Disrespect (Tuscan and Melora)

Lady Melora

The little Lady Melora walked down the dirt path, having just left her class lessons on how to be a proper lady. She stared down at the ground with her brow furrowed, watching where she placed her hooves carefully. Today her teacher had given the little girls a lecture on how a lady should walk properly, and as always, Melora was determined to perfect the way of a true lady.
She had been cursed by the gods to be given a dark coat in a society so regimented as Glenmore, and she would live with her curse for all of her days, however the little grullo filly had it set in her mind that she would make up for it by the perfection of every other aspect she could. The other fillies at the class, she hated. Those girls thought they were better than Melora, they sneered at her and turned their heads away when she looked to them. The little dark lady had always harbored a hatred in her heart toward females for this reason, but some day she'd show them all up. She continued her slow strut as she stared down at her hooves, walking along the path with anger in heart from the discrimination she'd just dealt with, pleased that she'd be home soon. She wondered which of her mother’s would be there this time.. Menoa was hardly ever there for her daughter, she had no home in Virgil’s grove. Bethrys had taken the filly under her wing.. to a degree, but Bethrys was busy with her own fawn by now, a dark one just like Mel, and now Mel frankly felt a little discarded. She knew Bethrys and Menoa both loved her, but still sometimes she felt like a motherless child.

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Lord Tuscan

Tuscan was trotting along the forests of Glenmore, nodding importantly to the handsome stags and pretty does as he went by. He was growing every day, bigger and bigger and he had never been more confident in his ability to be a great Lord (outwardly anyway. Inwardly he grew more unstable, more insecure, more unsure of himself.) It was because of his inner conflict that he often sought out less-than-admirable ways to reaffirm to himself that he had a place here, he was a Lord. A perfect Lord. And he wanted everyone to know it.

So when he saw a little Lady walking toward home, clearly putting effort into perfecting her graceful stride, Tuscan had his next target. He trotted over to her. She was doing quite good with her walk, he might have noticed, if it wasn’t for her coat. Her darkness was all that he saw, that and her amusing attempts at being anything other than what she was; a freak. “Practicing your gait?” Was what he chose to say first. Make it seem like he could potentially be being polite or kind. But if she were to look into his eyes, she would be able to see the sneering malice within them.

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Lady Melora

Melora looked up at the handsome young stag in front of her. She much enjoyed the company of colts, she usually found them more reasonable than fillies, and enjoyed playing with them when she had the chance. “Yes.”   The dark filly’s face shifted from one of intense focus to one of excitement as a smile grew on her lips at the boy, maybe he wanted to play? But then she noticed his eyes, something was wrong about them.. he didn't want to play with her, he wanted to play at her.

She figured if she held her ground and remained proper, maybe he'd go away from her without causing some sort of discord. Her feet pulled together and her tail lifted a bit as she looked him in the eye confidently, a coquettish, taunting little smirk on her lips. Though she was a filly, and not a very tall one at that, the darkling stood as tall as her oppressor, being just a sliver older than him. Her eyes scanned him up at down “Do you like it? My teacher says that I'm rather gifted in the ways of the Lady.” She huffed gently and snuffed her nose a bit in a braggish way, hoping to deter him from dark coat, and maybe even make a friend out of this? He was rather handsome after all, and even at this age, an innocent little baby-flirt was one of her favorite activities.

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Lord Tuscan

Tuscan noticed the initial excitement in the dark female’s eyes and he snickered, amused that she could possibly think he would ever care about her stupid gate. It looked like she noticed, but instead of shrinking away in submissive embarrassment and shame like he hoped, she chose to stand tall, showing off a striking pose. She even looked proud! How could anyone in Glenmore have let this happen?

“Ha, your teacher says that?” he replied, “she must be blind.” He lifted his own head higher, to try and assert himself as bigger, but alas she was as tall as him. He flicked an irritated ear and rolled her eyes as he looked away casually, “but I guess it makes sense... she has to tell you something to keep her in your parents’ good graces after all.” he said with a shrug, then looked back at the little doe to add with a gross smile, “or maybe she’s just a freak like you.”

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Lady Melora

The darkling filly listened the colt’s words stoically as her little brow furrowed. Of course he didn't care about her gate, and after he rolled his eyes, she rolled hers as well. She had dealt with this sort of thing before, how could she have thought for one moment that he'd want to be friends? Oh well, she'd just have to endure through it as always, maybe she'd even let him have a kick in the face or a nice bite on the rump like she sometimes did to bullies,..

But then she heard something from him that she couldn't possibly excuse herself from. “She has to tell you something to keep your parents in good graces, or maybe she's just a freak like you.” Melora let out a strong huff and stomped one of her hoofs, pushing herself forward at the colt angrily. “Of course she wants to make my parents happy! My father is Lord Virgil! but that doesn't change that I'm the best in my class, it's obvious!” She huffed again as what would have been a little snarl grew on her lips, had it not been for her mouth moving so angrily “She's got a beautiful creme coat, she is NOT. a freak!!” She stomped her foot again. “And- Neither am I!!”

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Lord Tuscan

She looked like she might ignore him until something he said lit a fire within her. Tuscan recoiled slightly, but was careful to keep all four feet planted and his head high as he glared at her. He was the right one here, not her, he had no reason to back down! So he laughed in her face at her words, that was the best way to deal with anger he found over his bullying days, especially with these temperamental undesirables who think the world owes them something! “Yeah right, the best lady in her class wouldn’t have a temper as nasty as yours!” he shot back at her, disregarding the fact that he had certainly baited her into this. He knew of Lord Virgil, the stag was a household name in Glenmore. He had a coat more suited to a female than a male, it was no surprise he had produced an offspring like this, “Between your tantrums and coat, do you really think any stag would ever want you? Even if you did perfect that sloppy trot of yours!” he laughed again. Now her gait had been pretty good. But he was here to give her a rough time, he hadn’t even been paying attention to her movements before he had shoved his way into her life. To Tuscan it didn’t matter if she could float like a butterfly, she was still weird!

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Lady Melora

She stared at him while he laughed, her brow furrowed at him upsetly. How could he be so rude? She opened her mouth to say something back to him, but then he said she couldn't be a real lady with her temper. Maybe he was right, her parents had always told her a temper isn't fit for a lady. She frowned a bit and her furrowed brow turned to upset ones, but then this little red stag said something else that cut deeper into the filly. ‘What makes you think anyone will want you with a temper like that?’ Her large, soft, filly ears folded back on her skull. He was right, no one could want her with such a temper, even though he was the one in the wrong. But before she could stop herself to think, she heard her words leave her mouth “Well what makes you think any doe would want to be with a mean boy like you?” she realized what she had spoken and winced softly, she'd lashed out again in an unladylike fashion, only proving this colt’s point for him

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Lord Tuscan

Tuscan had clearly got her now, she looked genuinely upset and hurt by his words. As was proper! This was how these freaks should be acting. Too many of them had a mind like they were acceptable and equal to the rest. But this one seemed to understand her place, better than most others at least. Though she was still fighting back. Tuscan snorted in reply, his own temper flaring. “I’m not mean to does who are worth something!” He shot back defensively, his words not spoken as an insult, but as if it was what he genuinely believed. And besides that, he was mean to does sometimes even if they were “worth something” (aka traditional). Especially if they somehow slighted him. In his mind, anyone who didn’t understand how much he was worth was worthless themselves, almost as worthless as one with nontraditional coloring. Maybe less even? Eh whatever. He refocused on the Lady before him and tossed his head dismissively, his long mane flowing with the movement. “Besides… I’m normal. In fact, better than normal! Look at how dark my fur is, and how big and strong I am already! I already have lots of doe friends too. And they all think I’m the best.” No one had ever told him that, even if he did have some does who he considered friends. But this was about his honor, so he wasn’t afraid to lie stretch the truth a bit.

Suddenly he realized he was defending himself to some dark-doe loser. “And you can’t talk to me like that, I’m a Lord. You have no idea the trouble I could get you in for your disrespect.” He had no idea either, really, but stags were worth more than does so surely he could turn her into somewhere. Maybe his father…. now that he thought of it, though, he wasn’t sure that his father would be so happy with him… he was always talking about how to treat the servants with kindness and respect. But no that was different, right? She wasn’t a royal servant. She was… she was just a scraggly manly doe! Surely his father would agree!

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Lady Melora

“I have worth.” she huffed upsetly “Some day i'll have beautiful sons and daughters who will be more beautiful than any doe who puts value on you, or any of their children.” she huffed sternly and shifted her hooves upsetly. One day she would find a good handsome lord who accepted her, hopefully. “Some day even you might wish you were nicer to me.” without her control, her eyes welled up and tears began to dribble down her face. She wouldn't sob in an ugly way like most does did, her face remained itself while her quartz eyes reddened and tears made their way down her cheeks.

She looked up at the colt when he threatened he would get her in trouble. Him? get her in trouble? He was the one who had walked up and started harassing a lady. It was very unlord-like behavior, even in this herd where does had little to no value, lords were supposed to be taught respect for ladies, and chivalry.

“You? get me in trouble?” she scoffed while little tears rolled down her eyes. “I didn't do anything wrong, my coat wasn't chosen by my parents.”   she looked up at him with her characteristic feistiness, even while her tears dribbled down her cheeks. “But your parents chose not to teach you! you're a horribly misbehaved lord! They should be ashamed of you, and I'm sure they are. No mother could love a boy as mean as you!” more tears rolled down her eyes while she spoke.
“You might be strong and handsome, but you lack the one thing makes a lord a lord.” she paused, “You lack honor.” she spat upsetly as more tears rolled down her eyes. She would have ran away with that, she was horrible upset and hurt, but she didn't want to appear a coward.

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Lord Tuscan

Tuscan laughed in her face as Melora described the perfect family she would have. “Pffah! In your dreams maybe,” he replied, “After all I can’t imagine why anyone would let you breed!” It was a horrible thing to say… as was most everything else, but Tuscan was pretty caught up in the moment now, his blood running hot and his hooves tingling for this conflict, so eager to just let it all out! Whatever ’it all’ was. Either way, there was something so empowering and satisfying to him about just getting to someone. And he clearly was getting to her, since she started to cry. Tuscan smirked, “I’ll never wish that, just look at you cry, you know it’s all true!” he said.

Tuscan didn’t like her bringing up his parents. He thought about his Dad… and that tinge of doubt that perhaps he wasn’t doing the right thing pricked at the back of his mind. And bringing up his mother, and saying that she didn’t love him? He knew that wasn’t true! His insecurity about both cases made him angry though. “My mother is dead,” he snarled back. That would usually shut anyone up. He couldn’t really think about how she would feel about this though… after all he didn’t remember her much. But what did that matter? She was just a doe. “I was raised by my Dad, no soft doe nonsense involved. He loves me fiercely and is very proud!” he glared at Melora with his ears flat and his large mahogany eyes narrowed angrily when she insulted his honor. “I have more honor than anyone!” he asserted, “But I don’t have to be nice to freaks” He didn’t miss that she called him strong and handsome, though… that was weird. Why would she compliment him in the middle of him insulting her? It was still nice to hear though… Maybe she does know her place after all, he thought smugly. Being strong and handsome was more important than being honorable anyway, wasn’t it?

He found pretty quick that he didn’t like seeing her cry, or looking into those brown eyes so full of tears and dismay. Anger he was happy to reply to. But this… especially when she at first seemed so genuinely hopeful when he approached her… something bugged him about that, telling him that he ought to get out of here, that this wasn’t as fun as it was supposed to be. That made him angrier, if truth be told. He let out a laugh, determined to show her that he didn’t take her seriously at all. “I don’t know why I’m wasting my time, I don’t have to defend myself against you.” He was about ready to get out of this situation. “Why don’t you just run on home? Show your parents your prancing around, hear them say how great you look, but whatever they say know that they’ll always just pity you.”

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Lady Melora

She stood and listened while he carried on about how she'd never have beautiful children and that no one would even breed with her. She knew she was a highborn, and that her blood was valuable despite whatever tint or hue her coat may be, but what he said hurt her. “Oh yes they will! Her brow furrowed at him, “You'll see for yourself someday! Without her control, the filly let out a strained grunt on the verge of sob as she cried. She dropped her tail down to its normal height. She wouldn't run off with her tail between her legs, but she couldn't keep it high in this state.

When he said his mother was dead, Melora raised a brow at him. She felt bad that his mother was dead… maybe that was why he being so rude? Oh well, it didn't matter, she was still mad at him!! Who cares if his mother is dead since he thinks she was worthless anyway! She should just bite him and be done with it! No one would be able to prove it was her anyway. But something in the filly resonated within her.  She could give him a nasty mark.. or try to help him. Helping others was one of Mel’s most common activities, and this colt seemed to need her help!

Maybe he'd end up liking her someday, or maybe even being her friend; this was not that day, he was so horrible! However, she decided not to antagonize him further. She mustered up all the confidence she could and held her head high as small tears danced down her face slowly. She took long graceful strides, circling the colt and staring at him seemingly confidently, though her ears were pinned against her skull. After several graceful circles, she stopped in front of him, dipped her head, and curtsied. She looked up at him in this position, she was lower than him here and it killed her soul, but she had one thing he didn't, she had the thing he lacked, she had ‘honor’. She looked him dead in the eye, holding this very ladylike position, “I'm sorry to have brought up your mother.” she stood back up and stepped beside him, looking over her shoulder at him as she began to depart.

“But ah well, it doesn't matter now.” she nodded in an almost forgiving way before looking him in the eye, “I'm Lady Melora, I suppose I'll see you.” Her tail took a long, elegant whip to the side as she started off down the path toward her father’s glade. Her gait was graceful as a lady’s should be, despite the ordeal she'd just been through. Tears began to pour heavily down her face, dripping into the floor beneath her. The sheer nature of the words exchanged caused her to cry harder as she escorted herself back to her home, hopefully to find consolation in herself that evening, she wouldn't dare go to her parents after this.

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Lord Tuscan

Tuscan followed her as she circled around him, looking annoyed at first but after the first or second circle he gave her a sneer. “Dance, stag-lady.” he mocked. Finally she stood before him and curtsied. He lifted his head in what he tried to make seem like amused contempt. Though he felt a bit sour when she apologized about bringing up his mother. “Pfft, don’t be stupid enough to believe your words mean anything to me.” he said, tilting up his nose arrogantly. Luckily she turned to go and Tuscan felt a bit of relief. He was getting tired of this one anyway. With a last whip of her tail and an introduction, she trotted off. Tuscan wasn’t capable of not having the last word, so he called after her, “Lord Tuscan! You’d be smart to remember me, and stay out of my way!” Tuscan often twisted the experience around as if it was the other who had been the initiator. They were, sorta, by being freaks. He half snorted and half snickered as he watched her trot away for a moment before turning and going his own way.