Anya rode in silence for a while. Sassy never looked at her, but she could feel the horse's indignation in the tense muscles beneath her. Finally, she sighed. "Sassy, I had to do it. I have no magic to defend either of us, right now. If he reports us to the rebels, it could make the journey ahead more difficult than it already is."
She felt Sassy's back ease a bit, and her ears rotated towards her. Seeing this, she went on. "Besides, I felt no pleasure from him. Nothing. If that makes you feel any better."
It did, apparently, as Sassy's stride became more easy, and she grunted in satisfaction. Anya bit her lip. As much as she loved her, Sassy was such a simple soul.
No sense in ruining that good feeling by admitting that concubines regularly slept with the guards and occasionally, even with each other. The harem could get boring, after all, and it was no secret that the royal family did the same thing all the time. Aside from the king and prince's harems, the queen had her consorts, and even Jasper's sister had been asking for her own harem since her debut.
Anya patted the mare's neck. "Look, my love. I'll make it up to you when we get back. Once you are restored, I will allow you to take me in the stable, too. Agreed?"
Her joke had the desired effect, as Sassy tossed her head and neighed her laughter. Anya neighed, too.
Then, both of them paused. Did Anya just neigh?
"That was strange," Anya mumbled to herself.