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Literature Text
Autumn, Year 765 of the new Age
Knox’s Royal Glades, Glenmore
Ffael:
Oh, oh this was terrible! Tragic, horrible! The governess doe shuffled little Ffael into the hollow tree that was Bri’s home and cast an anxious glance about for the older boy, Orrick. It wouldn’t do to get Ffael out of harm's way and find that Orrick was still in danger! With a lash of her tail the aged doe circled Ffael, urging him back from the entrance every time he started to stray closer - then returned to an odd post half out of the tree to watch what happened. There was so much going on, so many voices, but the crystalline tones of her Princess sliced through the air as the dark stag retreated from the Glen.
"Princess, shall I stay with you?" The guard moved closer to the palomino doe, wary of the danger to the Princess should this… brigand decide one ‘law’ wasn’t enough to break. Her tone cut through him like a sharp knife. Dark, almost malicious.
"No, stay with my son... and keep the other fawns from straying too close." He wasted no time retreating from her presence, glimpsing the Governess as she vanished into the den with Ffael. He moved as quickly as he dared without getting that lords attention and found the elder doe leaning out the entrance.
“Governess,” the nondescript stag cleared his throat, urging her back into the den just as efficiently as she urged Ffael. The doe didn’t protest, relief flooded her face as he watched her retreat to tend to the brothers. The confusion and fear on Ffael’s young face tore at the guards heart. He had requested this position, suggested it was a good idea so that he could keep it, to prevent such looks from crossing the colts face.
Momma! Ffael bleated his distress wordlessly as Bri sent him away. No matter how many times she cast him aside, or ignored him ( or worse ) she was still his mother and he felt an unmistakable pull to her. A draw to her side and a need to be protected by her flank. Then the Governess was there, her fading shoulder blocking his young view from his mother, her warm voice trying to comfort him though he could hear the strain in her tones.
He bleated again and kicked once. It was all he could manage, his legs threatening to buckle if he did it again. What was going on? Where was mother? He bleated again, and again, tossing his head with wide eyes. Mother! I want mother!
He felt the doe push him into the den, and tried to circle back out. Over and over she cut him off and herded him back to the shelter of the den’s shadows - where he always lived - and at last he gave up.
“Governess,” he knew that voice! With a bleat of mixed delight and fear, Ffael lurched towards the guard, his wide eyes still terrified, and stared up at the stag as the guard gazed down at him. Then, the guard did the unthinkable for little Ffael. He turned away, ignoring the colt. Confused Ffael sank back upon himself, trudging away in a wash of uncertainty as his Governess insisted he move away from the den’s entrance. She was speaking, he could hear her voice, but the words made no sense ( even if he could focus enough to listen they would have meant very little to him. ) He sighed and hung his head.
Orrick:
Even though he had been ushered away from the confrontation by the glade guard, Orrick had seen the whole event transpire. He'd quickly learned that by acting in silence and obedience he was less noticed. It was a simple matter to slip at angles to his guard so that he could still see the clearing through the larger stag’s legs, even as they moved further away. Everyone was too entranced in the unfolding drama to pay too much attention to him anyways.
And so Orrick could see his father battered into submission with perfect clarity.
Behind him, his pale brother began to whimper and lash out at his caretaker.
The dark stag left, taking two of Father's does with him. Mother sailed forward towards Father. Orrick heard her sharp voice, a caressing blade, as she whirled into the clearing. Her rage was a terrible weapon, and Orrick could see how she gathered it to her as armor now too.
Blood was dripping onto the matted earth. Orrick flinched slightly at its every impact.
Blood was dripping onto the matted earth. Orrick flinched slightly at its every impact.
Ffael whimpered again. He was too young to understand the source of conflict. Orrick remembered what that was like. Much as his Mother disdained her latest fawn and indicated that he should do the same, Orrick couldn't help but go to him. Past the flighty governess all a-tremble and into the dark he went.
He curled around his brother, laying a dark head against Ffael’s supposedly hideous hide.
“Hush.” Orrick murmured in his low, solemn voice. “Hush, brother.”
Ffael
There was a brief moment of joy as the governess stepped aside to produce a gap of escape, which slumped the moment that gap darkened. Ffael didn’t wait to see by whom, he simply closed his eyes and tucked his head. Then, like magic to the young fawn, Orrick was there offering comfort and shelter.
Ffael bleated pitifully once and shoved his face as hard as he could into Orricks chest, as though he could somehow meld with his brother and escape it all. He didn’t quite understand what his older brother said, but he understood the soothing tones and the body language just fine.
Orrick:
Orrick let out a small huff of breath as his little brother knocked into his chest. He didn't mind the contact, despite being rocked back slightly.
He let his quiet, comforting words trail off as Ffael calmed. Orrick spoke almost mindlessly, for his mind was awhirl with the sound of battered flesh and pain. Father had not been strong enough. His father, their father! A stag who no one dared cross, brought suddenly and violently low. Orrick felt as though the ground beneath him was pitched sideways. He knew it to be flat, but he felt he was clinging to the side of a hill. And now there were two less does in the glade. Mothers to his siblings, part of his family, gone! Father hadn't been strong enough.
“You are only worthy of what you can keep safe.” Orrick whispered, his eyes lost in the distance.
Something about those words settled around his heart. They were a dark, heavy weight. They were laced with a feeling he had not felt before, but recognized well enough from his life with his Mother and Father. Fury.
His brother’s warm contact reminded him of where he was. The colt didn't care about what color his older brother was, Ffael seemed to love his brother just as unconditionally as their mother should have loved him. Orrick gazed down at his sibling. His brother who was unfortunately pale. Who was treated poorly even by the family they shared. Fury.
“I will keep you safe.” Orrick promised darkly, snuggling around Ffael tighter. “I will be strong, stronger than anyone else! And I will be worthy of being your brother. Of being your family.”
There was a long stretch of silence as the world outside the den continued to spin. He would never forget the patter of blood and the faces of the does led away.
“Or I will not be worthy of this life at all.” Orrick thought to himself grimly.
Suggested Collections
Autumn, Year 765 of the new Age
Knox’s Royal Glades, Glenmore
Orrick and Ffael's reactions to the events of Knox and Raven's showdown in: You Should've Known
Thanks for collabing with me on this piece, fishiefawns! Forgive me darling for making a few tweaks to your text and layout, as per moderator requests.
Is this the start of Orrick becoming a super angsty edgelord??!? In a word, yes.
Is this when Orrick becomes unshakably protective of his lil bro Ffael? Also, yes.
Tagging HayleyWolf so this doesn't get missed!
Orrick and Ffael's reactions to the events of Knox and Raven's showdown in: You Should've Known
Thanks for collabing with me on this piece, fishiefawns! Forgive me darling for making a few tweaks to your text and layout, as per moderator requests.
Is this the start of Orrick becoming a super angsty edgelord??!? In a word, yes.
Is this when Orrick becomes unshakably protective of his lil bro Ffael? Also, yes.
Tagging HayleyWolf so this doesn't get missed!
© 2016 - 2024 Frostwalker
Comments6
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Ahh this was just a little bit heartbreaking. Poor things.