whatever you do; Posted on July 27, 2022 at 04:47:05 AM by rafe
make certain your hands are clean ; Rafe watches Viveka carefully, ready to chase her down if she decides to bolt without any notice. But while she looks concerned when he mentions the Prairie, she doesn’t immediately flee. So she must believe there is some truth to his words about not harming Zevulun. That’s a good thing - one step closer to getting her back to where she is safe.
Given the…new information so recently come to light, given that his sister has chosen Zevulun as her stallion (for now, if Rafe has his way), the pale fool is at less risk from Rafe than he ever has been in the past. He’s only just got some of his family back - Rafe won’t drive her away by questioning her choices.
He’s distracted from his own musings and careful inspection of Viveka’s face by their son, tangled up between his legs and eager in the way only young children can be.He bolts out to stand next to his mom, puffed up and Rafe glances over him amusedly. He cannot fully relax, though. They’re too exposed here - Fell could pop up at any moment, and with a vulnerable foal and an unpredictable mare, Rafe would be hard-pressed to defend them both. “Cassian,” Rafe murmurs back to him, bending down to brush his muzzle over the colts fuzzy little mane. “Have you been good for your mother?”
“Good,” Rafe murmurs, pleased when she agrees to stay with him. “You should be with me, with the herd. Where I can keep the two of you safe.” He is concerned for Cassian, though. He’s still young, and the ocean is not forgiving. At least he was strong enough to make the swim from Luthien to the Crossing isle. But will he make it from here to Salem? Eventually he will have to - Rafe hates to let them linger here for any time at all, but Viveka is only barely agreeing to return home. He will not push, if she doesn’t think that Cassian can make the swim.
“Are you two strong enough to make the journey?” He asks Viveka, voice quiet and meant only for her. Perhaps, if not, she can shelter among the Peak herd. Rafe could leave her with Oswin, trade a visit with her grandchildren for shelter of Viveka and Cassian until the journey was feasible.
rafe | 15.2 hh bay overo brindle mutt | king in the badlands