Mariael followed him quietly, though she didn’t fall quite in step as another horse might. Instead she walked nearer to his side, still allowing him to choose the path they went and falling in step as he led, but making a silent effort to be seen on equal grounds. Each step she felt the pain blossom in her left shoulder, but Mariael set her jaw and mentally willed herself to show no weakness. As she was concentrating so heavily on walking as a queen might walk and giving no leeway to her wounds, Mariael wasn’t worrying over striking up a conversation. When Aillil spoke, her ears flicked and she brought her sharp blue gaze to him, studying him for a moment as she tried to follow his trail of thought.
It didn’t take her too long to realize he was talking about what had transpired nearly a year ago, when he’d snuck into the Bay while her father was away and attempted to lead her mother away from Tinuvel. He would have been successful, too, but instead he’d left only a message for Mariael to deliver to her father.
Immediately within her was a protective rage but for once, Mariael swallowed down the fire and instead turned her eyes toward the warm waters he’d led her to. She stepped gingerly into the pool, allowing the sun-bathed waters to lap against her hide the further in she limped. Mariael listened to his explanation as she walked until the water was at the top of her shoulder, soaking her tired muscles into the lukewarm bath. Her ears flicked back. “You shouldn’t have been scared.” She said and her voice was taut, almost a snap.
Again, she mentally chided herself and drew a breath, releasing it in a low sigh before watching him. “I didn’t understand it when I was a child; what it was you were doing. My mother…” Mariael trailed off and looked away from him to the water’s surface. It hurt to think of her mother. “My mother was sick.” Her voice dropped and she fought away the panicked pull which would keep her from opening up. Perhaps it was time this golden stallion knew why Mariael had been so protective of her dam. “My father said she’d always been that way, but she couldn’t retain a lot of memories. She forgot me quite often.” It had been that which had made Mariael the way she was. “I was afraid if she left Tinuvel and if she left me, she’d forget me for good.”
Her blue eyes lifted to his face. “I would never have left Tinuvel willingly, even if you promised me the world. I am a child of that island and I am proud to be and I will always be.” Even with scrapes bright and red on her pale, cream and white flesh, Mariael looked as wild and proud as she always would. “You were doing what was necessary as a leader of your territory and now that I lead mine, I cannot fault you for it.” She paused. “You’re only mistake was trying to take someone who was proud of where they came from.” A flash of a smile turned at her mouth before she looked away and stepped gingerly in the water, testing at how it had helped loosen up her tense, swollen muscles.
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