The tension could be felt almost immediately from the other stallion, yet it seemed more that the taller stud was perturbed and not irate. Rilke understood the feeling but there was nothing for it; mares were picked up quick in these grounds, oftentimes there was a conflict over who she would go home with. On one hand he didn't wish to make enemies as soon as he found footing in these new lands, however on the other he knew he needed to build his herd, his home. Besides, his opponent knew situations like this could happen. Inwardly he sighed. It was not his intention to be rude, but the mare had caught he eye and he would have been remiss if he did not even try just because another had made their way to her first. It was part of the game, part of being a leader, having to accept a challenge every now and then. Comforting himself with these thoughts, he returned his full attention back to his newfound companions, listening to first the mare's words and then the stallion's loquacious response. He cringed in slight embarrassment on Solomon's introduction; the fact that he had introduced himself as a king showed that he viewed Rilke as a notable rival. He took this as both good and bad news; good that the other didn't just dismiss him completely, bad that he had seemed to already leave a bad taste in Solomon's mouth.
He had done his best to diffuse the situation as uncomfortable as it was, so if the king decided to get angsty about it, the stouter brute would just have to do his best to redeem the situation. The best solution to this he could think of would be to apologize and walk away, but that wasn't an option he would even consider. The golden painted mare in front of him had implanted in his mind, his thoughts already racing to the future when she would stand beside him in his home. No. He would not walk away, however he would do his best to stay on Solomon's good side. It didn't seem likely that Rilke could save this interaction well enough to leave as allies, but as long as he could walk away without making a foe he would be happy with that. A brief, slight smile pulled at his lips at the femme's joke, and he rumbled a chuckle in response, then answered her final statement, "It seemed a nice day earlier when leaving my home in the Forest," he paused, then continued, "And I was about to turn 'round when I saw the storm rolling in. Instead I saw you, Carpathia, and stayed." He left it simply at that, wanting her to know that she had his attention, but he did not want to smother her with it.
Being older he was not one who fell in and out of love such as a young colt was prone to do, yet for some reason this mare gripped him in a way he hadn't felt for some while. Maybe it was the comfort in seeing another colored such as himself, maybe it was in the way she moved when she was prancing around earlier, but whatever it was he knew he wanted to bring her home with him. He chided himself for being so sentimental, he was far too aged to be swayed by emotions- just hormones flowing through one's body at any given moment in time. But maybe this was the fae who could help him start anew, to help him look to the future instead of constantly looking into the past where only brokenness and misery lay. He didn't want to hold onto those feelings anymore.
He had held onto the sadness as a way of holding onto his mate and their stillborn colt, never wanting to forget them, but life didn't mean for the tragedy to overwhelm the happiness and joy it also provided. This mare in front of him held the promise of that for him, so he felt, and he could only hope she would choose him. When Solomon offered another suggestion where she could leave without either of them, his heart sank, but he would not be deterred. Not suspecting she felt quite the same way that he did already, he only wished he had the chance for that to happen, but he would add no words to what the other had said. There was nothing to say to that without sounding defensive, and while every fiber of his being was set on her, he would not beg. What female would respect a man they just met who whined, who pleaded? No. With his hind toward the incoming wind, he cocked a back leg and waited. He would hold his tongue and see how this would play out.