She lay sleeping in a corner of the room, her back to one of the stone walls and her muzzle resting on the mossy floor. It was a fitful and restless sleep that was plagued with dreams turned nightmares of her family. Her children were out in the world somewhere and she didn't know where they were. They were grown enough to take care of themselves, it had been nearly two years since Validino and she had conceived Aylin and Cyrus, she thought. Aswane and Malina were younger, but they were hardy like their fathers and had gone out on their own to forge their own paths. That knowledge didn't help the orange mare sleep any easier or feel any better about what she felt was her failure at being a mother. She blamed herself for Validino disappearing and often in her dreams she would see his face and hear his voice telling her how disappointed he was in her. If she had been a better mother to their children he wouldn't have left her.

At first knowing that he was gone had hurt immensely if only because she had thought she'd finally found someone that would be with her forever. Forever was not nearly as long as she had hoped it would be. In the end it was just another letdown in her life that she should have expected. Perhaps if she had expected it it would have hurt her a lot less. Often times she felt like she deserved it for abandoning what she had learned and experienced in her life and actually trusting someone aside from herself and Tallis.

The mare flinched as she dreamed and the dragon that was curled up by her side raised his head and looked at his bonded, concern shining in his dark eyes. She flinched again and whimpered quietly and he uncurled himself, his neck extending so his maw touched her cheek and he nudged her gently. Evangeline flinched away from his touch and Tallis nudged her again. "Wake up." He said mentally as he put his clawed hands against her shoulders and pushed against her. "Wake up!"

Emerald eyes snapped open at the barked command of her companion and she turned her head toward the dragon. "What?" She mumbled as she blinked her bleary eyes to clear them. "Bad dreams." Tallis answered and it took her a moment to realize that he had been able to see her nightmares. The orange mare frowned and reached for the dragon and pulled him against her and nuzzled him close. "I'm sorry." She whispered to him.

@[Midas]