its raining somewhere else

chatper 1

A/N: lackey all lowercase is insulting, whereas Lackey with titlecase is a respected title. 

Felma is the one and only Soul Deity, the Empress of the Soul dimension. Or, at least, she was. Until she had her daughter.

Ambrose was someone who worked alongside Felma closely as a Lackey in her Council.

Lackeys to Felma are those who go out into the Thovi Dimension and dispose quietly of those who bad-talk her. Insult her, insult her realm, her family, her magic, stuff like that.

After a failed mission, where he couldn't kill this innocent person, he was demoted to Guard duties. It insulted him, but he had no choice. All he does now is walk around. Never gets any action this way, all because he didn't want to have any more blood on his hands.

Deep in thought, he patrolled the outer walls of the Empress' castle. He barely noticed the robed figure climbing from one of the windows, until they fell and yelped.

He walked over to them and held them in place.

"Stop, you're under arrest. Unveil yourself at once or I'll be forced to do it myself."

It was so monotone, the way he said it. He had been forced to memorise the script when he was demoted. He hated how fake he sounded, but honestly he could care less. Being a guard was already quite demeaning to him, especially since all the other guards practically ridiculed him for being an ex-Lackey.

The figure was silent, which he took as an act of refusal, so he pulled down the hood himself.

It was honestly quite shocking, and in his moment of surprise he pulled them to the side, out of view. It was the heir to the throne, princess Kui.

"Your highness- what do you think you're doing?"

There was a genuine concern in his voice. He hadn't seen her in years, ever since he looked after her as a child. He knew he wasn't ordered to look after her. But he did. He felt connected to her, almost like she was his own child. Those were silly thoughts though, he was just a servant for the Empress.

"I'm leaving. I can't be here anymore."

"Did something happen?"

She turned to face him, finally.

"Not just something. Mother happened... or, more like, she didn't happen. She's been forgetting about me and leaving me to fend for myself. She doesn't even feed me anymore. She never even speaks to me anymore. I know she's busy. But it's been years.."

Ambrose stared at the floor for a second, then at his chestplate, which was embellished with the sigil of Soul. He almost felt disgusted for representing that. How could he have known, though?

He must have appeared lost in thought, because Kui spoke up.

"You can come with me, you know. You don't have to be controlled by her."

"Don't implant those thoughts into my head, your highness, you know she can hear them. Wouldn't it be a crime to betray her a second time?"

She cast her gaze downward, feeling a twinge of guilt for even suggesting it.

"I know you have an oath, but that was sworn a long time ago, it doesn't have to be this way anymore."

Kui held out her hands, cupped them around Ambroses' and they glowed. He felt a weight inside his palms. She pressed his hands closed and pushed them toward him.

When he uncurled his fingers, there was a pair of earrings. Glowing with the power of a true Heir.

"These will protect you from her. She can't hear you with them on. It's okay."