Seated on the hand embroidered cushion that adds comfort and to the golden throne of Aurae, Seraphim Ammiel gazed upon the empty room with unease. Sixteen days since the scandal was born, since the erring Seraphim vanished, and since she had taken up the role of Seraphim. The golden threaded flowers of the cushion still held an imprint not her own. She was still in awe of the faint light from the hazy white sky that glowed colourfully on the ground before stained glass windows; still surprised when people bowed their head or saluted in reverent greeting. It would be many Aurae days, countless years in distant worlds, before she would feel truly at home in this grand throne room.
Caressing the silk of her long dress to convince it to drape smoothly over her knees, she reconciled these thoughts of unfamiliarity with the strength of her beliefs. Even if the goddess had long since broken herself to save the balance of all things, her will still lived on to care for her creations. Ammiel would not know the feel of the golden cushion and the weight of countless angel’s well-being on her shoulders unless she were meant to. The goddess wished her to be here, and she would not let the goddess down as her predecessor had. Leaving the throne, Ammiel crossed to one of the windows overseeing the entrance to the high temple. Tinted in different shades as she moved past the vibrant glass image of the goddess overseeing Aurae, she watched some of her people gathered below. In different faces she saw anger, confusion, and fear, and she felt the pain of each and every one. Delicate fingers caress the glass where their figures aligned as though she could soothe them with this distant act. There were those who were not pleased with her becoming the Seraphim, but she did not blame them. Who could be comfortable with anyone after the betrayal had occurred?
The Seraphim of the not too distant past had cut wounds that threatened to tear apart the purity and order of Aurae, destroying everything that great angels like Felspar Tera’le and Salem Aritos had worked years to put in place after the great war. Ammiel would not understand what her predecessor had done, and she would strive for certainty that nothing like it would ever happen again. Those great angels were still here, as loyal and admirable as ever, and with them she would restore and preserve the balance once more. For her people, for Aurae, and for the will of the goddess.
Folding her hands before her chest and breathing deeply, she uttered a quiet prayer for all those things. Only a moment of such serenity was allowed before shattering glass interrupted her. Starting and stepping back, her eyes fell on the shattered rainbow evidence of what had happened. An old white fragment of brick had entered the room through the symmetrical twin of the window she stood at. Lifting her skirt to avoid catching any glass, she approached the broken window and craned her neck to see the ground below. Dusty pink eyes were lit with concern as she searched for signs that glass had fallen below.
Doors opened and hurried footsteps echoed through the room announcing the entrance of two people, one of which spoke, “Seraphim, are you injured?”
Turning to face the two whom had been posted at the door for her safety in these turbulent times she said,
“Did any glass fall outwards? Was anyone below harmed?”One guard stepped forward to offer her a hand out of the glass mess, which she thanked him for, but did not take his hand, instead exiting the same path she had entered with her own effort. The other guard attempted to answer her. “I’d have to go ask, but it looks to me like all the glass in here.”
Ammiel sighed lightly and tentatively spoke,
“I suppose so…” though she was still a bit concerned. Her brows drew together in sorrow as she wondered what had so upset someone that they would be driven to do such a thing. She hoped that in some way this had eased their unhappiness. Looking to the glass, her displeasure was also extended to the one who had slaved over hot glass to form such a beautiful creation in the first place. Realizing that her guards were waiting while she was busy with her worrying, she shifted her attention onto them.
“If anyone was hurt, please extend my apologies to them and get them taken care of. I was standing at the other window, and am unharmed, there is no need for you to wait on me.” The guards accepted her request, and took their leave after informing her of the search for the culprit and suggesting she stay away from windows for the time being. She had agreed to that simple wish and returned to stand on the golden carpet running through the center of the room from the doorway to the throne. Eyeing the throne she found that she did not feel comfortable going back to useless sitting while tense confusion wracked her beloved people and the future of Aurae was still uncertain. She felt the need to do something, anything that could help, and the first place she would always venture when wondering what to do was to her brother. Felspar Tera’le, half-brother, had always relieved her stresses and put her at ease, and now that he was her top advisor, meeting with him was that much more necessary.
Though she assured them of her firm belief that none of her people would truly harm her and offered that her familiars could look out for her, her guards refused to let her leave the high temple without them. She relented and allowed them to walk at her side, but she was very firm in setting that they would not follow her in to see Felspar. Most of the people she passed as they exited to the city streets offered respect and kindness, but some eyes spoke volumes of what they truly thought of her. A soft smile and a gentle wave were offered to all she passed, and many different reactions she witnessed strengthened her concern for the conflicted minds of her people as much as they relieved her, and seeing some children reminded of the importance of a balanced future. By the time she reached the main library, her brother’s domain, she was eager to hear an update on the numerous matters he was juggling.
Leaving her guards with a firm stare to keep them at bay, she wandered into the land of books and reading. The atmosphere here was a comfort to her. The shelves of books, the scent of them, the tranquility – everything about it was her brother’s, and that was enough to return a smile to her face. Making her way slowly to Felspar’s domain, she eventually came to the door of his office. She knocked on the door and announced,
“It is me,” believing he could recognize her voice. Taking the liberty to enter, she approached his desk, eyeing the scattering of work that troubled him. With eyebrows drawn in sympathetic concern, she said,
“Hello brother. How is your work treating you? I hope you are not working all too hard,” But he did look like he was working too hard. She frowned disapprovingly, but she relied entirely on his work and thoughts in this matter and could hardly scold him for working on it.
“Have your thoughts found us proper actions to take?”