Hell’s Consort

New Chapter for the Highest Tier (June 2021)

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Archdemon Empress Luna

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Luna had no idea how long she danced with a gentleman other than her husband, but it was long enough for the Herald to announce the arrival of the Summer Monarchs.

The heavy, double doors of the Great Hall creaked open as two burly Fae Sentinels on full-body armours and bronze helms, which covered their entire face, pushed the wooden blocks forward, revealing the Herald before he blew his trumpets, "Behold! The Summer Monarchs. Queen Titania and King Oberon."

King Oberon and Queen Titania had walked through the red carpet, their mature faces grim yet slightly detached from the rest of the ladies and gentlemen clapping for them with huge smiles on their faces.

They kept their visions focused on their gilded thrones.

Both of them didn't turn their heads once, smile, or wave at the aristocrats surrounding them on the sidelines.

No happy greetings.

The noblemen and noblewomen never stepped on the red carpet's line as they respected the King and Queen's boundaries.

Everyone knew that they were the Summer Monarchs just from how they carry themselves with poise, confidence, and elegance.

Queen Titania's chin jutted upwards, giving her an entitled air as if she was turning her patrician nose up to the rest of them.

Luna couldn't understand why King Oberon insisted on wearing armour plates over those brown leather fabric underneath a paired golden hem covering his entire head and face.

She thought that witnessing him like this at the Tea Party was the first and the last time she would see King Oberon pull off something as strange as this.

He was acting like the head of his Faerie Sentinels, for the goddess' sake!

Luna sighed, guilty.

Raising her eyes upwards, she begged for forgiveness from the goddesses.

She shouldn't be judging King Oberon if she didn't like to be judged for her choice of simple clothing from her fellow peers!

Luna liked simple.

King Oberon liked eccentric.

End of story.

What Luna only hated about King Oberon right now was the way he clenched his fists and puffed his chest with arrogance.

The Summer King appeared like he was ready to brawl at a moment's notice if someone challenged him. 

Luna could even imagine the smug look on his face despite the helm he wore. 

Queen Titania's dainty hands rested in front of her halter-neck gown, similar to the bright green of a fresh new leaf.

The dress's silhouette made her hourglass body stand out as the silk clung to her like a second skin.

The beautiful hues of yellow from the top down to the dark green bottom were pure art.

The high slit exposing her left leg was just exquisite. 

This was the first time Luna saw her let down her long hair.

She gasped, and her eyes widened in surprise.

Luna couldn't take her eyes off her face and form.

Wow! 

Queen Titania was as beautiful as always.

Maybe, more beautiful than Princess Ourania, who had an attitude of blaming her the Summer King and Queen from the way she was brought up.

That her entire life wasn't hers because she was forced to marry the past, Vampire King, to honour an old agreement between the Vampire Realm and the Summer Courts.

There was nothing for Luna to worry about if they were talking about the genes of her future baby. 

The fruit didn't fall far from the tree. And, Apollyon's family tree was superior.

Top-notched beauty.

It was almost angelic for his female ancestors while the male ancestors were devilishly handsome.

Luna couldn't talk about their state of mind, though.

  The auburn strands hang gracefully at her back, bouncing with life in every step she took while King Oberon matched her elegant strides.

Luna's gaze immediately flew to the open terrace, checking the intensity of the sunlight to estimate the time she and Apollyon spent in the Ball Room.

The sky was still a brilliant blue with fluffy white clouds casting mysterious shadows on the ground as it drifted lazily in the gentle breeze.

At the far horizon,  the sun slowly shifted downward as it shone through the thick summer forests.

The harsh, blinding rays of the blazing midday sun turn into something mellow as it prepared itself for the sunset.

Nevertheless, the Summer Faeries' form shimmered with little sweat, twinkling like diamonds in their forehead and bathing in the afternoon sunlight as it slanted into their windows and terraces.

Wiping the sweat from trickling to her chin as if she had cried, Luna realized she wasn't that exhausted, but she was having a hard time feeling the soles of her feet and her calves.

Her Achilles heel, her hallux, and her pinky toes were blistered a couple of times due to her flat shoes.

Anyway, there wasn't a need to worry because the physical scars will heal again and again because she was a vampire.

The only injury a Turned Vampire like her couldn't heal was heartache, hurt and shattered pride.

  Of course, the last waltz for the idle guests was now followed by the lively and cheerful court music to celebrate the arrival of the Spring Monarchs, led by the talented jester as he sang songs about courtly love.

His loud yet deep, soulful voice resonated in the Great Hall.

His thick, whole vibrato made her feel goosebumps from how good his tone sounded without any musical accompaniment.

For the first time, Luna witnessed the aristocrats pinching their lips shut in respect to their King and Queen instead of opening their mouth like a gaggle of chickens gossiping about whomever they liked to ridicule. Just like what they did when she and Apollyon entered the Great Hall uninvited.

Luna can tell that the Ball Room would be much more crowded after introducing Princess Ourania's fiance since all the aristocrats would want to be on the dance floor and mingle with the rest. 

Later on, she realized that what happened three hours ago wasn't official yet, and it seemed to be a repeat similar to what happened at Ostara as she celebrated with the Spring Courts. 

At least, they allowed doing the Courts to do what they want to have fun before the real one started.