she is distracted, not thinking clearly and shrugs off the hurt she has inflicted on her companion. her guard is up too high and she feels her temperature rising. Shame, anger, dishonor, and fury melt together into an ugly cocktail. when she turns to face the pale stallion, alone, it surprises her, shocks her even, when kune steps forward beside her and chides her behavior. Her eyes widen at his boldness and though her inclination at the moment is to be irritated and angry she snuffs those thoughts out. In that moment he looked so proud, so strong. Her match in every way. she snorts quietly, not an apology for her actions by any means but a small acknowledgement at least that she was being inconsiderate.

she doesn’t have long to deliberate on a plan, or even a moment to answer her Strážce, when the pale stallion begins to speak. She listens carefully, trying to hold herself in check as she saunters around and speaks of being “angered.” He has not seen anger. She can feel her blood start to boil at the injustice he proposes. Her mouth curls in an ugly sneer and she stiffens as he offers her release at the prospect of a foal. It takes every ounce of restraint to stand abreast kunzak and keep her lips pressed tightly together. She would bare no child of his. She would bare no child of any of the filth that lurked in this dank place. Even if she had wanted to she would not dishonor her rodina or her people by defiling the královská krev, the blood of her heritage. there had been a time when she dreamed of a child and cried because she would never have that. She would never break the oath she made to keep their blood pure. When kune came into her life she wished and dreamed and imagined a life of true togetherness... a future. A family even. But there was always something keeping them at arms length.

if she could spit in disgust she would. She wants to step forward and strike the stallion, to rip his flesh with her teeth or feel the satisfying give of his muscle and bone beneath her hoof. Instead she thinks of her hurtful dismissal of kune earlier and does not wish to repeat it. In a low voice she translates the request of the lagoon stallion, her voice empty and hard with displeasure at being forced to repeat any of it. obchod. má svoboda a na oplátku nosím hříbě pro lagunu. a požaduje vaši svobodu při výměně za její. she has done him the courtesy of translating but she cannot hold her tongue any longer in response to the golden stallion who eyes her like meat. she nods in affirmation as the buckskin mare beside them speaks and doesn’t wait any longer before her reproach fills the air with a voice of ice and steel. we are of the peak. You have no claim over the mare... no claim over my... over Kunzak. And I would rather die than bear the spawn of this filthy place. Your offer is rejected. They will go free. I serve my punishment. What will you take for the mare Merete? Watch your words closely. she struggles to keep her temper in check, reminded now by kunžak that it is not only her fate at stake but the mother of the mare who had come with him. She is not sure what price she could pay to earn Meretesfreedom but if it was in her power she would try.