Nerves at at her as she waited, her every muscle tensed with the unknown of the next few moments. She was new to being a Queen, new to the responsibility it implied, but she would not shy from these duties. Siobhan owed the Ridge herd for far too much to neglect what needed to be done, even if it amounted to too little, too late.

As she feared, it is the stranger that approached first, and Siobhan steadied herself with a deep intake of breath. She tried to keep the resentment from her face, knowing in her heart that it was not malice that had brought the ebony girl here. The joy she'd displayed on the shores, watched over by a distant Siobhan from her typical perch on the edge of the ocean, was far too indicative of a happy windfall than a ferocious intent.

Somehow, this knowledge made her inaction feel worse.

The red mare's neck bowed into an arch as the other approached and it is only with a beat of hesitance before she accepted the exchange of breath with as much grace as she could muster. If nothing else, she would cling to her diplomacy, unwilling to earn the ire of the individual who held the reins for the time being.

The mare's question hangs in the air for a long moment, with Siobhan working hard to find a reply that would satisfy her question. The words elude her, even as the black mare continues on, seeking to reassure Siobhan that she will not chase her from the Ridge. And she cannot help the relief this small measure gives her, even as she wars with whether or not this is the right move in the long run. Would this mean they would have to submit to her claim? Or would she allow them to live here as free individuals?

"I do not know. I appreciate your kindness more than you know, but I cannot speak for the herd. My loyalty lies with Bjorn, and this is our home." Before she can craft the rest of her reply, the midnight mare turns away. She watches her with surprise, just as the golden figure of Ailill responds to her call. A small measure of relief washes over her, which surprises her. She had not realized that she had begun to become close to the golden stallion in their weeks caring for the two rambunctious fillies. The red mare forces her lips into a wan smile of greeting as they exchange breaths, and she turns to follow his path as he addresses the new owner of the Ridge.

Siobhan nods to herself, glad to have Ailill's support. She was not sure where her lover was, or what her co-queen was up to, but she was more than happy to have someone at her side, even if it was not the one her heart yearned for.

Movement behind them sends Siobhan's attention back, her gaze searching first to the place where she had stashed her daughters, before rising to the handsome figure that cut through the foliage. Bjorn, as dashing as ever, stalks forward with murder written in his face and the cold tones of a king not to be trifled with in his voice. Her anger melds with her relief and she feels lightheaded with the hot and cold of her emotions. But even her disapproval of so many things in this situation cannot stop her from realigning herself at his side with a gentle touch of her muzzle to his shoulder.

Siobhan weighs the benefits and risks of the situation that lay before them before she chooses her words, Bjorn and Ailill's figures restoring her confidence. "I understand you came here to find a home, and perhaps you can still consider it such, even if you do not lay claim to our home. I would like to know you and your friend."