Rebirth - The Beautiful Fallen (37 page)

             
“All Fallen Children have perfect eye sight in any lighting.  It’s a perk of having such a prestigious bloodline.” Saffron said.

             
“I guess.  Now that you mention it, it does seem like my eyesight got a lot better after I got my wings.” I noted, turning back to him again.

             
“Indeed.  But right now, I believe there are more important things to discuss.  Why don’t you come with me?  We’ll get started right away, beings you’re feeling better.” Saffron said, turning and walking back to the doorway that he’d come in from.

             
I watched him for a moment, then decided it would be better to follow.  I couldn’t say I had that good of a feeling about him wanting to talk with me like that, but what other choice did I have but to listen to him?  After all, he was the one who created me.  Not to mention that he’d saved my hide at least twice now.  Gratitude can be a bitch, huh?

             
I followed him out into a large conservatory type room.  It was a little bit brighter there, though not by much.  Walking over to a small table with a glass top, both of us took our seats.  To my surprise, it looked like it had been set up just for us, with some tea and biscuits.  The dishes they were on were beautiful, with intricate blue patterns painted on them.  “So, what’s this all about?” I had to ask him as I looked closer at them.

             
“Actually, this is more me wanting the private time to talk between us about everything.  After all, it has been quite a while since the two of us have really gotten to see each other.  Not to mention that you could know nothing before of your heritage.” Saffron explained, fixing some tea for us.

             
I had to nod in agreement.  Everything he said was basically true.  “I guess you’re right there.  I was kind of surprised myself when I realized what I was.” I admitted.  I took a drink of my tea after he handed it to me.  It actually felt good to have something cool to drink now.

             
“Well, I’ll admit that part of that has always been in my plans.  I’m sure by now you’ve come to realize that I’ve been guiding hands since long before you were born.  It’s in my nature, you could say, to want to make my own outcome to just about any situation.  I’ll admit as well that I am a master manipulator when it comes to such things.  But especially in this, I’ve found that pulling the strings was essentially working to my advantage.  However, it seems that I've underestimated a few things in recent times as well.” Saffron went on.

             
“You mean with what happened with Will, don’t you?” I guessed.

             
“Yes.  Wilhelm Marcos did after all complicate a lot of this, didn’t he?  But nothing I could not have foreseen perhaps happening in the future.  After all, it seems that both Christoff and Zane had made an alliance with him years before your birth.  My bigger concern however has been the problems he caused with you and Christoff Liam.  Orders or not, it’s messed a few small things up for the time being.” Saffron said.

             
Once again, I considered his words.  Will had done what he did under orders.  I couldn’t help but wonder who in the world would’ve ordered him to turn on us.  Or even why that was.  What was there to gain?  However, I found that there was another thought that overrode all my questions with Will.  And that was Saffron’s words about Chris.  Apparently, he was about to offer up everything he knew about Chris and our relationship.  How could I just pass up hearing that?  “So did you really try to make it so that me and Chris were going to be together?” I had to ask him.

             
Saffron shook his head.  “I just pulled the strings to allow it to happen.  In the end, fate had to play a role in that one.  After all, I unfortunately cannot dictate feelings.  But I’ll be the first to admit that I was quite pleased to realize that Christoff was infatuated with you from the moment he heard about you.  Whether Jade likes it or not, the hands of fate were already in motion, and neither of us would ever be able to do anything about it.  And when he went looking for you, eventually finding you three years later, things seemed to be falling into place.  I was prepared to rest easy knowing that my seed would remain safe and sound in the mortal world with the so called prince of the Beautiful Fallen protecting her.  However, the longer things went on, the more I began to realize that perhaps that would not remain the case.  So I put the wheels in motion to get out and back here myself to take care of things.” he explained.

             
“You and Jade said something about knowing that there was a spy with us.  I guess you knew it was Will all along, huh?” I said.

             
“Well, not exactly.” Saffron admitted.  “We really didn’t know who it was at the time, because we couldn’t pinpoint him.  To be completely honest, which I never really am except on these rare occasions, we suspected Zane more than Wilhelm.  But we couldn’t catch him until just before, and even then, we had to stay out of it because of the orders given.  Jade began to get a little on edge about that, and even threatened to make Christoff disappear again.  But I convinced him not to do such.  It wouldn’t be worth it, especially with the attachment that the boy felt towards you.  The rift would only be driven deeper between the two if he took him away from the girl he came to love so dearly.  Looking back at that now, I admit that I feel rather stupid myself.  Perhaps I should’ve just let him go, considering all that's happened.”

             
I looked down at hearing those words.  “I don’t think he would’ve gone anywhere.  He wasn’t the type to just run away.” I told him.  But then, I also considered his words.  Orders given.  “So who ordered Will to do that anyways?  And why couldn’t you or Jade have stopped it?” I continued.

             
Saffron just smiled.  “Who else?  Lucifer himself.” He replied.

             
I just sat there and stared at him for a moment.  “Wait a minute.  Are you saying Lucifer as in the devil Lucifer?” I said, although I shivered slightly as I did.

             
“Well, it’s whatever name you’ve come to know him as.  He does seem to have many anymore.  After all, men tend to do that with the things they cannot understand.  But yes, his original and true name is indeed Lucifer.  He’s the ruler of the Abyss and all its surrounding territories in the underworld, and was the original Seraph to fall and create them.” Saffron replied.

             
Well, maybe I should’ve expected that one somewhere along the lines.  But I still felt a little bit more than shocked.  “So why did he give those orders to Will?  Isn’t Chris supposed to be the most powerful or something?” I asked him.

             
“Indeed, he is one of the most powerful.  But that other boy’s been fooling you apparently.  I was sure just by looking into those eyes that you’d understand that one.  They have quite a connection.  But it’s not worth getting into right now.  So we can leave it for you to ponder.” Saffron said.

             
“So, is that the reason you saved Will?  Because he has that connection to the ruler?” I said.  I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t want to say Lucifer’s name out loud again.  I didn’t want it to invite trouble, like Zane had once claimed it could with Astaroth.  Better safe than sorry.  I sure as hell wasn’t ready to see the ruler of Hell yet.  Everything that had already happened had been more than enough.

             
“Why indeed.  Well, part of it had just been personal choice.  After all, I know where Wilhelm Marcos, as he likes to call himself now, comes from.  And I know too that he’s the strongest of the Shadow Wings left in the world.  But also, I know what he ended up doing back there.  He protected you, even when it was about to cost him his life.  That was something that he’s certainly never done for any before.  And for that much, I can offer a life for a life.  But it’s also granted that he keeps allegiance to you, and does whatever you or I ask of him.” Saffron explained.

             
Servitude.  I can’t say I was that surprised to hear that one.  But also, as he stated that, I again thought of Chris and what Will had said about him.  If Will really was a lot more then I'd taken him for, then maybe he knew things that we didn't.  “Hey Saffron, can I ask you something?” I said.

             
“Yes.  What is it?” Saffron replied.

             
I took a deep breath before continuing.  “Do you really think that Chris is dead now?”

             
For a long moment, everything was quiet.  All I could hear was the sound of the bullfrogs croaking in the far off distance.  But finally, Saffron spoke again.  “If you’d like my opinion, then I suppose I can give it.  And all bets aside, this is what I believe.  I know what Christoff’s injuries were, and I know that most Fallen Children would not have survived such.  However, that boy is not like most of them.  He’s not even like most of those so called Pure Winged Nephilims.  I do not believe that he would be so easily killed.” he told me.

             
“But you said that you thought he was.  What changed your mind?” I asked him.  It seemed very strange to me that he’d suddenly change his mind on the subject.  They all must have known something that I didn’t.

             
“You could just call it intuition, although it’s a bit more than that for me.  Trust me, I’ve known Christoff since he was born, and I know the same connection I have to Jade.  And, aside from all of that, I believe that if he was dead, Jade would be hunting us all down right now for revenge.  I am not the only one who’s devoted to my offspring and having them live on in this world.” Saffron explained.

             
Well, he had a point there.  Jade probably would’ve killed me by now if Chris had died.  He’d already threatened it, not to mention broken a lot of my bones when Chris was so badly hurt there.  An eye for an eye perhaps?  I found myself leaning towards that thought.

             
At that time, I heard footsteps walking over to us.  Turning, I stared in shock at the woman coming over to us.  “Mama?” I said.

             
“There you are Mabel.  I was beginning to think you’d gone off on me again.” Saffron said as she walked over to stand beside him.  She looked exactly the same as the last time I’d seen her.  Obviously, Saffron had told the truth about not harming her.  Instead, it seemed that he’d brought her there with us.

             
“No.  I was just taking care some cleaning in the kitchen.” Mama answered.  She looked relieved as she smiled over at me.  “I’m glad to see that you’ve been safe Ariana.  Even though he’s been telling me that, I’ve still been worried.”

             
“When did you get here?” I had to ask.  I didn’t recall seeing her at all before this.

             
“I brought her down here right after I got out of the Abyss.  It was my original plan to keep her close just in case.  After all, a full witch like herself is worth having around for a while longer.  And beings she’s become very attached to you, it was the least I could do for her in her time left to let her see what you’ve become.” Saffron told me.

             
Mama nodded.  “Yes.  I had so many wonderful years with you.  You’ll always be my daughter, no matter where you came from.  But I have to admit that I have been a little bit concerned.  You’ve been so hurt and upset since he brought you back here.” she said.

             
“I’m okay now.  And I’m glad to see you’re okay too.” I told her.  I really meant that last part.  Even though this woman had been raising me under Saffron’s orders, she’d still been my mother.  No matter how odd or overbearing she’d been, she’d protected me and taken good care of me.  Only now, I could understand just why she’d had to do all of what she did.

             
“By the way Mabel, how is Wilhelm fairing now?  He should be able to move about more, shouldn’t he?” Saffron added.

             
“Yes.  He was earlier.  But he’s laid back down.  I’m surprised myself.  I didn’t think that he’d survive like he did.” Mama admitted.

             
“That is the resilience of superior Fallen blood.” Saffron said.  He then glanced over to the nearby window.  “It seems I’m being summoned, so I need to cut this short.  Mabel, I expect you to make sure that Ariana remains comfortable here until I return.  And alert me at once if Jade make his presence known.”

             
Mama agreed, and we watched him stand and disappear in a flash of black shadows.  Mama let out the breath she’d apparently been holding once he was gone.  “Honestly, all of this for one boy.  There are plenty of others he could’ve chosen to take care of you.  One perfectly good one right here.  That other one’s son should’ve been the last choice.” she said quietly.

             
“So you knew who Chris was when I told you.” I said, standing myself back up.  I had suspected as much back then, but knew I would’ve never gotten a straight answer.  At the time, she’d been far too worried about what Saffron might do if she broke the rules he’d set in place.

             
“I had a feeling about it, but I wasn’t allowed to say anything.  It would’ve ruined his plans from what he kept telling me.  I never I liked it though.  Especially when you just disappeared with him.  Fallen or not, he wasn’t there to take care of you all of that time.  I knew what was better then.” Mama admitted.