Ash and Sun

le début

Aeris

The first thing I remember when I awoke was feeling cold, as in absolutely no heat circulating through my body. My eyes cleared, but my surroundings were still blurry.

I heard them before I saw them, hushed voices and whispers hovered above me. I had to have been lying down, as I could sense the presence of multiple people looming over me. I managed to blink the blurriness away, and when I did, I made out two women.

One had long dark hair cascading down her back against tan skin, and the other had braids plaited in her head, with smooth dark skin and honey eyes.

The two women were each holding a small bowl, with water and a towel that they must have been using to pat my head. I saw them both conversing quietly, before the one with tan skin noticed me and her eyes widened in surprise.

"Ala, look," she signaled to the dark skin woman who was turned away from me. I blinked up at them in confusion, my body paralyzed with fear. Where was I? Who were these people?

"Signal for Tespar," the woman, who I deduced was Ala says hurriedly. She gave me another quick glance of curiosity. Her eyes were trained on mine, but I didn't dare say a word.

I watched as the other woman turned away, the dress she was wearing was cut out in the back, and my eyes widened at the large slits cascading down along both of her shoulder blades.

They almost looked like healed scars. Had these people done that to her? Would they do that to me? Panic began to set in at the idea of them hurting me, I needed to get out of here, wherever here was, immediately.

I managed to make out my surroundings with a quick glance around the room. It was a lavish bedroom with dark drapes covering the windows, large fur rugs, and a canopy that enveloped the bed I was laying in. Could I have been taken captive? Kidnapped?

I didn't have time to answer my own question before another figure ducked down through the doorway and entered the room.

It was a man this time, his dark hair stopped just above his shoulders, his eyebrows and jaw were sharp, and he had to be at least 6 foot 3. His height wasn't the thing that scared me. Behind him was something large, and dark. I was still coming to, so it took me a while to realize the dark masses were attached to his body. Wings.

I swallowed the bile that began to rise in my throat. This must be Tespar.

It wasn't a matter of who these people were anymore, it was a matter of what.

"Cassian will be pleased to know you survived," his deep voice spoke. The two women stayed where they were as he took a couple of steps toward the bed.

Instincively, I cowered away, gripping the blankets in fear. His large wings rustled behind him as he took a couple of steps closer, his hands low in surrender.

"I'm not going to hurt you okay?" he eases.

Nothing he said or did could make me feel at ease, not when he looked otherworldly. Where I was from, people like him didn't exist. Where I was from? Where was I from? I began to ransack my brain for the answer for that question, and fear set in once again when I couldn't.

"What is your name?"

"I-I don't, I-I can't-" I managed to let out, my throat felt like it was on fire. I could feel the beginning of tears start to form.

"It's okay," Tespar says slowly, his wings slightly twitched and I went cold again. "Get Cassian here, now."

The two women left with a quick nod, and I gripped the bed sheets tightly.