The Crown's Obsession

"Do the demons still worry you?" asked Paschar, "I am here with you," and Marina smiled. "I have sent all the demons back to their places so that they don't bother you or anyone else here."

Marina had a concerned look on her face, and she said, "You are a kind man, Paschar."

"Isn't that because of you?" he offered her a smile. "I sense something strange in you, Mari."

Madeline, who stood there felt as if she was intruding the couple's time, noticed how Marina's face turned slightly tense, and she tried to smile. "You do?"

Paschar said, "Yes. You look dull and worn out. Is there something that is bothering you? You know, you can tell me anything, right?"

"Yes. I think it's just the heat of the sun that is affecting me. I will be alright with some sleep," she placed her hand on Paschar's hand. "If there's something worrying me, you will know. You always do." Saying this, Marina hugged Paschar, and the angel hugged the woman back.

The smile on her lips lowered down which Paschar couldn't see, and she stared at the wall behind Paschar.

Madeline wondered why Marina had a look of worry on her face. Walking towards the window, she noticed it wasn't the same village she had earlier stepped into. This was another village, and knowing how Paschar had mentioned about being with only one woman, Madeline turned back to take a look at the woman's face. This was her mother, the person who hadn't given birth to her as Marina had died before giving birth to her.

"Do you think we should move from here?" questioned Marina.

"Where do you want to go?" questioned Paschar, pulling away from the embrace they shared, the angel looked down at the woman.

She shrugged her shoulders, "Anywhere would do," she smiled at Paschar.

Paschar raised his hand to caress Marina's face, and Madeline could tell that he really loved the woman. He then thoughtfully responded to her earlier words, "It might be a good idea to change places. Sometimes I worry my brothers will come to find me."

"Do you miss them?" she asked him.

He dropped his hand from her face, going to hold Marina's hands.

"On rare occasions, but they should be doing fine. They are just angry that I left...without letting them know," answered Paschar. "But that doesn't matter anymore. I am happier here."

Madeline stood there watching the couple speak, finding Paschar had not spoken to Marina about who he was as she seemed to not know about who Paschar really was. There were no conversations regarding the angels, but only the demons who were causing a stir.

With the dream that continued to prolong its time, Madeline saw Paschar leave the house for some work while leaving Marina back in the house.

Madeline closely watched Marina as she had never got to know about this person. All she knew from Paschar was that he had fallen in love with a human, who had later been killed. Angels never left Heaven, and when they did, it was marked as the time where the angel turned to a fallen angel. And Paschar had left Heaven to live with this woman. It only meant how important she must be to him.

She was angry at Paschar for letting her down. For not searching and helping her when she was in the coffin, left to rot not once but twice. He loved Marina, but didn't he love his and Marina's daughter? The angel had taken her soul out of the dead woman's womb, and he had hidden her soul until she finally was reborn in this world. Madeline didn't know if Paschar considered her to be his daughter or not.

The woman who had first conceived her, she appeared to be a good person. A gentle smile on her lips, and her voice was calm. Madeline felt her heart skip a beat when Marina turned around and saw straight at her. Madeline wondered if the woman could see her, and her heart started to thunder in her chest.

"Mama?" Madeline whispered, feeling goosebumps forming on her skin.

Marina smiled and Madeline who had stood not too far away from her, took a couple of steps towards the woman when they heard a knock on the door. Marina's gaze shifted to the door, and she asked loudly,

"Is that you, Regi? Did you forget something?" She walked towards the door and opened it. The smile Marina had on her lips slipped from her face, and she stared at the visitor.

"Are you not going to welcome me inside your sweet and warm house?" Madeline heard a woman's voice from the other side of the door.

"What are you doing here?" the sweetness in Marina's voice dropped and it turned sharp.

"I thought I would visit you as it has been quite a long time since we last met. I was worried, where you forgot about me while playing as the angel's lover." The woman stepped inside the house without any invitation, and Madeline caught sight of the same woman whom she had seen in her dreams, where Paschar had strangled the person.

Was this person going to kill Marina? Asked Madeline in her mind. Marina looked visibly worried, and her eyes went to look outside the house where no one was there.

"That's the most unwelcoming look I have received in a while from you, Mari," the woman went towards the chairs and sat down in one of them. "How is life with the angel? I can tell you haven't told him that you know who he is or who you are, have you?"

Marina stared at the woman, "Did you come here alone, Astrate?"

"Just by myself to meet my good friend. So how are things going so far, Mari? Darian is upset that you haven't returned by completing the task quickly. You're taking too much time to sway the angel, or has he swayed you?"

"That's rubbish, Astrate," replied Marina, "Things like these take time. It has barely been two months since he left Heaven."

Astrate chuckled, "Whatever you are doing, do it quickly because when Dairan comes, you will be answering him. I can tell that you are in love with the angel, and don't try to deny it. You should know that you are not supposed to fall in love with the angels."