The misery which was manifesting within her subconsciously whispered that Valentine was wrong. Somehow she played a part in what had occurred to her instead of walking away, completely blameless. With emotions running high she’d fled Luthien and hadn’t told a soul; that was where she had went wrong. Lack of confidence was a hell of a thing and for Dock, who had lived a life where she was generally perceived as a nuisance, she had to find some blame in herself for this. A piece of her wanted the comfort Valentine provided and wanted to trust in the words he’d spoken so firmly, but her heart sank all the same. Maybe over time she would contemplate over his words and her mind would change but for now, she said nothing. Her face pressed into his skin, her cheek cradled by his warmth, and she simply breathed.
Slowly, the sound of rainfall came back steady and calm to her ears. She could hear other things now too – the sound of Valentine’s breaths and, curiously moving her head to point more toward his heart, she could hear its strong, steady beat. Comfort settled over her like a blanket which she found odd, considering how uncomfortable she often was. But so weary, so tired, Dock found she didn’t care. She found she didn’t want it to stop, so her weight leaned more fully and her shoulder brushed into his.
“I’ll try,” she murmured quietly to him. But how could she not be afraid? How could she not be kept from sleep, fearing the creature that was growing inside her? It was just a baby but somehow it seemed like something more, something worse.
Valentine’s words made her tense and she slowly pulled her head from where she had ducked it against him, turning her neck so she could seek out his expression. “Valentine,” she said, shaking her head slowly, “don’t put yourself in harm’s way because of anything to do with me.” Though it made her heart lift somewhat at the same time that it puzzled her, knowing this stallion she stood with would go out of his way for her. A sigh came from her lips and she turned her eyes back toward the greens of the forest. “I don’t know his name, at any rate.” He was just a memory – a vivid, horrible memory. “My sisters might.” Dock hadn’t asked them… She’d been angry with them when they came back, when they told her they’d taken care of matters. What if they’d gotten hurt? Dock would never have forgiven herself. “They found him after I returned.”
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