I’ve become a simple souvenir of someone’s kill

“Heavy little buggers, aren’t they?”

A grin spread across Rexanna’s lips as a small laugh escaped. She nodded to Hotaru and answered with a simple, equally as tired “Yes.” Her fluted ears perked to her Lady as she began to question the Thief. Instead of asking simply what kind of business Rexanna had at the Edge – obviously not herd related – she had asked if the father was there. Normally, the Thief would be more than excited to share the news with anyone and everyone as to the father of the life within her, but something about her encounter from the Edge weighed on her in an uncomfortable means. The gilded mare should know better by now, to know that those in her home wouldn’t judge her for her mistakes like the blushed Pegasus had done at the Edge. Hotaru wouldn’t paint her red with arrows and banish her away from her home. The Thief had nothing to fear with indulging information with her Lady, and so she nodded. “He is, yes. Tembovu is the father.” She spoke gently, perhaps a bit surprisingly quietly, before wondering if Hotaru even knew who the hell he was. Her ears flicked up once again toward Hotaru as she cleared her throat to add in. “He’s the King of the Edge at the moment.” Her smile softened, heart racing with how excited the Elephant King would be when he found out about the twins.

But the conversation began to shift, and Rexanna found herself shifting her weight in response as Hotaru began to confide in her. She spoke of being stolen from a nightmare in her past – oh how Rexanna could understand that one – and then challenged while injured. A frown crossed her features as she reached out, catching the Lady’s eyes as she grew nervous. “Your secrets safe with me, Hotaru.” Her voice was soft, encouraging as she aimed her muzzle to brush the pink shoulder of her superior. “Perhaps we have a lot more in common than originally thought.” Rexanna smiled again, this time more encouraging than the last time. She retracted her pale face and gestured down to the “C” marred into her pelt, a stark black in contrast to her once pristine pelt. “I just got this recently from a nightmare from my past.” Her eyes fell to the ground, trailing over Alice momentarily before her gaze sought out Hotaru’s once again. “Don’t you worry, though. We might be a little tired and fat at the moment, but once we get these kids out and on their own there’ll be hell to pay.” She let a small laugh escape and sending a soft wink over to the Lady of the Basin.

Then, she turned her attention back to the pregnancy that cursed them both. Tilting her head slightly, she offered a gentle smile. “If you don’t mind me asking, who’s the father for your bundle of joy?” She questioned, genuinely curious. No part of her could imagine that it was Ashamin that would be the father to twins from the Lady. No part of her would even be upset about it. Ashamin and the Thief had indeed had a son, but the poor child wasn’t a product of love, didn’t have parents that lived together and had an unfathomable love for one another. All Rexanna could do was wish that Hotaru would be able to experience something like that, even if she couldn’t. Even though Rexanna was hopelessly in love with the Elephant King, they lived nearly worlds away.

"Talk."

And like the sea—

I’m constantly changing from calm to ill.

Rexanna