Archimedes' Throne

The two sat elegantly on the edge of the roof, their legs dangling lightly over. One wore a simple black dress that matched her long brown hair. She crossed her legs in a very feminine way and leaned back to let the late noon sunlight bounce off her pale skin. The other was dressed in hunting gear and had a bow slung over her shoulder. Though she first appeared masculine, it was plain that she was the more beautiful and dainty of the two, though both were very exquisite. She herself was looking to the horizon at where the moon had just begun to crest over the treeline.

They were silent, as still as statues except for their breathing. Thousands of people moved beneath them, running to and fro, all of them unaware of the two women that overlooked them. There was a strange silence that seemed to blanket everyone. The two women on the roof were the only ones that knew what that silence meant and even though they looked calm, inside both of their hearts were hammering.

Can you feel it too?

Yes, he told us to keep watch here. I didn't expect that anything would happen.

What are we to do? Should we go down there?

No, we are to watch and see what happens.

The two moved only slightly to look down upon the crowd. It had thinned out, leaving only a few stragglers now. Night time was approaching and with it an Angel. This was no mere deity that dropped to the ground. No human saw it, yet the ones that were left moved around it. The two watched as the Angel fell to its knees, locks of curly black hair milling around her face. The Angel was obviously hurt, blood that glowed silver in the moonlight poured from wounds that covered her body. Beside her, another Angel, a male this time, touched down, holding a saber that gleamed.

"You should not have run, Amalia." his voice rang out loudly in the night, but no humans reacted to it. "You should have accepted the death penalty with grace for yourself and for that bastard child of yours."

She breathed heavily and clutched the squirming bundle to her chest. "I will never let you hurt my daughter." Her words came out as a growl.

He smirked. "You think you are strong enough to take me on alone. You were always weak. Maybe if you had been strong enough to resist the temptation of your flesh, then you wouldn't be in this situation."

She looked at the bundle, pulling it away from her chest so she could see it's face. The baby made a gurgling noise, but no more than that. She choked back her tears and kissed her daughter on the forehead, then she lay the bundle on the ground. Turning around she stood to face her would-be killer, the man she had promised her life too: her husband. He was scowling, knowing that she was about to do something and preparing himself for the worst.

"I may not be strong, but," she whispered, "in this world, I am the one who has the advantage." And with that she threw herself at him. There was a loud crack and a momentary flash of light, then the two Angels were gone, leaving a small bundle to lie on the ground.

The women who had sat on the roof, unnoticed, during the whole ordeal now began to move. They both jumped down, falling to the ground at the speed of dainty flower petals. Both of them hesitated to go near the baby that lie silently on the ground.

What do we do with it?

I...I don't know. I guess we should pick her up. And maybe take her to the others.

Are you sure? How do you even hold one? Do you know?

Of course I know. Don't you? We both have to deal with babies.

I know that, but isn't she Angel-spawn. Is she safe to touch?

Well, duh. See, I'll show you.

With that, the woman with the bow bent over and picked up the baby. It was smaller than she had thought, and it was looking at her with alarmingly aware hazel eyes. Tufts of fluffy brown hair framed her soft baby face. The child showed no sign of crying and when the woman moved a feathery lock of hair out of it's face, the baby giggled making a sound like a tiny bell ringing.

See how well behaved she is.

She seems nothing like the others. Is something wrong with her?

Of course not. At least...I don't think so. It's probably because her Angel blood is diluted.

Alright then. Should we go now? I hear fathers bell ringing.

Yes, let us go while the night is still young.

Wait, what shall we call the child?

She should be named after the terrible gift that has been thrust upon her by Fate. We will call her Archimedes.

And then the two women looked up to the sky. Their bodies began to vibrate and they were gone, vanished into thin air. In the distance a man had stopped walking. No one had noticed him watching the whole procession, not even the two women, because as good as they were at hiding, he was even better. He was invisible, but always watching, waiting for his chance. As the two women disappeared, a wicked grin came over his face. This was very good.