Inka
'Rook... is your brother?' Evaline said, and Inka held her breath, waiting for the tirade of complaints that was sure to come. Inka had been born years before Rook, and had left home before he was born, but she had spent some time with him during her family visits and had often endured her sire's long-winded monologues about him. Rook had been Het Vuur's pride and joy once, his prince and heir. It was a fate that Rook had ultimately rejected, after which point relations with their family had become distant and strained. Inka had always sympathized with her younger brother, for she knew what it was like to live under Het Vuur's heavy-handed rule, but she had always thought he'd made things more difficult for himself with his poor attitude and inability to be polite.
She had often wondered what had become of Rook, and what he had done with his life after fleeing Tinuvel, and now she had a somewhat clearer picture. To her surprise, however, Evaline laughed. Inka smiled nervously and bobbed her head. "I guess so," she said, "but no, I'm sorry. I haven't seen him in a long time. Probably not since before you did." When Evaline expressed her feelings about Rook's character, Inka managed a soft laugh. "That's perfectly justifiable. How old is Shamwari, if you don't mind me asking?" The tall Friesian mare leaned forward a little, unable to conceal her interest. "And what's he like? I just can't imagine Rook having a child. I'm guessing he didn't have much interest in playing the father figure, right?"
 |
|