A Time for Peace
The cry was heard throughout the land. The cry signified the beginning of another battle in the war between humans and demons. There were four who wished to end the war begun by the Demon King. The one demon of the quartet flew out over the raging battle, dodging arrows shot by archers below. One arrow flew towards the demon at high speeds, and he was unable to dodge it. Another arrow was shot from the wall of trees bordering the area where the battle took place. The arrows hit one another and fell to the ground. The demon gave silent thanks to the priestess hidden among the trees. He swoops down into the woods, arousing birds and curses from the archers whose arrows were lost in the trees.
“So, what’s going on over on the other side? I haven’t heard from Louis or Olivier yet. You’re not hurt, are you, Loire?”
“Adeline, enough with the talking. What if we’re found? After I flew down, they sent some men in after me. And don’t worry, I’m fine, as are Louis and Olivier.” Loire sat on a large boulder against an oak tree. He ran his hand through his chocolate brown hair, sighing. “The humans have an advantage in numbers, but the demons have an advantage in strength. They’ll end up wiping each other out.”
“Which means we should go after King Yves as soon as possible.” Adeline said, plopping down in the grass next to the boulder.
Loire nodded and leaned back against the tree. His wings folded around his body, which shivered violently. “Something’s not right. I have this feeling that we’re doing the wrong thing, going after the wrong person. This will end strangely.”
Another demon cry rang out, as the battle came to an end.
“Come on, let’s go look for the others.”
“Yes, Adeline.” The demon unfurled his wings and leapt off the rock, startling the priestess.
Just as the two reached the edge of the forest, two figures burst through the trees. “Louis! Olivier!” Adeline gasped, startled. “What happened?” she asked as she looked the two over. Olivier’s side was caked in blood and the cheery expression usually seen in his eyes was gone. Louis’s glasses were cracked in one lens and his long coat was ripped along one side. Both were covered in dirt and blood.
Louis, whose normal atmosphere was that of a young boy in love with life, looked weary and old. There were deep shadows under his olive eyes. “It was horrible. We were trying to help all those injured who could be saved, demons and humans alike. But whenever we tried to save one, the other came after us. I never thought battle would be like that. All the stories say it’s fun. They always leave out the horrible things: death, pain, and sorrow. I hope this ends soon.”
“As do I,” Adeline agreed, bowing her head.
Loire looked to Olivier. “And what about you?”
Olivier looked startled. The demon never acknowledged the humans, except for the priestess. “Uh, I-I was working w-with the human tactic officers,” he stammered. “I t-told them all I could about how t-to stay alive.”
Loire grunted, folding his arms. “You still hate demons, I see. Otherwise you’d have helped Louis with healing both races.”
A red color soon covered Olivier’s face. “I-I….”
“No need to say anything else. The stammering is what gave it away. If you’re still loyal to your own race, then just go join them. We don’t need you.”
“B-but I want to help you! I like this war as much as you do! I only hate demons because they killed my parents when I was young,” the human burst out. When he realized his mistake, his hand shot to his mouth. But it was too late; Loire was already gone.
“So he hates all demons, just because his parents were killed by demons? He should only hate those that did the hurt to him. We others did nothing. Why must he hate us so?” Loire mumbled to himself as he flew off towards the castle of the Demon King. He would finish this war and bring the two races to peace once again.
Back in the clearing, Adeline turned on Olivier, fury showing in her fair face and green eyes. “Look what you did! Loire’s gone and it’s all your fault! Oh, what will we do without him?”
Louis fell to the ground, exhausted from the earlier battle. “Please, let us rest. We’ll go after the demon lord tomorrow morning.”
The priestess rounded on the weary boy. “You can go after him tomorrow. I can’t stand not being with him, so I’m going now!” With that, she storms off in the direction where Loire had gone, grabbing up her bow and quiver as she passes.
“Now look what you’ve done, Louis. Our priestess is gone and we’re once again on our own. I guess that now you can rest as long as you want and don’t have to fight again.”
“Yeah yeah. Just shut it already, eh Olivier? I know it’s my fault and we’re going after them. Which means I won’t get my rest after all.”
“But we’ll never be able to catch up with them, and we don’t know where they’re going!”
“Well, you’re the smart one. Look at the direction they went and guess where they’re going. It’s so simple that even I can figure it out. They’re going to King Yves. They’re going to end the war. Let’s hurry.” Louis jumped up from his seat on the ground and pulled Olivier in the direction the other two had gone.
“Wait! Louis, slow down! We can reach them faster if we have horses. We can take some from the human camp, since the demons don’t need them.”
Olivier snuck into the edge of the camp, hoping his plan would work. It would work, and he knew it. He wasn’t called the Tactics Master for nothing. Louis had already reached the place where the horses were kept, because once Olivier got there, two horses were already missing. “Great, he ruined my plan. Oh well, at least it worked.”
Olivier went back to the shelter of the forest and saw Louis grasping the reins of the two stolen horses. One was a slender, young bay tobiano mare. Louis was sitting himself on the other, a large gray stallion. “What? How come you get to ride the stallion? You’re just a boy, you should ride the mare,” he scoffed.
“I’m the one who got the horses, so I get first pick,” the boy grinned. He patted the neck of his horse and whispered in the great stallion’s ear. The horse’s ears flicked back, enjoying the tender voice of the young Louis. Olivier, not accustomed to riding, climbed onto the mare. The horse whinnied and reared. The man threw his arms around the mare’s neck, his glasses coming askew. Louis laughed and dug his heels into the stallion’s side and took after Loire and Adeline, Olivier not too far behind.
--
The Demon King, Yves, looked from the window of his chambers. “So they come,” he whispered, pulling the young demon girl closer to his body. “They won’t get you, love. I won’t let them.”
Guards from the walls shouted that an army was approaching the gates, and that they were in fact humans. Since before the war began, the Human King, Benoit, had been jealous that the Demon King had a love. Benoit was the one who had really begun the war, sending out armies to seize and kill Yves’s love, Elodie. But the demon wouldn’t let them. No one would so much as lay a finger upon the lovely Elodie.
He looked down at the young woman nestled at his side. Her pale skin, fair white hair, and midnight blue eyes were what attracted him first, but then he came to know her more and fell in love with what was inside: her intelligence, reasoning, and personality. She was the only one for him, as was he the only one for her. “Come, dear, Benoit’s army comes, and I must keep you safe.” Yves accompanied Elodie to her own chambers and assigned four guards to stand at the door, in case a few humans were able to sneak in, ‘which will never happen, not with me fighting to protect her,’ the demon chuckled to himself. Then, he left to prepare for battle.
--
“Loire! Loire! Wait!” Adeline ran faster, trying to catch up to Loire who had just come into view.
Loire looked back and down at the priestess and then came to a stop, hovering lower so that Adeline could reach him. “Adeline, what are you doing here?”
“I won’t let you go after Yves by yourself! Plus, you need me, and I need you.”
“I know. It was foolish of me to go off alone. Plus, here are the others.” The demon nodded towards the place behind Adeline, where the two humans had just appeared on stolen horses. Both were panting when they dismounted the horses.
“It’s a good thing we caught up to you. We weren’t about to let you take all the glory of taking Yves for yourself.”
Loire grinned, laughing. “Adeline has already made that clear to me. Now, let’s go save the world.” Before they could do so much as breath, a group of ten or so demons surrounded them, knocking them unconsious and taking them captive for the Demon King.
--
“I see you’re finally awake,” came a deep, elegant voice from the other side of the cell door. Loire had just woken and groaned, holding his pounding head. Laughter was heard outside the door. “Wondering where you are? You and your friends are in the dungeon below my castle. You tried to come and stop me. But I will never stop, not until she is safe.”
“And so this is how I meet the Demon King: locked away in his dungeon. I was hoping that our meeting would be more… formal.”
Yves scowled at Loire’s remark. “You will learn to hold your tongue in my castle, else an ‘accident’ come upon your dear priestess. I know how it feels to have a loved one in danger, and I know you wouldn’t want the feeling to come to you.”
“You touch Adeline and you die.”
“Is that so? I say the same to Benoit, but does he listen? No. What makes you think I will?”
“Benoit? The Human King? What does he have anything to do with the war you started?”
“Ah, but you are wrong. It was not I who began this war, but Benoit. And why should I tell you of all people my most closely held secrets? That is for only a select few ears to hear. Now good day, Lord Loire.” Yves’s footsteps echoed down the hallway. The iron hinges creaked loudly as the door was opened to allow the demon out.
“Loire? Do you know what he meant about King Benoit beginning the war? Is that even possible?” came Adeline’s voice from the cell directly across the hallway from Loire’s.
“You heard the whole thing, didn’t you? I’m not sure what he meant by it, but I do think that he’s telling the truth. I trust him none, but on that I will bend.”
--
“Elodie, dear. Why are you out here all alone?” Yves said gently to the young demon whom he found in the gardens.
“I wanted fresh air. The keep always gets stuffy when you’re preparing for battle. I can’t stand this war. And why is it they keep coming here? Why not go to Banare, where all your gold is kept? What is here that they want so badly?”
Yves hesitated, wondering if he should tell her. “It’s you they want, love. Benoit is jealous, for he has no love. He wants to get rid of you so that I would once again be a loner as he is. But I will not let him. Nothing can take you, my Elodie, away from me. I promise that.” He drew her tightly to him, refusing to let her go.
“I see,” she whispered.
“Let’s go inside, just in case there is another attack.” Elodie nodded and allowed for Yves to escort her in.
--
It was three days after Loire, Adeline, Olivier, and Louis had been captured. Yves grew worried for the safety of Elodie, for a large army of humans was on it’s way. This army was much larger than earlier forces. Yves knew that they couldn’t beat an army this large, but he could try. He sprinted down the stairs to the dungeon, forcing open the creaking door.
Loire flinched when the hinges made a menacing noice as the door was forced. “What do you want now? What is it that makes you run down here and kill everyone’s ears?”
“I need your help.”
Loire went to the door and looked through the bars at the Demon King. “Why do you need our help? We wanted to stop you.” Loire then smirked, realizing why Yves was asking this. “Your love is in danger and you can’t hold it back, am I right? I can see it all over your face: lines of worry and fear.”
“That’s correct. An army ten times the usual ones Benoit sends is marching here as we speak. I and my armies cannot defeat them, but I am willing to try. I need everyone I can get, which includes you and the humans.”
“Fine, I’ll agree to help. Just so long as you tell us what exactly is going on here.”
“My Lord Yves!” came the soft voice from the dungeon entrance. Her softness made no sound opening the door. “The army is but a measure away, and they’re readying to attack!”
“We must hurry, then,” Yves said, hastily unlocking the door to Loire’s cell. He then went to the other three occupied cells and released their occupants. They followed the Demon King up the corrider, where the lovely Elodie stood, fear showing on her face. She clung to Yves’s arm as they were followed to the castle armory. “Take what you need for battle. My armory is open to you.” Yves grabbed up a silver chestplate, which Elodie helped to strap around his twilight wings. The metal at the breast held a large, deep purple amethyst. He strapped the legplates around his thighs as Elodie tied the violet cloak around his neck. As Yves tied his calw blade to his belt, he looked over to where Loire, Olivier, and Louis were suiting with the help of Adeline, who already wore a navy cloak with pink-gold chestplate beneath.
--
Yves, Loire, and the three humans stood on the battlements. “Benoit began this war out of jealousy. He knew I had a dear love, and he didn’t. He believed that if he doesn’t have someone to love, then I shouldn’t either. Therefore, it was he who began this war. He only claimed that I had sent threats, though in reality, it was he who had sent them. That is all there is to tell.”
“Now that you’re done, I shall take my position with your archers.”
“I have conversed with the commanding archer, and he wishes for you to command them. I’d be honored if you did.”
“Is that so? Then I shall go talk to the commander, to see how exactly I should command, for I have never done it before, not with a large scale group of archers.” Adeline left the others to go to her post.
“Olivier and I will be joining your healing group, and the mounted soldiers if necessary.”
Loire was looking out over the human camp. He saw a great blue tent flying the flag of Benoit. He pointed it out to Yves.
“So the coward himself comes.” He turns to a squire nearby and beckons him over. “Send a courier out to King Benoit’s tent to tell him that I would be honored to have him in my company presently.” The squire bowed and scurried away to do as told.
--
“What is it you want, Demon? Why is it you wished for my company?” Benoit asked, striding into the Great Hall. He took in the large tapestries coving the walls; he took in the long white tables; he then looked up at the high table, where Yves sat on his carved violet and silver throne. Loire; Adeline, summoned to the Hall; Olivier and Louis, retrieved from the healer station, were standing behind the elegant chair. Elodie sat on the Demon King’s left knee, his arm around her waist.
“I should ask why you are here, oh Great Coward King Benoit,” Yves smirked. “I thought you would still be seated down in your valley palace, while you sent your armies to take my mountaintop castle.”
Benoit’s face contorted with anger. “You were the one who invited me here with your threats!” he yelled. Then he finally noticed the humans behind Yves. “Why is it you have three of my race in your army? I recognize demon-made armor and cloth, which is exactly what they are wearing for the most part.”
It was Adeline who answered the Human King. “We and Loire were out to stop Yves, for we though he was the one who began this war. But now we know that it was you all along.”
“You were jealous of my Lord.” At first Benoit didn’t know who had spoken, but then he noticed Elodie staring strait at him.
“So I was. I still am. Why should he have someone to love while I have no one?” Benoit, now furious at this confrontation, draws his sword.
Yves calmly raised Elodie from his lap and stood, allowing Elodie to take his place. He walked down the steps to the center of the Great Hall, not but five feet from where Benoit stood. Yves’s violet cloak billowed around him as he walked. “You wish for a duel, do you not? Then you shall have it. But know this: you shall die here and the world will once again come to peace. I will make sure of that. Your humans will come under a different rule, that of one who wishes the peace, not one who is overcome by jealousy.”
“Why you-!” Benoit lunged out at Yves, who easily dodged. The demon put his hand around the black talon handle of his sword and drew it. The sleek silver blade shone as it flew out to parry a blow from Benoit’s simple sword.
Benoit faked a blow to the left, and when the demon tried to block, he sent the blade into Yves’s right shoulder. They heard Elodie gasp. “Do not fear, Elodie. I will be fine and soon this one will be dead.” He lunged at Benoit, stabbing him in his left side. The human flinched and held his left arm close to his body. “This is where this ends.” Yves sent his blade into a sweeping arc and skillfully cut Benoit’s head from his body. Elodie screamed as the head rolled to the foot of the steps to the high table.
“So this is how it all ends,” Loire whispered, shaking his head. “I knew it would end strangely, but I would have never imagined it to end this way.”
--
Fie days later, it was time for the new Human King to be appointed. As highest ranking, it was Yves’s duty to choose who would be King. He stood on the battlements and looked over the audience of both demons and humans that had grouped outside. The demon raised his arms, letting the violet cloak fall around his back. The conversations below stopped abruptly as the people looked up at Yves. “It is time for the Human King to be choosen. My advisers and I have conversed and have chosen one who would be a greater king even than I. I announce your new king, King Louis.” The crowd below cheered. Louis, clad in a peach colored cloak, strode to stand next to Yves. It was a perfect picture of peace: that of the Kings of two races standing side by side, showing that neither is higher in ranking than the other.
Louis raised his arms to quiet the crowd once again. “Now is the time for peace” was all he said, all he had to say to set the audience off again. They knew that with this new King, there would once again be peace between the humans and demons. For now was the time for peace.
