Last year, Zevulun had been traveling every instant he could when the weather on Tinuvel permitted it. This year, Zevulun had become somewhat of a homebody. The reason? A heavily pregnant Avalon, who Zevulun watched with concerned eyes any time the stretched skin and foal grown inside her offered a sort of discomfort. There was little he could do but stand by and, when it was permitted, snuggle up to her and groom her itchy spots – particularly those she couldn’t reach as easily now. He was happily consumed by her and anxiously awaiting the day she would birth their first child.
Zevulun couldn’t wait to be a father. Of course, the thought of this also brought him to another fact – he had two other children out in the world. It troubled him he’d yet to find Adelaide, but once things had settled at home and he could travel off Tinuvel without worrying, he’d resume his search. Perhaps he’d ask Mariael if they could reach out to their allies and ask them to keep an open ear for her name. The more horses spread throughout the islands ready to alert him of a mare named Adelaide, the better.
That morning, Zevulun was instructed by Mariael to scout the inland border. Zevulun made his way along a familiar path, worn down by his hooves, his sister’s hooves, and the hooves of the other queensguard. There was no sign of strange horses – no odd scents or disturbed woodland – which was something of a relief. The herd was protected.
Winding through the trees, Zevulun trailed the loop which would take him back to the herd. However, as he walked through the forest, his ears picked up on distant, soft sounds. Zevulun paused, lifting his head and smelling the summer air as he twitched his ears to try and get a better sense of what he was hearing. It was clearly another horse, but the sounds were hushed and gentle. Curious, Zevulun turned and walked toward them, not attempting to mask the sound of his hooves over the ground or the soft huff of his breathing as he went.
Through a break in the trees, he recognized Avalon and relaxed with a small, happy smile. But… what was she doing all the way out here? Zevulun moved closer only to be stopped in his tracks right as the treeline broke around the clearing Avalon was in…
His eyes were wide and frozen on the small, spindly-legged foal at Avalon’s side. He could hardly manage to take a breath – as if everything in the world had slowed to an absolute standstill. His blood roared in his ears and his vision went blurry as his eyes filled with tears of absolute, unashamed joy. “Oh… Avalon,” he barely managed to whisper, his voice choked on love and happiness, “she’s beautiful.”
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