Fic: 'War and Vengeance in My Heart'
Username: kith_koby
House: Sharizai
Title: 'War and Vengeance in My Heart'
Characters/Pairings: Elua, Camael
Summary: What is war, and where is love in it?
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None, before both trilogies.
Word Count: 1,001
# of Scenes: 1
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I am merely a humble beggar, sampling from the table of Jacqueline Carey, who must dwell with the angels she writes about. I gain no profit from this work beyond the joy I had in writing it.
Notes: Will be posted on Fanfiction.net under my username Meneldur and on Elua's Children here on LiveJournal.
I wanted to feel out the motives of some of the angels following Elua, especially the lesser-known ones, whose reasons are not expounded on. I started with Azza, and wrote up 'The Pride of Your Power'. Finally, the muse hit again, and inspired me regarding Camael. I apologize if it seems unwieldy, but I wanted to keep a somewhat biblical/chronicle style in this story. I hope I've succeeded in that (again). The sources for the verses used are Isaiah 63:4 ('Vengeance in My Heart'), Deuteronomy 32:41 ('If I whet my glittering sword…'), Deuteronomy 5:9 ('visiting the iniquity…'), Zachariah 14:3 ('shall the Lord go forth…') and the Song of Songs (The Song of Solomon) 8:6 ('love is strong as death…'. Of course, all capitalized 'He' refer to the Lord. 'Life is war against the malice of others' is a quote by Baltasar Gracian.
Of course, feedback is always solicited and appreciated.
And after the Companions had rescued Elua, they fled Persis, and were lead by Camael, for he knew best the ways of war, and how to defend them against the King of Persis and his minions. And when they had rested, Elua came to Camael, and spoke with him; and he wondered, for all he wanted was love for all, and Camael was amongst the warlords of God, martial and disciplined, and had never shown any inclination for love. And so he stood before him, and asked: "Wherefore come you, my Lord Camael, to rescue me? And why have you left your Hosts behind you, when all you know is war, and all I wish to know is love?"
And Camael looked at him with eyes that burned like flames, and his sword was naked in his hands, and gleamed with a light that could not be perceived by mortal eyes. But Elua saw, and knew fear; for few were as splendid as this messenger of the Lord, who would vie with Gabriel and Michael themselves had the Lord permitted it, and oft caused anger to Raphael, who had to heal the wounds left by Camael.
But when Camael answered, his voice was soft; and though none of his splendor had diminished, Elua saw compassion in his eyes. And he began to see that things were not as he may have thought at first. And Camael answered, and was not angered.
"My Lord Elua, many think the same of me: that I am vengeful, and care only for war, to inflict pain on the people of the Earth.
But this is untrue. For if I am vengeful, it is not in my own pursuit; but rather the divine justice of the Lord, which demands that the suffering one caused will be returned onto him. Was it not said 'If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me'?
Nor do you understand war, or its purpose. For you think it is to cause pain and gain victory; but that is untrue. How can one defend oneself without making war? Even he that loves all, will all love him? And all life is war against the malice of others.
My Lord Elua, the true purpose of war is usually known only to those who make it. But I tell you now, that we do not do so to cause pain or even gain power. Rather, we do so to let love last. For Peace is a product of Order, and Order of Civilization; yet how can Civilization grow without its defenders, and how can Peace last against attackers if it did not make war? And is there any more Order than that of the Martial Law, where all is known, and one must follow his superior?"
And Elua heard, and understood; and he knew that indeed, there was truth in what Camel said, and that even his love may need war at times. But he still queried, for he did not understand: "Then I see how you may follow me despite our beliefs; but I do not know why. For what reason did you leave the Hosts of my Grandfather, and chose to follow me?"
And Camael's eyes blazed, but his voice remained soft. "I followed the Lord since time began, and indeed, does not my name mean, 'He who seeks God'? It was I who sent Adam out of the Garden, and I who marshaled the Hosts of the Lord under Gabriel. But the Lord does not permit me to do as I wish; for He waits with His vengeance, even as He said 'visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation'. Nor does He wish or allow war any longer; for He has retreated to the heavens, and has said that He will not make war again until His final day, and only then 'shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle.'
Lastly, He and His Hosts do not understand what I seek in war; for there is love in it, as strong as death, even as the Wisest said 'love is strong as death… the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame'. But I see in your eyes your understanding, Elua; you have found that there is love in all places, and know that it may be found even in war; and for that, I will follow you, and defend you until the end of Earth itself."
Then Camel kneeled before Elua, and swore on his sword to defend and attack for him, so as to allow love to grow; and Elua raised him up, and kissed him, and was glad; and that night, they knew each other, and Elua learned of the splendor and love in war and order, of the strength and viciousness of it.
And when they came at last to what would become Terre d'Ange, Camael took the easternmost part for himself; for its people were hardy and warlike, and the land was mountainous like a fortress, and Camael knew that from there could come the most danger; and he had sworn to defend Elua.
And he took for consort a woman with silver hair, whose clan had perished attacking him. And their symbol was the eagle, which he took for himself, for he had much love for the great eagles of the mountains, who reminded him of himself. And his descendants took on the name Aigle Mort, 'Eagle Death'; for their father had been the death of the Eagle Clan, and yet it lived on through him; and ever after, when one of them came of age, he would be taken to hunt the great eagles of the mountains, to keep the memory of the angel who was both the life and death of eagles.