**You dare to talk about your family like that!?**
Tri stared impassively at his father, level blue eyes meeting cold, agate ones. He was like his father in so many ways, he thought to himself then—besides carrying the same name. A name steeped in legend, bringing with it a power (and a curse) unlike anything seen before. He swished his tail as he watched Second continue in his rage, stomping the grass of the paddock flat with onyx hooves—feet which had devastated many a track and many an opponent. His long white banner tail flagged as Second beat the turf, nostrils turning outwards, showing red blood vessels.
**This family is proud and honorable! How can you demean us like that? ** Second whirled, bracing his fore towards his impetuous son. **Tell me! **
Tri blinked, unprepared for his father’s sudden turnabout. He expected Second to rage far longer, and give him time to formulate a rebuttal to his claim. The young colt opened his mouth to speak, tongue lapping at his velvety lip. “I—”
**Speak
highly, not like a common beast! **
**Lightning II, you forget yourself. **
Father and son turned abruptly; standing there in the cooling mist of night was the one responsible for their name, their legend, their curse. Lightning’s long white mane and tail swayed lightly in the dusky breeze; it was impeccable how the moonlight struck his face, alighting—not blending—the trine-forked off-white lightning bolt blaze that gave him his name, and theirs. His eyes were their eyes, his coat their coat … but there was wisdom and dominance in his posture—something only Lightning could pull off.
**Father, this son of mine has disgraced himself. ** Second lowered his ears and tail in respect.
Lightning stepped forth from the moonlit shaft, shedding his ethereal image and revealing three other shapes that loomed behind him in his shadow: grey Renina, his mate; equally-white Lighteria, his daughter; bold bay Bright Havens, his first-born son. Lighteria was Second’s full sister, their mother being Renina; Havens was by the Thoroughbred Carrie Lee, but Renina thought of the half-Arab as her own son.
**I see no disgrace as of yet, ** Lightning continued soberly. It was unusual for the great patriarch to be so calm; if given the chance, he could be just as volatile, with correct restraint and finesse. Tri suspected that he had heard and been in council with Renina and his best friend, a very out-of-place, but loveable Morgan stallion, Surefoot. **What has my grandson done to upset you so, Second? **
Second blew mist from his nostrils, an icy jet that wafted past Tri’s ear. **Denounced this family as a farce and a lie, Father. **
Tri could feel heat build up upon his neck and ears, and regretted, for the moment that Lightning’s sky blue gaze alighted on him, that he had even uttered a word of displeasure to his sire.
**Tell me then, son of my son, why you would say such a thing. **
Renina shifted. **Do not toy with the colt, Lightning, ** the lovely matron said quietly. Lightning’s left tulip-shaped ear flicked once; Tri could feel a personal statement pass between them. Renina said nothing publicly, but she did not flinch from whatever the stallion had said. Lightning did not dominate his mate or his daughters, as many stallions did. Renina was his closest confidante, almost as close (or closer than) as Jackie.
The sky blue eyes dominated Tri, however. **What is your problem, Tri? ** Lightning repeated.
Suddenly, Tri found his mental voice, jarred out of his musings by his grandsire’s call of his name. **They say that you don’t care about any of your children; that you only put on a show for Jackie. That your prowess as a sire is the only thing that you care about. **
There, he said it. And it sounded ridiculous.
**Who says? ** There it was—the edge to the patriarch’s tone that Second had been emulating. Lightning tipped his head to the side, ears flicking now and again. He seemed to grow, getting larger in Tri’s vision, almost as large has he had been to the colt when he was a foal at his dam Air of Mystery’s side, shown off proudly to the great white stallion.
Renina and Lighteria turned their gazes on him now, quietly questioning his statement with their body language. Havens remained as stoic as ever, only sign of life in his broad bay body was his blinking and breathing.
**I—I’ve
heard it around. **
**Around? That is poor, grandson. Who tells these tales? **
Tri gulped and lowered his head even more. **The broodmares staying here. They told me. **
Lighteria snorted and stamped her right hoof at what he said; Renina kept her tongue, as she was wont to do, but Tri could sense his granddam wanted to reply.
Lightning swished his ground length tail a moment, white coat twitching the night bugs away. He raised his dished head and spoke. **It is true; I do not deny it. **
Second gaped. **Father—**
**Quiet, my son. I haven’t finished yet. ** Lightning began to walk, passing his firstborn, Havens. **I am proud of those who carry my genes, but that is it. I do not love them; I do not mourn them if they pass. They are but strangers to me, I who have had but one small hand in their existence. They do not owe me anything and I do not owe them. Anyone could have given them life; I just happened to be that one. But you …** Lightning flicked his ears in a circle, indicating those who stood around him. ** … you are my family. You are my true blood. I care about you and you alone, those born of Renina—or cared by her. ** He indicated Havens with a sweep of his head. The bold bay inclined his own dished head in respect. **That includes Havens, Gryph and Rage as well, ** he added, referring to Tri’s other half-uncle, The Gryphon, and his cousin, Gryphon Rage. **I care for no one else as deeply. I hope that eases your concern, Tri. **
Second nudged his son. **Answer him. **
Tri couldn’t. He felt ashamed.
**I
require no answer, ** Lightning replied evenly. **That he heard is enough for
**You
should have known the answer, Tri, ** his aunt murmured, casting an
equally-blue gaze behind her at her parents’ vanishing forms. When she turned
back around, a small shaft of light alighted her face, showing a similar bolt
that Tri and his father also wore, albeit thinner. **It doesn’t matter to him if they never think of him, or care, or
curse his name. He has us—that is all he needs. **
**But what if I do? ** he asked.
Havens blew loudly through his
nostrils, warm brown eyes blinking. **If
you feel compelled to press familial bonds to hundreds of strangers, then that
is your issue. But you will find—as we all have found—that they care as much as
Father does. We were raised with him; we wanted to be with him and he with us. They never had that, nor will any of
them choose to do the same. It’s all they know, as this is all we know. We will
continue as he has done, through the generations. We have always been a breed
apart, Tri. **
**Do you understand? ** Lighteria shuffled her feminine physique in stark contrast to her brothers’.
Tri found himself moving nervously. **I guess so. **
**Then that is enough for me. Come, brother. ** The delicate, but hardy Arabian mare wandered off, the elder Havens in her wake.
That left Second alone with his son. Tri looked up into his father’s eyes; eyes that had been cold before, now warming. Second sighed. **Next time you have a question, my son, ask; do not assume such is true. **
Tri shook his mane. Something was
bothering him. He decided to press it. **Father?
**
**Yes?
**
**If I do ask next time, will you promise not to do what you did tonight? **
Second’s eyes widened, shock in his face. He snorted once, in lieu of a reply. Tri could see that he was searching for one, by the cant of his ears and lay of his tail. **What you declared today was a grievous insult not only to your grandsire, but to myself as well. I can promise better understanding in other matters, but if you say such a thing again like today, I cannot promise the same. **
Tri nodded. **I understand. **
**Good, now come. We can’t be seen here. **
Together, the two white Arabians melted into the dark.
© 2003 Melissa Hartman
