The Heir of the Fallen

Chapter 4

Prince Beelzebub

Beelzebub knew the moment his oldest friend left him. It had felt like a part of himself was leaving him as well. And in the month since Famine had disappeared, Beelzebub had holed himself up in his home.

He almost could have sworn that he had heard Famine whisper in the wind as he took his final breath. It was a soft Goodbye, for his ears only.

Some might say his reaction to Famine leaving was harsh. However here, in this realm, Beelzebub rarely made any connections like the one he had shared with Famine. Very little did he try to interact with any of the mortals who had passed on beyond the initial hello. He knew everyone would leave him eventually, and he would be mourning those who he loved as they left him. For the most part, the only people he ever established relationships with nowadays was with his horsemen.

His four horsemen lasted much longer than anyone else, whether it was due to his magic or their notoriety, he didn't entirely know. Famine had been the longest relationship he had had for more than a millenia now. And once Famine's passing had been felt, Beelzebub had cried for days, until the tears could simply come no more. Cerberus had not left his side. Drool and all had coated his whole being as he had rested one of his massive heads on the Prince's lap.

The Prince had made himself comfortable in his viewing room for days now. He had made a double of himself to wander the realm, so he could supplement disappearance into the viewing room. He wanted to foster his own emotions and need for a connection with the mortals who were still alive, and his viewing room was just the place for that. Perhaps, the Prince thought, it was time for him to watch another living mortal's life. He simply had to choose one, then he could prop his feet up on the dash, relax his hands behind his head and recline in his chair as he lost himself in the life that emerged before his eyes.

Beelzebub pressed pause on his dash, putting his feet down, and stretching his enormous frame. As he stretched, every part of his body cracked. Looking at the age of the human he had been watching, it appeared that seventeen living years had passed since he sat down. What had felt like moments was actually closer to two centuries in his realm. The only response was a slight "Hm" out of the Prince. Uncaring about his extended absence from his realm, he looked down at his favorite furry companion.

Cerberus let out a soft, sleepy groan. The dog had curled up on a bed next to his chair, probably after the first few years or so. The amount of drool that covered the floor was asinine in quantity. Animals truly were some of the most loyal creatures out there, especially Cerberus. Yes, he was supposed to be guarding the entrance to Beelzebub's realm... but he was just so stinking cute, and his presence did more for Beelzebub than being a guard dog would. It's not like they really needed a guard dog, with Letum guarding the entrance from purgatory, Ares policing the realm, and no way to get to the mortal world.

Besides, he did not think anyone would be sneaking in or out anytime soon... especially with his double out there roaming. Whenever he created a double, it tended to be more ruthless than himself, which... Whatever, what was the worst that could happen, the place burns down?

Returning his attention from Cerberus to his cameras, he saw the still of a young lady. He had been watching the life of Adelaide, a soft spoken girl who had a pension for animals, drawing and reading. Luckily the Prince could angle his cameras and see what she was seeing, and often he would do so to give her more privacy, looking away when appropriate. His favorite recent pastime had been to read along with her. Her most recent obsession had been about a child who was attending a magic school. It was most fascinating, but full of more death than even he was used to.

Adelaide seemed to be a fairly simple girl. She was a kind soul to others, and genuinely cared. She was from a well to do family and unfortunately, her parents seemed to do everything but pay attention to her. She spent most of her time in her room, surrounded by her books, her drawing pads and her two cats. One was named Emmy and the other Missy. She had named them when she was 3. One was a calico, the other a soft, creamy orange tabby. They gave her more love than either of her parents did, as well as the maid, who was named Ms. Rose. The older woman had attended to Adelaide since she was a young girl. Ms. Rose filled in as almost a foster mother would while her own mother had spent more time worrying about her career and the family's 'image' than anything else.