Zjeena's enthusiastic greeting is returned in kind, and words cannot describe the comfort it brings her. It was a most difficult decision to leave the Bay, and it was the thought that she might never see Sabela or her other herd-mates again that made the decision so difficult. It makes the transition easier knowing that her oldest friends in the Bay will still visit her here in Paradise, despite Liland's stubborn rule.

The smile remains, a force upon her lips that cannot be stopped, because the joy Sabela brings her is too strong. Sabela lowers her head in a respectful display of submission, but Zjeena follows suit, and lowers her head to level with Sabela's. It's a silent reminder to Sabela that she need not bow to Zjeena. Zjeena is no longer her queen, and even when she was, Sabela had never a need to bow to her. Sabela always had Zjeena's respect, titles aside.

Zjeena's eyes study Sabela, tuning in to every subtle movement. Without a voice, her visual communication rises to a singular importance. Zjeena watches as Sabela's face melts to concern, and emotion trembles her lip. Zjeena's own expression falls to sympathy and concern. Sabela mouths one simple word, and Zjeena knows, it's time to tell her side of the story.

Throughout everything, Zjeena's loyalty to Liland has kept her from speaking ill of him. After his abandonment, followed by months of mistreatment, Zjeena held on to the possibility of a reconciliation. She thought the Liland she once loved might somehow resurface, and she would find her return to him and her continued loyalty would be worth it.

Zjeena and Liland are well past the point of no return now. Zjeena's loyalties now lie with Rougaru. There is nothing to keep her from speaking her mind, and being honest with Sabela now.

"I'm sorry I've left you all in the dark, Sabela. I didn't want to hurt you or Liland by bringing you all into our fight, but I owe you the truth." She begins, then dives into the tale of what transpired. "Liland fought with Rougaru on the crossing isle over a mare. This put Liland on Rougaru's radar, so he challenged Liland for me. At the time, we were living the Desert. I wasn't happy about being lost to Rougaru. I wanted to hate Rougaru for stealing me away from Liland, and for a while I did." She sighs, remembering the early days here in Paradise, when times were simpler.

"As lead mare, I felt it my duty to take a bad situation and turn it into something good. I decided to befriend Rougaru. At first it was purely because I wanted to smooth things out between our herds, to at least prevent further challenges from Rougaru, but perhaps to form an alliance. I knew we wanted to win the Bay back, and if we were to know peace on Tinuvel, we would have to learn to get along with Warsaw and Rougaru." Not that Sabela has much of a choice, being mute, but Zjeena is grateful that she's such a good listener. It feels wonderful to say all of this out loud.

"The longer I stayed in Paradise, the more I realized that Rougaru is not unreasonable. He could be a great friend, and a valuable ally. Then something happened that confused me." Zjeena's frown deepens as she remembers the first seeds of doubt beginning to sprout. "Liland challenged for the Bay back, before he challenged for me. I had to know why. I had to speak to him. I had to go home, and I couldn't wait for him to challenge for me back. So I traded a breeding for my freedom." Zjeena swallows hard as she admits to what she's done. "I let Rougaru cover me, and he let me go."

"I loved Liland. I wanted to go home to him. I knew he wouldn't be happy about the terms of my release, but I thought he might come to accept it, and least be happy I saved him the trouble of a battle, and came home unhurt myself. I thought he would be happy to see the twins again, and happy to have me back, but he wasn't. He was angry... Jealous and angry." Zjeena's eyes drift to the floor, studying the layers of decaying leaves beneath their feet. "He told me I was no longer to be trusted. I was not allowed to leave the Bay without an escort, and the foal I carry now would leave the island as soon as they could swim. He left me my title of Queen, but stripped me of every power and freedom."

Zjeena's voice wavers with emotion, but she presses on. "I tried to remind him that I wouldn't have returned to him if I didn't love him, that I was always loyal to him, and remained so. I tried to tell him that I befriended Rougaru to protect our herd from future challenges, and recommended an alliance to strengthen our ties. The bay has no allies, only enemies, and that isn't good. It isn't safe. But he refused to hear me out. He spoke only of keeping me confined and getting back at Rougaru. He would pick further fights, and put the other mares in danger for nothing but his own pride."

Her tone finds the biting edge of anger, but with the words that follow, they fade to forlorn. "I confronted him, and asked him why he challenged for the Bay back, instead of me. He said he wanted to surprise me with it, for when he did get me back, but now I'm not so sure. I'm not sure anything he ever told me was true. He said he loved me. He said that being his Queen meant that I was his equal. But thinking back on it, he never consulted me before moving us to the Desert. When he lost me to Rougaru, he pursued other conquests, and I had to find a way back on my own. Upon my return, he didn't seem to care that I was back, only that my womb grew another's young. He was eager to send me back to Rougaru, keeping the twins and making me promise to bear him another foal next season, that he too will keep as soon as they are weaned. He was quick to fill the position of Queen with Ylva. I think all I ever was to him was a Fjord to bear him pure-bred offspring, and nothing more. I was certainly never his equal if he could hold me prisoner in my own home."

Hot tears begin to fall, and she chokes upon the words. "I had to get out of there. I didn't want to leave, especially not on those terms, but I couldn't stay with him. He's evil, Sabela. He's evil." She sniffs, and levels a stern, but watery gaze with Sabela's. "I would never harm you or the herd, but I swear to you, I will get my children back, and Liland will pay. Liland will pay dearly for what he's done to me."

If there's one thing Liland's good at, it's burning bridges. Where he once stood a chance at joining forces with Rougaru and Warsaw, with a strong mare to lead at his side, he now finds himself facing every one of them as a sworn enemy.

In the end, Rougaru wins. Zjeena doesn't need fancy titles, or any measure of power. Rougaru has always been there to catch her when she falls. He has her back, and that's all she needs to know to have his. An enemy of Rougaru's is an enemy of Zjeena's, and as the drums of war beat in the not so distant future, Zjeena vows to fight for Rougaru, to defend Paradise, as she once would have defended the Bay. If that means she must face Liland on the battlefield, so be it. She will show him no mercy.

ZJEENA

5 YEARS
MARE
FJORD
14.0 HANDS