No matter what Adelheid wanted, or intended, the filly clearly had other ideas. As each new face approached the group the filly squealed a friendly greeting. After she had thoroughly investigated Wasp she trotted gleefully to the towering darkness that was Herza. As the mare reached out to greet the newborn, the child in question completely ignored the societal standards of conduct and went directly to poking at her legs and chest with her soft pale muzzle until every inch had been explored. Excited, she squealed again and scampered a few lengths away, all but begging one of the mares to give chase.
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Adelheid, exhausted by the mere thought of the amount of energy her spawn was going to have watched as she greeted Herza. With a soft sigh and the shadow of an affectionate smile at her child, she shrugged at her Friesian friend. Of anyone in the Peak, it was Wasp and Herza she would have trusted without hesitation to approach and step in with her child.

Wasp, this is my friend An… Heart. the new mother introduced at the curious expression on the Prime Minister’s face. She had almost slipped into using her personal name for her Soul Friend. Heart, this is Wasp.. also a friend and family. It was strange on the mare’s tongue to speak of the two of them so close to her. She shifted on her hooves uncomfortably, ears pinned back in irritation at her own conflicting feelings.

A nudge against her shoulder brought Adelheid back to here and now. She looked over at Wasp’s face and shook her head to keep anything cutting from being released from her lips. Mention of her mother and sister struck unknowingly deep. Adelheid’s head snaked back at the tone in the other’s voice before she chilled herself. Whatever Wasp’s experience with Inka and Jetta had been, Adelheid was different. The words she had exchanged with them and the deep jealousy she had harbored she would not wish on her worst enemy. As she watched her daughter play, her heart clenched with preemptive despair at the thought of the words being issued at her from the blazed silver face that was so alight with joy.

Panic rose in Adelheid’s throat and she dared not let it pass onto her face. Do you want her? she asked, forcing her voice to be dull to hide the smallest of quivers in her tone. Either of you, really. I do not doubt she would love to follow someone else to the ends of the earth. She looked over at her spot spangled offspring who had now started to frolic in flowers, heedless of whether or not anyone had joined her. Petals tickled the inside of her nose. With a sneeze that sent her off balance, she looked over at her mother, a look of offense in her light eyes. On meeting Adelheid’s dark eyes, the filly visibly calmed and grinned with an instant and deep love. She breathed a big breath and settled into the ground where she had landed. Closing her eyes for juuuust a moment to catch her breath.

Jetta would have loved her. Adelheid whispered under her breath. Every second, the mother grew more determined to give this child the best of the world she could. Raise her to be a Vulcan of the Peak, and still hold her childhood and innocence in her soul. The corner of the Codebreaker’s lips twitched, silently appointing Herza and Wasp to be the primary teachers of these lessons.