Sinthia and The Demon Duke of DeSidea: 8

In the ten human kingdoms, most nobility and royalty lived in mansions. Yes, they could be very large, but mansions were fundamentally different from castles. After all, castles were partly for the sake of defense. Castles reminded people of times of war, so no one lived in castles.

Well, no one except the Duke of DeSidea, Kairn Edrick DeSidea.

In fact, his castle was made of obsidian and onyx, and stood very tall, dark and imposing on a grey, deathly pale landscape. The land he owned was incapable of producing food consumable to humans, and upon it roamed frightening monsters and animals. Such was his domain.

In the castle. It was even darker. The air was cold and still, and the light from the candles was red, casting bloody shadows everywhere. The Duke’s office was coated in  pervasive darkness. Shadows seemed alive, stirring like a thick soup. “Your Grace, today’s report.” A tall, lean man said, appearing from the darkness itself. His voice was a clear sharp note that cut through the murky dark. In the large red leather chair, a lock of red hair caught the light of a candle. And then a hand emerged from the darkness. A clawed hand. It signaled for the man to come forth with a languid flick of the index finger. The lean man handed over documents to the hand, and there was the rhythmic rustling of paper as pages were turned. “As per the usual, the struggles of the noble faction against the imperial faction in the Nova empire is messy. We predict an assassination soon. Our lands continue to thrive and mining of magic stones has gone up 23% in three years. Negotiations with the ten kingdoms for supplying magic stones is slow but steady. There is also news pertaining to your fiancé.”

The rustling of paper stopped.

“She has woken up from the sleep caused by her fall. Our eyes in the Ophelian Kingdom say that she is much more... lively now.”

There was a silence, and the lean man was hesitant, but he knew he was to continue.

“As of now, she has purchased several dresses, visited several painters, and is constantly sneaking out into the town square. She has also been heard inquiring about the latest fashion trends and wedding decorations.”

“There is something you’re dying to tell me, but you keep skipping over it. Spit it out.”

The lean man shifted slightly, uncomfortably clearing his throat. “Well... upon waking up, she reportedly punched a maid clear in the jaw, knocking her out instantaneously.”

The words hung in the air along with the darkness. It was a bizarre sentence. There were few words that could properly follow this surprising report. So the Duke simply said, “Ah.”