Inaris time in leoren was slow and at some points painful. She felt the call of the forest the creatures that needed her. That morning she woke up early as to meet with the king who she'd come to know as Azazel. She hasn't missed the Familiarity of his name on her lips. Maybe she had met him long ago when the prophets and the gods mingled amongst each other when the world was new. She wondered this often getting distracted from Isabella's many try's at teaching her about their world.
She wasn't fond of humans or anything to do with their lives, nor did she care for Etiquette. She was particularly unimpressed with the dresses. Isabella had also shown her what the word binding meant that morning and she wasn't too pleased at the ache in her ribs from the corsets grip on her body.
"Inari!" Isabella dropped a heavy book on large oak table in-front of her. A bit startled Inari looked up at her. "Are you even going to pretend to listen." Isabella sighed. Inari didn't answer as she was already fiddling with the book flipping through what seemed to be a childrens book? " Isabella. While I like that you're trying to start me off slowly I believe this is now becoming a blow to my ego. I can read adult literature." Inari spoke a bit frustrated.
Isabella just snorted out a laugh before sitting across from her. They had been sitting in this fairly large library ever since the fight broke out between her and Azazel. Though he told Isabella to take her to get new dresses she decided that due to her stature it would be easier to make them their sleeves it would also help Inari feel more comfortable if she were able to have a choice in fabrics and such to an extent Isabella thought.
"We his book is old probably older than you Lady Inari." Isabella chirped with enthusiasm as she propped it open on a fixture to show off the big bold words and colorful paintings and pictures. "I highly doubt that Bella. I've been around since the first few thoughts of your kind." Inari stated matter-o-factly.
"Don't be silly lady inary. " she giggled " this is the folklore about our king." Isabella flipped a page and the start resemblance of a child came into view with shoulder length dirty blond Tereses wearing a green tunic and a brown vest. Beside him stood two adults both brown haired and green eyed as well as two other children looking a bit older than the odd child out. He looked nothing like this family and yet these were his parents and siblings it seemed.
Azazel Grigori. His parents Adria Marylyn Grigori and Jericho Aaban Grigori.
The two childrens names were not Legible due to the wear and tear of the book. "His mother was a princess hailing from the kingdom of the Franks and his father a king amongst the Saracen in the deserts. It's so amazing how people from two different sides of the world could meet in the kingdom of Hungary and change the world so drastically!" Isabella sounded so enthralled by the tale she spun. But Inari was Quite unnerved. Why does this child think that these are his parents?
It was evident that Azazel looked nothing like them. From his murky hair color to his vibrant blue eyes and his paler complexion he didn't even resemble these people. " Bella?" Inary interrupted the girls ramblings. " This book is quiet old wouldn't you say." She stated closing the book gingerly before pepping her elbows against the coffee colored table before continuing. "How old is your king? Is he as old as I?"
Isabella looked a touch uncomfortable at the question and took a moment before speaking.
" I cannot say for certain my lady." She righted herself straightening out the top layer of her dress before continuing. "I know that since this photo, he would be around two thousand and ten years old as of now. But before he was born I cannot be sure." She said almost in deeper thought.
"Before his birth?" Inary was a bit confused at the notion that humans could be reincarnated. It happened but it was rare and most weren't at the gods mercy like the king was. " So you're saying he's been reborn.. how many times?" She asked pointedly.
"Oh that I do not know my lady. He's only recently shared his secrets of youth with me. He'd probably be angry if he knew I was telling you this much." Isabella was correct in holding her tongue inary thought.
" I shall just ask him myself then." Inary said standing up from the table. Glancing out the open balcony behind her as she made her way across the room to the door to her chambers.
"No! You shouldn't!" Isabella gasped clambering after inary and clasping her hand tightly. "H-his majesty isn't- he isn't in a position to answer any questions right now madam."
" what do you mean he was fine and able after the fight last night?" Inary said incredulously."
"It's-complicated my lady. He's not quite back to normal and is easy to anger right now." Isabella stated almost pleading with her to stay away. "Don't be ridiculous even if he's a demon we are of even match." She said snatching her wrist away."besides we have a lot to discuss as is. The faster I know what he is and wants the faster I go back to my forest." Almost murmuring the last part as she pushed the heavy door open and exited Isabella hot on her heels.
The silky purple fabrics of Inarys dress billowed out as her long strides carried her down the hall from her bed chamber. She could hear everything, from Isabella's frantic heart beat to the maids conversing over scheduled cleaning routines. 'This would be easier if I could hear his heart' she thought. She kept listening but found he made no sound so where could he be. She inhaled deeply her irises glittering with lilac specs as she searched with each step.
When she found him she felt a sharp pant of disgust. He wreaked of rotting tissue, dead insects, and blood. It was so distinct she had to hold her breath it was making her nauseous. She tried to calm her self before continuing up a few stairs along the wall of the grand hall. The stairs soon shifted away from the wall and spired back the other way still leading up. The fifth floor slowly came into view.
Isabella climbed the stairs s swiftly as she could but was worn out from the previous day and trying to keep pace with Inary.
She noticed the child lagging behind and decided to hurry along as too lose Isabella. using her senses and agility she bound up the steps and down the hall her wild hair sipping behind her and her dress flowing like wise. She was almost enjoying herself.
As she slowed she looked at the dilapidated space around her. Walls with jagged cuts and stone missing from some walls, rubble on the floor a few odd pieces of furniture smashed leaving jagged stakes and debris. Everything looked dark and broken like a war was waged within the halls of this level. She made her way past it all steeling her resolve as she approached a large wooden door with similar gashes and marks from being battered repeatedly and fixed once more.
She put her hands on it and it chilled her skin with an natural icy bite. She stilled listening intently only hearing faint creaking from the broken objects around her settling around her. She finally pushed the door open and just as she did she was met with a cold chilly gaze that shone in the darkened room around them.
She faintly made out the long seem that spread from one side of his strong jaw to the other with light indentations of the sharp teeth she'd seen the previous night. A small gasp left her as the seam opened to show those racer sharp teeth and a low gravely voice came forth chilling her warm skin.
"What do you want." Azazel was not in any condition to entertain the fox and was agitated at how slow the reformation of his skin was getting. He toiled in constant agony as his body sewed itself back together in a more human form. "I do not have any time for you goddess leave." He said his tongue licking across the sharp points of his teeth to take his mind off the pain of his bones shifting back under his muscles and skin.
"I want answers" Inary spoke keeping the doors open despite his effort to close them. He let out a grunt and growl in frustration. Before grabbing her wrist before brining her face closer to his with a menacing glint in his eyes. " Go away " she shouted baring his teeth. "I'll gladly leave when you give me my skin back!" She yelled back snatching her wrist out of his hand.
A low chuckle gurgled up azazels throat with a hint of pain from the rumble in his rib cage, which was now only partially showing outside his skin. Inary eyed him, with the door open more the light from the hall showed his grotesque visage. His muscles showed pander thing dark skin that almost looked bruised from trying to push bones back beneath them.
His body rigid and covered in scaring that looked hand stitched closed but never healing and his face was the same long jagged scars one beginning under his eye another starting above his brow and another hidden in his hair line. They dragged down his face and across his shoulder where it looked as though it gauged the skin.
" If you are done staring then leave." He snapped felling agreed by her scrutiny.
"Only when you give me my skins back!" She persisted still distracted by his teeth still bared in full. "You will only receive them back when my purpose with you is fulfilled. Until then you are a restricted guest or Leoren."
His voice carried a low growl.
"That's not how this works you lowly fiend. I am the mother of all! With out my hand the world will slowly grow darker. Crops will fail. Cattle will die and then people will starve!"
Inary praddled off the devastations to come as if Azazel cared. "Really now, you who was ready to plunge the continent into that very darkness over some measly arrow to the chest. Now shows her care for the humans and animals?" He grabbed her jaw firmly pulling her into the room before slamming the door and disappearing into the darkened room.