Lucifer once again pushed his hair out of his face as he read through a report sent to him by one of his ambassadors. He wasn't pleased with what it said, he wore a frown, and his brows stitched together as his hair slipped back into his face. He was annoyed and about ready to snap, but then he caught her happiness in the light breeze. Putting the paper down, he looked up to see her walking across the grass towards him, wearing a very flattering red dress and her strawberry blonde hair pulled up into cute little buns.
"Good afternoon, Baby Girl." He greeted, getting up from his chair to pull out hers.
"Lucifer." She returned, "Thank you."
After she sat, he poked one of her buns, "Adorable." He chuckled before returning to his seat.
"And what is the occasion?" She asked as he scooted his chair in and grabbed the water pitcher before reaching for her glass.
"Occasion?" He questioned, "Do I need a reason to enjoy my lunch with my wife." He scoffed as he filled her glass with ice water and handed it to her.
"You've never invited me before." She pointed out.
"You weren't my wife before." He justified.
"I have been for two weeks, and this is the first lunch invite I've received." She countered, causing him to press his lips and shake his head.
"Anyway, now that we're married, we should act like it," He continued. "However, I do have a few things I wish to discuss with you."
"Go on," She insisted, sipping her water.
"With our marriage, your fate as the future queen has been sealed, and with that, you need to begin taking on some responsibilities." He informed, drinking his water as she stared at him suspiciously.
"And those responsibilities?" She asked, cautious but curious.
"Just a couple of simple things. First, you'll be helping me with my job,"
"Nope, I won't torture souls. Absolutely out of the question." She interrupted, crossing her arms sternly, causing him to laugh.
"You torture souls?" He laughed again as the words came off his lips, "Oh, Baby Girl, thank you. I was a bit frustrated before you arrived, but that cheered me up considerably. No, no, you won't be torturing souls. I was referring to the other part of my responsibilities as the crowned Prince of Hell. You'll be helping me with the worlds, mostly paperwork." He explained as a couple of servants made their way over, carrying covered trays and placing one in front of each before quickly returning to the castle.
"Okay, sure. I welcome the idea of doing something productive, and the other thing?" She asked as they both removed the silver cloche from their plates. The food hit his nose, and his mouth began to water. He had skipped breakfast this morning to meet and greet a new permanent resident.
"Well, my beautiful wife, you are now the crowned Princess of Hell. You are the highest lady in society, so I believe it's important for you to begin making acquaintances with the other ladies of high society," He informed as he placed his napkin on his lap and cut up his food with a knife, "The people are eager to meet their Princess, at least that's what I'm told."
"Meet people. I think I can manage that. Does this mean I get to leave the castle," She began trying to hide her excitement.
"No. They will come here. Have tea, walk the gardens, play games, watch movies, gossip, or whatever. I don't care, but you will not leave the castle." He answered, cutting her off. She scowled at him as she took a bite of her food but nodded. He took a couple of bites before working up to what he was planning on saying next, "I also think it wise that for these casual gatherings, you not exclude anyone."
"What do you mean?" She asked, completely missing his insinuation.
"Shop owners, for example, a lot of Central City businesses are run by women," He began, taking a bite of his lunch.
"Would love to get to know the local shop owners, especially the women," She agreed.
"Also the ladies of the borderlands. Including the Duchess."
"Awkward, but yes, I'll invite Katarina," She shrugged, taking a bite of her food, "Can we keep the first one small? So that I can get a feel for it?"
"Of course, maybe the Duchesses and a couple of other prominent figures?" He suggested, a tad too eager.
She put her fork down. She took a sip of water and sighed before looking him dead in the eyes, "No." Was her short response as she placed the glass down, took the napkin from her lap, and placed it over her plate.
"Finish eating, please," He sighed, "We can discuss the issue after,"
"I'm done." She interrupted, "I've suddenly lost my appetite."
"Baby Girl," He began to protest.
"If you're suggesting what I think you are,"
"She is the future duchess of Central City." He groaned, "You can't exclude her,"
"Right, I have to share my husband with her, so why not my home too?" She smiled stiffly, "Maybe you can move her into our bed next. You could sleep in the middle and have one of us on each side. Wouldn't that be lovely?"
"Kathrine Ann," He said in a stern tone.
"No, Lucifer!" She snapped. Her mesmerizing green eyes met his, "I will not 'entertain' your mistress. I won't do it."
"You will do what I ask of you." He replied he hoped it wouldn't have come to this.
"Will I?" She scoffed, "If I refuse, what will you do? Torture me?"
"Of course not, but I must insist," He tried, but she cut him off
"I will not allow you to humiliate me in such a way." She hissed, standing up, "It's bad enough you insist on keeping me locked away in here, but now you want to put her in here with me? No." She said sternly before sitting back down, crossing her legs and arms, and looking off to the side. Lucifer sucked his teeth. Her stubbornness was something he usually enjoyed, but right now, it was a problem. It's not that he was doing this to make her unhappy. In fact he felt guilty and horrible to even ask this of her, knowing it would upset her, but it had to be,
"You exclude her, and she'll start crying to everyone about how cruel you are." He sighed, rubbing his temples.
"Fine." She said, still not looking at him, but he could sense the toxic cocktail of emotions.
"Fine? You were the one who said she would try and ruin you, and here you are, just handing her the opportunity on a silver fucking plate." He accused
"Funny, coming from the person providing the plate." She grumbled.
"I need a drink." He huffed, raising his hand in the air like a kid in school, and within a few seconds, a beautiful female angel with tethered wings appeared and hastily approached.
"Yes, Young Lord?" The servant asked nervously. She must be new. He had never seen her before, and she was extremely anxious. Usually, he would have played with her a bit, but he wasn't in the mood.
"Bring me a drink, one for my wife as well." He ordered, but the angel waited until he slowly turned his eyes to meet hers, "Now?"
"Uh, of course, Milord, but what would you like?" She asked meekly.
"Oh dear, Grandpapa," He huffed, throwing his hands up.
"Ask Vassal, sweetheart. She'll know." His Baby Girl quickly informed, giving her a soft smile,
The servant bowed and quickly scurried off,
"Baby Girl, do you remember our wedding night when Angelique said nobody knows you or trusts you?" He continued as she nodded, her eyes glaring at him now, and part of him wished she was still refusing to look his way, "She's right. No one knows who you are. All they know is that you popped up out of nowhere and married their Prince. But they do know Angelique. Sure, she's spoilt, but her father is the Duke of Central City, a close associate of my father and one of his oldest friends, and she's a future Duchess which means Lord Lucifer trusts her. They can trust her, can't they?"
"What does that have to do with forcing me to entertain her?" She spat.
"Oh, come on, Baby Girl, you're not stupid," He scoffed.
"Neither are you, yet you've come up with this bull shit plan." She snapped back
He cleared his throat, "'I don't know why the Princess is so cruel, you won't believe what she told me at her wedding, and now she's leaving me out. It's not my fault I care for the Young Prince. She took him from me, and now she's trying to ruin my reputation. Next thing you know, she'll take the title that is rightfully mine and give it to someone else.'" He said, using a high-pitched squeaky voice and adding a flare of dramatics as he placed the back of his hand on his forehead.
"Inviting her won't stop her from trying to convince people I'm not to be trusted," She retorted.
"No, but getting to know them will. You're a sweet girl. Everyone you've met likes you besides her, and if you show everyone who you are, then her accusations won't hold, but you can't single her out. She is a part of high society, and her words carry weight. Turn the other cheek, Kathrine Ann." He explained.
"And when my jaw breaks, I won't even be able to say I told you so." She sighed, "But what do you care?"
"Don't be like that." He rolled his eyes, "I promise she will be on her best behavior."
She wasn't happy, but at least she was considering it. As she pondered over his words, he could feel her emotional battle, and an annoyingly familiar glisten in her green eyes was catching the sunlight. He was about to speak up when the nervous servant returned with their drinks and handed them to him with shaking hands,
"Oh, calm yourself, girl. I'm not going to hurt you. Your anxiety, mixed with her frustration, is giving me a headache." He fussed, "Go on." He shooed her, and she quickly hastened back into the castle as he leaned forward and handed her the wine.
"I want to go to Central City." She said, snatching the glass and sipping it.
"No." He instantly replied, a bit surprised by the sudden demand.
"Then she's not welcome." She replied calmly.
"Are you threatening me?" He asked, even more shocked.
"Consider it a compromise, and I don't want to go just once. I want you to take me regularly." She added. He couldn't do anything but stare at her in disbelief. She was threatening him. They had only been married a couple of weeks, and she was already giving him ultimatums.
"I'm telling you to do this in your best interest," He claimed.
"My best interest?" She laughed, sipping her wine, "I don't think it's my best interest on your mind."
"You don't understand," He groaned.
"Then teach me!" She cut off, "Help me to understand. You claim that you're so concerned with my image, yet you won't let me meet my people. You won't teach me things. You've left me in the dark since I got here, and now you're bitching, because I don't understand! I'm not Cinderella. I don't have a fairy Godmother to help me figure this shit out."
"Who?" He questioned.
"God Damn it!" She yelled and took a couple of deep breaths, "How am I supposed to be your queen if I'm always locked away? What's your plan, Jr.? Keep me held up in the palace for all eternity? You're so concerned with my image but unwilling to let anyone see me, speak to me, or get to know me! Please, Louie, I can't live like this." She pleaded as a couple of tears escaped her eyes.
His lip twitched. This damned girl, "Fine! Once a month." He snapped, but she shook her head and held up two fingers while sipping her wine and wiping her eyes, "You're pushing your luck, Baby Girl." He warned, taking a long pull from his glass, "Every other week, but you get killed by a demon, make sure to tell Grandpapa I warned you."
"I'm not worried. I'll have my Prince by my side." She smiled sweetly as he swam in her happiness and pride while he finished his lunch. Admittedly making her happy made him feel a bit of satisfaction, and she was right. Nobody would dare harm her as long as he was there to protect her.
"Come on then. We have work to do." He said after a few minutes.
"Right, the non-torturous office work." She answered, finishing her wine and pushing back her chair so she could stand up.
He stood and brushed his pants off before offering his arm to her. Kathrine Ann looped hers through, and he led her across the lawn and back into the castle,
"Promise me you'll plan a lunch."
"I will, but I need a way to get in touch with them. A carry phone would help." She suggested with a sweet smile.
"A carry phone, hum? I don't think you're ready for a carry." He replied, rolling his eyes.
"Seriously? I've used mobiles before." She huffed in annoyance.
"Okay, tell you what," He began, pulling out his carry and unlocking it, "Go to my contacts, call Azazel, and I'll get you a carry today." He challenged her, handing over his phone, which she confidently snatched from his hand. Confidence he watched quickly fade, causing his smirk to grow wide.