Previously

"It's the third, Orias, anyway..." Aléis noted with concern.

The concerned turned to her direction and sniffed with cold air:

"Yes, well, the day I have a husband or wife who won't try to kill me in my sleep, send me a letter."

And with those words, he left the room, leaving a confused and sad sister behind him. She breathed a long sigh of weariness.

"Pali and Manio will want to find him another one again... However, it can no longer go on like this...", she whispered.

She remained lost in thought for a while, thinking about what to do.

"I may have a solution," a voice suddenly popped up.

The young woman startled, having not felt the presence of the person before.

She turned to him, seeing him sitting nonchalantly on a piece of furniture, his legs crossed, and exclaimed:

"Master Fury! What are you doing here?

- Well, let's say I was attracted to the smell of blood ≈. I'm kidding.

- It is a pleasure to see you here, although circumstances do not allow an ideal meeting...

- What importance?

- I... Well, if that's what you want, the princess replied, you claimed to have found a solution for my brother, which one?

- Hmm, in fact, I may have a future husband in mind, the mischievously blond-haired god replied.

- A husband? Forget it, I don't want to witness yet another murder or see my brother break his heart a second time.

- Your lack of confidence in me pains me and upsets me, Aléis. The future husband I was going to propose is already in love with your brother and has other important qualities, he explained.

- I... But... Well... What's his name?, she asked.

- Soliès. Adopted son of General Missia's family. As a hidden child, it's only natural that you've never heard of him."

Her face turned pale when she listened to the man's words.

"Out of the question, Master Fury! With all due respect, no, nothing tells me that he will not be like the others, especially because his existence has never been revealed, and especially because his name is far too similar to this *******!!", spit the young woman vehemently.

The blond sighed at length.

"Calm down Aléis, Soliès is different, I assure you. He won't be like HIM, he won't betray the prince and he won't abandon him. Trust me anyway," Fury falsely railed.

The princess seemed to hesitate for a long time before finally acquiescing.

"Fine, but you come to tell our Pali and my brother, the Cynerian woman said.

- It goes without saying," the young man smiled in return.

The woman turned to the door and went out, heading to the Emperor's office to suggest their master's proposal.

Later

"HOW???", the young man roared.

A glass crashed on a column just next to the face of the god, a smirk fully displayed on his facies.

"Let's see my dear Orias, put those glasses down, and stop having fun with it, teased the blond.

- YOU, YOU! YOU-, stuttered with anger the second prince.

- Yes, I, I, I, it is indeed me, agreed with irony Fury.

- YOU—

- Yes, indeed! No, this marriage cannot be canceled, even if you were going to beg for days your Pali, no, you can't escape it and no, your husband won't wish you death. Have I answered all your questions?

- I...", let go of the young man before falling on a chair, slumping on it, any anger dropped and swept away.

The god crossed his arms and gave a deep sigh. He waved to the princess to come forward.

"Orias, my brother..., whispered tenderly Aléis coming to position herself next to him, according to Master Fury, the person with whom you are going to marry will not be the same, you can trust him".

The Cynerian raised his head, amazed at the encouragement of his sister.

"Aléis, you guarantee me that my future husband won't be a murderer? That he will not pretend to love me? he asked with an uncertain air.

- No. I trust Master Fury. And you can, too. So, give this person a chance, give yourself another chance... Give your heart another chance," she pleaded.

His brother remained silent for a few seconds before nodding his head in a heartbeat.

"Thank you," she said in response, kissing his forehead with support.

She left a divided and mixed Orias wondering if it was the right thing to do.

The day of the banquet

She looked at her brother. He was completely different from the day of his marriage when he was withdrawn and unhappy. Now he seemed more... happy? More fulfilled alongside his new husband.

She saw him glance at him and then he turned away very quickly. She never thought she would also see a demonstration of her brother's possessiveness live. But to see her older brother Zal being so decisively rejected was very satisfying and frankly funny.

She got lost in thought, not listening to the song dedicated to General Tolis. She wondered where the first husband had gone. She knew he wasn't dead, Orias loved him too much to finish him off, he probably let him go.

Sounds of rushing footsteps lifted her from her daydream, causing her head to rise.

"Your Majesty! It's a bad time! We attack the palace!!"

The emperor rose suddenly, all the festivities being interrupted by the terrible news that had just followed.

"How??? Who dares???" he roared, visibly annoyed to have been disturbed.

A worried look took place on the face of the empress, who was not reassured by the turn of events.

General Tolis stood and jumped over the table, bowing to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, allow me to go and deal with the rebels, said the young man.

- Make it general, protect the exits too, close the doors and deploy the garrison!", the man ordered.

The emperor then proceeded to the doors of the hall which had opened after Tolis's departure. Most ministers left their seats to accompany the chief.

Aléis also stood up and rushed to the other side, exiting through a backdoor.

"Missia!, she exclaimed as she ran, out of breath after running for several minutes, towards the stables.

- Yes, your Highness!, answered the general to the call.

- How are the news?, she asked as she quickly put on a suit of armor.

- You were right and our doubts were confirmed by His highness Soliès. He sent his spies who brought us hard evidence. According to these ones, an army, apparently belonging to the kingdom of Dania, is heading towards the capital.

- It is a lure, said the woman, having finished putting on the armor, they are probably mercenaries recruited by this infamous Polters.

- What do we do then, Your Highness?", asked the general.

The princess whistled and an already harnessed stallion came to the trot. When it reached her height, she jumped and settled on it, despite the heavy weight of the armor.

"Well, we're going to do what we do best, General. Defend the capital. Gather a part of the army as soon as possible and join me at the gates of the city!", ordered the Cynerian before launching her horse to the gallop, followed by other horsemen.

She crossed the streets, usually lively and crowded, now deserted and empty of all life, which allowed her to reach the gates of the city faster than expected. The soldiers guarding them quickly brought her up to date with the latest news.

"An enemy army was seen in the distance. We sent a messenger to His Majesty the Emperor but he still hasn't returned! We are relieved to see you here, Your Highness.

- Unfortunately, if the messenger did not return, it is probably because of the internal rebellion. Fortunately, we are lucky that the enemy is out of tune. Now open the doors, and shut them behind us. You'll only open them when General Missia arrives with reinforcements. Understood?, ordered Aléis.

- Yes, your Highness!", the soldiers said in chorus.

And on these words, the action joined the word, the immense doors opened, giving rise to a great plain, behind which a bushy forest stretched for several miles. Trees emerged from the shadows, taking the form of soldiers, horsemen.

The princess advanced to the plain, followed by a small army, much smaller than the one opposite, whose ranks grew as the forest spat them out.

The two sides stopped at a good distance from each other.

"Solius*! I know you're here! Come here and I will kill you!", the woman groaned herself in the ambient silence only disturbed by the rattling of the weapons and the wind.

Hoof sounds approached and a long chestnut-haired head emerged from the enemy riders. His small size made him go unnoticed despite the protruding horns on his head.

"Shut up a little, I hear you!, spit in response the concerned.

- You shut up, I don't want to hear a word from you! Perfidious demon!, whistled Aléis.

- Speak for yourself! It was you who captured me and kidnapped me from my country, I only gave you the change of your coin!

- B*stard and liar! You were on our territory! You just didn't have to be here! On the contrary, my brother Orias was magnanimous for having spared you! And how did you thank him??? By betraying and manipulating him! Really, asshole!

- Me? Liar? Did you look at yourself? I would have preferred to die rather than be chosen by 'His Highness' given all the humiliation your kind has put me through!

- So what? You're coming for revenge, aren't you? What a squalor! Especially to associate you with this abject Polters!, the princess vehemently replied.

- Peuh! I come not only for revenge, I also come because the demon emperor wants to annihilate your empire and also because the person he most seeks is here, calmly explained the demon.

- You shall not pass, demons!!", Aléis concluded, ending the talks.

She then turned to her men, seeing Missia and the reinforcements coming, their army becoming a little more important.

"I apologize to your Highness, but the garrison was split in two, one to help you and the other to eradicate the insurgency," explained the general by reaching her height.

The young woman shook her head in a negative air.

"Whatever, she said before speaking to her men, Soldiers! Don't let yourself be put down, we must protect the capital and the emperor! Be with me, we will die for honor!"

They raised their arms as a sign of loyalty.

"Soldiers, let's go, let's fight the enemy!"

Neither one nor two, while the enemy had been entitled to the same speech, the two armies engaged in combat, crushing one against the other.

Aléis began to target the other person she wanted to see dead more than anyone else in the world.

After a few moments, she finally saw him while he was also fighting the Cynerians. His gaze caught her own and she could see him as calm as a cucumber, crossing his brown eyes. Another feeling seemed to have clung to it, but it soon disappeared and she didn't have time to put her finger on it.

He hurried his horse toward her and their swords crossed, their blades colliding against each other. They each came back to the charge, however, the princess's horse was wounded and collapsed. She ran off before it hit the ground and tipped her opponent into the grass with her. The two met face-to-face.

"So? Just you and me then?", let go of the demon with difficulty.

The Cynerian confusingly looked at Solius in front of her.

"I will not fight against you, Aléis, and you know why..., blew this one before falling to the ground, dropping his sword, a streak of blood flowing from his lip.

- You?" she remarked, while frowning at the carmine liquid.

The sound of falling bodies interrupted her in her contemplation and she observed the surroundings. Like her startled soldiers, she saw the enemy fall to their knees and spit blood.

"What?" asked Missia.

Aléis turned to the demon lying on the ground and rushed toward him.

"Solius! How? What did you do???" she asked quickly, kneeling down next to him.

The concerned smiled before spitting a sip of blood.

"Well, he whispered, I poisoned the army's food before I came here. It's a slow poison, but it's terribly effective. To avoid any suspicions, I also swallowed it. And no, Aléis, there's no cure... So I'm going to take the whole army with me to my grave... Anyway, I knew Polters wouldn't win... It was doomed to failure...

- For- Why?, whispered the Cynerian, tears running down her face.

- I... I couldn't stand fighting you... You were one of the few people to be nice to me even though I was a prisoner and a demon... he said with difficulty.

- Why then? Why did you break my brother's heart?

- Because I had no choice... I'm a half-demon, actually... My mother was a succubus and... Polters is my father, actually... My pali as you say..."

Surprise and shock invaded the princess, not expecting such a revelation. She leaned closer to the other and lifted his head, putting it on her knees.

"Why... did you leave then?

- So you and your family don't get hurt... I was ordered to murder you and I didn't have the courage... Because you and Orias, but also your parents and your brother Zal, have been conciliatory with me... Despite the protests of the people and the nobles... And... So I deliberately made myself discovered... Pretty well done no?, smiled softly the demon, an almost proud look on his exhausted face to fight the poison.

- I... I'm sorry... I've always hated you... not knowing you've suffered so much, forgive me, begged the princess as she cried relentlessly.

- I'm the one who apologizes... I'm sorry I made you suffer... Give my pardon to Orias...

- Yes... I will... promised Aléis.

- I don't leave without regrets... I would at least have taken Polters with me..."

On this response, a red rocket burst into the sky.

"Look, this swelling has already lost, hehe..., mocked the demon before spitting more blood, I... at least... my half-brother will be safe... I hope he will be happy...

- I will see to it, swore the young woman.

- Thank you... At least... I die in your arms... I... I... I... always... loved you... Aléis...", Solius admitted tenderly between her arms.

And on these last words, life in his eyes disappeared and his body lay inert on her knees. Aléis said nothing. She put his head on the ground and closed his eyelids. She then removed a knot from her hair and wrapped it around the deceased's wrist.

"May your reincarnation be better... Solius," the Cynerian woman sincerely wished.

She prayed to the goddess Clopelia that her former friend could find peace in his future life.

"He will find better, whispered suddenly a voice beside her.

- Master Fury? Oh... I hope...

- Trust me. Come on, get up, your soldiers are waiting for your orders."

She nodded, drying her tears and sincerely thanking the demon for avoiding a bloody war for now. Fury watched the Cynerian woman leave and give orders to the armed men.

He breathed a long, sad sigh. He wasn't going to admit to her that her friend was going to die again before reincarnating himself in a world of goats**... right?

Eight months later

Aléis smiled softly as she saw the couple getting married. She had kept her promise by pushing the Prime Minister to confess his feelings to Orias' former concubine, despite General Tolis' opposition.

She glanced at her brother, seeing him much more busy cuddling his round-bellied husband than focusing on the wedding in front of his eyes. Tenderness rose in her, overwhelming her, happy to see her family and loved ones so blossomed.

"It's time for you to focus on yourself and less on others, said a wise voice.

- Thank you, I will try, Mr. Fury," she said with sincere thanks.

She waved to the man who had joined her before leaving.

She headed for the stables and collected her belongings.

"Are you sure, Your Highness?, General Missia asked, bringing the neat and dressed horse.

- Yes. Perfectly. I need to go on a long trip, to get my mind off me... And to see what the demon kingdom is planning in the meantime. That worries me a lot, explained the Cynerian.

- Take care of yourself your Highness, come back alive, sighed the general, not without some worry in the eyes.

- Of course," the princess said before riding on the horse and going on a gallop.

She watched the blue sky as she left the capital. Everything was crystal-clear, just like the future.

 __________________________________

**Just a joke between authors, it's another story. 

*The character of "Solius" is a character inspired by Soliès and used in the story Qui l'eût cru qu'un jour, une grande chèvre me renverserait ? by _Tuyau_. The character here is not canon and different from the one in this story.