Cult of Two

Easier

Seeing her family again was the sweetest hello, and the hardest goodbye. But Sabrina left for Hell again feeling lighter than she had in months. She now knew that her family was okay.

Zelda was very in her element as High Priestess and the academy's Directrix. Hilda was getting married next full moon, much like Sabrina was, but she opted not to tell them that and just share in her Aunts' joy.

They were okay. They missed her, but they were alive and breathing, and that made her time in Hell feel worth it.

Being around Caliban got easier after that, too. He had helped save her life. He wasn't holding it over her head or using it to his advantage in any way. In fact, they hadn't talked about it at all, and she preferred it that way. Absolute Darkness trying to devour her wasn't exactly a pleasant memory.

But, being with Caliban was only easier on a good day, and today was definitely not a good day. He was currently frustrating the Heaven out of her. All she had asked for was his opinion, but he was refusing to give it.

All he offered was an endless chorus of-

"Whatever makes you happy, my Queen."

"You said we need to learn how to compromise," she reminded him.

"You are more knowledgeable on the subject."

"It's cake, Caliban!"

Several plates of cake were on the table in front of them, and they had just finished tasting them. They had left this until the last possible minute, and they needed to make a decision as soon as possible.

Caliban shrugged, "They all taste alike."

"You can't taste anything?"

"Not exactly," he explained, "Some foods are sweeter than others, but nothing has any particular flavor."

"But you eat breakfast with us every morning," she pointed out.

The corners up his lips turned upwards in a smile, "It has more to do with the company than the food."

She rolled her eyes, and pointed to one of the pieces of cake, "I like that one. The red velvet."

"Red velvet?"

"It's like chocolate, but not as rich. The frosting is cream cheese and-" she looked up to find him staring at her, completely perplexed, "I lost you at cheese, didn't I?"

"You did indeed, but if it makes you happy then we shall have it," he agreed, "What is next on the agenda, my lady?"

"Lilith!" Sabrina called.

Lilith was managing the wedding preparations, so it was strange that she wasn't around. Now, that she thought about it, she hadn't seen her since the cake was brought out, and she hadn't mentioned leaving.

"Where could she have run off to?" Caliban asked.

"Not a clue," she responded, "But I don't like it."

Salem... Salem!

At first, there was only silence, but eventually, his voice floated back to her.

I was in the middle of a particularly nice nap.

Lilith's missing... I need you to find her.

Silence. She loved her familiar, she really did, but sometimes he was just as annoying as her husband-to-be.

Husband. She'd been using that word as often as possible, trying to get used to it. She had done the same with fiance, playing the part of a lovesick teenager to a T.

Fine.

"I sent Salem to track her down."

"What shall we do until then, my lady?"

"Dance," she said.

It was the only thing off of their to-do list that she could remember.

When she didn't retract her statement, or offer another suggestion, he stood up, bent low in a grand, sweeping bow, and offered her his hand, "It would be an honor, my queen."

She took it and let him lead her away from the table.

"How do mortals dance?"

"Most don't," she answered, "Most can't."

"Then what do they do?"

"Well," she said, placing her free hand on his shoulder while his hand curved gently around her waist, "They just sway."

She shifted her weight from foot to foot, swaying slowly to an imaginary rhythm.

"As lovely as this is," Caliban said, "The hordes are expecting something much more grand."

"What do you suggest?"

He took a step back from her, and his touch faded away, leaving her to wonder if it had ever been there in the first place. He folded one of his arms neatly behind his back, and lifted his other arm, and bent it at a right angle.

Having seen the same thing in regency movies, she caught on quickly and lifted her opposite hand up to meet his. Slowly he walked a few paces forward, and she matched him step for step.

Once it was clear that she was comfortable, he changed directions, and she followed him. He smiled, and he reached up, with his other hand, in a wide arc over her head and urged her to take it. She hesitated only a moment before doing so.

He led her through a few simple steps before letting go of her hand. She stood completely still for a few moments before he gently tugged on the hand she still had pressed together with his and pulled her under his arm in a spin.

Well, she was pleasantly surprised. For all of his talk of world domination and bloodshed, he was a surprisingly graceful dancer.

He guided her back into his arms and into a slow waltz. It was tentative, and it gave them both an opportunity to adjust to the change of pace. He seemed to be watching every movement she made in response to his.

It was intense scrutiny, but he didn't seem to be judging her. He seemed to be studying her, seeing how she felt about their current situation.

She was actually kind of having fun. Good, wholesome fun.

It was nothing like the jeers or torturous games the hordes liked to partake it in, or even her half-drunken, lonely dance parties after a rough day of holding court.

But she quickly reminded herself that this was a deal. A bargain she had struck to secure safety in her power.

Somehow, that was easy to forget when Caliban was waltzing her around the room like Cinderella.

"I know this is not anything you expected marriage to be," he said, snapping her out of her reverie, "But I sincerely hope it becomes more than you have ever dreamed."

She wanted to tell him that dreams weren't for queens, but his touch was gone, and she was struck dumb and mute as he knelt at her feet. A pledge of loyalty.

It made her want to tear at her hair. She wanted to knock him to the ground. She wanted to tell him that they didn't have time for this. They didn't have time for games, or lies or manipulations, or whatever the Heaven he was doing.

She wanted to scream until her vocal cords ripped, but she just told him to get up.

Breakdowns weren't for queens, either.