Chapter Six

A month or so later, I sat in the same tavern I'd wanted so badly to be a part of. I was watching, waiting. While I did, I thought about the lucky circumstances (and my own work) that had gotten me to where I was.

I'd struggled to get back to the town, but luckily an old couple had passed me on the road in their cart. Using my power, I'd stared the woman in the face and begged her to take me in. She quickly agreed. Looking at my toga with obvious confusion, they gave me some peasant trousers, and a shirt to wear. I had taken a bit of a shine to them; they embodied those kind, warm traits that I'd been searching for when I'd come to Earth. The old woman, Nina, believed that I was terribly sick; I was struggling to move, and I wasn't keeping down food. The reality was that because I couldn't taste or feel the food in my mouth, I didn't know when to swallow it, and so I'd end up choking on it. She sat with me, patiently, until I'd taught myself how to time each chew enough that I wouldn't choke anymore. It took time, and a lot of my pride; I'll never forget it. Because I was an Archangel, language came naturally, and so I was able to converse with them quickly. Once I was healed, I'd work for them, plowing and whatever it was that they needed done. It was harvesting time, so in their minds, I'd been envoyé du ciel, sent from Heaven. The irony stunned me when Francis, the old farmer, said that to me. More like kicked from Heaven, I thought, but I never said anything. As I began to "feel better", I began to meditate. I needed to learn to sense the environment around me, or I'd spend a long existence bumping into things and struggling to lift myself. I also realized that I had full access to all of my power, which hadn't diminished since I'd fallen. I was no longer held back by the Archangels, and I quickly learned that I was capable of an arsenal of tricks. While I wished I had someone to hone my skills, my own patience would have to do. Soon, I was able to walk, hold and move things (with and without my power), eat, drink; whatever it was I pleased.

Tonight I'd walked in, and made the barkeep give me a drink without paying for it. I was nervous, but needlessly so. He'd handed it right over without a fight. The worst part of sitting in the room was that my body craved to be inside all of theirs; I wanted to feel so badly, but I knew that my patience would soon be worth it, and it was. Soon, Katharine Lowry herself showed up at the bar. She joined the women for their dances, and I realized that while she was dancing, she was at her happiest, and that was what I'd gotten to see. Not her scheming and her wiles. Finally, she left, and I followed her to her home. She jumped when I slammed open the door, and pinned her to the wall.

"What do you want?" she cried.

"You owe me, Katharine Lowry. Remember?" I said in a low voice. My voice had been getting slightly deeper when I'd fallen, and I rarely spoke above a whisper anymore, so the effect was frightening.

"Yes…I thought you'd left! I thought you'd ran away…" she trailed off as I placed my hand around her neck. It took everything in me not to snap it right there.

"You will be working for me, Katharine. Everything I say, you do. I have my ways of forcing you, but I think this will all be better if you go along willingly. Understood?"

She smirked at me. "Excuse me? Afraid of you? You are nothing but a child; a tall, skinny, impudent child."

I smiled back. Suddenly, she cramped over in pain, burned by the images I placed in her mind.

"Do you feel that, Katharine? That's fire; that same fire will be burning you on the stake if I tell the proper people about how you murdered both of your husbands. Would you rather I do that?" I lifted her head off of the ground; she writhed in agony. I wanted her to suffer, the way I suffered. I wanted her to feel every bit of pain that I felt, having lost it all. But I needed her, so I'd wait, and use her as I saw fit.

"Okay! Okay I'll do whatever you want!" she screamed, staring at me in fear.

"Good." I moved on to business. "Do you work for, or know of anyone of importance?" I asked.

"The Duc de Langeais…I-" she stammered before I interrupted her.

"His mistress, I presume? Was hoping to get out of this place?" I was mocking her, letting her know how lowly she was, but her blush told me my teasing was nothing more than truth. "Get me near him. I want to know more about him." A duc would be the perfect thing to have; once I felt well enough trained, I could simply mindtrick him into giving me his money. It was almost too perfect.

"I'm just-!" she began, but I stopped her in her tracks. Going to do as I say, I commanded. She nodded.

"Thank you." I smiled beatifically and left.


I found myself at the Chateau's barn later, at a town gathering. I'd commanded Katharine to find the Duc, and to dance with him. I'd find him, and know who I was looking for. I observed everyone that passed me; again, the urge to rip through the human bodies almost took over me, but I was forcing myself to grow controlled. My senses led me towards the middle of the room, towards the dancing. I watched as Katharine danced with a strangely tall boy; he couldn't have been any older than sixteen. He felt different; the humans around me felt alive, but weak. This boy's body called out to me; it was powerful, a perfect vessel. So, this was the Duc; I heard someone else call him Chauncey. I was jubilant.I didn't think that my week, or my life, could get any easier. I'd found a vessel, lifestyle, and money all in one spot. I needed more time to train myself, and become acclimated with the society I was in. I needed to be strong enough to obtain what I needed. As for the boy, who I believed firmly was the Nephil I was looking for, I could give a damn about him, or how he'd feel. He'd get over it. I wanted what he had, and I was going to have it.

Smiling to myself, I poured my drink in the grass as I left.