He was unsurprised when the question came forward. A small smile briefly moved across his lips that turned into a grimace as he glanced away from the two mares he was with and tried to figure out how best to explain himself. It was what he’d been worried about - that they’d think he was only after taking this place back on his own and would have some ulterior motive for coming back to visit here. Revealing the truths of his sister was still a difficult thing for Zevulun, as it often brought up a mix of feelings he wasn’t quite apt at handling.
Still, he owed the lead of the Bay the truth.
Zevulun looked back at the smaller, fluffier mare. “I was never born to lead this place. My sister was already Queen of the Bay when I was born. Our father had bequeathed the rule of the land to her and offered to support her matriarchy as a guard. I was raised by my sister after my mother abandoned me young and always understood my place was to support and defend my sister’s reign, nothing more.”
He chose the words carefully, navigating the minefield his heart became when he spoke of Mariael.
“My sister and I…” His throat tightened and he swallowed, cleared it, and continued, “Well, we parted ways on the Mainlands a year or so ago and our parting wasn’t… amicable.”
The things they’d said to each other… Zevulun could never remember a time he’d been so enraged or heartbroken.
“I can’t bring myself to live here in the Bay without her.” He admitted, “As foolish as that may make me sound. This place was hers and it wouldn’t feel… right to try and lead it without her.”
“And, if I’m being honest, I quite like the Prairie.” He added with a somewhat happier tone. “I couldn’t see myself wanting to leave there.”
Well, so long as Balor didn’t want to kick his ass out for what he’d done with Riesling in autumn, that is. Even then, Zevulun wouldn’t let himself wander back Tinuvel’s way. The residence of Nephilim’s bloodline on Tinuvel was over. As far as Zevulun was concerned, the promise of that ever happening again had died the day Nephilim did.
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