the firestarters always get the burns
and the good guys never get the girl
She never really speaks of it, any more.
Or thinks about it. Truth is, she doesn't want to - truth is, she wants to hide it away and never think of it again. She'd nearly killed herself back then, not wanting the life that had involuntarily been planted there, to root. Llowell was a pretty kid but, it was better for her that he was old enough to roam the world on his own. That he wasn't always there. For her to see, how much he looked like his father.
Svedka had been there for her, at least. A shoulder to cry on, a friend who promised to keep her safe. The baby should have been his. In the end, she didn't need him now as much as she had then, result of his own absence, his lion, but he'd been there when she needed him - did this sentence make sense, she's not that sure any more. Point is, no woman should go about this on her own.
The timing was perfect, or perfectly wrong, call it what you want. Ilma hadn't visited Nerine in what feels like ages; she didn't need to, knowing their alliance was strong, and they were neighbours, so it had always felt like tomorrow would be just as fine as today. She also had not wanted to be a burden on Breckin in her new role, letting the younger woman find her way, by herself. Now, the lands had shifted and a sickness threatened both their old homes - a visit was so long overdue.
She never found the spotted woman, however. Instead, the sunlight-winged mare finds another familiar face, even if crooked in birth pains. Ilma nears her carefully, and, with shock determines that the pearlescent mare's wing is broken. How did she even get up here? Did she have a bad landing? But no time - she's in labour. Again a mystery yet to be solved but, again - no time.
"Sabra?" she calls softly, but the woman is spasming, and so the white mare nears and lowers her head to touch the other woman's neck, a soothing move she hopes. Ilma's amber gaze goes from right - Sabra's face - to left - a contracting belly - and she knows what's at stake. What she doesn't know is how much this woman doesn't want her child to exist - as much as Ilma hadn't wanted her own second.
But time has passed and what's done is done; now is just a time to be here for her and get the hard part over with.
@[Sabra]