Escaping All Confines

It was three in the morning when the half-demon named Jackal was awoken by repeated knocking at his front door. Snapping alight the torches fixed upon his wall, he made his way through the main hall, opening it ready for another group of drunks or vandals, but it was the land’s sole princess at his doorstep.

“Princess Ashlyn, what brings you here at this hour?”

“My father intends to have me married within a month. I am to stay here until someone worthy arrives.”

Jackal was furious; the nerve of the king to use him as bait. It was one of those times where he wished he hadn’t inherited his mother’s compassion. If he were all-demon, he may not have felt guilty about ridding the king within the following hour.

Jackal took pity on the princess and welcomed her into his home. He led her to what was once his mother’s room, left untouched as it was a decade ago, save for the weekly cleaning. Ashlyn apologised to Jackal, saying that she would have never chosen this if it were up to her. He found her words to be genuine.

“It’s alright, princess. This is the norm for my kind.”

In the month that followed, many princes from abroad arrived at Jackal’s home on the outskirts of the kingdom to claim the right to wed the princess, and each time, they faced defeat at the hands of the half-demon they looked down upon. At the princess’ request, Jackal never dealt the men any serious injuries.

Talking about their dreams in their free time, Ashlyn opened up about how she wished she could leave everything behind and travel the world. She detested being born to royalty and having the responsibility of the throne forced upon her shoulders. The princess asked Jackal whether there was anything he dreamed of doing in the future. He shook his head.

Jackal remembered a memory of his mother urging him not to be shackled to others’ perceptions of him and instead explore the world and forge his own identity. What immediately followed were the flashbacks of fire that rose to wrap around his mother as a mob accused her of witchcraft. Jackal tightened the grip upon his hands. “There’s nothing out there for my kind, princess. Much like you, I, too, am confined.”

Three months passed, and the last of the challengers was finally beaten. Ashlyn was pleased with the results, but her father arrived at Jackal’s house with fury in his eyes. He asked Jackal to release the princess at once and returned with her to the castle. That evening, Ashlyn told her father that she would not follow his orders anymore. Enraged, the king had the royal guards confine the princess to her bedroom.

After midnight, Ashlyn slipped through her window and escaped the castle under the veil of the night. She returned to Jackal’s home with a bag wrapped around her shoulder, asking if he would join her in her adventure. He looked back at the dark hall behind him and lowered his head.

“This is all I know, princess…”

“Then let’s explore—find something new. Neither of us should remain shackled to our pasts.”

Tears began to emerge in Jackal’s eyes, his gaze fixed upon his mother’s room as many fond memories flooded his mind. Silence wrapped the room as he drew in a long breath. “What do you have in mind?”