Words Never Die

[Endellion Connelly]

( WORDS ) 312 ( TAGGED )  ( NOTES ) none The Phoenix Nest was famous for its strange and unusual fare. Well, famous was probably stretching it. Definitely stretching it. While the book store wasn’t completely unknown, it wasn’t incredibly popular either. Not among regular folk. Housewives and businessmen hardly had need of the books that lined this particular shop’s walls: from mythology to ancient journals, the stock was quite impressive. The kinds of books sold there were the kind collectors searched for, the kind students found themselves inexplicably drawn to and older folk used as hobbies. Endellion “Dell” Connelly had been locating and purchasing items for centuries. All those years of hard work resulted in a store that had a little bit of everything special – thousands of years of knowledge all under one roof. The kind of knowledge one didn’t find in a chain bookstore: lore, legends, and handwritten journals older than some of the countries on earth, some written in empires and kingdoms that hadn’t existed for ages. Now she sat on a stool behind the counter, a large book open before her. The pages were thick and discoloured the ink dark and splattered in places. The words were not English but she read them as easily as she would if they were, and she read them intently, her attention taken completely by whatever the pages before her said. As such, when the bell above the door rang to announce a customer, she did not look up. At least, not immediately. It only took her a few seconds – to finish a sentence, perhaps – to tear her gaze away from the book and let her eyes find the newcomer. She smiled brightly, jumping down from the stool and coming out from behind the counter to greet her customer, her body language warm and friendly. “Hullo there! Welcome to The Phoenix Nest. Is there anything in particular I can help you find?”

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Raphael]

For someone who was absolutely ancient, Raphael was not one to take a whole lot of time off. Out of the nearly infinite number of siblings he had, time off was a rare luxury, because there was work to do and it had to get done. Raphael, in particular, felt a horrid sense of guilt when he took more downtime than necessary, because he knew full well that a few seconds could mean the different between living and dying. There were cases where even he couldn't fix the illness or wounds, but could merely watch as the person's soul left their body. 

It wasn't very often that happened, quite rare in fact, but nonetheless he kept himself busy.

On the times when he allowed himself to unwind, Raphael enjoyed something that would consume him briefly. Not to push the prayers out of mind, oh no, but to quiet them, so that when he returned to work it was even simpler to respond to the wishes of those who called for him. Particularly when the long-suffering, terminal patients who clung to life in dreary hospital rooms prayed for the easement of their suffering, he answered straightaway - and then found a bookstore, or a cinema, or even a beach. Something where he could find life and joy.

Now, for example. An elderly woman, dying of the cancer in her lungs, had called for a priest to join her in prayer to Raphael. Her pain had been evident, and Raphael had dropped what he'd been doing to go to her side. Invisible to all else, he'd allowed her to see a faint glimmer as he placed a hand on her forehead to take away the pain. Helping her had felt good, but now - now he needed a distraction. And a charming bookstore was the just the perfect place.

Stepping inside, Raphael inhaled deeply, the scent of old books filling him with a bone-deep sense of comfort. He smiled at the tinkling of the bell in the doorframe, glancing up before turning to the shopkeeper. She looked far too young to man such a beautiful store on her own, though Raphael knew full well that appearances were plenty decieving. "Afternoon," he replied by way of greeting. "I couldn't name anything specific to look at, though if you've got any suggestions I wouldn't say no. Do you have anything good to distract yourself with?"

Words: { 401 }
Tag: { Endellion Connelly }
Mood: { Weary }
Outfit: { Dark peacoat with a striped blue scarf, black jeans, black boots }
Notes: { nah son }

[Endellion Connelly]

( WORDS ) 351 ( TAGGED ) Raphael  ( OUTFIT )  Click! The more she looked at him the more it seemed that he belonged here among her books. His body was young but his eyes seemed ancient. She wondered briefly if that was a true reflection of him or her imagination running wild. Either way she was pleased as punch to have a customer, especially one who didn’t know what he wanted. Helping people find something particular was easy. Helping someone who wanted suggestions was fun. “All right then,” she said lightly, giving him a quick look-over before gazing around her beloved shop. If she was going to suggest something – which, of course, she was – she needed to get a feel for him first. Returning her attention to the man before her, she smiled slightly. “I’ll gladly offer suggestions, but first I would like to know: is there anything you would like to avoid? Few of the books in this room are less than a century old, and most are topics that some find strange.” Pursing her lips, she watched him thoughtfully, trying her best to keep quiet long enough for him to answer without having her bombard him with questions. This time her best just wasn’t good enough. “I can give you a quick tour if that would be easier. Something might just stick out to you!” Without waiting for a reply from him she spun around, moving to the first set of shelves, excited at the prospect of helping her customer find something to do. “Here we have mythology. All kinds. Greek, Norse, Egyptian. You name it, it’s probably there. Next is scientific theory, and then ancient religions. Those are usually pretty popular, but if you’re not feeling any of those today, there’s also history –“ as she continued leading him around the store “—and art books, old journals of all kinds…” She stopped, turning around with a sheepish grin and a pink tinge to her cheeks. “Gosh, I’m sorry. I get a little ahead of myself at times. If you’d like, you can take a look around and holler if you need me. I’m Endellion. But Dell’s easier.”

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Raphael]

Stepping inside the little shop had been an excellent idea. The tension Raphael had felt in his shoulders was already melting away, and he hadn't even looked at a single book yet. That was, in his mind, always the sign of the way a good and proper bookstore ought to be - somewhere cosy and inviting, stacked high with all sorts of treasures to be found.  The weariness of the day wasn't weighing on him, not when there were books to be discovered. 

He smiled at the shopkeeper, pondering her question. Raphael looked up and glanced around the shop, before saying, "Nothing dreary, I think. It's been a long day of work, so something uplifting would be lovely. Though if you have something with a happy ending, a depressing plot wouldn't be terrible. I've got no issue with how old or strange a topic is - in fact, old and strange is comforting, if you can believe it."

He's old and has seen many weird things in his time, anything a book can come up with is par for the course. Makes him feel young(er), really.

Though initially surprised by her exuberant suggestion for a tour, Raphael found himself charmed immensely by it. He nodded, chuckling. It was a great excuse to spend even more time in the shop, with some lovely company to boot - he'd already hoped to spend time wandering and browsing the shelves, now he had a guide who knew them well. He trailed behind her as she described the various subjects. Even if he would have considered other religions blasphemous years ago, he's come to accept and appreciate them, to the point where reading about the pantheons and deities that didn't include Him for pleasure. Any faith was good faith, right?

"No need to apologise, it's always nice to meet someone so passionate about what they're interested in. And the tour is great, you clearly love this shop." He paused when she gave her name, then offered his hand to shake.  "It's a pleasure, Dell. I'm Raphael."

Words: { 342 }
Tag: { Endellion Connelly }
Mood: { Relaxed }
Outfit: { Dark peacoat with a striped blue scarf, black jeans, black boots }
Notes: { nah son }

[Endellion Connelly]

( WORDS ) 320 ( TAGGED ) Raphael  ( OUTFIT )  Click! “Raphael. ‘God has healed’. Lovely name,” she told him, taking his hand and giving a firm shake. “I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.” Pausing, she smiled slightly. “Give me a moment or two and I’ll have something for you.” Armed with a clearer idea of what he wanted, Dell started going through her mental list of books that fit the criteria. Of course she couldn’t name every book in the shop from memory but a large chunk of them had been in her grasp for a century or more. Books that were new when she was younger were older than some countries on earth – a fact that she found amazing. Sometimes it was easy to forget just how long she had been around for. When she finally thought of a book he might enjoy, she grew momentarily serious, holding up a hand to let him know one minute before disappearing into the depths of the shop. It only took a handful of seconds for her to reach the section the journals called home, but finding the specific journal took a little longer. Seeing as the journals were generally leather or fabric bound, they didn’t carry titles on their spines. After a bit of searching she pulled out the book with a quiet, “Aha!” and unwrapped its leather cord to open the cover. Once she confirmed that it was, indeed, the book she was looking for, she gingerly closed it and made her way back to her customer with hurried steps. Looking much like a cat who just found a treat, Dell held the journal out to him with both hands. “It’s a journal,” she informed him conversationally. “It might not be exactly what you’re in the mood for today, but it’s not all doom and gloom. Quite funny, actually. The writer lived a few hundred years ago and despite his dreary circumstances, he had a lot of light in him.”

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Raphael]

Raphael couldn't help but be impressed when she rattled off the meaning of his name without even pausing to think about it first. He could have done the same, certainly, but only because he was the Raphael, the healer. The name simply hadn't existed prior to his creation. Otherwise, had he been mortal, in all likelihood he would have had to have looked up his own name to determine the meaning. 

"Oooh, correct - well done." he replied with a nod. "And the same to you, it really is a pleasure."

Dell was gone then, off hunting down a book for him. Raphael stepped back as she left then, fixing the carefully knotted scarf around his neck and scratching underneath it. He didn't have a wool allergy - couldn't possibly have an allergy to anything - but sometimes it still itched when he got too warm. Loosening it, and undoing the top button of his peacoat, he drifted to one of the shelves and turned his head to read the title printed on the side. The books Dell sold were clearly old, some more worn than others but all of them well cared for now. He liked that. 

He gently pulling a book from the shelf, flipping it open to peruse it. It was old English, something not many modern people could understand, but Raphael had attended Shakespeare's plays when they first debuted and the old script was almost nostalgic. When Dell came back he'd barely started the first page, so closing the book to look at what she'd brought was no trouble. "That sounds wonderful!" he exclaimed, carefully returning the book he'd taken to the shelf so that he could accept the journal. His fingers brushed the cover. "I find sometimes that a good laugh can make a hard day so much better, don't you?"

Words: { 306 }
Tag: { Endellion Connelly }
Mood: { Content }
Outfit: { Dark peacoat with a striped blue scarf, black jeans, black boots }
Notes: { nah son }

[Endellion Connelly]

( WORDS ) 308 ( TAGGED ) Raphael  ( OUTFIT )  Click! Maybe it was strange to announce the meaning of someone’s name, but she didn’t think so. Besides, if he said anything she could just brush it off and attribute it to being a reader, claim she read it in a book once or that she had a thing for names. Both were true, but it was also true that sometimes it felt like she just knew things. Logically she knew that if she knew something it was because she learned it once upon a time, but when she couldn’t remember when or how she came across the information, it was easy to think of it as spontaneous knowledge. She laughed quietly, shaking her head. “It’s in the Book of Angels. At least I think that’s where I read it.” She knew very well that that was exactly where she read it, but she had to at least try not to look like a know-it-all. Leaving it at that, she went off. Back, Dell shifted her weight from one foot to the other while Raphael examined the journal. The gentleness in the way he ran his fingertips over the cover made her less anxious and the bright colour that invaded her cheeks slowly faded. “You could borrow it,” she mused quietly, watching him curiously, head tilted to the side. He wasn’t like the other young men who came to her shop. He wasn’t a student, looking for something to help him write the perfect essay. He wasn’t bored and looking for some random thing to hold his attention for a few hours. If anything, he seemed more like her than anyone else she’d come across. “If you promise to bring it back, to treat it with respect.” The Phoenix was quiet for a moment, still watching, blue eyes taking him in again before meeting his. “I trust you would.”

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Raphael]

He wasn't phased much by her giving the meaning of his name. Flattered by it, if anything - he might be old and (very nearly) literally biblical, but everyone likes to know that they still have someone who liked them, right? Compared to his siblings, Raphael was still relatively well-known, but he was hardly as infamous as Gabriel or Michael, called for only when someone was in great need of his care - not that he disliked healing, or his job, but it was always lovely to  not have to explain that he wasn't named for the painter. He wouldn't say no to a little recognition, even in such a minor way.

The very reference of the Book of Angels made Raphael smile, as well, delighted with her seemingly endless wealth of facts and trivia. It had been a long time since he'd spoken to anyone about it, let alone with him not bringing it up. "That's a classic," he said. "I personally prefer the Book of Tobit. The Book of Angels is great when you look at angels on the whole, though it sometimes misses the finer details, you know?"


He was still admiring the fine detail work on the journal's cover when Dell made her offer. Raphael looked back up, eyes wide with something akin to disbelief and surprise. Pleasantly surprised that she would make such a delightful offer, especially since they had only just met. "Really?" He looked back down at the book, holding it with just enough firmness that it wouldn't fall, but gently enough that it wouldn't be damaged. "I - I'd never treat it with anything other than the respect it deserves," he replied, voice firm. "I'm very grateful for the offer, and I think I'll take you up on it. At the very least, let me buy another book, I can't just walk out without buying something. This place is great."

Words: { 318 }
Tag: { Endellion Connelly }
Mood: { Content }
Outfit: { Dark peacoat with a striped blue scarf, black jeans, black boots }
Notes: { you only like the book of tobit because you are the only angel and p much the second star you vain twit of an angel }

[Endellion Connelly]

( WORDS ) 328 ( TAGGED ) Raphael  ( OUTFIT )  Click!      Out of all the books Dell had stumbled upon – or actively searched out – that related to the Christian God, The Book of Angels was one of her favourites. She loved the variety, the differences between each of the angels it named. The downside was that there simply was not enough information about each of them. When she first stumbled upon it she was enamored with the archangel Gabriel, the one said to have been the one to tell Mary that she would bear the Lord’s Son. But over the years, after countless readings, she took a liking to the archangel Raphael, the healer.      It was because of this liking that she searched out the book of scripture this Raphael mentioned. Endellion grinned brightly, brushing loose hair back behind her ear, her earrings revealed by the action. “I adore that one. The angel Raphael has been my favourite for centuries.” Her eyes widened, a nervous laugh escaped her, and she shook her head. “Obviously it couldn’t possibly be centuries…it only feels as though it’s been so long.” Not a good lie. Dell was an awful liar. Telling a story she’d told for years was easy, but making up an excuse out of thin air was never her strong suit.      His reaction to her offer to lend him the book had her chuckling. “Aye, really.” She nodded once as he went on, promising the respect she asked for it. “I see that. I don’t make this offer to every person who enters my shop, you see. Only the ones I feel I can trust.” It backfired on her a few times but she refused to give up doing this one thing that made her and others happy. “You seem a man with a good heart. Would a week be long enough? If you find at the end of it that you’ve not had enough time, you can always return and tell me so,” she told him with a sweet smile.

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Raphael]

How the writer had managed to capture so much of Raphael's tests for Tobit and family was still a mystery to him, two millennia on. It wasn't like he was prone to declaring when he did such things, after all, he was obeying the will of God in doing the whole thing and healing Tobit of his blindness, and that was the sort of thing you just didn't discuss with humans in case they got ideas. Granted, they got ideas any ways, but better to encourage faith and belief in miracles than to encourage mischief and lies. The point is - even though Raphael had no idea how the story got out, he was glad it did, because it meant that he had people praying to him on occasion and that meant he had a job. Happy ending for all.

"I'd love to hear your thoughts on it," he said. "After all, angels aren't supposed to lie, but he called himself Azarias in the story. It's always interesting to hear how people interpret that." Much as he hated referring to himself in third-person, Raphael didn't want to drop himself into the story. Might raise questions, which was a no-no. Then again, Dell said at first that she had been a fan of his for centuries, which - humans couldn't really live beyond a century, let alone centuries plural. Curious. He could peer into her mind and see if it was a genuine slip of the tongue, but Raphael disliked doing that. Let people have their secrets, voice them only in the secrecy of the confessional, reveal them in prayer. 

"I feel like I've been a fan of the Book of Tobit for centuries, too. Amazing how time flies, right?" 

The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled. "I'd love to borrow it, and a week is plenty of time, I'll probably have it done in half that. Probably start reading it soon as I leave." Raphael was honestly, truly touched by her offer, delighted at the generosity of a modern person. Wasn't so common, nowadays, and it was wonderful to see charity - nevermind that the shop and Dell were charming, or that he'd definitely become a downright regular in no time. 

Words: { 373 }
Tag: { Endellion Connelly }
Mood: { Content }
Outfit: { Dark peacoat with a striped blue scarf, black jeans, black boots }
Notes: { nah son }

[Endellion Connelly]

( WORDS ) 315 ( TAGGED ) Raphael  ( OUTFIT )  Click!      Dell shrugged a shoulder, trying not to look like she was born ready for this moment. She tried instead to look as though this was an interesting question, and only that. Of course, she was never very good at hiding her excitement, not unless it was very important to. (Auctions were very competitive and giving someone even a hint that you wanted something could result in a bidding war, and she was not very fond of those.)      “He didn’t lie to be malicious. To me, that’s what matters. He lied because he had no other choice, not if he was going to obey God. He protected his identity and he did good things for those people,” she explained, for once sounding more like a woman than like a teenage girl with too much sugar in her system. “I can understand why he had to lie. I prefer honesty, as many do, but sometimes dishonesty is the only viable option.” For example, she didn’t go around telling people what she was. Sure, the Pluses, vampires and werewolves and all of them had made themselves known but as far as she knew she was the only one of her kind. With that thought in her mind she was more than wary of being revealed.      Some of the worried tension that built up in her shoulders fled at his comment about time flying. Oh thank heavens! “Truly amazing.”      “Do you live around here?” She asked him, partly out of curiosity and partly out of wondering if she’d see him in her store again after he returned the book. It would be nice, she thought. This was the most comfortable she’d been with another person since her adoptive parents died, and that was a long time ago. Too long. But…if he was sticking around, maybe he could be more than a customer.      He might even be a friend someday.

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Raphael]

Over the years, a number of theological scholars had attempted to explain away the reason for his lie. They'd written papers and theses on his actions and gave their reasonings. He'd read all of them, curious as to how they try to portray him. Some had come close, some had been way off, but Dell had the reason slap-bang on the head. Not even a pause or a hesitation while she considered the question, just tossed it out nice and easy. "I agree! And besides, it would have been hard to test Tobit or Tobias if they had known who and what he was. By using a pseudonym, they reacted and spoke more honestly."

That was the crux of the whole matter, really - he had to test their faith and had they been aware that he was an angel, they would have tried to cheat their way out of the test. "Lying isn't a good thing on the whole, but there are cases where it is the better option," he said. "Not very often, of course, but sometimes it's the only way to keep people safe."

"Me?" Raphael said, blinking. It was a fair, probably not unexpected question. He should have expectedit, and a fair part of Raphael wanted to out and admit who he was - he had a suspicion that Dell would have been excited by that. Or have been terrified, people had highly variable reactions to angels. And he could always drop clues, right? He adjusted his grip on the book before saying, "I don't really have a set place where I live. I travel a lot for work, feels like I'm always flying somewhere. I'm a doctor."

He loved her shop, though, it had already found a comfortable niche in his heart and Dell herself was - wonderful, really, she was easy to talk to and they certainly got on well enough. "I spend a lot of time in England, though, you can't get rid of me that easily."

Words: { 334 }
Tag: { Endellion Connelly }
Mood: { Content }
Outfit: { Dark peacoat with a striped blue scarf, black jeans, black boots }
Notes: { nah son }

[Endellion Connelly]

( WORDS ) 390 ( TAGGED ) Raphael  ( OUTFIT )  Click!      “I saw that. It took a while, but it once I finally understood, it made sense.” It may have seemed like she gave the question little to no thought, but that was untrue. Endellion was baffled when she first read the Book of Tobit. It was incredibly confusing to her that a holy being who was not supposed to lie… did. She had a lot more time to think about it than most of the scholars, and she used that time to her advantage, pondering the question until she found an answer she believed was true. It was the only one that settled nicely, that really fit, and it made her like the angel more than she had before. As a healer he was impressive, kind, and compassionate and that drew her to him regardless of the lying. What made the lie easier to take was that she could relate to the sort of lie he told, and that was something she appreciated. Relating to people wasn’t always the easiest for someone who lived – and would live – as long as she did. “I agree,” she said simply. “Sometimes a lie is the only option, but that doesn’t make it a good thing.”      The conversation on lies had dimmed her enthusiasm in favour of a more mature response but she perked up at the mention of no set home, a little of her serious demeanour slipping away. “You travel then? I…used to do that,” she said, her smile on the edge of wistful. Despite her hesitation there was nothing untrue about her statement. “I saw so much of the world, so many people. It was awe-inspiring. Sad.” So many people, yes, and so many of them suffered. She cocked her head to the side curiously, looking at him like his face was a page of symbols she was working to decode. “You’re a doctor. I don’t get many of that type here, honestly. You’re something else. Something more than the stuffy men and women who claim to care about the people they are charged to help.” Biting her lip, she shook her head, breaking her stare with a quiet chuckle. “You’ve a better heart, I can tell. You’re a good one.”      His non-threat drew another laugh from her, this one a sound of pure amusement. “As if I would want to.”

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Raphael]

It had taken him a remarkable number of years for Raphael to realize how conflicted humans were over his actions. He'd enjoyed their confusion, once he noticed it, and didn't bother to correct their new theories as they arose. Let them think what they like - he knew the reason for his lie, and it was without sin. Humans often forgot that, though angels were more rigidly ruled than they were, there was still some flexibility in the system. So long as they weren't outright defying the rules and did the will of the Lord, they were able to do what they must. That was the biggest thing - if it was God's will, then angels had to obey, plain and simple. "You're one of the few who get it, then," he said. "Not very many do."

The idea of having a set home or residence was beyond him. Sure, he had a home in Heaven, and he kept small lockers on various continents for clothes or local currency as he needed it, but he didn't really rest and therefore, in his logic, didn't really need a home. If, for some bizarre reason, he really wanted a bed to crash on, he could always get a cheap motel room. Regardless, his answer seemed to make Dell smile, and that was its own reward. Raphael smiled brightly. 

"Travel's always fun, though I'm sure I have more frequent flier miles than I could ever use in one lifetime," Raphael joked. "What made you stop? If you enjoyed it that much, I can't imagine what would make you stop."

His smile widened. "Not many doctors travel for work as much as me, most tend to stay put until they get moved to another hospital or clinic. I do most of my work in more religion-oriented facilities, usually when the patient isn't doing so well. It can be hard, sometimes."

Raphael snorted, running a hand through his hair to get it out of his eyes. "That's good, because you're stuck with me now."

Words: { 339 }
Tag: { Endellion Connelly }
Mood: { Content }
Outfit: { Dark peacoat with a striped blue scarf, black jeans, black boots }
Notes: { nah son }

[Endellion Connelly]

( WORDS ) 414 ( TAGGED ) Raphael  ( OUTFIT )  Click!      "I had a long time to think about it," she admitted with a shrug. Out of all of the books whose contents she puzzled over through the years, the Book of Tobit had been on her mind the longest. It was one she found fascinating and, along with the Book of Angels, was one she read again each year. She didn't need to: Endellion rarely forgot the things she read, especially if she had any sort of vested interest in the subject, but she enjoyed refreshing her memory: it kept her ideas and opinions from going stale. "I like to go over motives and symbolism. Really, I like to analyze books. I find they're more fascinating that way."      When she had travelled, she had felt free -- but also lonely. Moving from place to place on a regular basis meant that many of the people she met she would never see again. It didn't help that she tended to stick to shallow relationships. That was a particularly confusing part of her personality, even from her own viewpoint, because all she really wanted was a meaningful relationship, to have a friend or two who she could trust. One who, well, wouldn't disappear on her. Wouldn't grow old and die, leaving her heartbroken and lonely again. She'd been there before and she didn't fancy being there again.      "I wanted to settle down, stay in one place for a while. Travelling started to be a sort of addiction. I needed to plant some roots," she told him with a slight smile. "Thankfully my job allows me to travel still. The difference is that I have a home to come back to when I'm done. It's...comforting."      "Somehow I'm not surprised your work is generally religion-based. You have that sort of...energy, for lack of a better word. You just seem the type. After all, not just anyone walks in and talks about the Book of Tobit," she joked, chuckling. Sobering, she nodded. "I've not been in your position, but I think I can understand what you mean, at least a little. I saw my fair share of suffering in my travels, just not often as up close and personal as I'm sure you endure."      At her guest's quick laugh, Dell couldn't help grinning. "Stuck with you? Be careful, Raphael, you're starting to sound like you might be more than a customer." He'd be a good friend, I think. But best not chance it. Note: Raphael, it's rude to enjoy people's confusion

MADE BY VEL OF GS