Time flew, Stolas and Octavia continued to build their loving bond day by day. Little by little Stolas was surer to interact with a more affectionate intimacy with his daughter, while Octavia was more and more pleased with her father's attentions. And today was a special day for both of them, for -finally -it was Octavia's 18th birthday and time to fulfil a promise.
The day had begun beautifully -but little by little the storm could be seen looming in the infernal sky, stormy clouds could be seen hovering in the distance as they slowly felt themselves approaching. It seemed a bad omen for Stolas' plan, but what could one do for him? What can this demon do when love comes upon him as suddenly and completely as this sudden passion does to poor Stolas at this moment? What would you have done? You could imagine yourself living then in the same situation as Stolas. Or, even more interestingly, what would you do if you were a spectator present at what is happening? I mean being there, at Stolas' side as his friend or advisor, having the opportunity to give words of encouragement to the doomed prince. Well, suppose you were offered the chance to live this moment (however briefly), what would you do, what would you say to him? How many times have we heard our friends talk about the "would have" of their own hardships and what they would have done if they had been prepared?
In this case, Stolas had arranged everything in advance the night before. Everything was planned to happen the way he wanted it to, something that had lived in his subconscious ever since he announced his wedding plans; he had not asked Octavia if she wanted to do it. And even if we go to far-fetched explanations of how this did not come back into conversation between the two, understand that neither of them had been prepared for what happened to them. Especially Octavia who was the one who orchestrated the whole thing; and ended up in this situation. It would not be a lie to say that they were both learning about their new lives and building something between the two of them that was fairly easy for their fresh minds to understand. As we had already told; they began by sharing a bedroom; from there they began to date and work on their displays of affection -all culminating in what was about to happen.
For now, let's review the plan Stolas had, as the hour is approaching, and we are running out of time:
First of all, there would be music -an orchestra made up of instruments of all kinds, the musicians were the best trained and had the best composition of "Happy Birthday" in existence. The voices would sing in the most harmonic and almost angelic way.
This would please both Stolas' pride and Octavia's vanity. Besides, this song is known to be impossible to get wrong; so, he was sure that everything would go well. Consequently, every note during the performance would be carefully measured and precisely timed giving the impression of perfection while producing nothing more than a sweetly harmonious sound. When the song was over, the musicians would take a bow and leave to prepare for the next piece.
Then there would be cake. A long white cake made of fine flour and sugar, which would be decorated with edible decorations in the form of flowers resting on green leaves. It looked like any other cake, but instead of having several candles running through it, it had a single golden candle set in the centre of the upmost point. In addition, utensils would be handed out from the finest and most beautiful of the crockery available. And finally, wine would be enjoyed and served in special glasses, with a design that would make them look like flaming eyes. These glasses would glow brightly enough to illuminate the surrounding area.
But now came the part Stolas was most interested in, to impress his daughter: what she would wear that day. So, Stolas himself picked out two dresses for her to choose to wear -a pink dress with silver sparkles or a blue one that radiated all gold. Both with low slits around the neck to show off Octavia's cleavage, as well as her long legs. Both showing plenty of skin below the knees, but with the ability to turn into a long-skirted dress. As soon as Octavia put on one of these two, her beauty would become apparent to all who saw her. She would look stunning.
This was what Stolas wanted for his daughter on this day. He wanted to see his daughter dressed in clothes that revealed every curve of her body and even so she could hide just enough to leave something to the imagination. Such clothing pleased Stolas greatly because he loved his daughter too much to embarrass her by forcing her to show or expose more than necessary, but without denying himself the sweet pleasure of lust. To do otherwise would spoil the mood and Octavia would probably resent him for it. So, he chose wisely.
The guests at the party would be Blitzo, Loona, Moxxie and Millie. They would wait for Octavia's appearance in the throne room. Where Stolas would ask the final question. True, he thought about inviting others; but with such a delicate situation; he trusted no one but his closest friends. Everything had to work out perfectly.
Back to reality, Stolas was methodical to perfection that day. He rose very early to ensure he did not wake up at the same time as Octavia; remember they now happily shared a bedchamber -and in front of the bed he placed the two dresses for her to choose from. He left the room and made sure that everything was ready and in place for her awakening.
He had sent the invitations in good time to the four little imps, so all that remained was to wait for Octavia to wake up, get dressed in one of the two dresses, and for the guests to arrive and start the party.
After a few hours, it was all said and done; Octavia woke up.
The first thing she saw were the dresses, and she immediately inspected them and tried them on at sight; over her pyjamas, unable to choose one at the moment. Clearly, she was also surprised not to see Stolas in bed, so after giving herself a few more minutes to admire the dresses, she left the room to look for her beloved father.
The two met as usual in the kitchen, where; to keep the surprise, it had been thoroughly cleaned the night before, and the cake had already been hidden in the main hall.
Stolas was already dressed up in a black suit, the same one he wore as a teenager; but clearly tailored to fit his current figure. Even when this attire gave him a serious and formal look, his sweet face of happiness at the sight of his daughter completely broke the idea.
—Good morning, Dad! —Octavia called out when she saw her father—.
—Good morning, birthday girl! —Stolas said to her with great excitement—.
Stolas' excitement was a thousand times more visible than Octavia's, it almost seemed as if he was the birthday boy. He greeted her with a gigantic hug that almost lifted her off the ground, and they gave each other the most romantic kiss that could be described in hell without being slanderous. They breakfasted together and chatted in spurts while it was time for Stolas to reveal the surprise.
—Have you chosen a dress already? —Stolas asked, a little excited to know which one Octavia liked best—.
—They're both beautiful, I'm not sure yet. —She replied—. They are both really beautiful.
Well, they are both yours; but it would make me very happy to see you in one of them after breakfast. —Stolas continued the conversation—.
—I can't make up my mind, dad. —Octavia replied—.
—Then let us finish our meals and try one of the dresses at once. —Stolas proposed, knowing full well that his daughter would never refuse such an offer—.
And in fact, she didn't. After breakfast, they went back to the bedroom and changed into one of the dresses and then the other. The dress of choice turned out to be the blue one that radiated all gold. —That was the one Octavia preferred—.
It was a perfect match, really. It exactly matched the colour of her plumage and Octavia's eyes. Her sorrowful face complemented the dress quite well. And there was no doubt about it: she looked absolutely beautiful.
Stolas was delighted with the result, and even though he knew the effect he wanted to create, he still felt a deep emotion when he finally saw his beloved daughter looking like a princess. Finally, Octavia would be dressed up in a pair of high heels and would arrange the feathers on her head so that she would have a beautiful ponytail sticking out at the back.
With that settled, and enough hours had passed, he directed her to the throne room, where all the aforementioned arrangements awaited her arrival and that of the guests. Octavia was struck by the arrangement of things, Stolas' influence was seen in everything and in every detail, Octavia had never been so excited to start her party for years -for when they were still a complete family, Stella always got in the way of Stolas' ideas. Octavia felt again the happiness a child feels, and Stolas loved watching his precious daughter inspect every detail, admiring it tenderly.
While they waited, Stolas thought about how to announce the marriage proposal without causing any suspicion or offence. Finally, he decided on a plan:
He would wait until the music stopped, and all the guests gathered around Octavia to walk slowly towards her and say, «Now that your eighteenth birthday has arrived. » Stolas would begin, «and though it may seem strange for me to ask, I think today might be the happiest moment of my life. » Then he would present the ring and finally ask, «Will you marry me? »
This was going to be difficult to achieve, because Blitzo was also coming. If something went wrong, he could cause a scene. But Stolas was confident enough to believe that everything would be alright. Despite the disasters that had happened previously; his affection for him still existed. But the truth was that it was not the kind of sentimental affection you have for a friend or a loved one. Little by little Stolas saw him as just another imp. The disconnection of the two and above all the separation of their lives since the initial event with Octavia showed Stolas what he had always wanted to see: that Blitzo was nothing more than a plaything with whom he had a good time, but nothing more. The bitterness of the trouble he caused him time and again fed the idea.
However, he also saw him as his friend, he always remembered with tenderness that time they played together; and so, he continued to frequent him -but nothing more.
***
A few moments later, Millie walked in, followed closely by Moxxie, then Blitzo and Loona. Millie noticed that Octavia was wearing something new, and immediately began complimenting her dress, as if it was the best she had ever seen. Loona couldn't help but do the same, the two chatted about it all evening while Loona was taking lots of pictures for Sinstagram.
Meanwhile, Moxxie kept silent and did nothing more than nod occasionally and greet Stolas cordially, apparently content to leave his wife in charge of socialising. Blitzo looked somewhat embarrassed to attend, unable to look Stolas in the face, but Stolas' politeness gave the demon prince enough of a cue to greet him anyway and offer him refreshments.
Stolas was glad to see everyone getting along so well.
As soon as everyone gathered in front of the throne, Stolas stood up and announced loudly:
—Let the festivities begin!
Immediately the orchestra began to play. The guests sat around the table, and Stolas walked to the main chair, next to Octavia. Next to them were Loona and Blitzo, then Millie and Moxxie.
The food was delicious, but the wine was excellent. There was much chatter and laughter from our guests, telling Stolas about the latest events in their lives and work, Stolas wanted to ask about Blitzo's phone call that day, but opted to let it pass. Everyone had a great time.
When dessert was served, Stolas presented the cake to Octavia, who cut a huge slice in half and passed the pieces around. Everyone was amazed by both the look and the taste of the cake. They ate their fill, and each left with two or more slices of the masterpiece.
When all the cake had gone, Stolas led the group in singing «Happy Birthday» a second time to his beloved daughter, this time no longer accompanied by the orchestra, but by the 4 guests.
After the meal, the dancing began. Octavia danced beautifully. Her steps seemed to come naturally to her. No matter what rhythm the dance required, she always managed to find the beat. In fact, she moved better than the others.
But most importantly, he loved doing it.
There was no doubt about it!
After everyone had danced for a while, the orchestra left and Octavia took control of the music, taking pleasure in playing all her favourite songs, and while that made the innocent air dissipate and become more party-like and youthful, it was time for Stolas to ask Octavia the so burning question.
Stolas approached Octavia and said:
—My dear child, I want to tell you that tonight marks the beginning of our lives together. —Then he took out a box; and showed it to Octavia, then he opened it—.
In the box laid a magnificent diamond ring, large and brilliant, with eight small diamonds surrounding it.
Stolas continued:
—Now that your eighteenth birthday has arrived. —Stolas began—. And though it may seem strange for me to ask, I think today may be the happiest moment of my life. Will you marry me?
To which Octavia replied:
—Oh, dad, yes, oh, please let me!
And with that, Stolas placed the ring on his daughter's finger and kissed her passionately.
—She was happy -very, very happy indeed!
But at the same time Octavia was afraid. Since the day of the TV announcement, she felt that everything had gotten out of hand, at first all she wanted was for her father to never leave her side, but when Stella discovered her dirty tricks, she acted out of fear; and, therefore, her father was left alone to handle the situation. Even so, she loved him, loved her father with all her heart. Everything had gone more or less as she had planned, but by the same token she feared that at any moment she might lose him still.
For the rest of the night, Octavia made sure not to get too drunk. Instead, she tried to have as much fun as possible. She smiled often and laughed harder every time someone told a joke or a funny story.
The evening was coming and now it was time for Stolas' speech. It was not long before he rose from his seat.
—I want to thank all of you here tonight. —Stolas began—. Thank you for making my daughter's eighteenth birthday such a memorable occasion. We have been blessed with excellent company and, above all, wonderful food. Now we must drink to the health of the bride-to-be!
With that, Stolas poured more wine into the glasses.
—We will drink to the happiness of the future Queen of Hell.
They all drank.
Now Stolas could finally be with the certainty that he would fulfil his task of doing things right, and as they were meant to be done. His greatest fear had been conquered, if she said yes; like she did, he would finally let himself fall into happiness. And had she refused, without a doubt, nothing would have saved him from despair. It was all or nothing that night. The heart knows best, and sometimes makes strange demands on its master. This was certainly the case with Stolas. His heart demanded that he seek Octavia at once and propose to her, from that day. There seemed to be no other way open to him. For, though he loved her dearly, it had always been evident that she cared much too, though never openly until recently. Now it was all settled.
On Octavia's part. If ever there was a time when a young woman knew exactly how she felt about a suitor, this must surely have been it. With every fibre of her being, Octavia longed for the man beside her. Her eyes sparkled with joy at the sight of him. In her breast beat the flutter of wings made by love -no wonder she could barely speak!
And now poor Stolas was speechless too -could there be something wrong with him? Surely, he seemed quite normal to you. But he could not find words to utter a single syllable. He just stared dumbly at her beautiful face, while she looked at him in ecstasy. All he wanted to do was to kiss her again, again and again.
Indeed, the whole world around them seemed suddenly illuminated by beauty. A rainbow rose above them both. Flowers burst out of nowhere, spilling petals everywhere. Trees waved their branches in welcome to two newly united lovers. Even the clouds themselves became luminous, as if each cloud had within it a little sun shining through its substance.
Oh, dear me! I am getting carried away. Let me stop talking nonsense and get to the point. You may not believe everything I have said about these things. However, think how wonderful they sound. They should stir your imagination. Why else would I write them?
As I was saying, poor Stolas finally managed to stammer something.
—My love! —he cried—. I am yours forever.
He kissed her tenderly. Then he took off his crown and placed it on her head. She wore it with pride and love.
Now it was time for the guests to have their own speeches.
Loona spoke first, saying:
—I couldn't believe it at first, when you came to me to talk about what was going on. —Loona began—. I just hope you two know what you're doing.
Then came Blitzo, who gave a brief but moving eulogy:
—You know, I've known Stolas practically forever. —Blitzo began—. Since he was a child. He was always so silly and strange. So, I'm glad he found a nice girl like you to take care of him, Satan knows I couldn't do it myself. Just ask him to wash his ass if he ever wants to sit on your face.
Octavia was taken aback by the comment, Moxxie; who was sitting next to him, gave him a slap on the back of the head.
Finally, Millie approached and said:
—As you can all see, Octavia is quite beautiful. Her face glows with youth and life. But it also glows with love and kindness. For these qualities she will make an excellent bride and wife.
It was the turn of Moxxie, who was already a little drunk from drinking.
He stood up and raised his voice so that all present could hear, even though his voice was already loud enough.
—May Lucifer bless the union between my boss's ex-boyfriend and his daughter, and may they live happily together until death do them part! Although we are immortal, kind of.
Immediately, everyone cheered loudly with laughter. The noise grew louder and louder, until finally the two lovers embraced and kissed. They embraced and cried tears of joy, and then went to bed, leaving behind a happy crowd of friends.
Back in the throne room, everyone was looking after Blitzo, for after what had happened, they couldn't stop thinking about how this affected his heart, but he was actually fine, as if he had finally let go of his love for Stolas. In fact, he seemed quite pleased. Since the last time he spoke to him capriciously; the day he fought with Moxxie and went back to Verosika, he had kept his word, and was gradually getting better at handling his emotions.
After the festivities died down, everyone went home.
***
Weeks passed after the party, until one day; Blitzo, Loona, Moxxie and Millie all received a letter. It was an invitation to Stolas and Octavia's wedding. Explaining not only that they were invited, but also that they were asked to work as security for the event. They had been hired at a high salary, because there would be many demons attending from all over hell, many from the Ars Goetia.
The next morning came quickly, with the four of them getting ready in their best attire. Each wore dark suits and matching black bowties. As soon as they arrived at the park where the ceremony was to take place, they set to work. Their jobs were as follows: Loona had the task of being the one to walk Octavia down the aisle, Blitzo would take the place of Stolas' father, escorting him to his side, Millie and Moxxie would guard the entrance.
Like all weddings, first there was a Ceremony starter, who; to everyone's surprise, was handled by none other than Asmodeus. After this, the guests began to arrive. Among these demons were Satan himself, Lucifer, Beelzebub, Baphomet, Belphegor, Baal, and so on ... All the demons seemed to be able to tear any mortal man apart without breaking a sweat! And every time someone new came through the door, more and more powerful demons seemed to appear. Soon, there were over two hundred demons present, most of whom were strong. All the quiet time between the birthday party and the wedding now made sense, needless to say, Stella had not been invited; however, her brother Andrealphus was -but at his sister's request he did not attend.
Let us also remember a human custom, that at royal weddings; everyone is invited. That included the people, who in this case were every other inhabitant of hell. However, to keep order they would wait outside. Moxxie and Millie would see to that.
Asmodeus began his opening by telling a couple of inappropriate jokes and getting everyone ready for the wedding.
As soon as it was over, the procession could begin. Everyone took their positions, except Loona, whose job it was to escort Octavia to the altar.
Stolas is standing in the chapel, looking stunning in his wedding suit. He then sees Blitzo standing next to him.
—Blitzy? What do you think? —He asks nervously—.
—It looks good. —Blitzo says—.
—And now, let's have the bride walk down the aisle! —Asmodeus shouts—.
Slowly, Octavia makes her way to the front of the church, smiling as the people applaud. She climbs the steps to the chapel. Once she reaches the top step, she stops. When she approaches Stolas, he smiles at her, trying to calm her nerves.
Octavia was wearing a beautiful dress. It was white and silver. The feathers on her head were made into a bun. On one side of her head were placed three golden combs, each with jewels. On top of her forehead was a crown made of gold and gems. Beneath her dress, she wore a long red sash tied at the waist. In both hands she carried bouquets of roses and lilies. Once in front of Stolas, she gave them to Loona, who then stood to the side holding the flowers.
Stolas looked at his daughter full of joy and love. It was his second wedding, but the first one he was really happy and excited to participate in.
It was then that the officiant, Asmodeus, spoke to the audience and said a few words before the actual vows.
—Ladies and gentlemen, I am very happy to welcome you here today to witness the marriage of my beloved dark lord, Stolas, and his beautiful daughter, Octavia! We hope you enjoy your stay and if anything happens during the event, please notify me immediately. Especially if it's fun.
After the speech, the officiating demon turned to Stolas, giving him a stern look.
—Now, can we begin?
Stolas nodded.
And so, the votes began.
—I, Stolas, promise to give myself completely to Octavia and make her feel loved. If anything should happen to cause our relationship to break down, I promise to always remain true to her memory. Furthermore, I vow not to betray her or harm her, no matter what the cost. So, help me Lucifer, Amen.
Once finished, the officiant had a wicked grin on his face.
—I, Octavia, promise to follow my father's example, to obey his orders, to respect and cherish him above all else. If anything happens to destroy our family, I vow never to forget it. So, help me Lucifer, Amen.
Immediately, the officiant began to speak again.
—By the power vested in me by the Dark Lord himself, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride. —Then he laughed, for he knew there was still much further to go—.
Asmodeus pulled out a small box from under the altar. Inside was a ring made of solid diamond. The diamonds were cut perfectly so that each one sparkled beautifully.
He opened the box, revealing the ring inside. He held the box in front of Octavia, making sure everyone could see it clearly. Then, he picked up the ring and handed it to Stolas.
Stolas put the ring on Octavia's finger.
The wedding continued, Asmodeus returned to his seat and a priest continued with the ceremony, recounting a biblical equivalent of what a Catholic or Christian mass would say, speaking of how malevolent and destructive he hoped the union would be. Emphasising the union of Lucifer and Lilith, ode to Satan and his worthiness to challenge God even after being banished, he continued the blasphemy until the moment of truth, when he asked Octavia:
—Do you take this man in death for the rest of your unnatural life?
—Yes, I do. —Octavia said without hesitation—.
Then the priest approached Stolas and asked him the same question.
—And you, Stolas, do you accept her in death for the rest of your unnatural life?
—Of course! —Stolas replied, placing his hand on Octavia's—.
—Then I pronounce you husband and wife. —declared the priest—. You may kiss the bride.
Stolas and Octavia kissed passionately and lovingly.
The guests applauded loudly after seeing such a wonderful scene between two people deeply in love. After the applause died down, the officiant spoke once more.
—Let us pray...
—Dear Lord Satan. —The officiant began—. We thank you for granting us another day, allowing all our lives to continue. May the blessing of your name be upon this couple and their children forever.
And so, the wedding was happily over, and it was time for the real party to begin.
The evening was just as, if not more, wonderful than the birthday party. There was a table full of gifts for the newlyweds, food everywhere, alcohol, music, everything you could imagine.
***
In the current scene we could see Millie and Moxxie still standing at the entrance. Although no one would be so stupid as to interrupt a party of such powerful demons, Stolas had told them privately the task they would actually carry out: Keep Stella from showing up. The rest of their work was practically nothing compared to the importance of that order.
Stolas had nothing against his brother-in-law, he thought he was arrogant and a jerk; but not enough to segregate him. He thought the same of 99% of the demons who attended the wedding anyways, but not being invited to an event that could be considered public was a dagger he intended to use to damage his ex-wife's ego.
And as much as I bother to explain this, it is clear what happened during the night, and who appeared in front of the main door. Immediately stopped by Moxxie: Stella, accompanied by her brother.
—I'm sorry, she can't come in. —Moxxie stopped them—.
—I told you there was no point in coming, Stella. —Andrealphus said in a tired tone, sounding as if he had had a long conversation about it with his sister already—.
—I'm not coming to the party. I'm looking for you.
—Me? —Moxxie was surprised—.
—What do you want with my Moxx? —Millie was offended—.
—Yes, what do you want with him? —Andrealphus added—.
Stella made a gesture of annoyance, she didn't intend to explain herself to anyone, but it was clear that she had to answer the question. Stella had gone to the party to see Moxxie, ever since the situation on the beach, she had felt interested in the little imp. She couldn't understand why she was doing it; but she couldn't stop thinking about him. She was going through a phase where nothing that happened around her made sense until after it happened. And then you wonder, how come I didn't see it coming?
She stared at Moxxie in the doorway. He looked so cute; so handsome. His face as radiant as ever. Stella approached him still without saying a word. Then, he turned to stare into her eyes, big, bright and innocently serious. The moment felt strangely right.
—You look good. —Stella said—.
Moxxie was completely off his game, he didn't understand what was going on or what Stella wanted, he just stared at her for what seemed like an eternity. Suddenly, Stella was beginning to regret it.