Bloody Angel: Book 3

Celebrating Life

Songs used::
Helvegen by: Wardruna
https://youtu.be/n90SVmnomdM

Máninn líður by: Skald
https://youtu.be/KiL2RpWBREs

Enjoy ❤️
____________________________________

Copia and Annie spent the rest of the day and the next relaxing and recuperating, slowly regaining their strength. Annie more so than Copia, but she seemed to be recovering quickly this time. Sage had brought Eleanor up to visit Annie on the third day after she woke up and the child basically glued herself to the older witches side as she told her about her fun time with the ghouls. Uncle Ace and Uncle Dew were her favorite ones besides Sage and it warmed Annie’s heart to hear that Eleanor was not only not afraid of the ghouls but had a good time with them. Kiara visited the couple every day, checking on their progress and leaving them flustered with her unrestrained comments and wit. On the fourth day Rhea accompanied her and stayed to chat with Annie and discuss some things that they each felt could not wait.

“Of course I would not mind if the child spent time with us!” Rhea tells Annie with a warm smile as she sips at her cup of tea. “We have several children around her age she could play with. I’ll even personally take her into my home while she’s there.”

Annie sighed with gratitude, shifting where she sat on the larger couch. “Thank you, Rhea. It means a lot to me.”

“Child, you are one of us and we will forever be in your debt for saving us. We will help you whenever and however we can.”

Annie smiles and takes her own sip of tea before casting her eyes towards where Eleanor sat on the floor with Copia playing with a pair of dolls. Currently, Eleanor was scolding the Cardinal because he wasn’t making his doll act the way he was apparently supposed to and she was showing him the ‘proper’ way to do it with him nodding to her words with a serious expression, intent to do it ‘proper’ next time. Seeing the pair interact like that made her heart swell and she smiled fondly.

“He’s good with her.”

Rhea’s soft words draw’s Annie’s attention back to the woman sitting near her and she smiles.

“He’s really good with children. I’ve seen him with the children within the Ministry. They all love him, and he’s so patient with them. He raised Seth, and Seth is a wonderful man. Polite, courteous.”

“Do you think you two ever have children?” Annie chokes on her sip of tea, quickly reaching up to wipe the stray liquid that dribbled down her chin as her face flushed a deep red. Rhea laughs softly at the reaction. “Forgive me. That was a bold question.”

“No, it’s okay.” Annie sets her mug down, still flushed. “We never talked about it. We haven’t even… But, if I’m honest, I could see myself having children with him some day. What about you? Do you have any?”

Rhea sighs softly, casting her eyes back towards the two playing on the floor. “My consort and I tried for several years, but it seems fate had other plans for us. I am content, though. I see my followers as my children, in a way. We are a large family, even though few of us share any blood.”

Annie nods thoughtfully and she understood, mostly. For years it was just her and Lilit. Blood relatives on their own in the wilds with only each other. She wondered what it would have been like to grow up in a community, in a coven around others. To have that sense of family and people you could rely on. She was learning it now that she was here, with Copia and her friends.

Thinking of families, of covens, Annie’s heart gave a pained thump. Memories of what happened on Midsummer Eve dancing in the forefront of her mind. That’s what Eleanor was born into, what she knew and loved and where she was loved in return. All of it is gone now. She thought of the bodies scattering around the smoldering ruins of what once was. Were they still there now? She didn’t think anyone would go back to properly lay them to rest, to send their spirits on their way. That Eleanor couldn’t say goodbye.