𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍

2: The Emperor's call.

The sisters stood at the front of the hall, all lined up in a straight line, all staring intently at their father, who summoned them the moment they set foot within the castle walls.

Eness entered the castle halls, the blood on her boots dripping down to mix with the chiffon red carpet as her ginger hair clung to the blood on her shoulders. She paused when she saw her father.

His calculative blue eyes are cold, and stern. His dark hair scattered and ruffled like he had run a hand through one time too many. And his eyes sagged in exhaustion, though the current scowl on his face made him look anything but.

"Ah, I see you finally have the courtesy to join us, Eness," Duke Vestergaard said, as he glowered at his daughter.

Eness subtlety made her way to join her sisters in their position, standing next to Gilamora who seemed to be just as puzzled for the arrangement as her and the rest of them.

The duke cleared his throat loudly and began to speak. "While you seven were out on your little escapade this morning," he paused and stared at their blood soaked armour and the Kamau's head in Pranayaa's grasp.

He grimaced at the sight, and quickly summoned a shaking maid from the shadows to dispose of the unsightly thing, much to Pranayaa's disappointment. She was already planning out ways to mount the trophy to her chamber walls.

"I got a letter from the mainland." The duke finally announced. A chorus of gasps echoed through the hall, as the sins stared at him in dismay, and rightfully so.

The island chain of Pyrefall had seceded from the mainland empire of Flameheart more than a million years ago.

Flameheart was the ruling domain of all of Hell. It was home to the empire's royal family, and the current Emperor.

Shock and dismay were soon replaced with resignation and silent surprise.

"Why? What does the mainland want with Pyrefall?" Asked Wrenna, her tone rough and hard, almost as authoritative as her father's. The duke glared hard at his daughter, but excused her wayward tongue. He had more important things to reveal.

"It's not what the mainland wants, it's what the emperor wants." Vestergaard responded, suddenly feeling weary from reading the emperor's letter that morning, pondering on the words and what they meant for him and his lands. And daughters too, of course.

"What does the emperor want?" All the sisters chimed in anticipation, awaiting their father's response.

"I was going to delay this revelation till supper. But since you're all situated and eager, there's no use delaying the inevitable." Duke Vestergaard abruptly cleared his throat, this time much longer and louder, as to prepare them.

"The emperor wants a wife. He orders every one of you to the mainland on the eve of the red moon, two days away from now," said Vestergaard nonchalantly.

"So? We seceded centuries ago. The emperor cannot order us to do anything. He has no jurisdiction in Pyrefall." Sirena, the sin of Sloth acknowledged, and all the sins nodded in agreement.

"He specifically asked for you seven to be at the gathering for two reasons he mentioned in the letter. One, he wants to rebuild the fallen friendship of Pyrefall and Flameheart by marrying one of its rulers. Second, he wants to reintroduce the islands of Pyrefall back into the empire." Vestergaard answered, running his hand through his already disorganised hair.

"No. Write back to him and tell him we refuse his so-called alliance." Wrenna hissed, and Vestergaard simply shook his head, a clear NO. "I've already sent him a letter, accepting his proposal. This alliance is Pyrefall's chance to rejoin our homeland. To finally stop this enmity between us and Flameheart. I could not let that opportunity pass." Vestergaard asserted, meeting the eyes of his now furious daughters.

How dare their father take such an important decision without consulting them first? Thought all the sisters. Try as he might to mask his decision as beneficial, they all knew the real reason why he took it. As long as Pyrefall was separated from Flameheart, the ruler of Pyrefall would never be known as a king, only a duke.

They all knew how much their father hated the title. Calling it an insult to his prestige and person. He finally got a chance to be addressed as the title he wanted and be the father-in-law of the emperor. Being the tactical snake he was, of course he would have taken it. With or without his daughters' consents.

"Father, we can't just drop everything and go to the mainland. We have duties, responsibilities to our people and the world of man. You can't expect us to answer the emperor's call like lowly dogs just because you want some recognition!" Eness spat, fury lacing every word she spoke.

"Watch your tone with me, Eness. Or I will make you regret the day you graced the halls of 𝙢𝙮 kingdom." Vestergaard barked.

Eness retracted her fury and bit her tongue so hard she tasted blood. Blood that was automatically healed by her own powers from the cerulian gem within her heart.

A gem that all the sins possessed and held their powers, keeping them alive, immortal, and sane.

Lucinda decided to voice out her thoughts. "Father, no Pyrefallian has ventured outside the islands in years. How do you expect us to simply go and—." "That's enough from you all!" Vestergaard ordered, waving her off.

"But father—," Grizelle, the sin of Greed, started.

"I said enough!" Vestergaard yelled, his voice echoing throughout the hall.

"I will leave with you all in two days. You will all meet the emperor, he will decide how long you will stay, and pick one of you to wed. I expect you all to go to your chambers, clean up, and start packing." Vestergaard said, already walking away before his daughters could think of speaking further.

The sisters groaned, some mumbling curses under their breath, and some angrily storming their way up the staircase to their various chambers.

Eness was the only one who remained once her sisters were gone. Her fists balled up in a hard fist, and chewed on her tongue, causing it to bleed. And to her disappointment, healing itself quickly.

She was angry, and she was sure of one thing. Whomever this emperor was, she was going to make him regret turning his sights to her beloved kingdom to claim.