A/N….Don't kill me. I know I said it would be here sooner but….homework, sick, boy problems, other such things. So please forgive me. On that note, this is stupidly long and I apologize for that. But enjoy nonetheless. I do not own blue exorcist or any of its characters. Only mine.
Chapter 4
I hate that feeling when you wake up but haven't gotten quite enough sleep, and your jaw area starts to hurt. It really just makes me want to stay in bed longer. So I planned on doing just that until I was irritatingly interrupted by a sudden knock on the door.
I groaned into my pillow and reluctantly stepped out of my bed and trudged to my bedroom door. For whatever reason, I just stood there and stared at it for a while, probably due to my grogginess. Despite that, I jumped when the knock came again and I finally opened the door.
He stood a few centimeters over me, a white handkerchief over his arm, a black suit on with a white tie, and a thin-
"…mustache…man…?" I mumbled in my sleepy daze and leaned my elbow against the door frame lazily.
"Pardon me, miss?" he said, his face stoic but his head tilted ever so slightly in uncertainty.
I shook my head and rubbed my eyes and tried to focus on his face. It was indeed the same man I saw when I first got here and it was interesting to see him up close.
He coughed into his fisted hand and bowed slightly.
"My apologies for waking you lady Freja. Your father has requested your presence in the dining room for the morning meal"
I immediately snapped back to reality and stood straight up from my leaning position. "Damnit did I call him mustache man?" I thought to myself and blushed in embarrassment. This is why you don't talk to me when I first wake up.
"Ah…y-yes, thank you" I said uneasily.
He bowed again and turned on his heel to leave. I stopped him however.
"Wait. What's your name?" I didn't want to call him mustache man all my life and I wanted to avoid that embarrassment again.
He turned his head over his shoulder. "Ah excuse me lady Freja, my name is Belial. I am head servant of this estate and at your beck and call whenever you may need me"
I gave a quick nod as he turned his back to me and took a step. He stopped though and said something so low that I had to strain to hear him clearly.
"You haven't changed" he said and chuckled lightly and kept walking. I closed the door and just stood there staring at it for a few moments. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Did I know him?
"Whatever. Everyone seems to be either perverted or crazy in this place anyway"
However this thought gave me no condolence for my embarrassing disposition. This wasn't anything new but to act like that in front of a grown stranger was just embarrassing. It was a reminder of when I had first met Clair, the next morning I hadn't remembered who she was until noon.
I decided it would be a good idea to at least change clothes before going downstairs, considering I had been wearing the same thing since yesterday. I walked over to the closet door across from my bed, hoping to find something decent to wear.
To my surprise, the closet was filled with all sorts of clothes; shirts, blouses, jeans, slacks, even a few formal dresses. As you can probably imagine, I didn't have the greatest fashion sense, so I chose I random pair of jeans, which were creepily exactly my size, and a blue and white striped quarter shirt.
I set them down near Clair's sleeping lump underneath the covers and stretched my arms. I could tell already that today was going to be brutal and I didn't want to be tense while father "Dealt with us"
I went to undo my pants when I heard another knock on the door. I redid my jean button and opened the door to find Amaimon standing there in a light green yukata; his plain expression ever present.
"Nee-Chan, have you seen my Behemoth?"
I stared blankly at him, utterly confused. What the living Gehenna was a Behemoth?
"…Your what?" I said and leaned on the door frame with my elbow.
"My Behemoth" he said again and blinked.
"Your…behemoth..." I said slowly again.
"My Behemoth"
We stared at each other for a few moments, his face blank and mine dumbfounded. I had no idea what the hell he was talking about and frankly, I didn't have time for it. I didn't even want to know what the consequences were for keeping father waiting.
"I don't know what that is but I doubt it's in here. I gotta get dressed so get los-"
He completely ignored me and walked into my room and started to sniff the air softly.
"He's in here. I can smell him" he said blandly and walked around me bed to where Clair's body was comfortably sleeping under the covers. Or really…what I thought was Clair's body.
As Amaimon approached the bed side, the lump began to move and…was it growling? Amaimon pulled down the covers and an oddly colored hobgoblin jumped out, much to my surprise. Amaimon pet its head as I stood there dumbfounded at what was under my covers for who knows how long. Seriously, what was with these people and coming into my bed?
He lifted some kind of leash from out of nowhere and tied it around the hobgoblin's, apparently named Behemoth, small body and tugged it to get him off of my bed. Amaimon turned to me.
"Thanks nee-Chan" he said and casually walked passed me towards the door frame, leaving me with my mouth parted slightly in disbelief. However, he stopped in the door frame and turned to me.
"Oh yeah, Anuie wanted me to give you this"
He handed me a neatly folded white and blue striped yukata that matched my shirt, again from out of nowhere, and turned to leave. I stood there for a few moments, attempting to process what the Gehenna had just happened. I was always a light sleeper to begin with, so I had no idea how that hobgoblin got into my bed without me waking up; the sneaky little bastard.
And that Amaimon; he was a strange one. Though really, they were all strange in one way or another. But Amaimon's facial expressions or lack thereof almost unsettled me as much as Cepheid's niceness.
I shrugged off the event, deciding it was unimportant and it would be best to hurry up and get downstairs. I was just glad that that thing didn't scare Cla-
"She. Did. Not." I said through gritted teeth and lifted the rest of the covers. Nothing but bare sheets met my menacing glare and I fisted the captured covers violently.
I knew I had been too nice before. What reason could she possibly have had to leave my room again? And not just my room, I couldn't sense her in the castle. I had to find her. I-
I didn't have time to think about it. I had to hurry up and get downstairs or else the repercussions could be ugly. I would look for her right after breakfast, considering father didn't plan on dealing with us right after. I could only hope Clair could refrain from getting into trouble by then.
I unfolded the silken robe and put it on over my clothes. It felt amazing. The old yukata I had at my house was made from cotton and had gotten old over the years. However, this one felt luxurious. I guess being royal had its perks.
I tied the obi and wrapped my tail around my torso. I closed my bedroom door behind me and walked cautiously down the stairs, careful not to trip on the trim of the yukata. I took a second to look around me, perhaps try and see if musta- Belial was still around. As usual, servants were walking around everywhere cleaning and carrying.
I reached the middle of the foyer and went forward towards the dining room door. Honestly, I wasn't too keen on seeing Satan again, but I guessed I didn't have much choice. I had to get used to it eventually.
I opened the door to a table filled with a vast amount of food, more than I had ever seen in my life anyway. There were plates after plates of different kinds of food, I almost started drooling. Of course, I managed to keep my composure and stepped into the room.
Sat-father was sitting at the opposite end of the table, a plate of food in front of him and a devilish (No pun intended) smirk on his face. Oh yes, I was late. I noticed briefly that he wasn't on fire anymore, however those weird blue flaming orbs were still behind him.
Everyone else was already at the table, also in yukata similar to mine; only in different colors that matched their hair color. Samael and Azazel were sitting closest to father, on opposite ends of each other. From Samael it went Amaimon, that lavender haired freak Asta something, an empty seat that I assumed was for me, Cepheid, and Lucifer. From Azazel, it was Egyn, Iblis, and Blondie who I also couldn't remember the name of.
There were butlers lining the walls, all standing straight and a handkerchief over their arms, waiting for who knows what. They were all dressed in black suits and a white tie and gloves covering their hands.
I ignored them, and took my seat between Asta whatever and Cepheid. But of course, before I could pass Lucifer, he had to say something.
"You're late" he said with a cocky smirk and crossed his arms over his grey yukata.
I turned my head to him and narrowed my eyes ever so slightly.
"And cait sith's go meow. Shows how smart you are" I didn't see his reaction since I immediately went to my seat and took a better look at the food in front of me. There were plenty of fruits and vegetables scattered across the table in separate dishes. However, the thing that caught my attention the most was the large slabs of meat.
You've probably been wondering how I survived without ever being able to leave my house. More specifically, how I got food and water. Though it is true that I can survive long periods of time without food, it's still needed eventually. Well, there were quite a few greenmen that would roam around in the front and backyard. The number of them didn't decrease when my mother left, so they grew me plenty of fruits and vegetables. However, I couldn't even remember the last time I had had meat.
I almost drooled at the sight of the steaming unknown meat but once again I kept my composure and stuck to crossing my arms and looking down at the table edge. Everyone seemed to be doing their own thing. Father was simply sitting there with his cheek rested on his open palm. Samael had his fingers intertwined in his lap and his eyes closed in deep thought. However, his smirk was ever plastered on his smug face. Azazel was unsurprisingly reading another book, a thinner one this time. Lucifer was glaring down at the table and Iblis was staring into space along with Egyn who was once again looking up at the ceiling. Cepheid just sat their passively and Blondie had his arms crossed with a stoic expression. Amaimon sat in his seat chewing his thumb nail irritatingly again.
Astaroth was the one who I noticed last and was the only one staring directly at me with that creepy smile on his face. I glanced at him for a split second before turning back to the multitude of food left untouched. No one had made a move for anything, so I assumed we weren't supposed to eat yet.
In my peripheral vision, I could see him continue to stare at me with that cocky leer and it was starting to put me on edge. It made me wonder, why exactly was he and Blondie eating with us? Were they also my siblings?
Yeah, that's what I needed, more brothers.
If not, who were they anyway? They must be important if they were allowed to eat with the royalty.
A few minutes passed silently and honestly, I began to get impatient. I was dying to eat some of that meat and the anxiety of not knowing where Clair was, was starting to get to me. However, I reasoned that there was no pain in either my head or spine so she must be alright. I could only hope she'd stay that way.
Eventually, father lifted his head from his palm and looked at us intently. He then looked down at the plate in front of him and took a bite from one of the pieces of meat sitting there with his platinum fork.
After he swallowed, he put his fork down and looked up at us again.
"You may eat"
Everyone at the table picked up their fork and began to eat on his command. I guess the king gets first bite.
I picked up my fork and knife and poked the lump of pinkish meat in front of me. I almost wanted to just tear into it, it looked so damn good. But I was going to be civil about it and proceeded to slowly cut a piece off.
I think I blacked out for a split second when I put it in my mouth. I had forgotten the indescribably rich flavor and texture of meat. Hell, I didn't even know what kind of meat it was. But hey, I was eating in front of royalty, as royalty, with servants on either side of me. Caution into the wind then.
We ate in silence for a while, the only sounds present being chewing and the forks scraping against the plates. It probably would've been very peaceful if it weren't for the all-powerful demon God eating right near me.
I tried to keep myself from being tense and focused on the expertly flavored meat I was consuming. Unfortunately, I immediately tensed up when father put his fork down and began to speak.
"Now then, listen up kiddies" he said with a creepy leer and looked at us. We all put our forks down and looked up.
"You will all meet me in the arena in an hour. Precisely an hour" he pointed to a nearby wall clock to his right without looking away from us that read 1 pm.
"Lateness will result in a severe penalty" he shifted his eyes directly at me and I flinched ever so slightly. He wiped his mouth with a nearby napkin and abruptly stood from his chair, finally looking away from me.
He looked over us again, and grinned. "Be sure to prepare yourselves"
With that, he walked out of the kitchen, two seemingly random butlers following close behind him and one pushing in his chair for him. All of us, excluding Samael and Amaimon, were visibly relieved that he was gone. Unfortunately my relief was short lived when I realized what he had said.
I doubted an hour would be enough time to go find Clair, who was most likely roaming around the capital like a lost hobgoblin. I had to find her quickly.
I ate a bit faster, stuffing as much meat and the occasional piece of fruit in my mouth. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice, each of them concerned with their own food. Nevertheless, I caught whatshisname glancing at me occasionally. Eventually, he spoke up.
"You're eating rather fast aren't you cutie?" he said annoyingly and stuffed another piece of fruit in his mouth.
I didn't bother saying anything back, focusing solely on how I was going to find Clair and make it back in time. Hell, I didn't even know where this training room was.
I would've hoped my silence would've been a hint saying that I didn't want to talk. But unfortunately, no such luck.
"Why on Gehenna are you in such a hurry? ~" he asked and grinned, setting his fork beside his plate. He moved his face a bit closer to mine, pushing me to answer the question.
Once again, I ignored him and hastily put another piece of meat in my mouth. He kept his position for a few moments, making me very uncomfortable I might add, until he pulled back and grinned wider.
"Hm, perhaps…" he said and put his finger to his chin in mock innocent thought.
"You're planning to go look for that human…?'
I froze mid chew and slowly turned my head towards him. That bastard couldn't have…
"Where is she?" I said as calmly as possible, trying to keep as much hatred out of my eyes as possible. He shrugged nonchalantly but kept his creepy leer.
"What makes you think I know?" he said almost innocently. I really wanted to punch him.
"But you'd better hurry if you want to get back in time. Satan-sama will punish you if you're late~"
"Well no shit idiot" I thought to myself in irritation. I swore to Satan if he ate her I'd skin him alive and wear him like a royal cape.
I abruptly put my fork down and sat up. What was I doing; I had no time to sit here and eat. Clair could easily be lost or in danger and all I was doing was sitting here and eating. I had to move already.
I stepped away from the table and went to push my chair in, but a servant behind me dashed behind the chair and did it for me. He had his head down so I couldn't see his face. He returned to his original position and remained silent. I guess royalty isn't capable of doing something as simple as pushing in their chairs.
I started towards the door until Samael's voice stopped me.
"Freja, would you meet me in my bedroom please?" he asked in that annoying cheery way of his.
I didn't bother to turn around; I wasn't in any mood to see his smug face. As much as I would've loved to just ignore him and move on, disobeying an older sibling could result in severe consequences, especially if that sibling happens to be the eldest son of Satan.
I simply nodded without turning around and kept walking until I was out of the room.
"Damn him…" I thought bitterly to myself. I didn't have time for this. But I also didn't have much choice either.
I walked, or rather stomped over to the stairs hastily, and eventually made it to the front door. I could only hope this little chat wouldn't take too long.
I then realized he did say to meet in his room, not outside of it. But was I really expected to just waltz into his room by myself? I mean, this was a man's room after al-
I didn't have time for this crap.
I turned the knob slowly, the only reason probably being my nervousness. I didn't really know what to expect but it definitely wasn't what I saw when I opened the door.
Pink.
An overwhelming…barrage…of pink.
The walls, the bed and covers, the furniture, everything pink.
I stepped inside tentatively and looked back and forth to get a better look at the strange room. A large king sized bed sporting a pink and white polka dotted comforter leaned against the wall, doused with all kinds of frilly white and pink pillows. The room had the same basic set-up as my room, complete with a pink dresser on the opposite wall, a closet next to the door, and of course, a pink desk leaning next to the dresser.
I was in awe, shock, some more awe, and then just plain confusion. For the first day and a half I had known Samael, I had never pictured him as a…pink kind of demon. It seemed to be as likely as Amaimon being into interpretive dance.
I shook my head and tried to focus on why I was here and ignore the extremely gaudy room. I sat on top of the bed and looked around, trying to note anything that looked the least bit suspicious. Nothing in particular caught my eye, except for a few scattered things left on his desk.
With nothing else to do but wait, I trotted over to the feminine desk and sat down in the chair. I noticed the mini drawers next to the desk, but of course didn't dare to open them. The last thing I needed right then was to get caught snooping around. At least if I look at something on top of the desk, it'll be his fault for leaving it out in the open.
There were a few scattered papers, a few pens, and a …collar? I questioned it briefly, but had a feeling I really didn't want to know. I guessed curly cue was into some really kinky stuff.
I didn't find anything of interest until my eyes wandered to the side of the desk. There was a small hook carrying a set of unusually large keys. There were a bunch of them, all of them circling around the key chain.
I took them off the hook and held them up to my face, staring intently at them. I wondered what they could possibly be for, there were so many of them. I looked at each one separately and noticed that each one, or at least the first ten that I looked at were all somewhat different. They were all gold colored, but each had a different set of teeth and a different jewel on its base.
"Probably keys to all the castle doors or something" I thought to myself. I twirled them around my fingers, hearing them jingle and jangle. They weren't all that interesting but something about them was somehow alluring.
I played with them for a minute longer, just letting them circle around my index finger, until I heard a strange rustling noise from behind me. I quickly turned, hoping that it was that Behemoth, but nothing seemed out of place.
I turned in the chair again, only to be met with a sudden flash of black that lasted for a split second and an empty bleeding hand.
I clutched the small gash on my finger with my other hand and grit my teeth. I looked this way and that for whatever could've taken the keys that fast. A hobgoblin is too slow and doesn't have claws sharp enough to actually cut me, so it couldn't have been Behemoth. But what then?
I stood up still clutching my now regenerating finger and looked around. Nothing seemed out of place in the slightest-oh except for the gigantic magenta bird-thing perching on top of the dresser with the keys in its claws.
It was no demon I'd ever seen or heard of. It was definitely bird like, with bat wings and a sharp beak and claws. Its eyes freaked me out; they were large and swirly looking. Its tail was probably the strangest; instead if a tuft at the end it, it was some sort of strange colorful looking…thing.
I had no idea what it was but all I cared about was that it had taken the keys. I got up and walked over to it and reached my hand up to try and grab it. Unfortunately, the dresser was so tall that I could barely touch the keys, let alone grab them.
"Hey give those back!" I said and tried in vain to jump high enough to reach them. All it did was smile at me with razor sharp teeth, rather creepily I might add, as if to mock me. My eye twitched in agitation; there was no way I was gonna lose to a stupid bird.
"C'mon those aren't yours, you stupid bird" I said and jumped again.
"I don't believe they are yours either mein liebling~"
I froze in an awkward jumping position and turned my head ever so slightly. Samael was standing a bit too close behind me, looking down at me with a smirk on his face.
He raised his hand and snapped his fingers, and right away the bird thing flapped its wings and landed on his shoulder. It extended one of its claws and dropped the ring of keys into his open palm.
"It's very rude to rummage through another person's things imouto" he said, his grin not being any implication that he was upset in the least. He tsked and walked passed me, setting the bird thing down on the desk. He turned to me then.
"Now then, you are going after that human, yes?" he said and twirled the keys in his fingers.
There was that word again. Human. What the hell was that anyway? Perhaps another species of demon I had never heard about. I had been in that house for a while.
"How does everyone know this?" I thought to myself in annoyance. Could they all read minds or something? Nevertheless, I nodded uneasily and crossed my arms, giving him a suspicious glare.
"Well then, you should know that you will need permission from father to leave the castle. You have very limited time so it is imperative that you hurry" he said matter of factly.
He should've reminded me to breathe and blink while he was at it too. None of this information was of any particular use and I was losing my patience.
"Due to that limited time, I have a gift for you" he stopped the keys from spinning and took one from the metal ring. He tossed it to me and I caught it by its teeth.
I looked at it in my open palm. The only remarkable thing about it was the sapphire looking jewel at its base. I looked up at him questionably, raising an eyebrow.
"What's this for?" I asked cautiously.
He chuckled. "That dear, is an infinity key. It is used to travel to different places all around Gehenna. However, this particular key only works from the range between the castle and all of the capital town. I will let you borrow it to travel quickly between here and town"
He put a slight emphasis on borrow, indirectly telling me that he expected it back. It was certainly an interesting little item. I had heard of demons who are able to teleport by their own power, but never of items that allowed you to do so.
Weird birds and magic keys; it made me wonder what else this guy had.
I looked down at the keys again. "How do they work?"
"Simple" he said. "You just put the key in any lock within the castle and open the door. You should instantly arrive somewhere in town"
I nodded quickly and put the key in my jean pocket underneath my yukata. But then I put my hands on my hips. "Why are you helping me?" I asked suspiciously.
He chuckled again. "Because you're my imouto of course. What kind of big brother would I be if I didn't assist my adorable little sister~?"
I scoffed at that and turned to the door to leave.
"Thanks" I said rather flatly and turned the knob.
"Oh and imouto?" he called and I turned my head.
"That yukata looks rather cute on you~"
My eyes widened slightly and I blushed deeply before turning around and leaving.
I had returned to my room to remove my yukata and neatly folded it and set it down on my bed. I checked the clock on the nightstand and realized I only had forty five minutes left, and I still had to get permission from father.
That was definitely not something I was looking forward too. It was one thing to be in a group and be in his presence but being one on one alone with him almost made me want to vomit. But unfortunately time was not on my side and as far as saving Clair was concerned, I had little choice.
I shut my door behind me reluctantly and started my descent down the stairs. As I made my way towards the throne room, a million ways on how to act in front of him raced through my mind.
Should I knock first? Samael didn't knock when we first went in. Should I kneel before him? Probably. And what if he says no? Then what?
The next thing I knew I was in front of the throne room door, blankly staring at it. I decided to knock, logically think it would be rude to just barge inside.
I raised my hand to knock but the doors opened automatically before I could touch them with a loud creaking sound. As I stared into the seemingly abyss-like room, I took a deep breath through my nose. I didn't know whether the doors always did that automatically or father had done it himself, but it didn't really matter.
I coached myself one last time. All I had to do was keep calm and dignified in front of a God right? Not too hard.
The moment I took my first step, the room immediately illuminated in the same bluish glow, this time blinding me slightly less than last time. I instantly spotted father in his throne, a bored expression on his face. However, his face immediately turned into a sly smirk and he lifted his hand and bent his finger in a 'come hither' motion.
I immediately began to walk towards him nervously, my face straight and eyes focused. For a moment, I wondered if he really just sat there in his chair all day doing nothing, or if he ever went out or moved around the castle. However, those were questions for another time.
I stood in front of him now, his disturbing eyes boring into mine for a split second. I immediately knelt down on one knee, feeling the weight of his gaze on my bowed head.
I could practically feel him looking me up and down, looking for any sign of wavering or potential flaw. I stayed stock still, not daring to move; not even letting myself breathe.
We stayed like this for a few seemingly endless moments before I heard him chuckle.
"You are surely one of my cutest kids~" he said suddenly amused. I was rather surprised by his response but at the same time I wasn't. Here I was scared out of my mind and he thought it was…cute. I was starting to see the similarities in this family.
These thoughts did not stop my blushing or my stomach from knotting. However, what he said next almost made my head explode.
"Come here little girl. Come sit on your daddy's lap"
My breath hitched in my throat as his words reached my ears. Was this some kind of joke? The lord of Gehenna wanted me to sit on his lap? But when I really thought about it, what choice did I really have?
I glanced up at him and stood slowly, my eyes quickly lowering to the floor. I took a step, then another, then another until I was right in front of him.
I very reluctantly turned and sat down on his knees in a very awkward position. I flinched when he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me so my back was against his chest. He then grabbed both of my knees and turned them so they hung over the side of his throne. He supported my back with his other arm and looked curiously at me, a knowing smile on his face.
I looked back at him, not knowing quite what to do. I considered just going on and asking permission, but I had a feeling he was the type to say "I didn't give you permission to speak". So I remained silent.
His eyes scanned me from head to toe while absent-mindedly rubbing my knee, sending chills up my spine with his cold hand.
He eventually spoke up. "Let me see your tail" he said and stuck out his hand that was previously rubbing my knee.
I hoped I hadn't heard him correctly and gave a low "Hm?" in reply.
"Your tail, let me see it" he said again, no agitation in his voice.
Physically, I didn't hesitate for a second and let my tail unwrap from my torso. Mentally, my mind was racing several miles a minute. Why would he want to see my tail of all things? I supposed it wasn't too out of the norm. It wasn't necessarily strange for a family member, especially parents, to ask to see their children tails. However, I didn't like the idea of the most vulnerable part of my body being held by the God of Gehenna.
Once my tail was fully unwrapped, I placed it over his open palm.
It's a funny thing about tails; they're almost like hands. You can control them like any other muscle in your body and can even pick things up with them. However, they are also the one part of your body that can never regenerate.
He palmed my tail and gave it a sideways glance and removed his hand from my back. He surprisingly very gently lifted it so it was in front of both of our faces. He looked almost fondly at it in a strange kind of way, or as strange as it was for Satan to be looking at anything fondly.
Though my anxiety had skyrocketed, I tried my best not to tremble and keep my cool. We stayed like this for a short time until he finally said something.
"Just like your mothers. So lovely" he said without looking up at me. My eye twitched from the mentioning of my mother but I ignored it and went back to the task at hand.
After a few short moments, he put my tail down on my lap and looked at me again.
"Now then, what is it that you want?" he asked, sounding bored again. He put his hand back on my side and leaned his head on his other hand.
I wrapped my tail around my torso once more and breathed deeply yet silently through my nose before speaking.
"I would like permission to leave the castle father" I said with the most dignity I could muster. I looked him in the eyes when I said it; one of the hardest things I'd ever done. However, I managed to keep my poker face and waited for his response.
He 'hmed' and gave me a side glance. Then he gave a crooked smile.
"Very well then little girl" he said. My shoulders slumped slightly in relief at his answer. However I was getting quite annoyed at him calling me little girl for the third time.
"However I have a condition" he said suddenly. I looked at him expectantly, even though in my head I was scared out of my mind. He paused briefly before speaking.
"From now on when we're alone like this, you are going to call me 'daddy'~"
I never knew my face could be so red. It was such a dark shade, I'd have to think of another name for it.
What kind of strange perversion was this? Was he out to embarrass me? Or was this some sort of sick twisted fetish? Whatever it was, I didn't like it. I was actually starting to regret ever signing that contract.
Unfortunately, like a lot of things around here, I had little to no choice. I nodded quickly and very, very reluctantly said, "Yes…daddy"
"Very good" he said giving me a creepy grin. "Now then, I will allow you to go out, however-"
"Damnit what does he want now?" I thought annoyingly to myself.
"I don't want my cute little girl walking around town without some protection, therefore I'll grant you a favor~"
Evil Satan, another favor. Damn, by the time I find Clair, I'm going to owe just about everybody.
He took his hand off of my back and reached behind his throne. He pulled a relatively shiny looking blade from what sounded like a pile of coins and sat it on my lap. It was a simple katana, a gray sheath hanging from its grip. Not quite the type of sword I'd think Satan would have, but it was way better than the one I had at home.
He held it by the middle of the blade, and looked at it intently for a few moments. Rather suddenly, the blade burst into blue flames, making me jump in surprise and fear. The flames cackled for a few moments, before quickly vanishing from the sword, leaving the blade with a sheen bluish glow.
He let go of the blade and looked back at me.
"I'm sure you've figured out by now that this is a regular blade. However, I have imbued it with a small fraction of my power" he said and pushed on my hip gently, prompting me to get off of his lap.
I was more than happy to oblige.
I got up making sure not to seem to relieved and stood in front of him. He held out the blade in front of me.
"This will increase your attack power, however it will be up to your skill whether or not you make use of it. I can only hope you're as good as your mother~"
My eye twitched again in agitation from the mentioning of my mother. It disgusted me that I was being compared to that piece of trash, but it was in my best interest to keep quiet. I grabbed the sword by its hilt and sheathed it.
I nodded silently and he crossed his legs again.
"Very well be on your way little girl" he said and shooed me with his hand.
I bowed by the waist more out of instinct than thought, and walked out. I once again sighed a breath of relief. I was damn happy that was over. However my relief was short lived when I realized I only had thirty minutes left.
I gritted me teeth in annoyance. Why did I have a feeling that he had taken so long on purpose?
I walked quickly out of the hallway and into the main foyer. I had to find a suitable door to travel through and considering my room was the only door I was specifically entitled to, I chose that one.
I walked up the stairs and over to my door. I took the key out of my pocket and placed it inside the key hole and turned-
"Good morning Freja"
I jumped when I saw Cepheid standing next to his bedroom door, his arms in his robe sleeves and looking at me with his usual pleasant yet unnerving grin.
I didn't smile at him; rather raised my eyebrow at him in a 'what do you want' kind of look.
"Father asked me to escort you around the city. I'm glad I caught you before you left" he explained and chuckled lightly.
I looked at him for a few moments, completely dumbstruck. Father had already given me a sword, why did I need a body guard? And why did it have to be Cepheid?
"It's better than that creep Samael…" I thought to myself. It would be better if I had someone who hadn't been trapped inside of his house for the past five years. He probably had better social skills than me anyway.
I nodded slowly and said, "Fine". He nodded and I turned the key.
I opened the door slowly, not to sure what to expect. Samael had said it would transport us directly to the city, but what exactly did that mean? For all I knew, this could land me in a water fountain or in the middle of the street. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to question, so I pushed the door open and took a step.
I shielded my eyes as they were met with the usual red haze and sunlight that always came with the day. I looked around.
We were definitely in the capitol, but I had no idea where we had come out of. I stepped outside of the door and took in the sight.
Of course, it looked the same as it was when we were in the carriage. However, it was much livelier and crowd filled. There were multiple vendors at differently colored stands and customers browsing left and right. There were children running around with their pets or other children; teenagers and adults nonchalantly walking this way and that.
There were plenty of different buildings in all shapes and sizes, most of them made of marble or other such luxurious crafting materials. I could tell why this was called the richest place in Gehenna. Only rich capital snobs could afford marble.
I turned to see where we had come out of. It was a strangely out of place shack made out of some kind of wood. It was In between two much taller establishments and seemed rather vacant compared to them.
Cepheid stepped out behind me and looked back and forth at his surroundings.
"What a beautiful city" he said seemingly more so to himself rather than me. I nodded absent-mindedly and closed my eyes in concentration.
Her presence was nowhere close, that was for sure. But she was definitely in the city. Perhaps I cold relay on her scent to find her. She always had a very distinct smell, one that I couldn't ever quite describe. Thankfully, that just made it easier to find her.
"She's this way" I said as I sniffed the air. I turned on my heel and began to walk in the direction that her smell lead me too. Cepheid quickly followed suit.
"Ah yes, you're looking for the human right?" he said and smiled in my direction.
I nodded silently again, trying to focus on the scent. However my focus was quickly shattered as Cepheid decided to indulge in small talk.
"Tell me Freja, why are you trying so hard to find this human? What is she to you?" he asked. It wasn't condescending in any way, more so curious.
Of course at the time, I wasn't in the mood for any questions or concerns. But I concluded it would be better if I answered; for the mere sake of him shutting up.
"We're contracted" I said simply and kept my pace.
"Ah, I see".
We continued to walk in the same direction. I let my eyes shift in different directions, taking in the scene a bit more. There was a man yelling at another man at a vending shop; seemingly selling some kind of strange liquid. I noticed a couple sitting at a small table outside, staring fondly at each other. There were two children sitting criss crossed on the ground and poking a grounded coal tar.
So this was everyday life. No barriers, no creepy families, no lying abandoning mothers. Just normal.
It was actually kind of nice.
"Oh yes Freja, I've been meaning to ask you, I noticed it was only you and that human that were present in your house. Where was your mother?"
That guy really knew how to kill a mood.
I questioned if it mattered or if I even cared if he knew the current relationship or lack thereof of my mother and I. I decided it didn't.
"She left" I said almost wistfully but quickly regaining my composure.
In my peripheral he nodded, his smile never leaving his face.
"Ah, I'm relieved she was not present. I don't think I could bare being forced to hurt another woman again"
My blood ran cold for a split second and I stopped walking. What the Gehenna was that supposed to mean? Was that another threat?
Perhaps he was finally showing his dark side behind that smile.
"Cepheid-"I began but was interrupted by the explosion of pain inside me head.
I squeezed my eyes shut in pain and held my head with both of my hands. She was close, I could tell, but she was in trouble. Right then would've been a great time for that voice to tell me where she was again.
I opened my eyes again and saw Cepheid, now in front of me, a worried frown on his face. I shook my head and removed my hands. This was no time to cower, I had to focus.
"This way" I said hazardly and started to walk again, limping lightly. He didn't move for a moment; just staring at me with a strange expression. After a few steps however, he followed me.
I was now following more of my instincts rather than my sense of direction. My feet were almost moving automatically, myself in a daze. The dizziness seemed like a new effect of the contract, but I didn't care at the moment.
My feet stopped in front of a small establishment, right in front of the door. I looked up at the large sign with advertising red letters that said "Jack's Moonlight Cocktails"
"A bar?" I whispered out loud. I couldn't comprehend why she would want alcohol at a time like this.
I wasted no time bursting through the door and looking around hastily to try and spot Clair. It wasn't too hard, considering everyone inside was against the wall in fear.
I didn't get a great look at the bar itself, it looked like any other typical place. A few tables spread, a counter, and a wall of different alcohol in the back. The bar tender behind the counter looked towards the middle, eyes wide and fearful.
Unfortunately I soon found out that Clair was the center of attention. Understandable, considering there was a woman pointing a gargantuan spear at her head.
Clair was on the floor staring up in horror, trembling violently and eyes watering fast. The woman however, was quite the opposite.
She was a tall woman; a brunette with her hair in a long braid down her back. She was in a black robe that covered all the way down to her feet, spear in hand and other hand on her hip.
Next to her was another equally heightened man also robed in the same black garment; creamy short hair that barely reached his ears. His arms were crossed and he looked impatiently at the woman.
I really didn't know what to make of either of them. All I knew was that they were trouble.
"I don't know how you got here human…" the woman said and bared her teeth like some kind of animal.
"But I know exactly how you're going to get out" she raised her spear to attack.
I lunged without thinking and removed the sword from its sheath. An inch of the tip made contact with her spear and deflected it to the left. My right arm shifted uncomfortably on the hilt by the shockwave, but I stood my ground effectively and looked at her surprised yet agitated face.
"Do you usually go around stabbing little girls?" I asked sarcastically and removed the katana. "Because if that's the case, I suggest getting different hobby"
The man next to her eyebrow's raised but he didn't say anything. The woman, however recovered quickly and stood straight up again and glared at me, eyebrows furrowed in rage.
"Who the living Gehenna are you supposed to be you stupid girl? Get out of the way before you get hurt"
I raised an eyebrow at her and swiftly pointed my blade at her. I didn't know whether I was any match for her, but I guess that's why I had Cepheid around. He came from behind me for once straight faced yet looking determined, ready to back me up if needed.
She tensed ever so slightly, but nevertheless pointed her spear at me in equal defiance. We had a stare down for a few moments before the man next to her spoke up.
"Edna, we are going to be late if we waste any more time here. Just leave her be"
The woman, apparently named Edna, gritted her teeth but didn't respond. After a few more moments however, she finally put her spear down, letting the tip hit the ground with a loud thud.
"Fine. But the next time I see your face, you're dead" she said bitterly and walked past me. The man sighed lightly and tilted his head in a quick bow before following her out.
I turned and looked down at Clair, my rage most likely very apparent on my face. She looked up at me as if I was pointing a sword at her and trembled.
"Freja…"
"Shut up" I said meanly and grabbed her by the wrist. I was very careful not to crush her arm no matter how angry I was. If I snapped it, it would take forever to heal. She was always a very slow healer. Just a paper cut takes her three days to heal.
I checked the time and realized I had less than five minutes to go. Damn, I didn't even have time to be mad at Clair and give her a proper talking too.
I dragged her out of the bar and proceeded to hastily walk and find a suitable door to return to the castle in. Cepheid followed close behind me, smiling again.
I recognized and found the original door we had come out of and turned the key. I was met with a high view of the foyer, not a servant in sight. I dragged Clair through, Cepheid coming in after.
I quickly walked down the stairs and to the middle of the foyer and looked around. It was then that I realized that I had no actual idea where this arena was.
"This way" Cepheid said and pointed to the right.
I nodded and silently thanked him as he opened the door on the far right wall. There were multiple twists and turns throughout the hallways until we eventually came to a very stand-offish metal door; apparently made out of some kind of iron.
Cepheid turned the knob and we entered, being met with a large, rather empty room save for father and my other siblings.
Father was standing in the middle with his arms in his sleeves much like Cepheid always does. Everyone else was standing in a line a few feet in front of him, awaiting instruction. They were to far away to see their faces, however I could only imagine what they were feeling right then.
But then I noticed another line of people behind father, taller ones. Cepheid and I began to walk toward them, their faces becoming more and more prominent.
That's when my stomach dropped.
You can't be serious.
A/N: The end of another hopefully great chapter. Of course, let's give thanks to the lovely isis lied for her help. Please review.
See ya next chapter!
