A Bit of Hell in Heaven

by Katrina Potter

(Moments 10) When Adam went down to Hell under the orders of a nervous Sera to see why Lucifer has been ignoring her, he brought someone back with him by mistake. Now it's up to the Archangel Michael to figure out what they should do about this mysterious little girl Adam brought back with him without starting a possible war.

6. Let Us Turning Back the Clock

AN: Another week and another chapter. So glad everyone enjoyed the last one, it was fun bring Jophiel and Zadkiel into the mix. Lovely ladies, really. And while I haven't seen 'The Owl House' completely yet, I loved RaccoonCati's comment of how Jophiel fishing for thinks in her hair reminded them of Eda. She is an awesome character.

And man what a week it's been. Because it's summer I don't have a lot of time to write as my daughter is home during the day and I have to focus on her as well as all the wonderful responsibilities that come with being an adult. Fuuu, the laundry never ends. That and I had to get a new set of glasses as my old ones broke. The dang arm on it just snapped off! They were 12 years old but dang it the timing was awful. That being said it's impressive how big a difference it is when you get new glasses and the world just feels clearer. That being I'm going to try and keep it to updating on Fridays on the story for as long as possible.

Now without delay...

Chapter Six

Let Us Turning Back the Clock to When It All Began...

As the pretty lady picked her up, Charlie cooed softly as she reached out for Daddy. Normally he would react to her tiny sounds but instead, he remained fast asleep. That rarely happened so Charlie assumed that he must be very tired. Then again, Daddy was often silly in her opinion. Mommy too, she could be silly at times too but it was mostly Daddy who was silly as far as Charlie was concerned.

As the two pretty ladies chatted back and forth, Charlie giggled as she reached out to try and touch the massive brown bouncy hair the taller woman had, spying something glinting in it. Did she like wearing shinies in her hair too like Mommy? Mommy always seemed to wear shiny things in her hair and horns when she went away for long periods of time. She sometimes tried to put them in Charlie's hair too but she would pull them out because she wanted to see them. That always made Daddy laugh and Mommy sigh in defeat, but honestly, they were the silly ones for putting them there. After all, how was Charlie supposed to see the pretty bow Mommy would put in her hair if it was behind her head? Did Mommy think she could see behind herself?

Silly Mommy indeed.

But still, she wasn't as silly as Daddy could be. He always thought up the funniest games. Like the 'Hide from Mommy' game they played a while back. Charlie could still slightly remember that day, as it was the start of some pretty big changes in their home...

*** Ten days ago, back in Hell ***

Lucifer wasn't happy and Lilith knew it. She had known he wouldn't be happy way before she had even uttered a word to him. But she also knew that Lucifer was going to have to accept it was bound to happen at some point in time, although he had honestly hoped it would have been later when Charlie was older.

"Luci..." Lilith sighed as she looked at the ball of feathers sulking in the corner of the nursery. She could hear the light giggling of their daughter coming from inside of it, who thought they were playing a game of some sort.

"I'm not listening." Came the pouting tone as the feathers shifted a little. For a second Charlie's head popped out as she tried to crawl away from the feather prison. Lucifer had dressed her in the duck onesie again, which Lilith accepted because she knew today was going to be a rough day for the little king. The feathers knocked the hood back as Charlie giggled at her mother when they both heard a loud 'QUACK!' before she was dragged back in laughing madly. "No, no, Starfire. Ducklings need to stay with Daddy. Mommy's being silly."

"Lucifer," Lilith groaned with a little bit of warning in her tone. He was allowed to be upset at her for this, but she wasn't going to let him paint her as the bad guy. "Be reasonable."

"I am!" Came a whine back.

"You're acting like a child," Lilith huffed. "Come out so we can talk."

"No."

"My sweet angel please," Lilith pleaded as she watched Charlie try and make another attempt to escape Lucifer's wings only to fail with another laughing fit and 'quack'. "We need to discuss this properly-"

"La! La! La! I'm not listening!" Lucifer protested again only to yelp when Lilith dug her hands into the mass and lifted him in the air. She didn't need to untangle his wings to find where his torso was after all. "Lili! Put me down!"

"Will you talk with me like the father of our child then?" Lilith peered down on the ground, thankful that Charlie was sitting safely at her feet.

Their little bundle of mischief grinned happily up at them before she started to crawl away as quickly as she could, the fluffy duck tail wagging behind her as if she was waddling away. Charlie clearly still thought they were playing a game and while she didn't know what the rules of it were, she was having a blast with it. She was sure the point was to try and escape from Daddy and have him catch her again because that was what they had been doing for five minutes, but now Mommy was helping her flee and it was time to make her great escape!

That 'great escape' ended up being about two feet away from her parents when her building blocks distracted her.

"Lucifer, be realistic..." Lilith pleaded as Lucifer reluctantly called his wings back into hiding. He was still pouting though in her hold. Shuffling him a little, Lilith turned him around to look at her. "Honey, I know you don't want to hear this, but-"

"Then don't say it!" Lucifer whined as tears started to form in his eyes.

"We need to think about hiring a nanny for Charlie," Lilith pressed on and readied herself for the waterworks to begin.

"Noooo," Lucifer felt like his heart was breaking at the very suggestion. He couldn't handle the idea of allowing someone else to take care of Charlie for them. What if they missed her first step? What if her first word was some stranger's name? What if she forgot their faces?! "She's too little for that Lilith. We can't just hand her off to someone else like an unwanted pet."

Hugging her husband close, Lilith pondered for a moment whether or not she had somehow still managed to end up with two kids instead of one. She had tried in the past when Charlie was asleep to talk with Lucifer about the idea of hiring someone specifically for Charlie, but whenever she tried to talk to him about it, Lucifer would find a way to avoid the discussion by either claiming he heard Charlie crying or distracting Lilith with his bedroom talents. And while Lilith certainly enjoyed the attention he would give her during those moments, Lilith knew that Lucifer was going to have to accept the fact that they weren't enough for Charlie.

That wasn't to say either of them weren't good parents. Lilith would even say that Lucifer was a wonderful father for Charlie, showering her with attention and love. That was easy to see with how Charlie just adore him. And while Lilith was often busy with her work and traveling, Charlie clearly adored her mother to as she would shower her with kisses every chance she got. Even Belphegor agreed that Charlie was a happy and healthy baby.

But that didn't change the fact that Lucifer and Lilith had certain obligations that they could shirk every time Charlie would call on them. They were rulers after all, and not just of their ring. There were denizens to lead, armies to structure and train, the Overlords and their political games to deal with. There was the Heavenly Embassy to deal with whenever the High Cunt herself, Seraphim, would send a summoning for something asinine. Half the time Lilith was certain Sera only summoned Lucifer to torment him or have some form of power play over him like she had when he was young. She didn't know the whole story because Lucifer didn't like to talk about his childhood, but he had explained Sera had been his 'big sister' and caretaker up until he was about fifteen centuries old and it had been hard to get her to stop.

Lilith had never liked the woman, seeing her as just as much a control freak as Adam had been.

"Lucifer, I know you don't want to do this, but think about Charlie and her needs," Lilith tried to reason with him, stroking his hair and cheeks gently as he struggled to not cry. "We both have work to do that we're behind on and I have to travel soon with Henry for the Opera piece. How will you do your work as King and take care of Charlie?"

"I've done it before," Lucifer pouted. "It's not that hard to-"

"You barely managed before and she was younger then," Lilith countered and gestured at their daughter. "Look at her now, Luci. Our little girl's crawling around, exploring..." They watched as she lost interest in her blocks and started to over to her crib where she joyfully discovered she could just squeeze herself in under it to hide. Well, half of her could. Apparently the padding of both her nappy and the duck's tail was just enough to thwart her attempt, leaving her butt sticking out while she giggled. "... trying to get into things and places she shouldn't. We need someone who can help us with her."

"But Lili, I'm sure I can just-"

"Luci, I'm not saying it should be all the time," Lilith tried to reassure him. "Just... some of the time while we have to focus on our duties. Think about it. Wouldn't it be nice knowing that while you're dealing with some fool in Pride or helping the Sins with their issues that Charlie will be safe and sound with someone who's sol focus is on her?"

Lucifer mauled it over in his head. It would be nice to not be worried about Charlie when he had to go to the monthly meetings with the Sins so that they wouldn't lose focus, especially because she was fighting that afternoon nap so often. And sometimes it was hard to focus on whatever document he was reading because he'd see Charlie put something in her mouth from his provisional vision.

"But what if she misses us?" Lucifer whimpered, letting a bit of his fears shine through. "What if we get too used to someone else caring for her and she feels like we don't have time for her or-"

"Luci," Lilith gently stopped him before he could start spiraling. "You're a good father and Charlie knows it. She loves us just as much as we love her. And again, I'm not saying that we always have a nanny on her. Just for a few hours so we can focus on work without worrying if Charlie's needs are met."

Lucifer looked reluctant despite her reassurance. He was still worried that something could go wrong like hiring the wrong person, or worse that he and Lilith would get so distracted by their duties that they would have less and less time for Charlie. That they would push her to the sidelines with poorly veiled excuses of why they didn't have time for her. That she would grow up hearing 'Not now, Charlie. We're busy.' or 'Go finish your lessons, Charlie.', 'Mommy and Dad had to deal with their duties as king and queen' or-

"Why must you always whine so much, Samael?! Can't you see I don't have time for you now?"

Lucifer stilled a little at the last memory he had of speaking with Father. He had been thirteen then and trying to plead his case to his father to allow him to join the others in the meetings regarding Eden. He couldn't understand why he wasn't allowed to join when Michael had been invited to join, they were the same age after all with only ten minutes difference. Why was Michael suddenly old enough and he wasn't? But Uriel was busy getting Michael up to date with the work while Sera kept piling lessons onto him... he had become desperate and snuck back into Father's workshop to try and talk to him.

… only to be ignored and turned away.

He didn't want that for Charlie. He didn't want history to repeat itself.

"Would it help to speak with Satan?" Lilith asked gently as Lucifer went over and picked Charlie up once more, hugging her close more for his own comfort than hers. "Damien's had Ms. Thorn since he was born after all, so he's got some insight on what it's like to have a nanny."

"Maybe..." Lucifer muttered as he placed a little kiss on Charlie's nose and received one on his chin.

Lilith smiled softly at the pair, her two duck-crazy pieces of Heaven in Hell. She could still see the worry in Lucifer's eyes as he tried to be reasonable about what was best for Charlie and to accept that hiring a nanny didn't mean that he was calling being a father quits. That he would still be the most important man in Charlie's life. That he was irreplaceable to their little girl.

"How about I take Charlie for a bit and you visit Satan for that chat, hm?" Lilith asked as she gently took Charlie from him and gave him a give. She needed to push him to get him to go or else he would wallow in his misery. "It'll be okay. Nanny or not, Charlie will always need her Mommy and Daddy, okay? Go talk to Satan. I'm sure it will help."

* * * Hazbin Hotel * * *

Talking with Satan did little to calm Lucifer's worry. To start with the Lord of Wrath was still fairly busy dealing with a rouge underground group trying to smuggle wild beasts like Hellboar and displacer beasts out of Wrath for beast fights. It wasn't that beast fights were illegal, it was Hell after all, but Satan didn't want the beasts that were crafted from unhinged hatred and rage loose in the other Rings. It was a common misconception that they would mellow if they were taken from Wrath but the truth was that wild beasts like them would just eventually escape and cause unimaginable damage wherever they were.

It had happened a few times before and the Hellborn often tended to forget it after a few generations had passed.

Thankfully Thorn was free to talk as Damien was getting a riding lesson when another teacher. Lucifer hadn't had many chances to speak with the demon in the past, mainly because she made a point of focusing on Damien rather than sticking her nose into politics she had no understanding about. So unless it involved Damien's care, Thorn had never seen a need to speak with Lucifer beyond a proper greeting.

"Tea, your Majesty?" She asked, placing a cup before him on the table of the sitting room they were residing in. Lucifer nodded his head as she poured him a cup. "I'm been told that you are particular to sweet things so the tea is an apple tea. I'm told that it doesn't need sugar but just in case..."

She placed the sugar bowl near him before she sipped her own herbal tea. Even from where he was sitting Lucifer could smell that Thorn preferred a more bitter drink than himself. Unsure of where to start, Lucifer gently took a sip of his tea and quickly added three sugar cubes to it before adding an extra four more. He could feel his cheeks blush as Thorn raised an eyebrow at him, making him feel like a child who had just been caught doing something he shouldn't in public.

"It's an angel thing," He tried to explain, clearing his throat a little as fiddled with his cane. It didn't help either that he wasn't wearing his top hat either, making him feel utterly small in front of the woman. He generally only took it off in front of Lilith and Charlie when he was at home because he knew they would judge him for his short stature. "My wings and magic requires a lot of energy so-"

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to make you feel judged, your Majesty," Thorn quickly cut him off, holding her hand up to stop him while she bowed her head in respect. "It's just an old habit I have from caring for Prince Damien. The young prince is a little too fond of sweets himself for his own good."

"Really?" Lucifer found that hard to believe.

"He tried climbing the outer wall of the manor and needed his father to retrieve him from the roof because he got stuck," Thorn chuckled. "Too much sugar makes him hyper."

"Now that I can picture," Lucifer laughed. Damien had always been a daring child, pushing his father and nanny to the brink of panic attacks sometimes. Still, he was a happy boy and growing up to become a fine lord someday to take over his father's rule. "He's always been a bit of a wild one."

Thorn nodded again as she sipped her tea, allowing the silence to fall over them. She had been told by her Lord what it was Lucifer had come visiting to discuss but she wasn't going to advise him unless he asked for it. It wasn't that she didn't want to, she honestly wanted to calm whatever fears were plaguing the poor father. Lucifer looked more nervous than Damien did the time he had ruined her favorite dress and had to say sorry to her. But she was also a Hellborn who was raised to know her station. It wasn't her place to tell the King of Hell her opinion unsolicited or to push her opinion on how the Princess should or shouldn't be raised.

Not to mention it would be rude to put words into Lucifer's mouth when he was obviously trying to build up his courage to ask.

"You've... taken care of Damien since he was little, right?" Lucifer fiddled with the rim of the teacup, his sharp teeth lightly chewing his lip as he felt himself fumble about.

"Yes, I have," Thorn answered kindly as she set her cup down, giving the King her full attention. "I aided Brynhildr during her pregnancy and after Damien's birth. He... was not an easy pregnancy for her to carry. He was very active even then."

Thorn had heard a few rumors about the Princess's birth from the other Lords passing by. She tried to avoid gossip but some words had caught her attention so she had pieced a few things together over time. But Thorn viewed it as none of her business and Brynhildr had taught her that it was best to focus on the present and future and not the past. Princess Charlotte was a happy and healthy baby girl now and that was what mattered most.

"And I helped care for him when both my Lord and Lady's attention was required elsewhere," She continued. "Though that had not been the original intention. I'm sure you know that I'm Lord Satan's second in command, but that is only because Brynhildr became his wife. The two of us trained together as Shield Sisters. I was only allowed near Damien because she trusted me to care for him and not harm him."

Lucifer looked surprised only to see Thorn shrug lightly.

"It was her people's custom. We all thought it best not to question it too much." Thorn explained. "As a mother, she was very protective of her baby. Just as some other races are as well."

"Of... of course. Yes. I remember she was pretty protective about Damien," He could feel the blush returning, understanding what Thorn was referring to but thankful she wasn't commenting on it like the others had. "The thing is... you see... Lilith and I, we... we've noticed that balancing caring for Charlie and our duties is becoming... more challenging."

He paused for a moment, expecting Thorn to say something but she remained silent and attentive, schooling her expression to not give anything away.

"And Lilith, well she thinks... it's rather silly, but she thinks it might be a good idea to... hire someone..." Lucifer grimaced as he fumbled about with his words. It was little trying to explain something all over again to Heaven when he knew no one was willing to listen.

"Are you offering me a position?" Thorn asked softly. "Because if so, I'm afraid I must decline. My loyalty is to my Lord and Prince, and Damien still needs me."

"Oh. Oh no, that's not what I meant at all. I understand that completely," Lucifer quickly assured her. "No, it's more... I'm worried about hiring someone that Charlie... well..."

"You're afraid that you and the Queen will be replaced by her caretaker, yes?" Thorn gently filled in, seeing he was struggling. She mentally kicked herself though for falling into her usual pattern when Damien struggled with explaining himself. It had been rude to do but Lucifer seemed happy for the lifeline as he nodded his head without looking at her. "Your Majesty, if I may be honest, it depends on you and the Queen. Damien doesn't have a lot of time with Lord Satan but that is because my Lord is alone in ruling Wrath. He has no lady by his side to help him carry that burden. And Damien only understands this because it is his norm."

She paused for a moment and drank a little more tea before giving Lucifer a reassuring look.

"But if you're afraid that Princess Charlotte will replace you with another, then you can calm your worries," Thorn continued with a gentle smile. "Even though I've been with Prince Damien for most of his young life, if he is given a chance to join his father for even a minute, he happily takes it. And both you and the Queen aid each other in carrying the burden of ruling Hell. It is fine to ask for help with your daughter to do this just as long as you do not forget to make time for her as well."

Lucifer sat silently as he still looked unsure. He thought about how his own 'childhood' had been, how Father had barely greeted him and Michael into the world before passing them both onto Sera to care for. He knew that Father had been busy, that's what everyone always said but... he shook his head and mulled over Thorn's words and how they mimicked Lilith's. Thorn had a point, she had been with Damien most of his life and while the boy loved her, it was clear that he loved his father more. Surely that was a sign, right? That the parents were irreplaceable to their children, right? And if they just made sure to have time with Charlie throughout the day, then surely he wouldn't risk history repeating itself, right?

So the next question was, however, who could he trust to hire?

Thorn smiled softly as she saw the King come to the same conclusion the Queen had reached some time ago. There was still worry there, she could see it, but at least he was trying to think with more than just his heart.

"Do you have any recommendations?" He asked slowly, an uneasy smile on his face as he finally took a slip of the now lukewarm tea, though sugar water with tea might have been a better thing to call it.

"Only that it's best to choose someone from the Pride Ring as it's her home," Thorn calmly answered. "A Hellborn from Wrath is unlikely to know much about the Pride Ring and who to be wary of. And to choose someone with experience in being a nanny. Not a governess. They are teachers and will focus on that rather than the Princess's care. If they can fight all the better so they can protect her."

Lucifer nodded mutely, now pondering how the Hell was he supposed to find a nanny in Pride. It wasn't exactly a high-in-demand job title given it was mostly Sinners who couldn't have children. And he certainly wasn't going to post the position in a local rag, who knew what freaks would crawl out of the woodworks? No, he would need someone he could trust enough to vouch for the person first, and even then... he'd probably need to hire an extra person to protect Charlie just in case. At least he had a good idea of who to ask for a reference there, Bee knew a lot of Hellhounds that made great bodyguards or hired muscle. Surely she'd know a few who could fit the bill.

"PAPA! MS. THORN!" Damien's shouting voice made Lucifer jump, tearing him from his thoughts. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

"In the sitting room, my Little Prince," Thorn called gently before giving the boy a slightly stern look as he ran into the room, tackling her in a hug. Lucifer bit back a chuckle as Thorn looked slightly disgruntled at the child covered in dirt and reeking of sweat and nightmare soot, smearing her dress. Still, she gave the boy a gentle pat on the head. "Prince Damien, you know there's no need to shout. Also, we have a guest."

"Huh?" Damien blinked for a moment before he noticed Lucifer and grinned. "Oh, hello your Majesty. Is Charlie here too?"

"No, she's at home with her mother," Lucifer chuckled as Ms. Thorn groaned a little at the boy's lack of manners. It probably didn't help that Lucifer wasn't too hung up on formalities or that Damien was over-excited from coming back from his riding lesson. "I heard that you're learning how to ride Nightmares now. Are you enjoying it?"

"Yup, Papa says I'm big enough now, though I can only ride on a pony," Damien tried to look a little disappointed about his mount but his wagging tail gave him away. Turning to look up at Thorn, the young prince whispered softly to her. "Ms. Thorn. I'm hungry. Can I have a snack?"

"Of course, my prince," Thorn told him before she rose from her seat and bowed to Lucifer. "I hope that I was able to help ease your worries, your Majesty. If you'll excuse me, my prince needs me."

"Of course," Lucifer nodded before giving the child a soft wave farewell. "I thank you for your advice, Ms. Thorn. It has been most informative. Goodbye, Damien, and good luck with your riding lessons. Maybe when Charlie's older she can join you as well, huh?"

That would be nice," Damien grinned before he said very seriously. "But she can't ride Dust Devil. He's a big boy's horse. But maybe she can learn on Pepper. My teacher says she's a gentle pony 'cause she's fat."

Ms. Thorn quickly gestured with her hands behind Damien's back that 'Pepper' was something about knee-high and three times as wide as Damien, making Lucifer chuckle at the brutal honesty the boy had. Pepper did indeed, sound like a very fat pony. Finishing his tea quickly, Lucifer rouses as well to take his leave. Thorn had given him a lot of food for thought which he needed to talk to Lilith about.

After all, if they were going to hire a nanny and bodyguard for Charlie, they would both need to agree on who it should be.

* * * Hazbin Hotel * * *

Three days later...

Lilith groaned as sat at the Overlord meeting as she rubbed her temple to ease the mild headache she was getting. She was only physically present at the meeting but not mentally. She had exactly two more days to find a nanny with Lucifer before she would have to leave for the Opera tour with Henry. But things weren't going as easy as she had hoped. For the last three days, she and Lucifer poured over the resumes of possible nanny candidates only to ball up one resume after another in rejection.

Lucifer had been right when he told her it was going to be a difficult task.

The bodyguard had been easy. A quick visit to Gluttony and a chat with Bee was all they needed to do there. Thanks to the amount of parties Beelzebub had thrown over the years, she knew a lot of Hellhounds that fit the requirements that Lucifer and Lilith were looking for.

Bee only had to introduce them to one. A cane corso Hellhound with a chestnut brindle coat, muscular and only slightly shorter than Lilith. His ears and tail were cropped out of necessity according to Bee, having his ear nearly torn off one in a fight and broken his tail in another. He argued it was to lower the chances of someone being able to grab a weak point on him. He had been a bit dressed a little too casual when he should up for the interview, wearing just a white shirt and some brown pants he kept up with a set of suspenders, but he was polite and respectful when speaking with them.

It had taken only one meeting with Flare for the couple to know he was the perfect bodyguard for Charlie. To start with she wasn't scared of him, not that Charlie was ever shy of new people. But when they tested his skills of watching Charlie, they were impressed by how aware of his surroundings he was. When he was left 'alone' with her for a bit, Flare had come off as relaxed and calm, engagingly the Princess only when she invited him into her little game which wasn't often. But when a servant came in to do a quick dusting, Lilith noticed the cane corso Hellhound went on high alert. He was discreet about it so he wouldn't scare his charge, but the parents watched him discreetly move about the room, placing himself between the maid and Charlie, keeping her close enough to grab her if needed. The maid was even daring enough to try and clean off something Charlie had been chewing on earlier when Flare firmly grasped her wrist and took two deep sniffs before muttering low with a deadly smile.

"I've got your scent."

None one doubted it was a warning. And Charlie was none the wiser as she reached up and tried to grab Flare's cropped ears but grabbed his muzzle instead. Flare only gave her a quick once over before focusing on the maid and releasing her hand, allowing the Princess to pull on his face before he gently removed her hand and distracted her with a doll. After the maid left, he relaxed a little more and even allowed Charlie to try and climb on him as he watched the door, paws ready to grab the baby if she started to tumble.

He didn't know a lot about caring for babies, but guarding them was clearly his bread and butter.

But in regards to a nanny, nothing was working out. The Hellborn that applied weren't versed well enough in dealing with the high class, which was needed since Charlie was a Princess, and the Sinners well...

Lucifer had certain requirements regarding their sins which Lilith couldn't argue against. For starters he demanded their sins couldn't involve children which Lilith quickly agreed was a given. They were going to leave their precious baby with this person after all so they needed to know that they wouldn't suddenly snap and try something. The other stipulation Lucifer set was he didn't want someone whose sin involved seducing their employer. Lilith knew Lucifer was a one-woman man unless she invited another to their bed to spice things up, but he didn't want to deal with some power-hungry fool who thought they could woe him or Lilith and neglect their daughter. They needed to focus on Charlie just like Flare did, but better.

So they had used a servant to pose as the one seeking a nanny to keep everything on the down low.

"Your Highness?" A nasal voice asked tentatively as Lilith was drawn out of her mental musings. Lilith blinked as she looked at the aquatic-looking Overlord by the name of Aqualina.

The Sinner had drowned back in 1120 AD, when Thomas FitzStephen got drunk and sank his ship killing all but one of the three hundred passengers onboard, including King Henry the First's only legitimate son, Prince William, William's half-brother and sister, and several other English nobles. Or at least that's what she claimed, saying she was the half-sister, though Lilith had never seen any proof to her claims.

"It's nothing," Lilith sighed as she leaned back in her chair. "Just a few rough days is all."

"Doth the Princess fair poorly?" Zestial prodded gently. It had come out shortly after Rosie had 'befriended' the royal couple that he had met the Princess so he felt safe enough to inquire about the tiny tot. "Thou hast proclaimed before, tis not the witching hours where thin child rest peacefully fair. Doth dreams of ill will plague the Princess still?"

"No, Princess Charlotte's sleeping just fine at night now. No nightmares are all for us to worry about," Lilith assured them as she took a quick glance again over the meeting's notes. She had only half listened at the most, so she had missed what it was Scags, a rather plague-riddled Sinner had been speaking about. Not that it was hard to guess, he had most likely been complaining about how his souls were often targeted by the angels every year. "We've just been... busy."

Zestial nodded his head softly, understanding that Lilith wasn't going to share more with so many eyes on her, not when it involved private matters. But the old Overlord could feel Rosie's pit-less eyes widen with interest and curiosity. Unlike her husband, Rosie had made it a point to speak with the royal couple often, building a friendly rapport with them, understanding that it could be favorable for her in the future. She wasn't foolish enough to believe she would become bosom friends with the Queen, the woman had no problem keeping others at arm's length. But Lilith had also shown in the past to reward those who she'd liked.

So when the meeting was over, Rosie immediately struck while the iron was hot.

"If yah don't mind me saying this, your Highness, yah look like yah gots the morbs," Rosie scooched over to sit next to the Queen with her signature concerned smile on her face. "What's got cha down, dear?"

Checking to make sure no one else was in the room beyond Zestial and Rosie, Lilith signed a little and contemplated whether or not she should share her troubles with them. The pair had proven themselves respectable loyal Overlords, protecting Charlie when she had crossed their paths even when they didn't know she was the Princess of Hell. That at least spoke in their favor. But it was a privet matter and Lilith wasn't sure if Lucifer would be alright with her talking about their failing search for a nanny to help with Charlie while they worked.

On the other hand, Lilith didn't have a lot of people she could talk to about this dilemma beyond the Ar Goetia women who for the most part were utterly indifferent to who took care of their children. Hardly people she could relate to.

"Come on, Dearie," Rosie gently urged as she poured Lilith a little more herbal tea with a dollop of honey mixed in it. It was something Lilith always drank before her tours to soothe her throat. "Yah know how good a listener I am. Now tell Aunt Rosie what's on ya' mind."

Lilith couldn't deny that. Rosie had after all helped her and Lucifer see a little more eye to eye after Charlie went missing at the park. So after a bit of mauling it about in her mind, Lilith figured it couldn't hurt to vent a little over how frustrating their nanny search was. After all, Lucifer had technically spoken to Thorn about it and he admitted he had complained a little about it to Satan in hopes maybe he knew someone.

"It's been absolutely awful, Mrs. Rosie," Lilith huffed. "We've both looked at I suppose at least eighty different applicants and most of them how no experience taking care of a child much less a baby. As for the ones that have some experience, well... they don't meet His Majesty's requirements."

"And he's got high standards?" Rosie asked curiously only to hear Lilith give a bitter scoffing laugh.

"No. And that's the worst part. If he was being unreasonable, I would have something to argue with him about, but he isn't," Holding up her hand, Lilith slowly lifted a finger as she recited. "One, they have to have experience in taking care of a baby. Two, their sins can't involve children in any shape or form. And three, their sin can't involve adultery with their employer. Lucifer refuses to worry about where their focus is while working. How can I argue against him about that?"

"It does seem pretty reasonable," Rosie nodded her head in agreement. "My sister when she hired a nanny made the requirement that the nanny had to be old so her husband wouldn't flirt with her. Not that it stopped either of them stepping out of their marriage anyways but she sure gave him hell whenever a pretty young thing showed up at their door."

"At least that's better than what we've have to deal with," Lilith huffed. "Of the ones that could help care for Charlie, four murdered their charges, twenty of them murdered the mother in order to marry the husband and I can't even remember how many of them had... depraved urges when it came to children. It's utterly impossible."

"Well shit, I see what yah mean," Rosie couldn't say she wouldn't have rejected them as well, though she would have kept the resumes to make a list of who should be next on the colony's meat supply list. Maybe she could still convince the Queen to pass her the remaining ones that they had, if any. However, that would have to wait for now, since it was clearly stressing the woman that her deadline was drawing new. Pausing for a minute, Rosie gave Lilith a tentative look. "If yah don't mind, yah Highness, were those the only requirements his Majesty had for the job?"

"Yes, as I said they aren't unreasonable." Lilith sighed, her mind already dreading the pile of applications awaiting her at home.

"If that's the case..." Rosie pondered for a minute before smiling lightly, though thanks to her sharp teeth it was slightly unnerving. "I might just know someone who fits wha cha need. How's about I set up a meeting for yah all?"

* * * Hazbin Hotel * * *

Lucifer pouted a little as Lilith dragged him to the park, Charlie safely tucked in her arm. He had not been happy when she told him that they were going to meet with a Sinner from the Cannibal Colony to interview for the job as a nanny for Charlie. Lilith had been right that he hadn't excluded the sin of anthropophagy, he had thought it was a given since they were leaving them with their precious baby girl, even if Flare was there to protect her.

Speaking of the Hellhound, he was following them discreetly from a distance, having already moved into the Manor to familiarize himself with the normal staff as well as Charlie and her scent. Charlie of course had taken to Flare like a duck to water, mesmerized by his soft fur which she was apparently obsessed with when he was close enough. He was dressed casually for the day but in the manor, he wore a completely black uniform to fade into the background as much as possible.

"Lucifer please, you promised." Lilith urged him as she pulled him along like a pouting child. Charlie was watching him over her mother's shoulder and giggled when he struggled a little to meet his wife's steps, his top hat almost falling off.

"But Lilith," He whined as Lilith paused for a moment, checking to be sure they were heading towards the gazebo. "How do we know we can trust them?"

"Rosie recommended them," Lilith assured him, giving him a gentle smile. "And you trust Rosie, right? She took care of Charlie when she was lost. And she made that duckie onesie you love."

"True but..." The short king looked nervous. Even since Lilith had told him the Cannibal Overlord had recommended a possible nanny for them, Lucifer kept thinking how humans liked to use the expression 'You're so cute, I could just eat you', the phrase having a very different meaning.

"All I'm asking is that you meet them," Lilith pleaded. "What have we got to lose, right?"

'Besides our most precious treasure in the whole existence of time?!'

Lucifer looked torn. On one hand, he knew that they were running out of time to pick a new employee together because Lilith would have to leave soon for her tour and both of them were starting to burn out from looking at countless resumes that were quickly tossed in the rejection pile. On the other hand, he wasn't sure how much he trusted a cannibal Sinner to be safe around Charlie even with Flare standing guard. Then again, this was someone Rosie was recommending. And surely she wouldn't suggest someone dangerous to them, knowing that it could backfire, right? Not as a fellow duck lover, right?

"A-alright," Lucifer still rang his cane nervously, trying to calm down his nerves. "I... suppose it couldn't hurt to at least meet the Sinner first."

"That's all I ask, my Angel," Lilith placed a sweet kiss on his forehead and continued leading him over to the meeting spot. "Come along now, Love. We mustn't be late."

* * * Hazbin Hotel * * *

The gazebo was set up nicely for the little meeting by Rosie. The normally empty space was now decorated with a small white painted metal porch table and four chairs for each adult. There was a neutral tea set set out, white bone porciline cups with blue painted rims and a dessert stand stilled with bite sized cakes and non cannibal treats and seated already where Rosie and a unknown woman, calmly chatting away.

Tabitha Waltz had been about twenty-four years old when she died, unjustly for the crime of the murder of her employer. Not that she hadn't killed the man, she had and would do it again as he liked abusing anything and anyone in his home, servants or family. And she had killed the man when he had beaten the fear of God and man into his children for simply tripping in front of his business partner, so Tabitha felt she had down nothing wrong in setting up a meeting between the man and his maker before she joined him a year after.

Like most of the cannibal sinners, Tabitha had ash gray skin, hollow holes where her brown eyes once were, and a set of razor sharp teeth that had taken her three months to learn not to bite her tongue off with. Her hair was a deep chocolate hair was set in a neat fish tail braid as she wore a deep blue dress that she hoped came off as professional enough to met with someone of Hell's nobility.

Though, she hadn't been surprised that she ended up in Hell. She hadn't been a rich woman back on Earth, coming from a very poor village where one very harsh winter, they all committed a horrible atrocity in order to survive. She had know it was likely she would go to Hell for it, but had hoped her work protecting her charges might have absolved her.

Apparently she was wrong.

She had been making small talk with Rosie, asking about anything she needed to be aware of regarding this family Rosie was referring her too. After all, it had been a while since she last had been a nanny as Sinners couldn't have children so it wasn't a job with a high demand. It was only when Rosie got up from her seat that Tabitha followed suit and curtsied to the couple that came up to them.

"Your Majesties, welcome," Rosie greeted while Tabitha froze fro a moment. Majesty? AS in the King and Queen of Hell? Rosie could have warned her better. "I'm so happy you could join us today. May I introduce Ms. Tabitha Waltz, a trusted aquatint of mine."

Tabitha gave the pair a close mouth smile so to not unnerve them. She had heard about the King and Queen in passing but this was the first time she had actually seen them. They were quiet the lovely couple, the Queen tall and regal with an unnatural beauty which Tabitha had never seen before in in both her mortal and dead life. The same could be said about the King but his beauty was some utterly ethereal in a slightly frightening way. He was surprisingly small, a head shorter than Tabitha was and yet she could feel the eminence power rolling of him as a silent warning. Lucifer however gave off his signature unnerving smile, opting to come off as in control of the situation rather than the nervous wreck he felt like. And as for Charlie?

Charlie let out a squeal of excitement at the sight of Rosie, popping the apple red pacifier out of her mouth as she reached for the Overlord.

"Tabitha, may I introduce you to the King and Queen of Hell as well as the Crown Princess Charlotte Morningstar," Rosie continued easily before smiling at the baby. "Hello Ducky. Are you excited to see Auntie Rosie?"

Tabitha was a bit surprised at this as Rosie happily took the princess and gave her a little nuzzle before returning her to her parents. Clearly her Overlord was closer to the couple than rumored.

"Thank you Rosie for setting up this meeting," Lilith greeted as Tabitha poured them each a cup of tea along with a small cup of milk for Charlie without being asked. "I understand that you have some experience being a nanny, Ms. Waltz. Could you tell us little about it?"

"Of course your Highness. I'm been a nanny since I was fourteen, caring for a few different upper-class families until I got my schooling to also work as a governess, but I enjoy mostly working as a nanny."

"Oh? Any specific reason?" Lucifer asked, his focus shifting from helping Charlie drink her milk to the Sinner.

"I just love children. They are so sweet," Tabitha answered when Flare snorted at Lucifer's sudden stiffening uncomfortably, fighting the urge to wrap Charlie up in his wings to protect her. It took Tabitha a minute to realize what she had said and how it sounded. "I don't mean it like that. I mean I love working with children. I'd never eat one. Too much fat."

Rosie chuckled at the joke, though Lucifer looked like he was ready to call it quits then and there. Lilith gave a small nervous laugh as she figured Ms. Waltz was just trying to ease the tense mood with little dark humor which was failing with the over protective angel. However as they continued their interview, Tabitha slowly managed to ease Lucifer's worry. She certainly understood that her job would involve taking care of Charlie and that she had no problems with what that intaled. She asked the right questions like what Charlie's scheduel was, her favorite games and toys, what food she liked and what they wanted her to eat more of as well as her sleep scheduels. A big saving grace was when Tabitha instinctively moved Charlie's cup away from the table's edge when she set it down and discreetly tugged the cookie plate out of her reach so that she couldn't just grab them as she pleased.

In the end, they decided to give Tabitha a chance and watched her take care of Charlie in the park. It was also to see if Charlie would give her her stamp of approval like she had Flare. Flare of course was watching the pair closely as Tabitha went about letting Charlie explore and urging her to try and walk instead of crawling.

Charlie wasn't too sure about the walking bit, Tabitha held her hands as she set the baby to stand on her toes so that Charlie would take a step with her, showing her how walking would look. She didn't do it for too long as she was sure the Princess would tire out fast with everything happening around her and before long, Tabitha was sitting in the grass singing an old nursery rhyme called 'Cock a Doodle Doo' while she gently helped Charlie clap her hands to the rhythm of the song.

"Cock a doodle doo! What is my dame to do?" Charlie every once in a while would get over excited and clap out of rhythm or too much but Tabitha remained perfectly calm as she gently lead Charlie back into clapping at the right moments. "Till master's found his fiddling stick, She'll dance without her shoe."

"Charlie seems to like her." Lilith mused as she watched the three in the park. Flare was being polite and giving them some space but they could see his muscles were still tense and ready to pounce if he had too. So far though, Charlie was just giggling and enjoying the attention on her.

"Charlie likes everyone," Lucifer argued, still nervous at the idea of them hiring a nanny to care for their child. "That's what worries me sometimes."

"That's why we hired Flare as her bodyguard," Lilith assured him, before placing a gentle hand on Lucifer's hand. "How about we give Tabitha a try? She's the best one we've found so far. She's polite, Rosie is vouching for her, and she's met all your requirements. And you know I have to leave for the tour soon."

"I don't know..."

"It would make me feel better if I knew that you had a helping hand while I'm gone, my Angel," Lilith urged gently. "For me?"

Lucifer looked torn when he heard Charlie giggling as Tabitha lifted her up in her arms. He could hear the woman ask Charlie where Mommy and Daddy were and how she praised her as Charlie pointed at them, telling her what a 'clever little lady' she was. Tabitha was certainly the most competent Sinner they had found so far and she clearly liked children in the right way. Plus Flare was there...

"Okay. We can do a trial period," Lucifer agreed. "For you, my Love."

* * * Hazbin Hotel * * *

Four days later...

After Tabitha moved into a temporary room in the manor, the Sinner wasted no time in getting to work. The first thing she did was make a meal plan for Charlie for Lucifer and Lilith to approve and then set about planning how the daily schedule was going to be. She started her day early, woke the Princess at the latest at seven, and would get her dressed and feed at the table with her parents if possible. After that, if time allowed it, Tabitha encouraged the King and Queen to spend a bit of time with Charlie before Tabitha would take Charlie to the nursery and practice saying words which wasn't going too well, though not for lack of trying. Charlie still seemed to go tight-lipped whenever someone tried to get her to say anything, thinking it was a game, but Tabitha would check to make sure she knew what some words were. Then, when Charlie would show signs of tiring, she would play a bit before eating lunch and nap in the pram or a bassinet out in the garden if the weather allowed it. While Charlie slept, Tabitha would tidy up or do other chores that involved Charlie, sometimes forcefully enlisting Flare as long as it didn't take him away from Charlie, like putting some of her toys away or hanging clothes in her closet. After nap time, Tabitha would check if the King or Queen had some free time or wanted some time with their daughter or play with her and practice trying to stand or walk. The standing was easy enough, Charlie was curious after all, so Tabitha would place something on a table to try and get Charlie to pull herself up and then encourage her to let go. And finally, two hours before dinner, Tabitha would allow the King to 'steal' the Princess away and do whatever he pleased until bedtime. Unless she was asked to step in.

Which Lucifer was happy about! It seemed that Ms. Waltz understood when she was needed and wanted and when she was to take a step back. During that time Lucifer spent with his baby girl, Mrs. Waltz would only come to check in on him and Charlie every once in a while with maybe some snacks for Charlie to enjoy.

As for Tabitha and Flare, the pair had a sort of love-hate relationship. Love hate in the sense that Flare loved to tease her and Tabitha hated him for it.

Starting right on her first day, Flare did his usual introduction of pulling the woman inappropriately close to take a deep whiff of her hair, committing her scent to memory before letting out his classic gruff growl and he now knew how to find her. Tabitha had yelled at him that he was being rude and improper. And apparently, that was all Flare needed to find it fun to annoy Tabitha.

That morning, the day started as it always did.

"Good morning Tabby cat," Flare greeted that morning as Tabitha took a deep breath to calm herself. "How are you this lovely morning in Hell."

"Good morning, Mr. Flare. I trust the dog house wasn't too cold last night... unfortunately," Tabitha bit out as she entered the nursery to be greeted by a just waking up Charlie who rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Good morning, Ms. Charlotte. Are we ready to greet the day?"

"Morning Princess," Flare greeted with a little wave as Charlie pulled herself up to a wobbly stand for Tabitha to pick her up. "Ready to cause mayhem?"

Tabitha huffed in annoyance, wishing she could send the mutt away. She understood why he was there, that he wouldn't listen to her if she ordered him to leave, but she would be damned if he thought he could annoy her. And Tabitha was the queen of passive-aggressive. More than a few times already she had forced the bodyguard to change a diaper while she busied herself with picking out an outfit for the princess and the most popular form of petty revenge she had gotten was tying a ribbon and bell to his tail to encourage Charlie to try and walk to him.

It hadn't worked but it was extremely satisfying to watch the hound flounder about explaining it to the King when he had walked in on it.

"Why don't we dress you in something simple today, hm Ms. Charlotte?" Walking over to the closet, Tabitha looked about quickly and pulled out a white Peter Pan blouse and a pair of brown overall pants. She preferred to dress Charlie in more feminine clothes but until she could walk or unless they were heading outside the manor, Tabitha went for a more practical approach than fashionable. "This will do nicely."

Once Charlie was dressed for the day, Tabitha 'confiscated' her pacifier, having explained to Lilith and Lucifer that it was bad for her teeth as well as stopping her from speaking. Charlie wasn't too happy about this development, but Tabitha did declare that it was fine when it was nap time. As they made their way down to the dining room, Flare entertained himself by making his cropped ears wiggle for Charlie who was staring at him over Tabitha's shoulder, her crimson eyes zeroing in on the nubs with absolute wonder. That was until she saw her father waiting for her to eat breakfast.

"Good morning your Majesty," Tabitha greeted with a curtsy before nudging Flare to move Charlie's booster chair closer to the King. "Shall I or...?"

She knew she didn't even need to ask as the King excitedly took Charlie from her and set about feeding her little pieces of pancake and fruit. Well, feeding and feeding, Tabitha had convinced the King to at the very least allow Charlie to try and feed herself with a toddler's fork. As Tabitha fixed a sleeved apron onto Charlie, a mistake she had only made once when she discovered how messy an eater Charlie could be, the nanny got ready to step away and give the King and Princess some privacy when Lucifer signed for her to wait.

"Ms. Waltz I have a question for you," He started, a slightly displeased expression on his face. It made Tabitha nervous for a moment, wondering if she had done something wrong when he continued. "Have you ever had to take care of a child full-time? Like from when they wake to when they sleep?"

"Yes, your Majesty," Tabitha answered, recalling a few times when she was left to take care of her charges completely alone while her employers would vacation alone. "I have been left in charge of the household before, though I must admit I'm not too familiar with this one yet."

"But you would be able to take care of Charlie, yes?" Lucifer pressed on as she nodded. "There's... a dispute in one of the other Rings that requires my attention and while I'm unsure how long it will take, it will require that I'm gone for at least two days."

Flare blinked in surprise from his corner of the room, his ears peeking in surprise at the King's words. It hadn't been that long ago that the Queen had left on her tour, giving both her husband and daughter a kiss goodbye before telling her husband not to worry about anything. What that anything was exactly was hard to say. Was it the play she was in or that he need to allow Tabitha to do her job? Maybe both? Flare was used to the King grilling him at night when he'd tuck the Princess into bed, asking what Ms. Waltz did during the day, how she behaved and treated Charlie, and his opinion of the Sinner. So far, there wasn't much to say, the woman could be temperamental but only towards those she viewed as rude or a possibly bad influence on Charlotte, hence his annoying her. He wanted to see if she would try and force him away if she got mad enough, but so far she had kept to a stiff tone and called him an 'asshole' once in private as such language was unladylike.

Despite these positive reports, it surprised Flare that the King was willing to trust a woman he barely knew to care completely for the Princess for at least two days.

"I understand your Majesty," Tabitha gave him her best reassuring smile as she finished securing the apron onto Charlie before bowing her head respectfully. "If it would ease your worry, I can supply you with an itinerary for the Princess during your absences. I take it you would prefer to spend as much time with Princess Charlotte as possible today, yes?"

Lucifer had to give it to the Sinner. She either had a sixth sense for when she needed to back off or she had made a quick study of him and his silent cues.

As Tabitha left to go and provide the itinerary for Charlie, Lucifer signaled for Flare to come over as he handed Charlie the baby fork and she started to dig into her food with a lot of happy noises. Flare didn't need to be told twice, and immediately walked over and stood on the opposite side of Lucifer, ears peeked and turned to give him his full attention, back ridged and straight as he stood to attention.

"I want you to keep a very close eye on Ms. Waltz while I'm gone. Send a daily report to Envy," Lucifer kept his tone light as Charlie looked curiously between them, not understanding what they were talking about but curious since Flare usually stood away from them when they were at the table. "Even if it's just a few sentences of what you've done for the day."

"Of course, your Majesty," Flare answered seriously before adding in his own sugar-sweet tone as Charlie squished a syrupy piece of pancake between her fingers and held it out to her father as an offering. "You have nothing to worry about."

* * * Hazbin Hotel * * *

Lucifer was not happy as he sent a servant to pack a small suitcase for him while he spent some time playing with Charlie. It had all started the night before when Ozzie had written to him that he was in need of his aid regarding a dispute about some legal rights regarding breeding rights to some sort of racehorse between Leviathan and Mammon. Apparently, Mammon was claiming it was his as he had bought the animal years ago where as Leviathan was claiming it was stolen from his Ring because of the slightly aquatic-like appearance it had. Normally something as menial as this could be handled by the two alone, but the fighting between them was getting so bad that Asmodeus was getting caught in the in between them and his realm taking damage because of it.

And given what they all had done not that long ago to keep Pride in tack, Lucifer felt he owed it to the Sins to play judge to resolve the dispute as peacefully as possible.

It's just that the timing wasn't the best. Ms. Waltz was still very new to the manor and while everything so far had been positive, he still wasn't sure that her kind nature towards Charlie wasn't just a rouge to order to either hurt her or get close to the royal family. It made him feel nervous to put so much faith in a pair of strangers when it came to Charlie. Sure, he felt better about Flare than he did Tabitha since Bee had introduced them and her ability to read others told him he was trustworthy.

That and Hellhounds were known to be for their loyalty to their employers and pack.

But Lucifer was also curious as to how Charlie would react to suddenly both him and Lilith being gone. Sure, they had left her for the night while one of her aunts or uncles babysat her, and she had handled that fine, but she had always woken up to one of them there to greet her in the morning. This time it would just be Ms. Waltz taking care of her with Flare shadowing them.

"What do you say, Char Char?" Lucifer asked her as crawled around on him practicing standing on her small chubby legs while using his stomach to keep her balance. "Think you can be a brave girl for Daddy while he's away?"

Charlie just looked at him for a minute, as if she was debating something in her head. She was still working on getting her balance right so her small hand was slipping slightly on his shirt, pushing it slowly away before a mischievous grin spread across her face.

"Starfire... what are youAHH!" Without any warning, Charlie suddenly ducked her head down and tried to blow a raspberry into what little of his stomach she could see. It wasn't so much a raspberry as it was her semi-drooling onto his stomach as she tried to blow, but Charlie started laughing too much. The moment she stopped, she started giggling as she tried to crawl away only to scream with joy as he caught her ankle and pulled her close. "A sneak attack on you King? That's treason, my little troublemaker. I sentence you to death by tickles and kisses."

Wasting no time, Lucifer immediately started to tickle her sides while planting a series of quick kisses on her while her laughter rang through the manor. No matter how many times he heard it, Lucifer knew he would never grow tired of its sound and he hoped that it would never end.

He'd just have to trust that everything would be fine while he was away. It was only for a few days, right? What could happen?

* * * Hazbin Hotel * * *

Three days later...

The first day after Lucifer left went without much difficulty. Charlie had waved goodbye to her Father as he kissed her goodbye, and had looked expectantly for one of her Aunts or Uncles to appear. But once she understood that it was just her, Tabitha, and Flare, the little girl fell back into her everyday rhythm of practicing sounds, standing, and just all around playing.

The second day had been harder though as Charlie clearly started looking for her dad. She had been very confused at breakfast to not find him waiting for her and when Tabitha had allowed her to crawl around, Charlie had made a beeline for both his office and her parent's bedrooms, to try and find him. Tabitha had to stop her a few times from crawling behind things to hide, trying to lure her father out by being 'stuck' somewhere out of reach. It was first at bedtime though when it really dawned on Charlie that neither Mommy or Daddy were back yet when the tears really started to fall.

That had been a rough night for all of them, especially Flare who had gone as far as sleeping on the floor in the nursery to keep a close eye on the Princess while Tabitha tried her best to calm the distraught babe.

In the end, though, it was Flare who got the Princess to sleep by digging out a dirty shirt and nightgown the King and Queen had worn and gave them to the Princess as a sort of blanket which she cuddled up to. He claimed it was a trick he had learned to use on pups that were separated from their mothers for the first time.

Tabitha just called it unsanitary but allowed it.

By the third day though, Tabitha and Flare could tell Charlie was missing her father. She was eating like normal, and Tabitha would assure her that 'Daddy will be back soon' but Charlie wasn't sure what that meant. To her, he had already been gone for a long time which wasn't something he normally did. Mommy sure, but not Daddy. So, in order to cheer Charlie up a little, Tabitha felt it was best to take Charlie out for a picnic and visit with Rosie if possible. If anything, Tabitha hoped a change of environment might cheer the Princess up.

"You sure that this is a good idea, Tabby Cat?" Flare asked as he stood a foot behind Tabitha, holding Charlie.

He had just finished writing his daily letter to the King and had it sent beforehand. It was easier because, at nighttime, he was often exhausted or didn't want to risk waking the Princess up with his scribbling.

Charlie in the meantime, was dressed in a bright yellow dress that looked deceptively delicate. A single sniff of the fabric told Flare it was made out of something more than cotton and if he was to guess it was Hell spider silk.

"I'm not sure the King would be cool with us taking her outside of the manor without him."

"I'm only taking her to the park that his majesty takes her to every week. I'm thinking a little playing in the grass and maybe feeding the fish or Hell fowl might cheer her up," Tabitha explained as she packed down a small lunch for all of them as well as some stale bread and raw meat scraps to feed the animal down at the pond with. "And will you stop calling me Tabby Cat?! My name isn't Tabby or Cat. It's Tabitha! And you and I aren't on friendly enough terms for that."

Tabitha paused for a minute in from of the mirror to ensure her hair was still set in a perfect bum before taking her canotier hat and pinning it firmly in place with a hat pin and then brushed off her charcoal gray skirt and white blouse before dawning a matching gray coat. Turning around, she firmly took Charlie from his arms and thrust the filled basket along with a picnic blanket into Flare's arms with a little more thrust than needed.

"It's Ms. Waltz to you, thank you very much," Tabitha answered in a pressed tone as she turned her attention to Charlie and put a slip over her dress to help keep it clean. "Now then, make yourself, Mr. Flare. Put the basket in the car and get ready to drive us to the park."

"Wait, you want me to drive?" Flare growled, not overly happy with how she ordered him around. She also only called him 'Mr. Flare whenever Charlie was in hearing distance so that the little girl wouldn't pick up any bad manners regarding speaking to her bodyguards or other staff. "You can't be-"

"You're a bodyguard yes?" Tabitha merely cut him off as she settled Charlie in the back seat with her. "Did you think that meant you could just lazy around and sniff everyone like a lamp post? Well, it doesn't. So unless you know how to entertain a small child, drive."

Blinking, Flare looked stunned before he shut the passenger door with a little more force than needed. He wasn't exactly sure what the power dynamic was at the moment. His priority was to protect Charlie, but Tabby's was to care for her when the King and Queen couldn't. And if he drove he could better avoid problems if they happened.

Though, given his track record with cars, Flare was hoping that the drive would be a calm one.

* * * Hazbin Hotel * * *

The park was fairly empty when they arrived which united both caregivers just fine. Flare had a bit of time to write a few notes for his report to the King for later while Tabitha busied herself exposing Charlie to all sorts of experiences. Flare chuckled a little as he made a note about Tabitha teaching Charlie how to feed the Hell fowl only for the nanny to get bitten when Charlie suddenly grabbed a drake by his neck.

He didn't know that Hell fowl could make a sound like that. Or Tabithat for that matter.

The sinner swore under her breath for a minute as she checked if she had or hadn't lost a finger to the angry fowl while Charlie happily showed Flare her newly acquired fist full of electric blue feathers.

The 'duck' in the meantime swam away in a, pardon the pun, foul mood and slightly balding.

"Ms. Charlotte you can't just grab at wild animals," Tabitha scolded lightly as Charlie 'oo'ed over her new priced blue feathers. She thought they were pretty and figured Daddy would love them too. Thankfully Flare made sure to carefully pocket them for later while Tabitha wiped the drake's blood off Charlie's hand. "It's not nice and could be dangerous."

"Dangerous for who? The Princess or you, Tabby Cat?" Flare teased and snorted as the Sinner growled at him.

'That arrogant, flea-bitten, smart-ass prick! I swear to the holy Spirit I will-' Tabitha thought hotly when Charlie started to crawl over to the basket they had brought along. Because they weren't going to stay too long, just an hour or two, Tabitha hadn't packed a whole lot of food along which meant she had had some space for a few toys. Toys like a doll, some blocks and... 'Perfect. See how you like this mutt.'

Flare had just finished laying out the blanket for them to sit on when something bounced off his head. Confused, Flare looked down to see a harmless gold-colored ball lying innocently on the ground by him. He cocked his head curiously at it as if he couldn't understand where it came from or what it was when he heard the sudden childish giggle of a baby behind him. Peeking between his legs, Flare found himself staring at an upside-down Charlotte waiting and expectingly at him while Ms. Tabitha Waltz sat next to her with the biggest shit-eating grin he had ever seen.

"Well?" She asked him coyly, her tone soft and gentle like she was talking to a child. That or an idiot. "The ball silly."

"Excuse me? I don't follow-" Flare asked when it suddenly dawned on him what she was doing. "Oh, you bitch. Don't you fucking dar-"

"Fetch, dog."

Apparently, Tabitha Waltz did fucking dare.

Flare gave her a narrow-eyed glare, holding back the urge to bare his teeth at her so he wouldn't scare Charlie. Instead, he slowly picked up the ball and gently rolled it to Charlie who smiled widely as she picked the ball up and tossed it again with a smile.

"Good girl, Ms. Charlotte," Tabitha praised. "That was a beautiful throw. Now let's wait for the doggy to get it."

"You can't be serious," Flare muttered as he obediently got the ball and rolled it back to the toddler. The princess let out a high-pitched happy sound before she tossed the ball at him again and waited for him to return it. "This is demeaning."

"It's important for her development," Tabitha assured him, which wasn't untrue. "By playing catch, we're helping her develop her hand-eye coordination. You finding it demeaning is just a bonus for me."

Flare huffed, making a mental note to write in his next report that Ms. Waltz apparently could also be a petty little bitch when she felt like it. Still, he accepted his fate and he sat down and rolled the ball to Charlie, allowing the game to slowly and naturally evolve into a game of pass the ball where they took turns passing the ball to each other. It wasn't the most stimulating thing he had done, but then again it was for Charlotte's sake while Tabitha encouraged her to try and say words.

And the baby was certainly having fun judging by her giggles and babbles.

As time passed though, Charlie started to rub her eyes as a small yawn escaped her. Both Flare and Tabitha looked closely at the Princess as her eyes started to drop and her tosses of the ball became weaker and more uncoordinated and sluggish. It was still too early to have lunch, but clearly, Charlie needed her nap more than food so Tabitha pulled out a little baby blanket and covered the Princess as she gave Charlotte a yellow pacifier to suck on. Charlie grumbled a little as she would kick the blanket off only to have Tabitha readjust it until she drifted off to sleep.

Once she was asleep though, Flare and Tabitha found themselves trapped in each other's company, one more unwanted than the other. Tabitha made a point to busy herself first by cleaning up any toys they had played with before she pulled out some needlework she had packed with her. Embroidery was something she had always enjoyed in her spare time and she was hoping to improve her anagrams so that she could perhaps embroil Charlie's clothes and toys. Honestly, she wanted to send the Hellhound away but refrained from giving in to the urge.

He hadn't obeyed her about that before and he certainly wasn't going to do so now.

Flare in the meantime looked curiously at the long needle that Tabby had set threw her hat, wondering what the heck the silly thing was for. The concept of needing a needle to keep a hat in place was weird to him, but then again so were hats. Still, he had to wonder, did she actually stab herself in the head with it? Unable to contain his curiosity, Flare slowly reached out and gently pulled the pin out. It was a fairly simple pin, stretching about six inches in length with a point on one end and a teardrop pearl on the other.

"Fuck me, did you seriously stab this thing into your head?" Flare gaped at the item.

"Hm? What did you-?" Tabitha paused as she turned to see what it was the dog was talking about. No sooner did she see the hat pin in the mutt's paws when a slight gust of wind blew past them, making the small hat blow off her head and start to roll away from the trio, making Tabitha growl under her breath. "You stupid... what do you think you're doing? That's my best hat I'll have you know."

Quickly scrambling to her feet, Tabitha did her best to rush after the straw-woven hat, though not before yanking the hat pin out of Flare's hands. It wasn't easy to catch, the hat was light and easily rolled away from her as Tabitha struggled to lift her skirt high enough to not trip in it but also remain decent. After all, she was the royal nanny, even if she was still on a trial period. Full-time staff or not, she wore a bejeweled apple pin that marked her a Sinner working for the Morningstar household and that meant her behavior and appearance reflected onto the home.

If she acted like a harlot, others would assume the King and Queen just allowed any fool into their home to work and Tabitha would be damned again before she would tarnish her employer's name.

But that didn't mean she couldn't swear under her breath as the hat evaded her every time she nearly had it.

"Hang on, I've got it," Flare yelled after her as he got up, never noticing how his sudden yell jerked the Princess awake as he got up and ran after the Sinner and runaway hat. It was his fault after all for pulling out the pin. Dashing past her, Flare managed to grasp the hat just before it could roll off into the lake, his massive paw somehow managing not to crush the delicate object. "Here yah go, Tabby."

"Thank you," Tabitha snapped with a glare and she snatched it away from him, giving him a hard glare as she checked her hat over to make sure it wasn't damaged. "Though if you hadn't pulled my pin out I wouldn't have had to."

"I was just curious," Flare huffed a little put off at her snarl. "What do you want me to do?"

"You could start by saying sorry. And maybe keep your paws to yourself, for starters," Annoyed Tabitha tapped him hard over the nose in irritation. "And have you never heard of curiosity killed the cat? Honestly, even Her Highness hasn't grasped a hold of my personal items yet and she has the excuse of youth and innocence."

Flare gave a small growl at the tap, not appreciating that she had smacked him over the muzzle like some common whelp. Still, he stared in horror as she checked as to whether or not her hair had fallen out of place before she moved to stab herself once again with the needle in her hand. Before she could do so, Flare's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist stopping her from doing so.

"What in the-" Tabitha gasped as he yanked her limb away.

"Stop that," He demanded, trying to wrestle the needle from her. "Why do you want to stab yourself?"

"Why do I... what in the name of all the Pride Ring are you babbling about?" Tabitha yanked her hand free from him, confused as to what had agitated the hound so much. Blinking, she looked between the beast's eyes and her pin, slowly putting two and two together. "Wait... do you not know what a hat pin is?"

Flare gave her a blank stare, his eyes clearly questioning her as to whether or not he looked like a being that would ever constrain his ears in a strange contraption like a hat. He needed to be able to hear properly after all, not have something muting sound. Huffing with an exasperated sigh before she demonstrated.

"I don't stab it into my head you silly dog," She processed to show him her hair bun, gently sticking the needle through it. "I stick it through my hat and hair. You know, so that my hat doesn't needlessly blow away while I wear it. Honestly, you Hell Hounds are so uncivilized."

"Well, aren't you rude, Tabby Cat," Flare snarled, his ears pinning back as he snarled a little at her. "Just so you know, we Hell Hounds don't wear shit like your stupid hats. Messes with our haring yah know. So sorry, but how the fuck was I suppose to know what a 'hat pig' was for?"

"Hat pin. And you could have asked without using your fingers," Tabitha muttered as she tried to brush off the bits of grass stuck to her hat. She would need to clean it first before she could wear it again. "And don't swear. It's beneath someone like yourself who works for the Royal Family. You won't want to be the reason the Princess suddenly grows up speaking with a language that can make a drunken sailor blush."

Flare shot her an annoyed look. This was typical Sinner behavior according to his book. Sinners tended to be overly proud and convinced that they had a better understanding of what was proper and what wasn't. They were something akin to a frog trapped in a well, believing that what they could see was the world because it was all they could see. They were trapped in the Pride Ring, unaware of how the rest of Hell worked or its history, politics, and cultures. Without a doubt, Flare was certain Tabitha thought all Royals behaved like those she had known of during her mortal life, but that wasn't true. Depending on which Ring they were from as well as their species, the ideals of Royalty differed like water and fire. For example, the Lord of Greed was incredibly rude when compared to the Wrath who were violent and nearly Spartanic when compared to Sloth. So to say there was only one way to behave as a Royal was simply idiotic in his opinion.

Flare was about to tell her so when something made the fur of his neck stand on end.

It was subtle, almost unnoticeable but for a second as a slight breeze wafted past his nose, Flare smelt something he didn't recognize. It wasn't like anything he had smelt before but it rubbed his senses wrong. It had an almost clinical clean burn to it, almost like a hospital and yet there it had a sickly sweet undertone to it was well that reminded him of Beelzebub's wild parties with a dash of spice that left his mouth slightly numb. It was completely new and exciting.

Flare hated it.

Unknown scents were people he didn't know. In the first few days as a bodyguard for the princess, Flare had done his best to get to know every single scent possible of the citizens of Cannibal Town. He might not have known all their names, though Franklin and Rosie were easy enough.

And Susanne. There was no forgetting that cranky old overzealous umbrella swing bitch.

Flare had sniffed her once and she broke her umbrella over his head and then demanded he replace it.

One of these days he was gonna bite her arm off if it was the last thing he'd do.

"Are you even listening to me?" Tabitha demanded when she noticed that the Hound was no longer listening to her. His stance was almost rigid, tense as his cropped ears perked and he breathed deeply in through his nose and out his mouth. "Hello? Mr. Flare-"

"Go back to the Princess, Ms. Waltz," Flare stated firmly, taking Tabitha by surprise. For a moment she was worried he was sensing danger but when he didn't growl, she just shrugged it off as him trying to be bossy and commander her around. "Go on. I'll join you in a minute. I just need to check something out…"

"What do you-"

"Don't you have a child to take care of?" Flare just muttered in a dismissive tone as he started to walk off. He had a scent to find and evaluate.

"Of all the nerves," Tabitha muttered angrily as she marched back to the blanket. "Who does he think he is, ordering me around? Uncultured philistine. Not to worry Princess, I'm certain before you utter your first word I'll have him whipped into a proper servant… Princess?"

When Tabitha had returned to the picnic blanket, she had thought she would find the Princess fast asleep on the blanket and dreaming happily away. Tabitha had hoped she would have a chance to continue her embroidering, but when she looked down at the blanket where they had left the baby sleeping, she found only a wrinkled blanket and nothing more.

"Oh dear… where could she have gone?" Unlike the King and Queen, Tabitha wasn't one to panic when her charges wandered off. She knew after all that Charlotte could crawl and she had been warned more than a few times that the Princess had a tendency to allow her curiosity to lead her off to mischief. And while she was fast for a little tot, she was wearing a dress that would slow her down. "Alright then. A little game of hide and seek it is."

* * * Hazbin Hotel * * *

When Flare had yelled at Tabitha before, she hadn't noticed or heard Charlie give a little groan as she woke up. She had tiredly rubbed her eyes as she found herself once more staring up into the green crown of the treetops. High above her, a pair of Beenabbers looked curiously down at her from up high. Cooing gently at them, Charlie slowly remembered the last time she had slept on the ground in the park, a strange white creature that had had the nerve to steal her pacifier and run off with it. Looking around curiously, Charlie thought maybe she would spot the funny creature again as it had been fun to chase but it was nowhere to be seen.

Then again, neither were Ms. Tabby and the Doggyman.

Sitting up, Charlie peered about and saw that Tabby and Doggy were apparently playing a little bit away from her with a toy she didn't recognize. It made her pout a little as it hardly seemed fair that they got to play when she had to nap. Why couldn't she be part of this game too? Charlie was about to call out to them when she felt something odd in the air around her, making her freeze for a moment.

It was tiny, almost impossible for her to feel but Charlie was certain she had felt a pulse of magic somewhere near her. It was weak, like a rushed spell that Uncle Mam would sometimes cast when he 'half-assed it' as Mommy would say. Not that Charlie was sure what that meant. But this magic didn't feel like Uncle Mam's, or any magic she had seen before.

But it felt warm and soft, almost like a hug like Daddy's.

Curious, Charlie started to crawl off towards the source, curious to see who was using the strange magic. It felt like they were nearby after all, somewhere beyond the nearby bushes where the amiraj liked to hide sometimes. It wasn't easy for her to crawl towards the bushes or even through them. While the dress and pinafore were very cute on her and the dress was light, the skirt kept snagging under her, tripping her up so she'd trip over herself as she inched her way forward.

However, where there is will there is a way, and if the Morningstars were known for anything it was that they could be extremely willful when push came to shove. Before long Charlie found herself emerging from the bushes and out into the pen sunlight of the Pride afternoon. She paused as she looked around herself, feeling the tingle of magic somewhere nearby but unable to tell where it was coming from. As far as she could see there wasn't anyone in sight beyond the birds up high and a few amarji hopping about across the park from her, but if she remembered right, they didn't have any magic in them that felt like this.

* * * Hazbin Hotel * * *

Flare was not a happy hound. He had trained to be a bodyguard since he was a pup, been at the top of his class, and had dealt with several high-class clients before Bee had introduced him to the King and Queen to watch and protect their daughter. He knew his senses were sharp, they had to be. As a Hellhound he relied heavily on them telling him when danger was near or there was a need to be wary of a stranger. Flare was trained to be prepared for any kind of tricks and possible surprises involving his job from assassination attempts to kidnappings to even dealing with rebellious runaway brats.

He knew that he should react to the abnormal of the everyday. To notice the deviations from predictable behavior and to be cautious of odd sounds. He knew to trust his instincts when they were acting up. They were telling him something was off, there despite the tranquil feel of the park, there was something unseen lurking in the shadows like a viper in the grass.

Flare didn't like it.

Breathing in deep, he felt his fur stand on edge. Whatever it was, it was powerful, the unique spicy taste of its scent reminding him of Bee's when she was mad, except it was different… light…

Deadlier.

Flare snorted as he started to turn around, speed walking back to the Nanny and Princess. He wanted to run but he didn't want whatever it was that was waiting to pouch to realize it had been made despite the fact he couldn't pinpoint where it was. He just knew he needed to get the Princess out of there and fast. Preferably with the Nanny who knew how to care for her, but if he had to pick between them, the Princess was his number one priority. As soon as he could be certain she was safe then he could hunt down whatever it was he was sensing without a care or worry in the world.

Too bad he had no idea how right he was and how woefully unprepared he was as well.

* * * Hazbin Hotel * * *

Tabitha frowned as she glanced around herself, doing her best to guess where Charlotte could have crawled off to. She knew that the little one had a tendency to wander off whenever something caught her fancy. Which was fine, Tabitha was thankful for that. She had always felt it was harder to encourage children to let go of their mother's skirts than it was to rein one in. As the Princess of Hell, the girl needed to grow up knowing about her kingdom as well as being brave enough to explore her surroundings.

Within reason of course. It wouldn't do for her to be reckless either.

Still, Tabitha figured Charlotte couldn't have crawled too far away, she was wearing a dress after all so the skirt would probably hinder her. It was something Tabitha was hoping it would so that it would encourage Charlie to stand up instead and try and walk. So far it hadn't helped, because like all clever little babes before, Charlie had discovered the power of a pair of big doe eyes and tiny grabby hands. The King and Queen of Hell might be powerful beings and claimed that no one ruled them but clearly, they hadn't realized how easily they came running at their daughter's beck and call. And while she was still very sweet, Tabitha knew that they needed to be careful that they didn't spoil her to the point of becoming a brat.

Though, given how she was already, Tabitha had to admit it wasn't likely. Her neediness was more an 'I like being with you' rather than the 'pay attention to me and entertain me' demand.

"Now then, if I was a curious little princess, where would I crawl off to?" Tabitha muttered to herself as she scanned the surroundings.

There honestly weren't too many places for the little one to hide in, they had chosen a tree that stood pretty much in an open area so that Flare could see easily if someone was nearing them. However, a little bit away there were some bushes and her Majesty had told Tabitha once that Charlie seemed to have a love for the little Almiraj rabbits that lived in the park. And Almiraj were shy creatures so they tended to hide in the bushes.

Treading carefully with her hat in hand, Tabitha, peered through the foliage to see if she could spot a glimpse of yellow. She made sure to take small tentative steps so that she wouldn't accidentally step on any small fingers she might accidentally overlook, but it wasn't until she reached the otherwise that she found a slightly messy-looking Charlotte sitting calmly and looking around herself curiously. If Tabitha didn't know better, she would say she was looking for someone since the Almirajs were out and hopping about a couple of feet away from her.

'Maybe she's looking for Flare and me,' Tabitha thought, smiling at how sweet their Princess was. Honestly, it was a little hard to believe she was Hellborn sometimes. Sure Charlie could have a few tantrums, all children could, but she was never mean or malicious towards anyone. The closest Tabitha had seemed to it was when Charlie had grabbed Flare's cropped ear with her clawed hand and even then she had done it out of curiosity because she had never seen ears like his before. 'Well, best go get her then.'

Brushing her skirt free of snags, Tabitha started to walk playfully towards Charlie, starting the game that they often did back home. Charlie always loved a good game of 'Chase Me, Catch Me'. She did it every morning with Flare as Tabitha would pick out her outfit for the day, and she played it with the King and Queen whenever she had playtime with them. The end results were always the same; the chaser would catch an overly happy and laughing baby Princess.

"There you are!" Tabitha called playfully as Charlie's head turned to look at her, a smile hiding behind the bright yellow pacifier, the scarlet eyes sparkling with excitement. Placing her hands on her hips in a mock scolding pose, Tabitha grinned down at her charge knowing what was going to come next. "Cheeky little girl. I've got you now."

Charlie instantly squealed with delight, twisting around to try and crawl away. Tabitha mentally laughed as she was sure any day now, the little princess would discover how much easier and faster she would be able to flee when she would start walking. Not that there was a rush for that yet, Tabitha was hoping it would first happen when the King and Queen returned. After all, the first steps were pretty important for a parent to experience.

"I'd got you now, Little Miss," Tabitha quickly gave chase as Charlie began crawling away, the skirt of the dress causing her to trip for a second before she scrambled to get up again. Looking at her, Tabitha made a mental note that she would need to soak the dress when they got home and check the princess's hair for burs from the bush. For now though, they were going to play a bit. "I'm going to eat you-"

* * * Hazbin Hotel * * *

Flare felt the shift of power in the air before the fresh scent of copper filled the air. He recognized it easily, the taste of dirty coins on his tongue. Spinning down immediately where the scent was coming from Flare twisted on his heels and ran as quickly as he could. He knew this was bad, the scent coming from back where the Princess and her nanny were, the two he was supposed to protect. Immediately he started to plan in his head what he needed to do. The first would be to try and land a hit on the threat if not a killing blow. The next would be to get the Princess out of there unharmed and if chance would allow it, Tabitha too.

But the Princess was his priority.

As he nears the spot where the two were, Flare was confused that he couldn't see an attacker. He could see the Princess who was looking confused at Tabitha who looked equally as puzzled at her blouse that slowly began to fall from her chest slowly before falling to her knees in pain. Suddenly blood started gushing from the wound and a strange figure clad in white ´started to phase into reality. Flare watched in horror as the woman started to cough up blood, her body instantly weakened from the blow.

At first, Flare thought the man was a Sinner, an assassin, or would-be-kidnapper ceasing his chance to steal the princess away now that the King and Queen were away in other rings. Flare was even hoping it was a Sinner because they were bound to the Pride Ring, making them easier to hunt. But as the man phased in more and more, Flare felt his blood run cold in his veins. While Sinners rarely wore white because it was a bitch to keep clean, it was his golden wings that gave the stranger away.

An angel.

A goddamn angel was standing a mere foot away from the Princess of Hell, with what looked like a battle ax made of angelic steel raised in his hands.

Flare didn't know a whole lot about angels. Like most Hellborns, he had always stayed away from the Pride Ring during the Extermination Day, as staying was practically asking to get killed in the crossfire. So Flare didn't know any specific angels just the general description of them. But he knew angelic steel when he saw and smelled it. It had a special shine to it, as well as sound. It reminded him of a soft singing choir or a group of people harmonizing by humming. It was both a peaceful and terrifying sound.

And as Ms. Waltz coughed up a mouthful of blood, Flare saw the angel turning towards a very bewildered Princess Charlotte, the ax still in his hand and at the ready.

Flare didn't even think. He didn't growl and he didn't bark as he barreled forward and rammed his shoulder as hard into the angel's size, knocking him back and away from the injured Sinner and the Princess. Flare had hoped it would knock the prick out or at the very least down, but it seemed he hadn't stuck the guy hard enough. The angel shook his head as if he was in a daze. Flare crouched low on all fours, growling loud and fierce as he flashed his teeth in warning, trying to scare their attacker away.

Unfortunately, all his growl seemed to do, was scare Charlie because the moment he let out a fierce bark and growl she started crying loudly. Flare hated that he was scaring her. After all, he was there to protect her and he knew that Beelzebub loved her niece dearly. The Lord of Gluttony wouldn't be happy if she heard the bodyguard she had personally recommended for her baby niece had traumatized her within his first month on protective duty, but what could he do? He couldn't comfort her right now, not with a viable threat in front of them.

As the angel was trying to make sense of what had happened, Flare cast a quick glance at Tabitha who looked like she was struggling to not only breathe but stay awake. She had been hit pretty badly by the blessed blade and Flare wasn't sure how badly angelic steel could hurt the Sinner. Sinners were stronger than Hellborn after all, royals excluded, but angelic steel was made to hunt Sinners and Flare knew that shit hurt like a bitch from personal experience.

And not the good kind of bitch either.

His growl intensified as Tabitha mouthed to him 'go', clearly understanding that he needed to make a choice and what that choice needed to be. While she was important in the sense she was Charlotte's nanny, it was Charlotte's safety that took priority. Trying to take advantage of the angel's confusion, Flare turned towards the wailing Princess, his jaws opening to pick her up by the back of her dress and carry her away like a pup. He could run fast on all four then two and given a Sinner didn't stand a chance against an angel, Flare knew his chances would be better trying to steal money out of Mammon's hands.

"It's gonna be okay, Princess," Flare assured the wailing babe as she started to try and crawl away from them in fear. "I'm gonna get you to safe-"

"FUCK OFF YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"

*SWIIISH!* *spatter*

For a moment Flare wasn't sure what he heard. He saw it, but he didn't feel it. In his provisional vision, Flare saw the blade of the ax swinging towards him. He heard the man screaming a loud battle cry and he watched as the blade cut into his right arm, slicing through it like a hot knife through butter. The cut was unnaturally clean, cleaner than what he had experienced from being stabbed by reformed blades. There was no pain at first... no blood. Just his right arm slowly tumbling through the air with disturbing ease.

Then came the pain.

Flare let out a howl of pure pain as every nerve in his arm felt like it was being burnt, overloarding his brain. In a split second of instinct, Flare flinched away from Charlie to cradle his injured limb, forgetting he needed to grab her and run when a steeled boot kicked him in the side hard enough for him to hear a rib crack. Before he knew it, Flare found himself rolling away from the Princess, the angel placing himself between them. Struggling to breathe, Flare barely managed to growl as he struggled to stand up again, ready to attack the angel once more.

He needed to protect the Princess.

He needed to get her to safety.

He needed to...

… he needed to stand up!

Before he got the chance to try and stand up, Flare felt a sharp pain dash across his heels before a sudden snap followed. For a moment he felt like he had been kicked in the calves and then... he couldn't move his legs right. Then there was that same excoriating pain again, this time burning his feet and legs. Flare couldn't contain the whimper of pain as he watched the blood starting to pool around his knees, unsure if it was from his severed arm or whatever it was the angel had cut behind him.

Flare wasn't sure what he could do anymore. He was in too much pain and he could barely move anymore as the angel sneered in disgust at them.

* * * Hazbin Hotel * * *

Tabitha was struggling to stay awake as she watched in horror as the leader of the Exterminators severed Flare's Achilles tendons to keep the Hellhound down. The bodyguard had done a brave job trying to protect the Princess, he had tried to flee with her and only attacked because he didn't have any other choice. Tabitha had only been through three exterminations since coming to Hell but she had heard the rumors about the leader being a man with golden wings.

But why were they here so early? It wasn't time for another extermination yet so why...?

"Hey, it's okay sweetie."

Tabitha was positive she was hallucination as the man suddenly turned towards Princess Charlotte, the ax limp by his side, and his tone soft and assuring. It was as if he was trying to comfort Charlie, the same way she would have if she could.

'Someone... please...' Tabitha pleaded, unsure if she was saying anything at all. Surely someone was coming over to see what was happening. Someone had to. Rosie loved this park after all and kept some strict rules regarding it. Someone from the local town should have heard them fighting or Flare's howl. Help had to be on its way. Someone would be able to protect the Princess. 'Run away Charlotte.'

"Hey, it's okay. I'm one of the good guys."

It was almost laughable to hear the angel say he was one of the 'good guys'. As if he hadn't attacked them without warning or reason. Charlie was still terrified and trying to crawl away, the dress slowing her down as she tripped in the skirt. Suddenly Tabitha wishes she hadn't picked that dress for her that morning. Maybe then Charlie would be able to escape the murderous Heaven-bound man.

But there wasn't much they could do. Flare was incapacitated and passing out from blood loss and pain and she was bleeding out. Not to mention she wasn't a strong fight to start with.

But she could buy the Princess a little time.

"Don't... touch... her..." Tabitha tried her best to snarl as she grasped a hold of the man's robe, feeling a little satisfied that her blood at least managed to stain the white fabric a little as he started in disgust. Apparently, angels didn't like getting dirty. But her strength was weakening and he easily yanked himself free from her hold before turning back towards the crying Charlotte. "S... someone... stop..."

"I don't have time for this."

Tabitha watched in horror as the angel picked Charlotte up in his arms, gently but firmly wrapping her in his robe like some demented swaddle, hiding her from sight. Once he was certain he had a firm hold on the Princess, the angel waved his hand and made a golden-edged portal appear before him, revealing a bright and clean-looking hallway on the other side. Surely he wasn't going to-

"It's okay, poppet. You're safe now. Let's get you home."

As Tabitha watched the angel step through the portal, it snapped shut just as help arrived. Her vision blurred as someone shouted at her and Flare to know what had happened and Tabitha felt her eyes slowly close as exhaustion took over. The last thing she remembered was that she thought she told someone to send a summons to the King and Queen as quickly as possible. She thought she had uttered 'The Princess has been taken' but as her vision faded to black and the sound of everyone's yelling faded, Tabitha wasn't sure she had even managed to breathe a single word.

AN: So now we know how things happened from another point of view as well as til why Lucifer hasn't reacted to Charlie missing yet. Poor guy isn't in the know yet. Originally I had planned this as the first chapter to the story but the more I looked at it the more I felt it should be something that would come up later. To add a bit of mystery as to what happened.

And goodness, poor Tabitha and Flare. They were really doing their jobs the best they could but Adam's a tough guy to fight. Especially since he was in Dad mode at the time. But at least he wasn't lying in his version. He did see a cannibal heading towards Charlie. He just... didn't have all the information at the time.

And sorry for cheating you all out of some Charlie and auntie time but don't worry. It's coming.

I also made Flare a cane corso because the breed is known for being great companion or guard dogs and have been used for hunting as well as protecting livestock. I got the inspiration from seeing a video of a guy called Jason Corey with his black cane corso Bruce Wayne. It needs to be said I've never had a dog because my dad's super allergic to animal fur, so I'm limited in my knowledge about them, but from what I could understand about the breed is that they can be great pets and protectors but they aren't good as a beginners pet.

Charlie's little raspberry attack is inspired by something my own daughter use to do to me. My husband and I would blew on tummy so she tried it with me but because she was teething it was like 90% drool which had me shrieking from the feeling. She thought it was funny as heck though so it was a win. She's kind of grown up with a lot of weird stuff because of us. She thinks for example the Jaws theme song means someone's going to get tickled because I'd do that to her.

A special thanks to WFT 101 episode 7 "Party Fouls" for the bit of history on Thomas FitzStephen and the White Ship. If you haven't seen this series, it can be pretty interesting but be aware that it uses a lot of gross out humor. Think of the 'Horrible History' book series but for adults.

Flare's coat - .webp

1800 slang

got the morbs - A temporary melancholy.