“I understand why this won’t sound sincere,” she said as she slowly sat upon the throne set upon the dais of the giant, expensively furnished throne room, “but my intention wasn’t this.” She gestured toward her rounded stomach.

His jaw clenched as he stared angrily at her. “You expect me to believe that you, the Demon Queen, didn’t plan out a long game to entrap me so that I couldn’t defeat you without killing my own child? You’re a tyrant. Of course you force this upon me thinking I would spare you for the sake of my progney."

She sighed heavily as she struggled to find a comfortable position. “Nicholas, you know me better than anyone. Do you really think…”

“Do I?” He glared at her as he held his sword defensively, trying to keep an eye on the guards stationed around the hall. “I don’t know you at all. This was all a ruse!”

“It was,” she admitted with a groan, running her hands under her stomach to give some relief to the pressure there. “I fully intended to trick you into doing something that would prevent you from making it this far into my kingdom. It could’ve been you settling down with someone, not me, or it could’ve been your death. I really didn’t care. My main concern was keeping you from following your orders because, if you killed me or took over my rule, you’d surely give it to your king, and he is the true evil.”

“Don’t be absurd. King Henry is a just ruler who doesn’t terrorize his people or rule them through fear.” He took a step closer and wasn’t surprised to see the guards move a bit closer to him.

“Is that so? Have you really stopped to consider this fact? Who, exactly, is telling you that I rule through fear? You’ve been traveling through my lands for months now. How often have you encountered someone fearful of me?” She rolled her shoulders and winced as one popped loudly.

He scoffed. “Just two weeks’ back, we encountered that man who had been mutilated by you. It’s a wonder he didn’t recognize you.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure he was thrown off by how very pregnant I am.” She waved her hand to dismiss the thought. “Do you remember why he was treated thus?”

“He said it was because he refused to relent and give up his property to you.” Nicholas shook his head. “You’re a thief on top of everything else; he said you took his property even after mutilating him.”

“Let me show you his property.” She nodded toward a young woman who was clearly working as a low-level servant in the hall. “This is Sarah.” She leveled the hero with a solid, determined look. “Sarah was that man’s so-called property. Shall I tell you what he was doing to his ‘property?”

The young woman blanched. “Please, Majesty, I can’t bear to even think about what that demon did to me. You’ve given me a safe place and good job; I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but…”

“It’s alright, Sarah. You may go.” The Queen turned to the hero. “I’m called a Demon Queen by those who would use, abuse, or otherwise hurt my people. Those who choose to do so and think they will get away with it never do. That’s part of my powers. I’m able to know when my people are being severely abused and by whom. I bring swift justice to those who deserve it. Sometimes, I allow them to stay in my kingdom as a warning to others who might think of doing harm to my people. Often, I banish them from my borders. You only hear from those banished because they are the loudest, and, because your king wants my lands, he quickly erases any indication that I am doing as a good ruler ought; I am actually protecting my people from the truly evil.”

“The King wants us to kill you so your magic will no longer protect your borders?” Nicholas slowly lowered his sword. “I want to believe what you’re saying, but that would mean my king is…”

“The evil one? Perhaps. If anything, he’s ambitious.” She shifted again, and the throne creaked beneath her. “Nicholas, I’ve never lied to you. I am who I’ve presented myself as for the length of time you’ve known me, and I love you very much, but I won’t force you to stay here. I also won’t keep you from your child. If you want to leave, you may, and you may come visit so long as you do so with peaceful intent, but I will not allow Henry to take over my lands and hurt my people.”

Nicholas looked around as he thought over his journey through the Queen’s lands. It was true the people prospered, and it was equally true that very few actually feared her so much as respected her. He’d seen her be compassionate, brave, funny, and cunning. She was amazing, and he truly adored her. He’d also seen his King in action, and rarely was he ever compassionate or this adamant about the protection of his people. Perhaps, it was time to realign.

“I don’t want to do that.” He dropped his sword and heard the guards take a cautious step backwards. “I don’t want to leave you or our child.” Moving to stop in front of her, he dropped to his knee and bowed to her before reaching out to grab one of her calves, which he began to rub. “I love you as well, Regina. I choose to stay, and, together, we will protect this land and our child.”

The Queen moaned in appreciation and nodded to her guards to stand down. “Good. Now, help me up so we can bathe and rest. I’m tired of smelling like three days’ worth of dirt and horses.”

Chuckling, he did so and then happily followed.

"Queen...?" Dramin winced as all the air left his lungs. "You're the-"

His words ended abruptly as he stared at his lover. There was no mistaking that the guard he slew clearly called her the Queen. The one sliver of hope in him was the way she paled and recoiled in fear at the question.

"No, no!" She wept softly as she wrapped her arms over her core. "This isn't what it looks like. Gods...this isn't how I wanted you to find out."

The words struck him and shattered his world. It'd been a nine month journey since he had been dispatched by the King, and six months since he had met Trisaria. The timeline of events since their first night together spun around him. How much of it was true? What was a lie?

An overwhelming presence snapped him out of his spiral. He spun about with his hand still on his blade, expecting another guard. Instead, shock hit him like a brick, much like how his sword hit the floor.

Dressed more regally was another Tresaria, though not with child. Her reserved expression and condescending glare screamed that she was...different. What was concerning was that she wore her presence with the confidence of a goddess...or a demon.

"Are you done playing games, Tres?" The woman asked in a low and sultry tone. "Or do you plan on toying with the man's emotions some more?"

Dramin flinched as he felt Tresia's touch on his arm, but stood in fear as she held with such warmth. The tears that stained her cheeks made rationalizing the situation all the more challenging.

"My queen..." Tresaria shook as she bowed her head. "Please do not see the way I am as a betrayal. I-"

She was cut off by the queen's gently raised hand. "My guards being dead on the floor is more to answer for than you being with child, dear sister."

Sister?

The queen continued, turning her attention to Dramin as if she could hear his thoughts. "Yes, sister. Now if you'll hear me out, we might yet move past this misunderstanding."

Dramin felt Tresaria press into him encouragingly, though it didn't clear his mind a bit. Rather than face the queen, he turned to his beloved, whom he pledged a life of happiness to. "I need you to explain." He whispered, his hands now resting on her shoulders. "It needs to be you. I...I can't..."

Her finger pressed his lips as she leaned into him for comfort. He obliged.

"We are triplets. The queen, myself, and our sister. Desia, the one not in this room, is the one your king recognizes as the demon." She explained slowly. "All of us are identical, so she abuses her face and figure by raiding the border, sowing distrust by targeting nobles and diplomats that would know us at a glance. She wants war after her lover was killed in a border dispute."

Dramin looked back and forth between the woman he held and the queen, slowly unwinding the tale. "Then why were you..."

"We each share the burden of ruling." The queen interjected. "Tresaria is a woman of the people and travels throughout to see their plights and offer them aid. I manage our military and our coffers, though I hold the official title."

Gods, this sounded like a special kind of hell. A sister trapped in the past, another managing the present, and the third sowing a future.

Dramin found himself holding Tresaria closer as he listened. He lifted his head and looked to the queen, who remained unnamed to him. He only knew her by reputation alone. "Then what next?" He asked, almost sheepishly.

"A simple suggestion might be to appease your contract." The queen said without a shift in expression. "Your king wants the demon that is attacking his borders. Give her to him. Offer to return here to insure there isn't an evil heir upon the throne. Live out your life happily with your child and beloved."

"And the recompense for killing your guards?" It all felt too simple.

The queen grinned, displaying an expression far different from Tresaria's gentle smile. "A formal apology to their kin, and then serving in their stead. You might even be on detail to protect the queen as she roams the land amongst her people."

"And you have no qualms with your flesh and blood dying at my hand?"

"That's not quite what I said." Another grin. "Your king might be more pleased if you turned her in alive."

Are all Legendary Hero Prophecies always so........ true? Couldn't some of them be broken? Couldn't a hero lose the quest, or maybe just decide not to finish?

If I knew, I would have stopped my quest a long time ago. As soon as I met Ruby, I would have refused to continue talking to her. Refused to let her travel with me - you see, she was going in the same direction. Refused to continue my quest entirely!

But alas. I did not know, and I did travel with Ruby, and we became close, and... Ok. I'm not going to give away all of the details. I'm not one to kiss and tell!

Anyway. She gave me the good news about half way through our journey, but simply refused to allow us to stop until she had delivered and recovered. She insisted that my quest was the most important thing to the world, and that she wanted to be there to celebrate with me. I suppose only someone wrapped in a spell would happily accompany a pregnant woman as she presses on in all sorts of dangerous conditions.

Every step closer to the realm of The Demon Queen, it seemed as if Ruby became more beautiful, perhaps her pregnancy glow was just getting brighter as she progressed. And once we entered within the realm, told me that we needed to hurry, because she was sure the baby was coming soon! Yet she still wanted to follow me all the way to the end of my journey.

I made it to the Demon Queen's Palace, and asked Ruby to wait outside while I fight. She finally obliged to my request to keep her out of this danger.

It was so much easier then I thought it would have been to fight my way in. I was expecting an army, a huge show of might that I needed to push past before even seeing the true beast, The Demon Queen Griselda. But what I found were a few guards who just allowed me in, and a butler who showed me to a chamber.

There, I found Ruby. Well. Griselda, I suppose, in labor.

Shocked, confused, so many emotions. But before I had a chance to feel any of them, I needed to be with Ruby. I rushed over and held her hand.

There were midwifes running around, and some looked worried. I was asked to wait outside. I could have fought to stay, but I did what I was asked. I wish I would have stayed, because that was the last I saw her alive.

I suppose the prophecy was true after all. I slayed the Demon Queen.

As for the baby? Our baby? I don't know. No one will tell me. Will he be a Demon King somewhere that a new hero will be prophesied to kill? That is a much better story than the others that creep in my head at night.

How many other Heroes from the Legendary Prophecies end their stories so unhappily as me?

Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.

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>* No AI-generated reponses 🤖 >* Stories 100 words+. Poems 30+ but include "[Poem]" >* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail >* [RF] and [SP] for stricter titles >* Be civil in any feedback and follow the rules

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