Dmitri was a bit disturbed, to say the least. The Arabian had traces of magic on her. More specifically, it was Copperstone magic. This would be consistent with her coming from the capital, since both Anya and Yevgeney were there. The Witch's Pony probably came from the same place.
Dmitri rubbed his chin. "I am beginning to think you are right, that they both came from the capital. If so, I'll arrange to have them retrieved."
Theia's heart sank. "Is that truly necessary? The rebels are in control of the capital, are they not? I understand keeping the king's property intact, but they could be much more useful out here with us."
"There are still plenty of royalists still hiding in the capital, Theia," Dmiri reminded her. "My brother will make sure they do not end up in rebel hands."
"But what of their foals?" Theia said, undeterred. "All this travel could upset their pregnancies. And considering their exceptional breeds, what better care could they receive than that of a Horse Witch and a Copperstone?"
At this, Dmitri started to look uncertain. Seeing this, Theia pushed again. "Your brother is quite busy, I'm sure. We should not saddle him with a pregnant Witch's Pony at a time like this."
By now, Dmitri was studying the mares thoughtfully. He opened his mouth to reply a few times but always held back. Soon, he simply answered, "Let's discuss this later. Right now, could you show me the place where you found them? If they were separated from their riders, there may be some refugees from the capital lost in the forest. We ought to move quickly."
Theia bit back her frustration. At least, he did not say no outright. Besides, she had not considered stranded refugees. Far be it from her to leave some poor group of travelers in such a situation. "Very well, Lord Copperstone. I will take you there. You may ride me to save some time."
And if no refugees were found, she thought, I can try to persuade him again.
Going outside, she changed into her horse form and allowed Dmitri to saddle her up. Volunteering to carry the young lord also gave her another opportunity. Her alluring charm had been intended for horses, but she felt sure that if she decreased its potency, it could work very well on a human as well, making them more amiable to her suggestions. While morally questionable and likely to get her punished if discovered, she justified it by telling herself it was for the sake of her duties as a Horse Witch. First, however, there was a search to be done.