Everything was so natural, yet scared the young maiden. She knew that the life would make it through, and all this time she prayed away, and her sanity slowly draining away to the Summerlands. Praying and hoping, yet there was no answer. She wished to go back to the High Priestess of the Orchid, and ask for answers- but Miriam knew, she could not abandon what was to come.
Wincing and groaning, the spirit slowly slumped to the ground, a sharp breathe with each pain. She held forth her tongue, and unknown reason why to keep it a secret. Perhaps of shame, perhaps the fear.. If they were of the light, or the darkness, Miriam can only hope and pray for the forgiveness. They were born of the darkness of lust, a give into what the maidens tried to build a wall against- but she fell through. The Horned God's Warriors, could not protect her either. She wondered.. If he too, fell into the darkness.
Her mind was of blank, and finally did she let out a loud whine as Miriam could feel them come through.
stealing firstborn, haha. assuming some powerplay is okay. :)
the nymph slipped silently from her mother's womb and onto the freshly painted dirt. the sac was swiftly whisked away, allowing her to smell the intoxicating scent of her mother's milk. she remained voiceless, only opening her mouth to release an exaggerated yawn and whine quietly for reprieve from her hunger.
luckily, miriam did not make her daughter wait for very long. liliana was tucked against a swollen teat which was taken wholly and enthusiastically into her mouth. she remained there for some time, drinking until drunk, then rolled backward for her first earthside rest.
me @ me: i'mma keep this short and to the point. me @ me writing this fluff post: ha, u thought.
time in the womb passes like the needle on a slowly spinning record, like the elegant movement of a clock's hands, like revolving cylinder of otherworldly music imprinted upon the metal against the tines of the comb of a music box; assuredly. it is a time that would stop; the end of a thing that he cannot truly comprehend and would not remember. the key is turned in his world of warm and safe;
eden. a eden that was no longer big enough for him and the one he shares it with. the key turns but the music no longer plays.
eden erupts; quaking violently with each contraction that wracks thru his mother's body and the other he shares it with is ripped from him. she is there. there, there, there; her heartbeat in the symphony of his and their mother's own and then it is gone. the calm does not last long as the tremors come for him again; violently expelling him from eden, too.
the touch of the air upon fur wet with sac fluids as the cumbersome thing is cleaned from him is foreign and leaves him shivering. it feels wrong and hungrily he blindly pushes his nose into the warmth of his mother's side, pressing into the warmth of his sister's; as if he could absorb and share the warmth as it washes over him. his shivers cease as a new sensation fills him. he would know the word for it later; hunger.
for now, he answers the call of primal and base instincts that draw him to take a teat in his gumming mouth and suckle. a cry of surprise leaves him as warm, sweet mothermilk trickles into his mouth. it dribbles onto his chin as he parts from the teat and he smacks his lips together; unsure. but hunger is persistent and the one that would be called asmoses tries again; no longer startled as he suckles and is rewarded with mothersmilk once more.
She kept her cries to a minimum, but the pain was of motherhood, some had escaped. It was a peaceful time- of herself, and the thoughts of the Goddess as Miriam pushed forward for their light. She saw one, a beautiful silver girl, an smile blossomed upon the newly mothers face as she was overjoyed a maiden would come. However, another had slipped, identical to the other, but the opposite chain. A cease upon her brow, as she thought of him.
She did not know the warriors way- and did not know of their teachings, as she knows her own. She felt doubtful to properly care, as Miriam nudged the two closer to herself, cradling the life she had given. There was still doubt, she thought, if they were truly of light and dark. Her mind set forth to find the way, rituals were a must, she needed to know. If born of darkness, could she solve it?
Could she raise them to the light?
Specks of crystals fell to her face as the young mother cried over the two she had given birth.
Whispers of their name, "Liliana," she said, "and Asmoses."
"Amma is here.."
It probably would have been better if Mal asked questions. He would have likely been here at the start, waiting, rather than off doing his normal duties. But hey, nobody tells Mal anything, so he had been off doing his normal stuff. Some patrols, some hunting, blah blah, the normal stuff. He'd snagged a particularly dumb squirrel that obviously had spent too much time scarfing down food then watching for danger, so he was going to give that to Miriam, maybe hang out a bit and attempt to talk to her, then head off to try and get something else done.
He'd arrived sometime after the event, nose twitching. He wasn't sure if it was just because he had prey dangling from the end of his muzzle or had something happened? Miriam?
he garbled around it, the fur along his spine starting to stand on end. It was an unfamiliar combination and that put him on edge. He moved forward towards the den, dropping the squirrel unceremoniously to one side. Miriam? Are you okay?
In the darkness he could only see one dark shape -- any smaller ones would just meld together into the shadows.
Cooing over the new life, she had been distracted and fail to notice what had entered. She was unguarded by the familiar scent of Neverwinter, and that of one who helped gained life. However, now that she heared, her wisps looked up toward Mal, hesitant toward him.
She still felt cross whether he too, fell into the darkness, and if the two by her belly, should be introduced to the angel.. Fallen, or not, but he posed no threat so far. It felt like a string being pulled by both sides, of logic and heart, but she didn't know which side fell to which angle. The maiden moved them closer to herself, unknowingly putting up a guard. She felt afraid to lose them, while staring out into the light that he entered in. A fear crossed, whether the darkness would continue to take hold, and she wished for prayers.
"The Goddess will bring light," a hope, "and the Horned God will protect them,"
"And the two, be saved." she bent to touch them both in a gentle prayer.
Mal had halted partway into the entry but didn't encroach further. He just wanted to make sure she was okay and even he knew that boxing someone in inside an enclosed space wasn't nice. His eyes adjusted as she spoke, but as it did so he crouched slightly, leaning to one side for a slightly better view. Pups. His tail wagged slightly behind him, but he did his best to not be ridiculous about it. Look, he adored Caerus, but Miriam certainly didn't adore Mal.
But his questions were more of a spew than nice and organized, Are you okay? Do you want me to get Aibreann -- she's a medic and knows about puppies and everything?
The proper term 'midwife' had escaped him. But he kept going, And I brought you some food -- I left it outside, want me to bring it in? Do they have names?
Maybe she'd answer one question. She at least seemed kind of okay from the way she was acting, but he'd still go tattle to Aibreann when he left. Maybe she'd want to check on her.
The maiden repeated their given, "Liliana," she touched her daughter, and moved toward her son, "Asmoses." A long forgotten smile to her face, as she gently shook her head to his offer. There was a feeling of peace, and any pain that was to be felt, was currently allured away by the moment of her twins. She did not wish to bother.
Perhaps warmth to his worry- but, she had to stay wary, for the sake of them. She had to be alright, for them, and to be healthy, to take care of them. Everything that she has, as the Goddess gave no answers, only of silence. They're small noises was the little comfort she had gained during these long months of carrying, and despite all the worry she held over them, Miriam was thankful for their arrival.
Well, he was still gonna tell Aibreann, no matter what. She needed to know. For a couple of reasons. He still hadn't pinned down what was with Miriam to start with -- he'd tried to figure it out but she hadn't talked to him, she hadn't answered any questions he'd asked. Except for the names. He didn't know if they meant anything, but they sounded good, Good choices.
The initial stress had burned off, his tail waved behind him. I really do mean when I've said that I'm here to help, that you could call me whenever you need anything. I'll make sure you have everything you need -- I just want to help.
He wanted to go closer, to see his children, but he was also wary about doing so. He didn't want her running off like Cupid had from Rusalka. So he stayed put, his whole self jut a mix of happy and hesitant, I wish you'd called.
The two gray fuzzballs seemed so distant and small.
"I do not wish to bother." It was probably the first words she spoke to him in a very long while, usually remaining silent to his presence, and only uttering her childrens names. She did not know the previous trauma that Mal went through, his kids, or Cupid running away. If she perhaps there would be a gesture of reassurance, that she did not have any intention to leave as of now. As much as she wished to go back home.. They were his as well, and Miriam did not have the heart to yank them away. He deserved to be in their life, just as much as she wants to be with them.
Though reluctance, as she still questioned whether he was of dark and light.. Would that be a good influence?
The maiden could only trust the silent Goddess of the right decisions. To follow, what she feel is right.
What, an answer!? Was he maybe finally starting to maybe put a little crack in the shell there? Though he did his best to not seem surprised or something, his ears did perk up a bit at it. It's not so much being a bother as it is I want to make sure you're okay. And that so are they.
It was the important stuff. Again, he'd tell Aibreann if she wanted to check on her.
But you won't have to worry about much. I'll make sure you have food, and if you do need anything, just call, okay? I'll help however you want me to.
He was back to not expecting an answer, but Mal needed to make sure she knew. He already figured that he'd make sure she had access to the squirrel he'd caught and left outside, but that was more if she went back into silence. He did what he could.