Connections

Ivy cautiously lifted and stacked each plate with extreme care. The dishes were a beautiful ivory porcelain with gold leaf trim, and she suspected that each one probably cost more than all the items in her possession put together. It made her nervous to handle them, especially with the angel who sat in the same chair from breakfast, her elbow on the table and chin propped in her hand, watching her with mild irritation.

“You know, you don’t have to do all that.” A small sigh exposed Charlotte’s quiet displeasure. “I’ve already told you that the maidservant can take care of all these menial tasks.”

The girl finished placing the last plate on top before gathering the silverware. “I don’t mind. I’m sure she’s already plenty busy maintaining a manor of this size. I haven’t even seen anyone else here. She must be constantly on the run.”

The woman leaned back in her chair, giving up on talking the girl out of tidying up. “It’s not so much that she’s busy. It’s that she’s avoiding being seen.”

“Oh! That’s a shame.” Ivy faltered momentarily while trying to understand why that someone would choose to be elusive before perking up and smiling sweetly. “Well, thank you for letting us stay with you. It was very kind of you to do so, but we don’t want to be a bother.”

Charlotte returned the smile with a shrewd one of her own and pushed herself from her chair. “It’s no bother. Any friend of Ren’s is a friend of mine. You’re welcome here for as long as you’d like.”

Ivy nodded and glanced around the large area as she gathered the dishes and followed the angel into the kitchen, a completely different room separated by walls and a tall archway. “Do you live here alone with your maidservant?” It seemed like it would be so lonely. Even with the five of them present, they barely took up any room at all. It was so different from what the girl was accustomed to, always having slept in a tent or the room of an inn, or, more recently, the cottage. Even Mahala’s home couldn’t hold a candle to the vastness that she was currently in.

“No, I live here with my father, mother, and two younger brothers as well as a sizable waitstaff. They’re all on the land right now though, other than the one, along with most everyone else.”

“Are they all that worried about the parasite?” the girl asked. Perhaps there was something more to the parasite than they had been made aware of? Something that everyone in The Kingdom knew of?

“Oh no.” the angel smirked, as playful as a cat with a mouse. “A few of the more nervous ones did, but most left once we learned that Ren would be returning. They couldn’t get out of The Kingdom fast enough.”

“They really left because of Ren?” She had seen how the angels in Golden City had reacted in Ren’s presence and Sakura had told her it was because they thought he was evil. But for a whole kingdom, the size of more than a dozen Wei Wens, to almost completely evacuate over the arrival of one person was difficult to process. Especially when that person was Ren. “So that’s why your maidservant doesn’t want to be seen.”

Charlotte leaned against the counter and observed Ivy closely as she began to wash the dishes in the basin. “You seem like such a sweet, innocent girl. How ever did you end up with him?”

Ivy concentrated on the rag and plate in her hands, the man’s earlier warning echoing in her head. “He and Sakura were raised together. After he left for The Guard she began taking care of me. Then he got out and came back and I’ve been with both of them ever since.” It seemed like a vague answer that would be acceptable enough.

The woman seemed surprised. “Really? They were raised together up in those Northern Mountains? An angel and a fox? Interesting. So, he didn’t take her? What about the den?”

No,” she giggled at the thought. “He didn’t take her. She left it when she was young.”

“I imagine she would have had to. I’ve heard those women are more like nervous rabbits than foxes. She’s nothing like that, though. I always knew there was a woman that he was just itching to get back to. There always is when they’re that frantic to get out of The Guard. But I assumed it would be some human girl who thought she could save him with her love.” Charlotte rolled her eyes and gagged. “I don’t know what it is about angels and humans, but they certainly do enjoy mingling together.”

The girl nodded, not particularly sure why it was a topic of disgust for the angel but not wishing to press further. “Why would everyone leave just because Ren came back? He’s here to help. Shouldn’t everyone be happy?”

The angel tilted her head as one corner of her mouth rose. “Of course everyone isn’t happy. That man is evil. Were you not aware of that?”

Ivy looked up curiously at the woman. “I keep hearing that about him, but I don’t understand why. I’ve never seen him do anything close to being considered evil. He’s always so kind and helpful to everyone and never asks for anything in return. He’s sweet and cheerful and no one makes me laugh the way he can. Ren is one of the most loving people I’ve ever known.”

She gazed down at the girl, blue eyes astounded at her glowing version of the Fallen One. “That’s a Ren I’m unfamiliar with. Though he seems very fond and protective of you and Lailah’s son. I wouldn’t say he was ever evil that I saw, but he certainly wasn’t kind or sweet or loving. He kept to himself, was only here as long as need be, and always had the same blank expression. He never really did anything other than what he was told, but everyone was still afraid of him. Still is.”

It seemed unwarranted to fear someone who never even given you reason to do so. “Why would they be afraid of him when he has never done anything wrong?”

Charlotte turned her attention away from the girl to focus on her well manicured nails, checking for blemishes. “Whether he’s done anything wrong or not doesn’t change the fact that he’s evil, as all Fallen Ones are. They desire to have everything and will take whatever measures necessary in order to obtain it. They will cast the world into darkness and destroy it all to have it. That’s why The Guard kills the Fallen Ones before they have the chance to grow into someone who can be a threat to God’s power. Before they can think they’re God themselves and attempt to overthrow The Kingdom.”

“That doesn’t sound like Ren at all, and the way you say it makes it sound like well rehearsed propaganda that’s been spewed to the masses.” Ivy pressed her lips into a thin, disapproving line. “He has no interest in The Kingdom. That’s why he used his prayer to go home and not use it as a way to hurt those who tried to hurt him. He’s not evil.” She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “He’s just frustrating sometimes.”

“You may believe that, and it may very well be true. But so long as that man lives, he’ll always be a threat and no angel will forget it.”

Ivy carefully stacked the clean plates, considering the information for several moments. “I think it all sounds so silly. If I’m afraid of something that I can do nothing about, I’m not going to invite it into my home. Let alone twice. I’ll pay close attention to it to make sure nothing happens, but I don’t want to be around it. If I was afraid of Ren, then I would stay away from him.”

The angel smiled. “That, my dear, is because you’re thinking logically, not with fear. When you make decisions based off of fear you make foolish choices, and The Kingdom has been in a constant state of panic ever since Ren was born.

“To be honest, I never understood why they didn’t leave him alone to begin with. He was already under the care of the highest ranking angel in The Kingdom out in the middle of nowhere on the land, and even though Raziel had given up his title, he had given his word to kill Ren himself if need be. Quietly monitoring him seemed like a better option than dragging him up here and intentionally trying to get him killed, risking angering him to the point where he wanted to turn against The Kingdom. But what do I know? I’m only a Marquess’ daughter.” The woman laughed, but she was not amused as she made her way out of the kitchen and towards a sitting room just off of the front entrance.

“Why aren’t you afraid of Ren?” the girl asked while following. “You said everyone left because they’re afraid of him. Why did you stay? Why did you help him back then?”

Charlotte slipped her body across a deep burgundy, velvet chaise lounge, making herself comfortable and stretching her arms above her head. “I am afraid of him. Terrified. But what does my fear change? Will it stop him from destroying The Kingdom or killing every angel? No. The first time I saw him, I wanted to run and hide, curl up in a ball and cry over my fragile mortality like a child. I didn’t though, because what good would it do? And the first time he came up to me to ask for information, I asked why he wanted it. Do you know what he told me? What I saw in his eyes?”

“What?”

“I saw despair as he told me he wanted to lessen his time so he could return to the land. He wasn’t this purely maleficent monster I’d been led to believe he was. He was just a sad, little boy who wanted to go home. So, I thought why don’t I work with him rather than against him? That way, if those sad eyes did change to something more nefarious, maybe he’d spare me.” She patted the edge of the lounge, inviting the girl to sit. “Come now. That’s enough about Ren. I’m much more interested in getting to know you.”

Ivy accepted the seat. “Me?”

“Yes, you.” Charlotte leaned closer, taking the girl’s chin gingerly in her fingers and observing her closely. “You are by far the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. You’re absolute perfection in every way, but you’re no angel. What are you? Is that why Ren, that fox, and devil are so concerned for you? Why they dote on you? Because you’re something special?”

Ivy cast her eyes down into her lap and bit nervously at her bottom lip. This was probably one of those situations that Ren was worried about.

But as she had told him…

She could take care of herself.

And she meant it.

“Don’t be shy. I can keep a secret.”

The girl took a deep breath. “I need your help first.”

A perfect brow raised along with the angel’s lips. “And what can I help you with?”

She gazed up into sky eyes, violet glowing with a silent incantation. “I need your connection. Just for a little while.”

“What are you talking about?” Charlotte’s hand dropped to her side, and her interest quickly turned to confusion, her head suddenly feeling heavy while her thoughts melded together in a jumbled mess. “My connection? To what?”

Ivy pressed towards the woman, forcing her back against the cushions and overtaking her body, hovering herself above the angel. “We’re constantly connecting with people. There’s no need for words. A passing touch or glance is enough to create a connection. Everyone is connected to someone, and we are all connected together. But I can’t do this myself. I need help. I need you.” Ivy’s hands reached out, taking Charlotte’s face as she lowered her forehead against hers, and the woman gaped at her in wide-eyed bafflement. “It’s alright. Don’t be afraid. Your god may be okay with sitting back and watching your suffering, but I’m not. So, if you don’t mind,” her voice quiet, “sleep.”

Charlotte’s body slipped away from the girl and onto the lounge, deep in slumber.

The fae smiled and ran her fingers along the angel’s cheeks. “I appreciate what you’ve done for Ren and Zero even though your intentions weren’t sincere. To show my gratitude, I’ll give you a beautiful dream.” She crawled from the woman and made her way out of the room and exited the front entrance, stepping outside and gazing into the ever blue sky.

It wouldn’t stay that way much longer.

Ivy untied the ribbon from around her neck and pulled the ring from her finger. Her wings sprouted behind her as she strung the ring through the ribbon and tied it back around her neck. She fluttered them quickly, wriggling her body along with them, loosening her muscles.

Now she would watch.

And after it passed, she would go to them.

But until then, she would wait.