The castle was eerily quiet the next morning as Kael shuffled into the main hall, his small feet dragging against the floor. He had just come back from his second day of preschool, and his little mind was already overwhelmed with the history and expectations of Hell's legacy.
Kikidori was lounging on the couch, one leg propped up over the armrest, as he lazily flipped through an old book bound in black leather. He glanced up when he heard Kael's footsteps.
"Hey, kiddo," Kikidori said casually, his voice as calm and steady as always.
Kael froze in his tracks, his eyes darting toward his father for a split second before quickly looking down at the floor. He didn't say anything.
Kikidori's smirk faltered. "Hey," he said again, this time with a hint of confusion and concern.
Kael didn't respond. He kept walking, his little wings drooping as he made his way toward the staircase.
The silence that followed was deafening. Kikidori sat up, his brows furrowing as he watched his son disappear up the stairs. Ere'ana, who had been standing in the doorway, witnessed the entire exchange. Her heart ached as she saw the pain flash across Kikidori's face, though he quickly masked it with his usual stoic expression.
"That's the second day in a row," Kikidori muttered, tossing the book onto the couch beside him. "What the hell is going on with him?"
Ere'ana walked over, sitting down next to him with a heavy sigh. "Kael learned about you in school."
Kikidori raised an eyebrow. "Learned about me? What the hell does that mean?"
"They're teaching him about Hell's history," Ere'ana explained softly. "About Lucifer, Lilith... and you. He knows what you've done, Kikidori. The wars, the angels you've killed, the lives you've destroyed. He's scared of you."
Kikidori scoffed, though there was a hint of bitterness in his tone. "Scared of me? I've never hurt him. I'd never lay a finger on him."
"I know that," Ere'ana said gently, placing a hand on his arm. "But Kael is young. He doesn't understand. He sees you as his father, but now he's learning about the Prince of Hell. And those two images don't match in his mind."
Kikidori leaned back against the couch, running a hand through his hair. "Great. Just great. I try to keep my past away from him, and now it's being shoved down his throat at school. What am I supposed to do, Ere'ana? Apologize for who I am?"
Ere'ana frowned. "No. But you need to show him that you're more than just the Prince of Hell. Show him the father he's always loved."
Kikidori sighed, rubbing his temples. "I don't know how to do that."
Ere'ana gave him a small smile. "Start by being patient. He's scared right now, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love you."
Kikidori didn't respond. He stared at the floor, his mind racing with thoughts he couldn't quite articulate.
---
Later that evening, Ere'ana found Kael sitting on the windowsill in his room, staring out at the fiery landscape of Hell. His little hands clutched his knees to his chest, and his expression was distant.
"Kael?" Ere'ana said softly, stepping into the room.
Kael turned to look at her, his big eyes filled with uncertainty.
"Can we talk?" she asked, sitting down beside him.
Kael nodded slowly.
"Sweetheart, I know you've been learning a lot at school," Ere'ana began, her voice gentle. "And I know it's been... overwhelming."
Kael didn't say anything. He just stared at her, waiting for her to continue.
"You learned about your father, didn't you?" Ere'ana asked.
Kael nodded again, his little hands tightening around his knees. "They said... he's a bad person. They said he hurt angels. A lot of them."
Ere'ana sighed, her heart breaking for her son. "It's true that your father has done some terrible things in the past," she admitted. "But Kael, that's not the whole story. Your father isn't perfect, but he loves you more than anything in the world."
Kael frowned. "But he's the Prince of Hell. He's supposed to be... scary."
Ere'ana smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair out of Kael's face. "He might be scary to other people, but to you, he's just Dad. And I promise you, he would do anything to protect you."
Kael looked down at his hands, his little brow furrowed in thought. "Do you think he's a bad person?"
Ere'ana shook her head. "No, I don't. Your father has made mistakes, but he's also done good things. He's taken care of us, kept us safe. And deep down, he has a good heart. Even if he doesn't like to show it."
Kael was quiet for a long moment, his little mind working through everything Ere'ana had said. Finally, he looked up at her.
"Okay," he said softly. "I'll try not to be scared of him anymore."
Ere'ana smiled, pulling him into a hug. "That's my brave boy."
---
The next day, when Kael came home from school, Kikidori was sitting in the main hall, pretending to read the same book he'd tossed aside the day before.
Kael hesitated for a moment before walking over to him.
"Hi, Dad," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kikidori looked up, surprised. He studied his son for a moment before a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"Hey, kiddo," he said, his voice soft.
Kael climbed up onto the couch beside him, curling up against his father's side. Kikidori wrapped an arm around him, holding him close.
In that moment, neither of them said anything. But the rift that had begun to grow between them slowly started to mend.
End of Chapter 19