Demon Prince's Forsaken Bride-Chapter 34: A better present
From the beginning to the end, Azrael had been standing there quietly. He had not responded to anyone’s words. And he had not even spared a glance in anyone’s directions.
The demon lord’s words were met with silence. When he spoke, his voice was tinged with hostility, ’’What? Have you not bothered to prepare a present for your younger brother?"
"How could it be?" When Moira stepped forward, her hips swayed, her white gown clung to her curves in a seductive manner. She stood by Azrael’s side and smiled, ’’His Highness has prepared the fourth prince’s present since a long time and had me take care of it.’’
With a snap of her fingers, a beautiful maid entered the court holding a tray in her hand. On the tray, there was a golden jug.
The fourth prince, Samael, leaned forward when Moira removed the lid of the jug and a lingering fragrance spread in the court. The rest of the people were also allured by it momentarily.
’’Since the fourth prince is fond of wine, His Highness has arranged one of the rarest and most exquisite wines for him in all lands,’’ Moira smiled.
The demon lord momentarily looked at the wine jug before dismissing the maid along with it, visibly unimpressed.
Seeing the look on his face, the other people also snapped back to their senses and nodded to each other. No matter how rare it was, how could mere some good wine be a worthy present for a prince?
The demon lord’s who favored the fourth prince were bound to be displeased.
The smile on Moira’s face fluctuated a little but she still remained in that slightly bowing position as she was not asked to be released from the curtsy.
’’It seems like you have forgotten the ways of us royals after spending quite some time in the battlefield amongst those puny creatures.’’
The puny creatures of course referred to the humans. And the demon lord was undoubtedly referring to the second prince as uncultured.
’’Or perhaps you are unable to manage your own household that has led to this mismanagement. How can the fourth accept a present as insignificant?"
The fourth prince was eyeing the jug of wine greedily. Hearing his father’s words, he immediately moved to shake his head but seeing Azrael’s quiet countenance, he shivered and did not dare to say a single word. He was very afraid of this second brother of his and more afraid of getting on his wrong side.
"Do you have nothing to say in your defense?" The demon lord rebuked the man but as he was about to continue speaking, Azrael finally moved.
Azrael’s shifting gaze landed on the demon lord and the man was taken aback by the ferocity in them. At that moment, Azrael looked like a beast who could tear someone to shreds. It rendered him speechless.
But in the next moment, like an illusion, it disappeared when Azrael stepped forward and bowed his head, ’’My Lord, it is my oversight that...’’
’’My Lord,’’ a voice drifted past the tall doors before a figure came into everyone’s view.
Like the midnight sky, Lareina was dressed in an elegant dark blue gown. Her long red hair created a stark contrast with her dress. The dress was modest but it added an allure to her. Her hair was braided to one side, leaving a few strands flying. Her movements were unhurried and her voice was extremely soft when she spoke again.
’’Your Highness,’’ she addressed Azrael after curtsying to the demon lord.
Azrael tilted his head to the side and his breath hitched at the sight of her.
However, the woman seemed to have something up her sleeves.
With a small and hesitant smile, Lareina declared, ’’His Highness has been reluctant and wanted to keep it as a surprise but as things have come to this, I think everyone should know. His Highness’s gift for the fourth prince is a weapon. And not just an ordinary weapon, but one that would be compatible with the fourth prince,’’ With a small pause, she continued, ’’His Highness had mentioned that he would personally take the fourth prince to the Decaying Hill.’’
Her unhurried and slow words seemed to pierce through the silence in the room as the demons looked at each other before observing the second prince. But the second prince showed no intentions to defy his wife’s words.
The demon lord’s humiliation of Azrael from before ceased to exist at this point as everyone marvelled at that declaration.
What kind of a place was the Decaying Hill? Mountains surrounded by blazing magma, those who ventured to that place barely returned. Even for demons, it was not easy to tread to a place like that.
But there was something special about the place. It was said that ancient demon gods resided there along with guardians who guarded the ancient treasures. And rumours had it that the second prince had received his weapon from there when his powers were awakened.
Azrael shot Lareina a look that she avoided promptly.
With Lareina’s words, the matter of the birthday present gradually settled down. Nobody dared to interpret Azrael’s actions again as the demon lord also seemed to be pleased with this turn of events seeing that he did not even bother with the human princess.
When it came to the seating arrangements, Lareina followed Azrael as a matter of course and took a seat next to him. While the demons had every intent to humiliate the human princess, she just made a declaration that pleased the lord and she was also rightfully the second prince’s wife so nobody dared to overstep their boundaries.
Moira lowered her eyes and a dark glint flashed in her eyes. Her position was rather awkward in the court. In Lareina’s absence, she could somehow occupy the seat next to Azrael but in her presence, there was no spare seat for Moira so she was led by the maidservant towards a common seating area.
The demon lord’s gaze lingered on her vulnerable figure for some time before it shifted to the dancers.
On the other side...
’’I had no idea we had a conversation regarding the fourth prince’s present,’’ Azrael whispered, his fingers moving to erect an invisible barrier around them.
’’Your Highness, we had other conversations that you seemed to have forgotten...’’
