"Laylah this isn't up for Debate!" Screamed my father. He was sitting on his throne which was decorated with bones from the cursed souls. Blood swam around this palace like a river and I thought it was wrong and absolutely horrid. unfortunately for me, no one else did.

Shouldn't people be given a chance? Shouldn't they get to have a trial or something to plead their case as of why they defiled their souls. What if they didn't have a choice? What if it wasn't their fault?  Council men hated me for that very reason. They were scared if anything happened to my father that I wouldn't be capable to rule this place since I despise it so deeply. I know that many people definitely deserve what they are getting, but that's not everyone. Some people could be wrongfully accused. It just isn't fair.

I was forced to be here and I don't want other people who don't belong here to be stuck, just like me. I especially don't want to be the cause of other people's suffering and misery. Of course, that makes my job as future 'Dark Lord' or 'The Royal Highness of Hell' whatever people here call my father and I quite difficult.

"Father I don't want to do this to people! It isn't fair! Can't you at least hear them out!" I yelled knowing this wasn't going to end well for me. He never budged on anything, he enjoys watching people suffer endlessly. It was disgusting. We have had this argument countless amounts of times, all ending with him angry and me frustrated.

"You listen here you ungrateful brat."He spat, "I am the ruler of this realm, I have a duty to our people to keep the balance, as do you, and you will not and I mean will not have a choice in the events that we must conduct to keep the balance! Besides look at this place the sounds of their cries and screams are like music to my ears. You should feel the same, you must feel the same." He said disgust lacing his voice for having to have this conversation with me. Again.

"Go to the meeting room for council debrief." He demanded motioning for the guards to escort me, before pinching the bridge of his nose in aggravation.

I gave him one final glare before turning around and walking out the giant stone archway with demonic symbols carved into each one.

My black flats smacking against the stone floors as we continues down the corridor. We had paintings of the 'history of hell' if you would put it, surrounding the boring water and blood stained cobblestone walls.

"This is as far as we are permitted to go our royal highness." They both spoke while bowing. I nodded my head and thanked them. I stood at the end of the corridor facing a giant wooden door. Not just any ordinary door might I add. This is the door that leads to the most miserable room in this entire palace maybe even kingdom.

I pushed it open with a creak and began my way down the spiraling staircase. My shoes clicking on the cold cement stairs. I could hear the shouts of angry demons echoing up from the bottom of this dreadful staircase. I rested my hands upon the walls to keep my balance as I made my way down.

Once I reached the bottom silence immediately enveloped the room.

They all bowed in respect, but I knew not many of them liked me. They didn't like the idea of me one day becoming queen of hell, in fact they hated it. They didn't agree with my views on this dreadful place. I took my seat next to the head of the table.

"Where is the Dark Lord?" A demon named Azazel asked;Quite rudely might I add. His horns were just barely visible along his brown receding and greasy hair. He had wrinkly pale skin that was splotched with what looked like burns.

"He should be coming any second now." I spat back earning a glare from him.

I heard the clanking on my fathers shoes on the stone floors as he barged into the room. It was almost like the little life left in this room managed to be sucked out. He took a seat in the tall chair at the end of the table. This room disgusted me so much. It just practically screamed death and pain. The walls were black and red, the table and chairs were made out of bones. It disgusted me. The disgusting and ruthless demons didn't help with the rooms aura.

"What has this meeting been called for Drake?" He snapped his eyes flashing between their dark red and black.

"It has come to realization that we need to make sure she is ready to take the throne at any given point if something were to happen, none of us support her as the future Dark Lord, your Highness." He spoke firmly. Well that's not what I was expecting.

"Excuse me?" I Questioned turning completely to face Drake.

"You aren't capable, all you care about is making sure you don't have to partake in the responsibilities of the Dark Lord's position." He said rising from his chair.

"Are you implying something is going to happen to me, Drake?" He spat not taking his eyes off of him. Drake looked like he was about to soil his pants in front of all of us.

I slid my chair back and raised my arms but before I could do any damage my father shoved me back down into my chair glaring at the both of us.

"This was a waste of my time!" He Yelled turning around his black cloak whipping the air as he left the room.

"Ever speak to me like that again, let's just leave it at you won't be in one piece." I said turning to head back up the staircase.

I finally made my way up to the top.

"Royal Highness, the Dark Lord requires your presence in the throne room." A guard from earlier spoke.

This definitely can't be good. I took my time walking into the room to meet my father's furious eyes.

"You are heir to the throne! You will take over
my duties at some point, do you understand!" He said raising his voice. "I know that you don't want to do this but frankly I don't care, the balance of the realms is going to be on your shoulders one day and if you neglect that than you could destroy everything! Do you understand!"

Okay, maybe he is a little mad....

"I also told you that using your powers on people on the council is unacceptable, now get out of my sight!" He yelled pointing to the door.

I knew better than to argue and decided to just head to my room.

"Have you heard of the portal to the human realm, Earth?" I overheard someone saying.

"That's where we get the people who defiled their souls, isn't it dreadful looking?" Now I was curious.

I peeked my head through the archway into the library. There stood a male and female warlock looking down at a book with notes scrawled in the margins.

"It looks like a wretched place no blood, no bones decorating the lands, this screams weak." She laughed. Her laugh made me want to puke.

I lifted my hand up even though father told me not to, and I will probably end up regretting this later; my curiosity is winning this battle.

I raised my hand and whispered the spell under my breath. levantante. The book was ripped from their table and launched into my awaiting hands. My eyes scanned over the page when I heard a shriek and a chair scrape against the cement floor.

"Hey! What are you going? We were looking at that!" The female shrieked.

As soon as she met my amber colored eyes. They both immediately bowed upon realizing it was me.

"What does this have to do with anything, there isn't anyway for us to get to that realm we have ours they have there's, in the no mans land, for heaven and here." I told them.

"We just wanted to do some research that's all." The guy spoke quietly.

"You know something your not telling me." I said shutting the book and handing it back to them.

"We think there might be a way to get there." He barely whispered. "There has been rumors of the Dark Lord traveling to collect the defiled souls to bring them here."

"That's true but only he can get through to the realm no one else can, you would be banished to the Faction of the Forgotten if you got caught." I spoke, the Faction of the Forgotten was almost like a prison, it was torturous just hearing the pleas and cries of people seeing their biggest fears everyday for an eternity. That's where the people who commit treason here go and the humans who destroy their souls completely with absolutely no regret. The worst of the worst. A shiver ran up my spine at the mere thought of that place.

"I should be going, but please don't try anything, my father isn't a lenient man especially if he thinks you are planning to leave the realm." I spoke firmly before turning and walking back into the corridor. I walked up the stone stairs with a red carpet lining each step.

I pushed open my heavy wooden doors and sat down on my four post bed. Things need to change here I just have to figure out how to make that happen. I groaned letting my head fall onto the soft duvet as ideas swirled through my mind. I let my eyes travel around my decently sized bedroom. I was at the top of the northern most tower in the palace. My somewhat circular room made it feel less like a prison. I always had my curtains closed so I didn't have to see outside, it wasn't pleasant.

I had built in bookshelves in the stone walls however, I've already read every book at least twice. I also have a bathroom on the right near the door. I have a fluffy white rug, that's started to get worn out, but it still manages to cozy up my room. I soon felt myself drifting off into a much needed sleep.