“The Badlands?” He echoed quietly, confusion briefly rippling across his face. Castillon wanted to think there could never be a fearful mare fleeing from the Badlands, but he could see it clear as day across their faces. The exhaustion wore across them both and was too visceral to be an act they were putting on. He blinked and nodded reassuringly, remembering that his current focus was to be these two mares and not the tight knot twisting in the pit of his belly.
Was the Badlands… was his mother’s family… keeping horses against their will? Castillon had been raised to vehemently dislike that very thing, given the mission his father spouted almost religiously about the Prairie and the freedoms it would always offer.
“You’d be more than welcome here,” he started, forcefully pulling his thoughts back onto the painted mare before him. He looked at her companion, then back at her, and offered what he hoped would be a welcoming smile. “I am Castillon, second of the Prairie. My father, Zevulun, leads here. The Prairie has food and space in abundance, and little predators.” Truly, it was a nirvana. Zevulun had often warned him there could be a time when someone would see what a blessing they were sitting on and try to take it from them by force. Castillon always needed to be ready, he could never grow too comfortable.
“We allow anyone to stay here for as long as they need,” he added, then tilted his head toward the inland back behind the way he came. “Would you like me to escort you to the nearest fresh water? It’s not too far from here. There’s plenty of grazing, and an old, big cottonwood that’ll provide some shade to sleep in.” He hoped it sounded appealing to the weary travelers and they could leave behind whatever fear had been put upon them to flee. “What are your names?” he asked, though his eyes curiously pulled back to the painted mare who’d said she was the one to cry out for help. Such a lovely mare with the prettiest green eyes… Castillon couldn’t imagine anyone being so cruel as to hold her against her will.
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