[Haven]

The queen was agitated and dour. She'd been avoiding Cockatrice, avoiding Kashmir, and Ghost, mostly to spare them her irritability. But she also hadn't gone to them because the pain in her hip had made walking a nightmare. Usually, it only ached slightly in the rain and cold, but now it hurt all the time, even in the warmth of midday, and even when she stayed off of it. She'd grown somehow restless and listless at the same time. 

Now, she lay on her back in a clearing near her den, scowling at the trees and their gently falling leaves. Her mind rolled over and over the events of her years, the wars and wolves come and gone. Politics of course, weighed on her - Tortuga's recent silence, Gemini's olive branch. Nardir of course remained a staunch ally - she mused that diplomats should be sent there soon, and perhaps she could go herself - but a a twang of pain in her hip made her reconsider. It was odd for this old wound to act up so much. 

She sighed, and adjusted her position on her back. She likely looked a bit foolish like this, though finding a comfortable position would at this point be worth whatever loss of dignity she might suffer. She looked like a cat lazing in a sunbeam, more than a noble queen, but so be it. It was unlikely that anyone would bother her this close to her den, anyway, unless it was another alpha. While Haven was fond of the other leaders, she had never been terribly close to any of them, and so she doubted they'd make house calls. 

This general sense of discomfort, it would be gone in a day or two, she told herself. Just a temporary ache.

[Xenia ♕]

---

No one quite prepared her for the very tiring, exhausting part of pregnancy; but Xenia took it in strides and reminded herself of the exciting days ahead when moments were rough.

Everything felt quite different, and it was magical in it’s own way. The young Queen wondered if this is what new flowers felt like, wiggling under the surface as the soil made a womb of growth before the buds broke free from the dirt and greedily reached for the sun, the sky, mother nature's ability to help these things grow and bloom. Xenia knew she would have to be that for the young within her, and that combination was both exciting and terrifying. She often found herself thinking to her own parents, taking notes from their teaching and remembering the things they taught her. Only difference is she knew she'd have more than one unlike her solitary upbringing being an only child. But— she wasn't alone. She had her loving husband, and the rest of the royal court and Inaria to help.

She also had Haven, who, likely found herself in a similar situation of mixed emotions and thoughts.

Xenia found the golden queen sprawled out on her back within the sun, occupying her own company. There was a moment of hesitation, briefly wondering if Haven wanted the time to herself knowing she was just as busy as ever with the duties of Queen, ones that far expanded the time that Xenia had taken the co-role with her. But Xenia saw her as both her counterpart and mentor, a Queen with more experience and guidance in what it meant to be an alpha and a leader. But a mother..?

They were in the same boat of unknown for that one, at least. Xenia, after her moment, opted to bring herself up to Haven's side and smiled warmly at her, taking a seat beside her and speaking quietly if her arrival wasn't noticed right away. "That looks very comfortable," She began, realizing quickly that sitting wasn't as favourable as she'd thought, before adjusting herself to lay down. She exhaled a bit audibly in the shift. "I haven't tried that position yet." A gentle compliment, ending with a sweet sounding hum-like giggle. Her head raised to glance out, wondering what else she could say.

The flower Queen knew they both respected one another, liked each other; but never had they quite had a one on one discussion just about them. Not as Queens, but as two women. Now, two expecting women.

Needless to say the gentle Queen was feeling a bit... awkward.

"How are you feeling?" A good start, she thought. There was always room for improvement.

---

@.Eve.