Virtue knocks at the door. "Hello? Anypony home?”
Glyph looks up from tickling Friesden. "Ba- Virtue? Please come in!"
Virtue steps inside with Ocean Breeze, smiling nervously. "Hello, you two."
Friesden flies into a tackle of Ocean Breeze, beaming with happiness. "MUM!"
Ocean Breeze throws her hooves around her daughter. "Friesden! I'm so glad to see you..."
Friesden looks around in the corridor. "Is dad here?"
Ocean Breeze strokes Friesden's mane and lets out a small sigh. "No, he's at work right now."
Glyph seems a bit worried, but smiles when he sees Ocean Breeze's reaction. He walks over to the two. "Well, I wasn't expecting to see you, Miss Ocean, But I'm glad you came by. Malen'kaya odna propushchennaya vami."
Friesden's smile falters a bit for a second, then brightens back up again. "Can he see me later? I can't wait to see him again!"
Virtue and Ocean Breeze give Glyph a quizzical look at the peculiar language. "Um, I'm... I'm not sure I caught that last part." She looks down to her daughter and adds, "You'll get to see him soon..." It's clear her heart isn't in her words.
"Sorry..." Glyph thinks a bit. "I said that Little one missed you..." He steps forward and puts a hoof on her withers, whispering in her ear so Friesden wouldn't hear. "But it's good you came, nice to see you're still her mother."
Friesden smiles even /more/ than possible. "That'll be the *best*!"
Ocean Breeze half-frowns and averts her eyes from Glyph. She gives him a small nod, rather than say anything to upset her child.
Virtue steps over to the two embracing ponies and kneels down to Friesden's eye level. "Hello, little one. How are you?"
Glyph bites his lip at that reaction, reminding himself to talk to Ocean privately later.
Friesden smiles at the nice mare. "I'm happy! I'm going to see dad later! It's going to be the best!"
Virtue nods and smiles, already dreading what that meant. "I'm glad to hear it."
Glyph brushes Friesden's mane, then looks back at Virtue. "I'm glad to see you too, Virtue. I wanted to ask you some things."
"Oh?" She looks to the door, wondering if it was private. "What's that?"
"Yeah... I was hoping I could have time off from the guards while I'm taking care of Friesden." He looks at Friesden again and smiles. "I could still run the stables, but I'd prefer not to have to either leave her alone, or bring her to training."
"Oh, I see." She ponders it for a moment. "I'd have to talk to Naginata and see what she thinks, but that shouldn't be a problem. If the badger ponies are on schedule, we shouldn't see them for a while yet."
"Good..." Glyph glances over at Ocean, "Have the others said anything about the stables? I know you said you were gonna ask..."
Friesden is busy hugging Ocean Breeze.
Ocean Breeze is still busy clutching her child and failing to withhold a few tears. Virtue watches for a moment, nearly tearing up herself before turning back to Glyph. "I did ask around, and all of the families I asked seemed to be supportive."
Glyph smiles at the thought. "I was hoping... I've been gettin' plenty of practice, haven't I little Friesdizzy." He smiles again, trying to lighten the mood a bit.
"Plenty of practice at what?"
"Watching Foals, silly." He reaches out, then stops, not wanting to disturb Ocean’s hug. "You seem to have been having fun at least."
"You're almost as fun as dad!"
Ocean Breeze makes a small noise and subconsciously tightens her grip a bit.
Glyph tries very hard not to tear up at that. "T-thanks malyutka..."
"I know! I'll call you almost-dad!"
Glyph has to try even harder this time, closing his eyes for a second. "I.... t-thanks..."
Ocean Breeze fails to contain the tears that Glyph did, breaking into obvious crying. Virtue dithers for a few moments before stepping over to her and laying a hoof on her back.
Glyph moves over as well, putting his hoof on her withers, and trying to remain strong.
"W-w-what's wrong, mum?"
She sniffles for a few moments and gives Friesden another gentle stroke. "Nothing... I'm just so happy to know you're safe." Which was true, but hardly why she was crying.
Glyph chews his lip a bit more, "Malyutka... would you mind playing outside with Miss Virtue for a bit while I talk to your mother?"
"Miss Virtue? Can I?"
Virtue gives her a warm smile and motions for her to join her at the door. "Of course, honey."
Ocean Breeze reluctantly releases her grip on Friesden and says, "Yes, run along, we'll come get you in a bit."
Glyph brushes Friesden’s mane one last time. "See you around, Friesdizzy. Hope you have fun!"
"Okay!" Friesden goes and walks up to Virtue.
Virtue leads her outside. "Let's go over here..." she begins, leading her away
Friesden follows Virtue happily.
Ocean Breeze stares into the floor where her child was moments ago, not looking up to Glyph
Glyph waits until Friesden is gone before turning to Ocean. "Now then, what's the matter? I... I know it must be hard on you but..." He sighs, moving over to put a hoof on her shoulder again. "You're still her mother... and you still want to be."
She sighs and continues to stare into the floor. "Everything... everything is the matter..." She places her face in her hooves. "What have I done..."
"Maybe... maybe if you told me, I could help?" Glyph sits next to her.
"How much do you know?" she asks. "About... about where she came from?"
"I... not much. I guessed that her father is a Zebra. But that's all." Glyph cocks his head, "Is there more?"
"Nothing that matters... Her father is a zebra. Carmine is not." She wipes her eyes and stifles more crying. "I'm a horrible wife and mother... there... there's nothing I can do to fix this..."
"You..." Glyph thinks for a moment. "You care about Friesden. Even now, when her father won't even acknowledge her existence, you still wanna be her mother. That makes you a good mother. As for a wife... I don't know much about that stuff... but you still care enough about Carmine that you'll stay with him, even with how he's acting."
She remains quiet for a few moments. "I love her just as much as any of my other children... I... I just... oh, gods help me... there's nothing I can do to get her back... I'd give my life if it would solve all of this..."
"What do you mean? You still have her, just look at how happy she was just to see you." He shakes his head. "Killing yourself wouldn't solve anything... but there are always ways."
"But what about Carmine? He was a loving father... he might not be her true father, but he raised her like his own for years... what will I tell her, when she asks if she can see him again? What about the next time she runs into him?"
Glyph 's head droops. "I... I know... I've been trying to think of what to say myself... but. That doesn't mean you can't have her as your daughter. She loves you, and you still love her. Carmine... I... I'm trying not to say anything bad... but... is he even taking care of your other foals now?"
She nods. "He acts like nothing has happened. I... I truly do not understand. Carmine is not like this... I knew he would be upset about it... but I thought he'd be angry at me, not her. He loved her so much, for so long..." Her eyes stay fixated on the floor. "But he still cares about our other foals, yes."
"I... I see..." Glyph chews on his lip as he keeps his hoof on Ocean's withers. Trying to think how to word what he wants to say... and failing. "If... if he's really sick... then..." Glyph sighs. "I'm no good at this..."
"I... I just don't know what to do..."
"I... I don't know..." Glyph takes a deep breath. "If... if he really still cares about the others... but... with how he reacted to Friesden..."
She sighs and simply shakes her head. "I still hope that he will come around. I don't understand why he acts like he does... but I have hope." She looks up to him. "...until he does though... would you keep watching Friesden for me? And thank you for watching her so far..."
"Yes, of course. And you're welcome." Glyph lowers his head and mumbles something in a language she doesn't understand. "I just have to keep happy... for her..."
"Yes... that's all we can do right now... I'm afraid..."
“I... I suppose...” Glyph sighs. “I’m a horrible pony... when... when I heard Friesden call me almost-dad...” he looks away, closing his eyes.
“Y-... no... you’re not horrible...” Ocean sighs, trying and failing to stop more tears from forming in her eyes. “N-no horrible pony would... would ever do... so much good... help Friesden...”
“But I...” He sighs, still looking away from her, “when I heard that, I wanted to not hear the almost... I... I know she’s not mine... but still...” He blinks a few times, and Ocean can see a few tears hit the ground. “Sometimes... I find myself hoping that Carmine... that he won’t get better, so I can h-have her for my own... and I hate that. I shouldn’t feel that way...”
Ocean’s face hardens a bit as she tries to think of how to respond. “I... that doesn’t make you terrible... Friesden’s so sweet... I think most ponies would share your feelings... don’t worry... as long as you...” Ocean takes a moment to sniffle and blink away tears, “as long as you can keep taking good care of her... you will never be horrible.”
“T-thank you...” Glyph finally looks back at Ocean, his eyes still watering a bit. “Y-you’re a good pony... no matter what.” He swallows. “If... if you need anything, I’ll help... any way I can, and whenever you wanna see Friesden, you can just come by. You’re still her real family, not me. I... I’m sorry for... for feeling like I do about Carmine... I just... don’t wanna lose her. Not my first foal... even though she isn’t really mine...”
“Y-you’re a good pony, too... don’t you forget that...” Ocean smiles sadly. “I know what it’s like to lose a foal... Carmine, he’s reasonable... usually... I’m certain he’ll let you watch her when he gets better...”
Glyph sniffles again, moving closer and putting a foreleg over Ocean. “You... you haven’t lost her. She’s your daughter, and nothing, nopony, will change that.” He closes his eyes and takes a few breaths, trying to calm himself a bit. “I... I would like to keep taking care of her a bit... even then... and if you need help with your other foals... I’d love to help... even past what I’m doing with the stables.”
“Th- thank you...” Ocean returns Glyph’s embrace. “It means... more to me than you know...” Ocean uses her other forehoof to wipe her eyes of tears. “And it means more to Friesden, too, I bet... she really seems to love you... my mom always said that family wasn’t always about blood.”
Glyph chews his lip trying to keep his composure a bit. “Semʹya , ya ... YA ne dumal o nyeĭ nravit·sya , chto...” He sniffles. “Thank you... do... do you mind staying here for a bit? I... I don’t want Friesden to see me like this, it would make her worry...”
“It’s... no problem... perhaps we should wash our faces off, too...” Ocean smiles. “Th-thank you so much...”