ORHAN
Orhan listened to the Arabian mare’s tale with ears pricked attentively. Though his expression portrayed nothing more than polite interest, inside he quailed with anxiety. She had been gone for so long that he feared her journey had been as cruel as his; he could remember, after all, her once speaking of horses from her past chasing after her.
“I remember that well,” he replied with a nod. “Gabbar was good to my family; he once returned Indira, when she was very young, after she became lost and wandered into his home. It’s unfortunate that he left.” He wondered how much A’idah knew of the stallion’s reasons for leaving. Orhan recalled his recent meeting with Valve and how she had revealed the shame Gabbar had brought on their herd. Though he would never admit it, this revelation had secretly pleased him. Much as he respected Gabbar, Orhan had always harbored a deep jealousy of him for winning A’idah’s favor.
Orhan was too tired, and too heartbroken from his loss of Arcana to feel such things any more, however. Nonetheless, a wide smile spread across his face when A’idah used the word “home”. He felt a surge of pleasure gallop through his body.
“I’m so glad to hear nothing befell you while you were gone,” he admitted, then let out a heavy breath. “As for me… I am done looking. My place is here now, with what family I have left. While I was gone Koray looked after the desert in my place, and while I intended on taking up the mantle of leader again when I returned, I’m not sure I have the energy now. I wouldn’t be much use in a fight, anyway. I think I will talk to Koray and see whether I might just stay on as his advisor. Given how he greeted us, I have a feeling he might find that preferable too.”
The stallion lifted his head and looked into the distance in thought. “Unless he has collected more herd members in my absence, I think there is just one mare for you to meet: Vita Nova. She was Koray’s first. You should talk to her, A’idah; I think the two of you would get along, and she could use a friend.”
He smiled softly at her. “In any case, welcome home.”
ARABIAN/AKHAL-TEKE/MUSTANG; 15’1HH; BUCKSKIN; 13 |