It was early in the morning.

The first beam of sunlight woke Ingrid up with a terrible smell.

She was laying in an unorthodox position, on Karakan' stomach.

She didn't remember how the night ended, just that they spoke a lot.
"His skin is so smooth...and he's so kind under the surface."

The southern prince was still wearing only his unmentionables. Ingrid was happy, that at the end, the other prince didn't notice that she is not a boy.

Ingrid looked down to find the source of the smell, and she saw that one of his toes that was reached by a ray of sun emitted smoke.

The little prince has just recalled the yesterday's talk, and remembered that the other prince who called themselves "demons" was sensitive to sunlight.

He was dead sleeping. Ingrid jumped out from the bed and run to the windows.

She drew the curtains, and just for extra care put all of the blanket on him.

She giggled on him as he looked hilarious with the hill of sheets.

She imagined what could be his expression when he saw this.

Weak knocking noise came from the door. She walked there silent and whispered back.

-What is it?-She asked.

-Sir, the ceremony will start soon, I brought the necessities.

-Thank you, leave it in front of the door. I will take it from here.

-Yes Sir. I will be back in an hour to escort you.

Ingrid looked back to the bed, then walked to the balcony door.
She opened it slightly, just so a little morning breeze can flow in.
A bunch of birds were chatting happily on the trees.

Ingrid started to dress.

-Why don't you use your excessive speed to dress?

-You startled me!-She turned her head to see if Karakan escaped from the bedding. He was sitting on the end of the bed in full honor garment, while the blankets on the floor. -Since when were you sitting there?-Asked him and started to hop on one leg trying to fit into the leggings.

Karakan appeared behind her and held her shoulders.

Ingrid was unusually shy. Now that she knew about Karakan's secret he used his power freely around her, so he was more opened towards her.

As she caught her balance, the prince let her go and walked slowly back to the bed.

He left her time to dress up before he turned around and sit down.

-By the way, what is this burnt flesh smell in the room? -Asked Karakan.

-Your toe flamed up.

-Oh...That's why the blankets...

...

Soon the maid came back to escort the princes to the inner altar.

The black prince had a hard time to avoid direct sunlight on some hallway, despite the fact that it was barely visible yet.

The ceremony was very boring and long. The priest spoke in a language Ingrid couldn't understand.

Everybody was exhausted, except Katica. She was very tense, shy and she could only bear a short kiss on the lips from Sigfrid.

Her skin was glowing red under her pillow-like bright white dress.
She was wearing at least 10 layers of skirt.

Ingrid discovered fear in her eyes, and for a moment she pinched Karakan's cloth at the exit.

.....

Ingrid and Karakan was heading back to their suite in silence.

-Are you alright?-Ingrid asked Karakan. He looked very tired, and his skin was almost translucent with blue capillaries.

-Don't ask these things from me. I am never tired.

-If you are never tired why do you even bother sleeping?

-The definition of sleeping is not differentiated enough to tell the difference between how humans sleep and how a demon like me does it.

-Why, how does it feel like when you sleep?

-It is more like sinking in memories from the past and feelings from the future...but at the same time I am in the present...well most of the time. Other times sleep is like dying again.