100 Prompt Challenge - Astelle

Prompt: Request from Moonlightabyss where Noelle is sacrificed to the Demon King Asta, and through some stroke of fate ends up becoming his wife. 

—

Noelle's wrists ached from the enchanted chains biting into her skin, her royal gown tattered from the rough journey. The hooded priests flanking her moved in eerie silence, their solemn march echoing through the cold, obsidian halls of the Demon King's palace.

Sacrificial offerings never returned. Some were found torn apart in the wastelands, others simply vanished into the abyss, but the result was always the same—no escape.

At least it's me and not Nebra or Mimosa. The thought barely comforted her. She had trained to be a Magic Knight, battled devils, and stood against fate itself. And yet, here she was, dragged before the one being all of Clover Kingdom feared.

Another poor maiden and woman forced into the grim fate of being the Lord of All Evil's plaything.

The towering doors groaned open, revealing a grand throne room bathed in an eerie red glow. Noelle's breath hitched.

At the far end of the chamber, seated upon a massive black throne, was the Demon King.

Asta.

Or rather, the Demon King Asta.

The image of him burned into her memory from books and wartime stories—horns sharper than any blade, wings vast enough to eclipse the sky, eyes glowing with an unnatural red light. A monster of manipulation and destruction.

And yet…

He didn't look as terrifying as she had expected.

Sure, he had the horns. The glowing eyes. The absurdly muscular frame. But he wasn't sitting on his throne like a tyrant, cold and distant. No, he was slouched over, resting his chin on his fist, looking—bored. Like a kid forced to sit through a lecture.

Noelle's wariness only grew. Is this an act?

One of the priests stepped forward, voice quivering. "O Great Lord of the Abyss, we offer you this sacrifice—Noelle Silva of the noble house Silva. May her blood satisfy your wrath."

Asta blinked. Then tilted his head.

"…Sacrifice?"

His voice was deep, rough—but not the sinister snarl she'd imagined. More… confused?

The priests dropped to their knees, murmuring praises, but Asta ignored them. He stood—too fast. Noelle flinched, expecting him to strike, to summon some abyssal horror—

Instead, he just stomped forward, looking way too casual for a supposed harbinger of doom.

"Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me they just gave you up? Just like that?" He crossed his arms, scowling at the priests. "Man, you guys suck."

Noelle blinked. "What?"

Asta ignored her. "Seriously, what kind of kingdom just throws away one of their own?"

The priests cowered. "M-Mighty one, we—"

"Nope, don't wanna hear it." Asta turned his back to them, throwing up a hand dismissively. "Scram."

They scrambled away so fast that Noelle barely processed their absence.

And now, she was alone. With him.

Asta sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Man, this is awkward." He turned to her. "So, uh… what do you wanna do?"

Noelle stared.

"…Aren't you going to kill me?"

"What? No!" Asta made a face like she'd just suggested he eat rocks. "I mean, I could, but that'd be dumb."

Noelle stiffened. "Then… eternal torment?"

He looked even more confused. "Why would I do that?"

Her fingers clenched. "Because you're the Demon King!"

Asta scoffed. "Yeah, and?"

And?!

Her mind reeled. This was supposed to be her end. She had prepared for agony, for darkness, for something unspeakable.

Instead, she was stuck with a demon king who acted like a meathead commoner.

This had to be a trick.

She straightened, raising her chin. "If you're not going to kill me, then what will you do with me?"

Asta tapped his chin. "Hmm. Well, since they gave you to me, I guess you're mine now."

Her blood ran cold.

"As my bride, I mean."

She choked.

"…WHAT?!"

Asta grinned, as if he had just come up with the best idea ever. "Yep! You'll be my wife now! Sounds good, right?"

Noelle's world tilted.

Her fate wasn't death.

It was worse.

She was going to be the bride of the Demon King.

—

Noelle had spent months waiting for the act to drop.

She had memorized every book, every whispered horror story, every legend of the Demon King. He was supposed to be a master manipulator, the abyss given form, a being whose cruelty knew no bounds.

And yet…

Asta—her husband—was currently doing one-handed push-ups in the middle of their grand obsidian courtyard, while a small group of lesser demons counted aloud like rowdy spectators at a coliseum.

"998!"

"999!"

"1000!"

Asta leapt to his feet, flexing as he grinned at his audience. "Alright! Now let's do squats!"

The demons cheered.

Noelle, sitting on the stone balcony above, pressed her fingers to her temple.

This wasn't an act. It couldn't be an act.

Asta was, quite literally, just like this.

For months, she had watched, observed, waited for signs of deceit—some subtle twist, some sinister ploy. Instead, she had gotten… this. A demon king who spent more time training than terrorizing. A so-called "lord of darkness" who made the palace staff cry—not out of fear, but because he thanked them too much.

A ruler who had never once commanded her to do anything, let alone mistreated her.

"…This is ridiculous."

It had taken her months, but Noelle finally admitted it to herself.

She was in love with her husband.

The realization had snuck up on her, creeping in with every day that passed. At first, she thought it was just the lack of terror making her soft. But then it was the little things. The way he always made sure she ate before he did. The way he never pried when she had nightmares, just silently pulled the blankets higher over her shoulders. The way he—

A loud crash below snapped her from her thoughts.

Noelle looked down to see Asta lying on his back, his squad of demon minions surrounding him with concerned chitters.

"I'M OKAY!" he shouted, throwing up a thumbs-up.

Noelle exhaled through her nose, fighting back a smile. Idiot.

One of the smaller demons fluttered up to her, its bat-like wings flapping. "Mistress, Mistress! The Lord has fallen!"

She sighed. "I can see that."

The demon hesitated, then lowered its voice conspiratorially. "Are you sure he is great? He does not seem very—" It twirled its claws. "—smart."

Noelle almost laughed. Yeah, no kidding.

But she didn't. Instead, she straightened, lifting her chin like the royal she was raised to be.

"He's the strongest demon in existence," she said. "The most powerful being in all the realms. He just… expresses himself in a way no one expects."

The demon still looked doubtful, but nodded before flying off.

Noelle leaned against the railing, watching as Asta sat up, laughing as his minions bombarded him with worried scolding. She smiled to herself, that warmth in her chest growing.

She had never imagined she would find love in her life. Not true love.

Her childhood had been cold, her family distant at best and cruel at worst. Even as a Magic Knight, she had always been pushing, fighting, trying to prove her worth to those who had long decided she had none.

But here, in the palace of the Demon King—of all places—she was loved.

Not for her name. Not for her magic. Not for anything but her.

And that love wasn't silent, wasn't conditional, wasn't distant. It was loud and bright and reckless and so much.

How could I not fall in love with him?

Asta looked up then, his sharp, red eyes meeting hers. A grin split his face.

"Hey, Noelle! Wanna spar?"

She rolled her eyes, but there was no real annoyance in it.

"Idiot," she muttered.

Still, she stepped away from the balcony, already making her way down to meet him.

Because she was Noelle Silva, Demon Queen of the Abyss.

And she had never been happier.