Panic churned in his breast as he positioned himself warily in front of his son, his gaze hard as it locked onto the loudly painted mare standing in front of him. She is unfamiliar to him, but that is not particularly surprising considering that he rarely goes out of his way to meet anyone. Between raising Theseus, searching for Puck (and the rest), and learning how to coexist with Titania, he'd been far too busy to worry about sharing pleasantries.
But Rehoboam is painfully aware of where Theseus has taken them and of the risk that comes with it.
The boy, cowed by his father's alarm, crowds close to his hip and stares with wide eyes at the unknown mare. He didn't really understand why they were worried, considering they'd met plenty of other horses over his few months of life, but instincts were instincts, and instincts demanded he stay close to what was familiar.
The unknown mare's words hit closer to home than she likely knows and Rehoboam winces, knowing that he will indeed have to face Titania's wrath for allowing Theseus out of his sight for even a moment. They'd spent the better part of a year searching for their eldest son together, and she would not take lightly to his negligence. Not after she'd lost Faline and so many after.
"I will." He says stiffly, warily watching the mare. She carries herself like someone who has authority and she smells ever so faintly of Salem. She is dangerous, even if she appears to be playing nice for now and his old habits kick back in. His memories of the desert isle are not pleasant, but he is aware he forfeited his right to a choice by following Theseus in.
"I am sure I will hear about it anyway," he says, a tight smile brushing across his lips. He tilts his head slightly to look toward his son, wishing that he was with his mother. That his own safety was a risk Rehoboam could live with, but Theseus'? Not at all.
"And so will you," he murmurs. The boy peers up at his father in chagrin but doesn't say anything. As if summoned by that very thought, Titania appears and something strange happens in Rehoboam's chest.
They have never been particularly close - he and the comet-marked mare - but they have built something akin to a friendship while taking care of their youngest and searching for their eldest. It's given the bachelor something of a purpose, which was something he'd been sorely lacking after his last disastrous attempt to change the Lagoon. Even so, he refused to let himself care too deeply. They were both too damaged, their history too checkered, for him to be hopeful that their temporary ceasefire meant anything more to Titania.
With the sort of self-assurance he has only seen a handful of creatures wield, Titana appears, makes a proclamation, and then appears to dismiss the would-be claimant, and it is all Rehoboam can do to lapse into silence and wait for the mare's reaction to see if he will need to throw himself in front of the cannon fire to protect those he loves.