Limping around the altar, still weak and poorly, Galean bent over Eveline, letting his left hand rest upon her forehead. She looked so peaceful, her skin was smooth and milk white, her lips red and still. With his right hand he found her hand and encased it within his own.
“Look at the mess you’ve created,” he began smiling deeply as she breathed in, almost a reaction to his voice. “I kiss you and all hell descends upon us.” Galean lifted her hand and kissed her fingers gently.
“I think fate is trying to tell us something else,” he whispered weakly, “Maybe we are not bound to one another as Heiden prophesised, we seriously have to ask ourselves if it is worth it, one kiss and all the chaos that follows,” he sniffed, “I will admit though, only to you, that it was the most astounding kiss I have ever received,” he laughed deeply, “my wife would kill me if she were here,” he frowned, “and on that note I must tell you that I am here to say goodbye…,” he tried to control his breathing. “You will think me dead when you wake and that is maybe for the best, we are just not meant to be bound by fate I think, you love Cael and despite his pride nearly killing all of us, he is my friend and I must honour that friendship. I understand his hunger for your love my dear,” he smiled, “I once was in love too, and I would have fought the universe to have her as my wife, as I would you. But that’s just it, I cannot fall in love again, it is just too sore, and it has complicated your life beyond what is due. True love is to put that other person in front of yourself and to do what is best for them.” Galean let his chin fall to her forehead gently.
“You deserve to have a happy life with Theodore, whether I think it is the right thing to do or not, it is not for me to decide. I must go home and be with my father, our kingdoms are in dangerous waters my love, and I must see to it that I protect our people, too long have they been made to suffer, too long have I stayed away from them.” Galean rested his cheek upon her forehead and stroked her hair with his hand. “Theodore is a better choice, he doesn’t have the burdens that I bare, he isn’t complicated like me, and he doesn’t have a kingdom to defend. If you decide to come home, I will be waiting for you. Someone has to put your brother into order,” he teased weakly, “better me than you.”
Lifting himself away, Galean looked down at the sleeping Eveline. A tear dropped onto her eyelid as he gazed at her for the last time.
“It isn’t that I want to walk away and leave my love,” he stammered pathetically, “it is that I love you and wish you to be safe and happy. Fate seems to be drawing us away from one another and when your grandfather tells you the truth that he ordered me to win your heart, you will avert your eyes from me and your love, and I cannot stay to witness such an agony, it would tear me apart, and I have to ask myself,” he cried softly, “who needs me more? You? Or my people? And at first I argued that it was you, you my fiercely, determined Eveline,” he gushed, “but when I returned home, when I bore witness to the poverty, anguish and hopelessness in the faces of my own people, I could not defend my love for you anymore, I had to choose them.” Galean held his head in his hands, “you will think me a coward,” he cried painfully, “but I would be a coward for letting the forces of evil and drivers of despair to condemn innocent people that deserve to live in the light. What kind of man would I be to leave my lands vulnerable to such hatred and devilry?” Galean silenced his cries and looked up from his hands, his eyes bloodshot with exhaustion. “You will forget me soon, you have already chosen and I cannot win you over.” Carefully, Galean bent over and let his lips hover above her own. “I love you, I will always love you, but I have to let you go as you must let me go,” he whispered before kissing her gently on the lips, his tears falling upon her eyes. Standing up, he carefully let his hand dip into the side of his robe, taking out a necklace. Galean held the necklace up to the light. It was a golden diamond, shaped like a star, dangling from a thin golden chain. “This was my mothers, she believed that when she needed my father the most it spoke to him, I have never given to anyone, not even my wife,” he spoke softly, putting the necklace around her throat gently. “If you need me, I will hear you,” he promised, kissing her again before turning away. Galean limped down the altar steps and down the nave, turning once more to look at Eveline, before opening the church door and leaving, closing it behind him for the last time.
*
Eveline gasped as she awoke, her lips warm as if they had been kissed. Touching her lips with her fingers, she stared up at the cathedral’s ceiling, the light of the sun warming her face. Gently, she sat up, feeling a jewel at her chest fall in between the arch of her breasts. Looking down she took the beautiful star shaped diamond into her fingers, frowning. The diamond glowed as she touched it carefully.
“Celestine?” a female voice spoke. Eveline looked to her left and found a beautiful woman standing beside her, her eyes wide with shock, “you’re awake,” she announced. Yes she was awake, and she had remembered everything.
“That is my real name,” she whispered to the cathedral around her.
“Yes,” the woman smiled, coming up to her and taking her hand in her own, gazing into her eyes.
“Who are you?” Eveline asked confused.
“I am Jophiel, I am an angel, I am to look after you for as long as you need me,” Jophiel smiled, Celestine was truly beautiful. The church doors opened wide behind them and Theodore entered.
“Eveline?” he announced, running down the nave.
“Theodore!” cried Eveline swinging over the side of the altar and jumping down onto the floor, leaving Jophiel behind and running to meet him. Jophiel watched as the couple embraced passionately, holding one another tightly.
“Eveline,” Theodore cried into her hair longingly, “you’ve returned to me!”
“Yes, and I know Theodore, I know!” Eveline cried, looking up into his face, “you saved me, you brought me here, you’re my guardian.”
“How do you know?” Theodore asked a little shocked.
“I met my grandfather, I was there, I saw my parents, I saw my mother when she pregnant with me and,” Eveline cried, “I saw them dying and you coming to save me.” Eveline reached up and kissed Theodore on the lips tenderly, “thank you,” she whispered.
“Eveline, I have done you wrong,” Theodore began, stepping back, “my pride, my love for you, it’s because of me that all this has happened.”
“But I’m better, I’m awake now Theodore, it’s all alright,” smiled Eveline. Theodore looked up to Jophiel who looked down at him sadly, Eveline followed his gaze and frowned. “Theodore, what is it?” she asked him nervously.
“Eveline, you need sit down, I have something to tell you,” Theodore began, leading her to a nearby pew and sitting her down beside him, taking her hand in his own.
“What is it that makes you tremble so?” smiled Eveline anxiously.
“When we were at the ball, you fainted, you were bitten by Lagar’s snake, Galean and I we took you here, immediately,” Theodore stammered, “we left your grandmother behind with her neighbour Harold.”
“Oh gosh she’s going to be out of her mind with worry Theodore, have you told her I am here?” Eveline asked hopefully. Theodore shook his head silently.
“My friends, Peter, Bram and Ada they were at your home watching over Belle and Mary, but they fell asleep, they were so consumed with exhaustion,” Theodore began watching Eveline’s face fall into silence the truth beginning to dawn on her, “ Lagmar, Balem and Mary killed them, she was possessed by a demon called Narathan, well known to us. Eveline,” he stammered watching her eyes water, “she killed your grandmother and her friend.”
“No,” whispered Eveline, her chest rising and falling abruptly, “no that cannot be, no, she is alive,” she cried looking up at Jophiel for support but only finding sorrow.
“No Eveline, she is dead,” repeated Theodore.
“And Belle?” Eveline turned around and asked.
“She was taken by Lagmar and Belem, two princes of hell, they brough
t her to a cemetery in London, to partake in a ritual,” Theodore said quietly, keeping her hand in his own.
“And?” Eveline whispered desperately.
“You were here, I couldn’t leave you, so Galean went after her with Jophiel,” Theodore explained.
“And where are they?” Eveline asked urgently. Theodore tried to answer but found that he had no words left.
“I found Belle,” Jophiel interrupted, stepping down from the altar steps and making her way to Eveline, tears falling down her cheek.
“They are safe then,” Eveline sighed deeply, bending over and holding her chest tightly.
“Belle is safe,” whispered Jophiel. Eveline looked up weakly, “Galean did not make it out alive.” Eveline began to shake uncontrollably and tried to stand up, holding onto the pew for strength.
“You are sure?” she asked painfully remembering their last moments together.
“Yes,” whispered Theodore, standing up beside her, putting his arm around her. Eveline bent her head forward, tears falling onto her hands, her back pained by the grieve and anger she felt.
“Why?” she cried desperately, wanting to be with her grandfather, wanting to understand. The cathedral lay silent as her cries filled it with sorrow and agony. Weakly she fell back into Theodore, falling to the hard ground, her eyes blurred with tears. Heiden was right, she would return an altered person. Jophiel walked to the pew and helped Theodore to get Eveline to her feet once more.
“Come, we need to bring her back to my house,” ordered Jophiel raising her hands and clapping them together, the trio vanishing from the cathedral.
*
“She is sleeping,” Jophiel whispered, closing the bedroom door behind her and turning to a tired Theodore, “shall we have some tea?” she asked.
“She will be alright?” Theodore asked urgently, following Jophiel down the stairs and into the afternoon parlour, were a maid had a tea tray ready for them.
“Yes, she has gone through a lot in the last few weeks Cael, she needs time and space to process it all,” Jophiel explained motioning for him to take the seat opposite her own.
“How do I help?” he asked, taking a cup of tea from her and sitting back into the chair.
“Well I suppose if I am being honest, you will need to give her time,” Jophiel frowned as she poured a little milk into her cup, stirring it with a silver spoon.
“When she finds out it is my fault her grandmother died, she will hate me,” Theodore sighed, taking a bite from a biscuit and looking out of the bay window, his gaze lingering on the park, filled with children and their mothers and in some cases nannies.
“There is no need for her to find out, she has enough to deal with, she needs you with her not exiled from her company, no this you must keep to yourself,” muttered Jophiel wisely, it wasn’t lying she argued with herself, it was protecting an already torn woman from being completely winded by life. Jophiel relaxed her back into her chair and enjoyed her tea and biscuit, watching Theodore battle his demons.
“She needs time to get to grips with her grandmothers death and well,” she smiled weakly, “everything, so I think time to heal is what is needed now more than ever, and some female company.”
“Your right, she doesn’t need me badgering her, do you think I should bring her home to Keswick?” Theodore asked folding his leg over the other.
“In a few weeks yes, but not just yet, was her grandmother brought back to Keswick do you know?” Jophiel asked taking a sip of tea.
“Yes, I had her brought back and buried in her family grave,” nodded Theodore, at least he had got something right, and he squirmed.
“And how is Belle?”
“Back to her normal self I think, sometimes I stand at the corner of her road and watch her play, she doesn’t seem too altered, but then again she doesn’t remember,” answered Theodore.
“And any leads on Lagmar?” Jophiel enquired, sipping away at her tea sighing with the relief it gave her.
“No, but we got rid of the rest of them, burned them,” replied Theodore.
“Good, well not good considering Galean has been killed, he was,” she cast her eyes to the park, “a very considerable angel, brave and courageous.”
“Yes, he always was,” smiled Theodore, the loss of Galean had not really settled with Theodore, and he agreed to himself almost daily, was living in a state of denial.
“To put himself before everyone else,” eyed Jophiel seriously, regretting her words instantly.
“Yes,” muttered Theodore, “he was a better man than I ever will be.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Jophiel moaned.
“It is but really it is okay, I know what I have done is bad,” admitted Theodore, “if only I had listened none of this would be happening.”
“Yes well we could sit here and discuss the what if’s till the cows come home and it wouldn’t change what has happened, we must move forward,” commanded Jophiel kindly, “that means you getting yourself out of this puddle of self-pity and looking after the woman you gave up everything for.”
“Are you always this forward?” Theodore smiled at Jophiel, so prim and proper.
“Actually no, but the events of that night have changed my perspective a little,” Jophiel replied a little darkly, her lips curving into a weak smile.
“What was life like before you ran into us?” Theodore asked curiously, wiping a crumb off is tweed jacket.
“Boring and slightly predictable, just the way I like it,” sighed Jophiel, she should be at Oxford this week giving lectures on the french enlightment, but there were other, more serious matters at hand.
“I’ve met quite a lot of angel’s here on earth and they never willingly love the boring and predictable way of life,” laughed Theodore, refreshed at a different topic with which to discuss.
“Oh I know, I’ve met a lot myself, I do wonder though how I being an angel that is supposed to encourage change, can find the predictable so interesting,” frowned Jophiel.
“Well thinking about change is slightly different from actually acting on it,” mused Theodore, this had been a problem he had dealt with increasingly in his own lifetime, “thoughts stay within the mind, but physical change is an entirely different scenario.”
“I suppose it is, well, I have to say it makes a nice change talking about something well less heavy,” smiled Jophiel.
“Yes, as perverse as it may seem, it is,” laughed Theodore.
“When I find myself in difficult situations, I can’t help it I just go a little bit mental, like being in severe denial you know?” Jophiel shrugged.
“Yes I understand, I think severe anxiety and trauma does that even to us angels,” Theodore answered deeply, his face relaxed and warm.
“It’s strange how similar we can be to humans,” Jophiel observed seriously.
“Yes, it is, but they are in Gods image, even if it is only a little bit,” Theodore smirked, “we got the better genes,” he laughed.
“Yes, exactly so, but you know humanity gets it right sometimes,” Jophiel answered rolling her eyes.
“It’s true, and we angels get it wrong sometimes.”
“Do you have somewhere to stay while you are here?” Jophiel asked Theodore getting up and putting the empty cups on the tray.
“I have accommodation about two miles away,” Theodore replied curiously.
“Good, I think it best to give Celestine a few days to come around then maybe you can come and visit,” Jophiel ordered, her eyes averted from Theodore, who was frowning.
“A few days?” he questioned.
“Yes, I think she will be very confused and you being here will only confuse her more, she loves you that won’t change, but she needs space and when she feels better you can come and visit,” Jophiel replied carefully, sounding very much like a teacher.
“I suppose so if you think space will help?” Theodore asked, getting up and readying himself to leave.
“Yes, I don’t mean to
sound harsh or condescending, I just, I..,” she stammered, “I understand what it is to find yourself cornered by life and space helped me and it will help her.”
“Alright I will leave her in your safe hands,” Theodore smiled warmly making for the front door, “but if you need me, if she needs me please let me know?”
“I will certainly, I do not mean to separate you both,” smiled Jophiel opening the door and letting him out.
“Alright, well I will see you in a few days,” answered Theodore waving and walking down the short garden lane and onto the road, glancing up quickly at Eveline’s room before heading off, putting his hat on. Jophiel sighed heavily and leaned against the wall with her tray before closing the door behind her.
Jophiel let herself get back into her normal routine, whilst keeping an eye on Eveline, who was unable to get out of bed. Christmas Eve arrived quietly much to Jophiels pleasure, as she decorated her tree with a content smile upon her face. It was time she thought, time to bring Eveline out of her dark and lonely cave. Setting a box down and hanging a toy soldier on a branch, Jophiel left the day room and rang the bell for her maid, Bettie.
“Ah Bettie, would you be so kind as to make up some broth and bring it up to Eveline’s room,” she ordered kindly, the young maid nodding and turning away. Jophiel had not heard from Theodore in four days and was pleased, Eveline needed to have some time spent apart from him, she needed to be reminded of who she was without Theodore. Jophiel had spent the previous evening sorting through her clothes, setting aside any dresses, skirts, blouses and other garments that would suit Eveline. Tonight, she was going to feed her, bathe her and bring her down for some mulled wine. As she opened the door to Eveline’s room, she was met by darkness. Quickly and with ease she made for the window and drew back the cream curtains turning to a sleeping Eveline, pale, thin and a ghost of herself. Jophiel heard Bettie enter the room with a tray, setting it down on the bedside table.
One Crown & Two Thrones: The Guardians Page 30