Nanisha stepped out of the bath, water dripping from her hair, the sting on her arm still raw, and made her decision
She called Lagartha in, voice steady but carrying a dangerous edge, "I need to speak with you. I'm leaving. I'm going to Earth. I need your help"
Lagartha's eyes widened for a moment, then she burst out laughing, sharp and incredulous
Your Highness, what's wrong? she asked, trying to catch her breath through the laughter, "Are you… are you serious? You're fine?"
Nanisha's crimson eyes narrowed, the fire in her chest rising, "Lagartha. This is serious. I'm going. I need your help"
Lagartha wiped at her eyes, still chuckling, "Your Highness… no one goes to Earth without permission from Lucifer. He opens the portal himself. No one can leave without it"
Nanisha's hand tightened at her side, disbelief mixing with fury, "No one can leave? And you're telling me the queen doesn't even know that? How… how is that possible?"
Lagartha's laughter faded, replaced with nervousness, "It's… it's the way it's always been, your Highness. The king controls the portal. No one passes without his will"
Nanisha fell onto the bed, her body sinking into the soft sheets, but her heart felt heavy, crushed, aching
Seven days. She had to survive seven long days under his watch, under his presence, under his impossible control
The thought made her chest tighten, rage and despair twisting together
She pressed her face into the pillow, letting herself tremble for a moment, letting the heartbreak and frustration pour out
But even as tears soaked the fabric, even as her arm still stung from the mirror shards, her mind was already running, she wasn't going to give up! She has to flee from lucifers possession as soon as she got to earth. She's going back to claim what is hers!
Lagartha stepped closer, her hands trembling slightly. She looked at Nanisha with worry and urgency. "Your Highness, you have to see the greater side of going to Earth. There is so much there—technology, inventions, sights you have never imagined. You might enjoy the day, but you must listen to me. You cannot think of running away. Lucifer will find you, and he will not take it lightly with you. You cannot underestimate him, Your highness?"
"I will survive, Lagartha. I will survive" Nanisha assures Lagartha with a warm smile.
Nanisha was getting ready for bed, the day's anger and frustration still burning beneath her skin, when three maids bowed deeply and stepped into her room.
"Your highness, A maid says, We are asked to move your things to the king's room."
"You are to sleep in his room from now onwards, he ordered"
"What!" Nanisha exclaimed, crimson eyes flashing with shock and rage, "What do you mean? I'm… I'm sleeping in his room!"
The maids exchanged nervous glances, fear plain on their faces, but they didn't dare argue. "We are only carrying out his orders, Your Highness," another said softly, bowing lower.
"Screw you, Lucifer!" she cursed under her breath.
Lagartha and other mainds escorted her to the king's doorstep, Nanisha hesitated for a moment at the threshold and she slowly stepped in.
Her eyes immediately fell on him in the corner, sitting silently, writing something on an ancient-looking scroll, Shards of candlelight flickered across his sharp features, and he didn't look up or even acknowledge her presence.
"Before we leave for Earth, you should visit your dad's grave," Lucifer said, his voice devoid of remorse.
"He took the punishment of you barging into me disrespectfully, he lied by telling me you wouldn't disrespect me and I killed him" Lucifers says his voice low and deep with pride.
At this point, he expected her to break, to cry, to wail and tremble before him
But she didn't even know who her dad was or who he was talking about
"Oh… okay," Nanisha said softly, sitting down on the bed, her crimson eyes calm but smoldering with hidden fire
Lucifer flinched, just slightly, the unexpected defiance cutting sharper than any insult or strike
He wanted her to feel pain, to be broken, to show him anguish
She didn't, and it enraged him
"Oh… okay?" he repeated, this time turning to stare at her, his crimson eyes blazing with intense anger, voice low, dangerous, almost a growl, "You dare… you dare sit there like this?"
"Do not stare at me while I talk!" he barked, voice like steel cutting through the silence
"Bow!" he ordered, the command reverberating through the room, demanding obedience, demanding fear.
She slowly lowered herself, bending at the waist,
"Can I sleep now, my king?" Nanisha asked, still calm, keeping her head bowed, crimson eyes hidden for now, hiding the fire behind her calm facade
"It's been a long day," she added softly, almost pleading, though her voice carried a faint edge of defiance, reminding him she was not entirely submissive.
She hates him, she hates him with passion and would trade anything to remain dead at this point, or maybe I'm in hell she thought and got frozen.
Nanisha paused mid-step, crimson eyes wide, and then muttered to herself, "Wait… wait… wait…"
Her mind raced, piecing it all together, the blood, the palace, the Djinn, Lucifer's throne… and then it hit her
She threw her head back and burst out laughing, loud and uncontrollable, the kind of laughter that rattles walls
"I'm in hell! I'm in hell!" she screamed, pacing a little, flinging her hands around, cackling like a woman possessed, "Oh my God… I'm actually in hell!"
Lucifer froze, quill in hand, scroll forgotten, eyes narrowing as he stared at her like she had just sprouted three heads
His sharp features flickered between irritation and confusion, a small crease forming between his brows as he muttered under his breath, "What… is she…?"
"You… you are laughing…?" he asked finally, voice low, a growl of disbelief under it
"Yes! I'm laughing at hell, at you, at all of this!" Nanisha shouted, throwing her hands in the air.
Nanisha threw her hands up, pacing the room, crimson eyes blazing, hair still damp from the bath, and shouted, "Common, Lucifer! If you're really that powerful, just send me to the actual hell already!"
She stomped her foot for emphasis, spinning dramatically, "Let me burn to ashes, fry in lava, roast over fire, anything would be better than staying here with you!"
Lucifer froze mid-motion, quill hovering over the scroll, crimson eyes narrowing so sharply they could cut steel
He blinked once, slowly, then again, like he was trying to process the audacity in front of him
Nanisha noticed the way his jaw tightened, the subtle flare of his nostrils, and grinned wickedly, "Ohhh… I hit a nerve, didn't I? Don't worry, I'm just warming up"
Finally, his voice broke the tension, "What… did you just say to me?"
Nanisha's smirk froze mid-thought, crimson eyes widening, and she quickly shut up, realizing the nerve she had just hit.
He was actually very angry, She swallowed hard, trembling slightly, thinking, I'm done for… this is it…