Liland tries to justify his behavior. He says he doesn't care who she breeds with, as long as it's someone he approves of, so in fact, he does care who she breeds with. Zjeena sighs again. He still just doesn't understand. Will he ever understand?

"Liland I'm not going to lie to you. I do have feelings for Rougaru. He was kind to me in paradise. He treated me with respect. He was good to Nattergal and Havelle. I didn't see you or sabella or anyone else for six months. I needed a friend in Paradise and he was willing to fill that role. It was purely a platonic relationship until the night before I came home. One night. That's all it was." Zjeena isn't making any of this up. It was one night. It's only since she's come back to the Bay that she's considered pursuing anything more with Rougaru, and most of that is because of Liland's behavior. She hasn't been happy here since her return. She's feeling even more lonely here than she did in Paradise. Liland's sour mood has affected the entire herd. Morale has been low at best, and this is clearly not a short term issue. The way the rest of the herd talks, it sounds like Liland has been struggling for a while. Certainly her relations with Rougaru didn't help matters, but this runs a lot deeper than that. Only Liland can figure out what's bringing him down, and find a way back up. Zjeena can't fix him.

"I'm going to be completely honest with you. I've thought a lot about that night, and I enjoyed it, Liland. I liked living in Paradise, and I like Rougaru. But this is the point I was trying to make before. As you have room for more than one love in your heart, as do I. I returned to you after that night because I still loved you more. You were my home, Liland." If Zjeena wanted Nattergal and Havelle to see their father, she wouldn't have had to come back herself. Now that she is pregnant again, Zjeena is weaning them. Even if she hadn't bargained for her freedom, they would be weaned enough to visit on their own by now. Liland is just fishing for excuses, looking for ways to blame his own behavior on her, but Zjeena isn't going to fall for it. She's not going to beat herself up over something that isn't her fault.

Liland has been testing her Loyalty since the day he lost the Bay. He moved them to a climate Zjeena was ill suited to, while she was pregnant with twins. Liland lost the battle with Rougaru that sent her to Paradise in the first place. Liland wasted time and energy on other challenges, leaving her there for a long time. Liland pushed her away when she finally found away back on her own. Somehow, Zjeena carries on. She continues to help protect the herd, and care for the foals. She still refuses to speak ill of him to anyone else, and now he has the audacity to accuse her of being untrustworthy.

Zjeena's ears pin back again, and her eyes narrow. "It's your jealousy that's tearing us apart, not Rougaru. You've hurt me too, Liland, in the way you've been treating me since I returned. You're making me regret my decision to come back to you. This Liland, the one I see right now, is not the same Liland I fell in love with."

ZJEENA

5 YEARS
MARE
FJORD
14.0 HANDS