FANTASY FICTION
Daemons Monarch: Roses and Reunions
A story about a reluctant queen and a long lost friend
Golden lights twinkled in the darkness, illuminating the gloom between the loose rows of trees. Gaudily painted lords mingled with deceivingly shy and demurring ladies as silent, gilded servants wove in and out of the crowd like ballet dancers carrying trays laden heavily with food and drink for their esteemed guests. Presiding over it all was the founder of the banquet, the dowager queen, Kalina Ryder. She was resplendent in a simply cut yet subtly stunning sapphire dress with onyx accenting and embroidery. The mask she wore was that of a diving being, perfectly sculpted in gleaming ivory.
The gala was in celebration of the opening of yet another grand opera house in Ryders Reach, the seat of power for the Daughters of Ryder. Queen Kalina thought little of these events, but as unfortunate fate would have it, she was duty-bound to attend. These events kept the nobility happy and in line behind her rule, and if she wanted to retain that rule she would have to keep the feckless nobility on her side. Were it up to her, she’d have done away with the whole tiresome affair, and the nobles to boot. However she had a duty to uphold, a duty not easily escaped, as much as she may wish to.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the swelling of the music as the guests started moving in masked pairs towards the center of the clearing. “Seems the conductor has finally deigned to grace us with a song.” This came sotto voche from her right shoulder. The voice belonged to a man of slight build in a finely tailored and elegantly simple onyx suit with sapphire accents. “If would please your grace, may I have this dance,” he said as he crossed before her and bowed low. While his suit seemed to compliment her dress, his mask was a stark contrast. It was a fiendish visage in glittering obsidian with long sweeping horns and a snarling grimace. he extended a hand invitingly.
She thought for a moment before taking the proffered hand. What would people think? “Of course it would please us,” she stated as she took the fiends hand, rising as she did so. The man gripped her hand lightly and led her to the clearing, the guests parting for their Queen, and this fiendish stranger. Stranger though for Kalina was the fact that her dance partner moved in an eerily familiar way.
The man kept the hand he held outstretched and placed his other lightly on Kalina's waist as they began to dance. He held her perhaps a touch closer than propriety would allow, but she let him. In a way, this whole sudden affair excited her.
As if reading her thoughts the man chuckled. “What a pair we make, the angel and the devil. Think of the rumors that could start as a result of this simple act. Exciting, isn’t it little Kalli ?”, he whispered, ice blue eyes glinting behind the mask.
Her blood ran cold as she finally recognized this man. Someone who she had once been very close to. Someone she had almost risked everything for. Someone she hadn’t seen in ten years.
“Daemon,” she whispered, her voice suddenly small and hoarse.
The masked face tilted back as if in silent laughter. “You always were very quick Kalli, very sharp.”
“But, why are you…”
“Shh, not here. We both have appearances to keep now don’t we?”
She silently relented and they finished the dance in silence. With a low bow, Daemon excused himself and slipped through the crowd towards one of the dimly lit paths through the extensive gardens. He paused at the edge and caught her eye once more, and tilted his head invitingly towards the darkness before disappearing into it.
After a few minutes of distracted mingling, the Queen excused herself, making her way to where she’d last seen the ghost of her past. She nervously wandered for a few minutes, peering into the poorly lit hedges and trees. Until finally, that newly familiar chuckle cut through the silence, its owner stepping out soon after, his mask hanging on his shoulder.
“What took you so long. I was getting wor…” he was cut off quite suddenly by the queen's hand traveling at some speed towards his face, the crack of their connection echoing through the trees.
“What are you doing here,” Kalina hissed, tearing off her mask, her eyes full of fire.
“Under normal circumstances, I would ask you the same question. But I think I know the answer,” he replied, rubbing his stinging cheek. “I see some things never change.” He grinned then ducked as the queen took another swipe at him.
“Answer the damn question.”
“Such language from one so high born.” Daemon took a precautionary step back, but the expected assault never came. “I’m here for the same reason everyone comes to these parties. The glitz, glamour, and opportunity,” he said, opening his coat. Inside the coat was a false lining that was currently open, revealing an array of jewels, jewelry, and assorted other valuables. “I honestly didn’t know you were here until I saw you from across the garden,” he said with a crooked smile.
Kalina, despite her best efforts, started to smile. “Some things never change.”
Daemon closed his coat, his smile turning suddenly sad. “Some things never do, but then,” He paused, turning from her slightly. “But then again, some things do.” His tone wasn’t quite accusing, but it made his point clear.
“You’re the one who left.”
“You’re the one who lied.”
“I never lied.”
“But you never told me the truth, and that amounts to the same thing,” he snapped, turning away from her.
“I didn’t,” she stepped forward, tears welling in her eyes. “I didn’t want it to end.”
Daemon sighed heavily before turning back to face her. “But it would have had to eventually. You were changing the station and I couldn’t follow it, so I left. Admittedly it was a bit abrupt but it was the only way. What would have happened if they’d found out you were consorting with a commoner, a thief no less.”
“They would have,”
He cut her off, “they would have eaten you alive. You should know better than anyone that’s how these nobles are. They would have tried to break you, and I wasn't about to let that happen. Not to you.”
Kalina was weeping openly now. “So you decided to break me yourself instead,” she spat, shuddering with barely suppressed sobs.
“Only our hearts,” he whispered as he stepped forward and cupped her cheek with one hand and lightly brushed away her tears. “They would have broken your spirit. A heart mends, a spirit doesn’t.”
A brief moment passed then she collapsed, sobbing into his arms, clinging to him as if for dear life. He wrapped his arms around her and held her, resting his cheek against her head.
They stood, enveloped in each other's arms until after a while Kalina's sobs subsided. She drew back slightly, still remaining in his embrace, and wiped her eyes. “You certainly know how to ruin a perfectly good party,” she choked out through suppressed giggles.
Daemon smiled, “It seems that I do now doesn’t is.” he kissed her forehead. “There now my queen”, he released her and stooped to retrieve her discarded mask, “Your guests will be missing you.”
She took the mask and looked at it for a moment before leaning up and kissing Daemon warmly. After a lingering moment, their lips parted and she donned her mask once more. “Care to escort me back sir?”
“Of course my queen,” he replied with a mischievous smile before slipping his own mask back on. He proffered an arm and she delicately took it. And so they strolled through the winding paths in silence, each of them consumed in their own thoughts.
The silence was broken quite suddenly by a hue and cry from the main clearing. “Thief! Thief! Seize him! Seize that thief.” A pair of guards were latching onto a servant by the time they reentered the clearing.
“Shite,” Daemon swore as he started forward.
Kalina caught his arm, halting him. “I can’t lose you again.”
“And I can’t let an innocent take blame for my crimes,” he snapped back. Then, softer, “Don’t worry, I’ve been through worse than this. Trust me.” He gently disentangled himself from the queen and strode forward, arms outstretched.
“Unhand that man,” he called out, his voice booming and echoing through the garden.
“And just who are you to tell me to unhand this thief,” the offended noble sputtered, obviously not accustomed to having his authority questioned.
Kalina smiled beneath her mask. Some things never change.
“Why, no one really, just the real thief,” Daemon replied, flinging open his jacket to reveal the pilfered valuables. “That man holds no guilt, your quarrel is with me.”
The crowd reeled back, startled and amazed by the brazen display. The noble turned red in rage and embarrassment. “G… Guards! Seize this man, Seize him at once!”
More guards came through the crowd to form a semi-circle around the thief. He turned around to face the Queen. “Your Majesty, it’s been a lovely party but I’m afraid that, with your permission, I must depart.” He bowed low and as he did so several devices fell from the sleeves of his coat. As they hit the ground they erupted, enveloping the fiendishly visaged thief in roiling red smoke. When it cleared there was no trace of the Daemon left.
No trace, save for, lying at the feet of the queen, a glittering onyx mask, and a single rose.
©Nicholas B Girard 2020
