FALLEN ANGEL: MARRIED TO THE DEMON KING
Chapter 70: VERY MANY YEARS AGO (SIDE STORY 3)

Chapter 70: VERY MANY YEARS AGO (SIDE STORY 3) <VARZIEL’S POV>

Varziel’s lips parted, but no sound came out. He lowered his head and allowed his wings to cover his face, hiding it from the kind-eyed girl.

"You don’t want to talk about it?" Arella asked as she picked up a stick that was on the floor.

He peeked through his wings and shook his head slowly. "I..." he began, his voice trembling. "My father... he left me here. He said it was safe here."

Arella tilted her head, her long golden hair cascading over one shoulder. Her locks of hair reminded him of sunlight, and he terribly wanted to touch it, even if it was just a strand. He glanced down at his fingers for one second, and his grimy, dirty skin stared back at him, as if haunting him for having such thoughts.

He clenched his little hands into fists and looked up at Arella, only to notice that she was already looking at him, and her expression had softened even further. She was drawing something on the dirty ground, but her gaze was fixed on him. She leaned in slightly, balancing her upper body on the measly stick. "Safe?" She echoed his words but did not move too close, perhaps in fear that she would startle him.

Varziel bobbed his head up and down slowly.

"So, are you waiting for him to come back?" She asked.

He nodded again. "He promised," he said, his voice breaking. "He promised he would come back for me, and all I had to do was wait, but it has been so long, I do not know if..." His words faltered, and tears welled in his eyes. He blinked them away and quickly wiped the stray tears with the back of his hand, embarrassed that the girl had seen him tear up.

Arella frowned, her small brows knitting together. "How long have you been here alone, El?" Her voice was terribly gentle.

"I do not know." He admitted, and his gaze dropped to the filthy ground, "A few days, perhaps more. But I know that father will come back; I just need to wait a little bit longer..." Just then, his stomach growled loudly, betraying his strong declaration. "I... I ran out of food." He lowered his head and flushed with shame.

Arella’s gaze darted to her brother, her expression pleading. "Cassie, we cannot just leave him here. What of the morals and ethics of an angel? We cannot just leave him to die now, can we?" She was up and bounding up to the older angel as she spoke.

Castiel’s jaw visibly tightened, and he was still holding on tightly to his sword, pointing it towards Varziel’s crouching. The weapon gleamed faintly in the dim light, but he had not moved closer. His piercing blue eyes were studying Varziel with obvious suspicion. "He may not be what he seems, Arella. Those teachings were not to make you have pity for demons." His voice was low and firm: "You know how demons are; they will do anything to survive, even going as far as to deceive a child like you, seeing as you are more likely to fall for it."

Varziel flinched at the words, and his wings curled tighter around him.

"I am almost fifty years old! Stop treating me like a child." Arella pounded her fists into Castiel’s knee, as if what he had said had absolutely angered her.

Varziel’s eyes widened at her declaration. Did she say she was fifty years of age?

"I am not lying." He whispered, getting the attention of the two angels despite his voice being barely audible, "I just... I just want my father."

Arella’s shoulder’s squared, and she shot her brother a determined look. "He is just a child, Cassie. Look at him. What harm can he do when he is so malnourished? He is just scared, hungry, and alone. If we leave him here, does that make us any less than a demon?"

For a long moment, the older angel said nothing. The only sound was the wind howling through the cracks in the shelter, and some snow even made it into the shelter. Finally, with a reluctant sigh, Castiel lowered his sword but did not sheath it. "Fine," he muttered, "But if he tries anything-"

"He will not." Arella interrupted, her voice confident as she turned back to Varziel with a warm smile. "Will you, El?"

Varziel shook his head hard, relief and disbelief washing over him. "No. I will not."

Arella clapped her hands together, the sound light and cheerful. "Good, then it is settled. You will come with us."

"Ella," Castiel groaned, "mother is going to kill me."

Varziel was still in shock as he blinked, unsure if he had heard her correctly. "With you?"

"Of course!" Arella said it matter of factly as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She turned and gave him a large smile, which melted Varziel all the way to his bones. "You absolutely cannot stay in this dreadful place, and we have some food we can spare until we drop you off somewhere safer, don’t we, Cassie?"

Castiel muttered something under his breath but did not argue. Instead, he stepped forward cautiously, his gaze locked on Varziel. "If you are coming with us," his tone was very obviously still wary, "you will follow my rules. No sudden movements, no tricks, and stay where I can see you. Understood."

Like a chicken pecking rice, Varziel bobbed his head up and down. His wings relaxed slightly, and he glanced back at the girl who was now his lifeline.

"Good." Castiel stepped aside to allow Arella to bound back to Varziel. Her smile was even more blinding, warming Varziel despite the cold air. He tried to give her a smile in return, but he imagined it looked more like a grimace than it did a smile.

Still, she did not make him feel bad about it.

.

S/T:

Reporter: So, who is older between the two of you?

Arella: (Looks away from the camera.)

Varziel: (Avoids the eyes of the reporter.)

Author: (Disappears)

Follow current novℯls on f(r)eewebnov𝒆l