The whole situation had Adelaide tensed. Everything could be ruined, everything! It was all her sister's fault. All her fault.
She knew she couldn't keep telling herself that, that things would be alright in the end, but her temporary anger got the better of her.
"That is none of your concern!" The elder sister shouted, her voice broken as she realized she was almost in tears.
Beliarosa softened. "Sister.. I did not mean to upset you. I am only worried. I mean, with the slippers and the not eating much and all..." The tone of her voice was sweet enough to calm even Adelaide's anger.
"Bella.." Her eyes were full with unshed tears. "It's just that I've found something wonderful... Somewhere where I am accepted as something other than just the heir. I'm special there... And it is the most wonderful place..." Her words suddenly grew serious. "Bella... Can I trust you to keep a secret?"
The simple nod from the Second Child was all it took. Adelaide hurried, preparing her sister for the beautiful world that she would be introduced to. Bella was as shocked as Adelaide was the first time, but comforted by her elder sister's boldness and the sheer splendor of the place, the two headed in to meet Prince Virion. Upon their arrival, Virion had a surprise.
"What an odd coincidence, sweet Adelle... I too have brought my younger sibling." Virion's perfect voice soothed Adelaide, enough so that she didn't even notice his use of the nickname Jason had given her.
The night passed with a blur, and soon the two princesses had returned to their chambers, and were promptly asleep as soon as they had changed to their clothes.
"But Virion, how will we get them to bring the other sisters? The prophecy cannot be fulfilled without all Twelve." The voice of the younger prince made Virion angry.
"Silence, Zeiwin. I got the Second to come, didn't I? Have patience in our power. It may be weak, but I've grasped the First... And my power grows more and more with each one. Soon, we will have them all, and we will be free from this terrible prison.. Free to roam as we once were. And we will rule, and kill, and feed off the blood of the innocents. And the Twelve will be of our kind.. We can be sure of that, once they are our brides." Virion grinned, glancing at the illusionary world around them.
He could see through it all, to the torment, to Hell. Hell where they were banished. His illusions allowed him to have a grasp on the mortal world. The Demonic Prince himself would not be able to leave until he and his eleven brothers had wives. And their wives must all be sisters.
This was why the Twelve were so important to them. The prophecy was drawing nearer. They had trapped two, and the rest would come. Such naive children they were, not to realize what was going on.
Adelaide pulled her sister aside one afternoon shortly after lessons. Lord Carnein had been lecturing about a particularly boring lesson, something or another about mythology and demons, and Adelaide had found herself falling asleep. However, last time that had happened... well, the repercussions of that weren't very nice, lets say. Lord Carnein had a way of keeping things from being fun, especially in terms of punishments. So, she had to keep awake, and her thoughts turned to Prince Virion.
As soon as the lecture was over, she politely excused herself and pulled Beliarosa aside.
"Bella, something has occurred to me. Virion once said he had eleven brothers, all younger than him," she began, prompting a nod of understanding from the Second. "So.. there's Twelve of us. Isn't that a little..."
"Strange?" Bella finished her sentence. "Yeah... I don't see why I didn't see it before..."
"We should bring the others!"