Taming the Demon King

Gardens in Winter

With my birthday fast approaching, the few days I have left of peace feel packed with activities. Due to the elevation of my rank and the interest of the King, every single small activity has become a major event. The demons all address me as Duchess and act deferentially. I am getting better at reading their minds though and I know that few of them actually approve of the match. They trust their king, but mostly because they have to trust him. They don’t have to trust me.

I haven’t told anyone but my mother and Stella that I am going to accept him. Both of them understand my choice though they don’t know the reasons behind them. I am seventeen and have hundreds of years ahead of me. My telepathy gives me the edge of knowing who the king is on the inside. They trust my judgment that he is safe and an honorable person despite being a demon. That much I can assure them about. I don’t feel right telling them about the private details of his past.

He hasn’t had the chance to tell me more of those private details yet. I only know so far what he communicated about the vision and why he felt he needed to make me his queen. But it’s enough to know that he is telling the truth about that. I can’t help but like him for being honest with me when in all reality I’m a complete stranger to him too.

I often find myself in the afternoons having tea with Constantin surrounded by staff and friends. My mother or Stella usually accompanies me and allows us to talk silently while we drink tea. I sometimes find myself holding his hand to make the connection stronger. 

That kind of contact I have been initiating more and more. I like having the control of being able to understand him clearly. He is used to having that control, but I’m beginning to tame him to my whims a bit. I don’t think he quite understood how strong my personality is.

The cold weather moved in as usual the day before my birthday. That’s the trouble with having a birthday in February. Full winter is still upon us, though these past few years the winters have been getting warmer. I wanted to take a walk in the frozen gardens. I wasn’t sure how well the King would approve of it. But he acquiesced when he realized how much I wanted to show them to him.

That is how we found ourselves walking through the secondary garden courtyard, surrounded by bare plants and frozen earth. This internal courtyard is large enough that we could whisper to each other and not be heard from the walls. We so rarely spoke aloud that I wanted to take the chance to do so.

I pull my thick fur cloak closer around me, adjusting my fur lined gloves as I do. Both witches and demons do not particularly revel in the cold. I just like the starkness of winter knowing the spring is coming.

“Over here,” I whisper as I lead him to my favorite spot near the center. There is a wooden bench we can sit on and talk surrounded by the skeletons of forsythia plants. They would light up with nearly neon yellow flowers at the first hints of spring.

He takes my gloved hand in his as we sit on the bench together. “What is it you wished to talk about?” he asks.

“There is too much for this short walk,” I explain, “but I wanted to actually speak to you about some of them.”

Constantin nods in understanding. He is wearing his black fur coat which makes his pale skin even paler. His dark eyes watch me with that sharp intelligence of his. He waits for me to speak again.

“I want to talk more about your witch’s vision. And I want to understand what our future plans will be,” I say looking at him pointedly. “I know you can’t stay here forever. So I’m wondering if we will live at the Demon Castle. And I want to know where the wedding would be.” I very carefully say “would” so he wouldn’t know I had already made up my mind. I promised I would tell him on my birthday and I will keep that promise. He was just going to have to wait.

A glitter in his eye at the mention of the last item tells me how transparent I have been. I just refuse to confirm his suspicions.

“We will talk more about the witch’s vision, but we will do so in an even more private space,” he says. “You want to know more about the coming threat?”

I nod in response. I admit the prospect of facing such a threat intimidates me more than I would ever say aloud. I am also aware that I am committing to taking on such a threat with him.

“I will tell you everything she told me. I will give you my memory of it if that helps,” he says, offering what only one telepath can give to another. 

“Yes,” I say. “I want to understand what we would be facing together.”

Constantin nods, giving my hand a squeeze. “I know I’m asking a lot. So I want to help you as much as I can to make this transition easier.” He pauses before continuing. “You asked where we would live? We would have no choice but to live in the Castle, but I don’t see why we couldn’t visit the Maison regularly.”

“Would I be able to go on my own?” I ask.

“With an escort and security, probably,” he says. “I know you crave independence and I want to respect that.”

“I do,” I say. “I was looking forward to that about being eighteen and moving on from childhood.”

“I find myself concerned for your safety,” he admits. “I’m sure you know that few approve of my choice of you.” When I indicate that I know this, he continues. “Well, we’ll have an uphill battle of making you a true Demon Queen, but I think you’ll make a marvelous Witch Queen if nothing else.”

The smile on my face is involuntary. I can’t help it. The small complement got me. He is not prone to lavishing praise on anyone so I know how rare and precious this is. “Thank you,” is all I can think to say.

“The wedding is another matter,” he says. “I think we can plan for it to be here, as that is traditional on both sides. But we would need to be living at the Castle for the lead-up to the event. You can bring any attendants and escorts you want with you.”

“You mean Stella,” I say with a smile. He has taken to her with a surprising amount of grace. 

“I do,” he says with a smile back. “She is your right hand and I would never separate you two.”

“Good,” I say. “Because I wouldn’t let you.”

 Constantin chuckles. “I know you better than that now,” he says.

“Let’s be realistic though,” I say suddenly. “We don’t know each other very well or for very long. This is a rushed marriage we’re talking about.”

“I know,” he says. “And I wouldn’t normally do something so impulsive if not for the vision guiding me.” He shrugs. “But I’d like to think that I would have met you anyway. And that maybe we would have hit it off and in a few years you might consent to be my queen.”

The thought of him courting me in a more normal way brings a smile to my face. “You really think that?”

“Stranger things have happened.”

Beyond him I notice Bonilos growing restless. He is the King’s assistant and also a casual bodyguard. Around the garden walls there are demon guards and witch guards spaced out at irregular intervals. They give us a wide berth but also stand within an easy distance should something happen. We are well protected where we sit.

“We should go back in,” I say, realizing that we have been talking for quite a while. “Should we have tea and meet again for my birthday tomorrow?”

“The party I hear is getting out of hand.”

I let out a barely controlled sigh. “Tell me about it.”

“May I see you privately before the party? I have something for you and you can give me your answer then.”

I give him a wry smile. “Yes, of course,” I answer. “Come to my family’s quarters and I will see you privately there.”

He squeezes my hand as he stands. He helps me up though I really don’t need it. Hand in hand we head toward the castle door and the small tea room in this section. Walking with him like that I can’t help but feel how natural it has become. Strange how quickly the Demon King has become my companion. Strange to think I feel comfortable with him.