Jasper of Moline

Chapter Nine

“my… guardian angel?” Jasper asked slowly, trying to make sense of her words. Was this a joke? Was this a child who got lost and was telling childish lies?

He didn’t know. but if it was all a lie, then why did his heart burn the way it did?

Why did a part of him believe?

she nodded affirmatively and looked around, and then at the pool of water by which she sat.

“ this place, it’s called ‘ the pool of angels.” it’s where pilgrims, like you, come in contact with their guardian angels. if and only if they stop by this pool, when they ponder it, gently asking their questions, humbly trying to know. Then those pilgrims, drae Heaven near them, and so Heaven comes close to them. As i have come to you, Jasper of moline. i have been sent by heaven to you.”

“ you really- really are my guardian angel?”

she nodded sweetly, gently, “ I am.”

“ Are you really a child?”

she laughed, and he thought of tinkling bells, “ I have only come in the form of a child.”

“ Like Abraham and the travellers?”

“ Exactly.” she said, and smiled brightly.

“ So what is this pool?” he asked, gesturing to unmoving water.

“ Like i said, this place is called the “pool of angels” in not moving forward, in staying and wondering, I came.”

“ Did I call you? ‘cause i’ve been doing that alot lately.”

she chuckled, and her eyes shone bright,

“ no, not necessarily. is this about the princess?”

In a normal situation, he wouldn’t have ventured into his personal problems with a six-year old. but this was an angel, and so he ran his hand through his long length of hair and breathed out a, “ what the hell?”

“ It is. I've seen it in my dreams twice. one when she was younger, fire in her eyes. And then another, older, eyes wiser, but she hadn’t lost that light that always seemed to warm. she said i called her, how?”

Dahlia the angel smiled, and looked at him, as if she saw straight into his soul, maybe she did,

“ You did call her. but these are mysteries, bigger than you. but in time, Jasper of moline. In time, you’ll understand. she is, dare i say, a part of you, and you a part of her. there are choices to be made. i pray to God you’ll always make the right ones. As you have now.” she paused and smiled, not the toothy grin of a six year old, but that of a wizened elderly person, in that moment he believed.

“ she’ll come again.  she waits for you, unknowing to her, and you? you walk this path toward her, for her. i’m proud of you, Jasper. And the Heavens rejoice of you.” her eyes narrowed,

“ the evil one, he lurks. don’t travel, late at night. find a place of settlement at dusk, or a little after dusk. God is with you, and i’m ever close. see you soon, Son of the most high, peace be with you.” And then she vanished, leaving Jasper with peace and strength to keep going.

“ Thank you.” he said, looking up.

Then taking out his bottle, he took a chance and put his bottle into the pool and grinned when he looked into the bottle and saw that the water in it moved, and found himself laughing, just a little.

“ of course.” he mumbled.

~~~

The man from the bar, Ralph was his name. He walked by night, the moon a witness, to the home of a sorcerer, dark glee on his face, heart in throat. He was going to see one with magicks, he was going to invoke arts that were dark. He should have been afraid- in reality he was- but his desire for revenge, to get back at one he felt humiliated by kept him going, darkness was his rejoicing.

 Another’s pain would be his gain. Twisted as it was.

And he laughed, the wind carrying the sound of his madness, blowing it, east, west, north and south. it was true what the bible said, the wicked didn’t sleep until they had done evil.

“ welcome Ralph. i’ve been expecting you.”

~~~

He looked at the map, his brows askew. He thought he was close to the castle, but something was wrong. he must had detoured because he had been walking east for the past two days when he should have been walking west. he groaned out his frustration,

“ How could I have made such a drastic mistake?” he asked, his left palm on his forehead.

A day had passed since he met Dahlia. making a detour had led him to her, or at the very least, led him to the pool. So has it all been a mistake after all?

he didn’t know. but he was more than grateful, so very grateful for that encounter. So in the end, he wasn’t al;l that miserable about what was going on. He ran the palm on his forehead down his face. frustration was a killer, he couldn’t allow himself sit still and remain blue. He was grateful he met Dahlia, grateful he saw that pool, grateful he got some of its water, which he found to be sweet. so what if the detour was something divine, afterall?

He got up and picked up his map, running his hand through his hair, he turned around, trying to make a decision on which path to take. He saw one, a trail, one that shone bright and true. he couldn’t help but think of Dahlia, couldn’t help but think of God sending her to shine a light on his way. he looked, spotted a bright light and smiled, a gri that stretched out across his face, one that could warm the heart.

So maybe he had gone a different way the past two days, but to him- when he considered the pool of Angels, when considered meeting Dahlia, knowing he didn’t walk alone, to him- it was all very worth it.

He gathered his things, and made for the trail. It was all very worth it, he thought, with a smile.