Fandom The Gathering of Death Eater Children

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn gave Alastair a warm smile. ...I have no doubt that he will be a good father for our future children... She thought for herself and blushed.

"Aislynn!" Raven entered just after Alastair went to his room as soon as they arrived in Osaka. "Alastair is going to take Ayasei to the Agency, since he cannot drive, or apparate while he uses his magic to keep the boy asleep. Since you cannot apparate to the Agency since you do not know exactly where it is, I'll be taking you there." Raven explained, finishing just as Alastair came out of his room with Ayasei in his arms once more.

"I understand..." Aislinn nodded.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes...of course..." She thought that Raven was going to take her with the carriage, but she was surprised when she was told to step outside.

"Now, I have this other way to travel with a human, but it can only be used with one at a time, so it would be useless during missions." Raven explained, extending her lovely black wings. "But it's quite enjoyable."

Aislinn looked curiously at her and wondered for a second if she was going to fly with Raven, who looked upward, as if facing a friend, and gestured with her index finger for something to come nearer to them. A few seconds later, a large, white, fluffy cloud floated down, and stopped a few inches from the floor, right in front of Aislinn.

"Please, have a seat." Raven gestured to the cloud grandly, proud of her work.

Aislinn could not help but laugh. She had not been expecting it. She stepped carefully on the cloud with one foot, squeezing it carefully. "Ahh...it is so fluffy..." She giggled and took a seat. But she had barely sat for one second before she stretched herself and laid down, cuddling herself on the fluffy cloud with a childish smile. She was grinning dreamily to herself for nearly one minute until she thought of that something was missing. She sat up to conjure a blanket. She laid down again and covered herself with the blanket.

Elias smiled and picked up his spoon. The soup was lovely. Not to creamy, not to hot or lukewarm and not watery. It was a perfect soup. He tried to eat as slowly as he could, to indulge every spoon of soup he swallowed.

"This is perfect..." he praised Luna. "Usually I do not eat soup during the summer, thought I feel like I could eat this every day."

"Ahh...I am so full..." Adela smiled contently, looking at the two remaining pasties which were left on the plate. She had eaten three while Vincent had devoured five. She smiled as she noticed that he glanced at the remaining pasties. "You may have them," She smiled and drank the rest of her soft drink.

"But you did not eat that much..." He protested. "These are yours..."

"Oh I am fine; I have a small stomach..." She laughed.

"...And I am also full..."

"Well, then...please wait here, I will be back soon..." She rose up from her place and walked over to the counter. She come back with a small brown paper bag. There were brown paper bags in many sizes for the customers who wished to buy lunch snacks for later consumption. She placed the two remaining pasties in the paper bag which she sealed carefully.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

Raven watched with a sweet smile as Aislynn became comfortable. She giggled when she conjured a blanket. "Don't fall asleep." she warned jokingly. "If you want, you can have one later when it is time for you to rest." she promised. Raven took off, and the cloud followed her. It was such a smooth ride, and although the night wind would have been cold, it seemed to pass by the cloud without stealing any of Aislynn's warmth away. The ride was so smooth, that if Aislynn had her eyes closed, she would have scarcely noticed that they were flying at all. "Did you enjoy the ride?" Raven asked, stopping high in the air, just above the Agency building.

"Good. For this next part, you'll have to stand, please." she instructed. Since the cloud was nice and large, Aislynn wouldn't feel like she would fall easily if she stood.

"Now, just apparate down. " she shrugged her shoulders as if to say 'it's simple, see? The carriage can't ever come too close to here, because it would set off alarms within the building. Alastair's car is fine, because it started off as a Muggle car, and only has a few enhancements. The carriage is something that I made from thin air, so it relies on my magic to keep it in its form. With that said, it wouldn't be the best option for a stealth mission; it would show up on every security system, including this one." she pointed to the Agency building. "In case you were wondering..." she added. That much magic is difficult to conceal easily...

"Hai, soreha zenwadesu. (Yes, that is the entire story.)" Alastair answered truthfully. "Sorede watashi wa kare o koko ni tsurete kita nodesu. (That is why I brought him here.)"

"Wakarimashta. (I understand.)" Mr. Natsumizaka said quietly. "Sugoi-dess...Anata ga chucho naku kodo shita hoho. (It's amazing...The way you acted without hesitation.)" He praised, his eyes on Ayasei.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Natsumizaka-Sama. (Thank you very much, Mr. Natsumizaka.)" Alastair said with a bow. "Watashi ga kako ni sukutta subete no kodomo-tachi ni anata ga ataeta chiryo ni kansha suru koto wa dekimasen. Sayonara. (I cannot express my gratitude at the treatment you give to all of the children I have saved in the past. Farewell.)"

"Anata wa anata no en o wasuremashita. (You forgot your yen.)" he reminded him, handing him two envelopes.

"Ah...Arigatou gozaimasu. (Yes...Thank you very much.)" Alastair said gratefully, having been so focused on Ayasei that he had truly forgotten to take their pay-checks.

"Otsukaresama desu! (You worked very hard. Well done, and good bye.)"

Alastair arrived at the ground floor just as Aislynn entered the building. I've left Ayasei with Mr. Natsumizaka, filled out our mission report, and picked up our pay-checks. Everything is done, and now, after my lady receives her pay, I shall show her the magical realm I have yet to show another mortal...Afterwards, we shall part, and I shall pay off my debts with everyone we have visited this past week. That should deplete my funds, and the same thing will happen this week; I'll have to promise everyone that I'll pay them back later, and then...Well, I'll just have to work very hard. I'll do one or two missions a day, apart from the ones Aislynn and I do. It is unacceptable that I keep accumulating debts like this; I should have enough funds to take my lady out on a lovely night every night of the week! I will work harder! He decided. Three missions... he thought about the missions they had accomplished the past week. I might as well have slept for the entirety of the week! I accomplished so little.

"I see that you are here, my lady." Alastair greeted Aislynn charmingly. "Here you are..." he handed her her envelope, having put his inside his coat pocket inside the elevator. "...eighty-thousand yen. It may sound inconceivable-" he laughed. "-but according to the exchange rates, that would be approximately five-hundred and thirty pounds." he explained. "And approximately one-hundred and seven galleons." he finished. "Are you satisfied with the amount you received?" Alastair asked a moment later.

"Would you like this much every week, or all of it at the end of the month?" Alastair asked after she had answered.

When she returned his question, he replied "I myself prefer a bit every week. Not because of impatience; I simply see no need for it to remain unavailable to me when I could have it on hand whenever I need it." he explained. "However, everyone has their own preferences."

Perfect? Luna thought, both surprised and touched by his choice of words. I always thought that perfection was something nearly impossible to achieve...And he said that it was...perfect... "I believe-" Luna began, her voice genuine as she looked into his eyes. "-that you are perfect." She had not been attempting to flatter him at all. She spoke with an undeniable certainty, as if nothing he, or anyone else said could make her think differently. She did not look away, and did not care what she may have sounded like. She had needed to say it out loud, and to him directly. Perfect...Something almost impossible to attain normally...Because something always has a flaw or an imperfection. She thought, her finger at her brooch. You don't know what that word means to me. It is something almost...dreamlike...Divine would be a better definition. And she removed her finger from her brooch.

 

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn laughed.

"It is your fault if I fall asleep..." She snuggled inside the blanket, giggling because she was feeling so excited about riding on a fluffy cloud.

"Did you enjoy the ride?" Raven asked, stopping high in the air, just above the Agency building, after the smooth ride.

"Yes, it was so smooth that I did not feel anything," Aislinn was surprised that the ride had come to its end. She wished that she could have been laying on that cloud for eternity because of its fluffy softness.

"Good. For this next part, you'll have to stand, please." Raven instructed.

"Sure…"

"Now, just apparate down. " she shrugged her shoulders as if to say, 'it's simple, see?'

"Yeah..."

"The carriage can't ever come too close to here, because it would set off alarms within the building. Alastair's car is fine, because it started off as a Muggle car, and only has a few enhancements. The carriage is something that I made from thin air, so it relies on my magic to keep it in its form. With that said, it wouldn't be the best option for a stealth mission; it would show up on every security system, including this one." she pointed to the Agency building. "In case you were wondering..." she added.

"Ah, I understand…"

Aislinn apparated down and entered the building. She was met by Alastair as soon as she entered.

"I see that you are here, my lady." He greeted her charmingly. "Here you are..." he handed her envelope, having put his inside his coat pocket inside the elevator. "...eighty-thousand yen. It may sound inconceivable-" he laughed. "-but according to the exchange rates, that would be approximately five-hundred and thirty pounds." he explained. "And approximately one-hundred and seven galleons." he finished.

"Thank you," Aislinn smiled, taking her paycheck.

"Are you satisfied with the amount you received?" Alastair asked a moment later.

"Oh yes of course..." It is actually a little money, but better than nothing...I shall save half of it and spend half of it...She thought for herself.

"Would you like this much every week, or all of it at the end of the month?"

"I am fine with any option, what do you prefer?"

"I myself prefer a bit every week. Not because of impatience; I simply see no need for it to remain unavailable to me when I could have it on hand whenever I need it." he explained. "However, everyone has their own preferences."

"Well...then I will stick with the weekly payment..."

"Very well. I'll notify Mr. Natsumizaka for you-" he said, offering her his arm so that they would leave the building together. "-later." he smiled warmly, excitement showing in his eyes.

She smiled and blushed at the same time as she took his arm, expecting a romantic dinner night with him. She had almost forgotten that he would take her to the realm of the demons.

Elias got speechless for a couple of minutes, looking at Luna with a smile and then looking down at his soup, stirring it slowly with his spoon. He looked up at her again, still smiling.

"I actually do not believe that I am a flawless person," He chuckled. "Even if I was appointed to a prefect during my time at Hogwarts..." And before she could protest, he confessed to her: "...Because I never told professor Quinn about the inappropriate muggle magazines which Macnair hid in his trunk in our dorm. Instead I pretended that I had no idea about it, when miss Monroe poked about in our dorm when none of us was there because of a dispute she had with Macnair and then she found those bad magazines and told Quinn about it...I nearly lost my title as a prefect because of that incident..." Elias laughed heartily as he recalled the past.

"Oh...they have discount on their dresses!" Adela exclaimed delighted as she passed by a muggle clothing shop. She looked at the displayed dresses in the window, admiring their styles and colors.

"You want to buy some?" Vincent, who was holding both the paper bag with pasties and her shopping bag from Darkest Creatures in his hands, asked.

"If I find something nice..."

"You just said they were beautiful-"

"But I must try them first..." She laughed as she grabbed his arm and dragged him with her inside the shop. "Please wait here while I have a look," She gestured towards an elegant footstool.

He sat on it, feeling awkward about it because he was sitting so low on the floor with his long legs sprawling in front of him, nearly occupying the entire floor in front of the counter. An old woman, who was standing behind the counter, apparently the shopkeeper, gave him a very odd and suspicious look.

Meanwhile Adela flounced around in the small shop, pinching every dress that was on discount.

A few customers who were looking around as well, gave her side way glances at her shabby black gown. She entered the narrow fitting room with at least twenty different kind of dresses in her hands. It was troublesome and awkward to try out clothes in the narrow fitting room, though she managed to get through every dress. It took her about one hour and she found every piece of garment so charming that she had trouble of deciding of which she would absolutely buy. She stood there counting how much they would cost altogether. She never had the luxury to buy so much clothes as now. When she was a student at Hogwarts, she lived with her mother and brothers in a muggle habituated area in town. Her mother used to work in a muggle cafe to support Adela and her brothers. And almost all money went on school supplies for Hogwarts, food, house rent and other expenses and necessities while the rest was saved for their future. I might have a lot saved by mother... Adela thought as she absentmindedly fingered on her muggle payment card in her shoulder bag. ...I should not waste all I have... Adela sighed deeply as she remembered her dear mother. It was seven years since she had passed away and Adela still missed her.

Meanwhile, Vincent was unable to sit another five minutes on the footstool. It had a comfortable cushion, but it was too low for him to make him feel comfortable. He had been sitting on the footstool for nearly one hour and he rose up from his place. He was bored and had no patience to sit still and wait anymore and proceeded to go further inside the shop to see if he could find Adela. But before he took any step, the shop keeper cleared her voice, giving him a severe look.

"Excuse me sir, no walking inside my shop with your shopping bag."

"It is not my shopping bag, it belongs to my friend and I am just going to see if she is alright..."

"Leave your shopping bag here on the counter and you may go and look for your girlfriend."

"She is not my girlfriend, she is my friend..."

The shopkeeper rolled her eyes as Vincent placed the shopping bag on the counter.

"And the paper bag as well!" She said dryly as she noticed that he was about to walk away with a brown paper bag in his hand.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

That's...it? Luna thought, her face reflecting every bit of nonchalance she felt. I expected more...The way he made it sound... "That occurrence wasn't even worth mentioning." Luna stated boredly, "What Macnair chose to do with his free time was up to him. Furthermore, you did well not to snitch. That built up his trust with you to the present day. In truth, if you had said something, he would have never trusted you again, and he would have simply replaced his confiscated magazines with new ones, and bitterly searched for a new hiding place. I assume that if he ever has a problem, he would come to you, seeing as how you were able to keep his secret in the past. Realizing that whatever trouble he may get into would be more grave than a filthy magazine should justify your actions enough. It wasn't as if he was keeping a corpse in his trunk." she finished, shaking her head at how seriously he had taken it. "But my views are a bit unorthodox, so that may be why I was never appointed prefect during my time in school...I look too far ahead, and no one seems to share my range of vision." she finished quietly. "So, my opinion has not changed. " she said, the certainty in her eyes returning. However, if you had been the one with those magazines....Well, actually, reading those would be better than actually committing those acts. So...my opinion would remain the same. I would have more respect for a man that harbors those magazines in a secret place, rather than someone like Robert who openly goes from lady to lady without a care in the world for their feelings.

Luna was cleaning Elias's room one day, after they were married and living together, only to find a stack of magazines under his bed. She saw them, and simply cleaned around them, as if they weren't there, averting her eyes. she imagined.

"Are you ready, my lady?" Alastair asked with a soft smile and excited eyes just as they left the building and were met with a soft, warm breeze. "To journey with me to Hell?"

"Then excuse me a moment." he said, disappearing as soon as he finished his sentence. He re-appeared two seconds later with a goblet of liquid. "Drink this and you will be able to go with me." he explained calmly, handing it to Aislynn.

The drink was primarily bright red, with accents of orange and darker red swirling about, and flecks of many shades of yellow and gold sprinkled throughout. It looked like the Milky Way, but with different colours. "A potion that is fairly easy to make, but only a demon can make it. " he added when she had looked inside the cup. "It is called The Seven Deadly Sins." Pride, Gluttony, Envy, Lust, Sloth, Greed, Wrath. Alastair thought, as if mentally checking a grocery list. It looked as if it would taste very odd. However, it tasted like the richest, smoothest milk chocolate that had been melted into a liquid form. Its quality was so fine that there was nothing to compare it to in the human world, rising above even the highest quality chocolate drinks. "I used a strong cacao plant and some other ingredients that are indigenous to the demon realm to mask the usual bitterness of the drink." Alastair said modestly. "It will take effect shortly." he concluded. "Now, if you please..." he spread his arms wide, like he usually did when he was preparing to jump with her. A moment later, they were soaring through the air together, high above the clouds, where it seemed like the moon was only a mile away. "Prepare yourself, my lady." Alastair said, his tone politely warning her that the potion was about to take effect.

As soon as he spoke, it seemed that the world around them was becoming blurry, little by little, until it looked like a very abstract watercolour painting made by a young child. As things shifted out of focus, it felt as if she was slipping out of consciousness as well. Then, there came a nearly irresistible urge to close her eyes. What felt like a second later, she opened them, to see that she was still being carried by Alastair, who looked down at her with his usual soft smile.

They were in what appeared to be a long, dark corridor, with moonlight coming from the far end of it. It had all the elegance of a cathedral, yet it seemed very cold. The ceiling was very high, and arched, and every few meters there was a black chandelier. There was a feeling in the air...as if millions of Dementors were swarming high above, casting their unmistakable aura of misery and hopelessness throughout the place. "Don't worry, my lady. It is only desolate to scare the mortals away." Alastair said softly, beginning to walk through it. He did not put her down, continuing to carry her in his arms with an air of nonchalance. There was that very comforting aura of serenity and comfort coming from him, and it gave Aislynn all of the warmth she needed to escape what would have been the bitter coldness of the corridor. In time, they reached the end, where there was a tall window glowing a bright white, as if the moon itself was just beyond the glass. A closer look, and the surface of the window was moving, as if it was an ocean turned sideways and fashioned into a glass.

​

"Take a deep breath..." Alastair said, his voice soft and reassuring. "...And hold it, please." Once she had done so, he walked through the glass. It looked as if they would have been showered in the cold liquid that the glass was made of, but instead, they immediately felt a warmth beyond compare. And yet, there was nothing to be seen. They stood in complete darkness. "You may release your breath." came Alastair's voice. As she did so, Alastair moved to put her down on something solid. It creaked like a boat, and was slightly uneven when her weight was added, wobbling from side to side. When she exhaled, she was able to see everything.

Alastair had put her into a boat that looked similar to a gondola, but with subtle differences like slightly higher walls and an array of ornate markings at the edges. They were in the center of a large pond, with water that came up to Alastair's knees. The water was midnight blue, and swirled in were numerous shades of shimmering purples and shining whites. The sky was a lilac color, with fluffy, deep purple clouds, and silver stars accenting it. But what was most remarkable was the source of the water. Planted at the very edge of the pond were many trees that shared a great likeness to Japanese Cherry trees, with leaves the same colours as the water. From the edge of each branch trickled a bit of water, which made for such an enchanting view, and a soft sound as the trickling water hit the surface. Leaves from the trees floated through the air, falling slowly, like very light snow. Alastair jumped, landing elegantly at the edge of the boat, and a long oar appeared in his hands. The water making up the large pond turned into a river a little ways down, and seemed to go on for as far as the eye could see. The river flowed faster as it went on, for the trees grew denser, supplying more water. "My lady, are you feeling alright?" Alastair asked, looking at her as he began rowing toward where the pond became a river.

"Please try some of this." Alastair said warmly, as a mug flew in front of Aislynn. It contained liquid that was the same colour as the river, but it was much thicker, almost like a creamed vegetable soup. "It is enticingly delectable." he smiled. It tasted like a sort of herbal tea that was unlike anything in the human world. Similar to lavender...almost... and with what could only be described as subtle a berry flavor....almost.....and a hint of something similar to vanilla...perhaps... Further away from the entrance to Hell, the water became thinner, like Earth's tea.

"Taste is different here...Everything is so flavorful. " Alastair said once she had tried it. "And there are so many things that the human world doesn't have. I bitterly resent those who made Hell sound like a terrible place...But at the same time, I am grateful to them, for they have kept all of those useless mortals out of this..." he sighed, looking to the sky and the lowering his gaze to the waters. "...enchanting place..." he finished a second later. "Drink as much as you want...Eating is also different here...You neither feel hunger, nor satiety, so you can eat and drink as much as you like. We do it for the pleasure, not out of necessity. And since the children here are taught that corpulence is a revolting trait, they learn never to overindulge. " But when I'm in the human world I feel hunger quite often...three or four times a day... But the aura of serenity and peace here...It is unmistakable...Such a large different when compared to the misery and despair in the corridor. But this river makes it so easy to forget...all the unpleasantries. Most importantly... Alastair thought, looking at Aislynn with a loving look in his eyes. My lady is here, with me, and she chose to come voluntarily, because she trusted me. I am honored that she would place such trust in me...

 

[Hikari Chan]

"I understand what you mean," Elias chuckled. "From your point of view, I am the perfect person because I remained faithful to my friend and kept his secret. In a different point of view, I was not the perfect person because I kept silent about something that violated the school rules."

"I don't know how much to thank you for this lovely meal. Even if it was only soup, I am satisfied more than ever," He said gratefully when he had finished his soup.

"Oh..." Aislinn smiled. The journey to where Alastair is from... "Yes...I am..."

"Then excuse me a moment." he said, disappearing as soon as he finished his sentence. He re-appeared two seconds later with a goblet of liquid. "Drink this and you will be able to go with me."

She took the goblet and looked suspiciously and curiously at the drink. Is this the taste of hell? She thought half amused

"A potion that is fairly easy to make, but only a demon can make it. It is called The Seven Deadly Sins."

She tried to understand what he just had told her, but the more she thought about it, the more she got confused. Seven deadly sins…? She shrugged and took a careful sip of the potion. She was expecting a very odd taste but was surprised that it tasted like chocolate milk.

"Oh...is this a disguised chocolate drink or what?" She laughed and drank the entire liquid all at once.

"I used a strong cacao plant and some other ingredients that are indigenous to the demon realm to mask the usual bitterness of the drink." Alastair said modestly. "It will take effect shortly." he concluded. "Now, if you please..." he spread his arms wide, like he usually did when he was preparing to jump with her, and she happily embraced him.

"Prepare yourself, my lady." Alastair said, warning about the potions' effect when they were soaring high up in the air.

…Was it actually a sleep potion with the taste of chocolate... Aislinn thought confused when everything became blurry and she could no longer hold her eyes open.

What felt like a second later, she opened them, to see that she was still being carried by Alastair, who looked down at her with his usual soft smile. They were not soaring in the air anymore, but they were in a long dark corridor which gave her eerie chills.

"What place is this..." Aislinn whispered.

"Don't worry, my lady. It is only desolate to scare the mortals away." Alastair said softly, beginning to walk through it until they reached the window. She was feeling revealed that he carried her the entire way to the end of the corridor, because she was feeling that she would be unable to walk, that her legs would be paralyzed of the fear this room made her feel. She rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. His warm aura was so comforting that she nearly forgot where she was.

"Take a deep breath..." Alastair said, his voice soft and reassuring, when they had reached the window. "...And hold it, please."

Aislinn did as she was told, and she even kept her eyes closed. She had no idea why she also did that, but she felt that she could not open her eyes yet. She felt when Alastair continued to walk, though she had no idea that he walked through the window.

"You may release your breath." came Alastair's voice.

When she did so, she also opened her eyes, finding herself in totally darkness. Oh, Merlin's bloody hair beard...do not panic... She felt that she was put down in something that wobbled, and she gulped, wondering where she was. When she exhaled, she was able to see her surroundings. She was no longer in the dark corridor but somewhere that seemed be outdoors and it calmed her down. She looked down in the midnight blue water, seeing a faint and blurry reflection of her pale face.

Alastair jumped, landing elegantly at the edge of the boat, and a long oar appeared in his hands.

"My lady, are you feeling alright?" Alastair asked, looking at her as he began rowing toward where the pond became a river.

"…Yes..." She nodded, her voice barely a whisper.

"Please try some of this." Alastair said warmly, as a mug flew in front of her.

It contained liquid that was the same color as the river, but it was much thicker, almost like a creamed vegetable soup. "It is enticingly delectable." he smiled.

She sniffed the liquid carefully. She could not decide what it really smelled like. If it was lavender, berries or vanilla. She took a careful sip.

"Taste is different here...Everything is so flavorful. " Alastair said once she had tried it. "And there are so many things that the human world doesn't have. I bitterly resent those who made Hell sound like a terrible place...But at the same time, I am grateful to them, for they have kept all of those useless mortals out of this..." he sighed, looking to the sky and the lowering his gaze to the waters. "...enchanting place..." he finished a second later. "Drink as much as you want...Eating is also different here...You neither feel hunger, nor satiety, so you can eat and drink as much as you like. We do it for the pleasure, not out of necessity. And since the children here are taught that corpulence is a revolting trait, they learn never to overindulge."

Aislinn listened with great interest and took another sip of the liquid. I eat both for pleasure and to satisfy my hunger in the mortal realm... She thought amused.

"Oh, did I keep you waiting for too long? I am so sorry-" Adela had just hung back most of the dresses which she had been trying.

"I am fine, I just like to walk around for a bit exchange, the footstool was not comfortable.."

"I am sorry.."

"Did you create that footstool?"

"No.."

"Then why are you apologizing to me?"

Adela could not help but giggle.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"Oh no, not at all," She smiled and proceeded to walk to the counter, holding two dresses of her choice, when Vincent grabbed her hand.

"Is that all you are going to buy.."

"Yes-"

"Isn't there anything more you'd like to have?"

"Ehm...no I am happy with these two.."

"Are you sure? I can actually pay for you..." He picked out several galleons from his pocket, showing her.

"Oh no, put that back!" She whispered. We are not in a wizarding area, but a muggle area...it violates the wizarding law if I reveal myself as a witch in a non-wizarding place...it is alright, I have a lot of money, I can buy the entire shop if I like...but I am content with these two dresses" She smiled. "You can buy something for me when it is my birthday, okay…?"

"And when is your birthday?" He spoke aloud, not seeming to care if anyone heard them or not.

"The tenth September..." She giggled and walked over to the counter.

"The tenth September..." Vincent repeated as he stood beside Adela, leaning over the counter. He looked curiously at how Adela used a rectangular shaped thin object to pay for the dresses. He had never seen a muggle payment card before.

"The tenth September..." He kept repeating, taking the card from Adela's hand when she was done, because he was curious about the card and wanted to have a closer look. He turned and twisted the card in his hand, holding it very close to his eyes to examine it, while he kept repeating Adela's birthday date for himself.

"Thank you for shopping with us..." The shopkeeper said while handing the girl her shopping bag with her two dresses at the same time as she was giving the tall and pale man weird and odd looks.

"Does this object contain money?" Vincent asked, handing the card to Adela whose face was red like tomato because she was suppressing her laugh.

"Mhmm…" She put the card back in her bag.

"Sir, here's your girlfriend's shopping bag and your paper bag..."

"She is my friend, not my girlfriend!"

Adela grabbed Vincent's hand and nearly ran out of the shop. As soon she put her foot outside, she burst out in laughter. She stood outside the shop, laughing for nearly fifteen minutes until she calmed down and tried to catch her breath.

"Merlin's beard..." She laughed as she brushed away her tears of joy.

"Are you laughing at me again?!"

"No, of course not." She took hold of his hands and looked straight into his eyes. "You are just an amazing person who knows how to put a smile on my face and make me laugh..." She smiled.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Whether they were the school rules or not..." Luna began, trying to put her thoughts into words. "...Not all rules are right. And not all laws are just." How amusing...I resorted to quoting Alastair... Luna thought, remembering an occasion when Alastair had said those exact same words.

"I don't know how much to thank you for this lovely meal. Even if it was only soup, I am satisfied more than ever," Elias said gratefully when he had finished his soup.

Only soup, he said...Is he not satisfied? Hmm...perhaps the fact that it was such a light meal is the reason that I love it....He, however, is a man that needs sufficient nourishment... She went on to imagine him purchasing a sandwich and eating it on the way to the 'business' he had to attend to. "I am pleased that you found it enjoyable." Luna replied modestly, sounding a bit too formal. Of course, it had been unintentional. ....Favorite alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks...check. Favorite meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner...check. What am I missing? Ah... "Elias? What is your favorite dessert?" ...Alright, no more questions until another week or so...I should have put more space in between them, so that it was more...subtle. Luna thought, hoping that he didn't inquire about the reason behind all of her questions.

"Do you find the drink enjoyable, my lady?" Alastair asked after Aislynn had taken another sip of the liquid.

He smiled, and continued rowing. Soon, both the colour of the water, and the sky, began to change. Little by little, they were fading from their previous colours to red with streaks of orange, like a spectacular sunset. A little ways down, the river turned to the left, and continued flowing behind a large, blue mountain, like the pointed, snow-capped kind in the Alps. As soon as they passed the mountain, the river flower into an ocean, and they were met by a breathtaking view.

High above the ocean, there were three moons, rather than suns. One was a pale purple, almost blue, and crescent shaped. It was far off to the left side, and not easily noticeable. The second was an orange-red, much like the sun in one of Earth's sunsets. It was very large, and it rested right on the horizon, as if it had been in the process of setting, but had frozen precisely half-way. The third was the darkest red, with hints of purple, and remained high in the sky, slightly to the right. Soft clouds of orange, pink, red, and purple subtly accented the sky, and there were mountains in the distance, creating a lovely horizon. The sky was so large, and open, that there was a feeling of freedom and content in the air. The sky was 50% red, 30% orange, and 20% purple.

Alastair did not stop rowing, but kept his eyes on Aislynn for her reaction. As they continued heading west, a village appeared in the distance, which gradually became larger and larger. It seemed that the village was incredibly large, and located on an island with the dazzling water surrounding it on all sides. Some water traveled through the middle of the island, branching off into different places, similar to the multiple waterways in Venice, except that here there were normal roads in addition to the waterways. "There are four of these waterways, branching off to the North, South, East and West sides. They separate the village into four parts, respectively called the North, South, East, and West provinces. In the center of this place is the Demon King's castle, centrally built, in equal parts, on all four provinces." Alastair explained.

As they passed the initially calm beaches of the island, houses began to appear, each very different from the next. One was built like a Beach House with a pool and a huge water slide, and the next like a Dutch Cottage. One like a smaller version of a Chinese Emperor's palace, and the next like any other apartment building in London. There was a house built entirely out of odd pieces metal and wood, that walked around on stilts which also acted as legs, never staying in one place too long; it was similar to the 'castle' in Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle. There was another house that was shaped like a cloud, with all the windows clear, so that you could see everything reflected on it, and the people inside could see outward. There was a doorway which was open, leading to a staircase which led to another door underground. One was shaped like Rapunzel's castle, and the next looked exactly like a life-sized gingerbread house. Upon close inspection, one would find that it was actually built out of sweets. In short, every kind of house imaginable, from the most ornate, to the most fantastic, to the plainest, were built in the village. Each house reflected the tastes of the inhabitant, making each street a marvel to behold. The streets themselves were cobbled, and lined with flowers that resembled lilies. They were red, and in the center was a wick which was burning with a tiny flame, like a candle. There seemed to be one flower for every house. Other demons who were peacefully going about their business stopped what they were doing and bowed to Alastair, and did not stop until Alastair passed them as they glided by. Each and every one of them, from the children, to the elderly, stopped to pay their respects.

"Lord DiVilliers..." they said one by one in cordial, yet formal way. It was clear that everyone had a great respect and appreciation for Alastair, who returned their outward signs of loyalty with a modest yet elegant bow of his head.

"Aislynn, there was something I neglected to tell you. " Alastair said apologetically as they neared a harbor to dock the boat. "I didn't want to boast...But my Father was ruler of Hell before...And since he was killed, I...." he looked away from her in silence as the boat stopped in its designated area and a rope magically tied itself from the boat to a strong wooden pole. "Forgive me." Alastair said, getting out of the boat and bending slightly to offer Aislynn his hand in assistance before she could speak.

A few people watched, trying to be discreet, as everyone else bustled about their business, of course pausing to bow and then moving on. A little ways away, two people, one male and one female, were making their way over to Aislynn and Alastair.

The lady had light brown hair and dark blue eyes, and her hair was in an elegant bun. She wore a brown coat, a crisp white dress shirt with the first two buttons undone, brown pants, and tall boots in a darker shade of brown. Around her neck was a simple black choker, and a gold necklace with a crystal on it. Inside the crystal was a clear liquid with sparkling gold particles that never settled; they were swirling around inside like the snow in a snow globe that was being persistently shaken.

The man had long, dark brown hair which he had tied in a high ponytail that reached well past his elbows, and bangs that covered one of his two pale blue eyes. He wore a black, formal kimono with overlarge sleeves, and there was a katana at his side, resting in a black saya.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"That is a bit difficult to answer," Elias chuckled. "I actually love all kinds of desserts, though it mostly depends on the season. So now during the warm days of summer I only prefer sorbet and fresh fruit salads. I love apple pies, the taste of cinnamon and pumpkin during the autumn. Ginger breads, hot cocoa with the taste of peppermint, saffron buns during the winter. During the spring I eat any other kind of dessert. Do you have any favorite dessert my dear?"

"Mmhm…" Aislinn nodded and smiled towards Alastair. She took another sip and let her eyes wander over the surroundings. The further on they went with the boat, the more it seemed to lighten up. But instead going from night to dawn, it seemed to change more towards dusk. She was confused over this and wondered if the demons ever saw the sunlight in their realm. Then she remembered his description of the hell before they came here.

A continually red sky with streaks of orange, like an everlasting sunset. Waters of the same color, and breathtaking horizons. Cobbled streets and calm demons walking in different directions. The streets are lined with flowers that resemble lilies; they're red, and in the center is a wick which is burning with a tiny flame, like a candle. And behind those lilies are houses; each one unique. Each one reflects the tastes of the inhabitant, making each street a marvel to behold. It is a very large city that is built in a circular shape; like Paris. In the center is a grand castle; a place that everyone respects. The ruler of Hell rests there when he visits; his powers are greater than any demon's, and he is fair yet absolute.

Remembering his words, she now understood his description of the Hell as she looked at the surroundings with wide eyes.

"There are four of these waterways, branching off to the North, South, East and West sides. They separate the village into four parts, respectively called the North, South, East, and West provinces. In the center of this place is the Demon King's castle, centrally built, in equal parts, on all four provinces." she heard him explaining as her eyes were glued on the moving castle. She found every house looking peculiar, ridiculous yet interesting design.

And from his description she remembered everything else she saw. The cobbled streets. The red lilies with burning wicks lining the streets.

She dropped her jaw in surprise when other demons turned up, walking on the streets and paying respects to Alastair as if was a royal.

"Aislynn, there was something I neglected to tell you. " Alastair said apologetically as they neared a harbor to dock the boat. "I didn't want to boast...But my Father was ruler of Hell before...And since he was killed, I...." he looked away from her in silence as the boat stopped in its designated area and a rope magically tied itself from the boat to a strong wooden pole.

Aislinn was looking at Alastair with wide eyes of wonder and surprise.

"Forgive me." Alastair said, getting out of the boat and bending slightly to offer Aislinn his hand in assistance before she could speak.

"…eeh…" was the only thing she could say as she took his hand. She had become speechless and was feeling impotent to speak any word. She just looked at him as if she had never seen him before. As if she did not recognize the Alastair she had known for a short time. …A lord?

She noticed that two strangers, one female and one male were approaching them and looked questioning at Alastair.

"...uhm...uhm...uhm..." She was trying to ask him who these two strangers were, but she was still to speechless to be able to speak normally.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"...uhm...uhm...uhm..." Aislynn said, looking from Alastair to the approaching pair of demons.

As if realizing what she saw, and that she was trying to do two things at once but couldn't, Alastair held up his hand in a motion indicating that something should stop immediately, his eyes closed tiredly. And suddenly, everything, and everyone, froze. It was as if everything except for the water and the wind had stopped completely, frozen. "Now we have a moment; everything was moving much too fast." he sighed, his eyes still closed and his hand still in the air. "The approaching demons are my immediate subordinates. The lady is named Diana, and the man is named Reign. . (Pronounced rain). They assist me with whatever I need, and I selected them personally, so they are trustworthy, aside from their usual oddities. Now please," he opened his eyes "...speak to me." he finished, his eyes meeting hers intently.

Luna was overwhelmed by the amount of desserts he named. So he would like...All of that on his birthday? That's impossible! I...Too many things! She thought, now too confused. She felt like putting her hand to her face in exhaustion from her thoughts, which seemed to be swirling around too fast. "I..." she said, and after a half-second's hesitation her eyes went from uncertain to determined. "Forgive me for answering your question with another, but, may I ask...Is there a dessert that always sounds appealing, any time of the year? One that you would eat after a hard day, and it would make you smile. One that you can never seem to tire of." she explained. That dessert must be his favorite. The one dessert that you could never turn away must be the one that you like the most, mustn't it? Then that shall be my answer. Please, give me a straight answer! She hoped.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"...Now please," Alastair opened his eyes. "...speak to me." he finished, his eyes meeting hers intently.

"Yes, my lord," Aislinn replied automatically, without thinking what she was saying. She did not even hear or recognize her own voice. She had taken his words as an order unconsciously.

Elias laughed heartily.

"Well, I love crème brûlée. I can have that any day. Though I have always preferred cheesecake on my birthdays since I can remember, and I still prefer that. I enjoy other kinds of cakes as well of course, but a cheesecake is a must for my birthdays and crème brûlée is something I can have anytime..." He smiled and then took Luna's hands in his. "Would you make me some crème brûlée tomorrow, please?" He hoped that he did not ask for too much. "I have so little time left now, since I have to leave soon, though tomorrow is a perfect day since I am free the entire day until seven o'clock the evening. Chicken soup with steamed vegetables and crème brûlée," He smiled and then remembered that she had not told him what she favored for dessert. "By the way, what do you favor as dessert?"

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Yes, my lord," Aislinn replied automatically.

Alastair's eyes widened in shock, his lips parted slightly. "Don't you ever call me that again. " he said, his tone so intense that it was as if he was nearly commanding her never to repeat it. And yet, his eyes held a very concerned look. "I am to call you 'lady', and you are to call me by my name." he said, his voice softening, creating a sharp contrast from his previous tone. Did I accidentally use my powers again on her to order her to speak? I apologize, I didn't mean it. He thought worriedly. "Now please, relax, and tell me what you are thinking." he said, asking her instead of telling her.

Elias laughed heartily, and Luna smiled softly, eyeing the waters.

I like the sound of his laugh. It sounds happy, and he never laughs at me.

He smiled and then took Luna's hands in his, and she met his gaze.

His hands are so soft...I'm starting to feel calmed when I embrace him, or when our hands touch. Not like before, when I would become so uncomfortable...

"Would you make me some creme brule tomorrow, please?" He asked.

"Yes, of course." Luna said quietly, in a tone that plainly said he could never ask for too much.

"I have so little time left now, since I have to leave soon, though tomorrow is a perfect day since I am free the entire day until seven o'clock the evening. "

Luna nodded, the look in her eyes saying that she was happy to see him.

"Chicken soup with steamed vegetables and creme brule," He smiled.

"I would be happy to make them for you. In fact, you request so little; you should ask for more." she insisted. "I would like that." She was not being sweet or polite; she was being honest. She paused for a moment, thinking. "As for my preference for dessert..." My favorite...my favorite would have to be that box of chocolates Alastair got me on many occasions... "...it would be a box of chocolates, assorted kinds. I enjoy them, on occasion." she specified. "Dark and milk chocolates. I dislike white chocolate because it is too sweet, in my opinion." she added, trying to be specific. Telling him that my favorite would be the exact box that Alastair purchases would be rude, since he wouldn't want to go through all of that trouble for a specific box that can only be found...Never mind. "I look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning at the early hour of..." she purposefully stopped her sentence, eyeing him with a 'finish the sentence' look.

"Very well. " she nodded, and as the dishes cleared themselves she added. "It was so delightful to have spent today in your company. Thank you." she said gratefully with the slight bow of her head. Then, she stood from her chair, and looked at Elias with a very serious gaze. "I must tell you something." she said, remembering. "Alastair requested that I tell you...He wished to spend a day with you, to become better acquainted with the...The man I spoke so highly of." she said, proud that Alastair knew Elias as the wonderful person Luna had described him as. "He looks forward to it, but he finds himself slightly intimidated in your presence. Perhaps it is because all I have to say about you are the most marvelous things...Your bravery, intelligence, charm, strength..." she went on, her voice proud and certain. "...I could go on, and I have on many occasions." she said genuinely.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"Don't you ever call me that again."

Aislinn nearly forget to breath, her lips slightly parted in shock because of Alastair's intense tone.

"I am to call you 'lady', and you are to call me by my name." he said, his voice softening, creating a blunt contrast from his previous tone.

"...as...as you wish..." She managed to say. She nearly bit her tongue to avoid calling him My Lord.

"Now please, relax, and tell me what you are thinking." he said, asking her instead of telling her.

"...I..." She almost shook her head. She was so overwhelmed because of him being the lord over the demons whilst he wished to be her servant. "I don't know what to say or think at this moment..." She spoke the truth. "I might ask you so many questions later when we are back in the mortal realm..."

Ahh...a box of chocolate... Elias thought with a mysterious look in his eyes and a charming smile on his lips.

"I look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning at the early hour of..." Luna purposefully stopped her sentence, eyeing him with a 'finish the sentence' look.

"…one o'clock?" He filled in suggestively. "I have planned to do some reading in the morning..."

"Very well." she nodded, and as the dishes cleared themselves, she added. "It was so delightful to have spent today in your company. Thank you." she said gratefully with the slight bow of her head.

"No need to thank me dear," He smiled, bowing for her.

Then, she stood from her chair, and looked at Elias with a very serious gaze.

"I must tell you something." she said, remembering.

"Sure," He nodded, not feeling in hurry at all since he had an hour until it was time for the meeting for practicing music at Hogwarts.

"Alastair requested that I tell you...He wished to spend a day with you, to become better acquainted with the...The man I spoke so highly of. He looks forward to it, but he finds himself slightly intimidated in your presence. Perhaps it is because all I have to say about you are the most marvelous things...Your bravery, intelligence, charm, strength..." she went on, her voice proud and certain. "...I could go on, and I have on many occasions." she said genuinely.

Elias blushed and looked away for a couple of minutes before looking back into Luna's eyes.
Merlin's beard...slightly intimidated in my presence? ...I remember I met him once...but it was for a very short time…and I was slightly intimidated in his presence, I never knew he felt the same....I was suspicious of him because he is the brother to Cerberus...though perhaps he is different? It is possible for siblings to be totally different and he was the one who helped Luna after all....

What Elias did not know was that Cerberus and Alastair were not blood-related and thought they were real brothers.

"I will be more than happy to spend a day with your brother, my dear," Elias smiled, still blushing because he was feeling so touched by how Luna had praised him. "Any day is fine with me, but not the Friday next week because we are hosting a graduate ball at Hogwarts. And then there is summer ball hosted by parents on Sunday the first July, which I personally like to invite him to. You are already invited," He smiled warmly, already longing for that Sunday to come.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"..I..."

Alastair did not move, and he didn't seem to blink as he waited for a reply.

"I don't know what to say or think at this moment..." She spoke the truth. "I might ask you so many questions later when we are back in the mortal realm..."

"Ah...I understand. " Alastair said, and he went quiet for a full minute, before bowing deeply to Aislynn. "For now, please, try to relax. And keep in mind-" he spoke genuinely, "- that you are, in my eyes, further above me than you could imagine. I would hate for you to feel out of place here, in any way. I wish-" he stood up straight, nearing her with a gentle gaze and using the back of his hand to gently stroke her cheek "-for you to look at me like you did moments ago when you knew nothing of all of this...But that would be asking the impossible of you. I know that you will get used to it soon." he said, his eyes certain as he took a step back. "For now, I wish for you to try my favorite drink. ...You inquired about it before, and I gave you no answer, knowing that you would not be familiar with it. " He was trying to make light of the situation, and to change the subject. He knew that it would be difficult, but his eyes were nearly pleading for her to follow along in his attempt. "Would you like to try it?"

After she answered, everything unfroze.

"Lord DiVilliers." Diana and Reign said, greeting Alastair at the same time with a synchronized greeting and bow.

Diana's eyes flicked to Aislynn with benevolent curiosity, and Reign eyed her interestedly.

"It has been a while." Alastair greeted them warmly. "This-" he gestured grandly and elegantly to Aislynn, as if she were a goddess, "-is a guest of mine. Lady Aislynn Monroe."

"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Monroe." Reign said gracefully, lightly kissing her hand. "I am Reign." It was not perverted in the way Reiji had attempted to kiss her hand. It was actually well-meaning and warm. There was a very respectable, gentle aura about him that made a person feel as if he was always so far from any filthy or impure thoughts.

"I look forward to getting to know you, Lady Monroe. " Diana said with a soft smile. "My name is Diana. What would you prefer to be addressed as? Lady Monroe or Lady Aislynn?" she asked.

"Is there anything we can get for you?" Diana asked, looking from Aislynn to Alastair.

"Yes. If you please, I would like to share my favorite drink with my lady." Alastair answered politely.

"Yes, of course. " Diana smiled. "Where would you like to enjoy it?"

"Your house would provide a lovely scenery. I'm not quite ready to show my lady the castle, yet. She has yet to grow accustomed to this realm; everything is still quite new to her." Alastair explained calmly.

"I understand. My first time here was strange, too. Alastair wasn't the only demon to have been born in the human world and then come here with an aura of confusion." Diana said kindly.

Elias blushed and looked away for a couple of minutes, during which Luna smiled whilst staring at the sea, a clear picture in her mind of Elias blushing. She didn't wish to stare at him, so she looked away politely. I never imagined that he would be the type to blush when complimented so highly. Alastair takes it so elegantly, yet so coldly. It is amusing to me to see him blush for some reason...It makes me want to compliment him more often. I wonder what I look like when I am being complimented. 'Like a stone statue; emotionless yet grand.' she imagined Nagini saying honestly.

"I will be more than happy to spend a day with your brother, my dear," Elias smiled, still blushing. "Any day is fine with me, but not the Friday next week because we are hosting a graduate ball at Hogwarts. And then there is summer ball hosted by parents on Sunday the first July, which I personally like to invite him to. You are already invited," He smiled warmly, already longing for that Sunday to come.

"Why, thank you." Luna said. "I would love to see Alastair there. As for the time, he wanted you to choose something this week. Any day is fine except for the weekend." she explained, her eyes looking upward as if she was remembering exactly what Alastair had told her.

 

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn stood perfectly still, her heart skipped a beat and her blood rushed to her cheeks, when Alastair stroke her cheek. She relaxed a bit when he mentioned his favorite drink, which she had been so curious about.

"Would you like to try it?"

"I would love to..." She replied with a smile, still blushing and everything unfroze.

Aislinn looked curiously at both Diana and Reign who approached and greeted Alastair.

Lord DiVilliers....He is further above than me...I am a mere human and yet he views me as if I am a queen..

"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Monroe." Reign said gracefully, lightly kissing her hand. "I am Reign."

"...ehm…nice to meet you too..." She barely felt the kiss on her hand, as she was wondering what she was supposed to call Reign. ...Is Reign his first name…?

"I look forward to getting to know you, Lady Monroe." Diana said with a soft smile. "My name is Diana. What would you prefer to be addressed as? Lady Monroe or Lady Aislynn?" she asked.

Lady Monroe? ...Merlin's hairy beard...Lady Aislinn? ...Merlin, being addressed like that makes me feel as if I am an old married woman...

"…ehehe...just call me Aislinn please..." Aislinn smiled nervously. They introduced themselves with their first names and I already feel comfortable in their company, so they may call me by my first name...

"Is there anything we can get for you?"

"Yes. If you please, I would like to share my favorite drink with my lady."

"Yes, of course. Where would you like to enjoy it?"

"Your house would provide a lovely scenery. I'm not quite ready to show my lady the castle, yet. She has yet to grow accustomed to this realm; everything is still quite new to her."

...Castle? Aislinn thought in surprise. …Does Alastair have a castle here? Oh, of course, if he is the Lord then it is not a surprise that he has a castle in his home...I should have been expecting it...I want to see that castle... Aislinn thought and was about to open her mouth to speak but kept it shut. ..Well they have already decided to go to Diana's place...is it because her house looks like something normal, assembling to a human house?...I wonder if it does...well I will see and then I will ask Alastair to show me the castle...

"Very well then, one o'clock afternoon on this coming Wednesday," Elias replied suggestively. "Is there anything else you need before I take my leave?" He smiled.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Only to confirm the location of the meeting." Luna said, taking mental note of the time Elias had specified. "He wished for you to choose that as well." His manor would not be appropriate, since it is a private place and they are still strangers. This place would be fine, but I think that he will choose someplace from Knockturn Alley. Of course, I saw immediately what Alastair was doing when he asked me to relay this message. Luna thought, admiring Alastair's tact.

"You seem very nice, Aislynn." Diana commented after a minute, looking to Aislynn. Her kind eyes seemed to say so much more than her simple sentence. "I am happy that I get to meet you in person. Once Alastair starts talking about you, he always sounds to poetic." she smiled, meaning it as a compliment to Aislynn. "It makes me so excited to learn more about you, and to show you more of this place." she looked to the sky.

They continued walking, and Alastair remained quiet. He seemed to be filled with a feeling of peace as he looked around, enjoying every angle of the place. Reign had a distant look in his eyes, as if he was thinking deeply about something he liked.

Every time they passed a store or a house, anyone nearby would bow in silent respect for a moment or two before moving on to their business.

"Welcome to my home." Diana announced with a smile a few minutes later. It had been a relatively short walk.

It was a polished glass elevator, cylinder-shaped, standing there with nothing else behind or around it. She stepped in front of it, and the doors opened. Once they had all gotten inside, there was still room for at least eight more people. It was much larger on the inside, where on the outside if looked as if three people would struggle to fit at the same time. Diana pressed the only button there, which was shaped like a real bubble, and it popped. They went down about two stories in depth, watching the ground pass them until they were surrounded by water, and then they were inside Diana's home. The elevator opened, to reveal a flat.

Every wall on the outside was clear, so that they could see the reddish-orange and purple waters and sea creatures just outside the windows. White curtains hung high, and they were so long that they reached the floor. The floors were made of pale beech wood, and the ceiling was filled with the same sparkling liquid that was in Diana's pendant, which supplied the room with adequate and enchanting lighting. There was a very simple, open feel; there seemed to be no doors, except for the bedroom, which also contained a bathroom with a door. Two steps led from the elevator to the main area, where there were two comfortable beige couches which could seat six altogether, both at an angle so that the people sitting could see out the window. The kitchen was two steps up, with beige marble counters and lots of open space on the counters. There was a fruit bowl, a clear cookie jar with temptingly delectable cookies inside, and another jar next to it filled with chocolate truffles. Both bedrooms were exactly the same. They had a beige bedside table, a beige wooden closet with many different styles of clothing, and a perfectly made bed with crisp white linens and absolutely no wrinkles. There was one bathroom connected to each bedroom, containing a bathtub with a shower head, bath bubbles, some fresh towels in a cabinet, and non-scented soap. Two vases of tall green bamboo decorated every room, and some light opera music was playing in quietly the background.

"Please, make yourself at home...really." she said with a knowing 'don't try to be polite' look to Aislynn. "I hate acting all nice and calm at other people's houses; don't take more than one or two cookies and don't touch things. Please, break all of those rules; the house cleans itself and the sweets are inexpensive." she assured her, really meaning her words.

"One..." she pointed to herself, then Alastair "...two...three..." she pointed to Aislynn. "Reign," she turned to Reign, who was already sitting on one of the couches and was staring out the window "do you want any?"

He turned toward her with a polite glance, nodded twice, and turned back to the view.

"Four, then." she finished counting, and entered the kitchen area, opening a few different cupboards and pulling out several different ingredients. Nothing there could be found in the human realm, and each thing looked unique in its own way. Whether it was a jam jar filled with glowing blue stuff that was the texture of thick whipped cream, or a box of little red orbs which she chopped up like radishes. "Sit here." she smiled to Aislynn, pointing to a tall bar stool at the opposite side of the counter she was working in. "It's fun to watch. Try this." she handed her a tiny piece of one of the glowing red orbs. "It's tasty." she assured her, putting a piece in her own mouth.

It tasted like an amazing bowl of chicken noodle soup. The odd thing was that a person could taste everything. The noodles, the crisp celery and carrots, the warm broth and the tender chicken, as if they had taken a bite of the actual meal.

Everything she prepared went into a large clear glass pitcher one ingredient at a time, and each time she added something the entire colour and texture of the mix would change. It started with a thick glowing light-blue that was like whipped cream, to a dark and dangerous looking lava red that was the texture of a thick milkshake, to a thinner, white liquid almost like milk. When she was finished, she stirred the contents, which swirled around beautifully, rapidly changing colours. Once it settled to a clear colour and texture like white wine, she poured it into four clear glass goblets, and handed one to each person.

"Thank you." Alastair said elegantly. He had been standing and watching her prepare the drink, and now he sat next to Aislynn.

"Thank you." Reign said when he took his.

Alastair did not drink, but put it down in front of him, curious about Aislynn's reaction.

Inside the glass, was a shimmering image of the most beautiful sight Aislynn had ever seen. . .

The drink was similar to Amortentia, which smelled different to everyone. Diana's drink changed flavors after every sip, each time tasting like the drinker's favorite things. The drinker could taste both sweet, and savory things. Inside the liquid is like a tiny scene of the drinker's favorite place. More specifically, it was usually a place in which the drinker felt the most calm, or the happiest.

Diana sipped hers while watching Aislynn with interest, choosing to lean on the opposite side of the counter where she had made the drink instead of sit down.

"I knew you would love it. Now you know why it is my favorite." Alastair smiled once she had expressed pleasure at its taste.

"The problem is, I invented the drink, but no one here can think of a good name for it. It has to sound as brilliant as the drink though..." Diana said fretfully. "It's very difficult, maybe you can help with that?" she asked hopefully.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"Oh, I almost forget that," Elias chuckled. "Thank you for the reminder, well…" He paused for a second. …This feels so awkward...what place is most suitable for us to meet at…? "I will see him at Zayne's Cafe in Knockturn Alley..." He smiled.

"You seem nice too..." Aislinn replied, blushing so deep not because that Diana had found her so nice but because that Alastair have been talking about her. ...sounding so poetic every time he talk about me...

As soon as they reached to Diana's place, Aislinn was surprised by how her home looked from the outside. Though it was not a surprise when she entered it. Coming from a wizarding word it was normal for her to enter a place, which looked small outside while being bigger inside. Diana's home looked so modern which surprised Aislinn because it looked like a very modern wizarding home, which she had not been expecting. I wonder how it looks inside other homes here...I have no doubt that each of them has different unique interiors since they all look so different and unique from the outside... Her fingers longed to caress and touch every object in the flat for a strange reason. She had to suppress her urge to touch anything. She just stood in the middle of the main room in the flat as if she was waiting Diana to tell her what to do next.

"Please, make yourself at home...really." Diana said with a knowing 'don't try to be polite' look to Aislinn. "I hate acting all nice and calm at other people's houses; don't take more than one or two cookies and don't touch things. Please, break all of those rules; the house cleans itself and the sweets are inexpensive." she assured her, really meaning her words.

Aislinn was surprised by hearing those words that she nearly got speechless. "…eeh…thanks…"
Her eyes wandered over the jars with cookies and chocolate truffles. ...I will just have one of each... She thought, feeling nervous about 'breaking any rules' because she did not want Alastair to feel ashamed of her being a greedy sweet tooth. If I had been for myself or with Crystal, I would have been eating an entire jar with chocolate or cookies hehe....

"Sit here." Diana smiled to Aislinn, pointing to a tall bar stool at the opposite side of the counter she was working in. "It's fun to watch. Try this." she handed her a tiny piece of one of the glowing red orbs. "It's tasty." she assured her, putting a piece in her own mouth.

Aislinn who thought it was candy took it happily and popped it into her mouth. She had to suppress her urge not grimace. …Merlin's beard...this taste like chicken noodle soup... Not because she disliked chicken soup, on the contrary she enjoyed it sometimes but not in a shape like something that resembled to candies. She reached for the jar with cookies and ate one cookie to get rid of the weird taste she had experienced of something she had been expecting to taste either as a sweet or sour candy.

She watched with interest, curiosity and confusion as Diana prepared the drink. …it looks like as if she is preparing a potion using a muggle kitchen gadget...oh wait, did she just put those red chicken soup tasting candies in that mixture…?

"...eh...thank you..." Aislinn said quietly as she took her glass goblet when Diana handed it to her. She looked down at the liquid in her goblet. The drink looked like white wine yet there was a shimmering image of something very familiar. It looked like a garden, not wild grown, with trees behind leading into the woods. There was a lonely swing by a cherry tree. ...Where have I seen this... She was staring at the shimmering image with wonder when she noticed that both Diana and Alastair were waiting for her to taste the drink. Aislinn smelled it first before taking a careful sip. To her surprise it tasted like chocolate drink.

"Mmm...this is really so nice..." Aislinn smiled gratefully.

"I knew you would love it. Now you know why it is my favorite." Alastair smiled.

She smiled in return and took a second sip, expecting it taste like chocolate when it suddenly tasted like licorice. The third sip tasted like sour candies. Croissants. Lamb steak. Fries. Chewing gum. Scrambled eggs. Waffles. Strawberry jam. Pizza. Chocolate cream. Firewhiskey. Custard. Chicken soup. And for every sip the shimmering image of the mysterious familiar garden with its swing remained. She started to feel sick for every time the drink changed flavor. ...there are so many things I enjoy eating and drink...but cannot this drink keep one bloody decent taste instead for changing flavor every time I want to take a sip... She wished that she had drunk the entire drink at once so that she had only experienced the taste of chocolate.

"The problem is, I invented the drink, but no one here can think of a good name for it. It has to sound as brilliant as the drink though..." Diana said fretfully. "It's very difficult, maybe you can help with that?" she asked hopefully.

"Well why not giving it an exotic name since it is very exotic..." Aislinn suggested with a laugh, having finished her drink to quickly hoping that Diana would not refill her goblet and reached out of the jar with the chocolate truffles. She ate one to get rid of the overall taste of weird drink.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

Diana whispered something to Alastair, and Alastair nodded.

Alastair took his drink and left the counter to go and sit by Reign, where they conversed quietly.

"You didn't like it, did you?" Diana said, stating it more as a fact than a question. However, she still seemed calm, and there was no disappointment in her voice or face. "Everyone has a different opinion, so it doesn't really matter." she smiled, as if she had already forgotten. Alastair drinks it slowly, taking slightly larger sips.

"Throw your glass into the sink." she took a step back, so that Aislynn could see the immaculately clean sink at the other side of the kitchen, right in front of a window. "No, literally throw it." she clarified excitedly. "It's really cool." she nodded. The fragile goblet shattered, and instantly picked itself up, piecing itself back together seamlessly, and gently beginning to wash itself with a nearby soapy sponge. Diana looked back at Aislynn with a 'didn't I tell you?' smile.

"I love adventure and fun, but I hate messes. I want to be the one making the messes!" she laughed. "That's why my house cleans itself, and there are no cluttered surfaces. " she explained.

She opened the jar of truffles, and popped one, two, three in her mouth. As soon as she swallowed one, the next one went in, but she did with a natural elegance that made her look like she was eating delicate sushi instead of many chocolates. Then she closed that jar and opened up the cookie jar, eating four before turning to the fruit bowl. She opened up a star-shaped fruit like she was peeling a banana, and yet it smelled strongly of fresh mango. It tasted just like mango, but without the irritating pit.

"Do you like it here so far?" Diana asked casually, placing the plate of freshly sliced mango-like fruit in between them, clearly offering her some.

"The first time I came here, I didn't know what to think. " she said with a reminiscent look in her eyes. "And I know there is still so much you haven't seen; I wanted to see it all. I hated that there was only one of me." she laughed, looking at Aislynn. "I wanted to casually explore everyone's house, 'Hi, I'm new here; can I get a tour of your house, please?'" she joked. "And I wanted to meet everyone. I wanted to know all of their powers and stories, and have my own house here..."she looked to where Alastair and Reign were sitting; Alastair was talking while Reign listened, nodding at certain points.

"You know, there was a huge argument about who would show you around the first time you came here...In the end, we decided to take turns - If that's alright with you!" she specified quickly. "You can choose the order...or you can just choose Alastair." Diana was exaggerating when she said 'huge argument', but she didn't think that she was.

"At one o'clock in the afternoon, you will meet at Zayne's cafe. Understood." Luna repeated concisely as if it was a military operation. "Thank you." Then she neared Elias and extended her hand to shake in parting, although it seemed that she had been thinking about a less formal way of saying goodbye...like another embrace. "I do hope your business goes as planned, and that the remainder of your day is pleasant."

 

[Hikari Chan]

"It is not really that I did not like it..." Aislinn replied honestly. "I was just no expecting it to change flavor for every sip I took. Even if every sip tasted like each thing I enjoy, I am not accustomed to have everything I like to eat at once. Such a drink should be drunk one sip at once." I literary liked and disliked this drink...

"Throw your glass into the sink." Diana took a step back, so that Aislinn could see the immaculately clean sink at the other side of the kitchen, right in front of a window.

Aislinn stared at Diana, wondering if she was serious. She glanced at Alastair who was talking with Reign and drinking his drink slowly. Merlin's beard, Alastair must be disappointed of me because I first told him I liked the drink and then I found it to be a flavor changing drink which changed my opinion about it, what would he think of me if I started throw things here..

She shook her head and proceeded to walk around the counter to put the goblet in the sink.

"No, literally throw it." Diana clarified excitedly. "It's really cool." she nodded.

..very well then...since it is her request...

Aislinn aimed at the sink and threw the goblet. She missed it. The fragile goblet hit the counter just below the sink and shattered into what she believed was thousands of small glass pieces. She cringed and flinched when that happened and did not dare to look at Alastair's direction. When that happened the goblet instantly picked itself up, piecing itself back together seamlessly, and gently beginning to wash itself with a nearby soapy sponge.

Diana looked back at Aislinn with a 'didn't I tell you?' smile. She smiled in return, a smile of relief.

"I love adventure and fun, but I hate messes. I want to be the one making the messes!" Diana laughed. "That's why my house cleans itself, and there are no cluttered surfaces. " she explained.

Aislinn tried not to stare when Diana opened the jar of truffles, and popped one, two, three in her mouth, then closed that jar and opened up the cookie jar, eating four before turning to the fruit bowl. Aislinn was hesitating for a moment if she should pick a cookie or chocolate truffle. When she decided that she could have another cookie, because eating two cookies was not considered as too much, she changed her mind when she saw that Diana picked a fruit from the bowl. Diana opened up a star-shaped fruit like she was peeling a banana, and yet it smelled strongly of fresh mango.

"Do you like it here so far?" Diana asked casually, placing the plate of freshly sliced mango-like fruit in between them, clearly offering Aislinn some.

"Well, it is an interesting place," Aislinn replied. "It is so magical, far more than the wizarding world. The wizarding world is also magical, but more in a discreet way to hide it from the non-wizarding world, because the both exist in the same realm."

"The first time I came here, I didn't know what to think. " Diana said with a reminiscent look in her eyes. "And I know there is still so much you haven't seen; I wanted to see it all. I hated that there was only one of me." she laughed, looking at Aislinn. "I wanted to casually explore everyone's house, 'Hi, I'm new here; can I get a tour of your house, please?'" she joked. "And I wanted to meet everyone. I wanted to know all of their powers and stories and have my own house here..."she looked to where Alastair and Reign were sitting. Aislinn followed her eyes and saw that Alastair was talking while Reign listened, nodding at certain points.

"You know, there was a huge argument about who would show you around the first time you came here...In the end, we decided to take turns - If that's alright with you!" she specified quickly. "You can choose the order...or you can just choose Alastair."

"Ah…" Aislinn smiled. "Why don't we just go on a tour all four of us together?" She suggested. "I cannot choose...really..." The truth was that she refused to part from Alastair in an unknown place far away from the mortal realm and she did not want Alastair think of her as a selfish person by choosing him.

"You're welcome..." Elias smiled, taking Luna's extended hand and then pulled her gently in an embrace.

"I do hope your business goes as planned, and that the remainder of your day is pleasant."

"Thank you…I wish you a pleasant evening..." He released her from his embrace, took a step backward and bowed for her. "I will see you tomorrow. and with that he shrouded himself with his cloak and evaporated in smoke.

Adela did not only arrive just in time but also at the same time as Elias to the meeting in the music chamber. He opened the door and gestured with a 'Ladies first' to her. She entered to find both Faeryn and Endewyne looking very gloomy and pale, clutching their music instruments. Their red and swollen eyes widened in surprise when they saw a cheerful Adela entering, wearing her new black gown which she had bought from Darkest Creatures. They exchanged looks with each other and the next moment they seemed to have difficulties to breath.

"Alright everyone," Elias spoke aloud to get everyone's attention. "...since all of us are here let's not spill time and start immediately..."

Adela already stood ready with her music instrument while both Endewyne and Faeryn who had dropped theirs, struggled with picking them up.

"What's the matter with you two?" It was not a question, but an annoyed remark from Elias who looked at them with a frown. "We will start with group seven, so you two can sit down and wait!"

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Why don't we just go on a tour all four of us together?" She suggested. "I cannot choose...really..." she said honestly.

Diana nodded. "Sure. We'll go and see whatever you want as soon as they finish their drinks." She walked away, toward the sitting area, tossing the goblet carelessly behind her as she went. She giggled quietly as it did the same thing as Aislynn's goblet had.

Just as Diana was leaving the kitchen to sit next to Alastair, Reign was entering the kitchen to sit two bar stools away from Aislynn; there were four stools total. He still had over half of his drink left, and he placed it on the counter in front of him. He said nothing, but stared into his own drink.

Luna was surprised when Elias seemed to have read her mind, pulling her into an embrace.

She stared at the place he had vanished, imagining him to still be there. Is it odd for me to find him so attractive when he bows that way? Or when we embraced just now...Well, time to get to this adventure. She thought, turning to the book, Wuthering Heights...I wonder what it will be like....

 

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn sighed inwardly of relief. She was glad that Diana had agreed with her. She looked at the exotic looking fruits in the bowl, but she did not dare to taste any of them because she feared that she would encounter something with a weird or disgusting flavor. The fruit which Diana had offered her to eat had been so delicious. It had not looked like a mango, yet it tasted like one. Though even if the exotic fruit had tasted so well Aislinn did not dare to taste any other fruit unless if Diana or Alastair told her it was good to eat.

Aislinn remained sitting on the bar stool in the kitchen to finish eating her part of the mango flavored fruit while Diana left the kitchen. Aislinn had just finished eating and was licking her fingers when she noticed that Reign sat two bar stools away from her.

Is he a reserved and introvert person? She thought, looking at him. He was staring in his goblet which was still filled with over half of the drink. ...Merlin's beard, he has not finished his drink yet...does he like it or not? That is hard to tell in my opinion, because you could either like or dislike a drink whenever you drank it quickly or slowly. You drink it quickly to either finish it quickly or because it is so tasty that you cannot help to devour it so fast. You drink it slowly because you want to enjoy its delicious taste for a longer time or because it is so disgusting that you hardly can finish it...

"Do you like the drink?" Aislinn asked, looking curiously at him.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

Reign looked at Aislynn for a second, then answered honestly. "Yes." He looked back into his goblet again, taking a sip a few seconds later. "What were some of the things you tasted?" he asked a second later.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"Well... obviously the things I enjoy in the human realm..." Aislinn replied. "...chocolate, licorice, sour candies, croissants, lamb steak, fries, chewing gum, scrambled eggs, waffles, strawberry jam, pizza, chocolate cream, firewhiskey, custard, chicken soup..." She counted up all the flavors she had experienced with the drink whilst wondering how to keep the conversation going. It had been easier to talk with Diana. Aislinn had a feeling that Reign was more difficult to keep a straight and normal conversation with.

"What flavors have you tasted so far?" She asked, looking at Reign. Something was feeling strange for Aislinn. She had this weird feeling she could not put her finger on. Her eyes wandered over to the cookie jar, chocolate truffle jar and the fruit bowl. Everything here taste as in the human realm and I never expected to encounter food in the demon realm. Alastair said that in his world they ate for pleasure and not for hunger...but he also said once that pure blood demons devoured human souls... She went cold inside and wondered for a split second if both Diana and Reign were pure blood demons or not. Diana mentioned that when she came here for the first time, she had wanted to see everything which means that she must have been born and brought up in a different realm...

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"I tasted something so sweet and satisfying that I am unable to describe it with words. " Reign stated plainly, yet with a secretive smile on his lips, his expression told her that it was impossible for him to describe it to her. After another long second of silence, he abruptly looked into her eyes, as if a thought had just occurred to him. Something truly interesting, it seemed. But as quickly as he had faced her, he turned away, looking back into his drink. Before Aislynn could say anything, he stood, leaving his drink on the table, and bowed to her. "Excuse me, I will be leaving now. I wish you a pleasant stay in this realm." he said kindly, and with such a warmth that it was hard to believe he was such a quiet, reserved person. He walked to Diana and Alastair, and bid them goodbye before returning to the counter to take his drink with him on the way out.

As soon as he left, Aislynn noticed something on the stool he had been sitting on; a small, polished black stone, slightly flat, and almost perfectly round. It had a jagged crack in the middle which went from one end to the other, starting off small at one end but ending up taking up almost the width of the stone at the other end. Inside the crack was a thick, lava-like substance which glowed hot red, just like real lava.

Alastair only has a bit of his drink left; slightly less than a quarter of the original amount.

 

[Hikari Chan]

Oh well...I assume that I won't get a better reply than this...so sweet and satisfying that he can hardly name the flavor? Could it be chocolate? Or does he just taste the sweetness of something because he only favor sweet things?

Aislinn was about to ask Reign what was so sweet and satisfying for him, when he suddenly looked into her eyes, as if a thought had just occurred to him. Something truly interesting, it seemed.

She became speechless for a moment and before she could say anything, he excused himself with such a warmth that it was hard to believe he was such a quiet, reserved person. Aislinn was taken with surprise and watched as he walked to Diana and Alastair and bid them goodbye before returning to the counter to take his drink with him on the way out.

When Reign left, Aislinn noticed that he had left something on the stool which he had been sitting on. A small, black stone, slightly flat, and almost perfectly round. It was polished, and it had a jagged crack in the middle which went from one side of the stone to the other. It started small at one end but ended up almost the entire width of the stone at the other end. Inside the crack was a thick, lava-like substance which glows hot red, just like actual burning lava.

Did Reign just forget something or did he leave it on purpose? ... Aislinn thought bewildered. She looked at the stone for several minutes, wondering what it could be. I could take it with me as a souvenir from the demon realm... She suddenly thought and glanced over at Alastair, seeing that he only had a bit of his drink left; slightly less than a quarter of the original amount. …but if Alastair sees me with this stone he will question me about it...and what if it turns out to be something important which Reign had forgotten....then Alastair won't be so pleased with me if I take things which does not belong to me... especially from his friends and subordinates... She looked at the mysterious stone again. I don't even know what it is...I'm just a human and might hurt myself if I touch things, I shouldn't touch in the demon realm...I will just let it be... She thought and left the kitchen area and walked over to where Alastair and Diana were sitting.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

When Aislynn neared Diana and Alastair, Diana seemed to be at the end of a story. "....So I said 'My love is like a candle.'" she paused dramatically before continuing "...and I could tell he was thinking something mushy and romantic, you know? And then I continued the joke..." she paused again, before continuing in a quiet, dramatic voice, "...if you forget about me, I'll burn your house!"

Alastair laughed politely. "And you made it up on your own, you say?"

"Yes, it was the first good joke I've made up." Diana nodded. "Now-" she turned to Aislynn "-where do you want to go first?" Before Aislynn could speak, Diana added "Lord DiVilliers's castle is not an option; it is a very private place for him, and he will only show you when he's ready. It's a demon thing; showing someone your house is supposed to be a 'close friends' thing, because the interiors, as well as the exteriors, show our true personalities and that's special here." she explained, but the way she said it explained that she didn't understand the concept herself. It also explained why she had been fine with inviting Aislynn into her home, but why Aislynn should respect the fact that the rule applied to Alastair. "It's odd because the house sort of fashions itself around the owner, instead of the other way around like in the human world...And even then, not all houses are built the way the owner wants...Who would want to live in a space this big?" she made a small box shape with her hands.

"Anywhere you wish." Alastair said elegantly to Aislynn, looking straight into her eyes and ignoring everything Diana was saying. The look in his eyes told her that it was alright to request his castle, if she so wished. But something so subtle was nearly pleading with her not to request it. Please...don't. I don't want to take you there just yet...But if you truly wanted to...If you had your heart set on the idea of it...Then I could not possibly...Say no...

While Aislynn and Alastair locked eyes, Diana stood and left for the kitchen. Neither of them noticed that Diana had taken Alastair's goblet with her.

 

[Hikari Chan]

...really... Aislinn felt slightly annoyed, her mouth was a thin line and her eyes had the expressionless look when Diana went on talking and talking, not giving Aislinn a chance to give an answer. ...close friend thing huh? ...and what does she know about our relationship...she is a subordinate to him, and she has to pick her nose in my business…? Aislinn seemed to stop to listen to Diana when she looked past her, letting her eyes wander over the interior of the flat. She nearly regretted that that she had told Diana that they all could take her on guide tour. ...Reign has left anyway...so why should Diana come with us...but it might be too late changing my mind now...I might hurt her feelings for telling her that I don't want her on the tour. I hardly care about her feelings and if she gets emotionally hurt.....but now I've to swallow my bloody pride and be nice to her because she obviously was nice to me to take me to her place....I will swallow my pride for Alastair's sake...or he won't be pleased or happy with me....and I wish to make him happy....perhaps he will take me to his castle anyway whatever Diana is rambling about...she is his subordinate while I am... Aislinn turned her attention towards Alastair with a proud smile ... his lady...

"Anywhere you wish." Alastair said elegantly to Aislinn, looking straight into her eyes. She locked eyes with him, still smiling proudly. ...exactly what I wish to hear...anywhere I wish... The look in his eyes told her that it was alright to request his castle, if she so wished. But something so subtle was nearly pleading with her not to request it. She felt that she would put him in an awkward and uncomfortable situation if she asked him to take her to his castle at instance and at the same time, she was inwardly burning of anger because of Diana. Part of Aislinn wanted to request Alastair to take her to his castle now to somehow take revenge and triumph over Diana while other part of Aislinn did not want to put Alastair in a difficult situation. Since she loved him she did not let her pride to take over. Instead, she swallowed it.

"I do not know this place..." She said softly. "…thus, I only ask you to be my guide and show me the best places, please. I believe that this realm is grand and that there is a lot to see. It is fine if I do not see everything but only a quarter or less of this realm today. You will take me here again other days, won't you, hence I only ask you to be the guide and not disappoint your lady..."