“See you later Hannah,” he smiled, closing the door and following Eveline and Belle to the gate. Belle opened the gate and let Eveline pass through before holding up her arms, waiting for Galean to lift her into his embrace.
“You rogue!” laughed Eveline gazing back at the pair of them sticking out their tongues at her. The happy trio, carefully made their way through the back streets to the assembly halls, chattering and laughing almost unaware of anyone else. As they reached the assembly halls, Galean let Belle down, taking her hand as she shuffled her way past Eveline, who was now taking off her hat. Galean offered Eveline a lop sided smile as he passed by.
“You go on, I will be there in two minutes,” she laughed, waving him away with a glove. Eveline smiled at the young lady on at the entrance before following Galean, feeling a slight unease at the gaze of a particular man, who now stood close by.
“Miss,” The man took off his hat in acknowledgement.
“Sir,” she replied quickly, passing the man and making her way towards the ballroom. Once at the ballroom she stopped, leaning against a wall her breathing stressed, and her stomach swollen with anxiety. Carefully she turned to see if the man had followed, but was met with emptiness and silence. Holding her stomach with her hand, she forced herself away from the wall and calmly made her entrance into the ballroom, empty but for Belle and Galean who were dancing happily. Eveline stood and gazed upon the pair, laughing and dancing merrily. It seemed that Galean had changed, his mood was lighter, Belle had a strange effect on him, and maybe she reminded him of his daughter. Eveline tried to mirror Galean’s contentment at home, but found it increasingly hard to do so a mixture of night terrors and admiration for him causing inward conflict. Theodore had her heart almost instantly, but she could not deny the deeply embedded, unforeseen feelings she had towards the ever different Galean, so unreadable and yet in a strange way readable. Eveline had to keep herself in check, yes she could be friendly with him, but whatever feelings she felt arose in his company, they could not be outflanked by the feelings she had for Theodore.
Eveline found herself disorientated, as though in two worlds. At night she lay awake in fear, her dreams straying from the garden to utter darkness and always she awoke to the strange vision of a person at the foot of her bed. Each night, the pain from the bite she had experienced in her sleep got deeper, she found herself feeling nauseous and unable to eat. Each night, Theodore died in her arms in the gardens. Each night she was being drawn towards the throne, magic vibrating through her body, she was able to do incredible things with her hands, she could move the boat, and stir the water, but she couldn’t bring Theodore back to life, no matter how hard she tried. Eveline felt a hand on her wrist that drew her immediately back into the present. Belle was at her heel moving her towards the centre of the room.
“Come, dance” she smiled, twirling around. Eveline followed the little rogue and met Galean, who stood holding out his hand.
“May I?” he asked politely, his eyes burning with intent. Eveline lowered her own, golden eyes, afraid in case they betrayed her.
“There is no music,” she whispered, keeping her eyes lowered.
“I can sing!” Belle smiled, stepping back, “twinkle, twinkle little star,” she answered watching Eveline and Galean.
“Come, I will guide you,” whispered Galean taking Eveline into his arms. Belle began to sing, her little, tender voice filling the ballroom. Eveline let her hand relax in his, her fingers tingling as they touched his own. Galean laid his right hand on her waist bringing her into him with ease, his eyes on her face, downcast and pink. “You have to look at me,” he teased softly.
“Oh, right,” mumbled Eveline lifting her eyes up towards his face, smiling awkwardly. Galean let his hand spread across the curve of Eveline’s back as the danced in harmony.
“Twinkle, twinkle little star, how we wonder what you are,” Galean sang gently, “ up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky, twinkle, twinkle little star, how we wonder what you are, but your secrets are no more…,” Eveline smiled as he sang into her ear, her hair standing on end. “Relax” he whispered.
“I am relaxed,” she argued pitifully, her eyes questioning him.
“No you are not, your back is rigid, relax,” he commanded softly. Eveline dropped her eyes, “and keep your eyes on me always.”
“Stop telling me off,” she muttered, letting her back relax against his hand. Galean let out a deep laugh as he swirled her around the ballroom.
“That’s it,” he teased, letting Eveline spin out before spinning her back into him, lifting her up into the air.
“Galean!” she cried in between merriment and embarrassment, “put me down at once!” she ordered, letting her hands settle on his shoulders, looking down into his blue eyes.
“No!” he teased mercilessly as the singing stopped, “Belle don’t stop singing!” he ordered laughing out loud as Eveline wriggled in his arms.
“Okay!” smiled Belle, coming to join the pair, holding on to Eveline’s foot, making her stop wriggling instantly. “ My bonnie lies over the ocean, my bonnie lies over the sea, my bonnie lies over the ocean, oh bring back my bonnie to me, bring back, bring back, oh bring back my bonnie to me, to me, bring back, bring back, oh bring back my bonnie to me..,” sang Belle.
“Last night as I lay on my pillow, last night as I lay on my bed..,” sang Galean looking up into Eveline’s eyes, “ Last night as I lay on my pillow, I dreamt that my bonnie was dead…, your turn”.
“No!”
“Yes!”
“You are very annoying!”
“Just sing that damn song!” laughed Galean.
“Don’t use such language in front of a child.”
“You are very trying!”
“The winds have blown over the ocean, the winds have blown over the sea, and the winds have blown over the ocean, and brought back my bonnie to me…,”
Together the trio ended the song together, “bring back, oh bring back my bonnie to me, bring back, bring back, bring back…,”
“Bring back my bonnie to me,” whispered Galean closing his eyes and thinking of his wife and daughter. Eveline looked down into Galean’s pained face and wondered what ailed him as they stopped dancing and singing.
“Galean,” she whispered tenderly bringing him back from his distant memory.
“Sorry,” he murmured letting her down onto her feet gently, letting go of her hands abruptly and standing back.
“Is everything alright?” Eveline asked alarmed at the sudden change in Galean’s demeanour. Galean smiled weakly, taking Belle’s hand in his own.
“Yes, sorry I don’t know what happened, shall we move on?” he enquired, quickly leading the way out, Belle at his side. Eveline stood in the empty ballroom dazed, what had happened? Had she insulted him? Was the dance to intimate for him?
“Wait, I’m coming!” she yelled after the pair, quickly picking up her hat and following them into the card room that lead onto a formal garden. In the corner of the card room sat a piano, untouched and quiet. Eveline watched as Galean strode over to the piano, as Belle looked around. Tired and a little confused, Eveline took a seat near the piano and reclined her back into the wall taking a breather. Belle happily enchanted with the room danced around before sitting up beside Galean.
“Can you play something?” she asked curiously, letting her fingers touch the keys testing out the sound.
“What would you like me to play?” Galean asked keeping his eyes from Eveline and concentrating on his little companion.
“I don’t know, something cheery,” Belle replied, lifting her hands away and awaiting Galean’s music.
“You won’t have heard of this song, but I find it merry enough,” Galean announced out loud. Eveline tried to reach him through her eyes, but it was a wasted activity, he was ignoring her for whatever reason. This was why he was so hard to read she thought, one moment he was kind and attentive and the next he was aloof and forlorn as though
he had entered into another world, dark and painful. Galean began to play a tune that Eveline recognised as Vaughan William’s piano concerto in C Major: 1. it was indeed a merry and beautiful piece of music written by one of her favourite composers. Eveline wondered whether Theodore enjoyed Vaughan William’s too, she wondered what it would have been like to dance in his arms and yet when she was in Galean’s arms she felt as though she had been reintroduced to a vital part of her being, as confusing and conflicting as that thought was, it was the honest truth. Eveline closed her eyes and listened to the music, letting her head relax against the wall. She could see trees and beautiful fields, she could feel Theodore’s hand in her own as they waltzed through the magical place, happy and in love. Eveline let herself become emerged in her daydream as Galean played piano concerto C major: 11, she could now see Theodore’s beautiful face, gazing down at her own, his beautifully blue eyes and thin lips.
Eveline found her hand stroking his forehead tenderly as he bent to kiss her mouth gently, birds singing in the background and the sound of lapping water gently adding to the moment. Eveline felt Theodore’s mouth lift away from her own and she opened her eyes slowly, a summers light cascading around her. Finding her focus she found, in shock and in delight that she looked up into the face of Galean, so different in looks and yet equally as beautiful. Unable to let go of him, selfish as she felt, guilt ridden as she became, she lifted her feet up off the ground, balancing on her toes, and she kissed him lightly on the cheek, letting her arms fall around his neck softly, laying her head in the alcove of his neck. Eveline closed her dreamlike self’s eyes, as Galean gently wound his own arms about her, kissing her head softly.
“Eveline” he murmured poetically into her ear.
“Yes?” she sighed, her hold tightening.
“You and I, we are one, we always will be, we were written in the stars since time began,” he whispered, kissing her tenderly.
“No,” she argued, “No I love Theodore.”
“You love me too,” replied Galean quietly, “you just don’t know it.”
Eveline felt a tap on her hand and awakened just before she answered in reply. Belle was sitting by her side, her head tucked into her arm. Eveline had no idea how long she had been daydreaming, but it mustn’t have been too long as Galean was still playing. Eveline smiled down at Belle and lifted her arm to allow her access to her body, letting her arm fall around the little child. Eveline covered her mouth as she yawned lightly. Off course her daydream was scandalous, it was impossible to love two men at once she agreed, she was just missing Theodore’s company and found comfort in Galean, who was still grieving for his wife and daughter. Eveline looked over at Galean, whose eyes were closed as though he too had become lost in the moment, she would never know that he too dreamed of her in his arms. Just as Eveline let her eyes fall on the dreamlike Galean, he opened his own and found hers for a mere second that seemed to live on forever. Silently they gazed, confused and in a state of yearning.
“Do you love him,” whispered Belle, her eyes looking up into Eveline’s, all innocence and curiosity.
“No, not like that dear, he is just my friend, my heart belongs to another,” she replied, thinking of Theodore and feeling safe again. No her heart beat for Theodore, whatever she felt for Galean was alarmingly unalike anything she had ever felt and it scared her. Eveline had first set her eyes on Theodore, only a mere week ago, it was selfish and cruel to think of another, to dream of another.
“I think he is your angel too,” murmured Belle, smiling.
“Well aren’t I lucky?” replied Eveline kissing Belle on the head.
“Yes,” she answered bluntly, “he is your star.”
“He surely cannot be both?” Eveline chuckled noticing that Galean had finished playing and was making his way to their sides.
“He can be anything.” Demanded Belle adamantly. Galean sat down beside Belle and looked at the pair with a frown.
“May I ask what you were talking about?” he enquired happily.
“Oh nothing of consequence,” blushed Eveline, trying to keep a straight face.
“I told her you were her angel,” blurted Belle, now sitting up to take in the reactions of both Eveline and Galean.
“I am?” he smiled down at Belle in mock play, rolling his eyes at Eveline.
“Off course you are silly!” she announced bluntly, her little eyes growing large in determination.
“Well if you say so dear,” cooed Eveline, “shall we go to the shops now?” she asked hopefully, needing to get out of this conversation quickly.
“Okay,” replied Belle, getting up and pulling Eveline with her.
*
Snow began to fall as Lagmar stood across from the Georgian house that housed Eveline, known to him as Celestine, her given name. Standing beside him was Balem, also a prince of hell and commander of legions.
“I cannot get near her when she is protected by angels,” Lagmar hissed, his black eyes almost transparent enough that the flecks of snow reflected against their blackness.
“But you bite her?” Balem asked looking up at his master, who smiled sickly at the question.
“She may be guarded by angels, but her mind is open and willing, yes I bite her, although she now closes off all her mind to the darkness.” Lagmar replied darkly, watching the figures of Galean, Eveline and Belle pass by the window.
“She must be getting stronger if she is refusing you entry,” Balem answered, his eyes rotating 360 degrees around, keeping an eye on their surroundings.
“Yes, but the bite will weaken her,” smiled Lagmar, “not even the angels can cure a shadow bite.”
“Only the prince of heaven can and his eyes are elsewhere,” muttered Balem pathetically, his eyes refocusing on the Georgian house. “How will you take her?”
“The child,” Lagmar sneered, “I will lead her to me.”
“The poison, how long does it take until it takes affect?” Balem asked intently, hissing like a snake.
“A few days, she will willingly come to me,” replied Lagmar arrogantly, “they always do.”
“And then what?” Balem enquired, licking his fingers and running them through his hair.
“You can have the child, I will take the bitch to our master.” Lagmar smiled a sick joy spreading throughout his body at the idea of capturing Celestine, his most prized gift to Lagar, a gift that would earn him eternal praise and power.
“Yes, the child,” hissed Balem. “She is mine.”
“Soon my friend, soon.”
Chapter VII
Lier
“Follow me,” Lier whispered to Theodore, who stood behind him quietly, the light of the fading sun on his face. Barnes Old Cemetery stood quiet and undisturbed, under the protection of trees, twisted and gnarled. Theodore off course knew of Barnes Old Cemetery, it was commonly known at the shadows liar, the meeting place of shadows and a place of ritual sacrifice. Theodore had found Lier slumped over a tonne of paperwork that very afternoon, frustrated and on edge. When asked why he was in a state of anxiety he looked up from his work and sighed heavily, his thin, frail fingers running through his silver hair.
“I am the keeper of London and I missed it!” he muttered, holding a letter in his hand, stretching it out to Theodore who looked down at it.
My dear sir,
As you are our Keeper, it has come to my attention that the Arch Bishop Fisher has been taken by Dantel and five or his legion shadows to their meeting place. I believe they wish to sacrifice him to their master Lagar as Fisher is one of the anointed. We both know that when one of the anointed is sacrificed, their God given gifts are extracted and used to fuel the legion masters, making them stronger. You must help me, he is my father and I his only son.
Yours sincerely
George Fisher.
Theodore drew in a heavy sigh as he dropped the letter down by his side, gazing at the old keeper, now bent over the fireplace, a pipe in his mouth.
“You know the
Arch Bishop is the most powerful of the anointed?” he pointed out bluntly, taking a seat at the table and looking over the maps.
“I know,” muttered Lier, a billow of smoke rising into the air around his frail body.
“If they kill him, they will become more powerful than we are,” Theodore went on, his eyes on the marked points of London. “What is this map for?”
Lier turned from the fireplace and walked over to the table, puffing on his pipe.
“I keep count of the shadow hide outs, they increase yearly,” Lier spoke darkly, “they increase and our angels decrease, it’s a pandemic of a catastrophic nature.”
“Why are our angels decreasing so radically?” Theodore enquired, worried by the new information, information he had not been aware of until now.
“The war, most of the guardians are, well off guarding the soldiers, leaving those left behind, vulnerable and easy prey for the shadows,” Lier moaned.
“I don’t understand surely there are enough guardians to protect those in London?” answered Theodore slightly confused.
“Theodore the shadows are becoming stronger than our kind, killing us is now easier than it has ever been, Gabriel is calling a council soon, he will tell us everything.” Lier replied quietly, “there is something strange at work, guardians are retreating to heaven, and Heiden is calling back those who can be spared.”
“Whatever for?” Theodore asked anxiously. Lier dropped into his leather seat and slumped backwards.
“Lagar has been hiding a secret weapon,” replied a tired and forlorn Lier, “he has been keeping it hidden, waiting patiently until the time arose, in which he could reveal it.”
“What weapon?” Theodore whispered, leaning in toward Lier as though spies were hidden amongst the walls.
“A hybrid some say, I believe it is a hybrid,” replied Lier, his eyes closing as though he was in pain.
One Crown & Two Thrones: The Guardians Page 15