To Bewitch a Devil

Zavian asked and Neera looked at him, confused as to who he was talking about.

“Axel, how do you know him?”

Neera blinked. He was not scolding her for almost causing a war, but he was concerned about the Prince.

“I do not know him, I was surprised that he saved me.” She lied. She obviously could not tell him that they had met before, twice to be exact. She would just be digging her grave.

Obviously, he wouldn’t want her near any royalty.

He couldn’t risk them finding out about his plans of bringing Lilah back, so if she told him how they met and how she was going to meet him the next day, he would stop her. She might even be grounded forever. She did not want that.

“Okay. ” Zavian replied. “Use this ointment on your wound so it would not leave a scar.”

Neera stared at the small bottle in his hand, and she took it from him;

.....

“Thank you, your majesty.”

Zavian nodded and turned to leave; “The Dukes are leaving tomorrow, so you are free to leave your room after they leave.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” She thanked again, and Zavian walked out the door.

Neera stared at the door for a few seconds, then she locked it, heaving a sigh of relief.

She walked to the mirror and applied the ointment before she retired to sleep.

...

The next day, the dukes left the Castle. The people gathered to bid them goodbye, and they waved as they left. Axel did not go with his father. He stood on a balcony as he watched them leave but that was the least thing on his mind at that moment.

Axel’s eyes looked at the sky and he smiled when he remembered he would meet with Neera that evening. He was surprised when she agreed to meet him; a part of him thought that she would turn him down. She had been turning down all his advances; he was surprised she agreed to this one.

Walking back into his room, he peeked at himself in the mirror and he frowned.

Was his hair too long? Did he need a haircut?

Or should he pack it up, would he look sexier that way?

Axel’s thoughts were cut short by a knock on his door. “Come in!” He shouted, and the door opened to his sister stomping into the room.

“Brother!” She cried as she paced around the room.

“What is it?” Axel asked, his eyes not leaving the mirror.

“How do you know the girl from yesterday?” Lyra asked, and Axel looked at her.

“Which one? He asked, feigning ignorance.”

“Oh don’t be silly, the one you took outside, the one who looked like Delilah!”

“Oh the girl, what about her?”

He asked, and Lyra cried; “Rumors say the King likes her. What do I do? We don’t even stand a chance if he already likes her. How do I become queen when someone that looks exactly like his dead queen is walking about the kingdom?”

“Who said that the king likes her?”

“The maids, I asked around and they say she stays in the king’s court!! Right beside the king’s chambers!!”

Axel froze for a few seconds when he heard his sister, then he feigned a smile;

“It is a lie, you don’t believe everything you hear, do you?”

“Oh brother, this is true. It’s not a lie. Everyone cannot be lying at the same time. Did you see the clothes she wore, do they look like slave clothes to you? Her dress was pretty and she looked like she ate well, I believe what they said. ”

“Calm down Lyra. You’re always overreacting. You weren’t even close to the girl yesterday, how did you see what she was putting on?”

“Oh brother, I can sight fine silk from a mile away! Even her shoes, a slave cannot afford those shoes!”

Axel was quiet as he stared at his crying sister. After some seconds, he walked to where she was standing and hugged her.

“Come here, don’t cry.” He consoled her, and Lyra wrapped her hands around him;

“The King did not call off the ceremony, what does that mean? It means that she does not matter to him. The ceremony still holds, so he would still choose his queen, and even if there is something between them, it is temporal and does not matter.”

“Is that true?” Lyra asked and Axel nodded;

“Yes, it is true. So stop crying, You didn’t even see father off.” He scolded and Lyra shrugged;

“I saw him off. Wait... how do you know the girl, what’s her name?”

Axel smiled and let go of Lyra, “her name is Neera, and I like her.”

Lyra’s lips fell open in shock; “How?! Where did you meet her? You already saw her and you did not tell me?! I thought you just wanted to stop the fight I did not know that you indeed knew her.”

Axel chuckled; “We met a few times.”

Lyra clapped in excitement, but then she stopped; “you can’t have her. Do you think the King would allow it? She looks exactly like Delilah, you shouldn’t even think of having her.”

Axel frowned, “does that mean that she won’t ever be with anyone because she looked like the dead queen? I want her and I’m going to have her. If the king was really interested in her, he should have called off this ceremony and gotten married to her. ”

Lyra was quiet for a few seconds as an idea got in her mind; “Yes brother, I give you my blessings. Please make her fall for you and be with her. Don’t fail!”

She said excitedly and hugged him; “this is the best news I’ve heard all week. If she’s out of the picture, then I have just the other princesses to contend with.”

“Six Princesses to be precise. You have to work hard, when are the tests starting?”

Axel asked, and Lyra sighed; “Tomorrow, and they haven’t told us what it is yet.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll do well.”

Lyra smiled and stood up, “thank you, brother. What did you say her name was again?”

“Neera.” He replied.

“Yes, Neera, make her fall for you. Please!”

“I’ll do that but not because you asked. I really like her.” Lyra rolled her eyes, “Whatever, do it. I’m leaving, I think the Princesses have a meeting now. I don’t want to be late.”

She said, holding the sides of her dress, she walked out of the room excitedly.