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It was a quiet day in that vast castle that seemed to overlook the world.
But the lord of that castle and the surrounding area, a cruel and unforgiving woman, seemed quite pleased with the events occurring within the castle walls.
"My lady, please accept this humble offering…" The man in front of her moved away from the cloaked figure before her.
The demoness gazed upon the figure for a moment, covered in a white kimono with a cloth over their head.
"You, the so-called offering." The other people in the room froze at the sound of her voice, but the offering didn't, body language completely neutral. "Show yourself to me."
Their head tilted up.
And the demoness watched as the white cloth on the figure's– no, the girl's– head moved just enough to give her a glimpse of those eyes.
They were completely blank. No light in them at all.
The cloth slipped off of her head, revealing a head of dark hair, slightly messy from the cloth. Her hair stretched down to her chest, the ends curling slightly inward.
"I'll take her." Voxanne murmured.
The girl didn't flinch. She hadn't cried on the way in, either, like so many other offerings had before. She just stared at Voxanne with that blank expression.
Something bubbled beneath the surface of those dark, near-black irises.
"You. Miss 'Offering'." Voxanne stretched a hand out toward the girl, past the gauzy white veil that surrounded her throne. "Are you not afraid? Have you not heard the rumors?"
The demon lord Voxanne devours young maidens to preserve her beauty.
Her cruelty knows no bounds.
She will smite you without a second glance if you anger her.
The offering blinked slowly at her.
"Have you no will to live?" Voxanne murmured. "No worldly desires…?"
"I do not." The girl said quietly.
Her voice was slightly raspy, as if she hadn't spoken in a while.
"Then…" Voxanne moved forward, then, startling all of the occupants of the room away from the two of them. Good. She moved past the veil dividing them and took the girl's face in her hand, feeling her skin slightly squish between her fingers. "I will give you them. I will treat you with the utmost respect and care…
" Until the day you are fit for me to consume you. "
She quickly learned the girl's name, her age, her favorite snack. Shuuko, twenty-three years old. She liked when Voxanne ordered for peaches and oranges to be brought into the castle.
Shuuko was a quiet one. She tended to play with her hair, silky black strands running through her fingers, and she often stared into nothingness until Voxanne called her attention.
In fact, she was staring into space at that very moment.
Voxanne frowned. That was no good. What if she was sick?
"Shuuko." She murmured.
The girl blinked a bit, refocusing her gaze and turning toward Voxanne. "What is it…?" Her voice had become so much more full in the days they'd been speaking together.
"You seem to have your head in the clouds." Voxanne commented. "Is there something on your mind?"
"Sorry." Shuuko immediately dipped her head, then continued speaking. "I couldn't help but drift off… I'm not sure why."
"Mm… Come here." Voxanne stood, pulling the girl to her feet and walking over to her large bed, where she pushed the girl down into a laying position. "Stay here." She then walked across the room to the door, opening it slightly and pointing at the nearest servant. "You there. Call for a doctor."
"Y-Yes, my lady!" The servant ran off.
Voxanne returned to her room, walking back to the bed and sitting down next to Shuuko, who looked up at her curiously. "I cannot eat a meal that's been tainted by disease, now can I?" She asked. "We will see about the state of your health, and you shall quickly return to your usual state."
"...Yes, My Lady." Shuuko nodded slowly.
It didn't take long for Voxanne to bring it up. "Your eyes are such a beautiful shade of purple." She commented.
Shuuko looked up at her with wide eyes– her irises were still near-black, as usual.
Voxanne smiled at her. "It's not hard to see what you truly are. Won't you show me your true form…?"
The girl stared for another moment, hesitating, then nodded wordlessly. She closed her eyes, then opened them again, showing that wonderful shade of violet that Voxanne had been wishing for.
Her hair also lightened in a few places, a golden streak of hair by her temple, a few streaks of magenta around her face, violet underneath a long wave of black.
"Is… Is this more to your liking?" Shuuko asked.
Voxanne thought for a moment, then smiled again. "You're quite beautiful. Why would you ever hide such features?"
"...Most people are afraid of people like me. They would call me monstrous and harass me. So I hid those traits from everyone. Including you." Shuuko frowned. "I'm sorry."
"There is no need to apologize. However…" She tilted Shuuko's head up with a single finger on her chin. "Won't you tell me the names of those who have wronged you?"
"Wh…?"
Voxanne leaned forward, lowering her voice. "You belong to me now. And anyone who tries to break my things is unforgivable." She said.
Shuuko processed what she said for a moment, then nodded slightly. "I understand."
Shuuko liked peaches and oranges.
Voxanne quickly ordered special-made tea from a passing servant, who ran off to do her bidding.
Shuuko was still dozing in the afternoon sun at the tea table in their Voxanne's room, unaware of Voxanne's wonderful plan.
It didn't take long for the tea to be delivered.
"Shuuko." She called the girl's name, catching her attention. The sorceress turned to her slowly, and with a little yawn (how adorable). "Would you like some tea?"
"Mm, yes, thank you." Shuuko nodded, reaching out for the cup that was offered (Voxanne couldn't help but notice how the dark nails and pale skin of her hand contrasted with her new kimono– a deep purple color with intricate gold designs that showed her status in Voxanne's castle). She took a sip, and her eyes widened slightly. "Oh…"
"Do you like it? I specifically requested for it to be infused with the taste of your favorite fruits." Voxanne smiled slightly.
"It's delicious…" She kept sipping on the tea, unashamedly showing her love for the taste.
"Lovely." The demoness nodded, and finally raised her own teacup to her lips.