"We've arrived," Raphael commanded, and Celeste offered a quick nod in agreement.

Raphael arrived at the house and immediately set alight the torch tied to porch pole. No hospitality was sought or found; all they required was rest, for the house appeared to be barely furnished. The room contained only one bed, beside which was a small dining table with three chairs. In front of the dining table were stones arranged in some sort of pattern, and there was a pile of charcoal inside. There were no other rooms; it was quite simply one large chamber.
"This is my home," Raphael said, gestures with his hand. "It may not be as grand as what you have up there, but it serves me well enough - a shelter from the rain and storms of this cruel world." He paused, looking around at the humble house with a glimmer of pride in his eye. "Trust me, it's more than enough for me."

Celeste's gaze turned icy in response to Raphael's words. "I said nothing of the sort, not even a hint of an insult," she snapped back, her voice tinged with irritation.

"It's writ plain on your face, angel," Raphael said with a mockingly.

"My expression?" Celeste growled. Irritation flooded her face. "What do you know of it?!"

Raphael's lips quirked in a half-smile. "Ah, so you've already grown fond of your role as a human, it seems," he said as he went over to the small food storage near the dining table and took out some bread. "No wonder God didn't bestow angels with any lust upon their creation." He chuckled softly, amused by the thought.

Celeste had heard the human's words and, though it pained her, she knew they were true. Humankind was a wretched thing, as evidenced by the changes she'd seen in such a short span of time. She felt disgust bubble up inside her as she contemplated the depths of humans' depravity - and yet, here she was among them.

Celeste planted herself in one of the chairs across from Raphael and posed her question with a hint of disbelief. "How can you compare your home to the sky," she queried, her voice dripping with incredulity, "you can't even go there".

"Throughout the royal palace, many of the paintings depict what is transpiring in the heavens - even the largest temple and palace roofs were masterfully crafted with those images," Raphael exposited.

Celeste inquired, her voice soft but inquisitive, "How is it depicted?"

Raphael smiled cryptically. "You'll see when the time is right," he said as he placed a plate of peanut butter bread before Celeste. She eyed the food warily, unsure if she should trust it, but in the end her hunger won out and she began to eat.

"So have you come to repay me?", Celeste demanded, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Raphael chewed the bread thoughtfully in his mouth, its flavor swirling around him like a song. When he had finished, he spoke with the remains of the bite still clinging to his lips. "Replying to what?"

Celeste spoke in a soft voice, her words lingering in the air like an unfinished song. "All the questions I didn't answer before," she said.

At that Raphael burst out laughing, making Celeste even more astonished. "You're really funny, you're like a great theater performer. Even now you can feel suspicious."

Celeste could scarcely comprehend the man who stood before her, his mind a fathomless void. All she felt from his heart was mockery of angels - a sentiment which was far from amusing. With a heavy sigh, she tore off a crusty chunk of bread and began to slowly chew on it.

Celeste spoke, shattering the peaceful quiet, "Do you live alone, Raphael?"

"Aye, I may be alone," Raphael said with a knowing smile, "but here in this village I'm as famous as any other, so I ain't truly alone." His words wound around themselves in a circle.

Celeste looked uncomfortable and out of sorts, as though she felt something foreign on her skin, some dark and unpleasant presence. Raphael gazed at her, as if he knew exactly what she was going through.

"It is time to wash that body of yours," He gestured towards Celeste.

"Hmmm..." Celeste mused, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"It's only natural for a human," Raphael said, his voice gruff. "You'll become accustomed to it with time. Follow me; I will show you where to take a shower."

Celeste followed Raphael's lead and stood up from her seat. His tall, broad frame cut a stark silhouette against the faint light of the room. He walked towards the back door, which led to a small cubicle just beyond. With an open palm, he motioned for Celeste. "There," Raphael said, pointing.

Celeste nodded and stepped into it.

"Best scrub your whole body, lest you don't know how," Raphael japed at Celeste, a sly smile curling across his lips.

The angel heaved a sigh, her gaze flickering over Raphael with disapproving eyes.

*****