It pains Zjeena to think it, but Rougaru is not as terrible as she expected. The stallion is nothing short of polite. In her current state of mind, there is the stray thought. Perhaps she should just stay here, and Liland could lose all his battles on his own. But even the stray thought turns her stomach. As tempting as it may be, Liland has been nothing but loyal to her. She can't hurt him like that. And despite their ups and downs, she does care about him.

As much of a hassle as this whole thing may have been, perhaps it's not all bad. Zjeena sees an opportunity here, and she's going to attempt to take it. Rougaru, thus far, seems like a reasonable guy. Maybe he can be swayed.

Zjeena's thoughts ruminate on this. She keeps up with Rougaru, despite his much longer legs. Her two foals have to trot to keep up, but they do. They are tired from the swim, but they have their parents hardiness. Zjeena doesn't worry about them in that way, the more they use their little legs, the stronger they'll become. But she still moves with her body between her foals and Rougaru.

"Thank you" Zjeena replies, surprised but welcoming such a gracious complement. If there is one thing a mother is always proud of and loves to receive praise for, it is her children. The corners of Zjeena's lips tug into the faintest of smiles. This stallion really is a charmer. Whether he means what he says or not, he knows exactly what to say, and for that, he is earning Zjeena's respect.

And she nods again in silent thanks to the next words that follow. He seems to be catching on.

There is a hint of laughter to her voice as she speaks again, and perhaps a little sarcasm, though the sarcasm speaks more of a joke than a jab. "Well, I'm glad you prefer Atlantis. It is your home, afterall." It appears Zjeena is done being grumpy. Her little ears have found their way out of her mane, and while her expression may not be eager, it is no longer angry.

It is with in this semi-agreeable state that she listens to Rougaru's side of the story. But she wouldn't need to be agreeable with Rougaru to know the story is true. She knows Liland, and he is not always one to stop and think things through. His heart is always in the right place, but he has a lot to learn. Perhaps Rougaru needed to be called out, but he is right. There is a time and a place for such things, and when you are rude to someone, they are likely to return the favor. Immediately turning around and stealing another mare almost makes the arrangement permanent. Liland is treading on thin ice. He needs to turn his actions around, because Zjeena's loyalty can only stretch so far.

But in this moment, Zjeena needs to put her feelings aside and speak well of her stallion. And so she does. "Tinuvel does call me home, yes, but Liland his also my home. I stayed in the desert for Liland, because it's what he needed. I am drawn to him because, despite his flaws, he is a good stallion. He is kind, and understanding, strong and resilient. His heart is always in right place, even if there are times where he lacks some impulse control. He needs me as much as I enjoy his company. So you see, we work well together." There is a brief pause and Zjeena contemplates her next choice of words. "You two may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but once you get to know him, you'll see there is a lot more to him than that."

There. She said it. The seed has been planted. Let him consider those words, and maybe the next time they speak, real negotiations can begin.

Zjeena turns her eyes to the small herd gathered before her. She speaks again without looking back. "I'm sure you're busy. Perhaps I will join the others while you do what you need to do." Her eyes find their way back to Rougaru's handsome face. "We'll talk again." She says in certainty.

ZJEENA

5 YEARS
MARE
FJORD
14.0 HANDS