rhonen
molten eyes and a smile made for war
He’s startled her, that much is clear, and her eyes flash open to meet his own, holding Rhonen in thrall as they stare at each other, but the quiet is broken by first his voice and then hers, and he flicks his chestnut ears forward to catch all of her words. She mentions it’s a long story and perks his interest, but he stays quiet, settling for a curious tilt of his head, and his silence is rewarded when she continues with her name, which plucks another of those strings of recognition.
While she is remembering whatever she is remembering, Rhonen is inspecting her vaguely familiar face with his intent gaze (despite the fact that she is trying her hardest not to look at him), trying to figure out what he has in common with this pregnant little girl. He doesn’t place anything though, so he is still frowning at her, irritated at his own lack of comprehension, when she suddenly repeats his name, and her head is suddenly lifted again, and he can see at once that she has found the connection he strained for.
Of course, what she ends up saying is not anything he was expecting, and for once the stallion is speechless, blinking at the stranger for several long moments before he experiences a memory too – hazy things, nothing clear, but he remembers Karaugh discussing what she would name their foal. Kolera had been an option for a filly, but since he had never met the child that had been the only time he had discussed it with Karaugh; she hadn’t been all that interested in Rhonen, and Rhonen hadn’t been interested in her for long. He’d been young, and moving on was easy when he wasn’t emotionally evolved.
Since Karaugh never came looking for him, he’d kind of assumed they didn’t have a child. Maybe she miscarried, or the foal was unfortunately stillborn. But apparently he was wrong, and all this time he had a daughter out there, living a life he can’t begin to imagine. “Shit,” he mumbles, but it’s not malicious, or directed at her. “I didn’t even know you existed.” He takes a more vivid interest now, in her rounded belly and in the tears. He steps closer to her, but he doesn’t touch her. They don’t know each other well enough for that.
“I think you’d better tell me that story.”
@[Kolera]