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Published:
2016-04-23
Completed:
2016-04-23
Words:
17,518
Chapters:
6/6
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154
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Hinging on Destiny

Summary:

Although House Riesen gave the appearance of protecting Vega's children, certain industries within the once decadent Las Vegas still remained....

Abandoned by father at the age of eleven, Alex is left to fight for his very survival in a city where children kill each other just to ensure a larger portion of rations. So when the chance at a comfortable life is offered, Alex says yes without a moment’s hesitation, and all he has to do is agree to partake in a ceremony called “The Proposal,” where the elite of Vega vie for the hands of Madam’s students.

As his final year draws to an end, Alex has resigned himself to his fate of becoming a consort to one of Vega's elite until Archangel Michael steps in with plans of his own. Plans that Alex never dreamed he'd have a choice in.

Notes:

I would like to thank knowmefirst for the amazing artwork she created for me. She came in at the last minute and managed to give me not one, but four wonderful pieces. I am so very grateful to her and the work she does. So be sure to head over to her post here and leave some love!

Chapter 1: The Proposal

Chapter Text

"Alex..." 

Maybe it was the tone or the intensity of the being’s gaze as he spoke, but a rush of overwhelming anger seemed to pour from the one called Alex. “You told me to fight my own battles, but I was a child, Michael. I didn’t want to fight, I wanted to be safe… as safe as I was before my dad left me here!”

“There were other options, Alex.”

“Being a child soldier was not on my list of things I wanted to do,” Alex scoffed. “Madam offered me a chance out of the tunnels and all I had to do was allow her to make me into the perfect companion.”

“You’ll never be one of them.” Alex didn’t stop a sneer from marring his face at the simplicity of Michael’s statement, like rising above the rank of V-1 was his primary goal.

At eleven, Alex’s only concern was food and staying alive long enough to see the sunrise over Vega. So when Madam’s husband had found him huddling for warmth during one cold March night, Alex hadn’t been stupid to look a gift horse in the mouth. Madam had been completely upfront with Alex regarding everything. In exchange for food, shelter, and a grammar school education for the next eight years, all Alex had to do was agree to take part in the Proposal, the Academy’s version of a graduation ceremony.

“You don’t get it,” Alex ground out with clenched teeth. “Because all you do is spend your days high above in your aerie, looking down your nose at the poor humans. We just want to matter to someone, somewhere in this shit hole you Angels created! I know what I’m doing, so stay out of this!”

"Do you?” Michael questioned, peering intently at the young human, as though he was searching for any sign of fear on Alex’s face. “Do you realize what will happen to you?"

"Yes! I will be used as breeding stock and when everything is said and done, my children will be in a better position than I ever was,” he exclaimed heatedly. “I know they’ll never be of equal rank to my spouse, but they'll be higher on the food chain than I'll ever be able to achieve even if I had become a soldier."

Sighing, Michael turned away from Alex and gazed at the view of Vega from Alex’s bedroom window. "I promised your father, I'd protect you and--"

"You failed,” Alex threw out, not bothering to hide a smile at seeing the Archangel flinch at his accusation. “Now leave me alone. I don’t have anything to say to you, Michael."

Those words told Michael that Alex was closed off to him and would stay so unless Michael changed all that. He never meant to lose the boy after finding him; yet, he had stupidly placed his duty to Vega over that of the promised he made to Alex’s father. While his focus had been on General Riesen and Vega’s Senate, Madam had swooped in and snatched Alex from the streets, effectively hiding him from Vega and its horrors until his 19th year.

Michael gave Alex a last glance and then spun on his heel, storming out the room. He didn’t care if anyone saw him angry because his anger was more directed at himself than at Alex or his stubbornness.

"The Proposal takes place at 8pm tomorrow, Archangel, in case you are wondering,” Madam offered softly while seeming to appear from the shadows.

"Why should I care about that?” Michael countered though he was secretly grateful for the invitation. Even though he was the Protector of Vega, the citizens were still allowed their privacy. So without an invitation, Michael would’ve stayed away and tried to find another way to save Alex. “He’s made his choice.”

"Apologies then, Archangel,” Madam replied, bowing her head slightly. “Forgive me for overstepping,” she added, which caused Michael to sneer before continuing on his way, leaving behind the former school teacher and her Academy.

***

“This world is filled with monsters far worse than those boys, Alex. The blade I gave you... You must use it. We can't wait for our fathers to return, Alex. We must fight our battles on our own.”

“Dad never taught me how,” Alex mumbled while turning the knife over in his hand.

“Mine did. I'll teach you.”

A small smile blossomed across Alex’s face as he looked into the eyes of the man who had saved him. For so long, Jeep had been his protector, which meant Alex never learned how to trust a stranger unless Jeep did first. So putting his life in the hands of this stranger was a huge risk. Especially in a world where everyone was basically out for themselves and what they could get.

***

Bathed in the soft light of the ballroom’s alcove, Alex felt out of place in a newly tailored suit as he waited his turn. Tonight, he would be one of seven students taking part in this year’s Proposal and though Madam made sure all of them were well-versed in the evening’s proceedings, it didn’t mean that Alex was prepared for this, the next undertaking in his short life.

“Do you think they’ll be nice?” Bixby asked, her voice breaking through Alex’s thoughts, as she ran her small fingers down the sleeve of Alex’s suit.

Barely holding in a sigh, Alex looked down at the 4-almost-5-year-old blonde and said, “Yeah, kid, I think they’ll be nice.”

“Maybe if we’re really lucky, they’ll make a Proposal for me too,” Bixby grinned widely, showing off two bright rows of milk teeth.

This time, Alex did sigh. “Maybe… So how do I look?” He asked, turning in a small circle so Bixby could see him from all angles.

After looking him up and down, Bixby shrugged nonchalantly and grinned, “You’ll do.”

“Thanks, kid,” Alex returned sarcastically and then pulled her into a tight hug, probably be one of their lasts. In a little over a week, he’d be gone and Bixby would become just a happy memory.

The sound of a throat clearing caused the pair to pull away and stare at the source… Madam, who stood regally in a long navy gown made of Chantilly lace with a scalloped lace off-the-shoulder neckline. Her long black hair was pinned and curled into place on the side of her head in a tight, elegant knot. "Alexander... it's time," she announced, giving them each a pointed look: Alex to not screw this up and Bixby for being out of the girls’ wing after hours.

Alex nodded once and then turned to Bixby, kneeling down so he was eye-level with her. “Bedtime for you, Bix.”

“Night, Alex,” Bixby replied, her voice small and full of sadness knowing that this was the beginning of the end. With one last hug, Bixby stepped away and dropped a small curtsy to Madam before disappearing through the doors.

With Bixby gone, Alex rose and gave his reflection one final look, straightening his shoulders before holding out his elbow for Madam to take. Once they had passed through the gap in the hung curtains, Madam stopped and asked softly, “Now, do you remember what I told you?”

“Yes,” Alex huffed while he scanned the massive room, gazing at the people mingling inside.

The room had once been a boutique restaurant that Madam had transformed into the Academy’s central room, serving mainly as the students’ dining room. Yet for one night each year, the room again transformed, but this time into a splendid ballroom draped in fabric. On the walls and windows, sheer crimson fabric cascaded down in waves, while the fabric stretched across the ceiling, forming a circular sphere centered over the dance floor. The dance floor was positioned at the front of the room where the wall curved, providing a magnificent view of the old Caesar’s Palace, home to House Riesen. Surrounding the dance floor, various tables were in place: some practically filled to the brim with food while others had two chairs, a clear sign to encourage her guests and her student to sit and converse because she wanted her charges to make a good match and be happy in their new lives. Unfortunately, though, sometimes that didn’t happen for all of her students.

“Well?” She prompted as she raised an artfully plucked eyebrow unamused by her student’s antics.

“Oh, right,” Alex breathed. “Answer their questions, be polite, and most important of all… don’t sabotage each other,” he quoted in a bored way.

"Good. Now, off you go," Madam shooed, waiting until Alex had disappeared into the crowded ballroom before going in search of her husband.

As the night progressed, Alex mingled and charmed prospective spouses, but all the while his heart was secretly breaking. While he never had the chance to know his mom, Charlie, he had grown up hearing stories of her from Jeep and it was through those stories that Alex decided that he wanted that kind of love. Though it wouldn’t happen because this was his choice and he had to accept it.

“Alex, a word,” Madam requested, hours later as she steered him away from an older, though not an unattractive man. “You’ve secured no less than five proposals, so I’d say this evening has been a success. You may return to your room, if you wish, or continue to mingle for another hour or two until I officially conclude this year’s Proposal.”

Madam saw a look of unease flash across Alex’s face before disappearing a mask of indifference and it tugged at her heartstrings. She didn’t understand then and she couldn’t understand now why someone would throw their child away.

Prior to the Extermination War, she had been a young elementary school teacher, who loved gazing at her smiling, eager-faced students. With General Riesen and the Senate more focused on protecting the current order, the children of Vega, especially those at the bottom, were lost to a circumstance beyond their control. As much as she wished to educate and care for all of Vega’s children, Madam could only afford to rescue ten a year…so Alex was one of her lucky ones.

"I think I'll go to my room,” Alex decided, then bowed slight, “good night, Madam." 

"Goodnight, Alex. We'll discuss your proposals after breakfast tomorrow," Madam told him softly.

With a nod, Alex turned on his heel and slipped through the set of curtains forming a temporary alcove, heading for his room in the boy’s dormitories. All of Madam’s students slept in large dormitory-style rooms until they reached their sixteen year, then they would receive a single room until their Proposal.

When Alex got back to his room, he wasn’t surprised to find Bixby fast asleep in his bed, clutching her lavender colored bunny to her chest. As he stared into her almost angelic face, Alex wondered what would happen to Bixby once he was gone.

Alex knew Madam would never allow anything terrible to happen, but Bixby was a lot younger than most of the other girls and some of the girls liked to bully the much smaller ones, a sight which Alex had seen and stopped a few times.

“Awe, kid,” Alex sighed as he quickly stripped out of his confining suit and into a pair of loose-fitting pants and t-shirt before slipping into bed next to Bixby, who seemed to gravitate immediately towards him in her sleep. Though by morning, she’d be gone, secreted back to the girl’s wing for a hearty breakfast followed by lessons in the 3 R’s—reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Curling around the girl, Alex buried his nose in her nose, breathing in the smell of her shampoo as he tried not to think about what tomorrow would bring. In the morning, he would meet with Madam and she would hand over his Proposals, which brought with it a whole slew of uncertainties, especially concerning how long he had left under its roof. Alex had seen students leave within a matter of days while others had lingered for weeks before finally leaving. If he was lucky, he’d choose someone, who wasn’t in such a rush for him to leave because Alex wanted as much with Bixby as possible.