It was easy to talk of their children and put aside all the pressures the two of them faced in the positions they’d taken on. “She’s much quieter than Oswald,” Oswin said, thinking of their daughter, “but sharp. She learns quickly.” Though she’d only had her for a season, Oswin was already quite proud of her daughter and saw great potential in her. “I named her Filumena.” She said, eyes trailing up to Tyr as they walked. “It’s a warrior's name. I won’t force it on her but, I hope she chooses to fight for the Peak.”

She almost told him how hard Filumena’s birth was on her, like Oswald’s had been. How frightening it was. But she held her tongue. She could strip herself down in front of Tyr, but only so far. The splashed mare still had her pride. If the birth hadn't been so hard, she may have considered giving him a third child, despite how unfavorable that would look to her sisters. No… not this year. If Oswin was to do as she wanted and lead the Peak, she needed to lead the Peak. She couldn’t do that pregnant.

The ground gave way from the soft squish of saltwater mud and Oswin relished the feeling of more solid ground under her hooves. As the pair moved up into the clearing Tyr had brought her to, Oswin slightly caught her breath. “I didn’t know the Lagoon could be so beautiful, and I once lived here for a few seasons.” As a captive, angry and steamed up, she couldn’t see any positives in the Lagoon.

Tyr came to her and Oswin felt her body relax against his closeness. His musky, masculine smell wafted up to her nose and stirred that desire and need in her. She wanted to tell herself she couldn’t do this, but Oswin stretched her much thinner, daintier neck over Tyr’s and sighed with contentment as she shifted her weight to lean her body into his. Her eyes drifted closed, lashes touching her cheeks, and Oswin’s heart soaked in the moment of total privacy with him as greedily as she needed this.

Deciding to be a little more vulnerable, Oswin voiced it aloud as they stayed tucked so close together. “I needed this.” There was a small beat of silence before she clarified, “I needed you.” As some part of her heart sank, fearing she may be stumbling right into a trap he was building for her.

oswin
this is as brave as I know how to be.
I know it’s gonna hurt you, but please… be a little proud of me.