The chill on Tinuvel was nothing that bothered him since he was so used to the cold by now. The warmth that summer brought was being pushed away by the cold winds of fall, but his coat was already growing thicker to accommodate the weather. Xiomara seems unaffected as well, he wasn't good at telling these things anyway. It wouldn't matter if she stood in front of him shivering her tail off Ironclad would still find her the powerful Queen he always knew who to be. She still looked the same as he remembered here. The same as when he left her behind in the Shore as she watched the sea swallow him in the distance.

Her words sent his gut turning. He instantly felt upset, his stomach gurgles uncomfortably, as her icy eyes bore into his body. He looks away nervously, not being his usual confident self anymore in her presence. He had boldly confessed his love the last time they saw each other, but now he couldn't even meet her gaze. He suddenly felt cold as she said those dreaded words. I missed you. He wanted to say it back, but he only nods his head. Last time she had boldly asked if he planned to overthrow his father, but that had not been the case. The facts were his father was about to retire, he was old and growing weaker.

The time for his twin and himself to rise on the throne would be sooner than the boys were ready for. That was why Ironclad had wanted to seasoned Queen by his side to help guide them and grow their next generation. "I..uh..." He bites his tongue. "I wasn't ready to see you." He settles with some of the truth. A sigh leaves his lips as he gently paws at the dirt with a front hoof. He watches the dirt be pushed back and forth as he thinks. She had taught him best that sometimes what we want will never be what we get. Especially when it comes to leading a herd or even ruling a kingdom, but he didn't quite understand.

His parents had each other and the kingdom (well they did at one point). They had their love and their children. Sure, they have sacrificed to get there, but they both made it through and they are both still in love. He wanted to plead his case to her, first her reasons for rejecting him, but he kept quiet. Xiomara had already made her decision months ago.