Lincoln and Clyde were still watching the video of his sisters making a fool out of themselves on Lincoln's phone, and it still made them laugh uncontrollably. This time, both of them were in Stolas' chateau to hang out with Octavia. Loona was there too since she, also, is a good friend to Octavia.
"This is just plain hilarious!" Octavia laughed, wiping a tear from her right eye.
"I told you it was funny." Loona pointed. "Take it that you're glad I brought you here, are you Via?" She pulled out a lighter and smoked a cigarette after. "His sisters will be a laughing stock for a while now."
"No argument." Octavia giggled adorably. "So Clyde, what was my mom doing with you the other day? You know, the one in the hedge garden."
A cold shiver went down Clyde's spine just remembering that kind of... curse that Stella had placed within him. The friendship pact that she bestowed. Another cold chill went down his body just thinking about it. He didn't want Octavia to worry about anything since Stella is Octavia's mother (unfortunately), and didn't want to cause any conflict or rift between them.
"Well... she was... just making sure that I was treating you right, that's all." He partly lied to her. "Yep, just trying to be a little nosy." Clyde let out a sad sigh. "I wish she would be more accepting like your uncle is."
"Ugh, I know. My mum is the most stubborn woman I have ever known in my fucking life."
"Words to live by." said Stolas. "Definitely some words to live by. But hey, if she doesn't live her anymore, then that means you won't be able to hear her screaming anymore. You always hated her screaming, right Via?"
"Of course I hated her screaming. It makes me want to fucking cut my ears off whenever she screeches like a fucking harpy."
"You and me both, sweetie. You and me both." Stolas looked bitter from those fucking horrible memories. "But you can still see her on weekends, and I know you still love her. She is your mother after all."
"Look, nothing happened between me and your mom, Octavia. I promise."
"Ok, I believe you. You might not have known her as long as me and my dad have, but my mum can be... be..."
"be what, Via?" Said another female voice. Speaking of the devil, Stella was coming into the living room with Andrealphus behind her.
"Ugh, someone call the vaginal flatulence police, because they want their gas back." Stolas sneered at her.
Stella immediately became angry with her face turning as red as a tomato. "Oh I will show you gas! Considering the fact that you always shit in the bed every night!"
Luckily, Andrealphus was holding her back and had to use his ice powers to freeze her lower body. "You relax." He sternly said to his little sister.
"Not this time!" Stella tried to break out of the ice. Then she felt her face being slapped by Andrealphus. "You do not know how much your irrational personality irritates me!"
At last, Stella took a few deep breaths and calmed herself down. "My apologies." She said flatly, "I am calm."
"What are you even doing here anyway?" Stolas crossed his arms. "Didn't anybody ever teach you to knock?"
"I don't have to knock when I used to live here. Sure I might not live here anymore, but I am still the queen of this palace. And I wanted to give Lincoln something, along with Octavia. That is all."
"Look I think I am just going to leave." Clyde looked nervous. "I don't want to be caught in a fight between powerful demons."
"No, no, it is quite alright, Clyde." Stolas pointed. "I'm sure this will be over quickly."
"What did you want to give me, your highness?" Asked Lincoln
"This." The venomous ex-wife of Stolas pulled out a small box and it was some kind of talon necklace. "Now I hope you like it."
"A claw?"
"More like a talon, child. A gyrfalcon talon. A very rare and amazing artifact. Something that will really bring you greater prestige to your family once again. Back to its former glory
"Ugh, here we go." Said Lincoln, sounding annoyed. "Your highness, I told you before: monarchies are not legal in the United States anymore
"Every law has a loophole." said Stella. "Not even the strongest kind of law is safe from a loophole. And you should be thank- wait," she noticed the patches on Lincoln's arm from the flesh-eating insect before.
Andrealphus also noticed this and asked: "what happened to your arm?"
frowning and thinking of that wretched memory, Lincoln gently covered it, and said: "I don't want to talk about it. I don't even like to think about it."
"Wait, did that mutt go feral on you?" Stella said, immediately accusing Loona of hurting the white-haired boy.
"What?! Oh fuck you! I wouldn't claw Lincoln!" Loona said defensively. "Is that some stereotype about Hellhounds?!"
"Alright. Alright. Let's just calm down." Stolas said. "Please. The sooner Stella gives Via what she wants to give her, the sooner she and her snooty brother can leave."
"for once, something we can agree on." Stella rolled her eyes.
"A blood beetle did this to him."
"Via!" Stolas scolded his daughter.
Even Andrealphus and Stella looked shocked by this. "Oh no." Said Andrealphus. "I... I am very sorry you endured that."
"It's ok. I didn't know about it, but Loona saved me before she can eat my brain." Lincoln clenched his hands around his elbows. "I just want to forget about it."
"Are you... sure you are feeling alright?" Said Stella
"Since when did you ever care about Lincoln?" Asked Stolas suspiciously.
"can we all just stop arguing, please?" Asked Clyde. "For once?"
"Clyde," said Lincoln. "You should know that Stella doesn't really like Stolas very much."
"That would be an understatement, I am afraid." Stella flatly pointed with her arms crossed. "But anywho, here you go, Via." It was a box similar to the one she gave Lincoln but instead, it was a golden beak.