I believed her. I so quickly believed her...
I honestly felt like I was in "wonderland." I felt so safe, so free and happy. The pain and thoughts weren't causing trouble to my exhausted mind. She blocked off everything, all the pain and painful thoughts that wanted me to know everything.
But I didn't want to know more. I just wanted her by my side.
She started to move, sitting up slightly. I was afraid; I thought she would leave me again. But she lifted me up- she gently put her hands under my legs, and a soft hand slid behind my back, between my wings. I pulled my legs closer to myself, making myself as small as possible.
She giggled, looking down at me in her arms. I felt uneasy and a little dizzy but comfortable in her arms. She suddenly turned her head to something, or someone I didn't know was there. Her smile dropped, but even with the smile gone, her face was still gentle.
"Is she alright?" An unfamiliar voice spoke out.
I turned, seeing an unfamiliar being standing at the same height as us—well, as the Gate Goddess. The goddess holding me was tall, bigger in form, but still just as gentle. She held me high, and I was almost scared to look down to see how far I was from the ground, even though I'm not afraid of heights.
I took in the new being. I could almost tell that she was a goddess as well. The bright purple aura that followed her seemed to show no boundaries. She was just as tall, and her wings were just as prominent. They had bright, golden glitter falling from behind her, the same color as her wings, probably due to her large, flowy gown that faded from pastel purple to a blueish purple. Her arms were exposed with see-through long sleeves that drifted from her body, almost the same color as the top of her gown.
The gown was tied around her chest, and what appeared to be a moon-like crescent hung the fabric in a crossed pattern on her hips and chest. A cross was also on her shoulder and neck, and an X shape held up the gown. A bit of a darker purple with silver jewels held the flowy sleeves up as well.
I noticed a bright yellow star particle paired with her small and skinny halo. Short-cut hair that closed her cheeks in a small circle made her soft and tired features stand out. Her eyes were low, her long lashes hung down, and she had a bright, subtle pink on her lips and cheeks. She looked tired, but she also had the attitude of a leader.
I sucked in a breath when she looked over at me, no expression on her face while her eyes slid down my small form. I closed my legs to my chest, and my ribs squirmed, but I felt no pain in this position. My eyes shut, soaking in all the warmth while the goddess easily held me.
"The angel seems to be.. but she is fine now." The Gate Goddess spoke out in a sweet voice. It was soothing, and the warm touch on my bare back was warm.
The other goddess made no move; she kept a clean eye on the Gate Goddess while I tried to ignore her presence. With a low sigh, the other goddess fixed her posture with a straight back and lined eyes. "If she is, then can we continue the dance? She is worrying everyone…"
The Gate Goddess looked down at me, smiling softly. I looked back at her, trying to understand the other goddess's meaning. My eyes shot up; turning my head and looking over her broad shoulders, I noticed the room had gone quiet.
Right… I passed out in front of everyone…
I gulped, searching the concerned and confused eyes of the large crowd in the room. They all looked back at me, causing a rush of heat to my face. I felt embarrassed. I turned my head back into the goddess holding me.
She giggled softly, and a hand lovingly stroked my back. "It is alright, darling."
It didn't feel alright. What happened? What did I do to cause all this attention?
I don't like the attention and the feeling of others watching me.. I did feel slightly guilty for ruining their fun. Their dancing and joyous smiles were now formed in a confused and concerned line. I also worried about Seth and Bridget. Where are they? Are they alright? I hope they don't worry about me.
I jolted forward when the Gate Goddess started to move ahead. I looked onward, watching as we exited the large room through the enormous doors. The feeling of turning back and looking for Seth or Bridget made me try to look over her shoulder; all I could see was the eyes of strangers. I couldn't see them..
I sighed; more guilt came crashing down on me while I lay helplessly in the goddess's arms. I didn't try to fight back or escape her hold; it was too comfortable. I was afraid that if she let me go, she would leave-
She would leave me again...
"Vienna, my angel. Where do you want to go?" The Gate Goddess suddenly said, her eyes catching mine.
My body stiffened as I looked back at her bright golden gaze. I couldn't stop staring at the goddess's face. She was a beauty.
The goddess giggled, noticing how distracted I was. She leaned forward, her face a bit closer to mine. "Vienna. Do you want to go back to your room in Angels Cove?"
I gulped, shaking off the moment of confusion. The Goddess was speaking to me, traveling with faint footsteps out of the palace. I looked around, gulping once again before using my voice. "Yes.." It was small and faint, but it brought a smile to the goddess's face.
She looked back up and nodded. "I will take you there then."
With that, we were now in the sky. It was quiet, no sound from the wisp of her giant wings. We flew up higher, the goddess holding tightly onto me while I wrapped an arm around her neck so I didn't fall. But I knew I wouldn't; I trusted in her. The ease in her expression, the look of comfort on her face.
It wasn't hard for her to carry me around in the bright blue sky like this. I didn't seem to weigh anything to her, but she kept her eyes strained forward with a slight smile on her rosy lips. I turned my head back to where her wings were. They were much bigger than I thought.
She had them spread out, hovering down so she didn't have to move them much while they were gliding along the sky. I looked on in amazement. They were huge—definitely bigger than my whole body.
"Hm," the goddess hummed, watching my expression. I turned to her, feeling my face heat up at being caught staring. I smiled shyly before looking down. "Do you fear heights, Vienna?"
I looked up to her at the question before shaking my head, "I don't.. why?"
"Do you mind if we go.." The goddess looked up, a slight smirk on her lips. "Up?"
I nodded, holding tightly onto her shoulders as she closed her eyes. Her body relaxed, and the hold on me relaxed. It was sudden, but I felt it immediately. The goddess flew on her back, closing the large wings onto herself so that she could fly down. Well, it was more like a drop.
We dropped down; she held me gently but did not stop me from moving around. I yelped out, holding onto her with as much strength as I could muster. She swung us around, diving around before her wings flattened, and the wind drifted us into the air again. It was a slight push, not too strong to throw us around; tiny pushes from the wind let us glide. I felt nothing hit my face; I expected the wind to push back at me since we were very high.
But it felt like nothing; I only the warmth from the goddess. I breathed out, feeling some confidence to look up from her chest. The goddess giggled, pulling me up so I was almost sitting on her chest while she guided my legs to wrap around her waist. I closed my wings tightly so I didn't try to conquer the wind. The goddess used it to help us fly so quickly, using it to the fullest extent while I stayed still so I didn't compete with it.
My arms around her shoulders and legs wrapped around her made me feel connected and safe. I turned to her, looking down as I was sitting above her. She gave a faint smile, watching the expressions on my face change.
"Feel the air. Feel the sun, my angel." She closed her eyes once again, tilting her head back while her wings curved and turned. We moved around in the sky; the only sound was my uncontrollable giggles.
I looked around. It was bright, and the sky was a very vibrant blue that took away my breath. White fluffy clouds would swing by while the goddess angeled herself so that her wings sliced through a few. White puffs came from the cut clouds, growing almost instantly into another cloud. I watched it all happen, a playful smile on my lips while I slowly released my arms from the goddess's shoulders.
I was feeling safe and more joyous than I had ever felt before.
I closed my eyes and did what I was told, feeling the air rush through my hair and against my face. The warmth from the goddess under me and the warmth from the vibrant sun were sinking deep into my skin while my arms were in the air. I wisped my hands through a few clouds, letting out more giggles.
It felt nice. It felt like there was only me and the goddess in this place, alone and at peace. No pain was felt; it was just... nice.
Before I knew it, we were outside Angels Cove and near the end of the trunk. It was huge. I stared up in shock as the goddess came in through the entrance on the ground. Her feet hit the ground with soft thumps, and the smooth, fluttering flaps from her large wings, as they folded behind her turned into nothing but a whisper.
It all went by quickly. I was suddenly back in my room and on the mattress on the floor. It was soft, but the slide from the goddess's hands leaving me, made me fearful. She put me down gently, moving away as she released me.
I reached out, tightly holding onto her arm when she was about to stand back up. "You said you wouldn't leave me..!"
She gave me a small smile, leaning down to my level on the mattress. "I'm always with you my angel; I'm right here."
I shook my head, confused at her words. She smiled sadly, looking down at my chest. Her eyes lit up when she noticed the purple scarf-like thing draped on my chest. Without a word, she folded her legs under herself before sitting comfortably in front of me on the bed.
She held the scarf in her hand, running her fingers through the soft cloth. She smiled, looking back at me, "this looks beautiful on you, dear."
My face heated up, and I turned away shyly, holding onto the other end of the scarf while the goddess looked at it. "The cherubs made it for me. A gift is what I was told it was." I ran a finger over it, feeling the cloth's thin fabric. "I'm afraid I might lose it."
The goddess glanced at me, straightening her back before moving closer. I looked back at her, focusing on the smile on her lips. "Can I do something, my angel?"
I looked at her with questioning eyes, turning from her and to the scarf. I felt embarrassed, so I turned my head and pushed the scarf closer in her hands. "Go ahead."
She giggled, closing her eyes with a bright yellow light coming from her palms. I turned my head back to her in shock. I watched in amazement as the scarf slowly became.. different in the goddess's magical hands. It was slow, but I watched her transform the scarf into something smaller.
When she finished, she had what seemed to be a crown in her hands. I looked at it in confusion before looking back to the goddess, who gave an innocent giggle.
"For you, my dear. It won't be lost," she spoke softly, lifting the crown to my head. It wrapped around my head. Where my bangs were showed the crown's curled front, which referenced two jades. It was all the same color; only a yellow jade was between the two hooks that connected and kept the crown in place.
I reached up to feel it. It was light, but it felt like gold or silver. But I could barely feel it on my head, just a wisp of something combing through my hair.
I laughed lightly, warming up at the touch of the crown. I turned back to the goddess, who looked back at me lovingly. "Thank you."
She nodded elegantly. I turned back down, crossing my fingers together to hide my nervousness. I wanted to ask something, but I didn't know if I could or if I wanted to know the answer.
"Uhm..." I turned back to her, watching as she patiently waited for me to speak. "Do you have something I could call you? Like a name?"
She raised her eyebrows, confusion and shock running through her eyes. As soon as it was there, it disappeared. "Oh, I am called the Gate Goddess, my angel."
I pouted, shaking my head. "Don't you have a name? Something… I can call you?"
The goddess smiled lightly, thinking while I stared up at her with anticipation. "What would you like to call me?"
She looked down at me, asking quietly but with a soft expression in her eyes. I was confused. I was hoping she just had something I could call her. "I don't... I don't know. Don't you have a name everyone knows you by?"
"I go by the Gate Goddess to all you angels." The goddess nodded elegantly, "my fellow goddesses call me Janus."
I gulped, looking timidly up at her. "May I.. call you by that name?"
Janus smiled brightly, her hand cupped under my chin to lift my eyes to hers. "Of course, my angel. Call me whatever you want." She finished with a bright smile, her hand sliding down and back to my hands, which lay on my knees. She squeezed lightly, a strange emotion forming in her eyes.
I stared, trying to read what she was feeling. "Uh, Janus?" I spoke lightly, feeling her move her hand to stare back at me.
"Yes?"
"Something happened to me.. back there, and other times…" I glanced back down, feeling confused and scared.
Janus gave me a sad smile, "I know, dear."
"What was it?" I shook my head, tears forming in my eyes while I tried to figure things out. I was confused and hurt by my own body, causing harm to myself.
Why was I feeling like this? Who was that shadowed man?
Janus pulled me from my thoughts with a gentle kiss to my temple. She pulled away, squeezing my hand and comforting me with a small smile. "Do not try to think about that, my angel. It will harm you, consume your faith.. your..." She traveled off, closing her eyes to hide the thoughts while I stared off into the abyss.
Opening her eyes, she chuckled lightly, seeing my face turn red. Well, it was very hot here all of a sudden. I pouted, embarrassed at being caught by the goddess with an embarrassed expression.
She moved over to face me, a hand sliding on my back while she put me to bed. I didn't try to fight it, only holding onto her wrist in comfort. She didn't do anything but look me in the eyes while I lay on my back on the bed. "Rest, my angel. Let those thoughts leave you; only think about what's happening here and now."
I did what I was told, closing my eyes and loosening my grip on her. Still, she didn't move; I felt her knees and body heat from my side. Her wings made small sounds from above me, moving around to cup and comfort my more petite body while I drifted off.
I don't remember falling asleep, and I don't even know why I could sleep here anyway.