Demon Diary – When They get into it
By (the glorious, bigheaded, comical, and hyper) Kloudy Reignfall
Disclaimerything: Did you ever notice how when you write "Disclaimerything" it comes out lookin kinda like "Disneyland"? Well, from my hyper point of view anyway. (I don't own this manga, least not the copyrights.) Oh, by the way, sorry for any OOC. Can't help it!
Many absurdly large thanks to my reviewers!:
Naria Lacour de Fanel - I gladly give you the pineapple! Think of it as my thanks for reviewing! (By the way, I'd love to see your collection! lol)
Kawaii Thief Kitsune - Thank you so much! (And I love your work! So much! Teary eyes)
Sage (The It) - ...Thanks a lot dork! BTW I miss you all the way out there in California. This darn Georgia weather is gettin to me, sucking all the creativity outta me!
My annonymous reviewers - Thanks to you guys too! You know who you are. Sadly though, I don't.
Kara - (though she'll obviously never read it) for creating our lovely manga in the first place.
And everyone else who deserves my sincere thanks. Sorry I'm such a scatterbrain!
Chapter 2
Someone stirred. Eclipse opened his eyes slowly and sighed sleepy contentment. His cheek rested softly against Raenef's neck, and the boy's hair tickled his nose. He could feel the steady pulse beneath his skin. It was a peaceful sort of calm and Eclipse nearly fell back to sleep before his conscience unearthed itself.
He tensed suddenly with panic. A need came upon him to be out of this position and away from an awkward situation, but even stronger was the need not to wake his master. And mingled with the heart-stopping fear was something else... A fluttering little pleasure that Eclipse tried not to recognize.
He regulated his breathing and thought frantically for a way to get out without disturbing his lord. Raenef squirmed and twisted his face around. With their lips barely inches apart, Eclipse felt his heartbeat quicken again. By now a worry in his mind was less of how not to disturb Rae than whether or not he should react to the steadily breathing face so near his.
This feeling... He shuddered at this feeling and his heartbeat and his breathe. What was this feeling? What was this fast-paced fear? Why did he suddenly and desperately want to...
...to...kiss him?
And in a moment of thoughtlessness, he did.
It was a brief soft sign of affection for his sleeping prince. Raenef's eyelids fluttered and opened, but by that time he was alone in the vast chamber. He cast a glance about but, finding nobody, sighed disappointedly. Closing his eyes he went back to sleep in an attempt to catch the dream.
His frantic "go" had taken Eclipse to an outside corridor not far from his own rooms. He thought he'd go now to change for the council meeting, but something caught his eye.
The moon was beautiful tonight. It was perfectly paralleled in dark and light opposition, but even the shadowed half shone brightly. The simple beauty was reminiscent of something...
A shadow moved in the corner of Eclipse's sight, interrupting his thoughts.
"Show yourself," he demanded. The human shadow proved to be that of Erutis, and he calmed, but less than you would think. He'd never completely relax around her, especially not while he was in such a paranoid state. "What are you doing at this time of night?" he asked accusingly.
She answered in simple. "Moongazing," she told him. It took her attention and she looked skyward, continuing to speak in a dreamy voice she only used when something troubled her. "I couldn't sleep so I came out here for some fresh night air." Erutis turned back to the demon, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "...What are you doing?"
Eclipse instantly said what came natural to him: "It is none of your business, knight." It seemed rude, but both knew that it was not unfriendly, simply tired and rehearsed. She quietly muttered "Oh" and thought of her next question. He knew what she was going to say before it was formed in her mouth. He would have known even without reading her thoughts. Eclipse turned away to deter the question, but it didn't work.
"Were you just with Raenef?" It was a casual enough question, but it held curious importance. Eclipse debated about what to say. What would be the point in denying it, especially to that damned intuitive knight? There was none, yet it was what he wanted to do... Fighting off the urge to live in denial, Eclipse decided that there was no time like the present. One simple word would mean such a lot to both himself and the nosy Erutis.
Eclipse cast his eyes down, almost as if in shame, and answered quietly. "Yes."
"Oh." A few seconds of awkward silence followed. Suddenly she changed tone. "Hey, don't you have a meeting to go to?" She registered the look of astonishment on Eclipse's face and said, "Yeah, you do. I have an idea. We can talk tomorrow when you get home, okay?" And without waiting for an answer of any sort she nodded and walked away.
Eclipse blinked several times and went to his room to change.
............................................................................................
...As per usual, Aureleid was droning on in his 'far too important for normal speech' voice. And for once, Eclipse was not attending to his spiel. No matter how many humans the royals employed to fight in this particular war, the demons would (as always) win and the whole thing would straighten itself out. The same could not be said for the situation upon which he dwelled. He remained in a standstill in his decision of what to do about Raenef and himself. And who was even to say if there was anything to be done? Perhaps Eclipse was overreacting to the entire thing. Perhaps –
"Eclipse!"
Aureleid's roar got his attention. Wide-eyed, Eclipse bowed his head and muttered an apology to the demon lord master. He tried desperately to recall exactly what the council's meeting was about, but to no avail: He'd been too lost in his own thoughts. Aureleid could see that.
"Master Eclipse, may I enquire as to what holds you so engrossed that you cannot pay proper attention to such an important assessment?" His heart jumped. What should he say? The truth was always better than a lie, however in this case perhaps it was best to lead into it slowly. A vague answer will suit for the moment. "I hold concern for my duties."
Aureleid laughed cold an hard. "As would I, were I in your position. Luckily I am not." He paused dramatically to let the insult soak in, then continued. "That brings me to my next point of discussion – Lord Raenef V."
Eclipse's head snapped up in full attention. What could this be about? He had the idea that this was from where he got the feeling earlier.
Aureleid kept talking. "That... boy... is a complete disgrace to us all. He is as far from a demon lord as one could imagine. Likely farther. His skills and abilities are adequate to say the least, but his manner is making a joke us!" He turned his speech on Eclipse. "Is it not true that he has befriended no less than two humans, who now freely roam his house, and recently helped protect a nearby village during an attack on them by another demon lord?"
Eclipse wanted badly to explain. Erutis served as head of their guard knights, and Chris was still with them in an agreement with the High Cleric. Though these excuses were not exactly true they would work. But there was absolutely no denying or explaining Raenef's choice to assist the village under siege. Even Eclipse was uncertain as to why he did it, except for that Rae was just too peaceful. There was no way out of this one. He said, "That is correct, sir," solemnly, to a smirk from the other demon.
The other demons around the room looked mildly amused and successful. Devils! How long have they been conspiring?! Aureleid continued again.
"We cannot have disgraces representing us!" Eclipse didn't like where this was heading. "We must do something about it!" Really not like this... "I propose" insert dramatic pause here "that we dispose of him!"
There was a muttered agreement around the room. In a state of shock, Eclipse looked down and absently picked one of Raenef's thin blonde hairs from his robe. He looked up again.
Aureleid was smiling widely. "Eclipse, I really don't know how you can stand to be near that monstrosity! Are you not thrilled by our decision?" Aureleid's eyes were bright with emotion.
Anxious, frustrated, hurt tears tried to well up behind Eclipse's eyes, but his social self preservation stopped them. Regardless, he didn't know what to say to Aureleid, who still waited for a response. Hell! He didn't even know what to think. Nearly the entire group of demon lords wanted his master dead. His master who he served loyally, who he trusted, who he... (Admit it, you idiot! ::Eclipse bludgeons author girl with a bottle of vanilla coke, having given away the pineapple.::) who he loved. Eclipse did several very un-Eclipse-like things in one moment.
"H-he is my... my master," he stuttered, his eyes wide and his mouth open. "I... I do not understand why you want to... to kill my lord..."
It was time for Aureleid to look confused. "You do not understand? I for one, thought that you, of all people, would understand our reasoning." He stopped, thought to himself for a moment, and laughed at a preposterous thought. "Or has your beloved young lord been rubbing off on you?" A look of malicious frustration passed over his face.
Eclipse gasped at this. He understands! Aureleid knows, knows of my love for Raenef! And he knew he had to say something to convince him otherwise. He assumed his straightest face and looked the demon master in the eye.
"No, my lord! Of course I understand." His traitorous tounge was dripping with guilt. (Not literally.) "I was simply trying to comprehend your reasons for wanting to eliminate the Raenef line. It is very important, is it not?"
Aureleid's answer made Eclipse regret having said this.
Aureleid smiled wider than one would think possible. "Yes, Eclipse, you bring up a good point. The Raenef line is indeed one of the most important of the demon lord lines, and that is why our Raenef V must first have an heir."
If anything that had been said previously unsettled Eclipse, then he was positively shaking with nerves at this statement. His body told him of shock with rigid shoulders and a shiver than ran through his spine and down into the pit of his very uneasy stomach.
He stared open-mouthed at the others, not even attempting to conceal his disgust. He thought for a moment about what he might say in response, and when he at last spoke it was the truth. "I doubt how successful you will be with that, my lord..."
Aureleid cocked an eyebrow. "Yes, I have noticed a general lack of enthusiasm in that... area." Again he cast a mischevious glance toward the lesser demon. Eclispe wished with all his concentrated thoughts that he would stop doing that. It made him nervous to no end, wondering just what that look meant. "Why do you think this is, Eclipse?"
..."I do not know."
Turning his head about in mock confusion, Aureleid silently accused Eclipse with what he did not say. "No? I would think that you would know everything about your master. Hmm. No matter. He will have a child if we wish him to." And with that his speech seemed over. The other demons, unconcerned with the death of an innocent, began to leave. Aureleid, however, strolled up to Eclipse's side.
"Oh, my. Your heart is beating so fast. Poor Eclipse, what seems to be the matter?" His false smiled faded into a genuine look of hatred as he turned the silent demon's chin toward him with a long sharp nailed claw. "Do not, Eclipse, tell your sweet Raenef a word of this meeting. Because there are fates worse than death, as I'm sure you'll know. I'll be in touch."
Without a word more, he left, leaving Eclipse in the middle of an empty hall, staring blankly and drowning in his thoughts.
End Chapter 2
::Eclipse searches for a more lethal weapon with which to bludgeon annoying author girl next time.::
"Hey now, none of that!"
::Smack!::
"Well, aren't we edgy today?" To the crowd,"::Sigh:: Demons these days!"
Ugh, well. It is another chapter, is it not? I won't say anything about it really. It was alright, I suppose. (But I'm running low on ideas and spend all my time reading stuff instead. My bad! Don't tell!) I do however promise another chapter (eventually) as I've already written it. (Must now find time... Gah! I need more time!)
As always - REVIEW! ...please! Oh, suggestions are always welcome too! (Desperation comes out.)
