Chapter 1

"Death"

-1-

Garbriel is dead.

My footsteps are empty echoes with each long stride down the expansive marble hallway.

I’m glad there is no staff or  guests in the halls wanting to stop and have a chat with me. I couldn’t be stopped right now.

 I was on a mission.

It was just a feeling. An intense feeling of loss and  anguish that I couldn’t ignore. It could be just one of my moments, but I sensed it was something more.

I held up the hem of my skirt to quickly descended the cascade of marble steps.I made my way through the large double doors at the end of the hall, down the expansive hallway, made a quick right  and entered the interior of the  salon.

 Mother and father were sitting among company I did not recognize. One man looked at me briefly before continuing to finish whatever he was saying in a hushed tone. There was a silence as I  stepped further into the middle of the  room.

“Dear-,” Mother began.

“Gabriel has been killed.” I cut her off.

It came out as a question and a statement but, the look on her face confirmed my suspicions were true.  He was dead.

 I turned my back and tore out of the salon running quickly back the way I had come. I went up the stairs as quickly as the slippery heels would allow. Once I was at the top of the staircase I slowed down .

I leaned against one of the vast white columns, calming myself so I wouldn’t hyperventilate. It only took me a few minutes to catch my breath. I  took some extra deep breaths and coached myself to stop being so emotional and continued down the hall.

 Seraphim, my  young  maidservant was waiting  quietly for me at the other end of the hallway. She followed after as I went back into my suite, sat on my bed and stared at the floor. I was not sure how to act next.

I imagined it must have scared Seraphim when I stopped in the middle of our conversation and walked out the door saying Gabriel’s name. Then again moments like this were becoming common.

“Is everything . . . okay ?,” she finally asked sitting next to me on the bed.

“No.” I said. “No it isn’t. Gabriel is . . . he’s . . .”

I didn’t know how to say it, but knowing Seraphim she caught on to what I wanted to say.

She was silent for a while.

“It is so strange that you just  knew like that,” she said.

“Gabriel was my brother. I guess we have a strong connection or something.”

“Like you and I ?,” Seraphim asked.

I nodded my head.

Seraphim was another person who could bring out those intense emotions in me. When I first laid eyes on her , I felt an almost tangible compatibility between Seraphim and I.

Seraphim began to cry , large tears came down her face.

“Don’t do that,” I said,” Why are you crying ?”

“Well, you and Gabriel got along so well,” she sniffled, “ You will have good memories of him. The last thing he told you before he left was that he loved you.  I heard it. That is wonderful.”

“I know.” I said.

“Do you want to talk about him ?,”

I shook my head but, my lips betrayed me.

“Yes,” I said ,”But, first we must get back to our tea.”

She got up before I could and poured herself  a cup of tea from the pink china set and mine from the blue china set.

She handed me my teacup. My hands were shaking, I couldn’t even hold the cup to my lips.

Seraphim took a tiny sip of her own tea before placing both of her arms  around me and letting me cry softly into her shoulder.  

Seraphim and I were having a role reversal. I was supposed to be her mentor, I was supposed to be there for her not her there for me.

“If I may ask . . .how can he be dead ?,” she asked,” You mean even in Eden, a person can die ?”

“ He can be killed. It happens occasionally. However, there is very little that can be done to kill an Angel. If there is a death it is almost always intentional.”

“And the dead can never come back ?,”

“No. He cannot come back,” I said.

It  was a month since my brother and I last saw each other. I was walking around the palace early in the morning in just a nightgown and petticoats. It was so early, I didn’t even bother to put shoes on.

I had woken up in the middle of the night and just could not go back to bed. I was having the same reoccurring nightmare that prevented me from sleeping. In the dream I was being running away from something terrible that I couldn’t put my finger on. Towards the end of the dream I would walk towards a mass of smoke and I knew I was being saved. The smoke was forming a face but, the face of my savior never fully materialized before I woke up.

I started walking to tire myself out. I was about to head back to my room when I saw Gabriel’s suite door was ajar.

I peeked inside, to see what he was up to so early in the morning. I saw Gabriel in his mirror, fitting a chest plate over  his white  undershirt.

“What are you doing ?,” I asked looking at the piece of armor. At this point I was more amused than anything. Armor in Eden ?

He sat the armor down.

“I was just going to wake you,” he said.

Gabriel ran his hand nervously through his red hair.

While we shared nearly the exact same facial qualities, his red hair was a contrast to my dark curls.

“There was a council meeting last night. Something very bad is going on. I have to take care of something.”

“With armor ? What exactly is going on ?”

He bit his lip as he began to button up his white blouse.

“I have said too much already. Don’t tell anyone you saw me with that armor. It is very important.”

I nodded my head in understanding but, that wasn’t the end of my questions. If there was an emergency council meeting why hadn’t I been included ? I  had never been kept out of the loop of council  issues.

We walked to the dining room to have an early breakfast together.  The cooking staff wasn’t awake yet so, Gabriel made some toast while I continued to try and get answers about what he was doing.

 He simply changed the subject.

“How is um, Phim ? he asked

“Seraphim.” I corrected

“Oh, well that’s a funny name--,”

“It is not funny. I thought it was very pretty. Anyway Seraphim is wonderful, she will be up soon.”

“Tell her I am going and that I said good bye,” he told me

“You won’t be here in a few minutes to tell her yourself ? ,”

“No.” he said shaking his head. "In fact, I am already late.”

He stood up kissed my forehead and headed for the outside.

“How long will you be gone ? ” I asked

“Not long.” he smiled,” I love you, Rin.”

His comment left me speechless.

It was an awfully sentimental thing for him to say but, I didn’t think that at the time. I just sat at the table and watched him walk away. If I had been dressed I would have followed after but, I didn’t. I watched him walk out on his way to his untimely death.

 

***

-2-

 

After a day of personal family mourning, we made the tearful announcement of Gabriel’s death to the public.  

I decided to hold a memorial service at the palace for anyone to come and pay their respects properly. It became my own personal project. I commissioned a sculpture of Gabriel based on a recent photograph. It was the first sculpture for the palace and it would be outdoors in the East Gardens by the fountains.  

It took an artistic team  2 weeks to work on the relief and I spent that time getting out invitations, making menus and arranging suites for all the guests. It is unlike me to worry about such petty things but, I had to throw myself into the event for Gabriel 

After the weeks of planning the day was finally here.

“Stop !,” I snapped  and snatched the  silver hairbrush from Seraphim’s hands.

“I’m sorry.” The bristles had snagged a knot. It hurt but, I hadn’t meant to shout.

She very carefully brushed the last section of my hair and wrapped it around the burning hot iron. She pinned my long black curl carefully on the top of my head with the others. The finished look was an elegant updo of tight barrel coils.

“It’s so pretty,” Seraphim cooed. She carefully misted the finished style with lavender oil.

Her own sandy brown hair was hanging straight and wispy by her ears, her fingers reddened from holding the hot iron.

I grimaced a little at my reflection.

It was too perfect, I looked like a doll, not look like I was going to a memorial service.  If for some reason I did start crying the eye makeup would no doubt stain my face.

Still, I had no choice.

I smoothed over the high ruffle neck of my black dress and adjusted the layers of pleated skirt and underskirt before  standing  up.

“Let’s go look at the service space before the guests arrive,” I said

Seraphim and I walked down to the main hall together and out towards  the East Gardens—the location of the memorial service. I could hear the welcome reception still going on in the petit ballroom. The reception would last for another hour or so more and then we would start the memorial service.

 The statue was sitting in its place—covered waiting for the unveiling.  I looked out at the rows of golden chairs and the white elevated platform where people will give their eulogies.

“It’s looks so good. He would love it.” Seraphim said.

“No, it doesn’t. It needs some flowers. For decoration.”

“Like lilies ?,” Seraphim suggested, “Gabriel liked those. Should I call on someone to bring someone ?”

“No.” I decide. "There is a lily field in the very back of the garden.  We aren’t doing anything, let’s go get them really quick.”

I had never been to the lily fields but, I knew the relative way to get there. The lilies grew wildly because the patch of land wasn’t palace property and the gardeners weren't responsible for it.. We walked for a few minutes into the woods and I fell uncertain until I saw the pure white flowers in the distance. 

“Come on,” I said to Seraphim  as I bent down and pulled a flower from the earth. "I want one on every chair.”

Seraphim quickly joined me  in picking the flowers but after a while she paused.

“You are getting dirty !,” Seraphim exclaimed.

I noticed the brim of my dress rubbed the dirt each time I bent down to pick up a flower. The black hem concealed most of it, but the perfection of the dress was gone.

“It's nothing to worry about,” I told her. What did I care about a dress ?

When I finally had 50 flowers bundled in my arms I looked up to see I had lost track of Seraphim.

“Seraphim !,” I called. ”Seraphim !”

 I heard someone moving in the woods and I ran towards the noise to see Seraphim . She was leaning over  a large pond of water that was bubbling over.

“What is this ?,” she asked quizzically.

I inspected the small lake.  Along with the bubbles the lake had steam coming from it.

“It’s just a natural spring,” I told her, “ Here. Feel it. It is warm,”

I placed my hand in the water and she placed hers beside mine. It was warm to the touch and the bubbles felt almost therapeutic.

Feeling bold, I undid the laces on my black shoes, pulled off my black stockings and placed my bare feet into the spring.

I was feeling bold.

“Undo the ribbons,” I said turning my back to Seraphim.

Seraphim undid the black satin securing  my dress  bodice and I slipped out of the dress.  With just the white corset and bloomers on I slipped in to the water.

She stared at me horrified.

“Come in ! You have to !,” I shouted.

She shyly took her own dress off  and got into the water with me.