Stay Determined...

It was, by all rights, a peaceful, beautiful day. Perhaps that was why the Gods, cruel as they could sometimes be, saw it fit to mess it all up.

The fires had finally been contained and doused. Peace and normality were settling over Delumine once more. No longer did they have to fret of losing their home or their lives, but still worry and fear would not leave Somnus’ golden breast. Anxiety pinched every nerve in his body, stealing his breath on the best of days, waiting and watching as his frail son grew ever weaker, ever sicker, slowly but surely succumbing to the illness that he had been born with. Would they lose him? Would today be the day that they went to rouse Regis from his slumber, only for him to never wake? Those were the constant thoughts that plagued Somnus’ head and heart, but he did his best to appear strong around his family and his people. They were worried. They were suffering. They were rebuilding. Now was not the time to falter.

Pressing a kiss to his son’s resting brow, Somnus lipped at the strands of Regis’ growing forelock with a gentle fondness. Slowly, quietly, he lifted his head and rolled his shoulders back, turning to instead press his muzzle into the soft skin of Eulalie’s neck. “Come, darling.” Roosting upon a wooden perch, Alba popped her beak once at the pair. The barn owl had returned from Terrastella days prior and had hardly left Regis’ side since then, which Somnus found himself grateful for. Having someone always looking after the boy helped soothe the concern, but not entirely.

Leaving their personal quarters, side by side, Somnus willed the door shut quietly behind them, but not before Tabbris could follow. Even if Regis happened to wake, seeing Alba there would stave off any worry he might feel. Sickly though he was, the boy was determined, headstrong, and so incredibly persistent. He would be fine for a while. Turning their way down the hall, the last thing that Somnus expected was to be accosted by a harried looking page. The young horse rushed up to them, giving them both a nod before speaking quickly, clearly winded from his mad rush through the capitol grounds.

”The party from Terrastella have come. They’re awaiting you both in the courtyard.”

Blessed Oriens.

Relief settled over Somnus like a tender mantle, so strong that his shoulders trembled and his posture slackened. His eyes, pools of verdant filled to the brim with elation and liberation, turned to focus on Eulalie’s soft earthen browns. A smile lit up dark lips as the dunalino let out a very audible breath, feeling as though that cumbersome, troubled weight had finally been lifted from his shoulders. “Let’s not keep them waiting, Eulalie.” So elated and uncaring of the company of the page, Somnus leaned forward to press the most intimate of kisses to his beloved’s cheek, turning so that the mottled feathers of his wing brushed against her side.

Finally. Oh, finally. He prayed that these anticipated strangers from Terrastella would be able to help Regis, for neither he nor Eulalie had any clue what else to do. Heading down the hallways, Somnus kept pace with his ivory and blonde-tressed love. Together they stepped outside of the citadel, the sun bearing down warm and welcome upon their backs. Verdant eyes, glittering with joy and eagerness, flicked across the courtyard. He spotted the waiting group immediately, a dashing smile pulling at his lips, and unthinking, he approached. Unaware. Unknowing.

His eyes roamed the group as he and Eulalie crossed the distance, and then… Then. It was the expression that Somnus first saw once they were close enough to make out the finer details of their long-awaited guests. Not the body, the familiar color of rusted, roaning silver or dark crimson feathers akin to a bird of prey. It wasn’t the size of him, the shape, or even the stature, no, but the expression… That face. Twisted, gnarled, cruel, those eyes… Oh, Somnus knew those eyes; the black sclera, the inching, twisting, inky blackness that stretched from the stallion’s right eye and downwards, downwards. He did not see the others. Could not see the others, for it was only him.

All at once, Somnus drew up short. The elation slipped from his face like melting ice, his pulse beginning to race, the cloying scent of smoke and ash filling his lungs as he remembered, oh did he remember. Screams. The dying. The citadel of Vhallen going up in flames and his king, oh, his beloved king, slain upon marble stone steps.

Atreus. His brother. There was no proof, but Somnus was no fool. One traitor was all it had taken to take his king from him. A single man.

Once, perhaps, happiness might fill his breast at seeing his older brother standing there before him, alive. Now? Oh, now, only anger remained. Anger, deep and cruel, a rage unlike anything Somnus had ever felt before slowly crawled up from his very core, ugly and black like the identical, putrid corruption that infiltrated Atreus’ very being. It was only the knowledge that his people were standing around, that Eulalie was at his side, which stopped Somnus from immediately launching in to the offensive.

Collect yourself, Somnus. Your tongue is your weapon. Use it.

“Atreus.” Never before had Somnus’ voice sounded so cold, so void of warmth and full of hatred. While he would not be so outwardly hostile, he would not save such a tone from his tongue. Let his brother know his hatred; Somnus did not care. He moved, shifting closer to Eulalie as though to protect her from whatever trick this might be, as a strange, boiling sensation seemed to begin within his very own blood. “… What a surprise to see that you’re alive.” And in Novus, no less.

How bloody ironic. What a messed up day, indeed.

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tag: @Atreus, @Eulalie

No man was ever wise by chance.

Oh, but Somnus knew that his drastically altered demeanor was cause of alarm for Eulalie. In the back of his mind he felt terrible for concerning her so, but she did not know the slaughter that this wretched, cursed man was capable of. He had seen it with his own eyes. He knew the destruction and agony that Atreus could inflict upon a kingdom, how the ichor within his very being could corrupt all of the goodness around him. Atreus was a walking blight, a damnation personified and shoved into a vile body, and were they not in a very public space with his beloved Eulalie at his side, Somnus knew that he would see to it personally that Atreus did not leave Delumine alive.

Luck you.

Verdant eyes burned with a freezing glare so full of hatred and malice as Atreus dared take a step closer. He bristled, wings beginning to unfurl and rise, his chin slowly tucking downwards towards his chest as though ready to charge and pierce this man’s hollow chest where his heart should have been with his obsidian horn. Instead of acting as he wanted, however, Somnus held his ground. Angered and offended as he was, he was no fool.

Asterion would not knowingly send a murderer in response to his plea for assistance with Regis and so Somnus did not fault him. More than likely Atreus, somehow, was one of the best healers of Terrastella, or else he would not have been sent at all. Of course, it could very well all be a trap for this walking aberration to harm his beloved Eulalie and precious Regis… Somnus cast a quick glance to the two pallid mares in Atreus company, and judged them for what they were; the escort, probably. He did not know, but his offense was not with them.

Focus. He is in your dominion, but do not act a fool. You are better than your anger. Use him to your advantage.

Sucking in a deep, measured breath, the Dawn King did his best to collect his wrath and abhorrence. It was time to use his position and talents in diplomacy to his advantage. Still, before much else could be spouted from his brother’s reservoir of lies, the dunalino lifted his jaw and directed his gaze momentarily to Eulalie. “Do not trust him,” he whispered inaudibly, dark lips moving as he went on in hushed whispers, “I will tell you more when we are alone, but please, darling… Do not trust him.”

Ever so slowly did Somnus allow his wings to fold back against his sides, but his stature did not lose its rigid posture. Muscles bunched and tendons coiled, he was prepared for any wrong move that Atreus might take. The Dawn King’s emerald eyes stared hard into Atreus’ own marred gaze, disliking every word that dripped like poison from his elder brother’s lips. Oh, indeed. He knew a threat when he heard one, and the words that the silvered roan bemoaned were just that. Sleep would be nonexistent over the course of the next few days…

Lifting his head, jaw set and regal, the Dawn King cleared his throat and, at last, truly addressed Delumine’s visitors. For now, he would ignore Atreus’ words until he deemed ready. “Welcome to Delumine. Should you require respite from your travels, know that we will readily provide what we can.” As he spoke, his eyes did not even glance at Atreus, instead regarding the two pallid escorts as though his brother wasn’t even there. Only then, welcome said and done, did his icy gaze return to the silvered roan.

“Your lies are most unbecoming, brother, for I know that you are no more elated to see me as I am to see you. Still, you are here and you are a guest, so do at least try to behave while you are in my Court. I would loathe for word of a poor performance and pitiable manners to return to King Asterion.” Rolling a shoulder, Somnus went on quickly with a clipped, polished proficiency, uncaring of the effect his scathing words might hold. He wondered, briefly, how difficult it might be to have Atreus stripped of whatever position he had somehow weaseled himself into within Terrastella’s ranks. The threat was tempting.

”This is Eulalie, my beloved life-mate. Eulalie, this is my older half-brother, Atreus.” Half-brother. Ultimately, that was the beginning of the derision between the two of them, despite the sheer captivation that Somnus had once held towards Atreus during his boyhood. “Regis is currently resting. Perhaps when he awakens you can look him over.” But only with a full-blown guard in the same room. There was no way that Somnus would allow the man to be close to Regis without being in the same room. Luckily Alba was there now, and he wondered if Tabbris could also be coerced into staying with the young Dawn Prince at all times, at least until Atreus and his retinue departed from Delumine.

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tag: @Atreus @Eulalie @Theodosia