Chương 4: Chapter 4

~Celestial Realm~

~Hall of Dreams~

Reqiel rested his jaw on his palm, leaning on the wide elaborate table absentmindedly, mind elsewhere, very far away actually.

If Sarell, his personal attendant could see him now, the poor Angel would probably pass out or break down in tears.

"Prince Reqiel?" Archangel Araval called to the ditzy Angel, he didn't see the need of dragging the child to the formal meetings but the King had made a decision and the King's word was law. "Prince Reqiel?" He called again to the Angel who was busy staring into the distance with his face balanced on his palms while he rested his elbows on the table.

A Lord beside him had to tap him to rouse him and this made an unaware Reqiel flinch, startled. He quickly straightened up, his back ramrod straight as it should have been.

"Welcome back, your Grace." Archangel Myril said coldly, making him wince.

This was bad for his plans, if word got back to the King, he might not get his wish granted. He mumbled a 'thanks' under his breath anyway, a Lord sitting opposite him snickered and Reqiel knew that he was playing with fire.

"The affairs of the Kingdom don't seem to be important enough to hold your attention." Myril continued in his condescending tone.

Reqiel tried to look contrite, he really did but he doubted his face did what he needed it to because the Archangel reddened and more snickers arose around the circular gold table.

"Back to what we were discussing." Archangel Araval quickly interrupted before the scene escalated and Reqiel heaved a sigh of relief. "The Ceremony of the Warrior Maidens is upcoming and preparations have to be made in earnest."

Reqiel perked up at this piece of new news, he would have perked up at anything at this point, as long as it didn't involve the Demons. Although they were the reason there was the Warrior Maiden Ceremony.

He wasn't born yet while the Holy War was still raging but according to records, the Demons had wiped out most of the Maiden Warriors which were the female High-Borns, it was the price the Angels had to pay for winning the Fourth Holy War.

"Have you brought this up before His Majesty?" A Lord directed at the Archangels.

"But of course." Braegen, a dour Archangel who only spoke when it had to do with the King replied. "The ceremonial rituals have already been approved." He concluded importantly.

Reqiel swallowed a sigh and remained careful not to place his elbows on the table or lose concentration. The ceremonies might have been fun if he was allowed to attend but instead, he was only allowed to view it through a high tower in the castle.

It was held once every year without fail to celebrate the female High-Borns for their valor and sacrifice during the Fourth Holy War. The cause of the war was particularly sketchy to Reqiel but Angels and Demons were natural enemies and would always be at war no matter what.

"The date has been fixed for the first moon of the fourth month," Archangel Braegen continued, once he had gotten started it was hard to get him to stop talking.

Reqiel took in this newest development with a sour mood, if he thought it would be hard enough getting the King's attention on an average day then it would be next to impossible to do so now that there was an upcoming festival, it also meant that his brothers would be coming back which was even worse news.

Velia and Calas treated him even worse, they got worried whenever he even left his bedroom.

Reqiel closed his ears to the enthusiastic sounds of Braegen filling in the entire court on the necessary information and a lot of unnecessary ones too. He wasn't going to get to see the dances or the carnivals or parades so it didn't really matter.

"The King also said that he would lead the main parade with his sons," Braegen concluded and this jolted Reqiel out of his distraction, hope blooming afresh in his heart.

He was too scared to ask if he was an exception to this and was grateful when no one mentioned it either. It would be better if he heard it directly from the King, whether the outcome proved favorable or not because at least then he could try to change the King's mind in the privacy of his chambers.

Apparently, Demon sightings on Earth were more interesting than an upcoming festival because soon enough the discussion drifted back to that.

Reqiel still thought they were being paranoid and lazy because male High-Borns were the Demon Hunters while the females were the Warrior Maidens, only nobility were born with special abilities so it was the wisest course of action.

While the Warrior Maidens had sacrificed their lives to win the Fourth Holy War, the Demon Hunters preferred to sit in their castles and attend parties, all the while complaining about doing their jobs.

He was beginning to not feel bothered anymore about not being able to train to be a Demon Hunter… Well to be fair, he hadn't met any others apart from his brothers who were really annoying so maybe he shouldn't be so quick to judge.

Absently, his elbows drifted to the edge of the table again, his face resting on his upturned palms with a big sigh. He had never met his father because apparently he died while trying to rescue his pregnant Warrior wife from the midst of the war and his mother was a vague memory as well so it was no surprise that he felt rootless.

Tricking everyone to let him visit Earth for a while was probably not the answer to his problems but Reqiel would take any chance to leave his castle right then, plus he really really wanted to go to Earth.

He had initially planned to visit the King to ask if the decree that stopped him from being able to visit his own gardens could be lifted. It was just the backyard gardens, he should be able to do at least that much.

But now, he had a much better option, he would still go on a surprise visit to the King but now it would be to find out if he would be a part of the parade. And if he wasn't, he would try to do some convincing so that he could be allowed to attend.

Then he would be on his best behavior for a couple of weeks before going back to the King again with his request to visit Earth, he would use every weapon in his arsenal to make sure the King agreed because if he could just get the King's word decreeing that he was allowed to visit Earth then everyone else had to obey.

And even if none of that happened, he would still get to visit his gardens because surely, that should be a far easier request to grant than allowing him to go to Earth.

He grinned goofily, elated with his scheming and wondering why he had never thought to do this before.

"Care to share what has you so excited, Prince Reqiel?" Myril's cruel voice shattered his happy imagination of blissful freedom, making him wince.

He was supposed to be working on acting right so he had to stop getting lost in thoughts at the bi-monthly Council meetings, he decided to remain silent not wanting to incite the red-faced Archangel while hoping intensely that the meeting came to a close before he ruined all of his chances of ever getting out of his castle.

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