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"So, about this year's annual dance," Dyrroth leaned on Chama's desk while holding a piece of paper.
"Annual dance? It's that time of the year already?" Chama groaned.
"Oh?" he raised an eyebrow. "Didn’t you say this was your favorite event of the year?"
"Yeah, but…" Chama plopped her forehead on the desk. "I haven't got the time to think about it…"
Dyrroth patted her head. "We'll work on it together. I'll start first."
"Aren't you busy?"
"I'll make time."
Chama's eyes softened, "Of course you will," she smiled at him.
Dyrroth leaned in to kiss her temple. "Take your time, Chama."
"I'm really loving this side of you, Dy." She chuckled.
"Enjoy it while it lasts, my dear." His smirk lingered before pushing himself off the desk and leaving the room.
First thing on the list: venue.
This was the hardest for him. Normally, Chama would present him with several venue options, then they'd survey them together. Now, he had to do it all by himself.
He dispatched underlings, had them check locations, but nothing impressed him.
Useless, as usual.
He mindlessly walked around the castle halls until a sight caught his eye. He stopped in his tracks, his gaze wandered to the rose garden that Chama had made. A mysterious garden, it was able to survive in this cursed land.
"What if…" he muttered.
He made his way to the library.
Veylith was dusting off the bookshelves.
"Suggest an outdoor place for a ball. Now," the prince barked.
Veylith blinked at him. "An outdoor… place…?"
Dyrroth nodded.
"I am not… versed in geography…" Veylith sighed, but one of his six hands extended upwards, grabbing a book from the top shelves. He flipped it open to a page showing a scenic spot near the Azrya Woodlands and Azure Lake. "But I heard… this place's… a good choice."
Dyrroth snatched the book. "Hmm… I'll take your word for it, Librarian."
He marched away from the library, preparing to travel to the place Veylith recommended.
"And that's the last one…" Chama sighed and leaned on her chair. She could feel her shoulders aching.
With the end of the year coming closer, work hasn't been kind to her lately. The Annual Dance was supposed to be Chama's motivation to get her work done faster, but somehow, this year had been difficult
"I should probably go help Dy now…" Chama rose from her seat. Leaving the room to find Dyrroth.
Halls, the throne room, the arena, and even the library. Chama checked everywhere, but she couldn't find him. She took a rest in the library, lounging on one of the sofas.
"Looking for… the prince, I assume…?" Veylith asked.
"Yeah," Chama sighed. "Do you know where he is?"
"He went… surveying a venue… for the ball…"
"Oh? He found one already?" Chama's back straightened. "Mmm, maybe I should help with the next step, which is… The theme."
"The prince was… looking for an… outdoor venue. That might… help you figure out… the theme, my lady."
"Outdoor, huh? Interesting. Thank you, Veylith!" Chama waved at him before leaving the library.
Back in their chamber at night, Chama sat in front of the fireplace. She gazed at the crackling fire. The heat tingled her skin with warmth; her mind was still wondering about the ball's theme.
Outdoor… garden… flowers… moonlight…
Click—
The chamber's door opened.
Dyrroth walked in, slouched, armor dusty, and a trail of dirt could be seen following his sabatons.
"Are you okay?" Chama stood and quickly made her way toward him.
"I'm fine, just tired," Dyrroth groaned.
"I heard from Veylith that you were surveying an outdoor place," She scanned him head to toe. "Was it good, at least?"
"Fifty out of a hundred, I would say," Dyrroth continued walking to the side of the room, slowly taking off his armor. "It doesn't have that… 'you' in it, you know?"
Chama chuckled. "Doesn't have me in it?"
"Yeah," He dropped the last piece of his armor on the floor. "Here, let me show you what I saw."
He took a Vision Crystal from the shelves, poured his energy into it, and a hologram appeared above it. The hologram showed a large lake, surrounded by trees with different colors, a nice, big open space, and a gazebo right in the middle of the lake.
"It looks like a wedding venue, huh?" Chama leaned towards the hologram. "It doesn't look that bad, though."
"It looks boring, Chama," Dyrroth replied. "It needs more… terror, more chaos, more… magic."
"I mean, we can still decorate it? Splash some magic here and there, maybe Veylith and Vox could help us—"
Her shadows shuddered behind her; Vox clearly disagreed. Chama only snickered.
"True, but I feel like there's a better option."
"And that is?" Chama raised her brow.
Dyrroth looked at her with that mischievous grin of his.
Chama gulped.
"We make our own venue."
Chama dragged her hands over her face and groaned. "Dy, we do not have the time—"
"We'll make time," He slid his hand to her waist.
"Dy, no—"
"Chama, yes," He pulled her closer.
Chama's eyes twitched. "And where would we make our own venue?"
"Here, in the Abyss."
"In this barren land with nothing but stones, lava, and spikes?"
"Mmm, but I'm sure you'll figure something out just like that rose garden of yours." He smiled so sweetly, revealing his fang.
"It's not that simple, you know—" Chama sighed. "I'm going to need a lot of preparation and time and magic and my work—"
He pressed a finger to her lips. “I’ll handle it.”
"…Why do you want it to be here? Wouldn't it be easier if we just… find another outdoor venue?"
Dyrroth's gaze looked away for a bit. "I don't really know. But, when I saw your rose garden, blooming so mysteriously in the Abyss, I couldn't help but feel so… drawn into it like something was pulling me towards it. And since we plan on inviting guests to this year's ball, I want them to feel the same way as I do."
His gaze landed on hers once more. She blinked at him.
"Ah—right. Guests," she sighed. "And I didn't know you… thought that way about the rose garden."
Dyrroth stood still for a second. He just realized that he had never actually commented on her rose garden. He let her make it, yeah, but other than that and the stupid little thumbs up that he did when she finished it, he never actually told her that he actually liked it—a bit, of course!
He cleared his throat, "…So, what do you think?"
"I'll think about it," Chama smiled at him, a hint of red spread across her cheeks.
Dyrroth's eyes softened. He lifted her chin with his thumb. "That's my girl."
Then he leaned in for a kiss.
The day had finally come. Chama was nowhere to be seen in the chamber—actually, she hadn't been sleeping in the chamber for a few days now. And Dyrroth? He wasn't pleased by this.
He left the chamber while grumbling under his breath, making his way toward the venue.
The moment he saw the gates, his eyes widened.
Statues and pillars decorated the entrance, with a hint of green and dark plants along the way. He could see a giant tree inside the venue.
Veylith, who was tending to the plants, saw him. "Lady Chama's inside… sleeping on one of the… benches…"
Dyrroth nodded and entered the venue.
Stairs led down, revealing the magnificent tree that stood in the center, its branches glowing faintly with Abyssal magic. Tall stone pillars, twisting dark vines, black-and-purple roses blooming where nothing should grow. Lamps hung from the vines like captured stars.
Then he saw her, sleeping on one of the benches near the tree. His irritation crumbled immediately when he saw her sleeping face, hair messy, eye bags below her eyes, and little sounds escaping her parted lips.
He sighed and sat next to her, brushing her hair aside. "Morning, princess."
"Dy…?" Chama stirred. "What are you… doing here?"
"Looking for my mate who had overworked herself."
Chama slowly got up, rubbing her eyes. "You shouldn't be here… I want it to be a surprise for you."
"Color me surprised, Chama. You made this little haven all by yourself—"
"—Veylith and Vox helped," Chama added.
"Yes, yes, them too. But, why wouldn't you let me help you?" His brows furrowed, his tone hardening.
"Because you're busy with everything else," Her half-lidded eyes slowly blinked at him.
"And you think I couldn't handle more than that? I'm the Prince of the Abyss, I'm damn well capable of doing more than just the usual daily routines and paperwork."
"I-I know you are but—"
Dyrroth gripped her hands. "This was supposed to be our event, Chama." His eyes softened. "But, every time I reached for you, you shrugged me off. Every time I asked what you needed, you shut me out. You stopped sleeping beside me. Do you know how that felt?”
Chama’s fingers trembled in his hold.
“It felt like you didn’t want me near you,” he admitted. “And I thought we were past… hiding things from each other.”
"Dy…" She looked at him. Her heart tightened at the look he was giving her. "Forgive me, please. I really didn't mean to push you away like that. I just don't want to bother you—"
"You will never be a bother to me since the first time I claimed you as mine."
The once sleepy Chama had now turned to be a wide-awakened Chama with a face red as a tomato.
"D-Dy!" She stuttered. "You can't say things like that so casually!"
"Of course I can, I'm the prince. Your prince."
"Oh—Alright, alright!" Chama pleaded in defeat. "I'm sorry for pushing you away like that."
"And?"
She stared at him, realizing he wanted more.
Of course he did.
“I promise I won’t shut you out like that anymore,” she whispered. “And I won’t… think of myself as a bother.”
"Good." He finally smiled as if he'd just won a war. "Now go clean yourself up. I'll take over from here."
He glanced through the venue again and back at her.
"And Chama?" He leaned in close, just enough to make her breath catch. "You did beautifully."
Music? Check.
Food? Check.
Prince in a devilishly handsome suit? Check.
Dyrroth did another full round through the venue, making sure every last detail was perfect. Chatters could be heard from the gate; the guests were all ready. But Chama still hadn’t arrived.
No matter. The show must go on.
With a snap of his fingers, the gate opened. Demons from various clans poured in, their expressions shifting from curiosity to awe. It wasn’t every day you saw a garden in the Abyss, after all.
Dyrroth couldn't help puffing his chest a little, that smug grin stretching wider as he greeted them. Of course, they were impressed. They should be.
“Ah, I almost forgot,” he said, taking a magenta crystal and a note out of his pocket.
Chama had given it to him, saying it was for opening a portal so that her friends from another universe could come here. The note read:
Remember, say the spell correctly, or else you’ll be summoning a portal from who knows where!
When Dyrroth finished reciting the spell, reality cracked open into a swirling magenta rift, and silhouettes stepped through. Some were human… and some were questionable.
Dyrroth greeted them with his usual prince-like demeanor. Head held high, arms behind his back, that confident grin never leaving his face.
"Welcome, Friends of Chama from different universes," he said.
"She isn’t here yet, but if she were, she would be very happy to see you all here. I don't mind you lot lounging around here, but—" He paused. “If I catch any of you staring at her for a second too long, I’ll—”
"Dy!" A familiar voice came from behind him, making him stop mid-sentence.
Dyrroth stood frozen.
It was Chama. So ever beautiful in her black gown. Hair tied in an elegant bun, roses and golds decorating her horns, soft strands framing her face, sleeves flowing like enchanted silk. She looked… divine.
Dyrroth cleared his throat quickly and moved to the stairs to announce her arrival.
"Everyone, eyes on her," he said in a loud, clear voice, his hand extended to her, "The lady of the night. The one who made all of this possible. Applaud her."
That sounded like a command rather than a request.
But all of the guests obeyed. Aside from clapping, some cheered for her, and some were also screaming compliments to her.
Chama descended the stairs. With each step she took, the lamps around the pillars flickered brighter; her shadows fluttered, excited like little pets. She took Dyrroth's hand as she reached the last step.
"Thank you all for coming," she said, putting her hand on her chest. "I hope you all enjoy this as much as we both do."
Dyrroth leaned in closer to her, "You look breathtaking, princess."
"And you as well, my prince," she winked at him.
He tightened his hold in return.
The guests swarmed them, thanking them for the invites, asking Chama how it was possible to grow such things in the Abyss—She wouldn't tell them, not even to Dyrroth—and then, she made her way to meet her friends from other universes.
They all looked so perfect in their dresses and suits, along with a pair of their favorite flowers.
After sharing heartfelt compliments and idle chatter with them, Dyrroth tugged Chama toward the greenhouse as the main event—the waltz—was about to start.
The greenhouse may have looked ruined—sections of the roof missing, broken glass here and there—but the decay only made it more enchanting. Vines threaded through the broken glass. Flowers crawled up the pillars and draped from the ceiling, glowing softly. The moon made it seem like it was a paid actor as it shone radiantly, its light pouring down the greenhouse, making it look more ethereal.
The guests opened a path for them, leading them to the center.
Chama's grip tightened. Dyrroth noticed.
"Nervous, aren't you?" He leaned in.
"A lil' bit," she answered softly. "It's our first time having guests in our annual dances…"
"You'll do fine, princess. You always do." He pulled her palm into his lips. "Just focus on me, yeah?"
She looked at his face; so composed, so confident. He made things look easy.
That's a Prince for you, I guess.
He stepped in front of her, bowing as he extended his hand. "Shall we dance, my lady?"
"Of course, my prince." She smiled and took his hand.
Their fingers clasped, warm and steady, and he guided her toward the center of the greenhouse. The eyes of the crowd followed them, and Chama felt it immediately; the weight of attention pressed against her shoulders.
When Dyrroth’s hand settled at her waist, she stiffened without meaning to.
The music finally began. They started moving, slowly, following the rhythm.
Chama's mind was in a scramble as she tried to count each beat to deafen the thoughts inside her head.
Everyone's looking at us… Oh, what if I accidentally step on his foot… What if I forgot how to dance? Am I doing fine?
Her grip on his hand tightened, and Dyrroth felt it.
He adjusted the pace, subtle enough that no one else would notice. He guided her to twirl and pulled her in, her back on his chest.
"You're doing great, Chama," he whispered, as if he knew what she was thinking.
Chama's eyes widened a bit. She exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding. Her body started to relax as Dyrroth twirled her again, now her face toward his. Her usual glistening smile had finally surfaced.
"Thank you, Dy," she whispered.
With each step they took, the noise from the guests and her own noisy thoughts began to fade. The world started to slow, their gaze never leaving each other, breaths tangling, every move was deliberate—it was intense. Every time she twirled, her dress flowed beautifully like a newly bloomed rose.
Dyrroth's movements were also praiseworthy. Every step he took screamed power but also elegance, his grip holding her so tightly as if he was protecting her in battle, and the way his gaze softened when he looked at her… Oh, how he always loved the way she looked when she was dancing.
As the music neared its end, he twirled her one more time before dipping her low, one arm firm at her back.
The guests cheered and clapped for their amazing performance. But Dyrroth didn't hear them; he only saw her, breathless in his arms. For a moment, he simply stared—taking her in, the warmth of her body pressed against his, her parted lips. Then came the gasp and whistles as he kissed her lips. Once again, Dyrroth didn't hear them; he only knew the taste of her breath and the way she melted into him without hesitation.
Alas, their moment had to be cut short by a scream. Both of them and the crowd snapped their head toward the source, which was coming from outside.
Dyrroth and Chama made their way to the source: a lily was chomping on Chama's friend's dress. A lily. Chomping. On a dress.
"CHAMA, HELP!" Emi shrieked while pulling Brigid away from the lily.
Chama sprinted over and thrust her hands forward, dark magic washing over the plant. The lily froze, wilted a little, then finally unclamped its jaw from Brigid’s gown.
"Are you okay, Brigid?" Chama asked.
"I'm fine! Didn't know the flowers are alive here in the Abyss—that's awesome!" Her eyes sparkled.
Chama sighed in relief. Dyrroth stepped next to her.
"Was it supposed to be alive?" he asked her.
"No. But, I think I have an idea of who the culprit is…" She looked down on her shadows. It shuddered.
"Really? Blaming me, who has done nothing but stay faithfully under your shadow?" Vox hissed.
“It’s either you or Veylith. And Veylith was—wait.” She scanned the venue. “Where is he?”
"My lady… I'm up here…" A voice coming from above.
It was Veyilth, dangling on the tree branch, and was he shivering…?
"What the hell are you doing?" Dyrroth barked.
"The lilies… I tried to water them… But, I accidentally used the wrong… water."
Chama pinched the bridge of her nose. “What water?”
"A potion for… making plants alive and empowered… for a time being…"
“And WHY—” Chama slammed her hands on her hips, “would you bring THAT to an event?!”
"I was worried, my lady… that the guests might feel bored… you know how demons… usually crave for chaos… I didn’t think they would… actually enjoy the party…”
"And how many plants did you—"
Before Chama could finish the sentence, growling and screaming erupted in the venue. It came not from the guests, but from all of the plants.
Each of the flowers grew bigger, and each petal had teeth. The vines were snapping at the guests.
Chama was about to use her magic, but the guests were already having the time of their lives. She could see that one of her friends, Ena, was ripping the vines with her claws. Balmond swung his axe towards one of the plants. Helcurt was slashing through them. And Thamuz. Wait… wait—he's going to burn the whole venue down with his flames!
"I'll take care of it," Dyrroth placed a firm hand on her shoulder, a smirk could be seen on his face. It looked like he had been waiting for this.
Chama could only sigh as the event turned out to be a chaotic mess.
…But deep down, she secretly enjoyed it.
The chaos had died down. The guests were all tired and made their way back home.
Chama gathered her otherworldly friends for photos, hugging them tight before they disappeared through the magenta portal one by one.
Dyrroth’s hand slid around her waist and pulled her closer.
"What a day, huh?" He looked at her as his hand trailed up to the back of her neck. He leaned in for a kiss, but Chama stopped him with her palm, shoved it into his lips.
"Not so fast, Dy," She flicked his nose. "It was your idea, wasn't it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." His smirk widened.
"Don't play dumb with me, Dyrroth. I know you like the back of my hand."
"And what did the back of your hand say?"
"That you told Veylith to prepare the potion, told him to 'accidentally' spray it, so that you can act like you saved the day while actually enjoying every second of it."
She knew him too well.
He laughed, then pulled her even closer. His hand moved from her neck to her cheek, guiding her to look at him.
"That's my girl." He leaned in for another kiss.