There is something behind the throne

Quilyan

greater than the king himself.

Fear strikes him as she struggles to rise - is she badly injured? Should he find a medic? - but his fears prove unfounded as Resplendence rises shakily to her feet. It is at this point that another mare enters the scene; instinctively, Quil leaps between the pair, spreading his wings in an intimidating gesture, his auds pinned tight to his skull. But he realizes quickly that the newcomer is no threat and, abashed, he takes a step back, dropping his aggression. His lover's voice cuts through the silence that Kahlua left in the wake of her little speech, and he is pleasantly surprised to feel Resplendence burrowing beneath his still partly outstretched wing. He lifts it slightly to allow her easier entry, before draping it protectively (but carefully, lest he bump any open wounds) over her shoulders and pulling her to him. She whispers fearfully, for his ears alone, and he turns his attention to her, touching his muzzle to hers before running it up to her poll, lipping softly at the mane that covers her missing ear, then snuffling down to her shoulders, checking for injuries. Zarina chirps and crawls along his wing to bury herself in the mare's luxurious banner, making a noise that sounded vaguely like a purr. Gold glinted from her paws, but would likely go unnoticed in present company.

The prince does not have time to reassure Resplendence before a rather angry brute ambles into the scene and proceeds to berate the painted mare for her idiocy. "Wait a moment -" he begins, bristling, for he has been raised to treat ladies better than that, but he is interrupted by the arrival of yet another stallion. He wore the air of nobility, or so Quilyan categorized him, and the newcomer quickly chastised the thick-headed brute. Aaron, was that his name? Quilyan filed it away for later, making a mental note to avoid that one. He doubted they would get along. The noble introduced himself after his lecture ended; the deposed prince felt that this, at least, was a steed with whom he could relate. Kaj. Zusje? What does that mean, and why does he call to Resplendence like that? The fae was his mare, and he was the only one to call her pet names. Perhaps he would not like Kaj very much, after all.

But then he calls Quilyan her beloved, and all is well with the world again. In fact, the prince feels very much as though he is floating on clouds, having never heard such a term from her own mouth. Of course, he knows that she cares deeply for him, but he also knows the guilt that her feelings bring her. He will not press the issue, but he longs for her to admit it all the same. "My name is Quilyan," he offers to Kaj, a grin spreading briefly over his maw before he settles once more into seriousness, for the situation with which they are faced is very grave indeed. His own guilt multiplies as Kaj explains to Kahlua, for he himself was outside their borders at the onset of the attack. I should have been here, he berates himself silently. "No," Zarina says. "You not know." She is right, of course. She usually is.

"If I may be of service..." he offered hesitantly, waiting for Kaj's approval, which suddenly means a great deal more to him than it had only moments before, when jealousy had blinded him so.

[W/C | ---]
Walk walk walk.
Talk talk talk.
Think think think.

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