Chapter Fifteen - Breathe of Life

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XVII

Breathe of Life

With a kiss let us set out for an unknown world...

Alfred de Musset.

The sun set for the fifth time over the sleeping bodies of Belle and Eveline, both covered in thick red blankets to preserve their bodies' heat whilst a solemn and ethereal song filled the cold and silent abbey as the angel's voices filled the great space, covering it in a light coating of sorrow. Outside, the shadows led by Lagmar waited patiently for news of death and Galean. Within Theodore sat quietly within a pew close to the altar, his head between his hands. Exhaustion riddled his body and drank from his bones as he listened to the hollow song that penetrated him deeply, causing the thick roots that had wrapped themselves about his heart to fall away. Michael and Gabriel together lit the abbey candles, the warmth of their glow touching the faces of Eveline and Belle as the early sun kisses the buds of a rose. After a while the singing stopped and the angels, tired and spent were released from their places within the choir pews. As usual, they left to make for one of the outer rooms where for a few hours they could rest their eyes whilst Gabriel stood watch over the two bodies. The abbey grew quiet but for the light sounds of the flickering candles as Gabriel made his way over to Theodore.

"Cael go and rest your eyes," he ordered gently, standing gracefully before the downtrodden angel, his face white and his eyes heavy.

"Still she does not awaken," Theodore groaned, his up raised gaze baring the marks of internal torture.

"Time is a great healer," Gabriel soothed as he came to sit beside the angel. "Soon they will open their eyes when the time is right for them to do so."

"Why has Heiden not come? She is his granddaughter," Theodore replied faintly.

"Heiden moves like the wind, sometimes we see Him and sometimes we do not," Gabriel said with firm eyes. "He is here Cael, He is watching over Celestine and Belle. Do you doubt Him?"

"I doubt myself," Theodore said with furrowed brows, his golden locks falling over his youthful face and bright eyes.

"Why?"

"From one decision such consequences have sprouted up in my way, leading only to misery and despair. Sometimes I rather feel like doctor Jekyll and at other times like Mr Hyde." Theodore said quietly as he looked into the beautiful and serene face of Gabriel, one of the oldest angels in Heaven.

"That is quite some analogy don't you think?" Gabriel said with curious blue eyes. Theodore looked into the bright and blazon pair of eyes, both of them a mixture of a thousand shades of blue, so unearthly, so unhuman and so angelic. It had been over a decade since Theodore had known himself as Cael and in all that time his world had been turned on its axis.

"It bears some likeness to myself," Theodore said with bitterness. "I seem to transition from being the Cael that spent so many years tracking and ridding London of shadows, revered and respected. I had all the qualities man yearns to have in abundance; kindness, compassion, strength, courage and intelligence. Yet as I got older, all that had once brought me peace and contentment wasn't enough. I became darker, greedier and self-absorbed. The power and position I had claimed in London wasn't enough, claiming Jophiels heart after so many years fraught with her refusals wasn't enough. When you offered me a place among your league, none of what had earned me that place meant a thing to me. I cared not anymore for the vulnerable who were being tormented within the city and lost sight of the love I had for Jophiel." Theodore drew himself up from the pew and let out a languid breath, turning away from Gabriel. "I jumped at the chance to be placed under a spell in order to become Eveline's adopted brother and protector so that I could hide myself beneath another disguise, so that I wouldn't have to look into the same pair of eyes, the same grey soul and selfish heart. Since then I have been a better and purer man than ever I can remember. All the things that I had once turned my eyes from, the simple pleasures in life became the greatest of pleasures. All the virtues I had come to dispense with returned and I had found redemption. I have never felt more duty bound or virtuous as I have these last few years, becoming a pilot and fighting for my country and becoming a husband whose love was unconditional and without complication. Until I was awaken from my dream, from my state of delusional redemption."

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