It wasn’t long before the commotion I had hoped to gain began to head toward me. First, the oceanic healer that had healed me the night that my child had been conceived. She held genuine worry but all I could do was beam a tired smile to her. She grew closer, a quick pace to see what had gone on that caused such a stir. I felt her warm muzzle reach my shoulder in greeting before noticing my son. I lowered my head to him, adoring how proud and strong he seemed to be to me as I poked and prodded him. However, Tiamat caught my attention again. “He’s beautiful!” I sighed with a bit of content. “Isn’t he?” My voice showed signs of wear and exhaustion as she rummaged through her hair to find more herbs. She grabbed a few leaves of various things and handed them to me. My tired state gladly took them, breathing in slowly, relaxing ever so slightly knowing that a healer was here in case something went horribly wrong.

“What have you named him?” Tiamat questioned and I sat there for a few moments, unsure of how to answer that. Ashamin and I had never really thought of what we could name the child, so instead I watched my golden boy beneath me reach out to press his muzzle against the blue mare before retreating back under me and began to nurse. I breathed a small sigh of relief, lifting my head to the blue mare – opening my mouth briefly before someone else coming to us gathered my attention away from the question. This time, a large stallion approached with a light attached to his antler. Yet, his unmistakable tree marking immediately let me know who it was. I beamed to him as he ran toward me. “Tilney! Oh I’m so glad you’re here.” I breathed to him, pressing my face into him as he wrapped his cloak around me. I didn’t realize how cold I was until the cloth was delicately placed upon my back. “Thank you… He really is.” I smiled to the caramel stallion, both a breathless thank you a million times until an unfamiliar face approached.

My body stiffened at first until she spoke. Eldala, apprentice of Johnny. I fondly remembered the candy man before nodding my head to her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Eldala. I’m Rexanna.” I spoke calmly, taking the gift from her with a bright smile before lowering my head to the child to make sure he was doing alright. I placed the bark gently on the snow in front of me in a place I knew I wouldn’t forget it, before I lifted my head back to the Apprentice. “Thank you for the gift!” I nodded to her. Then, Albrecht caught my gaze on the outside of the circle. The old man had an intriguing sense of humor but seemed… kind? I let my gaze land on him softly, watching him for a few moments as he stayed on the outside of the already larger circle.

Then, there he was. Ashamin. He rushed through while I had been speaking with everyone else. I took note of Lochan and Rakt’s rush as they ran toward us while Ashamin made his way into the circle, pressing his warm cheek to my sweaty cold one. I beamed to him, nuzzling him back briefly until the Haruspex looked to Rein, interacting with him just as he had with me. “Rexanna… Our son… We have a son.” It was enough to make my tears begin to fall again, this time of joy and happiness rather than the pain and fear they had been just previously. I smiled, nodding my head. “Our son is beautiful.” I looked back to Lochan and Rakt nodding to them to see if they wanted to come and meet what would more than likely be like a brother to them. I lowered my head back down to the colt, blue eyes flickering up to catch Ashamin’s tearful gaze. “We need a name for our golden boy, Ashamin.” I reached for Ashamin again, resting my nose delicately on his shoulder gently, breathing a sigh of relief that there had been so many here with good intentions and such a great welcoming for my child’s birth. My face had become wet with warmth and stained with tears along my exotic black markings that my child carried, this time red as how Ashamin’s neck had been.

I turned my head, then, back to Tilney with a smile. “Tilney, this is Ashamin. This is my son’s father.” I spoke gently to him, enjoying the gentle warmth from both the cloak and the lantern as little moths began to fly around it, seeking their warmth and light as well. Then flashing a smile to Tiamat and Eldala, my gaze fell upon the child born from a thief and a priest. What a wonderful future this child would have.

"Talk?"

rexanna & rein

no one is ever gonna love you more than I do.