Siobhan distinctly remembers the respect she held for the golden mare before her, remnants from the days when Ysabel stood as queen of the Ridge. She had been a gentle queen, and while distant from her herd in some respects, had been held in high esteem by everyone, save one. The red mare had been content to stay beneath her rule, to look to her for leadership while she was busy finding her own feet and place in the Ridge.

Things had changed when Nyimara had taken over. The herd fractured as the vicious, proud mare took her place at Bjorn's side and began to shame everything that a queen was supposed to stand for. Even Bjorn's last ditch effort to save the herd by appointing Siobhan as a co-Queen could not reverse the damage that had been done, and in retrospect, a part of her blamed Nyimara's rise to power as the reason for his downfall.

It was certainly a factor in his recent poor judgment.

Siobhan doubted, however, that Ysabel had anything to do with Bjorn's recent actions. She had extricated herself from the grullo many months before, even before Siobhan had been appointed co-queen. So why was she back here? Had she come for Bjorn? If so, she was sorely mistaken. He had taken one look at those who had faithfully remained in the Ridge to wait for him and decided they were worth less than his revenge.

What comes out of the golden mare's mouth, however, has nothing to do with the stallion they'd once shared.

Are you and Ailill lovers? Sio's face freezes in a mask of confusion as she stares down her friend. Lying wasn't in her nature, and besides, she had just come from his side and knew she smelled of him. Not to mention the way her midsection swelled with the child they had created together. What bothered Siobhan was not that she would have to admit her change in allegiance to Ysabel, but that Ysabel had asked in the first place?

Would she consider it a betrayal as well?

Siobhan's ears flick back nervously in mimicry of Ysabel's, but her expression softens as the golden mare sweeps away her question. The red mare shakes her head, a smile breaking through the surprise on her face. "No, its fine Ysabel. We are friends, are we not?"

Her smile widens as she attempts to find the balance of shared respect they had once had. "Yes, Ailill is my lover." The admission still brought the familiar gut wrench it had when she had admitted as much to Cicek, but not nearly as much, and this time was overridden by the sense of security it gave her. Thus far, she had not been forced to share the golden stallion's affections directly with anyone, although she knew well enough that she was not the only one that cared for him.

And considering the turmoil in her own heart, it would be immensely unfair of her to expect him to be her's alone.

Siobhan swallows her hesitance down before responding to Ysabel's next question. "I am good, truly. Ailill has been an immense help with the girls." As it always did when speaking of her girls, Siobhan's face softened. She had even been able to mend the relationship with Roisin after apologizing to the girl for not believing that Sigurdr and Bjorn were back. "There's three of them now, and another on the way."

She smiled again, and gestured to her midsection. It was unlike her to be so oblivious to the emotions of another creature, but she had existed in such a state of turmoil for so long that it took her until now to truly realize that something what bothering Ysabel. Immediately concern floods her face again and she extends her muzzle to offer comfort. "Forgive me for nattering on, clearly something is wrong. What can I help with, Ysabel?"