awwww! & sorry for the wait! I started to wrap this up a bit.
Of course Alder did not know for certain, it was only what he thought Lum was telling him. He was in tuned with his instincts, his mother having taught him to trust his gut, and that was how he seemingly "spoke" with the horse. But even if she was telling him, how would the mare know either? It was a mystery and they wouldn't know until she was ready to give birth. It was a scary notion of course, remembering Princess' birthing vividly. It was seemed painful, and terrifying. The boy didn't exactly want to be present for that again, for the stress son his fragile personality had been great, but he knew that he needed to give his support.
The King's words were something Alder had never expected and he looked at the doggish-hybrid with a light glaze gaze. This was not his mother praising him, nor was it his last alphess who was indeed his mother greatest friend. It was the King of Cour des Miracles, and his compliment made the boy turn from stunned to bashful in only a few moments. "Thank you sir." he spoke with the same manners as always.
"I can groom your horse next, if you'd like." The boy was happy to do that for the leader, and his tail wagged with the hopes that he would allow him to.
.alderfeb02 b {font-weight:bold; color:#8d979b; letter-spacing:1px; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.2em #1b2e36; }
.alderfeb02-ooc {font-style:italic; padding:0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size:12px; color:#cdcabd; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.2em #2a4b57; text-align:left;}
.alderfeb02 p {text-indent:0px; padding:5px 15px; margin:0px;}
.alderfeb02 {margin:0 auto; width:480px; background-color:#2a4b57; background-image:url(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v121/ ... rfeb02.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; border:2px solid #d3be93; padding: 145px 0px 10px 0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size:12px; color:#cdcabd; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.2em #2a4b57; letter-spacing:.3px; word-spacing:.8px; line-height:12px; text-align:justify;}
.alderfeb02-border1 {width:484px; border:1px solid #1b2e36; margin:0 auto;}
.alderfeb02-line1 {width:450px; border-bottom:1px dotted #94a5ab; margin:0 auto 3px auto;}
</style>
[/html]