"Lord Rosiel! Sir, you must wake. Lord Sevothtarte wishes to see you." Rosiel rubbed his head lazily, pouring glass-like strands of silk over his shoulder. The hair cascaded down his back, like a river that pooled on the majestic settee, and sparkled in the dim candlelight. Katan managed to whip in a breath, for he had to be conscious of his breathing at all times. It was so easy…to forget how to breathe.
"Well, he can wait. Sevy is…unimportant.," Rosiel uttered, his voice barely a whisper; all honey and velvet. An angelic voice, one that could probably charm stone into living flesh. The High Angel looked unusually unsettled. Katan was used to Rosiel's mad fits, but this was different, more quietly troubling. A frown settled on Rosiel's face, burdening the dark lashes that flickered over the hypnotic golden orbs. He saw Katan staring, and that was enough to enrage him.
"Lord Rosiel…are you al---"
"I'm fine!," he barked, pushing the cherub away, "Stop leaning over me, and I will feel even better! Honestly Katan, you should treat me with a bit more consideration. I mean who else would take you in…" Rosiel stood, and placed a black-clawed hand on the taller angel's shoulder. "…A filthy grigor."
Who else would take you in, my love? It would be better if they did, for you. Because you, Katan, of all people deserve so much more than what I can give you. Why can't I say what I mean to say? So much I want to tell you, dear, and all of it remains unspoken. Perhaps after I wake my sister - yes, yes after that! Then there will be time. Time for us. Time for you and I to talk together about a past life in which Rosiel was great, and not the mere pitiful shadow before you - who dares to injure and abuse you so. Smile my angel, smile because I'm sorry. But you can't ever leave me. Not like her.
The grin that Rosie; wore on his face contorted it into more of a grimace, making that heavenly visage seem almost…hideous? No, it did not seem possible. My old Lord would never have said that, thought Katan, he heard us. He heard us when no one else did.
"Ros…" Katan dared to breathe the High Angel's name, his heart bleeding at the sound - but quickly thought better of it, his master was becoming quite unpredictable. Rosiel was already walking towards the door, his lithe body moving with serpentine fluency, heels clicking on the hard marble floor. Looking back over his shoulder at his aide, he allowed a low note of annoyance creep into his voice as those burning eyes ran over the body he had created.
"Did you say anything, my Katan?" 'My Katan' - a friend, a lover, a person most cared for? No - a possession, an object, a toy.
"N-No Sir Rosiel."
"Fine, then let us be off." Then, obediently, the little dog followed in the wake of his righteous master.
"The High Angel Rosiel has entered the hall!" The herald alerted to all the arrival of Rosiel and his servant. Rosiel, the angels all knew who he was: glorious, wise, illustrious and above all, God's favourite child; second only to Seraphita, made with the blood of Adam Kadammon himself! Special enough to call him Father. Father's chosen twin. Sealed away for hundreds of years and freed to save Heaven from the decay of sin! Yes, they knew him. In fact, they exalted him. He was to be Heaven's new hero…But Minister Sevothtarte did no like that.
"Inorganic Angel Rosiel, you show up late to this most important assembly? Please, don't tell us that this is a mark of your commitment to Heaven?"
Hmph…Inorganic. Everyone loves to remind me, don't they? That I am not her. That I can never be Alexi…Alexiel. Stupid angels, stupid parasitic mortals, stupid sinful world! I hate you! I hate all of it! I curse everything to the deepest pits of Hell! Mock me all you wish, Sevothtarte. I'm going to enjoy ripping your wings off, foolish butterfly.
Rosiel floated up the aisle - right past the white angel - with his heavy black cloak flying like wings behind him. He swung himself onto the platform, and into the throne, easily curving his slender frame into its vast stone cradle. It felt distantly familiar to him, but altogether different now. Azuilt, no, Heaven in general: it did not appear that princely kingdom anymore. The view had been distorted for quite some time.
"Sevy, I hope you are not trying to blame the incompetence of your lackeys on me?!" Sevothtarte made an uncomfortable step away from the raised throne. Rosiel licked his lips. "Perhaps next time, you would care to inform me of such a meeting, hmm?" The Prime Minister said nothing, but his piercingly cold eyes said enough: Rosiel had made an enemy today. "Katan," Rosiel began, spotting the podgy form of a toddler peeking out from behind one of the sisters, "Please help escort young Metatron to his chambers."
"Inorganic Angel Rosiel!" The Minster was instantly on edge, gritting his teeth under the dark veil.
"Tut-tut, Sevy. Don't make yourself seem any more idiotic than has already been proved…It is Rosiel…Supreme Ruler of Heaven."