"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
And, as if fate herself had been watching throughout this whole affair, they all come running to meet their newest sister.
She's caught in the trance of post-birth exhaustion, but warmth floods her, too. The solid presence of Brennen next to her heals any wounds that the birthing process had left, emotionally at least; as he's murmuring his love for her, and for their beautiful daughter, the mother closes her bleary navy eyes and sighs deeply. Her lips find Brennen's neck, and gently preen there, too tired to say much else as he distracts their little Khaeli.
But she shouldn't be surprised when two more show up; Belgaer and Mosrael have been visiting her nearly every day, coming by sometimes together but usually alone to press their muzzles to her swollen belly and keep her company in her isolated little corner of Ischia. Gods, she's grateful for them; her face erupts in a happy smile at the sight of them, and she reaches out to greet them both with a full embrace.
"Thank you both... She looks like us, Mosrael, doesn't she? And she's got wings like you, Belgaer..." Her voice fades away as some conversation ensues, beyond happy to simply exist in the warm comfort that is her family. With some frequency, her eyes flash up into Brennen's, sharing that unspoken understanding of parenthood with an undying love. They both cared for these creatures before them; their hearts beat in tandem, full to the brim with a precious liquid that neither dared ever to spill.
And then, just when she thought she could not get more content, eight more hooves settled down within her cove.
"Aemar! Raelyx!"
What comes next needn't truly be described, for a mother's love is the most exuberant in the presence of children she'd thought gone, or worse. She remembers the day she's left them on the Tundra's border like it was yesterday, and seeing them here now brought many a tear to her sleepy eyes. But eventually she subsides, and allows her eldest sons to greet their siblings in their own unique ways, settling back again to rest against Brennen's broad bay chest.
"We're all here, I can't believe it," She murmurs when silence befalls them. Out of the corner of her eyes, she catches sight of something rustling in the bushes; but her attention span is little, and the excitement of the day is beyond large. Her eyes turn back to her children; her beautiful, beautiful children. "I love you all so much... And this, is Khaeli."
--
Nose to nose with papa, Khaeli wobbled again but caught herself on her own this time. The pegasus smelled like home and she memorized him instantly, her intelligent blue eyes gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. Highly curious, she meandered around his figure, and then around her mother's; her nose pokes at the scent of milk, but before she can properly latch on, more horses are pouring in, and she stumbles to investigate.
They all smell like mama and papa, and at first, she's eager to go explore among them, seeing that nearly all of them have wings like hers. Her little brain can't comprehend just how many of her siblings and parents there actually are, but sooner than later, she realizes that it's a lot. Skittering away from Belgaer (whom she'd been biting incessantly, gnawing on the feathers of his wings perhaps in the search of that scent from earlier), she stood legs-splayed in the middle of the group, eyes wide and mouth popped open.
Squeaking, the filly lifted her useless wings and shook them around, a hopefully smile on her face; it was a joke! Or, at least, a way to say that I belong among you. But when she realized that she hadn't the capabilities to truly express her sense of belonging, she squeaked again and scurried to Galilee's side -- except wait, this wasn't Galilee!
Looking up, her little blue eyes gawked at Mosrael, confusion evident in her expression. The two mares were literally identical. Tears threatened to spill from the baby's eyes, and when everyone laughed at her lovingly, she squeaked again and nearly fell in a heap. But then soothing voices were calling her name, and many noses pushed her in the right direction; before long, the warmth of her mother's pink tongue calmed her frayed nerves, and after a few minutes of distracted nursing, the baby curled up at the hooves of her family and watched for some time before falling into her life's first sleep.
hold me in this wild, wild world 'cause in your warmth I forget how cold it can be
He is enthralled with her, and even more thrilled when the others begin to gather around them.
Belgaer is first, and Brennen is not surprised; his son has been hovering around his mother almost as often as Brennen, waiting anxiously for Galilee to give birth. It’s the first time he’s really been old enough to understand the dangers of childbirth, he supposes, and he’s been as worried about Galilee as excited for the new sibling. Mosrael is hot on her elder brother’s heels, and he admires the picture the three of them make – funny that both of the girls should look so much like their mother, while the boys are more varied.
He is in the process of greeting both of his resident children, a fond embrace for Bel and a quick touch for Mosrael who prefers less contact, when a noise from the underbrush startles him into stepping between his family and the woods, ears pricked in alert, nostrils flared, but they are downwind from the group and gone too quickly for him to identify – but since they have gone away from the group rather than towards, Brennen is thinking it was someone not thinking to stumble upon a mostly private gathering, rather than any threat.
Still he is considering going out to investigate (and indeed, maybe he will regret not doing so later) when the sound of wings brings his attention back to his immediate surroundings, and their other two sons join the group, landing in the clearing and going first to greet their siblings, Bel and Mos and then little Khaeli, before turning to their parents. Brennen touches Galilee’s shoulder again, feeling a deep satisfaction at having all of them here at once, enough to overshadow the lingering guilt that sometimes comes at the ways he has failed them.
He is quite sure that Mosrael thinks she has it the hardest, because she struggles with the idea that he can be proud of her despite the fact that she is a mare, and not as magically gifted as her full siblings – but it is Aemar and Raelyx that he truly did the poorest by, for the time they had been dropped off in the Tundra had been one of the times Brennen was mostly absent from his own life, and he had not been as present for their childhood as he wanted to – as he should have been. But the boys are a million times less sensitive about things than some of his other children – several of the girls he can name, in particular – and so they are easy with the family, easy even with him.
Brennen grins as Rae greets the baby and nods to them, returning Aemar’s quiet greeting. “It’s good to see you both,” he echoes, though it is with quiet pride and satisfaction in contrast to Galilee’s brighter joy. And of course there is Khaeli, and while the family was never missing a piece it is easy for it to expand to include another. Already she is an integral part of them, as she sprawls at their feet and falls asleep in the way of babies. “Welcome to Ischia,” he takes this moment to offer to Aemar and Raelyx. “It’s not the Tundra, but it’s become quite a nice home for us. How have your travels been?”
hold me in this wild, wild world and in your heat I feel how cold it can get
BRENNEN
ooc; I'm loving this but we only have to keep it up as long as you guys want to <3
Sandwiched between he parents, he sensed the approach of another. Glancing over his shoulder a smile spread across his face as Mosrael pushed through the sand dunes and made her way towards them. Lingering just behind the seriousness of her amber eyes, Belgaer could barely make out a spark of excitement. As he drew up beside him, he brushed his nose lightly against her shoulder. Silently, he watched as she looked upon her newest twin and sister. He imagined her thoughts almost as clearly as if they’d been his own. Relief rippled through her and he knew, from the many conversations they’d had together, that she was contemplating her next move.
She wanted his spot and, as always, he was happy to offer it to her.
Mosrael’s stiff congratulations broke through the silent anticipation of the moment and, as she settled in beside him, he gently touched the tip of his wings to her legs in silent encouragement. He knew she could achieve her goal – if only she could summon the courage to ask the question that weighed so heavily upon her.
Their attention shifted once more, this time towards the new father amongst them. As the black winged stud stepped forward to introduce himself to the tiny filly. It could not be said that Brennen did not love his children fiercely and, like Belgaer and his many siblings, she would grow up under their father’s protection and she would find herself wanting for very little. Affection sparked within the depths of Brennen’s honey colored gaze as he gently nuzzled along the length of her body. His pride was evident in the quiet of that moment.
Beside him, Galilee gushed, her joy reaching to drag them all within the warmth of it’s embrace. Tentatively, he watched Mosrael beside him. He knew her too well, perhaps better than she knew herself and he could see the envy as it etched itself at the corner of her eyes. Smiling, he touched his mother affectionally in confirmation of her words.
It was shortly after that moment that the sight of two shadows gliding across the sand grabbed his attention. It took only seconds for him to recognize the two figures as they flew overhead, but it was Galilee’s voice who spoke them in to reality.
Aemar and Raelyx.
The two stallions were as different to each other as any two horses could get and, yet, they were brothers. Belgaer’s ears twisted in their direction as they landed deftly, their hooves barely audible as they planted themselves in the warmed summer sand. It’d been too long since they’d last wandered into Ischia and he was not above admitting that he had missed them.
Raelyx, ever excited as he was, was the first to approach the family with Aemar lingering silently behind. The half-bird, half-horse sibling had always been a bit of an anomaly but that didn’t make Bel miss him any less. He was silently thrilled when he stepped forward and offered up a greeting. He lowered his head respectfully and touched his nose to Aemar’s shoulder. “It is good to see you again, Aemar.”
Their gathering had grown and, for the first time in a long time, the family was complete. Brennen smiled warmly at the sight of all his children gathered in one place. He greeted his oldest sons and hesitates a moment before he offered for them to stay in Ischia, with them. Admittedly, Belgaer isn’t surprised by his father’s words. It was well known amongst them that it pained Brennen whenever any of his children parted from him. But, the bay understood that there was time in every young horse’s life when they had to go out and make something of themselves.
For a long time, Bel had promised that he would never hurt Brennen the way that his other siblings had when they’d left. He’d been determined to fulfill the role that’d been set aside for him. It wasn’t until recently that he’d realized that he couldn’t do it. He loved his father and that would never change, and he would stand by his side no matter what. They were family and family was sacred and worthy of protection.
The Prodigal Son
@[Galilee] @[Brennen] Still sucks but...here ya go
Galilee’s joy distracted them all as she peeled herself away from Brennen. Mosrael’s heart swelled and she rushed to offer her mother the support of her side as Brennen moved away to introduce himself to his newest child. She appears at peace as a gentle smile spreads across the velvet of her lips.
“She looks like us, Mosrael, doesn’t she?” The question is only enough to encourage a stiff grin past her hardened exterior. Looking like her was no great feat, she knew. There was even another before Belgaer that shared the same tell-tale ‘child-of-Galilee’ features. No. It was hard to feel honored by another copy of herself. Especially since this version seemed improved upon by the wings that clung to her back, almost too big for her body.
Everyone’s attentions shifted, however, as Galilee exclaimed two name no one there could have claimed to expect.
She thought she’d be the final sibling to arrive but as she stood there beside the others two shadows glided across the sand. Glancing upwards surprise replaced the furrowed brow upon her face as she quickly recognized the two figures belonging to her two older brothers; Aemar and Raelyx. Self-proclaimed oddities, the two mirrored her surprise as they shifted and landed in the warm sand. Neither seemed to have changed much in the time of their absence and she wondered if they would notice her own. Though she remained wingless, her changes were far more subtle than both of the stallions could ever claim to be. What, with Aemar’s odd bird like features and Raelyx’s all too familiar purple spots paired with a wingspan to make the largest of birds jealous. Only Belgaer truly knew the extent of all that she’d been gifted with by Nike and she trusted him not to tell.
Raelyx, yet another Galilee doppelganger, stepped forward and offered his greeting to her and she stiffened at his touch. At the edge of her vision she caught Aemar acknowledging Belgaer in his same-old arthritic manner. It seemed that, despite their starkly differing outward appearances, the two had more in common than she’d realized. A slight smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, there for only a breath before it fell off once more.
All eyes were on Raelyx now as he rushed to introduce himself to their sister – already he claimed to love her. Mosrael wondered what that must be like, to know that you held affection for something you hardly even knew.
As their father offered a greeting to his oldest two sons she could hear it in his voice. He wanted them to stay. Venom shot through her gaze as it shifted from one brother to the other. With them there, Brennen would have no need of her and he most definitely would not consider her for the roll she so desperately desired to fill. She took two brisk steps away from everybody, her movements suddenly mechanical as she searched for the nearest escape.
When will he see me? Her thoughts screamed, threatening to reveal themselves to anyone who cared to listen. When will he realize that it’s me? That I’m the missing piece to his equation?
She was angry at him, angry at the truth of her sex and angry that she would never truly be viewed as equal to her male counterparts. Just as little Khaeli would be nothing but a girl, a prisoner to the thing she lacked between her legs.
