Arms stretched outwards and into the air before becoming lifeless and flopping onto her other half. She couldn't help but yawn as she stirred, awoken by a demon now missing their head. Blood trailed onto carpet as underlings rushed to furiously clean it from stains, lest another head or limb go flying. But the devil gave them no further attention, instead crawling atop Leviath and poking his cheek.
"If I'm up, then we must be up."
She whispered, reaching back for velvet bedsheets and tossing it over them both. She wiggled her way up to his face, gently kissing his skin as she did so. Cupping his cheek, she pressed her face to his, biting down on his lip before releasing him.
Stirring awake, her other half opened his eyes and gave her a tender smile. "My eternity." He whispered, slipping a hand between her legs. "My perfect one."
Sitting up, Leviath's soft hair fell around his eyes as he threw his legs over the side of the bed and got out. A finely dressed demon hurried over to him with his robe, and the king slipped into it. The black silk was woven with the finest angel hair, and it shined brilliantly in the murky sunlight of Limbo that reached through the windows.
"Get dressed, we'll be leaving for the quarterly meeting soon." The lord said to Lilith before disappearing into his dressing chambers.
Brushing long black locks through her fingers, Lilith sat up on the opposite side of the bed, composing herself as he reminded her of their duties. Clearing her throat, she held out an arm, summoning a demon with a robe of her own. Unlike Leviath, she loathed the thought of another touching her, and slipped on the garment herself before trudging over to her own dressing room.
Rows upon rows of formal dresses, shirts, skirts, and other gowns tailored specifically for the Abyss’s queen. Once a simple white blouse caught her eye, a single snap brought forth imps of every size, suggesting what else to accompany her shirt of choice. She itched to return to his side, and after slipping on her flats, she practically flew back to him— regardless if he was dressed or otherwise. Clinging to his arm, she locked fingers with his own as she held him hostage with himself.
“Promise me we won’t take longer than an hour there? I want another feast with you and precious.”
"No longer than an hour." He assured his lady, kissing the hand of hers that held his fingers. "We might take him for a walk afterwards, too." Slipping out of her grasp, he let the Imp nearby finish fastening his coat while he clasped his cufflinks, the pair made from the iron of angel's blood. Another Imp drew near and placed on the king's head a crown of black gold thorns, woven cleverly so as not to pierce it's wearer. The sharp edges sculpted over his scalp perfectly, shining with tiny golden inlays telling the stories of him and his queen.
Holding an arm out to Lilith when he was finished, Leviath said. "When you're ready, beloved."
Although reluctant to release him from her grasp, she swooned to see him dressed highly for the occasion. Everything placed on him looked so elegant next to the simpler look she provided, as more of an accent to compliment his beauty. Yet their power was one in the same; a coin with two equal sides.
“Dashing as always, my other half.”
She again reached for him, taking his arm with hers as she clung to him. She rubbed her cheek against his sleeve, sighing in the delight of his company before composing herself once more. Leading the way was a preference of hers, and she moved with confidence through the long passageways of the castle, winding her way through shortcuts only the two knew about.
Humming with the screams of the damned, she leaned against the lord of the castle, taking an extra passage or two just to increase the time spent attached to his hip.
Leviath smiled, recognizing the longer routes that Lilith lead them through. "Can't get enough, can you?" He murmured in her ear as he stroked her attached hand with his fingers. The two then crossed a great stone bridge between the castle towers, passing guard after guard after guard- each one bowing their upper halves. Leviath watched the kingdom below them as they walked, eyeing what he could see of the prison quarters, the armory, and the streets. Everything seemed to be functioning properly, but broken pieces do not always lie on the surface.
As they reached the end of the bridge and entered the inner structure once more, the couple approached a mighty set of doors. Two gargantuan gargoyles with long tongues, distorted faces, and gnarled horns guarded each side. Soldiers stood before the statues, bowing to their king and queen before heaving the doors open. Leviath allowed his lady a step or two in front of him before following by her side into the grand hall.
"The Great Lord, Lilith and Leviath Enn." Announced the courtier, leading everyone in the room into a deep bow. There was a magnificent golden table stretching across the middle of the hall, one that could sit dozens. The ceiling was high and painted with two great snakes intertwined. On the walls hung enormous tapestries of the king and queen, followed by woven images of each council member bowing to them. Huge chandeliers, encrusted with the finest of jewels, threw dazzling light onto the walls and the faces of everyone in the room The council had gathered here that morning, and as the lord made their way to their throne at the head of the table, one of the men spoke up.
"Of the highest beauty and strength, as always, Your Highness."
Leviath took his seat, grabbing Lilith by her hips and placing her on one of his knees. "Yes." He agreed simply, noticing the empty seat nearby. "Fetch Altair." He snapped his fingers to one of the servants of the court, who bowed and scuttled out of the room.
Lilith's attention hardly waned from Leviath as they made their way over to their throne. Built for one, it seated two as she sat down atop him, ignoring the compliments of the council. She leaned back against him, running a finger along his jawline-- uncaring whether she distracted him from their duty of work.
From the gathered group, an archdemon cleared his throat, rising from his seat and once again bowing to the Abyss's overlord. Neat silver hair tied partially back exposed glowing irises of crimson, confidently cast down at his ruler's feet. It was often his turn first to report, and he did so with a sense of pride with the territory bestowed upon himself.
"Your Majesty..."
He started,
"I believe we're here today to discuss former changes, accomplishments, and goals. Businesses along the aft have been seeing greater productivity in staff after introducing individual restrictions on acting drugs. Profits, however, have remained stagnant. We believe this is due to-"
He shot another councilman a glance, obviously pointing them out for any faults.
"interferences beyond the curtain. Nevertheless, they have not fallen, and we will continue to strive for further wealth. The Cork is the only area seeing significant profits and information extractions, but that is the norm rather than call it anything of an achievement."
Lilith yawned at the end of his long-winded explanation, shimmying her way closer to her mirrored image and running a hand down his chest.
Leviath smoothed a hand up and down Lilith's back as he listened to the councilman, petting her as one might rock a babe to keep them calm. "Dispatch a raven to General Caligula. Tell him to increase the sending of ethereal goods his men obtain in the raids. He leaves too much behind." The king muttered calmly, waving one of his hands in a casual disapproval. "The Cork is old enough to have earned it's regular income, give the others time. They'll catch up." He reassured Axial firmly. Opening his mouth, Leviath's voice cut off as the doors opened once more. A circle of five soldiers entered, each holding the heavy chains of Altair.
He was a seemingly unthreatening looking creature, yet around his neck he wore a collar with inward-facing spikes. Binding his wrists were heavy cuffs connected by a short bar of steel. Tightly lashed to his back, another metal bar, from which more chains stretched around to his torso. Despite all this, he wore a smile as he was lead into the hall and to his seat by the Lord. This was where he was always placed, when summoned. By their side. A few councilmen looked away from Altair, glaring at nothing- for they knew the consequences of expressing distaste directly towards the queen's pet who'd done nothing to earn his place.
Leviath watched as the demon of the gates took his seat. His eyes grew cold and he turned his chin up. "-Someone's been up to no good." The king said suddenly. Altair looked up at him, oblivious to any problems. "My Lord?" He wondered, to which Leviath looked away and eyed Lilith. "I smell a whore on him." He muttered quietly to her.
Even the Viscount Axial glared away as Altair entered, hiding his expression with a bow before taking his seat.
Lilith, however, had closed her eyes and relaxed atop Leviath as he soothed her. Yet, a scent in the air stirred her. Something rotten, decaying, spoiled, and acidic--
She glanced up at her world curiously, wondering who had the audacity to appear before them reeking of imitation.
'I smell a whore on him.'
Her eye twitched as she tensed, slowly inhaling the disgusting scent poisoning the air. More than the smell atop him, a singular scent tainted below the surface: love.
"My precious."
She grit her teeth, turning from her other half and rising. For a moment, she continued to hold onto Leviath's sleeve, as if to ground herself before rage overcame her.
"MY precious."
Releasing her hold, she lunged over to Altair and grabbed his cheeks by her fingers, pressing tightly as she looked him over.
"The whore mocks me, Leviath. His eyes are still completely intact."
Altair cringed, wincing and pulling his face away from her in a start. Leviath took a long, impatient inhale through his nose, letting it out slowly as he calmed himself.
"He's a fast healer." The king murmured, watching them both from the side of his eyes. "And a restless creature. It's no surprise that he would shag the first female he came across when free of his bonds. It's because we left him intact. I knew we shouldn't have. We'll simply have those restless bits of his removed." Altair frowned up at Lilith with wide, fearful eyes. "I haven't betrayed you, I swear I haven't-!"
"The real question," Leviath continued, looking at his fingers casually. "Is how he escaped and returned, without a single guard noticing."
"It was one of the chamber maids-" The captive demon blurted, "One of the maids from a few stories down, she got into my room somehow and- I don't know what happened-...She spoke soft words to me, and I felt things I hadn't before. I didn't mean for it to happen, I don't even know her name...I promise it was nothing."
She scoffed as he spoke, releasing him and striking him across the face after his promise of 'nothing'.
"Do you hear his nonsense? My precious doesn't know any better."
Seething, she looked to a guard who immediately stood upright, ready for her orders.
"Remove the heads of all the maids on the 4th floor. I want their eyes and tongues served at the Clove this evening and their souls damned to the western wing."
She spat, making her way back to Leviath's lap. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling him with a growl as the soldier quickly left to fulfil her orders.
"If one of those bloody idiots took him out for a walk on Lalonia without my permission, I'll have them worse than eternally tormented. What became of those reports of him out there?"
One of the soldiers that had escorted Altair stepped forward from where he'd been against the far wall.
"Your Highness," He started, sounding nervous but choosing to speak up anyways. "Sir Invega was watched with top priority every day, every night, as he has been from the day he came to be. No maid has ever visited him, nor has he ever escaped- that we could see. I watch over him myself. I have for the past thousand years. If there is anyone who should lose their eyes for failure to perform their duty, it should be myself. My men. But we have not failed. He never left. I give you my word. He never left."
Leviath listened silently to the man, his stare unwavering. Turning his gaze slowly to Altair, he muttered quietly to himself. "Yes, there is something else going on now, isn't there?" Reaching over, he grabbed the chained demon's collar.
"Who took you away from here and hid your escape from our eyes?" He hissed.
Altair's breath quickened and he looked away, though the king kept him facing forward.
"Don't you lie to me again, boy." Leviath growled, a furious fire glowing in his eyes at the defiance.
"I don't know what she is..." Altair said quietly, "I only know she does what she wants."
With an enraged yell, the king threw Altair back and stood from his throne. "DISMISSED." He shouted, his voice dark and booming through the massive hall as he ordered all the other council members to leave.
The councilmen each rose and bowed slightly before making haste away from the enraged emperors. None dared to linger with the mood having soured, filing out the hall to whisper among themselves. Some snickered at the thought of Altair being removed from his place, others excited over the thought of his public humiliation.
Although Leviath stood from their throne, Lilith took his place, crossing her legs over as she leaned onto its armrest. She placed her head on a hand, narrowing her garnet-colored eyes in focus of her dear pet. Her precious, naughty beast. One which caused them such headache, one who pretended to endure such heartache.
"You know, that makes two of us, doing as we wish."
She smirked, a devilish thought brewing. Yet her expression brightened into a grin as she suffocated any anxiousness, picking at the skin next to her fingernails to hide such feelings.
Few and far between met such specifics to meet with him, after all. What they needed were confirmations. A queen does not hold onto such anxieties.
"My lovely precious, we now realize how busy we are, and we understand how much her company must mean to you."
Hoping to have faintly drawn the king's attention, she tilted her head some as she drew on the small bit of patience she withheld. The only patience she'd give him.
Altair's chains clinked loudly as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His bright eyes were dark with humiliation and they avoided Lilith's piercing gaze.
"What is she like?" He repeated, his brows pressing together in thought. Altair's mind was racing with ways out of this situation. He felt trapped, more bound than he'd ever felt under the heavy weight of chains he bore daily. Looking up at his queen, he rested his head on the arm of her throne as he usually did when he wanted her touch.
"She was a friend to me, that's all, Your Greatness." He said quietly, "Being on my own for as long as I am, I feel things much stronger than I should. Much faster than I should. I didn't mean it..."
Meanwhile, Leviath was pacing a short distance back and forth. He hadn't noticed Lilith's attempts for his attention, for he was deep inside his own thoughts that blistered with anger. "Not even the gods dare to reach into my domain. And this bitch just plucks one of our strongest assets like a lamb in a manger, has her way with him, then puts him back?"
Obliging to his desire of touch, she leaned off her arm and began to comb through his hair. Gentle and soft strokes through his explanation, even if she believes not a word he spoke.
"Of course you didn't mean to, my precious. We know, you were lonely. My other self is only a little frustrated, not at you, no, no."
Her hand trailed to the back of his neck, lightly scratching up to the base of his head as she pet the creature no better than a pup. She leaned down and pecked his head, brushing her affection off with more head-rubs.
"Surely you can remember what she looked like? She must've been quite the charmer to befriend my perfect, precious gift."
