At last, Ladybug could no longer contain her curiosity. "Leksea, you seem rather calm about all this."
The only indication the little filly heard was a brief glance. A few more miles later, she broke the silence. "You wish to know why I am not upset, then?"
"Yes," the mare said uncertainly.
"Honestly, I was a little upset, at first. However, it was only for the fact that you transformed me without permission. Then, I realized this was actually better. I am not completely inexperienced at living as a horse. Or a female." Leksea took a deep breath. "Or even a newborn foal."
Ladybug snorted in surprise. "You mean, you were magicked into a filly before? This must be why you were so afraid of Witch's spells! Oh, Leksea, I am deeply sorry! I did not mean-"
Leksea interrupted her rambling apology with a small neigh of amusement. "No, Ladybug. You misunderstand. I was not magicked into a filly. I was born a filly. And like any other filly, I grew into a mare. I was happy, and I looked forward to the day I would be chosen by a stallion who would give me foals of my own. But it was not to be."
The mare listened, stunned. "So, you were originally a mare, and you were changed into a human. A male human."
"My owner was the son of a lesser Witch family. One day, he had an argument with a servant right next to my stall. This led to a fight, one which only he walked away from. The son, wishing to hide his crime, changed me into the servant's double. He was young and not very talented with magic. The change was terribly painful."
Seeing the foal trembling at the memory, Ladybug stepped forward and nudged her close to her side. "You do not have to continue, little one."
However, Leksea seemed determined to let it all out. With a shudder, she went on. "He dressed me in the servant's clothes and compelled me to flee into the woods in full view of witnesses, no doubt so he could claim the servant had merely run away. By the time the spell faded, I was lost. If not for the magic imbuing me with the necessary knowledge of a human, I might have starved there.
"But I survived long enough to find a town. Over time, I adapted to human life, and of course, my knowledge of horses came in handy. I oversaw the breeding of mares for a living, though I had never been bred myself. It was not a bad life overall."
"So this is why you distrust Witches," Ladybug said sadly. "And why you shied away from being transformed."
Leksea leaned against Ladybug's foreleg. "I have recovered a little, thanks to you. Your spells were far more competent. I was surprised that there was no pain at all. I no longer fear letting you change me."
"If you wish, I could age you into a mare again and restore your appearance," Ladybug offered. "You can regain the life you lost."
Leksea turned to her. "Would that truly be alright with you?"
"I will deal with it," Ladybug said bravely. "I have given up so many foals already, I am almost used to it. And soon, I will give birth again and have two more. That will ease the heartache, I am sure."
The filly thought it over.