In the wake of Nyimara's departure for their neighbors, Asmodeus had forced himself to remain still and watchful, rather than restless and unsettled. Bidding the silver-maned mare to secure an alliance with the Hills or the Dunes had been strategic in many ways, but that did not erase the fact that it came with no small amount of risk. Evrain of the Hills had made his unwillingness to yield perfectly clear the last time they'd met, which was part of why Asmodeus' last push for a monarchy had stuttered to a halt. But it was Helios' apathy to even have the discussion that plagued him more. He had no true understanding of whether the Arabian was for or against a democracy, for or against Asmodeus, or even willing to listen.

It was becoming more and more certain that if Asmodeus were to want to obtain the title he desired, he would have to fight for it. And while Asmodeus wasn't necessarily opposed to such a thing, he would rather collect their support than beat them into submission. He did not want to spend his rule looking over his shoulder expecting an uprising at any given moment.

Those things, though, felt less concerning than the simple fact that Nyimara was absent. At least this time she could not leave with his young son in tow. For better or worse, Cahyr was still here alone with his younger half-brother. The thought of running off the weanling whelp still danced through his mind some days, but he had returned to apathy regarding the unwanted boy. Despite what Nyimara claimed of his origins, she showed no distaste for the boy, which only cast further doubt on her story.

Marceline's call roused him from his thoughts and he turned toward the distraction eagerly, answering it with his own welcome as he loped in her direction. A strange eagerness fluttered in his chest and he found himself looking forward to their interaction, moreso than even he might have expected. It went beyond just the sort of lust he typically felt for mares of her caliber. It was something else, a tie he felt on a different level after the time they'd spent together after his father's death.

"To what do I owe such a monumental pleasure, Marceline?" Asmodeus murmured as he drew to a halt at her side, his neck still slightly bowed and an easy grin on his lips. His voice lowered as he said her name, implying an intimacy that he did not press upon her now, despite how much he thought he might enjoy pressing an affectionate kiss to her cheeks or trailing his muzzle across her neck.

"I don't suppose you've finally changed your mind and are ready to settle down are you?" The question is delivered with amusement and a full assumption as to her answer. As much as he might have attempted to tempt the beautiful spotted mare from her mountain home, her answer had not wavered, and he wasn't sure he could blame her. He would have to offer a lot more than just a bed to warm to coax her from such a lofty perch.

Adult Stallion 16.0HClassic Champagne ChimeraSolomon x Xiomara