matchmaker, matchmaker

[alicornucopia]

Linus is dead. Stabbed in his sleep by a malcontent mortal who'd pretended friendship to invite the Archangel to stay in his home for the night after singing away a storm. The killer was himself killed by the Archangel's brother, along for the trip, but this does not the less widow the angelica. It does not the less leave the country without its Archangel.

There were eighteen years left in Linus's term, and someone has to fill them out. Alleluia shoos her acolytes and addresses her interface.

The Archangel Linus is dead. Who will be the next Archangel?

The angel Isabella, daughter of the angel Rinnah and the mortal man Charles.

Alleluia's met her... She's very young, she would have been readier if she'd succeeded Linus at the natural end of his term, but Isabella it is.

...She should wait for this news to reach the Eyrie and for Isabella to ask her, but this is an emergency interim change of leadership. Perhaps Isabella would like to have the answer ready as soon as she touches down at Sinai.

And who will be her angelico?

Darius, son of Noah and Abigail.

That's... Well, that's not her acolyte's father's name, but -

- but isn't he adopted -

Alleluia clears the interface. She goes into the acolytes' dormitory and knocks at Darius's door.

Comments

[castmyown]

Darius sets his book down and opens the door.

He blinks confusedly at the person who knocked. "Yes, Alleluia?"

[alicornucopia]

"Darius, what were your birth parents' names?"

[castmyown]

More confused blinking.

"... Noah and Abigail."

[alicornucopia]

Alleluia takes a deep breath.

"I received word that Linus has died. I've asked the god who is to finish out his term, and I know the angel he named; and rather than wait for her to arrive and inquire I also asked who her angelico is to be; and Jovah has named you. I thought you might benefit from the advance notice."

[castmyown]

"I am going to need some singing lessons," squeaks Darius. "Um. I'm not bad, just, not, practiced enough to, um, I'll work on it. Do you know the angel he named, is, she nice...?"

[alicornucopia]

"I've met her. I've never heard a word against her," Alleluia assures him. "She's - she's very smart. Delilah likes her. About your age. She wanted to study here, but I sent her to Peninnah at Mount Sudan instead. I believe she also spent some time working with Linus at Monteverde, so she'll be as ready as she can be so young."

[castmyown]

"Okay," says Darius in a small voice. "Um. I hope we'll get along? Jovah's good at this kind of stuff, right, he does it all the time."

[alicornucopia]

"He did pick my husband for me," remarks Alleluia. "...But it is suspected that he often has other things in mind than the hearts of the people he names. If you don't like her - let me know and I will intercede with him, all right, Darius?"

[castmyown]

Nod.

"Thank you. I um. Trust in Jovah, and, am sure we'll get along fine, and. Thanks."

[alicornucopia]

"I'll send word to the Eyrie, and she should be here in the next few days, then," says Alleluia, with a smile that is both encouraging and wan.

[castmyown]

"Okay. I. Will - I don't have time to get singing lessons in a few days, do I, uh. Probably pack my stuff, it would need to be packed, wouldn't it."

[alicornucopia]

"You'll want to be packed, yes, and you'll find no shortage of people who can help you learn to sing at the Eyrie so don't worry about that yet, and you'll want to write your father and sister," says Alleluia.

[castmyown]

"Right, yes, they'll want to know. Thank you. Um. I. Am going to go do that now."

[alicornucopia]

"Let me know if you need anything," Alleluia says.

[castmyown]

He nods. "Yes. Thank you."

... Can he close the door now? Please? He needs to mutter some very frantic prayers to Jovah.

[alicornucopia]

Alleluia goes and closes the door behind her.

[jovahs_heiress]

And the next day an angel appears at Mount Sinai.

Alleluia confers with her - and then goes looking for Darius.

[castmyown]

Darius is in his quarters, trying not to pace. His letters are written, his bags are packed, and he is running out of frantic prayers to murmur.

He is going to be the angelico. This involves getting married. This involves getting married and also singing in front of a large group of people. And he'll be living in the Eyrie, which is on a cliff, probably, unless he doesn't get along with the Archangel, in which case he'll make his new home under a rock.

Suffice to say, he has not been able to keep himself from pacing.

[alicornucopia]

"Darius?" says the oracle's voice outside his door. "She's here."

[castmyown]

Meep.

"Coming!" he calls, nearly knocking over a lamp in his haste to open the door.

He opens the door, and suddenly he has no idea what to say.

'You are very pretty' is probably not the place to start. Neither is 'Your wings are very fluffy' or 'I need singing practice' or 'Can my family come live with us?' He stands there for an extended moment, trying to put appropriate words together. What do you say to the person who's supposed to be your soulmate?

Well, before he figures that out, a shock of pain from his kiss hauls him out of his reverie. Ow. Oh hey, soulmate. And he's been standing here not saying anything for. Longer than he'd like.

"... Hi."

[jovahs_heiress]

"Hi. You're Darius?"

Her Kiss is going insane with its own colors, although if it hurts her she's got a heck of a pain tolerance.

[castmyown]

"I, uh, yes." Pause. "I, don't actually know your name yet."

[jovahs_heiress]

"Isabella."

[castmyown]

He does not say that is a pretty name, but he does think it, and a smile tugs at his lips.

"Nice to meet you."

[jovahs_heiress]

"It's nice to meet you too. Um, are you ready to go to the Eyrie? I can carry you or if you'd rather I didn't I can ask to borrow one of Alleluia's children...?"