Compromise

     A sea of honeyed fire comes down my throat but my hunger isn’t filled, my meal is interrupted when The Ray bites down hard onto my tongue.

         I shriek and push him away, tricked by the sweet smells of the monster.

         “You bit me!”

         “You kissed me!”

         “That was not what I would call a kiss,” I sneered.

         The Ray turns even redder than before, a feat unknown to me. This creature turns red and is so warm and easy to bother. I no longer fear it, because he fears me more than I fear him. 

         I have taken my shares of nips and nibbles from the litlings that run around the estates I have visited and I tell myself this is so no different. So I stand, and push my chest up, and make it clear that I was never afraid of him. 

         “I won’t be tricked by your sweet-tasting honey, The Ray,” I shouted. “I’m stronger than you think!”

         I was not and all I can think about is tearing off his shirt and tearing into his neck.

         “My name is not The Ray. It’s just Ray,” he replied.

         “My apologies, Just Ray.”

         His lips curve, grotesquely, and strange sounds come out. Over and over, barking, and my chest heaves once I have understood that I have been tricked and am now being mocked by a monster.

         “Stop. Take me home or else,” I command him.

         Just Ray stops laughing, wipes the red honey off his lips with his shirt, and moves around the metallic cave, trying to find something. 

         “I’m not taking you—”

         “Why not!?”

         “I am not getting killed,” Just Ray shouted.

         “Just Ray, do not fret. No one will kill you,” I promised. “We will keep you alive forever, your honey is wonderful!”

         He eyed me suspiciously and moved piles of his treasures to the side, useless things until he found a life-saver. It’s black with various patches sewn in to keep it together, the metal rusting, the handle made of wood, and he rubs a strange substance on it to get it to open up.

         “Take my umbrella and get out. It can shade you from the sun.”

         He threw the life-saver at me, and I fumbled, dropped it, and picked it up again trying to keep my composure, but it's no use. Just Ray laughs at everything I do, and now I am the one with warm skin and a red face.

         The life-saver squeaks open precariously, letting out a long and arduous groan, and Just Ray tells me it's bad luck to open it indoors.

         “No. That’s good luck, you’ve got it wrong,” I corrected him. “Now take me to Imperator Seth’s estate, and we shall keep you well fed.”

         Just Ray slowly makes his way to the window of the cave, which is only four steps, and he touches the covering of the window. The threat is clear, Just Ray refuses to take the blessing of being my new cook and meal.

         The audacity.

         “Why are you denying such a wonderful opportunity,” I asked him. “You saved the life of someone of high birth, don’t you want something in return?”

         “I guess that explains your...clothes…”

         I smiled, flashed my fangs, and flaunted my long red dress. I tried my hardest to show I came from money, pointing out my golden necklace. I didn’t want to go into the forest alone. Just Ray was a better companion than being by myself, captured again, killed like the driver and Dante.

         “You can give me anything,” Just Ray asked.

         “Anything,” I replied.

         “Food. Every day. Mostly meat.”

         “Oh. That’s it?”

         “Yes! Meat is so hard to find!”

         That’s impossible.

 I have as much meat and blood I want, every day.

         But the more I think about it, the more the high of the red honey has worn off, the more I understand his predicament. I look at the metal cave and I understand why he would want meat. Only a basket of small green plants and a soft something seems to be what this monster consumes daily.

         I want my own meat but I don’t make my intentions known for now.

         I smile, flashed my fangs, trying harder to be friendly, but he doesn’t like it. Every time I smile, he seems a bit afraid, and I don’t understand. This monster threatens me and then cowers?

         Ridiculous.

         But I am a stranger in his forest and the monster is fearful just as I. 

         We come to a compromise.

         Just Ray promises to take me to the edge of the forest but he will not stay for me after dark. He bundles himself up in his coat of rugs, puts on a different pair of boots, and we set sail for the Danger of Daylight.

         I stifled a scream when he opened the entrance to the outside, the light pouring inside. 

         How horrible.

         He walks outside, truly a monster, impervious under the sun’s rays, his name itself a warning. He must be the strongest of the monsters in the forest, or the most intelligent, having made himself a cave.

         He leads me outside, and I slowly walk, receding into myself, even my fangs shrinking inside because it's so hot, I don’t need my coat, but Just Ray is shivering, telling me to walk faster. 

         It is a peculiar thing, Just Ray does. He wants to walk faster, but he is afraid to touch me, so he mumbles, then shouts over the wind of the forest for me to walk faster, but once the wind dies down he is now shouting to himself like a madman. 

         He has given up getting me to walk faster, and I trudge slowly, following his lead, gripping the life-saver and I whisper to myself that I am strong and will make it to Imperator Seth’s estate.

         I was born strong, my very name, Dawn, meant to strike fear into the hearts of men. I became brave, realizing that I had seen something that none at the palace had gazed upon; daylight. 

The closest they would ever get would be whispering my name that demands respect.

         I smile at the thought of this Just Ray stops, interrupting my plans for dominating the court once I arrive.

 I bumped into him and we’re at the edge of the forest, which for him is the edge of the world. I pity Just Ray, the skinny, filthy monster that is cursed to walk in the Danger of Daylight, who may never know true happiness other than wanting meat.

         How barbaric.

         “You’ll return tomorrow, won’t you,” Just Ray asked me.

         “I am a lady of my word Just Ray,” I replied.

         “No, no, it's just Ray.”

         “I know. It’s fun to bother boys,” I laughed.

         His dirty face again goes red, and the monster tells me I am no good, and I let him complain because it is all he can do, the feeble-minded thing. 

         “Don’t die,” Ray told me. “I really need that meat.”

         I assure him I won’t, and he runs off, into the woods, not even a proper goodbye and I’m miffed.

         Rude.

         I’m exhausted, but finally, the sun is setting and I finally don’t feel like I’m about to melt into my fur coat. I stand under the naked tree, its branches swaying, smacking against each other, and I am so still, I feel that I am a tree as well for how long I stand.

         I don’t allow myself to move until I can see the guiding light, her belly full in the sky, her smaller children dotting the sky and I finally release the tension, leaning into the tree, my knees creaking along with it.

         I fold the light-saver and run out the forest, the trees sparse, and now I’m marching through an open field. The snow is up to my knees, and I struggle harder because I’m in plain sight, another kidnapper could get to me.

         One does.

         I see one easily, a knight in black and red marching through the field with ease, sword slung over his back, his red eyes pulsing and locked onto me. 

         This is it.

         I can’t run in time, I’m not fast enough. The knight grabs me, ready for the kill, and holds me close. 

         “My lady, please forgive me,” Dante said.

         I’m screaming along with the wind, betrayed by Dante, believing he had left for the Other Side so I could be eaten by a monster inside the forest. He holds me tighter, and when the air is still, the wind again quiet, I can hear him crying.

         “I could not leave without you,” he sobbed.

         “They would kill you once you arrived,” I mumbled.

         “No! I promised to protect you!”

         I look up, and it is him, and his face is contorted and filthy, red tears streaming out, and somehow it is my job to console the man who was sworn to take care of me. I rub the tears off his face and gently check his face, and other than a bruise is unharmed.

         “How did you live?”

         “They tied me up and left me on the ground, but I rolled underneath a tree and moved along with the shade of it through the day.”

         I would have never been so brave to think of something that quick on my feet, I am in awe of the blubbering wet mess in front of me.

         Another man promised to me at birth, another Seth, Dante is sworn to defend me until my last day. My last day is fast approaching as he squeezes the life-blood out of me, hugging me tight, and finally releases me once I have convinced him I am unharmed.

         I’m not alone anymore and I hold onto his arm as he leads me out the cold snowy field which has become a labyrinth after we have carved our way through it. The entire time we walk in silence but I know Dante has something on his mind.

         He absentmindedly touches his lips, licking them, grinds his teeth together, and keeps looking back. I pull him to a stop, and I want to know, what is he doing?

         “Something smells wonderful,” he whispered.

         I remember the monster in the forest.

         I tell Dante a half-life and a truth. I found a monster with delicious honey, I ate him, and now he is gone. Not dead, but gone, and that is all he needs to know, that is all he will ever know about how I survived the Danger of Daylight.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         We arrive at my future home at midnight, covered in ice, sweat, mud, and bruises. The guards at the gate do not recognize me from the pictures I have sent and don’t let me inside until I show my seal, the same seal every noble holds with them to stop imposters.

         It is the guiding light that appears every night but hides once a month, carved out of wood, with the crest of our own house on the back of it. An obsidian stone is inside my seal, and the guards fall over themselves to let us inside once they know who I am.

         The wall is ridiculously tall, made of thick, reinforced steel. I crane my neck back, move my hair back to see it all. The portly guard pulls a lever, and a portion of it lowers. Clunky and groaning, the ice flys out, the gate forcing its way open.

         The gate lowers completely, warm water slowly trickles out, and the inside of  Estate Eclipse is steaming. I grab onto Dante and he helps me past the blocks of ice until we cross the other side of the gate. 

Little holes throughout the ground heat the cobblestone sidewalk, melting the ice, and the lords and ladies outside walk about freely, unimpeded by the wind of harsh weather. They turn to look at me, I am fresh meat.

“Don’t think they will pity you because of what you have been through,” Dante cautioned.

I nod and make eye contact, offending them all, because I am only promised, not married to Seth yet. They make way for me, and the attention has made me bold, and I told myself I can still have my court debut.

It doesn’t matter that I’m dirty, in blood, my hair a mess, I came as I said I would.

My steps become more confident and I let go of Dante, walking on my own, my boots squeaking on the wet pavement, and I can taste their jealousy. I walk under the ornate veranda conjoined to a red wooden building, icicles melting above my head, and I understand why everyone is so surprised to see me.

I was meant to die.

I was meant to die, and they despise me for it, they’re bitter, because my promised one has come to greet me.

 Seth is so much bigger and taller than I thought he would be, broad-shouldered, with alabaster skin and black hair. His eyes are dark orange and I’m mesmerized because I’ve never seen a color like it. He is wearing casual clothes, a polo, and long brown pants because he wouldn’t be busy today. 

 But his frown plastered over his face shows he was so worried about me.

I flashed my fangs, victorious because I had won.

He takes my hand and everyone watches as he is forced to get down on one knee and kiss the hand of the woman he failed to kill.

He mumbles my name, Dawn, and I will be the one to rule this court, not him.

How could he rule a court if he cannot kill one woman?

I have won, and tomorrow will be the promising ceremony, the first step to claiming my land that he stands upon and it will be the land he dies upon.