Felix leaned up, and blinked his eyes, stupefied. Indeed, the events that had occurred at his funeral had not only gotten his attention, but also that of a considerable crowd of angels. They all watched with such shocked faces as this slaying of a holy official occurred. Usually this was a time to weep. It was for this reason that Felix was so surprised, when everyone started doing the exact opposite. Excited chatter filled the air, as people reacted to what had just went on below.
Felix felt immense pride. His successor had so faithfully avenged him, as well as the kingdom in its entirety. "If only they were here to see this," he lamented, hanging his head. "May they be watching from Heaven. Oh, wait! That's what I'm doing!" the King put his palm to his face, as he where he was.
"You get used to it after a while," a gleeful wolf-angel passing by responded, walking away now.
It still took another few seconds for the lion to realize what was possible, but he suddenly widened his eyes, feeling a great rush of excitement. He nearly cried with the possibility, both in the joy if it was true and the fear that it wasn't. How? How would he do it? He looked around in confusion. Where would he go to do this? How would he see his most cherished companion again?
The answer slapped him in the face. An equine spirit, flapping around on a black-and-yellow striped set of wings, whinnied as he accidentally ran into the king. He was carrying a set of flyers.
"Oh, my apologies! Oh, let me pick those up for you," Felix now mewled.
"Your Highness! Why— I think they're for you!" the horse whinnied with a grin, reassembling the stack and handing a sheet to the king.
"A MOST HEAVENLY REUNION," Felix read to himself. "At the Valentian hall." He saw his own picture, and Ophelia's. "Lovers to meet again."
He set the sheet down, now feeling a twinge of disappointment, but also with an excitement unable to be diluted by it. Felix promptly rushed off to wherever this heavenly embassy was, eager to see what awaited him there.
—
Ophelia sighed, resting her own amber wings as she sat. A bright yellow halo shone behind her head. She had a few days ago received word that her husband had now died, in such a painful and frightening way.
Disappointing news. Now, though, she was ready, for something she figured she would be doing a long time from now, but needed to be done.
It was only a few minutes or so after when the time finally came, but for the Queen, it felt like eternity. The chatter reverberated up and around an archway which no man could build. Each nation of the world, past or present, had their own hall in the Kingdom of God, as a way for souls to remain patriotic as they wished. This, or to keep up with the affairs of these different nations, especially ones such as these.
A king and a queen were destined to reunite here, and take their thrones in this heavenly dominion.
Afon sighed, standing in the gilded hall, reminiscing on that fateful day. He was only getting used to this heavenly life, until he heard of an event that would warrant him heading back down to Earth for a visit. It was a strenuous process, but very much worth it, to give the King a good lesson. This wasn't the result he thought would occur, as the corgi hoped the lion would manage to rule with such a weight on his life. It was an unrealistic hope, he knew. Things happened as they did, those hasty decisions made and done, and there was no changing it now.
Soon, the trumpet rang out. It wasn't like any earthly trumpet, by any means. Instead of shrill and rasp, it was perfectly clear, with the literally heavenly echo the hall provided. Felix was presently escorted in by a few royal guards, after having found this heavenly temple of Valentia. They angels of Valentian mortal-origin, save for someone he recognized as soon as he saw him.
"Sir Afon?" the King asked in a hush, trying not to break the apparently formal procession. He could remember that cobalt-bronze armor, but now it was much more ornate and splendorous, with matching copper blue-speckled wings to boot.
"In the flesh," the Cambrian smiled as he answered, turning for just a second. "Not the flesh, but you know what I mean," he then quipped, turning his fluffed corgi head back around. The King would have heartily laughed had he not been in this state of amazement.
A few curtains unfurled, and Ophelia stood behind them, her wings spread and halo shining. She stepped forth, gracefully as ever, if not more so without any mortal clumsiness.
Felix was reminded of his wedding day, as he, in turn, stepped closer and closer to her. They eventually got face-to-face, and embraced, to many cheers.
"You're so beautiful, Ophelia," Felix sniffled a little, shaking.
"I'm so, so glad you're here. You're beautiful too, love," the Queen chuckled. "Shh. Do not cry, now. You're majestic, oh, how you really are," she continued. "And I always thought you were, down there, but how right that is now!"
The king laughed, now feeling in better, jovial spirit. "You know exactly how to make me laugh like that, you know."
"As do you," Ophelia nodded. "Now that we're both here, we finally have this beginning together... Felix," the queen now softly meowed.
"What?" Felix asked, getting pulled a little closer.
"I love you," Ophelia softly said.
"You know I love you too," the lion replied, cupping Ophelia's fluffed cheek, but with a twinge of uncertainty. He looked into her eyes, and saw their lips got closer, but Felix started to think harder. She was always there. A rock on which to lean on, so long as he was the same. Not a complacent queen, or a woman as the mortal world would cruelly define. He could hear her breathe, this close, and his warm breath washed over her face. A kiss was what the audience expected, being the whole celebratory end.
A kiss was what neither lion, nor what the audience, got. Felix's breath wavered a little, soft huffs now replacing the steady flow, and he knelt on both knees, the queen stepping back so he could do this. Bitter, angry tears ran down his golden face, while their hands were still held, and the King collapsed. He heaved, heartbroken.
"I don't know why," the King pleaded. "I can't do this. I can't do this sort of thing again... I love you, but— but not like this, Ophelia. I'm sorry."
"What? What is the matter, Felix?" the lioness replied, confused. "We're here, and we're with each other. Isn't that what matters?"
"Yes. You know how lucky I feel to see you again, after what I have done," the maned angel answered. "But I would think you, above anyone else, would know my true sorrow."
The lioness looked nervously around, at the onlookers of this ceremony, who were growing increasingly wary. "Felix, I don't think now is the time. This is supposed to be a formal sort of thing, you know. People are expecting our union to resume."
"And what must I do? Must I pretend now, as I was made to pretend then? Must I go on with one of the cruelest rules, of the cruel game of life?" Felix's voice raised as he cried on his knees, in the middle of the hall. "That is not what Heaven is. I will not further my guilt by enjoying Paradise, and giving my affection to only you. For as much as you might deserve what I of it I've given, and what I swear I will still give, you know well that you are not the subject of my truest love."
At this, there was a collective noise of alarm from the angelic audience.
"Stop this, Felix," Ophelia hushed. "I don't know where Cameron has gone. I would tell you now if I did. I just— I wouldn't get your hopes up," she stammered, frightened by her own theory.
"NO!" Felix roared, aghast. "He couldn't possibly have. He was so pure of a soul, and so faithful, he— no, no! NO! I KNIGHTED HIM, for God's sake! He can't have. Why— I'm guilty of his same sins, if that was the case!"
"You are a king," Ophelia tried to reason.
"And this excuses me somehow? No. To hell with that— to hell with me, if so! I reject my royal pardon, if I am only here because of it!" Felix shouted, shaking his fist at the sky. "I say this, to the Saint who granted me my place, and to the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY! GRANT ME NOTHING MORE THAN YOU DID THAT DOG!"
"PLEASE, Felix, calm down!" shuddered the Queen, also kneeling. "This is hard for me, too. I miss him dearly. But there is nothing I can do, if what I say is true."
The lion believed his mortal wife. She was, after all, the one who discovered and cherished his friendship and unending sweetness first, and probably treasured it as much as he did. He gave her a tight embrace, then loosened it, defeated. He stood, and spread his wings, looking to the amazed spirits watching. This reunion had gone about as well as his funeral did, in the domain of the living.
"What are you doing, dear?" Ophelia now asked, tears running down her cheek.
"I can stay no longer. I will cherish you more than ever, Ophelia, but I must mourn with this knowledge, and I can't in front of everyone, here," Felix simply stated.
"I understand. I will know where to find you, in that case," the Queen nodded. She stood, and gave the King a tender, affectionate kiss on the cheek, which was returned by Felix to her forehead. The King took a slow procession out the door, accompanied by the corgi knight, who seemed to understand.
"If I may say something before you leave, Your Highness," Afon meekly suggested, once they were back outside.
"I'm never the sort to have to ask," Felix said, and awaited.
"Don't lose hope, for that is the true travesty," gruffed the corgi, who gave a warm smile.
"Bless you, Afon," Felix gently smiled as he said, then turned, and decided on which direction to fly. He spread his vibrant wings, then dashed off, finding the lift in his wings he earned. The lion flew away from this hub of Heaven, and into the clouds, his momentarily happy demeanor now succumbing again to the deep despair he felt in his heart.
If this was Heaven indeed, how cruel it now truly was, and no wonder why angels cried.