Our armies stood in formation. The tension in the air was palpable. Dust clouds, stirred by the movement of troops, created a somber atmosphere.
Their forces outnumbered ours by at least ten to one. Their soldiers were towering, terrifying monsters of various races.
Beside me stood only young, frightened, and poorly equipped men. Our chances of survival were nonexistent.
Every instinct screamed at me to flee—to spur my horse and ride as far from this battlefield as possible. But the mission today was not to claim a glorious victory. We only needed to buy time.
Across the kingdom, people were preparing to evacuate. Every second we gained here meant more lives saved.
My messenger returned with the Demon Queen's reply—too quickly. Had she refused my request and already ordered the attack? If so, all hope would be lost.
With every hoofbeat of his approaching horse, my dread grew. Never in my life had I prayed so desperately for good news.
"Your Highness," he greeted me. "The Demon Queen has agreed to your request for an audience."
I had never felt such overwhelming relief.
"Prepare our retinue. Take your time—remember, we must drag this out as long as possible."
Normally, I loathe court formalities. Whenever etiquette allows, I skip the tedious details. But today, those very details were my allies. Every rule demanding endless rituals for the simplest actions became the most potent weapon at our disposal.
Our retinue took excruciatingly long to depart. By the time we arrived at the meeting point, they had likely been waiting for some time.
It was my first time seeing the Demon Queen up close. Had I not been acutely aware that within hours, she might parade through my kingdom with my head on a pike, I would have undoubtedly fallen for her beauty.
I've always had a weakness for busty MILFs. Pair that silver hair and crimson eyes with the unholy allure of a succubus, and you'd have a fleeting glimpse of the vision before me.
My servants took their sweet time preparing an elaborate tea setting for our negotiations, arranging every utensil, floral centerpiece, and biscuit tray with agonizing precision. The whole process took nearly an hour.
I was satisfied—not only because the delay was exactly what we needed, but also because, since I would likely die in a few hours, a long hour admiring the demonic beauty of my executioner was a fine consolation prize.
The impatience on the faces of the Demon Queen's generals was obvious. Yet, astonishingly, the Queen herself seemed amused by the spectacle. I don't know why, but our eyes met a few times during that long hour. Was the Queen flirting with me? No, that was impossible… right?
I approached and introduced myself. "Your Majesty, I am Arthur William Habsberg von Lichtenburg, Crown Prince of Narventall. The honor of your audience humbles me."
Silence. For several heartbeats, she gave no reply. Was the Queen… nervous? Her cheeks bore a faint flush. Had I not known my likely fate, I would have found her adorable.
An attendant leaned in and whispered to her. Only then did she snap out of her daze.
"Pleasure! I—I am Lilith, Queen of All Demons."
Her voice wavered slightly as she extended a hand. I took it—her skin was unexpectedly soft—bowed, and brushed my lips against her knuckles.
"Hnn…" A whimper? Surely, I imagined it. But when I straightened, the Queen's face was beet red.
The absurdity of the situation was staggering. Was this truly the same fearsome Demon Queen who had haunted my nightmares for months? Now, she seemed like a flustered maiden.
"Shall we discuss the terms of my surrender over tea?" I gestured to her seat before taking my own.
An awkward silence lingered until, abruptly, the Queen's demeanor shifted. The terrifying ruler finally surfaced. Had all that shy, fragile behavior up to this point just been an act?
"You wish to negotiate terms, correct?" she said, then barreled on without letting me reply. "My condition for vassalage is marriage."
"Your Majesty, who would even marry whom in this scenario? What's the real benefit for us?" sputtered one general.
"Him marrying me, obviously. What's in it for us? My pleasure, obviously."
Wait—who would marry her? Me? Did my ears hear that right?
"But Your Majesty, we're already wed!" protested the commander of her forces—her current husband.
Before anyone could react, the Queen rose, drew her sword, and in one motion, severed his head from his shoulders.
"Ah, what a pity. It seems I'm widowed." She addressed her stunned generals first, then turned to me with a smile like a honed dagger.
"So, Prince Arthur… Do you accept my terms? Will you marry me?"
Is it strange that I felt horny in that moment?
Would I like to marry the Queen? Of course I would. If I could, I'd dive face-first into those melons right now.
But she had just cut off her own husband's head before proposing to me.
Not that I had much of a choice—if I said no, my fate would surely be far worse than the deceased's.
Still, I couldn't let myself be led solely by the whims of my little friend downstairs.
This marriage was a chance to save my people, something that had seemed impossible until recently.
I needed to keep the Queen infatuated with me—not just to keep my head in place, but for the sake of my country.
Yes, for the greater good of the entire nation, I would make that great sacrifice.
I knelt before the Queen and took one of her hands. Then, gazing into her eyes, I said:
"It wouldn't be fair for me to simply answer your proposal, my beautiful Queen. I should be the one begging you to accept me into your life. So, oh sweet Demon Queen, allow me to ask you: would you marry this humble prince?"
The Queen fainted and fell into my arms.