"A golden beak?" Said Octavia to her mother. "Wait, mum, why are you giving me this? Not that I am not grateful, but why?"
"Well... I felt neglectful to you as a mother. Felt like I wasn't... paying enough attention to you recently."
"And she wants to be a far better mother than she used to be." Andrealphus smiled. "A far better mother than ever before, Via. Starting with this wonderful gift: a golden falcon beak."
"Did you kill the falcon?" Asked Clyde in horror
"What? No! Don't be ridiculous." Andrealphus pointed. "For I am a very civilized Goetia."
"look, I know what can make everyone happy." Said Clyde. "Milady, my friend and his sisters made a bet and Lincoln won against them, so watch this video to see how funny they look."
"Hmm, I suppose it could brighten my mood, if that's what you mean." Stella narrowed her eyes. "This better be good."
Both the siblings looked at the video of Lincoln's sisters making a complete fool of themselves at the Royal Woods mall. Andrealphus himself was chuckling while Stella was snickering. "That is completely ridiculous!" Andrealphus said. "And they were all forced to dance like they are about to collapse inebriated at a discotheque if they lose?"
"Yep."
"what a bunch of fucking morons! Ha! I am really glad you have won this wager, Lincoln."
"You and me both." The boy agreed.
Stolas rolled his eyes at Stella and Andrealphus with contempt. "Alright, you have both seen the fireworks." the owl demon said: "just go already, will you both?"
"Of course, your highness." Andrealphus bowed his head in mock respect. "Come along, Stella, before you escalate this conflict even further." He broke the ice restraining Stella and walked away. Stella followed behind him, but not before turning back at Stolas and giving him the "slit throat" gesture with her left hand, then continued walking off.
"I wonder why Stella gave me this." Lincoln said: "I mean, it looks cool, but why would she just give this to me?"
"No idea." Via said. "But I want to now why mum gave me this golden beak."
"Well, maybe she is only trying to be a good mother." Said Stolas.
"Hmmm, some weird, suspicious shit is going on." Loona pointed. "Don't know what, but there is something wrong. What are the odds of Stella giving you and Lincoln those things?"
"I wouldn't worry about it." Clyde frankly said. "Besides, they look cool."
"True." Lincoln put on his talon necklace. "I feel like it suits me."
"Yeah and the golden beak does look cool, too." Octavia admitted. "But there has to be a reason why she gave us these."
"Perhaps Loona is right. Something suspicious is happening from Stella and Andrealphus." Stolas admitted. "Hmm... I'll be keeping an eye on them just in case."
Loona nodded her head. "Probably a good idea. My 'something shitty is going on' senses are still acting off."
Later on, Lincoln and Clyde were playing video games together in Chateau Goetia, while Octavia was brushing Loona's beautiful long hair.
"Ooh! Watch out, Clyde!" Lincoln pointed
"Way ahead of you, buddy!"
"Via?" Said Loona. "Does your mom love and care about you?"
Stopping her brushing, the princess replied: "Of course she loves me. She's my mum, why wouldn't she?"
"Well, I might not have known my real parents, I know one thing." Loona pointed. "All kids deserve parents, but not all parents deserve kids."
"Ain't that the truth." Lincoln said. Then he felt Clyde beat his fighter. "Aw man! You beat me, buddy!"
"I guess I got lucky." Clyde smirked.
"No argument." said Octavia. "But... it's complicated."
"Look, at least you have a mom." Clyde pointed. "Mine died giving birth to me."
"You told me that already, Clyde." Via pointed.
"I'm... sorry to hear that, Clyde." Loona said, trying to be as sympathetic as possible toward Lincoln's best friend.
"No, it's not your fault. There are many things out of our control." He took a sip of his lemonade that Pringles the butler gave him, by the request of his master. "We can't just chose our lives when we are born."
"Words to live by." Loona chuckled. "Still wish I could have got a better dad other than the asshole Blitzo."
"well, I honestly think he's alright, Loona," Octavia admitted. "He has guns and kills people for money, sounds a little badass to me."
"maybe, but you have not known him as long as I have. Blitzo is a total mess, all the time. If you known him love enough, Via, you would wish you never had him as your dad."
Octavia let out a small chuckle. "I'll take your word for it, Loona" she said. Then it was Loona's turn for her to brush Octavia's hair this time. Lincoln played another round against Clyde on the video game and this time, Lincoln won.
"First the bet and now this game?" Clyde laughed. "You're on fire, Lincoln. Uh-oh. I have to pee." Then he rushed out of the Octavia's bedroom to find the nearest toilet.
Curious, Lincoln opened the balcony door and gazed at the Pride Ring below the palace. He didn't even notice Loona opening the door to check up on him. She rested her furry arms on the balcony to look at him
"Are you ok?"
"Yep. Just fine, Loona. Wish I had a house or a castle like this. Being the king of the whole world, bossing people around and telling them what to do,"
"Heh. Yeah that's every eleven-year old boy's dream, being the king of everything around them without giving a fuck in the world."
Speaking of monarchy, Lincoln looked at the gyrfalcon necklace that Stella gave him, and gripped the artifact. "Gotta admit, this is a cool necklace. Must have been really hard to come by."
"Pfft, Goetia's are as rich as Bernard Arnault," Loona scoffed. "They can even buy your parents. Though yeah, it does look kinda badass." It was quiet for a moment and Loona asked: "are you sure you're ok and not mad about the beetle thing? I was only trying to save you from being killed by that winged fucker."
"It's ok, Loona. Really. I understand. It was either me or the blood beetle.
"Right. I was only hurting you there because I care about you." She looked to and fro rapidly. "But if you tell Blitzo or anyone else-"
"I know. I know." Lincoln smirked. "You'll just deny it."
"Heh. Damn right I will. And I'll keep an eye out for that peacock bitch and her peacock twink of a brother in case some suspicious shit comes up, ok?"
"Thanks Loona." Then he hugged the female hellhound, making her uncomfortable.
"Linc... not in front of Octavia." Said the female hellhound in an embarrassed voice.
"she's your friend, Loona. Let her look."
"Ah, what the fuck." The female hellhound just gave in. After all, this wasn't the first time this has happened to her.
"At least I'm not Blitzo." The white-haired boy pointed
Laughing some more, Loona said: "yeah, thank Satan for that. If you were Blitzo, I would just rip your spine right out of your back."
Meanwhile, Clyde was coming back into Octavia's room, and the Goetia princess looked like she was going to tell him something really important. "Um... Clyde?"
"Yes Octavia?"
"I am going to perform an interpretive dance in my dance class, and I was wondering if... if you would like to come to my recital."
"Ooh. An interpretive dance?"
"Yes. Swan Lake to be exact."
"Sure! I would love to. But... let me come up with a good thing to say to my dads since I can't tell them about Hell,"
"right... well... you can say you are going to a sleepover at Lincoln's house."
"Good idea."