The next morning, Y/n wakes up with a yawn. She sits up and stretches. Y/n glances over at a still sleeping Terzo, he was on his stomach, hands under the pillow. She lays on top of him, arms wrapping under his waist. She places gentle kisses from his cheek, to his neck, to his shoulder blades. He slowly wakes up, "Morning, love." She says getting off of him. He turns himself onto his back with a groan, "Morning, mi cara." Y/n leans over him and places a gently kiss on his lips, he just groans, still sore from being tackled to the floor last night. Y/n quickly sits on her knees, "Terzo, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Her hands gently ghost over his shoulders and abdomen, desperately trying to find what hurts. He giggles softly and sits up, trying to hide the pain. He reaches for her hands, "No, no mi amor, I'm okay. I just slept weird, it's okay." Y/n looks at him, eyes widen with concern, he looks back at her with a soft smile. He gently places one hand on her cheek, guiding her closer to him. He kisses her softly, she kisses back softer, still hesitant to hurt him, "I'm fine mi cara, today is about you, do not worry about me." He whispers against her lips. She pulls back slightly, "I need to keep myself distracted, if not I know I'm going to break down." He sighs softly, "Okay then, mi amor, do what you must. I am here for you, always." She smiles and moves to straddle his hips, hugging his neck. His hand moves into her hair, the other rubs circles on her back.

Trezo feels the way her body molds into him with every breath, how she relaxes more and more into him, "Y/n?" He whispers softly, she groans as a response, "We need to get ready, we can't be late." He informs. She squeezes him tighter, a form of protest, "Oh, come on, Y/n" he laughs, "We have to get ready." He moves his legs off of the bed, Y/n still clinging onto him. He stands carrying her into the bathroom.

Terzo sets Y/n on the counter, she doesn't let go of his neck, "My love, please, I have to shower." He says, starting to pry her hands off of his neck. She growls, he laughs, "Growling isn't a threat to me, love." He says, now fully out of her grip. Terzo turns on the water, letting his hand feel the temperature. He feels a pair of arms wrap around his waist, "Can I shower with you?" She asks into his shoulder, peppering kisses on his muscle, "Absolutely" He assures, turning around and taking off his sweats. Y/n strips down as well, hurriedly getting into the shower. The heat from the water immediately relaxes her tense muscles, the steam fogging her brain.

Terzo steps into the shower behind her, "Can you wash me like last time?" Y/n asks quietly. Terzo smiles, "As you wish." He reaches for the shampoo and massages it into her scalp. He turns her body around to rinse out the soap. She kisses all along his chest as his fingers work diligently. She stays facing him as he starts to massage the conditioner into her ends, "I love you." She says, getting lost while staring at his features, "I love you more" He teases back. As he rinses her hair, she starts to nip at his neck. Terzo lets out a few whimpers and heavy breaths, "Mi cara, please, have some mercy." He smirks, turning her body away, she groans dramatically. He takes the soap and starts at her shoulders, working down to her chest, and resting on her hips. She leans back into him, just enjoying the physical comfort the intimacy brought.

Once his hands stop spreading the suds, Y/n speaks up, "Can I wash you?" She asks quietly, not wanting to ruin the atmosphere. He smiles and kisses her neck, "Is that what you want to do?" She nods, "Then go ahead." She quickly turns and squeezes the bottle of soap, making sure to rub it between her palms. She starts at his shoulders, feeling every vein, muscle, tendon, and scar under her fingers. He watches her though hooded eyes, the simple touch of this woman driving him mad. She moves onto his chest and abs, the muscle tensing, she giggles at his reaction, obviously having control over the situation. Terzo tried hard to control himself, to control his urges, but he couldn't. Y/n's hands go lower and lower, tracing the v-line that leads to his manhood, already standing at attention. She takes one hand and starts pumping, his head falls back against the tile, "Mi amor, please, please." He tries to move her hands, she pushes him away, "Please, mi amor you do not have to do this." he urges, she only continues, moving her hand faster as pre cum drips from the head, "I want to." She smiles seductively.

Y/n gets down on her knees, the water and Terzo's moans only making her want to please him more. She removes her hands, placing them on his muscular thighs. She looks up at him and licks the underside of his shaft, the whimper leaving his lips only making her want him more. She starts to suck on the tip, letting her tongue swirl around it every once in a while. Terzo's hands found their way to her hair, his hips thrusted forward slightly every time Y/n bobbed her head, "Good girl, Y/n." He grunts through gritted teeth, the slow place pushing him to another level of pleasure. She starts taking him down her throat faster. He loses control. Terzo's hands fist her hair as his hips snap forward hard and fast. Her gags, moans, and tears flowing down her cheeks only added to his pleasure, "Swallow it, swallow it please, mi cara." He moans, feeling his orgasm rack through his body. With one thrust, he finishes. Y/n's nose rests on his stomach as Terzo pulls her face closer, letting his seed fill her throat. She sucked on his dick, greedily wanting more of him. He pulls out of her mouth with a lewd pop.

She stands and kisses him softly, "Let me please you now, baby." He whispers against her lips, she smiles, "I'm not in the mood for that right now." He pulls her close to him, "What do you mean?" He asks, peppering kisses down her neck, she only laughs, "I wanted to thank you, and help you relax. You seemed tense." She says, smiling. He melts at her innocent eyes, "Oh you little devil." He says smiling. She only laughs and runs her hands up and down his arms. He reaches around her and turns the water off, "Come on, I have your outfit in my closet." He says, still holding her against him. She lets go of him and steps out of the shower, he follows close behind.

Y/n looks at herself in the foggy mirror, analyzing every inch of her body. The way her boobs sag, the way that small pouch of stomach hangs over her hips, and the hip dips that keep her figure from being perfect. Terzo takes a towel and dries himself off, wrapping the cloth around his waist. He looks over and sees her lost in her mind, he sighs and grabs another towel. He wraps it around her shoulders, taking her out of her mind, "Mi cara, I know what you're doing, and let me say, I wish I could take a picture of you right now and frame it over my desk. I wish I could spend hours just looking at your body and marvel at its beauty." He starts peppering kisses down her neck and around her shoulder as he wraps her in the towel. Her hand finds its way into his damp hair, "I wish you could see how Venus would crumble in shame at your beauty." Y/n rolls her eyes and laughs, "Oh you and your flattery." He stops kissing her and turns Y/n to face him, "I swear on my life every word is true." He kisses her, passion, love, and hopelessness fills the action. She kisses back. He pulls away breathless, "Now come on, we have to get ready." She whines as he pulls her into the bedroom.

Y/n dramatically collapses onto the bed, her arms and legs spread out. Terzo laughs exasperatedly at the dramatic action, "You can lay there while I pull out the dress, or you can pull out a suit for me to where." She sits up and practically sprints to the wardrobe, starting to sort through the several suits. Terzo quickly grabs the white dress and steps out of her way. Y/n's hands sorted through the purples and whites till she finally saw what she needed, the plain black tuxedo. She pulls it and shows it to him, "It's perfect mi cara". She lays out the suit next to the dress, her hand drifting over the white cotton.

A shaky sigh escapes her lips, "Are you okay, mi cara?" Terzo asks, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. She takes a deep breath, "Just touching this, it-it makes me feel really, really sad." She says, trying not to let the tears fall, "Oh, mi cara." Terzo says, holding her to his chest. She lets the tears fall, feeling safe and accepted in his arms, "Do you just want me to get us ready?" She nods through sobs and sniffles.

He snaps his fingers. Terzo now wears the all black suit, his Papa makeup now adorned. Y/n's hair was now curled, half tied up with a purple bow. The dress stops right above her knees, a pair of white slip-on shoes cover her feet. The sleeves of the dress cuff just above her wrists. She pulls back, looking down at the dress. She calms down slightly, "Thank you." She says numbly, starting to smooth the dress out. Terzo grabs her shoulders and kisses her forehead, "Never say thank you for something so basic, mi amor." She nods, Terzo's lips frown. He looks at the woman he loves, now looking similar to a small child, "We should go." He whispers, looking at the clock on the wall. He offers Y/n his arm, she takes it. They walk out of the room in silence.

The halls were decorated with black roses, black fabric strung from the windows, and grucifixes embellished in the fabric. Y/n keeps her eyes on her feet, just counting the cracks in the marble, focusing on the black and white swirls within the flooring. Terzo keeps his chin up, trying to show a look of pride and protection. Remembering what happened last night, he broadens his shoulders. Asmodeous would be here, and he needs to make his stance known. Omega and Alpha open the doors to the cathedral. Only the clergy leaders stand around the pyre, blocking the view of Elizabeth's body. Terzo feels Y/n tense beside him, he looks down at her and places his freehand on top of the one now gripping his arm, She looks up at him, his small smile and adoration in his eyes causes her to take a deep breath, letting the anxiety flow away, if only for a moment.

They start the walk down the aisle, candles now light the way as well. Y/n leans more into Terzo, as he straightens his posture. Once they reach the steps, the men disperse to the sides of the altar, halting all conversation. Y/n's feet glue to the aisle. Terzo goes to take a step, but she pulls him back. She can barely see the body laying on a spread of flowers. The air gets thick, her lungs can't expand, the damn behind her eyes is breaking, "Terzo, I-I can't do this." She takes a step back, he lets her, "It's okay mi amor, this is just a see you later." He raises his eyebrow, trying to remind her of the promise he made for their wedding. She looks at him and nods, trying to regain composure. He stands in front of her, blocking her from the eyes of the other men. She takes a few deep breaths, wipes her eyes, and says, "Okay, okay I think I'm ready." Terzo nods, taking her hand in his, and they start to walk up the stairs.

Y/n keeps her eyes casted down, counting the steps, studying every detail, until there are no more steps to climb. Terzo squeezes her hand, a sign that he is there for her. She takes another, long deep breath and steps forward, Terzo lets her hand go as she nears the altar. Y/n stops walking when the branches come into view, her toes grazing the roses decorated around them, making the border a beautiful trail of black. She fidgets with the hem of her dress, biting her lip. She slowly moves her gaze up from the marble floor. She gasps, her hands covering her mouth as her eyes land on her mother's face. Pale, cold, and not what she looked like in life. Y/n's eyes roam down her body, the white, lacy dress covering the rest of her pale body.

Her eyes widen as her gaze looks at the purple pillow resting on her mother's stomach. A golden crown with rubies sits on it, the crown she will wear. Y/n's hands move from her mouth to her mother's hand, the cold skin causing a shiver to run up her spine. She looks back at her mother's face, stoic and empty. She can't hold back anymore. She screams and cries, holding her mother's hand for what will be the last time. She thinks about how she'll never see her wedding, her grandchildren, or be there when she needs advice. Those hours listening to rock music on vinyl while cleaning the house, cooking, and playing games flash in Y/n's memory. The empty feeling of never being able to do that again only makes Y/n feel more guilt at the time she yelled at her mother to leave her alone, when she would just stay in her room and read, and when she would sneak out to party. She falls to her knees, her forehead resting on the cold hand she held to it, "I love you, I love you mom." She sobs, knowing that this is the last interaction she will have with her.

No one intervenes, they just watch with pity as she grieves. Terzo stands behind her, letting her have the moment. He eyes down Asmodeus, watching as he approaches her. He stands in front of him and whispers, "She is MY wife. I dictate what she can and cannot do. You are not a part of the plan, step down." Asmodeus growls a curse at Terzo, but steps back in line. Terzo turns back to Y/n, noticing her screams become sobs. He lets her stay there for a few more minutes before kneeling down next to her, "My love, it is time." he whispers, "No, no please just another minute." She begs, not looking away from Elizabeth. Terzo respects her wishes, but places a hand on her shoulder.

Y/n whispers a final goodbye. She wipes her tears. Terzo helps her stand. She immediately clings to him, her arms wrap around his waist, burying her face in the suit. Terzo holds her against him, "Let it out, mi cara, it's okay." He comforts, gently stroking her hair, not wanting to ruin it. Everyone jumps hearing the doors slam open. Sister Imperator announces, "The congregation will be arriving shortly, everyone to their places." The Clergy members stand watch on the sides of the altar, creating a horseshoe shape. Terzo leads them over to the seats behind the altar. Y/n sits next to her father, Terzo sits beside her, and Primo sits next to his brother. Y/n hugs her father, crying into his shoulder, "It's okay doll, it's okay, your mother will always be with you." Steven comforts, tears falling from his own eyes.

The doors slam open again, this time a line of ghouls, siblings, and other demons enter. They fill the pews orderly. Y/n watches with awe, fixing her posture, trying to look regal and like her mother. Her father holds her hand, she reaches for Terzo's with the other one. Her father looks over at Terzo, a softer expression painting his face, he gives a slight nod. Terzo takes her hand, gently rubbing her knuckles with his thumb.

Once the congregation fills in the seats, they stand. The choir starts singing and Nihil enters with his alter children, identical twins. Y/n grips her hands tighter, fear now filling her heart. She spaces out the whole service, the prayers, hymns, and Nema's felt like nothing to her. What was the point of all of this, all of these people who barely know her here to "grieve" she feels the rage rise. Terzo looks over at her, sensing the anger, he leans over, "Mi cara, are you alright?" She stares straight ahead and nods. Nihil finishes speaking and motions to Y/n. She stands, dropping Terzo's and her father's hands, "The next of kin, please kneel before the deceased." Y/n slowly walks in front of the pyre, staring at the crown.

Primo and Steven walk around the pyre, their backs to the congregation, they both look at each other, then down at Elizabeth's body. Nihil chants some more, then Steven says, "Do you swear to the Old One that you shall reign over the Church of Emeritus with power, vengeance, and grace?" Y/n looks up to the stained glass window, depicting a woman wearing the same crown. A surge of power surges through her, "I do." Primo lifts the crown off of Elizabeth's lap, and places it on Y/n's head. She stiffens as the cold metal touches her head. Steven announces, "By the power of this church, you are now the ruler of this realm, may you lead with virtue." Both men help Y/n stand, she turns to face the congregation, "Nema" everyone chants and bows. She straightens her posture, the crown filling her with a new sense of duty.

Nihil walks over to her, bows, and hands her a blade, her mother's blade. The rubies are placed exactly where her amethysts are, then she realizes. Her mother and Primo were just like Terzo and her, the red crown, the red roses, the red dagger. Tears fill her eyes. The overwhelming feeling of guilt fills her. She was the reason her mother couldn't love, she was the reason her father got cheated on. The blade felt like fire in her grip. She stares at the hilt, ignoring the blade, trying to remind herself of the honor she is about to bestow on her mother.

The men all sit down behind the pyre, leaving Y/n in front of the altar and the eyes of the congregation. She lifts the blade in front of her face, examining it. She holds up her left wrist, holding the blade to it she says, "For mother." She cuts her wrist, the stinging sensation not changing her stern appearance. She switches the blade to the other hand and cuts the other wrist. She turns to the altar, she places the blade in her mother's hand. She holds her wrists out, letting her blood seep into the dark wood. She takes her time, making sure to make a complete circle. When she ends where she started, her father walks over with a lit torch, he hands it to her with a sad smile. Y/n takes it and stares at the flame, she sees memories.

Memories of her mother's childhood running around the gardens with a young Primo and Secondo. She sees her mother marrying her father. She sees her mother in battle after battle. She sees her mother holding her as an infant. She smiles looking at the flames. Y/n takes a breath and lowers the torch. The wood catches fire quickly. Y/n steps back, watching as her mother is encapsulated by the flames. She starts to cry, she goes to reach for her, but she's held back, "NO, no mom, please no let me get to her, please." She begs, clawing at the arm holding her back, "No, mi cara, no let her go, let her go." Terzo pleads, trying not to hurt her. She only cries louder as the flames get closer to her body, "PLEASE PLEASE SATAN TAKE HER PLEASE." She screams in a panic. Terzo starts mumbling his own prayers.

The flame touches Elizabeth's hair, her body starts to glow. Y/n and Terzo's eyes widen, watching as Elizabeth's body levitates. The candles blow out, the church shakes. Terzo pulls Y/n closer to him, never seeing this kind of reaction happen before. Elizabeth's body starts to disperse into particles, each one glowing brighter than one thousand suns. Y/n's sobs stop, her jaw remaining open at the sight. Her hands wrap around Terzo's arms, keeping her back from the growing flames. The particles give one last, large burst of light, then vanish. A small item falls from her now evaporated body. The fire goes out.

Y/n scrambles up and runs to the altar, a small ruby pendant sits in the middle, set in gold. Y/n takes it and runs her fingers over it. Terzo is there behind her as she lets out an earth shattering sob and falls to her knees beside the altar again, she crosses her arms on top of the marble, her face resting on them, "She's gone, she's gone." She keeps crying, Terzo kneels beside her, "Yes, but she's there, she's in the good place." He smiles through his own tears. Y/n looks at him, still aware of the congregation watching on, she whispers, "I'm not ready." Terzo looks at her shocked, "You are more than ready, don't you ever doubt yourself." He whispers back, not trying to cause a scene, "Stand and give me the crown" He demands, she follows his instructions.

 In Terzo's hands, the crown changed from ruby to amethyst. Nihil smiles and announces, "All hail Mama Emeritus the Third" The congregation bows. Terzo places the crown on her head, kneels, and kisses her hand. She looks back over at the congregation, her subjects, the people she will lead. She notices Omega, Water, and Earth bowing as low as they can, she sees siblings she recognizes from her youth, and teachers she has idolized. The responsibility that came with the crown finally fills her brain, she stands straighter and tilts her chin up, "At rest, my children." Terzo's head snaps up, she sounded motherly, stern yet kind, nothing like the young girl he used to know. She glances down at him with a small smile, he gives her a big one back. Now the work begins.