Redemption [malexmale]

Chapter Sixteen

Because I could make Ambrosius happy. I could let Ambrosius be who he wanted to be. I would never punish him for being himself. And I would especially not allow something like The Room to be in my realm.

A knock on the door interrupted our cuddling. Ambrosius grunted and flopped face down on the bed. I smirked before sliding away from the bed, pulling my robes on as I made my way to the door to see Raven standing there, looking awkward, his dark hair ruffled.

"So, remember the troops that were supposed to come in today?"

"Yes?"

"They're all here right now."

"What?" I demanded. I looked at my ring, wondering why Remi hadn't alerted me, then back up at Raven, who just held his hands up and cleared his throat.

"If I were you, I'd get dressed. Let the prince know too, because his troops are also here and waiting restlessly. They're general also isn't too enthused that you aren't awake." He muttered. I nodded and dismissed him before closing the door and returning to the bed. Ambrosius propped himself up on an elbow, rubbing at his eye.

"What was that about?" He asked tiredly.

"Our troops arrived." I deadpanned. Ambrosius blinked at blankly before it hit him and his eyes widened in horror. He cursed and scrambled out of bed, almost tripping on the blankets before he made it to the closet.

"Get dressed," I told him, "I'm going to get ready in my own room. We'll meet in the lobby and greet them together." Ambrosius only nodded frantically. I left him to get ready and went to my room to shower and dress. Instead of the loose casual robes I normally wore, I switched it out for loose baggy black pants and a black tank top, with a white sash tied snugly around my waist. I attached a couple of hidden daggers and a sword as well as a pistol and a hand grenade. It wasn't that I didn't trust Ambrosius... I didn't trust his men. Or rather, Hades's men. I grabbed my keffiyah and draped it around my shoulders and neck before heading out of my room and downstairs to where Ambrosius was waiting. He too was decked in black from head to toe, baggy pants and a loose, translucent long sleeved shirt with a lace up front, and a belt that holstered numberous, unfriendly weapons.

"We need an alarm clock." Ambrosius grumbled, adjusting his shirt and sleeves. I smiled warily.

"Remi was supposed to be our alarm clock." I offered.

"Yeah, and I left," Remi said from behind us, making us turn to glare at him, "Whoa, don't give me those looks. You two started to get all creepy and cuddly and there's no way I'm sticking around for that, so I went to make breakfast. You missed beignets and coffee." I sighed wistfully at the loss and Ambrosius just rolled his eyes before we left the mansion. Raven was waiting for us outside, along with the Sins all neatly lined up behind him like soldiers. Thankfully, Alaric and Dania were still somewhere in the house. I wouldn't be able to control all these people, and those two running around causing mischief.

Aside from Raven and the Sins, the entire left half of my drive was occupied by soldiers from my father's army. They all wore the snug black padded jumpsuits with angel wings etched into the backs. Once again, not dressed for the desert, and looking sweaty and gross. Not that Ambrosius's army was any better. They took up the entire right side of my drive almost all the way down, and dressed in the form-fitting black steel armor trimmed in gold.

"I fee like everyone is conveniently forgetting we're in the desert," I said dryly, "While black isn't a bad color, it is if it's in several layers. These people are going to die of heat stroke before they can defend anything." Raven shrugged helplessly, then tucked his hands behind his back again with a grim frown.