A Court Of Past And Future

Chapter 3 (Home)

On my knees I cried into my hands, my wing had burst through my jacket. I don't know what the tears were for, the pain through my body or Azriel. It was a huge mistake to return home. I shouldn't have come back, I made things worse now.

When my hand retreated from my face I looked up to make sure I winnowed to the place I wanted to be. I was home, in my room under the House Of Wind, behind many plots of books that I never liked. it was behind a whole shelf of books, I built it hundreds of years ago when the inner circle decided to make this place.

I normally stayed with Azriel and slept in Azriel's room or on the couch, whenever I needed time alone I would come here to free my mind and read books for days on end without sleep or food. Which I use to regret, but to this day I barely eat much anyway.

I looked around the room to see that nothing has been moved or changed since I was last here. I walked around and scanned each room to see if it was all the same.

By the time I entered my main reading space I froze and saw that everything had changed. The books, decoration. I swore under my breath and walked into the room looking everywhere.

I stopped to my reading desk and couch, I stared down at a familiar book sitting open with a ribbon down the spine.

It was my diary.

Page three hundred and fifty-seven (357) I can't stay here for much longer, I can't stay in Prythian any longer. I can sense that there is a war coming upon us, I'm not sure who, but Hybern is on the top of the list to start it, and I don't want to be here to see him attack us.

It's going to break Az to pieces, and the rest of the inner circle. But I can't stand to see the King of Hybern, it wouldn't end well and I couldn't stay here just to do nothing. So, I'm leaving, they won't know, they will think I have died or someone has taken me. I they don't need me I'm useless and just a distraction for Az, that's probably why Az and Rhys have been arguing over what their jobs are.

I then noticed in another hand writing at the bottom of the page.

You never were dear, it wasn't because of you. Wish you didn't leave me.

Azriel...

I picked up my diary and stared at his hand writing before pulling it to my chest. "I never meant to hurt you Az."

I know

I gasped and looked around the room "Az where are you?" I whispered

Outside. I found this place after one hundred (100) year you left.

"How did you know?" I walked towards the books at the entrance.

Because this is where you go to to be alone. Until I found a book and I was curious, wondering why you never liked these books. When I took on and opened it the page was empty, and I put it back before the books split apart and I saw this room.

I raised my head to watch the shelves part and a beautifully tanned face on the other side.

"Az, don't. I have upset you all already today and I think it's best for me to leave. I don't want to cause any more problems."

He stepped through into the same room as me. "You will cause more if you leave." His soft hand brushing down my cheek as the shelves became one again.

"You should have kept reading." I placed my hand on the cheek that was still hot from when I slapped him.

"What do you mean?" I lowered my hand and passed him my diary. Watching him take it, I kissed his cheek and watched him open it and continue reading.

"I will make us a hot chocolate. Come to me when you're done." He nodded and kissed my forehead as I walked to my kitchen.

When he eventually came to me, I was sitting at my reading desk. I was reading a book in on hand and my hot chocolate in the other hand.

He placed my dairy in front of me and I didn't move my eyes from my book. "So you know everything now."

"Not everything." He replied grabbing a chair and sitting in front of me. I lifted my eyes to meet his before I put my diary in a draw and closed my book.

"I can't explain it Azriel. I can't even show you. I don't want to imagine it and I don't want to show you what happened yet." He nodded in understandment and I lowered my head.

"I can show you my wings though" I looked at him as my wings roared from my back and I gasped from the pain and stare at his expression.

It terrified me.

"You didn't need to do that Cora." He whimpered as I lowered my wing to rest on the floor.

"Yes I do, you deserve to know. Although I was planning on telling you once I made you breakfast for breakfast." He smiled at me and took a drink of his hot chocolate.

"Do you want to go back up to the others?" He asked as I shook my head and opened my book. "No, not for a while. I think it's better that I stay away from them and stay at home." I lowered my head to my book.

"You're calling this your home?" He asked and I nodded. " It always was and always will be." He nodded with a smile when I lifted my eyes from the pages I was reading he then stood up and walked to my side.

"Our home." He said softly and moved  his chair to sit beside me. 

"Our home." I repeated and nodded with a smile. "You can stay down here if you wish. But remember they will be looking for yo-"

"Us." He cut me out and held my hand as I flip my book over to mark the place I was reading. "Why would they want me to be here? All I have caused for the past twelve (12) hours."

"Because we are family, all of us. Besides, they missed you just as much as I did." He smiled and kissed my cheek. "I think Amren missed the free jewellery." We both laughed and felt his face rest on my shoulder.

"Remember no matter if it's here, House Of Wind, Night Court or anywhere in Prythian. You will always be at home with us. With me." I felt his smile on my shoulder before watching him raise his head and place is forehead against mine. "Always"

It made me smile and he placed his lips against mine and we enjoyed our time in the quiet, piece below the chaos.