Chapter Text
The drive seemed like a lifetime as Octavia stared out of the limo's tainted windows, watching the world pass by it. Stolas and her mother sat close by her as the small imp butler did his best to drive while watching the road, only having a few books as a booster. The Wrath ring wasn't as interesting as she had pictured in her mind, it was full of... Farms and volcanoes and imps, imps everywhere. Yep, boring! Octavia let out a long sigh as she slumped back into her seat. "Are. We. There. YET?" She groaned.
Stolas turned to his daughter and reassured her with a small smile. "Almost there Via, shouldn't be to much longer."
To which she rolled her eyes. "You literally said that an hour ago."
After a few more minutes had past, the car had finally pulled into a long driveway, where a large pink mansion stood at the end of it. As they got closer, the young owls curiosity slightly peaked as she got a better look at it. The whole building looked like it was falling apart to say the least. The Pink paint on it was faded and chipping, the wood looked old and had a tiny creak to them, and not to mention the plants in the garden beds were severely overgrown. "This seems more like a passion project for dad." She muttered to herself.
"Ah here we are! What a lovely place." Stolas chimed. Earning a groan from Stella. "Are you blind? It's a bloody shit hole!" She scolded. "Not to mention a safety hazzard! And you said other people rent this place? Who in their fucking MIND would do that!?"
Stolas waved his hand dismissively and gave a 'pff' "Oh don't be over dramatic Stella, it wouldn't be standing if it was, besides the inside might not be so bad." He said as the imp butler opened their door.
As everyone climbs out, the imp gathered the royal families luggage in the trunk clearly to much for someone with tiny frail arms and torso. While he struggled to stand or walk, The Goetia's stood on the dry dirt as they gave the outside a once-over. " You said there are people living here?" Octavia asked.
"Oh yes! They rent rooms in the house that were blocked off from the rest of it." Stolas answered. "Why?" She asked raising a brow. "Because it's a cheap way to make money, because the owner CLEARLY doesn't have any!" Stella remarked.
Soon the judgement was taken inside as they walked past the old doors for the first time, greeted with the smell of dust. Octavia cringed trying to cover her beak and nose from it. "UGH! How long since anyone cleaned in here!?"
Stolas glanced around the living room. "Mmm I don't know, no one has rented this part for a long time I suppose." He said scratching his chin. It was just a guess. "This place was actually here when Lucifer fell, so it's been standing in Wrath for a good long time. Originally made by imp farmers." He stated. Stella stepped into the kitchen, wiping her finger on the counter and getting appalled by the thick layer of dust coating her nail. "Egh, disgusting! We should have Boxley clean this."
Octavia decided to do her own exploring upstairs while her parents were busy with checking everything else out downstairs. There had to be at least something un-old and decrepit up there, right? Worth a looksie. After she scaled the steps Octavia found herself in a small hallway leading to three rooms, two bedroom's and one of what seems to be a library. The first bedroom was large, obviously the parental choice, and the other was... Umm small, very small. Of course she had no doubt that this is where she was going to sleep. The bed was a twin size, and the wall paper a faded pink with tiny bug's scattered on it. Up against the corner was a bookshelf that contains only five thin stories and a toy box. This is definitely a child's room.
"Can this get ANY better." She growled.
"Octavia! Come unpack your stuff!" Stella yelled. Wow these walls are thin! Her voice carries louder than it did in their real home.
As the teenager tromped down the steps, she could see a few imp butler's having already started cleaning around, and throwing out anything that didn't belong. "Where's dad?" She asked noticing he wasn't present.
"He's looking at that withered dried up garden out back." She stated while she watched the butlers work and do their magic. "Makes sense." She said walking down the final steps. "I found the rooms by the way." Stella raised her eyes.
" Oh did you? Please tell me they aren't as bad as down here." She said in a hopeful tone. "No they're all just... Bland and empty." Octavia said disappointedly. Her mom's quickly died and her face reflected her's. "Ugh, great! Fantastic." She spat with sarcasm.
"Welcome to my world." Octavia mumbled under her breath. She walked past the doors again and circled to the backyard where she did indeed find her father scanning the poor condition of all the plants. He fussed with the weed's that had entangled themselves with the now deceased rose's and poppies. "What are you doing?" She interrupted. Stolas continued to pull away some of the dead leaves and petals that littered the bone dry soil. "They left this garden in horrible condition! These poor plants, they need major TLC." He whined. Octavia wasn't surprised by this behavior. It was one of the things he was greatly known for as a demon prince. "Well while you do that I'm going to just wander wherever." "Alright darling be careful." He responded, not having been detoured from his task. Octavia having nothing really better to do, (but also wanting to avoid unpacking all her shit) wandered up a small path leading up to a hill. As she walked she found a stick in her way, it looked like a wish bone like in a chicken or turkey. Octavia seemed to recall that witches used these as a way to find water, or so the tales say. She picked it up and decided to see if it worked "Alrighty magic dowser, show me some water." Before they left home she remembers her dad saying there was a old well somewhere on the property, so she figured maybe she could find it. Although a part of her felt rather childish for trying to use a stick to find water. Good thing no one else is here. Or so she thought. While walking she felt the unmistakable feeling of being watched. The teenager flinched as she heard pebbles fall down the slope facing her. "Umm hello? Who's there?" No response. Octavia wasn't NOT in the mood for pranks. "Fuck this!" She picked up a rock near her foot and threw it at the direction of the noise.