The talks were just a pause - a moment for both kingdoms to regain their powers. Uriel had to spend it at the castle he had taken over.
Faint light shimmered through the tiny windows cut in the stone. Even in daytime Fort Purgatory needed thousands of flames hanging on the walls. Darkness, befitting of a former prison, built up in the corners and spread everywhere until Uriel felt as if he were crawling through a deep swamp. He could not believe Gabriel had chosen it as her residence. Had his sister illuminated the whole castle with her sunny personality? Only she could break the shadows that looked ready to jump from any corner.
Fort Purgatory had no memories left of his former master. The endless army of Inferno had stormed the castle. The friezes with golden leaves and beautiful green murals had fallen, destroyed by friend and foe in the deadly skirmish. All orders of his sister lied in the dust - little piles of colorful waste.
Another turn. Another corner. Another second of waiting to make sure nothing stood on the other side. The blood sputters became his wardens, Fort Purgatory became his prison without chains or cages. Queen Astaroth had ordered to stop all advances as soon as the offer for peace talks came. If only she could have sent another representative...
The guards crossed spears when Uriel tried to enter the chambers. "Name and reason for entry!" barked the left one.
Uriel stopped in front of the high gate, plated with gold. His breath stopped short. Why had that mural survived? On the gate stood Gabriel, proud in her ultramarine armor. Her pink hair fell to her ankles. She extended a pearly white hand to the front, as if to Uriel. Her green eyes looked sharply at him, not leaving him a place to run.
"Name and reason!" barked the right guard, too.
After he explained himself quickly, Uriel entered. His heavy legs moved slowly, trying his best to not look at the golden painting.
"Welcome here, Prince Uriel." Lord Mastema stood by the side of the throne, his pale fingers brushing the mahogany wood. "How do you feel being back home?"
"That is not my home, Milord." Polite, exact answers. Nothing more than absolutely needed. No more power for Mastema. "I have sworn loyalty to Kingdom Inferno."
"This is a beautiful throne, is it not? I'd regret it if it had been destroyed in the horrible fight that claimed your sister's life." The lord let go of the decorated throne. "Life I am very sure belonged to me."
Even during peace, Uriel fell attacked. "Milord, I have nothing to say. I have sworn to give her back to you, but someone else had already claimed her life. I could not..." Oh, how much he wanted to run away, eyes closed to hide his tears! But Mastema would use that to cool even tighter around him, to turn him into a personal servant and break him down piece by piece.
"That is too bad." Lord Mastema walked to Uriel, his golden robes swaying with every step. "With her knowledge, I could take over every fortress in Heaven." He pretended to be lost in thought. Ha, as if that beast had not already planned the conversation to the last detail. "I will need another way to prove your loyalty to me, then. Luckily for you I have a mission only you can do. Two, in fact. I can allow you to govern this Fort - to be the warden of your prison. I can allow you to simmer in the darkness until it eats you alive and leaves you a shell. You can stay here hated by everyone - including yourself. It would be a mercy compared to the other option."
A monster like that knew no mercy. Another trick, Uriel suspected. "What is my other choice, Milord?"
"I shall need a bodyguard for the peace talks. Accompany me to Justina." Mastema had come in front of Uriel. "What do you choose, disgraced prince? An age of agony or a moment of endless pain?"
A/N: Hey guys, I hope the weather is warming by you, too. Here today it was warm enough to do some gardening - and write of course! This is the second part of the Soul Cartel AU at inspiring_tables on dreamwidth! The prompt: Times of Peace. Just a quick note: all stories are connected in some loose plot, so it'd be better to read them all!