The Demon Lord's New Attendant

"I don't remember my sister telling me about this," Joe said. "There must be some sort of mistake."

"Lady Tyrell assured me that you had been informed of my employment." Albert said, keeping a straight face. "Could it be that my lord simply has too many obligations to attend to recently?"

"I guess that could be what happened," Joe said. "I recall her talking about something while I was concerned over my wife's health."

"How is the new queen doing, my lord?" Albert asked.

Joe thought about his wife and looked at Albert with new tears in his eyes. "She hates me!" He cried out. "I try so hard to connect with her! I have read so many books on relationships, that I had my minions collect them from human villages. Still everything I do, seems wrong. Nothing is going as it is supposed to."

"How long did you court the queen before wedding her?" Albert said, knowing the answer already.

"Only moments," Joe said, "but I have seen her memories. I know her better than she could even imagine. I know what she likes. What she hates. I have seen the things that make her smile, but when I try to do the things in the books she just gets angry at me! What's wrong with wanting your new wife to sleep in the same bed as you?"

"Well sir, there is nothing wrong with that…," Albert said, hesitant.

"See! That is what I do not understand!" Joe shouted.

"Under normal circumstances, that is," Albert said. "Tell me, why do you care so deeply for her? She is but a mere human, unworthy to grace your presence and yet she brings you to tears without retribution. That means you care deeply for her; my question is why?"

"Like I said, I feel like I have known her for her entire life," Joe said. "It is more than that though, her memories can only show me so much, but I have tested her decision making and loved what I found. I have seen her resolve. During the training, when she was faced with death, not once did she cry out for help. Instead she focused and survived on her own. She cares about her friends, something demon kind is missing. But most importantly she is the first being to ever look at me without fear."

"Without fear, my lord?" Albert said.

"Yes, even you are terrified," Joe said. "I can see that you fear my wrath and are choosing your words carefully. I can sense that you are afraid of me. I can smell it on you."

"You can smell fear?" Albert said, concerned that Joe knew of the state of his mind.

"Yes, it is a foul odor that has surrounded me my entire life," Joe said. "Even my own father feared me. That is, of course, why he tried to kill me. Yuna, though, she doesn't have that smell. I do not know why, but that girl isn't afraid of me. She talks to me as an equal. No one has ever done that before."

"I can see why you care for her, my lord," Albert said. "Forgive my ignorance."

"No, I suppose you were correct to be suspicious," Joe said, dropping his forehead into his palm. He exhaled a heavy sigh and began to mutter, "I know it is odd to be so smitten, yet I am drawn to the woman from her memories. Her bold actions towards me only confirmed my desires for her, but none of that matters!" Joe lifted his head and looked up with anguish. His eyes brimming with new tears once more, "She hates me!"

"My lord, if I may ask," Albert said carefully. "Why should the queen love you? You had the advantage of seeing her past, her life. So you feel like you have known her forever. Yet the queen has only met you. To her you are a complete stranger. You expect her to be instantly infatuated with you like the women in your books, but how many books did you read in which that behavior began the very day they met?"

"So, you are saying I should show her my memories," Joe said, reigning in his emotions. "Doing that to a human may cause her pain, or worse, kill her. No, we will have to think of something else."

"Actually sir…," Albert said, but the demon lord was still rambling.

"I could write my whole life story down and have her read it," Joe said. He began to pace back and forth as he spoke, "That could be a way for her to get to know me. Oh, but that would take so long; both to write and for her to read. Then I wouldn't know if my words came across the right way."

"Sir…," Albert said, trying to interrupt again but Joe continued to ramble.

"What were the things in her memories that she enjoyed so much?" Joe said, still pacing. "Oh right, comics! I could have the royal artist make a comic based on my life story. She could grasp the concept much easier. How long would that take though? I mean, I know nothing of drawing or painting. That may take longer than the book idea, but it is something I should look into."

"Sir!" Albert yelled this time hoping to snap Joe out of his rambling.

Joe stopped pacing and talking to himself and looked at Albert. "Yes, what is it?" Joe said. "I am very busy right now so please be quick."

"Sir, if I may," Albert said quickly. "You are focusing too much on your past. Humans may not think in the same manner as us demons. Where we value the experiences someone has had, as well as their being. Humans may have a different set of values. I would suggest you date her for a while and try to win her over that way."

"Yes dating," Joe said, "I have read a few books on that. I liked the books on marriage better, so I skipped that part. So, what you are saying is I should date her first and then she may act like my wife in due time?"

"Essentially sir," Albert sighed. "You should show the queen why she should love you through your actions. Then you will cease to be a stranger to her and will instead become her husband."

"Thank you, Albert," Joe said. "You have really helped me put it all in context. I understand what I need to do now." Joe paused for a moment. "By the way, why were you waiting for me?"

"As I said my lord, I am your new attendant," Albert explained. "It is my duty to ensure you are well taken care of, and to be frank sir, it is time for you to go eat."

"I guess I haven't eaten, yet have I?" Joe asked. "I completely forgot, so much has been going on today."

"Very good my lord, shall we go to the dining hall now?" Albert said as he opened the room's door. With that Joe and Albert made their way to eat.