[P] take me to the fireflies ball

[Eulalie]

so why don't we rewrite the stars
maybe the world could be ours tonight

The sun had set, the last vestiges of its warm light clinging to the horizon in one last embrace before it faded from sight. Summer had come and the night was temperate and the breeze gentle as it kissed Eulalie's skin, tugging lightly on the loose strands of her hair. The ivory and sunshine woman glanced at her companion as they made their way through the meadow, the long grasses and bright flowers brushing along their legs. A satisfied sigh escaped her, a contentedness that settled in her curves and gave lightness to her bones.

“I'm not sure you could have chosen a more perfect night if the gods themselves had composed it,” she said, dark eyes passing over Somnus as she wore a smile. When Eulalie had first made the offer to accompany the sovereign on more walks outside the court, she had of course hoped he would take her up on it. She had been delighted when he actually had reached out to her, more than pleased to have this time to, perhaps, get to know him further.

She paused, stopping to look up at the stars wrapped in the dark, infinite sky. They flickered and glittered and Eulalie could not help but wonder how many looked up at these same stars at this moment. “What do you know about them?” Her question hovered, her curiosity a burning, hungry thing. Her parents had seen little use in educating their second daughter beyond what they felt necessary for her to wait on her sister and not disappoint them among the other nobles. She knew so few details and facts, so little of books and stories. All she knew was reality, and life, and the truth. The golden woman thought she might like to get lost in a tale sometime.

"Speaking."

A short and sweet start for these two @Somnus <3

[Somnus]

SOMNUS

He wasn’t sure what compelled him to send for her.

Somnus had been restless. That was particularly new, and the taciturn sovereign had thought back to a recent, warm summer afternoon, soft laughter, and the splashing of dolphins in the river. Eulalie had promised herself that if he needed a partner to take a relaxing stroll with, that her door would always be open. Hesitance and uncertainty was a new plague that had nearly stopped him from sending Alba to fetch the ivory and sunshine lady. Why? Had she been serious in her offer?

He had thought back to that day, recalling the sincerity of her voice, the conviction in her eyes. She had meant it, he was sure. After a bit of internal deliberation, Somnus had sent Alba off to search for Eulalie regardless of his own misgivings, and they had returned together. A simple question had left his lips, tight with tension from the stresses of the day, a soft pleading of, ’Care for a stroll, my dear?’

She had agreed, Oriens bless her patience and understanding, and here they were.

The meadow was just as lovely and beautiful as Somnus remembered. The summer heat did little to dampen the beauty of the place, save dry out the grasses, making them brittle and perceptive to the threat of a wildfire. Flowers were still in bloom; red poppies, violet lavenders, others that he did not know the name for… But the flowers were not what captivated his attention. The evening wore on, the sun dipping beyond the horizon, and night soon fell upon the two members of Dawn. Alba fluttered on ahead, diving down before cresting upwards, weaving through the air with a finesse Somnus knew he would never master. The barn owl was giving them space, but also on the lookout for an evening snack. The Dawn King would let her be.

“It is quite nice,” Somnus agreed, offering the pale lady an affectionate smile, letting himself stretch out as they walked. It seemed almost surreal, the peace and tranquility that surrounded them now. “I do not dare try to comprehend the workings of the Gods, but perhaps they did.” The summer heat had died down, and the temperature around them was mild and comfortable. All in all, it truly was the perfect summer evening.

As Eulalie mentioned the stars, her words whimsical, Somnus’ emerald eyes ventured upwards. He slowly came to a halt, head tilted towards the heavens as he regarded the twinkling lights from above. Stars… Beautiful, yet mysterious. Obvious, yet shrouded in the unknown. The Dawn King’s knowing gaze slid sidelong to offer a brief look to Eulalie, for the stars were not the only thing that so raptly captivated him that night. Clearing his throat, Somnus focused, once more turning his eyes skyward. When he spoke, he did so with notable reverence, the elegant lilt of his accent informative yet soft, as though speaking too loudly would ruin the tranquility of the moment.

“In my travels, I’ve learned many a thing in regards to the stars. Different places give them different names. Each constellation contains a different history. I’ll tell you of one that I know, from my time spent in Vhallen… I learned it from a man who was once very dear to me.” The constellation in question was just to the southeast, four glowing lights situated in the point of diamonds. There was a fifth star, located just in the center, yet its glow was far fainter than the four surrounding it. Stepping closer to Eulalie, the velveteen down of his folded wing inevitably brushed against her side, but Somnus was focused. He motioned with his muzzle towards the heavens and the constellation in mention. “Do you see it?”

“That is known as the Crown of the King, and the one in the center is the Lady-Knight’s Heart. It is said that the First King of Vhallen loved a valiant lady-knight, and she, him. Bound by duty and obligation as they were, they could never outright express their love for one another. Beneath the moonlight however, they found solace in each other’s embrace. It was there, beneath the moon and the stars, that the First King and his loyal Lady-Knight confessed their affections for one another. For many moons they met in secrecy, continuing their private affair.”

The dunalino frowned, recalling the tale as told to him by his patient, beloved King. It ached, but it was not near as painful as it once had been.

“War broke out. The King was slain defending his Lady-Knight, for he could not fathom living in a world where she no longer breathed. It is said that she screamed her pain to the heavens, and in memoriam to her grief, the Gods tossed the First King’s soul into the stars to form the Crown of the King. The Lady-Knight gave birth to twin sons, and raised the Princes to ascend in their father’s footsteps. Just after their second birthday, the Lady-Knight was struck down during a revolt defending her son, for she also could not stand to live in a world where her sons, the last legacy of the First King she had so passionately loved, no longer breathed. Her sons knew how their mother’s love and devotion to their father had moved the Gods into action, and so they did the same; screaming their loss, their agony, and ultimately their love, the Gods took the Lady-Knight’s soul and tossed it into the breast of the Crown of the King, reuniting the two lovers at last.” Unbidden, Somnus smiled, and he did not try to hide the emotion swimming in his eyes. “The many stars that surround them are the souls of their children, and their children’s children. The legacy of Vhallen’s King’s start there.”

It was a shame then, that Somnus had let the Last King of Vhallen perish. It was surely a failure that would haunt him until his dying breath.

@Eulalie – Sooo, I hope that she doesn’t mind a story. <3

[Eulalie]

so why don't we rewrite the stars
maybe the world could be ours tonight

The fireflies danced through the grasses and in the air and their soft, pulsing light was most mesmerizing in the night. Eulalie's earth toned eyes scanned the stars above, each pinpoint of light reaching out for her through the space between them. Was it possible that each had its own story? Her head dropped as Somnus accented speech filled the air, and she could not help the smile she wore as their gazes met briefly before he turned his attention to the sky above.

He pointed out the constellation to her, and she listened raptly as he spoke, allowing his voice to wash over her. The brush of his wing against her side, so softly, so briefly he seemed not to notice, set a shiver rushing across her skin. Her eyes slid quickly over his upturned profile before they located the constellation he spoke of, the barest of smiles on her face, "I see it," she breathed. She traced the diamond shape in her mind, eventually focusing on the center star as Somnus began to tell a story.

As the tale was woven before her, Eulalie found herself watching Somnus rather than the sky. Each word as it slipped from his lips was like honey, and she could sense the emotion behind each one. It was clear to her that this story held some significance for him, in some way, from some time past, and the sunshine woman wanted nothing more than to take away the pain from his verdent green eyes. She resisted the urge to reach out to him, to embrace him, aware that they were still too new to each other's company for such close comforts.

"To think that these stars have witnessed worlds, and are here to tell their stories," she said in wonder, unable to comprehend the true amazement behind that but knowing that it humbled her. "I wonder if they will tell our stories to others, someday." Eulalie mused and she offered Somnus a smile of understanding, of loss and of things that have been taken from you. A breath escaped her as she looked back at the constellation, "I could only imagine a love like that, a love so strong that even the gods will bend the world for it," she admitted, thoughts of her life before Delumine pushing their way through her mind.

"Speaking."

Aah I hope that this is okay! She just wants to give him hugs @Somnus