"Miss Natalie!" James knelt down and smiled kindly at the young girl, his voice gentle and soft. "I'm so sorry I scared you and everyone else the other night. I was so out of it. Can you ever forgive me?" James was still feeling guilty for his bout of uncontrollable rage brought on by an unexpected confrontation with his estranged father, and the terrible battle that had ensued. 

"Amber said you were in a battle fury...thing. It's ok. I'm glad she warned us cause you would've cut me in half, like whoosh. Is that a pony?" Natalie gasped. James chuckled. 

"She is, and she's for you!" 

"No way!" 

"Scout's honor! Here, up you go!" James sat Natalie in the saddle and she squirmed excitedly. Her mother came out, handing her the cardboard angel wings and halo she'd just made. James gasped and blushed. 

"Angel wings?" He teased, truthfully rather touched. 

"Yep. I just turned 9. Mom, I wanna go with Jamesy." Natalie whined; James chuckled, finding her cute. 

"Yes, I suppose you are safe with him. 2 hours only, Natalie." 

"But he got me a pony!" 

"He'll have to keep her, we can't afford it." 

"Mom!" 

"No problem. See you later!" James waited politely as Natalie's mom talked to her, she pouted a bit more than they set off, her pony following James' huge Percheron warhorse on a rope. He took them to a now dead forest where they could chill. 

"By the way my friend, this is Thunder." James said kindly, patting the enormous draft horse. Natalie petted him after James helped her down. 

"He's nice. How's Lonely?" Natalie asked him. James sighed and smiled dreamily at the mention of his beloved girl. 

"Great, thank you. I had to apologize for scaring her too, I feel awful about it...sorry again." 

"Whatever, it's ok. I like Lonely." 

"She likes you too!" James beamed, thrilled to hear that. He shifted his huge wings and presented Natalie with armor and two swords. 

"Seriously?" She gasped. 

"Yes, it'll be our secret, if you like. Put em on, and I'll teach you how to fight!" James play growled. 

"No way! Ok...how.." 

James grinned and fastened her in, and he carefully fenced with her with his own 2 huge broadswords. 

"Swords up...parry...push down...good! Nice job, Nat." James instructed. 

"I like the sound it makes." Natalie remarked. She noticed then the little bolts of lightning on her big friend's wings. 

"Jamesy....why..." 

He got her meaning, possessing a very quick wit. 

"Oh...yeah, that. I haven't been able to turn it off since the fight with my dad. I...don't like being a...a spellcaster, like him." James muttered at the end. 

"Wow that sucks. Can you control it?" Natalie wondered with a shrug. 

"Well I uh....good question, Nat. Want me to..."

"Yeah, do it!" Natalie egged. 

"Sure! Here goes!" James chuckled. He thought of his father, which seemed to focus his lightning magic. His wings crackled and glowed, his irises, normally blue, glowed orange and he channeled a fearsome bolt of lightning from the clouds and with a loud snarl he stuck out his arms and shot it into a dead tree, making it explode. 

"Whoa, shit! Oops...mom says no swearing. Blow something else up!" Natalie laughed, "That was cool!" 

James laughed and blushed, rubbing his neck shyly. 

"You really think so? Oh...oh yes. I'll blow up...that boulder." 

James shuddered and ground his teeth, pouring all his effort into the lightning spell. The rock cracked then exploded. 

"Cool! Oh here." Natalie switched gears, hopping over to him, he sighed, feeling the magic and angry fuel that drove it calm inside him, and he smiled at her with open fondness. She slipped a bracelet on his big wrist that had blue beads and his name. 

"Oh Nat, did you make this?" He asked, clearing his throat as his voice was hoarse in emotion. He was very sensitive but he tried his best to hide it. 

"Yup." Natalie replied. 

"I'm gonna kiss ya!" James teased her, blushing and chucking, but he only tickled her shyly. 

"Don't kiss me!" She shrieked in laughter. 

"I won't!" He laughed loudly. 

"Ok...fine. You may kiss my hand only." Natalie decided, extending it like nobility. James gave a gallant bow, extending his enormous wings out for show, and gently taking her hand in his he kissed it softly. 

"My lady." He said, bowing deeper. 

"Excellent, angel prince. Let us ride home." Natalie commanded, enjoying playing royalty. 

"My pleasure." James agreed, suddenly his young friend surprised him by leaping on him and wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed his cheek. He laughed happily, all smiles and blushing even harder. 

"Oh, I got one!" He teased her. 

"Don't tell, James!" Natalie teased back, hushing him, he smiled, her finger to his lips. "Boys are gross. But not you." She added. James guffawed, blushing more. 

"Oh Nat, thank you!" 

"Uhuh." She giggled, and the they hugged, his wings around her tightly, eyes closed and smiling. The two friends and siblings in spirit didn't realize that miles away in his sorcerer's tower, James' father Abaddon was watching them through his magic mirror. 

"A little girl and 2 mares, one an eccentric saint, the other a fierce warrior. What strange company you keep, my son. Still fighting the magic within you. Amusing, to be sure. I have no doubts I'll be seeing you soon." Abaddon mused, casting a spell as he watched Natalie and James ride off together in his mirror. "Very soon." Abaddon whispered, he muttered in Latin and with a flash of fire and a spread of his black wings he vanished, leaving only the vision in the mirror in an empty room.