hey! im out of school! and im sorry but i didnt write a new chapter yet! i only corrected my errors in this one cuz there were lots of confusing ones! i got like 1 1/2 pages writen for the next chapter but im sorta stuck so be patience please! (i know its hard, im not patience at all!) but here's the corrected version of chapter 12!
Chapter 12 Home At Last
Esther stared up at the cathedral as flames engulfed it. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she watched her home and all her memories of her life and Bishop Laura's. Then the words of the priest, who came to take Bishop Laura's place, re-entered her mind.
"Why?" She had asked as she had watched the soldier place handcuffs on the priest's wrists. The priest, of coarse, was Father Abel Nightroad.
"You really have to ask?" He had said compassionately after soldier had backed off. "Well, it's because I am your friend." Those words gravely melted into her heart.
Suddenly the scene of the burning cathedral disappeared and Esther was running down a partly dark hallway. She was alone and scared to death. She ran straight toward an open door. A man clothed in a white cloak stood inside the room right next to the door. As she got closer she saw a familiar crusnik with his blood-red scythe flying toward the white-cloaked man. She saw the crusnik's burnt-red eyes grow wide as he recognized her.
Suddenly there was a thunderous boom and Abel's crusnik being left him. He started to fall forward, only to rest a bit on the white-cloaked man shoulder. Abel's glacier-blue eyes looked at her with pain and fright as he said with the last of his breath, "Es…ther…" His body slipped off the man's shoulders and fell sideways toward the ground.
Esther watched him as hit the ground and as blood poured out from his fatal wound and the blood soon gathered into a puddle underneath his body. "N-NOOOOOO!!" She screamed as she covered her eyes with her hands as tears fell from them and her knees fell onto the cold, metal ground.
Abel shook the screaming Esther gently as she lay in her bed. He called to her, "Esther, Esther! Wake up!" She flung her eyelids open as she woke up with a jolt and breathed in and out deeply. "Abel?" She whispered as she was still in a state of shock.
"Esther, are you all right? Did you have a nightmare?" He asked. Slowly she nodded her head as tears picked at the corner of her eyes. "Would you like to tell me about it?" He asked in a soothing tone. She nodded again just as slowly as the first.
Moments passed and she still had not spoken a word to him. Abel figured that she really didn't want to talk so he said, "It's okay. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"No!" She gasped and looked up at him, right into his eyes. He saw fright and sorrow deep inside her eyes. She then began to speak, "I...I was running down a dark hallway when I came to an opened door. A man with a white cloak was standing in the door way…."
"Cain!" He thought and continued to listen to her.
"Then I saw your crusnik form," she continued, "flying at him. You had your scythe out, and you were going to kill that man. But, when you saw me, you stopped. Then that man killed you and were dead at my feet!" Tear poured down from her eyes as she squeezed the blanket that was over her legs.
He looked at her and understood every word of it. That nightmare was a memory. It was a memory of his death. A pain burdened his heart and so to ease her pain and his own, he began to sing.
"I've found a secret place,
of comfort and release,
a special place of healing,
a quiet place of peace."
Esther looked back up at him when she heard him singing to her. He gently grabbed her hand and continued to sing as she closed her eyes with pleasure,
"And everyone who dwells there,
finds rest beneath God's wings.
In the shade of His pavilion,
New strength He always brings.
I find hope,
I find grace,
far away from the world's embrace.
He gives me rest,
He keeps me safe,
I find His strength,
I seek His face,
in the secret place.
With every trial He brings,
my Lord will make a way,
to strength and protect me,
to help me face each day.
He leads me through the valley,
to draw me closer still,
knowing even in the shadows,
I find his perfect will.
I find hope,
I find grace,
far away from the world's embrace.
He gives me rest,
He keeps me safe,
I find His strength,
I seek His face,
in the secret place.
I find hope,
I find grace,
far away from the world's embrace.
He gives me rest,
He keeps me safe,
I find His strength,
I seek His face,
in the secret place.
He gives me rest,
I seek His face,
in the secret place." ('In the Secret Place' from the cantata 'Only By His Grace' by Ron Hamilton)
Esther opened her eyes and looked into his. "Are you feeling better?" He asked as he stared back into hers. She nodded with a smile. "Good." He said. "Ion has brought us breakfast. We should be in Rome in about 30 minutes." He continued and stood up. He started to walk to the door when a voice stopped him. "Wait, Abel." It called and, of coarse, it was Esther's. He turned to her with his usual smile and said, "What is it Esther?"
"Thank you." She said with a smile full of love. He continued his usual, goofy smile and said, "Anytime, dear Esther." And with that, he turned and left the room. He closed the door behind and walked down the small hallway and into the main room where Tres, Ion, and Tabitha sat at the dinning table. They were all waiting for him and Esther. He took his seat next to Tres.
"Is everything all right with her Majesty, Queen Esther?" Tres asked him. Abel smiled still and said, "Yes, Tres. Everything is fine. She should be here any moment." Right on cue, Esther came running into the room. "Sorry, I made you wait-" She said as her foot tripped over the corner of the rug and she leaded flat on her face.
"Esther!" Ion and Abel gasped; both of them were worried to death that she had broken something. She laughed lightly and quickly got back on her feet. "I'm okay." She said as she brushed the imaginary dirt off of her dress. She sat down between Abel and Tabitha and said, "Well, shall we begin?"
Esther, while she held Tabitha in her arms, walked in the streets of Rome. It was sunny and warm for it beginning October. Birds flew pass them and the men and android that followed behind them. "Miss Esther, where are we going?" Tabitha curiously asked.
"We are going to where Mister Abel and Mister Tres work." She replied to the six year old.
"Where's that?" Tabitha asked again. "The church." Esther answered calmly.
"The church?" Tabitha repeated. "So they're 'Fathers'?"
"Yes, that's right Tabitha. Tres and I are priests in this lovely city of Rome!" Abel exclaimed behind Esther.
"But I thought priests couldn't marry and aren't you and Miss Esther married?" She asked Abel this time.
They came to the bridge that lead to the Vatican's gates and began to across it. "Well, they're not really married. It a disguise." Ion answered for them as they all crossed it.
"A disguise?" Tabitha questioned. "Why do they need a disguise? Did they do something bad?"
"No. They're chasing down a powerful being that could place his hand in front of you and kill you by blowing you up." Ion teased and mimicked Cain's attack.
Tabitha jumped and buried her head onto Esther's shoulder and neck as tears poured down her cheeks. "Miss Esther, I don't wanna be blown up!" She cried.
"There, there. You're not going to be blown up. Don't worry." Esther comforted. She turned at looked at Ion. "Ion! I can't believe you! Scaring a poor little girl!"
"What? I was just telling the truth." He said in his defense. All of them had stopped now. "Ion, don't ever say that again." Abel said as he looked at Ion seriously. "Fine." Ion snorted and they continued their walk toward the Vatican.
Esther looked at Abel at of the corner her eye. She saw that his face was sad and serious. "Poor Abel." She thought as she rubbed Tabitha's back. They neared the front gates of the Vatican and soon they walked through them. The guards at the gates smiled and waved at Abel and Esther showing that they missed them. Esther remembered the first time she came to the Vatican and became an AX member. Her and Abel had neared the gates when the guards had stopped them asking for his ID card. Abel had hastily searched for it in his cloak pockets, but didn't find it. Candy had fallen from his pockets instead. "I know I have it somewhere." He had told them as he still looked for his ID. "Abel." She had sighed. "Wait! Esther, believe me! I really do work here!" He had told her.
Esther giggled at the sweet memory that made Abel wonder what on earth was she thinking about. Tabitha had stopped crying and said as she looked at the big cathedral of the Vatican with a big smile, "Wow, pretty church!"
"Yes, it's wonderful. Isn't it, Abel?" Esther said and smiled a pure smile of love. Abel just nodded at her and Tabitha. All five of them made their way into the church. They walked down its long hallways.
"William! Where are you? I know you're here somewhere! Get out here right now!" A familiar woman's voice yelled throughout the hallways as Sister Kate floated around the corner with a very frustrated look on her face.
"Oh, good morning Sister Kate!" Abel exclaimed with his goofy smile.
"Oh, Father Nightroad. Have you seen-" Sister Kate started. Her eyes grew wide as she recognized who was standing before her. "Father Nightroad! Esther! It's so good to see you again! I'm glad you're both all right! Well, if you excuse me. I have to go find Professor. Lady Catherine wanted to speak with him about another one of his failed "experiments"."
Tabitha stared at Sister Kate. "Miss Esther! That lady! I can see right through her and she's floating!" Tabitha whispered into Esther's ear.
"Well, Tabitha, Sister Kate is a hologram. That's her computer body. Her real body is on the airship The Iron Maiden." Esther whispered back into Tabitha's ear.
"Well see you all later!" Sister Kate said and waved as she floated down the hallway.
"Bye, Sister Kate!" Abel called after her with a wave. He turned back to his friends and said, "Well, we should get going. Lady Catherine will get mad if we're late!" He took a step forward only to trip over a clay pot of light blue and white petunias.
"Abel!" Esther gasped and walked over to him. She looked down at him and asked, "Abel, are you all right?"
He looked up and said, "Yes. Just fine."
Lady Catherine sat in her desk as she signed her name on a piece of paper. The sunlight shone through the window, making her blonde hair look shinier and her red carnal robes look redder. A small rap came on her door. She looked up from her work and said, "Come in."
The door opened and a certain silver haired priest with glasses and a goofy smile walked in. "Good morning, Catherine!" He greeted as he let Esther, who still held Tabitha, Father Tres, and Ion into the room as well.
"I see you all made it safe and sound." Lady Catherine said with a smile. "I see we have another guest. Who is this little one's name?"
Tabitha had fallen asleep in Esther's arms, so Esther answered for her. "Her name is Tabitha Cromwell. Her mother died from a heart attack on the airship we where on and her father died in one of Cain's attacks." Esther's eyes grew sad at the mention of that day.
"So she's an orphan. Queen Esther, you let her rest in your old room." Lady Catherine said.
"All right. Thanks, Lady Catherine." Esther said and turned toward the door.
"I'll help her!" Ion spoke up and walked to the door. He opened it up for her and she walked out. Then he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.
"So Father Abel, Father Tres. What news do you have for me?" Lady Catherine slyly asked, however, she had no mind on being deceitful or anything. That's just her way of speaking.
"As you have heard from Father Tres," Abel said seriously, his face too was very serious, "Cain is in Castile. The question is: how do you plan on us reaching him?"
"It seems that going under complete undercover didn't fool him. But who could that fool anyway?" She laughed sarcastically. She looked at Abel and Tres slyly again and said, "You'll go under your own identity, except Esther. Tell her to go undercover as a nun. We can't have Cain capturing her or some Queen Esther haters try to assassinate her."
Abel shuddered at the thought of Esther getting captured by Cain or getting assassinated. "Yes, Catherine. I agree."
Esther sat at the edge of her old bed in her old room. She looked over at Tabitha as Tabitha slept peacefully. She then looked round the room. "It's been so long since I've been here." She said half to herself and half to Ion, who stood next to the door
"It must be painful to return here?" He asked.
"No." She answered. "I feel happier to be here than at the palace back in Albion."
"Why is that?" He asked curiously with a hint of envy.
"I don't know." She said plainly. She laughed slightly. "Maybe it was because of Abel. I was so worried about him. You know how unselfish he could be. He could have been starving himself to feed you."
"He did that." Ion thought.
She continued on, "And he could have pretend to be strong but deep inside was really scared."
"He was scared and still is scared. Scared foryour safety! Heck, I'm scared for your safety as well!" He thought as he looked at her as she continued. "He made me feel so happy, Ion. I haven't felt this happy since the day before we planned to go to Albion. He and I went out for tea together and had a lovely time."
Ion looked at her. Love danced across her eyes. He couldn't stand it! He opened the door and walked out, letting it close quietly behind him.
She heard the soft closing of the door at looked at it. Ion was gone. "Ion?" She softly called.
Outside, Ion furiously walked through the garden. "She doesn't love me! She loves him! I can't believe it! I thought she loved me! After that episode in Radu's prison cell, I could have sworn she loved me! I guess…I was just…wrong. She loves Abel." He looked up into the blue sky that was filled with big, white, fluffy clouds. "I guess all I can do is let her be happy." (A/N Ion wears this suntan lotion stuff that allows him to walk in the sunlight.)
Esther still sat on her old bed. She reached over and played with Tabitha's locks of short, curly, brown hair. She jumped when she heard a soft rapping at the door. She relaxed when she heard a voice after it. "Esther, may I come in?" It was Abel.
"Yes, come in." Esther said as she fixed the bottom of her dress. The door open and closed as Abel walked in. He came closed to her and joined her on the bed.
"So what did Lady Catherine say?" Esther asked.
Abel slowly let out a sigh and answered, "She told us to leave tomorrow afternoon."
"And what about our disguise?" She asked and let a small laugh escape her mouth.
"We won't have a disguise, but you will." He said.
"Oh, well what's my disguise then?" She curiously asked with a smile.
"Your old occupation." He told her calmly.
"I see." She said and down at her left hand where the fake wedding ring was on. "I guess I won't be needing this anymore." She said as she played with it on her finger.
Abel looked at her. Her cheerful, loving face was now gone and sorrow replaced it. He noticed a gold chain on her neck. He reached over and touched the gold chain and her neck in the process. He felt her jump at his cold touch. "What are you doing?" She asked in a whisper.
"Shh. Relax." He whispered back as fingers fumbled on her necklace's latch and he unlatched it. He slid the gold, warm, cross necklace off her neck and then placed it on the bed. He grabbed her left hand gently and felt her shiver and goose bumps begin up her hand and arm as his cold fingers touched her again. He took the gold ring off her finger and let go of her hand He picked up the gold cross necklace and slid the gold ring on the gold chain. It slid down and stopped at the gold cross that sagged in the middle of the chain. He reached over again and wrapped his arms loosely around her neck and latched the necklace around her neck once more. Then he took off his gold cross necklace and fake wedding ring and did the same. "There. Now you can keep it close by your heart." He said as he stood up. "Come on. Lady Catherine invited us to lunch." He said as he began to walk toward the door.
"Wait, Abel!" She called out. He turned and she continued, "What about Tabitha?"
"Oh, that's right. Do you want to wake her up?" He asked as he looked down at the sleeping girl.
"I don't know." She said and looked at Tabitha as well. "Oh, Abel. It going to be so hard to leave her here."
"I know how you feel, Esther. But we have to leave her here. It's too dangerous." He said. "Now you know how I feel, Esther. I don't want to take you because it's too dangerous." He thought to himself.
"Hey, Abel?" She said and looked up at him.
"Yes Esther?" His glance met hers and she asked, "Abel, do you want to have children?"
He chuckled softly. "Yes, Esther. I do. For children are God's special gifts." He smiled calmly and said, "Come Esther. We'll bring her something to eat later."
"All right." She said and followed him out of the room.
