Hostility laces the air between the two stallions, despite Suleiman's attempts to mitigate it. He wasn't the type of stallion to try to steal from another unless he was certain a mare needed help or rescuing. The one time he'd tried it (and been subsequently scolded by both the mare in question and her father) had ended disastrously, and he'd kept to himself in the days since. Either way, he cannot blame Fell for the suspicion, even if it is unwarranted in this case.

Unlike Fell, Suleiman had no plans to touch Maizel.

All three of them stand tense and alert as Fell makes his decision; from his hesitation, Suleiman can infer that there's some sort of reason for him to hesitate. His mind, naturally, darts to the darker, guiltier probabilities, but he tries not to linger. Surely if Fell had abused Maizel in some fashion he would refuse them entry... after all, they had not challenged for her. They were simply neighbors, requesting an audience.

Sul offers a reassuring nod as Mariael looks towards him, but stays mute still as he follows the pair deeper into the Bay. He stops just at the edge of the clearing as the sisters race towards each other, and then more sedately walks close enough to hear as they catch each other up. Both of the names mentioned - Charmeine and Paradiso - are unknown to him, but he caches them away for later perusal.

Mariael's abrupt offer made his shoulders stiffen slightly and his gaze shoot towards Fell. Sul had known that Mari wanted to bring her sister home, but he was also pretty certain that their spar at the borders had been just a spar from the way that Mari had spoken after, rather than an outright challenge.

And then the pretty roan shot Mariael down. Suleiman would never count himself a great judge of character, but he was pretty certain that the soft, sweet way that Maizel had said Fell's name indicated her relationship with him was good. It was possible that Fell behaved differently when he wasn't being observed by those he considered a threat, but Suleiman had to consider the possibility that Maizel was a victim of some sort of Stockholm syndrome. The tobiano wasn't confident that this was the case, though. He'd seen glimpses of Fell's mostly content herd often enough to consider the man competent at leading, even if his methods of acquisition were problematic, and he doubted that his little sister would have stood by silently if he were cruel to his herd.

But there was no denying the hurt on Mariael's face, and she was his main priority.

Maizel's soft request to meet him had his gaze dancing to Fell again, his body stiff with apprehension. Considering how hesitant the black stallion had been to bring either of them to the little roan, Sul was absolutely certain that he would object to the two of them interacting. Suleiman also knew, however, that it was hard to change Mariael's mind once she'd made it, and that the odds of Maizel having the same infuriating (and endearing) quality were high.

So he settled for sparing the black stallion a nod of the head, as a way to almost indicate that he meant her no harm and had no designs on taking her, a gesture he hoped was also helped by his decision to stay at the border of the clearing. Only then did he turn his attention back to Maizel as she moved toward him, her muzzle confidently outstretched for an exchange of breaths.

He saved my life, he heard Mariael say, and his gaze dashed up to her face, love written plainly on his face. He didn't know what it had been about the prickly, half-starved mare that had washed ashore, but he had been unable to just let her be. A bond had formed between them the first moment he'd inserted himself into her life, and now he could not imagine life without her.

"It's nice to meet you Maizel," Sul offered softly, his eyes raking quickly across Maizel's body in a perfunctory sweep for injuries or wounds. He didn't find any, not that he had expected to, but it made him feel better to know she was whole and healthy... at least outwardly.

"If Fell allows it, you're always welcome to come visit the Arch, and meet your nephew. And Mari to come see you too, of course." Sul chose his words carefully. He wanted to see what Fell's reaction was to such an offer, but he found his gaze slowing to a stop over Mariael's face. He knew this wasn't a perfect solution, but he was also fairly certain - given Fell's initial response to Mari's request and Maizel's refusal to agree - that the little roan was not coming to live with them in the Arch without a fight. He knew that Mari was worried about her sister, but as he replayed the conversation they'd had in the Bay, the only reason that her brother had provided for Maizel's extraction was that Fell was making enemies... and if Sul were honest? Fell had been doing that since the beginning.

It was part of what made him so nervous to think of Mariael coming here alone. Suleiman trusted her implicitly, but Fell? Not by much. But he hated to be the one to say no, especially without being able to talk about it with Mariael before they made a decision.

"And should he ever find himself in need of help keeping you safe," Suleiman continued as if speaking to Maizel, although his gaze had finally slid from Mariael's face to Fell's again, "we are only next door." It was hardly an offer of an alliance, but it was at least a peace offering. A beginning, perhaps, of a better future for the sisters.

Stallion . Young Adult . 17hh . Pinto . arch lead. solomon x banshee . love