What have I done?!

It was the rays of sunlight that seeped through her windows that woke Arianna up. Her emerald green eyes wandering around her room to see the bending figure of Meena, who—as if noticing her woken self, turned round.

"Your highness, you're awake" she courtesied.

Arianna's brows furrowed as her head started to ache mildly.

"what time is it?" she asked as she stood up, immediately noticing the sting in her palm which she chose to ignore. The events of last night played vaguely in her head that she wasn't sure if it really happened.

"it's an hour after breakfast time, milady" Meena said and fidgeted unsure of whether to say what was on her mind.

Arianna noticed this,"What is it, Meena?"

The young maid scratched the back of her neck, "Umm...I was wondering if the princess was alright?"

Arianna's raised an eyebrow in slight confusion, "I don't understand. why wouldn't I be?"

"Well... because, I found her highness on the...on the floor this morning, as I came to wake you"

Arianna's face fell. So what happened wasn't a dream? Her heart started beating in anxiety, she looked around her vast room as if searching for something—what exactly, she couldn't say.

Her gaze returned to Meena who looked as confused as she was, "What....what else did you see, Meena?"

The maid blinked, what else did she see? was the princess really okay? "Your highness, you just laid there on the ground—you slept soundly and I was unsure of whether to wake you..."

Meena grabbed her shaking hands. "Yes?" Arianna pressed.

"I went out to get your dress ready and when I came back....your highness was on the bed"

Arianna grabbed the covers of her bed as her head kept aching. Did the summoning spell really work? if it did, where was her guardian? how did she end up on the bed? Her gaze traveled to Meena and she gulped. If her father heard that she made an attempt at magic.....dear heavens!

"Oh.." she said as she smiled at Meena, "I remembered what happened....I decided to sleep on the ground—to stretch"

"Stretch?"

"Yes, there is a book in the library about stretching to relieve stress. I was so stressed yesterday I must have fallen asleep after my stretch" She gave what she believed as a reassuring smile and recieved one from Meena.

"Ohh, Okay. I'm glad you're alright princess" Meena said, "I will prepare your bath now, excuse me" she courtesied and left.

Arianna breathe an audible sigh of relief, as she crawled down from her bed. She wasn't used to lying, Infact she hardly lied—she had taken the oath of honesty when she was five years of age, it was a harmless tradition for the Lavanians but she had promised to keep it as long as she could and she was breaking it today, over what she had no idea about.

She looked at the little scar on her palm. The quill had pricked her there, she walked over to her dressing room and stood in front of her vast mirror, subconsciously combing her tangled hair with her fingers. As she stared at her reflection, she saw it change, black scratch marks appeared on the inside of the mirror and Arianna stood there paralyzed. The reflection on the mirror turned to one of dark figure of the most beautiful male beings she had ever seen, the creature...or was it a man—he looked every inch of a man, except for the gleaming red eyes, huge frame and menacing smirk.

"Told her first real lie, didn't she?" The figure asked rhetorically, it's hands were placed on the surface of the mirror as if peering at her from a window. She felt her heart hammering wildly in her chest, she couldn't move. Her green eyes stared unblinkingly into his red ones, she opened her mouth to speak but no words came out, she felt faint.

"Calm down princess, I won't hurt you" he said, fangs visible from his mouth.

"Who....who..."

"I'm your guardian angel" he smirked again. Arianna eyes opened in realization. Guardian angel? more like guardian Demon!

"I won't hurt you. You summoned me" he said, Arianna gasped, No....she had summoned an angelic creature not this......dark being. Her eyes swept across his features, his skin was an ashen gray and he was shirtless, a mark of a claw on his right chest, long flowing hair that had been tied loosely behind him. He was smirking evilly at her, she felt her legs weaken. She was about to say something when Meena walked in.

"Your highness, your bath is ready"

Arianna jerked as she turned to Meena, shock on her face. The latter was surprised.

"Are you okay, milady?" Meena asked, alarmed.

Arianna turned to the mirror to see the 'thing' that had been there, gone. "I...I am fine"

she said hurriedly and dashed out of the room.

When she reached the bathroom, she immediately look frantically around and in an instant, heard a devilish laugh.

"I'm not a pervert, princess. I promise not to stare" a voice said and Arianna gripped her gown, swallowing in fear.

"Dear heavens, what have I done?!" she murmured to herself.

"Milady? is the temperature of the water not to your liking?" Meena asked as came from behind Arianna, a fresh robe in her hands.

Arianna didn't answer but disrobed as fast she could and immersed herself in the warm water. She closed her eyes and heaved multiple breaths, feeling the fingers of Meena on her head.

What Arianna could not understand was how she had summoned a thing like that, how the summoning book could have even worked in the first place, Lavanians or most nations of the east do not practice magic because they have no magical bloodlines. She resolved in her mind to question Frank after breakfast.

"Her highness is too quiet" Meena remarked as she finished washing Arianna's hair.

"Meena?" Arianna called in an unsure voice.

"Milady ?"

"Remind me again, why Lavania does not practice magic"

Meena's brows furrowed, "Your highness, the art of magic is of the North, the Northern regions. The east does not believe in magic and do not practice it"

"But, is it outlawed in Lavania?" Arianna asked.

"Her highness more than anyone is supposed to know the answer to that. It may not be outlawed but it is greatly frowned on in Lavania" Meena said to have Arianna nod.

"I was wondering if you have learnt from the history lessons I let you listen on from my tutorage" Arianna smiled as she beckoned on Meena to hand her the robe. Putting it on she walked back to the dressing room and sat in front of the dresser, Meena drying and combing her fiery locks.

Soon enough, a knock was heard on the bedroom door. "Message for the princess" the guard said.

"Oh, I wonder what it is. Excuse me, milady" Meena said and walked to the door, Leaving Arianna to continue to shiver at the thought of what she had done.

"Princess, it is a letter from Prince Willow" Meena said, coming back from the door.

"What does it say?" Arianna said in mild surprise. Meena read it and gave a shy smile.

"The prince is asking to join you for breakfast in your courtyard"

Arianna frowned, "Isn't it past breakfast time?"

"Yes but he had insisted on having breakfast with you" Meena smiled, "It seems he really likes you, princess"

Arianna closed her eyes, "Finish my hair, Meena" she said in a low tone.

In a few minutes, her hair was braided and she was dressed, in a light green dress and a tiny emerald tiara in her hair.

"I should inform the kitchen to prepare breakfast for two" Meena blushed as she left Arianna standing in front of the window overlooking her courtyard.

"Ugh!" Arianna groaned as Meena left. "I wish the weather will spoil this breakfast plan!"

Almost immediately, the clouds darkened and rain showered in a massive downpour.

Arianna's hands went to her mouth, as she backed away from the window where she had stood.

"She has made her first wish" a laughing voice echoed and Arianna suppressed the urge to scream.

"Heavens!" she heard Meena curse as she walked back into the room, "What sort of bad luck is this? you can't possibly have breakfast in the courtyard anymore"

Arianna smiled Inwardly, "That's too bad" she feigned sadness, "Send a message to the prince expressing my regret and inviting him to join me for a meal some other time" Arianna said to see Meena nod sadly.

"The way the rain started..." Meena said confusedly, "it's as if the heavens just...burst opened at the thought of breakfast in the courtyard. I guess, I'll send your breakfast, here your highness"

"Please do, I'm starving" Arianna said as she watched Meena walk away.

Left alone in her vast chambers, Arianna started to look for the summoning book, it wasn't on the table or anywhere else, had she misplaced it?

As she looked for it, she remembered something and rushed to her bathroom. Kneeling in front of the huge tub of clean water that contained sage leaves, replaced by Meena she proceeded to perform a "Wading off evil" rite.

She scooped water in her palms and raised it up to the heavens before pouring it in the middle of her head.

"May the heavens expel all evil from and around me" she chanted with her eyes closed, not failing to notice the dark aura around her.

"May the heavens expel all evil—"

"That won't work, princess" the voice came again, "I'm not evil and I'm not here to harm you"

Arianna opened her eyes to see the figure sitting lazily at the other end of the tub. One hand on his knee the other leg half immersed in water, the other hand leaning behind him.

"Your leg....it's in the sage water" She gasped.

"Did you expect me to burn?" he asked, the smirk still on his face. "Like I said, I'm not here to cause you harm"

"Then why are you here?" she asked, feeling bold.

"You summoned me here. I'm under your command—princess" he mocked a bow at the "princess"

"But I......no.... it's not....you're not—"

"What you expected?" he interrupted. "Tsk tsk, such an ungrateful girl after I just granted your wish just now"

Arianna's brows furrowed, "it was you"

"Who else?" he said sarcastically.

"What are you?" she asked, standing up slowly. "who are you?"

"I'm your guardian—"

"you're not an angel!" Arianna retorted, knowing what he would say. She watched him laugh as she vanished from the spot he sat and appeared before her, startling her.

"I cannot be an angel" he said, "I cannot be compared to those feathered things" he rolled his eyes.

"Don't speak about them that way—"

"Or what?" he challenged, taking a step forward to see her step back. "I'm not going to hurt you" he reminded, then raised his palm to show her the same mark she had on her palm, "I'm under your command"

"Do you have a name?" Arianna asked meekly, not wanting to look into his intimidating eyes.

"Damian" he said and sighed, looking deep into her emerald green eyes, "What is yours?"

"Arianna" she answered, trying so hard to suppress the fear in her chest. "You will not harm or possess me?" she asked.

Damian smiled, "I couldn't even if I tried, harming you is harming me"

Arianna sighed. Okay, he will not harm her, but what would he do?

"If you're my.... guardian....the one I summoned which was obviously a mistake—are you going to—"

"Grant all your wishes?" he asked and she nodded.

"No, not all. I'm not a genie, I'll just do my best to fulfill your heart desires" he smirked, "you have very enchanting eyes, Arianna" he commented.

Arianna felt the heat rise in her cheeks and she looked away, confused on why this creatures words made her blush.

"Blushing are we?" he teased, "seems milady enjoys flattery"

Arianna felt red all over, she bit her lips. Such an ungentlemanly fellow !

"what are you?" she asked the lingering question in her head. "You don't look human"

"I'm not"

"Then what are you?" she pressed.

He gave her one of his smirks as he smacked his fangs, "what do you think?"

Arianna thought for a while, "A demon?"

Damian laughed, "how would you know? Ever encountered one before?"

Arianna shook her head, she hasn't but it felt like he was, "then what are you?"

"His long ears twitched and he looked around hastily, "I'm your guardian" he smiled and vanished.

"Princess? what are you doing here?" Meena asked as she walked into the bathroom.

Arianna, still disoriented by what just happened shook her head and walked past Meena to the sweet smelling food in her bedroom.