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Isabella is generally referred to as: promising.
Angels in general are a breed apart. Of course they've all got lovely voices, they've all got classical music training and know the masses and prayers, they're all blessed winged creatures -
But that doesn't mean they're all smart, or all good, even (Isabella was taken to see Windy Point, once, or what's left of it, and of course she sees the scars on Galo Mountain every year at the Gloria; there stood angels who were not good). And Isabella is smart and good.
Isabella is always the first to volunteer for an intercession. She likes them. She'll call down weather, plead for seeds, pray a shower of medicine to fall from the sky, and she will get what she asks for, and she loves nothing more than to dive from hours aloft in prayer and clasp the hands of the people she helped and go home to the Eyrie to take on her next assignment. When there are none - when there is the right amount of rain and sun in the province, when there is no plague and no famine - she studies. She studies a bit of everything, but she fancies herself particularly a historian, investigating the accounts of Archangels' reigns past. From books, mostly, although once she wrangled herself a year in Cedar Hills to assist the Archangel Linus, and when she is in the Eyrie she closely follows the leader of the host there, the former term-lapsed Archangel Delilah.
She tried to get in with the other living former Archangel, too, Alleluia the oracle who served as Delilah's interim while the latter's wing recovered from an injury, but after a few hours' conversation Alleluia said that she could not accept Isabella as even a temporary acolyte and sent her to Peninnah instead. Isabella learned a lot from Peninnah, but she's confused about why Alleluia turned her down personally only to send her to another oracle, after such a prolonged interview. Particularly since Sinai is in her own province; what was the point in sending her all the way to Gaza?
But the instruction came from an oracle, and oracles' words more often than not come from Jovah. She went to Gaza, learned from Peninnah, and went home.
Now she is back at the Eyrie, and the first thing she wants to do is let Delilah know that she's back. Her wings aren't so tired that she can't immediately fly to the Corinnis or the outskirts of Semorrah or anywhere and accomplish something. Failing that, she'd love to sign up for harmonies again now that she's home and wants to know what she ought to schedule around.
Delilah is with her husband Noah, and a visitor. He doesn't seem like a petitioner, and he doesn't look like an Edori, although the fact that he and Noah are talking in Edori suggests that he might be an adopted one. (There are hardly any Edori of either sort left; most of them live in Ysral, now.) Isabella waits patiently outside the door for the host leader's attention.
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jovahs_heiress
"Mm," he says. "How long was I sleeping?"
He smiles at her.
"You're cuddly and nice," he declares.
"You're cuddly and nice," he declares.
jovahs_heiress
"I am so glad you think so," she says. "...Do you want to go listen to the children's choir practice today?"
There's some chance that Nathaniel will notice the family resemblance, but it's not all that likely, and she's getting the impression that Micaiah is only up for small steps, if anything, towards being able to meet his brother outright.
There's some chance that Nathaniel will notice the family resemblance, but it's not all that likely, and she's getting the impression that Micaiah is only up for small steps, if anything, towards being able to meet his brother outright.
Micaiah hesitates.
Then: "Okay."
Then: "Okay."
jovahs_heiress
"The big choirs don't use the regular practice rooms, they have larger ones with a few extra seats for an audience. I think Baruch's time slot starts in -" She glances at the clock. "An hour and a bit."
"Well." He smiles tentatively. "What do you wanna do until then?"
jovahs_heiress
"Well, I was reading about the reign of the Archangel Gabriel Aaron and the angelica Susannah, but now I'm all distracted," she teases comfortably.
"You could read and I could cuddle you," he suggests.
jovahs_heiress
"Sure." She kisses his temple and then opens up her book and her notes again.
These notes aren't secret; she doesn't orient them so he can't read them. They're commentaries on how the Archangel and angelica in question handled various issues during their tenure, whether Isabella thinks that was the best idea and why, and comparisons to other situations at other times.
These notes aren't secret; she doesn't orient them so he can't read them. They're commentaries on how the Archangel and angelica in question handled various issues during their tenure, whether Isabella thinks that was the best idea and why, and comparisons to other situations at other times.
Micaiah mainly cuddles her.
He reads over her shoulder a little, too, though.
He reads over her shoulder a little, too, though.
jovahs_heiress
Isabella checks the clock periodically while progressing through the book.
Then she sits up, puts the stuff on the nightstand, and says, "Choir time."
Then she sits up, puts the stuff on the nightstand, and says, "Choir time."
Micaiah hugs her, for once more to calm himself than out of affection.
jovahs_heiress
She is perfectly willing to be a source of comforting hugs.
They head for the choir room, where the boys and girls are assembled, grouped by voice type, and warming up for the day. Isabella find herself and Micaiah seats behind some parents who are also watching.
They head for the choir room, where the boys and girls are assembled, grouped by voice type, and warming up for the day. Isabella find herself and Micaiah seats behind some parents who are also watching.
Nathaniel is still quiet, but he's there and he's singing and he's good.
Micaiah huddles close to Isabella.
Micaiah huddles close to Isabella.
jovahs_heiress
Isabella makes no objection to the snuggling, although since Nathaniel will recognize her he's slightly more likely to pay attention to someone so obviously with her.
She listens. She likes children's choirs. Less polished but with a certain sweetness to their voices.
She listens. She likes children's choirs. Less polished but with a certain sweetness to their voices.
Nathaniel doesn't spend much time looking at the audience.
And then, between songs, he glances up and sees Isabella.
And sees Micaiah.
And goes pale with shock.
And then, between songs, he glances up and sees Isabella.
And sees Micaiah.
And goes pale with shock.
jovahs_heiress
Isabella smiles weakly. Nathaniel's probably been given a rundown of angel song signs by now; she gestures mind your pickup before he's at risk of missing his cue for the next song.
He drags his attention away from them entirely, and doesn't look back again until the singing is all done.
jovahs_heiress
Isabella flicks her attention between Micaiah and Nathaniel every few measures, trying to figure out how to mediate if there's an interaction apart from Nathaniel fleeing the room when practice concludes.
Nathaniel looks tense and frightened. Micaiah looks tense and sad.
jovahs_heiress
Isabella attempts comforting snuggles with the one within arm's reach.
He leans on her, sadly and tensely.
jovahs_heiress
"It'll be okay," she murmurs in his ear, almost inaudibly. (It approaches sacrilege to interrupt music, but she can be very, very soft.)
Micaiah shakes his head and hugs her.