ACEDIA: Love in Hell

5 - DEMONS AT WORK

VALEFAR

"Do you wish me to chain her to the bed, your Majesty?" Lamia asks as I settle Ruthie into a pair of her arms. She's sleeping soundly, and curls up into the woman with a little sigh.

I shake my head. "No no, but do be there when she wakes. She has much to learn about this place and I would prefer to not find her under attack from ignorant courtiers again."

Lamia's thin brows furrow and she clutches Ruth a bit tighter. I feel a small wave of jealousy roll over me. Why is Lamia coming off protective of the girl? She's mine, not hers. I force a smile on to my lips and resist the urge to take her back, .

"I apologize for leaving her." Lamia says after a tense moment. "She seemed to be doing well, and I wrongly assumed that she would be no trouble."

"Humans are finicky. I would know, I was one once." I give her a wink, stroking Ruthie's cheek. "She is special, Lamia. I will not have her harmed under my care."

It's clear Lamia agrees, though probably not to the same extent as me. She's been my chamberlain a few centuries now, and probably sees Ruthie has something fun to break up the monotony of court life. There hasn't been much excitement here since Malthus died and I became king.

I grumble a little. Thinking about my predecessor always got me riled up, especially now that I'm in a similar boat he was in. He once had a virgin human he kept as his own. And that's how I ended up King. I'll make sure Ruthie won't want me dead once we get to know each other. I'm not the monster he was anyway.

"May I ask what you find so special about her, your Majesty?"

Lamia's question snaps me out of my little trance. I had been staring at Ruth for a good minute, brushing her wavy locks from her face and then tracing my clawtips down her neck to the wound I had inflicted. It marred her skin, but it wouldn't last. After only a few hours of biting her, the wound was healing well. I found when I had pulled my mouth from her limp body that I didn't like seeing her cut up. Her skin should stay flawless.

"She's my soul mate." I finally answer. "I felt it the moment I laid eyes on her. I plan to turn her into a shadow demon and make her my queen... when she's ready, of course." I pull my hand away, letting Lamia turn around and carry Ruthie off towards my chambers.

She does not question me, and I know it's because Jorōgumo bond with each other the same way we shadow demons do.

Smoothing out the front of my clothes, I make my way back towards the study. There, Chancellor Bolfri stood on one end of the table, flanked by none other than the three bajang I had dealt with earlier in the night. I frown a little and glare between the four of them.

Bolfri is a loyal demon and smart to boot, so there would be a reason he's here with them. There's a reason whatever they wanted to whine to me about can't wait until tomorrow.

"Your Majesty," Bolfri eyes me through his blindfold. "The lords of Palati have brought something to my attention, and I think you need to hear it sooner rather than later."

I set my hands on my hips, utterly inconvenienced. "I have things to sort out. I have... people I need to watch; new charges on earth. What is so important it can't wait until morning?"

"Let me first apologize sincerely for our actions last night," The first bajang says, bowing. I never bothered to learn their names. "We had no desire to insult you by attacking your virgin or demeaning her. We are still getting used to the change in how humans are to be treated."

"Yes, we know you owe us no leniency in how slow we are to let old habits die," The second adds. "But we still beseech you for it."

"We are victims of our stations, after all." The third one concludes.

"You're forgiven, and I apologize in return. How would anyone here know that I'm apparently very territorial over my possessions?"

I grin a little as Bolfri clears his throat. "I mean besides you, Chancellor."

"We should discuss this girl at another time, your Majesty." He grumbles. "But for now, the lords of Palati..."

"Yes yes," Lord #1 says. "Our neighboring Duke of Aggrocea was in a dispute with us over the town lines, and we were originally going to speak with you on that."

"We sent spies to gather more information, and discovered something very... unsettling." Lord #2 says.

"Aggrocea is housing rebels from Lust." Lord #2 finally gets to the point. "We believe Lord Gaap to be among them."

I raise an eyebrow. All right, this is important. The king of Lust, Ifera, had been in a deep sleep for well over a millennia. In his stead, the country was ruled and managed by Lord Gaap of Sodom until he woke a few years back. Ifera was not pleased with the state of his court and banished Gaap, and now we're getting reports of a rebellion to those loyal to him everywhere. This is the first time Gaap himself has been mentioned, though.

Bolfri clasps his hands behind him, waiting for me to say something. I'm not entirely surprised. While my country does not share a border with Lust, it does with Wrath, and I know the monarchy there would happily aid in Gaap's efforts.

Wrath is ruled by a demon who was once human like me. Fallen angels refer to us as 'human-turned', to remind us that we're not like them; that we're beneath them. Once only fallen angels could be Kings or Queens, but this changed when Cain took control of Wrath then again when I took control of Sloth. Since then, it's been our sole purpose to take down the angels, and make the underworld our own.

"While Gaap wasn't that great a regent, he's still human-turned and I'm thinking with Wrath's backing of his army and my tutelage, we could shape him to be a true king."

"Your tutelage? You think you can train him?" Bolfri is most likely rolling his eyes behind the blindfold. "You think you can control him?"

"If Cain and I help him overthrow Ifera, it would not be for free. He can't do it on his own and he'll be indebted to us."

I look towards the three bajang. "Continue your surveillance. I want concrete evidence that Gaap is here in Sloth. Also let me know what you find out about the property lines. If Aggrocea does not inform me of Gaap and I find out he's there, things will... be less favorable for the Duke."

The lords all grin and one of them rubs his hands together. Odds are they will do something to mess up Aggrocea's chances of coming forth if what they say is true, but I reward deception as much as I reward honesty if it benefits me in the end. After a moment of scheming, the three bow and I wave them off, looking over to Bolfri.

"Well, now that I'll have time to myself," I run my hands along the table before us. "I have humans on earth. Two stupid boys that want to get rich off robbing banks."

"The ones who sacrificed the virgin." Bolfri confirms.

"Yes. I'm going to go watch them for a bit until court resumes. Do not disturb me unless it's important enough to throw my concentration. Understood?"

He bows. "Your Majesty."