and, when the friendly sunshine smil'd,
and she would mark the opening skies,
i saw no Heaven—but in her eyes
and she would mark the opening skies,
i saw no Heaven—but in her eyes
Autumn was slowly working its way into the world. Days were still relatively warm, but evenings were cool and the leaves were beginning to shift from their vibrant greens into the fiery colors of fall. Pregnancy was… an adventure, Eulalie had decided. She doubted many woman enjoyed carrying around the extra weight, and her belly for sure had grown quite large over time, but to know that she carried around with her life... it was terrifying and humbling.
The ivory woman glanced over at Somnus, who walked faithfully by her side, and she smiled. She was tired, as was no doubt expected, but she was happy. He had been true to his word, that he would be there for her through it all, and Eulalie had quickly found her feelings for him growing deeper through every passing day.
It was a peaceful morning in the court, with soft, gilded sunlight filtering down through the streets and a gentle, whispering breeze brushing over her skin. She had wanted some fresh air, wanted the chance to just enjoy a moment with the man who had, quite honestly, stolen her heart. They walked slowly, taking their time and setting a leisurely pace. Time, however, had a different plan.
The first contraction was a shock, unexpected, but not entirely awful. She breathed past it, pushing it away, but when it came back stronger a second time it was like a bolt shooting through her body—such that she stopped walking suddenly. “Somnus…” Eulalie looked toward him, brown eyes searching, “Somnus, I think,” another contraction, sharp and acute, “the baby.” When he came to her, she reached out for him, wanting him at her side. Things seemed to happen quickly after that, or perhaps a lot of it had been blurred out by the sheer agony.
Her leaning against Somnus as each contraction passed, the warmth of his body helping her to relax. Him calling out for a caretaker, the sound of his voice enveloping her. As the labor progressed, draining her energy, Eulalie laid down in the courtyard. Her sides rose and fell quickly and and fine sheen formed over her coat as the contractions grew closer together, stronger. It was a pain that even her years in slavery could not prepare her for, and each breath gasped past her lips.
She pushed, and she ground her teeth together against the cries that wanted to escape her, and her coat grew dark with sweat. Even when the foal slipped free and came to rest on the ground and Eulalie thought that it was done, it did not end. The contractions continued, the pain never dampening, and for a moment she wondered if something was horribly, horribly wrong.
At last, and with a final push, there came another foal. When Eulalie could finally catch her breath she looked over the two small creatures laying there with her and she could not believe it. “Twins,” her chest expanded, shuddering, and she could not help the tears that rolled down her cheeks, though these did not come at the cost of pain. No, they paired with a smile, “Oh, Somnus,” she cried gently, standing, legs shaking, reaching out for him again, pressing her muzzle to his.
Then, she stepped toward her children and gently brushed her nose over them, making sure they were alright. Children, there were two. She was a mother, not only of one beautiful life but of two. “A boy, and a girl,” she said, her tired brown eyes meeting Somnus’ verdant green, as she carefully nudged them, encouraging them to their long, gangly legs. They looked complete opposites, the boy darker than his sister, and smaller, where she was golden ivory and considerably bigger. Both sported a nub of a horn in the middle of their foreheads and soft, downy feathered wings.
Though she worried for her son’s size, she could not help but be overwhelmed with joy. No matter what, whatever obstacles they may face, she knew they would do it together. She had a family now… a well and true family, like she once would never have believed was possible. Oh, how so much had changed and would never be the same. There was a great big world opening up in front of her, in front of all of them, and she would never go back again.
The ivory woman glanced over at Somnus, who walked faithfully by her side, and she smiled. She was tired, as was no doubt expected, but she was happy. He had been true to his word, that he would be there for her through it all, and Eulalie had quickly found her feelings for him growing deeper through every passing day.
It was a peaceful morning in the court, with soft, gilded sunlight filtering down through the streets and a gentle, whispering breeze brushing over her skin. She had wanted some fresh air, wanted the chance to just enjoy a moment with the man who had, quite honestly, stolen her heart. They walked slowly, taking their time and setting a leisurely pace. Time, however, had a different plan.
The first contraction was a shock, unexpected, but not entirely awful. She breathed past it, pushing it away, but when it came back stronger a second time it was like a bolt shooting through her body—such that she stopped walking suddenly. “Somnus…” Eulalie looked toward him, brown eyes searching, “Somnus, I think,” another contraction, sharp and acute, “the baby.” When he came to her, she reached out for him, wanting him at her side. Things seemed to happen quickly after that, or perhaps a lot of it had been blurred out by the sheer agony.
Her leaning against Somnus as each contraction passed, the warmth of his body helping her to relax. Him calling out for a caretaker, the sound of his voice enveloping her. As the labor progressed, draining her energy, Eulalie laid down in the courtyard. Her sides rose and fell quickly and and fine sheen formed over her coat as the contractions grew closer together, stronger. It was a pain that even her years in slavery could not prepare her for, and each breath gasped past her lips.
She pushed, and she ground her teeth together against the cries that wanted to escape her, and her coat grew dark with sweat. Even when the foal slipped free and came to rest on the ground and Eulalie thought that it was done, it did not end. The contractions continued, the pain never dampening, and for a moment she wondered if something was horribly, horribly wrong.
At last, and with a final push, there came another foal. When Eulalie could finally catch her breath she looked over the two small creatures laying there with her and she could not believe it. “Twins,” her chest expanded, shuddering, and she could not help the tears that rolled down her cheeks, though these did not come at the cost of pain. No, they paired with a smile, “Oh, Somnus,” she cried gently, standing, legs shaking, reaching out for him again, pressing her muzzle to his.
Then, she stepped toward her children and gently brushed her nose over them, making sure they were alright. Children, there were two. She was a mother, not only of one beautiful life but of two. “A boy, and a girl,” she said, her tired brown eyes meeting Somnus’ verdant green, as she carefully nudged them, encouraging them to their long, gangly legs. They looked complete opposites, the boy darker than his sister, and smaller, where she was golden ivory and considerably bigger. Both sported a nub of a horn in the middle of their foreheads and soft, downy feathered wings.
Though she worried for her son’s size, she could not help but be overwhelmed with joy. No matter what, whatever obstacles they may face, she knew they would do it together. She had a family now… a well and true family, like she once would never have believed was possible. Oh, how so much had changed and would never be the same. There was a great big world opening up in front of her, in front of all of them, and she would never go back again.
