strangetrip | [GP/EP] You're not clear of story out here

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[GP/EP] You're not clear of story out here

Even before she knew for certain that it was the first of a month, Snow’s body had started bracing for it. She was wary and tense, preparing to cope with yet more people in the space of the hotel. It seemed that no sooner had she adjusted to whoever had showed up the last time, there was someone new again.

She didn’t want anything to do with the lot of it. That was what those busy women on the welcome committee were for. She didn’t think the committee was a stupid thing, not at all. Focusing on settling new people in kept the lot of them busy and away from her, and that was where she wanted them. They terrified her.

Snow White had only come into the main building to forage for food. The original plan was of course to turn right back around and escape before the expected rush (small or large) of new people to flood in.

But that was of course not what happened. When a universe was a pocket, it had less to focus on and fewer people to fuck with, and so Snow was entirely certain it was fucking with her when she was the one in the lobby when a new face came through the door.

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"The pleasure is mine, Henry," Alcuin said pleasantly.

He tapped the book again. "This is the most familiar thing I've seen here. The stories of... the old testament? They are familiar, the tales of the One God. And then, his son, Yeshua ben Yosef... except Elua is missing. He was born of the blood of Yeshua and the tears of the Magdalene, born from the womb of Mother Earth."

Henry nodded, listening. "The bible doesn't often leave room for beliefs beyond the One God," he said, "so, any mention of Mother Earth or naturalistic deities or spirits or any of that aren't really present or if they are, they're aspects of Him. The Magdalene in particular is a figure who...who herself is very contested amongst theologians and priests and parishioners alike. She is..." He pressed his lips together. "We have the misfortune of living in a society that bases a woman's worth on what's between her legs, unfortunately. The Magdalene and the way she's been treated in liturgical history... if someone like Elua existed, he would've been struck from the record centuries ago. What you're describing, though, well with the right confluence of power it certainly seems plausible."

Of course. It did not surprise Alcuin that the Magdalene would not be revered as she was to D'Angelines. At least Henry did not say 'whore' aloud.

"I believe I come from a different world," he said quietly. "Where history diverged. My country is called Terre d'Ange, where we are descended from Elua and his angel companions."

He nodded again. "Which angels if you don't mind my asking?" Supernatural blood would certainly explain the aura about the young man. That the rest of the Host would allow a nation of, well essentially nephilim exist was the strange part, not that any of this existed at all.

"Azza, Anael, Camael, Cassiel, Eisheth, Kushiel, Shemhazai, and Naamah," said Alcuin, seeming almost wistful at the recitation. But also glad that there was someone here who truly seemed to care.

"Azzah, one who objected when Metatron was made an angel, Anael, lord of Venus and ruler of the Third Heaven, invoked for matters concerning the heart, peace and long-term goals sat over the month of December often referred to as an archangel...one who builds people up and encourages beauty in the world. Camael, usually called Chamuel, head of the Dominions, Ruler of Tuesday, Prince of the Seraphim, Chief of the Order of Powers, Ruler of Mars. Invoked for matters involving understanding, tolerance, forgiveness and love, when you need strength, providing courage, persistence and determination.

"Cassiel, the angel of solitude and tears, lord of Saturn. Kushiel is one of many angels of punishment. Naamah exists, but from what I know, she was a mortal woman who laid with a fallen angel and eventually bore the demon Asmodeus. Shemhazai was the leader of the Grigori, the fallen angels, but there's not a lot written about those angels who fell beyond Lucifer. The Grigori eventually sired the Nephilim with human women, which is what it sounds like your ancestors were. Eisheth isn't a name I know, I'm sorry, I'd have to give it more thought."

He cleared his throat. "I'm not trying to lecture, of course, more trying to relate my knowledge of the host to you and see how that lines up with what your world is like at all."

Alcuin listened to all of this thoughtfully. Finally he said, "Some of it is slightly familiar. Some of it is not. But our stories of these angels is that they were Elua's companions as he wandered the world, having been shunned by the One God. Eventually they were welcomed in the land that would become Terre d'Ange, they stayed there among the people, and we are their descendents."

"I believe that," Henry said, leaning back in his chair, "based on what I know about the history of nephilim in this world, it doesn't seem likely to happen here. The higher orders would've likely declared humans born of angels to be abominations and slaughtered them." He sighed heavily, "but I can definitely see echoes of the celestial in you." He chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment. "Will you tell me more about this Elua? I'd like to hear whatever you're comfortable with sharing."

Alcuin blinked a bit at the bluntness of the comment, though he only shrugged a bit then and said, "There may have been those in my world who felt the same. I can tell you are a scholar, so I will give you the long version...

"Elua was conceived through the blood of Yeshua ben Yosef, the son of the One God, where a spear from a soldier of Tiberium pierced his side, and the tears of the Magdalene, in the womb of Mother Earth herself. He was seen as a heretic by the Yeshuites, and as the enemy's offspring by the people of Tiberium. Even scorned by his own grandfather the One God, Elua started wandering the earth. In Persis he was arrested, but the tales of his travels had reached Heaven and eight of God's own angels, Azza, Anael, Camael, Cassiel, Eisheth, Kushiel, Naamah and Shemhazai came to free him.

"They wandered, and eventually came to Terre d'Ange, a then nameless country, as the armies of Tiberium were retreating from it, during the collapse of their empire. Here the people welcomed them with open arms. Through interbreeding the race of D'Angelines was created: beautiful people, descended from the angels.

"When the One God stopped mourning over the death of his son Yeshua, he saw Elua and his Companions wandering. He sent an angel to bring them back, but Elua hung flowers around his neck and filled his cup with good wine, and the angel returned embarrassed and empty handed to his God. The One God then sent his arch herald to Elua and his followers. If they stayed and followed his precept of love as thou wilt, their offspring would overflow the earth, something that the One God thought should not happen. The herald offered them forgiveness, if Elua and his Companions returned to the One God in peace. But Elua turned to Cassiel and asked for his dagger. He stabbed the palm of his own hand and his blood fell on the earth, where anemones bloomed. Elua said that he could not go to his grandfather's heaven, because it was bloodless, and he was demonstrably not, and asked for a better place, where he and his followers could love and sing and live like they wanted, and where their children could join them. The herald told them there was no such place.

"But then Mother Earth spoke to her ex-husband, the One God, and said they could create such a place, together. And so the real Terre d'Ange was created, where mortals can only go by dying, but where Elua and his Companions were allowed to enter immediately."

Alcuin paused. "And the mortal Terre d'Ange," he said, "was my home. Where Elua gave us only one commandment - love as thou wilt."

Henry listened with wrapt attention as Alcuin spoke, making mental connections here and there as to what he thought the geography of this young man's world might be.

Once Alcuin finished speaking, Henry remained silent for a few moments, obviously thinking and digesting things. "That was a lovely story, thank you for sharing it," he said first. It was a gift. All tales were, and Henry had dealt with too many very particular beings in his life to not thank someone for something shared.

He licked his lips, looking distantly for a bit longer, perhaps even looking outwardly a little sad and judgmental though that was just his face when he thought. For the most part. His brows a little furrowed. He knew he wasn't meant to be showing a great deal of outward emotion.

"It seems to me..." he said, and then stopped again briefly, "It seems to me that your world got the better side of the dogma coin." He pressed his lips together in a thin line and then nodded to himself. That was close enough. It would have to do. He thought of all his previous lovers, all the people he'd known who simply weren't allowed to love freely. He thought that, though he barely knew his grandsons, that he definitely would not ever be able to be able to safely divulge anything at all about his heart beyond Millie. "Thank you," he said again, softer this time.

Alcuin watched him, not able to entirely read what was behind the expressions on his face. And then at the simple, sincere reaction, Alcuin looked a bit taken aback and finally said, "You're - you're welcome. Thank you for listening. It gives me comfort to share this. I feel very far from home."

"I'm sure you do," Henry said. "I feel very far from home and I'm still technically in the same world. I can't even begin to imagine what it must feel like for you and for the others who aren't from here."

Alcuin nodded, sadness crossing his face for a moment. "I have only been here for a few weeks. It has been difficult."

"Is there anything you think I might perhaps be able to help with?"

"Oh, I... I'm not sure," Alcuin admitted. "I only want to learn more. I very much wish there was a library here."

"You and I both," Henry said ruefully. "Is there any particular topic you're curious about? Most of my training has been in world mythologies and lore and I'm about forty years behind current events, but I'm... I'd like to be useful if you'd like for me to as well."

Alcuin considered the kind offer for a moment and then said, "Can you tell me about France?"

"I've never been myself," he said like some sort of caveat, "and most of my knowledge of France has to do with art and architecture and, well, the war. Some literature, but everything I know has all been in translation for the most part. My French is limited to hello, goodbye and I love you."

"Bonjour, au revoir, je t'aime," Alcuin said with a little smile. "This is my native language. Though we call it D'Angeline."

"Quite," Henry said, eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled at Alcuin. He chewed his lower lip a bit in thought. "I wonder," he said, "there is a letter I'd like to compose to a young woman. A note of apology. The complication is that with all the languages I have to hand, we don't seem to have any that overlap and to my knowledge she only speaks French. Maybe we could do a knowledge exchange of sorts? I know it's complicated without texts..." He took a deep breath. "I mean of course, I'm willing to help you with whatever you'd like to know for nothing but...if you'd be willing to at least help me translate the note..."

Alcuin's face lit up like sunlight.

"Oh, I would love to," he said. He didn't even realize until that moment how much he had wanted to be useful. "Truly. I'm so happy to help."

Henry's face practically lit up. "Excellent! Wonderful, thank you. It's-" He blushed a little as he ducked his head. "I'm very glad to hear that."

Alcuin felt very pleased indeed to be helping someone. "I'm happy to be able to help someone," he said. "People here have helped me, and I feel as if I have not been able to offer them anything in return." Even if he had tried.

"Many people here seem to be very kind and generous. I've been doing my best to be helpful as well." His mood was very obviously greatly improved. "Oh! Do you like tea, Alcuin?"

"I do," Alcuin said brightly.

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