The sun was only beginning to set over the crushing waves of the sea, its waning light kissing the grimy faces of the crew onboard the massive ship like a teasing mistress saying goodbye after a day's long encounter. Morale among the men was heightened for tomorrow after a long voyage filled with hardship and rough waters they would finally land on the shores of Hell. A kingdom renowned for its hardened warriors, but made infamous under the guiding hand of Lucifer.

Below deck, the cargo seemed to groan collectively as the ship swayed with the tides of the water. Some of them had never been at sea and none of them had known the rough treatment at the hand of their own kind, which now had them in rope and others in chains. The enemy, known as demons, were taking them far away from home to a land they all knew to hate from swaddling clothes.

His wrists felt as if they were set on fire but not allowed to burn completely. Rope against soft skin proved to be much worse than the sordid stench of bodily waste and the abrasions left by blades and knuckles during the attack. The betrayal.

His breath hitched. They had harnessed him like an animal. Fighting against his restraints was difficult, painful. His legs had gone heavy and numb, even his wings upon his back were as cumbersome to move. The forgotten injury jarring him into the nightmare that was his new reality. Michael took his wing.

It was only a few mere days ago when he last saw his home, the towering castles with golden domes and the familiar faces of those he considered brothers. The memory was like sugar on his lips, Uriel could only yearn for it now. His status as a prince was void, useless as wishes.

Flashbacks of Michael's triumphant smirk after leaving him bloodied and broken on the grounds of the courtyard filled his mind. His once pristine feathers dotted with blood littered the stone path around them like fallen petals. He couldn't decide which part of the betrayal hurt him the most. Michael, the ghosting pain of his wing, or the fact that his other brothers watched on in silence as it unfolded.

Uriel wondered what had he done to deserve this. No one would ever accuse Michael of being gracious or kind, but he had always been loyal to Michael from childhood up until that day. He learned a long time ago that even dogs still bite the hands of loving companions and it seemed that his own loyalty rendered him blind from the truth. Or was it love that put the blindfold over his eyes? As misguided and hopeless as it was. Uriel, a prince of Heaven, counted himself the greatest fool among fools.

He held no hope of anything and his dreams were as dark as a moonless night. There was no question in his mind that whatever awaited him in Hell would be the end of life as he knew it. If his own friends shown him no mercy, those demons certainly never would. Michael was not merciful enough to drive a dagger deep into his heart.

The sway of the ship lulled him to sleep.

"So this is the gift for the prince?"

Uriel flinched as the hands reached out and grabbed him to his feet. He was unaware that he was no longer dreaming. The guards holding him ungently by his arms and the finely dressed demon in colors of pink and purple were not figments of his nightmares but were as real as the pounding of his head.

"Not what I would have chosen for myself, but I suppose as long as the prince enjoys it," spoke the demon again as he glided towards Uriel, his smile wide upon his powdered face. He pressed a gloved hand against the angel's chest, staring boldly into his eyes. "At least you have somewhat of a pretty face. I wonder just how long you'll last with Dantalion as your master. Perhaps he'll make that one wing of yours into a display after he's had his fill of you."

Uriel inhaled sharply and then narrowed his gaze. The insinuation behind the demon's words slowly sinking in his muddled mind. He opened his parched lips to speak, but nothing more than a low snarl came from them.

The demon, Gilles, laughed at his feebleness and directed the guards to deliver him to the palace at once. As the men dragged Uriel along, he noticed the other slaves being unloaded from the ship ahead of him. He saw no one he knew and he prayed they would claim no memory of him. It was through such an unlikely event that they were all now equal. Slaves under the mercy of the merciless.

He was brought to the throne room bound and naked. The recurring theme of his utter humiliation seemed like it would never cease, but it was, in reality, only beginning. The throne room was the center of activity. Nobles and courtiers of all ages had come in curiosity of the presentation and of him. Their gazes were brazen. His face burned under inspection like the color of the royal roses, the betraying shade of Michael's eyes. He kept his head up until a guard shoved him to his knees. Bowing before enemies in such a pitiful condition ate away at the remainder of his pride. At least no one knew his true identity. No one called him a Prince of Heaven.

On the dais was the immaculate throne where sat the fearsome King Lucifer, standing on his right was the king's closest confidant Samael and to his left was Dantalion, the bastard prince. The three of the most powerful men in this kingdom stared down at Uriel, inspecting him like a pig in the market.

It was Samael who spoke first. "It seems we've received some gifts, Your Excellency. What do you think of King Michael's astonishing generosity?"

"There's no goodwill behind his motives," Lucifer responded, his teeth baring behind his amused smile. "These gifts were of no value to him. He only threw us his broken dolls and called it diplomacy."

Lucifer glanced to his right. "Why don't you take this one, Dantalion? You've had no experience with an angel. Do as you please, except don't kill him so soon. I may find another use for him later."

Uriel met Dantalion's hard gaze and wished for death to swallow him.