No man was ever wise by chance.

In the days that followed discovering the bodies of Moore and Casper, Somnus had little rest. Meetings were had, orders were given, and patrols were carried out under Ulric’s dedicated and keen eye. Borders were closed, much to the fears and uncertainties of some of the court members, but it was more to keep more potential threats out of Delumine than lock them all inside with the would-be killer.

A breath left the dunalino’s grey lips as he carried himself elegantly through the citadel courtyard, his gaze dancing across the familiar cobblestone at his feet and the ivy-coated walls that kept the capitol protected. Walls. So useful in theory, but in the end they did very little to those determined enough to reach the other side. With a blink the Dawn King tore his gaze away, focusing instead on the path in front of him and the individuals that he passed on his morning stroll. To each of them he offered a nod and a smile, pausing occasionally to engage a few members of Dawn in conversation if he could spare the time. Eventually he would leave them with a few parting words, knowing that they all had business to take care of.

Above Somnus’ golden, glittering form in the early light of day, Alba whirled about. The barn owl glided through the cold autumn air rather effortlessly, having just returned to her bond-mate’s side after enjoying a hearty meal of vole and field mouse from the prairie. The owl’s beady black eyes scanned the individuals a few odd-some paces down below, and a roan figure caught her eye. Red roan. Wings.

’Your brother is back,’ Alba mentally called down to the golden stallion down below, and there was no missing the previously lax demeanor change and positively bristle with anxiety as Somnus’ head shot up to attention. ’Just ahead, to your left. Speaking with a few guards.’

Somnus’ verdant eyes immediately cut through the courtyard gardens, spotting the individual in question. His gaze went from a mixture of caution and displeasure to pleasant surprise and relief. Ah. Oriens be praised, Alba. It isn’t Atreus. This fellow was not his brother’s build, nor were his eyes stained with black ichor. Where Atreus’ face was always done up in an expression of contempt or macabre amusement, this stranger seemed far more earnest and humble. And thanks the Gods for that. Somnus wasn’t certain he could stand his brother’s company that morning.

Still, the red roan was not a familiar face, and that was a rather queer thing considering their borders had just shut. Veering from his path, the Dawn King stepped closer, the sound of his hooves clipping against cobblestone enough to drown out the murmurs of the conversation ahead until he grew close enough. Alba swooped down from above and took her customary perch upon the dunalino’s croup, just upon his dorsal stripe.

Hearing the words being exchanged, Somnus came to a halt just before the group of conversing equines. An ear tipped forward in curiosity, but his smile was warm and welcoming. Clearing his throat, he spoke.

“It’s alright, Aventus,” he said to the nearest soldier that had just stepped up to the roan fellow. The soldier immediately stood up a little straighter and nodded to the dunalino with a word of ’Majesty’, before stepping back to give the Dawn King some space.

Turning his head, Somnus regarded the stranger warmly, genuine welcome shining within the stallion’s emerald eyes. It was nice to this fellow’s blue eyes and not the warped gold and sickly ichor of his brother’s. Aside from their colors, they looked completely different in features and structure both, and he was grateful for that. The Dawn King spoke, his voice clipped and polished as it always was with his accent. ”Be welcome to Delumine, stranger. You said your name was Rouge? My name is Somnus. It's a pleasure.”

---

tag: @Rouge

No man was ever wise by chance.

The stranger, Rouge, takes a short bow after everything had snapped into place. Somnus still did not think that he deserved these people’s fealty, at least not to this degree that included bowing and reverent greetings, but it’s slowly becoming easier to accept. Eulalie’s devotion and love had helped him to see his own worth, the steady mantra of his beloved’s voice saying, ’you are enough’ repeating itself in his head during his darkest of hours. He was enough.

He will never be perfect, but he will be enough.

Emerald eyes glittered in the sunlight as he watched the newcomer, searching and assessing. ’The pleasure is mine, Somnus.’ The red roan bows his head once more, and Somnus dips his chin in return. Already he was impressed. Rouge seemed to be articulate and learned, and as he explained his prowess as a soldier, the dunalino’s interests were immediately peaked. His experience as a soldier would be crucial given the recent developments and the mysterious murders that had taken place in the Viride…

As the grisly details are brought up, Somnus inhales deeply and takes his time to mull over the desired words. What could he say? For the moment, he decided to say nothing and allow Rouge to say his own piece. It was unbecoming to interrupt, after all, and Somnus was nothing if not a gentleman.

The Dawn King’s sharp gaze glanced down at the proffered weapon. The dagger lay before his hooves, and he knew that it would take hardly a motion to bat the blade away. He would never, of course. This was an offering. A gift. It was more than just for show. This was Rouge, quite literally laying his blade down at Somnus’ hooves and allowing him to be the judge of whether or not the newcomer deserved to join their ranks, if he deserved to call this place home.

It had never been Somnus’ place to decide. He was just a man. The dunalino’s lips quirked upwards and he chuckled, a breathy, hearty sound that rumbled through his chest. Despite the stresses of the recent events, the stallion’s verdant eyes glittered with mirth and heartfelt joy. When he spoke, he did so earnestly, motioning towards the dagger upon the ground with a nod of his head.

“Be welcome, Rouge. Pick up your blade. If you are searching for a home, I pray that you find one here. Delumine would love to have you.” The Dawn King grew quiet for a moment, allowing Rouge enough time to reclaim his blade before going on with that same, knowing smile and made a vague motion with his muzzle to invite the soldier to follow. “Come. Walk with me, if you would? Tell me a bit about yourself. Where do you come from? What has brought you here?” Was it just the need to find and defend a new home? Or had something else pushed Rouge to seek a new way of life?

He hoped that Rouge would not find his inquisitive questions as rude. There could be hundreds, if not thousands of reasons that the roan had found his way to the Dawn Court, and Somnus had always been an unnaturally curious sort. Upon his croup, Alba popped her beak a few times towards the newcomer, beady black eyes staring intently at the roan stallion in general intrigue.

Somnus chuckled. “Please do not mind Alba. She is merely curious about you, and her curiosity tends to make her forget her manners.”

---

tag: @Rouge

No man was ever wise by chance.

It is a familiar tale, the one that Rouge weaves. Somnus is silent and steadfast as the newcomer tells his story, touching on topics both intimate and bright that the Dawn King had not business in asking, let alone knowing. Still, Rouge does not hold back in the truths and circumstances that had brought him to Novus, and the things he reveals are heart wrenching. Somnus knows and understands his story, his pain. Perhaps, in a way, it made him understand Rouge in a deeper sort of way, allowing him glimpses of the heart to the man beneath the name.

It was a story of love, loss, hope, defeat, and the promise of redemption. It is a second chance, and through more and more individuals that he speaks to, Somnus has begun to understand that Novus was that very thing for so many people. A second chance. Was it not a second chance for himself, too? When Vhallen had been reduced to nothing but ash and debris in the wake of betrayal, his beloved, beautiful king slain upon steps of marble, had Somnus himself not found redemption and a second chance within Novus’ countenance?

He thought of his beloved wife, Eulalie, and their beautiful twin children, Regis and Anemone. He thought of Ulric, his best friend and closest confidant. Ipomoea and Messalina, and their beautiful, blooming relationship that they still seemed so very uncertain of. He thought of Atreus; his brother that he once had hated, and while still carrying a remarkable amount of contempt, Somnus was surprised he could no longer call it ‘hate’. What it was, he didn’t know. Perhaps only time would tell. Perhaps, if Novus was a ‘second chance’ for people, maybe Atreus, too, could find his redemption here.

Whenever Rouge would pause in his impossibly difficult tale to tell, needing a moment to steady himself, the Dawn King’s verdant eyes would glance his way in concern. He was always ready to tell him that he did not need to speak of such intimate, private details, because he knew the raw, visceral pain they could bring up… But here the rust colored roan was, spilling his heart to a stranger. Somnus could see the strength that the grief and agony had forged, building, crafting, tempering a soul into the refined man that stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him as they walked quietly through the citadel courtyard.

Inevitably, the story came to an end, and Somnus’ eyes slid closed. He breathed in deeply, collecting his mind, letting the words come to him naturally as well as give Rouge a chance to collect himself from the troubling emotion that surely such a story could drag up. The dunalino’s eyes flicked open, and he turned his head to offer the roan a warm smile once more.

“I understand,” he responded simply, because he did, “Truly, I do. The fact that you have taken these experiences in previous lives and allowed them to temper and forge your spirit and not douse it beneath its weight is quite incredible. You should be proud of yourself, my friend.” Ah, but they had just met, yet it was so remarkably easy to find a solid sort of kinship within Rouge’s experienced spirit. “You are quite right. Things have been difficult these past few weeks. With the murders within Viride, I regret to say that we are not as close to solving this travesty as I prayed we would be. Alas… With your assistance, I am certain we will stop it before it can strike again.”

Bold words, but Somnus had to believe they could do it. If not? Well, it was far too easy to give into doubt, and he could not afford to do such a thing. Glancing over his shoulder to where Alba was still perched, the Dawn King gave a hearty chuckle. It rumbled throughout his chest, warm and joyful despite the severity of the previous conversation. “Ah, indeed. She is far more than I could have fathomed, Oriens be praised. I am lucky to have her.”

Letting his gaze focus on ahead, the two winged stallions walked side-by-side once more. Their hooves scraped and clattered against the cobblestone of the courtyard, and Somnus still smiled and greeted those who they happened to pass. With the closure of the borders, many of the citizens tended to ensuring they tended to their duties or chores during the day so that they would not be outside and exposed after dark. Who knew if the creature responsible even cared about darkness? There was such limited information about it all…

“With your skills as a soldier, you should meet Ulric. He is our Warden here and is in charge of Delumine’s military forces. Ulric is a dear friend of mine, and I know that he can also assist you in settling here within Dawn. Perhaps he can organize you a patrol? It might help you learn our borders, as well as learn the others who reside here.” And help keep them safe, but that went without saying.

The Dawn King chuckled once more, his emerald eyes glittering somewhat slyly in the sunlight. “Although I doubt it will take you too long to do just that.”

---

tag: @Rouge

No man was ever wise by chance.

Rouge’s agreement to meet with Ulric was good to hear. Surely the Warden could help the newcomer to settle down and get used to how things went around Delumine, and Somnus was never against Ulric having a new patrolling buddy. The blue roan spent far too much time on his own as it was. Letting that warm, jovial grin remain on his lips as they continued their way through the courtyard and towards the looming citadel, its familiar ancient sides covered in holly and ivy, the dunalino chuckled warmly beneath his breath.

“Well, I can assure you that there is plenty to explore within Delumine proper, and beyond. The islands to the west are rather interesting if you fancy a day trip, but I must implore you to mind the flame-squirrels. They can be quite a handful.” Luckily they had since found a new home on the western islands off of the cost of the Dawn Court, but no one would soon forget the impressive amount of destruction they had caused within the Viride. Strange, that the fires had happened and then the murders had arisen within the forest. Perhaps there was some kind of connection?

Reaching the citadel, Somnus halted long enough to make a vague motion towards the looming structure with a flick of a wing. His smile remained a warm one, but there was no missing the look of pride that seemed to radiate from the stallion’s demeanor. This was home, and he loved it. Even before becoming King, he had adored this place of second chances. It offered so much to its people.

“There are empty chambers within the citadel, should you desire to bed down there. Of course you are free to find respite wherever you desire, if this does not suit you. Everyone is allowed to come and go as they wish.” The horses of Delumine built their homes wherever they deemed fit, but a majority of the inhabitants of Dawn did seem to live within the court proper. Currently it was far safer, but Somnus was not about to tell Rouge where he could and couldn’t rest his head at night. If he was anything like Ulric, however, he worried that the rust-colored lad might not need a place to reste.

Turning his head, the Dawn King’s emerald eyes glittered warmly towards the court’s most recent addition. ”If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. We take care of our own here.” Or, try to, at least, but Somnus knew that he did not need to explain that. Rouge knew of the murders and clearly did not judge them for it, but even though the guilt and pain of it all stung him like the sharpest of blades, they were trying. That had to account for something, right?

---

tag: @Rouge

No man was ever wise by chance.

All it took was a single phrase from Rouge to know that the russet colored stallion and the Warden of Delumine would be fast friends. Somnus’ golden brows arched for a single moment in curiosity, wondering of the terrible irony, before he chuckled once again. The sound was deep but gentle, a soothing sort of paternal chuckle that he so oftentimes used whenever particularly surprised by Regis or Anemone. He wondered, briefly, what his children might think of this spritely, eager warrior, traversing different lands only to have wound up here.

“Should you ever find your tasks too weary, just know you can always rest your head here. Or in the barracks, if you should so prefer.” Somnus knew that Ulric himself often slept there, hardly coherent enough to remain standing before falling into the nearest empty cot and catching up on as much sleep as he could manage. The blue roan truly worked himself too hard, and the gilded king worried for his health. If only Ulric knew the meaning of the words ‘take a break’.

Letting his gaze drift skyward towards the top of the citadels, the stone masonry painted hues of pinks and reds from the setting, evening sun, Somnus held his breath. The beauty of this land would never be lost on him, along with the relief that he felt that despite their trials and travesties, their losses and difficulties, they still remained standing. Determined, devout, and stubborn to the very end. Ever so slowly did verdant eyes lowered, his stare glittering in the dying light before focusing on Rouge’s russet, stained frame once more.

He smiled, his heart beating a little faster within his breast at the stallion’s freely-given praise. It was hard to think that the creatures of the world held such resolute conviction towards him, but it was humbling. “Ah. You humble me, Rouge, but I am still just a man.” Infallible, imperfect, and prone to evenings of brooding over coffee that had long since gone cold. Somnus wasn’t perfect. Once upon a time that would have shaken him to his very core, uprooting the foundation of his livelihood beneath him… But since coming here, to Delumine, and becoming a disciple of Oriens and starting a family of his own, the Dawn King had learned so very much.

He wasn’t perfect, but he knew now that he didn’t have to be.

Clearing his throat, the dunalino gave a shake of his head and began his trek once more, hooves scraping across cobblestone. He stared at Rouge through a veil of ivory and grinned. “Come. I’ll show you to the barracks.”

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tag: @Rouge