Our Sins and Virtues: Pride

Blood of His Blood

Another reason to dress up. Val was scoffing at Simon, who was offering up different outfits for the night. Of course, she was beyond exasperated with everything. She just craved this prosaic crap to end so she could be left alone.

"Val, please, can you just pick one?" Simon urged.

"Why don't you go ask Lucy what he requires me to wear?" She spat.

Simon ran a hand through his facial hair as he tightened his jaw. "Listen, I have obligations to you, and he was making positive they were in order."

"So, I'm not entitled to be cognizant of any of it? Simon, this is all bullshit. I'm going to end up having to give him my heart anyway. What's with all this formality?" Val questioned as she walked toward the mirror.

"Because until the binding is concluded, you are playing this part. Do you think I like this idea, either? I have to watch as you play princess to a court that could give a fuck about you," Simon hissed as he jostled the dresses in his hands.

Val flung her long back hair behind her and examined her wings in the mirror. She was in nothing but a set of lacy undergarments, but her plumage glistened in the sconces. Sleek black feathers on flexible wings. Val practiced manipulating them and found it to be as simple as using her hands.

Simon emerged in her view around her right wing. "Please, Val? I'm not proposing you to rip your heart out and give it to him tonight. I'm just asking for you to get dressed. I don't even think anyone will notice if you aren't kind to him. Lucifer isn't easy, I know that."

"You admire him," she huffed.

"But I like you more. You're my charge, Valkyrie. What I do, I do for you," Simon grumbled.

Val smiled and enveloped her wing around him as she sighed. "Okay, Simon. This isn't for him, nor is it for a fucking performance they require of me. This is for you. I know your intentions are to keep things simple for me."

"That's my girl," Simon sighed, and he stroked her feathers. "I have to say, they're fitting, Val. Truly majestic."

"You think the red or the purple?" Val gestured to the dresses in his arms.

"Purple," Simon agreed.

There was a rap at her door just as Simon had fit the attire around her curvy form. Val was never one to be vain about her outfits, but this was tops as far as detail. Simon left her at the mirror when he answered the summons.

"Oh, Artemisia," Simon declared as he stuck his head out. "No, she's not quite ready, how can I help you?"

The door swung open, and a slender dark woman walked inside. She appeared to be almost as a sprite with her short curls and bright yellow plumage. Her wings were smaller than the other fallen angels, but her smirk displayed wasn't to be ignored.

"Valkyrie! Oh, I missed you earlier, but I had to come to see you myself," Artemisia exclaimed.

Val waved and exhaled. "I'm sorry, Lucifer has me tied up with a strict schedule."

The shorter Pillar danced next to her and scowled. "Wait, why aren't you all made up? Simon, where's her flare?"

Simon groaned and shrugged. "Lucifer said no."

"He said no? That's not alright at all! Tamara, come in here!"

Another Pillar followed suit, and she held a sunkissed glow with a long brunette braid down her shoulder. Tamara's plumage was a dark blue with white speckled through the feathers. Suddenly, Val was feeling cramped as the two Pillar of Shadows were tugging and tousling her hair and feathers.