The beast is used to fear. His gargantuan form and his immense power in battle strike fear into the hearts of even the bravest of mares and stallions alike. He recognizes the smell of fear as it radiates off of his opponents, knows the twist in the ears and the tightness in the muzzle. Archibald, the warlord, knows the twinkle if fear behind hardened, narrowed eyes. He knows it. He wields it. Archibald is a domineering beast, with his fierce and faithful canine, and he makes knees tremble and fear break those beneath him into submission.

Archibald has no desire for this mare to fear him.

Her words roll down his spine and cause a chilling, tight hand to grasp him firmly. Archibald lifts his head and backs up, three steps, Loretta scuttling along with him. The king watched, still with stoic eyes, as the mare before him dissolved into tears and stuttering, aching breaths. Even beyond her words, her questions, the Dauntless stayed quiet for quite some time. Birds chirped in the background, crickets rubbed their legs together and emitted their songs across the water, and fish made ripples appear on the grove's glass-like water ever so often. Loretta let her eyes dance up to the dragon, knowing how the lick of flame felt over hide, mostly but Archibald's memories, but not completely. Enough. He commands, knowing her thoughts before she even does, and quickly the bitch lowers herself down onto her belly, tail curling under her in submission to the massive warrior who commanded her heart.

His voice softened, but the king did not break his stoney facade. He felt sympathy for this mare, but he regretted nothing of his past actions. At least, now she understood his side of their shared history, tangled in the depths of each of their hearts and minds in foggy disarray. "Pick yourself up. You can only trust others when you trust yourself. Lean on yourself. You have to know you can survive alone, with nothing left but your own strength, before you can give parts of your heart and soul to others." Archibald turned his shoulder some, moving to no longer stand head-on towards the claybank mare. It was an attempt to send comfort, to invite her into his space, to apologize for invading hers. "Have confidence in my words, Resplendence. I am here to protect you and your family, as well as mine."