Tens of thousands of years ago, each and every one of the existing gods in the Immortal Realm were split into two factions and embroiled in a catastrophic war.
After many millennia of vicious and senseless violence, the two most powerful gods, the God of Light and the God of Darkness, ascended to become the leaders of the two warring factions.
Seeing the extent of the destruction caused by their mindless struggle for power, the two gods decided to join hands to put an end to the war.
After a long discussion that carried on for many days and nights, an agreement entitled "The Treaty of the Gods" was drawn up between the two parties.
In this agreement, it stated that all of the gods under the God of Light would henceforth, belong to the Heavenly Faction and reside in Heaven; while all of the gods under the God of Darkness would belong to the Underworld Faction and reside in the Underworld. No fighting amongst the two factions would be permissible and any god that dared to go against the agreement would have to face the wrath of all of the gods. Additionally, a lavish banquet, which would be known as the "Banquet of Gods", would be held to celebrate the friendship of the two godly factions. Alternating between the members of Heavenly and Underworld Faction, a different god's domain would be chosen to host the banquet every one hundred years.
The signing of this treaty by the God of Light, who adopted the title of the "Heavenly Emperor", and the God of Darkness, who adopted the title of the "Emperor of the Underworld", signalled the dawn of a new era, an era of peace and prosperity.
In the Underworld, the God of Darkness went on to marry the Goddess of Twilight and together they had ten children.
While the first to ninth princes and princesses of the Underworld were regularly showered with praise by the denizens of the Immortal Realm for their talent, beauty, strength, and intellect, little was known about the tenth princess. This was due to the fact that the tenth princess seldom attended public events as a result of her supposedly "weak" constitution.
Currently, that same "weak" tenth princess was kneeling in her courtyard with a hardcover book, one thousand times the size of a regular book, over her head as punishment.
"Straighten out your back and raise your arms higher, Desmia."
Desmia grudgingly compiled with her mother, the Goddess of Twilight commands. "How much longer must I do this for, mother? My body is aching."
The Empress smiled coldly. "You should have thought of the consequences before you drove your tutor away. Since this was the fifteenth one that you sent running, you should at least kneel here for fifteen years to repent on your actions."
Desmia's already fair complexion grew a shade paler. "Fifteen years? Surely you jest!"
Although to an immortal being fifteen years was merely a blink of an eye, to Desmia who regularly craved excitement, the idea of remaining still in one place for more than an hour was unfathomable.
"You should know I never jest." The Empress waved her hand and immediately a servant appeared to pour her a cup of tea. After she took a sip she intoned, "Be glad it isn't fifteen hundred years."
Desmia adopted a wronged expression. "But mother, I didn't intentionally drive Lady Sicily away. She left on her own accord!"
The Empress raised an eyebrow. "Did you or did you not instruct Laelynn to secretly pour one of your little mixtures into Lady Sicily's tea?"
Desmia glanced at Laelynn, one of two of her personal maids, who had begun trembling due to fear at being called out by the empress.
Damnit, Lynnie! Why are you always so easy to read?
Desmia sighed inwardly and turned back to the Empress. "Well, I did, but I promise you my intentions were noble! Lady Sicily always complained about getting headaches so I fixed her an elixir that would make them stop. I was only trying to help."
The corner of the Empress' lips twitched ever so slightly. "Your "help" nearly put her into a millennia long slumber."
"But the headaches went away, right?"
"She got headaches because of all the trouble you stirred up!"
Desmia blinked innocently. "Then isn't it fitting that I helped her?"
Aggravated by her youngest daughter's never-ending stream of retorts and refusal to admit her wrong-doings, the Empress waved her hand and suddenly ten more colossal books landed on top of the book Desmia was already carrying with a loud thump.
As Desmia staggered under the newly added weight, a servant entered the courtyard. "Announcing the arrival of the fourth prince!"
Desmia's eyes brightened. Fourth brother is finally here!
Behind the servant, a stunningly handsome man dressed in midnight blue robes appeared. Besides the fact that the man's black hair had a silvery tint when illuminated by the light and Desmia's had a purple-blue tint, with their matching violet eyes and delicate yet remarkable facial features, the man's physical appearance greatly resembled Desmia's.
The man performed a customary bow. "Your son greets you, mother."
The Empress held up her hand. "Save the formalities, Karia. I know you're here to plead on behalf of Desmia."
Karia's soft lips stretched in a smile, not at all fazed that his intentions were exposed. "Tenth sister has been kneeling for over four hours, mother. Don't you think that she has been punished for long enough?"
At the side, Desmia anxiously nodded her head in agreement. Yes! It has been long enough!
The Empress calmly took another sip of tea as she ignored her youngest daughter's obvious actions. "Raise your arms higher, Desmia."
At once, Desmia scrunched up her nose as she straightened her arms sulkily.
After silently resting her tea cup on the table the Empress revealed a stern expression to Karia. "Your tenth sister is only this unruly because your father, your siblings, and you, always spoil her."
Karia maintained his smile as he sat down next to his mother. "Tenth sister is the youngest of all of us so naturally we should be a little bit more lenient with her."
"Lenient? I am afraid we're already beyond lenient with your tenth sister. I'm sure you're aware of what transpired between Desmia and Lady Sicily?"
"I was informed after the fact, yes." Karia placed a hand over his mother's comfortingly. "Don't worry, mother. I'll remonstrate her properly. You should return to your quarters to rest. You seem a little indisposed."
The Empress gave Desmia an ambivalent look before sighing. "I only have your tenth sister to blame."
"Do you want me to whip you up an elixir, mother?" effused Desmia. "I promise it'll bring your vitality right up! Or would you prefer a pill? I've been working on ways to improve the taste recently. I'm sure you'll love it!...Oh, but the side effects haven't been completely analyzed yet...but I'm sure you'd still be beautiful even if your skin turned violet!"
This time all of the Empress' facial muscles twitched. After giving Desmia a long apprehensive look, the Empress elegantly arose from her seat. "Alright, Karia, I shall leave this matter with you."
Turning to address Desmia she added, "I expect that you will behave in the presence of your fourth brother, Desmia."
"Yes, mother," the two siblings chorused obediently.
The Empress released another sigh before exiting the courtyard with her servants in tow.
The instant that they could no longer see their mother's silhouette, Karia waved his hand and made the books above Desmia disappear.
Freed of the extra weight, Desmia subsequently collapsed to the ground.
Immediately, the surrounding servants who had been frozen in the presence of the Empress, rushed over to help her up.
Karia moved over to Desmia and gently dabbed at her forehead with a silk handkerchief. "How are you feeling, little sister?"
While Karia was renown for being a genuinely sweet and caring brother in general, everyone in their family knew that he was especially doting towards their adorable youngest sister.
Desmia pouted which made her appearance seem even more youthful than it usually was. "Fourth brother, my arms and legs are sore~"
Karia held up his hand to cast a mild healing spell on Desmia but was stopped by Desmia who suddenly clung onto him. "Since I'm weakened can't you carry me up to my room instead?"
Karia appeared a little helpless as he peered at the little figure snuggling up against him like a pitiful kitten. Eventually, after some deliberation, he allowed Desmia to climb on his back.
Comfortably secured behind her fourth brother's back, Desmia beamed. "As expected, fourth brother is the best! Fourth brother sensed that I was in trouble and came to rescue me. It must be because we share a divine connection!"
Karia smiled wryly. "Didn't you secretly send Raewynn to come fetch me?"
Raewynn was her other personal maid.
Desmia rubbed her cheek against Karia's robes as the servants following behind them held back a laugh. "Eh, those are just insignificant details. What matters is the fact that our bond has and always will be unwavering and my love for you, dearest brother, remains unsurpassed in all the realms!"
Although Desmia's words sounded like an exaggeration, no one present doubted the validity of her words as the young tenth princess had always been unabashed in declaring her immense fondness towards the fourth prince. Through her every word and action, she always seemed to express that she relished spending time with her brother in spite of their notable age gap.
Each of the Emperor of the Underworld's children were at least a couple centuries apart. Thus Karia, as the fourth eldest prince, had several millennia over Desmia who was still considered an incredibly young immortal, having only existed for a little over four hundred years.
As gods aged differently than mortals, to unsuspecting human's eyes, Karia would have appeared to be in his early twenties, while Desmia, with her petite stature and cute yet childlike face, would have appeared no older than fifteen.
Karia only shook his head lightly at his sister's ardent declaration of love. "If you really loved your fourth brother then you would listen to your fourth brother's advice and stir up less havoc. Sooner or later there won't be anyone left to tutor you in all of the Underworld."
Desmia pursed her lips unhappily. "I can't help it, brother. All of the tutors that mother finds are so incredibly boring."
Desmia put on a strict expression and began speaking in a low monotonous tone. "They always walk around with a face like this and they're always saying things like, "No, princess, you may not experiment with unicorn tears," or "No, princess, it isn't appropriate to grow poisonous plants in your courtyard. It's always a resounding "no" to anything that doesn't strictly adhere to ancient decorum and archaic protocols."
Laelynn and Raewynn giggled at Desmia's spot-on impersonations of her past tutors.
"See! Even Lynnie and Wynnie agree with me."
The two averted their eyes hurriedly and coughed. "Please don't defame us, princess, we wouldn't dare to criticize the royal tutors."
Desmia held up her hands. "Then you'll just have to take my word for it, brother. All of them are like ancient folding screens—stiff, old, and soul-crushingly dull."
After awkwardly clearing his throat, Karia replied, "While I admit that the lessons from the royal tutors can be a bit dry-"
"A bit dry?" Desmia scoffed. "If they're only a bit dry then the ocean is only a bit wet."
"Regardless, you have to understand that the royal tutors are only there to assist you in expanding your knowledge, little sister."
Desmia paused as she contemplated his words. Then she smiled, eyes glinting with mischief. "If I promise to behave with my next tutor, will you promise to convince mother and father to let me attend the upcoming Banquet of the Gods?"
In all of her four hundred years, Desmia had never once attended a public event hosted in the Immortal Realm and that included the most important Banquet of the Gods. This was one of the reasons why there was a rumour that the youngest princess of the Underworld had a weak constitution that made it unsuitable for her to go out often.
As a result, while her siblings had lofty monikers such as Prince Karia the Benevolent and Princess Artemesia the Illustrious, she was simply Princess Desmia the Elusive.
Karia halted in his steps at her sudden request.
He became conflicted since he knew the truth that only the members of the Underworld royal family and their closest attendants knew.
Truthfully, Desmia was not permitted to attend public events for the sake of her well-being, but for the sake of everyone else's. With her volatile temperament, wide array of untested elixir and pill recipes, and world-defying amount of latent spiritual power, Desmia was not actually the "weak" tenth princess, but rather the worrisome tenth princess.
"Why do you suddenly feel like attending?" Karia asked probingly. "I thought you said that you didn't like attending banquets since you find them stuffy and tedious."
Desmia shrugged. "I figured I should experience it at least once. Besides, it can't be stuffier than being left at home, right?"
Inside, Desmia apologized to her brother for her answer that was mixed with lies. Through spying, Desmia had discovered that the upcoming Banquet of the Gods was to be held in the God of Literature's domain in Heaven. This peaked her interest since the God of Literature was known for exactly two things: his erratic nature and the unbelievably vast collection of rare books in his library.
Inside that library must be elixir and pill recipes books that I've yet to even have known! I have to go check it out for myself!
After a long moment of silence, Karia at last acquiesced, "Alright, if you promise to take care in your studies, then I promise to suggest bringing you along to the banquet in front of mother and father. I can't guarantee that they'll agree though."
Of course, they'll agree! When have mother and father ever not listened to fourth brother? With fourth brother's support, it's practically a done deal!
Desmia grinned widely as she held onto her brother with more strength. "Thank you, fourth brother! I love love love you!"
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
[Small Interlude: Flashback]
Emperor of the Underworld: Who is your favourite person in the whole entire world?
Desmia: *Without hesitation* Fourth brother!
Emperor: (((( ;°Д°)))) ...How about your second favorite?
Desmia: Fourth brother!
Emperor: ...How about third?
Desmia: Fourth brother!
Emperor: ʕ ಡ ﹏ ಡ ʔ...I don't want to ask anymore. Wouldn't it be sad to know if I didn't even make her top five?!
Desmia: Father's probably my fourth favourite person but he's not asking about that so meh.