Koray felt his mother’s touch along his skinny barrel, and for a moment he lowered his gaze to his feet, prepared for the gentle scolding that was sure to come. Carisa had never given him a harsh word before, but the colt could hardly see how he would be spared one in these circumstances, when his sire had revealed him as a troublemaker.
Instead, his ears were met only with reassurance.
Koray jerked his head up and searched his mother’s face. The pure faith that lay there in her blue eyes, and the kindness in her expression, felt like a warm embrace to him: an embrace that he did not deserve. His eyes darted briefly to his father, gauging his reaction to this turn of events, but Orhan stood impassively looking at them, the only hint of his mood being the firm line of his mouth. He made no move to intervene.
A weight felt like it had been lifted off Koray’s shoulders, and he flashed his mother a bright smile. Today would continue to be a good day after all. Orhan did not like him so close to the beach, where intruders were likely to be found; being allowed to go there was a real treat.
“Let’s go, Momma,” the colt replied with an enthusiastic half-rear, and began to race ahead of the tall mare with his little red tail sticking up straight in the air.
KORAY firstborn son of orhan |