A call echoed off the stones of the cave and it startled me awake. My eyes rolled around in my skull as I gained my bearings, shaking off the sleep that still fought to hold me in its fist. After passing a gentle touch across the shoulders of my beautiful son who slept contently at my feet, I turned to gaze at the sun as it illuminated the stones just outside the mouth of the rocky cavern bringing me to the realization that we had over slept. It was easy to ignore the sun within our make-shift home and after a last minute decision to return from the meadow late last evening, it was no wonder we had slept through the morning.

I lowered my muzzle to the scarlet foal, whickering to him softly as I attempted once more to rouse him from his slumber. “It’s time to wake, my prince,” I cooed, placing a gentle nudge on the child’s hide. He responded with a smile, and after slowly opening his eyes he lay over on his side and stretched out his legs, yawing a great yawn. I chuckled at him as I peered back towards the cavern opening, remembering the beckon that had woken me. In my dreariness, I could not recognize the voice, only the message it carried. It’s was a summons but for what, I was not sure.

I knew there had been some talk of change which had left me curious as to what kind exactly and I had an inkling that this gathering that was presently being assembled could possibly shed some light on my queries. Part of me hoped that the she-beast Anath had possibly been consumed by lions or was captured by some ghoul that inhabited that swamp that she frequented, but I knew I could never be that lucky. Either way I felt it was important that I should go, if even to bask in the astonished glances that I was certain my son would receive once the other mares got a good look at perfection at its finest. Plus, there might be a chance that I would see the only mare that I had ever had the ability to tolerate, Shira, the giantess who had shown me to this frozen place, almost half a year ago now. She had disappeared shortly after leading me here and strangely I had begun to miss her company.

“Come my prince, we are being summoned,” I said as I took a few steps towards the cave opening. I peered outside, happy to see that the sun had actually decided to lend its warmth to the peak today, before I glanced over my shoulder as Sebastian moseyed over towards me looking less than enthusiastic. “Yes mother,” he replied flatly. I nudged him with a smile, “I know it’s not the most glamorous way to spend the day but as a future king you will have to learn to do things that you don’t care for, and I promise as soon as the meeting is over we can go back to the Meadow if you wish.” Sebastian smiled up at me once he heard my promise and nodded excitedly. “That’s my boy.”

. . .

It didn’t take us long to find the congregation, as they assembled on what was probably the most fruitful area of the Peak. My dark eyes move over the different faces, surprised to find that there were so many mares who occupied this frozen wasteland, and even more surprised that so many of them were with foal. Sebastian bumped into my side, slightly uncomfortable as we moved closer to the crowed. I offered him a reassuring look as we fell into place next to a lovely golden mare with ivory locks. I looked her over thoughtfully and offered a smile in greeting, something I didn’t usually do but something about the mare seemed very familiar despite her face being completely foreign to me.

I let my eyes move down towards the little filla at her side and mouthed a greeting before diverting my attention towards the front of the group, where Anath stood with a large spotted mare who dubbed herself as Impazienza. I looked her over, taking note she didn’t seem to be as brutish as the mare she accompanied despite being a good head taller. I rested a hoof as Sebastian leaned into my side while we waited patiently for the meeting to begin, allowing my eyes to wander about the collection of faces, curiously contemplating how many were pure of blood.



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Mare. Rose Grey (ee Aa Gg). Arabian. 4 years. 15.0 hands.