As above, so Below

XV. Can I stay?

The days flew by in what felt like minutes. I spent a long time looking at the black dress hanging on my wardrobe. The shoes sparkled when the sun shone through the curtains, Copia delivered me a new Lily every day, I was assigned a ghoul to assist me in the preparation for the inauguration.
His name was Sodo and he was a merchant of chaos, although he was vastly becoming my best friend.
He prepped me for my baptism which was scheduled to take place before Copia becomes Papa, I was officially going to belong here. Nihil, Primo and Secondo could no longer threaten me.
Over the last week, I was receiving anonymous letters declaring my demise, I found dead rats at my door, withered lily's on my pillow.
Someone was following me, spying on me and threatening me.
Copia was made aware of each of these incidents and sister Imperator was investigating them, I just had to wait.

The morning of the inauguration, I lifted my violin and played it as I paced my room. I was nervous, nauseous and I wasn't allowed to see Copia until the baptism with absolutely no idea of what to expect.
One thing that I did know was that I was ready to swear myself to the devil, to temptation, to Copia.
My entire being, my beliefs, my life had taken a turn so fast that it was as though I had completely left my previous life behind.

I finished my makeup and hair before putting on the short white dress that I was given when I had first arrived, followed by a pair of white heels.
I looked myself up and down in the mirror and let out content sigh, I was ready.
Sodo led me to the lake where the baptism would be taking place, gradually becoming more and more nervous I couldn't stop talking to the point where I think even Sodo was going to go mad.
With everyone standing around the edge of the lake chatting and celebrating, I wasn't the only one going through this today but I was unfortunately one who had too much attention.
I looked around for Copia but he was nowhere to be seen, thankfully I spotted Terzo walking towards me with a smile on his face.

As I lifted my hand to give him a small wave when there was a sharp point in my side, not quite piercing but enough to hurt.
Panicked, I was rooted to the spot, my eyes widened as there was a tall, solid body against my back. I took a deep breath and tried to alert Terzo without verbalising it.
Looking up, I seen Secondo looking down at me with a smirk.
"You shouldn't be here angel...you should never have come here, you're ruining everything that we have built..."
Secondo kept a straight face, I was shaking subtly and Terzo was walking with a peppy jaunt in his step.
"Little one!"
Terzo exclaimed as he approached me, pulling me away from Secondo, I have never felt release like it.
"You can't baptise her Terzo and you know it! Who knows what will happen! An angel doesn't belong here, the Abbey will fall. We need an anti-christ in the family and a son of the anti-christ!"
Secondo's voice was menacing but Terzo's smile remained.
"And we will get what we want..."
He looked down at me and put his arm around my waist, unfortunately just as Copia had arrived.
Terzo let go of me and rallied everyone round as they all prepared for the baptism.
He walked into the water, just so that to reached his waist, his white suit clung to his form, his sunglasses reflecting the sun's rays that bounced off the clear water.
I looked over at Copia and gave him a nervous smile, I wanted to be with him even though I couldn't but despite the inability to converse with him, I have him signals and nods to look over at Secondo with the dagger in his hand.
The rage inside Copia was visible, it wanted to break free; I shook my head.

My attention was taken from Copia when Terzo has called my name, beckoning me to the waters edge...and so I did. Nervously, I walked to the edge of the water where he extended his hand to me. Gently placing my small hand in his palm, he led me into the water.
"How are you feeling?"
Terzo's voice was dark and husky but smooth and sultry. I smiled up at him and shrugged.
"Nervous..."
"There's no need to be nervous...its only water"
As the water reached my waist, it bubbled around me as though it was boiling. Even Terzo was perplexed. He placed one hand on the back of my head and one hand on my chest, his palm below my breasts and his fingers on my sternum.
"beata vita nova satanae, in corpore et anima unius. Belial, Behemoth, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, Satanas...Lucifer"
Terzo dipped me back into the water, expecting just my head to touch the water; it was a shock when I became fully submerged.
My eyes shut tight and my fight or flight kicked in, the water boiling around me. Realising he wasn't letting me up, I opened my eyes to see Copia standing at the edge of the water, concern painted on his face as he watched intently. Nihil, Primo, Secondo and Sister joining him.
Terzo looked down at me and nodded as my legs started to float, my dress changing from white to black. A shooting pain rifled its way through my eyes and down my back, wriggling in pain before gradually accepting it, waiting until he let me up.

Gasps rang out around us, opening my eyes I was met with shock and awe. A grin spread on Copia's face which was not matched by those of the other three men at his side.
"What's going on?"
"....wings..."
Terzo uttered, turning my head is when I seen it...seen them. I was graced with a new set of wings...black wings.
A tear fell down my cheek, I was complete again.
I danced out of the water and went straight to Copia.
"Look! I have wings!"
I grinned up at him excitedly as I could see Sister Imperator trailing Nihil and Secondo away by the ears.
"I can see that amore mio...looks like Lucifer favours you after all..."
"So I can stay?!"