—It wouldn't have hurt if you hadn't fought back, Kid. —
I stand up, brushing some small rocks off my bruised knees. Now in the throne's room, Sabrina looks at me, sitting where Lucifer was with a brand new crown on Her head.
—Do you like it? I made it myself. —She leans back on the throne, fixing Her crown.
—Why am I here? —
—Law, if you could call it that. —She shrugs. —My first decree was to close Hell. It had to be done. These last days were devastating for the demon population and now we're taking care of that. —She nods at me, —Weren't you worried about demons on Earth? You should be happy now that they're all back and if they don't cooperate, they get imprisoned. You're welcome. —
The cells hanging from the ceiling are now all full, some of them with more than one demon. They show signs of being tortured.
I frown. —For how long? —
—Oh, don't get me wrong, it's permanent. —
Permanent. Hell's rules around interdimensional travelling were always very vague and easy to bend, but they were never considered permanent. Hell has never seen any permanent rules, except for the ones regarding the throne.
She notices my silence, and decides to explain. —This kingdom's gone through its worst millenia, and you know why? Because demons don't help their own civilization. —She starts making some gestures, —They keep sneaking out, creating illegal portals, living in other worlds and leeching off their inhabitants. We could be thriving! —this, She says to the caged demons, scolding them. —We could be flourishing as a nation. The potential is wasted in... Playing with other beings and being annoying. —She tilts Her head, smiling at me, —You're one of those demons, Kid. —
—And you aren't? —
Sabrina has a reputation on Earth. Witches know Her, and I would not be surprised if some humans knew Her by other names. She's known for interacting with them more than other higher demons. She plays with other beings and She likes using them - She cannot expect other demons not to.
She raises an eyebrow, bothered by my comment. —Difference is, I care about Hell. —
—You are right, I don't care. I don't want to be here. I don't like it here. —
I can't stay here permanently. I can't even stay for a day, for a matter of fact. I don't know if I can survive Hell - especially after my few bad interactions with demons that will most definitely be here - and I just... Don't really want to be here, you know? She promised me peace. I did my part of the deal. She needs to do Hers. She doesn't need me anymore.
—Well, too bad for you and your attitude. —She stands up from the throne, slowly making Her way to me. —You want pleasure, you want fun, but you don't want the responsibility of being a demon. I shouldn't have left you with the prince. He made you as hedonistic as him. —She fixes the collar of my shirt, fastening the last button. —I can help you out of that behaviour, but right now, if we want the kingdom to thrive, I'll have to treat you like any other demon. —
Why isn't Vic here, then? —What about Victoire? —She frowns, not recognising the name. —The other heir. —
—Ah. —She shrugs. —I can't do anything about cambions, you know, half demon half something. Only pure demons are under my jurisdiction. —
—I'm half demon, half god. —
Sabrina laughs. —No you're not. —She shakes Her head, rolling Her eyes. —You're a hundred percent demon, don't be stupid. And god isn't even a race, it's a status. —with a smile, She implies it's a status She has reached, or at least She's trying to reach. —Before you say it, you're not Asgardian, either. Not even the prince is Asgardian. —
I was not going to bring that up, but really, what makes a being, something? Is it their blood or is it their upbringing? Genetically, I'm nothing more than a demon, but Father raised me as an Asgardian, and Sabrina, whether She would admit it or not, let me interact with the human Wicca culture. Does that make me an asgardian demon with some human culture, or am I nothing more than a demon?
And it is true - Father isn't asgardian, biologically. He's from Jotunheim, the land of the frost giants, but he was raised asgardian to the point of becoming king of the realm. Is he still not asgardian? Will beings like us only be recognised by our blood, and not our culture?
She continues. —Honestly, he's barely a god. —
Who is She to declare if someone's a god?
I sigh, holding that comment back. Instead, I change the topic, —I want to be left alone. You said you would leave me alone-—
—And I will! —She interrupts, smiling wide, seemingly not reading my lack of excitement. —Hell's huge, Kid. While I sit here and do my royal shit you can have the rest of Hell for yourself. I mean, not literally, but you can hang out there. We'll only see each other like once a decade. —
Once a decade.
She expects me to stay here for decades. I wasn't even created a decade ago. What does She even want me to do in Hell for years? Walk around and count the rocks? Observe the house of Lust from afar when I feel like it? I would rather die than stay in this kingdom. She lied to me and She thinks I'm okay with it.
—Or you can take the role of princess. —there is no such role in Hell. —I know you like being one, a little birdie told me you're considered a princess in Asgard. I can create the role for you. And you'd actually be helpful for your kind. —
—No. —
I cannot keep being soft and indirect with Her. She will not understand my feelings, no matter how obvious they are. I have to say things straight. I have to tell Her the things I know She doesn't want to hear. She can't ruin me more.
—I don't agree with your decision. —still, I can try to change Her mind. —Demons will keep leaving illegally, no matter what you do. The only way to control damages is to allow them. —
Her face and shoulders drop.
—I'll ask you again. —She says, —Do you believe in making Hell a mighty kingdom? —
I was a child when She first asked. A child under Her influence. But, I will admit, my answer has not changed. Sure, I don't want to do anything with Hell, but it doesn't mean I don't want it to thrive as a kingdom. I want it to be successful. I want it to be good. Sabrina and I have the same wish for Hell, but we have different approaches, and only now She's beginning to notice.
I nod.
—Good. We're not so different. —Her voice sounds happy, but there isn't a smile on Her face anymore. —You're just a child. You don't understand this mess. I've been working for this for centuries, understand? —when She's close enough to my face, she whispers, —If you're not going to help me, step to the side. I know what I'm doing. What was that saying again...? —She takes a step back, thinking for a second. Then, She opens Her arms. —Mother knows best, Starchild. —
—You're not my mother. —
Sabrina didn't even bother to give me a name. She has no right to call Herself a mother.
She blinks in surprise. —Oh. Okay. —
Without saying anything else, She walks back to the throne, standing on it to reach the sword of Pride behind it. She snatches it from the holder, jumps back to the floor, and stands again in front of me, this time holding the sword between us.
With a swift movement, She turns it around, so the handle is on my side. She nods at it, inviting me to grab it. —Kill me, then. I'm not your mother, you don't like my decisions, you don't even want me as a queen. What do you want, Kid? —She tilts Her head. I don't answer, and She insists on the sword. —Kill me if that's what you want. —
Could I kill Her? I might risk getting more enemies from that action. And, of course, if She dies, I'm the next in line. It would make me the queen. I can't kill Her.
—Exactly. —She keeps the sword by Her side. —You know what's best for you. Don't complain about me if you're not going to do anything to change it. —
She moves back to the throne, dragging the sword behind Her.
Sabrina sits down. —You can leave now. —She winks. —Good luck in Hell. —