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This time the mistress would meet the candidate downstairs, in a room with windows. She didn't fear this one, not with all six of her children gathered and in the upstairs room where she had met all the others. Not while he was still human and only that, at any rate... The mistress knelt on a black cushion, rested her elbow on Lucifuge's knee. This time he wouldn't leave her, because he knew this one. "The Incubus is outside with the boy," said the Prime Minister, his lips grazing the top of her head. "And the other Sins are gathering upstairs. Shall I go?"

"No," murmured the mistress. "You stay here, Luci. We don't want to be without your guidance for this, most important of roles." It was the final piece to the puzzle, this child- Pride. He would be the leader of the Sins, because he represented the most greivous of them, the original sin that condemned the angels to fall. She felt no guilt, no compunctions about betraying the trust of one of the other Sins- it wasn't a betrayal, per say. By doing this, she made it possible for the boy to protect himself, thereby upholding her agreement with Akedia. You'll be able to protect the boy, she had said. We will never cause him harm.

The mistress never lied. She straightened as the door to the parlor room opened and her last child walked in.

"Soah," said the mistress warmly, standing and holding out her arms. "How are you, child?"

Even Lucifuge, sitting beside her though clearly subservient, looked a little surprised at the greeting. The two had never met, so why was she acting as if she had known the boy since he was a child? It wasn't his place to object, of course, so he sat back in the chair and looked over at Merihem. "Incubus," he rumbled, "Take a seat."

She laughed delightedly, hugging him close for a moment. "We are fine," said the mistress, letting go of Soah and kneeling on her cushion. "We just heard of you from Our good friend Lucifuge, and wanted to meet you Ourselves." With a quizzical look, she gestured at the chairs around the room, indicating the boy could sit if he chose.

"We wondered if you knew who is upstairs right now," she murmured, bringing one hand to her face as if thinking it over. "But We assume you do not, because you are here, aren't you?"

Her eyes danced with glee as Lucifuge sat forward, looking nervous. At a gesture, he sank back into the chair though the look of apprehension remained. "What makes you think you are important enough to know Our names, boy?" There was a pause, but then she laughed aloud.

"Our name is Legion, for We are many," she said. "This body's name is Martel di Desvignes. Do you want to know who is upstairs or not, Soah?"

"Your lover," she crooned, eyes half-closing as a catty smile developed on her face. The mistress rose to her feet again, gesturing to Lucifuge once more. With an irritated sigh, the Prime Minister moved to block the door- the one exit out. "Our son. You see, Akedia-" A pause. She turned to peer at Soah. "You call him Neil, yes? Well." Her dress made light noises against the hardwood floors as she walked to the window. "Neil agreed to become a Sin. So We must ask you a question, Soah."

She continued to stare out the window as she stood there silently, as if waiting for Soah to say something.

She laughed, a completely different sound than before. This one was a long, low, nearly silent susurration in the air that reflected the sudden blackness of her eyes in a too-eerie fashion. "Akedia had one chance to say yes or no. He said yes. As for why you have not been told..." Martel ran her hands through her curls. "He told Us not to harm you. Perhaps he feared telling you would invoke Our anger? It mattered not...

"Now, Our question, Soah. What makes you think you are strong enough to get through Lucifuge?" One eyebrow lifted, a slight irritation present in the wrinkles between the black eyes. Her voice, previously the sound of just three voices in cacophonous harmony, multiplied into many- the thousands of souls that had to exist inside that single body. "Even a Prince of Hell couldn't prevent him from doing as he chose. Perhaps he will disobey Our orders and not harm you... Perhaps he will not. But you will not leave until We are done with you."

Lucifuge spun and reached out to grab Soah's arm, but missed because of the spectacle at the top of the stairs. The tip of a snake's tail hung over several steps, black scales glinting with violet light; the large body merged seamlessly into a woman's alabaster, perfect (and unobscured) torso that was just barely decent due to long white and black locks. One arm reached out towards the boy, black nails dripping red liquid that was too thick to be blood and too thin to be paint or clay. "Lamia won't let you, even if Lucifuge does," said Martel from just behind Soah. She had followed at some point.

"Will you listen to Our proposition? We mean you no harm. We mean Neil no harm. Simply put, We desire your aid in accomplishing one small goal. It will not take much of your time, it will change nothing but one thing... And you, too, will be a Sin. With your lover." She smiled, and her voices receded to just one, the attractive tones of a woman in her prime. "Or are you afraid of me?"

The snake-woman hissed, a markedly bestial sound from such a human-seeming throat. Her face moved into the light for a brief moment, unveiling sharp teeth and bloody tears from empty eyesockets, but then she was back in the shadows, as if a nightmarish apparition.

"Why, you're awfully sure of yourself. And of me, and perhaps that is your mistake." She quirked an eyebrow. "I'll make this offer once. Never again. Understand that if you refuse, you will die, promise to Akedia or no promise." And Martel did move, but it was to take a step closer to the boy. Two could play at the intimidation game and none in this hallway save Lucifuge had the experience to beat one who called herself the mistress.

She smiled. "Let me clarify my offer. You will become Pride, the leader of Our children-" the multitude surfaced again before receding into Martel's voice once more "-And join your lover. For this, you will gain a rank in Hell as one of the Deadly Sins."

Her smile soured into a scowl. "If you refuse, I will ensure you are incapable of informing anyone of what I do. Whether Lucifuge does it or Lamia, I care not. But it will be done. Do you understand?"