an eye for an eye and the world goes blind
The silent beating wings of a barn owl signaled his arrival.
Nearly everyone within Delumine knew of the barn owl, and what her arrival meant. She was, just as her bond-mate, quite the legend among these lands, like whispers on the breeze, or like ghosts flitting within the forests. Finding a place to roost, Alba landed with silent grace and peered around the gathered citizens of Delumine, her piercing, keen eyes rooted upon the horned doe who introduced herself as the new Queen of Delumine.
Interesting.
Alba’s head swiveled, focusing on the crowd, picking out those whom she knew and those she didn’t. Even though she knew by now that she wouldn’t find them, that they had been swept away as though time itself had stolen them, and oh, how her heart ached at the thought, the barn owl searched the sea of faces for two certain twinlings and an ivory and gold mare. They weren’t there, of course.
They hadn’t been there for a long, long time.
Stepping up into the courtyard, Somnus arrived. Dawn’s light kissed along the golden accents of his skin, catching the way the ivory hair of his shorn mane had begun growing back out in length. The man’s face, greying with age, remained held high, sightless eyes staring forward, his steps confident and casual. Those within the crowd who saw him and recognized him parted immediately, giving him a wide berth, allowing him unhindered passage towards the front of the gathered citizens.
There were even some within the crowd who nodded their heads, dipping their muzzles with reverence and respect at acknowledging Delumine’s former Sovereign, a man who had fought alongside Oriens for for the safety of this home, who had wined, dined, and shared tea with their Patron Deity on more than one occasion, who had served these lands both body and soul for years.
As he arrived at the front of the throne, milky white eyes focused upon the figure he could not see, golden ears flicking forward to listen as she spoke, Alba finally departed her perch. She soared down atop the gathered heads, wings beating without sound, to land effortlessly upon the dunalino’s croup. She popped her beak once towards the closest individual before ruffling her feathers and growing quiet, and Somnus only smiled, wistful and nostalgic.
He stared, sightless and unseeing, emotions roiling within his breast. Slowly he inhaled, deeply, letting the breath fill his lungs and calm his racing heart.
A man of the people, he had always been. Serving Delumine was his calling, serving Oriens, and he could already hear the similarities in the efforts that this lady, this Callynite, boasted. Leading a kingdom was hard work. He knew, firsthand, after all… And one could not do it alone. It would be foolish to try.
Only when silence echoed long enough did he break it, the gentle, patient rasp of his rich, accented voice enough to cut through the quiet that had settled.
Somnus knew of his legacy.
Somnus then dipped his head, unseeing eyes falling shut for a brief moment before he straightened.
