"You wanted to see me, milord?" Angel asked quietly as she stood in the open doorway of His chamber. He didn't answer her as He looked her over. Instead of Him, she looked around her. His chamber was warm, the fire in the hearth was banked and comfortable. The shutters were closed, shutting out the storm and it was quiet in the room. Through the arrow loops, she could see that the storm raged on, lightning would streak the sky, illuminating the night. The fine hairs on the back of her neck pricked and she stole a glance His way. The sight of Him made her skin like gooseflesh. Every time she saw Him, as far back as she could remember, He stole her breath, tonight was no different.
He was sitting in a big chair with a high back, His own arms resting on the chair's. His hands were clasped together, as if He were praying, under His bearded chin. Master Daniel, as He preferred women call Him, was as mysterious as He was handsome. His black as sin hair was long, past His broad shoulders and His beard, that was just as black, was long, but neatly kept. His eyes were in contrast, a light color, bright and knowing, Many say Master Daniel had the vision of a hawk, that even in darkness He saw what many could not see in broad daylight. The villagers called Him by many names; Sir Hawkmoon, Nightwing. Angel knew of another name; Kind Master. She had no doubt that He was the opposite of what He reflected to His people. She felt she would know for certain tonight.
His voice boomed and brought her out of her thoughts, "Come closer, girl and shut the door. I will not harm you." Then He quietly added, "Unless you insist."
Angel felt her face flush and turn red, but she nervously stepped closer into the room, turned and closed the door. Turning back, she averted her eyes again.
"Your name is Angel, correct?" Master Daniel asked with a soft voice.
"Yes, sir." she answered, her own voice quivering.
"A fitting name." He stated.
Angel said nothing, just kept her eyes down and her hands clasped in front of her, wringing them.
"I've been watching you, you are indeed an angel. They way you tend to the sick and the children of My castle. I especially like watching you with the animals. The way you saved that foal and the mare. you kept them alive with pure determination."
"i believe nothing, not even death, should part mother and child!" She said fiercely. She did not know why she used that tone and was immediately ashamed of herself for speaking that way to Master Daniel.
He spoke with amusement,
"Something else I find remarkable. Even though it's plain you fear Me, you speak as though I am not the lord and master of this castle."
"Oh, milord, i beg for Your forgiveness!" Angel's hands were now red as blood from wringing them so hard. she could feel the backs of her eyes starting to burn, she would explode with tears, soon.
Master Daniel smiled at her, "you needn't beg, My dear, not now,anyway and never be sorry for having something I find so endearing."
"And what is that?"
"Passion. Pure passion. 'Tis in everything you do, everything you say. When you take on a task, you do it wholeheartedly. you get it done, the way it should be done. I can only hope that that glorious feature of yours goes farther than the stables and sickroom."
Daniel saw her blush, again. 'Twas an odd sight. Angel was no virgin, to live as long as she did in a castle the size of His, she had to have lost her maidenhead years ago. He knew for a fact she was no virgin. He had one day accidentally overheard one of His knights in confession. It was indeed an accident, for the knight and Brother Archie were not in the chapel and it was not even time for confession. It seemed that the poor knight was in so much fear for his soul that he didn't give the good monk time to lead the way to the confessional. Daniel had been passing by one of the gardens when He heard her name.
So He listened, He thought the knight was bragging about bedding the beauty, to His surprise, the knight was scared out of his wits. Said that the moment of his release, he looked into Angel's bright blue eyes and something odd happened.
"'Twas like the ground had opened up and was trying to swallow me, taking me down to Hell. The strange thing was, there were no flames to burn for eternity. No sick smell of sulfur. No horned creature with hooves and a tail. It was a feeling that made all of my fears disappear and I felt as though I would never age, never go hungry, never fear anything again, for eternity." The knight's voice had taken on a trance like tone, as if he were repeating what he had just said by rote. The old monk had smile at the young man and said, knowingly,
"Sounds like Heaven, my child. Why should you fear Heaven?"
Daniel didn't hear the answer, it was at that time He realized that this was confession, so He left. That was about two years ago. That was all He could stand to wait. He wanted to know how this small woman, the woman quivering before Him, had scared His brave knight so badly.
He stood and stepped closer to her. She kept her head lowered and her hands still wringing. He looked down at them, they were red as though they might begin to bleed. He took them and placed them by her side. Then with His finger, He lifted her face and looked into Angel's midnight blue eyes. Daniel now had an inkling as to what the young knight felt as He, Himself stood mesmerized. But as always, He had come prepared. He reached into His long black cloak and brought forth a black silken scarf. He watched her face as He pulled it from one of the many pockets he had the seamstress make for Him. There was no longer fear on her beautiful, flawless face and she had stopped shivering the moment He touched her. It was as if she knew He could no more harm her than He could stop the sun from chasing away the moon. A delicious thought, but impossible. Angel stared up at Him and He knew He must act quickly or lose something He had been barely able to hold on to for these many years, His soul.
Daniel walked around her and put the scarf around her head, her eyes. He tied it, not tightly, He refuse to harm her, or any other woman, for that matter. He touched her hair. It was soft and silky beneath His fingers. It was thick and full and curled just slightly. No wonder she oozed passion the way she did, her hair was proof of it, red. Dark red, not copper like a penny, more like a rust with sunshine added to make it shine at all times. Even in the deepest darkest chamber, such as His. But what struck Daniel the most was the sheer length of it. It went down almost to the backs of her knees. Daniel had but one weakness and long hair was it. Now He feared for His soul even greater.
