The Angel Prophecies: Opal Sky

15. Awakening

Tonight's dream wasn't like any other I'd ever had. It was more like travelling through time, watching my past lives unfold before me, starting with my parents' first existence in human form.

My parents, as well as Hadriel were born on Friday, October 13th, 1307, a day significant to that era. It was the day that hundreds of Knights Templar in France were simultaneously arrested by agents of Phillip the Fair, King of France.

Hadriel's father, Jaques Marseilles was one of those agents and Namiah's, father was a French Templar, Luc Lavis. I watched as Hadriel's human father, Jaques, dragged Luc away while his wife protested, too weak to be of any help having just given birth to Namiah. Jaques, later tortured Luc, into a forcing him to confess to idolatry, heresy, apostasy and financial corruption. Luc was subsequently burnt at the stake, without a formal trial being held.

My father, Namiah, known as Ambroise, was raised by his mother, Genevieve, to hate the Kings agents. He vowed to avenge his father's death, which meant assassinating Jaques.

Izariel, my mother, Solange in this life, was born to a noble family, and destined to become a lady in waiting to the queen. It was through her life in the palace that she met Hadriel, known as Baptiste in this life.

He had become a favourite agent of the king, so he spent a lot of time in the palace. Baptiste was immediately drawn to Solange and they spent all their free time together within the castle walls. He fell in love with her, but she saw his only as a friend. As a lady in waiting, her life was committed to the queen, so she promised herself to never fall in love, because it would only lead to heartache.

That was until Ambroise came into her life. Ambroise was a cordwainer who had honed his skill, specifically so he'd be commissioned to make the king's shoes. It gave him the opportunity to observe Jacques, and set in motion his plan to avenge his father's death. He hadn't counted on being distracted by Solange, and soon his love for her made him forget his hatred for the time being and his assassination plan was put on hold. Solange began sneaking out of the palace after the queen would fall asleep, to meet Ambroise under an old oak tree, by the river. Ambroise exposed her to things she'd never seen before, having grown up in a noble family, and she loved it.

She admired the poor for their "Joie de vivre" and unstructured lives. Being a lady in waiting was a life chosen for her, not by her, and she was starting to realize it wasnt what she wanted.

She was spending less and less time with Baptiste and he began to feel neglected. Her excuses were irritating him and he noticed she was becoming exhausted during the day, so he began watching her. One evening he saw her sneaking out and decided to follow her, stayed concealed behind trees and in the reeds, until she reached her destination. He became enraged as he watched her run into Ambroise's arms, and kiss him passionately on the lips.

He immediately emerged from his hiding spot, demanding to know what was going on. Solange begged him not to tell the queen, but he refused, and proceeded to drag her away by the arm.

"You wait until the queen finds out you've been sneaking out to meet a cordwainer" he seethed.

She tried to pry her arm from his grip, but it only caused him to tighten it. "Please, Baptiste, I love him, and I want to marry him."

"If anyone will have your hand in marriage, it'll be me." He released her, and turned toward Ambroise. "Did you seriously think you were worthy enough to marry a noble woman?" he laughed. "You...a commoner." He turned to face Solange.

He took one step, and fell at her feet. She wasn't certain what had happened , until she saw Ambroise's dagger, embedded in Baptiste's back.

"What have you done?" she shouted.