The Cursed Prince

When she heard his words uttered in a serious tone, Harlow's expression suddenly turned icy and she shook her head. "You can't keep me trapped in here! I won't marry you! I don't want to marry you… If you forced me, I'd rather kill myself."

"What?!" Raphael's eyes widened. Emotions once again flickered into his face as the facade gave away at the princess' words. Harlow's death was the last thing that the Ice Prince would ever want.

Harlow nodded and glared at him. "You can't force me to marry you. I've tried to give you something in exchange and create a new oath with you but still you refuse? I don't want to be with a man like you. I'll kill myself if that's the last thing I'll ever do!"

"That would really be the last thing that you'll ever do,"  Raphael bluntly said, but then he sighed and shook his head. He muttered something underneath his breath but then looked at Harlow with a stern expression. "Fine. Let us discuss something later."

Harlow's expression suddenly lightened up, but she forced her face to become somber. "Do you promise?"

"I do. I will meet you in the throne room tonight… but for now, I will go and attend to some personal matters." Raphael sighed and then looked at the princess. "You are free to roam around the castle if you wish and play with Icecube, but you will not attempt to run away."

"And if I do…?" Harlow couldn't help but ask.

"You wouldn't want to try it, princess," Raphael said. "For now, I leave you to your own devices but remember that we've already made an agreement about your release in exchange for something else. Keep your word."

Harlow slowly nodded and looked at Raphael in curiosity. Here was the person that he had been looking for all these years but the man was suddenly just going to leave her and attend to another matter?

How suspicious and not something that the most people would have done. On the contrary, Harlow expected that the man would stay and continue their conversation. However, without another word, Raphael left.

Once a couple of minutes passed after Raphael departed from her chambers, Harlow eventually went out to her window and then gave a loud whistle. Icecube, who was still in the air, suddenly heard his master and flew towards her.

Without another moment to waste, Harlow leaped out from her window and fell through the skies before Icecube caught her in his back.

"Ow. Ow, that hurt, but it worked." Harlow grabbed a hold of Icecube and let out a relieved smile.

She really would have done anything just to obtain her freedom. Now things were finally starting to turn to her way. The princess cheered as Icecube and she did somersaults in the air to relax and celebrate.

Once Harlow got a little dizzy, she made Icecube to land in the Demon King's gardens so she could stroll around and catch her breath. After they landed, Icecube immediately rested on the soft grass and happily snorted some snowflakes out from his snout.

"Brr…Cold." Harlow chuckled and rubbed her arm as she threw Icecube a playful glare.  "Let's try not to freeze up this Demon King's garden shall we?"

Icecube snorted a fat snowflake on to the ground much to Harlow's amusement. Until she suddenly pursed her lips and looked at her ice dragon. "I bet he would have liked being surrounded by ice, wouldn't he? He's still the Ice Prince… Ice King? Ice demon king? Well, whatever."

That man really had way too  many names, she thought to herself. 

Harlow patted Icecube and let her ice dragon rest and roll around the grass while she took the chance to explore the royal gardens all by herself. She was amazed and in awe at all the flowers blossoming and blooming in the underworld.

"I really expected things to not… well, to not be alive here, but I guess I'm wrong again," Harlow muttered to herself as she eyed the beautiful blue jacaranda tree that grew all by itself in the garden.

"Wait. Harlow is that you?" A voice suddenly called her from out of nowhere. 

"Huh?" Harlow glanced over her shoulder and saw Julian appear out from a cluster of hanging vines that were decorated against the castle's walls. The man seemed to have come out from a secret passage and stepped out to meet her.

"Julian?!" Harlow called out to him unsurely. She knew that he would somehow find a way here, but she didn't expect that he would quickly be able to find her or for them to meet again.

"Hey, look at this brilliant princess who found herself in the demon king's castle." Julian chuckled and waved at her with a relaxed grin. "How did you manage to beat me here? I thought you abandoned me after I gave you some money."

Harlow pursed her lips but shook her head. "No… I was brought here by the Demon King himself."

"What?!" Julian's eyes widened and he spun around in the garden. "Is this a trap?"

Harlow tossed a pebble at him and shook her head. "No. On the contrary, the guy that I've been looking for? Stupid Raphael turned out to be the Demon King himself and brought me here. How did you get in here by the way?"

"I called in some favors as I said. The person I collected a favor with knew a bit about how to get in the castle so I snuck my way in," Julian explained with a grin. "But you know, it's a great thing that you're here."

"Why?" Harlow frowned.

"Well, I've got an insider!" Julian winked at her.. "You're now officially my spy and informant here in the castle. All you gotta do is take advantage of this guy, stay by his side and gain his trust and probably find out where his treasure room is and steal his key!"