Chapter 8

• Athena eyes open and for a small moment, she has forgotten everything that had happened. Her kidnapping, Lucifer and how afraid she was of him. But, as reality sets in that she has woken up in the same room that she first woke up in, reality knocked some sense into her. Sitting up, she quickly awakens, ready for anything, her is body tense and stiff. The tiredness already gone from her body. The room is lit, like it was yesterday. After she sees that she's alone, her body started to relax. She doesn't want to face him again, she doesn't know what he might do to her.
• As she stands up, she notices something on the golden desk that she doesn't remember being there before. Carefully she walks over and sees what it is. On the desk is something that doesn't really belong in the Underworld, as doesn't she. A single white rose lies on it. Picking it up, still careful to not cut her fingers on the thorns, she looks at it with a smile. The rose is beautiful. The white color doesn't belong in a place like this, yet in her hands, it's right. Without caring how she looks, she exits the bedroom, with the rose in her hands.
• The guards outside are there and of course they bow to her, trying not to let it annoy her.
• "Can you tell me where I can find a small vase?" She asks politely.
• Both guards are looking at her, she doesn't know if they're looking at her badly or not.
• "Yes, your majesty, stay in your room and I shall have someone fetch it for you" One of them answers.
• Nodding, she returns to the bedroom. And sits on the bed, she really has nothing else to do. When she looks into the mirror on the desk, she know why they were looking at her that way.
• Her hair is like a birds nest. Her hair is in every direction, from north to south and east to west. It's so tangled that she doesn't understand how it got like this. Normally her hair never gets this bad when she sleeps. And then she begins to wonder about her sleep, she knows that the sleep she had is the best sleep she's ever had in her life. Her body doesn't feel tired and it doesn't ache from the bed. She never thought that by being here, something good would come from it.
• A knock and then the doors open, the girl from yesterday enters the room. In her hands she has a small vase. It's a simple clear glass vase, vet holds so much beauty. It's thicker on the bottom and then the neck is incredibly thin, but it widens a bit at the top.
• "Oh, look at you. You're a mess. We must get you ready" She only says.
• Setting the vase down on the golden desk. Athena goes over to the desk and carefully puts the white rose in the water that has been put in the vase.
• "Come, let's find you a dress. You need to look your best today" The girl speaks.
• She's in a cheerful mood, like she was yesterday. Only what Athena doesn't see is that it's all fake, the girl isn't happy. She's a slave and forced to be a maid. Though, the future Queen is someone that she doesn't fear, she's actually sweet. Something that no one is used to in this place. It is after all Hell. The Underworld. The dead roams the place, only anger comes from everyone. Taking the girl to one of the doors, she opens it, only to reveal a closet.
• Not to just any closet, a room filled with clothes. Athena thought the jewelry room was impressive, but this is beyond anything she's ever seen. Somehow this place looks dead, yet holds so much beauty. She walks inside and looks at all the dresses. They're in every color of the rainbow. She touches one and it's like silk.
• "Pick what you like and I'll help you dress" The girl tells her.
• She doesn't even know how she will ever be able to choose something from this closet. This isn't even a closet, it's more than that.
• After looking around she finally found a dress that she would want to wear. She takes it out and brings it out of the room. In reality, she never wanted to leave that closet. She couldn't get enough of the beauty. The girl helps her undress from the nightgown she was in and helps her put on the new dress and adjusts the corset for her. Because she was doing the corset alone, she couldn't get it to the right size, but now she had someone else helping her. Usually the corsets need a person to help, she would always ask her brothers to help her. They were used to it and never complained.
• The dress is a nice scarlet red color. It has off shoulder neckline and a ballgown skirts that flows down to the floor. It hugs her waist but expands by the waist into the skirt. The dress is sleeveless, but in a place like the Underworld she doesn't need sleeves to keep her hands warm. The fabric is smooth as silk. She loves running her
• fingers through it and feel how smooth and nice it feels.
• "Now, let's do something with that hair" The girl says, after the two of them have been silent for some time.
• Athena had been so focused on the dress that for a moment she had forgotten that the girl was even there.
• She doesn't know how she looks in her dress, but she knows that she looks beautiful. Any girl would look beautiful in a dress like that.
• "The King doesn't want your hair to be in any hairstyle, but I will have to brush it" She tells the girl who's still admiring her dress.
• Athena sits while the girl runs the brush through her messy hair.
• "Will it be like this every morning?" She asks the girl.
• She's a bit curious if this is going to be what she will be doing every single morning when she wakes up. This is not what she's used to doing every morning, and her hungry stomach agrees with her. At home, she would wake up and go straight to the kitchen to cook breakfast for herself and her brothers. Breakfast was always the first thing on her mind when she woke up and she liked that.
• "Yes, of course. This is tradition. A woman can't be presented in her nightgown, like in your old home. Here you are a Queen and you should dress as one" She tells her.
• Not knowing that her words stab her in the heart. Old home? She wonders if that means that she will stay here forever and never see her brothers again. She misses them more than she realizes. Her mind always wanders off to them without her even knowing it.
• "Now, pick the jewels. His majesty wants you to go to the furthers pillar and put it on" The girl tells her.
• Athena nods her head and goes to the door that leads to the jewels. She takes it that he did not like the necklace that she has chosen.
• She does as the girl told her and walks past all the jewels. This time, everything has changed. The jewels that sat on the red pillars yesterday are gone, have been replaced by a new batch of jewelry. Everything is different and she can't help but admire them. The glitter and sparkles that meet her eye are more beautiful than they were yesterday. She looks at each and every pillar while walking down to the end of the room. With each pillar that she looks at, the jewels become bigger and more fancy.
• At last she makes it to the end, and it feels as if she has been walking for hours to get there. But, she makes it and her jaw figuratively hits the floor as she notices what is at the furthest pillar. She can't believe that he wants her to wear that, she thinks it far too much for her. Her body will never be able to hold that up, it's far to big and too many jewels. She can't deny that it's not beautiful, because it is. Her eyes can't seem to leave it, only she can't possibly expect herself to be able to wear it.
• On top of the pillar is a golden crown. It's decorated with crimson red jewels all around. Spikes that reach high up are also decorated with the same red jewels. The crown has a golden pattern in it, that resemble leaves. She picks it up and it isn't as heavy as she thought it was, yet it still holds weight. She puts it on and notices that on her forehead, a huge crimson jewel hangs in the middle of it. In either side of the jewel are golden chains that are bound to the sides of the crown. The crown is heavy on her head, yet she somehow likes having on. It gives her... power?
• She doesn't want him to be angry at her, a shiver runs down her spine when she thinks of him angry and what he might do to her. She walks around the room, trying to find something to match the crown she wears on top of her head. She already knows that he wasn't satisfied about her choice, otherwise he wouldn't want her to wear something that she had picked out before. It's clear as day that she's new at this, and still doesn't understand how important jewels are on a royal person, to show their status and that everyone should respect them for that.
• While walking around, she does find a necklace that does match. It's golden, as everything else on the pillars are. Dark shades of red spikes hang on the golden chain. It goes from her right collar bone to the left. The spikes are half a centimeter apart, but are all the same size. Looking down at herself, she believes herself beautiful. She just prays that he will like it. Somehow she has this aching feeling to impress him, she doesn't even know why she's feeling like this and doesn't like it one bit.
• Then again, this whole thing has been an emotional ride. Walking to the door, and taking a one last look at all the jewels in the room, after all they will change when she wakes up tomorrow. And the day after that. If she doesn't pick anything now, she will never see it again.
• "You look beautiful, your majesty" The girl says as Athena exists the room.
• In her hands are crimson red heels. Arabella frowns when she sees the shoes, knowing that she's the one that has to wear them.
• "Thank you" She tells the girl with a soft smile.
• "Please sit on the bed, so I can help you" She tells her.
• Athena does as she's told and sits on the bed. Lifting the dress a bit, exposing her naked legs, she wonders when she gets the chance to bathe in this place. Then again, it isn't necessary for her. In winter, sometimes she'd go weeks without bathing, only because the water they had, had to be saved and not wasted on bathing. As she grew up with two boys, they did not mind it at all. The golden blonde girl helps her into the heels and helps her stand.
• The heels aren't that high, just enough to make her feel uncomfortable wearing them, yet she knows she has no choice.
• "Now, you're ready to be presented to the King. He's waiting for you in the dining room with breakfast. Do you know your way to the dining room?" She asks Athena.
• "Yes" She only says, not really wanting to go there.
• She remembers the events that took place in the dining room just few hours ago, and this fear rises up inside her again.
• *******
• Athena walks down the stairs, holding into the walls for dear life. She's afraid to fall down because of the heels she wears. The fear inside her rises with each step she takes down, yet she knows that things will be alright. Not does she know how or why she knows it, she just does. Since she came to this place, she has had these feelings that she can't explain and that confuses her. As does everything else about this place. She walks to the dining room and the doors open for her, by the guards that were standing in front of them.
• Like last night, the smell of food hits her. She feels hunger take over her stomach when she enters the dining room. Lucifer goes towards her.
• "You look stunning, I knew the crown would look so beautiful on that perfect head of yours" He tells her.
• She only smiles at him, not sure what she can say to him. Blood rushes to her head and she feels her cheeks warm up. She only hopes he doesn't notice, but he did. A soft smile makes its way on his lips when he notices the effect he has on her. She doesn't know it yet, but she will fall in love with him, sooner or later. He'd prefer sooner rather than later. He has waiting a long time for this girl and he will not give her up. She sits in the seat of honor again, trying not to remember the things that happened, just few hours ago.
• "I take it, you had a lovely sleep?" He asks.
• "Yes, it was wonderful. I feel much better" She says, staying calm and polite.
• Unlike yesterday, the table isn't full of food. It's empty now. Except for the same layout as it was before. On her plate is something she doesn't recognize, something she's never seen before in her life. A pancake. It doesn't exists in her village or anywhere she has traveled which isn't far from the village she grew up in.
• "That's wonderful. Today I have something planned for the two of us. You'll like it" He tells her.
• Lucifer has already started to dig into the pancake on his plate, with some brownish black liquid that he poured on top of it. She copies what he did and put them stuff on, before picking up the knife and fork that are closest to the plate.
• "What is it?" Athena asks.
• The silence in this place makes her head insane, talking to him is at least better than that. She hates to admit it, but somehow his voice is comforting. Not does she understand it, since just few hours ago, his mere voice frightened her. Taking one bite of her pancake, sweetness bursts in her mouth and the amount of flavor is amazing in her mouth. The flavors blend perfectly together and the sweetness makes her want more of this thing, even when she has never tasted it before.
• Athena sure does love the food here, and wishes this was in her home. Home. She misses it, yet doesn't want to think of it. She has to stay strong.
• "It's a secret. Don't worry, I have no intention of harming you in any way. It's just a way for us to get to know one another. We are after going to spend all eternity together, might as well begin now. How's your pancake?" He asks, changing the subject rather fast.
• Of course, being the girl that she is, she paid no mind to his words. She heard them, only her brain didn't process them. She just makes a 'hmm' sound and looks up from her plate.
• "I asked if you liked you pancake?" He asks again, admiring the naive girl.
• She truly is a miracle, so innocent and bright, doesn't know the evil she's surround by. And he doesn't intend for her to find out his past sins. But as everyone knows, you can never hide the past, it will always come to haunt you. One way or another. His first mistake was to think that he could keep this away from the girl he's supposed to be for all eternity.
• "A pancake? I really enjoy it" She replies, already half done with it.
• Her stomach wants more of this, and would like to have that every single morning. The girl finishes the pancake in matter of minutes, what she doesn't know is that he watches her eat. enjoying seeing the girl he loves eat with not a care in the world. The girls he's known eat as little as possible, to stay beautiful. Until they bear children. Athena is different, only her appetite isn't the only thing that's different about her, she's something that the world has never seen.
• When her plate became pancake free, they sat there for a minute or two.
• "Tell me, my dear Athena, do you like the room? Is there anything that needs to change? I can have that done while we're away" He tells her.
• Their bedroom has to be perfect as it is the room she's going to stay the most in. If he gets to choose, she'll stay in it for all eternity, for her safety, of course. However, he still wants her to be happy and tries to refuse the urge to do that.
• "It's quite nice. I do like it" She says.
• Pushing the fear aside, she does like it. It's beautiful. Like the place she's in, she can't deny that.
• "If there's anything you want differently, all you have to do is say the word and it shall be done" He tells her, with a smirk.
• "Why?" She asks, her curious little mind is on a roll.
• "A Queen gets what she wants. Now, are you ready?" He asks, standing up and reaching his hand out.
• Athena gazes slightly at his eyes and she realizes doesn't fear them anymore, she likes looking into them, she doesn't know why, but she just does. This man is warming up to her, perhaps faster than she would like.
• "Don't I need to change my clothing, I can't possibly wear this" She tells him.
• The dress she wears is perfect for the indoors, however, it does not belong outside.
• "My dear Athena, You look beautiful in that dress, there's no need to change it. We'll be inside the carriage the entire time, there's no need to worry about dirtying it" He tells her.
• With a smile, she takes his hand. Suddenly when they touch this feeling rises up inside her. Butterflies fly in her stomach and make her want to punch her stomach. His touch sends sparks throughout her body, it makes her feel uncomfortable, yet it feels amazing and she likes his touch on her soft skin. She was so lost in her own mind, that she didn't know that they were walking to the front entrance of the castle. The future Queen of the Underworld keeps thinking of the man she's
• she's holding hands with. His hand fits perfectly over hers, protecting her small delicate hands from harm.
• They fit so well together, that it would be as if the two of them belong to together, and were always meant to be together. Perhaps they do, perhaps not. Only time can tell now. But, as time is unpredictable, anything can happen. Their story has not been written yet, the future can change in an instant. With only time to tell what it holds. No one knows the truth until it arrives.
• The two of them will have to discover it together, as their beginning of the story they're writing together has already begun.