Met with the bay mares narrow-eyed stare, Zevulun’s lips smoothed into their characteristic smile and didn’t seem to mind that it might cause further irritant. Already he was admiring her, before she’d even begun to speak. While it was absolutely true that he fell for every mare whose path he crossed it was not quite so generalized. Zevulun could name every tiny detail about every mare he’d ever been with, ever seen, ever cared for. His heart was made for love and love was an easier thing to throw himself so wildly and passionately into rather than reflect on the broken pieces of so many relationship tragedies he had behind him. Things he wouldn’t talk about to just anyone.

Oswin remained steadfast and though she didn’t lift her chin haughtily and gave her own respectful dip of her head she also did not cow beneath the strength in the younger mare’s expression. She smiled pleasantly enough before she answered her.

“My name is Oswin. I used to be Prime Minister here a long time ago.” She felt an ache of regret stab swift through her heart, but didn’t let a ripple of pain reflect over her face. She should have driven the family back long ago, but she’d felt for Mariael, knowing how close the mare had been to her father and how wrong the prior year had been. Given how much Oswin loved her own sire she couldn’t help but be sympathetic and she’d thought Mariael would soften after a little while, learn to grieve, and realize the best thing to do would be to return home. But Mariael had only become more and more bitter.

“This is my family,” she said, gesturing at the herd along with her. “My nephew, Zevulun, my nieces Maziel and Mariael. We have another among us too, Paradiso. While I am here to rejoin my Vulcan sisters permanently and want to lend my help as a warrior once again, I would like to ask the sisters to allow my family to remain with us temporarily until they’re ready to return to their birth island of Tinuvel.”

Mariael, lingering a few paces off, flicked her ears back at that and chewed on air.

oswin
this is as brave as I know how to be.
I know it’s gonna hurt you, but please… be a little proud of me.