"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
02-17-2026, 02:24 PM (This post was last modified: 02-17-2026, 02:32 PM by Shadowmere.)
I’ve bled for less, for sure, then best…
Her pregnancy had been rough and much too late. She had slipped away into the deepest part of the Chamber's misty forest to tough it out alone. She returns to the heart of the kingdom, two healthy foals at her side. The prince and princess of the Chamber, almost identical silver black coats and little horn nubs sprouting from their brows. She arched her maneless neck to nuzzle each of them with pride as she strides towards the sacred tree. Looking out across the clearing she searched for the dark general, the sire of her children, her crow-like whinny echoing across the land in question. Would he come to meet his children?
Nadja was already a terror, trying to nip at her brother and hiding behind Shadowmere to avoid repercussions for her actions. Of course, Shadowmere only watched, knowing that if the filly kept bothering her brother and he decided to retaliate, any resulting hurt would be deserved. The youngling would need to learn that her actions had consequences, and the dark queen was far too exhausted from dealing with two children to bother with correcting her right now. Dark eyes flicked to the tree, and she bowed her head deeply. Mumbling a prayer for patience and thanks for her health into its warm roots.
i'm on the wrong side of heaven, and the righteous side of hell
He isn't one to pay much attention to the comings and goings of the Chamberlings. But he does notice when the hierarchy is missing, especially if its carrying his offspring. While he may have failed (or mostly failed) every child prior, he had made a promise to himself that this time, he would be different.
He would never be the type of father to dote and hover, but he could be the type to shape and mold.
When she slipped off into the forest, he followed behind. Never closes enough for her to spot him; his heightened canine senses allowed him that freedom. But he followed all the same. While there was never a doubt in his mind that Shadowmere could take care of herself if needed, that promise he made wouldn't allow him to simply stay away.
So he tracked her. He never stayed long, nor did he make his presence known. The weeks led into months. Sometimes he stayed for hours, other times he just stayed a moment. But he was always there in some capacity, observing.
So it was no surprise to him when she finally emerged from the belly of the kingdom, two identical foals in tow. A boy and a girl, identical in every physical way. He knew they would have fire in them; how could they not, with the Chamber so deeply entwined in their DNA? He approached easily, the corner of his mouth tilting upwards in something of a smirk at the foals antics. Already it seemed that the girl was a menace. "You did well, Shadowmere." he says, dipping his head towards the dark queen. He was no stranger to pain, but birthing twins was a feat he simply could not imagine. "Nadja, dear daughter, when Wisky decides to throttle you, please know your mother and I will not step in. You'll have deserved every hoof." he says with a twinkle in his eye and a smirk on his mouth. At his words the colt runs to his side, his small face angry. In a fit of childishness he sticks his tongue out at his sister, as if daring her to come closer. A laugh escapes the generals mouth as he returns his gaze to Shadowmere. "It would seem we have our hooves full with these two. They are Chamberlings through and through."
And with that he falls back into his silence, content to watch the future generations with a sense of pride of hopefullness that had been long gone from his chest until now.