One Shot Wednesdays -Devil, Devil (Patreon)

Greetings everyone! This week's one-shot was inspired by 2 separate things. Firstly, I had scheduled in that i would do a Beauty and the Beast piece. Secondly,  the writer's group I'm in on Facebook challenged the following:

Writing Challenge: Pick a song and write its story. 

Rules: All the events MUST happen in the story as the song tells.  "Example"Mama he killed a man" A male character must die by another male characters hand. And somewhere along person is telling their mother about it. 

Bonus: If you can hold the same feel in the song in your story. 

So I chose the song: Devil Devil by MILCK

Lyrics provided below after which the one-shot commences! Enjoy and please comment!

Devil, devilClever Devil, DevilHow quickly they do sell their soulsFor the feast and the promise of goldBut devil that won't be me

Devil, DevilBones of metal, metalYou torture saints with a single glanceMake them think, they ever stood a chance

Do not try me Devil, DevilCannot buy me Devil, DevilYou won't make a fool of me, oh noWhat makes you so special, specialTo think I would ever settleFor that devious dance between you and me, Devil, Devil

Rebel, rebel call me rebel, rebelI walk the plank, not a tear in my eyeI won't go down your blushing brideUnder the water I'll be sharpening my knife

Do not try me Devil, DevilCannot buy me Devil, DevilYou won't make a fool of me, oh noWhat makes you so special, specialTo think I would ever settleFor that devious dance between you and me, Devil, Devil

You take the shape ofEverything that I'm drawn toYou take the shape ofEverything that I'm drawn toBut your eyesAre dead and redRed as rust

Do not try me Devil, DevilCannot buy me Devil, DevilYou won't make a fool of me, oh noWhat makes you so special, specialTo think I would ever settleFor that devious dance between you and me, Devil, Devil

“Welcome to my home, Beauty.” The creature’s voice was gentle and seductive –not like you’d expect a tyrant beast’s to be. I had to remind myself what and who I was facing. This was a monster that would destroy me and had almost destroyed my family already. I could not let my guard down.

Therefore I kept my eyes on the polished floor. I would not give into this devil that created temptation wherever it went. My father, bless his kind and pure soul, had been sucked into temptation and thus his price was my life to be handed over to this tyrannical creature that had trapped my father by tempting him with roses; flowers that reminded him of his home.

“I know what goes on in your home,” I responded evenly, “I have no doubt that I am welcome here to succumb to your wiles and any number of worldly temptations.”

His resulting laughter was even appealing. My heart began to thud. “You think you are clever,” he spoke, “I acknowledge this. But I too am clever. We shall see who is successful for longer. You may hold out but in the end I think you’ll find yourself turned to my offers one way or another. And there’s no shame in it.”

“Not to you,” I muttered.

“Many have come before you, this you know. Many will come after you. It is just the nature of life and existence. Everyone has desires, wishes, wants that lie beyond their means. Then they find themselves in my presence and just like that it is attainable.”

“How quickly they do sell their souls for the feast and the promise of gold. But Devil, that won’t be me,” I responded firmly.

He laughed again. “Come then, your chambers my dear lady.”

~

Over the next weeks, I was offered many fine things: gowns, beds, perfumes, jewellery, shoes... even fine foods at every meal and hot baths to take every night. I refused all of them: wearing my own clothing, sleeping on the floor, leaving all of the accessories untouched and only eating bread and butter with the occasional bite of fruit or meat and letting the baths grow cold and untouched.

“What is it you wish for then?” my captor asked when he interrupted my meal sitting by a fire that I had prepared myself in an unused hearth. “I see you do not desire finery or courtly living.”

I remained silent.

“What about books or materials for embroidery? Perhaps a hound or young kitten to occupy your time—“

“You cannot buy me. I don’t desire any of those things. I desire freedom which you cannot and will not give until I give into some vain thing of desire and want. I am not a fool and will not be made one.”

“Say that while looking at me,” he begged calmly.

“I respectfully decline.”

“People who are lying try their best to look away so as the truth of their lie does not escape their eyes or flicker upon their face. I know it well. I do not believe you will be able to speak to me directly and not lie because some small part of you, some piece of you knows there is a chance that I can and will tempt you. You are not weak or wrong for being human, Beauty.”

I did not reply –continuing to eat in silence– and my captor departed. I did not see him for three whole days.

On the fourth day, I took a walk out towards the stream I’d seen where I could wash my clothing. I almost tripped when I caught sight of a young man walking in the distance –his clothes plain and his hair shining pale under a cap. Had my captor captured another unwitting soul? I couldn’t believe it and immediately I pitied the lad who was likely a teen like myself.

The teen caught sight of me and stopped walking too. Then, he raised a hand and waved. His friendliness unnerved me and I turned away from him and hurried towards the stream. Temptation my mind screamed. I would not give in.

I washed my clothes hurriedly, putting thoughts away in neat piles in my mind as I worked.

As I lay out a garment upon a rock to collect and take back to the fortress afterward, I then turned back to the rest of my washing and was startled to see someone standing there. I fell onto my rear in the commotion and saw it was the young lad who was smiling gently at me, holding a pair of hose in his hands that were dripping steadily into the stream. “You almost lost this downstream,” he indicated with a sweet smile and a calm, gentle voice.

“Put it down!” I spat, averting my eyes from his face despite the fact that it was too late and my heart was pounding from excitement rather than the surprise arrival, “Leave me be, devil.”

He ‘tsk’d’ me but did as I’d asked and I scooped the garment up again with anger.

“Why won’t you talk to me, at least? I cannot hypnotise. I have no magic in words alone,” he spoke. “Or is it that you cannot bear to look at me now that you see my form?”

“I have nothing to say. Be gone,” I repeated.

“Beauty. Come now...” The young man crouched to my eye level and I averted my gaze from him. But oh how I wanted to look again. He had been so handsome. I had been drawn to him upon first look.

He drew my chin with his long fingers to make my gaze return to him. I quickly closed my eyes.

“You do realize that by refusing to look at me that you admit I am tempting you, do you not?” he spoke calmly though I felt as though this amused him.

I was so angry at the truth of this that I opened my eyes again and saw his face once more.

“That’s it now. That’s all I wanted, Beauty.”

I grit my teeth.

“Now that you see that I am not terrifying and now that perhaps you are no longer filled with temptation may we take dinner together tonight?”

“Never. I will never accept anything you give me.”

“Ah but I do not have to provide the dinner. You can prepare it; enough for yourself or for us both, and we will sit for dinner at a place of your choosing on these grounds. Why we may take the meal here if you so wish. I don’t wish to trap you in this. I just grow bored and feel myself accepting that you will not give into me so easily and that I must bide time. Therefore let us just exist together in one space for the time of a meal. Is that agreeable to you?”

It wasn’t but I couldn’t help but feel myself wishing to say ‘yes’. He spoke sensibly and offered something that appealed: a simple meal.

“I’ll make it easier for you: I hereby declare that my offer to take a meal is not to be misconstrued as a temptation or trap. It is as I say it is: just to exist for the space of a meal.” He took a perfectly formed finger and crossed over where a man’s heart might be and a glowing X formed there. “I am bound to that term now,” he informed me and everything I knew about superstition told me what he said was true: he was no longer allowed to take my acceptance as a temptation fulfilled and nor could he try anything devious during our meal.

I accepted.

That first meal went perfectly fine. My captor waited a couple of days more before he asked again. I accepted and found myself again at ease. No temptations came for me save for my attraction to his physical features. But I would not admit so and I would not give in.

I took each meal at that time, and every time after that to find flaws in him or in our situation. By the end of each meal I felt reserved and guarded against any temptations towards desire.

And then, he startled me one evening with a question, “Will you marry me?”

“I beg your pardon!?” I glanced up at him briefly but averted my eyes from his torturous sad expression.

“Will you marry me? Having you here has made me realize that I have so many come and go but never have any stayed. The realization that I am utterly...lonely even without being alone is startling, especially for the likes of me. You have been a worthy adversary and would make a wonderful companion. And I will put away my temptations towards you forever once we are joined in marriage and I will be, without tricks or cleverness, a proper, devoted husband and companion to you.”

My heart was pounding and I felt the blood had drained from my face. “No,” I responded. “I will not marry you.”

“I accept your choice today,” he replied, “but perhaps one day I shall ask again and I hope for both of our sakes that you will have changed your mind. Adieu.”

My tyrant brought another person into the fortress the next day. I recognized the garments as one of monks that lived in the north that were pledged to service at the age of five. Their lives were peaceful and chaste and they did much charity for the lands that bordered them.

It took one glance from the devil before him (which I witnessed from a balcony above) for the monk to drop his calm expression. “Give me a few coins to help those suffering on the streets,” he begged. Perhaps he thought he had a chance against this devil as the request was so chaste and the creature before him had not frightened him upon first glance.

“No.”

“Please. If you see to it that the entire city has enough to eat tonight I will pledge service for you tomorrow.”

“I’d rather not.”

“What is it you want then?” I heard the desperation in the monk’s voice and I fled that he should be so tortured just by entering into the presence of my (and perhaps now his) captor.

The monk was released not five minutes later and left at the gate. He had torturous thoughts now, I could tell. He kept glancing at the golden ornaments on the gates as though he wished to take them for his noble cause. I ran from the sight of it.

A week later a young man was tempted by the carrots growing just within the gates. He took them for his family but also had to bring back a golden band around his wrist that showed the claim the devil had over him that it could cash in on whenever it wanted.

His mother, devastated, came seeking to help her son but bowed to temptation when she saw how finely my captor was dressed before her and how he had such a handsome face. “Take me into your arms,” she begged, “I’ve been so lonely and I shall never be lonely again if I have felt your touch,” she promised on her knees.

She left unsatisfied and with a golden band around her wrist also after the devil refused her request.

I did not see anyone after that for an entire month. Perhaps it was intentional and perhaps not but I did not forget who I was or why I was here. Nor did I forget what false promises my captor could hold. Perhaps he thought I’d forgotten all about his wickedness thinking that so long as he treated me respectfully and did not let me witness any others led into temptation that I might then let my guard down a little and begin to grow a bit fond of him and our dinners.

“Will you marry me?” he asked again one night when my mood was improved by the sight of a clumsy raccoon falling repeatedly into the stream as he tried to fish from the edge of a small branch hanging over the water of the stream.

Still laughing, I turned to him and saw his beautiful expression which was also laughing and warm and I felt consideration warming inside of me. But he fixed me with his eyes and I inhaled sharply, brought back to reality. “No,” I answered. He may have taken the shape of a man I found myself attracted to with all the right features and a naturally intoxicating scent. But his eyes had always been off. They’d appeared lifeless and cold and now in the evening light as the sun shone its last rays upon us I saw for not the first time the colour of rust.

“Why-ever not?”

“I don’t need a reason,” I retorted and he left it alone for another month again.

When next he asked me, we were aboard a ship. He had taken his business abroad and we were to sail three days to the next port. As a prisoner I was forced to come along and concede to take whatever provisions were provided by the ship’s staff. This meant a dinner on deck one evening, my captor and I alone. We were the only passengers besides the crew.

“Will you marry me?”

I fixed his rust coloured eyes to my own before I took a breath to reply, “No I will not. Nor will I ever.”

“How can you say that? Have we not had several months now content with each other?” the devil with his angel’s face pleaded.

“It has been an arrangement nothing more.”

“Surely you can’t say that—”

“I just have.”

His jaw tightened. “What is it that bothers you?”

“In what world should I be okay with this? I am your prisoner until I give into temptation or give into your marriage proposal. I will do neither; I will die first.”

He scoffed. “I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t? Huh. Try me, devil.”

“You’ll throw your entire life away just to prove yourself against me?”

“If that’s what it takes!”

“Not once have I done harm to you! And if we were wed that would not change.”

I laughed bitterly. “What makes you so special to think I would ever settle for you?”

“Settle for me?”

“I won’t be your fool; your toy. That devious dance between you and me will never happen.”

I could see my words were getting to him. The once dead eyes were sparking with some feeling now; anger and frustration. Good.

“You mean what you say?” he asked me again, “You would rather die than be with me?”

“Oh yes,” I responded confidently.

He was momentarily enraged but then visibly calmed himself as he stood from his chair. “Very well then I see no reason to prolong your suffering. You may walk the plank now and be free of me through death.”

My eyebrows raised. I had not expected such a thing. “Truly?”

“Yes,” he spoke, a challenge perhaps? That was fine; I would not play his game. I would go through with my word. 

As I stood calmly, I carefully and subtly took the dinner knife from the table into my sleeve. He escorted me to the side of the ship where the plank assembled itself. I stepped onto it and began to walk.

“I will let you go back on your word now and let you live,” he called out to me, “This game has gone too far. If you relent now I will let us go back to the way things were between us as they were five minutes ago as though I did not ask for your hand.”

“That’s quite alright,” I told him, turning a little to speak, “As you say let us not prolong anything. I will not go down your blushing bride whether I turn around now or jump from here. You will not get me in any way; you shall not have the satisfaction.”

“You rebel against me from the start and now you would throw away your life just to remain one.”

“Yes,” I replied and threw myself down towards the water. Once underneath I bided my time, slipping the knife from my sleeve and feeling its sharp edge. I was calling his bluff. I did not think he would allow me to drown. He would come down and get me.

Just as I began to wonder whether I in fact was wrong, I saw him swim towards me. I waited for the right moment and then with as much strength as I could muster in the water I thrust the weapon at his head. It bounced off and terrified I tried again and again in different spots but to no use.

My captor eventually grabbed the knife away from me in a solid iron grip and threw it to the ocean floor before pulling me to the surface.

“Let me go!” I gasped when I had gulped enough air in to recover my senses a little.

“You silly girl what did you think you were going to do?”

“What did you think I was trying to do!?” I snapped, trying to swim away but he had me held tightly.

“My bones are metal, you know. Well... of a sort,” he trailed off, “But that is besides the point. The point is that you gave into the temptation to kill me.”

“What?”

“You were tempted to kill me if I tried to rescue you from the waters. And you gave into that.”

I at once felt cold though it was not the water that made me so.

“I did not anticipate that this would be how you would fulfill your obligation to me but alas...”

I was too weak with terror and shock to protest or fight back as he carried me effortlessly back up onto the deck of the ship.

“I suppose now I can release you,” he reasoned, “You’ve made these past months more pleasurable and I shall be sad to see you go. But you were tempted and gave in and now I no longer wish to hold you. I will arrange for your passage home by carriage this time once we dock,” he told me.

Weak with defeat I hadn’t bothered to stand instead dripping and shivering on the deck wishing I had just inhaled the water and done as I’d adamantly told him I would. He had defeated me utterly. I had not managed to stand up against temptation after all.

Only minutes ago I had walked the plank with such determination sans emotion. But now I walked another proverbial plank and the rush of a thousand tears seemed to enter my eyes as I fell to the darkness below me.

Devil, devil. Clever devil. Devil.