She turns and her gaze falls fully upon him in a piercing cold wave that makes the boy shiver for no apparent reason.  This woman's reaction to the child is not cruel, but she does not hesitate to pinpoint the things of highest import to her.  Apparently Patrick's offhanded comment about Isabella is one such thing.  Nearly frozen in the colorful mare's very serious stare the boy pulls himself up and attempts to look just as serious.  Of course any such attempts by Patrick are likely to fail but it is clear he is trying.

I am not sure why what I said made her so suddenly intense.  It is almost creepy really.  Still, while the intensity is not as nice as Tiamat's bubbly, friendly, enthusiasm it is still attention.  Aside from that well, it is not often I get to be the one telling the stories.  So, I am more than happy to answer her question as seriously as I can possibly manage.

"Yep!  Pat's Pop has spotty-cat, flying-deer, woof changer.  She named Izzy, stays with Pop all times."

He remains standing tall before the woman for another few seconds which must have been agonizing for him.  Soon though he is fidgeting because he just can't help it. This fidgeting leads to another attempt at getting closer to the fishy companion which allows him to see a patch of a scaled leg at eye level, if still somewhat respectfully distant...

"Ooo... pretty!"

He is stretching his muzzle towards that shiny patch on her leg when a third voice booms from above causing him to freeze mid-motion again.  At first he tries to tip his head up and look backwards that way which, naturally, doesn't work at all.  Defeated he turns with a sigh and, having apparently now processed the words meant for him, immediately springs to a tall straight stance chest puffing slightly.

"Yep, Mister King-Sir!  Pat watch gate, all times! Errr... Pat not have key though 'cause just kid..."

The ending admission seems to deflate him a little but by this time the two adults are more or less focused on each other along with the important business of being adults.  So, the boy goes back to watching and listening as he does so well.  Blue eyes pass over the king, who he has encountered before though not quite this closely.  He is indeed a big stallion, not just in height but over all, with a simple dark coat and clean white marks that would catch attention anywhere.  Though of course the red eyes and dragons, yes dragons in plural, are the most attention catching things about him.  These dragons have not bothered to make the force of their presence known yet, but this child of the Throat has seen such beasts often enough to know what hoovering colored dots in the sky must mean.

After following the dots in their dizzying circles for a minute or two the boy shifts to watching the mare again.  Once more he notes her brilliant colors but he is clearly most taken with those shining scales and of course the curious companion.

I have seen this King before.  Most recently when the golden Sun God appointed him and a few times when he was not King, in meetings and such.  He was also present during in a very memorable instance involving spiders.  Thoughts of that weird day bring to mind an older boy with a similar white face and red eyes.  I wonder if this is that boy's Pop.  I will have to ask, if I get the chance...

I still think this mare is very interesting looking and I hope she stays so I can talk to her and find out if she is as interesting sounding as she is looking.  Of course there is her little friend too.  I've never seen anyone else who can do what Izzy can... except for that white-face boy, I could have sworn he was a bird right before he talked to me.  The whole ant attack thing could have been playing with my head though, or maybe it just doesn't count because he is a horse, or hmmm...

The colt is quiet and well mannered right up until the point where the mare makes a comment about her companion being broken.  This brings a gasp from the attentive listener.

"Izzy NOT broken!"

His voice sounds both indignant and perhaps even mildly insulted.

"If Izzy not broken, fish-friend not broken too."

These last words are spoken in a confidant, matter-of-fact tone that will accept no argument and his face as it turns back to Syrena is harboring something very much like a frown.