Jeremiel called for Cordelia, who rushed to her master. She looked up at him expectantly, waiting for her orders.
"I'm off to the Palace today, Cordelia. I would like for you to prepare my clothes for the day, as well as a second set for Remiel. I will be taking him with me." His tone was firm but polite, and Cordelia gave a respectful nod.
"Yes, Master Jeremiel. Your Brother seems to be recovering as well. I was awake several times with him to check on his wings, and he did settle in and rest after midnight last night." The exhaustion was evident under her eyes, and she stretched her wings. "I will be off to prepare for your day. Please let me know if you need anything else."
Cordelia turned to leave, and Jeremiel's hand fell on her shoulder, stopping her. Her eyes met his, and she saw the concern that radiated from him. "I do. Once my Brother and I leave for the day, do not fuss with the day's cleaning. Get some rest. You have done more than enough, taking care of Remiel in the night. Stay in my room, the bed there would be much larger and softer than the ones in your quarters. You've earned it. I appreciate you and everything you do."
His words were a surprise to the maid, but the kiss that landed on top of her head shocked her more. Cordelia stood wide-eyed and flushed as Jeremiel turned on his heel and left her behind.
–Surely, I'm imagining things…I've cared about him for so long, but he's never shown signs of returning any affections…definitely imagining things.–
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Remiel lay on the narrow bed his Brother had prepared, his bandaged wings draped pitifully on either side of him. He was grateful the bed was so thin; the thought of his wings touching anything made him want to vomit. His withered muscles were aching from lying down for so long, and he was worried he would never feel like himself again. He closed his eyes, pain overcoming him once again.
–I don't know where Samael is, and I don't care. There's nothing he can do to me that will hurt me more than I already am.–
A knock on the door of his borrowed bedchamber drew Remiel's attention, and he opened his eyes. "Come in."
Cordelia opened the door only slightly, trying her best to not allow much light into Remiel's dark room. She knew he needed his rest to heal, and was reluctant to disturb him.
"Good morning, Seraphim Remiel, how are you feeling today?"
"I am alright, thank you." Remiel lied to the maid, not wanting her to worry. She had taken such good care of his injuries, and he hated the thought of her troubling herself further.
Cordelia placed a pile of clothing next to the injured angel's feet, and folded her wings back. "Master Jeremiel has requested you join him in the Palace today for his duties; he had asked me to prepare some of his spare clothes for you. I went to your home and your maids gave me some of your undergarments. I will allow you to change your lower half by yourself, call for me when you're ready and I will come back to help you with your bandages."
The maid left him alone with his Brother's clothing, and closed the door behind her.
–Jeremiel wants to bring me back to the Palace? Why would he do that to me? The last thing I want to do is face the Ruler again…–
He stood, stripping his trousers and undergarments from his body, groaning from the effort. He braced himself against the bed, breathing heavily, and stepped into the clean undergarments. He sat on the edge of the narrow bed, leaning forward with his head in his hands. A tear slipped from his left eye, helplessness and weakness breaking his heart.
–I deserved this. I should have never mentioned Michael's love of the Human Realm to the Ruler. Everything I have happen to me, I deserve.–
Remiel struggled into Jeremiel's spare trousers, and tugged them over his hips. He tied them as tight as they would go, but the trousers still threatened to fall. –Thanks to Samael's abuse, I've lost so much weight, I'm just a shadow of myself. He would be thrilled to see me so fragile.–
"Okay, Cordelia, I'm ready," he called out, knowing the changing of the bandages was going to be nothing shy of agony for his stripped wings.
Jeremiel's maid came back, a knife in her hand. "I'm going to try to make this as painless as possible for you, Seraphim Remiel. If you'll sit down, I can remove the dressings for you."
Remiel sat, his back to Cordelia, waiting for the pain to come. He hung his head, gripping the edge of the bed in anticipation of the agony. Instead, warm water poured down his back and wings, loosening the scabs that stuck the bandages to his skin. A sigh of relief escaped him, and the maid carefully teased the fabric from his flesh, pulling it away from the bare and aching wings. He felt the strips of bandages that crossed his body fall free, and he turned so she could unravel his other wing.
"It looks like some of your feathers are trying to grow back, Seraphim Remiel. That is promising."
His head still hung forward, but Remiel nodded in agreement. –I don't deserve for them to grow back. Bare wings would remind me forever of what I did to my Brother.–
"Would you like more medicinal balm before I bandage your wings again, sir?" Cordelia's voice dragged Remiel out of his darkness, and he turned his head to look at her from the corner of his eye.
"You know better than I would, I suppose. Do what you think is best."
Cordelia noticed his apathy toward his healing, almost as if he no longer cared about himself or his well- being. Jeremiel had confided in her that Remiel was the reason that his Brother had Fallen, but seeing the effects on Remiel was disheartening. She couldn't imagine the guilt and pain he must be carrying in his conscience.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Remiel emerged from the borrowed bedchamber, his weak form trembling from the wound care on his wings. Cordelia offered a cane to the frail angel, who took it to help support his weight. Jeremiel watched, sadness for his older Brother weighing on him.
The bandages made Remiel's wings look pitiful, but nowhere near as pathetic as they did when they were bare. Jeremiel's navy blue tunic draped over the older angel's body, making him look even smaller.
–Maybe this is a mistake. The Ruler would enjoy seeing him so fragile. But I want Him to see the aftermath of what He did to my Brother. That His punishments still have one of us behind them.–
Jeremiel brushed his hands along his trousers, smoothing out the fabric to distract himself from the thoughts about Remiel. He pulled his long chestnut hair back, securing it with a black ribbon. Gabriel always allowed his long golden locks to fall free, but Jeremiel refused to work with his hair down.
"Jer...I don't think I can make it as far as the Palace...," Remiel whispered. "And I don't have the strength to realm-travel."
"I will take you." The younger Seraphim lifted his Brother, and the two of them traveled together to the Great Hall.
Before acknowledging the Ruler, Jeremiel made a place for Remiel, pulling a golden bench from the wall, and ensuring the injured angel was comfortable for the day. A thankful smile crossed Remiel's face, and Jeremiel prepared to face the anger of the Ruler. He had attended to his Brother first, and that was not going to stand in the Ruler's eyes.
–But my family comes before my duties. I understand that now.–
Jeremiel made slow, deliberate steps toward the Throne, before bowing to the Ruler.
"Greetings, Mighty Rul-"
"This is unacceptable. All angels in My presence are to bow. Come forward, Seraphim Remiel."
Jeremiel did not rise, but lifted his head. "Mighty Ruler, surely You can see he is injured and cannot perform his duties. The Greetings fall under the duties!"
Electricity shot through the Hall as the Ruler snapped His fingers. "Silence, Seraphim Jeremiel! I have made an order, and Seraphim Remiel is to come forward!"
Defiance boiled in Jeremiel as he stood up straight from his bow, folding his wings back. "No."
"No?!"
"No." Resolve made Jeremiel's voice firm, and he pulled his shoulders back. "He will not."
"You are making a dangerous mistake, Seraphim Jeremiel. You will lose favor with Me if you do not correct it."
Jeremiel gathered up Remiel, taking his weak Brother across his arms. "Then I don't want Your favor anymore. Call Uriel and have him summon Raguel or Raphael. I will not be serving today."
He stepped between the realms, disappearing with his Brother.