Will You Follow Me?

"I guess today's the day that I'm going to die."

Cormag thought to himself as he walked towards the gallows with a hood covering his head.

Once he arrived at the top of the platform of the gallows, Cormag stared at the other elevated platform where the nobles of the town were seated. Although his entire head was covered with a hood, there was a cut on it that allowed him peer though with.

Seated on the middle of all the nobles was a stunningly beautiful woman with light gray hair. She was currently massaging the temples of her head while holding on to a wine glass with her other hand.

"So that's the princess that was made in charge of this backwater town. I wonder what she thinks of these mindless killings of warlocks and witches." thought Cormag.

As he was staring at her, the princess abruptly stood up and shouted that the execution was to be moved to another day and left her platform with her personal guards.

"Eh? Why did she postpone it?" Cormag was confused as he was then dragged down from the gallows platform amidst the jeering of the crowd that gathered to watch his execution.

The next day, after being returned to his cell in the town's only dungeon, he heard the two guards that were stationed on the entrance that the princess was going to see him. They also talked about how she, Princess Tana, was a sheltered princess that loves reading books and rarely went out of the castle. They also talked about her being an eccentric princess that often decided things on a whim.

"I guess her curiosity towards warlocks and witches won over her reasoning. Quite the naive one." these thoughts crossed Cormag's mind.

A few hours later, the voices of the guards were once again heard as they greeted the princess that arrived along with the Chief Knight and the Assistant Minister of Finance.

"Your Highness, this is too dangerous for you. Despite the fact that he's sealed with God's Locket of Retribution, it isn't completely safe." The Chief Knight warned the princess as they arrived in front of Cormag's cell.

As the cell was very dark, one of the guards lit up the torches on the walls.

Cormag once again saw the beautiful princess. She was looking straight at him with eyes that seemed to be full of curiosity.

At this point, the hood that covered his face was no longer there and his facial features were no longer hidden. The light from the torches showed his skin that was now pale from the coldness of the dungeon.

Cormag then stood up and neared the cell bars. With his hands cuffed behind his back, he stared at the princess that was only a bit lower than his height. He guessed that she was the same age as him.

"Is this the first time that you have laid your eyes on a warlock, my lady? Your curiosity will get you killed one of these days you know." Cormag said.

"If you truly had the power of the Devil, I would have died the moment you glanced at me." Princess Tana responded.

Moving quickly before her companions could react, the princess reached into the cell and grabbed the pendant that was hanging on Cormag's neck. With a tug, the chain snapped.

All of the people present were shocked speechless at what the princess had done.

The guards that came with the princess hurriedly backed away together with Barov. Only Carter, the Chief Knight managed to return to his senses and moved towards the front of the princess to protect her.

Pushing Carter to the side, Princess Tana once again stood in front of the startled Cormag.

"Come on. Where are your flames?" Tana whispered to him.

Cormag looked down on his neck where only the broken chain was left hanging.

"What an amusing Princess." thought Cormag.

There were cracking sounds as the cuffs that held his hands behind his back fell on the ground.

Lifting his hands in front of him and touching the cell bars, flames appeared and covered them which in turn further lit up the cell. The cell bars melted and he stepped out of his cell.

The coldness in the dungeon suddenly lessened.

The princess' companions further backed away. Even Carter moved a step back.

The Princess herself was still standing on where she had been since earlier and was looking at Cormag's flame-covered hands. He was now right in front of her.

Moments later, he raised his hands, and as if they were part of his will, the flames disappeared and he lowered his hands to his sides. He then looked straight into the princess' eyes wondering if she fainted while standing from fear as she did not move a bit. What he saw amused him further. She was now looking him straight in the eyes and was smiling.

As the princess was quite a beauty, this smile of hers alone could enamor anyone she showed it to.

"Not scared at all? Quite the innocent Princess aren't you? I could've killed you right now, have you not realized that?" thought Cormag.

Smiling and seemingly oblivious to the thoughts that the man in front of him had, the princess said, "What's your name warlock?"

"Cormag."

The Princess' next words were something that nobody had anticipated. These words were what started something that was destined to be the biggest turning point that for this world.

"Will you follow me, Cormag?"

"Truly an interesting Princess." these were Cormag's thoughts as he looked at the Princess in front of him.

Cormag then smiled as he replied "It would be my pleasure to do so, my lady."