Koray

As the silence stretched between them, Koray could feel his momentary relief begin to disappear like ice under a warm sun. It was clear he had been too hasty in thinking he could count on Vita Nova to be passive and obedient, for in her eyes there was a coldness that said she was reevaluating her situation. The perlino stallion stiffened and held his tongue as best he could until after Vita Nova had had her say, and even then he remained silent. He waited a good long time to respond, staring the mare firmly in the eye as he did so, in order to give her a taste of her own medicine. When finally he spoke, his voice was low and terse, partly out of the difficulty it was to maintain self-control but also to give her the clear message that she was on thin ice.

"Yes, I know of your brother. Orhan told me about him. I also know about the alliance they formed between our homes. But the desert is mine now, and I don't need any other stallion's help. As long as Shamwari does not cause any trouble for me, you may visit him when you please, but otherwise I have no interest in ever meeting him. As long as you tell me before you go anywhere, you can even visit your mother or whatever. Like I said, I will not have anyone else disappear under my watch. And you'll cut it out with that attitude. This is your home, which means my family is as good as yours. Pull your weight and don't try any bullshit. Got it? Good."

Without waiting for a reply, Koray snorted in Vita Nova's face and turned on his heels in the sand. Despite the tough exterior he maintained, he felt shaken to his core and disgusted: both with Vita and himself. There were two different sides warring within him, struggling for control and clouding his thoughts. He needed to clear his head.