Sohalia

the Transcended

That it was still winter was an unfortunate truth that the newly impregnated mare was simply having to deal with.  The memories of the harsh Frostfall that she had suffered thus far, paired with the difficult birth of Aleta on the coldest day she could remember, did not bring even the semblance of warmth to the mare's heart; in fact, it terrified her.  She was afraid that it would never be spring, that the birds would never return to herald the arrival of greener grasses and blooming flowers, that she would give birth yet again in a frigid wasteland to yet another child that could not possibly be healthy, given the circumstances of its conception.  She was afraid, and that was the long and the short of it.

The fear followed her everywhere, even intruding upon her dreams; she had woken just this morning in a cold sweat, having chased her deceased daughter Skysong across the sands of the Throat, only to watch her caught and murdered at the hooves of the WildFire.  She had bolted to her feet in a panic, glowing red eyes (but his eyes aren't red?) emblazoned on the back of her eyelids, and it had taken a sharp nip from Astraeus to reorient the Transcended with reality.  The ivory mare was sure that she would feel better if she could only find a hint of springtime, and so off she went, planning to meander her way through the Thistle Meadow until she was ready to fly for home.

(Let's just ignore the fact that she no longer knew where 'home' was.)

It was a lovely morning, despite the darkness that yet lingered at the back of Sohalia's mind; she shoved the terror down, forcing herself to take in the mild morning air, the pretty drops of dew --

Suddenly, she wondered if she could crystallize a dewdrop and, pausing, she summoned her magic.  Its light was a cleansing pull against her soul, and when she next opened her eyes, a small pendant with a tiny drop of water was settled amongst the grasses at her hooves.  Satisfied, the mare smiled; she picked up the trinket and, with Astraeus's help, strung it onto her necklace, where it nestled against the crystalline rose that she had worn for years.

The soft bubbling of a creek caught her attention and pulled her to its edge; she took a drink, and the frigid waters served to wake her even more, forcing her out of her nightmares.  When she looked around, she was surprised and delighted to find the form of a pegasus that she knew quite well.  "Aelin!" she cried suddenly, bolting towards her daughter as though the girl might disappear if she couldn't get there fast enough.  "Ma shekhikhi!"  My little light.

"Talking."
-Astraeus.-

@Aelin - wow, that was kind of strange, so, I'm sorry about that. :| She isn't showing her pregnancy yet!