Ravenna let out a slow exhale, her tears slowing to a halt as Michael ran his fingers through her hair. –Grandmother would not want me to cry, and he has been through so much more, I need to be strong for Michael.– Sitting up from the angel's shoulder, she wiped the remaining tears from her freckled cheeks, and excused herself to go check on their dinner.
Stirring the broth, Ravenna chastised herself for allowing her emotions to get the best of her. –I cannot let him worry about me. He has so much healing and recovery to do, worrying about me should be the least of his focus!– She set the wooden spoon down, satisfied with the broth, and called out to the Seraphim in the parlor. "Michael? Would you like some more ginger tea?"
"I still have plenty, thank you."
She smirked, already knowing the answer to her next question. "Are you wanting more willow bark?"
"I would rather go back to the Kingdom!" The reply was mischievous but with an undertone of fear that she would in fact, come back with the willow, regardless of his cheeky answer.
A knock interrupted Michael's playful chuckle, and Ravenna turned as she heard a loud wince of pain; Michael had tried to stand up quickly to disappear. "Michael, please sit down. You don't have to hide. You can stay where you are, please, stay there." The angel in the parlor looked embarrassed that he had tried to move so quickly, and anxious that he was going to encounter other humans besides Ravenna.
–Are they going to know that I'm different? How am I supposed to fit in? Are they even going to notice that I'm here? Maybe they won't come in. Ravenna and… Peter, they're the only two humans I've been around, and Peter didn't live long enough to notice me…– Lost in his own anxieties, Michael did not notice Ravenna greet a slender blonde woman carrying an infant, and a small male child holding her hand.
"Venna! I brought you a flower from Mistah Quill's garden! He let me pick out all the colors all by myself!" The small child bounced around Ravenna, eager to show her a bright yellow flower that he held. Michael looked at the young human; the bright blue eyes, the blonde curls, the child looked almost familiar.
–Ravenna held this child in the market the same day I noticed Peter grab at her. The same day I learned her name. This family, they are her friends. I've seen them before.–
"Michael, is it alright with you if Teresa and her family join us for tea?" Ravenna's voice rang out from the kitchen, snapping him back from his memories.
"Of course, that would be nice, I haven't met many hu…of the people from this village." Michael quickly corrected himself, not wanting to speak of Ravenna's friends as "humans", as that would certainly draw attention to himself.
Teresa entered the parlor, and sat on the sofa across from Michael. She put her hand out as Michael attempted to stand. "Please, don't worry about standing to introduce yourself. Ravenna had told me about your injuries, and it's unnecessary to deal with such formalities when she and I have been friends for so long. Please, sit and rest. You must have been through a lot. Anyhow, I am Teresa, my son Thomas is showing Ravenna the flower he brought. This is my little daughter, Annie. Ravenna has told me much about you, it is wonderful to finally meet you!"
Worry flashed through Michael's mind. –Ravenna has told her about me…how much has she told her? What has she told her about me? Teresa knows I'm hurt, but does she know what caused it?–
"It is an honor to meet you too, Teresa, it is remarkable to be able to meet the people Ravenna holds dear. You have a great little family, your son seems to love Ravenna."
Teresa beamed. "He does. He was born here, all of his illnesses have been cared for here. He loves her like she's part of our own family. So, Ravenna can only tell me so much, tell me about yourself!"
Michael turned pale. He had no idea what to say to the woman's questions. "I…I…well, I'm not from around here, I don't know where I came from. Ravenna told me I was found by a farmer and brought here with severe injuries. I guess I must have been a soldier or something. I don't remember much, but my guess is I was a soldier. I don't know why my army would have left me behind, but all I know is I'm here now, and I'm so grateful to have a perfect person like Ravenna caring for me."
Teresa's eyes narrowed as she listened to him, and Michael took a sip of his now-cold ginger tea. He desperately hoped that she wouldn't ask any more questions about himself, and that he had told a believable enough lie. –You've always been a terrible liar, what makes you think she's going to believe the soldier story? You hardly know the towns around here, let alone where the army would be based!–
To Michael's relief, Thomas came bounding into the parlor, Ravenna following the excitable child. Noticing the smile on the healer's face, his heart quickened and his expression softened. Teresa watched the man's expression change as he watched her friend, and a small grin settled on her lips. –It's true, – Teresa thought. –She really cares for him, and his Brothers' note saying he loved her… his Brothers told the truth too.– Thomas came to sit next to his mother, careful not to disturb his sleeping sister. Ravenna took Annie from Teresa, and sat next to Michael, who looked over at the infant with curiosity.
The healer noticed the angel's inquisitiveness toward the baby that she held. "Teresa, is it alright if Michael held Annie?"
"Oh, of course. If he is comfortable doing so and his injuries would allow him to hold her without hurting him further. I would hate for him to hurt himself."
"Did you want to hold her? You look very curious about her." Ravenna smiled at Michael, who suddenly seemed very nervous.
"She's ah…very small…I will be extra careful…"
Ravenna stood, and carefully placed Annie in Michael's arms. Teresa noticed that Michael held Annie the same way Samuel had, stiffly and awkwardly. The memory of Samuel holding Annie as a newborn struck a chord of loss in Teresa, and she turned her attention to Thomas, trying to distract herself. She smudged a bit of dirt from her son's nose, and Thomas giggled.
As Annie was shifted from one person to another, she blinked awake. Her baby blue eyes met Michael's, and she made some soft babbling sounds. Annie reached out to the angel's hand, and her palm made contact with his bruised skin. Again, a bruise shimmered and disappeared under the infant's touch, and Annie fell back asleep.