**Long minutes earlier**
Her breathing was finally steadied and the excruciating pain she faced before was no more. He was not sure how long he had been staring at her for but the wood in the fireplace had completely burned off so it has certainly been a long time. She just looked absolutely peaceful, and the feeling of her warmth still lingered in his senses. He regretted that he had caused her so much pain but promised within himself to make it up to her. She had kept him safe all these years, kept him warm and showed him what true concern care and concern meant.
Honestly, he could not remember how he ended up within the warmth of her shell, but she remembered his grave mistake and the fall of his strength as the ruler of his race. Right now, he had no idea what has become of his people but watching her sleeping peacefully gave her hope. Hope for redemption and a better future. Hope that he can restore what was lost and grant peace to the whispers of the fallen.
He had been given a second chance, and he knew exactly how to make good use of it.
"Are you not worried you will give her a jump scare if she wakes up to catch you watching her that way?" Lucifer walked into the room with two goblets at hand, both filled with sour red wine.
"Here" he handed him one of the goblets. "To your return."
"You are still as frivolous as ever" Aliadam took the goblet reluctantly, raised it to the toast and gulped the wine slowly.
"What can I say? You have not changed at all yourself" Lucifer gulped his wine as well and made himself comfortable on a chair nearby.
It would be the weirdest thing seeing them speak so casually to one another if Lucifer and Sheba being mates was not way off setting. Aliadam and Lucifer never got along in the past, not like they were enemies. Only that nothing ever brought them close.
They were more alike than any other race ruler. They were both contented with the command of their own race alone, not seeking extravagant power out of greed and only saving their rot for whoever requested it willingly.
On stable peaceful grounds, they were both sure they would make very good friends to one another and that was the very reason no hostility was present within them right now.
"How long has it been?" Aliadam asked, honestly scared of the reply he was going to get.
"A very long time Spirit king" Lucifer breathed.
"Do not call me that" Aliadam inhaled deeply, "I no longer deserve that title."
"What happened was a mistake."
"Do not try to patronize me Lucifer" Aliadam stood to his feet immediately. "I caused the fall of my race, my people trusted me." The pain he felt now was evident in his voice.
"I have no idea how to face them now, how to redeem their faiths to believe in me, to believe in a better tomorrow. A future that I am willing to give my all to give unto them. The peace and glory they truly deserve, the very one that was robbed off them due to my grievous mistake."
"Your people still believe. She is just an ordinary tortoise, but she and her ancestors preserved your egg all this while, that is more than enough proof to show their faith in you.
Aliadam cast a very sad look on Vesper before speaking again.
"I can only imagine how much pain they have gone through under the cruelty of the human nation, my race used to be very magnificent and powerful beyond reason. What I did is and would forever remain unforgivable" he sighed in regret.
"To be honest, it actual is. However, I must say you are indeed very lucky because this happened centuries ago and the spirits that bore witness to it all must be long dead now, even the oldest tortoise of them all and most of all they held no grudges against you but blamed your fall on Moist's greed for power. In fact, in these recent years most of the spirits have tried to rebel against Moist and the humans and even though they failed in each attempt, they continue to strive and fight for their right to live freely. This is to show you how much faith they still have in their salvation. You as their king must not lose hope as well. You are here now Aliadam, you must do what you calm to redeem your people from Moist's cruel command."
Lucifer's words resounded in Aliadam's mind as he resonated with them. He was right, he knew his people well enough to believe so. Their resilience and enduring will have held them up all these while and now he must save them from their suffering and recover all that they have lost.
With that decided already he still could not understand something. 'Why was Lucifer in support of him going against Moist and redeeming all that was taken from him, knowing fully well that this totally meant him attacking Moist?'
He had in mind that Moist only had eyes for Lucifer and everything she did with him was only a trap to drain his powers. However, why was Lucifer now encouraging him to go against Moist with everything in him? Did they have a fall out or did he never actually reciprocate the love?' Coming to think of it, before he began to make advances at Moist in the past, he never saw any shred or heard any rumor of affection between him and Moist.
Although the leaders of each race had no personal relationship with one another apart from Sheba and Elisha as he could recall, nevertheless, if there was indeed a real thing between Moist and Lucifer, he was sure there was no way it would be a total secret to him. They might not have close relationships with one another, but they had their discreet ways of getting vital intel about one another.
Aliadam's source back then was very reliable, and he was never informed about Lucifer and Moist having a close relationship. He was only aware of Moist's affection for him that day he overheard her in her sanctum but about Lucifer loving her back, he was not so sure, and his words really proved to him that he did not even care for her in the least way possible. Interesting indeed' he rubbed his jaw.
"Of course, you would find that interesting" Lucifer jolted him from his thoughts.
"Huh?" he turned his face to meet his.
"That was a one-sided obsession, I was never and will never be in love with Moist, besides I have a mate now" Lucifer spoke sternly, his lips slightly curving into a smile at his last words.
'Dammit' Aliadam cursed within him, how could he forget that Lucifer could read minds? He would have to surround the walls of his mind with his blazing fire to keep him out of it.
"That could work" Lucifer smirked.
"Do not piss me off, I just returned" Aliadam warned. "Keep out of my mind".
"I will try" Lucifer still wore his smug.
"Better" Aliadam breathed. "Wait a minute" he squinted his eyes before speaking again. "Did you just say you had a mate?"
"Yes" Lucifer replied with a wide grin, showing off his sparkling fangs.
"Finally!" Aliadam's eyes brightened. "Some good news since I returned. Whoever this very unlucky demoness is, she better be ready to face the rot of Moist's jealousy" he swigged his wine, lubricating his dry throat. He had spoken a lot.
"I am pretty sure she can handle herself very well, Moist is definitely no match for her and she is not a demoness"
"What?" Aliadam was now very confused.
"Are you sure of what you are saying or are you just blinded by love?" he asked.
"I am absolutely sure" Lucifer repeated.
"Oh, come on" Aliadam rolled his eyes. "Not a demoness, more powerful than Moist, your mate? Who could that possibly be, Sheba?" he laughed at his own joke.
"Yes" Lucifer slowly affirmed, making Aliadam genuinely think that he has lost it for real.
"What?" he managed to ask again.
"You heard me very well Aliadam" Lucifer slowly sipped his wine.
"Your mate is Sheba?"
Lucifer nodded.
"But…b…how?" Aliadam was short of words.
Lucifer was about to tell him he was going to save the story for later but just then he sensed a powerful interference beyond the walls of the mansion, and he knew that aura quite well.
"Oh no!" the horror in his voice was resounding. "She is here".
"Who is here?" Aliadam faced several shocks at once.
"Moist. She finally found us".
"Us?" it has barely been two hours since he broke out of his egg form and Moist already came for him, she was really faster now and more attentive.
"Not you Aliadam, Sheba and I"
"What?" Aliadam could not believe his ears. "Sheba is here?" …