109: The Meal

The Meal

The Mother Queen sent Aziel to fetch her family members while she walked over to stand beside the bed. There, she observed that her grandson's chest no longer bore a glaring hole, and his eyes had now been closed. 

As his body was being wiped with a wet cloth, a servant inquired, "Mother Queen, what should we do about King Maxwell's clothes?" 

"Dispose of these by throwing them into the fire, and remove all other belongings and garments that belonged to him from the room," the Mother Queen responded, and before the servant could leave, her eyes fell on a white handkerchief, causing her to pause and say, "Wait."

Reaching out her hand, she took hold of the handkerchief before questioning, "Where did you find this?" 

"It was in his hand, milady," the servant replied with a bow while waiting for the small piece of fabric to be returned so he could proceed with the order to burn it. 

The old woman stared at the handkerchief, which appeared to belong to a woman. As she turned the fabric around, her eyes landed on the initial 'M' embroidered at its corner. "You can leave this item here and have the rest taken away," she dismissed the servant, who bowed and walked out of the room. 

Wasn't Maxwell's concubine's name Marianne? the Mother Queen pondered with a thoughtful expression; she folded the handkerchief before slipping it into her pocket. She then addressed the servants still present in the room, "I have already chosen the attire he is to wear. The glass case will be placed in the royal courtroom until tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Mother Queen," the servants obliged with a bow. 

With a sombre expression, the Mother Queen stepped out of the room and proceeded through the corridors, her silk dress sweeping the marble floor behind her. Once she arrived at the designated room where she had ordered Aziel to assemble everyone, she could hear a heated discussion taking place inside. 

"It is a demon straight from hell! How can we possibly remain calm in these circumstances??" 

"I didn't even know such a thing could exist until now." 

"We should move back to the old palace because this situation doesn't bode well." 

With a wave of her hand, the Mother Queen had the servants push open the doors. Stepping into the room, she said, 

"Nobody is going anywhere. We are all going to stay here. Together."

All eyes in the room turned to look at her, and Lady Sophia spoke up, "Did you not see what happened there? That was no ordinary demon mixed with human blood, but an original demon. You cannot possibly expect us to stay calm after what we saw." She narrowed her eyes at the older woman. 

"Horns, smoke…" Lady Noor murmured, as if still trying to comprehend the sight they had witnessed. 

"Grandmother, are you going to explain what happened to Brother Dante?" Prince Aiden inquired, standing next to Princess Emily. "Emily says he's an original demon. Is it true?" 

"Yes, he is," the Mother Queen affirmed. "Dante once emerged out of the underworld with intentions to conquer the entire world, causing bloodshed and the death of many. And now that he is back, I need all of you to be compliant and refrain from angering or provoking the demon in any manner. At least until things settle down."

"Then how about this?" Lady Sophia proposed, "Until things settle down, we will stay in the old palace."

"I am with Lady Sophia here, Mother Queen," Lady Noor nodded in agreement and said, "Prince Dante doesn't seem like himself anymore, and it frightens us."

The Mother Queen's lips tightened, and as she observed her grandchildren, she noticed their expressions were filled with doubt and wariness. Realising that someone was missing, she questioned, "Aziel, where is Niyasa?" 

"She has left the palace." 

Great, the Mother Queen thought to herself. It wasn't as if she wasn't worried like the rest, especially since they had to endure the next twelve days until the golden moon, relying only on stories passed down from one generation to the next. She then began to explain, 

"The Dante we have known is still within him, only now with a layer of demon." But before she could finish, Lady Sophia interrupted her to ask, 

"And how big is this layer?"

That was something the Mother Queen remained uncertain about, and she conveyed, "He cares about all of you. But his care is limited by the influence of the demon within him. Which is why I urge you all to be cautious. And as his suppressed Crux seems to have surfaced, he will be assuming the throne. I understand everyone's concerns, but there's nothing to worry about. We have help if something goes awry." Although, again, she wasn't entirely sure she could truly count on that help. 

"I want each of you to take a deep breath and have faith that everything will be fine. We are a family," the Mother Queen reassured them, "A family that sticks together, lives together, and dies together!" 

However, the rest of the family members appeared unconvinced as they stared at the Mother Queen without offering a response. Lady Sophia pinched the bridge of her nose before she said, 

"I will go check on the preparations for the king's funeral tomorrow," she stated, stepping out of the room. 

Far away in the dining room, Anastasia managed no more than four bites of her meal as she stole glances at Dante, who seemed entirely focused on eating the food. The demon's appearance had vanished as though there was nothing to be concerned about. 

"No appetite?" Dante questioned, his red eyes snapping to look at Anastasia. 

Anastasia felt a chilling sensation as she locked her gaze with the demon's fiery eyes, causing her to freeze, and she could feel the intimidation oozing from his gaze. She replied, "Not much…" 

The king's death and the unsettling sight of Dante's demon had completely destroyed her appetite. She observed him cut his meat before putting it into his mouth. Gathering her courage, she decided to ask him, 

"The person who cursed you, will you be going to meet… that person?" 

During the days Anastasia had spent serving Princess Emily, and their time together in the library, she had managed to get her hands on something she had always been curious about. About this person of the forest. 

Dante's blood-red gaze lazily returned to her, and he stated, "It is an obvious thing to do. To wrap my hands around the woman's neck and watch her join the rest of her people in eternal slumber."

Anastasia's palms grew cold, and she tightly gripped her spoon. It felt like she was walking on a tightrope with burning coals awaiting her beneath. 

Dante slid the juice beside him towards her and said, "Drink." 

Anastasia didn't refuse, because she had a feeling that a 'no' from her would steer things in an unfavourable direction, and it was better to comply for now. She asked, "Wouldn't it be better to let go of something, rather than perpetuate an endless cycle?" 

Dante let out a chuckle, his lips slightly curling at the earthling's words. He set his cutlery down and replied, "Once I put them out of their misery, there won't be a cycle to follow. For the pain they have caused, the repercussions will be tenfold, and nothing less. You lost your sister; don't you want those responsible to pay for it?" He hummed. 

"But isn't this different?" Anastasia questioned. Her sister was murdered, whereas the people Dante wanted to kill were being targeted because of the actions of one person. 

"How so?" Dante cocked his head, the smile on his lips fading, replaced by a prominent glare that unnerved her. "For what happened, people like my mother and Maxwell were subjected to death. It may not seem so, but even the smallest change can create a ripple in the sea of the future. And now that I am awake, everything will be set to order."

Anastasia raised the glass to her lips and began to drink, aware of Dante's watchful eyes on her throat as she gulped it down. Feeling self-conscious, she drank a little faster than she could handle, causing her to cough. 

"Look up," Dante instructed her before coming to her side and patting her back. "Nobody is going to steal your drink, and if you want more, you could always ask for it." 

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Anastasia hadn't stopped coughing, and a pool of tears formed in the corner of her eyes. She had also spilt a little bit of the drink on the front of her expensive dress. Not accustomed to wearing a lavish gown, she got up and said, 

"I will have it cleaned—"

"It is just liquid," Dante interjected, catching hold of her hand before the little rabbit could hop out of there. 

He could hear her heartbeat accelerate, as if she wanted to flee. His eyes subtly narrowed, and he used his leg to push the chair she had been sitting on aside. Humming thoughtfully, he remarked,

"You seem nervous." However, he knew it wasn't solely about the spilt liquid that had been absorbed by her dress, and it only had the demon side of him regard her with suspicion. "I don't think you hold any sentimental attachment to the dress. Is there something you would like to shed light on?" he asked, stepping forward to stand in front of her. 

At Dante's words, Anastasia's heart raced faster than before, and she felt her lower back pressing against the edge of the dining table. Calm down, calm down! There was no way for anyone to know, she said to herself while trying to control her breathing and suppress her fear of him. Goosebumps began to form on her skin, and his observant eyes noticed it. 

"I—I was just thinking," Anastasia blurted out, feeling him leaning closer towards her. 

"And what was it about?" Dante's words seemed composed at the surface, but Anastasia knew better than to trust them, especially with those shrewd eyes fixed on her. 

In the past, Anastasia believed that Dante was strict, but the demon residing inside him was far more daunting, and her throat went dry. She blinked her eyes to ward off the stress-induced spots in her vision caused by the tension she felt, and then she spoke,

"It was my first time... seeing a demon form. I was just taken aback when I thought about it," Anastasia chose her words carefully and added, "It will take some time for me to get used to it." Right at that moment, Dante had pushed her plate and other dinnerware away.

Dante extended his hand before her, gently placing his claw on her chest where her heart lay. He tapped on it lightly.

"Such a sweet sound, akin to a sparrow's chirping, and even more delightful when nervous," he whispered, and Anastasia locked eyes with him as he gazed back at her. "Sometimes, it is all about the perspective from a single viewpoint. How about we make a slight adjustment to it?" 

It was less of a question and more of a statement because soon, Anastasia felt Dante place his hands on her waist before lifting her effortlessly. Her heart almost stumbled before she found herself seated on the table with her legs dangling. What was she doing on the table?! 

"We w—were having a meal," Anastasia quickly reminded him, in case he had forgotten. Did he catch her lie?! 

Before she could attempt to scramble down, Dante placed his hands on her knees and slowly pushed them apart. He stated, "Were. Now it is time for dessert."

Anastasia wanted to tell him that this was a bad idea, and bad for her heart and life. But words seemed to fail her when she saw him stepping between her parted legs. She craned her neck to look up at him while he maintained eye contact.  0

Not a moment later, she felt Dante's hand tenderly caress the side of her head, his fingers intertwining in the back of her hair. A soft gasp escaped from her lips, causing them to part and tremble for his taking. She saw his elongated canines, and in a hushed whisper, she asked him,

"You won't kill me… will you?" 

Dante's lips curved into a smile, his eyes holding a blend of tenderness and mischief towards her, before he teased, "People visit heaven often when they experience ecstasy, but I doubt one can die from it. We should test it, shouldn't we?" 

Anastasia placed her hand on Dante's chest, feeling the firmness of his muscles beneath her touch. She had only intended to maintain the distance between them before she would turn into this man's dessert. However, the demon had already made its decision, leaving her with no way to escape. 

She felt him leaning closer, and he whispered against her lips, "Can you feel your lips trembling, waiting for me to kiss you? Your body is waiting to be set ablaze and burned."

Feeling Dante's proximity, whispering to her in his seductive voice, made her believe that the devil truly existed. In less than a second, he captured her lips in his and skillfully pried them open as he tasted her, mingled with the flavour of orange. The kiss coaxed her to surrender her body and mind as his probing tongue explored her mouth, and in the next moment, he playfully nipped her lip, causing her to wince. 

"Did that hurt?" Dante asked her, attempting to look serious, but she didn't buy it. 

"What do you think?" Anastasia retorted with a subtle frown, and before her tongue could peek out and try to soothe her lip, Dante's thumb gently silenced it. 

Dante's eyes took in the redness slowly spreading on her bottom lip, and he said, entranced, "Let me make it better. I help you, you help me, right?" 

As he captured her bottom lip once more, she felt him gently suck and run his tongue along it, soothing the pain. The mixture of the pain and sweetness, coupled with his tender touch, left her feeling dizzy. But the sweetness was soon overtaken by dominance, as if he wanted to possess her, a depth even the abyss couldn't fathom. 

Dante passionately kissed Anastasia until the hand resting on his chest began to crumple due to the intensity of the moment and the lack of air. He supported the back of her head, gently pulling his head away from hers, while observing her half-parted eyes that were fixed on him. He said, 

"Time to test your limits." 

Anastasia was still catching her breath when she felt Dante pull her closer such that the sides of her bottom were partially on the table and partially in the air. Believing that the kiss was the dessert he had referred to, she was about to hop back on the ground when she felt him place his hands on her thighs, and her face flushed pink. 

"Dante—"

"Is there something you are hiding from me?" Dante inquired, pulling a chair to sit before her. 

Anastasia felt a jolt of electricity surge through her under Dante's demon gaze boring into her. She observed him lean to the side while he picked one of her ankles and placed it on the armrest. She answered, "There is nothing to hide." Then she felt him do the same to her other ankle. "What are we doing?" she asked, feeling embarrassed sitting in such a strange position. 

Anastasia felt her heart murmur with a sigh as Dante caressed her ankles to cleverly ease her into compliance with whatever he had in mind. He directed her, "Place your palms flat on the table."

"Why?" she inquired nervously as they stared at each other. 

"For support. But on second thought, I believe you will find a better position later," Dante replied, deliberately withholding an explanation, keeping her captive after weakening and lowering her guard. 

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