---

It was a rare thing for him to avoid the crowds, taking care to walk far around the busier streets to get to the back of the stone temple. In his excitement to study the monolith and memorize its details, he had forgone his usual want for companionship. Even he could become overwhelmed in crowded new places, when there were so many things he wished to see and so many people he desired to talk to.

No, he would brave the hoards of equines during a time when he was less distracted by the capitol building, the focal point of his visit. Of course, sneaking around in the back probably made him look like just that, a sneak or a thief, apt to get him kicked out as promptly as he had arrived. But he was still young, and he had yet to understand those terms, or to accept the possibility that he appeared as anyone or anything other than his own simple self.

The voice startled him, but he was quick to collect himself once he realized it was only a welcoming call. He turned around to face the dark pegasus, ears swiveling forward as he reversed his stride to meet him halfway. Despite his wish to explore the temple, the company of one other horse—specifically in comparison to the crowd he was avoiding—wouldn’t be such a bad addition, as Alorus was still off somewhere unseen in the air. “Hello!!” he responded happily, closing the distance between them. As he drew closer he inspected the pegasus’ wings, so much larger and darker than his own, which fluttered gently at his ankles. Ipomoea’s were of little use, but this stranger’s he instantly envied. He could fly with those; Po even suspected he could keep up with the eagles with such feathers.

“No—I mean, maybe, I’m not really familiar with this area yet, but I came here on purpose,” he explained, a smile in his voice. “Not many people come this far back it seems, see the way the weeds and flowers grow so freely?” He took a minute to inspect the vines adoringly, tilting his head to brush the side of his cheek against one of the fragrant blossoms.

Ipomoea stopped then, looking at the dark-haired stallion quizzically. “Are you lost?”

@Kasil
i love him and his thoughts c'x
!!!

---

KASIL

A wave of ease passed over him as the stranger offered him a happy greeting in return, drawing closer until it was easier for the Sovereign to see all of him. It was easier to tell that the opposing equine was male, but it was his ankles that gave Kasil pause. He stared openly for a moment, before drawing his eyes back up to meet the male’s. ”Pardon me.” He said slowly, his tone thoughtful and slow. ”But the scholar in me must wonder, if...you can fly with those?” He asked, nodding in the direction of the youth’s feet. Quite fascinating, as Kasil could not recall a time where he had met an individual with such an interesting addition. ”It’s an extraordinary placement.” He noted, murmuring under his breath as his head began to lower -- wondering if perhaps he might have a closer look.

The pegasus let his ears fall back against his skull, his face drawing into something sheepish and embarrassed as he yanked upright. ”I must apologize. I’m being very forward, having just met you.” He laughed. ”I’m Kasil.” He let his gaze wander up the side of the wall, watching the various flora that entangled the white stone. ”Ah, yes, it is quite secluded back here.” He admitted. ”Things in Delumine are changing, after a period of neglect. As lovely as it can be, I imagine it too will change. I’ve yet to meet the Court and hand down delegations, but I imagine the Warriors will soon start patrolling here...which may mean the end of some of this heavy growth.” He frowned a little, although not dismayed by the potential end of the overgrowth.

”Lost?” He asked, drawing away from his thoughts and back to the cherry colored stag. For a moment, Kasil wondered if the younger stallion meant anything more than the physical idea of being lost. He had felt aimless for so long, even with the purpose now of leading the Dawn Court -- he felt adrift even amongst those he called his own. He felt separated from them, and from the Gods as well. Perhaps a journey to the mountains to pray would be in order...something to clear his head. He was silent for a good moment longer than he intended to be, distracted by his thoughts -- before offering a half-hearted smile back to the younger male.

”No...definitely not lost.” He gave his wings a little shake, stretching one of the mighty appendages. ”These certainly help, but I am quite familiar with the area. I come here often enough.” He said, swishing his tail against his hocks. ”It would be...quite unfortunate for the Sovereign of Delumine to not know his own terrain.”

---

He rarely stopped to give his wings very much thought. They had been a part of him for as long as he could remember, fluttering gently at his ankles as if they had a mind of their own and believed in their own ability to fly. Of course, it would be impossible for such fragile appendages to actually take flight, only serving to give his forelegs minimal buoyancy—but Ipomoea wouldn’t try to stop their dreaming.

Even so, the darkened stranger’s question still gave him pause, a tinge of sadness coloring his tone. “No…” he said slowly, turning his head away to inspect the vines now with feigned interest. “They’re too small for that.”

’Unlike your’s.’ The thought had crossed his mind unchecked, surprising him. Ipomoea was not usually one to feel jealously, but the sight of the stallion’s broad wings attached so firmly at his withers had instilled the foreign feeling in his breast. It was uncomfortable, clawing at his ribcage to reach a cold hand around his heart, squeezing painfully slowly. Po closed his eyes briefly against the feeling, shaking his head as if to clear it and focus on happier thoughts again. “It’s okay,” he said without hesitation; it hadn’t occurred to him that there was a need for the newcomer to apologize. But his laugh was light and seemingly infectious, for Po turned his attention back to his new companion with a smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Kasil. I’m Po, short for Ipomoea.”

Most of Kasil’s next phrase was lost on him—it wouldn’t make since for a scholar to be delegating others, but perhaps he was in charge of a library of some sorts? An exchange program with the other Courts? Ipomoea would have asked, but when the chocolate haired man directed his next words to the plants growing upon the words, a new pang of disappointment was felt. “Oh, that’s unfortunate,” his frown mirroring Kasil’s own. He wouldn’t want to see such wild things tamed; they were beautiful in his eyes, if rugged. Maybe he would task himself someday with caring for them, if what Kasil said was true.

“You said you were a scholar?” he asked, turning back to face his new conversationist in an attempt to fill the empty space that had suddenly grown between them, Kasil’s pause heavy on the air. “What do you study? Is it the vines and how they grow?” Of course if he did, he surely would be more concerned with their demise than he seemed to be, but no matter. Asking a wrong question would only lead him closer to the right one, anyway, a guessing game which he was unlikely to give up at.

However, the right answer certainly came unexpectedly.

Ipomoea had heard that new sovereigns had been appointed, but he had yet to actually meet one of them. Nor had he ever expected to; he’d always envisioned them as lavish lords and ladies, surrounded by countless members of their courts and certainly just as many guards—not traveling alone behind their great infrastructure. But that wasn’t to say he doubted Kasil, for something about the way he spoke and the way he stood seemed to reinforce the words he claimed, as though a puzzle were clicking into place inside of the speckled boy’s mind.

“You’re… the Sovereign? My Sovereign?” 

Of course, he could have come up with something a little more eloquent; but he found himself at a loss for words in front of royalty.



@Kasil
!!!

---

KASIL

Kasil found himself a little sad that the stranger couldn’t fly with the winged appendages on his feet. Perhaps they would never be able to carry him in flight, which made Kasil notice an ache in the center of his chest. What a terrible thing...to be grounded forever. He had always counted himself among the fortunate, that he could soar the skies when he so chose -- never quite tethered to the world like other people. To be teased with the gift of wings, but never to fully realize their potential -- it saddened him far more than it should have. He offered the stallion a tentative smile.

”Well, that is unfortunate.” He said softly, nodding. ”But they are quite fascinating. I’ve seen other placements too...have you ever seen the ones with the wings behind their ears?” He asked, moving his ears in tandem with his words for effect. He cleared his throat and took another look at the wall, examining a flowering strain of the ivy. The ivy in his dreams never flowered, only grew and grew and grew until he was completely entangled in them which made those wings of his completely useless. Perhaps.” He agreed, frowning up at the entanglement. ”But perhaps it might help other things to grow again.” He stepped closer to the wall, lowering his head.

His warm breath brushed over some of the foliage for a moment, his eyes narrowed with focus as he looked for something. After a moment, he lifted his head and pulled back a piece of the ivy near the wall’s base and indicated it with a nod. ”Have a look.” He encouraged lightly. Upon further inspecting, the younger stallion would see another type of flowering plant that was struggling to get the proper sunlight it needed to thrive. ”This ivy has gone untamed for too long. It does more harm than good now, as pretty as it may be.” He let go of the ivy, letting it fall back into place around the smaller plant. Perhaps he would come back to tend to it another time, or let nature deal with the tiny thing as she saw fit.

He looked up, meeting the vivid gaze of the mottled stallion. There was something inherently feminine about him, and it unsettled the king to be looking at him in such a way. He averted his eyes quickly, turning back to the conversation. ”Well...I studied quite a lot actually. Mostly politics…” He said, his voice dropping to a murmur. ”It’s not as fun as the studies of vines and earth, I’m afraid.” He paused again, not really feeling up to the conversation of politics and the like. He missed the simpler times in his life where it was more common to talk about the day’s plans rather than the positions of power.

Kasil’s ear flickered in the direction of the stag, a little frown finding it’s way to his lips. ”Yes?” He replied, the surprise in the youngster’s tone not unexpected. He chuckled then, the features of his face relaxing. ”But, to you I am just Kasil...alright?” He said with a little smile, as if the two of them shared a great secret. He could use more friends, not more wary citizens. ”I take it that you are from Delumine, then, Po? It’s been quite an interesting few years for me. Perhaps you can share what you know? Aside from the last couple of months, I’ve been away from home a long time.”

---

Po found himself nodding along agreeably, remembering the girl Araxes who he had met in the northern plains. She had been one of those with wings oddly placed beside each ear—he had not imagined they were common, or that there were others besides her with such a strange attribute. It made him wonder—briefly, for his heart did not wish to dwell on such possibilities or false hopes—that perhaps there were others with wings like his.

Such thoughts were quickly pushed away.

Instead he focused on the king—a bit more shyly now, knowing of his rank—as the crowned bay stepped closer to the wall. Po’s eyes traced the quizzical expression on his face, the furrow in his brow, the way his ears tilted in concentration. And when it seemed Kasil had found what he’d been looking for, Ipomoea stepped forward in equal interest, peering around the king’s shoulders for a closer look. It was true—underneath the heavy sheet of ivy was some other little plant, frail but fighting. He put his speckled nose to it, distinguishing its smell from the ivy in his mind, memorizing it, committing it to memory. “I see,” he said carefully, still focused on the tiny blossom. “Although I hope this doesn’t mean the ivy in its entirety must go…” Already he was envisioning in his mind a system in which each of these plants could live together, coexisting peacefully so that each could get sun and shine and flourish; he just had no idea how to start such a system. His own brow furrowed in concentration, the possibilities beginning to run rampant in his mind.

“Politics?” The switch from plants to business jarred his mind slightly, so that he looked up at Kasil with a dreamlike stare, as though not understanding what that could mean. And truly, he didn’t: having traveled with merchants or wanderers for the majority of his life thus far, he had known little more than freedom and the ability to go where he pleased, when he pleased, few responsibilities attached. But if Kasil had studied it, certainly it couldn’t be so bad as it sounded? “I’m sure it has his own perks?” he questioned. “Why else would someone study it?” Either way, it seemed the sort of topic best left untouched (for now), and Po was glad to move on to the next. “Kasil it is,” he promised him, though couldn’t resist throwing in a subtle dip of his head in respect, a miniature sort of bow.

“Oh, no. I mean yes, I think I came from here, maybe? But I’ve only just gotten here. I was found in Solterra as a foal, and now I’m here.” A simple yes or no would have sufficed, but Po was unafraid of sharing details of his life. “I think I like it here most, though—it feels like home. Like I’ve always been here.” His voice was clear and warm, as he looked happily across the plain the Dawn Court sat on. Flowers bobbed in the gentle breeze, birds chirping and singing in the nearby trees. It was so peaceful and beautiful—Po was convinced he’d never want to leave. Of course, he was prone to wanderlust, and sooner or later the itch to travel would crawl back beneath his skin; but it was to here, the Dawn Court, that he would return.

“Where were you during those months?” he asked curiously, returning his gaze back to the King, his new friend. He hardly even noticed the scrawny colt, maybe half his age or less, who hovered nearby, as though seeking an audience with the king himself.







@Kasil
Went ahead and started the close! I’m assuming the colt is a squire or something lmao but you’re free to interpret it and we can wrap it up! <3
!!!

---

KASIL

Kasil was certainly quick to switch drives, but he felt that his point with the ivy had been made. He had nothing further to address about the matter. There was a slight feeling of disappointment that the younger stallion had not been a native to Delumine as Kasil had thought he would be. He was still looking for those that he had known years ago, although it seemed like many of them had moved on to other courts or were simply nowhere to be found. He needed to know exactly what had occurred during his extended absence, and his mother was certainly no help in that regard. She was as flighty as she had ever been, more content to fill her bed with suitors that she never intended to marry than to pay attention to the world around her. It was a wonder that Kasil did not have a number of siblings, given his mother’s amorous nature.

The bay stallion was about to launch into the condensed version of his absence of the court, when a youth arrived -- his presence a nervous one. Kasil recognized him as a page, one of the youngsters serving under one of his advisors. For a moment, he considered waiting to check on the boy’s message simply because he wanted to speak more to Ipomoea. It had been far too long since he’d had a conversation that didn’t include the daily tasks of a king. Alas, that incessant tugging of duty would not let it rest, so he cleared his throat. ”Apologies, Po.” He said smoothly, drawing himself up like a king should. Composing himself for whatever act was going to come next, the role of the king returned -- waiting for his call to the stage. He tipped his head to the youth, who scampered over at the invitation and with a worried glance at the cherry colored stallion with the strange wings adorning his feet -- delivered the message he had been sent to tell.

Important matters, as usual. Without a word, Kasil sent the boy ahead to let the advisory committee know that he was coming. His soft brown gaze turned back to the young stallion. ”Duty calls.” He said, though he sounded more tired than before. ”Would you accompany me back to the citadel? The inside of the walls may be even more beautiful than those on the outside”

Without waiting for very long, Kasil began to take long and purposeful strides back to his kingdom -- feeling the mask of a Sovereign beginning to slide into place.

---

The change was smooth, subtle enough that anyone not paying attention might not notice. But Po had been studying his face, studying the lines found there with interest. He watched the king’s jaw harden, his eyes gray over if only slightly. It took him by surprise—the king had been so informal just a moment ago, this new, steely facade no longer seemed to fit him.

Ipomoea made himself appear busy while the youth delivered his message, studying the pattern the ivy made upon the wall and following a single strand all the way down to the base. It was more difficult than he had expected; in several areas the runner disappeared, weaving over and underneath other vines, so that Po had to guess where it exited from. Nonetheless, it provided an excellent distraction: he almost didn’t notice when the page ran off.

He couldn’t deny the sting of disappoint sinking in his heart, reluctant to lose his company. Had he been allowed, he could have sat all day discussing plants and vines and flowers with the king—though he couldn’t deny that Kasil’s other duties would be of far more importance.

But at least he could have a few more minutes of interaction. “It would be my honor.” With a dip of his head and a smile, he followed, his heart already lifting once more with the excitement of adventure, ready to explore the rest of the Dawn Court.




@Kasil
short n sweet to finish it up! <3
!!!

---