♱ •⋅ 1750 B.C. ⋅• ♱The ball had begun and as host, I had been the first among those with a great title - to enter."The duchess first duchess of the first territory, Asra Rubet Ignis, the first of her name, lady of the flames, the phoenix of Bernieri’s empire" announced to me and when I entered, those sharp eyes behind all the masks fixed on me.I raised my head - just as Asra would and brought the fan she held close to her chest. That was supposed to be Elaine’s ball - it was supposed to be the perfect time for her to shine and I wouldn’t allow anything to go wrong."Lady..." a mere countess addressed me, her sharp eyes were fixed in the place more to the corner of the hall, the one with couches and armchairs near the throne "I know I may be being rude as soon as I greet your grace, but... the duchess doesn’t think about leaving all the princes together, does she?"My lips arched into a half-moon as I waited. I waited to see how far that creature’s boldness would go."I believe your
♱ •⋅ 1750 B.C. ⋅• ♱ •⋅ Elaine ⋅• ♱My hands were freezing.Cold as they’ve never been before, not even in my first life."Are you ready, miss?" one of Asra’s maids asked me and I trembled. Was I?Cali had asked me to take time off that day and as much as her presence made me feel a thousand times calmer, I found it selfish of me to just stop her from having her time alone to help me get ready for a dance.Cali also deserved his personal time.Grunhi."I don’t know..." I muttered adjusting the skirt of my dress again and again. There was nothing to be tidied up and yet I insisted on passing my gloved hands - it was almost a way to calm down.One that wasn’t working.What if Calisto and Asra were already together? What if she left me there alone?What if Asra simply preferred not to take me to the ball anymore or if the nobles made her give up? What if... what if... what if Calisto looked at me like he did in other lives?That particular idea disgusted me as much as the idea that he cou
♱ •⋅ 1750 B.C. ⋅• ♱ •⋅ Calisto ⋅• ♱My eyes were fixed on Loren."What did you think, Dad?" he asked me as he spun on his heels. A complete and perfect spin.He was so excited about that fantasy that I didn’t even have the courage to say what I thought: it’s identical to the degenerate Asmodeus.In the end, maybe Loren didn’t mind my comparison - after all he liked the one he gently called uncle, even though I liked to make it clear that Asmodeus was NOT TO BE TRUSTED."It’s... beautiful..." I said trying to be sincere, but in a way - failing.Abbadon, who was standing next to him, held his laughter while certainly thinking the same as I did: that was divine punishment, plus one for the bill."What’s your fantasy, Dad?" Loren questioned me as she held a daffodil between her fingers.It was a shiny, golden daffodil, so beautiful I wondered if it was real."Hummm... don’t you know?" I asked, trying to provoke him.He bit his own mouth and mumbled softly."Hummmm... Hummm, uh... Humm..."
♱ •⋅ 1750 B.C. ⋅• ♱ •⋅ Samael ⋅• ♱I observed, just watched as each one entered, first Asra, then each of the 9 princes and finally..., Callisto, Callisto accompanied by Kezabel and a child, a beautiful blonde child who smiles so openly and genuinely that I couldn’t help but feel my heart skip a beat."Something interesting?" Anneliese asked me ironically and I turned to face her."The child" I said without looking at them again, I did not know if I could without wanting to approach him, without wanting to go to him and talk about how in the end he was so like her."Which one?""The blonde child.""Oh, what have you got? You want to take her as an experiment, sir?" There was sarcasm and disgust in her voice, but I snorted."No. He is the prince, Anneliese" those words left with bitterness for my mouth and the fall faced the little one who ran up to the phoenix and threw himself in it with joy."The son of...""Yes" I said as I analyzed him from afar, trying not to focus on his face, h
♱ •⋅ 1750 B.C. ⋅• ♱ •⋅ Loren ⋅• ♱I delivered a daffodil to Asra and also handed one to Uncle Asmodeus; Asra’s eyes shone brightly as she hugged and kissed me - saying that it was impossible to have a prince cuter and lovelier than me.A part of me agreed with this, but it was to see the smile of Uncle Asmodeus that made me feel a little warm in the heart."You really made them bloom... made all these bloom" he said in a mixture of surprise and pride "how did it feel when he saw them so beautiful?""Happy" I said sitting next to him as Asra went out to fetch someone "they are the symbols of my egoism."Uncle Asmodeus' fingers messed up my hair which was blonde, as blond as his at that time."Who let you be so cute, am? Am? I should squeeze you until you scream for help! 'He said with his teeth clenched and I laughed, laughed because I knew he wouldn’t do it - but that he was really in the mood."I know it’s your way of saying you love me, but be kinder, uncle..." I said leaning my hea
♱ •⋅ 1750 B.C. ⋅• ♱ •⋅ Asmodeus ⋅• ♱The child of Callisto seemed determined to torture me, since after the first dance was over he told me to dance with Lucifer again and again and again and again!Whenever the music closed and we both went back to our places, he repeated with a huge smile."AGAIN! AGAIN!" And when at last that was the 7th time, I dropped Lucifer in the middle of the hall and sneaked away from there.I couldn’t say no to that cute little face who was dressed as Narcissus, but I certainly wouldn’t dance with the princess of the third territory again either.When I was at last out of that hall, I sighed with relief. I could wait another hour or two - that should be enough for him to be tired and go back to his room, or at least forget this crazy idea of becoming Lucifer’s friend or forcing me to dance."Running away? Really? And even more of a child and a woman?" Belial teased me and I slid my hands through my hair, fixing them behind the rabbit mask I still wore."Why
♱ •⋅ 1750 B.C. ⋅• ♱Asmodeus danced so many times with Lucifer that for a moment I wondered if he had begun to take an interest in the inexpressive-faced, cold-voiced princess, but as soon as he fled the corners, I realized the truth: Loren was a little manipulator who was certainly involved in that situation.Smiles with Elaine hugging my arm.Thanks to my presence, none of the unpleasant nobles had dared to approach the "saint" and Elaine had danced, tasted the sweets she wanted and even talked to some nobles who seemed genuinely kind.She laid her head on my shoulder when I called her to rest beside the princes."Are you sure? What if they hate me?"I slipped my hand over yours."They are not going."'They’re just needy children' I wanted to add, but I couldn’t while she seemed so sweet and determined. I didn’t want him to feel that his efforts weren’t so great because they were easy to keep around."If you say..." she smiled at me and that smile shown beneath the star mask made my
♱ •⋅ 1750 B.C. ⋅• ♱ •⋅ Loren ⋅• ♱Uncle Asmodeus had disappeared among all those people with colorful clothes and masks. I wanted to look for him, but when I tried, Abbadon held my hand and said it wasn’t safe. I wanted to be selfish and tell her that I would go anyway, but... I had been selfish many times in those last few days and was afraid that something bad would happen, if that were the case, Dad would be sad... and I didn’t want him sad.I sighed and while Asra still danced with the girl who looked like a star, I moved further to the corner, in a quieter and darker place where my eyes could close briefly."Do you feel lonely?" A gentle voice asked me and when I lifted my face to see who it was, I came across the blond man who had stood next to Uncle Asmodeus all night."Hummm... I don’t know" I said laying my head to the side while listening to the music from the hall "I wouldn’t say I’m lonely, would you? Uncle’s gone and left you behind..."The blond man smiled."Let’s just s