Circles and Wings

Chapter 13

*Lust*

(September 16th, 2016)

She made it through Pride and Wrath unseen. She turned 16 three days ago on September 13 and I had heard that Pride permitted her to roam in Pride, but I knew she wasn't supposed to leave. Especially not to past the protection of Wrath. But there she stood, at my door. She made it all the way through my kingdom undetected and she was only noticed now because she wanted to be seen.

She knocked again. Shit, I should let her in. I rushed to the grand double doors that marked the entrance to my palace. My cold stone palace decorated in the royalist of blues and deepest charcoal grey. Elegant, but boring. Cold without a subject for me to... well you know, lust over.

I opened the doors and there she stood. Max 5'8" in her three inch combat boot heels. Her legs were pale and bare moving up from them and were cut off by the hem of a short black dress that had a skirt that flared out slightly from the fitted bodice, topped with a small white collar, and black mesh sleeves that looped around her fingers. Across her chest laid an ever bag made of brown leather and gold clasps.

A red cloak sat along her shoulders and fluttered behind her in the slight breeze. There was a hood on the cloak that clasped around her horns, but couldn't hide the light in her blue eyes as she smiled at me. Her skin was a perfect porcelain with freckles scattered across her buttoned nose. Her red, plump, perfect lips parted when she smiled at me. "Hi Lust, I don't mean to intrude."

I could have fallen to my knees at the way she said my name. There was no stigma or uncertainty. She said it like she would an old friend. And for a moment I could only stand there and stare at her. This perfect girl, here... why? I'd never find out if I didn't invite her in. "Not an intrusion." I smiled, "Your presence is a gift..."

"Scarlett?" She laughed, "You can call me anything you want. Just nothing having to do with royalty or me being a princess."

I smiled at that as she walked past me into the foyer. She removed her blood red hood to reveal fiery orange hair braided back from the top of the bangs brushing her forehead, and trailing down to her waist. "Alright... love." She smiled over her shoulder at that. "What can I help you with?"

She didn't speak for a while as she moved to regard one of the paintings on my wall. A painting of a woman with too little clothing, in a pose that I was suddenly ashamed to look at. Scarlett only looked at it for a moment before pointing, "She's very pretty." The words were pure compliment. "Is she your lover?"

I moved towards Scarlett and pressed my hand into the small of her back to move her along. "An... employee." I said.

"In a brothel?" She asked, looking up at me. "I've never been to a brothel before, but they sound like fun."

I stopped in my tracks, a laugh on my breath, "What?"

She stopped too and faced me square on. "The brothels sound like fun." She repeated with a wicked smirk, "Don't you think so?"

I cocked my brow, "You're messing with me?" She nodded with a laugh. I showed her the way to my favorite sitting room. One filled with books and the comfiest of charcoal colored couches. She sat on one while I poured two glasses of amber colored liquor. It's called Hellhound Rum. Only for Hell Spawns.

I handed her one and sat on the other end of the couch from her. Why was she here? Why did she sneak away.

She took a sip before speaking, "I've figured something out about my father." She said softly as she removed her cloak to reveal her two glorious black feathered wings.