Zerachiel took the tunic Gabriel handed to him, carefully slipping his injured wing through the back. Gabriel gave his Brother a sad half-smile, and sighed. "Do not worry about your wounds reopening and ruining the tunic, this is the one I wear after my own…incidents at the Palace. It's already stained from my wounds."
"Thank you, Gabriel. I just…I worry for Michael's maidservants. They were always so wonderful to him. What happens to them now? Where will they go? Will they be punished for having an association with Michael? I don't want such good women to be considered guilty by association – they didn't know where Michael went any more than the rest of us did!"
Gabriel led Zerachiel back into the parlor where the rest of their Brothers sat, solemnly drinking their wine. Raguel had moved to sit next to Emilia, who still continued to cry her heartbroken tears over losing Michael to his Fall. She softly cried into Raguel's shoulder, as the Seraphim himself battled his own guilt; his vote was part of Michael's fate.
Jeremiel spoke first. "I feel terrible. I feel manipulated. The Ruler asked if we saw Michael commit the sins, which we did, but He did not tell us what we would be doing if we said we saw Michael commit the sins. I hate that I was part of what happened to my Brother."
Raguel stood to allow Gabriel to sit next to his wife. Gabriel gave a small smile to his Brother as an acknowledgement of thanks for caring for Emilia while he was gone to get Zerachiel a tunic. Settling next to Emilia, Gabriel put his hand on his wife's knee. "The Ruler did it to us all, Jeremiel. He caught me off-guard; I was not expecting to be called upon after He showed us the things in the Mirror. It is my own fault – I have served the Ruler for centuries, I should have expected Him to have done something like this. I should have known by giving the answer I gave, He would have spoken over me and considered my vote to be against my Brother."
Emilia placed her hand on Gabriel's. "It is not your fault, my love. You know you would not have said that your Brother deserved punishment. Judging by what the others told me while you were getting Zerachiel a shirt, nobody believed he deserved punishment, but they were only asked if they saw Michael commit the sins."
Raguel finished his glass of wine, and Raphael passed his older Brother the bottle. "I was the only one who firmly said that I saw him commit the sins. But I feel so foolish. I mean, we all saw him kill the man, we all saw him take the money. Each of us saw the way Michael looked at the Reflection when that woman was visible. I did not feel wrong saying that we saw those things. But for the Ruler to use that, to say that we as his Brothers felt he deserved punishment? That he deserved…" Raguel paused, discomfort clear in his face as he recalled the way Michael screamed as the wings were torn from his back. "No. None of us would say that any of us deserved what Michael went through."
Remiel leaned forward, placing his head in his hands. "This is all my fault. Raphael already knows, and Michael knows. I confessed it to Michael when he was still in the prison cell before his judgement. It was my fault the Ruler investigated where Michael went. I had overheard him telling Zerachiel about the woman. I just thought that maybe…maybe if Michael had messed up, maybe he would lose favor with the Ruler. Ever since he came to be, the Ruler no longer cared as much about me, and Michael became His favorite. I didn't want any of this to happen, I swear! I just wanted to regain the Ruler's favor, not to feel so…shoved aside for Michael!" The guilty sobs racked through Remiel again, and Raphael wrapped an arm around his Brother. "Michael didn't deserve this! The way he screamed…the way he looked at me from his chains! I need to find a way to fix this!"
Sympathy for the middle Seraphim Brother settled on Gabriel's face as he passed a white handkerchief across the room to Remiel. "We know you would have never done anything to purposefully cause Michael's Fall, Brother. We will find a way to make things right."
Zerachiel paced along the parlor floor, too stressed to sit with the others. "I…I'm going to Michael's home before I start getting followed everywhere by Azrael. I'm taking in Ophelia and Victoria myself. At least then I know they will have a place to go. I'm sure my maidservants will like them just fine." The Seraphim stopped pacing to turn to Gabriel. "If I can gather some of Michael's things, his clothing, could you get them safely to the young woman, Ravenna? I can get you the feather that will trace you to her. I just know I won't be able to get his things and get there before Azrael starts tailing me."
Emilia placed her hand on Gabriel's on her knee. "Please, Gabriel? Would you do that for him?" Her blue eyes pleaded with her husband. "If not for Michael and Zerachiel, for me?"
"For you, my love, I will risk the trip to the Human Realm." He turned to Zerachiel. "Go, gather his things quickly. Move Ophelia and Victoria as fast as you can, too. I am certain the Ruler has not even considered his maidservants, but we do not want that to be a thought until after they are already in your home."
Gabriel's agreement to help get Michael's things to Ravenna refueled Zerachiel's urgency. He stepped between the realms, quickly traveling to Michael's home.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
An urgent knock woke Victoria. She had fallen asleep reading a book while hoping and waiting for Michael to return home. The book had slipped to the ground as it was released from her sleeping grasp. She blinked and stretched, yawning as she moved to open the door.
Ophelia, having been trying to scrub away her anxiety regarding Michael's absence, beat Victoria to the door. She met Zerachiel on the other side; his depression and desperation plain in his appearance. His shaggy silver hair was no longer slicked back, but hung lifelessly. His hazel eyes that used to hold endless mischief were dull, but seemed to plead with Ophelia for help. He held his wings low, as if they pained him.
"Seraphim Zerachiel, how can we…excuse me for speaking out of turn, but is everything alright?" Ophelia moved aside, allowing the man to step into their home. She led him into the parlor, where Victoria was trying to smooth her fiery curls that had become tousled in her sleep.
Zerachiel sat heavily, as if his legs had given up on supporting his body. He placed his forearms on his knees, and leaned forward at the women who stood in front of him. "Ladies, I need you to pack your things. Quickly. Everything you need or want. You're coming to stay with me now. We don't have much time to do so, so with your permission to join you in your room, I will explain as you work."
Ophelia, the smaller but bolder of the pair, tilted her head slightly and raised an eyebrow. "Forgive me, Seraphim Zerachiel, but we belong here, with Michael. He will come back to us, to his home. I know it."
Zerachiel tried his best to keep his patience with the maidservants; after all, they did not know what had happened to Michael yet. It was touching to know that they believed so strongly that their master would return. He exhaled slowly, trying to maintain his own composure as he prepared to tell the women of his Brother's fate.
"I am sorry, ladies. I need you to gather your things. Michael is not coming back. The Ruler had found him guilty of committing five of the Seven Deadly Sins, and…" Zerachiel looked up, trying to keep the water from spilling from his eyes. "Michael has Fallen, ladies. His wings were torn from his back, and the Ruler cast him from the Kingdom. Please, this is very difficult for all of us that loved him, but I need you to prepare to leave. I stood against the Ruler and defended Michael, and I will have the Archangel Azrael monitoring me come morning."
The ever-anxious Victoria began to pace back and forth, curling her hair around her fingers. Ophelia simply sputtered, her usual boldness and bravery shattered. "Michael…Fall…gone…move…sins…" The tiny angel sat on the floor, her wings twitching as she tried to comprehend everything that Zerachiel had told her. "Guilty…Fallen…torn…Ruler…Michael…oh…"
Zerachiel stood and picked up Ophelia, her small frame easily lifted. He placed her on her feet, and knelt to be eye level with her. The Seraphim placed his hands on her shoulders, and he looked her in the eyes. "Ophelia! Listen! Please! Michael always told me how you were the brave one. I need that brave girl now. For him. Please, go pack your things. We can be heartbroken together later in my home, but please, move!" He stood and turned to Victoria, who had pulled out several strands of her red hair absently as she continuously twirled her curls around her fingers, her anxious habit breaking her tresses. "Victoria! Michael loved the way you could make him laugh, the way you brought sunshine no matter where you went. Do not let this cloud your shine. We need your sunshine more than ever now. Please, gather your things. We are running out of time."
The two women glanced at each other, and reached toward each other, grasping the other's hand for comfort as they moved to their room to pack their belongings. Zerachiel stepped toward Michael's room, trying to prepare himself for the impossible task of gathering his Brother's clothing so that Gabriel could sneak the parcel from the Kingdom. He hesitated before placing his hand on the doorknob, knowing he was not simply packing a bag, but saying goodbye to Michael's life in the Kingdom.