Rade was not entirely unaware of the watchers. Their scents fell upon him like waves from the sea, but the palomino roan stood rigid, a stone against the tide, letting them wash over him until they were borne away again. None of them matched the scent in his memory; none of them mattered. He had come to speak to the Inlet's lead directly, not some woman who could only offer him words. If Dogun wanted the mare back, then he would come collect her himself, and pay the price that was asked of him gladly. If not, then perhaps one of the grullo's neighbors would be more amenable.

The moments stretched until they seemed to form a small eternity, and the roan stallion still waited, unmoving save the shallow rise and fall of his breast. But beneath the deceptive calm of his expression, the threads of Rade's patience were unraveling one by one. By the time Dogun arrived, all pretense of courtesy and custom had worn away with them, and only brusque words remained. “Business.” The bachelor stated bluntly, one eye rolling toward the grulla roan mare. “It seems that something of yours has fallen into my possession, and I have come to return it.”

Rade paused, savoring the moment of silence, and the taste of his triumph. “There will be a cost, of course,” he said, his golden gaze holding Dogun's. “A colt. They will return with me to the Lagoon today, and be trained for whichever role they show the most aptitude for. When they have reached maturity, they will be allowed to bargain for their freedom - but should they...disappear, the Lagoon will call on you again.” There was no sound for a moment save the intake of the palomino roan's next breath. A heartbeat later, he continued, speaking in the same inflectionless voice. “This is the trade I offer you, Dogun - a single son for a mare who could bear you many. Do you accept the terms?”

He fell silent again - watching, waiting, as the seconds slipped by.


stallion // mongrel // 15.1hh // 10 // palomino roan // reba
debonaire x neassa