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A person can spend all their life holding onto legends and prophesies when the kingdom falls into chaos. The last of the royal family no longer existing to protect those against the monsters that terrorizes these lands. One prophesy regales that once the Red Devil of the Black Woods is slain, peace will be brought back. Another prophesy (a bard’s tale really) is sung as a love story where true love's kiss will prevail by awakening the slumbering prince hidden away, his destiny to slay the Red Devil. One knight in White begs to differ, finding that no such prince exists and best to get the job done herself.
“You know, gratitude should be rewards for saving one’s life. Like, Oh you saved me how shall I ever repay you for your good deed?” The pitch of the high falsetto grated her nerves, but not as much as the idea of being indebted to Him.
“You did not save me, Red Devil.”
“Okay, spared???” The devil before her air-quoted himself in mocking fashion. Bits of embers falling away with each movements he makes. Having enough small-talk, the White Knight took out her crossbow and aimed between the eyes, the bolt whistled through the air of the dark woods that surrounded them.
“Here we go again” the wretched demon groaned.
Like clockwork, he moves his head to fashion what the Knight recognized as an eye roll before ducking and rolling away as more bolts came his way. “Listen Lady,” he spoke with the kind of familiarity that annoyed her. She swears the annoyance is solely because that’s all the Demon would refer to her as and that it has nothing to do with herself warming up to the moniker. Because she’s not feeling’s anything. She has to not feel anything.
“As much as I enjoy our dances of modern weapons and spitting insults, will a much sweeter waltz be more enjoyable. How else shall I appreciate your beauty if not in a courtly manner?” He croons in a teasing tone.
“You proclaim false beauty when I am covered in scars you have made!”
“My apologies Lady Knight! If they hurt you so, shall I kiss away the pain? I promise a chaste peck for every mark I have dishonored your beauty with.”
“Ugh, your flirting is as terrible as your jokes.”
Fervently, she rushes forward to slash the bayonet of her musket across the Demon’s chest. Every slash she made was parried by the wings or claws of the Demon. Every parried met, she would twist her movements to take another well-aimed shot with the crossbow on one hand and the gun-powdered ammunition of the musket in the other. As unusual as her fighting style for a Knight is, the Lady Knight was heralded as one of the best Demon Hunters across land for the number of monsters slain from her unique style. Her infamy recognized well-enough to earn knighthood for such skill and bravery. All, but one. That One happened to be jesting and moving against her attacks with a kind of familiarity that spoke volumes of this….this… long time rivalry.
Every scar she wore on her skin, was a tale of each encounter with the Red Devil trapped in the ever burning forest. The trees and its roots, burning and charred from the hellish flames that could only come from he who curses these lands with his existence. Her first encounter the cursed Demon was an embarrassing one, she had been so angry and so ready to die for her people, for her duty. The recklessness of her behavior led a quick defeat by the Red Devil who then started reprimanding her to value her life more before knocking her unconscious and leaving her to be found outside his dark woods. The wound of her pride gave birth to the kind of stubbornness that only worsened year after year as she would train to best the Demon that continued to spare her life. Ironically enough, no other supernatural creature had ever landed a mark on her but her demon,
Lady stumbled at the slip of her thoughts, her demon?!? The shock distracted her from incoming claw that knocked her on her back. She gasps, trying to regain her senses.
The Demon stood still, it wasn’t his usual smugness that Lady expected after her defeat. It was different…no is it different because she can’t lie anymore. Dammit all, she had been trying too hard for so long. To ignore it all until the very end. If only, he wasn’t so kind and caring for a demon.
“You’re crying…”
Neither knew what to do about her tears, Lady did her best to hide them by turning her body away. But she’s shaking now and her whole body quakes in unison with her heart. Lady felt the pressure of her duty to free these lands decade old curse that awakened these monsters and growing blight that’s been destroying what little harvest left to keep everything alive through another winter. If she couldn’t kill Him, then it was the end for humanity. Her heart ached from that chasm that deepened from the choices she had to make. Kill the demon that softened her heart or let everyone live their last days in famine and terror.
“Damn…that punch just really hurts …” She laughs as her excuse, it sounds so comical to turn this into a joke. It has been a joke from the beginning. Who was she to believe she would be the end to save her land when she’s been in denial. That she was just a stupid girl picking a fight to get her crush to notice her. Finally admitting everything she wanted to lock away made the joke even more hysterical to her.
“Lady…” Lady laughed while wiping her tears, damn he’s as awkward as she is about this. Except he doesn’t know why she’s crying, why she’s trying to hard not to look at him. The knight could feel nervousness growing from her demon –it feels so freeing to call him her’s, the kind of possession that feels so wrong but so sooo cathartic- and when she finally looks at him, she sees that he’s getting ready to fly. To run away from her, knowing him, it was out of guilt and shame.
“Don’t go.” She reaches out, but she can only grasp air, he was too far from where she had fallen. Feeling silly at the thought of how she must has looked, she dropped her outreached arm. In a flash, the devil places his balm under her’s and gently helps her up. Lady’s pleased to see him react so quickly to her whims, as if he really was her demon. She allows herself the decency to blush now that her feelings were more apparent. No turning back now.
“I’m not angry” she continues, bringing up her other hand to clasp his claws to her hold. Afraid whatever might happen next will cause him to fly off. This was new territory, she’s not sure how to proceed and the thought terrifies her. She knows how to slay demons, not woo them.
Not that she doing all this with the intention to court, despite all the earlier jokes earlier made by him. She might feel more for him, but she’s not about to throw away her duties just like them…
But her duties asks her to make logical choices and right now. She can’t think straight when her heart is hammering so loudly just by the mere contact she’s making with him.
“You’re an idiot.”
“Excuse me?”
“I wouldn’t cry over something like that. I’m not weak.”
“I kno-
“I can’t bring myself kill you anymore.”
“Not that you ca-
“Because I think I’ve come to care for you.”
He says something in his inferno mother tongue, Lady can bet that it’s swearing based on his body language. She’s known him for so long that it’s a natural to read him as well as she does.
“You can’t” He quickly says, worry and confusion so evident in his tone and body. She rolls her eyes, his cockiness was all bark and no bite as soon as she offers anything not threats his way.
“Too late now” she retorts dryly, she can feel him surrendering to her hold but she doesn’t relax her grip. It’s not paranoia feeding into the fear of losing him, it’s not unfounded when he looks so scared and ready to bolt.
“What about the people?”
“I’m going to save them.”
“By not killing me? It’s the only way to free t-“
“I’ll find another way.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re kind.” He’s opening his maw to retort, but she’s not letting up. “You care, you’re so gentle that it’s unfair how trapped you are in this forest! Nothing adds up! How can someone so kind cause all this? Please tell me there’s another way than your death!”
“The prophesy says-
“Fuck the prophesy.”
He cracks a grin, and she’s doesn’t bother fighting back one of her own. Her grin grows even more when he takes his other claw to encase her hands in his.
“I’ve hurt you though…” he argues once more but she can see his resolve to deny her what she wants crumble away. His bat-like wings move to gently graze over her scars, his guilt for creating them.
“Then make it up to me by kissing away the pain.” She replies.
He makes the strangest noise as he twitches his head in surprised. Her mouth shapes itself into an “O” out of surprise as well.
“Are you choking???”
“Shut up Lady, we’ve been at this for years and you’ve never been like this! I wouldn’t have minded if you killed me.” The last part, he said so weakly that her heart broke. She does her best not to show it on her face and words.
“Hm. I think I prefer the gratitude of sparing your life instead.”
“When you’re not trying to kill me, you’re a real smartass” he snaps.
“Yes, yes and I’m quite the knight too, saving damsels in distress and whatnot.” She verbally parries his remarks with her own.
“Are you saying I’m the damsel in distress here?” He lifts one clawed hand to his chest in pretense outrage.
“The fairest of them all.” She says dryly.
“Well you know, I used to be the prince of these lands.”
“What.”
He’s taken aback by the ferocity of her response and shuts up when he sees her glare.
“What do you mean by Prince?!?”
“I’m uh... I used to… My mother was Queen???”
“Queen Eva???” Lady’s mind was racing at the newest revelations that was coming to light. “Are you Dante? The Prince Dante?!!”
Dante opened his maw then closed it, then opens it again but no words could come out. It’s been so long since anyone had call him by that name. Not since his brother, who sought power by making a deal with a warlock to sacrifice Dante’s humanity for kingship. But here he is, having heard Lady say his name just like that. He’s trying not to hope, that small glimmer of hope that could very well end up being nothing after all. He tried in the beginning and nothing came out of it.
Until Lady came into the picture, fresh faced but ready to take on the world with weaponry he’s never even heard of. When he laid eyes on her for the second time after their first encounter, to see the pure determination of not giving, he knew he was done for. All these years was just him being a silly boy teasing the girl he fancied just to make her angry enough to keep coming back to fight him. After all, one couldn’t love a demon, so Dante would make do with hatred instead.
“Are. You. Prince. Dante?! Hello??”
“Yes… yes I am” he finally responded, growing annoyed from how impatient she was acting with him. Annoyance turned regret when she let’s go of her hold on him. He wasn’t being too harsh with his response to deserve the sudden cold treatment. He fought back from whining about the loss of her touch, doing his best beat out his childish need to have that physical intimacy once again. He hates how needy he is when it come to the smallest of gestures she would throw his way. Too lost in his own inner turmoil, he hardly notices the turmoil of Lady’s own as she paces back and forth.
“UGH! I’m so stupid, how could I not realize this. Okay, this is fine, it’s better actually! We can save everyone without killing you!” She finishes triumphantly, drawing her attention back to him and walking with the same determination in her eyes that sets him aflame that no one else ever could. It’s the sudden maneuvering of her jumping to grasp him by the horns that he falls forward into her manhandling embrace, his fangs pressed against her chapped lips.
What.
Lady lets go of him and he’s stumbling back in shock.
What.
He’s sputtering, trying to bring back his senses but they’re all scattered like circling stars that leaves him a daze. He can’t forget that kiss, it wasn’t soft, definitely not sweet, and felt more like a head-butt unfortunately. But somehow it feels so her that he wouldn’t mind it again, if only so he can improve her head butt make out skills. He could very well give her some pointers.
“Wait, where are you going Lady?”
“I’m going to kill the Warlock that placed the curse on you and on this land.” All her weapons are securely locked and she counting the potions on her person on her way out.
Dante shakes his head in disbelief, distracting himself from the drop of gravity inside him, twisting from her departure. Was that what the kiss was about? A goodbye kiss?
He moves in front of her and stop her from her fruitless pursuit. He shakes his head again and bites his tongue to stop himself from grinning at the annoyance that flashes her bi-colored eyes. Damn she’s so cute.
“Don’t bother, I tried and I’m still like this. Still cursed even when I killed that bitch of a Jester.”
“He’s not dead, that’s one of his many disguises to throw you off from ending the curse.”
His confusion must have been obvious because she’s softening her glare and continues to explain. She’s shifting her body, almost shying away from him.
“I…What you did you him, back then… you didn’t really kill him… only because he never existed.” She looks nervous now, unsure how to proceed but he quietly encourages her to continue with a touch.
“I wish he was… The Red Devil suddenly appeared out of nowhere and killed his creator, that’s what everyone believed. I had hoped for him to be gone finally and placed the blame of the continual devastation on you… that it’s been happening still because of you… I’m sorry.”
Dante didn’t know what to say, all these years he thought the same thing too. It was all he was accused of by every hero that crossed paths with him, entering his domain with a blade in one hand and a shield in the other. What else could he assume when the world was ending and no other answer presented itself but the obvious, that he blew it all by killing the one person who could undo this disaster.
“Knowing that you’re Prince Dante now, cursed like this can only mean he’s not dead.”
“But I killed-
“You killed his alter-ego, he sacrificed a part of himself to allude you and the rest of the world. He’s why no one was able to catch on because he created the false prophesies and faked his death to keep everything under the dark. That has to be why nothing’s ever worked.”
“What do you mean?”
“Because the Warlock who cursed you was just an ordinary man who got wrapped up in the dark arts, he doesn’t hold any real power that could go beyond death. That man was Arkham. Grand Duke Arkham…”
Dante could see that this was the rawest of Lady’s vulnerability, he could see no ever wound he has ever marked her with was as deep as the one left by the Grand Duke. He wonders if the scar on her nose was cause by the man too. Dante pulls back his touch to clench his claws.
“So I’m going to find him and kill him.”
She had said it so simply, like it would be so easy. Dante frowns, he didn’t want her to confront the bastard alone, and he faintly remembers the difficulty of trying to fight the Jester. Lady is strong, but in good conscious he didn’t like the idea of her going alone.
“Then I’m coming with.”
“But you can’t.” She countered hotly and he growls just as hotly, his annoyance growing.
“What do you mean I can’t, I’m the better fighter between us.” He folds his arms in challenge, daring her to rebuke the obvious.
“Only because you have cheating demon powers!” She snaps back defiantly.
“Meaning I have the advantage to deal with him better!”
“How can you when you’re trapped here!” It’s cute that she’s finalizing her point with a stomp, but she’s wrong.
“I’m not trapped, I can go freely around the world.”
“What?”
He has the gall the scratch the back of his head, feeling sheepish enough to admit what should have been known from the start.
“I’m not trapped… I just stayed here to be left alone after so many of my own subjects wanted me dead if I even popped my head above these trees.” It sounds so pathetic that he raises his arms and wings to gesture a shrug to lessen the sad reality of his own seclusion.
“Oh… I-then… I guess this will be like an adventure then. A cursed Prince and a scarred Knight, aren’t we the strange duo.” Just like him, she’s trying to make light of these revelations and he’s thankful of her lack of rejection.
As they walk out of the forest, he’s greeted fields upon fields of grass and a road that lead to a town further away. Nervousness gnawed against him whining thinking of the fear of his ex-subjects, but it will never compare to the dreaded possibility of losing Lady. He turns to look at her, appreciating how the Moon’s light flatters her complexion, something the ash and smoke of the woods robbed him of.
“By the way…” he starts ever so slyly, watching for a reaction. “That kiss earlier, what was that for?”
“Oh…”
He’s delighted to see pink tinging her cheeks, once was not enough. Dante wants nothing more than to spoil his greed to see these new sides of Lady that he can feel his urge to tease her more than ever.
“That was… I thought a kiss could break the curse… because you’re a prince like… like…”
“Like in the fairytales? My my, that’s rather maidenly of you.” He teases, her reactions are oh so tantalizing he wants to prod further until she puts a bolt into his head.
“Shut up your majesty before I spear you with the end of my weapon!”
“Dante is just fine…” He says rather softly, ignoring her earlier threat.
She looks at him in surprise and turns her gaze away from him shyly. Suddenly his heart beats faster when he catches her smiling to herself.
“Dante…” if his heart beats any faster than Lady actually would succeed in defeating the big Red Devil, “you can keep calling me Lady… I quite like that name.”
Today feels so different, that he’s even recalling his courtly manners after years of living as a devil robbed him of his royal identity. He bows before her, wanting nothing than to bring back his humanity.
“As my Lady wishes.”