Nyimara was prepared. Her heart no longer pattered on her sleeve, instead it beat the slow rhythm of the dead and dying.

The chocolate mare was no fool, she knew that the news of Ysabel's defeat would be met with disgruntled looks and hard eyes. As much as she despised the pale woman, Ysabel had become quite the popular figure among the members of the small herd that Bjorn had gathered around him. Instead of exploring the borders or racing fleet of foot over the jagged edges of the clifface and ridge, Nyi saw it as training, as spending her days preparing for hard times but perhaps it would have been wise to also spend some hours among the others, Sharing breath and exchanging polite pleasantries. The thought made her shiver. She was not that type of queen.

Siobhan speaks up now, a single audit flickers atop her skullcap as she fixes the spotted woman with a steady gaze. She was bold in her attempt to deflect the blame completely away from Ysabel but it was on deaf ears now. Deep down she knew the blame lay on many parties. Warsaw for his dumb war, father for agreeing to participate, herself for trying to ensure that Bjorn's alliance remained secure with Paradise by joining the war, Bjorn for not being here... but ultimately the easiest mare for her to blame was the pale queen. The phrasing of her words cause the silver haired woman to pause, dark auburn eyes glitter in the early morning light. There was a time when she would have challenged the woman there and now, a time when she would have stood before her with eyes blazing until Siobhan bent.... but Sigurdr mattered more.

Bjorn speaks up now, his glacier eyes blazing as he met her gaze boldly. No longer was there any care or concern in the tone of his voice as he spoke to her, instead it was cold rational. And it burned.

He advises that Ysabel did all she could, that Cullen was a seasoned warrior. Even though she was not a born islander like the pale mare was, even she knew the name of Cullen and the rowdy band of stallions that followed in his wake. She knew that there was nothing Ysabel could have done to prevent such a seasoned warrior from taking what was he wanted... but that did not mean she was ready to let go of her own rage. It was far from spent. She does not lash out at him as she once had, instead she holds her head high, unusually long whipcord lashing audibly against her chocolate sides.

She is about to speak up when the draft mare speaks up again. A chaotic smile plays upon her lips as she takes a single step towards the mare her head high with authority. "Where was I? I was fighting to keep our herd from being ramaged by the others because of an alliance broken. I played my part making sure our borders would be secure. The fact that Cullen betrayed his own allies cannot be helped. But rest assured if I had been here... I would have given my last breath to prevent their loss. Instead you caused it by taking Bjorn from here. I suggest instead of blaming me to taking Ysabel's crown, you look upon yourself and the faults YOU have caused." she says with a hard snort before casting a roaming gaze over the small gathering that lay before her. For a mere moment she lets her gaze rest on Bjorn. "Regardless I am queen now and enough time has been wasted. It is time to make the Lagoon pay for the pain they have caused us and repay their actions with our own. It is time to rise." she finishes with a nod of her head, forelimbs dancing beneath her, eager to put action behind her words.