The Above || Completed

35 Shattered Simplicity

Quin couldn't convince Luziel to recover from such a blow. Luziel didn't let her blame herself, for he was already bearing the weight of it himself.
Not only had countless of his own kind died that night, but a myriad of the Above's people, too, lost their lives. All for a desperate attempt at freedom. They had to accept it now. Luziel would never be free. Maddison wouldn't either. No angel in the Above would ever be free. Not truly. Thanks to his disguises, Luziel was unable to be identified by the council as a free angel. Or as an angel at all. For all they knew, his family had been sound asleep in the safety of their home. The scene was erased from the memories of the witnesses and all the evidence was cleared within a matter of hours.

Maddison was old enough now to understand that her father had been through something traumatic that night. A twelve-year-old going through a lot of changes herself, she recognised the changes in Luziel's routine and behaviour. Quin, however, wouldn't let Maddison mention it. And whenever she tried to search for answers, she'd been denied the opportunity. Her parents wanted to hide her from the terrible endeavour. They would live in hiding. No more fighting.

Seven years passed and the night of the uprising felt more and more like a dream. Maddison was about to turn nineteen. She was observant, independent and righteous. Her appearance was a harmonious compilation of her mother and father. She'd let her hair grow out into a bleach blonde curtain billowing about her head. Same high cheekbones as her father and a smile and fire in her eyes identical to that of her mother. She'd become a fascinating woman. An angel. But her parents felt a sense of foreboding as her nineteenth birthday loomed closer. They knew it was time to tell her the truth and strip her of her protection. Maddison would soon be at the mercy of this cruel world.

"It's inevitable, Luziel," Quin said one evening as they strolled through their back garden.
"I know. We'll tell her to embrace who she is and then tell her to hide it." Luziel gave a wry chuckle.
Quin shook her head. "It'll be one of the most difficult things she's ever had to go through. But Maddison is strong."
"At least we can agree on that." He sighed.
"If we could protect her forever, you know we'd do whatever it takes," she reminded him.
He nodded. "Not even miracles last forever."
"So, we'll tell her. On her birthday. No sooner, no later," she finalized.
"Mom! Dad!" Maddison's voice called from inside. "Food's ready!"
With that, the final discussion on the matter was cut brutally short.

^^^

On the day of her nineteenth birthday, a day of ripe sunshine and cheerful, fun-filled festivities with the few friends she had, Maddison came home to an early dinner. Luziel greeted her with a ginger hug and a light kiss on the top of her head. Maddison was having a great day and spending time with her parents promised to make it better. Quin was waiting in kitchen, setting the food in large bowls. Maddison greeted her mother with a quick kiss on the cheek. Soon, dinner would be ready and they'd enjoy a simple family meal. Simplicity had ways of proving itself beautiful. When dinner was finally served, the family of three sat down and indulged in the wonderfully home-cooked meal, prepared with love by Quin. They laughed and chattered away for hours after they'd finished eating and Maddison was overwhelmed with the happiness that usually instilled itself within her in moments of such raw simplicity. A happiness that was -well, simple.

Quin and Luziel had no choice but to tear down her joy with their inevitable revelation. Quin cleared the table and Luziel moved to sit beside his daughter, setting the mood for serious conversation. He already had her hand in his grasp, trying not to hold on too tightly. When Quin returned, she was pale with nerves as she sat down beside her husband.
"What is it?" Maddison asked with concern.
"Maddie-" Quin started shakily.
But Maddison cut her off. "Is this about what happened when I was twelve? When Dad..." She trailed off, looking towards her father with awed, curious eyes. Almost like a child again.
"Yes, it's got a lot to do with that. But, really, it goes back way before that, before you were even born," Luziel explained. "See, Maddison, you and I are special. When your mom and I met, she didn't know what I was."
"I'm sorry -what you were?" Maddison narrowed her eyes, holding up a hand.