138 Importance Of A Family Ball
Azazel showed up in Gemma’s chamber when the day was starting to become clear and brighter. He’s been out with Gravion throughout the whole night till morning, making plans for the family ball that he wasn’t excited for, rather, it left his mind disoriented.
Reaching Gemma’s princess-like chamber, he found the little one happily playing a game of chess with Levi and quietly leaned on the hinges of the door, watching them with his hands in his vest pocket.
Levi sighed deeply after seeing his little sister play the black pawn in the wrong direction and he lifted his eyes from the game to look at her.
“Gemma, for the seventeenth time today, stop playing in the wrong direction, I’m the black pawn, you’re the white one!” He pointed out with a quick explanation of the game, but Gemma snickered silently at his frustrated reaction before moving the white pawn like he told her to.
“Uhm... . Levi,” Azazel finally called, gaining the young Demon’s attention as he looked his way. Levi’s brows instantly rose as a look of surprise sparkled in his eyes. Somewhat surprised to find Azazel around.
“Azazel, you’re here?” His brows suddenly creased in suspicion, “but you’re on duty today.”
“I know, but have you seen Roshan? Tried using the mind Array to reach him but he’s not responding to me.”
Levi shook his head in full honesty, “no, I haven’t seen him since yesterday, have you checked his chambers?”
“He’s not there.”
.....
“What of Anna’s chamber?”
“I knocked, no response.” He clicked his tongue in obvious displeasure as the thought of where that bastard had suddenly vanished to invade his mind, not just with himself but with Annalise too.
As always, he just won’t listen and stay put.
“If you were going to miss me sooner, you should have left me a note.” Came Roshan’s usual sarcasm that made Azazel roll his eyes and the look on his charming face wasn’t a happy one.
“Idiot!” He silently cursed before turning to look at his brother who had a wicked smirk on his lips. Annalise was by his side and when he met her gaze, she quickly bowed her head politely.
“A lovely morning to you, your highness.” She greeted with a harmless smile and for a sec, Azazel could actually smell Roshan’s scent on her. His scent was all over her actually but Azazel didn’t dare to react, he just gave a nod of his head in response before meeting Roshan’s stare, ending whatever form of conversation that might start between him and Anna.
“You, me, in the solar room, now.” Were his words to Roshan before he finally turned and left.
With his reaction alone, Roshan knew his brother too well to know he was about to get seriously scolded or lectured on something, except this time around, he also has a piece of scolding to give that brother of his.
Annalise didn’t fail to notice the tensed air that followed Azazel and turned to look at Roshan with a look of concern, “is everything alright?”
Roshan didn’t respond for a second that felt like eternity to Anna. He met her stare and pulled her cheeks lightly, “it’s Azazel, we know how to handle ourselves.”
Looking at the chamber where Levi and Gemma were seriously playing chess, he gestured for Anna to go join them using his brows, “they’re the only ones I can trust you with, stay with them.”
Annalise curiously peeked into the chamber and saw Levi and Gemma, who waved at her in a heartwarming manner and beckoned her to come join them. A relieved smile crossed her lips at their kind invitation and when she turned to look at Roshan, wanting to say something to the glacier, he had already left.
She took a deep breath when an unsettling feeling rested in her heart, trying to brush it off and refusing to let herself get worried about things like this before proceeding to join the two Demons who were still bickering over a game of chess.
She sat beside Gemma who Levi was constantly suffering himself to teach, watching them for a while longer before gathering enough courage to ask.
“Is everything alright between the two brothers?” She didn’t want to pry at all, but this was something she couldn’t stop herself from asking, but Levi only shrugged it.
“I gave up understanding those two for a long time, but if I should guess, it’ll probably be about the family ball approaching.”
“Family ball?” That instantly piqued Anna’s interest and Levi nodded again with an anticipated smile.
“Family ball is when most of our families gather for a celebration, something like a get-together, along with a few guests that hold no importance to me.” He briefed, earning a smile from Anna who found such events to be fun, a family get-together?
“Isn’t that supposed to be nice? Meeting your families, spending quality time together and-” Anna’s talk was instantly cut short by Levi’s cute chuckle and he raised his head from the chess to look at Anna with an interesting glint flashing in his amber eyes.
“You’re pretty cute with such thoughts, but we’re Demons Anna, no one’s attending the function so they can ‘bond’ with the family, half of us hate ourselves if you want me to be more specific and the rivals have been toxic. There’s always something called, keeping to the status of your lineage and never letting it drop.”
“Huh?” Anna’s face was contorted with confusion as she barely understood the meaning of what he just said to her, “what does that mean?”
“It means holding up to the high reputation you have of being an Astaroth without letting it drop, the Astaroth family hate to mingle with the middle class, talk more of the lower class, even if you’re a family member who happens to be poor, you can’t step on the same carpet that a family with a high status walks on. It’s regarded as disrespectful and shameful.”
Anna’s gaze lowered to Gemma who was childishly playing with the pawns on the chessboard and she couldn’t imagine such a sweet girl like Gemma would someday grow up to have the same character as Gretta.
“That’s why I told Aunt to bring my sister here,” Levi suddenly added like he knew what Anna was thinking, “I wouldn’t want my sister growing up with such mentality as the rest of the Astaroth family and having you here, might just be the blessing she needs and who knows, she might start talking again.”
Levi’s hopeful words really warmed Anna’s heart and she could see from his gaze that he genuinely cares for his sister. She had been meaning to ask that tempting question on why Gemma couldn’t speak, but was afraid of opening deep wounds.
“Gemma’s a sweet girl.” She complimented with a hearty smile before letting her face frown in worry, “but if the family ball isn’t meant for bonding, what actually happens there? What’s the importance?”
Levi sighed at her question, “just families talking about themselves and wealth, it’s more like a competition. Everyone will definitely show up in their best dresses, or maybe flex about how many kingdoms they’ve conquered, how many slaves they have, oh and if I’m not mistaken, this should also be the time when Roshan has to pick a mate from one of the beautiful daughters of the highest officials that will be present.”
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