Walking into the kitchen Valla hid a small smile as she stole a small tidbit from under the head cooks nose. "Hello pestin. How goes the preperations for the feast?"

"Not as well as i would of liked but not as bad that we won't be finished on time that is if i am able to keep working." said the slightly overweight pestin. "Now get out of the way or ill make into the roast."

Quickly running out of the kitchen for the clear red eyes of pestin didn't show any glee in that statement Valla ran straight into her fathers back.

"Who dares... Oh valla what are you doing about the halls You are to be with garth are you not?" asked the family patriarch in his deep voice. Leaning down to pick up the girl, his brow lowered in a slight sebreence of anoiyence. Placeing Valla back on her feet Domonic waited for her answer, his brow lowering every second.

"Father I was coming back from the market place with Garth but he had our duties to take care of before tonight of course so he thought it best I come back," valla lied as she keep her head down in all due respect to her fathers known wrath. Of course ill go to my room to get ready for i would never want to have anothing happen because of my ill preparness."

Raising his left eye brow and tilting his head slightly at the outrush of words and the odd way of speaking He could only guess one thing. "daughter just go before anything else happens." Turning his back and walking deeper into the house, his wings brushing the floor and ceiling, Valla could only escape fast enough once she was out of earshot.

Casting her cloak onto the bedside table Valla walked across her chambers to the window. Being underground this was an odd feature in of itself but having father being high in rank in the dark court his house was not a mer cave but a acual building in a large cavern houses some of the more wealthy aristicrates. Brushing her drying hair from her face and sitting upon her window seat valla stares into the void beyond.

The world below, a world made by demons for demons. The sounds of digging, sounds of screaming, the soft sigh of heated gas coming from the lava tubes below caressing past her ruby lips. blackness was all and the only thing keeping it at bay were the nearly insignificate fires here and there, pale light showing a cavern the size even she couldn't guess. each fire a glare upon the momuments to demon kind. Rasha the great first of there kind, enlightend scolar and king of all the world below if only before his brother murderd him. balin the tempter, so called for her had an almost supernatural ability to tempt people to his bidding without then knowing why. Balin had suduced rasha's first wife and had her carry the poison to her dining table. Both were dead within moments, rasha from food posioning and alukra killed by the house guards leaving the kingdom in the hands of a spoiled sacrafont. That the kingdom that Valla lived in was named after the brother and not the first king was no acident but that the kingdom was split into dozens of quizi-military groups after only days of balins reighn began wasn't Those loyal to Rasha Launched a coup in near hours after there kings death.

Demon a word used by a unknown race before writtin word came to the world below having images of a creature who would keep balence for all time. Rasha's First goal was to create a world where all was perfect and that the world below whould be forever. Balin never the brightest didn't have any thoughts of this and used power for powers sake, Twisting the world below into a mixmatch of higher and lower classes, winged red skined demons of high class, the more shaggy animalist demons lower and therefore servants by proxy. Valla having a demon father of the high class and a human mother from the world above fit neither and was outcast.

Wiping a tear from her cheek Valla breathed deeply, casting ehr moping mood from herself and quickly changed into her deep red cloak. mere minutes from her brothers adulthood Valla had hoped to see him and try to reconcile after thier argument but no sound came from behind his doorway and the enternce was blocked.

RITE OF PASSAGE, RITE OF DEATH

"Ladies and felow breathern of balin I welcome you upon this glorous night and thank you for coming to my sons rite of adulthood." Spoke Sir Dominic from his place at the head table, "I for one am happy for ever since my sons birth I had hoped he would one day become a demon of good manners and good looks." Looking to his son and smirk. "I have onyl hope one day he sucseeds in the second." Laughter erupted from the croud, All knowing Sir Dominic to have a slightly odd sense of humour, and if some of the laughter was forced well it was ahrd to tell. "now everyone please enjoy yourselfs to the roast troffles and sweet peat moss but please don't gorge yourselfs for we have the main course in an hour after the ceromony."

Breathing slowly as she crossed the brightly lit waters flipping upon her back with a single shift of her shoulders Valla laughed at the caves ceiling. today of all days to get on her brothers bad side. it wouldn't be to long before the waking hours would be over and her brother would complete his rite of adulthood. Treading water near the cooler center of the underground lake Valla shook her deep red hair from her eyes. another thing she truely hated about her birth mother. all demons have black hair, that is all except her just another thing that pushed her into the freakish section of her world below. Noticing her brooding wouldn't help anything Valla swam back towards the bank, towards the clothes that as a halfling she had to wear so as not arose the more unforgiving nature of her fathers circle. layers upon layers of skirt to cover the fact she didn't have hooves, a clook to cover her ugly hair and the short laughable excuse for horns. covering up finally Valla looked back upon the bright waters and whispered "goodbye friends" for really only the fishes seemed to enjoy her company.

Upon her return to the housing district Valla crouched slightly to give the inpression of a full blooded demon to anyone who passed andeven if no one said a word she knew in the deepness of her heart they knew who she was.

"Did you hear that sir dominics child is passing his test in mer hours?" whispered a tall graceful noble. her Deep red skin bared to all to see to just past her shoulders with her long trailing black hair showering down her back showing her as one in high ranks. Valla Quickly bowed her head in abject fear of discovery, her cloaks hood covering her head all the more.

"Of course everyone will be there who has any taste for his child is a very eligable bachlor and once he passes the test will be free to pick his wife." said another lady of the high courts, the gleem in her eye making Valla nearly nausous.

"Oh jasmean you evil woman. you are 215 years his senior why are you even trying to get his attention?" asked the first woman her laughter sickeningly sweet.

"Well I for one..." the voices finally far enough away not to be overhered Valla took a deep breath in order not to gag. Her brother with that woman "Ick," gaged Valla as she continued up the street to her father's abode, the afor menstioned sir dominic.

Pausing before her fathers door Valla Pushed back her cloak and regarded the two senties gaurding the gate. "Joli, ardon I hope you have had a enjoyable guarding experence?" Two two demon males breathed out deeply with the concentration not to sneer at the pale grub of a lady and then possable death by her fathers hand. Valla smirked as she walked beyond the guard her steps echoing upon the deep red crystals, highly prized for there near blood like color. One of the few things Valla could do to get back at the fates was bug the gate guardmen for they wouldn't dare move a muscle to hurt her by her fathers decree.

Into the garden Valla walked being careful to to damage the fragile crystal tree and bushes making up her fathers current fashion craz. In an hour guests would arive, both noble and servant to possibly the years most awaited celebration. It would be 5 years before another noble male would reach the age of calling and so anyone who was anyone in the high ranks came to show there happiness at garth's adulthood and also to see who garth would take as a wife. would it be a noble woman who would elevate the households posion in the dark court or would it be a lady, of less refined tastes, that would serve garth's every desire. mate's were not always life long due to the longtivity of the demon race but more like chess pieces each one having it's uses but then might be sacrificed if in the position to gain something better in the bargin. Valla herself wouldn't be mated with any demon male, let alone a noble. a cross breed of unknown fertility was at best a plesure slave at worst a sacrifice to a demon god, the only thing keeping her safe her fathers odd relucklence to be rid of her.

Her brother of course being the older, male, full breed, and if the remors were true handsome was fathers favourite. Garth normally flounted this daily but today was different today was the first time he had openly been hostile. Rubbing her shoulder valla had to remind herself of his sometimes short fused temper but open anger at her was highly startling.