"I'm sorry." Remulus spoke. His head dipped down as he apologizes at the two kids before him, "I wasn't aware a cockroach could grow that big."
The two kids look at one another before shrugging. Their head leaning into his shoulder as they enjoy the bonfire before them. The mansion sized bonfire.
Arthur spoke up, "It's ok. It was terrifying, but you saved us in the end, so I think we're even."
Attie then shouts, "Fuck no! I want a pool of gravy this big, then!"
Remulus caresses their head, "All right, all right. Both of you could ask me one thing that you want. And I'll use everything I have to do it."
Arthur smiles before feeling the warmth of the mansion's flames. "Oh yeah, how did you get someone to napalm this place?"
"Just told it to Leonard, and he ordered a quick bombardment."
"Like a plane?"
"What? Oh no no no, he just opened a portal from the Aether and magical artillery fired into it, burning the place to the ground."
Arthur's eyes just turns to stars. "That sounds awesome! I want one!"
Remulus looks at him in confusion, "You want magical artillery?" Arthur nods and he snorts before muttering to himself, "That sounds just like you."
He then shrugs, "I can build you one, but there's not much place you could fire it in."
Arthur slumps at the thought. "Really?"
Remulus then ruffles his hair, "But we can always go to the training room and we'll simulate magical warfare for you. You can even use magical artillery there!"
Arthur's starstruck eyes were followed with a quick nod.
Remulus then turns to his side. "What about you, sweetie? What do you want me to do for you?"
"Taste of Heaven. I want to go eat on Taste of Heaven."
He smiles, "Well, let's go there. I've got one ticket left!"
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Arthur looks up and down at the door before him. "Can you tell me what am I looking at right now?" He then gasps, "Am I going to be sold!?"
Remulus taps his chin. "Hmm, I don't know. What do you think, Attie?"
"Sell him! Sell him! Let's sell him!" Attie shouts, her arms raised, a wide smile on her face.
Arthur holds his hand over her mouth. "Let's just go in."
The three of them chuckle at the thought before Remulus pushes the door open, revealing the beautiful sight before them.
A sight filled with gold, silver and marble, with cutlery shining in reflection and furnitures that shined in splendor, all held together by a smell of heaven.
The smell of which left Attie drooling. "This smells like heaven."
Arthur closes his eyes as the smell assaults his senses. "Is this what you were talking about? This does smell a hundred times better."
"Heh, well. It's still nothing but an imitation, but it does hit quite close, I suppose."
Attie snorts under her breath, "Bragging as always, huh?"
"Wait? You did this?" Arthur recollects himself.
"Of course." Remulus steps through the door as a receptionist teleports beside him. "I own this place, founded it a few decades ago."
Arthur follows inside, his eyes roaming the restaurant's lavishness. Before he notices something.
All the eyes turn to them, each one wide in fear and trepidation, their feet uneasy. Their shoulders tense as if each of Remulus' step left a shock-wave.
Their eyes focused on them as they whisper. Remulus spoke up, "V.I.P. Please, my little princess demands such accommodations."
Attie gives a soft, elegant nod, one befitting of a princess.
The receptionist nods. "Of course."
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
"Well, that was an experience." Arthur mutters. His eyes looking around the V.I.P room given to them, a soft melody in the background as he sat. "And this room is way too big!"
Attie promptly sits beside him. "You're going to get used to it if you're ever close to me."
"Wait? I thought they were looking at you!?" Arthur turns to him. "Aren't you the Emperor? I mean I'm not really sure about the politics, but an Emperor should at least make you famous."
Remulus chuckles as he peruses through the menu, "Well, I'm actually retired." He shrugs, "And I never was much of an Emperor. Never really showed my face in public and I stopped taking part in politics decades ago."
Arthur then lowers his head in thought. "Then how did you become one?"
"By slaughtering everyone else that said otherwise." The door forces open as a man walks through. His cape, flowing behind him as he walks to their side, a wineglass in hand.
Remulus continues to peruse the menu as he spoke. "It's nice to know you're still alive Vlad"
Vlad laughs. "Oh, it's nice to know you're still unmarried."
Remulus laughs, tears in his eyes as he points at the seat beside him. "Sit down, have your lunch with us. It's not like you have anyone with you."
Vlad snorts, "Yes, I get it." He then settles at the seat beside him as he takes a large gulp of wine. "So, what do you wish to know, child? Who are you again?"
Arthur stands and offer his hand, "Arthur Pennyworth, sir."
Vlad looks him up and down. "So, Pendragon." He nudges Remulus at his side. "You've gotten Pendragon on your side once more?"
"What do you want?" Remulus ignores him.
Vlad takes another gulp. "Dionysus' wine. I plan on getting shit faced today. And this alcoholic's blood isn't scratching it."
"I see, still the same, huh?" Remulus then looks at his kids. "I'm assuming that Attie wants any meat that has gravy on it. While Arthur wants whatever taste best. Right?"
The two children nods before Arthur spoke up, "Uh, so. Sir Vlad. What did you mean by what you said? About him slaughtering?"
Vlad slams the wineglass down, his wineglass unaffected. "Yeah! This psycho went to every coven, castle, estate and whatever the hell you could think of and just gave them to offer to join or die."
He cackles, "Even had the audacity to come by himself. But just like that, he united most of the magical being here on our side. He declares himself Emperor, then just rules for a century."
He rests his head on his chin, inebriated "Then when he got bored, he just left it to us. That was probably the reason he made a congress, a council, and whatever else. He was smooth about it too, before we knew it his job decreased while ours multiplied."
Remulus taps the menu on his hand as he spoke, "The Century was enough to consolidate the government's hold. So, after that, I just needed to make a president to create an executive body."
Vlad gulps down his entire glass. "Yeah, fuck you."
"No, thanks." Remelus remarks.
Arthur then spoke, "I feel like something bad's about to happen."
Vlad takes a flask off his pocket, he looks at it up and down before downing it in one go, hissing at the powerful taste, "DAMN! DOES THIS GUY DRINK VODKA FOR WATER!"
Attie shakes her head. "I promise you it's about to get worse."
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
"Why? why? why?" Vlad moaned in his arms, wine in his hand.
Remulus sat beside his children as he whispers, "You have to keep watching. The show's just about to start." He then grabs for a plate. "Oh, and make this a lesson for alcohol consumption."
"Oh god, today was our anniversary!" Vlad shouts, his hand over his face. He looks at Remulus. "It's probably Chaos, right? It's probably them that caused my mate to fuck ANOTHER MAN!"
Remulus ate a bite. "First stage, Denial."
"It's just so stupid!" Vlad then rages. His eyes turn red as fangs appear. "That fucking whore! I gave her everything, everything!" His fists bleed. "I'll kill her!"
Attie pours a cup of gravy on her meal. "Wow, second stage, already?"
"But I can't! I can't! I can't!" He then sobs into his arms, wine in hand. "Why couldn't she just kill me? All those centuries wasted." He glances at Remulus, "Can't you erase my memories, erase the grief?"
Remulus smile, "Is that what you really want?"
Arthur whispers, "Third stage, that's bargaining, right?"
Attie nods. "Yep, I can't believe he's still grieving about this."
"Wait, how long has this been going on? It kinda looks like it just happened yesterday."
"Apparently, a decade."
"Woah, that's insane."
Vlad then mutters tiredly, "Maybe I'm just not a person deserving of love." He sighs, "Progenitors like me just don't deserve it, right?" He takes another gulp of the cask before him. "God, I hate this."
Remulus chuckles, "So, how is your granddaughter?"
"You mean Rosalie!? Oh, she's been good, actually. She has these cute little fangs." Vlad giggles at the thought. He then fumbles through his clothing. "She even made me these-"
Remulus nods, listening to the man to regale him with stories of his grandchild.
Arthur whispers to Attie, "Is that acceptance?"
"Maybe, not sure. It feels more like running from grief?" Attie responds, her mouth once more covered in her favorite.
Remulus whispers, "It's not, yet."
Vlad slams his hand on the table, drunk, out of his mind. "So that's why I plan on murdering every cheating bastard out there, ripping out their throat and impaling them in the worst ways."
"Really? Well, this shall be fun." Remulus leans back as the three of them look at him in confusion.
Only for the door to explode with a thunder, a man stepping through the smoke as he shouts. "BOOM! ZEUS IS IN THE HOUSE!"