A Sword For A Demon

NOWEL

"What have you done to us?"

I carried myself gently into a sitting position on my bed as those words kept on repeating in my head.

"Ah, Nowel," Royal Consort Devi rushed over to me as she helped me to sit right on the bed. I was surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"Are you alright, my dear?" She asked with concern as she scanned my body from head to toe.

"I think so." I groaned as I felt a stinging sensation on the left side of my neck. "What happened?"

"What happened?! Don't you remember jumping off your balcony last night?"

I raised an eyebrow as my lips were pursed together. My nose scrunched up at her words. Jumping off my balcony? Why in the world would I do that?

"I don't understand." I shook my head to prove my point.

She rubbed her forehead with her gloved hands and sighed, "You told me last night to come and check up on you later, in case you had a nightmare. And when I did, I saw you rushed over to the balcony. Before I could reach out to you, you had already... I can't even summon up the courage to say that you wanted to end your life last night!"

End my life? I blink in shock.

She began to sob uncontrollably and I was concerned. Why would I..."Why would I want to end my life?!"

She sniffed as she looked at me. "I was about to ask you the same thing. I understand that it might be hard for both of you to cope with not having your biological parents around you. But... wanting to end your life is just too extreme Nowel! Just too extreme. What sort of comfort would you provide Iris once she finds out that last night her big sister wanted to end her life?!"

I shook my head in total disbelief. "So, you're telling me that last night, you saw me jump off the balcony?"

She nodded her head. "It was so terrifying to witness." She broke down again. "What demon possessed you to do that, Nowel?"

Even I don't have an answer to that question. I looked over to the balcony of my room, and I couldn't bring myself to agree that last night I wanted to end it all by jumping off. I can't just remember doing such or why I would do that. Or picture myself taking a free fall there.

The stinging sensation occurred again, and I groaned in discomfort. I saw my reflection in the side mirror of my bed. My neck is wrapped with clothes and it burns.

"Why does my neck hurt so much?"

"We are guessing it to be a snake bite. When we came to your rescue, you were bleeding seriously from your neck. So we are assuming that you were bitten by a snake because of the bite marks we found on the left side of your neck."

"A snake bite?"

"We are not yet sure. But that's the only possible explanation for why you have that type of bite mark on your neck. But don't you worry, the doctors have taken care of it."

Now, that's even strange. Why would a snake choose to bite me on my neck and not on my wrist or ankle?

"I'm just grateful to the eye god that you're alive!"

Yeah, about that, "How did I survive without dying or breaking all the bones in my body?"

She smiled at me. "You wouldn't believe who came to your rescue?"

I'm dying to know!

"Who?" I shifted closer to hear her.

"Michael."

"Who?"

.

.

.

I barged in and ran through the hallways of the Palace! And mount the long staircase that leads to the courtroom.

"Nowel!" Royal Consort Devi called after me. But I didn't listen.

Michael.

So his name is Michael.

How did he save my life from such a deadly fall? There's this part of my brain that is telling me that I'm forgetting something. But this is not the right time to sit down and flashback!

I'm on my way to the Hall of Grace. Michael is there and being interrogated by the entire royal administrators and councils plus the Royal chiefs and knights of Andromeda. Probably interested to know how he saved my life!

You might be wondering why I am in such a hurry to get there.

Well, the answer is, that having someone as stubborn and dominating as him being interrogated by all the forty-two members of the royal court is enough to start a world war. And I'm not exaggerating.

I need to be there, just in case.

As I barged into the Great Hall of Grace, I was shocked by the scene before me.

Illinois stopped laughing and the other members of the court. They turned their heads to the princess who interrupted the fun. Even Michael turned to look at me. And I was embarrassed. Did I just ruin everything for all of them?

To not make it any less awkward by just standing at the door, I re-composed myself, straightened my hair, cleared my throat, and moved gracefully to the center of the hall. Right next to the beautiful enigma.

I curtsied.

"Princess Nowel, shouldn't you be in your room, resting?"Adranus asked. I sighed.

"I heard that my slave is being interrogated by all the forty-two members of the Royal court, and I was concerned." I frowned at how strained my voice was.

"Are you also aware of the fact that the reason we brought him here was that he saved your life?" Illinois asked.

"Yes. But I don't understand why you choose to interrogate him instead of congratulating him for being so fearless and strong enough to save the Crown Princess's life?"

"Of course, we would reward him for his bravery right after we ask him how he saved your life. And he has already told us how he did it."

I turned to look at the beautiful enigma standing beside me and I was overwhelmed with curiosity.

I faced Illinois and asked, "How did he do it?"

"According to his story, he was at the Great Celeste river that is beneath our castle on the hill at that time you fell. You were lucky enough to fall into the Great River and not on dry land. So he was quick to dive in and save you before you drowned. And to confirm his story, I and the riders found him at the banks of the river Celeste with you in his arms bleeding from the neck." Illinois answered.

A part of me did not believe his story. But what else can I do than accept it as what happened when my memory has not fully returned yet?

"So, the question is, why or how did you fall off the balcony Nowel?"

I wish I knew.

"Forgive me Illinois, but I don't seem to remember anything that happened last night. I would tell the royal court my side of the story once my memory is in good shape." I bowed.

"Very well then, Nowel. Based on the judgment of the royal court at large and how we saw this event. For Michael to save the Crown Princess's life from danger willingly, we have all decided to grant him the opportunity to train as a royal knight and defender of lives right here in Andromeda! And on the castle grounds! As a reward for such a fearless act!"

The entire court applauded him. Even I did not hesitate to do so. Except for the white wizard also known as Elys. Who has nothing to offer but glares and death stares at Michael?

"Does that now mean that he is no longer Nowel's slave?" One of the members of the Royal court questioned. Even I was starting to wonder the same thing.

"That's now left for Nowel to decide. Whether she is still interested in taming him or not. Nowel?"

I turned to look at him and surprisingly our eyes met. The look he gave me was daring. Daring me to agree to still tame him. But as the dare-devil...

"Well, I think he is still arrogant and stupid... I'm still interested."