Veiled in Shadows and Brimstone

1

The Hazbin Hotel's ballroom was a flurry of activity as the young Queen of Hell, Charlie, made preparations for the Winter Ball that night. With her 6 children running around causing chaos, it was no easy task to maintain order. As she stood in the center of the room, overseeing the decorations and making sure everything was perfect, five blurs raced by her, with her oldest daughter, Liliana, running after them.
"Liliana, Aurora, Alarik, Damien, Noelle, and Nicholas Morningstar! Don't run inside! Now come here all of you," Charlie called out, her voice firm but filled with love. The six children stopped in their tracks, the twins and triplets' ears laid flat against their heads as they turned and walked over to their mother. Liliana, the responsible one of the group, spoke up first, "Yes Mama?" Charlie smiled at her daughter before turning her attention to the rest of the children. "Can one of you please tell me where your father is?" she asked, looking around the room in search of her husband. The siblings exchanged glances, silently communicating with each other. Before any of them could answer, a radio-filtered voice spoke from behind Charlie, "Where who is?" Startled, Charlie jumped and spun around to see her husband, Alastor, the radio demon and King of Hell, standing there with a mischievous grin on his face. He was impeccably dressed in his usual 1930s style suit, his red eyes twinkling with amusement. "Alastor, don't sneak up on me like that," Charlie scolded playfully, though the smile on her face betrayed her true feelings. She couldn't stay mad at him for long, he always knew how to make her laugh.

Alastor chuckled and wrapped an arm around his wife, pulling her close. "I couldn't resist, my dear. You looked so adorable trying to keep the kids in line," he teased, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Charlie rolled her eyes but couldn't help but laugh. Alastor always had a way of lightening the mood, even in the midst of chaos. She leaned into his embrace, feeling a sense of calm wash over her. With him by her side, she knew they could handle anything that came their way. As they stood there, watching their children play and laugh, Charlie felt a pang of guilt wash over her. She knew she had to tell Alastor the truth about her condition, but she couldn't bring herself to do it just yet. She was three weeks pregnant with their seventh fawn, and she didn't know how he would react. Before she could gather the courage to speak, Liliana tugged on her mother's sleeve, breaking the moment. "Mama, can we help with the decorations for the Winter Ball?" she asked, her eyes shining with excitement. Charlie smiled down at her daughter, grateful for the distraction. "Of course, sweetheart. Let's all work together to make this the best Winter Ball Hell has ever seen," she said, her heart swelling with love for her family. As they all set to work, hanging garlands and putting up lights, Charlie stole glances at Alastor, wondering how he would react when she finally told him the truth. She knew he loved their children more than anything, but this was a lot to take in.

🗝️ Couple hours later 🗝️

Charlie and Alastor sat in their shared private office at the Hazbin Hotel, the room filled with the sounds of scratching pens and shuffling papers. The couple was finishing up last minute paperwork before the Winter Ball, a grand event that was set to take place in just a few hours. As Charlie leaned over the desk, her blonde hair falling in front of her face, a wave of nausea suddenly swept over her. Alastor, her overprotective stag demon husband, immediately noticed the change in her demeanor. His ears lay flat in concern as he asked, "Charlie, are you alright?"Charlie forced a small smile, trying to play off the sudden sickness. "I'm fine, just a little stressed from ruling Hell, running the hotel, planning a ball, and raising six children," she replied, hoping Alastor would buy her excuse. But Alastor was not convinced. He stood up from his chair and walked over to his wife, his eyes filled with worry. "You know you can tell me anything, my dear. Is there something you're not telling me?" he inquired, his voice filled with concern. Charlie hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not to tell him the truth. But she ultimately decided to keep quiet, not wanting to burden him with the news just yet. She was three weeks pregnant with their seventh fawn, a secret she wanted to keep hidden from Alastor for as long as possible. The radio demon let out a sigh as he gently placed a hand on Charlie's shoulder. "Maybe you should go rest, my love. We still have a few hours before the Winter Ball. I can handle the rest of the paperwork and watch over our fawns," he suggested, his eyes filled with love and understanding. Charlie opened her mouth to protest, but Alastor cut her off with a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll take care of everything, my dear. Go upstairs and rest. I'll wake you when it's time to get ready for the ball," he assured her, his voice filled with warmth and love. Reluctantly, Charlie nodded and stood up from her chair. She made her way out of the office and headed upstairs to their bedroom, her mind swirling with thoughts of the secret she was keeping from Alastor. She knew she would have to tell him eventually, but for now, she wanted to enjoy this moment of quiet before the chaos of the Winter Ball. As Charlie lay down on the bed, she felt a sense of peace wash over her. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath, the weight of her secret lifting off her shoulders for the moment. She knew that she was lucky to have a husband like Alastor, someone who cared for her deeply and would do anything to make her happy. Downstairs, Alastor paced back and forth in the office, his thoughts consumed with worry for his wife. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, that Charlie was keeping something from him. But he trusted her, and he knew that she would tell him when the time was right. As the hours passed, Alastor busied himself with the final preparations for the Winter Ball. He made sure everything was in order, from the decorations to the food to the music. But his mind kept drifting back to Charlie and the secret she was keeping from him. Finally, as the sun began to set and the guests started to arrive, Alastor made his way upstairs to their bedroom. He gently shook Charlie awake, his eyes filled with concern. "It's time to get ready for the ball, my dear. Are you feeling any better?" he asked, his voice soft and filled with love. the sun began to set over the bustling city of Hell, Alastor made his way upstairs to the bedroom he shared with his beloved Charlie in the Hazbin Hotel. The hotel was adorned with intricate tapestries and lavish furnishings, a stark contrast to the chaos and debauchery of the outside world. Alastor couldn't help but worry about Charlie. Earlier in the day, he had noticed that she looked nauseated and when he asked if she was alright in their private office, she had brushed it off as just stress from ruling Hell, planning the Winter Ball, and raising their six fawns. He knew that she was a strong and capable Queen, but he couldn't shake the feeling of concern that gnawed at him. His ears twitched slightly as he walked down the hallway, the soft echo of his footsteps filling the empty space. Alastor knew that he was overprotective of Charlie, but he couldn't help himself. She was his doe, his beloved, and he would do anything to ensure her happiness and well-being.