VaLkA

mare / four / chestnut pangare / yakut / 13.0 hh

Valka chewed the stallion’s words over in silence, her wary expression unsoftened as she considered the potential repercussions of allowing the Bay’s former ruler to remain. Having Goose nearby meant that the skjaldmær would need to be on her guard at all times, vigilant for signs that he intended to reclaim his kingdom. And then when was she to sleep, or utilize her newly-won freedom to explore more of the islands? Of course, banishing him was not in itself a solution either. The draft-like stallion could just as easily bide his time in one of the neighboring territories, and return when she was either absent or indisposed. Perhaps it was best to keep him close.

And, though she might not have admitted it openly - even to herself - Valka felt some compassion for the buckskin king whose life had been torn apart by her actions. In her heart, she knew that what he asked was not unreasonable. If he truly wanted to prove himself, then the Yakutian mare felt obligated to give him that chance - just as she hoped to be given the chance to prove that she was a worthy ruler.

“If I let stay,” the fluffy chestnut began, trying to choose her words carefully from the limited pool she had learned so far. “Then you... understand that I cannot trust. Trust take time, take right actions. But I show you, too, that I am not enemy.” It was the most generous offer that she could extend, given the circumstances. Valka could not promise the stallion a position of authority - not until she was certain whether their goals might ever align enough for such an arrangement to work. Taking the Bay had been more about a desire for home. It was a desire for change, a hope to better the lives of those who lived in shackles. Could Goose understand and support that aim, knowing it may inadvertently put his family in danger?

That was, perhaps, a discussion best saved for later - after the initial bonds of trust had been established.

“We start new. I, Valka. You….Goose?” It was a strange name, but no stranger than many that had parted her lips in the time since she had come to the islands. And despite his towering size, the mare found comfortable familiarity in some aspects of the stallion’s appearance. The long hairs that hung like curtains over his broad hooves, the shaggy coat that - while not nearly as thick as her own - was made for climates such as this one. It was no wonder he had no wish to leave Tinuvel. Her own heart felt as if it belonged here too, thrumming in time to the steady rhythm of the waves that groped desperately for the unlikely pair that stood just beyond their reach.

Home. Valka had not thought to ever regain what was lost, but the Bay had birthed a spark within her. A hope that she might one day build something even greater than what had been taken from her.