Start of a New Reign

The trip home was peaceful for Khaalida. They had stopped and turned in her quests, and she had put in for her next parcel of land only to find a surprise waiting for her. One of the deities, or someone, had noticed her during the solstice, and she had gained a third piece of land. Khaalida hadn’t thought she had been impressive, but she was thankful nonetheless.

Espeor was growing.

Khaalida was happy to have Eira as a companion for a while longer. Eira would be continuing her quests in Khaalida’s mountain region home, so she would have her company until they were finished.

But after that, Eira would leave, and Khaalida would be alone with Aurelion.

Not that they were not already. Eira had set out to start looking around earlier that morning, and Khaalida wandered through the forest in search of Aurelion. They were almost home, and Khaalida wanted to make sure that Aurelion still wanted to stay.

Aurelion was found on a path next to a small valley, the grass stretching out as far as to the mountains. Khaalida approached, and the pair wandered down the little path.

“I am sure about staying, if that's what you are worrying over,” Aurelion commented with a slight laugh.

Khaalida sighed and shook her head. “You see right through me,” she said with a rueful grin. “You are getting into a lot. We are growing, land wise. But besides all of that, this is still a fledgling queendom. We have a lot of land, but not a lot of power.”

Aurelion tilted his head. “You are quite powerful. But I know what you mean,” he replied, considering it.

“I wish I was more powerful,” Khaalida sighed. “I have magic, but most of it is no good for protecting my land.”

Khaalida had been practicing, trying her best to extend her power. And she had come far, there was no doubt about it. But there were things she was missing.

Aurelion thought carefully before speaking. “I heard the legend of a Phoenix who has powers beyond imagination. Who can transform magic, even appearances and identities,” Aurelion said carefully. “If you want to be more powerful, perhaps that's something to look into.”

Khaalida thought about it. She wanted to. Something within her was guiding her that way, but she wasn’t willing to go that far. At least not yet.

“I will consider it,” Khaalida said softly.

Aurelion nodded, and the pair walked on in silence.

Khaalida knew in her soul that Siomas was close. Eira had joined back up with the pair, and looked to Aurelion confused as Khaalida abruptly stopped.

Cat’s ears flicked, as the feline looked around. Khaalida caught Siomas’s scent… but also that of someone else. Several someones it seemed.

Khaalida grinned as she realized who it was.

“Come on guys!” she said, and rushed ahead. Eira and Aurelion swiftly followed.

Khaalida found more than she had expected in the clearing. Siomas stood towering over a small form…. Pyralis! And behind her was Khaalida’s mother and father, as well as Cyrenne!

Another figure stood to the side by Cyrenne. It took Khaalida a moment to realize it was Avia, one of Pandora’s daughters.

“You are all here,” Khaalida said with a moment of wonder and awe.

Eira and Aurelion had slipped from the trees behind her, and stood staring at the Kirin and assorted Quirlicorns.

“Oh good you are here,” Siomas said, striding toward Khaalida. Eira shrank back slightly at the sight of the large Kirin.

“I’ve been… entertaining our guests,” Siomas added a bit sourly. “It seems like you have brought more?”

Khaalida grinned at her Guardian, as Cat leapt forward and began to weave around Siomas’s legs.

“This is Aurelion, he will be staying with us. And this is Eira, another queen-to-be who I have completed many quests with, and has come to complete quests of our region here,” Khaalida introduced her companions.

As Aurelion and Eira murmured their hellos, Khaalida gestured to the waiting party.

“This is Siomas, my Guardian, who has done the excellent job of looking over my land while I was away. My mother, Liana, and my father, Abraxas. My sibling, Pyralis. Cyrenne, my mentor, and Avia, a friend of the family,” Khaalida introduced them each in turn, and she held quiet for a moment while everyone offered their greetings.

“Why are you guys all here?” Khaalida asked when they had quieted.

“I came here to be with you,” Liana said, “and your father and sibling came with.”

Khaalida frowned. “But Ma, your magic won’t be as strong here as it would be in the Plains,” Khaalida said.

Liana smiled. “You have done much, my beautiful daughter. I may not be as strong, but there are many plants here to study and learn.”

Khaalida smiled, then gave her father a dubious look. Abraxas shuffled his hooves then chuckled.

“Well it would be good to have a place to come home to, if you don’t mind,” Abraxas said.

Khaalida laughed at that, her free-spirited father was more like her than she realized. Just looking for a home.

“Yeah, sure Father,” Khaalida said with a little snort.

Cyrenne smiled when Khaalida’s gaze fell on her. “I came to bid you hello, and to stay for awhile. I too would like to learn what this region has to offer,” Cyrenne said.

Khaalida’s smile was warm and genuine. “I am happy to accept any advice you may leave,” Khaalida said with respect.

Avia stepped forward a little shy. “I wanted to get out,” Avia admitted. “I love my family, but Eady is so… mean. And Idalia has such a temper, and I don’t even see Datura! And now that Mam has Elara, she's been so busy raising her that I’m just…. I’m lonely,” Avia finished in a murmur.

“You are welcome as long as you would like,” Khaalida said with a smile.

Eira had been watching and felt proud of her friend. She shared a look with Aurelion as Khaalida greeted everyone with a smile and grace, already looking the part of a queen.

“She was born for this,” Eira murmured, and Aurelion smiled and nodded.

“She will be a great queen,” he replied.

The next few days were filled with laughter and excitement. Pyralis greatly enjoyed spending time with their sister, and Khaalida loved having her sibling around. Pyralis had admitted to wanting to stay with Liana, and stay with Khaalida by extension, and Khaalida couldn’t have been happier. They spent their time exploring and taking long walks through the trees, occasionally running into Liana and Cyrenne, who were spending their time wandering the territory looking at plants. Abraxas too sometimes crossed their path, always causing trouble before heading off again.

Avia had been hanging out with Eira mostly, the two younger mares getting along well. And during the night, the entire group gathered around a fire, where Khaalida or Eira would regale them with tales of their quests, or Avia would sing to them in her beautiful yet somewhat haunting voice.

They traveled by day, and talked the night away, but none of them were truly tired. Aurelion and Khaalida still found time to sneak off among the trees, spending the time together that they could, and Khaalida had to admit their bond was growing closer.

Eira ended up delaying her quests, and Khaalida didn’t blame her. She could tell the young mare was overcome with feelings of family, a thing that Eira had sorely been missing.

So the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months.

Khaalida had found the perfect spot one morning to found her city. A river passed through her first territory, and she worked closely with Cyrenne to plan it out. Between their various magics, they began to lay the beginnings of the city.

Khaalida discovered as dusk settled over her land, that her magic had indeed grown. She had been napping, when in a sudden vision the deities appeared before her, Aberfa and Zahavah. Khaalida didn’t remember much of the dream, only their images swimming before her, and when she awoke she found her mane and tail surrounded by a glowing dark nebula. Her gasp of surprise had woken Aurelion, who had been napping beside her, and he stared in wonder as her newly gifted Astral Magic made itself known.

Khaalida practiced in secret from there on out, learning what her magic could do. She finally found a name for it - Chaotic Influence. It sounded bad, and Khaalida was afraid, for it seemed there was nothing she could not truly do.

Several visions followed thereafter, of a great Astral Realm and all that came between. She saw in those visions that her magic, no matter how destructive, could be used for good. Sneaking away from the group one night, Khaalida headed out to where the fledgling foundation of her city had been laid. Harnessing her magic, Khaalida used her manipulative powers to create, and create she did.

When the others awoke the next morning, where there had been a rough start was now a grand and beautiful city, made of sparkling gemstones and beautiful glittering stone. Khaalida said nothing, and nor did the others, but they regarded her with awe and surprise.

It wasn’t long into the first winter, snuggled warm in her castle, that Khaalida realized something was amiss. Eira had gone off questing, and she wasn’t yet ready to tell Aurelion, so Khaalida went where she always went for advice - Cyrenne.

She found the mare carefully crafting something in her small home not far from the castle. Each of the arrivals had gotten a home in the city for whenever they wished to use it, a gift from Khaalida.

“What's wrong?” Cyrenne asked, noticing the look on Khaalida’s face.

“I think I’m pregnant,” Khaalida blurted, and Cyrenne smiled.

Khaalida wandered the streets for a while after that, wondering what to do, or what to say. It wasn’t a question of how it happened, per say. But of how to tell Aurelion. They had never made things official, never truly made a statement of intentions. Khaalida wasn’t sure if she was ready to be a mother in the first place. She had been planning to set out for more Land come springtime, but she wouldn’t be able to if she had foals. There was so much to think about, so much to plan for.

Aurelion found her in an empty chamber near her own rooms, just staring out the window. Aurelion carefully approached Khaalida.

“Is everything okay?” Aurelion asked cautiously, noting the strange mood Khaalida seemed to be in.

Khaalida turned to Aurelion, her eyes a bit wide in fear. “Aurelion… I’m pregnant. Cyrenne confirmed it this morning.”

Aurelion was silent for a few moments, before a wide grin broke out. Khaalida was still a bit nervous, she knew he had one child with a mare before, a mare he had lost. She didn’t know how he would take starting a new family.

“I… I don’t know what to say,” Aurelion finally said, still grinning. Khaalida shrank back slightly, turning away to nuzzle Cat who lay in a sunny spot on the window ledge.

“Khaali…” Aurelion said, walking over to stand beside her. His tail laid overtop of hers, and his side brushed her side. “I am happy, Khaali. So very happy. A family of our own,” Aurelion murmured, before his smile faded.

“You are happy too, right?” He asked, a bit unsure.

Khaalida looked over the lands before her. “I don’t know what to think,” Khaalida admitted. “I have barely started my reign, I was planning to go Questing again come Spring, I had so many plans,” Khaalida said softly.

“Those plans don’t have to change, Khaali. Sure, you might go out questing a little late, but one our foal is old enough to be weaned, you can go and do what you need to do. I can stay and raise them, it's not like I really help when it comes to quests,” Aurelion said softly. “You have a whole network of Quirlicorns who are here for you, to help you. You have Siomas as well. We can handle things here, and you can do what needs done. It takes a herd to raise a foal after all.”

Khaalida sighed. “I don’t want them to feel abandoned because my duty pulls me away,” Khaalida murmured. “I want to be a good mother.”

Aurelion laughed softly. “You are a mother to everyone here, in some way. You hear their ailments, you solve their problems. You help them come to their own solutions when it's not something you can fix. They can talk to you whenever they need, and you take time to make everyone feel special. You can do this, Khaali, I know you can. And if they have the adventuring spirit, you can take them with you when you go questing.”

Khaalida thought about it, silently nuzzling Cat for a few moments. The feline purred under her touch, and Khaalida smiled.

“You're right,” Khaalida finally replied, looking at Aurelion. “I don’t know why I doubted myself, or you.”

“You doubted me?” Aurelion asked, and Khaalida nodded. “Whatever for?”

“I wasn’t sure you would be happy,” Khaalida admitted.

Aurelion looked at her in surprise. “I am so very happy,” Aurelion assured her.

Khaalida nuzzled him, and Aurelion rested his head over Khaalida’s neck.

“So very happy.”

“Twins?!” Khaalida said, looking at Cyrenne in shock. Khaalida’s belly was swollen and heavy, and Aurelion seemed shocked silent by her side.

Cyrenne nodded. “The only time I have seen a belly that big is when there are twins,” Cyrenne affirmed.

Khaalida felt like she was going to pass out. She had gotten used to it, adjusted her life to make way for a foal, but now twins?

She wasn’t sure she was ready for that.

“We will do as we have already done,” Aurelion assured her. “Take this all one day at a time.”

Looking down at the two small bundles, then to a sweating and panting Khaalida, Aurelion couldn’t have been more proud of his young queen.

“The first, the girl,” Khaalida said with a victorious grin. “Her name is Khaaleesi. The second, the boy, is Koa.”

Khaalida felt weak in her knees, but moved forward, nudging the larger female and the smaller male to nurse. As she did, her gaze met Aurelion’s, and the two shared a smile. Aurelion approached and nuzzled Khaalida, and the two stood in silence marveling at the tiny foals.

Eira returned from her land at the announcement, as did many others who had wandered. Pandora and her girls came to visit, and Khaalida found her home flooded with Quirlicorns. Her young foals stayed back, the filly standing protectively between the colt and the crowd, and Khaalida smiled. She would be a strong princess. In that little filly, Khaalida felt another part of that desert queen’s soul resting, and Khaalida knew then, as her city celebrated the birth, that everything was going to be perfectly fine. It was a Start of a New Reign, her Reign, and she couldn’t wait to see what was next.