"Why aren't you telling me?" Emma asked as she returned to scrubbing his clothing.
Azazel bobbed his head back above the water. He stroked his right horn gently. Nervously.
"I will tell you. Tonight, okay? Zeus is supposed to get here shortly, and our conversation would not be a short one."
Emma smiled. Seemingly pleased.
She finished cleaning his clothing. While looking out in his direction, she smirked. "I just now thought about what to do about this."
Azazel raised a brow.
"Your clothes won't dry for awhile," she said as she walked to the clothesline between two trees and pinned them to the line to dry.
Azazel nodded. What, indeed? In this moment, he missed the luxury of having modern appliances. If he could get them tossed in a dryer, his clothes would dry quickly. He had heard line-drying speed depended on the weather and could possibly take as long as a day.
"I could let you borrow a dress."
Azazel frowned. "As if it would even fit." The dress wouldn't even cover my ass if I could wiggle it in at all.
Emma giggled.
Azazel perked up. He could hear the sound of horse hooves in the distance. He didn't even know Zeus had any horses. Unless they were hidden somewhere in the cave, they were definitely not in his sight the day before.
"It looks like the orcs made it." Emma nodded.
"It looks like I'm stuck in a lake," Azazel sighed.
Emma tilted her head to the side. "I will go look for something."
With those words, the small-framed woman trotted off, leaving the demon alone in the water.
Azazel swam around the lake slowly, pondering his existence. Or rather, his existence stuck in the body of water. He couldn't exactly just climb out of the lake and flash everyone. He could guess what sort of havoc it would cause—Granny would ogle, Natasha would pounce, Emma would try to beat Natasha's ass, and the rest? He doubts anyone else would care, but still.
He felt his hands grab his horns, pulling him under water.
Azazel bobbed back to the surface. His face was mere inches from that of a grinning, blonde demon.
"What do you want?"
The last person he wanted to see while vulnerable in a lake.
"You, Azzy~"
He pushed her away. "No."
Natasha fake pouted. He wasn't buying it. She was bad enough before, but he trusts nothing out of her now that she is a demon. If certain people saw him naked with her beside him, they would definitely get the wrong idea.
"That Zeus guy is here," she nodded.
"And I am in here."
Natasha dipped herself in the water. Moments later, she emerged, grinning.
"It seems you are."
Azazel facepalmed. "That was not an invite to inspect the cargo."
"Where are your clothes?" She asked.
"Emma washed them. They are drying."
Natasha laughed. "Oh, ho, ho."
This wasn't helping.
Moments later, Emma returned with something in her arms. She immediately spotted the witch of the lake, an angry look suddenly replacing her usual gentle expression.
"Get out of there, Natasha." Emma thrust her fist in the air, waving it in their direction.
"NEVER!" Natasha yelled toward Emma, moving her fist in the same manner.
Women, why is this even happening?
"I am serious!" Emma yelled.
"I saw little Azzy before you! Just now!" Natasha mocked.
Azazel could die in that moment. Perhaps I should go underwater and never return.
Emma had it. She dropped what she held and immediately dove into the water, rapidly approaching the pair.
Emma disappeared for a moment and popped up behind Natasha, dragging the demon under the water with her.
The two emerged about a minute later, both gasping for air.
"Why are you naked, too?" Emma questioned the girl.
"If Azzy is naked in a lake, I will also appear naked in a lake," she grinned mischievously.
More facepalming.
"You will not!" Emma demanded.
"Will too!"
Emma shook her head. She gripped Azazel's arm and drug him closer to the location of the bundle she dropped.
I shouldn't resist when she seems upset.
Azazel stopped near the lake bed and gazed at Emma. He smirked.
"You. Stop," Emma sighed, that type of reaction instinctive whenever he gave her that look.
Natasha was still at the other end of the lake, watching them as she floated in the deepest part of the water.
"I didn't do anything," Azazel nodded earnestly.
"It's not you I am worried about," Emma stared at him. "I shouldn't have left."
Azazel shook his head and grinned. "I honestly wouldn't worry at all."
Emma frowned. "I will worry if I want to worry."
Azazel placed his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "Want to give the witch a show?"
Emma blushed. "No..."
Azazel smirked again. "Are you sure?"
"No..."
Why are women like this?
The demon sighed. He kept his arm around her and looked in the direction of what she dropped. "What is that?"
"Grandma said for you to wear Grandpa's clothing while yours dried." Emma smiled.
"I guess that is the only option," he nodded.
He already forgot about Natasha's existence again.
Emma blushed. Azazel raised a brow. "What?"
The rare, mischievous look spread across her face.
"Seriously, what?" He was frustrated.
Emma remained silent for a moment. "I took an opportunity to view little Azzy, too."
Oh, fantastic. Spectacular!
"..."
"..."
Emma crawled out of the lake, her clothes drenched. The clothing was hugging her figure and quite possibly revealing a bit much.
Azazel may quite possibly be staring too much.
He sighed, bobbing his head close to the shallow water. He may as well be sitting at that point.
"It may be more impressive now if you want a second viewing."
"It was already impressive," Emma hummed, turning around.
He may be flushing bright red.
Azazel got out of the water while Emma had her back turned. He put on the clothing, which seemed to fit perfectly, then walked past her.
He didn't stop to speak to her. He was too embarrassed at the moment. Instead, he continued forward until Granny and Zeus came into view.
Oddly, Granny didn't even notice him as she was close to Zeus, stroking the outlines of his bulging pec muscles as he moved them beneath her touch.
Did I really have to see this? I could have gone the rest of my life without seeing Granny fondle an orc.
The band of undead orcs Zeus brought along were unloading the cargo next to the dilapidated palace. They had a buggy and two horses, and the entire thing was filled to the brim with materials. He was glad they were planning to be productive, as the only thing their carpenter had managed to do was build a blank, wooden sign.
Granny and Zeus disappeared into the cottage, and Azazel was not about to follow them inside. Surely they were just going to have tea.
Surely.
Azazel sighed.
Natasha appeared out of nowhere and picked up the sign. "We need to name the kingdom, Azzy. I couldn't fill it in."
Azazel squinted at the sign. "No clue; ask Granny."
"Not a good answer! She already said you were going to name it."
"Granny must have bad judgment," Azazel blankly stated. She is with that orc.
George dove out from the door of the cottage, holding a note. Azazel peered at the paper he held.
"Don't go in there, bro."
Apparently, they aren't just having tea. I didn't need to know that.
"Duly noted, dear George."
Azazel tried to warn Emma as she dragged her wet body inside, but he didn't have time to warn her. He waited for her to return. When she did, she came out of the cottage, wearing dry clothing, with an expression that looked like she had just witnessed an army slaughter an entire city.
George stared at his sister, welcoming her into his arms. She embraced her brother. George did the best he could possibly do to comfort his sister.
"I will never be the same," she muttered.
Azazel decided there was absolutely no way he would be going back into that cottage. It would steal his innocence, just as it had for Emma and George.
"A name?" Natasha demanded.
Azazel looked over to the siblings. "Think of a name?"
"..."
"..."
I guess they are too traumatized.
"My name will be terrible," Azazel thought out loud. "You really don't want me naming an up-and-coming kingdom."
Natasha waved her finger. "I am disappointed. You are the duke."
"Not officially," Azazel mused.
Emma pried her face off her brother's chest. She peered at the demon. "You might as well be."
She is definitely a half-demon.
"Fine."
Azazel walked off the dirt path and into the grass. He sat next to the fire pit they would be using later for the kingdom-naming celebration. He placed his hand under his chin and appeared to be deep in thought, but in reality, he had not a single thought in his brain.
At least it was good for appearance-sake.
"Britannica?" Azazel suggested.
"Good enough," Natasha said, pulling out her paint. "Spell that, please."
Azazel sat in the center of the new kingdom, Britannica. Now it had an official name and could be registered as a real kingdom.
"I hope we aren't required to pay taxes."
Azazel decided he would spend the rest of the afternoon attempting to create enough fire to light up the pit.
Indeed, it would take him the rest of the afternoon.