One Crown & Two Thrones: The Guardians

by Isolde, Siobhan

  “Theodore, what is going on?” cried Eveline her cold body overtaken by tremors of fear.

  “I will explain later,” he whispered turning to Eveline and looking down into her eyes strangely. “I need you to do something for me,” he urged.

  “What?” she asked nervously, keeping her eyes on him despite feeling the presence of the attackers close by.

  “I need you to hide behind that altar until I tell you to come out, understand?” he asked sharply keeping her hands within his, moist with sweat.

  “But what about you?” she replied urgently noticing that the beautiful demon was edging towards her, his sharp black eyes on Theodore.

  “Don’t worry about me, I can sort this,” he uttered turning to watch Lagmar before quickly turning to Eveline once more. “Do you trust me?” he asked seriously.

  “Out of everyone here, yes,” she answered plainly, the cries of Georgiana filling the darkened cathedral.

  “Then do as I say,” he commanded forcing her away and flinging himself toward the nearest demon. Eveline fell onto the marble floor hurting her knees, but quickly stood up and made a bee line for the high altar before a huge noise erupted within the cathedral causing her to turn her eye at the doors, which fell open. Tripping back onto her bottom, Eveline, strands of hair falling about her face looked at what appeared to be a group of men, dressed not unalike Theodore, bursting into the cathedral, taking off their hats and stepping forward. The man at the front of the group, tall and equally as striking yet not in a terrifying manner, smiled briefly at her before turning his what appeared to be blue eyes upon Theodore.

  “Tut tut Lagmar a bit beneath your belt isn’t it, invading a cathedral, I mean how did you manage to get in? Did you say a prayer?” he mocked, his warm laugh filling the cathedral. Eveline looked at Theodore who was mere inches away from his opponent, his body becoming relaxed as he looked upon what seemed to be his kinsmen. Lagmar turned to face the man, his own henchmen following suite.

  “Galean, what a pleasure, did you not get the memo? Traitors are not allowed?” scoffed Lagmar, his high pitched laugh blocking out Galean’s.

  “Funny that, but nobody seemed to reach me, ah well what can be done?” he retorted, opening his coat to reveal what looked to be a sword, a beautiful sword, topped with jewels.

  “He’s mine!” hissed Lagmar edging closer to Galean.

  “I mean, if you fancy him, well how endearing but if you mean he’s yours to kill, well I’m sorry to disappoint, but my master would never allow such a thing to happen, and whilst were on the point, neither would the man in question,” Galean looked at Theodore and smiled, “long time, you left me on the field to fend for your human,” teased Galean to Theodore who now always producing a sword from his coat.

  “What can I say, when orders come, you have to oblige the sender,” joked Theodore, visibly relaxing in the presence of his friends.

  “Now,” hummed Galean, “what to do about the misfits?” he looked round at his three companions, all incredibly handsome and yet marked with a glint of menace. Galean raised his hands in the air, his sword hovering about his head. The three men all opened their coats to reveal swords, similar yet marked by different jewels.

  “I say we teach them some geography,” laughed the man closest to Galean.

  “You’re right Ada, good idea, let’s teach these vermin the art of boundaries.” Replied Galean eyeing up the several demons who were now hissing loudly. Eveline watched on as Theodore produced a sword from his coat, pointing it at Lagmar’s back.

  “You may want to close your eyes,” he shouted to Eveline.

  “Why?” she shouted back loudly.

  “Because things are about to get bright!” laughed Galean, now pouncing on the nearest demon who had also unleashed a sword, only this sword was a deep red, almost the colour of fire, and it moved like fire observed a terrified Eveline now curled up on the floor. Eveline recoiled backwards as light met fire, as demon fought what seemed to her to be angels. A wind of hot air whirled about her as Theodore screamed out loud, “Run Eveline!”

  Getting up, Eveline turned to find a demon was facing her his hands ready to meet her neck, suddenly as though all her years of sword fighting had come back in one horrid moment, she kicked him hard on the shin, although it seemed to do her more damage than him, it merely shocked him more than pained him. Eveline took her chance and clawed at his fire wielding sword, kicking him again.

  “What did I say about running!” belted Theodore not too far away, slicing his sword through one of the demons.

  “It’s pretty hard when you have one these god awful monsters staring you in the face and threatening you with imminent death!” cried out Eveline dancing around the man, who was trying to grab her.

  “Not a great time in which to use His name in vain!” retorted Theodore now thrashing a demon up against a pillar, causing large shards of marble to fall from above.

  “Women!” shouted Galean, now trailing a demon through a nearby aisle, “they never listen!”

  “Tell me about it!” laughed Theodore in between punches.

  “I heard that!” cried Eveline, who now seemed to be dancing from one chair to the next, carrying a really heavy sword that seemed to dance with her and against her simultaneously.

  “You should meet my sister,” moaned Ada as he strangled a demon to the ground, forcing his sword through his heart.

  “I already have,” teased Galean.

  “What?” shouted Ada now turning from the disappearing demon and looking at Galean with stricken eyes who was now fighting Lagmar alongside Theodore.

  “Come on Ada everyone knows!” laughed Theodore who lay under Lagmar, gasping for air.

  “How can you all laugh and joke when you are fighting!” cried Eveline punching the demon in the face, only to be slapped, immediately falling off her chair and into the next aisle, and knocking herself out.

  “Go to her!” cried Theodore, now reaching out to make a grab for his fallen sword which lay close by.

  “Gone and fallen in love angel!” spat Lagmar, his black eyes bearing into Theodore’s blue eyes, dilated with lack of air. “Oh how the mighty have fallen, what will your God do when he finds out?” he laughed.

  “Shut your foul mouth, demon!” cried Theodore, finding his sword and driving it through Lagmar’s blackened heart, watching him crumple to the ground, his body dispersing into ash. For a moment he lay flat, trying to get back his breathe before rolling onto his side looking for Eveline. Eveline’s eyes fluttered open slightly as she lay dazed, on her side looking through the aisle of seats. Straight before her she could see the steps that lead up to the high altar. As she looked up towards the table, she saw something move, she strained her eyes and locked her gaze upon what seemed to be a snake, black and red, long and thin, making its way towards her, its black eyes on her battered body.

  “Help!” she cried aloud, hoping someone would hear. The snake now slithered across the marbled floor, hissing. All at once an incredible light filled the church, forcing Eveline’s body to fly back, her head hitting the edge of a chair hard, knocking her out instantly, the last thing she saw was a figure close by, cloaked in a sky blue robe.

  Theodore, Galean, Ada, Bram and Peter shielded their eyes from the light until it dimmed to reveal the figure of Gabriel, now standing over Eveline, his eyes concerned. Turning his face towards the young angels he spoke aloud.

  “Remember your oaths. I cannot always be on hand to help, you must protect her, not only for her sake but for the sake of mankind and our kind.” Gabriel announced before he lifted his arms heavenward, slapping them together and disappearing, the cathedral returning back to its original state. Galean ran over to Eveline and picked her up.

  “Don’t worry I have her,” he smiled, carrying an unconscious Eveline in his arms, her hair unpinned and falling about her, nearly touching the marbled floor. Theodore ran to Eveline.

  “Is she alright?” he panted looking across at Galean. />
  “You know this happens to me a lot back home, women just falling into my arms,” he winked at Ada, who gave him a black stare.

  “Funny,” retorted Theodore, taking Eveline from Galean and setting her down onto the marbled floor, stroking away the hair that covered her, beaten face.

  “Her face!” he cried.

  “Will heal,” replied Galean calmly, “remember you are an angel, you are gifted with many healing powers and also a great sense of humour, although to be fair your damsel in distress has more power than the whole of the angels put together,” joked Galean standing back and letting Theodore get on with the healing. Breathing in deeply, Theodore laid his right hand on Eveline’s forehead and muttered something under his breathe. A golden light transferred itself from his hands onto her forehead, spreading down over her body and engulfing her in a beautiful golden glow.

  *

  Eveline fell into a strange dream, she was running through a beautiful garden protected by a very long wall. She found herself beside a lake, her eyes falling on a nearby island, desolate but for a single throne, which stood, under a very old, silver tree. A boat suddenly arose from the misty waters and made its way towards her. She realised she was naked but for her long hair, that covered her body. Barefoot, she stepped into the little boat and sat down. With her hand she commanded the boat to move forward and it obeyed, bringing her closer to the island that sat perched under, what seemed to be a range of snow covered mountains. As the boat drew up to the shore, a man came out from behind the tree, clad in gold, he seemed to Eveline to be familiar, she stretched her vision as much as she could, but the more she stretched the more she felt herself being pulled out of the dream.

  “Eveline,” came a cry. “Eveline can you hear me?”

  Eveline roused from her dream and found herself gazing up at Theodore whose worried eyes sprang into life as she smiled up at him weakly.

  “Theodore your alive,” she whispered, now noticing three sets of blue eyes looking down at her, “and all of you too, whoever you all are,” She muttered.

  “Eveline, are you okay?” asked Theodore lifting her up into a sitting position.

  “Yes, funnily enough,” she let her left hand roam about her face, “although I could swear that thing punched me pretty hard,” she murmured, confused.

  “Well that and our incredible healing powers,” smiled Galean, his golden locks falling around him. For a moment both Galean and Eveline looked at one another a strangeness passing between them causing Galean to look away and leaving Eveline a little heavy for breathe.

  “What?” she whispered looking at Theodore for answers.

  “Well I have the gift of healing,” he answered softly. “I know this is all very confusing, but can we leave it until I get you to safety.”

  “Alright,” she answered getting up and steading herself, looking around, the cathedral had undergone a radical transformation, from what was a war scene to its entire original state.

  “Galean, you need to attend to John and his wife,” ordered Theodore wrapping an arm about Eveline’s waist securely.

  “Alright commander,” smiled Galean walking away towards Georgiana, who lay atop her husband, dead. Eveline watched Galean as he performed some sort of ritual on the couple, he sang in a low and deep voice his hands hovering above them, drawing out what looked like a white light , faint and thin. Theodore put Eveline’s arm in his own and forced her away.

  “Come we need to leave, Galean and the others will sort the rest out,” Theodore explained turning to Ada. “We make for Bath, ensure we are not followed, I will meet you in three days’ time, you know where.”

  “Alright,” Ada nodded. “Will she be okay?” he asked shyly looking at Eveline hesitantly as though he was scared of her but also in awe of her.

  “Yes,” replied Theodore soundly.

  “Is it really her?” asked Bram, coming forward to look at her once more. Eveline suddenly felt self-conscious, she didn’t understand what they were talking about, but lowered her eyes to the floor in embarrassment. Theodore simply nodded and all at once the three angels kneeled before Eveline, bowing their heads.

  “Why are they doing that?” asked Eveline a little frightened. Theodore frowned at his friends.

  “I’m sorry for what I am about to do,” he whispered suddenly lifting a hand and swiping it before her eyes. Eveline fell lifeless into his arms. “Bram, you know what it is we have to do, she isn’t allowed to suspect anything, least one of Lagar’s lot finds her and uses her memory as a weapon,” yelled Theodore.

  “Sorry,” Bram apologised getting up from the floor, “I couldn’t help it, all these years we have been searching, I had almost given up hope, to finally see her, I…, I couldn’t help it.”

  “Come on Theodore we just saved your angelic ass, and you have removed all of this from her memory. There is no danger of her remembering now,” growled Galean coming back to the group.

  “You know how He would feel,” argued Theodore, holding Eveline in his arms gently.

  “Yes but He is busy elsewhere, and anyway He knows how devoted we are to the cause,” replied Galean.

  “You’re not meant to be here, you were cast out of Heaven, you should be in Meerin helping your father,” Theodore shouted.

  “I was given a penalty, anyway I was meant for Meerin, it seems my brothers are at war with one another again,” he sighed, rolling his eyes.

  “Yes, well that is where you should be now, helping your father, he needs you.” Theodore retorted leaning into Galean, looking at him intensely. “You know that’s what He would want, your father is a cherished friend, and his kingdom is in peril, so is hers,” he looked down at Eveline. “Even though she is unaware of any such existence.”

  “She will have to know sometime,” sighed Galean resolutely his mood suddenly changing.

  “That is not for us to decide, that is for Him to decide, we are merely her guardians until that time comes,” whispered Theodore his eyes softening as he watched the sleeping Eveline. Galean stood back, his head bowed.

  “I will stay until that time comes, don’t worry we will stay hidden, but be assured you are safe for the meantime,” smiled Galean. “Come let us take our leave.” Looking to his friends who nodded in agreement.

  “Three days’ time,” Theodore commanded his gaze upon his fellow men.

  “Three days.” Ada replied loudly, suddenly disappearing alongside the others, leaving Theodore alone with Eveline. Theodore bent his head again and looked down at Eveline and sighed, she was weak and pale. How would explain all of this? It nearly seemed preferable that she should remember everything that had just occurred.

  “Wake,” he uttered, watching her eyes open.

  “Theodore,” she whispered, “what happened?” her face full of uncertainty and confusion.

  “You fell as we were leaving,” he smiled down at her, “I waited for you to come around.”

  “I think I remember,” She answered, her golden eyes glazed, “were are John and Georgiana?”

  “They are have gone to get our stuff, John ordered a taxi to take us to Bath at once,” he replied coyly.

  “Will they come and say goodbye?” Eveline asked, sitting up looking around, the church was the same as before, alit and warm.

  “No, Georgiana felt unwell towards the end, that is why she did not come and sit with us as she promised, John has taken her home, come,” he lifted her to her feet, buttoning her coat for her and handing her her hat. Eveline let Theodore button her coat as she put her hat on. Despite remembering her fall, she felt disorientated as though hours had passed and she had slipped into a dark void and got lost.

  “Will you be okay by yourself, I am just going to find John and grab our stuff, and I can see the taxi waiting,” he pointed down the street at a black cab, the driver looking up at the couple, was it the same taxi driver that had brought them to the cathedral but hours ago? “Oh it’s the same man, listen why don’t you go on down and wait for me in t
he taxi?” Theodore asked a tired and quiet Eveline.

  “Alright, you won’t be long?” she enquired quietly, her eyes downcast.

  “No, I promise.” uttered Theodore now walking back into the church, leaving Eveline alone under the gaze of the moon, full and bright. Silently and quickly, Eveline made her way down the steps of the Cathedral toward the taxi. Before stepping into the cab, she gazed once more upon the beautiful church, still feeling disorientated, and shook her head silently before getting in.

  “Aw, it’s you again miss,” smiled the taxi driver, turning round to face her as she was taking off her hat. “Gosh you look done in,” he announced, worry etching his tired face.

  “It’s been a dreadfully long day,” replied Eveline not really in the mood to talk.

  “Your telling me,” smiled the driver, “ why you were in Keswick this morning, Bristol this afternoon and now your off to Bath, you need a good night’s sleep.” He recommended turning back round to watch the small crowds, lighting a cigarette. Eveline coughed into her hand at the smell of the tobacco, filling the cold cab, it whirled about in circles and stuck to the windows. Just as she was about to reply, a door opened and in jumped Theodore with two leather suitcases.