yes, we believe in the wisdom of our god

[jovahs_heiress]

Isabella is generally referred to as: promising.

Angels in general are a breed apart. Of course they've all got lovely voices, they've all got classical music training and know the masses and prayers, they're all blessed winged creatures -

But that doesn't mean they're all smart, or all good, even (Isabella was taken to see Windy Point, once, or what's left of it, and of course she sees the scars on Galo Mountain every year at the Gloria; there stood angels who were not good). And Isabella is smart and good.

Isabella is always the first to volunteer for an intercession. She likes them. She'll call down weather, plead for seeds, pray a shower of medicine to fall from the sky, and she will get what she asks for, and she loves nothing more than to dive from hours aloft in prayer and clasp the hands of the people she helped and go home to the Eyrie to take on her next assignment. When there are none - when there is the right amount of rain and sun in the province, when there is no plague and no famine - she studies. She studies a bit of everything, but she fancies herself particularly a historian, investigating the accounts of Archangels' reigns past. From books, mostly, although once she wrangled herself a year in Cedar Hills to assist the Archangel Linus, and when she is in the Eyrie she closely follows the leader of the host there, the former term-lapsed Archangel Delilah.

She tried to get in with the other living former Archangel, too, Alleluia the oracle who served as Delilah's interim while the latter's wing recovered from an injury, but after a few hours' conversation Alleluia said that she could not accept Isabella as even a temporary acolyte and sent her to Peninnah instead. Isabella learned a lot from Peninnah, but she's confused about why Alleluia turned her down personally only to send her to another oracle, after such a prolonged interview. Particularly since Sinai is in her own province; what was the point in sending her all the way to Gaza?

But the instruction came from an oracle, and oracles' words more often than not come from Jovah. She went to Gaza, learned from Peninnah, and went home.

Now she is back at the Eyrie, and the first thing she wants to do is let Delilah know that she's back. Her wings aren't so tired that she can't immediately fly to the Corinnis or the outskirts of Semorrah or anywhere and accomplish something. Failing that, she'd love to sign up for harmonies again now that she's home and wants to know what she ought to schedule around.

Delilah is with her husband Noah, and a visitor. He doesn't seem like a petitioner, and he doesn't look like an Edori, although the fact that he and Noah are talking in Edori suggests that he might be an adopted one. (There are hardly any Edori of either sort left; most of them live in Ysral, now.) Isabella waits patiently outside the door for the host leader's attention.

Comments

[jovahs_heiress]

"Okay. Did you figure out how to work the machines or do you want me to show you first?" she asks, starting for the kitchens; she didn't mind singing for an hour on an empty stomach but it has emphatically become breakfast time.

[pythbox]

"I'll figure it out," he says confidently.

[jovahs_heiress]

"Okay. Be careful not to break them - they were broken once a while ago and I'm sure it would annoy Caleb to be hauled all the way back here to fix them."

Breakfast is had, pastries and loaded omelettes and bowls of fruit. And then Isabella gives him one very thorough kiss and heads for the nearest takeoff point.

[pythbox]

Micaiah goes to the music rooms, and picks that song she was having him learn, and practices.

[jovahs_heiress]

Isabella flies to Sinai.

Alleluia is surprised to see her again, but understands when asked the question, and provides what Jovah can tell her about Micaiah's birthplace.

It's not too far. It's in Semorrah. (Why does he keep reminding her of the angelica Rachel?)

She flies to Semorrah, and finds the records hall, and inquires after Canaan and Judith.

And she is sure to act sufficiently aloof that no one asks why.

[pythbox]

Canaan and Judith had one son, Azaziah, who went missing about ten years ago.

Now they have another one. His name is Nathaniel and he is nine years old.

[jovahs_heiress]

Isabella receives an address from the hall of records - you don't gainsay an angel, not even a young one who won't tell you what she wants, unless you're looking for trouble.

She finds this address, and she sits on the roof of the stack of apartments across the street from it to see what she can see.

Introducing herself would let Micaiah's parents find her - and hence Micaiah. If she can determine that Nathaniel is no longer at this house, or that he's happy, she can just go.

If she determines that Nathaniel is present and unhappy, things are more complicated, but she can tell her father not to let anyone of Canaan's description into the Eyrie.

[pythbox]

Visible through the window: a little boy with dark messy hair and a solemn face, sitting quietly in a chair and watching an older woman read a book.

Apparently, Micaiah takes after his mother. Judith has the same hair and similar features.

[jovahs_heiress]

Isabella decides to wait. She will interrupt if anything dreadful happens, but it will be easier if she can catch Nathaniel while he's out of the house away from his parents.

[pythbox]

Canaan enters the room.

The first thing he does is draw the curtains shut.

[jovahs_heiress]

Fire and lightning.

Isabella glides down from the roof, concocting a half-baked story, and knocks on the door.

[pythbox]

A servant opens it.

"...Yes, angela?"

[jovahs_heiress]

"Hello! The Eyrie children's choir director is hoping to add some voices from a little farther afield than the Eyrie itself and Velora at the Gloria this year." (This is actually true.) "I'm helping him look." (This is true in the sense that if she picks up Nathaniel and carries him away she may as well try slotting him into the children's choir.) "I noticed a little boy the right age through the window. Is there any chance I can meet him?"

[pythbox]

"I will ask," the young woman says doubtfully, and closes the door.

[jovahs_heiress]

Isabella waits.

[pythbox]

The young woman returns shortly after, and she brings Judith.

"What's this about my son joining a children's choir?"

[jovahs_heiress]

Isabella repeats the out-of-context fact about the director wanting voices from farther afield and having seen Nathaniel through the window.

[pythbox]

"I think that would be a fine idea," Judith says firmly.

[jovahs_heiress]

"Is there someplace I can talk to your son where some singing won't bother anyone?" Isabella asks with a winning smile.

[pythbox]

"I'm afraid he's with his father now, and they're not to be disturbed," Judith says in a tone of polite regret. "Would you like to come back another time?"

[jovahs_heiress]

"Finding children for the choir is not my primary business in Semorrah, and I don't plan to be in the city for much longer," Isabella says slowly. "I suppose I can go get lunch and come back in an hour? Will he be available then?"

She doesn't like it, but her cover story doesn't have an opening for pushiness.

[pythbox]

"That should be fine," says Judith. "Canaan takes his family time very seriously, that's all."

[jovahs_heiress]

"Of course. I'll be back then. Do you happen to know if there are any restaurants here with angel chairs?" Isabella asks.

[pythbox]

She brightens. "I do, in fact!" And she gives directions to someplace just down the street.

[jovahs_heiress]

Isabella thanks her. She goes there. She eats lunch, and minds the time, and, an hour later, returns to the house.