The Gilded Lord (Tuscan, Melora, Vahana)

Tuscan

Tuscan was in a bad mood. He’d gotten into another fight with Bethel this morning and quickly lost his temper, taking off on his own before she could return with his father. The last fawnling he wanted to see right now was his dad. He made it to the royal glades before he stopped running, slowing to a trot and then a stop to catch his breath. He growled, kicking a tree with a hoof, too upset to care about who was around to judge him.

That was when he noticed the slender dark shape of someone familiar. It was Melora, perhaps on her way home again. Just what he needed, a freak trying to fit in and play royal with the fawnlings who actually mattered. Why didn’t her parents hide in a cave somewhere where she belonged? He strode over, “Morning, Lady Stag,” he greeted her sarcastically, “Top of the class again? Ever figure out what favors your teacher has your Dad doing for that?” He snickered.

---

Melora

Melora walked home steadily, practicing her gait again. She had grown quite proficient at it by now, and seemed to glide more fluidly. She had added her own twist to it by now, the start of a very fox-like movement which she was forming. The darkling was focused; watching her feet step one in front of the other, keeping a steady pace.
She was doing rather well until she heard the familiar voice of a less than pleasant companion. She huffed and looked up at the red colt. “Good morning.. Tuscan.’’ She flicked her tail sharply behind her. This was a bad time for his shenanigans. Last time she was home late, her father and mother gave her a good scolding about it. She hadn’t told them the reason she was late.. She didn’t want to get Tuscan in trouble, if he was a Royal Jerk.
“What is it this time.. Just can’t stay away, hm?” She teased him quickly, already knowing what he’d start up with… What hurtful things would he say this time?

---

Vahana

The early summer sun drenched the Glenwood in glittering, white rays. The deep tones of the forest foliage shimmered like emeralds in the light. Vahana’s desaturated pelt caught the beams as well, and bore a youthful glow. His eyes danced among the treetops, as he traced the path of wind that rustled the leaves. His step was confident; his chin lifted high. The colt boasted no royal title, but he still held an air of poise. His mother had taught him as much.

Vahana had been born a commoner, yet had the exceptional good fortune of growing up in the glade of a well-respected lord and his princess. His dam had served the couple for years, before parting with her duties to join the harem of a lord herself. Vahana, on the other hand, was a growing child, and his heart yearned for exploration and adventure. He was not content spending time in the hearth of a stag who was not his sire, and so generally kept himself busy by helping out his dam, running errands, or going on his own. Today, he had taken the morning off from chores, choosing instead to meander around the royal glades in hopes of catching sight of one of his friends.

However, the first faces Vahana came across were entirely unfamiliar. This didn’t deter him though, as he was rather savvy with making new acquaintances. He was open-minded, but polite, and had begun to understand the intricacies of proper etiquette. So, the fawn allowed a smile to cross his lips, and curled the tip of his tail decoratively as he trotted closer to the two strangers.

As he approached, however, he realized that the exchange between them was not entirely cordial, and stopped in his tracks. One of them, a rather impressive-looking colt, seemed to be berating the other, a dark-furred filly. Vahana cocked his head. He knew of the malice Glenmore showed toward imperfect does. He himself had been subject to hateful taunts, particularly in winter, when his pelt would change color. Vahana was not a fan of this behavior, and would see an end to it if it were within his power.

Still, it wouldn’t be very gallant to intervene where his presence might not be desired. He thought it best to stay back to watch them a moment longer, and see how their conversation progressed.

---

Tuscan

Tuscan snorted at her tease, “You are the one who can’t stay away. Prancing around in public as if you’re proud of yourself. Don’t you know that everyone is laughing at you as soon as you turn away? Even my servant Bethel told me how much she pities you, and she’s a dumb old commoner! She’s still prettier than you, though, she’s normal.” In truth, he made all of that up, he hadn’t noticed anyone laughing at Melora nor had Bethel ever mentioned Melora at all. But he didn’t have a good comeback to her teasing, and he couldn’t just let her keep being cheeky with him. He wasn’t here to be teased. He was here to try and get his mind off what happened in his father’s Glade.

---

Melora

   Again the young lord started at her, this time he said even his servant had pitied her. Melora had nothing against commoners or servants, she admired how they carried their smiles so openly, how they worked so cheerfully and never stooped to such games of passive aggression as royals tended to. And servant had called her ugly, and said she had pitied her. Melora always thought servants were sweet and lovely; the thought that one had taken the liberty to speak out on the subject of Melora's looks crushed her, how ugly really was she?,,..

In the back of her head, Melora knew Tuscan wasn't quite to be trusted.. not in the least bit considering his nature, however his words still hurt her. She clenched her teeth, trying not to cry but once again the colt had managed to make her eyes well. Her ears pinned against her skull and she stuttered a moment "Wh- why would she say that! If she met me personally I-i'm sure she wouldn't say such a thing! I don’t believe you!" She stared at the colt upsetly. He was growing faster than her, and was almost taller than her by now, adding to her state of upset.

---

Vahana

The colt’s ears laid back against his head. His eyes clouded with pity as he watched the doe shrink back at her bully’s hateful words. She was clearly in pain, and Vahana loathed seeing it. His violet gaze shifted once more to the buck who was spitting these insults, and his expression darkened. This was intolerable. Though it was none of his business, and perhaps it was improper for his status, depending on who these two were, Vahana could not just stand by and do nothing! His sense of expediency did not outweigh that of righteousness, and as long as he could help it, it never would. His mother had always been adamant about teaching him to look past these emotions, out of self-preservation, but it was simply not in his moral capacity to do so.

Vahana took a few steps forward. His heart raced; his mind whirled, but his intention was concrete as the roots of the Great Oak. He summoned a cool tone, riddled with vexation. “Hey, is everything alright over here?” he asked, glancing back and forth between the victim and her offender.

---

Tuscan

Melora looked about to cry as she protested, calling him out on his lie. Tuscan smirked in return, watching the impact his words had on the gentle female. He opened his mouth to continue, to insist it was true and perhaps make something up from the top of his head that Bethel might have said specifically. But then someone else approached. Tuscan flicked an angry gaze to this newcomer as he spoke, trying to size him up. He looked about Tuscan’s age and held himself with confidence, so even if Tuscan didn’t recognize the male he wondered if he was also a Lord. Either way, he didn’t like that this colt interfered. “Fine,” he growled in answer, instinctively stepping forward a bit so he was more between Melora and the new Fawnling, in an almost possessive way. His voice wasn’t exactly rude, in case this one was a royal, but it certainly was not pleasant either. “And who are you?”

---

Melora

Melora looked over at the newcomer as he approached, at first she was concerned perhaps that Tuscan had brought 'backup' this time, there was no reason for him to, but her mind went there nonetheless. However, contrary to joining Tuscan in his persecution, the purple colt inquired on the nature of she and Tuscan's interaction.
Melora opened her mouth to respond to him, before her red pelted oppressor stepped between she and the new colt.
Her ears folded back again as she took a short step back instinctively. However Tuscan's firm body language would not stifle her for long, and she worked up the courage to speak. "I'm only trying to get home.." She glanced to Tuscan with a lack of amusement as she put emphasis on 'trying', before looking back to the lilac colt before her. She wondered what he might do, and part of her hoped he might aid her in her goal.

---

Vahana

Vahana caught the colt’s glare, and swallowed nervously. Though he held his composure, his heart had started beating faster. He was far from sheltered, but at his age, confrontation was still fairly foreign to him. He wasn’t entirely sure what would come next.

Vahana clenched his jaw, reminding himself that each day was a new lesson: how to walk; what to eat; how to speak to his betters. Perhaps today he would learn something a little more difficult… That was the price he had to pay if he wanted to fight for the underdog, right?

“My name is Vahana. Who are you?” He shot the stranger’s question back at him, and returned his icy gaze. Vahana continued moving closer, until he stood beside the filly, staring up the snout of the other colt.

Insults danced on the tip of his tongue, but Vahana bit them back. He still didn’t have a complete grasp of the situation. It would be foolish to stoop to slander before he understood what exactly had transpired. So, he turned toward the young female. “What do you mean ‘trying’?” He asked.

---

Tuscan

Tuscan glanced behind him when Melora piped up, giving her a venomous look. Does should be seen, not heard. Though ugly ones should be neither. He held his tongue for now, though, until he would get a better read on this new colt.

He turned back to Vahana again. Now that he was closer Tuscan could see faint speckles of white along his back, making the dark reddish fawn wonder if he was a roan. Tuscan knew that the strange pelt condition was often indicated by the sprinkles of white, but he was too young to know for sure.

“Vahana.” Tuscan echoed flatly. No title, no father of note, this colt was a nobody. “You are speaking to Lord Tuscan, son of Lord Duncan.” Vahana chose to address Melora next, and Tuscan shifted over once again to block them from each other, lifting his head to stare down at Vahana with his most intimidating glare, “Mind your own business, commoner. A Lord stands before you. Better not forget your place,” he growled menacingly.

---

Melora

The look at Tuscan shot to the darkling when she spoke to the lilac said it all. That fiery look of disapproval and reproach, the anger in his eyes. “He asked...” She said calmly in self defense, furrowing her brow and lowering her head accordingly to him despite the anger in her chest.

Once again, the violet colt addressed her, before she was interrupted even more rudely by Tuscan’s possessive mannerisms. She let out a whimper, stamping her foot and shaking her head frustratedly as the two colts bantered. This was an uncommon practice for a lady, however Melora had always been troubled with bearing her emotions where all can see.

She took long prances around the red lord, until she was on the opposite side of him with Vahana. “I can’t get home with this blocking my way,...” She shot the same menacing glare to Tuscan that he had given to her right back at him, her nostrils letting out a strong, vexed huff.

---

Vahana

‘Oh man, there it is. This guy is the real deal. Mum would have my tail if she saw me now,’ the colt thought, perking his ears as Tuscan stated his rank. With the filly’s response Vahana’s suspicions were confirmed. This royal brat was picking on her! A commoner who put more value his name might’ve backed down, but Vahana didn’t—instead, he held the buck’s gaze firmly.

Perhaps it was because he was young and foolish, and perhaps he’d be punished for this behavior, but he didn’t waver. He felt that this was the right thing to do, and to him that was more important than anything else. His mother wasn’t around to analyze and correct every blunder he made, or obstruct the causes he longed to fight for. In this moment, Vahana could speak and act freely.

The lilac male laid his ears back, then raised a hoof and brought it down hard on the dusty soil. He felt invigorated! He was ready to give this argument everything he had!

Unfortunately… when Vahana opened his mouth at last to speak, he couldn’t help a slight, somewhat pathetic quiver in his voice, “N-no, I don’t think I will! You should g-go home and leave her alone.” His face immediately flushed with embarrassment. His tail began to droop, as doubt crept into his stomach. Vahana still held his stance, but he felt as though he’d lost steam. He stood frozen, and waited anxiously for Tuscan’s reply.

---

Tuscan

Tuscan’s dark mahogany eyes blazed as Melora rushed around him to stand next to the commoner. He snorted in return, then his gaze flicked back to Vahana. The little twerp was staring right back at him, and even stamped his hoof stubbornly. He was not going to submit. The insolence!

Tuscan heard the young colt out, though not out of any sort of respect, more just because he was too shocked and angry at being addressed in such a way by someone so inferior. It took him a moment to even process what had happened. And it seemed that Vahana was aware of what he had done too; his voice was weak and shaking and he looked frightened. Tuscan would usually be one to relish in the fear that he may strike into the hearts of those around him, but he was too outraged to think about that. Clearly he didn’t strike enough fear! Tuscan stomped both hooves hard, and snorted in fury, “How dare you tell ME what to do!” he snarled, “I can see you driven from Glenmore for talking to a Lord like that!” He had no idea if he could do that but he figured he’d work out the specifics later. For now all he knew is that he was mad! He stepped toward the other colt aggressively, “I won’t tell you again, commoner filth, get your dirty purple-puff hide out of here. Or else I’ll make sure you regret it.”  

---

Melora

 Now, this situation was something Melora had never had to deal with in the entirety of her young life. Two colts, at odds against each other and over her. Part of her desperately hoped that this Vahana colt would be able to hold his ground against Tuscan, yet she held no desire in her heart for the red-pelted young lordling to be too damaged emotionally; though perhaps in the long run it would do him some good.

Despite her inborn fiery nature, Melora knew that this was not the time for her to interfere. She didn't know what she would do anyway, what could a lady do in the middle of such an interaction? She'd never been taught such a thing at her age, but she instinctively took a step back when Tuscan raised his voice more sternly.

No, she'd not interfere at this moment, yet as she lowered her head faintly, her gaze shifted onto her violet knight of valor, praying to the gods that no one would get hurt,.. though deep down, part of her was anxious to see what would happen. Her tail swished behind her as such thoughts raced through her mind. Perhaps this was some sort of bloodlust in her, or more likely, the onset of her transformation into a hind.

---

Vahana

Words could not be unspoken. He was in this. The moment screamed for action to be taken, but Vahana was still hesitant. His mother’s lessons were all rushing back to him now, swarming through his head, as though he’d kicked a wasp’s nest and unleashed a hundred stinging insects in his brain. ‘Always obey the king; his word is law. Treat lords with respect. We serve them, while they protect the land with their magic. That’s how it works here. That’s who we are.’

For a few heartbeats, Vahana thought he might yield. It was not his place to scold or discipline this colt. It was his father’s—a lord’s. He broke eye contact with Tuscan, his gaze trailing back to the little filly. She’d stepped away from them, and now looked on with thoughtful, nervous eyes. Vahana met them, and wondered what would happen to her if he backed down now. He would surrender control over the situation completely, and she would become a victim once more. He shuddered to think of the possibility that she might lose faith in commoners, or worse, in herself…

V couldn’t let that happen. He felt his strength returning, surging through his haunches and shoulders, building like a thunderhead rising over the sea. He banished his dam’s nagging voice from his head, and latched his twinkling amaranthine gaze back onto Tuscan. Without any verbal indication of his intentions, he thrust his body forward, head lowered, just like his mother had taught him.

---

Tuscan

Melora wasn’t on Tuscan’s mind anymore as he faced the lilac colt, fury sparking in his dark mahogany eyes, trying his very best to be scary and intimidating just to force the anxious commoner to step down. Tuscan was not at all nervous, very confident that he would be able to power Vahana back into his place. Vahana looked away, back toward Melora, and Tuscan took an aggressive step forward, pawing the ground and snorting his fury so the stag would pay mind to him again instead of wasting his time sending googly eyes at the ugly stag-doe over there. He was the threat! He was the one that needed Vahana’s attention!

And oh did he get Vahana’s attention. To Tuscan’s shock suddenly the colt was rushing toward him, and before the dark Lord could even react his foe was barreling right into him, the vigor in his strike sending Tuscan tumbling backward into the dust.

The reddish-black colt was stunned for a moment, gawking up at Vahana in horror, “You… you hit me.” Tuscan had never been physical attacked before. All his spars had been for fun. And he couldn’t think of his spars without reflecting on how he won a small minority every single one of them! But this was the real deal. And in truth he was totally and utterly baffled, and shocked, and scared. And also his leg, how it ached because of the blow and the fall, how it hurt from that unexpected assault! He couldn’t fight like this!

He regained his hooves as quick as he could, heavily favoring his foreleg, a deep, quivering pout on his muzzle, “L-Look what you did!” he shrieked, holding out his foreleg limply. “How DARE you assault a Lord! And with such a dirty shot! I always knew commoners were filthy snakes! I’m telling my father!” He was trembling slightly, with anger and thinly-veiled fear and… despair. Despair that he wasn't fighting back. In fact, already he was backing away to leave. His mahogany eyes snapped to Melora, who naturally was looking at him since he was making a scene, “What are you looking at?” he snarled. “I-I’m going to make sure you are both banished and eaten by wolves!” With that last declaration he turned away before they could see his eyes grow wet with tears, and then he ran off. He was limping at first but within a few paces his “injured” front leg miraculously healed and he was making a hasty escape on all four legs. Would he really tell his father? Or anyone? No… he would never bring this up again.

---

Melora

 Her ears flicked forward, eyes widened as Vahana took a charge at the red-pelted colt across from him. She raised a brow skeptically as Tuscan tumbled to the floor with the force of the charge; Vahana would have been unforeseenly powerful to have knocked him over with such a juvenile charge,.. or more likely, Lord Tuscan wasn’t all he paraded himself up to be.

 He shrieked in terror; had he never been knocked over? Surely he must have sparred with other colts before, but the fact that such a harmless, yet stern knock in the side was enough to deter the Lordling from his cause was enough to cause the girl’s jaw to drop slightly, all of her lessons on manners fading away in that moment as her eyes stared in pure disbelief. Who’s the girlish colt now? she wanted to say to him, her tail flicking sassily as pride in her new-found victor swelled within her, but alas it had seemed her feist was lost in the moment. She flicked her ears back and forward again, tail swishing as she glanced to Vahana with a skeptical smile, almost to ask him if he couldn’t believe Tuscan reacted so dramatically as well. She took a short step toward her defeated oppressor, leaning her head out at the colt with concerned eyes as she glanced up and down his form in search of such a serious wound to warrant such a reaction, “..Are you ok Tuscan?- you seem to be fine-’’ though before she could finish, he darted off, screaming of how they’d be fed to the wolves outside Glenmore’s borders.

 She couldn’t help but gape again, watching her oppressor flee down the trail, presumably off to his father. She took a small breath, recollecting herself as she turned to face her violet-pelted Hero. “Thank you, Vahana..’’ She stepped forward to him, her manners coming back to her as she dipped her chest to curtsy in gratitude. ,b>“Don’t worry… My Father is a well-known Lord, there’s no way he’d ever let you be fed to the wolves for saving me...He’ll be very grateful as well, I’m sure. Don’t worry...’’</b> He’d performed a great feat, and she should have to let him know. She took a small step at him, gracing his soft fur with an innocent lick on the cheek to express her gratitude toward his valor. “I have to hurry home, I’m really late, Thank you again though, Vahana.’’ She gave a gentle nod, ears folding back as she turned and took off to her father’s glade in all haste. She wasn’t sure if Tuscan really good get them thrown out, but she still prayed this was just him puffing himself up as well.

---

Vahana

Vahana stepped back, stunned by his own action. ‘Oh, gods! Bad idea, bad idea, bad idea!’ He gulped, saying nothing, as Tuscan wailed on the ground like an injured pup, holding his leg up and raving about the pain V had caused him. The lilac fawn himself was too caught up in his own imaginings to acknowledge the colt’s forced cries. V was a dead fawnling walking!

Still, he couldn’t deny the satisfaction he felt as Melora flashed him a clever smile. He relaxed a little, shrugging back at her with a semi-apologetic grin. He felt a little remorseful, sure, and he hoped dearly that this wouldn’t make things worse for the filly, but he still believed that he’d been in the right on this one. One Glenmorian shouldn’t have to live in fear of another, no matter their heritage!

He wasn’t about to do a victory lap, but he felt good. Odessa had taught him well, but her pride had trickled down into her lessons, and betrayed itself in V’s eyes now. Once Tuscan had fled from the scene, he turned to Melora, still wearing a smile. “That’s very nice to hear, but unfortunately, I’m not sure if either of your fathers would be able to diffuse or worsen what I have coming to me when I get home,” he said with a nervous laugh. In truth, V was pretty sure it would take the entirety of the guard to slow Odessa’s rage even the slightest.

An unexpected touch graced his cheek, and immediately the buck’s fur ran hot with embarrassment and awkwardness. His woes were quickly forgotten. His heart fluttered as he watched the young doe say twirl around and bound off through the trees.

Left alone, and filled of butterflies, he ran through the events of the day again in his head, and what it all meant. Regardless of the severity of his punishment, when the day started, V had known two less faces. Now he’d gained a new friend in Melora, and perhaps, with time, Tuscan would come around too?

A laugh escaped him however, as he trotted ahead along the trail. ‘Then again, maybe not.’