Umbra chuckled softly. She didn't know the focus had returned to her, she wasn't that meta of a person. What she knew was even more important, from her point of view. There, attached to her right hoof, was her goal. A shiny bottle of milk, conjured wholly from the magic of what made a mother work in that enchanted land. "Finally!"
She brought up the bottle to sniff. It smelled like plastic and milk, neither that shocking an aroma to come from a milk bottle. But it was her bottle. Both the plastic and the milk came from her, conjured wholeclothe by her desire to feed. The trick being she didn't have a foal just yet to offer the bottle to. That left her with a bottle and no destination. "I should have considered that part..."
Wasting the bottle felt, well, wasteful.
She was in her room, which was also Cadance's and Shining's room. The other two were off being busy rulers of the empire. They had sent and almost confined her there. All duties had been cancelled, leaving her with little to do but wait for the big day. "I'm not handicapped..."
Ponies, and apparently umbrum too, just didn't get very wide during the whole process. She could feel pressure, from the inside. A foal was growing, but that pressure just never seemed to reach her sides. She didn't look increasingly pregnant, just felt it.
That didn't help her figure out what to do with that bottle of milk...
Umbra looked at the bottle of milk in her hoof, contemplating her next move. She knew Cadance and Shining Armor wanted her to rest, but she was feeling restless stuck in her room.
"I'll just take a quick walk around the palace," she decided. "Maybe I'll run into somepony who could use this." She tucked the bottle into her mane for safekeeping and slipped out the door.
The palace halls were quiet, with most of the staff busy attending to their daily duties. As Umbra wandered, she peeked into various rooms, hoping to find a foal who might want her freshly-made milk.
Rounding a corner, she spotted a familiar blue-maned pegasus guard chatting with one of his crystal pony comrades. Umbra smiled and trotted over.
"Flash Sentry!" she called brightly. "Fancy running into you."
Flash turned and bowed respectfully. "Princess Umbra! What brings you out and about today?"
Umbra patted her belly. "Oh, just getting some exercise. Being cooped up gets boring. I don't suppose you know of any foals around who might be hungry?" She levitated out her bottle of milk.
Flash's eyes lit up. "As a matter of fact, I do!" He beckoned for Umbra to follow. "One of the maids just had a new foal. I bet they'd appreciate a treat from the princess herself."
Umbra eagerly followed Flash to the servants' quarters, where he introduced her to the new mother. She was overjoyed that the princess had come to visit her little colt, who happily slurped down Umbra's offering, drinking thirstily from the bottle. Umbra's eyes glowed with joy. She was a wet nurse, again... And she kinda liked that position. "Sorry." She nodded at the mother. "I'm sure you have plenty of your own... Are you just putting up with me?"
The mare colored. "N-no... actually..." She worried her hooves nervously. "Actually... I have to buy milk."
Umbra blinked, stunned a moment. "Buy milk?"
The mare threw out a hoof. Magic formed, but fizzled impotently. No bottle appeared. "It doesn't work for me... You are a walking miracle, Princess Umbra. You keep saving us... Thank you."
Umbra sat there, stunned. Was that even possible? "Is this your first foal?"
"Yes, ma'am." She nuzzled her colt gently. "Why?"
Umbra smiled, fanged teeth on display without the ill-intent. "Equestria needs to stop assuming ponies know how to do this. Would you like some training? Maybe we can get that milk flowing."
And so Umbra found a delightful distraction, coaching the maid on how to summon her own bottles of milk. Unlike other ponies, she was all too pleased to discuss the topic, from gathering the magic internally to bringing it out into a bottle for her child. "It's simple, once you have it, but everyone assumes a mother just has it automatically. That's great, when it works... Don't feel bad needing a helping hoof."
"Thank you." The maid bowed low, feeding the foal with her own milk. Umbra had destroyed her opportunity to be a wet nurse to that foal, but doing a good deed was nice also, or so she decided. At least there was a healthy, happy foal made out of it. It made her want her own little foal that much more...
After saying her goodbyes, Umbra continued her walk with a spring in her step. She decided that as long as she was up, she may as well enjoy the fresh air and exercise. The foal would let her know when it was time to rest, she figured.
Humming softly, she made her way to the palace gardens, thinking some time among the flowers would be just the thing...
Umbra smiled to herself as she ambled through the fragrant palace gardens. Helping that new mother learn to nurse her foal had left her feeling warm and fulfilled. It reminded her of the joy she'd felt supporting Cadance when Flurry Heart was born.
There was something profoundly satisfying about using her unique abilities to aid another mother. Though she wished such knowledge was more widespread in Equestria. Perhaps she could suggest some kind of class on the subject, though broaching the topic made her cheeks flush. Ponies could be so oddly shy about certain things.
Lost in thought, Umbra wandered toward a peaceful pond ringed with graceful willow trees. As she drew nearer, she spotted a familiar figure seated beneath one of the drooping branches. His white coat shone brightly in the dappled sunlight.
"Fancy seeing you out here, Anik," Umbra greeted warmly as she approached her adopted son.
Anik turned, his expression brightening. "Mother! What a pleasant surprise." He patted the grass beside him in invitation.
Umbra settled down, enjoying the shade. "Getting some fresh air?"
Anik nodded serenely. "Yes, I find time in nature restores me." He regarded her belly. "And you?"
"Just stretching my legs. I get restless cooped up inside." Umbra smiled wryly. "Though Cadance and Shining mean well trying to make me rest."
"The waiting can be difficult," Anik agreed. He tilted his head thoughtfully. "But the foal will arrive precisely when it is ready. All in due time."
Umbra chuckled. "Spoken like one who has never been pregnant." Still, his calm perspective was reassuring.
They sat awhile in comfortable silence, simply enjoying the garden's tranquility. Umbra felt tension she hadn't realized she was carrying melt away.
Whatever challenges lay ahead on her journey to motherhood, she took comfort knowing she wouldn't have to face them alone. She had a family - of choice - ready to support her.
With that thought warming her heart, she rose to continue her leisurely stroll, giving Anik's shoulder an affectionate pat before heading off once more down the garden path.
Anik would not let her simply walk off. He rose and walked alongside her. "How are you feeling, mother? May I help?"
But how could Anik help? "I'm just happy the morning sickness faded... Why do they call it that, anyway? I felt pretty sick all around the clock..." She reached back to pat her belly. "But at least it passed... My insides adjusted to grow this wonderful child... They must not be entirely umbrum, or that wouldn't have happened."
Anik considered her belly. "The father is Cadance, is it not? With a father being a pony, how could it be all umbrum? Shadow and light, brought together." He gestured at Umbra, then himself. "Shadow and light. You're making it less poetic and more literal."
"And you're being logical about it." Umbra huffed, but she was still smiling. "You're not wrong. My child will be half pony and half umbrum... I hope... they come out well. I've signed them up for an interesting life." She tapped at her chin. "Will they be teased for being halfway like that?" The pony world seemed kinder than the human one she had long left behind. Perhaps she was worrying over nothing? She considered Anik, who also came from another world. He wouldn't know... "I should ask a few locals... Have you seen Morning?"
Anik hummed softly. "She's playing."
Umbra perked at that. "Playing? Are we talking about the same Morning Dew?"
Anik laughed at the surprise. "She is still a child, even if she can be dour. Tomtom is a good influence, I think. When he invites her to play, he often succeeds. She may pretend she's 'peforming royal duties', but she is playing. It's nice to see."
Umbra shook her head, chuckling low. "I'll bother her later. Let her play. I'm being silly. If Morning can find a friend and have a good time, a hybrid child shouldn't be out of luck."
Anik suddenly veered away without a word, leaving Umbra confused until she spotted what may have caused it. Shining was walking towards her on the same path. "Shining!"
"Umbrie!" He closed and they met in a gentle embrace, one arm around the other. "How are you feeling?"
"Pregnant." Umbra sat on her haunches. "Which involves a lot of different feelings, but most of them are good." She rubbed at her belly with a little smile. "So, not complaining. I feel like I'm already past the worst of it."
"Yeah..." Shining cocked a brow. "Don't forget the explosive finish." They both made a face. They had felt what Cadance went through, when Flurry Heart had come. "So I wouldn't say 'past the worst' exactly..."
"Look." Umbra prodded him in the chest. "That isn't comfortable, but it's wonderful too... It's like..." She searched for proper words on it. "Like being a flower... Spreading in the morning. Wider, wider, and wider still, until a foal can pop out. It's scary, but it's wonderful... It didn't hurt that much. You were there..."
"I was there..." A stallion didn't normally have that experience, but Shining had felt it, all of it. "Ugh... Let's not talk about that." He shook himself out with a lash of the tail. "Look, I'm ready to support you. Um, though, are you wearing your tiara or not?"
She reached up for that tiara. If she wore it, her mane would be alive, and she wouldn't broadcast her sensations to Shining and Cadance. "I was thinking... not? Would you prefer I did? I don't want to creep you out."
Umbra considered the Shining question thoughtfully. On one hoof, keeping her tiara off meant he would experience her pregnancy symptoms and labor pains through their empathic link. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable or distract him from his duties.
But on the other hoof, she valued the closeness the link provided between them, especially now as she prepared to bring new life into their family. She wanted him to be as involved and connected to their foal as possible.
"I think I'll leave it off for now," Umbra finally decided. "As long as you're alright with that. I know it's not a typical stallion experience." She smiled wryly. "But then, we're hardly a typical trio."
Shining chuckled. "No arguments there. And that's just fine with me." He nudged her affectionately. "Like I said, I'm here to support you however I can. If that means getting a sneak peek at pregnancy mare-style, I can roll with it."
His expression became more serious. "Just promise you'll put the tiara back on if it can help. I know labor can be not very easy. Don't feel like you have to tough it out alone for my sake."
Umbra bumped her forehead against his gratefully. "It's a deal. With you and Cadance by my side, I know I'll have all the support I need when the big day comes." A flutter in her belly made her gasp softly. "Oh! I think somepony is happy you're here."
Shining's eyes widened. "Can I...?" At Umbra's nod, he gently placed a hoof on her rounded belly. His face lit up as he felt the foal squirm and kick against his hoof.
"Active little pony you've got there," he murmured in awe. He met Umbra's gaze, crystal blue eyes shimmering. "I can't wait to meet them."
Umbra had to blink back sudden tears. Hormones, probably, but still. She placed her hoof over Shining's, holding it there.
"Me either," she whispered. "Our family just keeps growing." She leaned into him, taking comfort in his solid strength. Together they stood, connected by touch and anticipation of the new life to come.