Finding Heathcliff

Forty-Six

They found the stream soon after and followed its course, shallow and slow-moving, for hours, the passing of time marked by the changes in the colour of the mist and light.

Astrid dragged her feet at Azrael's side, letting him carry more of her weight as the time progressed. She was exhausted and dispirited, walking through the fog without ever getting a glimpse of their destination felt almost pointless. What was the reason for anything... apart from Azrael's closeness, the kisses he pulled her in for often enough to remind her that maybe there was hope for them beyond this place, that happiness existed.

When the pearly light of the day morphed into the silver-streaked blackness of the night, they reached shores of a large, shallow lake.

"Is this place safe enough?" Azrael asked Ramiel, who insisted they spend the night right there, on the bank.

"You know as well as I do that it's as safe as any other place. There's no spot to hide in Oblivis, apart from the White Tower. If it was only the two of us, we could go on, but they need to rest. We'll sleep on the bedrolls, forget about the tents, and we'll move on again as soon as there's enough light to walk safely."

Azrael nodded, even as Astrid muttered, her eyes intent on the smooth surface of the water rippling gently in a non-existent breeze, "I'd like to bathe."

"We should all bathe. It will make us feel better," Azrael said, looking at Ramiel and Rigel. The sadness and despair filling Oblivis was getting to all of them.

"You two go first, but keep close. We'll set up camp," Ramiel said.

Astrid rummaged through her bag in search of something clean to wear after the bath, coming up with the last undershirt. She would have to reuse the same dress again, and seeing that the men decided against the tents, she would have to sleep in it, too. Sighing, she pulled a couple of towels from underneath her clothes and books, the sight of the two volumes giving her pause. It felt so long since she had left the castle, those books seemed to belong into another person's life. Opening the Book of Angel's, she found the letter addressed to Michael among its pages. That's why she was here, to deliver this mysterious piece of paper...

"Are you ready, Astrid?" Azrael asked, his eyes darting into the silvery semi-darkness surrounding them in search of danger.

She dropped the book back inside the bag, then accepted his hand, letting him lead her towards the water's edge, to a place hidden from view of their companions by one of the outcrops of rock which seemed to be everywhere in Oblivis.

Astrid shed her dress quickly, and not feeling brave enough to remove her undershirt in front of Azrael, she walked shoulder deep into the cool water before she took off the rest of her clothes, and threw them back on the shore.

"And what was the point of getting your clothes wet?" he asked, his voice laced with laughter, as he picked her long shirt and underwear up and spread them on the rock to dry. "You could just have asked me to turn around if you didn't want me to see you."

She shrugged, feeling a blush spread over her cheeks. That had really been silly of her. Sometimes, she felt like a child in the presence of this... eternal... angel. Sometimes, her mind refused to wrap up around what he was. But, stripped of all names... and clothes, shrouded by the night and the water of the lake... they were just a man and a woman who had fallen in love. The thought made her feel braver and happier. She might not know what would happen tomorrow, but tonight, they were together.

"You said that you would bathe too," she said when he didn't move, apart from his eyes darting into the darkness.

He sighed, and in Astrid's ears, it was a tortured sound, making her loathe the distance between them. They didn't have much time left.