[fleabittengray]

It's so good that I could die
Help me stay alive

TW: stillborn

It was spring. A good season for birthing foals. But Pandora was under much stress, despite doing her best to stay out of the war as best she could - if only because she was pregnant and wanted no harm to come to the growing foal inside of her. But she had a bad feeling... days had passed and she had not felt the foal moving inside of her womb. She felt a heaviness building inside of her and was becoming harsh, snapping even at her daughter, Alesana, and when her brother had come to visit her recently, she'd even yelled at him. She was stressed and while she normally dealt with stress pretty well, this pregnancy had been hard on her body. She had no home, lurking in the Free Lands, doing her best to avoid the fighting masses. The war was coming to a head, and it was getting ugly. She needed to find a safe place to give birth, but she was so slow now. Her body ached. And really, when the supernaturals were fighting, was anywhere truly safe? She huffed, angry at her situation, and trying to push through the pain. It was as she walked that she realized that pain was getting worse. It was like her body was trying to tell her to stop, that it was time, but she couldn't! Not here! Unclaimed Hearts was not the safest of places to be birthing a foal.

But nature was the true ruler of all, and Pandora had to call out for her daughter who was walking several paces ahead. She motioned for Ally to follow her toward the nearest cluster of bushes and trees, awarding some privacy to the mare at least, but would it be enough? She pushes through the underbrush, into a clearly that was just large enough for what she was about to do. She commanded Alesana to keep watch as she paced the clearing. The ink black maiden grit her teeth, huffing out short breaths until she could walk no further. Settling herself onto the ground, Pandora let nature guide her, working on instinct to dispel the foal from her. The pain was horrible, as it always was. But what frightened her was the silence that followed. Aside from her own panting as she tried to catch her breath, the foal she'd given birth to was silent and still.

She knew without looking that they were dead, but still she forced herself to look. It was a chestnut tobiano. A boy. Tears sprung to her eyes but she forced them away as she touched her muzzle to the colt. She began to lick him clean, despite knowing there was nothing she could do to wake him... or was there? The thought lingered as she worked on cleaning the stillborn foal, until she could ignore it no longer. Closing her eyes, Pandora forced herself to do something she rarely ever did - asking for help. "Lord Xerxes. Lady Teca. I pray you hear me... and can help me." She sent the prayer, feeling like a fool, wondering if it would even work. She heard the bushes rustling and began to try and stand. "Wait, Ally," she called out, her voice hoarse, and the motion in the bushes stopped. "Please, keep standing guard." A crooked grin appeared on her muzzle, despite the situation. "I've called for the Lord or Lady of the Underworld. The foal was - is - stillborn," she choked slightly on the word, clearing her throat. "I'm going to ask for a miracle."

She could see her daughter peering through the bushes and trees, her eyes going wide. Pandora stepped aside, allowing her daughter to see her young brother, and she heard the sharp inhale from Ally. "I'm so sorry, Mom. Will they be able to help?" The girl asked, soft and concerned. "We shall see. Now go! If any Utopians are about, they may be alerted to the arrival of the Lord or Lady." If they even came... But she had to hope that, even in the midst of the war, they would hear her prayers... She heard more than saw Ally retreating, going back to stand guard. She trusted her daughter to be able to fend off someone who might mean to cause them harm... but still. She hoped Xerxes or Teca would show up soon.

Pandora | 725| A z z y w/ Xerxes
notes | to perform a miracle on hellraiser, who was stillborn. she is willing to give her soul in exchange if xerxes wants! or really anything. <3
timeline | 10 years 1 months, spring, morning