Orhan

Orhan's expression crinkled in confusion; he twisted his ears back and his eyes searched Carisa's face for an explanation. What did she think he knew about? He resisted the urge to look at Koray, to see if the young stallion had any inkling of what his mother was on about, for Orhan was still too irritated at his son to share so much as a glance with him.

But in an instant, his anger was forgotten. It was to Koray that Carisa delivered the news, and out of reflex Orhan's eyes flicked over to his son's face to see his reaction: his pale face was openly shocked. It was a few moments before what the tall mare had said really sunk in, however. When it did, Orhan took a step back and looked the mare over. His eyes traced the subtly rounded curve of her belly that he had noticed recently but had hardly given a moment's thought to, and he recalled the night Carisa had comforted him over his mother's death.

Comforted him indeed.

"You're pregnant?" Orhan finally blurted out without thinking that she would not 'hear' him, and heard his voice crack. Oblivious to the fact that Carisa was apparently annoyed at him for something he didn't do, the buckskin stallion flagged his tail and rushed to her side, laughing merrily and pressing his nose against the warm latch of her throat.

Koray, meanwhile, stood stiffly and stared at nothing.