Next Post »
« Previous Post
+ Show First Post
Total: 117
Posts Per Page:
Permalink

"Something wrong, honey?"

Permalink

"That oracle's looking at you funny," he murmurs.

Permalink

"Is she?" Isabella looks. "Oh - how strange. I wonder why. D'you still think she likes me?" she laughs weakly.

Permalink

"Hard to tell," he says, and kisses her cheek, because he hasn't done that in the last few minutes.

Permalink
Mmm kisses. Isabella permits herself to be completely distracted from Alleluia.

After much of the crowd has dispersed, Alleluia is still there, with her husband Caleb, and she crosses the room. "Isabella," she says levelly. "I don't wish to interfere with your wedding night, now that the festivities have died down, but I will only be at the Eyrie for a couple of days and would like a chance to speak with you privately before I go back to Sinai."

"I - of course. Tomorrow morning?" Isabella asks. "After breakfast?"

"That will be fine. I'll see you then. Good night."

"I wonder what that was about," Isabella remarks to her new husband. "I guess we'll find out. Now... how about that wedding night?" And she begins edging towards the door by a path that will take them by as few straggling guests as possible.
Permalink

"Ooh. Wedding night," says Micaiah, perking up.

Permalink
"One of the very best parts," she agrees in a low murmur.

A wedding night is had. It is had most enthusiastically. There might be magic involved.

"I wonder if Alleluia meant to exclude you when she said privately," Isabella muses as they have breakfast. "Probably she did. Oh well."
Permalink

"I am not gonna be excluded," Micaiah says serenely.

Permalink

"Well, she might insist, but I can brainphone you whatever the conversation is as long as it's not about someone's personal secrets? I did agree to meet with her and she did say privately."

Permalink

He shrugs. "We'll see."

Permalink
Alleluia finds them in the dining hall. "I still have a room here, Isabella," she says. "Would that be a suitable place for us to talk?"

"I don't see why not. Can Micaiah join us?"

"I had meant for it to be just you and I."

"I thought so, but we've only just gotten married, and he doesn't want to go away from me, not one bit," says Isabella. "Is it something personal, or...?"

"It's about you."

"I can't imagine anything you'd like to talk about with me that I'd want to keep secret from my husband, Alleluia."

Alleluia looks at Micaiah, frowning slightly.
Permalink

Micaiah gives her his best smile.

Permalink
"If you insist," says Alleluia finally. "It's this way."

Isabella knows that, but only because of her perfect memory, so she makes no mention of it and just follows along with her hand in Micaiah's and her wing behind his back.
Permalink
Micaiah holds her hand and walks with her.

He loves his angel so much.
Permalink
When they are finally all in Alleluia's room and behind the closed door, Alleluia says, "Delilah told me about Abjah's son. Ithiel."

"Yes?" Isabella asks, instantly wary.

"I want to know what happened."

"I've told everyone that I can't remember the prayer -"

"Isabella," says Alleluia. "Jovah did not lay hands on Ithiel. I want to know what did happen."
Permalink

[...So do we tell her?]

Permalink
[...I don't know.]

"...You said Delilah told you. But Delilah hasn't left the Eyrie since then and you haven't been here until our wedding yesterday. How could you possibly have asked the god what he did or did not do?" Isabella asks. "You weren't flying all last night to ask. This bed was slept in, you don't have bags under your eyes."

Alleluia looks - caught.
Permalink

[I love you,] says Micaiah.

Permalink
[I love you too.]

"I - I have been oracle for two decades," says Alleluia. "Since before you were born. I became interim Archangel because Jovah could hear me when he could hear no one else, and I could never have done what you claim. I know Jovah's ways. He does not transform lucifers into beautiful angel children because someone flies up with one in her arms and invents a prayer on the spot."

"And yet, Ithiel is as you have seen - or heard, if you haven't seen him in person," says Isabella. "Half a dozen people saw me leave with a lucifer and land with an angel. Do you think I - what? Found a newborn angel with Abjah's eyes, and wings that exactly match hers, lying on a cloud somewhere, and switched them?"

"I don't know what happened, Isabella, that's why I'm asking."
Permalink

[I think we should tell her,] he says.

Permalink
[Why?]

"Delilah has been your friend for longer than you've been oracle. She was Archangel for longer than you were. Does she also think something else must have happened?" Isabella asks.

"You're being evasive."

"I've told everyone the same story. It's you who thinks there's something else to it."
Permalink

[Why shouldn't we? What bad things would happen if we did?]

Permalink
[She could tell - anyone. I've been trying to be discreet, I just couldn't leave that baby... I thought everyone would buy it when I made it look like it was a miracle.]

"Because I know Jovah didn't heal the lucifer, so something else must have happened," presses Alleluia.

"But why do you want to know, if something did?" asks Isabella.

"Because - because it makes no sense. Because my husband has infected me with a measure of his curiosity over the years. Because what you have said happened is not what happened."

"I did take the lucifer, I did go aloft, I did pray, and the baby was healed."

"And something else," Alleluia insists.
Permalink

[At this point I think it's a matter of time before she figures out the right answer for herself,] says Micaiah. [Might as well give it to her before then.]

Permalink
[...I think you're right. We did ask about magic.]

"Do you remember the last question I asked you?" Isabella says, subdued.

"The hypothetical question about -" Alleluia blinks. "It wasn't hypothetical. That's how you did it. You've found some kind of magic, that can reshape a lucifer into a normal infant angel."

Isabella nods once and squeezes Micaiah's hand.
Total: 117
Posts Per Page: