The early morning sea is turbulent beneath the pastel twilight, the waves caps are alight with oranges and pink hues. And beneath the watchful eye of the morning star the Ridge King swims with even strokes toward the Lagoon's shores. He makes his way to barter with the Lagoon boss in hopes that he will release his Queen and perhaps he will be able to save another from the clutches of the Lagoon. As the ocean floor rises to meet him, he can feel the anxiety begin to rise in his belly. This is for Nya and our child. He silently whispers to himself as he steps from the frothing sea and onto the hardened sand of the Lagoon.
Relief washes over him as his Queen makes her way toward him, as if she has been waiting for him to stride from the sea all of these days. A smile tugs at his lips and a breath is exchanged with her before he makes his way further into the Lagoon to have words with Cullen.
ᛯ ᛯ ᛯ
Their conversation is brief, but it ends in his favor. Kalayani and her son will return to the Lagoon and one of his sons will come to the Lagoon once they are of age to do so. He steps to his Queen's side but despite her desire to hide her pain, it is clearly written in the delicate features of her face.
"Let us go home," he whispers to her as they turn to the sea and toward Atlantis.
He clings to her side, even with the sea's constant attempt to pull her beneath its waves. He nickers to her in encouragement as she struggles against the ocean's grasp.
"We are almost there, but his voice is strained despite his attempts to remain calm. The sea spits them both out onto the shores of the Ridge and she stumbles forward.
"You are hugrakkur og sterkur" he whispers into her ear as she lingers on her knees within the hissing surf.
She throws herself up and then onto the dry sand where she convulses and writhes. His heart thunders wildly against his chest as he watches her struggle at his hooves, until finally their child slides onto the wet sand. A breath is caught in his throat as he looks down at his Queen and their child; but as Nya lips away the film that covers the nose he can not help notice the exhasustion that lines his Queen's face. He moves to her side, drops his whiskered muzzle to her cheek and breathes strength into her.
"You have done well."