As she walked behind Dante, she studied his features. Broad arms, darkest shades of black she had ever seen of lush silky hair. She was silently cursing him under her breath as when she brought out Milo to take with her to this excursion, Dante looked at her and demanded she leave him behind. Needless to say she was annoyed. "Damn you handsome demon king. Just cause you're sexy, damn you. Damn you and your gorgeous hair. Damn you and your wide shoulders.", Mia continued her tirade of abuse almost to a whisper.
"What was that?", Dante stopped suddenly and questioned her.
"Are you tired? You seem tired. Do you want to stop and rest here?", Mia rambled on guiltily, worried he heard her.
"No. We have more to go.", Dante asserted her.
"Well then. Let's keep on moving.", Mia quickly added and went ahead hoping he would forget her whispers. What Mia didn't see was Dante's smile forming as she walked ahead. Dante could very well hear what she said. He could hear all the curses or complimentary curses, dare he add ever since they started the trip. He wanted her to voice her thoughts upfront and talk to him directly instead of suppressing her thoughts.
As he saw her walk ahead, he silently thought. 'She needs more time. I can't expect her to be open with me like before.' And then he continued walking behind Mia.
Once there reached a hilly top, and walked further along a path in between two black-stoned mountain, they reached a weird but beautiful ground. The ground was white and almost looked like cotton and it felt like they were walking on the clouds, soft and cushiony. In the middle of the white ground, there was a giant cherry weeping tree with its soft pink leaves hanging. It was a magnificent sight to see. The moon or sun whatever it was was flaming blue thus the skies looked like it was neither night time nor bright as daytime. Mia noticed that the Land in Hell was neither had a day time nor night time. She realized time really did stop in Hell.
"We're here and this is where we will be in the meantime.", Dante announced.
"Wow. It's beautiful. Never seen anything like this place before.", Mia exclaimed excitedly.
Dante then kneeled to touch the ground, chanting some unknown language. The ground shook a little and a little white cottage with brown roof came up just like that. Mia was shook. And she gawked at Dante with her mouth open not even able to say anything.
When Mia finally composed herself, she asked him what the point of this was.
"What do you mean? We need somewhere to sleep.", Dante pointed out.
"But we are out camping. Aren't we? What's the point of a cottage? We could have just stayed at your house if you wanted to sleep on a bed.", Mia was exasperated at the Devil before her. Dante noted the way Mia said 'your house' and was left a little bit disappointed by her choice of words.
"Well. What do you suggest then?", Dante asked Mia.
"Could we set up tents under the branches of the cherry willow? And make a campfire here?", Mia pleaded with Dante.
Dante looked at Mia and then to the cottage. He clicked his fingers said something weird again. But now the cottage started to twinkle and gradually disappear. In its stead, there was one camping tent and a bonfire and two chairs around it.
"Is this better?", Dante asked Mia.
"Yes! This is amazing. I have always wanted to go camping like in the movies.", Mia excited explained. "But wait why one tent only?", Mia asked confused.
"Where else will you sleep? With me of course.", Dante proclaimed and Mia almost was knocked out by his words.
"Wait what?!", Mia tried to reason with him. "Why?"
"Do you want to sleep outside where there are monsters and demons lurking around? The tent has magically barriers which will go unnoticed to the wild creatures outside.", Dante explained, amused but he tried to keep a straight face.
"Can't you make me another tent? I, um like having my own room/space.", Mia tried asking.
"I wish I could but my powers have been exhausted.", Dante lied and gave her an apologetic look. "It will be too much pressure on my body and perhaps it may even break me.", Dante continued on with his little white lie.
"Oh.", Mia responded. She thought to herself, 'He can't be trying to play the wifey card to get me in the same bed right? But we're in the middle of nowhere, he could have killed me if he wanted to. But now the same bed. Do I prefer myself dead or having done the deed?'
Dante looked at Mia's troubled face.
"I will not do anything to you, if thats what you're scared about. The tent is purely there for sleep and rejuvenation.", Dante could read her expressions so easily.
"Did I say anything? I wanted my own tent but if you can't produce it, its okay. I'm not scared.", Mia answered not wanting to admit defeat.
"Thats great. Let me get you something to eat.", Dante had a tiny bit of a smirk when he went to prepare food for Mia.
When they were all settled in and sitting around the bonfire, Mia finished the last bit of her egg and avocado sandwich which Dante had made for her and wiped her mouth clean with a napkin and cleared her throat.
"Now tell me Dante, Mr. Great King of Hell. Why am I here?", Mia turned to Dante as she said those words.