When Izarius was able to check on her a couple hours later, he had brought food and drink for her. She was clearly starving, and she helped him clear off an area to set the needed nourishment down. There was only one small table, but it was enough for now.
"The place looks...cluttered," he said.
"I know. You can thank Gurzick and Greed," she sighed and bit into an apple.
"I see," he chuckled. "And these items by the bed?"
"It's to go to my parents. I don't need so much here."
"Ah. I shall have Darius and Mithus assist me in delivering them. Azarius is helping more angels around your residence. The village your parents reside in was under attack," he sighed.
"What?!" she gaped.
"Malthael's forces are thorough. They seek to destroy all of the demon blood. Your parents are doing all they can to help safeguard the innocents. They have no demon blood, like yourself, so they are unharmed. After this, though, it may be safe to leave the village in full. The villagers are suspicious that it is they behind the attacks. We know it is not true."
"They should be brought here!" she said.
"I know this. But, they are warriors. They seek to defend the town."
"I need to speak with Auriel," she sighed. She finished off the apple to curb her hunger and left the room. Izarius left with her. Then he seemed to pause when she teleported by using the signature imprint of Imperius. He had no idea that she could do that.
She found Auriel in the Gardens of Hope. She was with Tyrael and healing him with the strands that graced over her arms.
"I thank you and your counterpart, Al'maiesh," Tyrael said softly.
"You should rest, you know. As a mortal, you need it," Auriel chuckled. Then she looked over at the sight of Imperius's ward. "Anaurael? What is wrong? You should be in the Halls of Valor."
"I know. But, I had to speak with you," she sighed.
"What is wrong, sister?" Auriel asked. Tyrael was speechless. The girl was a singular form of perfect, angelic beauty. From her straight sheen of molten gold hair, to her soft, topaz blue eyes. When his eyes rested on the glowing dot of molten gold on her forehead, he grimaced lightly. This was the ward of Imperius. There was no other explanation.
"You must be Tyrael. I give greetings," she nodded.
"The same," he nodded back. Even her attitude was much like Imperius's moody one. When Izarius appeared next to her, he nodded to them, too.
"What did you wish to speak of?" Auriel asked.
"My parents. They are in my birth village and fighting Malthael's ilk!" she said. "I need to help them! To bring them here!"
"Sister, you know that Imperius will not be pleased, if you left," Auriel said.
"What am I to do?" she winced. "I do not want them harmed."
"Have hope, sister. That is all you can do," Auriel sighed.
"I vowed to Imperius that I would not leave here, too," Anaurael fretted. "But, my parents..."
"I can help them," Izarius nodded.
"I just want them safe," she said.
"I will ensure it," Izarius promised and left right after his vow.
"Thank you, brother," she nodded at his vanishing form.
"I must rally the Angelic Host. I shall return when I can," Auriel said and vanished.
"So...you are the ward of Imperius?" Tyrael asked.
"I am. My name is Anaurael. Forgive me, but I must return to my chambers. Imperius will not be pleased, if he finds me missing. He has me here until Malthael is destroyed," she said softly. She got a brotherly vibe from him, as he was a mortal angel, like herself. She knew that she could trust him now, but she still felt a bit wary from how Imperius shows discontent with him.
"He keeps you that safe?"
"Malthael...almost killed me," she winced. "He approached me. He sensed my bond with Imperius, and he touched my mark. The glow on my forehead. He tried to severe me from Imperius. If he succeeded...well..."
"Your life...is tied to...?" Tyrael was stunned.
"Imperius marked me the night I was born. He claimed me as his ward. It is...rumored...that I am his missing Light. He even told me, not long ago, that I was a part of him that was missing. Something he never wishes to lose again. He trains me. He protects me. And, in return, I am his faithful servant. In so many ways. Although...I know it is something more now."
"What do you mean?"
At this, she looked at him with a touch of sadness. "He loves me. And I love him. We simply have not voiced it out. Yet."
Tyrael's jaw dropped. At this, she smiled softly and looked away. When he regained himself, he said, "I look forward to speaking with your parents."
"I look forward to seeing them alive and well," she shivered. She suddenly looked over at Imperius appearing in front of them. He seemed to glare at Tyrael, but he redirected his gaze to his ward.
"Why are you out here?" he asked.
"I sought Auriel. I worried for my parents. Izarius said that they are defending the village of my birth. I wanted them to come here...but..." she frowned.
"I see."
"Tyrael was being healed by Auriel when I arrived."
"Very well," he nodded. She always spoke the truth to him. Then, much to Tyrael's further shock, Imperius scooped her up and cradled her to him. At the way her hand moved to caress the powerful Archangel's armored cheek, he sighed deeply. This was something that Tyrael had never seen before. It was a side of Imperius that was completely alien to him. But, it only meant one thing.
"You...do love her! Don't you?" Tyrael asked.
"She is my ward. What more is there to say?" Imperius asked. He did not give a negative answer. That shocked Tyrael even further. Imperius looked at Anaurael and squeezed her gently before teleporting away with her to her chambers. He just gave Tyrael a lot to think about.
In her chambers, Imperius set her down to let her eat her fill. He noticed that she had done a lot of work. Most of the treasures were sorted and set in various orderly piles. Some of the treasures had a use. Small cups, plates, utensils, and other basic needs would be kept. Necklaces, jewelry, and other items were kept, but only the best looking pieces. Fabrics of cloth would also be used, though she didn't have much training in sewing. She learned some from her training in healing for bandage wraps, but not enough to fully make clothing.
She had made the bed and lined the pillows on it. The main piece was made of solid gold beams that fit together perfectly. Some of the beams were engraved with vines and dotted with small diamonds. These vines seemed to hold the mattress in place to the frame. When the corners of the bed rose up into small pillars, small hooks at the tips held up a thin sheet of fine silk for slight privacy all around, but not by much. He didn't like how the bed was positioned, though. When he asked her about it, she chuckled.
"I am not strong enough to move it. The framework is gold, you know," she shrugged. At this, Imperius noticed that she had cleared space around the bed. Most of the sorted treasure for her parents were piled on it. It added to the weight. But, he was able to effortlessly shove it to the center of the room. That was what he wanted.
"The rest of this?" he asked and glanced at the sorted treasure piles.
"I was only trying to organize what I could. What is on the bed will go to my parents. I had, originally, put them around the bed, but it started to get cluttered. It was easier this way," she nodded. She finished off her water and made use of a basin to relieve herself. It was cleaned daily by another angel. As much as she hated to resort to such means, there was no other choice. "I wonder what happens if I just dump this over the side. Would it hit a human?"
Imperius looked at her and actually coughed to hide the fact that he let out a small laugh. That was new of him to do. Then he said, "I would not allow any human to even see such a thing come from you. Any part of you. Useless or not."
"Is that so?" she mused.
"It is," he said sternly. "I am not pleased that Tyrael saw you."
"He knows I am yours," she said softly. "and it was inevitable for him to see me."
"I don't like how he saw you here in Heaven."
"He only knows I reside here from time to time. He does not know where, other than in your Halls. I do see him as a brother, but I feel wary, too. From you, I feel this."
"I want you to be wary around everyone."
"Save my parents?"
"Yes."
"Even those I trust?"
"Trust can only go so long. Unless it's with me," he said and rested his hands on her shoulders. "My trust with you is eternal."
"As is mine with you," she smiled. He scooped her up to cradle her now, and he moved with her to one of the windows. As she rested against his large shoulder pauldrons, she reached up and lazily traced how his cheek armor attached to the rest of the helm. It looked like it was welded on and almost resembled a mandible. It was the same on the other side. The rest of his helmet seemed to be forged to wrap around his head and arch upwards to reach his floating halo. A part that fit over the back of his skull wrapped around to fit like a circlet over his main facial frame. It resembled a crown, in a sense, but it was just the way it was designed.
At a closer inspection, she saw that his helmet didn't fully connect with his chest armor. Thinking now, she slowly reached in and paused when he turned to glance at her with surprise. But, he didn't stop her. Licking her lips carefully, she reached in further and was surprised to find something solid. She found his actual cheek, and he gave a shivering sigh at her very touch.
"I want to try something. I wanted to wait until Malthael was defeated..." he said.
"We should wait until then," she said.
"I fear I cannot."
"Why?"
"Because, I have waited for too long," he muttered, as he gazed at her.
"How long will it take?" she asked.
"I am unsure."
"Then we should wait. If you are needed and called away..."
"I know. I can wait a bit longer," he nodded. She went to withdraw her hand, but found him pressing into it a bit more. "Don't pull back. Not yet."
"Of course, Imperius," she nodded. He carried her up the stairs and into his inner sanctum. Sitting down on his throne with her, he enjoyed the feel of her hand on his cheek. He seemed to slump slightly, as her hand continued to stroke his cheek gently. Nothing else was said. Nothing else was done. All he needed was her hand on his cheek. Her gentle touch was all he wanted right then and there.
After two hours went by, he felt that something was finally happening. Malthael was found. At this, he sat up more and said, "My sick brethren was found. I need to witness the fight from afar. Stay here. When it is over, I shall return."
"Of course," she nodded. She felt him press his lips into her palm and had her pull her hand back. He already missed the contact. He did kiss her gently and set her in his throne. Then he left quickly. When he was gone she could only smile to herself softly. Even as her mark shimmered on her forehead, she knew that no one would ever sway her heart away from her powerful protector.
When he got to the viewing chamber, he saw Tyrael there with Auriel and Itherael. In the pool, they watched the Nephalem defeat Malthael. Would he be reborn? They wouldn't know. But, Imperius and Tyrael were there physically after that to watch Malthael's form disintegrate.
"I revived the Horadrim. I will have the Nephalem, and others, help cleanse the true demons from Sanctuary in the form of bounties. I may even give rewards, if they are met," Tyrael said.
"Fine. I don't care what you do," Imperius snorted.
"I plan to find Anaurael's parents, too. That is the next stop the moment I get back."
"Very well."
"She is well?"
"She is safe. That is all you need to know," Imperius growled. Tyrael paused. Was that a touch of jealousy? That made him wonder. When Imperius got back to his inner sanctum, he found his throne empty. Disturbed at this, he moved to her chamber. Then he paused. She had discarded her usual cotton and leather clothing, and she had wrapped herself up carefully in a sheet of white satin. She was trying to figure out how to make it work. When she looked over at him, she blushed a vibrant, deep red.
"Oh! Um..." she flustered.
"You are...changing your clothing...?" he asked.
"Trying to," she admitted. "I never had good lessons on making new clothes. I thought I would try to...well...pass the time..."
"We will get you new clothes in due time," he said, as he watched her.
"I would hope so. I don't have a bathing tub in here, or a means to wash my clothing. So...I had to change out of it somehow..."
"It shall be remedied," he nodded. Then a realization struck him. All of her usual clothing was on the ground. "Are you...wearing anything else...?"
"Um...no..." she said with a harder blush.
"And the windows are wide open?" he asked.
"I didn't see any angels, or..." she started, but then squeaked when he moved over swiftly to scoop her up and take her up to his sanctum.
"I shall have installments of colored glass placed in that can open and close at our leisure for privacy. Possibly various shades of diamond sheets. Later on that is," he muttered and sat down in his throne with her in his lap. "As for now, I want to show you something."
"What is it?" she asked. He thought at first before reluctantly getting up and setting her down to stand. He focused, and she blinked that the entire sanctum sealed up. All of the doors vanished. The path to her chamber vanished. Even the light that shown down was sealed out. The only light that emanated now was from his wings and glowing form. Then she watched with wide eyes, as his armor seemed to sink inwards. From the armored cloth that went down his waist over his armored legs to his boots, to his elaborately engraved chest armor up to his helmet, it all seemed to blur and meld together.
His glowing body seemed to glow even more, as his wings became stronger in both solidity and intense Light. He was merging with the Song of the Arc. But, it wasn't to make new angels. It was to show her his core. She was awed, terrified, and speechless over the one that marked her. As he glowed and pulsed, her mark was echoing it back in perfect synchronization.
Then he leaned over slightly and said, "Come to me."
"I...yes..." she whispered. "But..."
"I am showing you what I truly am. None have ever seen me like this," he said. He looked like a large, over-muscled, incredibly tall man that was perfect in both physique and form. He didn't have true flesh, since his main core was solid, raw energy from the Arc, but it was his definite shape that showed him as a fiery winged humanoid of sorts. His tendril wings seemed to have more control to be used like this, and he flicked them gently.
"I am going to confess something first," she said.
"What would that be?" he asked. He paused when she tugged away at the wrapping she gave herself to show him her full body. She removed the thongs from her hair to let it flutter about her in her own show of golden wings. She saw him tremble with his own form of nervous desire.
"I love you," she said softly.
"I love you," he said back. At that, she walked up to him, let him pull her into his arms, and plant a kiss on her mouth. His wings folded around them, and he finally merged his music with hers.