Just like any other child, Belle was excited to hear what story her mother was going to tell her and nodded eagerly to her mother's question.
Belle was so excited and caught up that she had forgotten her earlier question about her dad.
"Long ago," Piper began. "Every angel lived in heaven, but then the humans were having a war with beasts stronger and bigger than them."
The beasts were quickly wiping out the whole human race. The humans needed help at that time, and the angels gave it to them.
They came down from heaven.
"With their wings?" Belle interrupted while innocently moving her hands up and down to show the way they were supposed to be moving.
"Mm." Offering her a smile, she continued with the story, "The angels helped them to win the war against the beast, and after winning, some angels went back to heaven while a few decided to stay back for their own different reasons."
Some wanted to just stay a little bit before they would return, but as they continued to stay with the humans, they started to turn like them.
The angels could not return to heaven as they lost their wings and powers, with only a few people still able to send simple messages through a small creature.
"Was that what happened at the window?" She stared at her mother, probing her for an answer. "Father is an angel." She gasped.
Piper laughed at her daughter's reaction and said, "Yes, that's what happened. And yes, your father is an angel." Giving her more clarity.
"Does my father still have his wings?"
"No."
"Can I also do it?" Referring to the message thing her mother just talked about.
Piper adjusted her weight on the bed before looking back at Belle. Stocking a few strands of Belle's hair that lay on the sides of her face, behind her ears.
"That's what I want to tell you…you can't use it even if you can also do it," Piper said to Belle.
Her once-happy and excited face now held disappointment.
"Why?"
"Nobody loves the angels anymore." She revealed.
Belle watched her mother in doubt. And she wondered why anyone wouldn't love an angel; after all, they are shining and beautiful with wings.
Piper continued, "Everybody wants the angel's blood, so they can be powerful. Since they can't have it without using force, they kill the angels. So, you must keep your identity a secret."
"I am scared." Mouthed Belle with trembling lips.
Piper moved close to her before wrapping her arm around the small figure. "Don't be; we are safe here. Remember that no creature who craves blood must taste your blood, not for anything in the world."
The little girl could only nod, unable to say anything,
"Was it necessary now?" Questioned Zack to his sister, who had just stepped out of the room, as Belle had fallen asleep.
"She had to get a little idea of how the world is." Her voice was stiff.
"You scared her." Zack stated the obvious.
"I didn't mean to." Piper's voice was shaken, and she brought her hands to cover her face before she burst into sobs.
Zack hugged his sister, who continued to cry.
"H-he is gone." She said it in between sobs. Zack patted her back to calm her down. "Maybe if he had listened to me about not helping the vampire and his son, the villagers wouldn't have gotten a whiff of him being an angel, and he would still have been here with us." She sniffed.
"Why don't you come? I will make you a soothing lemon balm tea for your nerves." He offered, hauling her away from there.
It was noon when Duke Sirius entered his carriage to leave Fogstown after burying and paying his last respects to the deceased Edward.
"To the council." Sirius ordered his coachman.
Silas quickly climbed into the driver's seat to start the ride. He didn't bother to question anything, as he noticed that his master had turned sour over something since the time of the angel's execution.
And he couldn't help but wonder what it was.
In the town of Bevylore, where the council's building stood, Sirius stepped out of his carriage and walked towards it.
When he stepped inside, he walked further before taking two turns. And he soon reached a room where a few council members were already seated.
His eyes moved around in the room until they fell on Lord Kegan, who was talking to one of the councilwomen, and she shyly blushed at whatever it was that he said.
Sirius took his seat, like everyone else, waiting for the meeting to start and come to an end.
"Apart from the information on the witches trying to abduct children and kill the livestock," the head councilor, Hurley, addressed. His eyes moving around the room. "Is there any other issue that the council is unaware of?" Hurley questioned.
The room was quiet for a while before Sirius said, "Lord Kegan, might you have something to say?" Sirius raised his eyes away from the papers, which were fixed in front of him, to look at the Lord.
A few councilmen who were interested in knowing what Kegan had to say also followed his line of sight on the lord.
Meanwhile, Kegan held a calm expression on his face, not the least bothered by what Sirius just said.
"None that I can recall, but it seems like you do." Remarked Kegan. "Please bring us to light." He offered a smile, and the duke glared at him.
Sirius turned to the head of the council and said, "Lord Kegan here, ordered the execution of an angel without prior orders from the council."
"I just gave the same punishment that he would have been given if he were ever brought to the council." He chimed. "I was basically relieving him."
"He was a good man." Sirius commented with furrowed brows.
"HA! HA! Now I'm beginning to think that you are not telling us something. Is there anything?"