It was just another day in hell for Lucifer, or Satan or whatever you wish to call the devil, the ruler of hell. He was sat in his throne room with the council of Elders watching over the proceeding meeting that they held on a regular basis to review and create new laws for hell. He fought back a yawn as the elders were finishing up on a new piece of Law they were going to introduce.
"All those in favour of introducing 'The Torture and Execution of both wanted and Sentenced Criminals Act' say 'aye'." The Lead elder of the council said.
"Aye" a monotonous reply arose in the room as all apart from two of the demonic elders agreed, those two disagreeing for personal reasons that Lucifer was all too aware of. The clerk of the council turned and approached Lucifer bowing before handing the quite frankly bored ruler the piece of paper containing the results of the vote. Lucifer nods in approval and the Council return to their deliberations.
Lucifer fidgeted a little allowing his wings to rustle to prevent them from cramping up as he had been sat there for a considerable amount of time and was growing impatient. Just part of the job he thought to himself as he tried to stop himself from falling asleep.
It was then that he sensed another demon approaching the throne room, he narrowed his eyes, dangerously suspicious of what might happen, he dismissed the Council who flocked out the doors with a sigh and a buzz of excitement waiting to see the results of the new law they had just imposed. Lucifer adjusted his posture and sat up taller.
Leviathan, one of Lucifer's older sons, and one of the first he branded as an abandoner was approaching the throne room, he had only one aim and purpose and that was to cause as much misfortune as possible for his own benefit, he very much took after his father for that. Leviathan stopped at the door to the throne room, composing himself slightly before knocking and waiting to gain permission to enter, if it wasn't his father he was going to see he would have just barged in emphasising his lack of manners but since he wanted Lucifer to agree with what he wanted he thought that a more subtle approach was needed.
"Enter" Lucifer growled dominantly as he heard the knocking of the door. Leviathan entered and stood by the door, waiting for his father's permission to approach. "You may approach" Lucifer bellowed slightly, eyeing the demon and determining that it was his son. Leviathan walked forward into the candle light that remained from the council meeting. "What do you want" Lucifer asked his growl softer this time since it was his son and not one of the common low-life's that reside in hell.
"What I want" Leviathan began, smirking slightly "what I want is a favour." Lucifer raised an eyebrow glaring at Leviathan to elaborate more. "Well not even a favour, more like your agreement and enforcement" Leviathan said ambiguously. Lucifer growled and impatiently began tapping his nails on the arms of his throne, he was surprised to say the least but he hid it, keeping an emotionless composure.
"What is it you want and what makes you think that I would agree" Lucifer asked with a quiet growl, slightly intrigued as to what his son wanted.
"A partner for my first born daughter" Leviathan said, "and the reason, I want my views to flow through the generations."
"And who is it that you have in mind." Lucifer asked smiling slightly, not that anyone could tell though, he agreed with his son.
"I personally have no one in mind" Leviathan said with a slight chuckle, "I'll leave that to your discretion." He smirked.
"And what if I refuse" Lucifer stated, his eyes glittering dangerously in their demonic form, "I also assume you want someone of the royal bloodline."
"You should know me by now father, it is plain and simple what I would do if you refused" an evil gleam could be seen in Leviathan's eyes I'd just over throw you, which I intend to anyway, "and of course I would want someone from the royal bloodline, I don't want her to marry a common lowlife"
Lucifer snarled softly letting out a slight chuckle. "You mock me..." He growled and began to think about all the males that would satisfy the requirements that Leviathan wanted. He ponders for a moment before determining that only one prince satisfied all the criteria; "would Prince Malphas suffice" he growled harshly, knowing his sons intentions if he wasn't happy.
Leviathan laughed a little "it doesn't bother me whom," he smirked, his evil side showing clearly, "like I said it's your choice, and who am I to go against your word" he added the last part teasingly.
Lucifer let out a slightly irritable sigh "very well... Prince Malphas will wed your eldest. I will inform him of the arrangement although he doesn't come of age for a few years yet."
"That's fine with me" Leviathan said bowing a little, being polite which he never is, "she won't be of a suitable age to wed for a few years anyway." It was a generally accepted tradition in hell that the girls are betrothed at a young age.
Lucifer nodded and shifted slightly with a sigh. "Now leave... I have to find a way of telling your brother of the arrangement without him killing every solider in Hells army." Leviathan did as his father said smirking as he walked out the throne room and back to his home.
Several guards had approached Sebastian who was in the Royal Palace of Hell reading up on something war related, since there was still the chance of war breaking out again even with the Shinigami's saying that they were looking for peaceful methods of resolution. They grabbed him forcefully and began to drag him to his father who was still in the throne room, Sebastian managed to fight of two of the guards before several managed to overpower him, he struggled against the restraint questioning why, but the guards gave no answer. The guards were his father's personal guards, easily identifiable by their all black armour and troop emblem. They threw Sebastian down as his father's feet, arms and wings bound to prevent escape. "What do you want!?" Sebastian spat at his father with distaste wondering was the restraint really necessary I would have gone willingly, it is my father I'm dealing with not some enemy force.
Lucifer looked at Sebastian, he smirked, there was an evil gleam in his eyes, like the one Leviathan had earlier. "Prince Malphas" he began, "you are hereby told that thou is to be wed to the eldest daughter of Leviathan when thou comes of age"
Sebastian continued to struggle against the restraints falling to his side, what was said taking a little while to sink in, when it finally did he glared at his father with their identical eyes. "WHO AM I TO WED!?" Sebastian shrieked loudly, so much that the guards stood outside the throne room could hear it, "I REFUSE!"
"You have no say in the matter" Lucifer said, "now you may meet her if you wish, but other than that my decision is final." Lucifer couldn't help but enjoy seeing his son powerless like this.
Sebastian sent fire at his father in an attempt to burn him, only to be met with a jolt to the system which caused him to take a sharp intake of breath due to the pain in reparation for his efforts "Let me meet her..." He said quietly, his voice and eyes betraying the raging inner anger that had quelled up inside him against his father.
"I will arrange a meeting for you" Lucifer smirked, chuckling slightly at his son. Sebastian just growled at his father, attempting to stand despite still being bound, he tripped and fell to his side again, still glaring at his father "very well" Sebastian said softly trying not to lose his temper any more than he already had. Lucifer motioned one of the guards over and penned a note to Leviathan summoning his eldest daughter, then ordering the guard to deliver the note with haste. The guard dutifully obeyed.
Sebastian stood up, rubbing his sore arms as well as flexing and ruffling his wings from where he had been bound. He stood proud and was slightly shorter than his father, yet scrawnier. He glared at him before turning slightly mellow-dramatically and walking to the reception hall where he would wait for his bride to be. On the journey down the hallways he terrified he servants, who cowered slightly, with his fierce fiery glare, very much angered at what his father had done.
Leviathan responded to the summons, returning to the royal abode a few hours later leaving Sebastian to 'sweat' it out up until then. With him he had a young child, that was supposed to be Sebastian's betrothed but with Leviathan nothing is ever that simple. Leica cowered behind her father. Before leaving to meet Sebastian Leviathan had told Leica that she wasn't the 'chosen one' and that it was her twin sister who would be getting married to Sebastian, however in order to trick his father, Leviathan had to convince them that Leanne was the older of the twin daughters he had. He had to use Leica for this since Leanne's childish looks made it obvious that she was the younger twin. Leviathan wouldn't let Leica marry he had more sinister intentions for her.
Sebastian looked at the girl eyeing her warily silently taking in her appearance, well the best he could since she was wearing a cloak. "Who are you?" He asked, not unkindly, completely blanking out Leviathans presence.
Leviathan removed Leica's hood appearing to be a loving father which he wasn't. "L-Lei" Leica began, her father noticed the slip-up she was about to make and pulled a piece of her hair, enough to cause her pain and to correct her, but not enough for anyone to notice. "Leanne" Leica said cowering behind her father again, Leica was a very shy child, since she never went out much. "I apologise" Leviathan said to Sebastian, "She's been recovering from an illness and hasn't had much social interaction." Leica gulped slightly.
Sebastian had heard Leviathan but chose not to reply, he extended a hand out, looking handsome and regal. He smiled warmly, it being fake, not that anyone would notice, he was good at masking his true emotions when he wanted to. "It's nice to meet you Leanne" he said smoothly and softly.
Leviathan moved Leica in front of him then proceeded to walk away leaving the very scared daughter he hated, Leica turned and looked at her father walking away she turned back to Sebastian trying and failing at hiding the fear that quelled. She took Sebastian's hand and shook it.
"Are you quite alright" Sebastian asked gently sensing her fear, doing his duty to ease her fears to the best of his ability... Or his father would punish him for upsetting his bride-to-be. Leica shook her head a few tears began to form in her eyes and flow down her cheeks. Sebastian reached out and gently wiped her tears away. His wings making him look slightly intimidating which was scaring her slightly, but that wasn't the main reason. "What's wrong" Sebastian gently asked her, trying not to scare her any more.
"I-I" Leica began not wanting to admit that his wings were scaring her as part of the reason why, "how would you react if your father told you were to marry a complete strange" her voice continued to portray her fear.
Sebastian gazed at her softly. "That's how my father told me" he explained, "and I accepted with grace and pride as any prince should" the words that flowed didn't seem to match the voice, he was nervous, after all he was still a teenager according to demonic laws and Leica was still a child.
"You didn't want to, did you?" She replied. Her voice catching as she forced out the truth that was written in Sebastian's posture and across his face, although others wouldn't have noticed it.
"Not particularly" Sebastian admitted, slightly impressed at Leica's ability to read past his charade most demons would have agreed with him that he was fine, not looking further into his emotions, "but 'tis my duty to obey and respect my father's decision"
Leica cringed and trembled a little at the part where Sebastian said it was his duty to obey and respect his father's decisions, she knew that she would be ever bound to her father's twisted fate for her. She wanted Sebastian to know the truth about what her father's intentions were with who he was marrying, so that Sebastian doesn't have to live with the consequences later in his life.
Sebastian placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, silently telling her that despite the slightly sinister looking leather and metal garb that he was wearing he was actually a kind hearted guy, well when he wanted to be anyway. "What's wrong?" He asked softly and patiently, allowing Leica to answer in her own time and speed, he didn't want to make her worse by forcing it out of her. Leica just clammed up, she trembled more, although since she was wearing a cloak, to the average passer-by this was unnoticeable, but since Sebastian had his hand on her shoulder he felt the trembling. He led her over to a fire and sat her gently down, crouching to her level. "What's wrong?" He asked gently "I swear I won't tell. You after all are my betrothed." Leica looked down at her hands which were trembling something chronic, so she intertwined her fingers hoping that it would help. She then looked up at Sebastian.
"I'm not actually your betrothed" Leica said, crying, trembling more, feeling guilty for lying to a prince, "I'm the eldest daughter but not the one my father has decided you are to marry" Sebastian reached out and wiped her tears, "Shh" he soothed gently. "So I am to marry your sister? That doesn't sound too bad, though for lying to a prince he may be punished..." He added darkly causing a slight change in his aura. Leica picked up on this and it made her a little more scared, but the concept of her father being punished was like music to her, something she longed to happen, she kept the second part trapped inside her.
"M-my names not Leanne, its Leica." She said taking off her cloak which showed where her father had begun to experiment on her. "My sister isn't someone you want to marry, she's horrible." Leica said moving her hair and showing Sebastian where Leanne had bite a chunk of flesh from her neck, it hadn't started to heal.
Sebastian took Leica's hand before going to look at the wound, "this will most probably hurt" he explained to Leica not wanting her to completely freak out. Leica nodded and Sebastian gently examined the wound, Leica flinched and whimpered a little as Sebastian touched the wound. Sebastian then grabbed some bandages and treated the wound, just as gently as he spoke. Leica kind of calmed hearing Sebastian talk softly, it was something she never really experienced, since her father hated her and her brother, who was the only other who cared, only got to spend an hour with her each day.
Sebastian scowled a little "she doesn't seem to be the bride befitting of a prince but I have no choice..." His eyes portraying some uncertainty but his voice was quiet and decisive. "Tell your father that I am pleased and happy with you, and am willing to be wed to you." Leica just looked at him, feeling genuinely sorry for him, understanding what he was going through in a sense, well in relation to having to follow their father's orders.
Leica sighed sadly, "Surely there is another way out..." She said, there were always deeper intentions with what her father did.
"The only way out would be for me to wed you," he said gently "and I could not force you to submit to such horrors. Such a…kind… sweet thing..." Sebastian murmured quietly, "I shall not let you do it... If he says I shall wed your sister, then so be it" once again his eyes portrayed a different emotion than that of his voice, he looked upset, anyone could see that. Leica sat and looked at Sebastian instinctively forgetting all self-restraint she had, she stood and hugged Sebastian, "I would rather you marry me than someone like her" she said "I know what my father's intentions are." Plus the horror that you speak of wouldn't be half as bad as the horrors I wake up to every day.
Sebastian stiffened, he wasn't used to the physical contact, "I have an incline as to his intentions too" he murmured softly. "That's why I can't allow you to be involved when his plan comes to light..." Leica stood there gazing to the ground, if only you knew I was part of that plan. She thought to herself, Leica looked back up at Sebastian whose wings had unconsciously folded against his body. A sure sign that he was scared. Leica stepped back and sat back down "what do you think his intentions are" Leica asked out of curiosity, wondering if he had the right idea of what was happening.
"He wants status and with status comes power" Sebastian said simply, racking his brain for a plan. Leica sat twiddling her hair. Indeed Prince Malphas you do put it simply, yes he wants power, more precisely your fathers power.
Sebastian stood up suddenly, "I can delay the wedding longer than needs be… I will go to earth and form a contract, several in succession if necessary, I cannot be forced to break a contract…" he said quietly. Leica sighed in response to that, at least it is a way out, for now. "B-But what do I tell my father" Leica stuttered, trembling again, knowing that he would beat her if she failed.
"Say that the Prince wishes to clear his head before he weds his bride… And the rest I will handle" Sebastian said softly ruffling Leica's hair a little. He then moved to walk out the room. She smiles a little at Sebastian ruffling her hair, before moving to pick up her cloak. She sat and stared at the sword that she had brought along with her, it was hers, but what use for it would she have once her father had finished experimenting on her. She turned to Prince Malphas going down onto her knees. "Your Highness" she said, holding up the sword, "please take this, you'll have more use for it than I. she said knowing her fate.
Sebastian was more than a little stunned to say the least at what Leica was doing, but he accepted the sword gratefully, testing its balance and examining the material used to create it. It was perfect and had a ruby in its hilt. "Please rise" he gently said to Leica helping her up, which she did, stepping back and putting on her cloak. "You have done me a great service and I am forever grateful." Leica nodded, turning to walk away. "I guess I'll see you around your Highness" she said slightly saddened as to the fact she had to go back home. "The next time we meet I'll be my own shield and sword" she mumbled to herself as she walked away.
"Thank-you" the dark prince whispered as she left, going off to find a sheath for the sword before opening a portal to the human realm in search for a contract to save him from an almost sealed fate. Leica sighed as she dawdled home again.
