by Wendy Owens
“She is—” Gabe interjected.
“I will do whatever it takes to keep the two of you safe, just know that,” Michael added before turning and joining the crowd.
Gabe gasped, his head spinning from the words he had just heard. After all those years nothing had changed. He still had a place among the Guardians; there was no need for him to hang his head in shame. They welcomed him home with open arms.
“Sophie, don’t!” Gabe heard Dina shout in the distance.
Hearing the commotion in the distance, Gabe made his way around the outer edge of the courtyard, trying to get a better view of what was unfolding.
At the far end near the great oak tree, Gabe caught sight of Dina and Sophie arguing. Pushing through a group of bystanders, he came closer so he could more clearly hear.
“I don’t care, it’s not right,” Dina snapped, staring intensely at her friend.
“He loves me, Dina, not her,” Sophie insisted in an angry voice.
“Sophie, if he loved you then he wouldn’t have ever asked her to marry him. For that matter, if you love him as much as you say you do, then you wouldn’t ruin this for him,” Dina pleaded.
“That’s not fair! Don’t you get it? He was just with her to forget about me. I’m the one he is meant to be with, the Oracle said so. Now he is only staying with her because he’s trying to do the right thing. He can’t possibly be happy with her,” Sophie pushed on.
Gabe went hot with anger. He wanted to rush up to Sophie and shake her wildly, how dare she try to destroy what he had with Rachel. Gabe took a step forward, prepared to set Sophie straight once and for all. Before he could take another step, a figure moved into view near Sophie.
Gabe froze, staring in awe and disbelief at what he at first thought must be a daydream. Standing directly in front of Sophie was Rachel, her hair wavy, though beautiful in its natural state, was adorned with a small littering of white flowers. The dress, in its simplicity, made her beauty shine. Layers of white satin hugged her body, revealing the curves of her divine hips. Her exposed shoulders, skin glowing with an alabaster quality, made Gabe wish he were standing next to her so his lips could touch them. The dress flowed out in billowing layers just under her hips, creating the illusion that she was floating on a layer of clouds.
As he watched her approach she didn’t look angry or hurt, simply determined.
“Sophie,” Rachel said warmly.
“Look, I don’t know you and I don’t want to hurt you, but this has to be done. Gabe could never be in love with you, not while he knows there is a chance to be with me again. We’re destined to be together, the Oracle told me,” Sophie argued.
“I understand,” Rachel continued, her voice still soft, laced with sympathy. “Gabe is amazing. I wouldn’t want to let him go either. As far as the Oracle, from what I understand, everyone still has choices in life that can alter their paths.”
“Well, he chose me already. Beside’s, who are you to tell me anything? You have no idea how much I love him!” Sophie yelled, angry at the calmness Rachel displayed.
“You’re right, I don’t know you and you don’t know me. I had a life that I thought I was happy in, family and friends, a real life. When I met Gabe, he made me so angry I wanted to scream, I wanted to go running back to my real life,” Rachel smiled, remembering the early moments of their relationship.
“But while I was with Gabe, he opened up, he showed me how much there was to him, how amazing he is. That’s when I realized I hadn’t been happy. I’d never been happy. It’s like I had been in a desert my whole life praying for rain, then Gabe came. He was the storm I needed. Since him I haven’t been thirsty, so I understand. I know how hard this must be for you.”
Sophie said nothing; she merely stared at Rachel, her mouth slightly agape. Rachel was describing the exact way she felt. If she felt the same way about Gabe, how could she possibly argue with her, tell her she didn’t understand when it was clear she did.
“You’re welcome to go talk to Gabe, I won’t stand in your way. He told me about your discussion the other night.” When Gabe heard Rachel say those words he held his breath, afraid Sophie might erupt in anger. “I think he hesitated to tell me at first, and I’m sure part of that’s because he still feels something for you. I know he cares a lot for you, but he’s marrying me today. No matter what he might still feel for you, he loves me now. So, please, if you want to go ask him feel free to, but can you hurry it along? I have a groom waiting for me.”
Sophie huffed, realizing the amount of onlookers that had surrounded them. Gabe stayed out of sight, listening with great pride at the way Rachel stood up for their relationship.
“Just forget it,” Sophie snapped, pushing past Dina and rushing off towards one of the nearby buildings.
Gabe didn’t linger, wanting to make sure Rachel didn’t know he had just witnessed what had unfolded. Rushing around, back up to where the priest stood, patting Uri on the back as he did, Gabe took his place.
“Everything ok?” Uri whispered leaning in.
“Couldn’t be better. Do you have the rings?” Gabe asked, checking his tie to ensure he looked his best for his bride.
“What kind of best man do you take me for?” Uri asked, as if he were seriously wounded by the question.
Gabe simply laughed in response and waited as the music began. He thought his feet might lift off of the ground, causing him to levitate where he stood. He couldn’t stop smiling; thinking about what Rachel had said only moments earlier.
Gabe looked around the courtyard, friends surrounded him, some familiar and others he had never seen, but he knew without a doubt they all wanted him to succeed. A feeling he wasn’t used to having. They were all there not to look on in judgment, but to show support, to wish him well in his marriage. The wooden chairs were full of onlookers. Surrounding the courtyard, individuals stood shoulder to shoulder. Some were dressed in fine clothes, others tattered rags, showing the wear and tear of war.
Gabe took a moment to take in all of the hard work his bride had put into making sure the day was beautiful. Surrounding them were white flowers on the chairs, on the ground, at the edges of the aisles, and along the arches at the front and back of the courtyard. The weather was far too cold for the flowers to grow naturally to their current state; he could only imagine how many clerics Dina must have enlisted to make everything look so beautiful.
The music sounded, queuing Dina to start her bridesmaid walk down the aisle.
“Ready for this, man?” Uri asked, clearly more nervous than Gabe.
“More than I have been for anything in my life,” Gabe replied confidently.
“Just breathe, ok? Remember to breathe; at least that’s what they say, right?” Uri added, not really listening to Gabe’s response.
Gabe laughed and looked over his shoulder at his best man, “I mean it, I’m good. I’m so ready for this.”
Like a light entering the courtyard, Rachel approached and everyone stood. She smiled as she walked, one foot then the next. Gabe felt like a warm fire was burning in his chest. No words came to mind, just a fuzzy and overwhelming feeling of joy. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. A year ago he only sought to survive and be alone, now he was about to marry a woman who made him whole, something he never thought he could be.
“Hi,” she whispered to Gabe as she reached out and took hold of his arm.
“You look beautiful,” Gabe whispered in response.
“Thank you,” Rachel replied, her eyes sparkling.
The vows came and went, and as he would one day recount the memory, it wasn’t the words they spoke that he would reflect on. It would be the sight of her when she walked down the aisle, when she took his arm, the way she glowed, almost floating as she glided to him.
“You may now kiss the bride.” the elderly gentleman said raising his arms into the air.
Without a word, Gabe reached out, and cupping Rachel’s cheek he pulled her close, their lips meeting, so
ftly and gently, a moment of hesitation lingering between them as they both tried to memorize the moment. When they pulled away both opened their eyes, unable to stop staring at the other. It hadn’t been a dream; they were now husband and wife.
Gabe lay on the oversized bed, glancing around the room, impressed with how Dina had fixed it up so quickly. Only a day earlier the room had been filled with twenty refugees, sleeping on blankets scattered across the floor. Determined to make the night special for her dear friend Gabe, Dina managed to temporarily rehouse the refugees, have the room cleaned thoroughly, and then adorned with flower petals and candles. She had outdone herself, Gabe thought.
“Rachel, everything ok in there?” Gabe called out impatiently, deciding he had waited long enough for this moment. They were to embark at first light on their journey and Gabe was quite certain he didn’t want to miss a moment of alone time with Rachel.
“Just one more minute,” Rachel answered from behind the large wooden door.
“Come on, Mrs. Harwood, your husb—” Gabe’s words caught in his throat as the door opened and Rachel emerged into the candlelight. As she moved forward out of the dark doorway, the lighting cast a soft glow around her body, accentuating her curves.
“Is this ok?” She asked, looking down at her body, sheepishly. Gabe stared intensely as his eyes traveled down over her flesh. She wore a spaghetti strap night gown made of satin and lace that shimmered when she moved. A slit was cut from the floor all the way up to the top of her thigh on either side, her flesh peeking out from beneath.
“Really? What would not be okay with what I’m seeing?” Gabe asked, mouth agape.
“I wasn’t sure if I looked all right. This gown belonged to someone Dina knows, it didn’t fit my hips so we had to make some modifications,” Rachel explained, rubbing her thighs self-consciously through the high slits.
Gabe scooted to the edge of the bed and motioned for Rachel to come near. She did as she was instructed, hesitating slightly as she came closer. He reached out, taking her by the wrists he pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her waist. Pressing his cheek against her satin covered stomach, he said in a soft, low and tender voice, “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
Rachel ran her fingers through his hair, Gabe not shifting his face, still clinging to her from a seated position. At last Rachel leaned down, whispering. “Thank you.”
Raising his head and slightly pushing Rachel back, Gabe stood and turned to the side, not looking away from her eyes. The way he stared at her with a deep and intense longing, unsettled her at first. It was a look she wasn’t used to and caused all of her self consciousness to rise to the surface.
Taking her hands into his, Gabe could feel they had a chill to them. He rubbed them gently at first, before lifting them to his lips where he blew warm air on them in an attempt to heat them.
“I’m sorry. I guess these old stone buildings get pretty drafty,” Rachel explained.
“Stop,” Gabe replied, his intense stare softening. “Mrs. Rachel Harwood, you’re perfect in every way. I want nothing more in life than to bring you just a small piece of the happiness that you bring to me every day. So no more I’m sorry, no more explanations, let’s just be here, together in this moment.”
Rachel blushed; she never knew love could feel like this. She had always been so confident, but here alone, and vulnerable with him she was nervous she would disappoint him. Somehow he had this way to disarm her, put her at ease. She exhaled, all of her muscles loosening as she did.
She looked back into his eyes as she reached out and took hold of his shirt; she leaned in and pressed her lips against his for a moment. “I love you,” she whispered at last.
In an instant she saw a hint of a smile curl at the edge of his lips, the sight of which made her flutter. “I love you too,” he replied. And in that moment a calm flooded over them both; a peace as they realized this was real, they were now husband and wife.
The light seeped in through a thin opening between the drawn curtains. Gabe watched as it climbed up Rachel’s back. Gently, he traced the path with his fingertips.
Sweeping her hair from her back and off to the side, Gabe began to unconsciously trace the letters of Rachel’s name on her skin with the lightest of touch. He was lost in the quiet moment as she slept.
Gabe closed his eyes, continuing to trace the lines of her body as he did. Gabe couldn’t believe that he was going to be able to spend the rest of his life with her. The idea of such happiness was almost too much for him to fathom.
In the back of his mind, though, there was always the thought that he could lose it all, that the prophecy would forever linger over him until it robbed him of this happiness. The safest thing for them to do as husband and wife would be never to have children. He couldn’t see Rachel not being a mother, however, it was more than he could ask of her. He didn’t want Rachel to worry, but he had already decided the best chance they had at a happy life would be if Baal were vanquished. If it meant putting his life on the line, then that was simply something he would have to do.
In fact, he had spent many long hours thinking about how to execute this exact plan recently. A couple days before the wedding, Gabe confided in Uri and Haim, he explained he had a plan. They were less than enthusiastic, at least at first.
Gabe was very persuasive however. He told them about how once Baal was gone, he and Rachel could be truly happy. They would be free to have children; they would be free from the prophecy, free to live out their days happily together. The three men had spent hours in the libraries, researching under the guise that they were only researching safe havens. In fact, the routing only took half of a day, the rest of the time was reading up about interactions with Baal throughout history.
The information Gabe uncovered about the demon that hunted them terrified him even more, but there was no way he could share that with his new wife. He needed her to trust him, to know he would keep her safe no matter what. Telling her that he was scared out of his mind wouldn’t do anyone any good.
One of the things that shook Gabe so tremendously was that Baal, in ancient cultures, had been worshiped as a dark lord of fertility. His aid in the conception of those children, however, always came at a price. Once the child was born, Baal would come to collect. If the parents were unwilling to pay, he would kill the child and then enslave its soul to serve him. Baal often demanded sacrifices from those who worshiped him, he had such disdain for human beings, their mere existence enraged him.
What frightened Gabe the most about Baal, however, wasn’t his relentless torture of mankind, but instead his powers. When Gabe had battled other demons, vanquished them, they had a few magical abilities that made them a nuisance of course, but they always had a clear weakness, something to defeat them. Baal was different; he had powers Gabe couldn’t begin to fight. He controlled the rain, lightning, he could control people’s thoughts. In fact, he loved to toy with men’s minds.
They were not on equal playing fields. Baal had powers like a superhero, and according to legend, no weaknesses. After days of research, hoping and praying to find a loophole, the men were no closer to solving the question of how to vanquish him. Gabe needed answers and he wasn’t sure where to find them. In the back of his mind he considered approaching the Oracle, but based on a history of mistrust, he was reluctant.
Now here they were, they would leave this morning; Rachel would rely completely on Gabe, Uri, and Haim to protect her. But how could they protect her when the being they were fighting seemed indestructible? Gabe lay there, contemplating what his next move would be. He knew he should wake Rachel, and prepare themselves to leave before Uri came and .... A knock at the door jolted him upright.
Slinking out of the bed as if he were a stealthy ninja, Gabe grabbed a nearby robe, throwing it on without much thought. He was determined to answer the door before the visitor woke his sleeping bride.
Grabbing hold of the handle, Gabe threw open the door, growling
under his breath, “Yes, what is it?”
Uri stood staring at him, casually looking Gabe’s body up and down before saying with a sly grin, “Well hello to you too, sexy. Does your wife know about this?” Uri then motioned with a dainty fingertip to Gabe’s ensemble.
Looking down, Gabe quickly realized the robe he had grabbed to cover himself with belonged to Rachel, and much to his dismay, was far too sheer for comfort at the moment. Slipping a well laid hand into place, Gabe huffed and looked at his friend in aggravation, secretly trying not to laugh.
“It belongs to Rachel, now what do you want?” he whispered.
“Whatever you say, big boy,” Uri chuckled. “I just came to tell you we’re just about ready to leave.”
“Okay, I’ll wake her, we should be down soon.” Gabe turned and went to shut the door before it was suddenly stopped by Uri. “What? Is there something else?”
“Umm, yeah.” Uri said with hesitation. Glancing over Gabe’s shoulder to ensure certain ears were not listening, Uri leaned in and whispered. “So you know that one thing we have been working on the past few days?”
Gabe also checked to make sure Rachel was still asleep before answering. “Did you find something?”
“Not exactly.”
“Why so cryptic?”
“Well, I may have asked someone to help,” Uri began.
As soon as the words left Uri’s mouth, Gabe knew exactly who he was talking about. “Please, tell me you didn’t.”
“Come on, man, I knew you never would and who is better at research than her?”
“She tried to ruin my wedding, seriously?”
“No, it’s cool, she seems game.”
“I bet. I haven’t told Rachel what we’re trying to do, what if Sophie says something to her?”
Uri looked at the ground nervously, “I don’t think she will.”
“You better hope she doesn’t say a word,” Gabe warned, lifting a finger to Uri’s nose.
