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....

The flame was burning brightly, illuminating the pale face of the girl. She was staring at the flames, her mind numb. A few people in orange garb sat around her in a circle. They were chanting strange words which she did not recognize. Her heart was filled with dread and she was shaking.

The moon was shining right above her head, mysterious and mystical. It mocked her while the stars were twinkling at the girl's misery. They had chosen her in a cruel twist of fate and now, she was going to live under their control.

She was taken to a forest by the village people. They had dressed her up in the finest hanbok. Her hands were painted with red tattoos and her beautiful face was patted with white powder. The long brown locks were tied in a tight bun attached to a bridal tiara on top of her head. The red dress she wore was a bridal hanbok which was made by the best tailor in the village.

Yes. It was her wedding night. She was the bride who had been adorned in the best dress and would soon be sent off to live with her husband. It was supposed to be a happy moment for her.

But it was far from happy. She was not crying. No. She refused to cry.

Instead, she sat there like a doll while the five priests of the temple chanted the charm to summon the Prince of Demons.

Yes, she was to be wed off to the Prince of all Demons. They said that the Demon King had once arrived on Earth and fell in love with a mortal princess. He had claimed the Princess as his and she gave birth to his son. The Princess' brother was the Emperor who had tried to kill the Demon's spawn but in the process of saving her child, the Princess was killed instead. Before dying she cursed the Emperor that one day, her son would bring havoc on this land and destroy everything.

Upon finding out that his beloved wife had died, the Demon King killed the Emperor and abandoned his throne. He left Hell and abandoned all demons which are now creating havoc on the lands.

The Prince who was rescued by some of the loyal demons was sent to live in a tower deep into the enchanted forest. They say that he ruled over the creatures of the dark, controlling them according to his whims. The new Emperor was his elder cousin who had an uneasy truce with the Prince of Demons a few years ago. According to the truce, once the Prince turned twenty five, the kingdom must hand over their most beautiful girl to him as his bride. If they failed, he would destroy the whole empire.

Why the Prince wanted a bride, no one knew. But he was going to turn 25 that night and they had found him a candidate.

One of the priests was nervous and he was staring at the girl. She was undoubtedly not just the most beautiful girl in the village but in the entire kingdom. The moment she was born, the temple had whisked her away.

No other woman in the kingdom had those features. With striking light brown eyes and matching hair coupled with snowy skin, this girl was the envy of all the other girls in the village. She had just turned 18 and had lived a sheltered life in the temple.

The villagers thought she was taken to the temple because of her unusual appearance but that was merely a facade. There was a much bigger reason than that. She was the chosen one, the only person who could save them from the Demon Prince's terror.

"Priest Yuan, is it alright to send her to the Demon Prince?" the priest asked the one sitting next to him. ""What if she's killed?"

"He demanded a bride and we have no choice but to give her away," Yuan replied. "Priest Jeong, you are thinking too much."

Jeong pitied the poor girl who was absolutely petrified. The moment she was told that she must marry the dreaded Demon Prince, she had gone numb. Priestesses from the temple consoled her but her fate had been sealed. Once the Demon Prince arrives, she must go with him or risk killing the whole village.

The girl did not say anything but her hands gripped her knees. She tried not to show her fear but her heart was betraying her.

I will be strong, she told herself. I must be strong!

The priests had brought her to a clearing in the middle of the forest and were performing the summoning ritual. She felt the familiar cold breeze brush by her but she did not shiver. The dark forest was looming around her, dangerously stalking its prey. She was going to be a part of that darkness soon.

Silence dawned on them except for the priests who kept on chanting inside the circle. Finally, they stopped and the head priest, Ahn, faced her. His cold, calculative eyes were staring at the young girl who did not show a hint of her fear. He was unfeeling and uncaring towards her but only cared about the outcome of what she was supposed to do. Her fate had been sealed and someday, she was going to fulfill her destiny.

"Chun Ailee," he said in a steely tone. "Do you take the Demon's son as your husband and fulfill the treaty which has been agreed upon?"

Ailee looked back at him with emotionless eyes. She was not sure what she was supposed to do. All her life, she had been groomed to listen to the elders who made the decisions for her. She never had a say in her destiny nor what it was she should be fulfilling. Ailee simply agreed to everything.

"I, Chun Ailee, take the Demon Prince as my husband," she said in a clear tone.

Priest Ahn nodded and stood up. All the priests also stood up and threw water on the flames.

"We will take our leave," Ahn stated. "You are to remain here until the Demon Prince comes for you."

There were no tearful goodbyes nor any words of comfort. The priests carried out the duties the deities had ordered them to do and they were done. They slowly left the forest, leaving the girl behind.

Ailee sat there like a statue, not sure of what to do. The moon above her was starting to move and she could guess that time was passing. It was now past midnight and she was still sitting in the dark, wearing the bridal attire. The forest was as silent as ever, making her feel as if she had gone deaf.

The breaking of a twig startled her and she jumped in fright. Her hands were trembling when she heard a pair of footsteps heading her way. She held her breath and slowly turned her head around towards the direction of the sound.

A blue light was emitting from the forest and a silhouette appeared in front of her. His large, raven like wings were elegantly spread apart. She could see long ebony hair slightly swaying in the air and in one hand, he carried the bright blue lights which were coming from several fluttering blue butterflies.

His red eyes were staring directly at the girl who was trying to be brave. She was undoubtedly beautiful with those unique features. Ailee was looking directly at him, her fear being replaced by awe. The regal man wore long blue robes. He was very tall and was unlike the stories which depicted him to have a hideous face with scars. Instead, he had a sharp jawline with a slightly tanned skin color. His narrow eyes were shaped like the ones cats have and he was of a broad, fit build. Except for the wings and scarlet eyes, he looked human.

But Ailee knew that beneath that beautiful face was a ruthless creature of the dark who was going to make her life hell. The Demon Prince loathed humans and she was nothing more than a bargaining tool for him.

The Prince raised his hand and said in a deep yet cold tone, "Come to me."

Ailee could not refuse. She was not allowed to. There was no other choice but to obey him because he was now her husband.

Without another word, she took his hand.

"Yes, Prince Daesung," she whispered, feeling helpless and trapped. This was her foray into hell and there was no looking back.