Chapter 1

Royal Romance

(The Princess and the Demon)

Written by Love Essien

Chapter 1

King Ephraim woke before the rooster crowed in the dawn. Why couldn't the rooster wake a pregnant king who was due for delivery?.

It was the chime that woke him. Faraway in his dream world. He heard the sound of the bell tinkled in his ears.

He made out of his bed. Calculating his gaits as he walked. He raised his hands up in the air. He let it thrust the air and he turned like a lady who was dancing for a prize. He was stretching his limbs. Sending back the bad energy into his dream world.

Since when did it stayed that long?. It was longer than usual and led to another. Look how a king is struggling!. He tried to controlled it but he couldn't helped it. He kept yawning. He was a king and kings don't yawned for too long.

He stopped by the high drapes. He mold laud of warm mornings to it with the smile of yesterday.

This very drapes were the mirror in which he watched the motion pictures of his dreams in the real world. Real like the day, real like life.

The day before yesterday he had a terrible dream. His worried grew like the mountains. He wished for fate to changed the dream or at least caused it never to manifest. The drapes whispered that it has cover it with it's soothe.

Yesterday he delivered a bouncing baby. When the midwife presented him with the child. He woke up. He couldn't see it face. He cursed the day but then this mirror drapes showed it to him and he lifted the cursed.

Today! he could not have forgotten to thanked it specially for yesterday. He slowly released their hugged and parted it with care to send its covering away, so he could extend the greetings to the sky.

The cloudy dark sky seems moody. It got jealous how the king would regard a mere drapes over it, the sky.

"I always start the day timing when the sun is ready that I may informed you. Then I rent my garment to enable it give light to the earth. when it going away, it send me to call the moon. I can't boost enough... Oh king of Golden Hill why the drapes?" .

Sadly the king had already left with a smirk. He placed a bigger salutation at it's feet till whenever it changes it mind. It shall acknowledged his greetings.

Or did the sky just spoke!. Of course it roared sometimes but this day. No!. It was the king's illusion. He always imagined things around him could speak.

At the tub. The rugged linen crossed it legs and vowed to harassed any one who shall used it. it

couldn't even contest with the king's fist when he yanked it up. He topped a paste and rubbed against his teeth like breeze blow through a farm during the harmattan season. Before an eye could blink, he was done.

The sloshed from the scented waters he splashed across his face and body was still beating against the floor while king Ephraim was in the arms of the towel. Quickly he went to his closet and made his choice.

He grabbed the robe that was sleeping on the couch and threw over his shoulders. He didn't need the mirror to tell him he was set. Except his hair. Yes his hair. He hurried about it.

" I don't need your services for now". He said in a whisper. But it was for the servants who knocked on the door waiting on him.

He bought some time just to spent with the royal bassinet he prepared the night before. A fabulous wooden bassinet decorated with golden velvet and fleeces. He sprayed the royal ointment and a sprinkled of peach scented flowers.

He tarried still in adorning it with kisses and heaps and piles of love. He didn't forget his lamp incase the sun fails to shone it's light. These items were too dear to be trusted in the arms of a mere servant.

He walked briskly with a feeling so determined and purposeful and bright and beautiful and exciting. He walked as though he already delivered the baby and laid it gracefully in the bassinet.

Strange! Really strange. At the birthing chamber, the midwives closed the door on him. Why wouldn't they let the pregnant king birthed his child?. His queen was not pregnant alone. They bear the child together.

In their first semester. He hated the morning sickness that nauseate him. The headache and clumsiness that follows. He stayed in bed. Sometimes asleep or sometimes just too reluctant to go out. He couldn't really concentrates with the state affairs. He craved for attention and food but others times lost of appetite and then his excessive desires for things so weird.

His queen would be mandated to tickled him in places that he would laughed to tiredness. Or he would be playing hide and seek in the garden.

He had to change his wardrobe. The clothing he previously owned almost suffocated his child. He needed lose tunics and coats and trousers to fit in properly.

These left his nobles stunned. They had to traveled miles to consult divinities. They needed the supernatural to drummed into their ears that in truth their king was bound by a spell. A spell queen Lucy incanted which became too powerful that it drove their king mad.

Queen Lucy was the pregnant wife that got her husband attached. How can a king always be with his pregnant queen and does the things she does.

He is not and would never be the only king that has a pregnant queen. One of his ministers laments.

Their hatred for him started sprouting because they say he has neglected the throne for a pregnancy.

But the diviners disappointed them. They let them understand that the king was just obsessed with his unborn child.

***

"My king you shall wait for the cry". Said Ms. Brenda the senior midwife as she shut the door.

"I am the king, your king". He said in a desperate tone.

Yes he was a king. The king of Golden Hill kingdom but certainly not the king of the birthing chamber. He felt vulnerable being order by a subject. He turned away disappointed.

"My king". A hoarse voice came from behind . He hurried back to her.

Ms. Brenda called him when she jutted her head through the slit of the door. She came out. The king tried to sight the room but she was quick to close the door, quicker than his gaze could tracked a shadow inside the room. Her gazed was focused on the marble floor. She outstretched her hands to the bassinet.

"We shall presents it before you with your child in it. Your majesty". She bowed as she collects it from him and waited for him to leave.

King Ephraim left to his garden to keep his tension in check. He kept pacing back and forth through the hedges of the well trimmed boxwood. Down the lane, he moved to the bunch of daisies trying to absorbed his tension into their colors. He ignored them. He kept parading until he could no longer avoid this sunflower which was smiling intentionally into his lamp.

"Aye! My lamp is not the sun you petty thing" he said backing it and sighed.

The cool morning breeze came. It could not soothe it too. So it pleaded with him to spinned around. He did slowly, very slowly.

Their eyes locked. His and the sunflower. King Ephraim smiled intensely into the eye of this pretty flower. His heart leaps and dart and jumps as his fingers reached out to it. So firmed and daring. He caressed it fragile texture lovely.

They developed a rare and passionate affection that tears strolled down his left eye. The sunflower began to glow more and more as the sun plastered its shade on it. It brilliant yellow brightens and neutralized the king's tension. The sun indeed disappointed the king and gave it light. It shone on them drooling at each other, both the king and the sunflower. He cry the cried of joy and laughter and took his face closer to feel the smoothness of the flower.

"Eleanor" He gave it a name

The chief guard at the walkway observed the king's every movement. As his hair and Eleanor's glows like the morning sun. His scanty golden hair with numerous streaks of greys sweeps the dew off Eleanor's soft texture. He almost kissed the lamp in-between his face and that of Eleanor with his forehead. He lowered it.

Bernard, the chief guard contemplates if he should go and tell the king that his beard was tucked in the lamp. He stood again and reconsidered carefully the strange actions of his aged king and began to wondered if his king has gotten insane.

Truthfully, what king Ephraim saw was not the sunflower but the child giggling in his queen's protruding womb.

He imagined when his queen first told him that she was pregnant. On that night he met up with her in her chambers as usual.

She was looking so sweet and pretty. On sighting him, she pulled her robe and threw on the floor, overly excited. She ran to him and hugged him. Then she dragged the king gently to the bed.

He lie still on his back. He couldn't placed why she was behaving the way she does. The way tears left her eyes in a rush. She sat upright. He held both her hands and planted kisses on them. When he looked her in the eye. She relaxed her shoulders and blushed placing her head on his thighs. She kept blinking to stop another line of water from cascading down her cheeks.

"My queen what triggers this much joy in you. Tell me that I may share in it".

She hugged him again. Letting his every heart beat balanced her emotions. Her hopes grew above her excitement. Her lips kept twitching as she wanted to speak. The king thought maybe if he smeared a kiss on it, it could function as expected. He gave her not just a kiss. A passionate act. Their lips hurt from savoring each other hungrily. Then she let it out.

"My king... I'm pregnant".

It was from this moment that the king started behaving strange.

Now he saw her. Not the sunflower but his queen about to deliver that child. She sat legs apart on the birthing stool. They were expecting the child to come out from the source but her stomach became transparent. The child was seen inside the womb. Smiling and playful. King Ephraim held it and kissed it. This made her giggled revealing her bare gum without teeth.

How dare a mere guard looked at a king with vain eye. When he was playing with his child.

***

Often the king would go back to the door he was asked to hold onto until he hears the cry. When he saw a midwife came out, he warmth up to her with fixed gaze into her brown knowing eyes. She looked away and drifted backward that she leaned on the closed door.

"My king" she said frightened at their closeness

She squeeze herself and escaped under the king's raised hand and left in a hurry.

King Ephraim heard whimpering and rush and tension and uncertainties coming from the door. His eyes was cloudy and dim. His lips kept twitching uttering nothing, absolutely nothing. Reacting to the storms and heaviness of his heart. The sound broke his heart.

His foots started shivering and he rested both hands on the closed door of the birthing chamber. He felt convulsions in his heart.

"May the gods keep them".

He murmured and walk away communing with the spirits as though his life was in line. Of course a life was in line. A life he would give up his own for or he shall die trying.

To and fro he paced his grief away. Once he will stand still, another time he doubled up thoughtfully. He clenched his fist and released immediately mumbling so low. He was mumbling what his head was reading on the floor with hands behind his back.

The two guards position themselves at their designated positions in the far end of the corridor. Looking down to the earth so they would never see the misery of their weary king.

The corridor was a one-way out. king Ephraim glided to the window at the closed end of it when he saw a Raven. His countenance changed to anger and revenged. King Ephraim's glower was as hot as the scorching sun that his cheeks got burned.

This Raven distracted his supplication to the different divinities he knew. He was appeasing for his queen's safe delivery but the Raven counter it.

This odd colored Raven, sharp violet and grey landed on the corridor's window. It croaking sound made him more curious. He was now glowering eye to eye with it.

Years ago he has seen the Raven on the same spot whenever any of his queens were in labor. It signified evil. The evil Tyson Odin Anaconda, the greatest sorcerer of the seven worlds did to him.

That very day remained a memory so fresh like lettuce. King Ephraim not only remember it. He sees it crystal clear like the blue skies on a scorching sunny day. He sees it when he looked into the mirror, instead of seeing himself he see the memory replayed. When he closed his eyes or when he eat lettuce.

It was on the dinning table in balcony that his duke, Williams told him about Tyson Odin Anaconda and his great magical powers. On the eve of Golden Hill memorial day. The day King Ephraim's great grandfather, king Alexander Wilson ix of Golden Hill kingdom gave himself up to the dreaded beast of the underworld for the greater good of his people and the world at large.

The day marked both sadness and happiness. Loosing an hero and gaining freedom from Violet viper, the dreaded beast that once tormented and deprived their dear kingdom of peace and freedom.

To this day, they carved it on stones and on the tablet of their heart to celebrate the sacred day.

In the antechamber, the royal table was set with assorted food and drinks. Barley, oats, rye bread. Basket of fruits in the middle. Fish and meats said their last prayers. Wines and spirits and many more made it worth it. Food were served in golden tableware.

The king sat on the short end of the table alone while members of his royal council dominated the longer side of the table.

Although the king had no appetite, he encouraged them to robbed the table of it's pride. They were gladden and feasted like it was their last.

They discussed too many things but most importantly the activities to be carried out the next day.

The nobles explained in details their assigned duties for the success of the occasion.

After they were filled and drunk. One after the other they staggered off the table. The courtiers help some of them who almost stumbled.

"Get your hands off me you . You dumbed coward. You willed the entire kingdom of Golden Hill to called me drunk!". Minister Mammon, the great secretary said.

Their laughter was heard from afar. Wriggling their way to their homes. Only Duke Williams was left to see to the end with his king.

He was overwhelmed by just watching the beaming stars with him from the balcony.

The night was like never before. Filled with joy and brightness. Seeing the smiles on the king's face. The smile he only saw the day he was crowned king. Sweet and intoxicating.

He thought of ceasing the moment to informed his king of what might sustained that sweet smiles on his face for years to come. Duke Williams thought it wise to be the reason his king shall fathered a child. The reason his long quest for an heir shall come to an end.

"Hold on, let a table be set with food and the best of old wine before me. My stomach now yelled for food".

The king said still suspending the smile on his golden face which commands honor. His ravishing wrinkled face and neck sat perfectly on his raised shoulders. His eyes were grey and bright like the beaming stars in the sky. His golden hair left the center of his head alone, for the crown to rule. It was bald. His hair joined his head and neck to sit gloriously on his shoulders. Sending it sweet and captivating scent to governed the night.

On an armchair they sat side by side lost in the brightness of the sky. It was not the scenic or the serenity which made the palace came alive that night but the smiled plastered on King Ephraim's firm face.

His subject has never seen this. The reciprocate with a pleasing smirk when they bowed. Surprise! even his guard's stony face had luster. His smiles was contagious.

His guards kept smiling when they dropped the table and his maids giggled when they set it. Ms. Edith the chief maid spilled juice when her gaze flashed through the king's.

"My king pardon me". Her looks still on the floor. She never lost that smile. She wished she could tell the king that he makes her heart glad with his countenance. But she was just a head maid in the palace.

"Be careful next time". The king told her with a warm tone.

Duke Williams saw her still delaying in the name of bowing to the king, countless times.

"Now clean this up at once" he ordered

"Right away your grace".

King Ephraim gave his duke a warmth stare when it was done according to how he commanded.

Duke William began with cautions. Saying only but a word in every bite the king made. King Ephraim had lettuce in his fork when this name, Tyson Odin Anaconda was mentioned. King Ephraim slowly assimilated it. Crunching the watery lettuce down his hollow throat and into his growling stomach.

"Tyson Odin Anaconda" the king repeated.

"Does the name sound familiar my king"

"Not at all".

"Tyson Odin Anaconda... my king is the greatest magician of all times"

Silence was included in the number of features that made the night splendid. But in it case, it only counted for a moment.

Duke Williams went ahead to pride himself with the great magical powers of this sorcerer.

"My lord! He is a man who turned kings into servants and servants kings".

The king gave him a weird stare for such statement. He lowered his head and humbled himself.

"He makes enemies turned babies and flee the battle ground", Duke Williams continue after he begged to be pardoned with a bow.

"He is Greatest in the entire Serpent Land".

"Serpent Land!. You shall accompanied me there". The King said.

"With all pleasure my lord".

The day came when king Ephraim and his Duke sailed on. He kept alive his hope of having an heir and embarked on a journey to the land beyond. Upon their arrival on an island in north central of Serpent Land. They went to the abode of Tyson Odin Anaconda but was told he was not around. A little boy whom they saw took them through boat to where he was. They met with this man he knew not who he was. Was this the sorcerer he heard so much about?. He wasn't sure.

King Ephraim thought he was going to meet a sorcerer with an eye on the center of his skull or maybe a larger eye on the heart of his heart. Perhaps fifty eyes all over his face. He thought he won't be able to look into his eyes because it will be burning with ember. He had earlier pictured him with horns and tail and claws so poisonous. With body covered in furs or beyond descriptions. He was expecting this Tyson Odin Anaconda to hovered in the sky with his powerful wings. Looking down at him and telling him the reason he visited. But no king Ephraim thought wrongly. The sorcerer was a beautiful aged man who lived the life of a simple commoner. His dark long hair had numerous strands of greys. He looked smart in his blue tunic and brown trouser and black boots. King Ephraim met with him at the shore of the green ocean making fire for his catch.

"What brings a king to crossed the seven weird natures to the magnificent of Serpent Land" He spoke with a sonorous feminine voice. He was forcing a stick into the fish's mouth without even looking at King Ephraim behind him.

"It is indeed magnificent wise one. I come this far to see a man that has a solution to matters that troubled me even in my sleep"

King Ephraim walked closer in his majesty. Removing each steps with confidence. The Duke followed behind and the two knights came after.

" Oh great Tyson Odin Anaconda. I come as a beggar to be filled. I come naked to be clothe. To break free from this yoke that has chained my loins for decades. Wise one you know this yoke. The very reason I'm here". king Ephraim said

He was three steps behind this sorcerer. He turned to his side to see his face but Tyson stood up and backed the king again thrusting his fish over the fire. When he didn't answer the king, the king tried to engaged him

"Yes I crossed the seven dreaded nature to taste your greatness". The king pause staring at the back of this busy man.

Tyson Odin Anaconda was too busy to acknowledged his glared. He walked straight ahead into the ocean and towed his boat to the shore. King Ephraim, William and his two guards stood startled at the strength of a aged man towing a large boat like some log of wood. King Ephraim darted his eyes about. There were beautiful colorful quaint style cottage distant away on the island. Beyond the waters was a large castle. Larger than any that king Ephraim has ever seen. Large and magnificent.

"it was formerly Sand Roar kingdom which Serpent Land rebuilt after enslaving it's people". Duke Williams told the king.

king Ephraim gazed traveled back to the shore. He saw in truth the magnificent of Serpent Land from every viewed his eyes grasped. The beach in which he stood was no different. White sands and numerous palms and other tree surrounded it. They were colorful tent and glowing light nearby, that the people built to enjoy the chills and natural feeling of the environment.

These people adorned themselves in dresses and tunics and trousers and boots. They wore expensive jewelry. Looking so elegant and wealthy. Too adorned to be commoners, too adorned to be by the beach side. They all looked like they constantly feed from the king's table. Healthy and smart carrying out different activities on the shore line. He saw dwarfs playing with sword. He turned to his guards to measured their height. He discovered his guards were thrice taller. They were a square feet. He saw yet majority whose skin were white like the sand which he stood upon.

"That is the Dwarfs and Cave City tribes. The ones that look like us are the Nile tribe". The Duke analyzed.

King Ephraim wondered how he knew all this. Just then, he saw another magnificent thrilled his entire being. A massive castle appeared in the air. The inhabitants excitement grew. The sand molded into stairs. Doubling one at a time to meet with the castle in the air. They people quickly went in in lines. Jubilating as they claimed the sand stairs into the castle until all of them entered. But the castle was still suspended.

Tyson Odin Anaconda just return with his long dark hair, overlapped with strands of grey hairs covering his face as he walked to where the fire was roasting his fish.

"I feel it will be pleasant to smell the sweet scent of your house, wise one! And to have dinner with you in such comfort". King Ephraim said to Tyson Odin Anaconda when he sensed they were the only ones left on the beach and the castle might be waiting for the sorcerer.

"You talked too much for a king". Tyson Odin Anaconda said biting his fish

"Death!. Death is what you seek king Ephraim Alexander Wilson of Golden Hill kingdom".

"You know my names and where I come from?"

"If you must have a child you will not lived to see it walk" he said ignoring king Ephraim's statement.

King Ephraim stood startled. He was numbed with shocked that he stammered when he was about talking to this man he couldn't sight his face.

Tyson Odin Anaconda spinned his head and his face went behind his back. His hands placed the side of the fish that wasn't done back over the fire and was turning it while he spoke.

King Ephraim stepped back, his guards stood firm. The Duke was indifferent. The face of Tyson Odin Anaconda smiled at the frightened king.

"You expected to see me in different forms. Why afraid if my face now faced my back". He laughed, "the face you longed to see" he laughed again and it echoes through the waters

" Your linage were cursed by the descendant of Violet Viper your great grand father killed long ago because they were stripped of their dark magical powers from generation to generation. If this cursed must be broken you would not live to be called father by this child whom you seek".

"Pure lies!" king Ephraim taunted. "My grand father had children. My father had me. What cursed are you talking about".

"Think before you speak. You are a king. You should know better. A cursed was place but it needed a defaulter in your linage so it might be effective. You are that defaulter. Right from the day you had an agreement with that man in the woods".

King Ephraim sat on the sand and wept loudly not minding if he displayed cowardice before his subjects. He remembered marrying one of his queen, queen Charlene because of the condition given to him by the man in the woods. To concealed the truth and save his title. He killed a pregnant woman in the woods. An accident. He would say but such accident could have caused him his title.

"Are you ready to sacrifice what you cherished so much to be a father". He asked him

" What is required of me oh wise one"

"The half of your kingdom is what I request. And your life for your unborn child".

Duke looked at Tyson with a snarled . He was about talking when Tyson shut him up.

"Silence you fellow. If your king is too weak to take crucial decisions in tempest times then he is not welcome here. If he wishes to be a father in the remaining days of his life on earth. He must do the needful' ". Tyson said with a straight face.

The king was still weeping. Duke Williams touched his shoulder. He quickly shook his hand off. The face of Tyson Odin Anaconda pitied him for a while and then returned to its place.

King Ephraim stood up. with valor like the king that he is.

"I shall give my life to be a father"

"So be it. You shall come back to me and the ritual shall begin to break the cursed". Tyson said gathering his loads into the castle. Then the sand stairs fell like dust and the castle disappeared into the unknown.