Marry The Devil

My whole life, I grew up with my mother, singing songs about the devil; Francis Sinclair into my ears. Everyone else described him as something completely different from peace and joy but to my mother, he was our only hope.

Francis was not rumoured to be the devil. It was something confirmed by the most powerful seer in the continent. They said at the time when the devil escaped from hell, he willed all his powers to Francis when he was just in his mother's womb.

I had never seen Francis my whole life. I only caught a glimpse of what he looked like in portraits of him hanged in the throne room. He was the only king that my father and every other king would bow to.

My father and the other kings were like pawns placed in each kingdom. They wore the crown, but Francis controlled everyone and everything that happened in each village, including the one he ruled personally.

Everytime my mother talked about him, I always waved it off. I believed we were going to get our freedom one day and find our voice. I was sure that father would come out of Queen Venessa's cage and shine grace upon my mother and I one more time. But the moment my mother died, I knew it was the end for her and my end was closed as well.

Even though my mother dreamed of my wedding with him being our source of power, I had always known I didn't stand a chance with Francis. He would definitely want a perfect woman with a slim waist and a perfect body. One whose corset would be the tightest.

I was sure he would want a woman with long hair like silk and a face like that of a goddess. But there I was. My black hair and emerald eyes were the only thing that I could be proud of.

I only had an averagely beautiful face and a body that's quite manageable. I never felt the need to get married to Francis, not until my mother died and my life was on the line.

I knew Queen Venessa was definitely coming for me and my father would never believe that I didn't murder my own mother. My strong hope to find favour in my father's eyes disappeared and was replaced with a burning desire to make Queen Venessa and her sons suffer for everything that they had done.

I just had to escape and find Crescent village; the one ruled by Francis himself even though it sounded almost impossible to make it to the palace.

******

I was down on my knees with my hands tied backwards. I was stripped of everything that identified me to be a member of the royal family; my tiara, my dress, my jewelry and even my place as my father's daughter wasn't so sure at that point.

I wore a gown that was mostly worn by the palace servants. . When did I become this?

I had tears streaming down my eyes as I was only a few steps from my father who sat on his throne. Queen Venessa and her sons were all seated next to him while the soldiers watched me.

"Father….father, believe me. It wasn't me. I didn't do it. I found her that way," I cried with my head lowered. I just wanted him to believe me, but instead, he cursed at me.

"I regret ever having you as my daughter, Aurora! Venessa has always warned me about how cruel you are but I didn't believe her till today when you took the life of your own mother!"

"I swear, believe me, father. I loved my mother. I would never do such a thing," I pleaded. My throat was beginning to hurt as I had screamed and cried so much.

"I curse the day your mother gave birth to you!" He sneered.

I shook my head, my heart filled with pain. "It was when I thought she was about to die, that I went to…."

But before I could finish, Queen Venessa's voice shined above mine. "You liar!" she sneered. "You witch!" She added. "Your father should have just killed you the moment you were born! He should have just married you off the moment you clocked eighteen, maybe then…..Raya would still be alive," at first she yelled, and the next minute, she was crying.

She had tears streaming down her eyes and she leaned over my father's shoulder, acting like she ever cared about my mother. Like she wasn't the one who killed my mother.

"What made you kill your mother?" Father asked.

I raised my head. It still felt like a dream that my father believed I would kill my own mother.

"I didn't do it. I would never," I answered. My voice already sounded so weak.

"Make the judgement, your highness. Sentence her to whatever punishment you think that she deserves! This abomination cannot live amongst us! Send her exile, or better still …..end her for good," Queen Venessa's snarled.

For a second, it felt like I couldn't breathe. So I wasn't just accused….father was going to sentence me to a punishment like a commoner and a criminal.

That was what she had wanted all along…for my father to get rid of me with his own hands.

"I shouldn't have named you Aurora," Father said. This time, his voice wasn't just cold. It held a depth of emotions, one that I couldn't explain. "You're not worthy of it. I should have named you Mala; evil!" Father sneered and my heart broke into fragments.

Mala? It meant evil…wrong!

I didn't deserve it….no I didn't!

"You'll serve as a servant far away from the palace, Mala! You will clear the farmlands of the villagers and clean the village! You'll severe the village till you take your last breathe, Mala!" Father commanded.

He kept calling me that name, Mala.

"That is not my name, your highness…my name is Aurora. I'm your daughter….I swear I didn't do it!" I cried as loud as I could.

"Mala!" Father yelled again.

"And who has such beautiful name?" A masculine voice asked, as the door was pushed open. The wooden palace doors aggressively hit the wall and I immediately felt a strong presence, one that I had never felt before.

"His highness is here!" A man's voice declared from the entrance and the next minute, my father took off his crown and bowed. I felt shivers all over my the moment I understood what was happening.

My father would only bow to one person…. Francis.

I immediately fell to the ground, completely lowering my head. With my heart racing, I gently tilted my head sideways, trying to catch a glimpse of him and the first thing that I noticed was his dark eyes. It was the darkest thing that I had ever seen.

I had never seen someone so emotionless. Not even the slightest spark of joy was found in it. Francis had a body like looked like that of a God. If I hadn't seen him, I would have thought he was made up if anyone described him.

He had the perfect build as his body swayed perfectly in his black royal attire. His hair was brushed backwards and his jawline was the sharpest one I had ever seen. He had the hands that would make a woman want to be pinned to the wall by them, and lips every woman would want to taste.

But above all, he was the devil and rather than admiring him, I was sure they would definitely fear and run from him…just like I did.

"Which of you is Mala?" He asked again, and my heart skipped a beat. His voice was the deepest. I could hear it deep inside my ears.