Finding Heathcliff

Twenty-Two

Orion woke Astrid up before sunrise. While he got dressed, telling her that he had read the whole Book of Angels at night, she stretched in the bed carefully, feeling happy that no part of her body seemed to ache.

"What do you think about it?" she asked him, sitting up even as he finished putting his clothes on.

"It's just a book, Astrid. Most of those things might not be true, you realise that, right?"

She did realise that, sort of. But if the things written in that book were legends rather than facts, figments of some ancient writer's imagination rather than truths, then... then they knew nothing.

Noticing a frown forming on her forehead, Orion, dressed and ready for the journey, walked towards her, offering her a hand to help her to her feet, then pulling her close for a kiss.

"Get dressed, Astrid. Use your clean set of clothes; we'll have the others washed and fixed tonight. Izar told me that we will reach a fortress owned by a noble family loyal to your uncle by sunset. And... let's try our best to find out where the monsters are hiding," he added, looking at her meaningfully, making her understand that he had noticed her growing familiarity with Rigel, and was hoping to gain something from it. "Izar knows nothing. Your guard friend, on the other hand, might have some useful information. We need to find out where they are, the sooner, the better."

Astrid nodded, thinking about the approaching Black Night. Would they be able to talk to the fallen angels before then? If not, what would they do? They might not find a safe enough place to spend the Black Night. If something happened to Orion, it would be her fault; he had only left the safety of Uncle Arcturus' castle because of her.

While Orion carried his saddlebags outside, promising to bring her some breakfast, Astrid got dressed and packed her bags, folding their blankets and pillows on top. When he got back with a few biscuits and a mug of steaming tea, she was ready.

Finishing her meal quickly, Astrid followed Orion outside after he blew out and collected the few candles that had been burning around them. He carried her bags, leaving the tent dark and empty for the guards to pull down and pack.

Astrid had to take a few deep breaths to calm her anxiety as she observed the enormous sky bathed in wan, greyish light streaked with the first timid hues of sunrise, and tendrils of thick fog rising like clouds from the nearby river. Luckily, staying outdoors seemed to be easier for her as the days passed, she was beginning to appreciate and revel in the beauty of the world, the smells and sounds of nature she had never experienced in the castle.

Rigel approached her while she mounted her horse, asking how she was feeling, his voice scaring a couple of doves hiding in the shrubs growing under the uncountable trees surrounding them.

Astrid watched them fly away towards the rising sun, a smile playing on her lips as she recalled the days when she used to find another pair of doves waiting for her in the castle's library. It felt so long ago; she had never seen them after the dark angel vanished that night... Could they have belonged to him?

She shook her head, she could not afford to daydream any longer. Her time was running out. She needed to find the angels fast. And after having spoken to them and having improved, hopefully, the old treaty as her uncle's ambassador, real work was waiting for her. The work of a queen.

There were many things she needed to change in her country. The prohibition of technology was as ancient as the treaty made with the angels. Uncle Arcturus may think that people without technology were more dependent, easier to rule, but Astrid felt that it was wrong and unfair, especially as all kinds of technology seemed to seep into Eurovea from the rest of the world without trouble, finding their way into the hands of those who could afford it, deepening the people's social inequality.

Astrid let her horse walk next to Orion's across the wide clearing where they had spent the night, his warm, large hand closed gently, encouragingly around hers while her eyes kept darting towards the gradually brightening sky. It didn't take long before the group found another path leading south, and leaving the clearing behind entered the shelter of the Starfall Forest again.

Soon Astrid's breathing evened out and Orion, making sure that she was calm and happy enough, kissed her hand, and urged his horse to reach Izar riding at the head of the group, leaving his place to Rigel who filled it in no time.

For a long while, Astrid and the young guard rode in silence; suddenly, she wasn't sure what she should say to Rigel. Knowing that Orion knew that she would speak to him and would expect to know what he told her made her feel like Orion's and her uncle's spy. But why? Orion had volunteered to come on this mission with her, and they needed to find the angels for the good of the entire kingdom together. And yet...

She looked at Rigel, catching his curious, sideways look.

"Have you ever seen a witch trial before yesterday?" Astrid asked.

Rigel shook his head. "No. But I've heard they mostly end up like this, with the girls freeing themselves from the flames."

So he hadn't seen the angels, Astrid mused.

"They must have a very powerful magic to be able to escape from fire," she said, trying to look into his eyes, but Rigel's eyes were glued to Orion's back.

Apparently convinced that Orion was out of earshot-- the rustle of tree branches above their heads, their leaves trembling in the increasing wind, and the susurrus of the river running through the forest somewhere close but of sight, would make it impossible for him to hear anything even if he was much nearer-- Rigel said, "Some people say that angels save those girls."

Oh? Astrid frowned in surprise. She didn't expect him to say that, to know about it, and had no idea what to say now... "Why?"

"All those girls accused of witchcraft allegedly really have some form of magic. They all look similar, they are pale, blonde... different from the majority of the inhabitants of Eurovea," he said, his eyes observing Astrid's white cheeks, her golden hair falling in a thick braid down her back, making her long for the hat she had lost. "People say that those girls may be of angel descent."

Astrid's breath caught; it seemed to be such an insane theory. "Can you... see the angels, can anyone?" she asked.

Rigel smiled wistfully, "Only those of angel descent, with enough angel heritage in them, can see them always. The rest of us can only see them when they make themselves visible."

Astrid's voice was a hoarse whisper when she asked, struggling to understand, to believe what he was telling her, to imagine what it would mean if it was true, "Have you ever seen any of them?"

"Maybe," Rigel admitted carefully, turning away from her and looking towards Orion again.

She took a deep breath before she finally said, "You suggested that you may know where they are hiding. Would you tell me what you know, please?"