True, as cousins, they were his blood ties and they probably should have been closer than they were but neither branch could stand one another to get along without an attempt on another's life though there was little need for an intervention when a fight broke out among blood ties. As the children of their mother's sister, they were forced to play nice in the public eye though venomous sarcasm and malice were used in the presence of the opposing relatives. As demons, they had one simple rule that they all abided by; if they were to fight, they were only allowed to fight until first blood was drawn before they had to call it off. This rule went unbroken, the consequences of breaking it would mean either death or forever banishment. And no one wanted to die at the beginning of their age.
The King and Queen of the demon realm, Marianne and Jiru had been planning this celebration for a week now. Mainly for their middle son's birthday but now that he had finished his studies, there was more cause to celebrate. Marianne, Maria for short, had pale skin that contrasted with her long, black hair. Hair that fell down to her lower back in waves and blue eyes that shined like sapphires in the sun. Though she looked frail, that was the last thing one would want to underestimate about her, for though she appeared fragile, she'd have you on your back with a flick of one's wrist.
Jiru, however, was a sharp contrast to her with a strong build and a fierce looking face. The elder King's face was marred with a scar that partially trailed down the left side of his face, his left eye permanently closed since it was ruined during earlier days in a war for the Kingdom. The old King had one bright, blood-red eye that seemed to pierce one's soul. He had hair that was a dark, stormy gray that fell to the middle of his back when it was pulled into a band; the color of the band often dark blue or crimson red.
The party was set to begin within a few hours, though the ceremony was still to come first before any celebration began. Axm wasn't entirely thrilled about the idea but it was something that he would put up with, especially being stuck in the uniform given earlier that day for him to wear. He had been cautioned by his mother and father that he should keep his temper in check tonight, at least long enough to prove that he was in control. That meant enduring the sarcastic remarks of his distant cousins without starting something or taking bait that would probably get one or both killed. Axm had agreed to the terms reluctantly, knowing the difficulty of such a task. If everyone walked away after tonight, unscathed and alive, then it would have been a miracle or an act of whatever deity was out there. It would be a feat within itself, if he maintained that kind of restraint and control over his emotions. His parents would consider it a success if no blood was drawn tonight at the party, not from a noble and not from his relatives.
The demon prince just hoped it all went on without a hitch or any complication that could very well make him break the agreement he made with his parents, but he never believed himself to be that lucky in a situation like the one he'd be in tonight. With a sigh, Axm proceeded to clean himself up before he dressed for the event that would begin shortly. As soon as the young demon stepped outside his door, Axm found himself face to face with his escort. A group of six guards armed to their teeth, quite literally. The six guards as well have been walking suits of armor for all that you could see of them, only their faces were visible and every other part of them was covered by a black, mesh-like material. Their suits were form fitting and could take shape of anyone or anything, even if the form of something changed into another.
Axm's suit was made of the same material, enabling to do the same if necessary but at the moment, there was no threat to him or the men standing around him. Inclining his head, they surrounded him so they could move out to where it all would begin. The young prince wasn't entirely enjoying the escort that had been sent to him but he tolerated it, silence filling the air as well as nervousness. It wasn't long before his escort had lead him to the great hall's doors, the doors a shining pearl color that changed frequently depending on the lighting. On the other side of these doors was the giant ball room filled with people and multiple tables covered with a wide variety of food. Voices drifted through the door, a loud chatter between the many people that had come just to see this moment and attend the after party. It wasn't every day that one of the demon princes took on an important role in the kingdom, Axm knew that these people were here only to look at him and catch glimpses of the palace. Well, of the places that they were allowed to roam. Most of the palace was blocked off to anyone outside the reigning royal family, nobles were hardly ever allowed through. Never. There was only one acception to such a rule, Axm's childhood friend was allowed full freedom to come and go as she pleased.
