Angels of Gold (First Book in Angels Series)

Chapter 11

"One's dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered." ~Michael J. Fox

Blaze sets a fire when he gets back that keeps us warm and we eat a quick meal. He falls unconscious soon and Phoebe, after eating, falls back asleep. 

"Tell me about Augustus," Ryder says, sitting beside me on my rock. 

"What do you want to know?" I ask. 

"I don't know. I am going on this journey so I should know what the man is like at least!" 

"He was caring," I say taking a deep breath. "Once when we were in the Highlands after a bloody battle and we were going around healing people and we met this little girl, Imogen was her name. She was around three I think. She was so quiet and shy. She saw a lot from the battle and she was frightened. Augustus sat down and told her a story and she opened up. She followed him around for the rest of the day. She refused to talk with other people. When the Warriors of Sandalphon came to take her to the orphanage, she refused to go. She wouldn't let go of his leg. Augustus said to the Warriors that since she was a child of a Warrior of Raphael, she could stay with us but she wasn't a child of a Warrior of Raphael. Imogen was a Warrior of Pahaliah." 

"Do you ever know what happened to her?" He asks. 

"She grew up in our group of Warriors," I reply. "When Augustus and I were sent away to the Assembly of High Honor, he left Imogen with Tanya, who was our age. From what I know, she grew up and was elected into the Assembly of High Honor. But that is all I know," I reply. 

"You said before we left that you once loved him," he questions. 

"I broke my instruction," I reply. "Breaking instruction, tears apart a person's heart and soul. It was earth-shattering. When we were sent to the Assembly, I loathed him. I wanted nothing to do with him. I not only disappointed my father, I broke a law. No one can ever break their instruction without harsh punishments. Augustus was never given instruction so he technically broke no law but he stood in the Court of the Assembly of High Honor and told them that he forced me to fall in love with him. He felt terrible for the breaking of my instruction and that was his reparation. He convinced them to sentence him and not me. His last act of love. I put myself under that curse because I couldn't live with the fact that I broke my instruction but someone else took the blame for it. I feel obligated to go to his trial because he sacrificed his life for me and all I did was hate him for it," I admit. 

"Geez," he says with a sigh. 

"You would have liked him," I mention. "He is like you in a lot of ways. He is kind, and caring, understanding, and protective. He poured his heart and soul into everything he did with no regrets." 

"I feel like I would have to one up this guy." 

"He is also vastly different from you too," I say with a smile. 

"Is he worth this mission to the Portal?" He asks. 

"Very much so," I reply with complete honesty. "I would have never asked for you to go if I didn't think he is worth it." 

"Okay," he replies seeming to believe me. "Why don't you ever change out of this dress? It doesn't look fun or easy traveling in it." 

"It's one of the last things I have from my past," I reply with a shrug. "And I couldn't bear exposing my ankles." 

"Why?" He asks with confusion. "Girls do it all the time." 

"Two centuries ago they did not!" I exclaim. "That's borderline prostitution!" 

"Prostitution?! You should see girls' bathing suits," he retorts with a chuckle. 

"What do they look like?" I ask. 

"Ever heard of a bikini?" He asks with a giant grin on his face. 

"No," I reply with a shake of my head. 

"It's a two-piece bathing suit." 

"Like a shirt and pants?" I ask for clarity. 

"The opposite," he responds. "Like a bra and underwear just made with bathing suit material." 

"You mean like...the stomach is exposed along with the whole leg?!" I ask in fear of the answer. 

"Uh huh," he replies, laughing at my reaction. 

"That's beyond prostitution!" I exclaim in shock. "That's like 'take me! I'm free! I just want some! I will even pay for your own pleasure!'" 

"I didn't realize it got even worse after prostitution!" 

"Now it does!" I reply. "I would be caught dead if I ever wore that." 

"It's the style." 

"The style?!" I ask in shock. "What about dignity?" 

"Dignity?" He asks. 

"Yes, dignity. Do women have no dignity and think that wearing...bikinis...is the only way to attract a man? Back in my day, it was all for personality not how one's body looked. Personally, a man does not need to see what my body looks underneath the clothes and all his concern should be is how I am as a human being." 

"I don't even know how to reply to that." 

"I don't think you would know how to reply because you are not a woman and you don't wear bikinis!" I reply with a smile spreading on face. "Do you wear bikinis?" 

"No!" He exclaims.