"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
When the contractions first hit, she fills with terror. Having spent most of her childhood and early adulthood hidden away in the Gates’ quiet places, she knows little of birth. The whole process is a mystery to her. A terrifying mystery. But thankfully, instinct takes over. Her body knows what to do.
In no time at all, a soft, damp, sticky bundle lies in the grass at her side. Fiasko struggles to her feet and begins to clean the bundle off. As the mess is cleared away, more of the child becomes visible. It’s a girl. A beautiful, tiny little girl, with a pitch black coat, and a pure white mane and tail. Fiasko smiles. Much to her surprise, tears begin leaking out of her eye. “You’re perfect.” She glances about, searching for any sign of Jason. She can’t wait for him to meet his daughter.
Then suddenly, her contractions begin again. She cries out, scared, and lies back in the grass, feeling the movements take over her body. What’s going on? It something wrong? Within moments, she has her answer. Another tiny bundle lies in the grass (quickly followed by the afterbirth).
Twins?!
She stares dumbfounded at the child for a moment. She certainly hadn’t expected twins. There’s a strange niggling sensation in the back of her mind, like it reminds her of something, though she knows not what. But instinct urges her to her feet and towards the child to clean them off. She will have time to be surprised later. A few moments later, the second child is visible to the world. A boy. A little sabino boy with a blue tinge to his white markings, just like his father. Fiasko nuzzles at him, smiling. What a wonderful blessing. She can’t wait for Jason to meet them.
Kids suck, in every way, shape and form. Voudou woke up the little black thing that was curled up in the grass, giving him a strong nudge and allowing him to stand before heading off. Luckily, though, her stomach was much smaller now that the critter was out of her. Unfortunately, it talked. A lot. Every waking minute of the last few days had been filled with a constant stream of questions, ranging from stupid to utterly idiotic. Voudou wasn't carrying him around any more but she felt more drained of energy than ever before, and having to stop and feed the black colt several times a day wasn't really her thing. With any luck she would be able to get someone else to take care of him a majority of the time, so she could go on living her life as she always had. Jason! Maybe Jason would take care of the clingy colt, though he might be too busy with his own bouncing baby.
The grass had finally returned from its winter hibernation, something Voudou was grateful for. Eating was much less fun when you had to recover your food from the depths of the snow first. Especially when you're pregnant. She wandered around for a while, nibbling at the grasses and doing her best to ignore the foal that was quite literally running circles around her. Then she smelled blood. Her head lifted, trying to locate where it was coming from, and quickly proceeded to follow her nose. The black vixen wasn't entirely sure what she was hoping to find, or not to find, but she went out of curiosity, eager to find the source of the metallic scent. Fiasko wasn't too hard to find, her figure standing out like a sore thumb next to two small blobs in the grass. Twins, ha! All the more work for poor queen Scarface.
Voudou invited herself over to the happy new family, and her own black colt wandered over to sniff the other foals. The colt asked some question about why they got to be black and white, and he was just black, but Voudou ignored him, opting instead to talk to Fiasko. "So, it appears you and Jason were- oh what's the word I'm looking for... blessed? Yes, blessed. Blessed with two little mongrels to feed." She eyed the children, almost more of a glare. Inside, she was jealous, not of the children but of Fiasko. Jason was her only friend to speak of and he had chosen this deformed, pathetic excuse for a horse over her. Jason had left her be, leaving her to be raped, and leaving her to fend for herself for those long months of pregnancy.
The mare of course knew that Jason would be there for her if she ever asked, and he had never really left her at all; Voudou had been the one who isolated herself. Jason was too kind for her to be mad at him for long, so she had been creating every excuse in the world to stay mad at him, because it was easier than admitting that she was jealous or that she had problems in any way shape or form.
She watched her son, for a moment before speaking again, "You wouldn't want to watch him for a while would you? A year perhaps, maybe two?"
A part of Jason had been nervous everyday since he had spent a singular night with Fiasko. They had shared intimacy in a way that Jason had rarely experienced. She was beautiful, quiet, and perfect through it all. From the tender kisses shared in the beginning to the unspoken embrace following it all. Fiasko struck him in a complete way. Since then he had been concerned for her wellbeing. Throughout the pregnancy Jason kept tabs on her health with the bits of magic that he had left.
In recent days Jason’s magic had begun to feel more powerful, and it was with that increase in power that he was able to feel the sudden shift in pain. Jason monitored her health from afar. Like most men he didn’t care to intrude on the motherly act of birth. Instead he stayed at a distance until the process had finished.
Jason made his way to Fiasko with a flurry of excitement. He hadn’t been around for many of his foal’s births. He had known that Fiasko was to have twins- he even knew that one would be a girl and the other a boy, but nothing could explain the joy that he felt in their safe birth. When Jason came upon the trio he was initially surprised to see Voudou standing alongside them. ”Voudou…” He said without thought. His eyes then drifted toward the foals ”My god…they are beautiful.” He knew which two out of the three were his own, and he stood for a moment just looking at them.
Jason stepped over to Fiasko and assessed her. His lips touched her cheek and trailed down her neck. ”You alright? They are gorgeous..” He whispered. Once he was assured that Fiasko was doing well he approached the foals. He brushed his nose to his daughter’s head then to his sons. He then glanced to the third foal, Voudou’s. ”He is beautiful, Voudou….how lucky you must feel.” Jason wasn’t sure if Voudou shared in his own fatherly pride, but he believed that she should. They all had been blessed with life.
Wichita had heard all the commotion, had done her best to hurry, but pregnancy was quite the burden on her small frame. Her petite frame was awkward when swollen, barrel swaying left and right as she tried to cover ground. She finally realized that rushing would do her no good, may even cause herself injury, and so, she took her time. Each time she heard a cry of pain from her friend she winced, chills racing along her own pelt in sympathy. She herself was frightened of the pain foaling would bring, lately she had tried to push those thoughts to the very depths of her mind. The audible notes of hurt only solidifying her fear, creating more doubts of the unknown.
Truly Wichita had seen births, a few in fact. The whole process was messy, and almost always accompanied by sounds that would make your teeth grind. Watching and actually doing, now those were two very different things. She would no longer just be a witness, she herself would experience the agony of releasing another life from her nether parts. Oh the joys of motherhood.
She watched figures slip past, first the black beauty Voudou. A lovely long,legged creature whom usually kept to herself, often fleeing further and further away when Wichita had chance to spot her. She never did get the opportunity to strike up conversation, get to know the raven better. Now what was interesting, was the little black dot the followed, doing its best to keep up with it's mothers long strides. Poor little darlin' Wichita thought as she watched, still slowly gaining grown towards Fiasko cries.
Soon, the cries ceased, the act probably complete by now, and Jason's blue grey form could be seen closing the distance. As she neared she took in the sight before her, not one, but two small foals cling to their mother. Fiasko. The Queen had birthed twins, what a wonderful blessing for the Gates. Wichita nickered happily as she neared, hips still swaying as she went, her legs looking a bit more toned from the recent exertion.
"They sure are purdy, all of 'em."she even offered her well wishes to Voudou. "I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner, I'd like ta have been here with ya. Ain't so easy gettin' around as it once was."she really had hoped to be there for her Queen, her friend, when she started the labor. There to help comfort her, like she and her mother always had for the others back home. A gentle reassuring voice, a shoulder to cry on if need be. She would however have to settle with just being able to make it over there, her eyes soft as she looked over each new babe.
Much to her surprise (and slightly to her horror), the first horse to appear is not Jason, but Voudou. She grimaces internally, but puts on a smile for the black mare. She doesn't actually dislike the moody creature, but Voudou's face is not exactly the first that she wants to see after giving birth. Especially considering they're Jason's children.
Her surprise deepens however, when she realizes that a small black shape is following at Voudou's heels. A jet black colt, newly born if she guesses correctly. She's more than a bit stunned - she hadn't even realized that Voudou was pregnant! The feeling is quickly followed by guilt. Clearly she's been too self-occupied this past winter if she missed something so important.
"Yes, yes we were blessed." She doesn't miss the tone in Voudou's voice, but she chooses to ignore it. And she believes they are blessed anyhow. She'd been surprised by the twins, but now that they're here she wouldn't want it any other way. Voudou suddenly asks if she would watch her child, and Fiasko's head cocks to the side, her eyes narrowed. She knows what the mare is asking, what she's truly asking. She finds it abhorrent that Voudou would want to give up her child ... but wouldn't it be better for the child, if Voudou truly does not want it? She believes it had been far better for herself to be abandoned and later adopted by Kaelie and Finnley, than to have been raised by her own abusive, blood mother.
And then, suddenly he's here. Voudou's son flees her mind momentarily. "Jason!" A bright, crooked smile lights up her face. He rushes to her, caressing her, then moves on to the children. Fiasko's smile somehow widens as he touches each of them in turn. "I haven't named them yet. I've been waiting for you." She wouldn't want to do it without him.
Then he turns to Voudou's child, and her eye follows. The boy seems sweet enough and who knows, maybe she could manage three of them. Though, she doesn't think she could produce enough milk for three. But it probably would be nice for the twin to have a playmate. "What's his name?"
A familiar scent reaches her nose and she turns, smiling still, to watch Wichita as she approaches. The silver black mare is nearing the end of her pregnancy and Fiasko's heart goes out to her as she spots the mare's greatly swollen sides. She remembers when she had run across Wichita ... well, after. It angers her to think that someone had done that to such a sweet mare. "Thank you Wichita! And that's quite alright. How are you faring?"
