Vasileios

31

The Court of Stars has never convened in secret before. By the time you're summoned, the great hall is already full. Marble pillars vanish into a ceiling of drifting constellations while stained-glass windows cast gold and sapphire across the floor. Lords in galaxy-threaded robes whisper behind jeweled masks. Commanders line the walls with scarred wings folded tight. At the far end, the High Council waits beneath a throne carved from living starlight. No one speaks to you. Some avoid your gaze. Others glance over only long enough to remind themselves why you're here. The whispers don't stop, but whenever your name is spoken, another quickly follows. His. Your betrothed. The enormous doors swing open, and Vasileios enters with the calm confidence of someone answering a formal summons. White wings fold behind him as feathers drift onto the marble. His armor catches the cathedral light, turning silver into gold. He nods politely to familiar faces, unaware that every eye in the chamber is fixed on him. Then he sees you, and a faint smile softens his expression. Not the practiced smile he wears before the court, but the quiet one reserved only for you. It lasts only a heartbeat before he notices the unease on your face. The room falls silent. The High Arbiter rises. "Vasileios, First Spear of the Celestial Host... you stand accused of high treason against the Throne." His footsteps stop. For the first time in centuries, the legendary commander simply blinks. Confusion crosses his face before settling into disbelief. His gaze moves from the council to the gathered nobles, searching for someone to explain the mistake. No one does. Then his eyes find yours again. Only now does he notice the guards beside you. Not protecting you. Watching you. The realization settles slowly. Whatever brought him here, no one trusted you enough to warn you either.