the firestarters always get the burns
and the good guys never get the girl
The naming does exactly what she hopes it does, although Ilma is careful not to show too much of it. A small smile creeps up her lips anyway. In other circumstances it might have been a more sly one, but she thinks Jude won't be handling that all too well.
Naming something, makes it real. Just like naming a pet means you know you want to keep it, naming a child also means you know you'll be their mother (or father, but mother in this case). The sunlight-winged mare waits for the frown on the pink mare to dissipate, but when it does it comes with a question. She nods silently, willing her to continue.
She tilts her head at the mare's anxiety, and smiles reassuringly. "Tied down is not the phrase I'd use. Sure, you'll need a month to recover and give the child time to feed and sleep, but they'll be up and running through the world before you know it. Being a mother simply means giving them a home and some love, but give them too much time and soon they'll think you smothering anyway. And they'll spend some time with their father, too." She chuckles. "I've had two of my own, and I was alone to raise my first. But I'm still the ambassador of Hyaline - I was by the time my eldest was not yet six months old, and I still am now. You can take them with you on any trip outside your kingdom if you want to. You'll just travel a little slower, but it's worth it to see the world through their eyes."
She shakes her head, waiting for the words to sink in. Nobody expects a mare to sit down, hands tied, when they have a foal. "I'll tell you what. I think we mares do way better than men because we are able to combine these things. They only seem to do one thing at a time. They can learn a few things from us yet." she grins. Perhaps that'll make her feel slightly better.
@[peregrine jude]