Celestials and a Demon prince

Chapter 4: Not Human?

"You were not planning on escaping as a way of appreciation." He said sheathing his sword. His glare dissapeared as well and he wore a more friendly countenance. Edgar sighed feeling relieved, even though this man had rescued him, he didn't know his intentions for it.

"My name is Earl and you are... Prince?" Earl asked with an ingenuine smile on his face, he stretches out his hands towards Edgar for a handshake.

"Prince Edgar." Edgar answered calmly unsure of shaking him, he only exchanged hands with people of high status and never a commoner. Still this man he thought, was no odinary man he knew what he saw and it was real. After a long consideration he stretched out his hands to accept the handshake but was met with a heavy slap on his hand pushing it aside. Earl looked at him unapologetic, and no hint of respect for his status. He was shocked, no man would ever disrespect him, he could have him killed but there was something different about this man, he seemed fierce and fearless and not intimidated by his royal status. Edgar knew he stood no chance against him after seeing him on battle field, he was rather intimidated finding one who he actually could not compare in strength.

Earl walked passed him with a smirk on his face.

"Where are you going?" Edgar asked seeing he was strolling towards the door. Earl ignored him as he went out. He sighed heavily amazed at his audacity, he followed immediately and once he was out, the harsh Ray of sunslight hit his eyes threatening to blind them. He hissed at the irritation it caused and shook his head as he hid it from the sun. Earl was seated by the corner uninterested in whatever was happening to him. Edgar had his attention drawn to the smell of roasted fish and he found Earl devouring the meat. He had a big jar that seemed to contain water and threw the bones of the fish towards him.

His belly growled at him aggressively, he had been out for days and his body starved and in need of food. He looked at Earl waiting for a plate to be served, he wouldn't deny him the privilege of a meal as a prince but his wait was in vain as Earl devoured his meal exaggerating the sweetness and forcing Edgar to salivate more than normal. He never had to beg for a meal but here, where his status seemed unrecognizable water was not even a consideration.

Earl took up the big jar and began filling his belly with it's content. He knew Edgar was starving and it didn't bother him. He was not going to be a servant to the one he rescued. He stood up and walked back into his little home, shutting the door behind him.

Edgar's lip quivered in desperation to devour the meal before him but he wasn't sure if it was a good idea taking something that hadn't been offered to him, he wouldn't want a sword on his throat again. Then he decided to ask Earl for his meal instead, he couldn't be rude to that extent. He walked in and was surprised to see Earl at sleep, this man was strange indeed.

How could someone fall asleep so quickly? He thought as he watched Earl turn in his sleep. His mind flashed back to the left over food on the table, he dashed out of the room and seeing the food, his eyes widened, heavy with need to satiate his hunger. He dived into the left overs and soon cleared it drinking water from the jar to floush it down. He sighed, His tummy hurting from the way he ate and even more his eyes got dizzy like someone who was about to fall into sleep and before he could think about why, his body drove him to the ground where he passed out.

Edgar's body was dragged up with his legs swaying in the direction he was being carried. He was placed with his back on the wall and his head tilted to the side. Several loads of slaps begins to land on his face, Earl being the source of it. He holds Edgar by his shirt and drags him up his feet.

"Wake up idiot!" He said shaking him but Edgar remains still. He throws him to the wooden table and begins to throw punches at him. He raises his fist for the last time gathering more strength than before ready to knock out a tooth. Edgar's face was now filled with bruises from the punches and his nose bled. He released his fist and gave him a slap instead. It seemed to have an effect as his dreamy eyes opened and while he smiled at this glimpse of hope his face soon settled for a frown as Edger continued in his sleep.

Edger was suspended to a height from the ground tied to two huge wooden sticks, some dry grass are placed directly below him. The movement of his eyes rolling while shut shows his discomfort, it gradually opens as the smell of oil fills his nose and it doesn't take long before he realizes he might be Earl's second meal. He begins to struggle trying to free himself he mumbles words unable to speak well from the stuffed clothes in his mouth.

"Shh." Earl commanded as he placed his sword slowly on his chest then he slowly removed the rough pieces on his mouth. Edger's breath was speeding, he was terrified wondering what would become of him.

"What are you doing? I am the prince...."

"Stop stop stop." Earl swung his sword having no care in whatever Edger was about to spit out, he knew it would have something to do with his title as a prince and the consequences of hurting him and it was the least of things he would care to know.

"You beast! You saved me so you can tie me up here like an animal and...." He didn't want to say the word and it scared him to think that was Earl's plans for him and like he guessed Earl lit up a torch and his gaze threatening to end his life.

"You can eat anything you want you know. He said In the midst of his racing breath.

Earl leaned back and acted thoughtful "If I were a prince certainly."

"I can give you what you want. It's better than eating me."

Earl scoffed watching how miserable he looked with his attempts at convincing him. "What will your men think of you when they see their prince acting cowardly begging for his life?"

Edger felt embarrassed, he never had to beg for his life but after being rescued and feeling like he had never been hurt he wanted nothing more than to return to the castle, he knew the impact his demise would have on the king, and his men and he wanted to live at that moment. He never imagined being killed in such a shameful way so he'd rather beg.

"All you have to do is ask." Within him he wished that Earl would not be too greedy in his request, he was the prince but there were certain things he could not give. Things like half of his father's kingdom or even the throne.

"Tempting, prince." He paused for a moment and continued. "Very well, I want gold."

"Gold." Edger echoed.

"I hear the royal house is wealthy beyond imagination and the king has a store house filled with gold handed down from generations."

"There is no such thing as a store house but there is gold I can give. It is just rumours made up by the prople." Edger defended.

"Oh! Yes there is...." Earl made a swift movement getting close to his ear. "...And you know." He withdrew slowly as he watched Edger who groaned as a result of the pain he felt from being tied. "All I want is five golden bracelet out of your numerous gold."

Edger halted surprised to hear his request. "Just five golden bracelets?"

"Yes," he said with a proud smile stretching his lips to a length.

"If that is all consider it done." With the Swift movement of his sword Earl cut the ropes and Edger found himself on dry grass. He quickly moved away from it keeping a good distance between the two of them.

"Your word my prince." Earl bowed slightly to him as he spoke. Edgar gasped at the unexpected act of respect towards him. Then Earl raised his face and smiled roguishly at him. "And if you do not get it, I might just hunt you down and kill you myself."

He sighed and shook his head slightly, his life was bring threatened and by law even a word of threat against any member of the royal house was treason.

"You have my word." He said wearing a straight face and meaning every bit of what he said.

Earl burst into laughter obviously mocking him.

"What is funny? " He asked a bit confused.

"You drank my jar of water and was out for some time so I tied you up and poured oil on the wood to get you back to your senses. That was the only way to get you back quickly and my kindness was worth it now I will be getting some royal gold. That is amazing right?"

"Right." Edger concurred not sure what he just heard. He had been tricked into offering gold for his life.

Earl parts his back and goes in. He comes out shortly with a folded cloth and begins to head out. Edgar seeing this follows immediately.

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere!"

"Wait." Edgar said going after him. "So you had no plans of killing me?" Earl paused in his tracks and turned to look at him.

"...And why would I? Your father would give a fortune for rescuing you."

"But that is not what you want."

"I dare not go into the castle." He took some steps closer to Edgar. Then he wore a serious gaze while Edgar waited to hear what he had to say. "Your father hates people of my kind."

Edgar's breath cut into a gasp hearing Earl admit he wasn't really human, he knew but he dreaded the kind of being he was and as a prince being rescued by one whom his father hated would bring a war within himself, where he had to kill the man who saved his life or let go of the creature his father detested. Earl looked at Edgar and scoffed.

"You can never kill me or my kind." He said reading through Edgar's thoughts it was written over his face and Earl had been around a long time to know what that look meant