Desert

There was a flicker in Devi's eyes - not of fear, not truly, but almost of acknowledgment. What of, Vanya had no idea, but given the situation, it was probably not beneficial for her. Vanya does not allow her gaze to harden as the girl inserts space between them, clearly spooked by the roan's muzzle coming any closer to her. She had hoped to come across as caring, maternal even, rather than pushy, but it had been the wrong move.

The queen notes that down, and allows her brows to furrow together in the faintest show of hurt, and pulls back. Perhaps the girl was smarter than she let on, if she was already avoiding the most dangerous end of the snake instinctually.

A moment later, Devi finally nibbled at the bait Vanya had left out, and the elder mare listened, her fluted ears pricked forward attentively. The picture she paints is a strange one, not something V had ever come across before. The plausible deniability and potential for manipulation in allowing several stallions to believe themselves the father of a child seemed delicious, but with a high likelihood to backfire. Once a sliver of silver hair showed up on her own children, the gig would be up. Not that Vanya had any particular desire to invite that intimacy with random stallions that would not be able to grant her an advantage... but it did give her an idea for later.

"Ra?" She echoed, somewhat surprised. A momentary flare of resentment had built at the realization that Devi wished her to become an errand girl, but it faded as she realized what the girl had asked.

The mare before her looked nothing like the slender desert-bred stallion of the HIlls. Vanya had never met him, but after coaxing an understanding of the new HIll's dynamics from Rougaru's adopted daughter that lived there, she knew of him. "He still breathes," she murmured with a genuine smile. "I've not talked to him, but he serves as King Evrain's second, just next door."