The Angel and The Crow~Mother Miranda x OC

Sickness/Property

I laid there within the cage for what seemed an eternity, never moving once, not having the will nor strength to do so, allowing Miranda to do with me as she pleased. I had grown numb to even the pain of her sharp scalpels and needles as they pierced my flesh, the pain inside me far too great for those to outweigh it, and I refused to feed or drink anything that was set before me, my body slowly beginning to wither away, leaving me as nothing more than a shell, a fever breaking upon me, but I could not bring myself to care. Perhaps I would finally receive the punishment I deserved, and would burn in hellfire, and would no longer be a burden to anyone else. As my fever grew, hallucinations began to plague me as well, the burnt corpse of my child haunting me, telling me it was my fault. I refused to fight the visions, knowing they were only telling me what I believed, and wrapped my wings around myself, the agony within me nearly drowning me.

One day, I was feeling particularly ill, and before I realized it, I fell unconscious, my body shaking and seizing from my fever, and from my body shutting down. In my unconscious state, I felt warm arms gently pull me from the cage, cradling me close, and then, felt myself wrapped in blankets, a cold cloth against my face. I heard a familiar voice, now filled with concern instead of venom saying, "Hush, little angel. You have made yourself quite ill.. Though it is no fault of mine, not taking proper care of what belongs to me is foolish, and I find myself strangely concerned for your wellbeing." I knew I must be still hallucinating, but even so, something inside my heart twitched at being told that I belonged to someone, the fact that anyone could still want to even own something as vile as me perplexing, to say the least. Even more so confusing was the nickname Miranda gave me, after having been called nothing but "pet" for what felt to be a lifetime.

I could not stop myself from laughing, the laughter turning to wrenching coughs that shook my whole body, and I heard her icy tone return, as she asked, "What, may I ask, do you find so amusing?" I weakly whispered, "I must be dreaming.. Miranda would never, in a thousand years, call me an angel, much less care for my health. This hallucination is peaceful, and not one that I deserve.. I am, after all, a monster who murdered my own child." I heard her inhale sharply at my words, and she sternly replied, "A monster, hm? Does protecting your child and losing them to one you loved make you a monster? So that is what has troubled you so greatly for so long.. You are far from a monster, Naomi. You truly do not know what that word means.. I, myself, and the one who destroyed your world, we are true monsters. I am fully aware of that fact.. However, being a monster may sometimes be necessary to achieve the things you so dearly wish to hold once again."

I fell silent at her words for a moment, then replied, "For what little my words are worth, I do not think you are a monster. Doing monstrous things does not always make one a monster, if they are necessary.. If you feel regret for what you have done, then you are not truly a monster." She did not reply, but I felt the blankets tucked tighter around me as I shivered. "Rest now, and when you are well again, you shall attend the meeting of the Lords with me. You are, after all, my pet." With that, I fell into darkness.. When I awoke again, I was feeling well again, and I faintly recalled having been forced to eat and drink in my unconscious state. I still wished to be dead, but it was clear Miranda would not allow it, for reasons still unclear to me.. She did not seem to experiment on me as much as she once did, so why she kept me at her side was perplexing. Perhaps it was to have a pet to help her..

As I stood, Miranda walked into the room, flinging fabric at me, her mask on her face, her robes concealing her wings. "Put that on, and do be quick about it.. I assume you recall what I told you about the meeting with the Four Lords. I expect you to be on your best behavior, and do not touch anything or speak unless spoken to." I frowned, but tugged on the robe I had been given, oddly comforted by the warmth, and her scent clung to it like a leaf. I shook my head, confused as to why her scent comforted me, but chose to ignore it, wincing a bit as she gripped my wrist tightly, pulling me along with her to a run down church, forcing me to sit on the ground beside where she stood. I clenched my jaw, not liking being forced to sit on the ground, but bore it, staying silent as the Four Lords filed in one after the other. After having been in that land for as long as I had been, I knew all about them, and their names, or at least their reputations.

I chose to ignore the meeting, trying hard not to acknowledge the way Lady Dimitrescu's golden eyes gazed at me hungrily, hurrying alongside Miranda as the meeting ended, until she told me, "I must speak with Alcina alone- Stay right here, and do not wander off. I shall return shortly." She glided off, leaving me standing there in confusion. Surely, she did not trust me to stay, after being held captive for so long, especially after she had told me that I would be freed, and lied. Yet, for some reason, I did as I was told, not feeling the desire to fly away, trying to keep to myself as the Lords began leaving. I wrinkled my nose in disgust, as Heisenberg suddenly appeared in front of me, the disgusting smirk on his face reminding me of my past lover, causing me to shudder. "It seems Miranda left her little pet all alone.. You're a pretty one at that. I bet you'd make a nice addition to my collection." I felt bile rise in my throat, wondering just what type of collection he could mean. His hand reached towards my face, but before he could lay one finger on me, golden claws dug into his flesh, his face turning pale. "Heisenberg, I will thank you to keep your hands to yourself.. If you even think of touching what does not belong to you again, you shall see how angry I can truly become."

I had not seen Miranda so angry, not since that day I had saved her from the beasts that attacked us, and I could tell that she was barely containing her rage. She let Heisenberg go, and he scampered off like a terrified animal, and before I could utter a word, Miranda gripped my wrist tightly, and painfully dragged me all the way back to her laboratory, pinning me against the wall as soon as we got inside. "You dare let that filthy man lay his fingers on you?! Was it not clear to you before?? You are mine, and mine alone, pet." The way she used the nickname was different than before, something.. Primal underlying her words. "I-" Her claws dug into my jaw, her other hand tearing the mask from her face, and before I could say another word, her lips crashed against mine, sending my world spinning, heat radiating through me from head to toe, her body crushing against mine..