Fireflight

Chapter Fifteen

Princess Stella stalked her chambers in the upper keep of the palace and seethed with anger. She was always angry now. Stopping at her open balcony, she princess tried to remember when she'd last been truly happy. Years, it had been years. Not since Octavia's twelfth birthday had Stella felt any real joy, and all because of her wicked husband. 

The avian demoness's eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched, her teeth grinding audibly at the thought of her husband Stolas. Everything had gone sour when she had found out about Stolas's infidelity. She had walked in on her husband and that scumbag of an imp Blitzo after they had finished an escapade. Both were in the process of getting dressed and the imp had Stolas's grimoire. From there Stella learned the truth and her life spiraled into misery. 

Deep down she knew that there may have never been any love in their marriage. They were nobles, and so they had been wed by their parents in a diplomatic pairing. Stella had hoped for the best, perhaps not love but a strong friendship where the two would respect and care for each other. Instead she had been spat on and left behind. Imps were at the bottom of the hierarchy, and Stella was at the top. Her family had ruled for untold generations and as such, she expected a certain degree of respect. As a little girl she had been taught this by her parents, and she had taken it to heart. After all why else would the nobility rule but through undivine right? 

Stella let out a shaky sigh and stepped out onto the balcony. Leaning out over the rail, she let her gaze wander across the palace's expansive grounds. Far of in the distance she could see the twinkle of lights from the nearby city that they ruled. She let her mind wander in an attempt to think of something other than her wretched husband. Unfortunately for her, her thoughts were drawn back. 

The worst part of the whole thing was the constant flaunting by Stolas of his relationship with the mercenary. Stella was deeply hurt because of all those Stolas could have chosen, it was an imp, a creature considered worthless and classless. What did that make her to Stolas then? Tears began to well up in Stella's eyes. Rubbing them away roughly with her fist, she continued to think. Her husband's willingness to let the ordeal become a widely known scandal embarrassed her further. To her it showed that Stolas publicly could care less about his status, the status of his wife and daughter, and their worth.

Stella was as low as she could go, yet she knew how far she had fallen from grace. Months earlier she had hired an assassin named Striker to kill Stolas at the Harvest Moon Festival in the ring of wrath. His death was only avoided when Blitzo and his crew thwarted him and sent Striker on the run. Since then Stella had not called up Striker, but she had him at the ready just in case. One other prospect was meeting with her brother in law. Though from a completely different lineage, and one that neither her family nor her friends supported, the idea took root in her mind. The idea was ludicrous, but it was twistedly beautiful. Stella smiled maliciously through her tears. Perhaps she could do something that would put her husband in her place and save the reputation of her and her daughter.