Zerachiel chased Azrael away from his bedchamber, demanding privacy for two moments while he changed from his clothes to his nightwear. He slammed the door on the Arch, and pressed his back against the wall. –Everything is just…so overwhelming. Having Azrael here is a constant reminder that Michael is gone. Ophelia and Victoria are trying so hard to put on brave faces, but I know they're struggling. I miss my Brother. I miss my peace.–
The Seraphim stepped away from the wall, and stripped from his clothes, tossing them into a corner. One of his maidservants had laid out a clean tunic and white lounge pants for him, and he hastily pulled them on, not knowing how long he had until the Archangel would burst into his bedchamber.
Zerachiel left his bedchamber, and quietly made his way to the servants' quarters. He approached the room given to his Brother's maidservants and friends. Knocking, he softly called out for Victoria and Ophelia. Ophelia opened the door, and looked up at her new master. "Good evening, Seraphim Zerachiel. How can we help you?"
"Forgive my intrusion, ladies. May I come in?"
"Of course, it is your home. Please, make yourself comfortable." Ophelia stepped aside, and Zerachiel followed her into the bedchamber. He sat on an armchair, and Ophelia hopped onto her bed, while Victoria looked up from her knitting.
"Good evening, Seraphim Zerachiel," Victoria smiled. "What brings you here this evening?"
Zerachiel crossed his legs, drumming his long, tapered fingers against the arm of the chair. "Just stressed about Azrael out there, and worried about you two. I want to make sure you ladies are happy here. I was so anxious you two would end up in the unfeeling hands of the Ruler, I never considered your wishes. Is there anything I can do to make your lives here better?"
Victoria set her knitting aside, and her grey eyes showed empathy for her new master. "We are very grateful you took us in, Seraphim Zerachiel. The Ruler would have undoubtedly treated us terribly, just because we were close to Seraphim Michael. We're just happy that we are here and you treat us well."
"Surely there is something I can do for you two? Something you two loved doing when you lived with my Brother. I just…I want you two to live your lives as close to your old routine as possible."
Victoria shifted a little as she thought. "Well, I did always love taking care of the garden back at our old home…"
Zerachiel perked up. "The garden! My maidservants hate it! It's all yours! Rip it up! Start it over! Make it yours! Please! How can I help you with that?"
A large smile stretched across Victoria's face as she saw that her simple request had made her new master so happy. "Perhaps we could travel to the Gardens tomorrow? I have some friends there who take care of the plants for the Ruler, I'm sure they have some seeds or sprouts we could take home. I had such lovely flowers back at our old home…"
"Michael's old garden…would you want your flowers there, Victoria? We can bring them here if you like. I will gladly spend the day with you bringing them here."
"You actually think we're going to spend the day in the dirt?" Azrael leaned in the doorway, his arms crossed and a scowl clear on his face.
Zerachiel immediately stood from his armchair, and mirrored the Archangel's folded arms. He was unsure of how long the other man had been in the doorway, but he had crossed a line. "Get out of my maidservants' quarters, Azrael! This is their space; you cannot invade their privacy like this. You were told to monitor me, not them. You can do so from outside of the room."
Azrael scoffed, and turned his back. "We're still not going to play in the dirt and flowers tomorrow."
The mischievous Seraphim winked at Victoria, and pulled a face at Azrael's back. "You were told to monitor me, not dictate what I can and cannot do. And I say we are playing in the dirt."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Uriel spent the next morning kicking a rock through the Kingdom. He was angry at the Archangels, not the rock, but it was easier to take his frustrations out on the simple pebble, rather than the warrior angels that could easily kill him. His boot came in contact with the stone again, and he frowned as it skipped across the cobbles.
"Those…Archs…I can't ever get a break around here! First, it's having to go to their territory and bring them to the Ruler, and they think I'm their friend. Then they insist I celebrate their victory over Michael with them! No matter how many times I told them no, they kept shoving wine and other drinks at me!" Uriel grumbled to himself as he caught up to the pebble. He kicked it again, the stone clattering over the cobblestone road. "They got me so drunk, I probably made an absolute fool of myself…I showed up late to my appointment with the Ruler, and I was nearly punished again. Then the Twin Archs had the gall to throw me back into the Great Hall!? It's just because they're bigger than me, they think they can treat me…" Uriel's irritable musings became quieter and quieter as he continued to walk.
The messenger angel and his pebble passed Jeremiel's home, bustling with servants as their master was on duty at the Palace. Uriel smiled and nodded at the servants working at the Seraphim's home, and continued along the road toward Gabriel's home.
Uriel smiled and waved at Gabriel's wife Emilia, who was sitting on the porch of her home reading. Emilia, noticing the movement, looked up from her book, and gave a small, sad smile, returning the messenger angel's wave politely. Noticing that Emilia was not in the mood for company, Uriel carried on down the road.
The pebble skipped past Zerachiel's home, where there seemed to be a commotion coming from inside. Uriel heard a loud arguing between two male voices, and knelt down, pretending to be interested in lacing up his boot. Zerachiel and Azrael left the house, shouting at each other about gardens. Uriel noticed that Michael's maidservants followed Zerachiel from his home, and sighed. He had seen the two women before, but only had spoken to the red-haired maidservant, Victoria. He had long wanted to speak with the petite blonde maidservant, but he had always been far too shy. –She's so pretty, surely she wouldn't be interested in a simple messenger like me anyhow.– He had often tried to distract himself with the other female angels in the Kingdom, such as wanting to speak to Haniel in the Arch's territory, but his mind always came back to Ophelia.
Uriel stood and waved at Michael's former maidservants, and was elated as Ophelia waved back. He stepped forward, trying to gather up some courage to finally speak with her, when Zerachiel and Azrael burst out of the house continuing their arguments.
"You like to watch so much? Watch this!" Zerachiel shouted at Azrael, as he raised both middle fingers at the Arch.
"You're nothing but a troublemaker! You besmirch the title of Seraphim! You don't deserve your rank and you don't deserve to exist in the Kingdom!" Azrael shot back, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"You're just the Ruler's little as – oh, hello Uriel, how are you doing today?" Zerachiel stopped his argument with the Archangel to greet the messenger angel that he had noticed out of the corner of his eye.
Uriel smiled politely and greeted the Seraphim, making his way up the walkway toward the house. He noticed that Victoria had gardening tools with her, and looked rather despondent as Zerachiel argued with the Arch assigned to him.
"Hello Victoria, planning on cleaning up the garden here today?"
"Well, kind of. Seraphim Zerachiel was going to take us back to our old home to bring back some of my plants from the garden there. Archangel Azrael insists he is not monitoring our gardening today, and my new master insists that he was to be monitored, not told what he could and could not do. So the men have been fighting like this most of the morning."
"I can escort you and Ophelia to your old home instead, if Seraphim Zerachiel is busy arguing?"
Zerachiel flung his arms into the air. "I am going gardening today whether this bastard says I can or not!" He smirked at Azrael, who pulled his blade from its scabbard. " But please, feel free to join us, Uriel."
Uriel thought quickly, trying to think of a way to use the day to his advantage. "I know the servants at the Palace Gardens well. Perhaps, if she is interested, Ophelia could join me for a walk to the Palace Gardens to gather some sprouts and seeds while you take Victoria to your Brother's old home?"
Ophelia brightened up at the suggestion. "I have not been to the Palace Gardens in a very long time! May I have your permission to go, Seraphim Zerachiel?"
"Would that make you happy; to go with Uriel?"
"It would, yes!" Ophelia's wings fluttered as she beamed.
"Then please, go with him. I want you to be happy here. Uriel, take good care of my Ophelia. Victoria, Azrael, and I will be at my Brother's former home if you happen to get back here before us."
Uriel offered Ophelia his arm, and she accepted.