---x---
Sacre blinked in surprise at Mauja’s sudden admission of love, it wasn’t the answer he had been expecting, he didn’t know what he’d been expecting, but a confession of the heart wasn’t one. More and more he wanted to apologise, he hadn’t known how cruel his words sounded. How cruel—to ask him to forget love and move on, to ask him why to reveal a part of him that that Frozen Light may not have wanted to reveal. Did he fall to his knees and beg? Did he offer to leave? This was Mauja’s home before it was Sacre’s after all.

The fox lad was struck answerless to the burning of his icy eyes and he wondered if ever there had been a time that his father knew. Death follows a madman. His sister, lover, daughter… d’Artagnan would think his love only led to the ultimate end and his love of Mauja would only drag his friend into the arms of death faster… Even if he knew, he would not come back for love, even if he wanted to, that much Sacre understood.

When he looked to Aly, his foxes yapping their gentle replies as she whispered sweet words, Sacre saw her catch a look and he turned back to his escort with a flash of concern. The welcoming would have to wait, the introductions, and the pleasantries...

"Mauja! Wait! I didn’t know" you love him. He should’ve known, with the fondness that d’Artagnan expressed whenever he spoke about him, their friendship always sounded closer, very much for his father, who rarely expressed fondness.

"I’m sorry! I’m so sorry… don’t walk away" the last part was pleading, his voice cracking as a feeling of déjà vu crept up on him. How many backs would he have to watch disappear? It was he, if any, who should leave. Who was Sacre to make Mauja feel uncomfortable in his own home? He felt the guilt wrap around his heart and catch in his voice, his legs started to move after him, Mauja couldn’t leave. Not like this, how could Sacre possibly face him later? He should have bottled his feelings, he shouldn’t have just blurted out what he thought was right because now he had hurt someone. Again. Even Aly shouted her own apology, he’d not even been in the Edge a day and already he’d caused a problem. What had Aly done—

He tried to stop between him and Aly, not wanting to rudely leave the mare, but not wanting to watch Mauja disappear. ”Mauja!” “Mauja!” his foxes echoed sadly in his mind as they too shouted for him. "Don't disappear" not like this, with the sting of Sacre's earlier words following him, without giving him a chance to amend his words and the opportunity to ask him to forgive his ignorance. The fox boy felt his breath leave him as he too began to wonder whether he should continue to run after him... Sacre didn't know an awful lot about Mauja's personality, if he appreciated being bothered, if it would work if he kept pestering him. If he kept walking should Sacre let him go? It didn't feel right, they shouldn't part company like this, but by chasing him would Sacre only make it worse? 

If he kept calling would he come back?

He tossed a forlorn look to Aly wondering if Mauja's herd mate knew anymore than he did. 

---

;~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~;