HAGEN: 1. Revelations

by Jadhe HAMILTON

  Then, when they felt Tara looking at them from down the hall, Hugo and Nina both turned towards her unexpectedly. Immediately, she felt her legs weaken and her heartbeat accelerate. Swallowing to hide her sudden nervousness, she declared:

  “I'm going to take a bath...”

  “Great!” answered Hugo with a smile. “Do you want me to come with you?”

  “Why are you informing us?” asked Nina unenthusiastically.

  “So that no one knocks on the door and bothers me ... Please give Emily the message if you see her.”

  Despite the coach's arrogance, Tara couldn't help but gawk at her. Just like when she had met her for the first time, she was utterly hypnotized by her. She now understood why Nina had been so important to her, even though she hadn’t known her at the time. It was the seraph inside of her who had recognized her angel.

  Suddenly, the coach, who felt Tara’s gaze on her, turned to her with questioning eyes. Caught in the act, Tara blushed and quickly disappeared into her room, short of breath. Discovering Nina's angel had made her lose her bearings. Despite her strong feelings for Victor, she could no longer ignore Diane’s feelings. Nonetheless, she was convinced that when she saw her man again, everything would return to the way it was...

  Now that she thought about it, what had become of Victor? She hadn't been able to contact him for months, thanks to the inhumane rules imposed by Emily. And John and the others had made sure Victor wouldn’t try to contact her. His feelings hadn’t been spared and it was without any reasonable explanation "that she had said goodbye to him ».

  Nevertheless, the relationship she had with him was so gratifying and so intense that she could never imagine giving him up. Additionally, the last two months had shown her that it wasn't Nina's angel that made her happy: the coach tormented her daily, and what’s more, she took pleasure in doing so.

  Thus, she knew that the man of her life was indeed Victor. Consequently, she would go and see him today to explain, and take back her place by his side. As the missionaries themselves had promised, once she had recovered Hagen, she no longer had to live in their apartment!

  Determined, she entered her bathroom with the firm intention of paying Victor a visit after her bath. The jacuzzi was already overflowing with foam. Naked, she dipped her foot and then her entire calf into the hot water. She shivered with pleasure. Longing to surrender to the warmth of the water, she sank to the bottom of the jacuzzi, allowing the foam to caress her breasts and cover her long golden locks. She was ecstatic. She turned off the water and sank into her bubble bath with sheer delight. What luxury! Now that she had retrieved her weapon, she was living the life of a queen. Perhaps this is what it was like to be a seraph?

  Proud of the new-found power that Tara deemed well-deserved after all the trials, pain and privations imposed by the missionaries, she basked in the warmth of her bath with a huge smile on her face. Her body now felt light and she was filled with a delightful feeling of happiness and serenity... She knew she was on the right track. Now that she had retrieved her sword, she only had a few more steps to take before she could return to the kingdom of the angels.

  She shivered with excitement as she recalled the Sphere with its sublime monuments and villages of Greek and Roman architecture... the temples were as tall as the hills... Soon, Diane would return to her empire, to the stone and marble palace that overlooked the district of her legionaries... A marvel of architecture, as vast as her power was great…

  With her eyes closed, Tara lost herself in an idyllic world, lulled by the sound of the sea and the cicadas, in a world between the Sphere and the Earth. Soon, the white stone of the temples was replaced by the limestone of Provence... While the smell of the pine trees and the ocean breeze had taken her on a voyage to the rocky creeks of the south of France, her dreams took her to the city of the angels, where every shape, every sound and every color had a magical glow.

  Before long, the sound of the sea and the bright sunlight took her to a cove with turquoise and crystalline water, setting her down on a rock next to the water like a mermaid basking in the sun. The sky was blue, pure and cloudless. Above the rocks, on the shore, the pines were gently stirring in the breeze. With her body immersed in the clear water and her face warmed by the summer sun, she felt at home.

  Then, on the verge of falling asleep, she felt a presence on the rock next to her. Intrigued but not worried, she slowly turned to the man who was staring at her with eyes so blue even the sea could envy them. Mysterious and stunning, he couldn’t take his eyes off her as he knelt on the rock, his face leaning towards her. Despite his impassive air, Tara couldn’t help but smile at him. How handsome he was with his hair as black as night. And how her heart leapt when she contemplated him...

  Suddenly, she realized it wasn't Victor that she was seeing. Feeling terribly guilty, she pulled herself out of her daydream as she sat up with a start. With her heart still pounding, she realized that she really hadn’t dreamt of Victor. No, she had dreamt of Nina's angel...

  It was definitely time for her to leave this apartment she thought.

  In order to forget about him, she actively focused on Victor. He was the one she loved, she knew it. Nina's angel was certainly impressive, but he wasn't impressive enough to overshadow Victor. Moreover, she had already been convinced for several weeks that Victor was an angel too...

  Thus, to stop thinking about Nina's angel, she tried her best to picture the face of her handsome businessman in her mind. Nonetheless, and despite all her efforts, the face that she loved so much blended systematically with the face of the legionary, to the point where she sometimes had trouble differentiating them. They looked so much alike that is was unsettling...

  Hopeless, she sighed in dismay. Even her imagination couldn’t distinguish Victor from Nina's angel; their two faces merged inevitably in her mind. This realization affected her so much that she decided to cut her bath short and go to Victor immediately.

  Her heart pounded at the thought of their imminent reunion. As she began to get ready, she felt that it was finally time to reawaken the seductive woman inside of her.

  With butterflies in her stomach, she conditioned her long hair with the creams she hadn’t used for weeks and let it dry naturally to preserve the beauty of her long wavy locks. Already feeling more self-confident now that her beautiful mane was free and well taken care of, she lightly made up her big doe-like eyes before applying her Rouge Sanguin lipstick by Yves-Saint-Laurent.

  When she was finished, she looked at herself in the mirror, shocked by what she saw. Her face, slimmer than it had been before, radiated a strength of character that she wasn’t yet familiar with, and her once round jaw was now slightly more protruding. Her eyes, which shone with hope and intelligence, also seemed larger and brighter.

  Breathless, she contemplated herself for a few minutes. There was no doubt that she had changed a great deal in the last few months, both physically and mentally; and although she hadn’t yet regained her position at the head of the Fifth Legion, she was already proud of the road she had travelled. The only thing she hoped for now was that Victor would still find her to his liking with twenty-two pounds less.

  Trembling slightly as the fateful moment approached, she went to her wardrobe and instinctively chose her favorite dress. But, to her dismay, the dress no longer highlighted her figure as it had before; she had lost her generous curves. She panicked: apart from her sportswear, she hadn't renewed her wardrobe at all! All she had were the clothes she had brought with her from home. They were her most beautiful outfits and she had always worn them with pleasure and pride as they highlighted her lavish curves to perfection. In despair, she ended up choosing a short dress with flowers and lace that was only slightly longer than a babydoll. The dress had always been a bit too tight for her overflowing love handles in the past, but now, she realized that her body was floating in it.

  Still, she had to put everything into perspective she thought, as she looked at herself in the mirror
. With her beautiful unattached mane and her thin figure in her pretty flowered dress, she knew that she would still please Victor... Slightly reassured, she took the time to choose her heels and her coat. It wasn't as cold outside anymore, but her light clothing required her to cover up well. Once again, she wore her thick and warm cashmere coat.

  It was in front of Nina and Hugo’s stunned eyes that she walked to the front door, her head held high and her face shining in delight. The gladiator was so fascinated by her new appearance that he even forgot to comment. His eyes and mouth were wide open as she walked past him. As for Nina, she turned to Tara only after having seen Hugo's reaction. Tara could see that she had trouble hiding the effect that her new appearance had on her, even though Nina looked at her with her usual condescending air. Not the least bit troubled by their reactions, Tara cast a malicious glance at them before disappearing into the corridor.

  A few seconds later, when she finally set foot outside, she felt as though she was coming back to life after a long hibernation. The fresh air and the sun’s rays touched her skin for the first time in months! Enraptured, she walked light-heartedly towards Boulevard Saint-Michel to catch a taxi. Then, she looked up to the sky and suddenly stopped in her tracks: the thin clouds that spread out over several miles above Paris were colored in bright orange and pink. On their fluffy edges, a mix of gold, fuchsia and red outlined their luminous contours creating a surreal and magical atmosphere.

  The sky was almost too beautiful to be true. She felt like she was in a dream until a chilling wind blew at her loose hair and warm cheeks. No, she surely wasn't dreaming she thought!

  Brought back to reality by the icy air, she continued to walk towards the main boulevard for half a mile, her face wrapped in her cashmere, before finally finding an available taxi.

  Once in the car, the drive to Victor's apartment seemed endless. She wondered what his reaction would be when he saw her again, and especially if he would forgive her for the way things ended... The more she thought about it, the more she felt her fear take hold of her.

  Trying not to think about all the frightening questions that were bubbling up in her mind, she decided to focus on the beautiful stone buildings she saw as the taxi drove by them. Under the setting sun, the buildings appeared as luminous as the sky and seemed to be made of all the same colors. Nevertheless, Tara found it difficult to fully focus her attention on her environment. The thought of seeing the man that she loved again made her heart pound violently, preventing her from enjoying the ride.

  When the taxi finally stopped on his street, perpendicular to the Champs-Élysées, she was struck with panic. Trembling, she paid the driver and got out of the car in front of his building. She hadn’t forgotten the code that would open the door to the main entrance. She had thought about her reunion with him thousands of times, and about all the wonderful moments she had spent in his arms while the missionaries deprived her of food and made her train until exhaustion.

  Without her realizing it, the closer she came to her goal, the more and more flushed her cheeks became. Driven by the adrenaline, she climbed the steps four by four and when she finally arrived at his door, she stopped dead in her tracks, holding her breath. It was time... she was finally going to see him again.

  Visibly trembling, she lifted her hand towards the doorbell and pressed it cautiously. She could feel her heart beating in her temples as her frail legs fought to keep her standing on her stilettos. She was now waiting for Victor to open the door…

  Suddenly, she heard heavy footsteps approaching. She almost passed out: was she really ready to see him again? Would he be angry at her for leaving him via text message, without even giving him a chance to talk to her face to face? Would she dare to tell him the whole truth?

  Her heart skipped a beat and she held her breath as she heard the footsteps arrive behind the door. Then, she heard the key turning in the lock...

  She thought her heart was going to stop! The door was now open and standing in front of her was Victor, visibly moved by her presence. His eyes shone with love for her, but at the same time, he appeared to be in a state of fear and incomprehension. Dressed in a simple pair of jeans, his shoulders and chest bare, the strength of his body contrasted with the sensitivity that could be seen in his eyes...

  Seeing him like this, Tara completely lost control of herself. Without a second thought, she threw herself into his arms, holding back her tears. These past few months far away from him had been absolute torture!

  Happy to feel his body against hers again, she grabbed his muscular neck but had trouble wrapping her small arms around his large torso. More in love than ever, she plunged her gaze into his, hoping that he would hug her tightly in return... Instead, all she received was a weak pat on the back before he gently pushed her away:

  “Tara, what are you doing here?”

  Tara gawked at him. He didn't look happy to see her. He looked uncomfortable.

  Troubled, she remained silent for a few seconds, not knowing what to say. She could understand that he was angry with her... She hadn’t shown him the respect he deserved when she had taken her distance from him... but it wasn’t her fault... John and the others had taken her phone and written the messages for her, while she was being held prisoner in their apartment... But everything was going to be alright she thought. She would explain. She wouldn't hide anything at all. He would understand...

  But then, without warning, she felt like she had been stabbed in the heart. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion as two slim female arms sprung out from behind Victor's back and firmly grabbed him around his waist. They were beautifully defined arms with velvety smooth, caramel-colored skin.

  Tara’s throat tightened as she understood what was happening. All she wanted now was to disappear, from Victor’s front door and from Earth all together. And, as if to torture her even more, a pretty brunette showed her face: she had cinnamon skin, beautiful green eyes and a smile as devastatingly seductive as Victor's.

  “Hello, are you a friend of Victor's?” she asked, placing her cheek against her man's ribcage.

  Completely crushed, Tara couldn't find the strength to answer. Her eyes filled with tears while Victor looked at her, devastated. She turned on her heels and ran away.

  As she fled the horrible scene, she knew that Victor wouldn’t try to catch her. He would remain in his apartment with his new girlfriend...where he belonged.

  Choking on her sobs, she returned outside to the street like a lost sheep, almost collapsing to the ground. She didn’t have the strength to run anymore. Suddenly, with hot tears streaming down her face, she bumped into a gigantic man that had arrived out of nowhere. The impact was so violent that she fell backwards instantly, but to her luck, the man had quick reflexes and grabbed her before she could fall to the ground:

  “Tara, what's going on?”

  Surprised, she raised her wet eyes to the man who had saved her from her fall with his muscular arms: it was Mark.

  “Emily asked me to follow you,” he explained, looking lost. “Just in case.”

  Finally, an ally! Unable to contain her grief, Tara threw herself into his arms and burst into tears. None of the suffering inflicted by the missionaries over the past months equaled what she had felt the moment she saw that sublime stranger embracing the one she thought of as the man of her life.

  Respectful of her grief, the Viking didn’t seek to ask any questions. In fact, he had already understood. Like the gentleman that he was, he took her into his arms and carried her to the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. As they waited for a taxi, he continued to hold her while she hid her face in his neck, mourning her loss. He didn’t let go of her until he set her down inside the vehicle.

  When they arrived in front of their building, he offered her his arm to help her walk. She did her best to dry her tears before entering the apartment. She didn't want Hugo and Nina to see her in this state. Nor did she want Emily to see her. Or anyone else for that matter. She was ashamed to be cry
ing like this for a man, when only that morning had she pretended to be a great warrior after retrieving Hagen... No one could see her like this. She dried her tears and wiped off the make-up that had poured down her cheeks:

  “No one needs to know what happened,” she ordered, in a harsh, deep voice.

  As any loyal ally would do, the Viking nodded in silence. Seeing her suffer like that was no pleasure for him either. A gentleman to the end, he opened the front door and accompanied her to her room, using his large body to shield her from the sight of Hugo and Nina, who were surprised to see her come home so early. Victor, she thought proudly, was ancient history.

  In the evening however, she didn't join the others for dinner. Her eyes were still too humid. Besides, she was trying to convince herself that she had to forget about Victor and concentrate on her angelic mission, that this earthly love was unimportant and that her only responsibility was to her army. Nevertheless, and despite all her good will, she couldn’t shake off the image of the pretty, green-eyed brunette who had hugged the man of her dreams. Each time she went over the scene in her mind, tears poured from her eyes as she buried her face in the hollow of her arm.

  At around ten p.m., someone knocked gently on her door. Not wanting to be seen in this state, she immediately turned her face towards the window, unable to utter a word. She hoped it wasn’t Nina. She didn't want the coach, and the man inside her, to see her in such a vulnerable state.

  “Tara?”

  The door opened. It was Emily.

  “Your phone Tara,” announced Emily shyly, as she approached her. “You can have it back now...”

  Noticing that Tara still had her head stubbornly turned towards the window, Emily knew there was no point in lingering. Feeling the pain eating away at her seraph, she put her phone down on the bed before leaving.

  Once alone, Tara turned her head towards the object with frightened eyes. It was like her life depended on what this small metal object was going to tell her: had Victor tried to reach her? Had he sent her any messages saying that he wanted her back?