Her smile was soft as she regarded Pagan briefly after he spoke. “Thank you, Pagan.” She meant it, and the warmth in her voice was a testament to her honesty. “I’m afraid I can never return to my old home, even if I wanted to.” The smile held just the faintest note of sorrow, and she let her blue eyes reach away from the Inlet lead toward further down shore where she could see her sons, letting her love for them act as the balm over any past heartache. “There’s nothing left for me there. My home is here now.”
She laughed softly only after he’d complimented her, taking her turn to be somewhat bashful, glowing with the compliment. “I never knew what motherhood meant, but it’s honestly one of the best things that I could have ever hoped for.” Each day her sons filled her with wonder, watching as their personalities developed, such individuals in their own right. As they began to understand more of the world they processed it differently, born mere minutes apart and yet, minds and heart’s all of their own. She could only give them the best chance, give them all the love and warmth she possessed, and pray that it was enough. One day she knew they would be restless enough to leave, old enough to begin their lives away from Tinuvel, and while she dreaded the day she lost them she also looked forward to it.
Oh, the adventures they would have!
“It’s good, you know,” she mentioned off-hand, “They have you to look up to, as well.” She skirted the topic of Braylen’s slight inactivity, never being one to speak badly of her stallion and trusting he would come forth for her and their children when he was ready. “They’ll turn out to be good stallions.”
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