An Arrangement was Made

Chapter 2: Desperation Makes People Do Weird Things

Charlie was pacing around her bedroom. Her mind was racing. Everything was wrong. Nothing had gone right. Her plan had not only failed, it had backfired. The exterminations hadn't stopped, her hotel hadn't been approved, and worst off she had drawn Adam's personal ire. At least before he wasn't planning on targeting her friends specifically.

Vaggie being a fallen angel was the cherry on top. If Vaggie had told Charlie herself that she was a fallen exorcist, Charlie would've been conflicted but ultimately she would've forgiven her. But now?! Their relationship just couldn't go back to what it was. How much else was Vaggie hiding from her? Regardless of how much Charlie loved her, she just couldn't trust her anymore.

It was time to do something rash. She was out of options. It was time to be more than just a hotel manager. It was time to be a princess.

Charlie took a day to calm herself down, then she went to planning. From what she had heard in court, Sera had agreed to the exterminations because she didn't want hell to rebel. That was good. That meant that she was still someone she could reason with. So she didn't think redemption was possible? Fine, Charlie would just think of some other alternative that would curb heaven's fears.

Just because she presented a different option, didn't mean she couldn't work on her hotel at the same time. Her hotel would have to operate in the shadows outside of heaven's view.

Charlie marched over to the heaven embassy with her new plans in hand. She had written them as professional and unemotional as she could. In order for this to work, she needed to prove that she could be a serious princess.

Emily had been the most vocally sympathetic to her cause in court. She hadn't been the only angel who seemed to agree that the exterminations needed to end, but she had been the most vocal. Since Charlie actually knew her name, she was able to organize a meeting with her without her dad's help. She was honestly relieved that she wouldn't have to ask her dad to help her with this again. She didn't want to be burden to him anymore than she already had. He said he supported her dreams now but that support felt shaky, like it could be taken away if she pushed him too hard.

It was through Emily that Charlie was able to get to Sera. It had been a hologram meeting like she had with Adam. That made it much easier to do. Emily invited Sera into her office under the guise of a casual talk, which allowed Charlie to actually get a chance to speak to her.

"The exterminations are fueling anti-heaven sentiment amongst my people, both sinners and hellborn alike. If you keep going this route, rebellion will be inevitable. I know that you believe that redemption for sinners is impossible, but that doesn't mean that we can't explore other options to solve both of our problems."

"What are you proposing?"

"Let me manage my own people. I am Princess of Hell, if anyone should be curbing rebellions, it ought to be me."

"Please let her try Sera." Emily implored. "I mean, what's the worst that could happen? It won't work?"

Sera twined her fingers together and rested her chin in the middle of them. She seemed deep in thought.

"I will think it over." Was the only response they got from her that day. It was a week later that they had gotten a real response.

While she was waiting, Charlie had made preparations for the upcoming extermination. She and her staff had dug out a bunker under the hotel that could not be opened from the outside once it was locked. She had stocked it with supplies to last a few weeks (just in case, you never know) as well as tools to dig themselves out if they chose to barricade the door. It wasn't a perfect solution but it should stall them long enough for Adam to get bored and go kill somewhere else.

"I accept your plan, but on condition." Sera had told her. "You will marry an angel of my choosing." Charlie's eyes widened.

"What? Why?"

"I need to ensure that you are not like your father. I need to be certain that you are serious about this, and I want one of my own there to make sure that you are properly managing your people."

Charlie didn't want this. She really didn't want this. "Sometimes a king has to do things he doesn't want to do to keep his people safe." That was what her father had told her when she realized that he had let the exterminations happen on purpose. Lucifer had used that line of thinking to let the exterminations happen in the first place, now Charlie would use that logic to make them stop.

"I accept."