Mikhail snorted and advanced on the Horse Witch. "You will not separate me from my mate."
The Horse Witch smiled. "Be at ease, young Lord, or should I say, young Lady. You will see him again soon enough."
The Witch's Pony mare relaxed a little, but she remained wary.
At this point, Olga confronted the man. "Ely, what have you done? Were we not supposed to obtain the Copperstone family's cooperation?"
"And we have it, dear Olga," Ely replied. "Any plans of subterfuge have been replaced by a dutiful mare's desire for her stallion. We may do as we like, now."
"How do we even know such subterfuge existed? And what of Lord Copperstone senior and his wife?" Olga demanded. "Do you expect them to accept what you have done to the only heir they can account for?"
Ely waved a hand. "We have taken their land. We have their daughter as insurance, and our agents are watching them constantly. They are practically unnecessary. If it were up to me, I would have added the whole family to their own herds, by now."
Olga grimaced as she glanced at the former Mikhail now being brushed down by the other Horse Witches. "This is not right. He did nothing wrong. He was going to be married to Lady Iris."
"And she will continue to do nothing wrong," Ely said. "But if it is Lady Iris you are concerned for, relax. I will make sure they are together for good."
Turning, Ely ordered Lady Iris to be summoned. Soon, she entered in human form, not pleased to be separated from her foals. It took her a few seconds to recognize Mikhail, and she nearly panicked at seeing her precious mate reduced to a pregnant mare.
"Tell Lady Iris to assume her horse form. She will obey you," Ely said to Mikhail. "Do not worry. We will merely add her to your mate's herd. Do you not wish your stallion to have a decent herd?"
"She will not do it, surely," Olga said hopefully.