The summer air was heavy; full of moisture and fragrance. Even as dawn burst over the horizon, flooding the sky with hues of pink and yellow, the air was already warm and dense. As she moved through the Fields, she light scent of clover and dew filled her nostrils, filling her with a sense of calm and resolve. The air seemed to sparkle as the rays of dawn gently cast their light through the waking meadow, illuminating each and every bead of moisture that hung from the multitude of wild flowers. There was no breeze, and for the first time since her curse, Phaedra felt comfortable. The humid air clung to her withered body, gentle enveloping her in an airy shroud.

Throughout the gruelling trials of her pregnancy, Phae had wondered one simple thing: Will I know? Will I know when the foal is going to come? The question had tormented her, and in these later days, had caused her to restrict her movements significantly. Never having had a foal before, Phae was uncertain as to the signs which would indicate that she was about to go into labour. Would she be somewhere she ought not, when the foal came? Ignorant of the warning signs? Would she be in poor, or even dangerous company? Fearful that her ignorance would lead to harm on the part of her un-born foal, Phae had ceased her wandering, only venturing out to tell Ktulu of her pregnancy, and answer for her shameful actions when Tolio had called her.

Will I know?

In the post-dawn hush of what was sure to be a blistering hot Tallsun morning, Phae realized that yes, she would know, because she knew now. The foal was coming now.

The pressure in her belly was enormous, and given the current state that her cursed body was in, Phae feared that her stomach might simply split open, her skin stretched too thin over her bones to endure the trauma of childbirth. The pain had woken her abruptly from sleep, and she felt the overwhelming need to push. Not here! She thought frantically - not in the Deep Woods. Although her Grey family might be able to keep watch over her, she would not have them see her cursed and in the throws of childbirth. So she had forced herself into motion, and as she walked, she found the pressure start to subside. By the time she reached the Heavenly Fields, the pressure was only a dull throb. The lack of pain both excited and frightened her - the pain meant that her pregnancy was not only real, but also that it was ending. She would cease to be pregnant, and suddenly become a mother. Maybe she could just...keep walking. Rock the foal back to sleep and prolong it's arrival into the world. Although her maternal instincts, not strong, but still present, told her otherwise, she still felt hopeless.

A cold stirring in her extremities told her that it was time - past time, even. Her legs began to shake, threatening to simply buckle if she didn't lay down soon. Shivering, despite the warmth of the morning, Phae lowered herself into a clump of clover, drowning herself in the sweet scent. As the pain of her contractions rolled through her body, she did her best to concentrate on anything but the pain: On Tolio's sweet face, on his scent and the feeling of having his form all around her all those weeks ago. On Lakota - the only true member of the Grey that she felt any sort of closeness with - of Sohalia and her soothing advice - On Levi and his persistent advances - On Apollo, and their sweet kiss the day they thought they would die in the ocean together. Grunting with pain, she squeezed her eyes shut as hard as she possibly could, trying valiantly to control her breathing and not just hold her breath.

This was going to kill her. She was sure of it. She imagined her body torn apart in child-birth; found dead and already looking decayed due to the curse. If I had known about the foal, I would never have gone to the Veins! She thought, but knew deep down that it was a lie. For all the motherly instincts which were starting to bloom within her, she was still a selfish creature. She would have gone, regardless of the consequences. Gasping with pain, the once golden-beauty pushed with all of her might, feeling the pressure begin to move lower. Suddenly it was no longer pressure, but literal searing pain as the foal moved lower in the birth canal, pressing against her soft skin. With one last ugly grunt, she felt something change; lessen. Craning her neck around only briefly, she spied a pinkish sort of blob out of the corner of her eye. A wave of admiration and pride washed through the mare; a feeling which surprised and delighted her. I did that, she thought. I created her. Feeling the need to rise and begin to clean the foal, Phae was suddenly overcome with another wave of pressure. Incomprehensibly, her mind fought against the feeling, no, no. no! She's already born! In a dizzying wave of nausea, Phae flopped her head back into the clover, and once again let her body taking over, her mind drifting. As she felt that same sensation of lessening again, she looked up, startled to see another blob laying next to the first; this one darker if not slightly smaller.

Twins She thought, astonished. Twins?! Grunting with effort, Phae hauled herself around, still laying down, to face her two daughters. Tentatively, she inhaled their dewey and new scents. She had no words, as she examined their small faces, their small horned faces. They were unicorns...That was likely for the best. They could stay with Tolio.......But her mind halted that thought before it could fully develop. They were her babies; and perhaps it was her motherly instinct finally taking hold, or simply her selfish nature holding onto what was hers, she felt violently opposed to letting them go.

Nuzzling each against her withered form, she found herself jealous of their beauty, and ashamed that the first view they had of their mother would be like this. Pressing her wrinkled muzzle against the lighter of the twins, she smiled. "Raeden." She whispered softly. Looking to the darker, she repeated the process, gently blowing onto her daughter's face. "And you shall be Hotaru."