Valentine watched Evaline’s reaction carefully. Her expression was worried – almost fearful – something that he had never seen in her before. Evaline may have been many things, but as long as he had known her she had always held herself with such an air of confidence that he might have believed that this thing called fear was not something she had ever known.

But then, neither of them really knew each other that well. He realised that now.

She began to speak then, her words shaky but earnest, and Valentine listened. He was prepared to hear her out, although he found it hard to listen when his mind fluttered about trying to invent its own explanations for whatever had happened to Evaline. He pushed the stray thoughts way, however, and focused, listening intently with that same, stern expression.

‘It happened before I met you’. His ears flicked forwards at the words, and something clicked inside his head. Silence fell, and for a long moment Valentine did not reply as he contemplated his response. At last, his gaze softened and took a step closer to the golden mare.

“You don’t have to be afraid of me,” he said, his voice stiff at first but slowly settling back into the gentle warmth he was used to.

It wounded him slightly that she would fear him with no proven reason, but then again he was not sure how he would have reacted had the news been less innocent. He sighed gently and offered her a smile – a small one, but a smile nonetheless.

“If it happened before we met I can hardly be angry at you,” he continued.

He moved closer again, making to brush his pale nose affectionately against her neck.

“You and your child will have a safe home here.”

VALENTINE
you bleed just to know you’re alive