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Haides had finally gotten himself a day without Beta. Some sort of girls night or something, he assumed, because Serenity hadn't forced him to stay. But this was such a rare occasion that he had no idea how to spend his time as a free colt. He simply started to wander, his bright blue eyes taking in his surroundings with serene calm.

He saw other Azrien from time to time. If they greeted him, he gave them a silent nod of acknowledgement, but beyond that he ignored them. He wasn't looking for their company.

Then again, he didn't know what he was looking for.

Haides didn't know how long he'd been walking when he came across a lake. It was perfect timing; although he had excellent stamina, even he had his limits--and he was just about at them. He took note of another foal much farther down the shoreline. He didn't call out or make any other motion to attempt contact. He simply dropped his head to the water's surface to quench his thirst.

Haides lifted his head when he heard hoofsteps, frowning ever so slightly when he saw the other foal so close. When had she walked over? His stare met the filly's gaze as she spoke. Ah. It was that question again. People always asked him it when Serenity and Ve'ki weren't around.

He hated that question.

"In the underworld," he replied with surprising calm, as if he were simply stating that the sky was blue or the grass was green. His brilliant blue eyes inspected the filly, watching for her reaction. It amazed him how many different reactions people had for the same three words. Some apologized profusely, others stammered, some just stared or walked away. What would this girl do?

Well, at least she wasn't hysterical or over-the-top. "I knew them well enough... to deduce what I didn't know." Haides stared into the water. "... Siblings... huh?" He'd had siblings; what happened to those siblings, he had no idea, however. His gaze returned to the filly when she asked her question. "... I guess. A mare took me and a few other foals in. ...It's a somewhat forced relationship." He shook his mane and leaned down to take another drink. "I can take are of myself."

"... I had siblings. I do not know what happened to them. Since I did not see their bodies with my mother's, I'm assuming they were taken somewhere." Haides looked at her again, then up at the sky. "Serenity likes children. Seeing them happy makes her happy as well. She does not like seeing us alone." He sighed and closed his eyes. "Beta likes her, so the situation is tolerable. Though being the only colt among fillies is a bit irritating." He opened an eye to gaze at her as he added, "No offense."

"But your father is around you by choice," Haides pointed out. "He wants to be around you and your mother because he has great love for you." He paused before answering her question. "Ve'ki. But he's busy taking care of Serenity herself. She's going to have foals of her own soon, after all."

He went quiet for a moment before staring at the filly calmly but with sudden realization. "Although I am not used to conversations with strangers... aren't introductions usually given first?" He almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. A strange filly coming up to him and asking him about his family--and him answering her--without even exchanging names. Although it didn't show, he was surprised at his own thoughts. Him? Laugh? Was it really that amusing?

"... Haides. My name is Haides." The colt shook his head and looked up again. "It is not a matter of blood family or not. It is a matter of principles. Serenity is aligned with the human king. Although I do not object to her views, I do not wish to be bound by them. Seeing only the side of the King's Azrien is biased, as is seeing only the Six's viewpoint. I want to determine for myself the path I will walk: the King's, the Six's, or a different path entirely."

Haides looked at Jaromila again. "But I cannot leave." His gaze drifted to the lake. "This is... where Beta is."

Haides remained silent for several minutes. "My mother... was murdered by the Six," he said finally, his gaze remaining on the lake. "But that was made possible... because a human murdered my father." He went quiet again, thinking of the best way to convey his thoughts. "I do not know which side is right, if either. What I do know is that this war killed my parents... and may have also cost me my brothers and sisters."

"If they are alive... I do not wish to fight them." The colt turned to look at Jaromila again. "No matter whom they've chosen to put their faith in." A frown formed on his face, making him look even more serious than he already did. "I am not sure I can do that here. But as long as this is where Beta is, I cannot leave."