Circles and Wings

Chapter 30

*Scarlet*

Heaven was an odd place, filled with people who wore odd clothes, and they all looked at me like was a pariah. I still wore the flowing gossamer gown in pastel pink that made me feel like my mother. Gabriel was with me, composed and hovering, as we walked through a marketplace.

It was a square you'd see in a movie with elves and quests, and it was made of wooden stalls and shoppes and boutiques. And Gabriel purchased anything I wished, though I told him I didn't need anything. He'd said that it was alright. "It's on God's tab" he'd say. And I would roll my eyes, arrogant bastard.

We had been walking for nearly an hour now. Nearly an hour of short conversation and minimal word responses. At least on my part. Wether I wanted to admit it or not, I was rather uncomfortable around him. It wasn't until we'd reached an artists stall that I stopped and relaxed. I looked at a painting of Hell, well what Dante depicted Hell to be at least. And I was so lost in it, I didn't even feel him come up behind me.

"Remind you of home?" He asked lowly as he stood next to me. People were gathered behind us, staring. I knew they were, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from this piece. I nodded. "Come on, princess, you've got to talk to me sooner or later." I rolled my eyes. "Princess—"

"My name is Scarlett." I snapped.

He gasped, "She speaks, and more than one word. How far we've come, Princess."

He'd been calling me that this whole time. And I was ready to lose it. I let out a frustrated sigh, as I continued to examine the art before me. "If you must know, yes. This reminds me of home. It's Dante's inferno."

He looked at me for a moment. I stared at the piece, taking in the seven rings, each burning with a different method of torment, and all the torment ending in Pride. I missed it. Hell. Home.

He nodded and placed a hand on my shoulder, leading me away. "Well Princess, this is your home now."

I looked at him, a scowl on my brow, "This will never be my home, Gabriel." I stopped walking and crossed my arms at my chest.

He stopped and starred at me. He stared at me for a moment of silence, his gaze holding my own. "You won't even try to make a home here?"

I shook my head, "How could I make a home in a place that cast out my mother and despises my friends?"

His hands curled into fists, "This place didn't cast Emily out." He growled, "He did. And she accepted it. I only hope you'll fight harder."

I huffed a laugh and looked back at the hellish painting, "You need not worry about my will to fight, Gabriel. I will never stop fighting."

A small grin took root on his face and he stepped forward, "I look forward to it, Princess."

"Stop calling me that." I growled.

"It's what you look like." He countered taking a piece of my hair in his hand. "I liked the leather more, but the dresses in your closet were your mothers. He thought you'd like to have them."

I shrugged, pulling away from him. "I am about as far from my mother's quiet kind grace as you can get. Her clothes looked marvelous on her, but they don't fit me right." I looked up at him, "I'm shorter than she was."

He looked me up and down, "I think we can fix this problem." He held up his hand, a beam of light appearing from his finger. "If I do this, the dress will not be able to be fixed."

I looked at him, "Go for it." I said, "Mom would want me to look and feel like me." I took a breath, running a hand down one of the light gossamer sleeves, "Even in her clothes."