The soft rustling of the roses in the Garden of Thorns was the only sound that accompanied Ash as she made her way back to the castle. The peaceful beauty of the hidden oasis lingered in her mind, and for a moment, it had been enough to make her forget the oppressive weight of Hell. But as she left the garden and crossed the cold stone halls of the castle, the reality of her situation returned like a bitter taste in her mouth.

Her steps faltered as she approached the main hall, and she instinctively knew she was not alone. A sense of unease crept up her spine when she noticed the presence of the King and Queen of Hell standing at the foot of the stairs, their expressions unreadable. Asmodeus, who had been so kind to her, was nowhere to be seen.

Ash stopped in her tracks, her heart pounding in her chest. She hadn’t expected to see them here. Not like this.

“Princess Ash,” the Queen’s voice was smooth, but there was an edge to it. It was a sound that commanded attention, and Ash felt every inch of her skin prickle under its weight. “We’ve been looking for you.”

The King, a tall and imposing figure cloaked in dark robes, stepped forward, his eyes narrowed. “Why are you here?” he asked, his voice low, yet laced with an authority that made the air grow thicker. “This is not a place for you.”

Ash swallowed, the knot in her throat tightening. She felt small under their gaze, the weight of her own decisions crashing down upon her all over again. They had every right to question her. She had run from Heaven, turned her back on everything she knew, and now found herself here in their world, a world so far removed from the angelic realm she had been born to.

“I... I didn’t want this,” Ash whispered, her voice breaking. “I didn’t want to become the Queen of Heaven. I didn’t want to be a ruler, to live in that world of expectations and endless responsibility. I couldn’t bear it. I ran away because I didn’t know what else to do.”

Tears began to well in Ash’s eyes as the emotions she had kept bottled up for so long finally began to spill over. She had been strong for so long, trying to convince herself she had made the right choice. But standing before the King and Queen, those who ruled this dark, twisted world, she felt the enormity of her mistake hit her in full force.

“I didn’t want to disappoint my family. I didn’t want to betray them, but the thought of taking the throne... It suffocated me,” Ash continued, her voice thick with emotion. “I didn’t know where else to go. I thought I could hide here, in Hell, and forget about all of it. But now I see... I see that I can’t just run away from who I am. From what I’m supposed to be.”

She was trembling now, the weight of her words and her emotions too much to bear alone. Her knees weakened, and she crumpled to the floor, her hands pressed to her face as sobs wracked her body.

The Queen’s eyes softened as she stepped forward, her voice gentler than before. “Ash...” she said, her tone full of understanding. “You have no need to apologize. You are not the first to feel the weight of a crown on your head. You are not the first to run from their destiny, whether it be Heaven or Hell. We have all carried burdens that felt too heavy to bear.”

The King, who had remained silent until now, looked down at Ash with a mixture of curiosity and concern. “You have made mistakes,” he said, his voice no longer as cold, but still firm. “But that doesn’t mean you have to live in shame. You came here to escape, but in doing so, you’ve shown us a courage we admire. Not many would have made such a choice, knowing the consequences.”

Ash’s tears began to slow as she looked up at them, surprised by the change in their demeanor. She hadn’t expected compassion. Not from them. Not from anyone in Hell.

The Queen knelt beside her, her cool, delicate hand reaching out to Ash’s shoulder, offering comfort in a way that Ash hadn’t expected. “You are not a prisoner here,” she said softly. “You are not here to serve us or be punished. We welcome you as one of our own. You are our daughter, now, and you will be treated with all the love and respect that comes with that.”

Ash couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The Queen of Hell, who had always seemed so distant, so cold, was now offering her a place in their family—a place where she could feel like she belonged.

The King, too, moved closer. His face was still stern, but there was a kindness in his eyes that Ash hadn’t expected. “You have the power of Heaven within you,” he said. “And that power is something we would never take lightly. But you have made a choice to stand here, in this moment, and claim your place with us. You are no longer just an angel. You are a princess of Hell as well.”

Ash felt the weight of their words settle into her chest. She had never considered herself a part of this world, and yet here she was, being embraced by the rulers of Hell, offered a second chance. It was almost too much to comprehend. The tears that had slowed now began to fall again, but this time, they were not tears of regret or sorrow. They were tears of relief.

She didn’t have to be the queen of Heaven. She didn’t have to carry the weight of expectations she had never asked for. In Hell, she had found something she hadn’t known she needed—understanding, acceptance, and a place where she could be herself, without the constant pressure of a title.

“I don’t know what to say,” Ash whispered, her voice shaking with emotion. “Thank you... thank you for this.”

The Queen smiled warmly, her gaze full of compassion. “There’s no need to thank us, my dear. You are home now. We will help you find your way.”

The King nodded, his tone softer now. “You are not alone, Ash. We have all walked our own paths to find the truth of who we are. And now, you will walk yours.”

Ash’s heart swelled with a mixture of emotions. She had come to Hell seeking refuge, but she hadn’t expected to find family—people who would care for her, who would help her find her way. The road ahead would be difficult, and there would be challenges, but in this moment, for the first time since she had run away, Ash felt a spark of hope flicker deep within her.

Maybe she had made the right choice after all. And maybe, just maybe, Hell wasn’t the hellish place she had once believed it to be.