(ooc: content warning for this post: oswin speaks briefly of a non-con and abusive relationship her mother suffered)

Often one of Oswin’s downfalls were the snap-judgements she made. Temblor had only listened quietly as she explained and then expressed gratitude for her time, but it already made her decide she quite liked the new Paradise stallion. Oswin smiled softly as he mentioned her children, who stood quietly listening. Perhaps a more loving mother would gently usher them off to play among the hills of grass while the adults talked, but these were things she needed her children to know. These were the type of diplomatic conversations she wanted Filumena to understand having. She may not force it on her, but Oswin’s dream was for Filumena to remain a Peak sister rather than living elsewhere once she was old enough.

Oswald knew so much of the Peak already, but when Temblor asked of the Lagoon, Oswin was pleased she could share with her son there. “Not… exactly.” A slight frustrated release of breath left her, ears flicking briefly back and then forward as she thought of how to explain the Lagoon and its recent attempts at change. “The Lagoon has long been a place where stallions go to live… freely. They have often terrorized the herds of the islands, raiding and stealing away mares and keeping them captive. Cruel stallions have been born from and attracted to that place for years.” Oswald shifted beside her and huffed a few small breaths, his ears perking expectantly. He was clearly waiting for her to tell Temblor of the changes his father was making to the Lagoon. Oswin glanced at him, smiled, and looked back at Temblor. “However, in the last few years the stallions there have decided they want to change that. They are helping keep an eye out for anyone who forcibly takes a mare out of the Commons, and they are no longer holding any mares who do not want to live there.”

Despite her General’s doubts, Oswin explained Rade and now Tyr and Rehobam’s vision for their Lagoon without hesitance.

“It’s a work in progress,” she added, “some of the bachelors who live there aren’t ready to adapt to the new practices.” It was difficult to keep herself from rolling her eyes.

His next question brought a sort of quiet over her. She glanced at her children and finally decided this was the point they’d heard enough. Before she answered Temblor she gently touched her pink muzzle to Oswald’s cheek, then told him, “Take your sister down to the river.”

Although a light frown worked its way over Oswald’s face, he moved to do as he was told and gingerly picked his hooves back, maneuvering around his mother and convincing his sister to come with him. Filumena initially didn’t want to go, but Oswin had already made up her mind.

Once the children were a slight distance away, her dark blue eyes turned to Temblor. “It was worse, when the Peak was first created. But it hasn't gone away as time went on. The reason I am here today as a Vulcan is because my mother was held prisoner in autumn on this very island for three days until she consented to give an unknown, cruel, abusive stallion a chance at her. He then let her go, and she never saw him again, though she grew heavy with his child.” She retold the tale somberly. “More problems than just my mothers trauma, which were plenty enough, came from those three horrible days, and I dedicated my life to trying to help stop it at its source for others. I couldn’t change what had happened to my mother and the way my brother was raised because of it, but I could help keep it from happening again. Not every horse on the islands is cruel, but there are a few, and they need to be stopped before they can hurt anyone.”

She shifted her legs slightly and made up her mind, gently pulling her head back toward the way she came.

“Come, let’s walk through the territory. I’m getting restless standing still.” She looked him over curiously and added, “if you aren’t afraid of heights I can take you up to the top of the Peak. It’s quite a climb.”

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.