To Bewitch a Devil

55 Do you know him?

“Zavian,” Freya called when she saw him walk toward them. His expression was dark, and his eyes stared at her hand, which held Neera’s neck.

“Let her go.” He said, and she frowned;

“Zavian, you can’t keep saving this girl...”

“I said, let her go,” Zavian spoke again, this time more affirmatively.

Freya hesitated for a second, then she withdrew her hand from Neera’s neck.

“Go in, Neera,” Zavian ordered the girl, who was on the ground and panting heavily. Neera held her neck and stood from the ground.

“Thank you, your majesty.” She spoke before disappearing into the king’s court.

There was silence, minutes after she had left, and Zavian walked to Freya.

“Let’s go to a quiet place.” He said, and Freya fumed, but still followed him.

.....

Zavian walked to the orchard and sat down on a carved seat made of stone, then pointed beside him.

“Sit.” He said to Freya, and she glared at him before she sat down.

Zavian was quiet for a while, and then he sighed;

“We are close to finding an answer, Freya. We are this close. You don’t expect me to give up now when I’m almost there, do you?”

He asked, and Freya bit her lower lip tightly, a little too tight that it almost bled.

“For how long, Zavian? How long? Today a war could have started and everything we’ve toiled for would come crashing down, all for a mere slave girl? Is it worth it? I don’t know how you expect me to just stand by and do nothing!”

Freya trembled, she did not know why Zavian wasn’t seeing all that she was seeing. Why was he so blind?

“Do nothing. Freya. I beg of you.”

Zavian spoke tenderly, and her heart softened. She did not know what to do anymore.

“Fine! But just this last time. If she tries to ruin the peace of this kingdom again, I can’t promise you that I would stay still.”

There was silence between them for a while, then Freya asked; “did mother come to you?”

Zavian blinked when he heard her. “Yes,” he answered curtly.

Freya was quiet. She knew how sensitive the topic was, so she did not want to ask him what their mother had said; she could already guess.

“Fredrick would seize every opportunity to become king. How was it that he was the one that found her? I wanted to pull every tooth in his mouth as I watched him talk. He irks me.”

She spoke, changing the topic.

Fredrick was greedy and power drunk. He had always wanted the throne, but he was not banished because he had pledged allegiance to Zavian, and at that time, Zavian needed all the support he could get.

The only reason he fought by Zavian’s side was that he had a chance to be king if Zavian took the throne. He had no chance whatsoever if his father won.

“Do not concern yourself with that. I’ll handle it.” Zavian spoke and stood up from the chair.

“Go in and rest for the night.” He said to Freya, patting her shoulders before walking away.

Zavian’s expression became dark as he walked out of the orchard and through a gate. He walked for a while before he stopped in front of a house. There were two guards outside of the house guarding it; when they saw Zavian, they pushed open the door.

Inside the room was Lord Fredrick sitting on a couch, and when he saw Zavian; he stood up.

“Your Majesty; you called for me.” He spoke with a chuckle.

Zavian shut the door behind him and walked toward him.

Fredrick’s lips were stretched in a smile, but the next second, a blow came dashing to his face, that wiped the smug off his face.

“Ouch! That hurts.” Fredrick grimaced, rubbing the side of his lips.

He looked up at Zavian; his eyes brimmed with anger.

Zavian’s expression was calm as he walked to the table and wiped his hand with a handkerchief.

“Sometimes, I think you forget I am your king.”

He spoke as he turned around to look at Fredrick. “You should know when to stop dreaming, don’t you think?”

Fredrick fumed silently, but then formed a smile; “I do not think I know what I did to deserve this, your majesty.”

“We both know what you did. If you choose to be ignorant, then it’s up to you.”

He spoke in a calm manner as he walked toward Fredrick; “This kingdom is mine, and I appointed you Duke, don’t for a second think of doing what you did today again because I won’t be this forgiving next time.”

With that, Zavian turned and walked out of the room, leaving Fredrick fuming with hands clenched into fists.

...

Neera squeezed the small cloth in water and patted it on her head. Thankfully the wound was not much so it would heal in a few days.

She sighed as she poured the water away and went to sit on her bed.

Why was it when she was going to the kitchen that the Duke would pass? She thought. Why was her luck so bad?!

Neera couldn’t even imagine what would have happened to her that night if Axel had not come to her rescue. She was still lost in thought when she heard a knock on her door.

She turned to it as her heart flew to her stomach. Hesitating, she went and opened the door.

“Your Majesty; ” Neera greeted, and shifted to the side, letting him in. After Zavian had entered, she knelt down before he could say anything.

“I deserve to die.” She cried, her head lowered. Zavian stared at the girl on the ground, and he sighed.

“Get up.” He spoke, and Neera stood to her feet, her head still bowed.

Zavian walked closer to her and tilted her jaw up with his fingers; looking at her wound;

“Does it hurt?” He queried, and Neera became confused. She had thought he came to scold her for interrupting the ceremony, but he just came to ask if her wound hurt?

She blinked and shook her head; “No, your majesty.” She replied, very confused at this point. Was he not mad at her?

Zavian was quiet for a second before he asked;

“Do you know him?”