Disclaimers: I do not own any of the Archangel series, the characters, or anything else. All other characters are my own.
Set several years after angel seeker, the story takes place in Cedar Hills angel hold.
Fog rolled in over Cedar Hills, the predecessor of the storms the hold had been singing for for three days past, glooming the appearance of a otherwise charming autumn evening. The new angel hold had a charm about it that made it seem both welcoming and mysterious. Easily accessible, it was both a blessing and a curse, evening sentry having to chase or quiet down many an overindulged resident both angelic and mortal. The night watch only wished for something akin to Velora's inhospitable altitude, which drunken mortals could not mistake for their own similarly constructed homes and that angels could not reach without sobering up or risking a mountain side collision. Instead of heralding angels returns they were stuck rounding up the unruly.
The two men that had volunteered for the late duty had been passing the time in amiable silence, taking turns letting the other nod off for a bit while traffic was slow. All the residents were either already settled down for the evening or were just getting started. The older man threw a twig towards the one snoozing against the masonry with his arms crossed.
"Hey Marcus, don't fall too deep asleep or you'll fall over."
The young man snapped his eyes open, "I'm awake, don't count me out yet."
"Yeah keep it that way or I'll give you a nudge and laugh when you fall."
"Jovah bless your family for putting up with you Elliot, because mine sure wouldn't."
"And I don't cook your family breakfast before I go to sleep when I get home either. Keep yours eyes open while I have a breather, going to go find some juice or something."
"I'll be fine, if an owl looks suspicious I'll be sure to let you know."
He stood by the wall and tried to make out anything through the thickening fog. After twenty minutes Marcus figured Elliot had probably decided on something a bit stronger than juice and would remind him to buy his buddy a drink for not missing him.
Standing in the dark with only the torches on either side of the door made for some interesting tricks by the mind. Sometimes he would swear that he saw foxes and wolves in the distance only to be tricks of the dim light throwing shadows in interesting fashions. He had heard the angels speak of what the weather was expected to be and had promised to steel himself against being a coward in the dark. The guard were given only a wooden staff with a weighted end to control those with fighting intention, and Marcus suddenly wished for something with more of an edge to it as he saw a shape making itself more apparent.
"Elliot!"
His counterpart had fallen asleep on a bench in the courtyard behind the entrance they were supposed to be guarding. He roused with a start, "I thought you were joking about the owls kid!"
"I need help!"
The guard was up and jamming his cap on as he ran back to the front path. His throat caught as he saw Marcus kneeling in the middle of the small road fearing the worst. He ran closer and breathed seeing him bracing another person on the ground.
A woman, frail and lovely, looked at him with the gravest of expressions. "I need a doctor," her voice was desperate and distressed.
"Where are you hurt, I'll help you get to a doctor," Marcus told her reassuringly.
"Not me, I'm only tired. Here... this..." She stumbled over the correct word and held out her arms instead.
They peered at the bundle that had gone unnoticed in her arms. Elliot thought it was an animal until it moved. All gray and fuzzy it would be an easy mistake under all the bundling, particularly because of the coloring, but both men were taken aback when they saw the small face peek from under the covering.
"An angel!" Marcus exclaimed. "Where has it come from?"
Elliot glared at Marcus and helped the woman to her feet. "We will take you to the healer, what is your name?"
"Adina, please spare me this, he needs a doctor swiftly."
"All right, to move fastest we will carry you, can he handle your child please?" Marcus was glad for having his friend; Elliot was much more diplomatic about this than he could manage.
He became nervous as he held out his arms to hold the slowly awakening babe. Elliot toward him as he picked up Adina, "We're going to find Elizabeth, you know the way to the house yes?"
"Of course."
"Then run fast, I'll meet you there with the lady then."
It seemed a more primal instinct came over the young guard as he sprinted off into the night, the urge to help this young angel was overwhelming as his legs became hotter from the pace he set.
No more than a few minutes away from the hold, he came to the house that the healer Elizabeth lived at. He pounded at the door, hoping the noise indicated the urgency. Marcus looked to see how his small charge did and startled himself. The boy was lying on his side curled up, wings folded about hismelf. Just as he looked down the small wing had shifted so one eye was peering at him from under the downy wing. He couldn't help but smile at him, hoping he understood that everything was going to get better.
A young woman in sleeping clothes answered the door, "What do you want? Do you know how late it is?"
"I need Elizabeth, it's an emergency."
The girl rolled her eyes a bit and turned, "Elizabeth there's a guy here for you!"
Soon enough a sleepy eyed looking woman came down and ushered him in. He laid the child out on the table and she gasped.
"He's sick, his mother is on her way but she sounded like it was dire."
She moved and fussed about him poking him gently with her finger and taking his temperature trying to identify the malady. "Sweet Jovah he's very hot even for an angel. To think, an angel baby at this hour!"
One of the girls in the boarding house must have been eavesdropping because in no time at all the entire whole house was up and mingling in the hallway and staircase when the hall had filled. The whole place was murmuring quietly so that when Elliot arrived he had to wade through a sea of 'Is someone in labor?' 'I hear it's not a newborn...' 'Can't believe someone took such bad care of an angel baby' 'Did you see the wings?' 'Grey wings!'
Elizabeth was done with the whispers as he moved into the dining room where Marcus and the child were. "That's enough, everyone go back to their rooms, I'm sure you won't want people crowding around when you have angel babies."
A collective whine went through the crowd before they dispersed to the upper levels.
She turned her attention back to the mother whom Elliot had set down in a chair. "Well, you are full of surprises miss, but not to worry he only has a bit of an infection which will clear up just fine with some medicine pills and plenty of rest. It's good you brought him now or it could have gotten a lot worse."
Adina looked frightened where she sat, "I thought this was worse, I had been on the road for days until I finally got here. And even then I only knew the way by word of mouth."
"I'm glad a mother's worry brought you here sooner than later at least. What should I call you and the boy then, he doesn't seem to be dedicated either,would you like me to do that for you?"
"I'm Adina, and his name is Zurich you may dedicate him if you see it fit," she said plainly not offering any more.
"Zurich, that's a lovely name. Well Adina, you look awfully starved maybe you and these men would like some food until we can take you to the hold, Nathan and Magdalena would be thrilled to see a new angel baby. It's really been too long since we've all seen one."
Marcus and Elliot turned to look at the women when they were mentioned in conversation.
"Of course I'll find something in the kitchen for her to eat," Elliot announced and went to make himself useful.
Marcus went to follow him into the kitchen. "You stay," Elizabeth told him. He halted mid-step to her order.
"Keep an eye on the boy while I look over his mother."
Elizabeth made a routine exam of her while Elliot brought in bread and wine for her to eat, and made her eat. Everything was moving along well with Zurich given infection fighting pills and a gleaming new kiss with Adina content and fed. Until Elizabeth told them she was going to escort them to the main hold complex.
"What do you mean you don't want to go? You have to go, they'll help you take care of him, feed him and school him and such."
Adina was steadfast in her reluctance. "I will not go back to angels!" She yelled in a last show of will.
In the end Elizabeth had her way with Elliot carrying her again, for Adina refused to walk with them. Marcus had the task of bringing Zurich, who was move lively with his medicine and fluttered a sooty wing at him as he stroked the boys hair. He was startled when he looked down and saw a single eye peering at him from under the feathery mass. He smile and lifted the boy up to be carried in a more dignified manner, holding him chest to chest as he saw all the women in his life do. Zurich's dark hair fell into his face covering his large eyes a bit but he didn't seem to mind. Instead he blinked in curiousity before putting his pudgy little arms around Marcus's neck and settling in.
...
Nathan's emotions had been up and down all night and now he had completed the spectrum as Elizabeth stood in front of his door rambling a bit nervously.
"And you know I never would have woken you in the middle of the night except if I had..."
A baby cried out from his rooms and he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Please get to the point dear."
"Well two guards brought me a patient tonight with some surprising features."
Nathan looked at the woman being held up by one guard but the other held out a child for him to examine.
"Three by my reckoning, his mother wasn't the most talkative about him but he is healthy and has got some gorgeous wings by my eyes," Elizabeth smirked a bit.
The host leader's eyes fixed onto Zurich and tried to pick him up from Marcus.
"Mmhnn..." He squirmed away from him and clung to the guard.
"Come now don't be like that, Nathan will be good to you."
That tiny face looked at him and then at the angel distrustfully. He held him out to be picked up and Nathan took him holding him under his arms. Zurich flapped his wings, happy to be free of his blanket confines.
"Jovah strike me, I couldn't think of anything better to be woken up to."
Nathan had to hold tighter as the child tried to get down. "Want... a... da... da..."
He set him back down and he ran and hid behind Marcus's leg.
"It looks like you've been promoted from night watch to child care," laughed Elizabeth.
Marcus sighed, "Not sure if this is a promotion or if just got demoted quite a bit."
"Oh I wouldn't think of it like that, you'll get to spend plenty of time with his pretty mother."
"Yes if she doesn't flee by dawn that is. We'll post guard by her door," he told Nathan sternly.
Nathan blinked several times. "Yes, good. Put her with Keziah. She'll be fierce at this hour but she'll keep... Blast woman what is your name?"
An indignant look was shot his way from Elliot's hold.
"Her name's Adina, don't mind her warm personality she's very sweet when you... get to... know her!"
Elliot was struggling to keep his grip on her as she thrashed and had grab her by the wrist and haul her back in when she attempted to lunge at Marcus for her baby.
Nathan moved to speak to Adina, "Miss, we're keeping you at the hold until your child is better and we know more about how this strange situation has come about. You will share evening quarters with Keziah, and there is no getting away from her so don't try."
She glared menacingly at Nathan without saying anything before being allowed to be led away.
"Well that was exciting; see you in the morning Elizabeth." Nathan turned and reentered his room to help Magdalena.
...
Please R&R!