Ileus: The Dark Prince

"This is how the prince is splurging her. Some of this is even gifted by Kar'den," said Jor'gas feeling jealous. "The queen's room is so plain and look at this!" 

All of a sudden, a man in only a drape around his waist walked out and Jor'gas bowed. She murmured, "Prince Seraph. Bow!" 

Anastasia too bowed. 

After giving them a cursory glance, Seraph walked to the bar and poured demonic brew for himself. Without turning towards them he said, "The princess needs a bath. Make sure that the water is cool." He walked inside.

Jor'gas was left staring behind Seraph as he went back to the bedroom. "The water is hot because of the weather. How will I make it cool?" She sounded extremely nervous. "The princess should know this!" she muttered. Then she held Anastasia's hand and said, "Come let's help her out." 

As soon as they entered the bathroom, they saw that Etaya was already standing inside next to the bathtub in her lingerie. She had bent down and was testing the water's temperature with her hand. She turned to look at them and cursed, "Bolesne demonic kucks!" Sick demon bitches. "What are you waiting for? Quickly remove my clothes!" 

Anastasia had an urge to punch her face but she pursed her lips. She had to control her emotions. Jor'gas hurriedly helped her out of her lingerie. 

"This water is too hot for me!" said Etaya looking at the bathtub. "Make it cold." 

"B— but m'lady, I don't know how to make it colder," Jor'gas stuttered.

"Then be prepared to be whipped." Etaya said with a twisted face. 

Jor'gas cried, "M'lady, this is really not possible." 

Etaya looked at her with narrowed eyes and then slapped her hard. "How dare you talk back to me? If this water doesn't become cool soon, I will see to it that Seraph whips you or better still, claws you." 

Jor'gas looked at Anastasia helplessly. Her fear was palpable. 

Anastasia walked to the tub and inserted her finger. Few seconds later she said, "It is pretty cold m'lady." She knew that Etaya was doing it on purpose because she didn't like Jor'gas. The dislike was natural because Etaya was well aware of the fact that Jor'gas was close to the queen. 

Narrowing her eyes, Etaya said, "If it is not, then what should I do?" 

"Then you can whip us," Anastasia replied with confidence. 

An evil smile spread on her lips. "I am yet to see a more confident demon bitch!" Etaya ambled to the bathtub and immersed her feet. Her eyes became wide. The water was cool. In fact it was very inviting, so she immersed the second foot and then sat inside it. She rested her head at the back and then looked at Anastasia. "It is still not as cool as I wanted. So prepare for your punishment." Then she shouted, "Sera—" but her voice froze. The water around her became so cold that for a moment she thought she would freeze to death. Her mind and body became numb. The water was so cold that even her teeth froze to the extent that they didn't chatter. 

"M'lady, is everything all right?" asked Anastasia innocently. "We are so sorry that the water isn't as cool as you wanted it to be." Then she looked at Jor'gas who was watching Etaya, bewildered as hell. She had almost frozen in the same position. "Jor'gas, do you have ice in the palace?" 

"S, s, s, Seraph!" Etaya managed to whisper. 

"Oh! You want the prince to come here?" asked Anastasia, fluttering her eyelashes naively. 

Etaya managed to give one weak nod. She felt that she was about to become a cube of ice if not taken out of the water. 

"Jor'gas, could you please call m'lord?" Anastasia instructed. 

Jor'gas rushed out and called Seraph. 

"My love!" Seraph said in a shocked voice when he looked at her pale face. "What is going on here?" he asked. "Is the water too hot? I told you she needed cold water!" 

"It is—" Etaya began to speak in a feeble voice but she couldn't even move, let alone speak. 

"The water is according to your majesty's instructions," Anastasia replied with her hands folded in the front and head bowed. 

Seraph frowned. He walked to the bathtub. 

Jor'gas gasped. Sweat beads appeared on her forehead because she didn't know what was going on. 

Seraph bent over Etaya and then kissed her head. "What is it, love?" He immersed his hand in the water. It was cool and very welcoming. He was surprised and looked at the servants. "How did you manage it?" he asked. "This is absolutely wonderful!" He felt like immersing in the water. 

Anastasia smiled coyly and then bowed again. "Anything for your majesty." 

"Both of you get out. I will take a bath with my fiancée," he announced, looking intensely at Etaya. 

As for Etaya, she was staring at water, astonished as hell. How come the temperature rose and was ambient? Baffled, she looked up at Anastasia who was exiting the door with her head still low. 

As Anastasia closed the door behind her, she heard Seraph, "My love, I need you as hell!" 

Jor'gas went to the armoires and took out their clothes for the day. While doing that she asked Anastasia, "Natsya, what did you do there? I can't understand what happened." 

"Me?" Anastasia looked at her with accusing eyes. "Why will I do anything? The water was pretty cool, I don't know how, but Etaya was only trying to pick on us. I think we came out because Seraph could see that we were genuine." 

At first Jor'gas stared at her blankly. Then she shook her head and shrugged. "Whatever. I am glad that we avoided whipping. Gods, I hate that woman." 

Anastasia chuckled. She had used her magic to cool the water to the extent that Etaya froze when she sat in it, and when Seraph came into the bathroom she changed the water's temperature to make it cool. 

The girls walked out and waited for them in the small antechamber.