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 Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 8:59 am
 Well, this was a situation the princess hadn't thought she'd find herself in for a much longer time to come, if ever at all. To think that she was to become a mother so soon (though it was not really soon at all)... There had been suspicion, yes, for some time now. Strange cravings and a growing bit of pudge that had egged at the back of her mind, but she just attributed it all to circumstance. Perhaps a few too many cookies. Perhaps too much tea. These were just excuses she knew, but part of her didn't want to, simply couldn't believe that she might be carrying a child after one instance of intercourse.
Okay... Maybe not one instance.
But that wasn't the point! It was still far too soon and far too sudden and far too ill-timed to have been true. Yet the healers had only confirmed these nagging suspicions when they pulled her aside.
'Just precautionary protocol,' they'd said.
'Surely you were already aware,' they'd said.
'These things don't just happen,' they'd said.
No, she hadn't been sure of anything, and yes, sometimes these things do just happen! Celestia had bitterly tried to dial down these hormonal reactions at the time. They were strangely emotional responses, ones she'd only started to have in recent times, since just before she and Moony had been attacked. Putting two and two together, it wasn't entirely unlikely that she hadn't been carrying at that point... That frightened her.
At this moment, though, she was more concerned with how she was going to tell Faroth. He was still recovering in his stubborn ways, making a headache for all the healers left to his care. It was a bit comical, but she'd enjoyed taking care of him for once.
Hopefully this wouldn't stress him too much.
Knocking on the door of his alcove, she waited a moment before letting herself in. "Faroth...?" she called out, her eyes looking to wherever her love might be pouting this time.
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Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 1:04 am
 He'd never been one to stay in one place for long. Whether speaking in general terms, or more specific, Faroth had never been one to stay stationary for any length of time.
To do so while Laisidhiel remained pained and his brethren suffered was torture.
Though the pain had dulled and faded, he could still feel it, like a void within his chest. Something missing. A pain deeper than the one that remained in his leg.
The thought served as a reminder and he glanced down at the bandages wrapped around his thigh. It had been long enough that it was well sealed by now, though he was supposed to keep it covered for cleanliness sake. Especially since he'd insisted on getting out of the infirmary as soon as he was able to move on his own. He wouldn't take up space from those who needed it more. The wound had sealed over, though a persistent ache remained and the muscle still felt weak. He'd been advised to take it easy, then slowly start to build the muscle strength up again with normal movement. No over-exertion.
Feeling antsy, the dappled Faun had struggled to his hooves, moving towards the water jug with a light limp. He was certainly still favoring the leg, that was definite. Still, at least he was moving, if 'taking it easy' as he'd been instructed. As much as he felt he needed to be down below, helping with repairs, or gathering materials, or...something!
In the midst of his frustration, he was interrupted by a light knock on the door. Glancing towards the entrance, he took a deep breath to calm himself, then started to pour himself a cup of water from the jug. He'd settled his weight on his healthy leg, only using the other for balance. If they wanted to come in, they'd have to let themselves in, he wasn't rushing across the room. Before he could even finish the thought, the door began to open and the soft, feminine voice from the other side brought a hint of a smile to his face.
He finished pouring the cup, then reached for another. Placing both of the water cups on the counter by the jug, he turned carefully on his steady leg and held out a hand to her. "'Tia...you're a sight for sore eyes."
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Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 9:49 am
Oh thank spirits he was here, though, where else might he have gone with his leg left to such a state. "As are you. Have you kept well; followed the healers' orders?"Letting herself in, Celestia tried her best to do so without the sort of awkwardness she was feeling inside. It had been quite a while since she'd come by, pretty much since he'd made it out of the infirmary and returned to his alcove. It wasn't that she was avoiding him...
...okay, so she was avoiding him, just a bit...
But she'd needed some time to herself to come to terms with what was happening and to calm Wellspring. Poor kid was still a little shook-up from the whole ordeal, and that wasn't something she wanted to try and crack so soon after. He needed time.
She needed time.
They all needed time.
But it had been enough time, and perhaps Faroth would notice now, after their prolonged duration apart, that the princess was really, quite, very beginning to show. Her ankles were swollen and there was a nice little pudgy bump in the center of her stomach. With her awkwardness, there was a sort of weariness and excitement in her step.
She should probably bring it up. Soon. Not now. She his hand as she neared and pulled him into a warm embrace, her cheek rubbing against his. "I have been away far too long." Pulling away, she took one of the cups and brought it to her lips to drink. "Did somefaun fetch this for you?" Just wanted to make sure he wasn't going to collect his own water. Not now, in any case.
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Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 9:24 am
Chuckling in response to her inquiry, Faroth returned the welcome embrace, kissing her cheek as she pulled away. It really was good to see her again. With everything that had followed the chaos of the explosion, he knew there had been much do. All healthy bodies were needed to tend to the injured and damages to Laisidhiel. He assumed that the Princess had been busy helping those in need, as well as checking on the rest of her family.
Even if he'd missed her, he couldn't be so selfish in times like this.
"I've been behaving," he answered with a smile, letting his hand linger on her hip as she pulled away. She seemed...different. Tired...but he supposed that fit, with everything going on in the Tree. Something in the way she moved though...
Shaking it off, he continued with a playful roll of his eyes. "Yes, whenever my bandages are changed. If I need water more often, all I have to do is set the jar outside the door. I'm being well taken care of." Taking his cup, he began the slow shuffling limp back to his chair. "Honestly, I think someone's wasting too much time on me when there are plenty of others to take care of."
He took a seat carefully, his smile fading for a slight frown. "I'm really not that bad off. I could do some of this myself, you know, and there are far more important things to be worrying about than me. I could probably do more than just getting my own water..." he grumbled before noting the change in his tone. He aimed an apologetic look at Celestia before she could protest. "Sorry. I'm just...frustrated. I don't even know what's going on out there right now, aside from the few things I hear from the healers who visit. I feel disconnected...and like a burden. Taking time and resources from others who need it more."
He glanced down at his cup, waiting for the lecture, but then deciding to steer it away before it could start. Gesturing towards the other chair, he looked back up. "Come on. Take a seat and at least fill me in on what's been going on outside. Is everyone else alright? What about you? Are you...doing okay?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 12:41 am
The princess laughed and nodded in-turn as he confirmed that he was at least listening to the healers in that respect before offering him her arm as he returned to his chair. Once he was seated, she walked away to move the bowl of water closer in case they wished for more as they spoke. She set it carefully by their hooves, listening to him speak and feeling her own smile fade as he voiced his frustrations with the current situation.
Her mouth was opening to chide him as he started to talk down about himself when he stopped, and she closed it. She returned to standing and let him finish voicing his concerns.
Of course he would be frustrated in such a situation. "None here would think of you as a burden in the circumstance, even if you insist on thinking yourself less than any of the other injured and pitying yourself. Yes, some sustained more serious injuries than you, some less; are they also burdens to the healers and the tree...?" Before she could continue, though, her attention was redirected to the chair opposite of him and she laughed as she moved to take a seat.
"If you have the time and energy to complain, you will surely recover very quickly."
Oh bless her hooves, getting off of them was such a relieving feeling. It was probably plain on her expression, particularly since she had grown worse at masking her emotions as of late. For obvious reasons. Her fairly noticeable bump was now clearly defined as she sat, and her resting position was awkward and different than the poised way she usually sat. She seemed to be favoring a way that rested her lower back, and her hands rested atop her thighs.
Had her breast grown, or were they just accentuated by the way she sat?
"Lives are improving, but there remains much to be done before things return to their normal way. Takis and thosefaun with like abilities work nonstop to heal Her. The healers tire from their long shifts, though some who had chosen to live outside are returning to their aid; one of my subjects, Twinkleshine, has recently joined with caring for the injured. Perhaps she has paid you a visit to check on your wound?" Her hands moved to cross over themselves as she transitioned to her, their, families. "Moony remains in the infirmary, still recovering and still whining to leave." A small laugh; the two of them were similar in that regard. "The others are well, physically-speaking. Stallions JustMo and Shining Armor, the children too, leave my dearest sister and niece alone more often than not. They worry. Even if they say nothing, I know." Her eyes glanced away. "Wellspring is recovering, but I believe he remains afraid."
As for her... Well... "I... am well..." her voice cracked ever so slightly as she tried to downplay her state, though her tone deceived her words. Oh spirits, why was this to hard to say. Just spit it out!
Just say it.
"I am expecting."
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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 7:52 am
"Yeah...I know," Faroth mumbled, reaching up and rubbing his neck awkwardly. He told himself that there wasn't anything he could do about it except to rest and get better. Too late to do anything about getting hurt other than deal with it. Like anyone else. Though his mind understood the logic, it was his heart that pushed him, believing that there was more he could do to help. Even if only in some small way.
His gaze flickered towards her as she sat, noting her expression and the obvious relief he saw there. Had she been on her hooves all day? Poor thing...though, he had to admit some warmth he felt seeing her relax so much around him. Clearly she'd become so much more comfortable and free to be herself, rather than being a 'princess'. Still, something about this seemed...odd...and familiar...
Of course...Faroth knew he could be kinda' dumb sometimes. He did dumb things from time to time. Fact of life. That being said, he wasn't stupid enough to comment if he thought a woman might be putting on some weight. He was dumb, not suicidal. Still, his gaze took in her posture, the gentle curve of her stomach...it could be just a little weight...right? Though, given the current situation in the Tree, he'd think if anything, there might be too much to do to be putting on weight by overeating...
...which left another possibility, but...
He'd zoned out a bit while Celestia had reported on the status of her family members, though he'd nodded when appropriate and had heard enough to know that everyone was generally okay. He felt a pang of guilt when she mentioned Wellspring. He wanted to help, but...he got the feeling the boy didn't want to see him right now. Was it...because of his injury? Poor kid had been pretty shaken up at the time, but...
He refocused on Celestia when she referred to herself. She was well...good. That was good. If expecting something. What was it she was expecti--
Oh.
It was almost as if his earlier train of thought had become visible. He froze, staring at her in disbelief. How? Okay, well, he had some idea of how, but...
He couldn't believe he was finding himself in this situation again. He'd recognized the signs though, even if he'd not wanted to acknowledge that he'd suspected....no, more than suspecting...he'd known, in the way she'd carried herself, the soft curve of her belly.
He couldn't read her own reaction from the brief revelation. Was she...angry with him? In a way, he supposed, this was kind of his fault. He'd taken the first steps to further their relationship...he'd never considered this as a possible result, not at the time. Though...it wasn't as if she'd seemed any less interested either.
She didn't sound angry...nor did she sound happy. He couldn't read her, for once. She seemed....guarded, as if carefully trying to remain neutral and keep him guessing. How should he respond? Should he apologize? Should he...he kept questioning how he should respond. He was still too stunned to even know what he actually felt at the moment.
He'd dropped his gaze from hers, unsure if his own doubts might be seen. Spirits...guide him to the right thing to say...for once. He'd left his head in his hands while hesitating, then realized that could definitely be taken negatively. He lifted his gaze, seeking out some sign in her expression, some hint what he should say...
Maybe...the right thing to say...was nothing at all.
He reached out to take one of her hands, slowly rising to his hooves, weight on his healthy leg as he moved closer. Standing next to her chair, he leaned down to kiss her temple, then gently touched his forehead to hers next to her horn. Congratulations? An apology? Maybe all in one. Sometimes it was easier without words to communicate.
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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 11:38 am
If there had been a reaction that Celestia had been expecting from her blunt statement, it was not that one.
Though her face remained strangely calm and still, her mind was racing as her eyes looked to his body language. Moments seemed to stretch into the eternity with the pace of her thoughts, each second of nonreaction a perceived lifetime longer than the previous.
A small, but distinct, frown formed on her face as he dropped his gaze.
Was he... had she shamed him from this? Was that why he dared not look to her? She, the innocent and naive princess that he'd protected and guided, now nothing but (yet everything included in being) the expectant mother of his children to come. Their children to come. Was she no good now that reality had come to light and with it the unfortunate tale of new beginnings? Yes, the timing was less than ideal and she, too, would have preferred to not be in the situation they found themselves in.
Their eyes met as he looked up again. Hers strangely emotionless.
It was when he reached for her hand that she decided she'd had enough. Pulling it back and to her chest, she calmly stood. The princess looked down to him, expressionless, almost icy as she let her hands fall to either side. Words were unneeded to for to understand what was going on, and her pride was too great to allow her to stay.
She would not be pitied by the one she'd dared to love and trust for something such as this.
Telling him had been a mistake.
"I will be taking my leave then." At this she took a few steps backwards, not turning for the moment. Even her words seemed even more controlled than normal, reminiscent of that which she used in the past to proclaim to her subjects or to show the utmost respect to another. It was calm. It was even. It was distant. "Another of the healers shall return in the afternoon." She turned to move away, setting her water cup beside the bowl, as she continued, "It was a pleasure to see you again. Should something come up, please send for me."
The princess was retreating. Despite her composure, or perhaps made evident because of it, emotions were rushing about her, threatening it all. Shame, guilt, self-consciousness, anger, fear, despair...
She wanted to return to her alcove and be alone for a few moments. Or perhaps a season, were that possible
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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 12:34 pm
Faroth felt his heart drop as Celestia pulled away. No...that hadn't gone as he'd hoped, not at all. He'd done...something wrong. Something misinterpreted...
"You are mad at me..." he said sadly, straightening up and watching her back away from him. First, Wellspring...now Celestia...neither wanted anything to do with him. Could he do nothing right? It was as if they couldn't get away from him fast enough...
He wanted to go after her. Even if he knew she wanted nothing of the sort, he still felt driven to pursue her. Even if she hated him for this...he didn't want them to part like this. Not on bad terms.
"Celestia, wait," he started after her, wincing when he forgot and stepped out on his injured leg. Nevertheless, he let the step give a bit and continued, limping lightly. "Please, just wait a second!" He seemed to reach for her...then past her, bracing his arm against the closed door before she could retreat fully.
"I...I realize you're upset. And I'm sorry. Just please....please, don't hate me." He realized the truth as the words came spilling out of his mouth. He could handle her being angry. He could handle her leaving him here alone again. But he couldn't handle her hating him.
"If this is because it's my fault, because I...I didn't think this might happen, then I'm sorry. I didn't think. I'm an idiot. Just please...please don't hate me, 'Tia."
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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 1:29 pm
Celestia's ears flicked in his direction as he finally spoke, some emotion finally seeping into her tone in the form of growing exasperation. "Mad at you?! Anger? Is that what this is all about? You believe I have reason for such an---?" Her voice caught as he moved closer, her legs instinctively taking a step forward and her arms reaching out in an unneeded attempt to catch and steady him...
At least until he moved right past her and to the door.
Letting her hands fall, they clenched together as she turned to look at him, glaring daggers. "Upset...?" her voice was dangerously quiet for her. She took a step forward. "Yes, you would be correct in this statement." Her tone was steadily rising, one part due to emotion and two parts due to hormones. "You are sorry? This is your fault?" Her hands were shaking. "I do not recall placing any sort of blame on you for any distinct issue. I merely explained that I was with child, with your child, and you..." she made an exaggerated motion to all of him with both of her hands, palms up.
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
Then they grew pink as others followed suit.
"I am aware that the timing lacks finesse, and I understand your frustrations with your situation here, but even so..." she raised her wrist to wipe her nose. "Even so..." Next was her eyes. "I cannot say I had a reaction that I hoped you to have... perhaps joy? Hope? Have you any conjecture for how long I had fret over this moment? The hours spent preparing to tell you? They were for naught, but even so... To have you appear so terribly disappointed at the prospect of young ones..."
"I am sorry to be inconveniencing you in your time of sorrow." She practically spat out the words. Eyes closing for a moment, she breathed in deeply, then out.
Her hands fell as the tears calmed, and she took another step closer, her composure returned except for the dangerous edge to her eyes. The princess looked at him, her tone even. "If you haven't anything further to say of yourself, you will let me pass. I need to calm, less the hormones affect the growing child." She couldn't stop herself from adding in a backhanded way, "You should be more familiar than even I of these changes happening to my body, for I am not, and these are not, your first."
Her expression seemed to soften as those last words escaped, her hand raising to cover her lips and her eyes averting. "I..." That was a low move, and she knew it. "Forgive me; that was not what I meant to say..." She raised a hand to rub her forehead for a moment before looking up and brushing the hair from her face. "Why has it all become so complicated in but an instant? Laisidhiel's pain; your injuries; Wellspring's fears; and this... these..." Celestia looked down to him again, her expression calmed, but gentle and worried. "Faroth... What am I meant to do? Me, a mother? At such a time?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 9:01 pm
He'd hoped in some part for reassurance. Not this hostility.
Faroth's ears laid back at the assault that followed, but he didn't move away from blocking the door. What had he said to set her off like this? How was he supposed to react? What did she want from him? Her tears never failed to tear at his heart. Any woman's tears were a tragedy, but hers...
No...maybe he wasn't the one at fault here. Those same tears seemed to serve as a free pass; he'd normally do anything to make them stop. Maybe...he shouldn't.
The tears continued and her tone continued to grow in volume and sharpness. Faroth still didn't move, instead shifting to rest his weaker leg for favor of leaning on his arm on the door. She wanted to leave so badly...he'd wanted to stop her at first, but that was starting to fade. Where was all this coming from?
Then, she went too far. She seemed to recognize it immediately and began backpedaling, but too late. Even though he didn't completely understand why, he felt from her tone that she felt what she'd said had been offensive. It was not what she said...but how she said it.
Faroth's eyes turned coldly on Celestia, a foreign expression, not seen by many and certainly never by the Princess. No, he wouldn't let her see the hurt he hid. "Not what you meant to say? Oh, but you certainly said it. The words are out there now, not so easy to just take them back! Is that how you really feel? Why else bring this up now? Do you think my children are something I should be ashamed of? I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but my kids...no, never my children."
Casting that ill-placed remark aside, he addressed her other comments instead. "What was I supposed to think? You tell me something like that...then you just stare at me in judgment with no clue of how you feel about this all? How was I supposed to respond? What if I responded the wrong way? What if I was happy and you were mad? What if you were happy, but I started apologizing instead? I didn't even say anything at first...I tried to reach out for you...and the next thing I know, you're furious and wanting to stalk out of here. I had to assume then that you were mad with me."
"At what point did I ever say that I'd be disappointed in having children again?" He let that statement hang, attempting to catch his breath and reign in the sudden rush of temper that tensed the muscles in his shoulders. "You're right. This is a pretty crappy time for something like this. That's true. But things happen. What I worried about is the fact that...we never discussed this previously. This wasn't planned. I didn't...I didn't even know if you'd ever want children," he faltered, then seemed to pick up steam again. "You certainly didn't act pleased with the news. How was I supposed to know?" Was this what she wanted? To trap him with some sort of deception? He couldn't....couldn't comprehend to what end it could be...
Rather than the fire that seized him within when defending his children, it was a coldness that took him now. Conceal and contain the hurt, don't let her see. Softer, but no less intense, he asked, "I don't know what it is you think I should know about all this? I'm not the one who gave birth to my first kids. I wasn't even that close to their mother at the time. I don't know any more about what you're going through than you do. I'm fairly sure it's less, since I haven't seen much of you lately." He'd hoped to have cooled by now, but her sudden apologies seemed to have come too late. She'd pushed this, started attacking him, here in his own home. "I don't know what it is you're going to do, but clearly you don't want my help. If you're so eager to leave and handle this on your own..."
Shuffling aside, he planted his hooves as firmly as possible and flung the door open harder than necessary. The wooden portal smashed against the opposite wall with enough force that one of the hinges was knocked loose from the frame.
"Then, go on and go. I'll just stay here and wallow in my misery," he bit sharply, turning away from her to hobble away from the door before she could see his face clearly.
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Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 12:15 am
Celestia's ears fell back as his berating began, but she hardly made an effort to chime in or to stop him. No, quite on the contrary, having had those few moments to get so much (too much even) off of her chest, his words were both something she felt like she deserved, and needed, to hear. She bit her lip when he talked of her own lack of body behavior, eyes glancing away. It had been such a moment that she'd practiced over and fretted over... had she gone too far in doing so? So far that she'd hidden all insecurity from her voice, but also all of her excitement and joy?
Her eyes returned as his words stopped, if for but a moment.
This time when he continued in all of his stumbling of words and faltering through his thoughts, she continued to look at him, reading him. It really was her fault this time, mostly if not entirely. Oh how she wanted to talk to him, to scream out to stop all of this, but that would not be fair to his emotions and would simply brush all of this newly found insecurity beneath the metaphorical rug, only to find again later.
Holding things in, hiding and concealing, did not make for a healthy relationship.
Absolute truth, however, was often more painful than running.
"You never said anything... That was the point. Eyes averted, head in your hands, what was I meant to make of that? I..." she crossed one arm in front of her to grab the other. "I thought I might be overjoyed...? Perhaps? Certainly were it another time, though just as surprised, but..." ah... so this was the real source of her outburst, something she had been trying so dearly to ignore. "...I haven't joy for the news. I try... I keep searching for that motherly instinct and tenderness, anything to welcome the idea, and I cannot find it."
Quiet and harsh, to herself. Almost. "Spirits help me; why does it elude me so?"
"I wondered to myself, would it come if I told you? I had to tell you right away, naturally, but I feared you might stress at the news if I showed apprehension over it. Always waiting for a proper time..." It wasn't that she was frustrated at him, per say, but at herself. She wasn't jealous of his previous relationship and of his kids, but that he always spoke of them so proudly; she'd wanted to give him another reason to be proud, but this... this was not what she'd wanted.
"No, Faroth, I never intended--"
Her wings flared as her body startled by the sudden movement and noise of wood against wood. Any words that she was going to speak caught instantly, silence taking over as she looked from the now-opened door, then to his back. She stared at him quietly, wings returning to a resting position, hands falling. They both knew that if she left in such a moment... well... there was no telling what would come of it, but it wouldn't be good.
But for all of this, the princess still had no indication of what he wanted in such a situation. Her words were soft, perhaps softer than they'd been all day, but easily loud enough for him to hear. "Is that what you want: for me to leave?" she walked to the door, pausing to look up at the loose frame. Her hands took the wood gently, and she strained to return it to place. Again she looked to him, simply quiet for a few moments.
She opened her mouth to speak, but could not find further words, and so she closed them and waited.
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Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 7:32 am
The dappled Faun didn't often lose his temper. It took quite a bit to get him anywhere near that point normally. Did they really have such serious issues in their relationship that were going un-addressed? Or was there something more here? Could the emptiness and pain from Laisidhiel be affecting them both? Or was that just a crutch, another excuse for issues they should handle on their own?
Faroth had limped over to the other side of the room, leaning over a table to clutch the edges and let his head hang. He seemed to be bracing himself...but the quivering he sought to hide was not weakness in his stance. He was not used to dealing with anger. Not like this.
What did he want? For her to go? Yes, he wanted her to leave. Before he said or did something more that he'd regret later. Yet, some part of his mind acknowledged that if they separated on the current note, it might do more damage than good. He needed to suck it up; deal with the situation in a mature manner...but dammit, he didn't want to. He wanted to rage and pitch a fit...like a child.
He was ashamed of pitching a fit like that, what he'd done with the door. And yet, some part of him was still angry, still wanting to lash out against poor defenseless furniture objects. Stupid as that was. He'd just have to clean up later. With resignation, his posture seemed to sag slightly, his head shaking as he answered her question quietly, "Honestly...I have no idea what I want anymore."
It was as much of an answer as she was likely to get at this point.
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Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 10:51 am
He hadn't told her to leave, not yet in any case.
That was reassuring.
Turning away from him, she carefully took the door and closed it behind her, leaving them again to just themselves. It was by some form of miracle that their outburst hadn't caught the attention of others, or perhaps they were simply too polite to make noticeable their intrigue.
The princess stood silently at the door for some moments, perhaps deciding the best way to continue this precarious situation, perhaps hesitating in fear of exasperating it. Perhaps both. There was this sort of awkward tension hanging in the air cause by both of their outbursts: she was as much at fault as he was, likely more, for creating it. Lifting her hands closer to her chest, she moved forward quietly, slowly, allowing him time to react if he intended to do so.
As she came behind him, her hand reached out, hesitating just above the surface of his skin. She started to pull it back, then stopped. Her eyes averted for but a moment before she looked to that strong, toned back of his and touched it lightly. If she hadn't a horn on her forehead, she would have touched it to his back as she very slowly slid both hands around his waist to bring him into a gentle embrace, but instead turned it such that the side of her face touched him.
If he had wanted to push her away instead, she wouldn't have fought and would have merely taken a step back.
Looking downwards, she quietly asked, "Do... do you suppose that you might want to give this a try...? You and I, two overwhelmed fauns, trying to rear a foal, or filly, in this atmosphere of pain and confusion, and with a son who refuses to speak atop it all?"
"I cannot make promises of everlasting joy or an effortless transition to such a state... Who, if any, might hold such power?"
"What I can ensure, however, is at this exact moment in time, in this place, I hold you, Faroth, with all of your flawed perfection, so dear to me..." A pause. "I love you... Truly... From deep within my heart."
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Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 1:04 pm
His ear flicked towards the soft sound of the door being closed, then her quiet hoof beats on the floor moving in his direction. He didn't move away during the following silence...though she would have noticed him tensing up when she touched him.
He didn't push her away, nor did he move to return her embrace. Not yet.
He kept his eyes locked on the table's surface before him, as if somewhere on it lay the answer he needed. Somewhere hidden in the wood grain. The answer to why he was angry, and how to quell it. The answer to why this was happening right now. The answer for how they fix whatever this was that was happening between them.
He took a very slow, very pointed deep breath...then released it with some of the tension in his form. He straightened up slowly, lifting one hand from the table to rub his face, laying the other over her arm at his waist.
"Can we try taking this from the top again? But without the shouting and hostility this time?"
Grateful for the moment that his expression remained hidden from her, he glanced down at her arms wrapped around his waist, lightly rubbing his thumb over her soft fur. "Perhaps it's time for a conversation we should have had long ago. A bit late for the question of 'if' either of us wants kids. But, we should at least address our feelings on the matter. The big secret's out now. Let's see how we move forward."
Another soft sigh. "As for myself...honestly, I'd love to be a father again. I'd love to have children with you. However...it's not exactly my choice alone. That's why I was worried about what you thought first." He didn't mention the recent doubts that had invaded his mind since the explosion. They had adopted Wellspring as their child, afterall. And he had seen little of the boy since the incident. If he couldn't even be a good father to the boy...how could he possibly take on more?
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Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 1:21 pm
The fact that he didn't brush her off and push her away was an immense comfort to the princess. She didn't deserve it, but she was grateful to have him so willing, even if only in words, to start over and have the conversation she had hoped to have originally. He might feel the smiling of her lips from against his back, if only barely, at the touch of his hand.
"Yes... I would very much enjoy that."
A nod to his proposition.
To hear his thoughts on the matter was far more than simply relief for the princess. Her thoughts had apparently (clearly) run amok earlier, taking a life of their own before she could read the situation. "Really..?" She didn't mean to sound so surprised, but considering that the conversation had never been brought up, even after they had adopted Wellspring...
He wanted children! With her!
"Oh, were the circumstance any different, were we many seasons earlier, spirits know that my delight would have no ends. The prospect alone of having a child has enchanted many a night's dream. My dearest sister and niece, both a mother before I..." she laughed lightly. "I admit my jealously over the matter."
"It is not the child, nor the pregnancy, that causes me to falter, but the timing of it all. I am sure... she gave a slight squeeze, "...really, truly positive, of how wondrous a father you will be to it. After all, you have handled Wellspring so well." It wasn't simply Faroth that the boy was currently shutting out, but everyfaun in his current refusal to leave the safety net of the water tank. The sudden shock of being unable to cope with the amount of dust in the air had greatly diminished his trust away from the source. Time was all he would need to recover his distance, but for now... There was really little either of them could do.
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