Into the lion's den

Alexia's eyes darted between the guards, her mind racing as they inched closer, their faces impassive.

"Wh... What are you doing?" she stuttered, her voice barely audible.

One guard sneered, his eyes glinting with malice. "Teaching you a lesson, brat."

Alexia's hands instinctively rose, as if to ward off the impending threat. "Hold it! I'll report you to the king!" she warned, trying to sound braver than she felt.

Who would have thought these guards would have such short tempers? A few careless words and they were ready to teach her a lesson.

She considered fighting back but that'll probably just bring more troubles.

The guards didn't flinch, their expression remained unyielding. They continued their slow, deliberate approach, their boots echoing off the floor.

Alexia's heart raced as she backed away, her eyes fixed on the guards, her mind screaming with alarm.

Her fingers instinctively clutching her shirt as she further backed away from the guards. Their eyes seemed to bore into her, their faces twisted in a snarl.

Just as all hope seemed lost, a deep, husky voice cut through the tension. "What's going on here?"

Alexia spun around, her eyes locking onto a figure on horseback.

He seemed to be in his early twenties, the sun danced across his chiseled features, accentuating the sharp jawline and piercing black eyes that seemed to hold a world of power.

His raven black hair cascaded down his shoulders like a waterfall of night, framing his face with an air of dignity.

The horse, a majestic brown stallion, pranced nervously, its eyes fixed on the guards.

The man's uniform was adorned with an emblem that made Alexia's heart skip a beat - a black dragon with a demon's face, its eyes gleaming like polished onyx.

She couldn't help wondering who this stranger was? And why his emblem was so different from the one of the royal palace?

The stranger's gaze swept over the scene, his eyes narrowing as he took in the guards' aggressive stance and Alexia's frightened expression.

His presence exuded an aura of command, his very being seeming to draw the attention of all around him.

As the stranger's gaze fell upon them, the guards' faces turned ashen, their eyes wide with fear.

"Must I repeat myself?" His voice was low and even, but it sent a shiver down their spines.

The guard hastily explained, "N-no, Mr. Lucien! This... this boy wants to join the royal guard at your Palace of Demons, but he's too young and disrespectful. We were just teaching him a lesson."

Alexia's eyes widened as she grasped the reason behind the guards' fear. The Palace of Demons was the personal residence of the infamous Third Prince, known as "the Demon prince".

He suddenly appeared five years ago and was announced as the third prince of the kingdom.

Rumors swirled around his mysterious past, with some claiming he was the king's bastard son, while others believed he was the son of a concubine. But one thing was certain - he was feared by all.

The prince's reputation for brutality was well-known, having killed nobles and commoners alike, including one of his father's mistresses.

Yet, he showed no interest in quelling the rumors or explaining his actions.

His possessiveness towards his people was unwavering, and he would stop at nothing to protect them.

The story of a nobleman who killed a palace servant and was beheaded by the prince himself was a grim reminder of his merciless nature.

Despite his fearsome reputation, people were drawn to serve the him, eager to bask in his protection and power.

And now, Alexia found herself face to face with a man who seemed to be under that same power.

Lucien's gaze shifted to Alexia, his eyes lingering on the boy's delicate features before snapping back to the guards.

"Did His Highness set an age limit for applicants?" His voice was glacial, once again, sending a shiver down their spines.

The guards exchanged nervous glances, sweat trickling down their faces. "N-no, Mr. Lucien, but_," one of them stuttered.

Lucien's gaze narrowed. "Enough!" He spat the word, his disdain obvious. "You will face punishment for your transgressions."

As he turned his attention to Alexia, a sly smile spread across her face, her chest puffing out in triumph.

Her eyes gleamed with a "gotcha" look, taunting the guards.

Without another word, Lucien spurred his horse toward a separate path, the sound of hooves echoing off the palace walls.

"Come with me," he commanded, his voice firm but detached.

Alexia scrambled to follow, her eyes fixed on the grand golden gate ahead, her heart racing with a mix of excitement and fear.

As they approached the smaller golden gate, Alexia's heart raced with anticipation.

The symbol of the black dragon with a demon's face emblazoned boldly on it seemed to gleam in the sunlight, a testament to the prince's reputation. The symbol simply suited him.

The palace walls, towering over a hundred feet high, loomed on either side, casting long shadows across the ground.

As they drew closer, the two guards stationed at the gate snapped to attention, their faces chiseled in stone-like expressions.

The moment they laid eyes on Lucien, they bowed in perfect synchrony, their voices echoing in unison: "Welcome back, my lord."

Lucien's expression remained impassive, his nod barely perceptible, yet the guards seemed to expect nothing more.

Alexia's eyebrows shot up, impressed by the respect Lucien commanded. Seemed like he had quite a reputation.

A small door at the side of the gate creaked open, and the guards bowed again, ushering them through with a sweep of their arms.

As they passed through the doorway, Alexia felt a shiver run down her spine. She couldn't help but wonder what lay for her ahead.

Alexia's eyes landed on two servants standing at attention, a middle aged man and a woman.

The woman's gaze was neutral, but the man's eyes narrowed as he took in Alexia's appearance. His scrutiny lingered on her clothes and petite frame, his expression skeptical.

He turned to Lucien, his voice laced with doubt. "My lord, is... he also applying for the position?"

Lucien's nod was curt, and the servant's gaze snapped back to Alexia.

His eyes roved over her once more, his thoughts almost obvious: too weak, too fragile, what use could he possibly be as a guard? Maybe an errand boy will be more suitable for him.

Alexia's lips curled into a wry smile, familiar with the condescending gaze. She'd faced it before, both as a boy deemed too weak and as a girl deemed too vulnerable without a husband.

The servant's eyes lingered a moment longer, then dropped, his expression a mask of polite indifference.

The servant's voice dripped with disdain. "My lord, I'll need to take him for measuring and a proper search."

Alexia lips couldn't help twitching slightly, her mind racing but outside she maintained a calm expression.

She couldn't help panicking, What if they found the dagger Alex had just given her? Or worse, what If they discovered that she was actually a woman?.

What should she do? Maybe she should just make a run for it while it's still early, they probably wouldn't stop her, right?.

No, that will be to suspicious. She had to think of another plan.

Her gaze darted to Lucien, hoping he'd intervene.

Lucien's dismissive wave was all it took. "No need, I'll handle it."

Alexia smile bloomed, she turned to the male servant her gaze laced with obvious disdain.

The servant's eyebrow arched upward, his curiosity piqued, but he remained silent.

Lucien dismounted his horse and strode over to a nearby horse grazing peacefully.

He grasped the reins and led the horse to Alexia, thrusting the reins into her hand. "Here. Let's go."

Alexia's eyes widened, her gaze fixed on the reins as if it was a snake about to strike.

Her lips trembled, a blush rising up her cheeks as she stammered, "A-actually, my lord, I've never ridden a horse before. I don't know if I can..."

"Hmph!"

The male servant's snort was audible from behind her.

Lucien's expression remained impassive, his voice firm. "Just climb on. I'll teach you."

He swung himself back up onto his horse, his eyes as cold as ever.

Alexia bit her lips she glanced between the horse and Lucien but she finally reached out and tentatively touched the horse's mane, her eyes fixed on Lucien for guidance.