A Court of Miracles I Azriel x OC

stardust

In a sea of stardust I drifted, aimless and uncertain. When I awoke to the hum of the ships's engine I did not move, too scared to open my eyes, too afraid to face the reality of my situation.

As a child I would look to the stars and wish for things to be better. Against the glistening stars, all of my problems seemed insignificant. I reached out to the night sky, grasping for star-laden promises which sang of a better future. But my hands came back empty, and now as I lay there, surrounded by those same stars, things had never looked so bleak.

I cracked my eyes open slowly, a wave of nausea rolling through my skull as I eased myself into an upright position. My back ached from lying on an unforgiving metal bench, my head in turn throbbing from the lingering effects of the sedative. I peered around the room to which I had been confined. Overhead a fluorescent light flickered, illuminating what I immediately recognized to be the ship's sole holding cell. We should not have needed to use such a space, I mused, after all, we were meant to be transporting goods, not prisoners. Alas, it had become clear that any sense of regulation had been shoved aside to make way for the Ambassador's own whims, myself along with it.

With a jolt, my vision abruptly focussed on the stranger huddled in the corner of the cell. I had little time to wonder how I had failed to notice him before I was captivated by a pair of hazel eyes, glistening in the starlight as he gazed out the window. His eyes were wide, as if he'd never seen the night sky before. Perhaps he hadn't, not truly. There was something about traveling in space for the first time, a sense of being completely and utterly alone. A sensibility I was begrudgingly well versed in.

I swung my legs off the bench, twisting myself to face the wall. The movement caught his attention, tearing himself from the window his eyes darted to mine. Any cool indifference I'd molded upon my face dissolved as I met his stare, my breath suddenly caught in my throat.

He had been leaning against the wall, his figure cloaked in shadow. Now as he pushed himself away and stepped into the light I could see him much more clearly. The stranger was clad in strange black leathers, the like of which I had never seen before. He had a toned body and stood with an air of quiet confidence despite the disheveled state of his hair and the bags which had begun to gather beneath his eyes. With a sudden pang of guilt I realized that I had taken up the only bench in the room. If he'd slept at all it would have been on the cold concrete floor, though I suspected he would not have risked even that.

The shadows seemed to follow him into the light, clinging to his clothes with ghostly elegance. Curious I inspected them further, my eyes sliding to the enormous wings which loomed behind him. 

"You have wings,"

I blurted with sudden realization. My outburst caught him off-guard and he frowned, his lips hesitantly parting as if he was unsure of how to respond. Before he could say anything I quickly apologized, cursing my own awkwardness. 

"It's just that it's not very common, I meant no offense."

With an uncertain cough I cleared my throat, unsure of what else to say, if at all. Luckily I didn't have to as he finally spoke.

"None taken. Do you know where we are?"

"On our ship, somewhere in the Thanatos Nebula. I'm not sure of our exact coordinates but we're a fair way off from the nearest planet - by my calculations at least."

He stared at me blankly, 

"We call this the Thanatos Nebula back at home, but you might call it something different on your planet."

I added, though my words didn't appear to offer any further clarification. His frown only deepened as he asked,

"I'm not sure I understand your terminology. What were you doing in the Spring Court?"

Now I stared blankly at him,

"I'm not familiar with the regions of your planet. If you are referring to the area we were in earlier, then I'm afraid that's classified. I'm not permitted to speak of that with the general public."

He raised an eyebrow.

"I see, and who, may I ask, do you pledge such steadfast loyalty to?"

Internally I cringed, loyalty. I had never been loyal to the Company. Our situation was simple enough. Ari and I needed a way out of the poverty into which we had been born. The Company was the answer to that, it served no further purpose to either of us.

As if sensing my reproach he pressed on,

"Why did they lock you up in here, anyhow. Surely -" 

 A deafening crash sounded overhead, sending shock waves ricocheting throughout the ship. Simultaneously the ship lurched sideways, sending both of us crashing into the nearest wall.

"What was that?"

Before I could respond the ship shuddered from another series of impacts. We both held on for dear life as the ship tumbled back again, cursing in unison as it went. When the ship steadied out again I turned to the stranger, wide-eyed.

"It's an asteroid storm."