Chapter ????

This chapter takes place much later in the book, but for some reason I really wanted to write it early. Oh well. Don't get too confused.

Drake stood over Leanne, his body trembling with rage and grief. He glared at Truth, her bloody hands held pleadingly out to him. "What have you done?"

     Truth said nothing, staring down at the lifeless body before her, the murder weapon only inches from Leanne.

     "What have you done?" he repeated. "Leanne... why Leanne? You don't deserve to go to heaven now. You don't deserve another chance because you always throw them away."

     "She wasn't good for you," whispered Truth. She did not avert her gaze as Drake spoke.

     "Leanne was the best thing that ever happened to me. Why are you so selfish? You are no angel; you are a demon. You're the one that should have died, not Leanne. But of course, such a thing is not possible," he added with disgust.

     She flicked her eyes up to Drake. "I did it for you, for us. I love you -"

     "Ha! You do not know love. As I once said, a fallen angel cannot love, nor can a murderer. You should go to hell where you belong!" Drake charged Truth with a bestial scream, forcing her to the ground and wrapping his hands around her delicate throat. She tore at his chest, trying to free herself from his merciless grasp. "Did you kill my father too?" he screamed.

     "No-" she gasped, turning her face away from him. "Edmund!"

     Drake froze atop her, gaping down at her. His grip did not losen. "What did you say?"

     Truth lay still and calm, menacing eyes fixed on Drake's, waiting for Edmund's shadow to be cast beside her. She smiled. Edmund grabbed Drake by the back of his shirt, wrenching him back with a force that left him sprawled on the ground. Drake lept to his feet, panting with rage. "You," he snarled.

     "Of course. Who else could be the hero?"

     "This doesn't concern you. Go back to your castle."

     "And do what? Sit there and twiddle my thumbs while you kill my best singer?"

     Drake made to punch the prince, but he easily avoided the attack. "You conceited b*****d. You knew Leanne just as long as I, and yet you protect her killer."

     Edmund looked down at Leanne, the expression on his face calm and cold. "The clothes Leanne made for me were never worn when she was there. She was a simple-minded girl, a means for pleasure. Beyond that her existence was pointless." He walked over to Truth, who sat in awe of their conversation, and kneeled down beside her. Grasping the back of her neck, she immediately fell limp into his arms. Edmund picked her up and looked back to Drake. "Women are never as innocent as they appear, Drake. They must be controlled and brainwashed with ideas of love. With attatchment comes pain." He nudged Leanne with his foot so her face was visible to Drake. He gestured his head at her. "You brought this upon yourself," he concluded, and turned swiftly to the castle.

     Drake fell to his knees as he watched the man he hated carry the woman he loved away. He was now alone except for Cassie. Truth. She had brought him nothing but pain since she arrived. God must be laughing at him. How could anyone deal with someone like Truth? He had tried to help her but she constantly pushed him away. All she ever did was what she wanted, without regard for the reprocussion. Apparently murder wasn't even below her. Drake's screams ripped through the evening air and he collapsed on the bloody ground next to Leanne. He had been so close to happiness... Reaching over to the cold body, he grabbed her hand and held it tightly in his, his tears mixing with her blood. Drake's blood-splashed face relaxed as God closed his eyes and calmed his spinning thoughts, and he found peace in the presence of the Almighty One.

 

God had also made himself known to Truth, in her unconciousness. Truth feared nothing: not death, pain, disappointment, rejection. There was only one that could do anything to her, and He had locked Himself in her mind. She stood on a cloud above the ocean, a bright star shining before her. The warm glow ebbed and grew, like a pulse, a breath. This was all she had ever seen of God. Whether it was His true state or not, none of the angels knew for sure. He always appeared as a golden star, a hovering light. "What have you done, Truth?" His voice echoed in the emptiness. It was not scolding or angry, but a statement.

     "I have... sinned. Killed. I have hurt Drake," Truth said slowly. An image of Leanne screaming, the dear of death in her eyes, floated in Truth's mind. And then there was the look of disappointment on Drake's face...

     "Was that not your intention?"

     She looked down to the glittering sea below. "No, I wanted him to want me. With Leanne out of the way, such a thing would be possible. But now I'm sure Drake hates me." Her eyes focused on the star. "That's not what I wanted to do. Why did I not see it? He never reacts the way I expect. I thought he would be happy." Fury took ahold of Truth. "How come you never do what I want?" she cried. "Why won't you just let me be happy?"

     "One does not simply become happy - it must be earned. You are an all-seeing angel, Truth, yet you cannot see the falseness of your actions. A leader does not win his country with fear of pain, he wins by earning the love and respect of his people. Drake is a very strong-willed man. You know this. Logic would have told you that killing Leanne would not bring you any closer to him. Following your heart would have brought you to the same conlcusion as well. You know hurting someone only pushes him or her away. You have experienced this yourself."

     "Yes, with you!" Truth snapped.

     "You aren't thinking, Truth. You were once so stubborn and independent, with such standards that no one could meet, yet you blindly follow Edmund. You are giving in to the Devil's temptations."

     "I don't care. He offers me what I want: Freedom. All you do is chain me down. An angel has no freedom because he is always concerned about making others happy."

     "Yes, that is your duty as-"

     "To hell with duty! I never asked for any of this -"

     The star began to grow brighter before Truth and gold quickly turned maroon. "Of course not! I created you. Angels are the most holy creatures. They do my biding without question -"

     Truth looked away, back to the swaying sea. "It appears you made a mistake, then." She started to jump off the cloud, but before she could lift a foot, the ocean suddenly turned to giant inferno. She lept back, eyes wide with fear. She did fear that. Suddenly, she felt her wings behind her, now torn and blackened. They weighed heavily upon her. Falling to her kneed, she began to weep, dark red tears running down her face, puncturing the cloud and falling down into the flames. The moment the tear reached the lapping fire, the blue sea returned, its surface now rippling with each drop that fell. "You win," she whispered. "You win..."

     "It's not a matter of winning or losing, but of learning. However hard you try  to suppress the angel, the good, inside of you, it will always shine through the darkness." His voice had returned to its soothing tone and the light faded back to a golden glow.

     "I didn't want to do it.. Even with the few morals I have left, killing an innocent woman went against all of them. I appear to be so strong, but really I'm so vulnerable, and blind." The tears had stopped but the feeling of complete hoplessness remained. The angel looked up at God. "Do you hate me for what I did? For everything I did?"

     Although she could see no face, she knew He was smiling. "Do not be so foolish. Of course not, my child. I cannot hate, but love all. I even love Lucifer, despite his hatred for me. I understand that he does not know what he does."

     "I don't understand how you can feel that way, but, of course, I admire you for it."

     "I forgive you, but before you can join me and your sisters and borthers, you must first forgive yourself, be at peace with yourself, and regret your sins."

     Truth closed her eyes. "I understand. I'm ready to face the consequences of my actions."

 

The next time she opened her eyes, the cloud had vanished and was replaced with a familiar bed. Edmund. But what had happened to Drake? Edmund stood at the opposite side of the room, arms clasped behind his back, gazing out the large window that overlooked the city. He now adorned a long red robe with apparenlty no pants. He turned to Truth with a sinister smile. "Feeling better?" The lack of sincerity in his voice unsettled Truth.

     She nodded. "Just a bit shaken."

     "Of course." Edmund causually strode over to the bed, bending over and spreading hsi palms on the mattress. He looked up at her, and his gaze sharpened the longer he stared. "Perhaps a massage would help you calm down?"

    Truth had trouble holding eye contact. "I... Yes, that would please me very much."

     He cralwed on to the bed and over to Truth. "Turn around," he demanded. She nodded and turned from him, holding her hair up to expose her neck and shoulders. She knew the routine. His hands were warm against her skin, but those rings were still ice. Truth shuddered. She closed her eyes as he bgean to massage her shoulders, and her thoughts fell into place. You need to talk to him, Truth, though he has never been the type of person to listen. But what is he doing? Don't I get some congradulations -? No, that whole thing was a mistake. I'm not proud of what I did. And yet, I wouldn't take it back if I could. "Edmund..."

     "Shhh," he cooed as he kissed her neck.

     "No. Edmund, what I did was wrong."

     "Of course it was. Anyone could have told you that," he whispered. "But the question is, why did you listen to me?"

     "Because you told me to. I wanted revenge, and you took advantage of me. Murder would not have been an option for me if you hadnn't - Would please cease? I'm trying to speak with you."

     Edmund's hands stopped on the middle of her back. "I can do what I please, angel," he breathed. His mouth hovered over her shoulder, his hot breath overheating her skin. Truth, however, could no longer feel herself breathing.

     "What did you call me?"

     She heard a soft chuckle behind her. "I know what you are, and I'll tell you what else you are."

     Turth turned to look at Edmund, but saw only a mass of brown hair. There was no way he could know. Mortals could not see her wings. Taking a deep breath, she asked, "What?" She wished she could see his face...

     "A fallen angel, traitor, murderer... and mine."

     She grimaced as Edmund bit her shoulder, hot blood trickling onto her skin. She felt fear grip her. Pain was not an issue - it was her pride. "Stop it," she said firmly, though her voice was notably shakey.

     Edmund licked his lips. "Are you going to beg, Truth?" Pushing her down onto the bed, she screamed as she landed hard on her back, Edmund on top of her. His grin exposed a new set of sharp teeth and a pair of red eyes. Truth tried to get up but he shoved her back, firmly pinning her arms down. "Ah, trying to leave, are we? You don't belong anywhere except with me. No one wants a killer like you."

    "I only did it because you told me to!" she cried frantically, pushing at his chest with all her might. She felt humiliated and weak beyond imagine, a feeling she was not too familiar with. "Let me go!"

     "I'm afraid I can't do that. You're mine, forever, and you shall continue to obey me. Now stop reisisting me."

     Truth glared up at Edmund. "I'm not going to give in that easily."

     Edmund gripped her arms tighter. "Then I'll just have to break you." He released his hold on her and ripped her dress with such a force that he left long gashed on her chest like broken tiger stripes. This was not at all as romantic as it had been during their first encounter. You will not win... Truth looked up at Edmund through the tears in her eyes. He was not speaking. Truth... The voice was coming from inside her head. You are weak now but you could be strong with me. Come to me, my fallen angel, my demon. Give in to me... She knew that voice, and only then did she notice that the prince was still. He looked deep into her eyes and into her soul. It was Edmund's voice this whole time. She really was being tempted by the Devil - and giving in to him. Truth fought back against the pain in her mind and body. Nothing was hers any longer. Drake had taken her heart long ago and now Edmund her mind and body. She filled her thoughts with memoried of Drake. The awe in his beautiful face the first time she had appeared to him. The time she saw him laying out on the shore at the lake. Their first kiss. His dark, mesmorizing eyes that gave little but absorbed everything.

     Now all of those images shattered as the Devil broke through her mind's barrier. "No!" Truth shoved Edmund off her with a new spurt of strength and determination, and she scrambled off the bed her ripped dress falling off her shoulders. Edmund roared in frustration. She ran to the door and yanked at the lionhead handle, but it was locked. Whirling around to face the prince, she saw a flash of silver blade and she jumped out of the way. Skirting back toward the large mahagony be and towards the window. There was a loud crash and the sound of cracking wood as Edmund brought the sword down on the bed, a second too late, wrenching the headboard  in two and slicing through the silk blankets. Feathers fluttered about the room. Edmund dropped the broadsword and snatched Truth's arm. She clawed at his hand, leaving bloody scratches that matched those on her chest. He showed no sign that he had noticed, however, and slammed her against the wall. Truth whimpered as she collided with the cold stone. It was all over. She knew there was nothing she could do now, no would help her now, not even God. Edmund's robe fell to the floor. Truth braced herself. She had said she would accept her consequences. She damned acceptance, but knew that it changed nothing. For the second time ever, Truth felt truly alone in the world, the heavens, the universe. It was all over.

Reviews

[Autumn]

Beatiful, I love this chapter. Maybe make a few chapters before this one, though. If you ever need help for ideas, you know who to come to.