Gabriel had never been happier in his entire life than when he returned home with Celia. It was hard to believe that he was going to live the life he had always dreamed of. He wanted to live the rest of his life with her, and so did she.
His mother was so surprised when he returned home with Celia that he was even worried about her health. She stood stunned in the doorway, while Gabriel introduced Celia, a foreign Celestial. her face was pale as ever, reflecting her shock, sharply contrasting Celia's tan skin from the burning sun of the south. She stood wrapped in Gabriel's blankets, shivering from the cold. She was unused to it. Gabriel had never known what it was like to not worry about money—to not worry about how much he had and how much food he was able to buy, that at first, he kept living like he always had.
Sure, he was happy, but Celia changed nothing about how he lived those first months.
So when the winter came, and Gabriel couldn't stand to see Celia shivering, so cold in their small bed, he decided that it was time for them to leave his mother's house and make a life of their own.
They moved east along the Split to a small town that was slightly south of the city. Urion. Gabriel hadn't stopped working. no matter how much Celia tried to stop him. He kept going across the border, trading with foreign men. He made excuses, telling her that it was all for their safety and the safety of their child if they were to ever have one.
He said that he didn't want to bring a child into the life that he grew up in. Even though she reassured him that they were stable financially and that his fears would never become a reality, he couldn't shake the feeling that once he had a baby, he would regret it because its life would quickly become hell.
And so he kept working no matter how dangerous it was, no matter how often Celia told him it was a bad idea.
The only thing that stopped him was when Celia told him that she was expecting to give birth to a child. This was a blessing, of course, but Gabriel couldn't help thinking: what if it happens, what if this child has the life that I never wanted for it?
So one night Celia came to Gabriel crying. The baby was due in a few short weeks, and she was worried about the child's safety. She begged him and begged him to stop working across the border for his family's safety. He had to listen to her, but it was so hard to let go. It was so hard to let go of the control that he had his whole life—the control of his family's stability, the control of their safety, even though he knew in his heart that it was better for them all if he didn't work. Or didn't work across the Split.
For those few weeks, preparations were underway. Gabriel was kept busy, helping with everything that had to happen before the baby arrived. He wanted the baby's life to be perfect. He wanted the baby to have everything he never had, and so he threw himself into preparations.
Even with the distractions, a part of him worried if he would be a bad parent. He worried that he wouldn't do the right thing and the child would grow to resent him. Celia reassured him that he would be a perfect father and the weeks eventually ended. His wife was due to give birth to a baby.
The baby came, a precious little girl, and Gabriel knew that he would never love anything as much as he loved the child. He knew it was worth it—leaving his job. He knew his family would be safer that way. He still felt the tug, though, a pull to the south, across the Split, but he ignored it because he knew it was wrong. As time went on and the child grew older, he grew used to his new life: the life he'd always dreamed of. He had the most beautiful wife in the world and a perfect child. He was happy, finally. He was happy because he could keep his family safe and he could raise his child. Things were, dare he say, perfect.
It was complicated, though, raising a child as she got older. They debated sending her to school with the other kids but knew that it would not be a good idea.
She was half Celestial; she would not fit in. And if anyone found out that a Celestial was living on that side of the Split, they were both doomed.
Their whole family was doomed, for that matter. So they taught her as well as they could, combining their education to help their daughter learn as she grew. This continued until she was 6 years old. Her seventh birthday was coming up, and her parents wanted to do something special for her. Their money was running out, however, and Gabriel was tempted to cross the Split. He didn't, though, because he knew it was wrong. He wouldn't cross the Split for the sake of his daughter's birthday, would he?
He didn't let the temptation get to him and he prioritized his family's safety instead. Again, he knew it was right, but it was hard. And so on her 7th birthday, they presented her with an heirloom—a small blade passed down from generation to generation of Celia's family. It was dainty and feminine, and Celia wouldn't let him give it to her at first. She said that their daughter was too young, that it was dangerous and she would hurt herself. She wanted to sell it and buy her something typical for a girl of her age, something like a doll or a toy. Gabriel insisted; however, and said that she must learn to defend herself. Whatever dangers the blade posed were less than the benefits it offered. The next day, he took her outside and began to teach her. She started with simple defense. Maybe she was 7 years old, but he believed that she should be ready to defend herself at any time.
After all this talk of defense and danger, Celia decided it would be best to hire someone to protect the family. She knew it had to be someone they trusted since living on that side of the split was a death sentence in itself. Although they knew it would be expensive, it was worth it. The security was worth it.
And so Gabriel called upon an old friend who owed him a favor. Celia was wary, of course, since she did not know the man or his family, but once she met him, she felt in her bones that she could trust him. He was always stationed around them, not close enough for the child to notice, but close enough for protection. Protection was all they needed. So while their daughter learned to defend herself, Celia and Gabriel could rest easy knowing that their whole family was being protected. Little did they know, one man could seldom stop an army.
The girl grew stronger and stronger and became more confident in her abilities. Even though she was only seven, she was determined. she was stubborn, too, she would stay out late to practice even when her mother called her inside their cottage home to eat. And little did she know, these skills, though forgotten over time, would come in handy. Her parents were proud of her, yet Celia was still scared. She could feel that something bad was going to happen, and she wanted to protect her child at all costs.
She told Gabriel that she didn't feel safe, but he reassured her that they would be fine. They had someone watching over them anyway. Everything was going to be fine, even though Gabriel also felt this sense of impending dread. He felt as though maybe they shouldn't have pushed it. Maybe they shouldn't have tried to make a life together here, where they would be in constant danger. Celia would be in constant danger and he knew that he would never forgive himself. No matter how happy they were, it was the truth: he willingly put her in danger. Even if it was her choice, he should never have let her. And their child... He was endangering her, too.
YOU ARE READING
A Shattered Dawn
Fantasy"Who would you like to die for tonight?" Acilya Niehdre did everything to survive after she was left on a moving train in the middle of the Celestial realm, Genia. As a half Night Angel, this is not where she belongs, but she forges a life of her ow...
