Chapter 11: A Disastrous Dinner

There was an awkward silence at the dinner table. Everyone was cutting small, bite-sized chunks of meat and placing it delicately in their mouths. It took years of training for Sebastian to learn how eat this patiently, as he was accustomed to simply shoving whatever food in his mouth and crunching the bones between his teeth. Now, with a knife and fork—ones that he was usually caught flinging at enemies to protect his master—he was cutting at the meat, piece by piece, and taking it in his mouth. He even chewed patiently and thoroughly and waited until he swallowed before cutting the next piece.

Allech watched him while repeatedly jabbing his meat with his fork with an unpleased look on his face. His eyes then darted to Angela, whose eyes hadn't moved from him. No matter how badly she wanted to speak out, she knew she couldn't if she valued Sebastian's life and the life of his unborn child.

After jabbing his meat so hard, he hit the bone; gaining an irritated glance from Satan and Sebastian, Allech set his silverware down and sighed.

"Not hungry, are we?" Satan inquired.

"No, it's not that . . ." Allech replied, "It's just a little too quiet of a party, for my taste."

Sebastian hummed, "I didn't realize this was a party, father."

The two demons chuckled, as if there had been a joke going between them. Satan took a long sip of wine while Sebastian did the same with regular water and Allech resumed his prodding of the meat.

"May I ask . . ." he spoke up, "What is this meat?"

"Black deer, from the southern hills." Satan replied.

Sebastian hummed again, "Fancy . . ."

Angela couldn't help but giggle at the statement, which seemed to irritate Allech.

"Why not goat?"

A flash of silver flew past Allech's head, missing his ear by merely an inch. Jutting out from the wall behind him was a sharp steak knife. Satan, the knife's thrower, looked at him with fury in his eyes, while the eyes of Sebastian and Angela and whatever servants were in the room looked at him with their eyes wide with shock.

"You must not be from around here, you mongrel!" Satan spat, "So I'll make this very clear to you. The goat, the raven, and the peacock are all sacred animals in this part of my realm! We do not kill them nor do we eat their meat. I suggest you learn that fast before I drag you out of here with meat hooks embedded in each of your nostrils!"

Fearfully, Allech nodded, "I-I apologize . . . I did not know!"

Satan settled back in his chair back in his chair as he ordered one servant to retrieve the knife while another brought him a new one.

Sebastian cleared his throat and stood from his chair, "Father, may I be excused?"

"Have you finished eating?"

"Yes, and I feel rather tired. I'd like to rest in the library for a while."

Satan nodded, "Very well. Angela, if you would please take a guard with you and escort Michaelis to his room."

"I'd prefer the library, father."

"You need to learn to sleep in your own room again. That old couch in the library can't be good for your back, anyway."

"Fine then . . ."

Angela was about to rise from her chair and call a guard when Allech suddenly rose from his chair.

"Wait!" he yelled. He rushed to Lord Satan and dropped to his knees, "Please, sire, let me atone for my mistake earlier. Allow me to escort His Highness back to his room."

Satan raised a curious brow at the man below him, "And why exactly would I trust you with my son's care?"

"Oh please, my lord! I know I've been rather horrible guest. In fact, the whole royal family would be better if I were to be drug away in cuffs and binds. But I wish to make it up to you. I swear you can trust Prince Michaelis' care with me, or you can torture me however you please if I fail you."

A smirk appeared on Satan's face. He loved it when one of his subjects begged him for something.

"Father, don't let him . . ." Sebastian began to protest, but was cut off.

"Don't worry, Michaelis. I'm sure we can trust him." Satan suddenly grabbed Allech by his dull black hair and hoisted him up to eye-level, "Besides, if he does fail, I can torture him however I please. Isn't that what you said, Sir Allech?"

Allech nodded frantically and Satan released his grip on him.

Satan gave instructions to Sebastian's room. The instruction were dizzying, but Allech was sure Sebastian would be leading the way anyways. He bowed once to Satan before following the expecting demon out of the dining room.

As they left, Satan looked to his hands as he realized they felt dirtier than usual. A black substance coated the skin of his hand and fingers; the hand he had grabbed Allech by his hair with. He felt the texture of the substance and hummed.

"Soot?"

to be continued . . .

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