An Earthbound Angel Epilogue: Ariel's Legacy
Well here goes nothing, the final chapter of An Earthbound Angel I won't go too much into lamenting over the end until I reach the end of the chapter so we'll just go on with the quote and the magic.
Dark Rose Charm: Hello new lovely! I'm so happy to hear from you. I'm glad that this story is able to evoke such powerful emotions in you. I hope you stick around for the sequel I have planned for this story.
"That is your legacy on this Earth when you leave this Earth: how many hearts you touched."
-Patti Davis
Without further ado, let's get on with our chapter.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o An Earthbound Angel o0o0o0o0o0o0o
A large crowd of people dressed in black gathered in the Phantomhive parlor, except for the two odd Indian men dressed in white, around a large painting of a beautiful woman with long flowing fair hair and large sapphire eyes. At the head of the group was Ciel who had Lizzie on his arm with tears running down her face yet her body did not shake with her sobs. Behind them was the Marquess and Marchioness Midford along with Edward who were all in varying states of shock and grief. Right behind them were Soma and Agni who were both holding onto each other as they both cried, Soma all but bawling his eyes out while Agni tried to stay strong for his prince. At the very back of the group stood the shinigami who had very somber faces as they gazed at Ariel's painting. They witnessed death everyday so it was enough to at least take the brunt of the sting away. Grell held onto Will like a lifeline while Ronald leaned back against the wall of the room with his hands in his pants pockets. In a corner away form the others, Malphas and Pheobus stood in the shadows with Magnus napping in his father's arms. Unbeknown to the group, Ariel was watching over them as a spirit. She was saddened to see how devastated everyone was snow that she was gone, but the pain diminished when she reminded herself that she would see them again. Everyone seemed to be slowly recovering from the shock of losing Ariel, but Malphas and Pheobus seemed to be unable to really get past the pain.
"Malphas, Pheobus," Ariel uttered sadly when she saw how much of a wreak her mates were. Grell seemed to notice the state the two were in so she stepped away from her mate and stood beside the pair.
"Sebastian, Undertaker," she said when she reached them. All they did was look to her with lifeless eyes to acknowledge her. Grell's eyebrows furrowed in worry when she saw the emotional state of the two. She knew that it would be bad, but she didn't think that it would be this bad.
"Why don't I take Magnus and you two can grieve together?"
Malphas's arms tightened around his son at even the mention of handing him over. He had already lost his mate and he'd be completely wiped from existence if he'd let someone take his son, the only link he had to his deceased mate. Pheobus, having already dealt with losing Ariel before was able to stop for a minute to collect himself then turned to Malphas.
"You can give Magnus to Grell Little Brother. I trust her with Ariel, so I trust her with Ariel's son."
Malphas still seemed hesitant, but he could feel the distant bond that Ariel made between the two and how Pheobus was sending calming waves to him. He nodded stiffly at both Pheobus's words and emotions before he hesitantly handed Magnus over to the red headed reaper. That then began a series of private grieving sessions between the two that had them growing closer to the other despite Malphas's earlier disdain. They even began to get closer to the other when they were able to contact the former king of hell and actually confirm that Pheobus was actually Malphas's brother. When they had excused themselves to a room away from everyone, Malphas used a mirror as a communicator to Hell. More specifically, the former king's private channel.
"Ah, Malphas my boy," a middle aged gentleman with the telltale red eyes of a demon and long hair that was almost exactly the same as Pheobus's except his hair was black instead of silver greeted with a deep voice. "What a pleasant surprise."
"Hello Father," Malphas returned with a head bow. "I am calling in regards to this reaper."
When Malphas mentioned him, Pheobus stepped forward and pushed his hair out of his face. The man in the mirror's eyes widened when his face was revealed and recognition was clear in his expression.
"Pheobus," he let out in shock. "I didn't know you still lived. I thought you had perished centuries ago, but it seems you were out of reach in the reaper realm."
"Father, is the really my brother?" Malphas questioned to get his father back on track.
"Yes," he admitted with a fond smile. "Pheobus was the child I had with the human woman Camellia. She was a beautiful thing with silver hair and blue eyes."
Malphas was thrown into shock at the news while Pheobus looked a little smug at being proven right.
"What has brought the two of you together?"
"We share a mate Father," Pheobus explained easily. "Our mate was the Earthbound Archangel Ariel."
"Was?" their father echoed.
"She is no longer with us," Malphas supplied once the shock seemed to recede.
"I'm so sorry," Asmodeus offered solemnly.
"We had a child together," Malphas added after a pause. "His name is Magnus."
"I would like to meet my grandson. How old is he?"
"Only a week," Pheobus replied.
"So young," Asmodeus commented. "Was that all you wanted to speak about?"
"Yes, Father."
"Contact me with updates on my grandson."
"Yes, Father."
With that the communication was cut off leaving the two brothers alone.
"Are you satisfied now that you have actual proof?" Pheobus asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No, I am not satisfied, but I suppose there is no getting around this."
"You know, I used to despise my demon heritage," Pheobus shared.
"Why would you be ashamed of this?" Malphas scoffed, offended that one of his own would think that way about his race.
"You try being cast out from the society you've grown up with," Pheobus retorted with a glare. Malphas stopped for a second to actually process what Pheobus said. He may not understand what the big deal is with humans shunning him, but he would try to listen to him. Afterall, family was everything in Hell.
A few months after that found everyone gathered again on the Phantomhive estate for a happier reason than a funeral. This time they were gathered for a wedding. The wedding between Earl Ciel Phantomhive and the Lady Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Midford. Everyone were in their best clothes for the event and the sun was shining beautifully on the event. Ariel, accompanied by her Brother Azrael, even came to witness the event. Elizabeth looked a lovely vision in white with white roses in her pigtails while she was being doted on Mei-Rin and Paula along with Grell.
"You look so beautiful," Grell smiled softly as she helped put the veil on Lizzie's head. "It's such a shame that Ariel can't be here."
They all shared a silent moment while Ariel watched on in happiness for her sister.
"She would be so happy to hear about William," Lizzie remarked while she lay a hand on her stomach.
"You'll make a great mother Lizzie," Ariel said even if no one could hear her.
"I'm sure she would be ecstatic," Grell assured her with a hand on her shoulder. They put the finishing touches on Lizzie's makeup, hair, and outfit when her mother came to get her. They had the whole backyard into a wonderful backyard wedding that Malphas, Pheobus, Agni, and the reapers had helped to create. Streamers were strung up on the trees along with prisms that caught the light and cast rainbows everywhere. White chairs were lined up in neat rows with a long white carpet that was lined with tasteful greenery beside the chairs. Up at the altar stood Ciel by himself while he waited for the procession to make its way down the aisle. The first couple that came through was Grell in a red bridesmaid dress with a white ribbon around the waist paired up with Pheobus who was dressed in a black suit with a red tie. The couples after that was some girl that Lizzie knew paired up with Soma in a black outfit accented with red and another girl paired up with Edward who looked ready to cry as he made his way up the aisle. After them came one of Lizzie's younger cousins on her father's side as a flower girl while Malphas holding Malphas came forward as the ring bearer. The traditional bridal march then played, which signaled the arrival of Lizzie and her father coming down the aisle. As soon as Ciel caught sight of his bride to be, he began to tear up and he tried hard not to let the tears run down his face. Before long the two reached Ciel and Lizzie's father didn't hesitate in putting Lizzie's hand in Ciel's.
"I'm glad that my daughter is marrying you," Alexis offered softly with tears in his eyes while he looked towards Ciel. He then turned to Lizzie whose face was hidden by her veil.
"Elizabeth, I hope you have a wonderful life with Ciel."
He gave her cheek a kiss then made his way to sit with his wife in the audience. Everyone then turned to the angel who would be blessing the marriage between the two.
"Dearly beloved," Archangel Raphael began, white robes swathing his form without his wings and his emerald green eyes sparkling in happiness for his Sister's family.
"We are gathered here to today to celebrate the joining of Earl Ciel Vincent Phantomhive and Lady Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Midford in holy matrimony. We come now to the words Bride and Groom want to hear the most today…the words that take them across the threshold from being engaged to being married. A marriage, as most of us understand it, is a voluntary and full commitment. It is made in the deepest sense to the exclusion of all others, and it is entered into with the desire and hope that it will last for life. If anyone objects, speak now or forever hold your peace."
There was no objection so Raphael continued on.
"Elizabeth, do you take Ciel to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do," she answered from behind her veil.
"Ciel, do you take Elizabeth to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do," he said firmly even though there were traces of tears in the corners of his eyes.
"You may now exchange your vows."
"Ciel," Lizzie began through her tears. "I have loved you ever since we were small. We did everything together and I couldn't imagine my life without you. I love your smile and I didn't see it for a long time after you came back to the mansion. I loved being able to see it slowly starting to come back when we started to get new friends and new members of our family. I can't wait to live everyday with you and stay by your side and help you get through each day."
"Elizabeth, Lizzie," he amended when Lizzie cleared her throat. "I used to think that you were so delicate and I didn't want you to be caught up in my world. I didn't want you to get hurt by being my wife. However, after being so close with you these last few months, I have begun to see that there is so much more to you than just your aloof, delicate side. After seeing the way you face every situation with a strong resolve and iron will. In this I saw how you would make a perfect wife for me. You have known me ever since we were small and you know me better than anyone. I would be proud to call you my wife."
"May we have the rings please?"
Malphas came forward with Magnus to hand over the silver rings that Ciel had picked out for them. Lizzie slipped a pain silver band on Ciel's left ring finger while Ciel slipped a silver ring with a blue gem on her left ring finger.
"I now give you Earl Ciel Phantomhive and Countess Elizabeth Phantomhive. You may now kiss the bride."
Lizzie gave out a small giggle as Ciel moved her veil to show her face before Ciel leaned forward and captured Lizzie's lips with his own. Ariel looked on in bittersweet happiness at what was happening.
"Are you okay Sister?" Azrael asked Ariel form their spot on the mansion roof.
"I'm fine," she let out in a strained voice. "I'm so happy for them, but I just wish that I could have been there for them."
"You'll see them again dear Sister," he assured her. "All you have to do is wait."
Eight months later found Lizzie holed up in the room she shared with Ciel, getting ready to deliver her baby.
"You can do it Lizzie," Ciel encouraged his wife as he gently squeezed the hand he held in his own.
"This is all your fault Ciel!" Lizzie screamed as a contraction hit her. Grell was in the room on the other side of Lizzie and she couldn't help but laugh under her breath at the way Lizzie was yelling at her husband. The Angel Laylah on the other hand did not hide the smirk at the the interaction. He couldn't help but compare Ariel's labor to Lizzie's.
"You're doing so well Elizabeth," Laylah congratulated her. "You're doing just as well as Sister Ariel did."
Everyone was shocked into silence at his comment.
"Was she yelling at Sebastian too?" Lizzie asked with tears in her eyes.
"No," Laylah drawled in remembrance of that day. "But her mates were a lot more supportive when the time came."
All Lizzie did was send Ciel a glare while another contraction hit her.
"In my defense, Ariel had two mates and you only have one husband," Ciel pointed out dryly. Lizzie let out a cry with the arrival of her next contraction. That also brought on a bright grin from Laylah.
"You're fully dilated Elizabeth! You can start pushing now!"
New screams came from Lizzie as she pushed with her next contraction for the five seconds that Laylah counted. When Lizzie stopped pushing and took a breather from the strain. She felt the hand of Ariel soothe Lizzie's brow even thought she couldn't see her. The only one who could see her was Laylah who was looking at the scene with a fond sadness he had for his fellow Sister. A sense of peace seemed to fill Lizzie with just the slightest touch from Ariel that made Lizzie's delivery pass by with a breeze. It seemed only minutes passed before there was a small cry that filled the room with so much joy. A weak smile grew on Lizzie's face at the sound while Ciel's visible eye widened in disbelief at the small being that Laylah lay on Lizzie's stomach so that he could cut the umbilical cord. Once cut, the little one was handed to Ciel with a blue blanket wrapped around them.
"It's a boy Elizabeth," Laylah announced as he handed the babe over. Lizzie cradled the little one in her arms while gazing down at him. A shock of golden blond hair just like his mother's while little eyes to reveal the Phantomhive blue eyes.
"Ciel, look. It's our little Edmund," Lizzie smiled up at her husband.
"Edmund James Phantomhive," Ciel commented, taking his son from his wife's arms so that she could deliver the afterbirth. Ciel let himself take in his son for a few more minutes before he handed Edmund over to Grell. He took on a small, sad smile as he leaned down to peck a kiss to his wife's forehead.
"Ciel?" Lizzie questioned when she caught sight of her husband's smile.
"It's alright Lizzie. Get some rest, you did a lot of work bringing our son into the world."
He gave her another kiss that soothed her into a nap, before he left the room to find his butler.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
In another part of the mansion, Malphas and Pheobus had been pulled aside by Azrael.
"I just wanted to pass on some information to you two," the angel spoke up, some of his inky black hair covering one of his dark eyes. Both men nodded to let him know to continue.
"Ariel will be coming back through the Phantomhive line. I thought that the both of you should know."
With that said, Azrael disappeared in a flash of white feathers just as Ciel entered the room.
"Master?" Malphas uttered in confusion. "Why are you here and not spending time with Lady Elizabeth and your son?"
"I've come to fulfill my half of our contract," he stated with steely determination. Normally Malphas would be ready to take the long awaited soul, but he found that he couldn't. He couldn't take Ciel away from his son when Magnus had to go without his mother.
"I'm not taking your soul right now Master," Malphas denied with a deep sigh. "Your son should not go without his own father. When your son gets to the age where he is close to manhood will I take your soul."
"But your promise with Ariel-," Ciel tried to protest but was cut off by Malphas's swirling red eyes.
"Are you really going to leave your new wife a widow and your newborn son fatherless?" Malphas hissed in obvious distaste. "Do you think Ariel would have left her son without his mother if she could have found another way?"
Ciel said nothing while he took in Malpahs's angered state then turned to look at Pheobus.
"I actually agree with my brother," Pheobus told him, crossing his arms over his chest. "Why should you go an do something where you have a choice while Ariel did the same without any. I think that is being selfish on your part."
From above the group, Ariel hovered over them with a hand over her heart.
"Thank goodness," she sighed in relief. "At least Edmund gets to have both of his parents."
"You have made your mates mature dear Sister," Azrael commented from beside her. "If they were the same before this whole mess, the demon would have taken your brother's soul without hesitation."
Ariel couldn't help but agree with him, all the while thinking that it was for the better. It won't be long before I see you two again, she thought towards her mates as the two angels ascended back into Heaven.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o An Earthbound Angel o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Oh my gosh, I can't believe that this is the last chapter. It's been a long three years. Wow, three years. I can't believe it's been so long since I started this story. It seems only yesterday that I posted it. So many feels and memories are in every single chapter I have posted. I have such bittersweet feelings about ending this story, to give a kind of balm tell me what your favorite parts of the story were. Tell me what you liked the most and what you didn't like so much. I want to have a large nostalgic block before I move on to the next part of Ariel's story. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to leave a review or to shoot me a pm. Remember, reviews are magic!
-White Wolf