She turned to go. He thought she wasn't going to answer. Tristan sighed his relief and leaned back, using Hero's muscled rump as a cushion for his head. The grey returned to his grazing, unconcerned. It felt right. Their minds agreed, Tristan felt their thoughts and wishes click into place beside one another, like puzzle pieces. He smiled up at the clouds and the blue of the sky. The grass, Hero told him, was good. For the first time in a long while, Tristan remembered what peace felt like.

Her tone had changed. Tristan sat up, frowning. She sounded suspicious, annoyed, and too-slow he realised his mistake. What was wrong with him?

"No, no!" he said, trying to reassure her. He raised his hands in the universal sign of surrender, trying to keep a smile from his face. "Not yours, his." Tristan tipped his head in Tempest's direction. "You two must be very close if you think the same. That must be nice."

He finally allowed his smile to slip into place, as charming as he could muster. He was a little rusty. It had been a long time since he'd spoken to a stranger. The distraction wasn't entirely unwelcome, it kept him from his cycle of self-reflection and doubt.

"I'm sorry, I seem to have forgotten my manners. It was wrong of me to pry." She had done him the courtesy of not asking too many questions. He should have returned the favour. His smile became a little sheepish. "Forgive me?"

He let the olive branch hang between them, for her to accept or reject as she willed. Hero was eyeing Tempest warily again. Tristan moved his hand to his horse's shoulder and muttered soothing words under his breath. "Bolt now, mate," he whispered, leaning forwards, "and you're going to leave me pretty embarrassed."

To his relief, Hero settled quickly. The pull of the grass and good company was too much for him. In Tristan's absence he had been rather overlooked. No one, it seemed, was eager to show too much affection for the banished prince's favourite horse. Tristan was sorry for that. None of this was Hero's fault.

"You like horses?" Tristan asked the girl, guessing the answer. "I think they make more sense than people most of the time. Dogs too." He sighed. "Sense has been a bit thin on the ground around here lately. I've missed Hero's company."

Tristan