"P-princess Eris?" Diya wasn't sure if she should feign confusion or fear so she settled somewhere in the middle.
"Why would she do that?" Sebastian objected in a sharp tone. "She helped us during the Great War- she and her other siblings."
The Emperor sighed and shook his head. "Look, Sebastian, I know that you're less wary of the little demon after she saved your life, but you have to remember what she is."
"I've only heard rumours about Princess Eris," Diya ventured with a tentative chuckle. "Who exactly is she?"
Caspian's expression darkened like gathering storm clouds. "Princess Eris, the surviving adopted daughter of the Queen and King Consort of the Demon Realm. You met her brother, Prince Kyler, a while ago."
"Yes, I recall."
"Well, imagine someone twice as dangerous and three times as cunning."
Well, Kyler is not going to be happy about that. Diya thought with a laugh disguised as a cough. She forced out an expression of shock.
"Anyone who gets on her bad side is automatically done for," one of the strangers drawled. He flicked his green hair over his shoulders and gave Diya a languid look. "Count yourself lucky you haven't met her."
His companion with a pointed nose shuddered. "I've looked into her eyes once- such a murderous intent I've never felt before! I pray she doesn't remember me."
Don't worry, I don't.
"I've heard other stories." Duke Greishen clasped his fingers together with a conspiratorial grin. "Many think she's one of the most beautiful people in the Empire- certainly the most out of her siblings."
I always knew I liked you, Duke. Diya bit back a smile and cleared her throat, attempting to retain her dignity.
Sebastian glanced back and whispered, "You good? Do you want some water?"
Diya shook her head. "No, it's fine–"
"Well, I have seen her and I honestly do not see what all this fuss is about." Caspian shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "She looks quite plain, if I'm being frank."
I will take your cane and beat you over the head with it. Diya's expression soured like milk left outside in the heat for too long and she gripped her hands tightly behind her back.
"If this is a matter of demons," Sebastian said. "Then we should consult the priests at the temple. Perhaps they can give an insight on the matter."
A chill shot through Diya as if a knife was scraping against her spine and she suppressed a shudder. The temple represented light, love, and humility- completely contrasting the doom and darkness of Necromancers and demons. She could also never forgive them for being filthy hypocrites and turning their backs on her when she needed support most.
Emperor Carlos leaned back and nodded in contemplation. "That is not a bad suggestion, Crown Prince. We will have to go there and get Lady Diya blessed in order for her to formally enter the Imperial household."
A pit opened in Diya's stomach, similar to the sensation of being dropped down a long tunnel. "I'm sorry, what?"
Emperor Carlos bristled at the lack of respect in her tone, but answered. "You will be blessed by the High Priests in order to remove any impurities, and then I will formally introduce you to society as the Crown Prince's bodyguard. This should have happened earlier, but the Empress convinced me to allow you time to settle in after the trial."
"T-thank you for your courtesy," Diya fumbled with her words, tugging on the collar of her shirt. Her vision tunnelled as if she was the only person in the room, the Emperor's words reverberated in her skull.
The rest of the meeting proceeded without a hitch, or mention of the demon Princess, but Diya found it hard to grapple with their words and force meaning into it. Afterwards, she heard Sebastian speaking and was vaguely aware of her giving an excuse and leaving as fast as possible.
She grabbed her cloak from the rack and ignored the disdainful looks the palace guards gave her as she crossed the gates. As Diya delved into the shadiest alleys of the Capital, she pulled up her hood.
Beggars and lechers approached, their features contorted into either desperation or greed. Diya released a small amount of her aura and they scampered away like frightened rats. Her lips twisted into a sneer. Pathetic.
With clammy hands, she handed over seven chrysums to the manager of a run-down hotel- of which she was a regular. The manager took with eager eyes and promised not to let anyone disturb Diya.
Diya shut and bolted the door behind her and let out a sigh. The room was bare with rotting, wooden floorboards and a ceiling that sagged from the excess weight of moisture. Her nose wrinkled at the pungent scent of a stale corpse- the source being a mutilated mouse in the corner.
She raised her right sleeve and summoned a shard of shadow. With barely more than a wince, she made a gash on her arm and allowed the blood to trickle down in a rough circle.
Bending down, she traced a symbol and murmured words that she'd said a thousand times before. Black smoke emerged from the sigils and coalesced into a glittering, swirling oval of darkness as it rose.
Switching to the demonic tongue, Diya spoke, "I, Princess Eris of the Shadows, daughter of the Queen and King Consort, request to be put through to my family."
The oval glowed then fizzled into a throne room Diya knew so well that she could name every feature of the room with her eyes closed.
Her gaze tracked the long, wooden table dominating the centre and she caught sight of the scratch that she made when she was four and had attempted to cut her own food, the black and gold ribbons hung from the walls and edged with paint from an unfortunate accident with a magic spell and even a chair with one leg slightly shorter than the others after Eirian played a prank on Kyler. Diya even caught sight of a crayon drawing she'd made, the edges furled and yellowed with age yet kept on a place of honour on the wall as if it was inlaid with gold.
"Eris? Is that you?" Eirian emerged and adjusted her glasses with a wide smile. "Hey! Guys look- it's her!"
"Eris is back?" A red-headed demon appeared, the hard lines of his face softened by the warmth in his eyes. "Eris! Is it really you?"
"Azrael-san!" Diya gasped, pressing a trembling hand to her mouth. To her great shame, tears gathered in her eyes and she wiped them away with her sleeve. "It's been too long."
"Two years," he whispered with a soft smile. Then a mischievous note uplifted his tone. "Two years I've not been by your side and you've already gotten yourself into trouble! Did you hit your head or something? Why're you working for the Imperial bastards?"
Diya scratched the back of her neck. "It's a very long story."
Azrael reached out to hug her, but flinched upon realising it was merely an illusion. He swallowed thickly and attempted a smile. "Lucas-san's return was delayed, wasn't it? Aunt and Uncle said he was going to be back soon now."
Diya inhaled shakily, remembering how her chest hurt as her heart clenched at the painful thought of not being able to see her brother for a while longer. "When he comes back, we'll have a reunion- a proper one this time."
"I can't wait."
Diya pulled herself together, aware that the magic wouldn't last long. "Anyways, this isn't a social call. Is Kyler-san there? I need to talk to him."
"Yeah, one second." He cleared his throat and raised his voice to a shockingly off-key note. "Oh, brother! I set fire to your precious sword and it's melting!"
There was a loud bang and footsteps thundering down the stairs. The door burst open and Kyler started to scream foul insults that would have sent a priest into cardiac arrest, but stopped short at the sight of an amused Diya.
He narrowed his eyes at Azrael. "There was no fire, was there?"
Azrael gave a crooked smirk. "Whoops. Must've been hallucinating. Anyways, nice hairstyle."
Kyler's scowled, his fingers twitching as if they wanted to wrap around Azrael's throat. Instead, he ran a hand through his tangled hair which looked as if a water rat had found permanent residence there.
"So, Kyler-san. I need your help," Diya cut in before he launched into a tirade about the benefits of great hair. "My cover might be blown soon. It might lead to my scholarship into RAN getting jeopardised."
"What?" His gaze snapped over and he crossed the room to stand in front of her. If Diya closed her eyes, she could almost imagine that he was physically standing right next to her. "How? I thought all suspicion was off you once I revealed my identity?"
"They don't suspect me," Diya said with a wince. "But they want to talk to Princess Eris and also bless Lady Diya at the temple."
"But they're the same person!" Azrael cried out, shoving Kyler out of the frame. "And if you're blessed by a priest–"
"I'm well aware of the consequences. I have no desire to burst into flames- what a horrible way to go." Diya sighed and pressed the bridge of her nose as a headache started to form. I need to get back to the castle before they notice I'm gone for too long.
"Wait, Eris." Azrael squinted and leaned so close she could count the freckles splayed across the bridge of his nose. "Is that blood on your sleeves? Are you hurt? Did the Imperials do it? If they did, I swear I will storm the bloody castle and–"
"No, you don't have to do that!" She chuckled and gestured around her. "I needed some fresh blood for the Magic Circle–"
"You casted a Magic Circle?" Azrael's expression darkened until it resembled a thundercloud and the other two's expressions were eerily similar. "Why, why would you do that?"
"W-well," Diya stammered, tugging her sleeve down to hide the full extent of the injury. "I needed to contact you guys quite urgently."
"Then you should've used a rat or forced that pasty prince to drink some poison causing him to cough up blood." Eirian huffed and stepped closer with a pained look, reaching out her hand as if she would cradle Diya's face if this wasn't an illusion.
"And risk getting hanged for treason?" Diya scoffed and tried to push back the sudden lurch of emotions erupting in her chest.
"We would break you out. Wouldn't be the first time." Azrael shrugged and messed up his hair. Kyler slapped away his hand and tidied it up again with an annoyed tsk.
Diya winced at the memory. "I'd rather not have to resort to that method again. Remember how mad Mother was?"
A collective shudder went through the group.
"Anyways, melantha." Kyler stepped forwards and nodded. "Don't worry about it. We'll–"
The Magic Circle fizzled and, with a loud bang!, combusted in on itself with a wave of bright, purple light that caused Diya to shield her eyes with her arms. When the heat receded, she cursed and looked up with a glare that could have reduced the rotting wooden room to ashes. Damnit! I need to leave at least two days before I can summon another one.
She sighed and opened the door where a curious manager, attracted by the noise, had appeared. Diya tossed her another chrysum to buy silence and tugged her hood over her head, using the shadows to conceal most of her face.
"Excuse me, Miss?" A young child staggered over, clothed in nothing but rags and the skin stretched taut over his skull and deeply sunken under his cheekbones. "Spare some coin fer me?"
A young boy's face flitted across her vision- wide eyes, messy hair and a beaming smile as he held a sword in his hands–
Diya gave him a cold look and resisted the urge to press a hand against the bulging bag of money by her side, which would alert the thieves in the district. "I have nothing left, child."
Ignoring his helpless cries, she walked away, allowing the shadows to conceal her form.
*****************
I hope you guys liked it!
Stay safe and thanks for reading :)