Lucius was off the grid for now but we didn’t know for how long. Emily called regularly and promised a visit soon. She’d decided to leave the house after all and go out to look for Fredrick and Sveva. So far nothing…but she was still in good spirits. We went months at a time with no word from Sariel but that wasn’t unusual, he didn’t want to lead any of Azriel’s angels to us.
Lucius and I went on daily walks, sometimes at night, sometimes in the day. We were getting to know each other and I had become comfortable in our love for each other. I knew he struggled with it because he didn’t understand why it was, but he didn’t doubt his love for me. Today we broke from the norm and walked in relative quiet. Ordinarily there was a barrage of questions from both of us as we got to know each other. The day was nice and we made our way past the familiar houses of our neighbor. Lucius led us towards the park that I’d come to think of as “our place”. Sitting at our usual bench that was also “ours”, I put my head on his shoulder. We looked over the field where a group of kids were playing on the playground. We were far enough that the sound of their laughter was muted.
“I’d like to be your knight Wila.”
“You already are, aren’t you?” I asked, not lifting my head. Lucius had explained his purpose reassignment to become a guardian. It seemed to be pretty much the same as what he was asking.
“Yes but I would like to make the oath to you. It would mean a lot to me.”
I raised my head to look at him, an oath sounded a lot like a vow. Of course he had been watching me the whole time. He almost never looked anywhere else if we’re together. He stared at me endlessly and the way he looked at me always took my breath away. A cross between adoration and worry, it made me both happy and sad. I knew he worried about his inability to protect me from anyone stronger than a human.
“I’d like to do something for you too, we’re protecting each other remember?”
“There’s no oath that I know of for a woman,” He answered.
There was only one oath I knew of for a woman to make to a man and without thinking I blurted, “Oh, there’s one.”
I knew that we loved each other but there were a lot of things going on. Did I need to add more? First, a look of confusion crossed his face and then it cleared. The seconds that passed before he spoke felt like hours.
“You’d walk by my side for eternity?”
I was hurt that he doubted that I would. “Yes, if you would have me,” I said looking away from him, back towards the playground full of happy kids.
“I love you Wila. I would like very much for us to be married?”
It took my breath away each time I heard him say he loved me, but I had just enough air in my lungs to say one word.
I could not keep the smile off my face. We’d only sat a little longer before heading back home. As we entered the gate that surrounded our house Lucius stopped me.
“I would like to ask Ruth for your hand.”
In my giddiness I had not thought about my mom; more importantly I had not thought about her reaction. If she was mad about our love and him moving in; she was going to be furious about us wanting to be married. I could only hope that our constant togetherness and obvious affection for each other would soften the blow. She had warmed considerably, but marriage was pushing our luck.
“Okay, if that’s what you want to do.”
It was the first time I’d seen him smile since I’d met him and it was beautiful. It took me a moment process that he meant to ask right then. I panicked.
As soon as the door opened mom looked up. She and Amara were on the couch reading, Amara lying with her head in Mom’s lap. Looking at them made my heart glad. She didn’t make a move and Amara didn’t even acknowledge our entrance.
“Ruth, I would like to speak with you, please.”
Mom patted Amara’s head and she sat up. They both looked at us. I was having heart palpitations. I was sure I’d drop dead before Lucius got a word out and certainly before my mom replied. Lucius gave my hand a reassuring squeeze that settled my nerves – a little.
“I would like to ask for Wila’s hand in marriage.”
“You have my blessing. May happiness be your constant companion and your days together are long and true.”
We all looked at her as if she had grown a second head. None of us could have guessed her answer or speed and delivery of it. She seemed almost happy.
Amara called Emily and shared the good news. Three months had passed since my birthday dinner. The yard was now full of flowering trees and bushes. The grass was tall and filled with wild flowers. Butterflies and honey bees flew lazily about. The impromptu engagement dinner was just as nice as the birthday dinner. After hours of talking about the type of wedding Amara thought would be appropriate Ruth and Amara retired for the evening.
“How are you?” Lucius asked. My head was on his shoulder and he played with a strand of my hair.
“Happy… very happy…overjoyed…nervous… excited.” I smiled as I tried to describe something that was so indescribable.
“But not tired,” Lucius asked, kissing the top of my head.
Holding my thumb and index fingers up with a half-inch space in between them, “Maybe a little,” I said and protested when Lucius stood up, pulling me with him. “Not that tired.”
“I would move heaven and hell to be with you; to keep you safe and by my side.” He whispered into my hair.
I didn’t have a chance to respond, before his lips were on mine. They were soft and smooth and felt just as I imagined. Our kiss was short and gentle. Chaste – but full of longing and passion and love. It was over way too quickly. It was my first kiss and it was perfect.
Amara was still up but the lights were off when I came into the room for bed. She had moved in with me and Lucius had taken hers. It was fun having a sister. We sat up for hours talking.
“You’re glowing,” she said as I entered the room.
“I know. I’m just so happy Amara. I can’t believe it”.
“Me either,” she said, “But I mean you are literally glowing.” She dipped her head before pointing at my body.
Back in the living room, we all stood in the dark room looking at the soft golden glow of my arms and hands. Everyone took turns touching them. I was asked if I felt any hotter and my mom even took my temperature which was crazy but no one had an explanation or guess as to why my skin glowed. Lucius had already made a call to Sariel. As if his plate wasn’t already full enough.
Back in our room Amara sat on her side of the bed as I went to the closet to find something to sleep in.
“Crazy day,” she said. “Do you think you’ll get married soon?”
I hadn’t really given it much thought. Lucius had been adamant about getting in touch with Sariel, which led me to believe sooner than later.
“We didn’t really talk about a date.” I answered, turning off the closet light and climbing in bed. My hands were still glowing but they were getting dimmer.
“What do you think he wants to ask Sariel?” Amara asked.
“I have no idea. I’m tempted to say he wants to ask permission but if Lucius needed it he would have asked before.”
We lay down and watched as the soft glow of my skin finally went away.
Two days pass before Sariel showed up, taking us all by surprise. I liked the angel more and more, he reminded me of a magical Amara. He appeared from behind a tree directly in front of us while we were out walking. After the initial shock wore off and hellos were over, he and Lucius walked ahead. After about fifteen minutes they stopped and hugged each other. Sariel slapped Lucius on his back and they waited for us to catch up.
“Congratulations,” Sariel said as I approached the two angels.
“Thank you Sariel, I’m glad you were able to come so quickly. Any word?”
There was no reason to elaborate on who I was talking about. Missing sisters, mates and parents; they all fit in the same bowl.
“Sorry, but I can
’t say. It’s still too dangerous.”
Sariel contacted Emily regularly with updates who would relay anything that was permitted to be shared which was not very much. She constantly reminded us that no news was good news. Even with the excitement of getting married I was still concerned with the progress of finding our families. I took Sariel’s answer with a grain of salt and didn’t let it spoil my mood.
“Let’s find somewhere to talk. There are a couple things that we should discuss,” he said, smiling and taking my hand. He knew I was upset that he couldn’t share any information. I liked him more for trying to smooth it over with me.
After making it to our original destination, which was a large tree, Amara laid out a blanket for us to sit on. Lucius and Sariel stood.
“It seems that my brother has been on the surface too long,” Sariel started. “There are a few things that may be…complicated.
“First, knighting is a human notion, but involves an oath and an oath taken by an angel can only be broken in death.This has never been done and so we really don’t know what will happen.
“Because Lucius is still an angle and Wila is the Queen Mother his oath should bind him to her, meaning all things he does will always revolve around the promise to protect her even if it means his life.”
“That’s so romantic,” Amara said. Her dreamy-eyed smile was too much. She hugged me and I laughed at her enthusiasm.
“But…” my mom added. She was happy and would soon be caught up in the fairy-tale of it all, but she was a mother first, and her motherly instinct told her there was more.
“Their marriage will be a life-vow. If one of them should die then so does the other.”
“Is there no other options?” she asked.
“The life-vow is what Lucius wants.”
I looked at Lucius. The nice day had gotten hotter and it was harder for me to breathe. I heard Mom in the background but not the words she was saying. Amara too, had her say. Nothing else mattered to me at that moment. The connection I felt for Lucius was strong, even with no oaths or vows taken. I didn’t know if Lucius knew about the life-vow before Sariel’s arrival or if he’d simply chose not to tell me. There was only one answer. There was no me without him.
“Yes,” I said, accepting his proposal a second time.
Mom and Amara shut up simultaneously. I had spoken in a normal speaking voice. I was surprised either of them heard me. Mom opened her mouth and then closed it. Amara mouth hung open as if the hinges of her jaws were broken. All protest ceased. The decision had been made and there was nothing else to be said.
“The next pro—“
“You’ve got to be kidding me, there’s more?” Amara said.
“The next issue,” Sariel started over looking at Amara, “Is Lucius would like to be married as soon as possible.
“As soon as possible,” my mother said. I wasn’t sure if she was still happy for us with the life-vow just thrown at her. I’m sure she had held out hope for a long engagement.
“Yes, but there are certain precautions that we would like to put in place. We have no idea what effect an oath between Lucius and Wila will have on the realms.” Sariel said.
“It may be no more than the oath taken by a human man or woman. It could open the heavens. Or any number of other things,” Lucius added.
“Now that sounds complicated,” mom said.
“Well we were planning on something a lot smaller than that,” Amara said playfully. For her, nothing topped the life-vow, even the thought of the heavens opening.
“There’s one more thing.”
Amara turned to tease Sariel again but stopped when she saw the expression on his face. It matched Lucius and no one did serious face like my angel. I don’t’ think I’d ever seen Sariel without at least the hint of a smile on his face. It worried me.
“If the oaths should alert the heavens of the location of Lucius or Wila then the people who live in this village will need to be prepared.”
“Of course,” Mom said.
“How dangerous will it be?” I asked.
We’d been there a little over a year. We tried hard to stay separate from the close knit community but it was almost impossible when everyone you met was as sweet and kind as Sarah. After awhile they kind of wore us down. The only thing we knew for certain was that Azriel wanted the Mothers destroyed, would it make a difference to him if he had to kill a few hundred humans and fae to do it? Somehow I thought not.
“I’ll bring in some angels that will offer protection but I can’t risk letting too many know about you,” Sariel said looking at Amara and I. And still he didn’t’ answer the question. Either sensing I wasn’t satisfied with his answer or continuing he added. “I just don’t know what lengths he will go.”
There were rituals of protection that could be performed and the timeframe for the wedding would be determined by how long it took us to find someone to perform them. We decided to enlist the help of both Emily and Sarah.
No one in the small village had been told our secret. I’d insisted on telling them. I owed them that much. If we were asked to leave we would, but I couldn’t in good conscious, bring harm to the people who had taken us in and treated us like family from the first moment we arrived. So we broke the news to Sarah first. She had become like a member of the family and it felt right. She took the news with no doubt and in true Sarah form; the task of helping consumed her. My mom and Amara had no intention of being caught off guard and went into full wedding mode. I gladly handed over all arrangements, putting every detail in their capable hands. Sariel called for more guardians to watch over us. Maalik and the menacing looking one from Emily house, whose name was Samiel, showed up the next day. Maalik was happy to be with us. Samiel, or Sam as I called him, was anyone’s guess. It was hard to get past the ominous look.
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