Take It Away

Her eyes were blue like the sky.

Endless.

Hopeless.

And he had helped to make them that way.

Everything seemed so ideal in The Kingdom. There was nothing out of place, every building spaced evenly, the golden roads smooth and shimmering. The air was clean, the water clear, and the atmosphere peaceful.

Why would anyone ever want to leave for the land?

Why did she?

“What do you do for The Guard?” Ivy asked with a darling, inquisitive gaze as she clung onto Zero’s arm, the boy seeming to not share the same curiosity. They had just entered the expansive gardens of the castle, the walk from Charlotte’s manor not taking them much time at all. She admired the woman’s Guard uniform, so crisp, clean, and white without a single wrinkle.

Charlotte looked down at the petite girl. She had only known her for a few days, but the angel was already charmed by the precious thing and more than happy to answer all of her questions without a hint of hesitance. “On the record, I’m little more than a filing clerk. I gather and organize paperwork and put it in its respected places or take it from one person to another. But off, I provide information that isn’t easily attainable for a price.”

Ivy stared down at her feet, pure gold beneath them. “Isn’t coin sort of silly when all you have to do is chip at the road?” She pursed her lips as she thought about it. “But that’s probably not allowed, is it?”

“Coin has no real value up here as it does on the land. You can still earn it, but most choose not to even bother with it. There’s really no point unless you intend on going to the land to use it, and most stay in The Kingdom with a few exceptions. Everything needed is already provided, so coin is unnecessary. Rather, the currency is more so based off of one’s status. The higher ranked they are in the hierarchy, the more opportunities and resources they have access to.”

“So, how do they pay you then if not in coin?”

The angel bobbed her head side to side, sky orbs tilted upwards, as she recalled the options. “Different ways depending on who they are and what they’re asking for. Sometimes, it’s in exchange for things I don’t have access to, like certain clothes or food. More high end luxuries. Sometimes, I trade information for information. Sometimes, I ask for favors to be used later when I need. I took gold from Ren because it was all he was willing to offer, but I didn’t need it or even really want it. It’s just bad business practice to work for free. However, it did give me a reason to go to the land now and then. After all, what’s the point in having coin if you can’t spend it?”

They ascended the stairs to the entrance with Charlotte scowling at the lack of guards there to open the doors for them, making them do it themselves. It was just as vacant as it was when they first arrived days prior, their footsteps still as loud as the devil and fae followed the angel through the halls and staircases. They took the same path that ended in front of the same door where Cassiel had been.

Charlotte knocked, waiting a few moments before pushing it open slightly. “Cassiel?”

“What is it?” The older angel’s voice came from the other side of the door.

“If you’re not too busy, there’s someone here who wishes to speak to you.”

The man’s sigh was audible and tinged with dread. “Who?”

The woman further opened the door and stepped aside. “I’ll wait for you to finish and escort you out,” she told the boy and girl as they entered before closing it behind them.

Cassiel immediately stood at attention behind his desk, his chair screeching away from his body with the sudden burst on movement. He glanced past the pair for a moment, as if expecting someone else to be there, but it quickly returned to the boy. He stared at Zero, his mouth opening and closing but no sound escaped.

“I’m Lailah’s child.” Zero decided it was best to speak first, to help the man who was clearly struggling with the sight of the devil.

Cassiel’s mouth closed and he swallowed uncomfortably before finding weak remnants of his voice. “I know. You look just like her.”

The boy nodded even though he didn’t really know if that was true. They had the same color of hair— he had been able to see that much in his earlier years— but he had never been able to see himself in order to make those comparisons while she was alive and the vision of her clear. He hadn’t even known what he looked like until he was with Ren, and they had passed a shop with a large window that mirrored his reflection. He had stopped and stared at himself, unsure of what he was seeing and unable to communicate his confusion. The man had understood though and explained that he was looking at himself. That that was what he looked like.

That he was beautiful, unique, and unlike anyone that Ren had ever seen.

Zero observed Cassiel but could only find their differences. The man was his mother’s father, but there wasn’t a single shared physical attribute between them. Not the shape of their nose or curve of their lips or sharpness of their jawline. There was nothing. “I don’t look like you.”

“No, you don’t,” the angel agreed. “Lailah looked just like her mother and grandmother, and you take after them.” He walked around the desk and stood in front of the marginally taller devil. “Did you know her well?”

That was a question the man probably didn’t want to know the real answer to. “Not really. I didn’t see her much, but sometimes she’d come see me and tell me stories about the land.”

“The land?” He seemed confused. “What about the heavens?”

“No. Never.”

Cassiel nodded slowly. “I see. From the time she was little, she wanted to go to the land. She was always talking about it. Her mother and grandmother were similar, always longing to go to the land for reasons no one could understand. But Lailah was a lot more stubborn and willing to take risks. I never allowed it, but I should have just taken her myself. Maybe then she wouldn’t have snuck off alone, and…” his voice trailed off, blue eyes glancing away from crimson.

“I’m sorry.” Zero truly was.

The man looked back at the boy and shook his head. “It’s not your fault. We can’t choose who we’re born to.”

Zero didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know how to explain when he himself didn’t completely understand. However, he knew the man was wrong.

Zero had chosen.

He had chosen to grow in Lailah’s womb.

He had chosen to further her suffering.

And if given the choice, he would do it again.

The silence was uncomfortable as Cassiel glanced at the girl still holding onto the boy’s arm, searching for another topic to continue their awkward conversation. “I assume you’ve been with the Fallen One since he killed the devil?” He paused, grasping at the bleak reality. “Your father.”

“His name is Ren,” Zero corrected calmly, “and yes, I’ve been with him.”

“In that village?”

“Sometimes.”

The angel nodded, running out of ways to dance around the elephant in the room. “I see.” He paused and breathed deeply, working up the courage. “Do you… do you know how she died?”

“I don’t.” But over time he had come to have an idea of how it had happened. However, it was only speculation and revealing what he thought wouldn’t change anything other than causing more pain. “He never said how. Just that she was dead.” The man was quiet so the boy continued, “I wanted to come here to make amends. It won’t be much, but it should help.”

“Make amends for what?” Cassiel asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

The crimson of Zero’s eyes flared, flickering like fire. “For choosing your daughter to birth me.” He looked down at Ivy who smiled up at him. “Will you do it? I’m not sure if I can yet, and I don’t want to mess it up.”

“What do you mean?” The man took a step back, looking between the two. “Do what?”

“Of course.” Ivy released his arm and stepped to the angel, violet eyes shining and voice like a dream. “It’s alright. You don’t have to be nervous. You should go sit down.”

Cassiel stared at the girl, his sky orbs turning cloudy and distant, before turning and going back to his seat as she followed. He sat, and she took his face in her hands, raising his gaze to hers.

“I can’t end your pain,” she spoke softly, “but I can help take away the nightmares, and that will alleviate some of your sorrow. I need you to understand though, that the white-haired boy is not Lailah’s child. He is not your grandchild. He is nothing to you, so please don’t concern yourself with him any longer. He and I have never stepped foot inside of The Kingdom’s walls, and you have never seen us before. You’ve never heard of us. We don’t exist. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” he muttered.

“Very good. You’ll have a beautiful dream, and when you wake, your burden will be more bearable.” Ivy took his face in her hands and pressed her forehead against his. “Sleep.”

The angel was out instantly, and she carefully adjusted his upper body onto the desk for a more peaceful slumber.

“Thank you.” Zero walked to the door and placed his hand on the knob. “Are you ready?”

“Yep! Let’s go!” Ivy chirped as she skipped over to him and out the door he held open for her.

Charlotte looked over to them, somewhat stunned at the short meeting. “Are you done already?”

“We are.” The girl stopped before her and waited for the devil.

“Well, I’ll show you out then.”

“Thank you, but there’s no need.” Ivy gazed up at her, eyes still glowing. “We can find our way out. Cassiel also doesn’t want visitors until after we’ve left The Kingdom. Can you make sure that no one disturbs him while you’re on duty?”

The woman blinked a few times before agreeing, “Yes.”

“Thank you!” The girl took the boy’s arm as he met up with her, and they proceeded on their way. “We’ll take care of supper tonight. Have a good day!”

“Yes,” Charlotte called softly after the two before going to Cassiel’s office and standing guard in front of the door, preventing anyone from entering.

“Do you know how to get out?” Ivy asked as they descended their first staircase.

Zero nodded. “Yeah, I paid closer attention this time.” If he could remember all the ridiculous places that Ren had buried those boxes of gold, then he should be able to handle this.

“Oh good.” She sighed in relief. “It was too confusing for me. This castle is just so large, and there are too many turns. I don’t understand how anyone can find their way through this place. But the gardens are so pretty. Could we walk around them for awhile before we head back?”

He smiled at the girl. “We can.”

They wound their way around the grand castle before leaving its walls and returning to the gardens where Ivy then took the lead in pulling Zero around as he followed. She took them over small bridges that arched over sparkling creeks, through mazes of trimmed shrubs, and past countless trees and infinite flowers of all colors and shapes.

“You feel guilty.” Ivy didn’t need to ask. She already knew.

“I do,” the boy confirmed.

The girl pursed her lips, thinking, before releasing the devil and rushing to a fully in bloom peony bush. She came back with a large, deep scarlet flower that she tucked behind his ear before pulling him down to press her forehead against his. “A child would have been born from her whether or not you chose her,” she whispered, the tears building and trailing down her cheeks. “Children. One after the other. Each one a sacrifice to their father. Their blood...”

“I know,” he interjected before she could finish, his voice just as soft.

“Those little girls would have suffered from the moment they entered this world. They would have never been able to endure what you did. No one could. And there was no changing the outcome once Lailah went to the land. You saved her from an even worse fate.”

“I know.”

Ivy smiled gently. “You did what you had to. As did I. Please don’t regret it.”

Zero took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. “I would never regret it,” he assured. “I would do it over and over. I’d do anything to be with you again.”

“And I’d do anything to be with you.” She took his lips once more before wrapping around his arm and continuing through the gardens. “We did all we could for him. It was very kind of you to suggest we do.”

It wasn’t a matter of kindness. “It’s better he doesn’t remember me. Too many complications. Whether or not I’m his daughter’s child, he’s an angel who serves his god. Not us, and I’m not willing to take unnecessary risks.”

“You’re right. It’s probably for the best.” The girl glanced around the gardens with a sigh. “Hopefully Ren finds what he’s looking for soon. I’m ready to go home.”

A small groan emitted from the devil as his brows drew closer together, wanting the same thing. “He’s going to have to stop screwing around first, and who knows how long that’s gonna take.”