It felt like an eternity passed before Fell finally did something. Evrain watched, trying not to let all the muscles in his body tense, as the black stallion lowered his head and blew a warming breath into the filly's face. She responded with a meek cry and reached out for him, their noses briefly bumping before Fell withdrew and gave a single, sharp nod of agreement.

❝Thank you,❞ he breathed, feeling the tension drain from his body. His plan had worked, and now all that was left was to retrieve Azalais. He raised his nose to the wind and let loose a shrill call for his sister. With luck she would be lingering nearby and make a hasty appearance.

Sure enough only a few minutes passed before a familiar figure materialized from between the boughs of the great pines. She looked hale and whole, a bright gleam in her amber eyes and a spring in her step. As she broke from the treeline, Evrain realized she had another smaller figure in tow. His azure gaze drifted and settled on the small colt that stuck to her side. His coat was the same striking spotted pattern as their mother had had, though he lacked the signature roaning that most of their family carried.

Evrain's expression tightened, his eyes flicking towards Fell questioningly. Either the colt at Azalais' side was his, or she'd somehow managed to pull a wily trick on him and sneak off with another suitor under his nose. Either way it seemed he would be leaving with an extra body in tow. Not that he was complaining, but he was more eager now to get his sister off this island and ask what'd happened during her little vacation in the Bay.

❝Sister,❞ he greeted warmly, ❝I've come to take you home.❞

Azalais stopped short, surprise and confusion coloring her features. "What? Why?"

❝It will be easier to explain once we're back on Salem. A lot has changed since you've been gone.❞ Evrain wasn't keen on having such a personal - and what was bound to be an emotional - conversation in front of Fell. The stallion had once been an enemy of his home and was still an enemy of his father - as far as the Hills king was concerned, he didn't need to be privy to such discussions.

"Oh." Azalais' lips arced downwards into a deep frown. Her honeyed gaze turned towards the filly curled at his feet then, a soft gasp escaping her lips. "Who is that?"

❝That's our sister.❞ He paused, trying to recall what Marceline had named the filly. ❝Mazikeen.❞

"Why is she not with mother? What were you thinking bringing her all the way here?! She must be exhausted!" Before Evrain could answer, Azalais stepped forward and began grooming the girl, working her tongue over her in an attempt to abate the shivers that wracked her tiny body.

❝It will be easier to explain when we're home.❞ Evrain repeated firmly, watching as his sister urged the filly to her feet. ❝Fell has agreed to take her in, so she will be safe and cared for.❞

Azalais knew something was wrong by the way Evrain continuously dodged her questions. Why wouldn't he tell her what was going on? Why was Fell taking care of their sister now? Where was Marceline? These were all questions she was growing desperate to have answered. But she could tell from the tight expression on his face and the shortness in his tone that he wasn't keen on having this conversation here and now, and pushing him would not get her anywhere. The moon-faced mare released a heavy sigh and stepped back, her gaze boring into Evrain's face.

"That's all well and good, but what if I don't want to leave?" She asked stubbornly. She'd begun to make a life for herself in the Bay, and had even grown to enjoy Fell's company. The child they shared gave her a certain sense of attachment to the black stallion. Now everything was being turned upside down again and she felt like she might be powerless to stop it.

Evrain pursed his lips, clearly displeased by his sister's question. He'd never dream of forcing her to return to Salem. He'd seen first-hand in Claret what that could do to someone. But the thought of leaving his annoyingly endearing big sister her didn't sit right. Fell was still an enemy of his father, and though he'd promised no one from the Hills would bother the Bay king anymore, he couldn't speak for Rafe. If Azalais remained here, there was no telling whether Rafe would try to come for her himself and create further problems.

Well, he thought, if I can't force her then I'll just have to try to convince her.

❝Don't you want to see father again? Or Lucien or Senu or Ra? We all miss you.❞ Inwardly, Evrain hoped to himself that she wouldn't ask about Marceline's absence from that list of individuals.

By some miracle the feat was surprisingly easy. Azalais only let out another great sigh and a murmured, I guess so. "If it gets you to tell me what's going on, then fine." She turned to Fell then and reached for him, pressing her nose to his cheek in a small and rare gesture of affection. "I'll come visit with Isengrim soon," she promised. "Thank you for taking care of us. Now please take care of my sister."

Azalais collected Isengrim to her side then, following Evrain as he plunged into the frigid sea. When the water lapped at her chest she paused to look over her shoulder at Fell and say, "Oh, and you better be prepared to have your ass kicked when I come back. You might have won our last tussle but I won't be deterred so easily." With a playful grin she turned and began her swim home, Fell's figure retreating into a dark dot on the horizon. Another chapter of life was coming to a close and she couldn't bring herself to regret a thing.


mixed • blue roan overo • fifteen-three
king of the hills • rafe x marceline • pippa