best." She then leads us outside as the kids are stuffing garbage bags with fallen leaves, to create pumpkins. "I see they're decorating for halloween." "They are, though it is still early to do so."

"May we help?" I ask her as she seems surprised. "You may." I get the suitors to help the children with the bags as most seem more then happy to do so. One of the few who seem rather uncomfortable is Vornan and Aiden.

They grumpily help them as I go to Sienna, a little girl who's struggling to tie up her bag. I tie it up for her, showing her how to as well before placing it where she wants it as she points.

I see many of the others are done as well as I get the guards to come in with the gifts I had gotten them. I did have an allowance as the lacked away princess and did get the guards to buy some snacks and toys for them to play with.

I watch them and their excitement as Maggie thanks me. I tell her about how I'll make a donation soon as she thanks me even more before we leave.

Our next stop is at a local school as they're having their local autumn festival. This is where we'll meet more of Cleyans people and the reason foe our game today. This game isn't one I'll inform them of as it's to see how they interact with people of Cleyan.

Will they act their role or will they show kindness, compassion and warmth to them? I see many of them do so as we enter. They all start chatting among the parents and laughing with the kids as they tell stories about their own nations.

I decide to indulge in a caramel apple as I get them sliced as Slain comes up to me. "You enjoy sweets?" He asks as I take the fork given to me and eat a slice. I chew before I speak. "I never got to have sweets growing up, not like this." "You didn't?"

"I was off studying and they didn't allow you out and off school grounds." I tell him as I realize I almost gave away my secret. The truth is that I wasn't given sweets because of my weight.

My mother and father thought I could do without sugar and cut me off completely as a young girl and even now, I'm still not able to enjoy sweets or bake them without hearing their harsh words.

It's why I usually only cook, yet the apple I'm eating reminds me of childhood as I take another slice. "Shouldn't you lay off sweets?" Aiden says as he gets in front of Slain and I.

His words are like my mothers and yet I try my best to ignore them. I walk around Aiden as I continue to eat. "I've figured out this is the next game." "I hoped you all would or wouldn't since it will make your test more accurate." I shrug off as Slain nods.

"I see you want us to get to know the people, to realize who we will be protecting and fighting for." "That's part of it but I also want to see how you treat people and witness your real personalities among the Cleyan people." "Have I been doing a very good job?"

"I can't answer that, not until the end." "A hint?" He asks as I tell him to socialize. Renade them comes up to me as he gives me an oddly shaped cotton candy. "It was supposed to be a bear." He laughs as he tells me how he was shaping it with one of the children.

I tilt my head from side to side as I see the colors but not the shape. "It's still yummy though." I take a piece and out in my mouth as it melts away. "It is." Renade takes a piece as well as we walk around and look at all the games.

"Come." I hear before I feel a cold hand grip mine. I know it's Vornan even before I see his face as I look up as he leads me to a dart board filled with balloons.

"You were right." "I should take this competition seriously." "I'll no longer be hot and cold with you." "I want to win." He declares as he hands me five darts. "Let's play a game." He declares as he throws his darts, hitting all of his balloons.

The man hands him a pumpkin stuffy as I throw my darts next. I only hit three of them as I'm handed a leaf stuffy. "It was fun, no?" He asks as it seems like he wants approval. I just nod my head slightly before he takes my stuffy and his own and hands it to a guard.

"Another one?" He asks, yet I know it isn't exactly a question as he takes me to a drinking contest. It's a couples contest as they hold a long glass each and pour it into each others mouth without spilling. It appears to only be water as Vornan signs us up.

We get on the stage and into position as the woman blows her whistle. We start to pour, while keeping our heads tilted back as I feel a drop of water run down my cheek. I know we aren't in the lead as he too now has water on his face.

The whistle blows as it signals the end of the competition. I'm about to step off the stage, when the woman takes both of our hands, raising them up as everyone cheers.

"Our couple here had only a drop of water spilled from each glass." The people cheer louder as we take the trophy that looks like a cup and walk off the stage. "I thought we lost." I admit to Vornan with a smile as he agrees.

"I have one more thing I want to show you." He tells me as I see a few of the suitors looking a bit lost without me. I'm about to tell him no as we walk, until he grabs me by the shoulders, turning me to face a pumpkin patch.

I've seen them in the movies but never in real life, even I couldn't create something quite like this. We step through it as I look at all the different pumpkins and even see some rows of squash.

"You should pick one you like." "You should as well." He goes first as he finds a big one and hands it to the guard. The guard seems to struggle to hold it as I swear I hear Vornan snicker before telling him to take it to the carriages.

"Now for yours." He says as I look through a few of them, not liking the look of some, until I find a smaller one that didn't seem to bloom fully. It felt a bit like me, especially when I was young. It never felt like I bloomed, yet I take pride in who I am now, not in what they said I am.

I reach down, trying to get it out from the other pumpkins. "I'll get it." Vornan says as he reaches down, yet I slip, turning around as Vornan falls with me, right on top of me.

The position isn't ideal, especially as I see Vornan looking away, embarrassed. "I like you like this." I tell him as he's about to turn his head, yet I plant a kiss on his neck.

He seems surprised as he does turn his head towards me. "Was that okay?" I ask as I never did make sure when it came to our first kiss. "Yeah." He says as he gets up and I see his clothes are slightly dirty.

"I'll get a guard to bring us clothes." He says as I see a light blush on his cheeks as he walks away briskly. I'm only waiting a few minutes before he comes back with some clothes as we head into a*****e to change.

I change into the long dress he got me and tie the cloak around my neck before coming out and seeing him wearing red robes. The color highlights his hair and eyes beautifully as I reach up and draw my finger across his skin.

"Do you know of your beauty?" I ask him rather seriously as he looks at my hand as it drops, then back into my eyes. "Beauty?" He asks as I nod my head. "If this was a competition based on looks alone, you'd win."

I see his cheeks get brighter as I smile, yet his facial expression is trying to show anger and indifference. I don't pay attention to it as I take his hand this time and lead us out of the patch and back to the festival.

All the suitors seem excited to see me as we walk back through. "The feast is about to begin." Renade tells me excitedly as we see long tables, twinkling lights and hear soft music playing in the distance.

I take this time to address everyone as I pick up a glass and clink it. The town grows quiet. "Hello everyone." "I know some of you must be wondering while other have already figured it out." "I'm soon to be queen Emory of Cleyan and the men brought with me tonight are potential suitors to be king."

"I do hope you enjoyed tonight meeting either myself or the men with me but if you didn't, then I wish you to tell me by slipping a note into this box after your meal." "You may also leave a heartfelt note as well."

"That's how you're going to do it." Vornan whispers from beside me as we then take our seats. Everyone continues to treat us like anyone else, even though their suspicions were confirmed.

The news of my families death and my becoming queen would be in the papers but a picture may not have been present at the time. Now they have a face to put to the gossip surrounding Cleyan.

I look at all the food as they have a variety and pick out many of them to eat. I see Simon, a local teacher about to serve me, yet I raise my hand, telling him I'll do it as it must have taken them hours to prepare all the food.

I also tell the men to serve themselves like any of the other people here and they do so without complaint. The food is delicious as Simon clears his throat to talk to me.

"You're really the queen." "The one and only." I smile as he nods his head. "I've never served royalty before." He laughs as I laugh with him. "It isn't any different from anyone else, only I can kick you out of the nation if you're mean to me." I joke, yet his face shows horror at this.

"You wouldn't." He says as I tell him I wouldn't. "It's only a joke, plus you seem like a fine teacher for the town." "Please enjoy your meal." He seems hesitant, yet does so as we all eat.

"Now for our festive dance." The woman who held the couples competition tells everyone as Simon tells me she's the principle of Wendire high school.

Everyone gets up as I see many of the people asking another to dance. I go straight to Brent, yet Vornan cuts me off from reaching him. "A fair competition, remember." He tells me as he takes my hand, leading me to the place where everyone is dancing.

The lights glow nicely under the roof as we dance under it, while it starts to rain. "Cold, isn't it?" Vornan says as he pulls me against him. "What are you doing?" I ask him as he sways us to the music.

"I'm here, not him." He says to me as I see Brent dancing with another woman. A fog starts to fill the air. "Why do you do this?" I ask him as I look around. "To quiet the noise." I listen as I hear everything quiet down.

"I know you don't know me, yet I know everything about you." "I know you love flowers because they hold beauty that you don't believe you posses." "I know you watch romance movies, hoping to find something similar."

"I know your heart is reaching for every suitor and is almost locked on Brent, yet there's more men here then just him, like me." "Now for what you should know about me."

"I have responsibilities to people, to do my job and to do it well." "I'm always fighting with myself whether to do the right thing or not." "I've never known my parents and have quite literally grown up in darkness."

"Why are you here?" I ask as he bites his lip. "I can't." He says as I pull away from him. "It's for many reasons." He says instead as I turn away from him. "I can't deny the connection, the way I feel about you." "I also can't deny my need for power."

It isn't perfect but his answer is better then I thought it would be as I turn back around, walk into his arms and let him hold me as we dance. "Stop with the magic." I tell him as the fog disappears and everyone starts to talk, to dance as the music gets louder.

The song eventually ends as I leave Vornan on the dance floor and walk by Brent. I feel myself wanting to confront him but Vornan is right. I can't give my heart away, not to just one, not this soon.

I head back to the carriages as a few guards follow me. I tell them to take the suitors back once they're ready to leave. They bow and turn back to the festival as a guard takes me home.

I walk inside and breath a sigh of relief as I have some distance from the suitors. It would be a lie if I were to say it isn't getting to me. These men all seem to want something but does even one of them want me?

I then go to my garden as I try to take my mind off of tonight. My flowers and my vegetables are doing great as the solar panels heat up my garden. I look over the flowers Vornan has given me and see the black one seems to be showing more red now. Could this be an indication of his heart?

"They're back." I hear from behind me as Dina walks in. "You should greet them and make you decision." "Should I?" "What if I don't want any of them?" I say seriously as Dina's eyes widen.

I know it's my broken heart talking at the moment, yet the image of Brent with another woman is seared into my brain. I think about her soft red hair and blue eyes as he held her and danced to the music.

He was smiling like like it was the perfect dance, yet it wasn't with me. I can't take it any longer as I walk out of my room, down the stairs and see all the suitors.

My eyes are focused on Brent as I tell him to come with me. The other suitors watch, yet say nothing. I pull him into one of my fathers studies. "Who was she?" I ask him as he seems confused.

"You were dancing with someone." I declare as he seems nervous. "I wasn't." "I was actually waiting for you to..." He doesn't get to finish as I kiss him. He's surprised at first and then starts kissing me back.

His hands around me as they go up my back. We then hear clapping as we separate. "You said it wasn't over but what's this?" "You're kissing him even after you saw him with another girl." "I wasn't." Brent tries to say again, yet Vornan cuts him off.

"We both know, since she too has figured out it was my magic." "I wanted to test a theory, to see if you could give your heart to one of us but it seems like Brent now owns it." "Isn't that right?"

Vornan asks Brent as he blushes and looks away. "You like them innocent, don't you?" "Is that why you're choosing him?" "I haven't." I defend myself as Vornan narrows his eyes.

"It's quite clear you have, yet you don't have all the information." Vornan pulls me away from Brent, wrapping his arms around my head as he holds it in place as he leans down to whisper in my ear.

"You kissed him on the cheek, while I was offered your real first kiss." "You already know this but what you don't know is it was mine as well." "You stole my first kiss and I promise you this, I'll steal your last." Vornan then pulls away and kisses me in front of Brent.

I can feel my heart ache and yet the deeper the kiss gets, the more my heart pounds as I start kissing him back, with my fingers running through his hair. "I should leave." I hear as a door closes and yet the lips on mine never cease as they persist for more then a few seconds.

They continues until my lips feel bruised and I'm touching them as Vornan smirks. "I'll stay." "It seems this has proven me wrong." He walks away as I stand there, thinking about his lips on mine. The passion behind the kiss was intense as I try to straighten my thoughts and head out to see the rest of the suitors.

They're all having a drink together as I see Vornan and I's pumpkins on the table. I advert my eyes as I focus on the next suitor to eliminate. Dina had given me the box of notes and it made everything clear on who should be leaving.

"This man has great potential, yet the notes in the box has shown my fears and doubts to be true." "This person is needed elsewhere and he too doesn't feel like he belong here."

"Quinn, you'll be leaving." I say as he bows his head and stand up. "The notes were filled with complaints about how much you talked about your own nation, about the problems it's facing and how you want to help." "This isn't bad and on the contrary it's noble to care so much about ones own nation." "I just now believe you're needed there more than here."

Quinn gets up to leave as I don't walk him out this time. We didn't get to know each other that well and I know he'd rather walk out alone, to have done his best even if that meant he'd be going home now.

All the suitors head to bed as Brent lingers. "It hurt." He says suddenly, to me. "You kissing him and like that." He says softly as I look at him. "I didn't realize just how hard this was going to be." "I thought there would be a clear winner from the start but I was wrong."

I walk away from him as I know my words will have only caused him more pain. I can no longer cater to him in the way I have, especially since he may not make it to the end.

I walk back up the stairs as I hear sniffling. My steps stop as I grip the stair case rail tightly. I listen to him cry and I wait. It's only a few minutes at first, yet it continues for almost half an hour. It's only when the crying stops that I continue up the stairs and make my way to my room.