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Penance

by LonelyRider

Artwork by

https://www.furaffinity.net/user/impendingsenseofdoom/

Lonely was feeling relieved to be alive the next day. The hourglass sands ran out and she took the blueberry muffins out of the oven, her mother's recipe with lemon. She blew on them and gasped and grinned, closing her eyes, as she felt her boyfriend's burly arms hug her tightly from behind and give her neck an affectionate nuzzle.

"Good morning, baby girl. You look so pretty and adorable. How are ya, honey?" James purred, kissing her thick hair, towering over her with his 6 foot 6 inch muscled frame.

"Good morning, my darling angel. I made my mom's muffin recipe for us. Please, sit." Lonely replied. James chuckled mischievously and tickled her, making her laugh and squirm, she tickled him back and his true nature showed, he laughed and blushed, squirming too.

"Oh, I'm sorry baby! That's what I get. Hmm, you're so pretty." He crooned, grinning and blushing more. Lonely caressed his groomed short bearded cheek.

"Not as lovely as you." She said. He blushed harder, hiding behind his wing.

"I...ahh...th....aww." He blushed more and held his face, embarrassed he couldn't form a sentence.

"I won't tell anyone, tough guy! I think you're so cute!" Lonely squeaked, serving him 6 muffins; she knew he had a voracious appetite. He beamed at her, and she kissed him, she felt his big gentle hand on her cheek, stroking tenderly. She smiled and nuzzled it. The two enjoyed a warm breakfast and afterward, they sat on a swinging bench in Lonely's rose garden. Her house was a modest stone cottage with straw roof.

"What a beautiful day, huh baby? Want to go riding with me?" James asked, stretching and then taking her hands in his gently.

"I'd love to honey, but I have cleaning to do here. Would you take out my pony with you and Thunder when you go, for exercise?" Lonely asked.

"Absolutely sweetheart. But don't think I won't miss you! And Thunder too, right boy?" James and Lonely both laughed and petted the huge draft horse as he came over to say hello, and James fed him an apple.

"I didn't want to ruin breakfast, I had a rough day yesterday." Lonely confided. James stopped petting his horse, who was still sniffing him for more treats.

"Easy, boy. Honey, what happened?" James asked, putting his hand over hers.

"As you know I was providing food to the poor and story to the children. Oh, they were lovely! A woman was sick, so I prayed for her. The captain of the guard had warned me to stay away, and he arrested me."

James' face contorted in rage.

"What?" He hissed, seething.

"I'm afraid that's not all my dear. He had his men...well, let's say I was nearly martyred to the sea. Our heavenly Father spared me, and sent Archangel Michael to my rescue! Praise God and thanks to his mighty champion." Lonely prayed gratefully, shutting her eyes and sighing. James touched her face, his body shivering, lightning bolts all over his wings and his huge muscles tensing. His voice was raspy.

"Please.....sweetheart....his name, this captain who did this to you." James begged. Lonely sighed, her eyes kind. She touched his face.

"Oh my darling, your heart is virtuous, as ever. I should not tell you my love, please understand it's not that I don't trust you! Let us forgive him and forget."

James was humbled by his girl's kindness.

"I just...this wretched world doesn't deserve you in it, you know that? I should've been there to prevent it." James sniffled and frantically wiped his tears. Lonely gently lay his head to her bosom, and he instantly relaxed, wrapping her close in his wings greedily.

"Shhh my beautiful boy, it's all right now." She kissed his hair.

"I don't really want to leave you now." He half joked, cradling her face softly.

"Worry not, my brave James. God is always with us both." Lonely said kindly, touching his heart; it was beating hard. They kissed, tears ran down his face though he wiped them fast. She smiled and placed a cross necklace over his neck.

"I know you don't believe, that's ok. It will protect you." She said fondly. He grasped it, smiling at her sentimentally.

"To be honest baby, I don't know anymore. Sometimes I get scared I'm...starting to believe." He confessed in a low whisper. Lonely closed her eyes and nuzzled him, and they purred. How that confession touched her. They didn't notice his halo and magic glowing.

James was on the road with Thunder, Lonely's pony following on a long rope behind. He spied a regiment ahead and approached curiously on his warhorse. A fancy stylized L was on the flag the army carried.

"Hello, and you are?" The slight man asked. He had 6 men with him, all on steeds.

"James LightningSword, gladiator tanker, oh, and uh, apprentice spellcaster, at your service." James bowed on his horse, who pawed the ground and snorted.

"I see, you're quite the brute. You may ride with us."

They were mostly quiet.

"I didn't see any remains from yesterday's sacrifice." The lead man said to his soldiers. James perked and cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry, what do you mean?" He asked as their mounts walked.

"A plump girl came to our town yesterday. A Christian. I told her not to spew her filth on the townsfolk but she returned. So, I fed the witch to the sea serpent." The lead man laughed.

"What did she look like?" James asked, panting. This story was horrifying enough if it wasn't who he thought it might be.

"A mule girl, with white fur, short, a cross, wh....what!" The man gasped, cause James abruptly lost the battle with his temper and lunged for Captain LeBlanc's throat, knocking him off his horse.

"YOU! You're the scum who tried to martyr my girl! I'm gonna break you." James snarled, shuddering in fury, as he withdrew his two broadswords, lightning crackled on them and his wings and bracers.

"Men, stop him!" LeBlanc shouted, scrambling away from the much larger angel. The men came at James, but he was in an eerie, calm rage. He grabbed them, slamming them into trees and rocks like they were children, knocking them cold. He was nearly 400 pounds of muscle and they were no match for him. One by one they all fell; he didn't kill them, just knocked them out, his murderous gaze fixed on LeBlanc, who screamed and scurried away. James roared and jumped, using his wings to leap high and slam down over the captain. He'd never done it before, but in his irrational rage he stretched out a slew of lightning magic like rope between his hands. He looped it fast around the captain's feet and swung him around, tossing him 30 feet with a crack when he landed.

"No...no, get away from me, you monster! Ahhhhh!!" LeBlanc screamed and shook all over. An enraged James made a loop with his lightning magic and garrotted LeBlanc, strangling him with it from behind. James was out of his mind with rage and the need to avenge. He didn't normally fight like this. He deliberately poured more power into the magic, literally torturing LeBlanc, who screamed and screamed in agony.

"Take it, you worm!" James screamed into his ear, a crazed look in his eyes. LeBlanc passed out, he could take no more abuse. James spit on him and stood up, panting in rage. He raised his leg and pressed his armored boot on LeBlanc's head, having every intention of crushing the man's skull under it.

James felt a nudge, which he ignored. Then another. His horse looked him in the eyes, his eyes gentle and innocent.

"T...thunder?" James said, snapped out of his murderous trance. Slowly, James' charger led him away, though he looked back, his horse kept nudging and leading him off. James leaned on the mighty beast, trying to calm, shaking from adrenaline.

"But he..." James snarled, his fist and teeth clenched, starting to go back. Thunder nieghed loudly in his face and nudged him very hard this time, pushing him away and not taking no for an answer. He bit James' shirt under his armor and led him away in front of him by force, James protesting the entire time.