| By now, Somnus was well accustomed to his daughter’s innocent charm and persuasive charisma. The flutter of her long lashes and large, round baby-blue eyes no longer held the sway over him as they once had when he had been a new -and inexperienced- father. The dunalino stallion only arched a brow as Anemone came out of hiding, at least having the decency to appear sheepish for being caught wandering the halls way past her bedtime. “I was unaware that flowers grew in the citadel hallways, dear heart,” Somnus murmured softly, brows still raised but appearing terribly entertained by his daughter’s antics, if the mirthful look shining in his eyes was anything to go by. “And what did I tell you about lying, hm? It is hardly becoming.” She was alright. Nothing had harmed her. Whatever threat lurked within Delumine held no conviction here, no power, and so long as she remained in these halls, nothing would happen to Anemone. Outside, however… Unbidden, Somnus turned his head to stare momentarily out the nearest window. The moon shone bright, and the night appeared peaceful. He knew better. The vivid imagery of Moore and Casper’s bloody corpses lurked in a devastating place in his mind, and it was all too easy to imagine Anemone’s frail, petite frame in a pile of gristle and gore instead. What would he have done, if that had been the reality? Involuntarily, he shuddered. Immediately he was drawn back to reality, however, as Anemone very pointedly pressed herself up and under his wing so that they were flank to flank, and with a warm, grateful chuckle, Somnus leaned over enough so that he could lip playfully at his daughter’s growing forelock. Every day, Anemone and Regis were ever closer to becoming adults, and the precious moments like these were the ones that the Dawn King knew he had to cherish. “Lucky for you, dearest, I know for a fact that the library does indeed have books on growing flowers. A plethora, actually.” One last lip at Anemone’s pale hair and Somnus straightened up with a roll of a shoulder, but he let his large wing drape across his daughter’s smaller frame. With a gentle tug, he pulled her closer, and leaned down once more to whisper conspiratorial into her ear. “Although I do wonder why this question could not have waited until dawn… But since we are both awake now, perhaps you would be so kind as to accompany your father on a stroll.” He didn’t want to go back to bed. Not yet. Keeping his wing draped across Anemone’s pale golden body, he steered her on down the hallway. “You know, your uncle Po could grow flowers for you. He knows all there is to know about gardening and the sort.” |
@Anemone
