CHAPTER 3

[ ACT I ] Where the Sun watches [3]

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Once they entered the palace and were given a tour of the guest area, the trio of the couple and son called it an evening. They had to recover from the journey. As such, they spent the next few days laying about, doing their best to let their bodies adjust to the time difference.

On one of these lazy days, Luciel stretched on the sofa, just having woken up as he glanced at his watch.

‘3 am….’ It was quite early, but Luciel’s body awoke itself without any prompting. It certainly wasn't a normal phenomenon, but he paid it no mind. For him, this was just another night. His sleep was always uneasy, there was nothing strange about it occurring today too. You see, aside from his mind being occupied by dreams, his sleep was always extremely light, even the buzzing of a mosquito could wake him up.

Luckily, his body has long got used to such abuse from him, as long as he did not do anything dramatic with it, it functioned like normal even with little rest.

Now up, he flipped his body into a sitting position as he pulled at his arms, clicking his bones into place as he snorted at the woman stretched out of the king bed.

‘Tonight was supposed to be my turn on the bed… that vixen of course had to come to sleep early and claim it for herself.’ Huffed Luciel to himself, massaging his aching bones as he placed his white toes on the carpet below.

He did not like sleeping on the sofa, but it was not like he could do anything about it. First of all, they refused to sleep with each other. The two of them disliked looking at each other, let alone being in proximity to each other’s touch. And on the matter of who slept on the bed, there were days he was just too tired to argue with her and this night was one of them.

Of course, he would have loved to sleep in a separate bedroom from her, but alas, they had a reputation to uphold -- they couldn’t let the servants gossip. It was an annoying reason and he did not care much for rumors, but his wife and mother did and this was something he had to give her some face in.

Lowering his eyes, Luciel put on a coat as he wandered out to the balcony, deciding to get some fresh air before trying to sleep again. It was an old trick, exploiting the use of a relaxing atmosphere and alcohol to bring back his lethargy.

But what was out there seemed to suck any remaining lethargy out of his body.

It was his little star,

Attached to the wall, Stellatu stared wide eyed at his father as he held onto a rope attached to his window. He was dressed in an all black jumpsuit like a no good thief, his armpit home to a notebook scribbled over with charcoal drawings of the palace.

His intention was obvious: *Someone* was clearly sneaking off to explore the palace after he was told he couldn’t.

Stellatu scratched his cheek at his father as soon as he noticed he was caught, waving at him uneasily as he shrunk his head in his shoulders in shame.

Luciel stared blankly at him for a few seconds, taking a sip of iced bourbon he poured himself earlier, “Our well behaved star is up to no good in the middle of the night? I have to say I’m disappointed,”

Stellatu expression sank as blushed beet red, “Dad! You said I could go out to explore if I wanted to!”

“Hmmm, I think you’re misunderstanding something.” Chuckled Luciel, wiping off writing charcoal off Stellatu’s face that he must have smeared on his face just before he sneaked out, “I’m not disappointed you are sneaking out, rather, I’m disappointed that you didn’t tell me you actually took me up on my offer! Gosh, you can’t tell how proud I am of you right now! My, you look just like me when I was younger. Too bad you refuse to learn some of the cooler stuff I can teach you…”

Stellatu’s brows lowered. He knew very well what ‘cooler stuff’ his father was referring to, “Sneaking out to further appreciate and study the architecture of this place and cheating are not the same thing! What I’m doing is for the sake of my artistic soul!”

Luciel shrugged, giving him an understanding smirk, “whatever makes you sleep at night, Letu.”

Stalletu bit his lips at his blatant mockery. “No matter what you say, I won’t change the fact that those two things are different!”

“Yes, yes, our wise Letu is right.” Giggled Luciel at him for a bit more, a thought sufficing as he took a sip of bourbon, “hmm, but on another note, where is Maki? shouldn’t he be with you?”

He assigned Masahiko to go with Stalletu every time he wanted to do something ‘solo’, making sure to keep the kid safe and out of trouble— not that he caused much trouble.

But it was better to have him there as a failsafe.

“He went  out with me all the previous nights, so don’t worry. As for tonight… He… he was sleeping when I came…. I didn’t want to wake him up. He had a busy day today, you know….” Pouted Stellatu, adjusting his grip on his rope. “Is that not alright?”

“Hmmm….” He wasn’t such a big fan of his son wandering about without a guard.

Seeing him on the fence about letting him continue, Stellatu immediately plastered on a groveling expression as he honestly begged. “Pleeeeasee? Dad is so awesome, he would let me continue right? And I’m perfectly able to defend myself if anything happens, didn’t you  praise me for my strength? Not to mention I’m so well behaved, too. And, Look my handsome face, can you say no to someone who looks as beautiful as you?”

“Your points have been noted.” Luciel thought about stopping him if he was going alone, but Stellatu was already an adult. It was not right to restrain him too much. And the palace wasn’t that dangerous anyway, if he got caught, Luciel could just take the blame for him. “very well then, your sound arguments have won you your case. I will allow it as long as you don’t go too far away.”

“As I thought, dad is the best!” Nodded Stalletu, putting his thumbs up.

A silly smile squirmed onto Luciel's face at the compliment, “Of course dad is the best, what other dad is as beautiful, charming, smart, kind and indulging as me?”

Stalletu crossed his arms as he exclaimed with enthusiasm, “none!”

“Fufufu…” Luciel reached out, pinching his ear, “you sure know how to butter someone up.”

“I’ve learned from the best!”

Luciel nodded to himself, “Indeed, ah I’m such a good role model, I impress myself,”

“Uhhh.” At that, Stellatu’s put on a doubtful expression.

The praise for him suddenly stopping, Luciel tilted his head at his son in confusion, “what?”

“Well… I wouldn’t go that far dad.” Said Stalletu suddenly, raising his brow, “you are awesome but you are far from a good role model.”

“....” it took a moment for Luciel to process that as he raised his brows, “Oi! What is this slander? I believe what I’m hearing!”

“It’s not slander, it’s the bonafide truth dad!”

“….” Lips flattening into an unamused line, Luciel pretended to be angry while leaning his chest into the guardrail, “Heh, if you're going to continue to say such things, scram then you ungrateful brat. For now I’ll be gracious and forget such rudeness you just displayed in lieu of me being absolutely awesome so don’t stay long enough for me to change my mind. But remember, understand no circumstances tell your mother about this, return before, and I really mean *before* breakfast-- and….”

“And?” Repeated Stellatu gingerly.

Luciel gave Stellatu an innocent smirk, “Remember if you get caught, for the record, you're someone else’s child.”

“???” Stellatu did not expect that, “dad?!? Aren’t I your favorite and only child??”

Luciel blinked, “well, if you get caught… then no? I didn’t raise someone who gets caught so easily.”

“Euggh,” Stellatu put on an expression of disgust, “that’s Unfair. I wasn’t raised by such a fickle dad.”

“Then you have been blind, your dad is the most fickle. So fickle that even *you* said that I’m not a good role model!” Grinned Luciel as he ruffled his son's snow white air into a chicken nest, “So, if you don't want to be removed from the family registry, stay safe okay!”

Feeling the tenderness in Luciel's playful actions, Stellatu gave him a silly smile as he nodded, showing he understood. 

“Okay, Now hurry, you don’t want to be wasting too much time with old me do you? The night is still young-- go out there and have some fun!”

“Got it!” Stalletu nodded with a happy laugh, descending downward.

Watching his son disappear into the palace guarded with a skip in his step, Luciel finished up the liquid in his glass with a warm expression. The cold bitter liquid spread across his tongue and throat, numbing him to his tribulations while heightening the feeling of joy of watching his son happily smile and frolic around. He was so happy that a small purr emerged from the back of his throat, that cat-like sound floating into the wind as he squinted his eyes. 

That was all it took for his lethargy to return again. He was starting to get tired. Tsk, his little star was truly special, he could ease his nerves with such ease.

Finishing what was in his cup, Luciel spread himself back onto the sofa, lulling himself into another night of dreams, doing his best to get some more rest before morning.

Breakfast coming a few hours later, Luciel and Estell sat around the table as servants prepared food. They were situated at opposite ends of a humongous table, one so wide that you had to raise your voice just shy of a scream to talk to the person on the opposite end.

“Where may be Stellatu? Goodness, he is not one to be so late, is he?” Asked Estell, tapping on her pocket watch rhythmically as she rested her eyebrow at the location of the clock arm. It was half an hour after their usual breakfast appointment, and Estell refused to start dining before the whole family was here.

That did not stop her from growing both hungry and impatient though.

At her query, Luciel too brought his wristwatch to his eyes, his serpentine tongue skidding across the top of his mouth. He seemed to be casually checking the time like Estell, but only he knew that at this moment he was absolutely fuming.

That brat! Did he not understand that he had to make it here *before* breakfast? Was he speaking another language? Good god above… he really needs to give Letu a stern scolding—!

While practically exploding on the inside and throwing metaphorical furniture around in his metaphorical brain room, Luciel stayed completely composed on the outside, merely raising his brow up as if he was bemused. He put down his arm, tilting his head to Regina who by now took out a newspaper and was catching up with the morning news, “He most probably is sleeping in, my night. We still have nott fully adjusted to the time difference afterall.”

“Hmmm,” Regina turned the page, “Those servants in charge of him must be tired of living then, how dare they not wake him? I do not feed them and keep them alive for them to treat their job so lightly, do I?”

Not blinking at her threat of casual murder, Luciel shooks his head as he dismissed her.

“No need for a blood bath, my night.” he sighed as he stood up, “I’ll go wake him up.”

Estell raised her gaze off the morning news and up to the white haired man, “That is quite below you…. But oh well. Come soon, I am absolutely starving.”

Leaving the room at a brisk pace, Luciel’s turbulent emotions got to the point that they started surfacing slightly on his face. The more he walked, the more he thought. And the more he thought, the more he pictured the worst case scenarios of what made his Letu so late. His Letu was not one to be disobedient, so other reasons floated up to his brain one by one.

Did he get lost in the palace by himself, leaving him scared and alone?

Was he injured? Licking his wounds in an unknown corner with no one to come to his aid?

Did he get kidnapped by some perverts who saw his beauty and wanted it for themselves? There was many people like that in the palace in hindsight.

Or was he caught by the Solari guard for trespassing and now lay captured in the cruel underground prisons?

His worried train of thought thankfully managed to come to a stop as a little blue Imp like servant made it into view, the main servant in charge of Stellatu, or more appropriately, a loyal servant of Luciel and Stellatu’s nanny.

Seeing him standing so calmly in front of Stellatu’s room and not showing any big reaction as he saw Luciel, nothing bad seemed to happen.

Still, Luciel was not going to feel completely calm before he got verbal affirmation.

“Have you kept everyone out?” Luciel whispered as he turned his eyes from left to right.

The little imp growled, “Yes sire.” 

“And he’s in there?”

“Yes sire! He returned at 600 hours this morning. And he was untouched, you need not worry, sire.”

“Mm.” A Hmmm just shy of a purr escaped from Luciel lips as a huge stone fell from his heart. He did not get caught, and was ok… good good. 

Coming in without Knocking, Luciel rolled his eyes around and landed on the raised part of the bed. Obviously-- Stellatu was having the sleep of his life there. Seeing him lying there and his chest coming up and down rhythmically, Luciel giggled to himself.

Look at this brat! Sleeping in like this!

Coming up to the bed and having a sit on its edge, Luciel played with his hair as he smiled, “Geez, Letu, if you were going to sleep like a corpse like this, why go out at all! Well, I would love for you to continue sleeping, but your mother is calling for breakfast, come eat and then you can continue to sleep, kay?”

There was no answer, but Luciel did not talk loud enough to wake him up so he was not surprised.

He just called out again, adjusting his volume, “Stellatu! Come on and get up!”

But he was still not responsive, just breathing peacefully.

Luciel gave a helpless look to the ceiling. He was sleeping quite deeply, huh, what time did he return last night. He then rolled his eyes. Flopping on his back, he roughly felt out the location of where Stellatu was before half he assedly started shaking his shoulder. “Come on Letu, it’s time to get up. Just at least open your eyes…..”

Then he froze mid sentence.

Because the hand that touched his shoulder was met with an odd warmth, like the embrace of the sun. Considering Stellatu was currently laying under the rays of the sun, he was not initially taken aback by the heat, but after touching him for a few seconds, he grew concerned.

Unlike most other races, the Moroii were terrible at retaining heat— in fact, their bodies couldn't even function well in high heat and had to constantly spend energy to cool themselves down. Touching a Moroii often equated to touching a self cooling block of ice, and even if the surface of the skin was temporarily warmed, it would not take long for that familiar chill to come up and erase it. As such, even your average room temperature on a Moroii was a telling sign that the creature was deeply sick.

Yet, there was no chill on Stellatu right now-- only warmth.

Something was very wrong. Luciel sprang right onto his feet, he had to bring Stalletu to the doctor right away! 

He dragged Stalletu’s shoulders back, ready to pick him up and run to the family physician as he gathered his son into his arms. In his arms, something about his body became horrifically apparent. It was something even his most insidious nightmares could beat. The body in his arms… although it was still breathing smoothly as if asleep with its chest going up and down and its heart beating steadily… it… it… was scarily light.

Because what he picked up was only the upper torso of his son.

Cut at its hip, the body in his arms came to a sharp stop, displaying categorized black flesh that eerily held no scent of blood. The injury was extremely clean, precise and madein one cut, as if it was done by an atom thin blade of lightning. The wound was so thin that Luciel did not even notice anything was wrong until the body came apart into two, leaving the legs and lower arms scattered on the mattress like the parts of a broken doll. What was worse was now that the torso was lifted, the still moving innards spilled all over Luciel, forcing him to gather the squirming and squelching flesh up and place it back into the body.

Knees losing their strength, Luciel, fell backwards with the body in tow, grabbing onto his son strongly to protect him from the fall. He was in a state of shock, his eyes opened wide as he blinked again and again, trying to convince himself that this was not true.

It couldn’t be right? Mere hours earlier they were casually conversing. Even the servant said he came in last night. Mere minutes earlier, he thought the other was merely asleep. Mere seconds earlier… the body was not spliced into two…

This must be a terrible terrible dream right? The worst of nightmares, the most evil of visions.

But no amount of convincing himself could make him escape his current reality.

No, he had to get himself together. Although his son was in state was like this, *he was still breathing*. Yes, the Moroii were resilient creatures, even such a catastrophic injury was survival if it was treated in time.

It was not too late.

Shaking like a leaf, Luciel placed Stellatu’s head into his shoulder and cupped the spilling organs in his palm, doing his best to get up. But every attempt at doing so failed as he was left with a dumb expression while sprawled on the ground. He was too nervous.

It felt like forever before he got his legs into a position that forced him upright, gritting his fangs as he made it out of the room on two shaking twig like feet.

“Doctor…” He called out, voice as small as a whisper, “Bring the doctor…”

・•・•・•・•・

#delicous#
Letu: *holding a bottle* What's in here? 
Luci: *chugs entire bottle* 
Letu: verdict?
Luci: It’s perfume.