The Fallen

Part One

Synopsis: Cold, detached and emotionless, they watch over humanity, guiding us without interfering. She is different though, she knows what it is to love.

When Sir Thomas Sharpe dies, she can no longer remain detached and is compelled to act but in order to save him, she must sacrifice herself.

Part One

Finally, after thirty years of watching over him, he could see me, but only because he was dead. What a cruel twist of fate that was.

I could feel him asking, 'who are you?'

'A friend,' I replied.

I could see him looking at my wings.

'Why are you here?'

I looked to his body on the floor, not yet ready to answer more question.

My tears spilled over as my heart broke.

I should not feel this way. I am supposed to be dispassionate. When I was young, I was hot headed and impulsive, but never emotional.

Thomas wandered away from me and I knelt beside his body. His spirit left, probably frightened of me, as so many were.

"Oh my boy," I whispered, although no one in the mortal realm could hear me. "My precious boy." I reached out to cup his cheek, my thumb grazing over the wound that had killed him. Such an inelegant death for an elegant man.

I had watched him since birth, had seen him first crushed under the force of his mother's personality then as he grew, his older sister's personality.

I watched as both women fought for control of Thomas, and I watched as that fight turned deadly.

Poor Thomas never recovered from that day and he blamed himself for everything that had happened since.

I blamed myself for not intervening and stopping it. Stopping her.

"I'm so sorry," I said, my tears falling freely.

For thousands of years I have watched humanity. Some call me an Angel, Archangel or Guardian Angel, sometimes they call me Seraphim, Cherubim or Throne, and still more call me fate, destiny or karma.

I am all of these things and yet, none of them.

As you understand it though, I suppose the thing I can best be likened to is a Guardian and yet while I am one of the most powerful creatures in the universe, I am virtually powerless.

There are rules, you see, limits on how we can behave. Because the universe is intent on all creatures having free will, I cannot interfere with human decisions.

It's a fine line we walk every single day, guiding without meddling. We can raise a forgotten letter to the top of a pile, a gentle nudge to our charges attention, if you will, but we cannot make it obvious that a letter needs attention.

We can implant a stray thought or idea in someone's head, but we cannot make them act on it.

We can close doors on the hot blooded to impede their progress, and hopefully make them think twice about any rash actions. We cannot however, lock that door and prevent them from acting.

Which is why I had no choice but to watch as Lucille seduced her younger brother. It's why I had to watch while Mrs Sharpe blamed Thomas and called him evil, sinful, depraved and perverted, to name just a few of the curses she hurled at him that day. It's why I had to watch as Thomas believed her and believed that his abuse was his own fault. It's why I could do nothing but watch as Lucille stuck an axe cleaver in Mrs Sharpe's head.