The Paths of Sin and Redemption

Chapter 45 -- Updated

A/N: Update! Hello everyone and sorry for the confusion to the ending when this was first posted; I'd thought the entire chapter uploaded but I guess not. I also apologize for the wait on this chapter. It's been meant years since I've updated this story and a lot has happened in my personal life. I've battled life-threatening health issues and I've lost my father since the last time I posted, which explains my absence. Hopefully, now that I've recovered (both physically and emotionally) I'll be able to pick up this story again and finally finish it. Thank you to all who still enjoy reading this and please, enjoy the full chapter. I look forward to reading your comments.

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The following week was abuzz with activity. Invitations were sent out all over the Cherubic lands--personal invitations to noble houses and public proclamations issued to town magistrates to inform their people. The cooks were bringing in fresh ingredients from all across Asia, breweries were taking their best wine and sake out of storage, the gardeners were deep in the flora and fauna to perfect the palace landscape, guards were polishing their armour and increasing security, more help was hired, and maids/manservants were tending to everything within the palace walls--sculptures and chandeliers were dusted, tapestries, silks, and fine linens were washed, statuaries polished and guest rooms aired out--all leading up to the big event, the reintroduction of the long lost Cherub Prince to society. 

The servants had all been curious about who the young hanyou and his family were and why their sudden arrival had garnered nearly all the attention of their King for nearly 2 weeks straight, though they all kept respectfully quiet. However, once official word reached the Grand Chamberlain and he was permitted to inform the palace staff, the shock was an absolute understatement. The sun had not set that day before each ring of the city knew that the late Lord Toketsu's child had returned from the dead and that a grand celebration for all was unavoidable. 

While the entire nation was alive with activity, said child continued to learn more and more about his new people and deep family history. The beginning of the week found the young hanyou and his family following Suno as he regaled fabulous tales from throughout Angelic history, putting faces to names as portraits of past monarchs and the royal family lined the endless halls of the palace. Mephiles could only smile as he walked beside his mate, pleased to see Silver soaking up every word like a sponge.

"And last but certainly not least...here we are," Lord Suno smiled as he turned a corner, the small group coming to stand before an immense picture at the end of the hall--a beautiful, handcrafted portrait of Lord Suno, a baby Silver...and his mom and dad.

The hanyou gasped, eyes wide as he stepped further, gazing fixedly upon the amber gaze of his father, with the late king seated on a throne in the center of the portrait. At that time, a much younger Suno stood behind the elaborate chair to his right, and the beautiful lady Ame stood to the left, her hand placed lovingly atop her mate's shoulder. A smiling baby Silver in the most adorable little kimono was comfortably reclined in his father's lap, his large protective hand keeping his baby safe as the pup gummed away at a large ring of gold that'd been stolen from his father's wrist. The artist truly did capture a moment in time, as Prince Suno could be seen trying to hold in his laughter, Lady Ame's kind eyes were crinkled around the edges from smiling at her precious baby, and despite trying to look serious for the portrait, the laughter could be seen in Lord Toketsu's eyes as well. Nothing but love for the little hanyou could be felt through the heartwarming painting even after all these years.

"I-I.....I," Silver choked out, tears flowing from his eyes as he shakily reached out and touched the hand cradling his infant counterpart, his watery gaze repeatedly going from his father to his mother, taking in every detail of each parent and trying his best to ingrain the image of them in his memory.