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Chapter 58 - LVIII- The Pawn

Ravenna sat on the edge of the bed in her borrowed bedchamber. Hellena had brought her dinner to the room, but Ravenna was too stressed to eat. The female demon had left her alone, leaving only a heavily armed Edward outside the door. 

Ravenna laid down, her back against the bed, her feet dangling over the edge. She missed Michael, and she was dreadfully worried about him. Lucifer had confirmed her worries; Michael was going to be dragged back to the Kingdom; his time in the Mortal Plane was up. 

The young woman thought about her day with Michael, and tears welled in her eyes. Ravenna pressed her fingers to her lips, remembering his passionate kisses. She wished to be back in the room in the Graenwood Inn, feeling his body pressed against her own as they laid on the bed together, feeling his lips pressed against hers. Ravenna thought about running her fingers across Michael's muscled torso, feeling his bare skin under her touch, the softness of his feathers.

Where is Michael now? Is he safe, or have the Archangels come for him? What will the Archangels do to Michael when they find him?– Ravenna curled up in the bed, her thoughts running rampant. 

Hellena passed the armed demon outside of Ravenna's room, and found the woman she was serving crying on the bed. The female demon almost felt bad for Ravenna, but found it hard to express her sympathies toward the human. 

"Did you want this soup or did you want to cry?" Hellena's words snapped Ravenna back to her reality. Ravenna frowned. 

Would it kill Hellena again to be a little more gentle?– Ravenna wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "I'll take the soup, thank you." 

Hellena left the room, sidestepping to let Lucifer pass. 

Lucifer's voice was much more gentle than Hellena had been. "How are we feeling, Ravenna?" He moved to sit on the bed next to the young woman.

"I'm just so anxious. What are the Archangels going to do to Michael?" Ravenna sniffled, trying to stifle her tears.

"I wish I could tell you, my dear. The Archangels did not exist when I was part of the Kingdom. The Ruler threw me in the prison Himself until He felt like dealing with me. I believe I was down there for a week." Lucifer reached over to Ravenna, putting his arm around the small woman, trying his best to console her. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Ravenna looked downward, and bit her lip. "No, but thank you. I think I will try to eat and then rest, if that is alright."

Lucifer eyed Ravenna sadly. He knew this was a strong woman; from their first encounter where she had poked her finger boldly into his chest, he knew she was bold. Seeing her so distraught was disheartening. He patted her shoulder and rose. "I will leave you to your food, and will be back to check in on you later. Should you need anything, Edward is posted outside of your room. It is easier said than done, but try not to worry, dear. Michael is a capable creature."

Looking over his shoulder at Ravenna, Lucifer left the room. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Shutting the door behind him, Lucifer addressed the armored demon before him. "How have things been here, Edward?"

"Silent, Master. Nothing around but you and Hellena."

"Good. I don't feel like having any dead angels kicking around my UnderKingdom. It seems like a hassle. They're supposed to be immortal, so if some of them die it becomes quite a messy ordeal. Has Ravenna troubled you at all?"

"No, sire. I just hear a lot of crying through the chamber walls. I almost feel bad for the girl, I hear it all hours of the day and night." Edward's armor clattered as he moved, stretching after a long day at his post. "Does she know that…"

"No."

"She does not know that you are keeping her safe for your own purposes?"

"No. I prefer to keep that between us, Edward. The girl does not need to know that. The less she knows, the better. It is best that she believes us to be kind protectors, not using her as part of a ploy to gain Michael's favor. We are here only to be hospitable, to be her saviors. Understood?"

Edward bowed his head. "Yes, sire."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ravenna stepped away from the door. She had left the bedchamber to ask Edward for - she couldn't even remember. Hearing the conversation between Lucifer and Edward had made her forget what she had originally wanted. 

Lucifer is just using me to gain Michael's favor? I am just a pawn in his game to gain an ally in his fight against the Ruler? He put on such a good face! How dare he!

Ravenna fumed. She stomped back to the bedchamber, no longer wanting anything to do with any of the residents of the UnderKingdom. She knew Lucifer's words were not meant for her to hear, but that was of no matter. She wanted to leave Lucifer's Realm, but she had no means of doing so without him. She was stuck. 

Hellena opened the door to Ravenna's bedchamber, and saw the young woman she was guarding sitting furiously on the bed; her arms folded, her shoulders rounded forward, and a firm scowl on her face. 

"What's with the face?"

"Get out, Hellena."

"I jus-"

"GET OUT."

"Fine, someone's in a mood." Hellena flipped her long white hair over her shoulder, and strode out of Ravenna's bedchamber without a second glance. Hellena passed Edward on her way by, not acknowledging the other demon.

Alone in her room that had begun to feel like an elaborate prison, Ravenna fumed.

If Lucifer just sees me as a tool, I do not have to make it nice for him. I knew he was deceptive, but to use me like this? I am more than a method to get Michael to agree to his little games! I am so much more than that! – 

Lost in her irritable and irate thoughts toward Lucifer, the time slipped by, and Ravenna fell asleep on top of the covers of the large bed. She did not notice hours later when Lucifer came back, and moved her underneath the blankets to allow her to sleep more comfortably.