A Crown Made of Air

Part 1, Chapter 2

Sky

"Look, Moon, look!" Sky nearly toppled over the rail, bursting with excitement. She wasn't used to come across remarkable sights in The Cloud Castle. If she were to be honest, life was bleak and dull beside its walls, with unending lessons on how to rule but trivial matters relating to Cloudiness to tend to. This was such a novelty she couldn't contain herself. "Here! You can land, little fella." She clasped her hands together, bringing them above her hand. She sincerely hoped the hummingbird would nestle there, which he didn't, tough...

The tiny bird fluttered his wings faintly, looking drained from this simple effort. Sky squinted against the blazing sun, assessing him for the very first time. He was as small as her little finger, a blend of violet body blending seamless to azure and a shamrock green head.

Sky summoned her creation magic to bring to life a concoction of plain white sugar and water. Only then, did he seem to relax, his bill drinking the transparent liquid vigorously, as if he had not restored his energies in quite some time.

The sunny shafts enfolded his fidgety onyx feet in a gilded light and only now was Sky able to detect a frosty white string rippling in the soft wind. In its end, it was tied to a blue letter. There was nothing written on the envelope and she didn't recognize the seal. She popped it open and unrolled the paper, skimming her fingers through protruding celeste blue lines.

Upon her touch, straight lines on either side of the page slithered together and a hologram took form right before her eyes. She blinked, too bewildered to properly think. This was enchanted ink, ink that could conjure the creator of the letter when someone read it. Whoever had written such message, ought to be extremely wealthy and powerful for enchanted ink was as rare as stumbling upon a tree in Cloudiness Court. Before having seen it now, Sky could have sworn her family was the one in Cloudiness to stock it. But, perhaps, this letter hadn't come from Cloudiness...

A girl came into full view, in front of a walnut bureau that seemed as old as centuries. She was sitting cross-legged above a plain divan, hunched over a sheet of paper as she fidgeted with a quill, pondering over how to start. It appeared to be deep in the night, for no lights filled the sparse room. Sky could only see the other's back and a glimpse of her profile when she turned slightly to one side.

Moonlight gasped, joining Sky. She could grasp the reason of her sister's surprise for the goddess couldn't be much older than them, her face hidden in the dark. Her only visible feature was her mouth twitching and her rich indigo hair, glossing in its loose bun.

The goddess dipped her quill in a glass of enchanted ink and brought it to the paper, muttering over what she was writing.

Their Royal Highnesses, princesses of Cloudiness Her melodious voice lingered in the balcony where Sky and Moonlight stood. It reminded Sky of a cat purring, a high clinking bell buzzing in her ears.

I must start off by expressing how honoured I am that you were able to find time in your overwhelmingly busy agendas to read my letter. I hope my messenger arrived with no problems to your lavish castle and that by using enchanted ink you deem my message as a pressing topic.

For I dwell, indeed, in a critical situation that requires your immediate action. I am writing to you with a heart as heavy as a meteorite as my home is being torn apart by the minute and it grows more and more imperative for me to do something about it.

I cannot simply expect you both to leave your peaceful and safe home to aid a crumbling island but perhaps your flourishing realm will find it relevant to help a neighbour at the brink of war.