Common

The dawning of a new day did little to lighten her mood, which had turned sour as her heat had faded and the reality of what she had done began to sink in. There was, of course, some small possibility that she had not conceived after her little encounter and that this was all just in her head, but Vivienne knew enough of the signs to know that that possibility was dwindling, and quickly.

Already, she swore she could feel her belly balloooning out and her ankles swelling. She could taste the difference in the autumn grasses and felt the uneasy churning of new life. She hated it, all of it. At least with her first pregnancy, she had been able to hold out deluded hope that the handsome Akhal-Teke would eventually reward her with a position of authority once he took over, but there was none of that hope now.

This was just a mistake.

The flaxen strands of her tail whipped angrily at her sides, cutting so hard and so deep her flesh prickled in response, but it still wasn't enough to distract her from the reality of her situation. She was both pregnant and alone, conditions she had brought onto herself on both accounts. The handsome stallion she'd dallied with had attempted to keep her near once the damage was done, but she had darted away right after, as if distancing herself from the man after the fact would somehow lessen the risk. It didn't, of course, and now she'd have to find some way to deal with the consequences.

Vex, at least as far as Vivienne was concerned, had at least had the good sense to be independent within a few months of her existence, thereby freeing her free-spirited mother from the humdrum of her companionship. Where the girl was now or whether she had survived being abandoned as a young filly was no longer Vivi's concern. The statuesque mare paused in contemplation for a moment before her head whipped toward the commons, brow furrowed in thought. She had always assumed that being claimed by someone random was risky, given that she had no guarantee of the claimant's motivation or prowess as a leader, but perhaps random was all she needed right now.

Either she'd end up with someone soft enough she could dump the child upon once it had been born, or she'd find herself someone worthy of siring one that she did want. Either way, Vivienne stood to win.

Thus, for the first time in her life, the waifish daughter of Rougaru and Vanya sauntered into the Commons at an airy trot, her proud tail held aloft as she danced toward what seemed to be a center point. Vivi did not call out, but it would be obvious to any onlookers that she was clearly here to be seen and approached.