In the center of the garden, Rachel saw three beings admiring the vegetation. One appeared to be a skeleton shrouded in a hooded back cloak with a scythe forged from some black metal that Rachel had never seen before gripped in his bony fingers. Rachel didn't have to think too hard to figure out who he was.
Another was a lovely sliver-haired woman wearing a red gold crown who would have looked more like an angel than a demon if not for her glowing red eyes, tiny horn buds, and black-feathered wings similar to the ones growing from Maisy's shoulder blades. Her skin appeared to be pure white like Rachel's own, but closer inspection revealed it to actually have a marble pattern and a glossy shine to match. A black snake coiled around the angelic demon's arm like a treasured pet.
The last was a man with scaly green skin and an angler fish lure dangling from his forehead that glowed with an eerie dark red light. His smile revealed rows and rows of jagged shark teeth. He had no wings, but he had a massive dorsal fin running down his back, as well as pelvic fins on the sides of his torso, still more fins on his arms, and webbing between his fingers. At first, Rachel thought this fishy demon had a serpent tail in place of legs like Lilith did, but closer inspection revealed his lower body to in fact be an eel tail.
"Quite a magnificent specimen," the fishy demon said to the angelic demon as he admired one of the trees. "I wonder who it was."
"I believe this one is Pol Pot," the angelic demon responded. "You know, that bloodthirsty dictator from Cambodia. The things he did to his own people makes what we do to sinners look like a gentle slap on the wrist."
"I somehow doubt he likes being on the other end of torture," the hooded skeleton dryly remarked.
"Is one of those people your dad?" Rachel asked as she observed from afar.
"No, I actually don't see him here," said Maisy. "That's Death, along with my aunt and uncle. They're really influential in the royal court."
"You're aunt and uncle?!" Rachel gasped. "They only look a couple of years older than you!"
"Well, we ARE immortal, sweetie," Maisy giggled. "Come on, I'll introduce you."
Maisy led Rachel up to the trio, all of whom caught her in a tight embrace. "Miasma! You're finally back!" the angelic demon said with a delighted smile.
"I hope you enjoyed Earth," said the hooded skeleton.
"I actually really did," said Maisy, "but it's good to be back home."
"And who is this, Miasma?" the fishy demon asked, noticing Rachel. "Is she the bride you found?"
"She is," Maisy smiled.
"Pleased to meet you," the fishy demon said with a smile. "I am Prince Leviathan, brother of King Lucifer, Archduke of the Seventh Circle of Hell, Lord of Envy and Heresy, Grand Admiral of the Hellish Navy, and Knight Grand Pentagram of the Order of the Fly."
"And I am Princess Astaroth," said the angelic demon, "sister of King Lucifer, Archduchess of the Sixth Circle of Hell, Lady of sloth and vanity, Grand Treasurer of Hell, and Dame Grand Pentagram of the Order of the Fly."
"And I am Thanatos," said the hooded skeleton, "though I have also been called Eurynomus, the Grim Reaper, and Death. (And also Dan when I'm undercover. I am officially independent of the court but you'll likely be seeing me around quite a bit. Your future father-in-law and I coordinate our work quite a bit."
Even though she was herself a demon now, Rachel was a bit surprised to see Maisy so at ease around the Grim Reaper. "Is he really safe?" she whispered to her royal fiancee.
"You mean Death?" Maisy giggled. "Of course! His job may make him a bit intimidating to humans, but he's nearly as much a part of my family as Uncle Leviathan and Aunt Astaroth are."
"So, what's your name?" asked Leviathan.
"I got named Tenebra during my rite of transformation," said Rachel, "so I guess that's the name I'll be getting married under, but I much prefer being called Rachel. That was my human name."
"I completely understand," said Leviathan. "My own wife is officially named Sekhmet, but she still prefers to go by her old human name of Hut-Hor."
"Isn't Sekhmet an Ancient Egyptian goddess of war and fire?" asked Rachel. "And isn't Hut-Hor the original Egyptian form of the goddess Hathor's name?"
"Yes, I met my wife in Egypt around the year 3200 BC, give or take a few decades," answered Leviathan. "She was the inspiration for the mythology of those two goddesses. You can call her Hathor if you like. She personally uses the 'Hut-Hor' pronunciation and goes by Sekhmet during court ceremonies, but she understands that 'Hathor' trips off the tongue easier for English-speakers like you."
"You have quite a lovely outfit," Astaroth remarked, "though it might be a touch modest for court." Rachel suddenly noticed that Astaroth's outfit was mostly jewelry. The only parts that remotely resembled clothes were a red gold thong and a pair of nipple-concealing red gold pasties studded with gleaming rubies. The rest of her "clothing" was a jangling mass of necklaces, armlets, bangles, bracelets, rings, earrings, belly chains, anklets, toe rings, and body piercings. If Astaroth ever tried to walk into Rachel's father's church, the prudish pastor would probably freak out and shoot her... not that it would end will for him if he tried.
"We're still easing her in to our clothing styles," Maisy explained. "Not only is Rachel from Earth, she was raised by a psycho fundamentalist pastor. This is actually the most skin she's ever shown in public."
"I suppose she'll loosen up in time," Astaroth said with an amused smile.
"It must be interesting to show skin," Death remarked with a chuckle. "Some of us don't have any skin to show."
"You always were a joker," Maisy laughed.
"How am I coming off, by the way?" Rachel asked the distinguished trio. "I'm here to be presented to the Devil, and I'm so worried that he won't think I deserve to marry his daughter."
"My old friend always did have incredibly high standards," Death remarked, "but I think you can meet them. I can feel that you have a kind heart, and that's what Lucifer wants to see most of all in his daughter's bride."
"You have the makings of a good court noble as well," Leviathan added. "You've been thoroughly polite here... much more polite than that churl Beelzebub has ever been to us. Isn't that right, Astaroth?"
"Most definitely," Astaroth said with a wince. Even her pet snake seemed to shudder. "That arrogant fool thinks being our brother's best friend and Archduke of the Eighth Circle gives him the right to lord it over Lucifer's own flesh and blood. It's disgusting!"
"I just bumped into his daughter," Rachel commented. "She said her name is Lady Cruciata."
"Ghastly girl," Astaroth scoffed. "She's a spoiled brat who thinks everything's about her. I'm thoroughly glad our Miasma refused to marry her. Apophis can't stand the bitch."
"Is Apophis your snake?" asked Rachel.
"He is," said Astaroth. "Did you know that his father is the Snake? The one from Eden?"
"That's certainly impressive," Rachel marveled. The newly transformed demon flinched when Astaroth held out her arm in front of her face, only for the snake to affectionately nuzzle her cheek.
"He likes you, Rachel," Astaroth smiled. "I can now officially say that you're the right girl for Miasma."
Maisy glanced around the garden. "Where is Dad?" she asked her Uncle Leviathan. "He was supposed to meet us here."
"You know how he loses track of the time when he's working, my little imp," Leviathan said with an amused smile. "I'm sure he'll remember eventually."
"I think I see him coming now," Astaroth said, pointing.
"We'll give you some privacy," Death said to Rachel and Maisy. "Best of luck."