Demon Queen Wants to Paint

Rosa wondered whether she could quickly shift back to her demon self, but it wasn't like doing so would undo the damage she had done.

"Would you like to see what you've turned into?" Azrael asked, his lips pursed together and his eyebrows furrowed.

"Y-Yes," Rosa asked shakily, praying that Azrael wouldn't get suspicious of her. He disappeared into the shadows for a few minutes and then reappeared, holding a full-body mirror in hand.

"Come take a look," Rosa walked up to the mirror slowly. Her heart beat like crazy while Azrael observed her every step.

What is he thinking right now? Does he suspect that there's actually a human in this body? I need to look surprised. If I play it well, he might think it was just a child's imagination running wild.

Finally reaching the mirror, Rosa looked at her reflection and did her best to feign surprise. Of course, what looked back at her from the mirror was her very familiar human self. Same platinum blonde hair, same pale skin, same blue eyes. It was a stark contrast to the dark-skinned, white-haired demon holding the mirror. In fact, they probably couldn't have been any more different.

"W-What a strange shape…" Rosa said with a forced chuckle. "Did I fail?"

"You look different so, no, you shape-shifted correctly," he replied, his signature smile returning to his lips. "I just didn't expect you to try mimicking your mother?"

"I…" Rosa gaped at him for a moment, then recalled the conversation she had with Lady Lily.

My demon mother had white hair and the platinum blonde hair I had as a human is pretty close.

"You must have been snooping around the King's stuff. Little rascal. Not that I blame you – I'd be curious about my mother too. You did get some things wrong, but it's to be expected on the first try," Azrael laughed, and Rosa exhaled in relief.

"Yes, I only saw her portrait once," she smiled and lied through her teeth.

"That is not enough information to shift, Princess," Azrael pointed his finger up, and smirked. "You need to have a clear image when you transform, not just some vague idea. It's easier to transform into people you have seen from all angles."

"Really?" Rosa chuckled awkwardly.

"Yes, really. Now change back into your normal shape and let's try to transform into something else this time," he commanded, and propped the mirror against the nearby wall.

Rosa did not need anymore encouragement. She closed her eyes and imagined her demon child self. But before she could fully open her eyes, she heard a steady clatter of heels resound from the entrance of the training room. Lady Asdeus was walking towards them with a disgruntled Deziara trailing behind her.

"Azrael, you have held up the Princess for far too long. It is time for her lesson now," the voluptuous demoness said, her hand propped against her hip.

"Oh, since when do you care that she's late?" Azrael snapped back, and made a shooing motion at her.

"Since I've decided it is time to begin her studies in earnest. She needs to start learning letters," she said and tapped her foot impatiently.

I already learned how to write and read from Faenor. But I can't tell her that. Another thing where I need to pretend to be a fool.

Rosa sighed, and Deziara ran up to her grabbing her hand.

"It's alright, sister. I'll help you learn," the girl chimed with a smile, her previously glum mood completely forgotten.

"You have your own lessons to follow, Princess Deziara," Lady Asdeus reprimanded. "Come now, children."

Rosa threw a last glance at Azrael who stuck out his tongue at Lady Asdeus's retreating form. When he noticed Rosa watching him, he just winked at her and motioned her to follow. Rosa nodded, and let Deziara guide her.

***

Lady Asdeus had a giant letter… well, it was one of the demon alphabet letters, written on the blackboard in front of her. 

How quickly do children begin understanding letters? They probably don't get it right on the first try.

Rosa glared at the letter, and wondered how she could mess it up in a way that would appear natural for a child. Hopefully, she looked at Deziara, but Lady Asdeus was drilling some math equations into her, forcing the girl to grip painfully at her ponytail.

Alright, let's just go full-on stupid.

She just drew random squiggly lines, not bothering to make them neat or in any way resemble the letter in front of her.

"Done," she announced with a smile. Lady Asdeus checked over Deziara's writing one more time then walked over to Rosa's desk. Her face instantly scrunched up and the corners of her mouth dropped.

"Princess Morrigan, I believe you didn't understand the task I gave you. It was to draw this exact letter. I've seen you draw very nice pictures before," the teacher said, and pushed a stray lock out of her face. 

Drat… I guess I can't weasel my way out of this one.

"Oh, I understand it now," Rosa plastered on a smile, and turned the notebook to a fresh page. This time Lady Asdeus remained by her side, watching her every movement.

I'll go slow and press a bit too hard. Lines always look ugly that way.

She dutifully copied the letter, but it looked unsteady. As if it wasn't sure of its own existence. 

"Wonderful! That's a great start. Now you need to repeat it fifty more times," Lady Asdeus said with a smile.

Fifty? Are you crazy? Who forces a four-year-old to write a single letter fifty times? I may not be a preschool teacher, but I'm pretty sure that is not a good education method. 

Nonetheless, the task was set for her, so she had to obey. Rosa had already seen plenty of times how Lady Asdeus dealt with Deziara when she tried to cut corners. It would always result in needing to do more.

"Okay…" Rosa mumbled, and began slowly drawing crooked looking letters. It was actually tiring, trying to do each of them wrong but in a different way. After all, no two mistakes were alike so she had to make sure that hers weren't either. Sometimes she'd make some line deliberately longer, sometimes – shorter. Occasionally she wouldn't connect the letters right or draw way beyond where a line should end. 

"Please, be more careful. Try to copy the letter exactly as shown," the demoness came up to Rosa and with a bright red inkpen crossed out half of the letters. "Do those again."

You want me to do ten letters again? You demon! No wonder Deziara is always complaining about your lessons.

"Okay…" Rosa barely managed to contain her displeasure and slowly began tracing the letter again. Her little hand was getting tired, because she had been pushing the inkpen rather hard.

I still have like 15 left to do… I wish I could just go at normal speed. I'd be done already.

"Deziara, very well, you can go for today," Lady Asdeus suddenly announced, and the demon girl threw her hands in the air from joy.

"Yay! Finally," she was about to run out of the study room, but then paused and looked at Rosa with a piteous gaze. "What about Morri?"

"She'll finish her letters and then will be free to go," the demoness announced with the sweetest smile. 

"Isn't she too small to write so many letters?" Deziara asked with an arched eyebrow and inched a bit closer to Rosa.

My true ally. Tell her, sister!

"She is the King's heir, so she is expected to exceed other children in this Kingdom. Don't worry, I'll never make her do anything she isn't capable of," Lady Asdeus explained, then smiled wickedly and added, "Or perhaps you wanted to review the equations one more time?"

"Nope!" Deziara said resolutely, and was out the door. 

No… Don't abandon me here!

"Come on. The sooner you finish, the sooner you can go," the demoness tapped Rosa's desk with one of her sharp nails. She had no choice but to continue painstakingly writing letters.

After what seemed like forever, Rosa finally drew the last lines and slumped down in her chair.

"I'm done…" she announced, and looked at her tiny ink stained hands. They were trembling from exertion.

"Let me see," Lady Asdeus took the notebook and carefully assessed her hard work. A wicked smile twisted her features, and Rosa felt an unpleasant chill pass through her. "Most wonderful. Most wonderful indeed…"

Her smile grew wider, almost manic at that point, and she bent down to show the notebook to Rosa.

"Tell me, how can a four year old child count to fifty so perfectly?" 

What? Can't four year olds count that much? Why did you ask me to do exactly fifty then?

Rosa gaped at Lady Asdeus like fish, her heartbeat increasing steadily.

"I… Faenor taught me," she finally managed to say, as she hid her trembling hands in her skirt.

"Oh, yes, he's taught you many things hasn't he?" Lady Asdeus circled around Rosa as if she were a lioness closing onto her prey.

Why is she looking at me like that? Something isn't right. 

"Tell me, was the form you shifted into your true human form?" she whispered into Rosa's ear, and she jumped out of her seat, making the tiny chair fall to the ground with a loud 'crash'.

"Yo-You saw that?" Rosa blurted out in panic.

"Oh, yes. I've been waiting for the moment Azrael would decide to finally teach you shape-shifting. I knew it wouldn't take long with someone as impatient as him," Her heels clattered against the ground as the demoness came closer to Rosa, looking down at her with a victorious grin.

Calm down. Calm down. Just play dumb!

"I tried shifting into my mother–"

"Oh, enough with that nonsense, human. I am well aware you've come here from another world," the demoness clicked her tongue in annoyance and then lifted Rosa high in the air by her clothes. The fabric painfully dug into her armpits and neck, forcing her to squirm in an attempt for a less painful position.

"Let go! I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Elf, come here," Lady Asdeus called out, and the door creaked open slowly. A guilty looking Faenor slipped inside the room, looking down on the ground, his ears hanging low.

"Faenor?" Rosa looked at the elf as she grabbed onto Asdeus's hand in an attempt to lift herself free.

"I-I'm sorry, Princess…" he muttered in a barely audible voice.

"Oh, no. You're not! Do tell me, slave. Does the Princess know how to read?" Lady Asdeus asked with a self-satisfied smile.

"Yes…"

No, why would you tell her that?

"And does she know how to write?"

"Yes…"

Rosa's heart almost stopped in her chest.

Why? Why would he sell me out like that? I saved his life. That's why I trusted him enough not to hide my ability to read and write.

But thinking back on it, Rosa realized that Faenor had always regarded her quick learning ability with suspicion, and he would often teach her things far too advanced for her age. He even hinted at the existence of other worlds when they studied that magical gem book.

But even if he figured out that I'm from another world, why would he tell that to Asdeus of all people? I thought he hated demons.

"Why?" Rosa asked the elf, who turned his head to the side, not daring to meet her eyes.

"Oh, he was really easy to convince. Just dangle the promise of freedom in front of a slave and they're ready to do anything for you," the demoness cackled. 

"I did my part, so I expect you to do yours, demon!" Faenor spoke up with surprising ferocity, glaring at the demoness. She just smiled sweetly at him.

"Of course. A portal to the surface – as promised," She swirled her hand in a circle, and in the very middle of the study a giant, sparkling hole appeared. Inside the hole Rosa could see a dark and murky forest, filled with dead or dying trees. There was some nasty purple sludge on the ground, and the place looked even gloomier than the Underworld.

"But… that is the Dead Bog…" Faenor's face went completely pale as he peered into the portal.

"Yes. An appropriate reward for a traitorous little slave like you," Asdeus sneered and then pushed Faenor into the portal. "Enjoy your freedom!"

Faenor fell into the nasty, purple muck. He scrambled to his feet, trying to rush back to the study room, but the portal closed.

"Now that the nasty little parasite is gone, it is time we get to the good part," the demoness shook Rosa mercilessly, forcing her to yelp as the fabric dug even deeper into her skin.

"What do you want from me?" Rosa snarled and flailed, trying to free herself from the demoness. 

Maybe I should try turning into somebody else to get free? Like Alphegor?

But before she could concentrate on any specific form, Lady Asdeus dropped her on the floor. She landed on top of her tail, and winced in pain, cradling it close. Thankfully, it didn't appear broken.

"It's not what I want, it's what you will do for me," The demoness put her hands on her hips.

"Why should I do anything for you? I can call Azrael right now, and he'll turn you into a pile of ash," Rosa snarled even if she wasn't completely certain about her claim.

He is technically sworn to protect me, isn't he? 

"Oh, go ahead and call him. And the moment you do, I'll send this little thing to the King," the demoness cackled and a dark, shadowy bird materialized in her hands.

"What is that?"

"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know what it is, being a human and all. It's a shadow message. Within a few minutes it can reach the King all the way on the battlefield."

"Why should I care?" Rosa asked, her gaze cold and stern, despite her trembling fingers.

"Why are you still trying to play the fool? But I can spell it out for you if you wish – the message inside contains your nasty little secret," she smirked, then clasped her hand around the shadowy bird and it disappeared. "We both know what the King would do if he found out that his precious Crown Princess actually has a human soul."

Rosa's heart raced as her mind tried to come up with ways to get herself out of this predicament. 

Should I just run? I'm sure she wouldn't catch me if I turned into a shadow.

But Rosa dismissed the idea. She knew nothing about the dangers outside this castle. If the monsters out there were just as ferocious as Gunna had described, she wouldn't get far. It would be her very last resort.

"We can work together, you know. I won't rat you out to the King, while you put in a good word for me," Lady Asdeus smile warped into something demented.

"You just want to get into Alphegor's bed," Rosa said, and before she could even register what had happened, a loud 'slap' resounded across the study room and pain spread through her cheek. It wasn't as painful as she thought, and she realized that Azrael's pendant must have protected her from harm.

"I will become the next queen of the Demon Kingdom. You should be grateful that I'm giving such a disgusting worm an important role instead of sending you straight to the torture chamber."

Rosa glared at Asdeus defiantly, trying to figure out a solution. But her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears, she could barely think.

"You will be a dutiful crown princess who will grow to love her teacher just like a mother she never had. You will bring me and His Majesty together in a glorious union this world has never seen," she proclaimed, her cheeks red from sickly elation as she firmly held her large chest. "Once His Majesty understands my true worth, he will dismiss all the other concubines and their daughters. And I'll bear him a true heir to become the next ruler."

She's absolutely delusional…

Suddenly Asdeus snapped out of her reverie and glared down at Rosa, "And if you fail to do your part, then I'll make sure that you receive the harshest of punishments."

"Won't you be punished too, if the King finds out that you tried to get to him through me?" Rosa snarled.

"Who would believe a word a human says? I'll be rewarded for finding such a disgusting scum hiding in our midst," Asdeus laughed, and then yanked Rosa painfully up by her arm. "Now go. And don't think you'll be able to escape either. I'll make sure there are extra guards watching you."