Areo Hotah was the sort of stallion one knew capable of violence if necessitated; scars riddled his body and the muscle definition beneath his coat was profound. Yet, Areo Hotah did not always act on this aggression. The sight of the mare, for instance, had not laid his ears back. Instead, they had remained forward as he watched her silently, for that is what Areo Hotah did. He watched. Should she have attempted to bolt or done anything foolish, he would have reacted as per his orders, but if she was content to stand or search for grass to graze on he was content to stand quiet and watch her. If anything, Areo Hotah appeared more carved of stone than he did a living thing.
There was a small twitch of his ear as he caught the sound of hooves over the cold, frozen ground, but he refocused his attention on Adelheid. Her voice asked questions of him he didn’t have an opinion of. Areo Hotah cared little as to why or why not this mare was held here in the Inlet and he wouldn’t ask questions as to why she was. He didn’t care if she fought every day to be free or if she accepted her place here within the Inlet. All that mattered to Areo Hotah was his queen told him Adelheid should be here and so that was why he made sure she stayed.
The source of the sound of hooves became the sight of his queen and Areo Hotah flicked his ears toward her, eyes immediately catching her attention and head lifting slightly. He appeared every bit a proud soldier wishing to stand tall for his commander.
But Adelheid had asked him a question. Him. As if his feelings toward her were what kept him from keeping her here.
His eyes drifted back to her and he spoke, his breath soft huffs of semi-translucent white air. “I keep you from leaving because my queen has ordered it.” His tone sounded as if he were explaining something simple. “It is no business of Hotah’s to worry elsewise. You may fight or you may not, regardless, it is known you are not to leave the borders of the Inlet and therefore I will do as I can to make certain that does not happen.” He paused, but only briefly, eyes never leaving the captive. “It is also my duty to keep you safe from harm as a member of this herd and I will do that, too, regardless of your behavior.”
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