The Devil’s Cursed Witch

Ember had her midday meal and felt satisfied with her tummy full.

‘Again, I ate a lot.’ She wondered as she looked at her stomach. ‘Where is all that food going? My stomach doesn’t look that big to contain it all.’

It happened that Yula returned after leaving her to have a meal in private. She caught Ember rubbing her stomach with a puzzled expression on her face.

“Miss Ember, do you wish to eat more?” she asked. “Maybe a sweet dessert?”

Startled, Ember looked at her immediately. “No, no, I already ate a lot…I was just wondering how did I eat all this?” Her gaze passed across all the empty plates on the wooden table in front of her.

Yula smiled as she saw the ignorant face of this young human girl. “It is normal for the female to eat this much after she wakes up from being marked.”

“Elder Leeora told me,” she replied.

“So don’t worry. In a day or two, your appetite will return to normal. If you feel like eating anything, don’t hesitate to ask for it. Eating more is good for you in this condition.”

Ember nodded and she heard the blue-haired elf continue, “Which reminds me, I came here to inform you that your personal chamber is ready. Shall I bring you there now, Miss Ember?”

Ember looked around that guest room and thought, ‘Such a big room this is. Anyways, I don’t need this kind of big room so it’s better to move to a smaller one. I am not even used to sleeping on a big bed with such a soft mattress. My body is used to sleeping on the floor after living in that cave my entire life. A small simple room feels more like home. Something similar to my room in Ronan will be perfect.’

She followed Yula quietly, hoping to get one similar to the one she had in Ronan.-It was simple, cozy and comfortable, which suited her taste better when compared to the guest room or that large luxurious room she had woken up in earlier.

‘How far are we walking?’ She thought it would be in a room on the same floor, but Yula led her way towards the stairs. Ember looked at the staircase as she quietly climbed them. ‘Upstairs? Third floor? No, we’re still climbing. I wonder if I will get to see a view of Ronan from this height.’

After climbing all the stairs of the highest floor, Yula took a left turn and informed her with a bright smile. “We are here. This is the southwest wing of this floor. This entire wing is for you, Miss Ember.”

‘Entire southwest wing? Does she mean the room facing the southwest direction? Where is the southwest? Is she making me guess?’

Bewildered, Ember looked around as if she’d been given another test. How would an ignorant girl like her know about the palace and what they call the parts of it?

Fortunately, Yula continued to lead the way. Crossing that huge and wide hallway, they stopped in front of a wooden double door with flower designs carved on its hard surface.

“This is your bedchamber, Miss,” Yula informed her and the two female elf servants standing outside the door opened it for them.

“Please, this way,” Yula said.

Ember entered a room much more extravagant than the guest room she stayed in earlier. Her eyes were left wide open seeing its large size which was about two or three times the size of her entire house in Ronan. Framed paintings hang on the wall, and delicate bronze lamps, and white gold curtains set an elegant mood on the interior of the room. Vases with colourful flowers and vine-like plants wrapped around the bed on the corner added a touch of nature to the extravagance. It was like a scene straight out of a dream.

“A-Are you sure, this is for me?” Ember asked.

Since she was an outsider, not even an important guest but just a person who was lucky to be saved by their master, she was expecting to receive simple treatment from the people of the palace.

Perhaps a room slightly larger than her cave, or maybe similar to her room in Ronan. But this…

‘Is this what it means to become a person protected by the King? Yula and the other elves working here are also the King’s people too. Are their rooms also like this? I don’t think so. I have a feeling that being a ‘mate’ is more special than I thought.’

“Yes, Miss Ember,” Yula replied, thinking that she liked it.

“Uhm, I don’t need this kind of a big room. I am fine with the smallest one,” Ember said as she wondered how she would stay in such a big place on her own.

“Miss Ember, you are His Majesty’s mate. This is the place arranged for you with that in mind,” Yula replied, not knowing what was going on in this naive human’s head.

She looked at Yula. “But…is there anything smaller than this?”

“Miss Ember, His Majesty the King might not like it if you get something lesser than this. He would want his mate to be treated well,” Yula replied.

Considering Ember’s change of status as the King’s mate, she was no less than the Queen of Agartha though she was not officially given a title yet. Their future Queen deserved to be provided only with the best treatment.

Hearing Draven’s title mentioned, Ember could only accept what Yula said. If the King wanted this, then Ember didn’t plan to anger him by rejecting it. It was already enough that he allowed her to stay here.

“Thank you, Yula,” was all she could say as she accepted it.

“The south-east wing of this floor belongs to His Majesty, the right turn from the staircase,” Yula informed.

Ember remembered that they took a left turn to come to this chamber. That means on that right turn it was his chamber. She gulped with the thought of having him around her, and that he was nearby enough for them to accidentally bump into each other.

“You have already been to His Majesty’s chamber so I am sure you know the way there,” Yula said.

“I have been there? When?” Ember mumbled curiously.

“Remember the chamber where you woke up after fainting during the council meeting? That belongs to His Majesty,” Yula clarified.

Realization hit the young human as her eyes were left wide open. ‘Didn’t I sleep for two days? Does that mean I was inside his room the entire time? I was sleeping in his bed?’

A sudden thought struck her.

‘That…wasn’t a bad dream, but real?!’ Her body unconsciously shivered. ‘He was sleeping next to me. But why did he have to sleep with me? Couldn’t he just put me in another room? There are countless rooms in this palace!’

Yula didn’t notice her face growing pale. “Miss Ember, please make yourself comfortable. I am sure you are tired as your body is still weak and recovering.”

Ember was still so shaken that she could only dumbly nod in response.

“The two elves standing outside the door are your assigned maidservants. See, there is a bell on the bedside table? You can ring the bell to call for them to come in. You can order them around as you please,” Yula explained. “Please call for me after you rest, and I will come back to introduce you to the other chambers in this wing and the rest of the palace.”

The short blue-haired elf bowed.

“I will take a leave then.”

Ember nodded once again and Yula quietly closed the door behind her.

——

After leaving Ember, Yula went to the King’s study to inform him about the arrangements she had made for his mate.

She greeted the King sitting behind his desk with a bow. Draven accepted her greeting with a light nod.

“Your Majesty, the stay of Miss Ember has been arranged in the highest floor of the southwest wing of the palace, the same floor as yours.”

Hearing it, Draven’s mind suddenly paused and he looked at her as his cold voice then reached her ears. “The same floor as mine?”

It startled her a bit. “I-Is there any issue with it, Sire? We gave her the best chamber we have, second only to yours. If you find that lacking, do you want us to build a new–“

“Leave it,” he interrupted her.

She was thinking that she lacked in making the best arrangement for the human, but that wasn’t Draven’s concern. Draven couldn’t tell her what was in his mind.

Same floor. Such a huge palace but her stay was arranged to be close to him. Was his aide planning to torture him unknowingly?

“With Miss Ember being your mate, I believe it is better and more convenient to keep her near to Sire,” she explained her choice as if she had done the most righteous thing.

Draven had no reaction to her words, so she continued, “In addition to that, we already received the vitality potions from Elder Leeora to give to Miss Ember every night. Since those are the highest-grade potions personally brewed by the Head of the Witches, I believe not only will she recover from her injuries and heal her scars, her body will be strengthened and be completely healthy soon.”

Draven reacted with a light nod and said, “Make sure to keep her chamber warm. Humans can’t handle the cold like us.”

“Thank you for the advice, Sire. I will make sure to follow it and she won’t feel any discomfort in the stay arrangement,” she assured.

“Erlos will be bringing books from the human kingdom for her to read. Prepare a study room for her,” Draven instructed.

Yula hid her smile as she appreciated this rare sight of Draven embracing his role as a responsible mate. Who would have guessed that the cold-hearted king who never openly showed his care to anyone had this thoughtful side of him?

“Understood. I will convert one of the side chambers into a study place for her.”

Draven gave her an approving nod, and she left after Draven dismissed her.

‘Same Floor!’ He let out a helpless sigh.