Hi hi!

I don't really got much to say, so let's just stop wasting time.

ONWARDS!

"Hello?"

"Hi, is this the one who left the message?"

"Yes, that is I."

"We can get you a direct link to Abraxas."

"If you'd please."

"It'll…cost you."

"…I'm sorry, who is this?"

"Umm, Jinn."

"Hmm…Jinn, do you know who you are speaking to?"

"Should I care?"

"You should care when you're speaking with someone of my caliber, trust me."

"Hey, watch your tone; I know some powerful people."

"And I work with the Nightwatcher."

"…You're bluffing, he isn't real."

"She'll be fairly mad that you got her gender wrong, but possibly a lot happier once I put you on her list-."

"Okay, fine, I'll get you that link!"

"Thank you for your service."

The minute she finished with the dress, a knock came to the door, "I swear, if it's you-."

"May I come in, Miss?"

Kuro jumped at the voice, not only because it was a female, but it also sounded like…like a child, "Umm, yeah, sure."

The door was pushed open, before a little girl popped her head in. She looked no older then maybe 10,000 at most, with long lavender hair and large soft cerulean eyes.

Much too innocent to be a demon.

She walked in, trying to fix her white dress, before closing the door behind her, bowing, "Hello Miss, the Crow Prince has assigned me to be your personal maid. My name is Vanth."

Kuro couldn't help but scowl, how could someone make a little girl like this work in a place like this?

Normally, Kuro didn't like kids. A lot of the kids in the Rift grow up into rotten demons, not that the Rift can do much more for them. Most become thieves, druggies, hookers; while the rest die off from the unnatural conditions that they can't adopt to.

The girl walked over, a kind yet shy smile on her face, before gesturing to the stool to the vanity, "Could you sit down, Miss? I can do your hair for you; however you wish."

"…Yeah, yeah sure." Kuro muttered, taking a seat, before murmuring, "Don't call me Miss, Kuro is just fine."

The girl's eyes widening a bit, before nodding respectively, "O-okay, Kuro it is."

Kuro couldn't help but hold a smile. She never thought that a child could have manners like that.

Just what are they doing to her?

"How would you like y-your hair, Kuro?" Vanth asked.

Kuro shrugged, not really caring, "However you'd like, surprise me."

The girl nodded, getting right to work, all while humming a little tune to herself. All the while, Kuro couldn't help but wonder a bit, and if this girl did work as a maid…

"Hey, what do you know of the Princes?" Kuro asked, half hoping to fill in the empty time while also learning a bit about the place.

"Well…I'm sure that you understand the whole 'choosing ceremony' and 'Prince of hell' thing, right?" Vanth asked softly, beginning her braid from her left, weaving it to fit into place alongside her head.

"Yeah," Kuro said casually, leaning back, "But…What about the temperament of these guys?"

"I'm…sorry?"

"Sorry, my neighbor was a guy that used big words like that," Kuro sighed, about to scratch the back of her head, only to remember that she was kinda getting her hair done, "Just…can you explain the Crow Prince to me?"

Vanth took some time to think, before whispering, "Promise not to tell?"

"Pinky swear." Kuro insisted, only to sigh when Vanth seemed confused, "Yeah, I won't tell."

"He can be kinda scary at times." Vanth murmured, before shrugging, "Then again, he's a son of Satan."

"Tell me about it." Kuro shuddered. She'd made many snide comments about their king, but it always did bother her in the back of her mind that maybe, just maybe, he had been able to somehow hear her and what she had to say.

"B-but I'm sure he can be very kind," Vanth insisted, braiding the right side, slowly forming a sort of crown on her head, "I won't lie, he does look nice, but…"

"But what?" Kuro pressed, suddenly interested.

Vanth looked around, as if someone would hear her, before whispering, "He and his brother do NOT like each other. They'll fight often, but it's the mental fights they have that are the worse."

"Sibling rivalry?" Kuro grinned, "Don't worry, I've seen that before."

"But not on this level." Vanth said softly to herself, before pulling away, "Do you like it?"

Kuro couldn't help but feel impressed with the braided crown upon her head, she even managed to make it so that her ears would perk up right above, "It's great."

Vanth then backed up, bowing, "Would you like some help with the dress?"

"Nah," Kuro shot her a knowing grin, "I think I'll be able to get it on."

"Are you sure?" Vanth asked, head tilted to the side, "The Crow prince gave very strict orders as to help you in anyway, I was ordered to also escort you to the dining room."

"I can get the 'dress' on." Kuro grinned, before shooing the girl out, "Now, you wait out here while I change. When I come out, will you show me the way?"

Vanth nodded, before walking for the door, "If that is what you'd like me to do."

Kuro flashed the kid a smile, making sure she closed the door behind her, before grinning, walking over to the bed, tossing to covers to reveal the 'dress' underneath.

At least, what was left of it.

Sir Beaks-a-lot could play the power card all he liked. No matter the order, no matter the demand, if there was a loophole, she'd take it.

"Go ahead and try to leash me." Kuro grinned, slipping on what was left after she had fun with the scissors, "No one said that I'd listen."

"What do you want?"

Corvus grinned at the head of the table, his fingers folded to hold his chin, before gesturing to the open seat at his left, "Is it wrong to ask my brother to dinner for some…family time?"

"It's never been that easy." Arc growled, unsure if he wanted to take the seat, "It'll never be that easy with someone like you."

"Is it wrong to want to share a perfect moment with my perfect brother?"

"DO not try to play me, Corvus." Arc growled, taking a step forth, nearly losing his cool. There wasn't much that could spark ANYTHING within the cold-blooded demon, but his brother was one of the only matches to his fuse of anger, "I am not another one of those low life demons that you have wrapped around your fingers."

"That's what they all believe at first." Corvus smirked, "Now come, sit with me. I'll have the chefs make something good enough for even your taste."

Arce gave him a look, before taking a seat, keeping an eye on his rather sinister brother. There was always some other step behind the Crow's eye, always something else on his mind.

What kind of game was he trying to play?

Once he took a seat, a feeble little maid walked into the doorway, fiddling with the bottom of her slightly dirty white dress, "Prince Crow, I am…pleased to announce her arrival."

Arc watched as Corvus' grin seemed to grow, just a bit, before turning to face him, "It was hard to choose from the multitude of women; many were devoted to me from the very beginning."

"Even more were simply trying to marry into power." Arc countered.

"With that said," Corvus continued, as if Arc had said nothing, "I wanted you to be the first to meet my mate."

What Arc saw wasn't something he'd expected.

He refused to acknowledge the fact that his breathing took a small hitch when she walked in. But, with that said, he wasn't sure if it was because of the person or because of what she was wearing.

If he could, Arc would have laughed at the expression Corvus wore. She wore what looked to be a short light teal skirt with the same color pants underneath, with messy white stitching to hold it all together. Her shirt was more of a vest, but if Arc were honest, it looked like a corset that had been ripped down the front, like a provocative vest with no shirt underneath.

All in all, it looked like she'd ripped up a dress to make something else out of it. It was slightly skimpy, roughly and rather badly stitched together, not to mention the color did not match her.

He liked it.

Corvus had a similar reaction, just a bit more outspoken. Arc noticed the slight eye twitch, the small half frown that had been on his face for half a second. Finally, the Crow cleared his throat, "Aranea, please do meet my soon-to-be, Kuro."

Kuro's eyes flickered with a bit of recognition, before a wide grin spread across her face, hand held out, "My dude! What's good?"

Arc gave Kuro's hand a look, head tilted to the side. Was this a way of saying hello in a lower class?

Sighing, Kuro leaned over the table to grab his wrist, before slapping it to her own, "It's called a high five, buddy." Kuro grinned, before taking the only other seat, "I'd greet you with a fist bump, but I didn't want you to think I was about to punch you in the face."

Once she was seated, Corvus cleared his throat, a sort of sinister smile on his face for just a second, "Ah, you're both already acquainted?"

Eyes narrowing, Arc could see where his brother was going with this, before nearly growling, "To a point."

"Don't matter," Kuro grinned, before propping her feet up on the table. Arc couldn't help but gag, everything she did, from her posture to the way that she spoke, it all screamed "Filthy casual". It was foreign, it was slightly sick, and (he won't lie) it was very commoner-like.

He couldn't help but be a bit more intrigued.

Vanth then came back in, pushing in a sort of dinner cart, three covered plates on top. The aroma was one that only a high class of demon would know, which explained why Kuro's nose twitched when a plate was put in front of her.

She poked at it rather suspiciously, giving the Crow a look, "…You planning to poison me?"

"Dearest, I would never," Corvus insisted with a voice much too sweet to belong to him, "The castle will only service my princess the finest."

"Never call me that again." Kuro growled, before lifting the top up a bit with her fork, eyes narrowed, only to widen.

It wasn't the look of the food, hell, she didn't even know what it was. But, no one could fake that light blue glow that seemed to come off on it, almost as if you could see the smell of something good.

Mouth-watering slightly, Kuro poked it, "Is…Is that…A soul?"

"A common one, if I may say." Arc pointed out rather childishly, "Rather…overcooked, Corvus."

"I said my princess would get the best, not you." The Crow shot right back, putting a napkin onto his lap.

Meanwhile, Kuro continued to poke at her food, confused. Arc took note of it, tilting his head to the side, "Are you alright?"

"…How do you eat this?" Kuro asked rather sheepishly.

To this, Corvus stopped what he was doing, "Kitten, have you never eaten a soul?"

"I have!" Kuro insisted, "It's just…It's been a while. Normally I just eat it raw."

To this, Arc shuddered. That was rather barbaric, if anything, "How?"

"Close your eyes and swallow, duh." Kuro shuddered, before pushing the plate away, "I can't eat this."

Corvus looked ready to stand up, "Is there something wrong with it? I can get someone to make it to your liking-."

"It's not that," Kuro sighed, before pushing out her seat, standing up. She dusted off her makeshift outfit, "It's just too…fancy for me. I've been living off of grime and muck for years, I'm not about to let your rich bitch food ruin my tastes."

Arc couldn't help but be a bit astonished. It was no secret; a demon needed souls in order to live on. Not eating a soul would result into something the humans liked to call "starving". A demon would just wither away until nothing was left.

Corvus rose when Kuro walked for the doorway, "Allow me to-."

"Nah, I know the way back." Kuro insisted. Even Arc could tell that she wanted to spend the least amount of time she could with him, "Besides, you need to finish your dinner, Feather fuck."

With one last laugh, she was gone.

The silence that fell over the two lasted for what could have been ages, before Arc finally cleared his throat, "Feather fuck?"

"She has a…tendency to make nicknames for me." Corvus mused, before giving Arc a look, "But you already know that, don't you, 'Arc'?"

"Is that what all of this is about?" Arc shot back, rising from his seat. He would not take this, especially not from Corvus, "To think you're petty enough to go to such measures."

"And to think that you'd wait your turn." Corvus shot right back, also rising. Arc took pride, knowing that he was slightly taller, "You know better than to go and try to steal something from me."

"To steal something from you?" Arc nearly growled, "I did nothing of the sort! You're just being a child because you chose someone who doesn't want to appease you, for once. But we both know that's not the only reason."

"Is someone getting jealous?" Corvus taunted.

"Does someone want me to be?" Arc shot right back.

"Not that it matters to me," Corvus finally sighed, relaxing with an evil grin on his face, "In the end, she will be mine."

"But she won't want to be."

"What do you know of what a woman would want?"

"She's no woman, nor is she a lady." Arc said, his voice coming off a bit more than a murmur, "With that said, I still understand her more than you'll ever try to."

"Either way, she'll be mine." Corvus' eyes flashed, a grin stretching as Arc's grip tightened on the table's edge, "it bothers you, doesn't it?"

"Of course not." Arc said through closed teeth, before giving the Crow a rather demented grin right back, "She might be yours, but I hold something that you don't, and I know it."

"And what is that?"

"As small and new as it might be, I have her trust."

"All you had to do was leave." Corvus said, looking rather irritated, and yet, he kept his composure.

"All you had to do was grow up, out of this petty shell." Arc shot right back.

Arc had to take a seat once the Crow left, desperately needing a breather, only to grin.

Finally, a challenge.

Corvus sighed, leaning back against the wall, one hand on his head while the other was over his chest.

While it hadn't been a while since their last fight, this one had been a bit more…intense.

Regardless, it was something new, something to spice up his rather boring days of luxury.

Finally, a challenge.

"Yo? Who be here?"

"Shax."

"…Hey, Shax, buddy! How's it been?"

"Business as always; it would be easier if you decided to drop by and do your job."

"Heh, sorry about that, it's just that…there's so much up here to do!"

"Abraxas, surface smuggling is illegal."

"That just makes it that much sweeter."

"I don't care what you do, I don't care if you get caught; but as your big brother I expect you to get back down here now."

"And if I don't want to?"

"Abraxas, it's Kuro."

"Aww, how's my baby been?"

"…Never call her that again."

"Aww, but Kuro's so-."

"She was chosen."

"…I'm sorry?"

"She was chosen as the next bride of the Crow Prince."

"…I'll be down in a few minutes."

"About time you learn to listen."

"Shut up, big bro."