Finding Maggie

Chapter Sixty-Four - Darcy's Story

Chapter Sixty-Four - Darcy's Story

“I suppose I should start by saying that much of this began before well before I met you.” Darcy began, watching Maggie listen intently to his words. “As a Lesser, I looked up to Mikhail quite a bit. Many of us did, actually. He was the first to be put upon the throne who had not fallen from Heaven but had been born within Hell. We at least had that much in common. Even when he ruled from Earth, it was like a breath of fresh air every time word came to us for one such order or another. After Leviathan's disastrous reign, Mikhail seemed to many of us like a godsend.

“I don't think he knew it at the time, but I was one of his appointed stewards. There were hundreds of us, of course, and I certainly don't blame him for not noticing me. But, I was lucky in that I was one of the few Lessers granted the ability to get near to him.” Darcy looked over to where Mikhail sat but he didn't even seem to be listening. Instead, he was staring at the girl who held his children, his cold eyes watching her every move as though she were important. Darcy sighed and returned his attention to Maggie who sat quietly waiting for him to continue. “I ran messages for him mostly, moving between Hell and Earth almost every day and I loved it. I loved the freedom it afforded me even in servitude. While most were stuck here for their entire lives, I was able to leave and come back as needed.

“Confessing this now seems rather wrong but I suppose given the time that had past beyond my crimes I should simply be done with it. But, despite the laws of Hell, I stole things. Earthly things. Mostly trinkets and whatnot. Things that would probably not be noticed as missing until it was far too late. Of course, I never stole from Mikhail, I knew better than that. But, from my pilfering, I was able to save enough to buy my wife. I know to you it sounds wrong but by now you should understand how Hell works. But either way, that was what I did.

“At first, she was frightened of me and I couldn't blame her for it. I had taken her away from her family and her home and I brought her into my life where I was gone most of the time, leaving her alone and to fend for herself. I will say now that I don't think we ever really got along. She supported me and I supported her but it was more of a business transaction than anything else. But, when my first child was born, things changed for me. I saw her in a new light, a light where she had given me the best gift I could ever receive and there I was treating her like an asset instead of a partner.

“It took years, but I slowly got her to believe that I had changed. Mind you, I still don't think it was love. But I cared for her and my child more than I cared about myself. And, as the years went by, she continued having child after child until our family grew large and I had little ones climbing all over the place, laughing and crying and screaming and playing, and I adored them all. But, Mikhail was always my first priority. I missed the births of most of my children because I was on trips to and from Earth for him and it never really struck me as wrong. I remember, she would beg me to stay with her, claiming she missed me and needed me more than Mikhail needed me, and I resented her for it. She just couldn't understand my line of work no matter how many times I tried to explain it.

“I know now that I was being stupid. Mikhail certainly didn't need me as much as I claimed he did. He didn't even notice my existence! I was just one of many that popped into his life during his days on Earth and I could have easily given my wife the time she asked for. And then you came into the picture.” Darcy gave Maggie a weak smile. “You brought Mikhail back to Hell and with his return, I lost my freedom to go to Earth. I certainly didn't blame you, of course, you had no idea what his return meant for me. But suddenly, I was stuck at home with my wife who purposefully distanced herself from me and a packed hovel crammed with children who I barely knew. And my life quickly became dreadful. No matter how hard I tried, she wouldn't let me near her and I had no chance of making up all that lost time with her.