I do not regret our union. Finding Antares and joining with him beneath the clear night skies had been the best moment of my life, truly. As fickle as Allah's whims could be, the simple truth that he had drawn me to my Beloved when I needed him most had been proof enough for a lifetime of faith for me. My only regret was that my hubris had caused my family grief and pain, but I took solace in the bond that I now shared with my darling.

I can feel my Beloved's desire to help radiating so strongly from his figure that I cannot help the chuckle. In truth, I had felt much the same way as our precious daughter began taking her first steps. There was so much to come that I would not be able to help her with. Things I would not possess the ability to do for her or to change for her. The future was a daunting weight that loomed heavily on the horizon and I squirmed away from it for the moment. My joy was too great to spend one moment of this happy moment worrying about the things that I could not change nor control.

Our daughter, already so eager to know this handsome stranger, is quick to ply her lips against his forehand again, her fuzzy ears clicking to catch every syllable he lavishes on her. She beams as his touch brushes against the proud fuzzy bow of her neck and she shuffles closer still, eager to be close to her father and to know him. He offers her so many words that it is a struggle for her young mind to keep track of them all, but one out of the many is different. One out of all that he has offered is hers alone and she relishes in the warmth and love he has poured into those three syllables. Aminah. He said it again and she beamed, her small fluffy tail whisking excitedly over her haunches. Aminah was hers. Just like her mama and baba.

I cannot help but smile at our precious daughter, her eagerness to know her father bringing me a warmth that fills my entire soul. I lean into his caress, soothed by his nearness. I had never imagined myself to be so rich with blessings, or rather, that the blessings that I would cherish most would be so different from those I had expected as a young filly. We were not rich with land, or power, or even allies. Our riches were made of the bonds that we had made amongst ourselves… and now with Aminah, with the new life that we cherished.

A part of me still hurts that Aminah will forever be second to her older sister, but I am careful to keep my face neutral as our daughter is named second. I know that it is no different from my older half-siblings, and that she does not take away from Aminahs glory, but it is, as always, a reminder of who had come before me. Vulnerable in the rush of new emotions brought on by the birth, I struggle to remember the peace I had found in the aftermath. I know, objectively, that Indira had fulfilled a need that I could not have helped him with. And I know that she was not his First Wife, nor did she wish to usurp my position in his heart. And yet, the knowledge that he may have shared a moment such as this with someone else before me makes my mouth fill with sullen, unladylike bitterness.

Gratefully I latch onto his offer for rest and I nod against his shoulder with a small smile, my eyes still downcast. "I would like nothing more than to rest at your side, Husband." I reach out to brush a gentle kiss on our daughter's forehead - to which she snorts at me indignantly for the interruption in her exploration - and turn my gaze back to my Beloved's handsome face. "Lead the way, Habibi."

---

When the morning dawned at last, I was slow to wake. I adored sleeping in the embrace of my husband, but I could not help but wake at every small movement and rustle that came from our daughter's sleeping figure. She was so precious to me that I could not bear to let her be unhappy or in danger for one single second. In a way, the dawning morning was a bit of a relief, as well as a moment of worry.

Today our precious baby would meet her uncles, and perhaps even their associated wives. The thought of exposing her to so many people made my throat close up with jealousy, even as a part of me glowed with pride. Aminah was mine, and I did not want to share one particle of her with anyone besides my Husband… but I knew this to be unfair. Not only for our family, who had also eagerly awaited the day their Mira might no longer be pregnant and irritable, but also because a new child - no matter the religion - was a thing of celebration. But also because Aminah deserved to know her family.

Eventually, our crimson daughter awakens first. She's spent the night nestled with her rump against my chest and her back pressed firmly against her father's ribcage. The warm grey of pre-dawn light still bathes our world in a small amount of mystery, and I watch our daughter stretch out her limbs in a cat-like stretch with a smile that grows wider by the second. Gently I tickle at her hipbone and she flicks her tail in annoyance, cutting one eye toward me in a glare of annoyance that quickly melts into delight at the prospect of more fun.

"Good morning gameela," I murmur softly to her and turn my attention back to my Husband. He, too, was beautiful in the morning light, his dove coat warmed by the faint gold on the horizon. The stark red of his marking and his mane were muted now, rich dark wine instead of mulberry, and I stretched to trace a kiss on his withers, where his mane ended. "Good morning, my love."

I watch as Aminah clambers awkwardly onto her feet and shakes the offending sand from her pale limbs. She is splashed with white as am I, but she bears her father's reddish tint and I am once again struck by how perfectly she has combined our hearts into one. Only time will tell if she will lighten as we have, but I know that I will adore her either way. She is impatient to nurse, and I avoid her indignant glare as I rise to my own feet to appease her frustrated pawing.

As she set to nursing, I turned back to my love with a shake of my head. "Already so sure of herself," I say with a smile. "She is going to wrap her uncles around her little hoof."

I lift my gaze back to him, attempting to read his expression. I did not yet know if the brothers had met Indira's child, nor, in truth, if her child had yet been born. Indira was a private mare that rarely sought out anyone's company, and I had been a little preoccupied lately with the final days of pregnancy and then the delivery of my daughter. "Are you ready, Husband?"