"Do not mock a pain that you haven't endured." -Unknown.
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Heaven couldn't sleep for the whole night. The new bed, new space, new room felt odd to stay in. This wasn't her home, and she already missed her home. She slept holding onto Zamiel's shirt, which she took from his room. His scent made her stay strong. She had to stay strong for everyone. She couldn't keep running away or hiding. She had already tried that technique and it almost killed her mate. He didn't deserve to go through that again. None of her family deserved to go through such a thing just because she wanted to stay.
Zamiel had fought death to come back to her. The least she could do was to fight back for him. Not hide or run away. Rule number one to defeat the enemy was to know your enemy. She had to stay with her grandfather to learn his weaknesses. There must be something or some way out.
After what her grandfather did to Zamiel, even if it took her a thousand years, she wouldn't let him win. She would never give him that satisfaction.
Her thoughts drifted back to Zamiel. He had given her a smile before she left and a slight nod. It was encouraging. That is what she loved the most about him. His trust and belief in her. He had been able to see through her lies. In fact, her lies had sounded so bad that it caused her to grimace just thinking about them.
Zamiel. She would find a way to get back to him. Comforting herself with his scent and with the memory of the beautiful moments they've had together, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
When she woke up in the morning, she found her grandmother already awake. She sat near the large window in the room, staring outside. She seemed deeply lost in thoughts. Heaven knew this was going to be very difficult for her grandmother and that is why she wished her grandmother had stayed back home.
But now was not the time to think of what should have happened or what she should have done. Now was the time to think ahead.
"Good morning, grandma." Heaven greeted, bringing her grandmother back to this world.
She was startled at first, but then smiled. "Heaven, come here." She said.
It seemed like she wanted to show her something. Heaven got out of bed and went to the window where her grandmother sat. She looked outside to see what her grandmother was trying to show her.
Heaven gasped when she looked outside. What was this?
A garden, but not a usual one. The colors were blinding, the brightest of greens, pinks, whites, oranges, and many more colors. The way they blended together was so unique.
A few fountains and statues were scattered in the garden. There were benches and swings where people could sit, and the paths through the garden were made out of marble. Some bushes were shaped into the forms of different animals.
Small lakes divided the garden, but the land was joined with small bridges. The place looked heavenly. It was so bright and so different from the feeling his home gave.
"It is just an illusion." Heaven said.
Her grandfather was wrong if he thought he could entice her with materialistic things.
A knock on the door made them turn their heads away from the window. Who could it be? They looked at each other and then Heaven called for whoever it was to come in.
The door opened and four men carrying a large table with food on came in. Other men followed behind them, holding more trays and some glasses and drinks. They were all dressed alike.
The men put the table in the middle of the room, then bowed. "Your breakfast, My Lady."
Heaven stared, wide eyed. What was happening? She never received this kind of service, even as a princess.
They placed chairs around the table, poured them some drinks, and removed the locks so they could see and smell the food. This was too much. What was her grandfather trying to do?
The service didn't end. Once they ate breakfast, a few women came to their room with a large suitcase. When they opened it, there were several jewelries made of gold and silver and many dresses of expensive fabrics.
"We already have clothes." Her grandmother told them.
"We dress differently here. I suggest you wear these if you don't want to draw attention." One of the women spoke.
Heaven looked at how the women were dressed. Their style of dressing was the type to draw attention. They wore silken fabrics that covered their chests and sometimes their arms as well. But the stomach was bare. And a long, silken skirt, with splits on the sides. Some of them wore long velvet garments above, and others adorned themselves with jewelry.
The women excused themselves without arguing any further. Heaven looked at the clothes and jewelry. She would not wear these revealing clothes. Her grandmother already went ahead to wear her own clothes, and Heaven did the same. She was going to leave the room and get acquainted with this place.
Her grandmother followed her and behaved like a guard. Both of them were shocked by what they found once they left the room. The place they were in was not only a castle. It seemed to be an indoor market place or just something else all together. There were all kinds of shops, different places for theatre, entertainment places, which made her jaw drop. Her grandmother rushed her through before she could see anything. People participating in provocative and disgraceful behavior, but they seemed to find it normal.
The female demons were dressed just like the women who came to their room, and the males only wore a garment around their waist. Some of them wore jewelry around their upper arms, wrists, or necks. The women were right. They were drawing too much attention by being dressed differently. Everyone they passed stared at them.
"Where are we going?" Her grandmother asked, overwhelmed by the new environment.
Heaven didn't know where, but she knew why she was here. She would gain nothing from staying locked in her room. To find a solution, she needed information.
"Everywhere and nowhere." Heaven replied.
"I was thinking of finding Zarin." She said.
Zarin. She had forgotten about him. How was he staying in this place? It was so odd and uncomfortable to be here. There was a part of her that wanted to talk to him, help him realize that he needed to go back. At least one of them wouldn't have parents who were separated from their child.
The other part of her was exhausted. Just thinking of talking to him made her feel drained. What would she say? Her mind was too tired to think of anything clever.
"You should find him. I don't think I should talk to him yet."
Until she had something good to say, it would be better to stay away.
"I can't leave you alone." She said.
"No one will kill me here and I need to be alone." She couldn't figure things out with her grandmother trailing behind her all the time.
Being guarded didn't help. It was time to be adventurous.