The Tears of Time
Daughter
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The two sentinels stood stiffly on the cliff, watching silently in the chill wind. The Earth swirled below them, cloud forming and dissipating in seconds. Time seemed warped here, and the sentinels had noticed it with a growing sense of unease. The first sentinel stirred uncomfortably, pressing his back up against the cliff face. A slight rain of rocks fell from above them, dusting the second sentinel’s cloaked shoulder with orange dust.
“Ssh,” he snapped, irately brushing the tiny bits away.
“Didn’t say nothing,” replied the other, who was the younger and lower in rank.
“Ssh!” the younger turned further away, stomping his feet. “Ssh!”
“I’m not doing anything!”
“No, quiet. There’s something-”
In a swoop and flurry of motion, both sentinels were knocked from the ledge, their faces registering surprise only once it was too late. Harsh screams echoed back onto the cliff, sending another shower of dust down onto the figure that had replaced the sentinels.
Lucifer knelt down and watched as the two figures disappeared slowly into the void. He smirked, snorting in distaste at their lack of attention. Trickling handful of dust through his dirty palm, he began walking towards the window set into the cliff.
Inside, the screams had been heard. Time sat down, resigned to a talk which wouldn’t be easy. Gabriel and Raphael turned away from the window, spreading their wings defensively. Lucifer stepped in through the open window pane, his hand resting for a second on the frame.
“Gabriel,” He purred, “So nice to see you again. Raphael too.”
“Lucifer,” Gabriel nodded stiffly, his face set into a tight mask of displeasure.
“Time, how are you this fine morning?” Lucifer bowed slowly over her hand. She pulled it back gently, smiling a little sadly.
“I’m fine,” she sighed, a little tear trickling down her face again. The red stained her white cheek. Lucifer smiled, taking the tear onto his finger and licking it slowly.
“You desecrator!” Raphael snapped, growing red, his wing muscles straining.
“Gentlemen,” Fate stepped out from the shadows of the bookcase, laying a hand on Time’s stooped shoulder. She straightened under his touch, her face clearing of the grief which had briefly registered on it.
“I apologize for the disturbance,” Raphael stepped backwards. Fate nodded slowly towards the sound of his voice, and gave Time a hand up. Her usually beautiful face seemed worn and tired today, its everyday lustre lost. She walked slowly towards the window, her eyes locking on the earth.
“The Sib-” Lucifer and Gabriel said in unison, stopping to glare at each other.
“I know,” Time whispered, glancing back for a moment. She took a deep breath, then looked, looks, will look.
The Earth slowed in her vision, revolving at half speed then grinding to a halt. Her vision zoomed in, passing mountains and deserts in a flash, a forest of trees clearing away to reveal a tall city built next to the sea. Time smiled sadly as she saw the sleeping figure of her daughter, curled tightly against the cold. Her heart broke as she turned around. How could she do this to her own daughter? She shook her head, remembering what she had seen at the end of time. Everything would be fine.
“Here,” she said, waving a hand into the air. It shimmered briefly, becoming opaque and then coloured. A picture of Elanor came together, sleeping peacefully under the curved branches of a pine. She looked so small and fragile, a fresh wave of blood tears flooded Time’s face.
“Ah,” Lucifer whispered, his eyes wide with greed. Time looked over at their faces, each filled with emotion. She shuddered, waving her hand quickly to take away the picture. The air shimmered softly before going back to clear nothing.
“Race you,” Lucifer challenged softly, a competitive smile moving across his face. Gabriel looked down at him in disgust. He nodded to Raphael, and they crossed to the window together, stepping out into the air. Lucifer’s grin disappeared, replaced with a look of contempt. He gave a brief glance to Time and Fate who stood together looking out of the window. They smiled softly back, Time’s face full of fresh tears. He nodded, and then melted slowly into the air.
“She’ll be fine,” Fate said, stroking Time’s tears away.
“I can’t doubt that everything will be fine in the end. I have seen that, and so have you. But what about now? What will that be like for her?”
“We can only hope.”
“I know, but…” Time let out a sharp sigh, “Sometimes hope isn’t enough.”
“Everything that happens is necessary. Elanor will only be able to complete her task if first she realises her full potential."
“You are right. You are always right.”
“It is my job to be so.”
“It makes you seem so unemotional.”
“And it makes you seem far too emotional!” Fate laughed, making Time smile back at him.
“She’ll be fine,” Time stated, as if to reassure herself.
“Yes. Our daughter will be fine,” Fate mused for a minute, watching his daughter in his minds eye. How could something so fragile be his?
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.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The two sentinels stood stiffly on the cliff, watching silently in the chill wind. The Earth swirled below them, cloud forming and dissipating in seconds. Time seemed warped here, and the sentinels had noticed it with a growing sense of unease. The first sentinel stirred uncomfortably, pressing his back up against the cliff face. A slight rain of rocks fell from above them, dusting the second sentinel’s cloaked shoulder with orange dust.
“Ssh,” he snapped, irately brushing the tiny bits away.
“Didn’t say nothing,” replied the other, who was the younger and lower in rank.
“Ssh!” the younger turned further away, stomping his feet. “Ssh!”
“I’m not doing anything!”
“No, quiet. There’s something-”
In a swoop and flurry of motion, both sentinels were knocked from the ledge, their faces registering surprise only once it was too late. Harsh screams echoed back onto the cliff, sending another shower of dust down onto the figure that had replaced the sentinels.
Lucifer knelt down and watched as the two figures disappeared slowly into the void. He smirked, snorting in distaste at their lack of attention. Trickling handful of dust through his dirty palm, he began walking towards the window set into the cliff.
Inside, the screams had been heard. Time sat down, resigned to a talk which wouldn’t be easy. Gabriel and Raphael turned away from the window, spreading their wings defensively. Lucifer stepped in through the open window pane, his hand resting for a second on the frame.
“Gabriel,” He purred, “So nice to see you again. Raphael too.”
“Lucifer,” Gabriel nodded stiffly, his face set into a tight mask of displeasure.
“Time, how are you this fine morning?” Lucifer bowed slowly over her hand. She pulled it back gently, smiling a little sadly.
“I’m fine,” she sighed, a little tear trickling down her face again. The red stained her white cheek. Lucifer smiled, taking the tear onto his finger and licking it slowly.
“You desecrator!” Raphael snapped, growing red, his wing muscles straining.
“Gentlemen,” Fate stepped out from the shadows of the bookcase, laying a hand on Time’s stooped shoulder. She straightened under his touch, her face clearing of the grief which had briefly registered on it.
“I apologize for the disturbance,” Raphael stepped backwards. Fate nodded slowly towards the sound of his voice, and gave Time a hand up. Her usually beautiful face seemed worn and tired today, its everyday lustre lost. She walked slowly towards the window, her eyes locking on the earth.
“The Sib-” Lucifer and Gabriel said in unison, stopping to glare at each other.
“I know,” Time whispered, glancing back for a moment. She took a deep breath, then looked, looks, will look.
The Earth slowed in her vision, revolving at half speed then grinding to a halt. Her vision zoomed in, passing mountains and deserts in a flash, a forest of trees clearing away to reveal a tall city built next to the sea. Time smiled sadly as she saw the sleeping figure of her daughter, curled tightly against the cold. Her heart broke as she turned around. How could she do this to her own daughter? She shook her head, remembering what she had seen at the end of time. Everything would be fine.
“Here,” she said, waving a hand into the air. It shimmered briefly, becoming opaque and then coloured. A picture of Elanor came together, sleeping peacefully under the curved branches of a pine. She looked so small and fragile, a fresh wave of blood tears flooded Time’s face.
“Ah,” Lucifer whispered, his eyes wide with greed. Time looked over at their faces, each filled with emotion. She shuddered, waving her hand quickly to take away the picture. The air shimmered softly before going back to clear nothing.
“Race you,” Lucifer challenged softly, a competitive smile moving across his face. Gabriel looked down at him in disgust. He nodded to Raphael, and they crossed to the window together, stepping out into the air. Lucifer’s grin disappeared, replaced with a look of contempt. He gave a brief glance to Time and Fate who stood together looking out of the window. They smiled softly back, Time’s face full of fresh tears. He nodded, and then melted slowly into the air.
“She’ll be fine,” Fate said, stroking Time’s tears away.
“I can’t doubt that everything will be fine in the end. I have seen that, and so have you. But what about now? What will that be like for her?”
“We can only hope.”
“I know, but…” Time let out a sharp sigh, “Sometimes hope isn’t enough.”
“Everything that happens is necessary. Elanor will only be able to complete her task if first she realises her full potential."
“You are right. You are always right.”
“It is my job to be so.”
“It makes you seem so unemotional.”
“And it makes you seem far too emotional!” Fate laughed, making Time smile back at him.
“She’ll be fine,” Time stated, as if to reassure herself.
“Yes. Our daughter will be fine,” Fate mused for a minute, watching his daughter in his minds eye. How could something so fragile be his?
♠ ♠ ♠
Ivy, xXGreyWingsXx (c) 2008