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It had been weeks since that happened; it was an unusually cold winter night, with falling snow and howling winds. In order to keep warm and not freeze to death in the little cave they call home, herself and Deus had huddled together. However, when they did, something weird happened; each realized how they felt for each other and soon, sparks flew between the two and in a moment of passion, they had gone and done it... When morning came, they woke up almost at the same time, only to remember what happened between them the night before. In her confusion, she had galloped out of her home in full speed before the stallion could say or do anything.
As they say, time stops for nobody and before she knew it, winter had changed into spring. The snow stopped falling, the ice that had formed on top of some of the lakes melted away, the day became longer and soon, the flowers bloomed as leaves grew from buds on the bud-covered trees. Now, even as she trotted through the forest, she could see the birds returning to their homes in the forest from their great migration as it got warmer.
She too, was returning to her home, her tummy slightly larger and rounder than before. However, the rest of her looked thinner than before and she looked tired and weary, although there was a slight pride in her eyes. She rounded a corner and onto a familiar forest path, berry bushes plentiful on either side. Despite them being her favorite fruits, she did not stop to check if any were ripe yet - she kept on trotting at a steady pace, with only her home in mind.
With that goal in mind, the usdia mare kept on moving until she came to a clearing that was so familiar she could walk around it blindfolded. In the middle of that clearing was a huge tree, its trunk so wide that she was sure that the tree must be as old as the forest itself. She smiled at the thought before trotting towards the tree, stopping again at the entrance to her home - roots formed the doorway to a hole that was half underground and half above ground. It was big enough to hold two usdia, but once a regular stallion had to enter and it was a squeeze. She smiled again before she hesitated, wondering if she should go in after being away so long...
It had been a long time since he had last seen Grace and... And that last time was not a pleasant one. He had been filled with guilt ever since that night of passion - guilt that he could not wash away, ever. He had waited and waited for her return since she ran away that morning, but even when the seasons started to change, she was nowhere to be seen. Still, he continued to wait and to pray - He was faithful, after all. However, there was nothing; maybe it was his own heart blocking out his spiritual side due to guilt, maybe it was not time yet. Whatever the reason, he didn't stop praying for her to return.
He had so much to say to her, if only he knew the words to!
It was painful, waking up every morning to an empty room. He was so used to her presence, to her smiles and to her laughter. Every part of his heart yearned to see and hear her again, and that yearning gave him the strength to patiently wait... Day after day, week after week. The rest of his strength came from hours of praying - it took a lot out of him, for as religious as he was, he had never found so much to pray about until now. It was ironic; he had always thought that since He was the one who got them together, everything would be fine. Never in his wildest dreams would he had thought that such a big obstacle had to be overcome first!
He heaved a sigh as he swallowed the berry he had plucked from the berry bush in front of him; it was sweet, but although it filled his stomach, it did not fill his heart. He sighed again before trotting round the bush and a short distance to the path that would lead him back to his home - their home. However, there was something different about this path today... He paused, frowning as he stared at it, trying to pinpoint the difference - hoof prints! Usdia hoof prints! His eyes widened, his heart sped up; could it be?
He started in a gallop down the path, hoping and praying that the hoof prints belong to her... And it was! He halted to a stop at the clearing, spotting the familiar cranberry colored figure exiting their home from a distance. Although there was something different about her that he could not quite pinpoint, there was no mistaking it! He smiled, the first genuine smile he had given in a long time, and exclaimed, "Grace!"
She had entered the cave after a second's thought, but to her disappointment, there was nobody around. In her disappointment, she failed to notice the heap of fresh fruits in a corner and the layer of dried leaves at the back, where they used to sleep, and how clean the place was despite it being vacant; there was no rotting leaves trapped inside due to the wind, nor were there signs of another animal occupying it. It was as when she had left it - clean and tidy. Hanging her head, the female exited the place...
Grace! That tone, that accent, that voice! She froze, unable to believe her own ears; her eyes widened as her heart sped up, wondering if her ears were playing tricks on her. However, as the seconds ticked by, Grace was sure that she heard someone calling her name, and that voice... She could recognize it anywhere! Slowly, she turned around, afraid to expect anything to protect her own heart-
"Deus?" She whispered, more to herself than to the stallion standing a distance away. When the shock fully settled and she realized who she was staring at and how he delighted he looked, tears filled her eyes as she started to weep; weeks of being alone again and she had never even realized it! She had missed him so much, and now that he was here in front of her again, she did not know what to say to him!
The joy he felt in his heart was like none he ever felt before - immediately upon seeing her face and confirming that it was who he thought it was, he had galloped to stand in front of her. As he neared, he saw that she was weeping and it made him do the same too - however, like how he just knew in her heart that her tears were not due to sadness, his tears were to signify his relief and happiness. He approached her first, a small smile on his lips as he nuzzled her gently on her cheek, licking away her salty tears.
"Grace, missed you," He spoke softly and in her language, although it was heavily laced with his accent. He might had been upset and guilt-stricken these few weeks, but in an attempt to better communicate with her, he had picked up more words and phrases from the locals since she left. He glanced into her eyes, and felt his heart jump as he blushed; was this what love for another felt like? His whole life, he had loved his Lord and no other... In fact, although he knew that his love for Grace would never be that high, he also knew that he loved her enough to give up his life for her if the situation calls for it.
"Missed you too," Grace replied with a smile in-between sobs as she returned his nuzzle, touched that he said it in her language, to accommodate her. She felt so comforted and safe with him around, a contrast from the days she had spent lonely and vulnerable on her own. She smiled at the thought, bathed in that sense of security before she took a step backwards, "And... And I have something to tell you..." She paused, hesitating for a second before looking away; it was difficult to say, but she knew she had to tell him. It was one of those things that could not be kept under wraps for long.
Taking in a deep breath, as if preparing herself, her expression became serious, "I'm with foals. Your foals... Deus-" She turned to face her enlarged belly and gestured towards it with a nod, hoping that he'll get the fact that she was pregnant with his children. After all, she knew that Deus' grasp with Kawani was not that strong yet. Straightening up again, she paused, giving him time to take in everything before she offered him a shy smile, "You're... Going to be a father." She blushed, still rather shaken at the fact that she was going to be a mother herself.
He smiled when she said that she missed him too; it was a nice, warm feeling to know that she felt the same way. However, Deus blinked when she moved away, wondering what she had in mind; she looked so lost and hesitant... Was this something that difficult to breech? He smiled encouragingly at her, hoping that it would help her get whatever she wanted to say off her chest; when she did say it though, he only caught the word 'foal' before she gestured to herself and then, he heard the word... Father?!
His eyes widened as he connected the three; foals, her gesturing to her enlarged and father. Could she possibly be carrying his children from that night right now? Was that what was so different about her? It would explain why she came back and why her belly was larger than the rest of her! He felt a pang of guilt; she had been pregnant while living the past few weeks all alone while he had done nothing to help as a- Wait... They were not mates yet. That was why she had ran away, and that was why he felt so guilty after they spent a passionate night today!
"Grace, I love you." He said suddenly in Kawani, breaking the silence between them as he took a step forward and placed his head on her back. The foreign language felt weird on his lips when he said them, but they sounded so apt for the occasion too! He smiled before he continued, "Please spend forever with me." He knew that it was somewhat of a slipshod proposal, especially to such a lovely mare, but that was all he could manage. If he had to do it in English, he would surely say more... But it would all boil down to three powerful words - I love you.
She nodded, her face reddening when she saw that he understood that they were having children together. Although she had failed to realize it all this time, she had been afraid that Deus would reject the foals... Or worse, not even be here upon her return. Now that both of her fears had been proven false, she felt relief wash over her. However, when he popped the question, she looked shocked; she opened her mouth but no sound came out. Then, she nodded before she opened her mouth again.
"Y-Yes... Yes!" She answered without hesitating, her heart beating so fast, she could hear it thumping inside of her. She could feel the tears starting again, so when Deus leaned on her back, she leaned on his. He was warm, solid... And he was her mate like she was his! Spring just arrived, and with it, a new relationship that she knew would last... There was not a doubt in her mind that forever would be the best thing to share with her beloved. With that though in mind, Grace buried her head into Deus' pelt, breathing in his scent as she smiled, "I love you too..."
The stallion removed his head from her back and nudged her gently to go inside; they had so much to catch up on and so much to plan! Now that there would be foals around, there was no way this place would be big enough to hold the family! He smiled to himself; family. They were starting a family together... Although it would not be here, where they had created many memorable moments together, it would be somewhere else where new memories would be made. Who knows? The Lord works in mysterious ways - maybe someone else can make this their new home and start a family here.
Grace smiled at her new mate before turning around to head inside, feeling like she had been born again. She had always wanted a family of her own, and to give her children what her parents never gave her, but now that it'd happened... It felt so unreal, like it was a dream that she never want to wake up from. However, as she felt Deus' touch again, she knew that it was as real as the bond and love that they share... And she was never letting go.
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