22/XXII. You Could've Simply Walked Away (Remastered)

“What is it?” Irene and Arthur strolled along the street of the city of London.

It was quite pleasant, the birds were chirping, singing, rejoicing, the streets were bustling with people, the cabs, and buses passed along as the two approached the nearest park.

The sun hasn’t risen yet completely, but the reddish-gold hue embraced the sky and the clouds as if welcoming everyone that surrounded it.

Rarely did the sun shine in London. Usually, it was raining all day, every day, but this one time, Arthur wanted the walk to be special.

Michael commanded the clouds, “Be at peace.” And the clouds obeyed. Still, white, fluffy, and calm – what an ideal weather!

“What do you want from me?” The question that Arthur wanted to ask since yesterday got Irene confused.

“I should be the one asking you that! You were the one who invited me here for a walk!” They continued strolling while talking.

“I don’t want any interruptions, and I don’t want anyone to hear our conversation.” Careful and secretive, I like that. Her suspicions about Arthur further came into light as they progressed towards the day.

“I doubt that you have asked to be my wife without a reason.” He continued. He already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear the reason from her lips.

He was already suspicious of the Russian accent from day one, and as he dug deeper where Irene came from, she was the direct heiress of the business of the Icy Queen.

“Do you really want to know, or perhaps…” She stopped in her tracks, embarrassed as Arthur can read her like an open book. She wanted to ran back, back home.

“I would like to hear it from your lips.” He stopped as well, and looked back. His eyes devoid of any pity, empathy, or compassion, it’s as if he’s saying, ‘Don’t you bs me. Tell me the truth.’

She gritted her teeth and bit her lips in frustration.

“Do you really want me to beg?” She sighed, overthinking what she can leverage against the man she hoped who can help her. She needed something to threaten him to submission.

“I want you to tell me.” He turned around to face her, and grabbed her by the hand, and-“Let’s go!”

His first steps sprinting and her following looked like a picturesque romantic novel. Locking their hands together, time stopped flowing for her.

Everything looked as if in slow motion as they tried to lose two of her guards that were following her.

SFX: Pant, pant, pant, pant

The two shambled their way in the busy metros and the train station just past the park, and blended in the crowd.

Arthur knew the art of disguise, and quickly undressed his coat and gave it to the homeless man they had passed, and instructed Irene to lose her coat as well.

The two were able to scramble in the train at the last second without the guards as they paid for their tickets.

Arthur stood up, bent, and got his hands on his knees as he panted to get air in and out.

He clenched his hands on his chest, and curled his shirt in an attempt to calm his heart down.

Irene sat down exhausted and panted as well as she waved good bye to her guards who can only stare back in bewilderment back at the platform as the train chugged towards another station.

The train they boarded was set to stop at Cardiff, a two-hour train ride from the city.

“That… *pant* was… *pant* amazing!” Her enthusiasm burst out inside the train, and her thick Russian accent called out attention from the other passengers.

She quickly looked the other way as she was flustered for the sudden engrossment from the other passengers.

“Huh…” Arthur’s last pant, he reached out for his back pockets and stood straight up as he glanced over the train car.

“What are you doing?” She nonchalantly wondered and got the attention of Arthur as he looked around.

“Finding our seats.” He gently locked his hands again with her, and dragged her to the next train car.

She had no choice but to spring up from her seat and follow him as he held her tightly by her hands.

This was the first time, perhaps, that she felt this way.

Her heart beats for him and him alone, but it was as if they’re in another dimension, without anyone to care about, without anything to think of, and without a world to bear on their shoulders.

Their seats were located at the second car, next to the first one. And Arthur quickly found their seats at the middle row of the aisle.

“Wait, this isn’t a seat, it’s a room!” Irene pointed out the obvious, but for a teenager with a gold card, this isn’t so hard to obtain.

“You’d think I’d let my fiancée here out on her own?” An attendant opened the doors for them, and the two trudged in like they owned the place.

Well, for two hours anyway.

“Are these?” Irene regarded and ran her finger on the walls – it was covered with carpet, soft-tipped carpet.

“Noise-cancellation.” He smirked, and led Irene to her seat.

Irene followed his hands, but remained calm in her facial expression, inside-

How can he do all of this? He knew… he’s always one-step ahead.

“What can I get you, sir?” The attendant bowed, and offered the menu to the two of them.

Arthur casually looked at the menu handed over to him, while Irene did not take the menu from the attendant’s hands. “Don’t take it personally, it’s their culture. You can put it down the table.” Arthur broke the awkwardness between the two.

“No offense taken, sir. Do not worry.” The attendant nonchalantly flip the menu closed, and hid it behind his back.

“What would you like?” Arthur handed her the menu that he was holding, as if telling her to go first, and getting what she is getting.

She smiled, her gentle rosy cheeks and the way her dimple formed as her smile turned wider. “What’s so funny?” He asked.

“Nothing.” In a sassy, yet warm way, she reached out her hand and took the menu from Arthur’s.

It’s only been two days since she arrived in London, she began rattling the Smith mansion with the revelation that only her mother and Arthur’s father knew – the engagement.

It was the only way to stop her mother from killing or disposing of Arthur.

“I want the Venice Simplon Orient Express Breakfast.” She pointed at the menu, her fingernails were painted black, but they were but cleaned. Her thick Russian accent made the attendant uncomfortable once again.

“I’ll have what she wants.” Arthur tried to break the tense air again.

“Of course. I will come back with your order.” He bowed his head, and took the menus from their table and closed the door of the room.

As soon as the attendant was out, Arthur slumped his back and laid his head on the table wearily.

“Are you… okay?” She pouted as if she wanted to join.

“You’re asking me if I’m okay?” You are the reason why we needed to run that whole block, my heart couldn’t take that much distance. Let alone, I’m dragging you with me. Arthur glanced to his side towards the window.

“Of course, I’m worried about my fiancée.” She’s back to her pretentious side again.

SFX: *BLAM!

Arthur clenched his fists in anger, and slammed it against the table. He was the one hurt the most though, his fist, and his eardrums, he stayed still after that.

“What was that for?” Irene jumped in surprise, but she couldn’t possible stand since she was already seated on the soft, bouncy, vinyl-covered couch.

“Stop bullshitting me about this fiancée thing.” He still wouldn’t sit straight and look her in the eye.

“You were the one that started it.” She riled him up with her responses. Did I say or do something wrong?

“I know you have an agenda behind this marriage thing. I want to hear it from your lips.” He turned his head around, still not leaving the table.

Childish.

“Fine.”

-------------------- // --------------------

Before the food arrived, Irene was only able to tell the general gist of how things work at their mansion.

The Queen, her true name, is Silvia Kozlov-Ivanovsky. Born from the poorest of poor, the Queen dabbled in every profession there is on the book of felons – prostitution, conning, blackmail, everything listed in Judas’ sins, the only one not listed is murder.

The Queen ran away from home at a young age, and got herself pregnant at the age of fifteen. Irene’s father was the heir to the Ivanvovsky mobsters and gang, and as Irene turned three, his father took on the family business, and the Queen became a conspirator with their crimes.

The Queen became the mastermind to every crime that the family did, but they kept Irene out of the business.

Irene grew with a weak body, and she soon became pampered by the family, even their bodyguards and his father couldn’t help but show their soft side whenever Irene was around.

The Queen grew overprotective of her daughter since his father only went soft and warm whenever their daughter was around.

At the age of ten, everything changed, when one of their men betrayed the head of the family and attacked him in his own home.

The man, in question, no longer exists in this world, and his records were completely erased by the mobster, her father also died with that fatal gunshot.

The power transitioned from her father to her mother – Silvia.

She was met with so little resistance that the whole family accepted her as their godmother – she rebranded herself as the “Ice Queen” of Russia.

The Queen - very well known for her tenacity, and her schemes, Irene soon came to learn their family business and it sickened her to her bones.

Human smuggling, and prostitution, the line that her mother became familiar with because of her experiences before meeting her husband, were the line of their family business.

It shocked her to her very core – the food they eat, the clothes she wore, everything that she had were built upon the blood of the innocent.

She kept having nightmares ever since her father’s funeral.

She wanted to get out, she wanted to get her mother out, but she was far too gone. She learned that her mother already met with the two other mafia bosses in London and Germany.

One morning, she met her mother laying in a haze, high in drugs, along with her right hand men with her in one room.

She didn’t know what hell looked like, but she knew that her home was. She wanted someone to rescue her, and her mother. Maybe, maybe help her turn herself in.

-------------------- // --------------------

“And that person is me?” He listened intently, but only when she mentioned the word ‘rescue’ did he sat straight up and looked into her eyes.

He can tell that she was desperate to get out of that situation - the same one that he was in right now.

“My mother and father - they were always soft with me and my requests. I have a spy amidst my mother’s men, and that was my guardian. He was the one who informed me about you.” Irene continued with her story.

She had Arthur invested. “Your guardian maybe in danger, if that is the case.” He curled his brows and gazed into her soul.

“He is. He risked his life in telling me about you.”

“Then you requested to be my fiancée upon knowing that I took down your mother’s operation here?” Unwavering, he looked at her straight in her eyes once more.

“Yes. I want you to stop them. I want to…” She lingered and drooped her head, and looked shamefully the other way.

“Do you feel ashamed for using me?” Using was a strong word, but she needed to face the reality that that’s what she was doing with me, there’s no need to sugarcoat it.

“…maybe.” A long silence, then she simply answered. She was hesitating as she can feel that every move she makes Arthur can follow and already a few steps ahead.

“I don’t…” She sighed, she wanted to deny it, but admit it at the same time.

SFX: Tok, tok, tok She gasped, surprised upon the knock of the attendant.

“I think our food is here. Let’s eat first.”

Arthur already knew of what Irene wanted from the beginning, but he wanted her to say it with her lips, admit it with her eyes straight looking at him.

He wanted her to face the reality that no one lives alone, that sometimes, we need the help of others and the negative connotation of that is using people at your disposal.

The breakfast meal looked scrumptious, at least for Arthur. Baked beans, two poached egg cooked in golden perfectness, and sausages from home, a toasted bread on the side, with a warm tea to fill up their stomachs.

“I ordered Venice, not English.” Irene got riled up, the attendant was different from before, and he shook in horror as he realized his mistake.

“I do apologize, Madame, I will correct this mistake, let me bring you back the right order. How about you, sir?” He turned to the merciful and meek gentleman.

“I ordered the same, but this will do, I’m fine with this.” Arthur answered gracefully.

“I will quickly bring back your correct order, Madam. Thank you so much for your kind consideration, Sir.” He bowed to Arthur and Irene, and scrambled the plates back to the entrée, and closed the room’s doors.

Is this woman always so obnoxious? He smirked at her as he sipped on his tea. Her question about herself startled Arthur a bit, but it’s not new.

“Are you that self-conscious?” He asked straightforwardly.

“I am.” She gave him the answer he’s looking for and turned her cheek the other way.

“Hmmm… then if you choose to be that way, don’t ever regret it.” He understood that accepting oneself can always be a long process, but it shouldn’t be a heavy one especially on your own soul.

A few minutes later, and the old attendant came back with Irene’s orders and apologized profusely.

-------------------- // --------------------

“That was a lovely breakfast. Thank you, Lord.” Arthur sheepishly stroke his belly as if it added some weight upon eating that heavy meal, and closed his eyes for a moment.

“Aren’t prayers recited before eating a meal?” Irene smiled, being a hypocrite who didn’t even say grace before and after the meal.

“Prayers are not recited, they come from the heart. When and where, you don’t have to set a time for it, whenever you want to talk to the Almighty, you can - anytime, anywhere.” He smiled back, those pure shining eyes.

“If you call it that, but I don’t consider myself religious. Religion…” His face and expression changed drastically. The smile he wore just seconds ago droop down as if remembering horrendous things.

“It’s only a set of rituals done by a believer of something.”

“You didn’t react to anything except this.” She read him like an open book. Apathy was the right word he showed her on the first day, and on the next hours, but when it comes to God, she could see his true colors.

“Do you believe in God?” Serious, he’s too serious. His eyes piercing through my soul, what power can the word, “God” do to this man?

“Russians are known to be atheists, and…” She averted her gaze, she didn’t exactly say no, or yes, she wanted for him to figure it out by himself.

“With what’s happening with my family and the evil in this world… I really don’t think I have an opinion or belief in that matter.” She continued.

She gazed through the window of the train, the clouds began to darken, and soon enough, rain poured as heavy as a storm, raging as the people scrambled beneath to take cover.

She’s waiting for his reply, she’s gauging him. What would be your reaction to that?

“Do you want to know?” His question surprised her. Though she was taken aback, it was better reaction from what she got from the so-called Christians back in Europe – judging with their eyes.

“I want to believe… that…” Her first words, her first reply gave Arthur hope, from his gloomy expression, little by little, transformed into a gentle, and loving one, his gaze sparkled as he looked right at her.

“That?” She became conscious of his soft gaze, though she was only facing the window, in her peripheral view, she can see that he’s intently waiting for her next words, and looking at her with glimmer in his eyes.

“There is good in this world, and there is a God that can avenge the innocent, and can possibly change and destroy evil.” She continued, almost stuttering, but keeping her mind focused on what’s on her heart.

“Then… would you like me to talk about God, right now?” She turned her head, and in the moment their eyes met, she felt a warm, welcoming heart from Arthur, she couldn’t pass up this opportunity, he listened at her, now, it’s her turn to do so.

“Yes. Sure.” She smiled, softly, as if mirroring Arthur.

-------------------- // --------------------

Arthur couldn’t stop. He talked about the days of Creation, Abel, Cain, Seth, and to Noah. He just couldn’t shut his mouth.

Irene echoed his emotions as he told each tearjerker story.

They both cried as Arthur talked about the death of Abel, faces showing wrath when he talked about Cain, and hopeful when he muttered about the birth of Seth.

-------------------- // --------------------

“The people began to multiply in the face of the Earth as God promised Noah that He no longer will send another catastrophe to wipe out the flesh off of the world.” Michael gently brushed Ena’s hair as he sat guard at their sleeping camp down in Canaan.

“Michael, tell me again the story of Noah, please.” She seemed to be livelier than before when Michael told her the story of her ancestry.

“Ena, you have to sleep. I need to stand guard.” He laid his hands on her eyes and commanded her to sleep. She did at the power of his words, he made her fall asleep.

Michael had stood guard silently and stealthily for more than three thousand years now, and the length of the human life had considerably shortened after the Great Flood, and after Noah, almost thousands of his descendants from Ham, Shem, and Japeth, conquered the lands, moving to the east, and in one language.

Father sent me here to observe, but I inadvertently interacted with one of the families here.

I have been with this merchant family as a guard for about sixty days now, and with the unity of the people here, they can do anything.

However, Father will not be pleased by what they are doing.

“I’m sorry, but I would need to go back to my family in the west.” After that last shift tonight, I officially resigned from my human post, and flew back home.

SFX: WOOOOSH! Michael’s feathers rustled in the wind as he thrust his way upwards forcefully against the wind and gravity of Earth.

“Captain, you’re back!” That’s new. Uriel greeted me by the door of the throne room. He simply bowed as he showed reverence to the highest order of the angels.

“Uriel, how’s everything here?” Michael always concerned himself to the affairs of home – especially with the ones involving the throne room.

“Quiet, peaceful. No need to worry, brother.” His little smirk assured Michael that everything was going fine.

“Thank you for working hard.” He tapped Uriel’s shoulder as he opened the doors to the throne room.

“MICHAEL, MY SON, YOU’RE BACK. WHAT HAS BEEN OF THE HUMANS?” God Almighty totally distanced himself after Noah. He always gave the humans Oracle, or something that tells them that their Creator is observing them, this time, it’s a total silence, it’s as if He abhorred them more than anything else.

“They’ve been…” Michael knelt as he approached the throne, but he couldn’t find the right words to-

“SPEAK THE TRUTH.” God sensed his hesitation.

“Yes, Father.” He averted his gaze, it’s not like Michael to lie, but… seeing that God destroyed humanity with a Great flood, he hesitated.

“They’re building a tower to reach the heavens. They seek to become like God, they seek to fulfill my brother’s ambition.” Without sugar-coating, he spoke straight-forward, he only rests his worries to his Creator.

Whether He kills them all or not is His choice. I just need to follow. He thought to himself.

“They felt arrogant again after so many years.” A familiar voice, Samael stood nearby.

“Sa-“ Michael took a gulp, there’s a storm brewing between the two forces inside the throne room.

“LUCIFER! WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE HUMANS?” Michael darted his eyes back to the Creator. What ridiculous question! Surely, Samael will answer hatred towards the humans.

“Well, they’re truly arrogant, Father, befitting don’t you think? Just like their Creator.” Lucifer smirked at his remarks, his quick wit, as he approached the throne, with his beastly appearance only threw in insult to his Creator.

“HMMMM… YOU HAVEN’T CHANGED, LUCIFER. YOUR NAME IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CHANGED.” God mocked him the same.

Thunder and lightning ravaged one part of the Earth as God faced Samael in the throne room with challenging words.

“What if you destroy them once more?” The accuser taught of a good idea to get rid of the humans once and for all.

“HMMMMMM…” And God is seriously considering it? Michael’s eyes widen in shock, as he listened to the two bickering.

“DESTROY IS A BIT HARDCORE SINCE THEY’RE NOT REALLY DOING ANYTHING EVIL, BUT… WHAT I WILL DESTROY IS THEIR UNITY.” He spoke and it became so.

“Father, what are you planning?-“ Michael and Lucifer marched to the edge of home, and listened and soon, they both heard different words, sounds, but they understood both what the humans meant – it meant questions, confusion, disagreement, and dissolution.

“AMAZING!” Their lexicon will divide them for eternity.

“We can understand them. Interesting.” Lucifer stroke his chin as if approving the punishment of the humans.

“Welp, I better get going, before He puts all those ideas in me.” He stretched out his colorful wings, and glided down to Earth.

“Wait-“ Michael tried to reach out, but it was too late, he already had gone down and he still had to report everything he saw down at the physical realm.

-------------------- // --------------------

“You know, the stories you’ve told me was more like a point of view of an angel, rather than a human, or a third-party, don’t you think?” Irene ordered another set of sweets as they head back to the city through the same train station, and room as well.

“He is a just God. Sometimes, we just need to believe.” There it goes, that puppy eyes again.

“Why are you so bent on… Him? On God?” She set down her fork, the one she used eating the cake served on the table, and fixed her eyes firmly at him.

“Would you believe if I tell you that He sent me here?” He smiled softly once more. It’s melting me, the light, he’s too shiny!

“I believed in fate, and I believed that you were sent here to help me. If that fate is God, then… I will resign in believing so.” Her words were music to his ears, but he knew he couldn’t push her forwards without any result from her favor.

“Then I’ll make it a reality.” His eyes devoid of any lies. “Your wish.” He continued, that’s what she was waiting for.

“I knew you’d say yes, but… I’m still wondering, why didn’t you say no? You…” She halted and hesitated. “You could’ve simply walked away.” Irene’s eyes visibly became near to tears.

“Because I want to help.” Simple as that. Every doubt from her heart flew out, and-

“Pfft… hahahhahahaha. You’re such a simpleton, are you?” She burst out laughing, she playfully picked up her fork and drove it to the unfinished strawberry cake in front of her.

“I don’t think twice when helping.” Arthur showed his sincerity to her on the second day.

“What about the consequences? What if you die with the process of completing my favor?” She couldn’t help the thought that Arthur was still a child and a human at that.

“I promise I won’t. I won’t add to any of your worries.” He replied. Not in a mocking tone, not in a sarcastic tone, but in an earnest one.

“I won’t worry about you.” She smirked as she sipped on her tea.

“Just promise me one thing.” Another serious discussion.

“What is it?”

“This engagement is only a requirement of your favor, there’s no love involved.” His words broke her for the first time, but it was comforting. It’s as if he was already telling her, ‘I’ll succeed’.

“Fine.” A long silence came afterwards, until the two reached back home, the air became too awkward to continue chatting.