The big gull glided through the clouds until they turned to smoke, until the raindrops became flakes of ash, until she was above the Dawn Court.
 
The billowing smoke and haze of the fires had not been visible through Terrastella’s own torrential downpours, but Asterion had known theirs was not the only court suffering unnatural disasters. Still, the tone between the new king and his bonded was grim as she told him of the damage.
 
There was so much rebuilding to be done, and so many to mourn.
 
But there were also other matters that must be done, and Cirrus passed over burned fields and blackened forests, silent and steadfast as she sought the capitol. When she found it, bright even beneath a wreath of smoke, she dipped her wings and spiraled down like an autumn leaf until she reached the courtyard.
 
There she remained, until someone came to untie the scroll from her leg.
 


Dear King Somnus,
 
I hope you are as well as can be hoped for in such a time of disaster and grief across Novus. I imagine your court is as occupied as ours is in healing, rebuilding and recovering, but please let us know if there is any aid we can give.
 
I am afraid my other reason for writing this is no more happy. Florentine has been grievously injured in an accident, and while there is optimism that she will recover fully, she has stepped down from her position as queen and named me to rule in her stead.
 
I know she has ever been grateful to call you friend, and I hope someday to have the honor myself. In the meantime, know the bond between our courts is no lesser for the change.
 
We – all the citizens of Novus – will survive this together. And once we have, perhaps our regimes can come together for a far happier reason than the last.
 
 
Yours respectfully,
Asterion
 
P.S. This is Cirrus. She was looking forward to meeting your Alba.