AngelHeart

Chapter Twelve

In a human village deep in the countryside of ancient Artania, there was a humble tavern owner’s daughter, the fairest maiden in the land for hundreds kilometers around,but she never seemed to think that highly of herself. Her caramel-colored skin, smooth and flawless, her hair as black midnight flowed elegantly in cool summer’s breeze as she served the patrons of her father’s tavern, The Four Horseshoe Tavern, her eyes as brown as the earth beneath her bare feet, her figure athletic, curves matching that of a goddess, at least this is how she heard the many drunken patrons of the tavern obectify her. While she admired the honeyed words of the patrons from time to time, she didn’t feel objectified by one man in particular, and his care was genuine, this man was intriguing to her. “Thalia, may I please have another mug of ale,” said a man and end of the bar, his hair blonde and resting perfectly on his broad shoulders, his eyes a deep blue, sincere and kind, yet they seemed to hold a hidden darkness, like a man had seen one too many wars in his lifetime. “Yes Michael,” Thalia replied with a smile, her heart skipping a beat as she gave him a mug of top self ale. Michael placed five gold coins on the bar as payment for the drink and said, “Thank you my dear.” With those words her face become flushed and she was unsure why her heart felt like it was going to beat straight out of her chest, “I-it’s on t-the h-h-house,” she finally managed to stammer out her thoughts caught up in the small term of endearment that she had her many a time in her life, but there was something about the way that Michael said it to her the made her embarassed and flustered, like thousands of little, tiny butterflies had filled her stomach, suddenly she was snapped back to reality when a drunken patron had slapped her hind quarters and said heavily slurring his words, “Hows about getting me a round on the house little lady.” Before she could react Michael had already gotten up spilling his ale in the process and had the man’s arm by the wrist when he was going to go for a second slap of Thalia’s rear. “I believe you owe the nice young lady here an apology,” he said, tightening his grip on the man’s wrist. Thalia stood back and watched in amazement because no man aside from her father had stood up for her in such a manner, this man was truly chivalrous she thought to herself. “Ow, ow, ow, ow, okay I’m sorry Thalia, please forgive me,” the man said in obvious distress. “It’s okay just dont let it happen again,” she said begrudgingly as Michael released the man from his grip before the man ran out of the bar. “I’m sorry you had to witness that side of me, Thalia. Please may I have another cup of ale,” Micheal asked, somewhat flustered. “Coming right up,” she said, as he was getting out his coin purse. “Nonsense, it’s on the house,” she said to him, her face still red. “Thalia, if the mug is on the house then would you allow me this,” and with those words he got up and spread his wings for the entire establishment to see, “Allow me to take you for a flight,” Michael said, his heart skipping a beat as he had realized that had just revealed himself as an angel, but consequences be damned, he thought, but he never knew nor cared about the chain of events that he had just set in motion and with that Thalia said, “Yes.”
***
Queen AnnMarie looked down at Emma and said, “I know naught of what my husband saw in you, but only he saw greatness in you, a greatness that was wasted in the sqaullor you resided in.” Emma was amazed at how the queen, slightly resentful of her, was treating her, a lowly maid and servant of the castle, purchased as a slave an equal. What were her intentions and what did she hope to gain from doing so, she pondered these ideas, realizing the queen had already given her a king’s ransom in jewels, what more did AnnMarie have to offer? “Milady,” Emma said, “if you know naught of what the king saw in me then why continue enacting his decree of keeping me respected, even though I am a lowly maid and a slave at that?” “While it is true that I do maintain a slight resentment toward you for having my late husband’s favor, I too could sense the greatness that you are capable of,” AnnMarie said, “that being said, you have the potential to be stronger than even I, in ranks of might and magic you are on equal footing with me.” “That cannot be your majesty, I am lowborn, a nothing, a-,” Emma was saying before the queen cut her off. “You may not see it but I do,” the queen shouted, “with the proper guidance you will surpass even me in ranks of power. If you don't believe me, raise your hand and say the words ‘summon familiar’ and you see the power that you hold.” Emma focused on what the queen said to her, the words resonating with her soul, she looked down closing her eyes, her hands clasped over her heart as if in prayer. She looked up, opened her eyes, took a deep breath, out-stretched her hand and softly said, “Summon Familiar.”
***
As Thalia was flying through the air for the first time, held safely in Michael’s arms she’d never felt more alive, her heart beating faster than ever, she looked down at the vast lands beneath her with such wonder and amazement in her eyes. “Flying has always given me such a sense of freedom, especially here on earth,” Micheal said to her. “It certainly is invigorating,” Thalia said, the refreshing breeze hitting her face felt like new life hitting her lungs with each breath. “Such freedom must seem intoxicating to a mortal,” Micheal said, landing in a nearby clearing after flying for what must’ve felt like hours for Thalia he thought to himself. “As intoxicating as the strongest ale at the tavern,” Thalia said, laughing and twirling, carefree not wanting her time with Michael to end. “I have fancied you for sometime,” Micheal said, starting to blush, feeling his heart skip a beat, "that’s why I’ve been frequenting the tavern more often in recent months.” Thalia feeling her own heart beat faster than ever without even thinking kissed Michael right there in the clearing. “Michael, I’ve wanted to hear you say those words since the moment that I first spoke to you,” Thalia said, “while most men only leer at and objectify me, you, you were always different, more genuine than any man I’ve ever met.” Michael hearing that his feelings of love were reciporcated kissed Thalia passionately.
***
Caiyne’s memories of her mother were few and far between, she knew the stories that her father had told her, she enjoyed the few years that she had lived of her vast lifetime, because angel’s are blessed with eternal youth their bodies don’t age a day past twenty-five. So while Caiyne’s aging was halted due to her father’s angelic blood, her mother continued to age until finally she died. That was several thousand years ago and to this day she still misses her mother. These were her thoughts, when suddenly she was snapped back to reality by Raziel saying, “O’ great Zalkir, we hath need of a guide through the caverns ahead, would you be willing to lead us?” Zalkir turning his head from Caiyne to face Raziel, “You dare ask me to guide you, you who came steal the eggs of my mother Rozara,” his voice booming in the caverns. “Zalkir, while that may be Raziel’s goal it isn’t mine,” Caiyne shouted. “Caiyne, you insolent bitch,” Raziel said, before being smacked across the cavern by Zalkir, the great beast’s claws piercing his armour leaving shallow but nearly lethal gashes on his chest, “Watch your tongue, the next strike will not be so merciful,” Zalkir said glaring at Raziel. Rowan started to draw his blade, “Stop,” Malachi shouted, “Rowan you’re to only one here proficent enough in healing magic to heal his wounds, keep a level head.” Rowan looked down, grimaced and the through gritted teeth said, “Fine,” before rushing over to Raziel to heal his wounds. “If you knew our intentions why not just kill us where we stand,” Caiyne asked Zalkir. “Because of you, daughter of Michael,” Zalkir said, “I know better than to make an enemy of an Archangel.” Caiyne let out a sigh, “I do not, have the healthiest of relationships with my father at present.” Malachi, hand still on the hilt of his newly acquired sword at his side, was preparing to draw, before Caiyne put a hand up as if motioning him to stop his act of aggression. “I do not wish to harm you Zalkir,” Caiyne said to the mighty beast that stood before her, “But I cannot allow you to simply kill us either.”
***
Sebastion, still rubbing his sore cheek, asked, “Where on earth did you find an Everwood Tree?” James, still excited, said, “I followed a Treant that ignored me as it was heading to the burnt section of forest. There it planted roots and gave mana back to the forest bringing new life to the once burned area.” The old elf, bewildered by this tale, asked, “And what of the rest of the lumber?” James looked him in the eyes and replied, “As I was about to gather some, a branch of the tree fell off of the Everwood, I did’nt dare take anymore from the tree. As it seemed wrong to do so.” “I see,” Sebastian said, “then let me get to work.”
***
James, reaching for his bow said, “Caiyne out of the way.” Caiyne still facing Zalkir, with power in her voice, shouted at James, “Stand down, soldier!” James taken aback by this Angelic woman that stood before him as dark aura had started to surround her, Caiyne extended her sword arm into the void in front of her and summoned for the legendary Blade of Chaos, her flawless caramel-colored skin turning pale, as the shadowy dark  aura of Wrath surrounded her, her eyes once brown and soft, were now crimson and full of malice. She gripped the sword, took a fighting stance and said, “If you still wish to fight, it WILL be your downfall,” her voice fierce and the power in her words seemed to strike terror in the hearts of her party, all except Malachi.