110 - Insane
Lilith's smile lingered for a moment before it softened into something almost wistful.
"People rarely speak about children," she said quietly.
"Especially when they become adults. Everyone only remembers what a person is now.
" Her gaze drifted toward the palace. "Sometimes I wonder if that's unfair. "
Mariana followed her line of sight. The palace gleamed beneath the afternoon sun. Beautiful. Majestic. And perhaps one of the loneliest places in the world.
Lilith suddenly sighed. "Oh."
Mariana blinked. "What...?"
The Empress rubbed the back of her neck. "I should probably apologize."
"Apologize...?"
Lilith's expression turned oddly guilty. "For my son."
Mariana immediately knew this conversation was going somewhere dangerous.
Lilith laughed weakly. "I may have scolded him."
Mariana stared. "You... scolded him?"
"I absolutely did." The Empress folded her arms. "In fact, I told him off."
Mariana almost choked. Somehow hearing that felt more shocking than hearing about the original Mariana.
Lilith clicked her tongue. "Honestly, that child." A pause. "He's thirty times worse than his father."
Mariana wasn't sure whether that was comforting or terrifying. Probably terrifying.
Lilith continued. "I told him he couldn't keep treating you like a bird in a gilded cage."
Mariana froze. The exact words she had been thinking.
The Empress noticed. "Even your face agrees."
"..."
"I told him that suffocating you wouldn't stop you from running away."
Mariana looked away. That statement hit a little too close. Because Zafiel truly did seem to think that if he simply kept her close enough, she would never leave. The logic was absurd. The execution was horrifyingly effective.
Lilith sighed. "He listened." Mariana felt a small spark of hope. Then Lilith smiled. "He just understood it in his own way."
The hope immediately died. "What does that... mean?"
The Empress looked skyward. "As far as I can tell, he concluded that he shouldn't lock you in a cage." Mariana waited. Lilith continued. "So now he's trying to become the cage."
Mariana nearly developed a headache. That sounded exactly like Zafiel. A man who could hear a perfectly reasonable message and somehow arrive at an entirely different conclusion.
"He means well." Lilith said.
"I know..."
"That doesn't make it less concerning."
"I... know."
The Empress groaned. "See? Even you know."
For several moments neither spoke.
Then Lilith's expression softened. Genuinely softened.
"Mariana." Mariana looked up. The Empress stepped closer.
"If there's ever something you want to do.
.." Her voice became gentle. "Something that my son disagrees with.
.." Mariana blinked. Lilith smiled. "I'll support you.
" Mariana stared. The Empress chuckled. "Within reason. "
"Within reason?"
"I'm still an Empress. If you suddenly decide to burn down a government building, I reserve the right to object."
Mariana laughed despite herself.
Lilith's smile widened. "There."
Mariana paused. "What...?"
"You laughed."
For a moment, something warm settled between them. Not Empress and future Crown Princess. Not ruler and subject. Simply two women sharing a conversation.
Lilith reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair behind Mariana's ear. An affectionate gesture. One that made Mariana's chest tighten unexpectedly.
"Whatever happens," Lilith said softly, "don't carry everything by yourself."
Then she turned. The conversation was over. The Empress walked away, leaving Mariana alone. Alone with thoughts she wasn't sure she wanted.
-
The garden suddenly felt quieter. Mariana remained seated long after Lilith disappeared.
The original Mariana. The little girl from the story. The girl who talked to flowers. The girl who smiled at strangers. The girl who somehow fascinated a child genius in less than fifteen minutes.
What happened to her?
Mariana couldn't stop asking herself that question.
Because the Mariana described by Lilith sounded nothing like the villainess from the novel. Not even remotely. The villainess had been arrogant. Cruel. Obsessive. Jealous. Vindictive. A woman who dedicated years of her life to tormenting the heroine.
But the child Lilith described? That child sounded... lovable.
Mariana frowned.
Something wasn't adding up. People didn't simply transform overnight. Not from that. Not into that. Something had happened. Something terrible. The question was what. And why nobody ever talked about it. The more she thought about it, the more confused she became.
Eventually she gave up. Or at least attempted to. Because her head was beginning to hurt.
With a sigh, Mariana stood. The palace loomed ahead. Perhaps reading would distract her. That sounded nice. Simple. Peaceful.
Exactly the opposite of her life.
-
When Mariana entered her shared room with Zafiel, she immediately headed for the balcony. Technically it had once been his bedroom. Now it was theirs, a thought that still felt strange.
The balcony overlooked sprawling palace grounds. The afternoon breeze felt pleasant against her skin. She settled into a chair and opened a book. Local Folklore and Mythological Traditions of the Northern Territories. An incredibly exciting title. At least according to Mariana.
She had barely reached the first chapter when it happened-a hand suddenly covered her mouth. Large. Firm. Completely unexpected.
Mariana froze. Every muscle in her body locked. A man stood behind her. A stranger. A low voice whispered near her ear. "Don't scream."
Mariana's heart nearly stopped.
Enemy...!!
The thought came instantly. After everything that had happened recently, that was the first conclusion she reached. Not servant. Not guest. Enemy. The grip tightened slightly.
"I won't hurt you."
Mariana carefully nodded.
The hand slowly moved away. The moment it did, she turned only to freeze again. Because someone was sitting on the balcony parapet casually as though gravity had personally agreed not to inconvenience him.
A man much older than her. Navy-blue hair hung messily around his face. Sharp silver eyes gleamed with amusement. His shirt was only half-buttoned. His posture screamed trouble. The kind of trouble that somehow survived repeated assassination attempts and considered them a hobby.
The man grinned. "Hello."
Mariana stared.
The stranger smiled wider. "So you're the famous princess."
"..."
"The one my son locked away."
Mariana's brain stopped working.
Son...?
The word echoed.
Son??
Silver eyes. Navy hair. Absolutely terrible aura. Possessive tendencies apparently inherited by the next generation. Realization struck like lightning.
No... no way...
The man laughed. "Oh, that face." He hopped down from the parapet. "I knew it."
Mariana finally found her voice. "... Your Imperial Majesty?"
The man bowed dramatically. "Belial Ciaran Morrigan von Clematis." He straightened, the grin never leaving his face. "At your service."
Mariana immediately understood two things.
This is Emperor Consort Belial. Everything people say about him is probably true.
Belial looked around suspiciously. Then leaned closer. "Before we continue." Mariana blinked. He pointed at her. "You must swear."
"Swear...?"
"That you won't tell anyone I was here." Mariana stared. Belial looked dead serious. "Especially Zafiel."
"..."
"Actually, particularly Zafiel."
Mariana hesitated. "Why??"
Belial pointed toward the horizon. "The palace might explode. He gets emotional, very emotional."
Mariana thought about Zafiel. Then immediately nodded. Fair enough.
Belial looked relieved. "Excellent."
He pulled up a chair and sat down like a conspirator. Or a criminal. Possibly both. For several moments he simply stared at her.
Then, "Hm." Mariana stiffened. "Hmmm." The scrutiny intensified. Belial nodded repeatedly. "Hmmmmmmm." Mariana was beginning to regret existing. Finally he snapped his fingers. "Perfect."
"What...?"
The Emperor Consort beamed. "I approve."
Mariana blinked. "Approve...?"
"My future daughter-in-law." Mariana nearly dropped her book. Belial looked delighted. "Oh yes."
"Your Imperial Majesty-"
"Wonderful choice."
"Your Imperial Majesty...?"
"Excellent taste."
"Your Imperial Majesty?"
"My son finally did something right."
Mariana covered her face.
Belial laughed loudly. Then his expression unexpectedly softened. "Though." His silver eyes sharpened. "Since you're already stuck with him."
Mariana had a terrible feeling about this.
Belial leaned back. "You should know what you're dealing with." The smile on his face became suspiciously similar to Lilith's earlier expression. The expression of someone offering condolences. "My son, he's..." A pause. "He's insane."
Mariana stared.
Belial pointed toward himself. "And that's coming from me." Which was perhaps the most concerning part. The Emperor Consort folded his arms. "Listen carefully."
Mariana wasn't sure she wanted to.
Belial continued anyway. "When Zafiel likes something.
.." A pause. "He keeps it." Mariana suddenly understood where this was going.
"When he values something..." Another pause.
"He protects it." The smile disappeared.
"And when he loves something..." Mariana felt her stomach drop.
Belial's silver eyes became serious. "Nothing in this world will ever convince him to let go. "
The breeze seemed colder.
The Emperor Consort looked toward the palace. Toward the room where his son would eventually return.
Then he glanced back at Mariana. For the first time since arriving, there was no teasing in his expression. Only understanding. Because perhaps no one understood possessive love better than Belial himself.
After all, the infamous husband who had terrified half the continent for Lilith was sitting right in front of her.
And judging from his face, he recognized every dangerous sign in his son.
···
A/n: Finally had the time to do these. Aesthetics of both Zafiel and Mariana.