Marked Ones: Advent of the Demon Prince

Lucius stood next to the large entry door that separated the interior of Corva's beautiful manor from the outdoors. To the side of the door was a large mirror intended to help someone make last-minute adjustments to their clothes before leaving the estate.

For several minutes, Lucius stood there and tried to figure out why his collar looked crooked. However, no matter how many times he tried to fix it, he was dissatisfied with the results. Desmond watched him from the side with a mirthful glint in his eye for a little while before he finally decided to help his friend.

It was obvious that Lucius was not used to dressing up like this. Most likely, one of the few times he ever had was at the banquet after the exhibition tournament. Desmond assumed that Lucius had only practiced how to dress in that specific outfit he wore that night. Unfortunately, in noble circles, there were as many different kinds of fashion as there were nobles.

Desmond chuckled as he straightened Lucius's collar appropriately and smoothed out a handful of wrinkles. He gave Lucius a few looks over to ensure that there was nothing else out of place with his attire. Read new adventures at empire

Lucius was dressed in a finely designed outfit meant for both portraying status while also being acceptable for a night on the town, rather than being for a high society party. He wore fine black slacks with glossy black shoes. Yue and Jade saw fit to adorn him in a crimson button-up shirt made of fine silk and a black, sleeveless vest over the top.

The top two buttons were left undone, per Jade's recommendation. Yue recommended buttoning it up and adding in a tie, but after seeing what Jade pointed out, she agreed with Jade's recommendation. Lucius was slightly thankful because while comfortable, buttoning the shirt all the way felt a little too tight and suffocating.

Desmond glanced over him a few times and decided to unbutton the cuffs of the shirt and fold them back once before bringing the sleeves halfway up Lucius's forearm. The outfit was different than what he was used to, but seeing the ensemble made him realize that he cleaned up well.

A slight laughter echoed in his mind as he noticed a strange weight suddenly appeared on his right hand. The ring that represented the Fragment of the Abyss glinted evilly in the light of the room thanks to the large onyx that adorned the golden band. On Lucius's left hand were a few plain silver bands that held most of his belongings.

It seemed that both he and Grimm wanted to stay prepared for any occasion.

Before he could mention the appearance of the ring too closely with Grimm, Lucius's ear twitched at the sound of someone descending the stairs. Yue and Jade stood at the top of the steps while Kalliope slowly descended.

Her blond hair was tied up in a tight bun on the back of her head with a beautiful golden pin adorned with a handful of blue gems arranged to look like a flower. Her dress was a sleek, form-fitting black dress that went down to just below her knees. Two long slits were cut on either side of her legs that started from the hem and traveled halfway up her thigh.

The dress had an open back and no sleeves, and it was held up only by a small collar around her neck.

Kalliope's entire presence shocked Lucius into silence. He felt his mouth turn dry looking at how the thin cloth hugged Kalliope's surprisingly womanly curves. Though she had spent her whole life as a warrior, the musculature of her arms and legs only served to accentuate her feminine shape.

It was not until she stood directly in front of him and looked at his outfit with her gray eyes that he finally found his ability to speak. "You look wonderful."

Kalliope gulped but then smiled shyly, "So do you."

"Shall we?" Lucius said after admiring her for another few moments.

He extended his arm to her and allowed her to gently grasp his hand before guiding her out the door and into an awaiting carriage. Both of them were shockingly stiff despite them both desiring tonight's events. In the over four years they had known each other, this was the first time they truly allowed themselves to indulge in such frivolous behaviors with each other.

Kalliope was a warrior, strong and independent. Lucius was also a warrior, but he also bore the mark of a war hero… or a villain, depending on who was talked about him. Because they both struggled to separate this other aspect of themselves from this moment alone, the ride down the mountain to the city proper was silent and awkward. Despite that, neither moved to dislodge their hands from each other.

Once inside the city layer below Corva's manor, the carriage in which they rode began to attract attention from the crowds along the streets. They rode gently past hundreds of elves who gawked at the finely designed vehicle which bore the crest of the royal family. Perhaps what surprised the onlookers the most was the fact that inside the royal carriage was a human and a beastman.

As the carriage stopped outside a high-end shopping district, Lucius stepped out first before extending his hand to help Kalliope step out, as a gentleman would. His behavior made her laugh a little at the ridiculous thought of her being treated like such a lady.

However, Lucius had no intention of treating her any differently tonight. He had decided that there would be no more ambiguity between them. There would be no more 'joking'. Instead, he will treat her as a woman, as his woman.

Their appearance before the crowd, now that they had stepped out of the royal carriage, caused another series of murmurs and whispers. Lucius and Kalliope both picked out several different statements with their exceptional hearing. Outside of the standard questions regarding their arrival, many of them complimented Kalliope on her outfit and beauty.

These comments caused Kalliope's face to turn a rare shade of pink that Lucius was sure he had not seen before. Or if he had, he had long since forgotten. Several others remarked about the burns and scars that covered the back of Lucius's neck and face. Kalliope did not take too kindly to those and Lucius noticed her body start to tense in anger.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Before she could get to an unmanageable state of mind, Lucius simply turned his head in the direction of the comments. He flicked his hair out of the way of his two eyes, flashing mana through them while giving off a calm and gentle smile. In an instant, the negative statements vanished and were replaced by enamored gasps from dozens of women in the crowd.

Kalliope grumpily thumped his chest. "I'm not sure that was much better."

"Come, ignore them. These are badges of honor. Proof I survived. Had I not, then I would not be here to enjoy the beautiful sight before me." Lucius whispered into his lover's ear.

She coughed lightly and wrapped herself around his arm before they continued into the shopping district. Since war had not yet reached the capital, many things had yet to change within its walls. The citizens continued to buy, sell, and interact the same as they always did. Ignoring the potential threat that loomed over a hundred miles away.

Lucius was grateful that things remained calm enough for them to enjoy a night like this. He would have figured something out if the city was in a panic, but this made things simple. Yue informed him that she had already reserved a table at one of the finest restaurants in the district for them, so the couple quickly made their way to the location.

The restaurant itself was named 'Mountainside Escape'. From the outside, the building looked similar in design to most of the others around it. Nothing in its architecture singled it out among the other locations nearby. However, the interior showed why they referred to it as an 'escape'.

In opposition to the stone exterior, the inside made plenty of use of wooden furniture and décor. The floors were beautiful granite, but the walls and support beams were made of wood. Many of the beams were designed to look like they were made of unshaved logs.

Instead of relying on only the plain and flat light crystals, many of the light settings used a variety of different colored glasses that spun slowly around the light crystals to create a flame-like effect. Lucius was impressed with the accuracy at which these lights were able to replicate the look of a fire dancing along the walls.

A gentleman in a black and white suit took their names and checked the reservation. Without a fuss, he bowed slightly and led the couple to an upper level of the restaurant that overlooked the other floors. It was a private room that was sectioned off by large, clear glass that served to allow the space to remain open in appearance, but still cut down the sound for privacy.

Kalliope looked around with eyes wide, but Lucius's eyes were only glued on her. Even after all the time, he found himself unable to comprehend that this was his new reality.