Thorn Princess

Lim slept soundly under thin teal coloured blankets that were jumbled into a chaotic mess by his restless body. He was laying upside down and sideways with his face almost teetering off the edge of the mattress.

His body covered by the blanket was lit by a small glimmer of sunlight that pierced through cracks in the blind.

“Lim, I told you two hours ago to wake up.”

“But, it's not fair that you don’t sleep as much… let me stay in for a bit—”

Lim dozed off completely.

“Geeze, oh good grief.”

Estra splashed cool water all over her face from the tableside basin below and then used a soft towel to dry herself off. She took a moment to pause, almost reeling to the sight of the mirror in front of her. It had reflected nothing but a fragmented reflection of herself, a sight that she could never fully adjust to.

Her head moved around as the mirror continued to morph around like a complex puzzle piece that must be arranged before it can be fully viewed.

A simple task a few years ago was now the hardest challenge that she will ever face. Her spells and incantations unfathomable to most are simply trivial compared to something so normal for most.

She was willing to put up with it and it was obvious why. Her obsession with him was all consuming but she reveled in it.

“Hmmhmm.Hmmhmm.”

Estra playfully hummed a tune which was short lived by a sudden shock of pain.

“Shit!”

*Tssk*

She reeled back in pain as a piece of sunlight grazed her cold snowy skin. 

Estra held up her hand as a black fiery rash appeared.

She opened a magical glowing blue ointment and applied it all over her body and face. Soon the rash healed allowing her to freely place her hand out towards the warm sunlight.

“Nice. Perfect!”

Estra continued her daily routine as she start with her fangs. She brushed and cleaned it thoroughly ending with her sharpening and filing down any excess length. She groomed and took care of it as if it was a delicate pedicure.

She did her hair meticulously and applied her makeup like it was a piece of art. Everything to the minute detail was perfect and she made sure of it.

“Lim, I’ll do yours next.”

“I don’t wanna! Let me sleep!”

“Fine, do it yourself then!”

“Not faiirr…I don’t wanna… give me a few…”

“Lim!”

***

“Estra!”

“Hmm what is it hun….”

“I know you said that we’re going out today, but I don’t think this counts!”

“I don’t know what you mean?”

Lim’s face blushed a bright plum hue as his face tightened with an ever increasing look of annoyance. Estra, like usual, chose to be oblivious to his simmering temper with a shamefully mischievous grin.

“WHY ARE WE WEARING THIS!”

“You said you want to do a quest and this time it's my turn to pick.”

“...”

Lim turned his head with a constant glare aimed towards Estra.

“Jiiiiiiiiiii.”

The pair had been standing in the middle of the grand market wearing matching maid dresses. They were hired as eye candies to attract customers to a fruit store with signs that read: “Welcome to Gendry’s fruit emporium, how may we serve you master!!!”

Lim’s costume had several additional flares such as cheap knock off jewels that adorned the dress and black cat ears as the adorning monument to Estra’s genius.

“Ahahahaha!”

Estra broke into laughter as she was unable to keep a straight face to Lim’s outburst. She looked at him as if he was a small cub trying to lash out.

“Oh my, that face. You are so cute. AHahaha!”

“Step laughing and I'M NOT CUTE!”

“Ahhaha… I used to say that, didn't I?”

“MAID outfits! Your first idea was a maid outfit and WHY DO I HAVE CAT EARS AND YOU DON’T!”

“I have horns, idiot it won’t fit. AHahhahaha.”

“I…I want to keep it though.”

“Huh? Really? I thought you… ahem after work I'll talk to Gendry.”

“It's not like I want it. It's just a waste if it's thrown out.”

“Sure sure. Sure…..”

Estra smirked at Lim which only proved to provoke him more. He turned his head sharply, blushing from ear to ear.

“Hmph!”

“Hehe…Cute.”

***

Gendry was a well mannered man with muscles that made people question whether a fruit merchant was the right business pathway for him.

“Thanks for coming to help with the grand opening, guys. I couldn’t get many offers since most would rather go out slaying dragons instead of this.”

Lim continued his constant glare of disapproval onto Estra doing little to budge her enthusiasm. If anything his persistence made her filled with more glee, finding the infuriated Lim unfathomably adorable.

“I too would like to slay DRAGONS ESTRA!”

“Patience, dear. Patience.”

The owner looked at the bickering pair with a concerned face of confusion.

“What's with the costume? You spent your advance pay on that?”

Lim pointed to Estra.

“It was her idea.”

“You see, a good business needs something more than boring fruits to sell. You can be like the rest and fail or you can win through….”

[SEDUCTION!]

“May I present to you all: The Thorn princess. The fallen girl on the run after the tragic collapse of her kingdom now has to resort to selling fruits to make a living. She is thus now the Maid of divine fruits! To Serve your every fruitly needs!”

Estra waved her arms outwards mimicking the raising of curtains to reveal the main attraction to be none other than Lim.

Despite the circumstance Estra had put him on, Lim tried his best to smile and shrug off everything with a face of defiance. Although, his will in that regard proved to be paper thin as the hundreds of eyes had instantly overwhelmed him.

Lim held an apple outwards towards the slowly amassing audience with a peach bright face of timid embarrassment.

“Mwaster, Would you please help a girl out of luck. It would mean so much to me if you could support me with all your hearts so please… Will you save me? ”

Gendry face palmed himself.

“God this is so stupid! No one would buy into thi–”

*WAM*

*BOOOOM*

“OOOOOOOOOOOH!!! YEEEEESSS!! MEEE!!! I WANT! LET ME SAVE YOU!!!”

A thunderous stampede instantly ensues with a crack that shook the very earth below. An unexpected fanbase had been amassed as a rampant fervour took control of the market.

Estra was busy snacking on free produce apples but was suddenly interrupted by the incoming chaos. She almost choked on her own food as she stood up to tackle the crazed crowds. Estra’s plan was to let Lim sell a sob story and for them to lay back and act cute while the gold rolled in. Yet, it seemed that the plan worked a bit too well forcing them to dish out fruits as if their lives depended on it.

The crowds would not stop as the three of them shoveled fruits out to the crazed heart filled fans.

“You! You! Buy! Buy! Buy!”

“NEXT! DON’T JUST STAND AND LOOK MONGRELS! BUY! ONE SECOND OF LOOK EQUALS TO ONE SALE!”

“WHEN WILL THEY STOP! GO AWAY! GEEZE!”

***

*Bam*

Gendry, Lim and Estra fell to the ground all exhausted. The vultures had picked all the produce clean with a mountain of gold in its place. The market now stood silent in the middle of the night with nothing but a piece of paper drifting in the wind.

“Great work you guys… never come again!”

“You and me both….”

They all laugh amongst each other with Estra shaking Gendry’s hands and saying their final goodbyes. Estra collected her gold but when she turned around a lone girl locked eyes with her.

“Those horns, are they real? Your friend took off her ears but you didn’t? Are you a real demon?”

Gendry peaked his head upwards stopping what he was doing to listen in.

Lim quickly jumped in front.

“No she's actua–”

“That’s right. I am the real deal. I am a demon.”

The young girl tugged on her teddy bear tightly as she backed away from Estra. Gendry angrily stormed towards her direction but was only stopped halfway by Lim.

“Wait, Gendry, we can explain.”

“You’re telling me that you lied saying that it was a costume?”

Estra grinned with a soft and warm expression. She reached her hand towards the frightened girl unable to move through sheer fear.

“These claws, these fangs and these horns. Do they look scary to you?”

The girl shook her head in agreement.

“But you see, appearances can be deceiving.”

Estra picked up a half eaten moldy apple on the ground. Her arm coursed with bright blue strings of pure energy pulsating through the air and all around.

“What may seem wicked can be…”

She opened her arm as the apple had transformed itself into a palm sized crystalline tree of glowing diamonds.

“More beautiful than you could even imagine.”

The girl’s eyes widened as she cautiously approached the crystal tree.

Take it. It's yours.”

“This is?”

“An offering. A peace offering to show that I want no harm. I may be a demon but I am a person with a heart that beats the same as yours.”

She took the crystal tree in her hands.

“I… I’m sorry I didn’t mean to. I was scared. My parents said–”

“It’s okay. You see a long time ago I thought the same as you. I was afraid of humans. I saw them as nothing but rotten apples, but like this tree I saw that there are those that are brighter than any shades of doubt.”

The girl held the tree tightly against her bear. Her face lit up with a wide smile and bright innocent eyes.

“Wow, you are amazing! Miss. Tell me how you did this?”

“It’s a trade secret. Now run along now. Your family would be worried.”

The girl gave a final nod as she ran off. Estra waved her arms to bid her farewell.

Gendry approached placing his hand firmly on Estra’s shoulders.

“You are a good person I can tell. I’m sorry that I doubted you… that I judged you.”

“Hehe… Even if a few feel this way, that does make me happy. I know us demons never got along but I really do hope that changes someday….”

“What are you talking about? You got one here. I mean over there. You hear that Lim, you better treat her right.”

Lim over in the distance screamed out.

“Shut up! She still owes me!”

Estra grinned with her face full of ecstasy.

“The costume is already yours Idiot! Hahaha!”

“Shut up!”