Body

Hera felt nostalgic as she walked the halls of the old dungeon her grandfather had built. He was the greatest king the Realm had ever known but unfortunately she was his only heir…

Hera managed to keep her head up high, hands behind her back and if needed she stared everyone directly in their colors. They all hated her, each every prisoner she passed by…why wouldn't they?

Majority of them were the bad eggs from her grandfather's Court that made countless attempts to overthrow her.

It was a cute effort.

So she cleaned up the prisons and renovated them to increase their comfort. Then there were also the mortals she'd accumulated over the years, they all ended up growing old and dying in here so she had to make some changes for that as well. She couldn't see how much different it looked now but the terrible stench from when she was younger was less…damn, she hadn't been here in a while.

She's such a fucking considerate queen though.

They finally came to a stop at an open gate, it was wide open like the inhabitant had escaped and left the cell which would be practically impossible because these cells are hard to break out of, no matter how strong a demon or even god you claim to be. The cursed iron that had her own personally drawn up runes made sure of that. The cell gates were practically alive, glowing a deep and dark red from each bar…that was how she could tell if they were open or closed.

"That little…" Vracko cursed through gritted teeth, he looked like he would pounce on the gate at any given moment.

Hera's lips twitched with amusement, hands still behind her back, she walked into the cell and right there in the corner was a big hunk of royal blue tinged with the kind of red that came associated with anger.

At the other corner was the spelled padlock that kept the gates closed.

Did he open it on his own?

Then why was he so far away from the lock?

The human was standing, his arms were definitely crossed over his chest and he was angry.

Why was he angry?

For the first time in a long time she really wished she could see the expression of another being…maybe then she would be able to figure out what those regal and angry colors he gave off meant.

"Did you have a good night?"

He took a step forward with a low and angry growl, Vracko had his griffin tooth saber pulled out from his hip and pointed at the human almost immediately.

He didn't take a step back, instead he stood right in front of Hera as his red tinge grew into something that looked more like flames.

"You're trying to frame me? Putting the lock and lock pick in my hands so you would have more reason to keep me here?"

Hera cocked up a brow and mirrored what she assumed was his current stance, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You're trying to tell me you didn't open the gate of your cell?"

"Would I still be in here if I did?" he deadpanned in that deep voice that made all the fine hairs on her unscaled arms stand in high alert , his tone was cold, detached almost like he didn't fear what would become of him in the demon realm.

This mortal was either really good at hiding his emotions, even from an all powerful empath like her or he wasn't scared at all

Now that…would be the most intriguing thing that has happened in the palace in decades.

"Maybe you were trying to prove a point," Hera lifted her chin and hinted at the direction of the lock.

"Maybe you wanted to show your amazing skills and how easily you can escape our strongest cells…you want us to fear you," she said the last sentence as a statement and not a question intentionally and as expected there was a shift in those colors of his.

The red simmered down, his blue became lighter…almost like the sky.

He was calm.

Well shit.

He really wasn't afraid of her.

"I didn't open the gate, I don't really care if you believe me or not," said the mortal, in a much calmer tone.

This was the first human she'd ever faced that could speak to her this way. It was a welcome changed that someone other that Vracko wasn't cowering in her presence…it was also annoying in a strange way.

"I demand to know why you're still keeping me alive!"

Hera's lips curled back up in amusement, her hands dropped to her sides and she shook her head.

"Such confidence," she chuckled, "I see now why Vracko really hates you…"

The human wasn't like the others he was used to and if there was one thing Vracko hated, it was the unexpected meanwhile, Hera enjoys the unexpected…she wished she lived in in every single day!

"I like you, human," she said, "What is your name?"

She could hear Vracko's grumble of disagreement behind her, he had already put down his saber but his stance still felt like he was very much ready to strike.

He didn't want her to create any more attachments to the human, he didn't trust her or her judgement…she was used to it. He respected her as a queen just because of duty and not because he actually wants to.

Hera wanted to know more about the human even though in the end, he would still die by her hands after she's done with him.

"I asked you a question first," he nodded at her as he spoke.

Hera shrugged her shoulders and put her hands behind her again.

"I like the look of you, that's why..." she said in a sickly sweet tone.

"Tch!" the human spat, "I thought you were blind?"

Here laughed and ran her fingers through her hair, rubbing against that itchy corner between her horns.

"Yes…I still am,"

The human didn't seem amused by her jokes…which was sad.

"I'm keeping you here because I need your body,"

"Excuse me?"

Hera smiled, not one of humor but the sinister smile she knew would make the information sink deep into his soul.

"I need your body to help create our Realm's next heir, our savior,"

And just like that, the red consumed his entire aura like flames on a tree.

It was such a glorious sight.