Along the beach

"I want him! Please he's so cute. I never had one before and you promised me I will get the next one we catch.", a soft voice said.

Manuar wasn't sure if he should look up to see who's talking to the duke of terror. He was so scared that he nearly couldn't breath. All the things he heard about that fallen lord let him tremble in fear.

"Oh please. You promised it.", that voice said again slightly pouty.

The fallen angel on his throne kept silent for a while before he sighed.

"It's only a cupid Askiel. What do you want to do with such a useless little feather ball. You can't even use him as servant. He's too stupid to understand what you want from him.", the deep sharp voice of the duke said.

"I don't care if he's stupid. He's too cute. That golden hair, those pretty little fluffy wings and those beautiful blue eyes. I want him. Please father. Give him to me.", the soft voice begged.

Manuar could hear how somebody jumped down the marble stairs right into his direction. Suddenly somebody grabbed his hair and forced him to look up. He kept his eyes closed. He was too scared to look who grabbed him.

"Come on Sweetie. Show me your eyes.", the voice said.

The cupid shook his head and started to shiver.

"Show me your eyes!", the voice ordered and pulled his hair harder.

Manuar wasn't able to refuse an order. He was created to obey and so he did what the voice ordered him. He opened his eyes and looked right into the prettiest face he ever saw. Ivory skin surrounded by long white hair that looked like it was made of moonstone fibers. The light of the candles that illuminated the room let the hair sparkle like stars and Manuar wasn't able to breath for a moment. Two eyes like molten gold and ruby red lips completed the pretty appearance of the person right in front of him. He needed a moment be able to take a closer look to the rest of the person. Dressed in purple and turquoise Asian inspired clothes and decorated with precious jewels the person reminded Manuar on a noble or high-ranked angel. One of those he only saw from very far away. This person must be important too. Maybe a noble demon? He wasn't sure. The wings act as an indicator for finding out if you have a fallen or a demon in front of you and off course which rank he had before he fell. Manu couldn't see any wings. The stranger with the soft voice didn't show them.

"Can I keep him? Pleeeeeease!", he said looking over his shoulder to the lord on his throne.

Manuar was also able to take a look at the duke of terror. Ivory skin, long golden hair and cold golden eyes. All dressed in deep black with four deep dark wings that shine like obsidian in the candlelight. In one hand a silver goblet decorated with ruby stones in the other one a whip. He took sip and whatever was in that goblet dyed his lips ruby red. Manuar had to swallow.

*Is that blood?*, he thought in fear.

“And what do you want to do with him?”, he ask the person with the white hair putting his goblet on a silver plate a demon brought him.

“Keep him as a pet maybe. I don’t know. But I want to have him.”, the person answered while looking at the fallen angel with big golden puppy eyes.

“Don’t look at me like that. I…”, he said but stopped and sighed. “You know that I can’t resist you if you look at me like that , Askiel. Reminds me too much on your dear mother.”

“I know.”, Askiel said with a smile. “So…I’m allowed to keep him?”

“Yes you are. Take him with you and do with him whatever you please.”, the duke said.

Manuar wasn’t sure what would happen to him now as the demon called Askiel took him with him. He brought him away from the kingdom of the duke to a place that looked more than weird.

“What’s your name cupid? I don’t want to call you cupid all the time so tell me your name.”, Askiel ordered.

“Manuar…sir.”, the cupid answered shyly.

“A pretty name. Sometimes the bastards above there have at least a bit of taste by choosing names.”, Askiel said before he started to circle around the cupid so that he could take a look at him.

“Those pretty little wings. That cherry blossom colored feathers, so small and fluffy. I like them. Such a pity that I have to dock them to make sure that you can’t fly away.”, he said stroking the feathers.

Manuar blushed as he felt how Askiel was stroking his wings but from on moment to the other he jumped away and turned around his eyes opened widely.

“Did…did you say docking them?”, he asked with a trembling voice grabbing his own wings like he wanted to protect them. The only thing an angel was allowed to be proud off. His wings. And Manuar was proud of his wings. Most cupids have white ones and a few have wings that shine a bit bluish but the cherry flower colored wings like he had some where pretty rare and he always felt slightly flattered when he saw how other cupids envied him for his wings.

“No!”, he said walking backwards until he bumped against a wall. Nervously he looked around in hope to find a way to escape but the only door he could find was right behind Askiel.
Askiel had to chuckle as he saw the reaction of the small angel.

*Is there somebody who’s really proud on his wings?* he thought with an evil smile.

“Proud?”, he asked amused.

Manuar wasn’t sure what he should answer. Yes he was proud, but he was allowed to. It wasn’t forbidden to be proud of your wings.

“It would indeed be a pity to dock them but maybe you will try to escape and fly away if I don’t do it.”, the demon said.

“No! Please! Break them, do whatever you want but please…please don’t dock them. I beg you sir. Please.”, Manuar said near to tears. Slowly he slides down the wall to the floor where he sat down his little wings folded behind his back. He was trembling in fear still begging that Askiel would harm his wings.

“Hm…”, Askiel said stepping over to the angel on the floor, “I need to make sure that you can’t fly away. If I will break them they will heal and I have to break them again and I don’t want to break your wings all the time. I could rip you all the feathers out but that would destroy your pretty wings too. So there’s only one possibility besides docking them left…”

Manuar looked up into Askiel’s golden eyes. He was scared as he saw how the demon went down until he could reach the cupid’s ear to whisper something into it.

“If you don’t want me to dock them I have to rip you one wing out.”, he whispered, “You may choose what I shall do.”

Manuar gasped as her heard Askiel’s words. Ripping him one wing out! Did he really say that? Losing one wing and keeping the other one or getting them both destroyed. A true choice of nightmares. What shall he do now? What shall he choose? Both would be hurtful. Not only physical but also mental. He started to cry. He was so overextended and didn’t know what to do.
Askiel let him cry. He just watched him and felt a bit satisfied.

*Did you see that? How I make one of your precious and perfect little feather balls cry. I enjoy it you know. I will destroy his perfect appearance. I will destroy your beautiful creation. And you know why? Because I can and you can’t keep me away from doing it.* , he thought with a short glance upwards.

“Did you make a choice?”, he asked after a while still looking down.

Manuar sniffed shortly before he looked up with tears in his sky-blue eyes.

“Cut one off.”, he whispered and swallowed heavily.

Askiel raised an eyebrow before he said with an evil smile.

“I said you may choose between ripping one out and docking. I never spoke about cutting you know. But it was a nice try.”

The cupid shivered before he swallowed again.

“Then rip one out.”, he whispered even lower than before.

Askiel grabbed the little cupid and pulled him up before he smashed him against the wall. Manuar was trembling in fear still tears in his eyes.

“The left or the right one?”, the demon asked with a sadistic smile.

“I don’t care. You may choose it yourself.”, the angel answered before he clenched his teeth and closed his eyes awaiting the pain that will come.
And it came worse than he ever imagined it. He couldn’t do anything else than scream loudly before the entire world around him turned black and he passed out.

------------------
“Wake up Manu. It’s time to go.”, a deep velvet voice said and Manuar could feel the warm breath of somebody in his face. Slowly he opened his eyes and saw right into the face of a giant white horse with gloomy fire eyes and a bright blue fire mane.

“Abbadon?”, he asked a bit dozily before raised him until he was sitting. He took a deep breath, stretched himself and shook his head to get rid of the sand in his hair. How long did he sleep here? He couldn’t remember.

“Yes it’s me.”, the stallion answered, “You looked like Sleeping Beauty while you were lying there. For a moment I was tempted to take my human form just to kiss you awake.”

Manuar blushed as he heard the demon stallion’s words and looked away.

“Master Askiel would kill you if you touch his property. You know that. I belong to him only.”, the angel replied.

“I know. It’s a pity that he doesn’t want to share his pets with others except his parents. Kind of depressing as my master was used to say.”, the stallion said while he was waiting for the angel to get back in the saddle.

“It somehow hurts if you call me his pet. Even if you are right.”, Manu said and picked up the reins. It was hurtful. He preferred to be called his servant or even his slave but pet sounds so abasing to him. Manuar know that it was true. As a captured angel he would never be equal to demons no matter how low in rank they are. All the power he had was always bonded to the fact that he was his master’s favorite pet and nothing will change if he wouldn’t fall form God’s grace but he was unable to blame God for what happen to him.

*Maybe it was his plan that I got captured, maybe it was the path that was designed for me…maybe…Or maybe I’m only to stupid or stubborn to face the truth* , he often thought when he was all alone.

Lost in his thoughts he rode along the beach listening to the sound of the waves and the crushing noise Abbadon’s hooves made every time he made a new step in the wet sand. The wind was softly blowing letting the bow in Manuar’s only wing dancing in the wind. Askiel placed it there as sign that Manu belong to him since he didn’t want to destroy the angel’s beautiful appearance with a branding on his soft and pale skin. He did it shortly after he ripped his other wing out. The most painful experience he ever made. A pain he would never forget. They walked along the beach for a while both totally silent.

“What do you think what will happen to me if I will fall?”, he suddenly asked and the stallion stopped.

Abbadon turned his head to look at the cupid on his back with surprise before he continued his walk.

“You will be a fallen angel and normally your wings will slowly fade to black. You will develop a little disgust against angels and everything that reminds to the world you came from. And most important you will become equal to demons or maybe even get higher as they are since you were an angel before.”, the stallion answered and snorted. “Why are you asking Manu? Are you thinking about falling from God’s grace?”

The cupid shook his head and replied:

“No. I just wanted to ask. I can’t fall from God’s grace because I need my wing to stay like it is. Master Askiel said as soon as my wing will lose his cherry blossom color he will have no need for me anymore. You know that I will be lost without him. There will be nobody who protects me from other demons or fallen angels. I will be outlawed than and you exactly know what that would mean for a person like me.”

“You will be a toy for everybody who came along until you find a new lord who takes you in. My master would be glad to do so. He really likes you.”, the stallion answered.

“The count likes everything that’s pretty to look at.”, Manu replied, “No matter what it is or which sex it has. “

“Don’t let him look like a perverted old geezer. He’s still an honorable and intellectual gentleman with a good taste.”, the stallion said and fell into a soft trot.

“I’m sorry.”, Manu replied, “I just don’t like him for an unknown reason.”

“You are a cupid. An angel of love. It’s logical that you don’t like him. It’s in your blood to have a slightly disgust for all things that have to do with lust and aren’t based of emotions.”, Abbadon said.

The continued their ride along the water for a while in total silence again.

“It’s pretty here no?”, Manu suddenly said and Abbadon nodded his head.

“Very pretty. I still can’t believe that they created this place only for us. So that we have a place to stay.”, the stallion said.

“I hope we can stay here forever. I don’t want to go back. It’s so peaceful here and master Askiel is so nice. This place makes him so calm and serene. It was long ago that he was as gentle as he is now. For a long while I was really scared of him. I was scared that he would become insane like the duke is. Insane and bloodthirsty.”, Manu shivered.

“The insanity of the duke of terror.”, Abbadon said, “Askiel told you where his insanity comes from did he?”

“Yes he did. That love could drive a person so mad. It’s scary. But I find it scarier that the red queen seemed to be totally sane. How can one lover become so mad while the other one stays totally normal? That’s too high for me to understand It.”, Manu whispered.

“Love is difficult to understand. Even for an angel of love. Askiel loves you too you know. He’s just too proud to show or tell you.”, the stallion said still trotting.

“What did you say? Master Askiel shall love me?! Me, a simple captured angel not even worthy to clean the dirt of his shoes. No. Why should he love me.”, Manu said shaking his head.

“Why should the red queen, a former seraph, love an ex-throne like the duke is? There are thousands of other seraphim that were much more worthy than he is. And she loves him more than any other fallen that exist. So why shouldn’t Askiel love you too? It’s like I say. He’s just too proud to tell or show you how much you mean to him.”, the stallion replied.

Manuar was silent. He simple couldn’t believe what the stallion was saying. Maybe he also didn’t want to. Askiel was and will always be the one who owns him. And an owner never fell in love with his property. It wouldn’t be right if he did it. And by the way a fallen angel shall love a captured one. Impossible. No Askiel didn’t love him. He would never love him. Manu swallowed heavily. And what about him? Does he love his master? The person that stole him a wing, that treated him like dirt, that hurt him because he was bored or simply because he was able to hurt him. The person that tortured him, that scare him nearly to death, that use him like a toy whenever he want no matter if Manuar want it or not. He was totally defenseless against him and Askiel knew that. He knew that all Manuar could always hope for was that he would have mercy with him. And he enjoyed it. How should he love such a person? No he didn’t love his master. He will never love him. Being loyal yes, fear him yes that too, but loving him was impossible. He simply can’t love him no matter how…No he didn’t love him.

“Let’s go home Abbadon. “, he whispered, “I don’t want to come home to late and make my master angry on me.”

Abbadon just snorted and fell into a canter.

*Stupid little angel.* he thought. *You love him as much as he loves you. And you both are just too proud to be honest.*

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Credits:
Lineart © *Darya87
Background © *SweetLittleVampire
Characters © *DatNachtmaehre