Deamoness origin (part 1)

Valentine and Sofia were two princesses from the most powerful kingdoms in Adal and Egen. Their fathers had long dreamed of uniting their kingdoms, and they believed that marrying off their children was the best way to do it. The problem was that both King Alaric and King Bjorn were disappointed to have only daughters.

But the treaty had been signed, and there was no turning back. So when Valentine and Sofia turned 18, they met each other for the first time in the gardens of the Adal palace.

Valentine waited for Sofia to arrive, but when she saw her, she was taken aback by how cold and unfriendly Sofia appeared. Sofia barely greeted her, and Valentine knew right away that this would not be a pleasant conversation.

"What are you doing here?" Sofia asked, looking around the gardens with disdain.

"I'm waiting for you," Valentine replied, trying to stay polite.

Sofia scowled. "Well, you're wasting your time. I have no interest in speaking with you."

Valentine tried to remain calm. "We're going to be married soon, and our kingdoms will be united. It would be best if we could at least be civil with each other."

Sofia laughed bitterly. "Don't be naïve. Just because our fathers signed a treaty doesn't mean I have to like you."

Valentine was taken aback by the hostility in Sofia's voice. "What did I ever do to you?"

"You exist," Sofia replied, glaring at her.

Valentine didn't know how to respond to that, so she remained silent. She knew that this was going to be a difficult marriage, but she hoped that they could eventually come to some sort of understanding.

The day of the wedding arrived, and both kingdoms were in attendance. Valentine and Sofia looked beautiful in their wedding dresses, but they barely spoke to each other during the ceremony. After the wedding, they retired to their respective quarters, and the wedding night was a tense affair.

Valentine tried to talk to Sofia, but Sofia rebuffed her every time. "I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to be here. I never wanted this marriage."

Valentine didn't know what to do. She had hoped that they could make the best of the situation, but Sofia was determined to make it difficult. The next day, it was customary for newlyweds to take a stroll around the castle grounds to show off their union to the people. Valentine and Sofia were both required to attend, so they begrudgingly made their way outside, walking side by side.

"I can't believe I have to spend the rest of my life with someone like you," Sofia muttered under her breath.

Valentine sighed, feeling the weight of their impending union. "I know we got off on the wrong foot, but we have to try and make this work. For the good of our kingdoms."

Sofia rolled her eyes. "You're just saying that because you want to be queen."

Valentine bristled at the accusation. "I don't care about being queen. I care about bringing peace to our lands."

Sofia snorted. "You're just as power-hungry as the rest of your family. Adal has always been arrogant, thinking they're better than everyone else."

"At least we don't have a reputation for being barbarians," Valentine retorted.

Sofia glared at her. "Egen is strong, and we're not afraid to do what's necessary to protect our people."

Valentine shook her head. "You just justify your actions with your strength. That's not leadership, that's tyranny."

They continued to argue as they walked, their voices growing louder and more heated. As they approached the edge of the royal forest, Valentine and Sofia both stopped talking, out of breath and frustrated.

They stood there for a moment, catching their breath and trying to calm down. Suddenly, without warning, there was a bright flash of light and a loud popping noise.

When Valentine opened her eyes, she was looking at the world from a different perspective. She looked down at her hands and saw Sofia's rings on her fingers. She looked over at Sofia and saw her own rings on Sofia's fingers.

"What just happened?" Sofia asked, her voice trembling.

"I don't know," Valentine replied, equally shocked. "I think we just switched bodies."

Sofia looked down at herself, touching her face and hair in disbelief. "This can't be happening. How are we going to switch back?"

Valentine shook her head, feeling disoriented. "I don't know. We'll have to figure it out."

They stood there for a few minutes, trying to process what had just happened. Finally, Sofia spoke up. "What are we going to do? Should we go back to the castle like this?"

Valentine considered the options. They could go back and try to explain what happened, but it was unlikely that anyone would believe them. Or they could try to find a way to switch back on their own.

"I think we should try to find a way to switch back first," Valentine said. "We don't want to cause a scene at the castle."

Sofia nodded, looking around the forest. "But where do we start?"

Valentine nodded, feeling a sense of determination. "Let's start walking. Maybe we'll find something that can help us."

And so, they set off into the forest, unsure of what lay ahead but determined to find a way to switch back and make their marriage work.