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She was huge. Now it wasn't just an exaggeration, she really was. Of course, Caelen had always told her constantly that she was still beautiful, but Azariel didn't exactly feel like it anymore. She grimaced as she walked to the small lake a moderate distance from her home. What she wanted was some time alone.

....Too bad it was all relative.

She wasn't alone anymore. The children inside were an actual physical thing. They liked to move around too. She winced as one decided to kick her. Oh, they'd get a bit of a talking to when this was over. She sighed at herself, as if they'd understand not to kick their mother while they were inside.

Glancing up and down the path, she wondered absently if she was close, and if there'd be time for a snack before Caelen decided she'd been away too long. Damned protective stallion.

Azariel turned her head, blowing a few wasps of long hair out of her eyes. The sounds she had heard had come from this other mare, much to her chagrin. She hadn't seen too many outside of her family since she'd grown larger and frankly hadn't wanted to. Confining herself to her home had meant no one would give her knowing looks and smirks behind her back.

With a soft sigh, as obviously this mare was coming toward her and not anyone else, she managed a faint smile, "Hello," She greeted, pausing in her steps to the lake-edge. It would be rude to ignore someone and go right ahead to drink from the lake as if the other person wasn't even there.

.......frankly, and no overt offense to the other mare, she'd rather just be alone. Again, relatively speaking.

She shifted slightly, adjusting her position to something that was more comfortable at the moment for her. Talking with others when she was too uncomfortable usually ended badly. Like that fight with Caelen last week.

Eyebrows raised up and up at the other's words. Had this mare never seen another who was pregnant before? From the way she was acting, it was apparent she had not. Ah, the pros and cons to that realization.

"It's fine," She assured the other mare softly, shaking her head. She couldn't really get offended with someone who didn't even know what state she was in. She watched, warily, as the other mare closed the distance between them and continued to look at her as if she resembled some sort of novelty. That was getting her a bit on-edge.

She paused before she spoke and then sighed and shook her head, "I suppose you could say "full-figured"," She replied , shrugging, "But I'm not fat, if that's what you're thinking," She could swear that's what the other mare thought, "I'm...pregnant." She hated that word, so it was only natural that when spoken, she'd grimace.

At least another sharp kick from one of the children made a bit of an emphasis to her statement. If the other mare could even see it. "Don't get too close," She warned, resolved amusment in her voice, "They're rather active." Another sigh. Could they just be out already?

A mental sigh at the other mare's reaction filtered through Azariel's mind. This one looked apologetic to her, as if she had suddenly realized their was something wrong with the expecting mare. Gah, Az didn't like those types at all. She hadn't asked for this, but it certainly wasn't something that demanded such a look.

"It's not like I'm some sick person," She commented, looking at the new mare with raised eyebrows, "There's no need to look pained or anything."

The abrupt shift from apology to excitement threw her a bit. Az managed a smile, wondering if this other mare knew how incredibly inquisitive and innocent she acted. "We think they'll be out in a couple more months--hopefully--I suppose you could say we're excited," A sigh, "I'm excited for them to be out, anyway; Names? No, not really, we'd like to know what gender they are before giving them a name," Another soft sigh, "And if that last half-question was who the father happened to be, I doubt you know him but his name's Caelen."

She shook her head, not really caring anymore. As long as the other mare didn't try to patronize her, they'd get along fine. "It's fine; I've heard these questions before." She bobbed her head once, "I'm Azariel, by the way," She gave the other more a lopsided smile, "I'd say hello from the little ones, but I'm not even sure how many there are."

Azariel shrugged at the response, smiling slightly, "It's okay, I'm just not fond of looks like those," She replied easily, shaking her head, "Luckily, they'll stop when the children come." Even though that would also be an experience she wouldn't welcome again anytime soon. It was better not to think about it at the moment though.

"Oh?" No one but her family had said that to her before, but underlying factors had probably contributed to that so she simply let itt slide, "Thank you, I'm wondering if they'll have blue, like my mother, or just be like myself and their father," She chuckled softly, curious as to what they would be. If one had blue on them she wasn't going to make an issue of it, but to know that her mother had stained another generation wouldn't sit well with her. She'd never show it in front of the child though, that would be asking for pain.

The other mare surprised another laugh from her, "A pleasure to meet you, Cosette," She answered, glanced back at her belly, "Ahh, curiosity," She mumbled absently and then shook her head.

"So what brings you here, Cosette?" She asked politely. Not many people knew of this place to her knowledge.

"Ah," Replied Az, nodding once, "A wanderer? You should be careful," A look glinted in her eyes but she forced it away, "Don't get too attached to anyone if you don't want to stay or return." A shake of her head, she didn't need to bring old issues into this conversation. It would be foolish of her on all counts.

"So you have decided to stay around here?" That was a pleasant surprise, "Then, please, ignore my comment," A dismissing motion was made, "I meant nothing by it. How do you like this land so far? I'm afraid this place is all I've ever known." Not that she had wanted it that way.

"Hmm?" She blinked at the blue and white mare, "Oh, we don't live especailly close to here," She informed the other mare, smiling a bit, "The teepee is about an hour or so's run away from here. Walking--" A sigh, "--takes a bit longer." She smiled again, "But I don't know if they'll like this place enough to do something like that. I hope so, though." It'd make her feel better.

Azariel smiled, "Colder places, you say? That sounds like an adventure in itself, doesn't it?" She chuckled softly, almost to herself. Why did no one understand that she hadn't wanted to stay either? The only thing that had kept her here originally was her father and even that hadn't been a direct order on his part.

Az nodded an affrimative to the mare's assumptions. Running was almost impossible nowadays. Ahhh, when this was all over she had a lovely trip planned for her legs. They wouldn't enjoy it at all, either.

"I hope so, but traveling runs deep in my family, I won't be surprised if they do leave," She shrugged slightly, "I just hope they alert me to that fact, first. It'd be nice to know when they were going to leave and when I could hope to expect them to return." She hadn't gotten that from anyone except Caelen--and even he'd been late.

A sigh rippled through her, followed by the sharp pain as one of the ones inside her decided it wanted to move again. "Ach, that's getting rather annoying," She grumbled softly. Caelen enjoyed it, she did not.

Azariel shook her head solemnly, "No, I haven't. I believe only my father and I have not." She shrugged absently, "Everyone else in the family left so...I decided to stay, if only because I could keep him company until others arrived." She sighed, "But I managed to meet Caelen while around here and in my current condition--" A lopsided grin graced her features, "It's not as if I can travel very much."

She nodded once to confirm the correct name and listened before shrugging, "I'm sure Caelen would enjoy it and perhaps the children as well." She smiled, "But I don't know whether or not we can do such a thing anytime soon." Life was going to be so busy once the little ones popped out of their baskets, she doubted she'd have time to do much else than look after them, let alone plan a trip.

"It'd be nice to venture out and feel like I'm alond at any time," She grumbled softly, shifting position again, "I'm never comfortable anymore and won't be until they're born. Lucky, aren't I?" A sigh, she was if one considered new life a blessing, otherwise, it was a vague annoyance. It'd be worht it though, right?