She wasn't sure what it was that drove her back to the Prairie. But as her abdomen grew wider and thicker, and as the end of her pregnancy loomed, she thought of no place safer than the yellow reeds and sloping hills of the terrain where she was born.
Vita Nova remembered being struck by Oswin's, her half-sister, decision when she returned to Luthien after many years to give birth to her first daughter. It had been important to her, to have some kind of tie to this land and the magic of this place. In turn, Nova remembered feeling bitter about having to give birth to Nyah in the Inlet, of all places. But life went on. Nyah was grown now, having left her mother behind many months ago to start her own, independent life. And now Nova was on the verge of doing it all over again. But this time, with a sire she loved.
She didn't tell anyone about her time away on the Mainlands, secluded in that small valley, with Nephilim. For just a few days and nights, it was as if the world had stopped spinning. No one could find them in their hidden enclave, and they were able to explore each other all over again, this time as grown adults, though the passion of it all mirrored their younger years. Nephilim had promised to return to the Islands. He was supposed to be here now, at her side in the Prairie. But once again, life took a nasty turn. Shamwari had needed her after the death of Brienne. He had a newborn son to raise with no mother and his older son as the only other herd member. Time had gotten away from her, and it became too late in her pregnancy for Nova to safely swim to the mainlands to find Nephilim again, let alone escort him back here.
Did he know she was pregnant? Nova couldn't be sure. But after the intimate getaway they'd experienced together, she hoped he had at least considered the thought of it. Raising Nyah by herself, without Fallo and without a stable home, had been trying. She didn't want that for this child. She wanted this one to know her family: the Bay and the Prairie. Mariael, Maziel, Zevulum, Paradiso. But also Evaline, Shamwari, and Jabari.
Shamwari, of course, let Nova come and go from their home as she pleased. But he wasn't stupid. It wasn't long before he realized she was pregnant. As such, the rounder she got, the more attentive he became. Perhaps it was lingering anxiety from Brienne, who after all died giving birth to Verdi. Or perhaps Shamwari was trying to be more involved in Nova's life, if she'd give him the chance. It hadn't been all that long since they were formally introduced as family back in the Desert.
Needless to say, when the contractions came, Vita Nova was silently grateful that Shamwari was not around. He had two other pregnant mares in his herd to keep him busy, thank goodness. So the steely-colored mare slipped quietly away, over and down the low-lying hills, until the pain of the looming arrival of her foal crippled her. She came to rest among the reeds in a shallow sloping valley. Her frame was hidden from view by the golden stalks. She lay out flat on her side, as instinct told her to. And she endured what was to come.
However later, sweaty and exhausted, a small golden babe lay breathing evenly at her rump. She was healthy and alert. She was beautiful. Nova gathered what was left of her energy and began cleaning her new filly, pride and love beaming from her pale-blue eyes. "Just wait until your father sees you, sweet little girl." She whispered quietly to her. "My Tavas."
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