Spinning Fate's Threads

This is mostly for Taz, who pushed, prodded and harassed Abel out from under the bed where he was hiding. Thanks.

Abel squirmed around in his seat. Skye had come in to start putting up his hair for the ceremony and he felt the oddest sensation being around her. Like he couldn’t exactly look her in the eye after everything that had happened with her sons the night before. It was embarrassing anyway. Lord knew he shouldn’t even be contemplating doing the things he had with two other men considering his position as a Vatican Priest much less doing what he had with them.

“Relax, bebe,” Skye said, putting the final twist of a braid into place. “You did nothing wrong.”

“Wh . . . what do you mean?” Abel stammered.

Skye just gave him the “look” and smiled faintly. “You’re broadcasting, chere. Which I’ll ask you not to do since they’re my sons and that’s really something a mother shouldn’t have in her head concerning her offspring.”

Abel’s face flamed so intensely he could have sworn someone had set him on fire.

***

By the time Skye had finished his hair and he’d been helped into clean clothes Abel felt almost ready to come out of his skin. He calmed somewhat when the door to his room opened to reveal Blaze, Takara, Tres and Circe standing there. Blaze came forward and put her arms around him as she had a million times when he was younger. He towered over her now but somehow she still made him feel like a child well loved and protected. She pulled back and took his face in her hands.

“This is just making it official, Abel,” she said, smiling up at him. “You’ve always been mine. From the instant I met a certain stubborn, hateful, completely rotten brat, you belonged to me.” She looped her arm through his and started to lead him out the door. “Come on. Let’s get this nonsense over with.”

As they walked down the hallway, Takara took Abel’s other arm. They were followed by Tres and Circe as they made their way along everyone else in the family filed in behind them, closely followed by the assorted members of both the Vatican and the Empire.

The double doors to the great hall swung open and the procession followed the path already cleared for them to the center of the room. Abel felt his muscles begin to twitch nervously, the reality of everything that was about to happen finally truly setting in. He rode the sense of awe that had suddenly struck him. He was wanted. He was loved and supported. He would have a family whose ties to him hadn’t been cemented in death and blood. A mother where he’d never known one before, fathers and brothers where there had been no other men to guide him for centuries and another sister where there had only been Seth.

A quiet fell over the room as Callieach came forward from the crowd. Everyone but Blaze, Tatsumi, Watari, Takara, Jeirn and Crawford fell back a few steps.
Callieach took his hands in hers and said, “Abel Nightroad, know that it has been said many times true families rarely grow up in the same household. While ties of blood are important, the families we make for ourselves along the path of life are often closer than blood kin. By whose will is this child made part of this family?”

Blaze stepped forward, holding onto Tatsumi and Watari’s hands. “By my husbands’, my children and mine.”

“Abel Nightroad, are you willing to accept these people as your family?” Callieach asked.

Abel nodded, not really trusting his voice at the moment.

Callieach looked at Blaze and everyone else. “Then take your places as parents and siblings,” she said.

Abel was still a bit startled as Blaze stepped in front of him and put her arms around his waist, followed by Tatsumi and Watari on either side and Takara, Crawford and Jeirn at his back. Callieach walked around the circle of people.


“Let it be known that as of this moment, this child is a member of High Queen Edana’s family. As such, he will be called as a prince of the realm and shall be regarded as such. Abel Nightroad, You are safe, you are loved, welcome home.
Within this circle
Of welcoming arms -
You are safe, you are loved, you are Home.”

Home. He could barely fathom the sheer magnitude of what that meant. Home was something he’d never dreamed in his long life he’d have. Home had been something unattainable for close to a millennia, something he could only fantasize about. Neither Vatican nor Empire had ever been home to him. He suddenly realized home didn’t have to be a place. Home was where ever your heart belonged and his heart belonged with the people around him now. There was no ulterior motive with them, no hidden agendas, they knew exactly what he was and wanted only his safety and happiness.

Everything about his world had shattered suddenly and was being reassembled into something he’d been desperate for but afraid to name. He blinked back the tears that threatened to spill before squeezing his eyes closed. He would not embarrass these wonderful and amazing people by crying. His arms were wrapped around Blaze, face buried in her hair, hanging on to her as though his life depended on it. He was surprised when he felt a strong hand run along the back of his neck.

“Just breathe, son,” Tatsumi said. “You don’t need to do or say anything else right now. Just breathe.”

Abel took several short, hitching breaths before he could breathe properly and slowly. Only then did he realize he’d been on the verge of hyperventilating. He lifted his head to look at first Blaze, who was smiling at him, before turning to look at Tatsumi then Watari. He looked over his shoulder at Takara, Crawford and Jeirn. His family by choice instead of chance. What a beautiful choice it was.

Everyone began to draw back and Blaze gave him one last squeeze before letting go and taking his hand. She led him over to where Circe stood waiting next to Callieach. Blaze placed Abel’s hand into Circe’s and she smiled up at him before taking a deep breath and turning toward the double doors that had suddenly appeared next to them. Circe pressed his hand a little tighter before starting to sing in a high, clear voice that surely angels envied.

“Ave Maria, gratia plena.
Maria, gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Ave, ave dominus,
Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
Et benedictus
Et benedictus fructus ventris,
Ventris tui, Jesus.
Ave Maria.

Abel stood before the doors, trying not to fidget as he waited for them to open, a thousand and one thoughts racing through his head. What if she didn’t like him? What if he disappointed her? What if he couldn’t do anything she wanted him to or live up to her expectations? Before he could worry himself further, Circe’s voice rose, stronger and more beautiful than he’d ever heard it. He wondered vaguely if it was part of her natural abilities but the song seemed to take on its own life, wrapping around him as securely as someone’s arms. He looked from her to the glowing portal and swallowed nervously as the door before him swung open. He initially only saw Uri, Circe, Gun and Hunter’s older brother, escorting a petite figure and wearing the biggest smile he’d ever seen on the angel. But his eyes shifted to the small woman at his side. At first, he thought his eyes were playing a trick on him as he stared at the woman who was to be his spirit mother. Unlike those gathered behind him, she wore only a simple dress of woven blue linen with a white veil over her dark hair. A simple rope belted the dress at her waist, making her appear like a simple peasant woman who had wandered into a celebration of nobles.

She walked forward, a welcoming smile on her face, and she clasped Abel’s hands in hers. He swallowed hard. She was real. This wasn’t an illusion. But why would She want to help *him* by being his spirit mother? Even to the point of getting the *Morrigan* to back down? The blood was roaring in his ears as she led him back to where Blaze and her family - his family now - stood waiting. He was vaguely aware of someone talking but at that point, Abel’s only concern was trying to keep from passing out.

Cheering snapped him out of his stunned daze, and he blinked, looking around. People were coming forward, huge smiles on their faces, to offer their congratulations on the adoption. A small sound slipped out of Abel and his eyes sought out those of his friends. He felt like laughing at the dazed looks on some of their faces as they stared at Abel and his spirit mother. After all, who would have thought he would have the Holy Virgin Mary as a spirit mother?


***A/N***
I'm not even vaguely Catholic but I still think Ave Maria is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written.