The Devil's Cursed Witch

When Ember woke up the next morning, Draven was no longer next to her in the bed. It wasn't surprising for her at all, and she was even relieved by his absence; she didn't have to face him first thing in the morning. Just as she tried to sit up, she realized her body was aching and it was due to her sleeping in the same position the entire night as the solid body of her mate had firmly kept her in place, unable to move a bit.

'He was wrapped around me like a snake. Did he forget I'm human? Can't he be a little lenient towards my frail body?' she complained but then as she remembered the sensation of his muscled body pressed against hers, she could not help but grin.

'Though I can't deny that not only does his body look good, it also feels good. His muscles are firm and strong and so perfect, his body is just like how they described in those books.  And his smell? He smells so good all the time, that fresh yet masculine scent of the forest...'

She could not help but nuzzle her face against the pillow he used that still carried a bit of his smell. A light dreamy smile appeared on her lips.

'I wonder how he looks if he smiles at me? But then again, can't deny he is good-looking even if he's frowning most of the time. So handsome!'

After she rolled around the bed like a little girl, she then let out a frustrated groan. 'Wait...Why am I thinking about him? So what if he is handsome? It is only natural for my mate to be good-looking since I am pretty. I might be human but I don't lose out in terms of appearance compared to the ladies I've met so far in Agartha. Besides, Gaia had always told me I am the prettiest princess she had ever seen and I trust her words.'

A proud and content sigh left her lips as she stepped out of the bed. She then heard a timely knock.

"Good morning, Miss," her servants greeted her as they entered the chamber at the same time.

"Good morning, Reya, Clio," Ember replied as she moved to stretch her arms and waist. She let out small groaning sounds as she did so, not knowing her two servants would interpret her thoughtless action differently.

The pair of cousins shared a knowing look at each other as they smiled shyly. Draven was with Ember the entire night. The elves didn't have to think to know that something intimate must have happened between the two mates. It made sense that Ember's body would ache if they did something...quite rigorous.

Ember noticed their strange behaviour and lowered her arms. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Umm! It's nothing, Miss."

"Yeah, it's nothing. Shall we prepare a bath for you?"

Feeling puzzled at their reactions, Ember simply nodded but just as they left, something clicked in her mind. The more she thought about it, the more Ember felt that her guess was right and sighed, 'These two overthink a lot. Did they think that whenever a man and a woman sleep together, they always do that? Are we beasts to do it all the time? Cough! Well, he is technically a beast, but not me. Ugh. Poor me...'

Thus, Ember's morning routine started with her trying her best to ignore her servants' meaningful looks.

During the meal afterwards, she asked her servants, "Is His Majesty in the palace?"

"Yes, Miss."

"I want to meet him. Can you ask Erlos to send a message?"

"Oh, I'll return in a bit then, Miss," Reya said as she volunteered to seek the King's attendant. When Reya returned, she told her master that she could come to see the King in his study at her convenience.

"Miss, are you going to your study now?" Clio asked after Ember finished eating. Her servants knew she had been immersed in reading books related to elemental magic since yesterday, and thus, they were prepared to search for more study materials from the library for their master.

But Ember shook her head.

"I am in the mood for a stroll. I'll walk around the garden first."

Ember was thinking it would be a nice and quiet day as usual, but when she came out into the garden, she realized there seemed to be people other than the usual palace servants today. It wasn't just one or two guests, but there were groups clad in various attires going in and out of the King's study and the waiting room next door.

"Why are there so many people today in the palace?" Ember asked. "Various races are present but it doesn't seem like a council meeting?"

The two female elves had expressions of surprise and then guilt on their faces. Reya hurried to bow. "Right, Miss, you must not know about it. Apologies for not telling you about it!"

"What is it? Is there a festival?"

Reya elbowed her younger cousin, urging her to explain. Clio sighed. "Well, I believe it is more proper to say it's a commemoration rather than a festival, Miss. In a few days, the entire kingdom will pay respect to the dead so they are preparing for it. The important figures of the different clans and races have come to consult with the King as it would be something that the entire kingdom would be busy with."

"Paying respect to the dead?"

"More like, it's a day of mourning," Reya explained.

Clio then clarified Ember's doubts.

"You must have somehow heard by now, Miss, that the humans and our kind had almost always been at war, haven't you? Roughly a century ago, there was a particularly horrific massacre that happened when the humans launched an attack against Agartha. So many lives were lost, families and friends died and some pitiful clans were even wiped out. It was the most tragic war in the history of Agartha.

"For humans, a hundred years is already a long time--it amounts to three generations of your people--but for most of us, the people we lost back then were our parents and children, people who we grew up with. Thus, our people continue to mourn and grieve for the loss we experienced back then," Clio answered, trying her best to sound informative without being sad.

Ember quietly listened to her explanation.

"On the northeast part of the kingdom, there is a vast valley that used to be the battlefield from a century ago, and to honour those who gave up their lives for the sake of protecting our people, it was turned into a sacred burial ground held in high regards by each and every supernatural being in the Kingdom of Agartha. The bodies and souls of the fallen warriors lay there in graves, regardless of identity or race, and a memorial was placed there detailing their achievements, as they deserved to be honoured by the people they saved and remembered by the generations to come."

"People like them are admirable heroes," Ember commented.

A bitter smile hung on Clio's lips. "Our kind would rather not have that title if it meant they need not lose a loved one."

Ember nodded as she struggled to understand how it must have felt. For her, losing Gaia had been a truly terrible, terrible experience, and that was just a single person. What was grief like for these long-lived people, beings who could live for hundreds of years? How was it like to know that the neighbour you casually greet every morning would never get to greet you ever again? To wake up one moment, only to find out you lost your father, your mother, and your sibling? To know your home would never be complete? She could not even begin to imagine.