Her eyes are light up as Faolain confirms her hope that Fearghas may join them. But the feeling is soon lost as the golden stallion approaches them. Aallotar had never met Cullen in the Lagoon, although she had certainly smelled his stink all over in her brief time there. Her skin crawls as he rubs his disgusting hide against her side causing her to quickly side step away. Her ears pin below the depths of her frazzle mane. A displeased snort escapes her nostrils. Her heartbeat thuds heavily in her chest as Cullen begins to speak. Telling her that she is free to leave if she bargains a colt in her stead. Her face twists in disgust, children traded for property like that. Aallotar hadn't even considered the possibility of children yet. She'd never even been covered by a stallion, nor did she have any desire to right now. Her heart sinks even further as he says Fearghas is not free to leave, dismay pasting her face. It is everything she had feared. The young colt instead offers his own ideas instead of cowering in silence. The pain is physical as he says he wasn't leaving, feeling betrayed and confused by his words. She sighs. She knows what he is doing. He's sacrificing himself for her. And the truth is that though she yearned for her freedom of choice, she couldn't let Fearghas take the fall for her. "There will be no colts born of me for your possession. She quips. "Fearghas," she starts. "I cannot ask you to take a punishment you don't deserve." She feels defeated. She was not property, yet Cullen's narrow view of mares painted her that way. She returns her gaze to Faolain. "I am sorry you've been drawn into the middle." |