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Meleager heard the female voice carry in from outside, but didn't reply immediately. This was the time of day, after eating, that he practised a complex sequence of steps, turns and stretches, testing every muscle for potential injury and ensuring he stayed as fit as he could. Today, though, he was making sloppy mistakes, not focusing, and he couldn't afford to get distracted.

Not any more than he was already, anyway. Meleager finished the routine with a sigh, and glanced towards the screen of branches to where Jocasta was waiting. He hadn't slept well; he wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind about this, but it had to be done, even if he wasn't as sure of his motives as he had been. With a sigh, the muscled herdleader shook his mane back into place, hoped he looked otherwise presentable, and emerged from his home.

"Jocasta-hellene," he greeted the appaloosa tactician with a dip of the head, "Thank you for coming." There was a patch of worn grass beneath her feet that hadn't been there yesterday, he noted - was she nervous about this, then? He smiled faintly at the mare, hoping to relax the situation as much as possible. Right now, he didn't need to be the herdleader of the Hellenes - that was not the best way to go about this. "You probably have questions for me," he guessed, "but first - shall we walk?"

The dappled stallion indicated a direction with one wing, and set off slowly, trusting her to follow him. Such a discussion was best conduted on neutral ground, he felt.

"You do?" Even conflicted as he was, Meleager couldn't help but smile. "That is excellent news. I..." the muscled stallion paused, frowning. How to explain this to her? How much should he say? He was sure Castor wouldn't mind their relationship being revealed, but did he? Would that just complicate things more? Perhaps it would just be best to start at the beginning.

"I have always wanted to have children," he said slowly, continuing to walk but with an eye on the mare beside him. "I have been unlucky in that I lost one daughter, and the other... left. I've got the experience now, and the desire, to be a good father. I just need to find the right mare for the job.

"You must understand," the grey stallion added, coming to a halt, "that I... that this isn't about me wanting a mate. I have a partner, who is wonderful-" his expression twitched almost into a smile, which faded as he remembered how he'd acted towards Castor the previous night - "but who cannot be the mother of my children. So... do you see why I need to do this?"

That, possibly, hadn't been as eloquent as it could have been, but it was alright as long as she understood - because that was important, Jocasta had to know why he was doing this, why he wanted it, and about Castor too. Meleager looked at her, struggling to keep his expression free of pleading.

Meleager sighed, looking down at the ground. Yes; this was the difficult part. "Before I continue, I ask that you not repeat this, Jocasta, for it would not benefit the herd. You I trust to know the situation, since you are to be involved," he added, raising his head to look her in the eyes.

"I thought I wanted children to be my heirs, to provide a future leader for the herd who would share my blood, who I could raise and guide and shape into the best successor possible. But... Castor persuaded me otherwise. I see that this would lead, in time, to the position of herdleader being inherited regardless of whether the child deserves it. It would, I believe, damage the herd in the long run. And so I was persuaded not to take that course." Meleager paused, sighed again, and shuffled his hooves in frustration. He hated situations like this. He hated admitting that he had been wrong.

"I am... content to have children who I can rear, and teach, and love, and leave the security of belonging in a strong, proud herd. I inherited nothing from my parents, save the upbringing they gave me," he said with a wry smile at the appaloosa mare, "Any children we have will already be greatly advantaged, but they will not inherit either the position of tactician or herdleader. Given that I was appointed by Helen on the basis of my abilities and actions, I feel that it would be most appropriate if I followed a similar path."

There. That was it all, as much as he could stand to tell her, without going into the details of the argument they had had. Even as he said the words, Meleager knew he did believe them - it was just hard to accept.

"Yes, I suppose." Meleager smiled, feeling for the first time in their conversation genuine excitement about the prospect of having children of his own again, and with this remarkably understanding and tactful mare. Pleased, he continued, "If they inherit anything of both my strength and your intelligence, our children will be blessed indeed. I think... you will be a good mother, Jocasta."

He paused. She seemed to understand the gravity of the situation, how important it was to do this right, to do what would be best for any children they produced. And that, he supposed, meant no hidden truths. "I ought to say why I chose you," the herdleader added. "I needed a Reya mare who was trustworthy, healthy, an exemplary Hellene, with skills and talents to complement mine. I chose you because we had met once before, and because Castor recommended you. You're good at your job, Jocasta - like he is. That's important to me, that Castor sees that in you... because he is important to me, also," he finished with a sigh.

The dappled stallion felt that that had been rather a roundabout and inadequate explanation, but he was almost sure the tactician would understand, and just to be sure he added, "This, too, you must not repeat to anyone. ...Not yet."

Meleager shook his head. "Only Castor's father, and his bodyguard, Ignatius-hellene. The Council will know soon enough, though." He still hadn't quite decided when or how to explain that... It would cause problems, he knew, with Castor so recently come to his position. But it would be necessary. Most important of all, the rest of the Council needed to know before the rest of the herd. And by his - by their - choice, too. It would do their faith in him no good to all to have such rumours spread and then proved true.

The herdleader frowned. Practicalities... he would have to speak to Castor about this. The slim crossbreed would know what was best. Thinking of Castor, he felt a twinge of guilt. He had been rather harsh towards the pale stallion the previous night. Now, with some progress made towards sorting things with Jocasta, he felt much more positive about the whole thing. He could forget his damaged pride - there were other things here that were more important.

Gathering his thoughts, Meleager turned back to Jocasta, smiling at her. "Thank you. One more thing - please, dispense with the 'hallah'?" he asked. "I think we've gone little past the need for formalities now," he added with a grin.

"Err..." Oh yes, he'd forgotten that necessity, in the midst of all the other things he'd had to say. The herdleader blinked, deciding to change the subject briefly, and address Jocasta's questions in order.

"Just Meleager, please," he clarified to begin with, then paused briefly "- and I don't think there was anything else I meant to speak of. I suppose when," - he deliberately opted for the definite, not the conditional, although by gods it felt weird to say - "we have foals, you may have to care for them the majority of the time, since I'll still be busy... but I'll make every effort to spend time with you, and I hope Castor will join us. I can sort out a home for you near the lake where I live - I think that would be suitable, don't you?" He smiled, hoping the offering would please her. It was one of best areas of live in, of course, so she should be pleased. "And if you like, a civilian to assist with caring for the foals... but that will all come in due course.

"Before that, the matter of, the, uh, act... the practicalities. Uh... I think we should give it some time, a few days or a week, to get used to the idea, and to make arrangments. Of course, if you change your mind I'll understand." But not be pleased. "Not too long, though, since I'd rather not hold off telling the Council, and I'd rather tell them once the matter of children is settled." The grey stallion frowned slightly. I would say in about a week's time, if it's convenient for you. And would you..." Meleager hesitated here. He hated to be too formal about it, but it might just increase the oddness of the situation if they were too friendly. Ah well, let her decide. "Would you like me to arrange a dinner for us ...beforehand, or would you rather just stick to business?"

Meleager smiled uncertainly. Damn. He'd always left it up to the mare to decide these things before; it was the sort of thing mares liked, after all, romantic dinners under the stars with fresh juicy fruit... but then, he was hardly trying to woo her. "...I'll see," he said eventually, "perhaps we can meet somewhere near some nice fruit trees in case either of us has had a particularly busy day and not yet eaten." That ought to be a suitable compromise. At least she liked the idea of a new home, and the issue of caring for the foals could be sorted later.

Meleager swallowed, finding that he felt slightly dirty about the act itself, when it came down to it. It was wrong, whispered the edges of his consciousness, but the more practical parts of his mind urged him to view it as a business transaction... of sorts. He just hoped Jocasta would conceive quickly.

Putting that thought to the back of his mind for now, Meleager smiled awkwardly at the appaloosa mare. "So, a week from today, in the evening? Shall we meet here?"