Scheherazade felt it. That quickening in her stomach she hadn't felt for over a year. She had noticed a few weeks ago she had put on weight though her diet and level of activity had remained the same. She always did a lot of walking around the herd, both the private area for the Royals and the rest of the members. She enjoyed the walk, 'specially to see the rest of the herd beyond her confinement. It gave her a chance to interact with them, see what they did, and also to have an excuse to spend some time with one of her sons. Not that she needed an excuse, but bothering them otherwise was not something she enjoyed. The Queen didn't like the feeling that she might be pulling them from their studies. Those studies were important. As was finding their place in the family and their own identities for one who looked the same as the rest.
The mare reached out to a leaf on a low hanging branch, plucking it off with the grace and elegance she had been taught since foalhood. The same she had taught her granddaughter. And what she hoped to teach her daughters one day. Maybe this time she would have some. There was nothing like a daughter to a mother. Little ladies to bring up in the world. For there was no doubt in her mind that was what was going on with her body. So confident was she that she had told Shah Ryar already. All that remained was the rest of the family. It made this pregnancy different than the last in that respect. She had more to tell. More to anticipate the sounds of little hooves in their slowly growing family.
She couldn't, however, help thinking how Saafir would take it. Her eldest son had a family of his own. Her grandchildren were still young and had much time to find their perfect mates. But Saafir still remained alone. Scheherazade was sure he would be pleased at being a big brother. He had no one to teach the things he knew to. Oh, there were the youngest members of the family, but those were more Kamal's duty. As a big brother, these foals would be his duty along with his brother and parents to teach. To watch. And protect. It wasn't important that her youngest find a mare and Scheherazade didn't believe everyone needed it. She just worried, as any good mother would.
The Queen of the desert munched her leaf in silence. She hadn't called them all together to tell. She was standing besides a path they used the most, eating the vegetation at the side and awaiting their arrival. She wasn't the announcement kind of mare. Gathering all together wasn't her style.
Saafir had been very quiet as of late. So much had been on his mind he had ventured to display the odd behavior of isolating himself in hopes that the quietness would aided in sorting his thoughts. It had so far bore no results. Even his beloved Mother would have seen much less of her son through the recent days. 
