The Demon Queen and the Faery Prince

Her fingers crackled as she ran them through his hair. His eyes flickered, still bearing the red ring around the irises. A shudder passed through him as the questing fingers found the base of his skull and sent a chilling burst of energy into his body which travelled like ice cold fire down his spine and up into his brain. He hardly had time to gasp before his body convulsed and his eyes rolled upwards as consciousness was violently ripped from him.

Making a dismissive gesture with her hands The Queen withdrew the chains and the body fell to the floor with a sickening thud. Raising her head The Queen spoke to the ethers.

"Bear this message to you Queen, little one. Her son is gone. His body will lie here in torment for three days while my burning energy consumes him. On the third day he will be mine. Tell her also that she is not welcome here. That if she tries to breach my defences again I will destroy her utterly. If she has not yet had the opportunity to say goodbye to her precious Psukhe then her chance is gone. She will see his body again but in three days his soul will be burned to oblivion and the shell will be filled with my fire.

"Feed the animals." She directed the guards as she swept through the doorway and was gone. The guards ducked into the passageway outside and threw the usual slops onto the floor of the cave before they left.

This time there was no rush towards the food. The prisoners were cowed, terrified by what they had witnessed. Slowly the bravest among them crept across the floor towards the food but he ignored it. Instead he crawled past it to the fallen prince. Reaching out his hand he touched the cold flesh and brushed the tangled hair from the beautiful face.

"Oh my prince, my prince, what have they done to you?" He wept.

For as long as it took for time to pass the only sound in the cave was that of weeping. It was not just the man who wept. The very shadows mourned. The ice on the water hissed. The tinkling of the water falling into the channel conveyed unbearable sorrow. The rock wept.

At first the shadows kept their distance. Then, tentative at first, they crept forward and soon they were swarming over the cold body in which the red glow had faded. The man who had been kneeling at his side skittered back and huddled in his usual spot hugging the wall.

The shadows deepened. They coalesced and in moments Deva stood, his face grave, his green eyes moist with tears. Dropping to his knees he again lifted Psukhe's body into his arms and the tears fell thicker, splashing on his stone cold face.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry my love. I came too late. I let them take you. Forgive me." he closed his eyes and rocked. He lost himself in sorrow.

Slowly the cold skin pressed against his warmed but he did not notice. He was too immersed in his own pain. He knew nothing until Psukhe stirred and his moans whispered in Deva's ears. Surprised he opened his eyes and looked down at a face that was suddenly flushed and damp with perspiration. Beneath the surface fire burned. It was invisible now but still it burned.

Gently stroking Psukhe's hot face Deva crooned and rocked him as the fever built, sending chills to wrack his body and chatter his teeth.

"Hush beautiful one. I am here. I will be here to the end. Do not be afraid. I swore I would never leave you and I never will."

At the sound of his voice Psukhe turned his head and moaned. Deva rocked him and crooned but it did nothing to soothe the torment. Psukhe's breathing quickened to pants and his hands clenched.

"Hush now. Please. Don't..." The pain was raw in his voice and it may have been this or it may have been something else that brought consciousness back where it should never have been.

"Deva." The word was soft and breathless but it stopped Deva in his tracks. Breathless himself he forced a smile as Psukhe's eyelids fluttered and opened. Staring down into the brilliant blue eyes, forcing himself not to shudder at the red rims that still circled the pools.

"My Prince. I'm so sorry I let you down."

"Where am I?"

"In the dungeons of the Demon Queen."

"Deva..." His eyes fluttered, and his gasping breath caught in his throat.

"Ssshhh. It's alright. Try to rest. Don't..."

"I burn."

"I know. I know you do. Please... just..." He couldn't continue. How could he comfort Psukhe when there was no comfort to give?

"What... what did... do... me?"

"She... she's changing you. Her venom is in your veins. That's what burns. She's turning you into a demon."

The blue eyes widened and then hardened. "Never."

"Psukhe you can't... You know you can't... no one can."

"Then... kill me now."

Deva reflexively shook his head. "NO. No I can't do that. Don't ask it of me My Prince, my love."

"I can't... I can't be..." His voice died but his eyes continued the conversation.

"No. No it cannot be. It will not be. I will not end your life. You must go on."

Psukhe shook his head, fading. His eyes searched Deva's face then he shook his head again.

"No. I cannot. You cannot ask it of me. There must be another way. You must fight it. You a prince, an elemental, no common man. The Demon's venom destroys the souls of mortals a fey alike but you... you are half elemental. More that this... your element it Aether which combines them all. You are strong, stronger than any man I have ever come across. You can fight it. I know that you can fight it. I have faith in you. Fight it Psukhe. Promise me."

Gathering the last reserves of strength Psukhe gripped his hand and gazed into his eyes. "I will promise... to try... if you... promise that if... if I... fail... you will... you will not let...me become..."

Deva, weeping freely gripped the cold hand hard and nodded. "I give you my word. If... if you fail I will not let her take your soul. I will take it from you first and cherish its memory for eternity."

Psukhe sighed and closed his eyes.

"Wait."

With a great deal of effort the prince cracked open his eyes, just a little.

"You have to know. Just... just in case you have to know." Deva bent low over him, holding him tight against him. Psukhe had no strength to hold up his head so Deva, burying his hand in the long hair, raised it for him. "You know that I have served you well all your life. We grew together. We were children playing in the flower... together. We served our apprenticeship in the guard... together. We ate together, slept together, ate together and you were the best friend I ever had.

"But... you were more than that. I know that you know I love you but I don't think you know just how much." Gently, lightly, tenderly Deva took possession of his lips and Psukhe surrendered to him.

After a soft, sweet moment Deva raised his head and gasped. The eyes that stared into his were pure, clear blue again. The look on Psukhe's face was wondrous. He opened his lips to speak but before there was a chance to speak he shuddered as the red bled back into his eyes. With his last sighing breath before he sank back into his nightmare Psukhe breathed. "I know."

For two long days and two long nights Deva stood guard over his prince. Sometimes he burned with a fever than bent his back and sent his body into convulsions. Sometimes he lay comatose, cold and still. Sometimes he clung blindly to Deva and screamed until his throat bled and he collapsed again exhausted.

Often the burning fire in his veins was visible beneath the skin, crawling through his body like trails of red ants. These were the times that Deva feared most of all. At these times Psukhe would lie shivering and sweating while the took possession of him and then twitch and jerk, his back arching, raising his body from the ground so far that Deva could hear his spine creak. For a time he would be completely locked with a look of such pain on his face that Deve wept with helpless frustration.

Always these fits ended with a violent convulsion which left Psukhe vomiting bloody bile onto the floor and losing control of his bodily functions before lapsing again into the deep unconsciousness which differed from death only in the fluttering heartbeat and shallow breath. Grimly Deva would carry water from the channel and clean his body, saying a prayer for his soul. He had no idea if these fits indicated success or failure in the epic battle that was being waged within the frail body.

Being part fey and part elemental Psukhe needed little nourishment, other that water, which Deva dribbled into his mouth whenever he was able to swallow. Never again in the whole time that Deva sat and watched did he open his eyes again or speak a word other than a scream.

Many times Deva wanted nothing more than to flee. He could not bear to see his love in such torment and he wanted to turn away his face and cover his ears. But he did not. He had promised his Queen to watch over her son no matter what and, more than this, he had promise Psukhe.

The denizens of the shadow helped as much as they could. They brought lichens and fungi to feed Deva and maintain his strength. They wove themselves into his hair to give him such comfort as they may. The blanketed Psukhe in shadow to keep him warm when he slept.

The human prisoners, after their initial fear of the strangers gradually crept closer. They brought over choice titbits of food. They offered scraps of clothing and providing hands to hold Psukhe down when his thrashing threatened to injure him. They whispered together but never spoke to Deva. They tried but he was too lost within his own mind to listen.

On the third day the fever died and Psckhe lay in a stupor, his body trembling with occasional tremors which ran through it like ripples on water. For the first time his breathing was deep and even and he seemed to be at peace. Deva was taut as a bow. He searched his friend's face and body for a sign, any sign of which way the battle had turned. There were no red lines under his skin. He was pale and cold. There were no claws erupting from the ends of his fingers. His lips were neither blue nor black. How does one know when a man has become a demon? Deva fingered the short dagger at his belt uneasily.

Time passed although no one was sure precisely how much. They knew that the Queen would come soon. None knew what she would find when she did.

Deva was distracted when the end came. He was not looking at Psukhe when, without sound or warning he rose gracefully to stand tall and straight. He was clothed to the hips in his hair which writhed about him as though it were caught in a swirling wind or was made up of myriad tiny snakes.

Startled beyond measure Deva rose to his feet. He was shorter than Psukhe by at least half a foot and he looked up into the familiar eyes which he immediately saw with a sinking heart and shattered soul were not so familiar any more. The red bands that had encircled the irises had enlarged to swallow them whole so that there was no blue left at all. The flaming eyes glowed with baleful fire and shed a sinister light onto the curling lips.

The expression in the red eyes was one that made Deva shrink back. The smile did not slip from the sweet red lips as they parted and whispered.

"Why do you shrink from me Deva? Do you not love me? Is that not what you said? Do you not love me still?"

The voice was a hiss and it chilled Deva to the bone. He shook his head and backed away as the thing that had once been Psykhe advanced on him. Terrified he allowed his body to dissolve into shadow and he heard Psukhe laugh. "Hide from me if you must, my friend." The word 'friend' was a distinctly unfriendly sneer. "You cannot hide for ever. We have history you and I. We were to be lovers were we not, that is not impossible still. My Queen is not a jealous consort. She would not gainsay me my pleasures."

"I would rather die than sleep with you now." Deva spat as he plunged his dagger into Psykhe's back. Except Psukhe wasn't there any more. Moving faster than Deva could follow Psukhe spun and twisted, grabbing Deva's wrist and forcing the hand that held the knife to hold it to his own throat.

Gasping and wondering what had happened Deva found himself in Psukhe's arms. One was wrapped around him pulling him close against him. The other was holding his hand, crushing it, preventing him from dropping the knife.

"Please..."

"Would you beg me, My Lord? Surely that is beneath such an exalted personage as yourself." Psukhe lowered his head and whispered into Deva's ear, so softly that the elemental himself barely heard him. "You are my life. Trust me."

Stunned Deva went stiff and Psukhe threw him away, flinging him to the ground. He retained the knife which he looked at with a curious expression on his face. "A faery weapon." He mused before he crumpled it like paper in his hand and dropped it to the floor.

At that very moment the bolt of the door flew back and the door swung open. The four guards took up position and the Queen slunk in. Today her hair was piled on the top of her head with tendrils artfully curled around her face. It was encircled by a band of gold encrusted with diamonds bigger than walnuts. Her body was oiled and clothed in brief strips of jewelled fabric that bound her breasts and loins but covered nothing more than was absolutely decent. Not that the Queen was decent and it showed in her eyes.

As soon as he saw her Psukhe dropped to one knee and bowed his head. Smiling broadly the Queen hooked one clawed finger under his chin and lifted his head. When she saw the glowing red eyes the smile became hot.

"You are so beautiful. I had not thought that anything could have added to that beauty but I was wrong."

"I live to serve, Your Majesty."

"Yes. You do. I wish you to please me."

"In any way you wish. Name your pleasure."

"Kiss me."

Gracefully Psukhe rose and took the Queen into his arms. Without hesitation he pressed his lips against hers and sought access with the tip of his tongue. At the same time his hands roved over her body, gently stroking the skin on her back which, even though it was blue and distinctly demonic was soft and supple.

The Queen shuddered and pulled away. "All in good time, my love. This is no longer any place for you." She flicked her eyes to Deva who still lay weeping on the floor. "Deliver your message elemental and hope that your Queen does not send you to oblivion for it."

Linking her arm with Psukhe's the Queen swirled and led him from the room. Just before he left he cast a glance over his shoulder at Deva who stared after him, utterly shocked until the door closed. The moment the lock clicked into place he melted into shadow and vanished.

The Queen led Psukhe up through the levels of dungeon, through the living quarters of the palace to her private bed chamber. Although she posted guards at the door they were more to keep their privacy than for protection. She was utterly confident in her power and knew with no doubt that Psukhe was now utterly under her control. The red eyes were as much evidence as she needed. They had never failed her yet.

Once in the chamber the Queen insisted that Psukhe bathe to cleanse himself of the stench of sickness and the cell. She massaged fragrant oils into his skin and laid him on satin cushions on a low couch while she stroked his body and murmured words of lust. All the while he smiled and gazed at her with adoring eyes.

Finally, panting with anticipation she took him by the hand and led him to the enormous bed. Lying back against the silk pillows she drew him down beside her. For a while he let his long fingers play with the soft skin on her breasts and bell before raising himself to straddle her. Looking up she felt as though she were looking into the face of a God. The red eyes still glowed and the translucent hair floated out around him. A God or an Angel, and Avenging Angel.

The thought made her uncomfortable and she brushed it aside. "Take me my love. Take all of me I am yours."

"Yes... you are." He purred and there was something in his voice that terrified her. Before she had time to utter a sound he bent forwards and kissed her on the lips. The kiss sealed them and to her horror she couldn't speak. She struggled but he was too strong.

"Are you wondering what's going on? What I'm doing to you and why?"

Maintaining the haughty expression and with fire crackling over her hair and sparking in her eyes she nodded.

"Well... I seem to remember you telling some time... a long time ago... that you would be disappointed in me if I did not fight you. And so I did." His eyes, hovering above hers blinked and the fire died, clear blue reasserting itself as if he had switched on a light. Her own eyes widened as he smiled. "And I won."

Raising himself sinuously but not so far as to allow her an inch of movement he called "Deva." And the shadows gathered.

"You called, My Prince." He said joyfully, far more solid in this place where there were no wards t prevent it.

"You delivered my message?"

"I did, My Prince. Even now your mother's forces amass before the gate."

"Are they hidden?"

"Completely."

Psukhe turned back to the Queen. "I am going to let you go and unseal your lips. Then you will give the order to open the gate."

With blazing eyes she shook her head. "Very well. They I shall take your head and assume your position and I shall open the gates."

Her eyes widened even further and she considered her options. Finally she nodded, defeated. "Make no mistake My Queen. One false move and your head is mine."

Slowly Psykhe withdrew and stood at the side of the bed. The Queen too rose and glared at him with hate filled eyes. He smiled pleasantly. Raising one finger he touched her lips and she immediately hissed.

"I will crush you to powder, you viper."

"If I am venomous it is because you made me so."

"How do you know that I will not betray you now that I am free? What can you do to prevent it?"

"This." He said simply as the red glow returned to his eyes and he reached out so fast that the hand was a blur. Grabbing her wrist he squeezed until she cried out and begged him to stop.

"What have I done? What have I created?"

"Nemesis." Psukhe purred, leading her to the consul from which she could communicate with the guard posts. "Give the command."

The Queen reached out her hand to touch the panel but before she did so she spun. Taking Psukhe by surprise she held him, as he had previously held Deva, although not so gentle.

"I should have known." She hissed, pressing her venomous claw to his throat. "When the elemental tried to stab you, you let him live. Any true demon would have obliterated him."

"Live and learn Your Majesty. Never let your loins govern your thinking."

"Never again." She pressed the claw deeper so that a drop of blood, pearlised and shimmering like mother of pearl welled up and ran down his neck. Psukhe chuckled deep in his throat.

"Fool. Do you think your venom frightens me any more? I have beaten it once and I can do so again, far more easily this time. I am immune to you bitch. Do my bidding or die."

Now there was no doubt that he was a prince. With eyes as cold as ice, rimmed with fire he commanded and she obeyed.

But she was a Queen and obedience does not come easily to one such as she. Once again she reached for the consul only to spin away at the last minute. Only this time she lunged for Deva. Startled he tried to shift but the Queen's power held him in human form and he could not escape her.

"Let him go."

"That would be foolish of me. He is all the weapon I have to wield against you. You have fought my venom and won... can you be so sure that he would do the same?"

"No. I can't. And you know that I would never take that chance."

"Then you will yield to me."

"I yield to none... save the one you hold."

"Then..."

"Then I am left with no choice."