The Demon and the Elf (Book 1)

Chapter Nine pt 4

[Author's Note: Just so I'm not making more people question this, I'm going to clarify that the demon and elf are NOT blood related lol]
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"What do you mean 'mother'? That's my—" Drokn stopped himself from talking as a horrifying theory sprung on him. Perhaps this Elf was half demon, if so— No, no, no, no, no. The elf had also mentioned a demon taking care of him. But if that's the case, when would she have...

His eyes grew wide as a realization came, but before he could ask about it to the elf, the demoness interrupted from a few feet away. "Ha! You look like you had a brick thrown at you."

The demon snarled, instantly taking his forearm to roughly rub at his forehead indent. With his other arm, he quickly threw dark energy, only for it to be deflected right in front of the demoness.

She drew out a small sheet of metal from inside her cloak. On it was a spell circle drawn with intersecting lines. "Basic barrier spell," she said with a condescending smirk. On her next step, however, all the confidence drained from her face as she stared inside the cabin.

To the side of the cabin, someone had formed themselves into a ball on top of the bed, covered completely with their cloak as if they were a wrapped pouch. Recognizing the familiar cloak, the demoness rushed over and grabbed the fabric around the back of where the neck would be, pulling up the balled being.

Confusion hit the demon when the demoness walked inside. Moreso that the elf had moved and covered himself in a brief amount of time without him noticing. When the demoness yanked him up, having him kneel on the bed, Drokn's arm immediately covered in black with purple sparks, preparing to bind the witch. But at the next movement, his mouth gaped slightly before he frowned, his magic creating more sparks, yet no action taken.

The demoness had pulled the elf close, enveloping him in a hug that tightened by the second. "My child," she breathed.

Eial kneeled stiffly, and in the next moment, he awkwardly moved his arms to struggle free. Noticing this, the demoness let go of her strong hold and let him sit back. Bringing her knees to the floor in front of him, she looked at him with their faces on the same level. Pulling down the hood of her cloak and revealing her hair and horns, she searched the elf with her eyes. "Are you hurt?" she asked slowly. When no response was given, she swallowed, looking directly at the elf's face which had been facing downward the whole time. "I'm sorry for leaving you."

The second the sentence was finished, Eial leapt off the bed and fell to the floor, simultaneously swinging his arm. The drying soil, grass, rocks, all of them came inside and covered him in a personal dome, protecting him from anyone else. And furthermore, protecting him from his own emotions.

Drokn looked down at the demoness. By this point, the sparks on his arm faded, and he stood leaning against the edge of the opening with his arms crossed. "Wow, seems like you have a skill for leaving people. Is that a spell too?"

"Did you think I wanted to leave Eial?" she bit. Before either of them could even blink, the demoness grabbed the neck of the demon's cape and hurled him outside. "Your damn father!"

Drokn slammed against the ground with the sudden attack, his breath knocked out of him. Rage boiled through his core like bubbling lava, and immediately shifting his position, he filled both of his hands with dense blackness. The moment he made eye contact with his opponent, however, his mind stopped. In front of him was a scene he had never seen before, and one he had never imagined to see.

The proud, unfaltering demoness had eyes that glistened with tears.

"He's so small," her thin voice exuded pain. "He shouldn't be this small."

Drokn gave her a puzzled and wary look. "What do you mean?"

Ignoring his question, she continued. "I should have been with him! I should have taken care of him!" She bit down on her lower lip, holding in the wetness from streaking down her cheeks. "If only that bastard didn't take me away!" She breathed in sharply and kicked the ground. Anger overtook her and the wetness in her eyes was replaced by redness.

Drokn's brow twitched and he snarled, an unplanned irritation overcoming him. "You're lucky your life was spared! You should have been executed for betraying us!"

"You're lucky you're Eial's bond, or I'd execute you for your stupidity! If I wasn't locked up, Eial, he—!" The demoness's mouth stood open until she looked down, slowly closing it shut. She fell to the ground on her knees like loose rags, hunching over and drained of all energy. "...He could have had a mother."

Behind her, she heard the soft shuffling of grass and crunching of pebbles. Whipping around, she saw Eial as he slowly sat down on his feet, his silver-white hair taking her view.

With his gaze staring at the trembling hands that pinched the fabric on his knees, his voice barely sounded. "Why did you go away without telling me?"

After her momentary surprise at his presence, her eyebrows curled up, and she looked at Eial with honesty. "There were people who took me away against my choice."

"You didn't want to leave?"

"Never, Eial. Never. I fought hard to stay."

"Why didn't you come back?"

"They imprisoned me. I couldn't leave until now."

"Are you okay?"

Dawning a sympathetic smile, she answered, "Yes. I am."

In a voice of slight hesitation, he asked, "...Did you want to come back?"

"So much so that it pains me."

Eial's hands shook even more as they tightened into a fist. "Do you still love me?" His voice was hoarse and almost inaudible.

The demoness breathed in slowly, a sheen crossing her eyes, and her body joined to tremble. "I love you more than a heart can love. Now. Back then. And always."

A few moments passed in silence before a small, quivering voice croaked out. "...Mother."

"Yes, my child."

"Mother."

"I'm here."

Silent raindrops began to flood the tops of the small elf's hands and rolled down to wet the fabric they rested on.

And in the near distance, a demon clenched the sharp grass under his palms and shifted his eyes away, feeling the discomfort of the pit in his chest he had tried to ignore for years.