"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
I want to swim away but don't know how Sometimes it feels just like I'm falling in the ocean
The trek to Nerine had been exhausting for the expecting sooty bay. Being pregnant was not easy by any means, and her talk with Leilan certainly didn’t free her from any troubles. No, she was only more troubled than before. Indeed, her suspicions had been confirmed; Leilan felt no love for her at all. She had been used, her heart toyed with like it held no importance. She’d hardly had any time to heal, nor think about what would come next. Her broken heart blinded her from her previous goal to find a home, and at the moment, she didn’t care. Never had she expected a wounded heart to feel so terrible. It almost felt like she had received a physical slash to it; her chest ached from the intensity, her legs weak and trembling. Tears finally threatened to fall from her clouded eyes, and for a moment her legs had lost all purpose to move onward.
She stopped dead in her tracks, having barely managed to pass the edge of the sister Kingdom. She didn’t even try to keep the tears from falling as her mind lingered on her pain. How could he be so cruel? Had she done something to deserve such heart ache? Now her foal would grow without knowing their father. And without a home, her foal won’t be safe. She needed a place where other foals were plenty so they could have friends. A place where they could have a better life than she had, a life they deserve. She didn’t want her foal to grow up alone, afraid of speaking to others and so desperate for attention and affection that they’d be foolish like she had been. Yeah...it wasn’t Leilan’s fault this happened. It was her. If she hadn’t been so desperate and foolish she wouldn’t be suffering so. And now because of her foolishness, she would have a foal who will likely suffer just as she was. All because of her.
Now her tears fell with new found purpose. She wept for her unborn child. Guilt, regret, and self aimed hatred weighed heavy on her mind. Her innocent foal would suffer because of her...in all truth, it was her that was cruel. She raised her head gradually to look ahead, her vision blurry. What was she supposed to do? She had no one to turn to for help, no one to look to for guidance. She felt utterly helpless.
It was only once she stared ahead at the vast land long enough that she remembered where she was. Nerine, the Kingdom of mares. A Kingdom...and Breckin lived there. Though the memory of said mare sent a pang of pain to her heart once more, she knew there was someone to turn to after all. The leopard-spotted mare had been kind to her during their first meeting, and at the time she had been searching for recruits for Nerine. Was she still welcomed here? Only one way to find out.
She forced her trembling legs to move her further into the Kingdom. She couldn’t give up. Not yet. Her foal deserves a life better than her own. One way or another, she will make sure her foal is given a good life. Surely Nerine has plenty of foals to befriend her own so they won’t be lonesome. She will teach them they best she could, and be sure they won’t grow to be as foolish as her and learn to avoid making mistakes as bad as her own. It won’t be easy, especially since her foal will have no father to help teach, a mate she would not have to help her when she truly needs it. She’ll need to strengthen herself as well. Need to set a good example in what to do and what to avoid. She won’t be able to be a mother if she remains so pathetic and foolish.
With a wave of suddenly found determination, she walked faster. She will bury the mare she is now, and strive to be something better.
ROSEEN
a nomad
@[Breckin] We haven’t had a thread with Roseen and Breckin yet, so I thought this would be a good time to start if you wanted :3
Spring was definitely one of Nalia's favorite seasons, next to summer, winter, and fall, in that order. Each season had it's merits that thrilled the filly and took her thoughts away from wishing the next one would hurry up and come, but by far, spring was her favorite, for one main reason. Winter's grasp had finally left the land, meaning she could not fly without worrying that a sudden winter storm would leave snow frost and icicles on her wings, something that took forever to thaw out mind you. So, as soon as the winter sands started melting away and the sun broke through the heavy cloud layer to shine down on the lands of Beqanna, the filly threw out her wings in excitement and decided to test the new weather for herself.
It still hadn't been that long since winter's end, and she could not get enough of the fresh sky, the feeling of the lovely cool, yet warm spring breeze flowing through her mane and tail. Her wings were fully extended out to the side to let her glide easily over Beqanna's landscape, her eyes looking down from her view to see all that lay below. As she flew over each and every part of Nerine, the filly's heart felt content, moreso than she'd been in quite a while. Without even realizing it, this place had become like...
Home, is that what she would call it? She had two good friends here, and while others she called friends, she had yet to get to know them more personally. She had a good relationship with the kingdom's leader, so she didn't see any reason she'd be kicked out within the near future. Add that to the other friendly residents of the kingdom, plus those who were due any day now to give birth, and... it served as a reminder to Nalia, of what she had left behind. Not on her own choice, but the knowledge still stung to this day.
Her dam, her friends, her unborn baby brother or sister... someone she would never get to know, all because of that stallion. His actions had not dampened her attitude towards all stallions thank goodness, but it was clear that if a stallion tried the same action the one who ran her herd did, she'd tell it to him straight how she felt.
But here, in Nerine, the warm faces, wonderful place to live, and adventures this place provided every day had slowly begun to mend the wounds in Nalia's heart. It also helped that she had a good friendship with Ardashir, the one who had brought her here. Nalia still didn't understand the more important concepts of love, and didn't yet know if her friendship with Ardashir stood somewhere else exactly, since she was still young and a maiden. Whatever the case, she was happy, and could not wait for him to finish the tour he'd promised and show her the caves that had once been flooded with ocean water during the winter season.
A rough gust of wind blew against the filly, but that only served to fuel her excitement. Tucking her wings in, she threw her weight to the side, doing a barrel roll twice to the left to bypass the current that tried to throw her off balance. Once she was in the clear, she opened her wings again, flapping them a few times to gain some altitude. Effortlessly, she threw her weight backwards and flapped her wings a few more times to propel herself upward. Successfully doing a backflip, the filly came down from the first one, then threw her weight backwards again, tucking in her wings to add weight and momentum to the action. Once she did a few backflips in this fashion, she felt herself getting dizzy, so she opened her wings and steadied her glide to give herself a break.
Shaking her head, the filly let out a laugh of excitement, having not expected for that to turn into such a show. Her vision a bit blurry, she waited for it to clear before she turned her attention down to Nerine once again, to see if anything could spark her interest.
Lucky enough, something did, but Nalia was curious as to what, or who, it was. The object had passed Nerine's border and was now moving across the lower meadow, not even bothering to hide in the trees that lined the west side when one was walking north. Tilting her head, the filly tucked her wings and allowed herself to dive a few feet, wanting to get a better look.
When she was low enough, the filly opened her wings and started to glide again, her view of the creature now much better. It was a horse, a bay by the looks of her color, firmly striding toward Nerine's heart. Nalia didn't recognize the horse, but figured that, if this creature could so freely walk into Nerine and not bother letting out a call to alert the residents it was here, there must be someone the creature knew. But who was it? The questions swam in Nalia's head, since she'd not yet encountered a situation like this, having been preoccupied with searching the Field, and her trips to Loess near winter's end a few days ago.
Perhaps she could offer some help? Maybe the horse was looking for someone? Nalia tilted her head down and tucked in her front legs as she headed for the ground, intent on making a softer landing to avoid spooking the new horse. Once she was close, she extended her front legs to catch herself, tucking in her wings and entering a cantering stride when her hooves made contact with the ground. She slowed down over a few feet to avoid tripping over her own hooves, a mistake she'd made many times when learning to fly, and then cantered over toward the new horse in order to greet it.
She approached from the front so the horse could see her, coming to a halt a few feet away with a friendly smile on her face. Her long forelock fell down the bridge of her nose, framing her pretty eyes, and she called to the horse, "Hello there, welcome to Nerine. I'm Nalia; are you here looking for someone?"
As she spoke, Nalia's eyes wandered over the horse, her mind slowly putting the pieces together. By the looks of it, this horse was apparently a mare, with her belly engorged past it's normal size. It was spring, this was a mare, so that meant -
Nalia let out a soft gasp, so soft that you would've had to be next to her to hear it. She quickly spoke up again, not offering the mare a chance to respond to her question, "Oh I see! I'm sorry, you're in a hurry. Do you need someplace safe? I know a lot of hidden groves here in Nerine. I can take you to one if you'd like?"
Spring always seemed to be the gateway to change, of seasons and of the land's shedding of hibernation to the awakening of new life and promises. Like the evolution of the land in the rising warmth of the season of blooming, Breckin had not been exception. Though maybe not in the way that would be expected of an unimposing mare such as herself, ambling through the kingdom grounds methodically. There's no swell of her barrel, or a metaphorical glow that radiates off of her like a warm aura. Not this year anyway. And if someone bothered to look beyond the hard set of her brown eyes today, not simply sparing a passing glance, then they would see the rise and fall of conflicted thoughts.
Leilan was not a part of these troublesome musings that clouded her thoughts today, nor Wolfbane, or any other kingdom issue for that matter. But something else entirely, weaving a selfish pattern through the tapestry of her own self loathing.
Drifting along the outskirts of the realm, the darkness of steadfast eyes shift outward, noticing two very familiar figures nearby--Nalia and Roseen. The painted maiden she'd seen frequently exploring the many nooks and crannies that Nerine had to offer, or watched her soar patterns across the dying sky while she stood below. It makes her smile softly as she remembers these small lighthearted memories, a sensation that had grown so increasingly foreign as of late. And Roseen, the uncertain sooty bay woman that she purposefully encountered while already being pursued by both Arthas and Leilan a time ago. Many regrets plagued her, but ultimately that day hadn't fallen towards that side of the scale. Though as emotional and troublesome that day had become, it perhaps helped guide her back towards a more righted place in her life.
Still smiling, she approaches the pair slowly, ears flickering lazily while listening to Nalia's quick offerance of shelter for the heavily burdened woman. "Thank you for finding Roseen, Nalia, and thank you for kindly offering our quiet refuges." Breckin easily commends the younger woman's quick reaction to offering her assistance. Turning her deep gaze back towards the sooty mare, "As my Sister said, welcome to Nerine. I think maybe it's best to skip the torture of small talk for now. Why don't we get you somewhere more comfortable first?"
09-20-2018, 01:39 PM (This post was last modified: 09-20-2018, 02:25 PM by Roseen.)
I want to swim away but don't know how Sometimes it feels just like I'm falling in the ocean
To keep her mind busy from her wounds, Roseen had taken up thinking of possible names for her foal. Knowing not whether it would be a filly or colt, she fancied picking names for both genders. Already she had come up with a few good ones, but part of her wanted to wait and see what her foal is like before picking one for sure. That way it would be most fitting. However, it was difficult to keep herself distracted. Her chest was still squeezing uncomfortably, while she kept forcing Leilan to the back of her mind before she would start crying again. No matter how much she kept her mind off of him, her body naturally ached with the pain she tried to ignore, as if it wouldn’t let her forget so easily. But she had become determined to not be weakened by her pain. Right now, the only thing that truly mattered was her foal.
Up ahead, the figure of another horse appeared from the skies. The grullo paint didn’t look familiar to the sooty bay. But that was no surprise. She managed to smile, even just a little, when she was greeted in such a welcoming manner. But as she prepared to give a reply to the mare’s question she was instantly stopped. Nalia’s sudden change and rush of words made Roseen blink in puzzlement, her dark eyes reflecting her curiosity. Why did Nalia seem so worried all of a sudden?
But nonetheless, she was grateful for the kindness she was receiving. With eyes softening, she answered in an equally gentle tone, “I thank you for your generous offer. A safer place would be lovely.” So far she hasn’t had any troubles with her pregnancy, other than feeling tired all the time. The distance she traveled to get from the River to Nerine had left her completely drained, desperate for sleep. But now, something new came over her. An aching in her belly. But she brushed it off for the time being, for her mind switched to another horse’s sudden appearance.
Breckin...
As the leopard mare gave quick thanks for Nalia’s actions, Roseen was frozen. Eyes wide, she stared at Breckin, all of her regret and guilt returning to weigh heavy in her chest. She wasn’t expecting to actually be fearful of the other mare. Wait, no. She was fearful of Breckin learning the truth. That none other than the stallion she loved had sired Roseen’s unborn foal. She couldn’t even bring herself to question how Breckin would react. The answer was too frightening to her. Either way, she knew Breckin would be hurt. She had been kind to Roseen; she didn’t deserve the kind of pain the sooty bay has caused herself.
So, she forced a surprisingly convincing smile, and politely replied, “I’d like that, thank you. The trip here was absolutely exhausting.” That’s right, she couldn’t show her true feelings, she couldn’t show how terrified and hurt she really was. She needed to pretend that all was well, as not to make Breckin suspicious.
The mare's goal, unknown to Nalia, soon arrived in the form of Breckin, Nerine's queen. The leopard spotted mare came up to the filly and the bay mare, offering Nalia praise for her willingness to help the bay mare. The filly nodded, appreciating Breckin's kind words, as the queen offered the bay mare the opportunity to find someplace secluded and private.
The bay mare thanked Breckin for her kindness, though Nalia thought something was off-putting about her smile. It didn't seem sincere, something Nalia knew from forced quite well. She'd seen the look many times on the stallion's face, the one who had taken over her dam's herd. He'd charmed all of the mares to take his side, even though they hadn't done so when he fought the leader. Nalia remembered her own dam cursing her foolishness for falling for such charming words, when she should've been happy and focused on raising her filly.
Those thoughts put aside, Nalia jumped to the mare's aid again, hoping Breckin wouldn't mind this. She stepped a little closer to the bay mare, "In that case, I know of a small grotto not far from here, and it's within easy reach of the main meadow where everyone gathers for meetings. You'll have plenty of privacy. Would you like me to take you there?" Nalia was already stepping backwards in the direction of the grotto, eager to start their journey there so the mare could have a quiet place to rest.
An attempt to loosen the blunt ache behind her eyes. There was an omen of a thick emotional past and having been around Nalia for some time, it left the leopard woman to believe that it belonged to the swollen bay mare. Unfortunately, Breckin couldn't stunt her suspicions. The timing of everything unfolding in her own recent emotional past was just too obvious to deny its consideration. Leilan had only recently resurfaced in the never-ending confusion of her life in the last onslaught of winter's wrath, where he had shown her some of the painful memories that he carried. It still hurt, in all sincerity, to know her own lacking decisions had sparked the fuse of so many other poor choices made. Time would have to be the balm to her own regret, it would just have to be something that would gradually lessen. Or so she seriously hoped.
Looking back between Nalia and Roseen evenly in their respective turns, the gentle smile she wears stays painstakingly true. Dark eyes linger over the bay woman's abdomen again, daring a closer assessment of exactly how far along she was exactly. She couldn't claim to ever have ever been pregnant herself, but the many distances she had put into traveling had exposed her to several things, including time spent around other expectant mothers. Furrowing her brow in contemplation, she made a soft sound at the back of her throat. "That's a good idea, Nalia, but I am thinking something even nearer might be best."
"I understand your journey was trying, why don't we get you just over there? It's probably wisest if we don't make you go much further." Smiling in soft reassurance, she turns from them, politely denying any dissent with the idea, not that she entirely expected there to be any.
Leading them to a copse of trees, the lower limbs of the great pine lowered and boughed, weaving together to form a suitable makeshift shelter for the time being. It wouldn't be as private as a grotto, or even the sweetest privacy that Nerine's coastal caves were known for. But this would do for now.
Standing vigil nearby, she waits patiently for Roseen to rest, before speaking again. "I'm glad you came to experience Nerine. Perhaps later I can give you a tour as I had promised before." Before when she had been a diplomat, of course, but things had changed. Not enough, however, for the latest Queen of Nerine to go back on a promise made.
Nalia eagerly offered to take Roseen to a grotto, but before the sooty mare could accept, Breckin decided against it. Instead, she politely explained how Roseen has traveled enough and that a closer place would be best. And, there was no argument on the matter. Breckin‘s words were obeyed instantly as she began leading the way. Her heart warmed at the mare’s thoughtfulness, even though the place they were headed may not have had the privacy as the grotto. But privacy didn’t really matter to Roseen. As long as she could rest, she was happy.
“Thank you for your help, both of you,” she said with a sincere smile. But she couldn’t help wondering if Breckin would be so kind if she knew about her foal. The idea made her smile sadden a little, but she refused to allow herself to be distracted by her feelings. Right now, she needed to worry about her foal. She could worry about Breckin later on. And so she followed the mare and filly, at first taking firm strides as her determination returned. But an intense pain in her belly caused her posture to break, and she winced. It seemed the pains were getting worse. She needed to hurry.
Regaining her posture, all the while doing her best to try hiding the pain she was in, she picked up the pace until she caught up with Breckin and Nalia. Sighing heavily once she reached a good resting place, she sunk to the ground and lied down on her side. Her legs ached from her travels, her eyes heavy, breath swift and a little unsteady, as the pain in her belly gradually worsened. Had she overdone it? She wished she hadn’t traveled so much and took more time to rest. Then perhaps she wouldn’t be in such pain. But if that wasn’t the cause, then perhaps it was about time.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Breckin spoke. One ear lifted and swung to face the mare, her eyes opening a little to see her standing watch close by. She smiled softly, “Ah, yes. I would love that.” Her voice was becoming breathless, her breathing quickening even more. Before she could add anymore to her words, the worst kind of pain hit her.
Tightness in her abdomen, as well as dull pains signified the beginning of her labour. The pain came in wave-like motions, working their way down her body as she tried to help her foal escape her womb. It was a difficult process, one that took lots of determination and patience for her to get through. The whole ordeal left her breath depleted, leaving her far more exhausted than she already had been. But it was a rewarding experience, for her foal was finally born.
She raised her head to lay her eyes on the foal for the first time. A colt, with the blood of drafts running through his veins which gave him a more stocky build. Obviously something he got from his father. His mane and tail were white, his coat sooty like hers, but with silver bay coloring. She wondered if it made it easier to figure our who his father was, but either way, she loved him. Her heart was warmer than it ever had been before, her joy almost overwhelming her to the point of tears. She gently nuzzled his little figure, eyes full of motherly love. Already, she knew what to name him. “Thorgal,” she whispered softly, causing his ears to raise as his eyes open to reveal his brown pupils.
Then, she finally turned back to look at Breckin and Nalia. “Actually, is it alright if we stay here for a while in Nerine? I don’t mind joining, if that’s what it takes. I need a good place to raise him,” she suddenly asked. Roseen was grateful they had been there with her during the birth. She felt she would be able to get through anything as long as they were there at her side as friends. However long that would last. But if they refused her, then she supposed she would have to find a home elsewhere.
Whatever happens, she’ll find a way to get through it all and make things work.
even if you feel all alone, it can’t rain everyday, it don’t rain forever
@[Breckin] @[Nalia] I’m not real good at births O~O
Nalia didn't mind Breckin's suggestion, also wanting the bay mare to be comfy and putting that at the head of her priority list. The grulla paint filly followed after Breckin and Roseen, walking calmly for most of the trip to help keep the bay mare calm. However, the filly's boundless energy got the better of her and she eventually took to the skies, flying on ahead to where Breckin was leading them to make sure that it would be safe for Roseen. Nalia didn't doubt the Queen's words, but no one could be too careful, especially with a pregnant mare in the group.
The filly was also looking for a bit of an excuse to stretch out her muscles again, her wings gaining an uncomfortable cramp if not used after a while. Which would explain the discomfort she woke up with most mornings, unless she remembered to wake up and go for an evening flight. But that put aside, Nalia didn't see anything dangerous with the group's destination, and so turned back to reunite with Breckin and Roseen.
To try and sate her mind, the filly also pulled off a couple of flips and tricks in the air before settling down by the mares, landing on a canter stride and folding her wings in. The tree overhang that Breckin was leading them too looked a bit more forbidding on the ground, but Nalia didn't let such a feeling show. The filly stopped outside of the woven pine tree limbs to let Roseen have her privacy inside the small shelter, sneezing when a couple of the small pine needles fell off the tree and onto her tapered nose.
Breckin offered Roseen a tour of Nerine, apparently something she had promised, and Nalia would have offered to join them if she hadn't remembered this was a sensitive time right now. She doubted her energy would help Roseen's stress, so she forced herself to stay calm, trying to sate her urges to move by pruning her wings or ruffling the feathers with the appendages tucked against her barrel.
Roseen entered the shelter alone and laid down on her side, letting her legs unfold from under her body to relieve them from the weight of her body. The bay mare then told the Queen that she would enjoy said promised tour before her face contorted in pain. Nalia anxiously pranced in place by the shelter's entrance, wanting to see if she could help in some way, but instinct telling her she needed to let Roseen do this on her own.
Some time passed before Roseen finally spoke, Nalia turning her head to look back since she'd been giving the mare privacy by averting her eyes. Nalia's own widened in wonder when she beheld the silver-colored colt at Roseen's side, his white mane and tail standing out in stark contrast. He also looked a little thick in build, which Nalia guessed he'd gotten from his sire since Roseen had a more slender frame and build. Nalia felt a slight stirring in her belly at seeing the tiny creature, a feeling she didn't quite understand. Why was she feeling this way? Did it have to do with seeing the foal? Little did she know that it was her body's own way of telling her she was capable of having one of her own, but since Nalia had been separated from her dam and the only births she had witnessed before this were during the days she could barely remember, she didn't know she could have one soon. If she did know, she'd also realize she was missing one key ingredient to the factor.
Roseen had decided to name the colt Thorgal, a name Nalia didn't quite understand but wouldn't complain about. After all, it wasn't her colt, who was she to say anything? She lowered her head a little, nostrils flared, as if trying to absorb the colt's scent from a distance, but she withdrew once Roseen turned to look up at them and ask if she could stay in Nerine while she raised her newborn colt.
Nalia, obviously, had no problem with the bay mare staying. Throwing her weight off her front legs, into a mini-rear, she then countered by throwing her weight forward and lifting her hind legs off the ground, sort of a rocking back and forth motion. She did it twice as she spoke, "Of course! We'd love to - " And then she cut herself off, remembering that while she was learning to be a diplomat, she still didn't really have any jurisdiction over inviting Roseen to stay. And so the filly forced herself to stand still once more, anxious eyes going toward Breckin to see what the Queen would have to say about Roseen's request.
It might have been the deliverance of his name that started the slide. Or the sudden shift in emotions of the past from guilt plagued sadness to one of purest love. Or both.
Regardless, something happened to jolt her steadfast footing and she was caught entirely unprepared. She might chide herself later for not seeing it coming and readying herself for the onslaught; in the end, it would be a lesson learned, one that she would easily recall for times much later. But today she is caught off guard, with little opportunity to try to catch herself before her own thoughts slip accidentally into the memories of Roseen's most prominent.
A few seconds, a minute even maybe pass before Breckin finds herself within the rolling chaos, clutching at the sides of the pools of the past experiences with a weak grasp. Internally, she heaves and forces herself out of the sticky darkness, raising herself once more into the thinner brambles of her own thoughts. Outwardly, she is visibly wilting beneath the mantle of understanding, raising her head upward to stare dismally at the pale sky, breathing steadily and recollecting that last tendrils of lingering thoughts with practiced tenderness.
Suspicions were one thing, certainty was another.
Dropping her gaze back down towards the mother and newborn, her eyes settle over the child, seeing in a fresh light the inheritance of solidity and strength of whose blood she now knew ran through him, along with Roseen's. Standing in quiet consideration, she thumbs over the implications, the possibilities, the potential outcomes, her own feelings...her own feelings. The smile she'd worn had long since faded to nothing, the line of her mouth drawn flat until now when the corners dive into a shallow frown. Barely there, it hardly shows, not unlike the willingness to get caught up in her own strangely conflicting emotions right now; the willingness is barely there. No allowance for self-indulgence, the leopard mare buried the poignant feelings so devastatingly her own in the wake of duty's concrete motives. There would be time later to deal with herself, in the voided privacy of her own making, ever striving for the illusion of wholesome calibration. Just not now.
Not now.
Nalia's light voice snaps Breckin back to the present, allowing the fallen smile to resume its rightful place upon her dark lips. "- have you stay with us." she'd spoken softly, encouraging the vibrant filly with dark eyes formed by earnest warmth, finishing off the fledgling sentence with a slow nod of affirmation. "You're welcome to be a part of Nerine's kingdom if you'd like to. I'm entirely biased, but I always thought you'd fit in well here better than anywhere else." With that her smile grows a bit brighter, the deepness of her eyes fixating on the new mother.
But if she were to stay, there would be something else that needed to be addressed entirely. A certain stallion now roamed Nerine's coast frequently, often keeping the Leviathan queen company whenever she craved certain respite. Someone who needed to know about this child, just as Roseen needed to know that this someone was often around. Who knew what would come of it, but it had to happen for the sake of progress. Better now then later, force the possible tension to a head and deal with what would come next. She was entirely too wary of secrets and sidestepping now, history had only taught her worse was to come if you try to avoid the inevitable.
"Please stay here for a moment, there's something I must do. I'm sure Nalia won't mind keeping you company until I return." With that she turned away, brushing her muzzle along the painted filly's downy wing as she passed in reassurance, heading deeper into Nerine's waiting heart.
And when Breckin finally returned to the waiting pair, she was not alone.
BRECKIN
call me forward when the crown falls .......
@[Leilan] @[Roseen] @[Nalia] figured Leilan should reply next, then resume usual order. let the awkwardness begin.
a dragon who couldn't be hurt on the outside could have so many ragged holes inside
She's right - he's in Nerine more often than not, and he always makes sure that the Nerinian queen can find him easily. So whenever she goes looking, she doesn't have to roam through half the kingdom to do so. He looks up, has a smile for her, readily. Though when she tells him he 'must come now' without much else, there's a frown on her back as he follows. That is until she tells him that he has a son, though there's not much else. Clueless as to who has come to the grey cove kingdom's borders, he follows readily, eager to see. Perhaps Jenova had come to pay them a visit? Or (does he dare think it) perhaps there was another, maybe Thal?
The ears that had been pointed forward, however fall flat on his skull as he drops whatever smile, or gleam on his face, he had. Stops dead in his tracks. His voice sounds empty and weird like a faraway echo in his mind, when he asks, "Roseen?" as if perhaps she'll look up and have someone else's face, as if this must be a mistake, she had been pregnant, sure, but - but -
His eyes flicker sideways to Breckin in confusion. There's also another young mare present, not too much younger than Roseen but, he doesn't know her name yet and he doesn't care to ask. She has the Nerinian smell. She might have found Roseen. Called Breckin. Whatever. Doesn't matter. What matters is that this here is Roseen, and that she is nurturing over a colt, bay, but with the same white to his mane as he has himself. Most of all it's clear that his ancestry is of drafts - much unlike an Andalusian - so, maybe, that must mean - it's not - but then -
If all colour could drain from his face, it would do so now. Unfortunately, it only drains from his eyes, leaving all the blue behind to portray a white-grey gleam as he looks at the sooty bay mare. His mind is spinning. This can't be real. There must be a mistake. But it's clear to see there wasn't; even if the baby isn't roan, even if the colt has no gold like his half-brother and -sister (the thought suddenly makes him feel sick, how did he end up with so many bastard babies), that is clearly his and Roseen's child. And slowly, as he looks at the two of them, colour returns, a deep bluish-brownish-inbetween, probably grey with various tints to it, because when the shock ebbs away there is just sadness for Roseen and warmth for the child, mixing and not-mixing and not-settling as if trying to fight over his feelings. "Why..." Why hadn't she told him? Was it meeting Briseis? Something must have happened there, but he can't quite point it out. She could have just told him. Demand he take care of her ánd the child. Easy-peasy. Took about two words, technically three, it's yours, that'd be all that he needed. To not let her walk away that heavy and do all the hard stuff herself. How long had she taken to go from the River to Nerine, those last days?
Focus. There's a baby, and he has ears too. There's time for that question later, and all the emotions attached to the answers. Maybe sometime when he is safely asleep, not wide awake and exploring the faces around him. "Have you named him yet?"
HTML by Vanilla Custard, picture by x-celebri-x on deviantart
@[Roseen] @[Nalia] @[Breckin]
-cri- but whyyyy wouldn't you tell me
Two things I know I can make: pretty kids, and people mad.
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