To Bewitch a Devil

Eloise chuckled slightly as she avoided his question; ”If you can, send the girl as far away from you as you can. She is not your wife, and surely, you cannot make her into Lilah. If you do not heed my warning, she would be your doom.”

Zavian stared at the witch in front of him, and then he laughed. For over fifty years Eloise had served him; this was the first time he had doubted something she said.

He could believe if she said that he could not bring his wife back, but Neera being his doom? That was a little too hard to believe. Neera was the most innocent human soul he had ever met in all the centuries he had dealt with humans.

She bore no evil in her heart; and even when you did her wrong, she did not pay evil with evil. So how would such a clean heart be his downfall?

Maybe old age was beginning to tell on Eloise, and it was time to seek help somewhere else.

Zavian stood up from the chair and nodded; ”Okay, I have heard what you have said. ” He spoke and turned to leave.

”Your Majesty, I implore you to heed my advice now. The more days go by, the harder it will get to get rid of the girl. You should know your father is the craftiest being that has walked the earth; he would go to any length to defeat you. ”

Zavian stopped and turned around; ”Sending the girl away will do nothing. As long as she breathes, I will always think of Lilah; and you cannot suggest that I kill her. There is no way I would kill the only thing that connects me to Lilah. ” he said, and without waiting for her response, he turned around and walked away.

.....

Eloise watched the king leave, and then she shook her head. The prophecy was something that was unavoidable, but she had wanted to do her best. She wanted to see if she could change it, but sadly there was nothing she could do.

He would fall for that woman, and she would be the end of him.

...

Neera stood outside as she waited nervously. If she knew Zavian was bringing her here today, she would have said goodbye to Penelope and prepared herself before coming. She was fidgeting, praying hard that whatever was needed would not require her life.

The witches passed by her and looked at her strangely. They did not say a word to her, but they did not hide the fact that they were talking about her.

Suddenly, Neera heard footsteps and turned to the door, only to see an angry-looking Zavian walking toward her. From the look on his face, she knew whatever they talked about was not successful.

”Let’s go. ” Zavian spoke and walked forward and she quickly followed behind.

Neera did not know how to feel. Well, she was happy that she was not getting killed that day, but at the same time, she was a little sad that she would wake up every day now, wondering if it was the day she would die.

His strides were long as Neera struggled to keep up. He looked visibly enraged, so she did well not to make any sounds with her feet in order not to rile him up any more.

When they got back to the Castle, Zavian asked her to leave. Without saying a word, she left his side. When she was out of his sight, she sighed a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. Zavian was fearful when he was angry; she was even scared to breathe. He was only a little likable when he was not angry.

Neera thanked her stars that she left his side in one piece, but her relief did not last long because as she turned to walk away, she saw Freya. Neera’s heart fell to the pit of her stomach as all color drained from her face.

Freya frowned the instant her eyes fell on the girl and she walked toward her;

”Where are you coming from? Why are you not working with the others?” She asked;

Neera did not know what to say. She couldn’t tell her she was with the king; it would make her angry, and she might slap her again; but then she couldn’t lie to her either.

”Are you deaf?!” Freya’s pitch increased as she walked toward Neera, and Neera lowered her head. Neera opened her lips to reply when she heard a familiar voice speak from behind her.

”Sister... ” Zavian’s voice rang from behind her, and Freya looked up at him.

”Come with me. ” He said and walked back into his chambers. Freya stared at the girl in front of her for some seconds before she walked past her to Zavian’s room.

”Zavian, what is it? ” Freya asked as she walked into the room. There was a visible frown on her forehead and she looked impatient.

Zavian turned around to look at her when she walked in;

”I want you to stop.”

Freya’s frown deepened; ”Stop what?” she asked.

”Stop punishing the girl. It is not her fault that she looks like Delilah. ” He said, and she laughed hysterically.

”Interesting, now you’re protecting her.”

”It is not that I am protecting her. She is human who can feel pain, and hurt, and punishing her would not stop me from wanting Lilah back. I promised you that I would not go back on my words to marry a princess. So can you please, just let me have this one peace after 500 years?”

Freya’s frown melted at Zavian’s words. She knew how much it hurt all these years, and she of all people wanted to see him happy. But at what cost? The girl was human, and no one knew what she was. What if she was sent by their father?

What if she was evil? Why was it her? Why did she not get rid of her when she had the chance?

Freya asked herself a thousand questions, all of which she had no answers.

”Zavian, what if you can’t bring her back, what will happen to the girl? ” She asked, walking towards him. ”Are you going to get rid of her?”

Zavian was quiet, he was not sure he could. It was like killing Lilah with his own hands, he couldn’t bring himself to.

”Freya, I cannot promise you that, but I assure you, I would not let this get in the way of the ceremony. If I cannot bring her back, I’ll marry one of the Princesses and let this be behind us for good.”

Freya stared at her brother, doubt filling her. If he could not get rid of her now, was it when he had gotten attached to her, that he would be able to get rid of her?

Freya did not know what to do. She had made a big mistake that could not be corrected.

”Zavian... ” she called, sighing deeply. How was she just going to stand by the side and let this happen right in front of her eyes?

”I promise... ” Zavian spoke, walking close to her; he held her shoulders.

”I promise everything will work out as planned. ”