Ravenna had gotten used to her daily life in the UnderKingdom, and had grown to almost enjoy Edward and Lucifer's company. Hellena was still difficult to be friends with, but Ravenna had come to a mutual understanding with the female demon. Her heart still ached for the Seraphim, she missed Michael greatly. Every morning when Ravenna first woke, Michael was her first thought, and every night before she fell asleep, he was the last thing she wished for. But every day, she woke alone in Lucifer's realm, and Michael was still unheard from.
Ravenna awoke one morning in her third week in the UnderKingdom to Edward gently tapping her shoulder. She answered the gentle touch without opening her eyes.
"Michael?"
"No, I apologize, Miss, but I am still Edward. Would you like to join the master and myself for breakfast? The lord says he has news."
Ravenna opened her eyes; true to his words, Edward was still his demonic self and not the Seraphim she hoped for. "Okay. Thank you, Edward, I will dress and be out in a moment, if you don't mind waiting for me in the hall?"
"Of course."
The demon took his leave from the bedchamber, and Ravenna slipped out from under the bedsheets. She dressed in her black dress, deciding to bathe after her meal. Ravenna fumbled with the lacing of her dress, recalling the times Michael had helped her with the lacing of her dress, and a pang of longing struck her chest. She just wanted to be back with Michael; to forget the Ruler and the Kingdom, to forget the UnderKingdom and the Lost.
Ravenna pushed down her feelings of longing, and met Edward outside of the bedchamber. She followed Edward toward the dining room, where Lucifer was waiting patiently for her and the demon.
"Ah, Ravenna! Good morning! How was your final night in my realm?"
"It was good thank you Luci – wait, last night?"
"Yes, dear, you did hear correctly. I mean, I have not grown tired of you at all, but it has been three weeks, and I am sure you have a family you would like to go home to. I am sure if the Archs were going to come for Michael, they would have done so by now. You should be safe from them by now. Unless you wanted to stay…?"
Ravenna rushed toward Lucifer, embracing the Fallen man. "You mean it? I can go home? Back to Grandmother and Teresa and Samuel? I've been dying to meet Teresa's newborn, and I have missed my grandmother so much…do you really mean it?!"
"Of course, dear. But perhaps you should enjoy your meal before we go back to the Human Realm, and enjoy a hot bath before we take you back? I have seen how you humans have to fetch water for your baths, it seems tedious. Take advantage of the magic here before going back."
Ravenna sighed; she knew Lucifer was right. The man was irritating, but he had a point. She sat at the dining table, with Lucifer at the head of the table, Edward at Lucifer's right. She sat across from Edward, and Hellena came into the room, bringing a meal of eggs and ham. Hellena disappeared in her cloud of red smoke, and reappeared in the same manner, bringing a kettle and teacups, pouring tea for Lucifer first, and then the rest of those at the table. Hellena sat at Edward's side, and the group began their meal.
Hellena was the first to speak up. "So, Ravenna, I hear you're finally leaving?"
–Subtle as always, down to my last day here.–
"Lucifer told me just now that he believes I am safe to return home today, yes." Ravenna sipped at her tea, grateful that Hellena sat next to Edward, not next to her. "He thinks the Archs would have come for Michael by now, and would have no interest in me at this point"
"He's right, why would they be interested in you?"
Ravenna looked across the table at Hellena with disdain. She was not going to miss the demon's little jabs at her.
"Hellena," Lucifer admonished. "It is not polite to make such comments to our guests. Finish your meal and then you are to help the kitchen maids today. Some extra cleaning may help scrub your attitude clean as well."
Hellena stuck her lower lip out in a pout, and did not say anything further.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Ravenna, dear, are you ready to go back to your home?"
Lucifer stepped into the entryway of Ravenna's borrowed bedchamber. He had given Ravenna the early afternoon to gather her things and bathe; to enjoy her daily routine with the aid of the magic one last time before taking her home where she belonged.
"Yes, you can come in, thank you."
Ravenna tied her hair back with a black ribbon that Edward had brought for her once she had dressed. Lucifer stepped further into Ravenna's bedchamber, leaning against a wall. "It's going to be much different without you in our realm, you know."
Ravenna laughed; Lucifer was a troublemaker, but she had gotten used to his mischievous ways. She had even forgotten that she had been so angry with him; that she had overheard his conversation with Edward about why she was being kept in the first place. "I'm sure you will manage. Hellena will be much more pleasant without me here, anyhow."
Ravenna grabbed her packed travelling bag, and picked up Michael's bag as well. Lucifer had brought them both for her, and it was her responsibility to take them back to Canden with her.
Edward knocked on the door, wary of the blood magic that would kill him if he realm-travelled into the room. "Master Lucifer? Have you got a moment?"
"Come in, Edward."
Edward stepped into the room, and bowed. "Greetings, Sire, Miss Hawthorne. There are new arrivals to the UnderKingdom, would you like me to have them wait, or would you like me to bring them in?"
"Ravenna, dear, would you like to see how the Lost are judged? I must warn you though, I do not know what the Essence Fires show beforehand, and some of them are quite unnerving."
Ravenna thought about Lucifer's offer. "I think it might be fascinating to see how you judge the Lost. It seems like you are very fair in how you run your UnderKingdom. Edward told me a bit about how he came to be, so I think I would like to watch. I can leave if I find the Essence Fires disturbing, nothing says I have to watch if I'm uncomfortable."
Lucifer nodded, and Edward looked proud that his story had given Ravenna a new outlook on the Lost. "I will return to the Great Hall with the new arrivals, Sire."
Edward left the protected bedchamber with Ravenna and Lucifer, and entered the Great Hall with his master. "Shall I bring them one at a time, Master Lucifer, or do you want them both? They seem to be squabbling in the chamber, I believe these men know each other."
Lucifer pulled up a bench next to his throne for Ravenna, and sat on his throne. The Fallen man crossed his legs and leaned to his left, his left hand propping up his chin. "Bring them both, this could be some entertainment this afternoon."
"Yes, sire."
The demon promptly returned with two men; Lucifer noticed the one man seemed to have had his stomach stabbed and the weapon drawn across his abdomen; and the other man still had the slash across his throat. –Interesting.– Lucifer turned to Ravenna and gestured toward the men. "So these men are new arriva–"
Ravenna leapt toward the man with the laceration across his throat. "Mr Reed! What are you doing here?!" She grasped the Lost man's forearms, before noticing the other Lost man, and dashing toward Edward. "Edward! Keep that other one away from me!"
Edward, nodding, moved the man with the abdominal slashes away from Ravenna. The young woman turned back to the first man. "Mr Reed, how did you ever…oh dear, you…passed on…what ever happened to you!?"
Lucifer cleared his throat, catching Ravenna's attention. "My dear, perhaps give the man a moment to answer your questions before giving him another?"
William Reed looked sadly at Ravenna, knowing his son had loved the young healer with his entire being. "I…I made things right." The older miller pointed toward the other Lost man. "That man stole my son from me, so I made sure he could never hurt another soul."