An Uncertain Present

Chapter 9: Moonlight Proposal

****Daniel's POV****

His wings felt heavy by the time he landed in the house for the night. Daniel felt a nervous energy racking his frame, as it has for the past week now. He could not say why, but something was telling him that there was danger on the horizon. Perhaps it's Raziel's warning finally coming to pass. But what enemy is out there? Who is my Father supposed to fight? It unnerved him to think that it might be the very fallen angels his twin sister had sacrificed herself to destroy them all. Everything inside him boiled in anger at the mere idea, no, possibility (because that is what it was at this point) that they could be back.

"The Dark Order, if they are back...then they'll pay for what they've done." His aching hands clench tightly at his sides, turning his knuckles a pale white at the strain. "I'll make sure of it."

It is with this in mind that Daniel had decided to go to the Lightwood Manor that night instead of returning back to his home in Italy. He knew that his siblings would have questions for him about his whereabouts, but right now he could not be bothered to care. I'll text them that I'm okay. That's all they really need to know.

Daniel did know that text would only be halfway true. It had been almost two days now since he had talked to his father. The fact that Alec inadvertently had learned about Sara without actually learning about her at all tugged at his heart strings. They had been placed long ago out of tune in concerns to Sara, so they played a sad twang that just made him ache all over.

Sara....you're go- he wouldn't dare allow himself to finish that thought, not while his parabatai rune still burns on his abdomen. There was no explanation as to why this rune still sent pain swarming in his veins from time to time. Daniel had his own theory though: Sara was punishing him for failing her. Pippa would tell him he was being ludicrous, and Harry would likely just do that sad puppy look he always made when something upset him. Daniel didn't need their pity, didn't want it either.

But with each passing year I still get it. Some things never change.

Silently he walks through the halls of the manor. Those black wings get dragged around like dead weight through the halls. They are sweat damp from so much flying, leaking out trickles of body fluid onto the floor. Despite Daniel's occasional visits here, the place was still covered in layers of dust. Plenty of the furniture was covered in the pale yellow tarp that would normally be layered on stuff in an attic to keep it mint condition.

Daniel could fondly remember the many decades he had spent living here. He can see each slab of stone, every slate of wood, and each smile of all the people he lived with while here. Daniel can see his wife, Harmony with all her grace and tenderness. No one had ever moved in the way she could, with each footfall like a small caress of the earth. Her eyes had been endless pools of green, the fountained into a truth he could never grasp. She had always been something more, a bright light in his universe. Daniel had grieved her terribly when she'd passed on. The same had been done when his daughter and two sons had died too. Those were some of his worst days, those deaths a stabbing knife in his heart that made it spout with blood.

"I thought I might find you here." As he knows this voice, Daniel doesn't take a defensive stance as he turns around.

Armando is standing there, one unimpressed eyebrow raised as his arms remain crossed over his chest. It was his classic 'judging without saying anything' look. Out of all the faces Armando made this one was one of his least favorite, third to outright anger and tearful sadness. After knowing each other for so long, Daniel had likely seen all Armando's emotions, but sadness was always the worst of all.

If I could I'd make sure you never had anything to be sad about again.

Considering what an emotional mess he himself is however, Daniel finds it highly unlikely he'd be of much help to his friend, even if he knew Armando would reassure him otherwise.