Forbidden Desires: Prologue

Prologue; First Love

(many, MANY years ago in the Celestial realm)

He’s perfect. 

Benzosia was utterly captivated by the angel at her side. Raven-black hair framed a face of striking beauty – a strong jawline, elegantly sculpted cheekbones, and eyes that held the fathomless depths of a sapphire sea. His smile frequently left her breathless, even like this, pensive and serious, she was enthralled.

His features were a masterpiece of divine artistry, yet it was his intellect and noble spirit that truly set him apart, eclipsing even his physical splendor. Seraphim Asmodeus was the embodiment of flawless grace, a being forged by the divine. 

And she was irrevocably, hopelessly in love with him.

He held her hand loosely in his, his straight gaze fixed on some distant point. A flicker of excitement danced in his eyes as he sought to explain his reasoning for breaking her heart today.

With Lucifer’s disappearance, Hell was left in chaos, a rudderless ship adrift in a sea of torment. The divine decree was clear. Asmodeus, with his knowledge of celestial law and unwavering resolve, was to step into the void and assume the mantle of infernal king.

“But, you cannot replace… Lucifer was molded for this.” Her riotous emotions churned with back-notes of fury and indignation, the words spilling out unwise and rash. “You cannot–”

He flinched as if she’d struck him, releasing her hand and creating distance between them, giving her a look of pure venom. Had she forgotten? The fierce rivalry that simmered between him and her brothers, a potent blend of competition and... envy. Especially when it came to Lucifer. It was, perhaps, his one and only flaw.

“This is unjust,” she pleaded, her voice edged with desperation. “That you’re expected to give up your future… to give up us.”

“I am Seraphim just as Lucifer was. No one knows divine laws like I do, and Hell needs a ruler who will abide by them. The divine experiment cannot succeed without balance.”

Sorrow insidiously crept in and nested in what remaining hope she had, the weight of his impending absence a heavy stone on her heart, her entire being aching with the loss of their shared dream. As a scholar, their paths often crossed in the hushed corners of celestial libraries, their love a slow-burning flame kindled amidst ancient texts and whispered secrets. Now, that flame was dying out, leaving only a bittersweet smoke in its wake. 

She loved him, and now the admission felt too late, words too shallow to admit lest they be taken as some meager attempt at blackmailing him to stay.

Instead, she silently mourned the loss of their love, a delicate flower crushed in its first stages of bloom. 

His large, warm hands squeezed hers and pulled her palms up to his chest. “Don’t blame me for what’s been lost.” 

She focused on his words even though she didn't want to hear them. 

“Your brother’s choices led us here, Benzosia. Not mine.”

She didn’t blame Asmodeus.

“You know I’ll have regrets.” His voice was heavy with genuine sorrow. 

She studied his expression as he spoke, trying to process the fact her future was crumbling beneath her feet. 

“I’ll miss you… and what we might have had.” His words were the final twist in her already breaking heart.

Benzosia’s tear-filled gaze wandered over the celestial panorama. Shimmering cloudscapes stretched towards infinity, bathed in an ethereal, iridescent light. In the distance, towering crystalline structures reflected the brilliance of distant stars. Radiant celestial beings moved gracefully through this ethereal realm, their presence adding to the sense of awe and wonder. The air itself hummed with a celestial symphony, a harmonious blend of angelic voices and the gentle music of celestial harps. It was a vision of peace, a stark contrast to the turmoil that had recently gripped this heavenly realm. 

The memory of golden hills littered with corpses and stained with blood—a haunting reminder of the countless lives lost in the war Lucifer had started—was a heavy burden on Benzosia’s heart. She found solace in the belief that Asmodeus, with his wisdom and strength, would prevent such devastation from ever happening again. And still she had room to fear for him, of the trials that awaited him.

“You’ll make a just king.” She struggled to find the benevolence to encourage him, but she could still be honest. He would make a good king. It was terrible and true, the very reasons she’d fallen in love with him were the attributes that marked him for the role.

“So, this is goodbye?” she whispered, breaking the heavy silence that hung between them. Her hand trembled as she reached for his, a silent plea for a connection she feared was already slipping away. 

“Will you be... lonely?” The question hung in the air, a fragile echo of her own fears and insecurities.

“To be sure. I’ll dwell within my memories of you. But I ask this favor, my sweet Benzosia – pray our separation won’t be forever. Pray your brother comes to his senses and takes on his duties.” He released her hand and drew her close, his arm a comforting band of warmth around her shoulders. “I’ll be thinking of you... wishing to be with you every moment.”

“I could... go with you.” She swallowed hard, the self-damning words catching in her throat, a feeble and desperate attempt to bridge the chasm that was rapidly widening between them.

“No!” His finger pressed over her mouth, eyes blazing. “My sweet, don’t even speak it.” He ran the back of his knuckles down her cheek. 

“I…” Tears burned and she blinked them away. “I’ll miss you ever so much.”

He wrapped both arms around her, pulling her close. “Then be vigilant in your prayers that Lucifer takes on his responsibilities soon,” he whispered against her hair, “so we can have the future you dream of.”

Benzosia clung to him, a silent vow echoing in her heart. 

She would be patient. She would pray. He was worth waiting for.