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7.92% Bride of the Demon Lord / Chapter 26: Intertwined Fate (2)

บท 26: Intertwined Fate (2)

Iris had a quick breakfast and went back to the town square with the rest of her family. They stopped by the local cemetery where their father's remains were buried along the way. Chosen maidens like her were forbidden to bring anything on their departure, so Iris didn't bother to pack anything, but dressed herself in a pale blue shirt, black trousers and leather boots.

This time, the town square wasn't as crowded as yesterday. This was a common occurrence as the rest of the townsfolk would usually try to avoid the darklings that would come to take the chosen maidens away out of fear. Even Junifer and Ren clung to both of her arms, wary of the darklings who had yet to arrive.

"Iris."

Someone called her attention and Iris turned her head to see who it was. She found Luca and his parents with crestfallen faces.

"I'll take care of Junifer and your family. I'll work harder to provide for them." Luca exclaimed, his fists clenched so tight that his nails dug painfully into his palm.

"Just make Junifer happy and keep her safe."

Tears welled in Junifer's eyes again and she held Iris's hand tighter this time. Whether her sister was afraid of her departure or the darklings, Iris wasn't sure.

Prince Rupert, who had arrogantly looked bored yesterday, looked distressed. Iris figured that even the royal family feared the darklings. Unlike maguses like her, mortal humans stood no chance against these darklings anyway. At the very least, magic could help her buy some time to escape from dangerous beings like the direwolves she and her friends recently encountered.

Waiting for the emissaries of the Court of Shadows was pushing everyone to the edge, except for Iris. It was odd that unlike her fellow townsfolk, she didn't feel any fear at that moment. She had yet to understand the purpose of this millennia old treaty that Dravial had with the thirteen demon lords and why they needed virgin maidens.

Conversations around her reached Iris's ears. It sounded like bees playing in a field. Ever since that night when she unleashed her magic, Iris noticed that her senses were heightened somehow and she could hear sounds more clearly, see things, even from afar, much more accurately. Her sense of smell remained the same though, which Iris was grateful for because she already had a hard time tuning out the sounds that were coming from the woods.

Suddenly, Iris stiffened, which wasn't lost to her siblings. She could sense several darklings' presence drawing near Calaren town. One part of the iron fences was opened, expecting their arrival.

"What's wrong, Iris?" Junifer asked her worriedly.

Iris turned her attention to her sister and shook her head, forcing a smile on her face. She was somewhat relieved that her siblings didn't have any magic like she did, because the darklings' aura were quite frightening.

"Look there!" Someone shouted, which gave Iris the opportunity not to answer her sister. "The darklings have arrived!"

All heads turned in the east direction and they saw a small legion marching towards the town square. Humans made way for them, faces blanched with fear as they fled for their lives. The legion was being led by a man who rode a black steed, which was covered with dark tendrils of shadows around it and its rider, like a mist that was forming and fading with every step it took.

The man had long white silvery hair that fanned across his shoulders and fell over his back. Iris could see a hint of blue as the sunlight shone on it. There was no crown adorning his head, but he gave off the impression that he was a noble by birth. His pointed ears were a give away that he wasn't a human and his blue eyes looked so cold and intimidating at the same time.

This man was nothing like the darklings Iris and Junifer had seen ten years ago. His face was ethereal, handsome and hard as a diamond. However, the aura he radiated was enough to make a mortal man soil his own pants and make Iris shiver in fear of how terrifying his presence was.

"Announcing the arrival of Lord Kieran Fleurnoir of the Court of Nightfall, Leader of the Frost Guards!" A royal guard officially announced their arrival.

From the corner of her eye, Iris saw Prince Rupert rise from his seat and stood at the edge of the platform, his face one with uncertainty and fear. Her eyes then returned to the leader of the emissary.

Lord Kieran Fleurnoir. She had heard of this name before.

It was said that Lord Kieran was one of the ancient and most powerful demon lords Asnar ever had. He was also the one assigned to lead the Frost Guards to make sure that no darklings would enter the Kingdom of Dravial to feed on the mortal humans or force them into slavery.

He sat atop of his steed, looking down on the townsfolk as if they were nothing but insects in his eyes. A legion of darklings in different species followed after him, dressed in armors and armed with weapons, which Iris found ridiculous, knowing that her kind was obviously no match against them.

As Iris stared at his face, something about him triggered familiarity. A sheen of sweat dampened her skin, her fingers twitched on her side. She could swear on her father's tomb that she'd never seen this man before, but this feeling of familiarity was too strong for her not to notice.

Lord Kieran dismounted and Iris thought that she'd never met a man like him before. She wondered if he glamored himself to look like this, but immediately rejected the idea. His features were hard, but his movements were as fluid as the black coat that was draped over his shoulders. He scanned the crowd until his eyes met hers, making Iris hold her breath.

She realized why he felt familiar.

He was the white wolf darkling in the woods.


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anjeeriku anjeeriku

I apologize for going MIA for the past week, not updating any of my novels. I fell sick and took a short break. I still haven't recovered fully but I will try to pick up the pace asap.

บท 27: On the Way to Asnar (1)

Iris couldn't be mistaken. There was no doubt that the wolf darkling she met and Lord Kieran were one and the same. They both emit the same aura.

She might not be able to sense the presence of the white wolf darkling, but the similarities between it and the demon lord who was now looking straight at her were too obvious. Iris had never, and would never, doubt her gut feeling. It has never failed her so far and she refused to believe that the wolf darkling's sudden appearance in the woods and Lord Kieran's arrival was merely a coincidence.

Iris tore her gaze away from him and stared at her shoes, pushing away the thoughts that came to mind, but she couldn't help but feel ashamed.

So what if he was the darkling she had encountered? The white wolf had neither asked nor coerced her to do what she foolishly did. She had willingly opened her heart and lowered her guard to a darkling. The mistakes were for hers to blame.

However, her eyes were somewhat drawn back to him against her will and Iris couldn't stop herself from looking at him. He raised a hand and the black steed disappeared in front of everyone's eyes, as if it was nothing but a smoke blown away by the morning breeze,

She watched as Lord Kieran marched confidently towards the platform where Prince Rupert and the Chancellor were standing. His dark long sleeved shirt and black trousers looked extremely expensive and out of place in this impoverished place.

The other darklings behind him followed his lead and dismounted. Those who weren't riding horses, circled the town square as if making sure that no one would dare to escape.

Prince Rupert tried his best not to look intimidated by the demon lord while the old Chancellor lowered his head in greeting. The demon lord's height towered the two mortals.

"Your Grace, we were expecting an ambassador to collect the maidens. We didn't expect your arrival. You've caught us unprepared today." The old Chancellor said, his voice quivered as he bowed his head to the demon lord.

Lord Kieran walked past the two and took the seat Prince Rupert vacated. He crossed his legs and propped his right hand to support his chin as he regarded the small crowd in front of him. He gave Prince Rupert and the Chancellor a quick side glance.

"How many women?" He asked, displeasure dripping from his words.

"Thirteen maidens, Lord Kieran." Prince Rupert answered him.

"Silence. I wasn't talking to you, human. Are you forgetting who you are talking to?" The demon lord sneered at Prince Rupert and the latter flinched in fear and rage. It was like being slapped in the face in front of his own subjects.

The Crown Prince had never been humiliated like this throughout his life and his hatred towards the darkling grew exponentially.

But what else could he do? Iris thought. Prince Rupert might be a royal in this land, but he was nothing but an ant in the demon lord's eyes. She couldn't believe that this person was also the wolf darkling she had saved. In his wolf form, the demon lord had only snapped at her, other than the aggression he showed during their first encounter.

"I was asking how many women your kingdom had sent since the treaty was signed." The Undead Lord clarified. "For someone who claims that people of Asnar are nothing but vicious and violent creatures, you surely know how to be merciless towards your own kind."

The Crown Prince and the old Chancellor had no words to refute what Lord Kieran had just said. They could only lower their heads and thought that they had no other choice anyway. They didn't want to have anything to do with the darklings and they wouldn't mind sacrificing a few lives to protect the peacefulness of their kingdom.

Iris heard Amelia scoff near them. She turned her head and saw her friend with a scowl on her face. While it was true that she and Amelia were born here in Dravial, they couldn't place their loyalty on their leaders for this particular reason.

Lord Kieran raised a hand again and a red haired woman with elven ears went up the platform and gave him a slight bow. Her long hair was tied in a braid, and although she was a woman, she looked like a knight with a high caliber.

"Milord."

"Take the young maidens and make sure that their needs would be provided for the trip. We're leaving." The demon lord relayed his orders and shut his eyes.

At once the royal guards moved and went to the chosen maidens to deliver them to the waiting darklings. Other families gape at them in muted horror and they couldn't do anything but cover their mouths and weep as their daughters, sisters or lover were taken away.

Iris's hold on her siblings tightened as she murmured words to them. Junifer stifled her cry and nodded her head while Ren gripped her arm tighter, not willing to let go.

"Iris—" Her mother breathed, looking at her with tears welling in her eyes.

"I left some bronze coins in my drawers, Mother. It should last you for another month or two. The dried meat should be sufficient to feed you for another week. If you need to replenish the herbs, you should ask Luca. He knows where to gather them."

Iris's eyes shone with tears but she blinked it away. There was no need for a heart wrenching goodbye because she would make sure to find a way to return to them.

"It's time to go." One of the royal guards told her impatiently.

"Take care of yourself, Iris." Her mother took her hand and gave it a tight squeeze. "It's time that you prioritize and look after yourself. Don't worry too much, darling. Go, and live the life you alway wanted. Be free my daughter. Know that your father and I are proud of you."


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