- C H A P T E R • T W O -

[Chorus]

You're my eden

You're my muse

So connected when your body moves

I can't focus

On anyone, anyone but you

Anyone but you.

~Eden- Plake

 -Ash-

June 6, 1816 -London

Sienna, look at me, you're gonna be fine," I held intertwined her icy fingers with mine. "Your brother is coming with more firewood, he should," I choked back a sob. It had been a little over an hour and her brother still hadn't returned, and I had started to doubt that he would show up in time.

It was mid June in London but snow enveloped the ground in a firm embrace and frost clung to the trees like a second skin. I blew a hot breath onto her frozen palm.

I started to remove my jacket to add to the ever growing heap of various clothes and blankets that I could find around our small one bedroom home when she placed a wintry hand over mine and gently shook her head.

"You need to stay warm," I protested. I moved again to take my jacket off but she stopped me again. "So do you." I exhaled in feigned annoyance. "Can you tell me the story of how we met again?" Her soft brown eyes pleaded silently.

"Well it was in early January and I went down to the market to-" she silenced me with a playful prod. "Not that one you ninny, the other one."

I laid down next to her on the harsh, frigid carpet and wrapped my arms around her chilled body.

"The Roman emperor Trajan had just conquered Babylon and his soldiers were rounding up any man, woman, and child who even thought about rebelling against the empire and lead them to city square and was beheading them for all to see." I paused. "I had been assigned to relay a message of sorts when I had stumbled upon what was happening in the square. I saw a little boy being ripped from the arms of its mother by a soldier. Because of his mother's disobedience, they were going to make an example of him. As angels, we are forbidden from interfering with the works of man unless told otherwise. As I stood there, waiting for someone-anyone to step forward to save the child's life a small figure stepped forward, in front of the crowd. She was small, yet she commanded the attention of everyone present. She spoke loud and precise, like a well seasoned orator. She told the soldiers to-"

"Unhand the child if you wish to keep your hands!" She suddenly shouted. I gave her a teasing stare. "Can I tell the story, Miss church bell?" I continued after hearing a small snort snort escape her.

"I watched in awe as the girl proceeded to banter with the army men long enough for one of their generals to show up and put an end to what surely could've been a massacre. It was the first time I had seen man be so selfless and-"

"And you fell in love at first sight did ya?"

A harsh shiver made its way through her body. I quickly stripped off my jacket and laid it across her frame. "I'll go and see what's taking William so long." I stood up but stopped when I heard indistinct mumbling.

"I want to spend my last moments with the man- with the angel I love." I closed my eyes tightly, keeping my river of tears at bay. I laid down beside her again and gathered her in my arms.

"I love you." She hummed, content clear in her voice. I placed a light kiss to her temple and another on her brow bone.

I smiled fondly at the memory, getting out and slamming the the door of my red and white '65 Ford F-100 on my way into the populated Frat house. I heard another car door close and turned my head and was welcomed by my one of my two friends, Ivan walking towards me. He stood just a few inches short of my six foot two frame, his naturally blonde hair was shaved into a slight buzz cut and his greenish blue eyes sparkled with the untold mischief that he was bound to get into during the duration of the night.

"Another college party?" I gestured to the roaring house. He shrugged simply. "Macie said this one's gonna be a rager." I scoffed at his dated terminology. "Does anyone say rager anymore?" He laughed mockingly at the irony. "Aren't you, like, a bajillion years old?" I rolled my eyes in feign annoyance and walked the short distance from where we parked on the curb to the front door.

As soon as we entered, we were immediately thrusted into the horde of partying young adults. Different scents of the partygoers, and strong weed mixed with the blaring rap music attacked my senses as we made our way through to a less congested part of the two story building.

"Macie just texted me, she's in the kitchen!" Ivan had to resort to screeching into my ear to be heard over the deafening beat that pulsated through the house. Ivan led in front of me, rudely pushing our way through the throng of intoxicated college students. We burst into the kitchen a few moments later.

I had been expecting the kitchen to be a bit less compacted than the entrance of the house but I was proved wrong as people were crammed into nearly every nook and cranny the vast, professional sized kitchen had to offer and red party cups littered any available counter space. I searched the cramped area for the familiar face of Marcie and nodded my head toward the far end of the kitchen near the back door when I saw a head of flaming red hair I'd recognize anywhere. "She's over there."

It was quiet enough in packed kitchen that we didn't have to scream our heads off to converse. We began our trek to the back of the room, snagging drinks on our way to our friend. "Finally! I thought you guys ditched me." Macie greeted us eagerly. Ivan placed a strong arm around her waist and pulled her to him. "I could never." An exasperated sigh left my lips at their cheesy behavior. I took a long sip of my drink and turned my attention from my friends, publicly displaying their affection for one another, towards the boisterous crowd.

I wasn't crowd-watching long when a head of dark brown curls entered the over capacitated kitchen caught my attention. I stood up straighter from my slouched position on a foldable table covered in an array of different drinks and mixes. I only saw the back of her head but my heart knew it was her but I had to be sure. She was talking with some guy dressed in a plain black tee and a simple gold chain dangling around his neck. They weren't chatting long before a taller girl joined them. I saw her back straighten, clearly unsettled by the girl's sudden appearance.

The newcomer had a mean smirk plastered on her face and then brung the guy's mouth down to hers. I scowled in disgust. She made a hasty retreat from the scene, I caught a glimpse of her eyes threatening to spill over. My eyes softened at the sight.

"I'm going for a smoke." I spoke to no one in particular, the couple who accompanied me were still too enraptured in each other to care about anything else. I nudged my way back through the flock of people, trying to keep up with her.

It wasn't long before I felt the cool September night greet my clammy skin. I had only been in the house no more than forty-five minutes, but the large amount of people packed into the house managed to generate a lot of heat.

"Why me? Huh? The one guy I like, the only guy I like, and he's with her?" Sniffles sounded from the right of me. I tuned and saw her crouched on the ground, tears now falling freely down her tantalizing brown skin.

It was her.